Clinique

Clinique’s $36 The Nutcracker Suite Act II Palette Is Perfectly Purple

December 11th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

Clinique Nutcracker Suite Act II — Wearing the $36 Nutcracker Suite Act II Palette on my eyes and cheeks, along with the Chubby Stick Baby Tint in Flowering Freesia and Blended Face Powder in Snowflake Dreams, all from Act II of Clinique’s The Nutcracker Suite holiday collection

Part deux of Clinique’s holiday collection, The Nutcracker Suite, puts the spotlight on soft, romantic colors… And purple!

The overall collection is split into two parts, with the first part, Act I, being pumped up about pink, and the second part, Act II, being passionate about purple.

In Act II, purple eyes and a sheer purple lip pair with pretty pink cheeks, and for the eyes, there’s The Nutcracker Suite Act II Eye and Cheek Palette ($36).

The Nutcracker Suite Act II Eye and Cheek Palette ($36)

Clinique The Nutcracker Suite Act II Palette — The Nutcracker Suite Act II Palette ($36)

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The Clinique Nutcracker Suite Act I Three-Piece Holiday Collection Is Totally En Pointe

December 2nd, 2014 by Karen 33 Comments

Even though the pink and glitter in The Nutcracker Suite, Clinique’s new ballet-inspired holiday collection, are totally en pointe, they will not help you pirouette your way to ballet greatness.

Clinique Nutcracker Act 1 — Wearing the Eye and Cheek Compact, Chubby Stick Baby Tint and Blended Face Powder from the Clinique Nutcracker Act I, part of The Nutcracker Suite holiday collection

But I can see why you might think they should…

After all, it does make a certain kind of sense to think that since your makeup looks like a ballerina’s from The Nutcracker, you should probably be able to dance like one, too, and then you bust out some pliés on your creaky knees and scowl at your ballet teacher when she says something snarky about your butt sticking out too far!

Er, well…maybe that’s just me and my childhood dance trauma.

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Gold Glitter on a Tuesday? Why the Hell Not! A Face of the Day With MAC 3D Glitter in Brass Gold, and the Clinique On Safari All About Shadow Quad

June 3rd, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

Wearing Clinique's On Safari Quad with MAC 3D Glitter in 3D Brass Gold — Glitter! Wearing Clinique’s On Safari Quad with MAC 3D Glitter in 3D Brass Gold

Generally I think of rigorous makeup rules and structure as hogwash, hooey and blarney, otherwise known as crazy talk.

Can’t say I’ve ever really believed in hard-and-fast rules for le war paint, but I do have a mantra — a guiding principle, if you will — and this is it: WHY THE HELL NOT!?

Want to rock a blown-out Khal Drogo smokey eye to a formal Sunday brunch?

Why the hell not!?

Want to wear a bright green gloss and gold glitter on your lids to walk your cat around the block?

Why the hell not!?

My point is this: life is short. You might as well wear what moves you.

Today I was in the mood to sparkle because, you know, it’s Tuesday, and that’s as good a reason as any. 🙂 So I did this glittery, brassy, kind of smokey greenish khaki eye.

I like that it has tricks up its sleeve. One minute, when my eyes are wide open, I think it looks almost tame, just a warm brassy golden eye, but then when I blink, BAM! — that’s when the glitter does its thang.

I used MAC 3D Glitter in Brass Gold atop Clinique’s greenish gold All About Eyeshadow Quad in On Safari, and I kept the glitter in the center of the lid so it wouldn’t overpower the whole look.

The Clinique On Safari All About Shadow Quad

I think the loose glitter I’m using here, MAC 3D Glitter, is really cool. The hexagonal multicolored glitter bits may look kind of mellow in these pics, but all about the drama in person.

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Let the $28 Clinique On Safari All About Shadow Quad Be Your Guide to Summery Khaki Shadows

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

I’ve always wanted to go on a safari. You know — see lions, giraffes and feisty bull elephants on the savannah from the safety of a Land Cruiser.

We’ve thought about it a few times. We know some folks from Tanzania, but a trip like that is a lot to plan. So far things just haven’t worked out.

Compared to that kind of safari, exploring Clinique’s summery new All About Shadow Quad ($28) in On Safari is much easier to arrange.

Gurl, I cannot wait to wear these powder shadows with coral cheeks and lips! Ooh — and how about a little gold highlighter on the upper cheekbones? YES.

And you won’t even have to drive far at all to catch a glimpse of this animal, because it’s available now at Clinique counters and online.

To the Dark Plum in Clinique’s Eyes To Go Palette Travel Exclusive, Take Me With You!

May 15th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

That dark purple, though!

The colors in Clinique’s new travel exclusive Eyes To Go Palette (available now at select airports worldwide) are shades I’d normally dismiss as way too cool for my warm skin tone (I’m a MAC NC42), but that dark plum in the center is the business. It’s just too beautiful to resist.

So rich! So plummy! I bet it would look amaze-balls on the lids with a shimmery warm copper in the crease and a sparkly gold or bronze in the inner corner.

Keep an eye out for the Eyes To Go palette next time you’re at an airport and spot a Clinique display, store or counter. The price will vary depending on what country you’re in, but these travel exclusive palettes usually go for $45-60.

Clinique Black Honey All About Shadow Super Shimmer, and a Message From the Future…

April 17th, 2014 by Karen 27 Comments

1994 KAREN: Hello?

2014 KAREN: Hi, is this Karen?

1994 KAREN: Yes, it is.

2014 KAREN: This is going to sound totally weird, but, um…this is your future self, Karen. From 2014.

1994 KAREN: Shut the front door! What? Who is this? Jen, is that you?

2014 KAREN: No, really. It’s me, Karen. I mean, I’m also Karen. I’m calling you from 20 years in the future.

1994 KAREN: You sound… Dude, how’s that even possible? Who is this!? Someone’s pulling my leg. Are you that guy from the bus stop the other day? The Terminator one?

2014 KAREN: Nope, not that guy. Although I do remember him. Tall, in the green plaid shirt —

1994 KAREN: No way! How do you know that?

2014 KAREN: He was a physics major. Really cute and funny. I think he wanted to ask us out, now that I think about it.

Anyway, I only have a few minutes here, so that’s enough about boys. I have something very important to discuss with you.

1994 KAREN: Man, this is blowing my mind! If you’re really from 20 years in the future… I need more proof. Tell me something else only you — I mean we? — would know.

2014 KAREN: OK. Well, right now you’re probably wearing Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick.

1994 KAREN: NO WAY!!!

2014 KAREN: You’re struggling in chem and, truth be told, college has been a lot lonelier than you thought it would be. You also really miss Mom, Dad and Al, but you’d never admit that to them.

1994 KAREN: OK, I am officially freaked out right now. This is incredibly freaky…

Well, then I guess I should ask why you’re calling. Is it something bad? It’s something bad, isn’t it?

Clinique Black Honey Swatch — Black Honey Swatch

2014 KAREN: No, no, not at all. I just really wanted to say hi and — I know this sounds weird — remind you that you’re stronger than you think.

1994 was a hard year, but you’re gonna be OK. It might not seem like it now, but everything’s going to work out.

1994 KAREN: Really??

2014 KAREN: Yes, really.

I wish I could say more…but the contract I signed forbids me from disclosing anything specific that could alter the course of our life.

1994 KAREN: Gotta be vague… I get it. I totally get it. I’ve seen the Terminator —

2014 KAREN: — 500 times, haha!

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Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara Is Not for the Birds, but for Others Who Like a Feathered Fringe

April 10th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

The word, “feathering,” in Clinique’s new Lash Power Feathering Mascara makes me think of birds. And birds make me think of jerks. Because that’s what they are. JERKS.

Oh, I’m just cranky because the neighborhood birds completely decimated my radishes.

I filled two large planters with radish seeds (partly because they grow to harvest in 25-30 days, which is quick, and partly because El Hub and I like them in salads), and as soon as they began to sprout the cutest, tiniest little leaves (aww!), the neighborhood birds just tore ’em up without any regard for my spring planting agenda.

They chewed up the sprouts, destroying every single last one of them, until all that remained were a few sad nubs that will not survive.

Sooooo…no radishes for the nice lady who, incidentally, keeps the bird feeder on the deck filled at all times with yummy birdseed.

Nope. No radishes. Not one.

Anyway…#endrant. On to mascara.

I wanted to try Clinique’s new Lash Power Feathering Mascara mostly because of the marketing hype, which promises “out-to-there” length, and being a mascara hoarder an all, that greatly excited me. 🙂

Lash Power also promises a feathery soft lash look that lasts 12 hours without smudging, and to be easy to remove using warm water.

After a week of testing, my verdict is in. On Lash Power, I think my fringe does look feather soft. Lash Power does a great job of separating and maintaining a curling. It tends to flake a little if I go beyond crazy with the layering — it does layer exceptionally well, without any clumping or bumps — but other than that, it’s pretty sturdy stuff, and it really does wash off easily with my regular face cleanser and warm water, which is convenient.

As for smudging, as long as I don’t rub at or futz with my eyes, it doesn’t.

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Clinique Makes It Official With the $28 All About Shadow Quad in Going Steady

April 3rd, 2014 by Karen 8 Comments

Clinique All About Shadow Quad in Going Steady

Purple eyeshadow?

Yes, please. 🙂

This cutie-pie palette wants to go steady. It’s Clinique’s All About Shadow Quad in — wait for it — Going Steady ($28), and you can find it now at Clinique counters and clinique.com.

Wanna go steady?