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Try This Hack for Bold, Bushy, Bangin’ Brows

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brow tips top
A hack for bold but natural-looking brows

Do you ever feel like your brows are out to get you? Like they have an agenda? Like they have ulterior motives?

I do. ? Sometimes they absolutely refuse all orders, totally ignoring my requests, whether I come at them with a brow gel and/or an eyebrow brush.

Do you want fuller, (somewhat) natural-looking brows, but don’t want to have to spend an hour on it and use a ton of product?

If you answered “yes,” then this brow hack is for you! ?

I just started doing this and have gotten some good feedback on my brows lately, so of course I have to share this hack with you, because I’m guessing you’re probably as obsessed with brows as I am. 🙂

First, you’ll need a clear brow gel, your favorite brow filler (pen, pencil, powder, whatevs) and — drumroll please — YOUR FINGERS!

Yes, fingers are the key to this party. ✌️ ?

Start by applying the clear brow gel to your naked brows. There are so many good brow gels out there, BTW (see: Benefit, NUDESTIX, Anastasia), but I’m using the one by MAC now because I like the hold. It gets the job done, but it doesn’t make my brows too stiff.

Don’t be shy, either. Pile that ish on!

brow tips 1
Naked brows and bare skin, ’cause that’s how we roll around these parts
brow tips 2
Load up the clear brow gel.

Now, instead of grabbing a brow spoolie or a brush comb and running that through the gel, push your brow hairs into place with your fingers.

Yup, that’s right! Simply press and maneuver the hairs exactly where you want them.

The secret is the power of fingertip pressure. ? I think it just works better than a spoolie or a brow brush.

brow tips 3
Press those hairs!
brow tips 4
Goofy face completely unnecessary but highly encouraged (ya need to be able to laugh at yourself, ya know?)

My strategery is to push the brow hairs in the inner half of my brow upward, and the hairs in the outer tail slightly up and out. I think that makes the brows look full, fluffy and thick.

At this point, you can proceed with the rest of your makeup while the gel sets, and then when it’s dry fill in any sparse spots in your brows with a pencil, pen or powder.

brow tips 5
Fill them in, finish the rest of your makeup, and you’re done!

It’s weird, but when I do this with my fingers, I’m able to get away with using less brow pencil, and I think my brows generally look more natural and less…I dunno…heavy-handed than when I use a brush or another tool?

Please note that most brow gels get stickier after setting for a minute or two, so if you’re there pushing your hairs around, and you feel the gel getting stuck here and stickier, that’s totally normal!

brow tips 6
Off to pre-school pickup!

I hope you give this a try. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Elegant and Polished Makeup for All Occasions With Playful Pink Cheeks and Lips, and Cool-Toned Matte Grays to Contour Lids

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mac cozy grey honest beauty forever
10-minute makeup with cool toned lids and lips

I always say, “I threw this look on,” but I really did! This took about 10 minutes, not including the few minutes it took to gather my arsenal of supplies, which in this case was not very much. Those are cool-toned grayish-brown lids and rosy beige lips, and I did it right before going to get Connor from school the other day. The highlight was showing it off to a couple of my neighbors when we got home and practiced Connor’s bike riding and did some sidewalk chalk.

I’m telling you, these days, the highlight of my day is often those socially distanced chats with my neighbors. That’s where it’s at!

Anywho, I really like this look. I feel so polished in it and, dare I say, almost cute?!

I like the slight definition on the lids and lashes, the pink blush on my cheeks, the lipstick and the somewhat bushy brows, which are defined but not overly bold.

Here it is in action…

I’ll definitely wear this again, maybe even on a date night (if one of those ever happens again). Ooh! — or on a girl’s night out, or a Saturday at a museum, whenever we can do those things again. I think you could wear pretty much anything with it.

The full breakdown is below, but I think the eyeshadows are the key. I’m wearing two matte cool-toned shadows — a light taupe-gray called MAC Cozy Grey all over my lids. It’s a workhorse from the permanent collection. And a darker gray-brown called MAC Brun.

I have hooded eyes, and I chose the matte taupe-gray because I wanted to contour my lids. The cooler gray along with the matte finish creates the illusion of a shadow, which I think makes my lids look like they’re more deeply set.

mac cozy grey honest beauty forever
Somebody cut my hair please!

If you’re over 40, or if you have naturally hooded eye, definitely consider adding a matte cool-toned grayish taupe eyeshadow to your collection. I would go with a shade slightly darker than your skin tone — maybe one or two shades — because you want to be able to see the shadow and get that contoured effect, but you don’t want anything too dark; otherwise, you’ll be sitting there blending for days!

duri forever beautiful swatch
Here’s a closer look at my nails. I’m wearing Duri Forever Beautiful, an opaque creamy cool pale pink.

In my outer corners, I buffed a tiny touch of matte gray-brown MAC Brun. This shade… SO GOOD. You can also wear it in your brows to fill ’em out, or you can smoke it out over a dark chocolate brown or black base, or even use it as a simple upper or lower lash liner. It’s a staple I turn to over and over again… I’m never without a pan of Brun, it’s that serious!

One last thing I’d like to point out about the eyes, and it might seem subtle at first, but if you look closely at my lash and water lines, there’s a hint of shimmer, which I think really makes the eyes pop. I’m wearing a pencil liner called MAC Prunella, which is a shimmery warm dark purplish bronze. I happen to like how it contrasts with the cooler tones on the lids.

mac cozy grey honest beauty forever
Same look, different lighting

Makeup in this look

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I hope you’re having a great day so far! 🙂

Romantic Rose Tones With Brilliant Bronzed Browns

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mac chatterbox lmac chatterbox laura mercier roseaura mercier rose
I like this palette of luscious golden browns and dainty, rosy pinks. ?

OK, so, I wore this look yesterday, and doggone it — I felt good about my makeup. The pink blush and lipstick spoke to my soul… You can’t go wrong with springy, romantic rosy pinks. Methinks they’re downright therapeutic. Wearing pink in winter reminds me that we will see the sun again.

mac chatterbox laura mercier rose
Just a little makeup!

I’ve been doing the bare minimum in terms of base for months, but I put a little more polish into this look, and I really like how it turned out.

For starters, I mixed a dab of pearly lotion into a matte, medium-coverage foundation, then applied a thin layer with a skunk brush all over my face. Then, for slightly more coverage, I loaded a tiny, pointy-tipped concealer brush with the most minimal amount of concealer and strategically dabbed it where I have a little extra pigmentation (spots on my cheeks and around my mouth). And those couple extra things took my base makeup to the next level! Dare I say it? — an elegant level. 🙂

mac chatterbox k down havana
Swatches of the key products on NC42 skin

I felt like myself again for the first time in a while.

Yeah…I was wearing lipstick around the house again, LOL! MAC Chatterbox is an awfully pretty, playful reddish pink, and it can be quite bold if you apply a layer straight from the tube. I was in the mood for something more mellow, so I blotted it down, then used my finger to push in whatever lipstick remained to create a beautiful rosy pink stain… I think it’s springy and cheerful, and I love it. MAC Chatterbox, man! Don’t sleep on it.

Speaking of MAC, Powersurge eyeliner with Havana eyeshadow = magic. Layer Havana on top of Powersurge the next time you’re wearing warm browns or bronzes on your lids, and don’t forget to send me a thank you note when you’re done. ?

mac chatterbox laura mercier rose 1
MAC Havana eyeshadow + Powersurge liner = magic!

Makeup in this look

  • Base: It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare in Tan 41, Kevyn Aucoin Concealer in Medium 06, MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite
  • Eyes:Urban Decay Brow Blade in Dark Drapes, MAC Saddle and Havana eyeshadows, MAC Powersurge pencil liner, Bite Beauty Upswing Mascara, MAC Clear Brow Gel
  • Cheeks and lips: Laura Mercier Soleil 1 Bronzer, Laura Mercier Rose Blush, MAC Chatterbox lipstick

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Sheer Foundations to Ace Your WFH Base | Friday Thoughts on Looking Good on the Outside and Feeling Good on the Inside

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5 sheer wfh foundations
Five wonders of the makeup world

If there were ever a time to appreciate the wonders of a sheer, everyday workhorse foundation, this would be that time!

These are my favorites at the moment. What are yours?

5 Sheer Foundations to Ace Your WFH Base

  1. Lancôme Skin Feels Good Hydrating Skin Tint Healthy Glow: Ultra lightweight with a demi-matte finish; looks great in person AND in pics.
  2. MAC Face and Body Foundation: The most natural-looking of all the sheer bases, and it’s long-lasting too. I kid you not, skin still looks like skin when you wear this.
  3. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer: A beautiful satiny finish with medium coverage! Plus, it blurs pores.
  4. It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare: This one is also medium coverage, but the finish is closer to matte than the others. The barely-there formula practically feels like water.
  5. MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick: This one is SO easy to blend and has a gentle, soft matte finish. Sometimes I like layering this on top of Face and Body. ?

Thoughts on looking good and feeling good

Most of the time, when we look good, we feel good. I heard something along these lines recently in a fashion video (it was about how not to look “frumpy,” in case you’re curious), and it spoke to me.

At the beginning, Erin, the host of the show, says…

“We’re talking about how the way you look affects the way that you feel, affects everything in your life. When you’re looking good, you will feel better. You will feel great. You will have more to give everybody else.”

This struck a chord with me, because whenever I have something to give — whether it be my time, energy, money, love, etc. — I always give what I have to my friends and family, which I’m always happy to do, but what I hadn’t realized, though, is that the strain of the past year has left me with very little (or rather, zero) leftover “oomph” for myself, and it’s been slowly chipping away at my confidence. My proverbial well is bone dry.

Lately, I can feel myself getting dangerously close to the point where one rolls out of bed one day and stays in the same crusty pajamas for two weeks straight.

I think a part of it is my hair, to be honest. I haven’t had a cut in more than a year, and it’s been bothering me. I haven’t wanted to do anything with it lately, because it’s almost impossible to wrangle it into any sort of workable style. That frustration then leads to me saying, “well, f*ck it,” to everything else. Why bother putting on sunscreen or mascara when none of it feels fun?

ouai pet shampoo
This cat looks like how I feel in the mornings lately…

Oh, and forget about getting properly dressed, because nobody will notice if my shirt is inside out or backwards — not even the people I live with, and I know this because it’s happened several times.

Because I haven’t really talked to anyone in person lately, unless it’s the occasional curt one- or two-minute conversation with the sales associate in the checkout line at Petco, or a brief in-passing conversation at preschool dropoff, I sometimes find myself wondering, “Why do I even keep trying?”

The funny thing is, logically I know that 1) this is all temporary, and 2) what’s mostly bothering me is exterior stuff. It’s all frosting, and not the cake, which is something I tell Connor all the time. I know in the grand scheme of things that the outside stuff is frippery. I’m 100% aware that what’s on the outside does not determine my worth on the inside.

baked sprinkle cake
You know I had to do it.

Yet…when I look in the mirror and see myself looking sloppy or unkept, even when I remind myself that the exterior stuff isn’t everything, and all the best stuff is on the inside, I still feel yucky. ?‍♀️

People often say that the first step to helping yourself is being able to admit that you need help, and watching that video made me realize that I need a little help.

So, here I am, gently reminding myself that doing the things that make me feel good are not a trivial burden. Brushing my hair, putting on sunscreen in the morning, and curling my lashes — these are all good things, and they are worth the effort, because when I look good, I feel good, and I will have more to give.

keep room in your heart

Oh, and another gentle note to self: it really doesn’t have to be hard. The effort does not have to be Herculean.

For the last few nights, right before bed, I’ve been setting out a bottle of one of the sheer bases listed above, along with a lash curler, a mascara, a brow pencil, blush and a lipstick, and I make sure to put on makeup first thing in the morning.

Surprise, surprise! — I’ve been feeling a little better since I started doing this, and my plan for the next few days is to do the same tomorrow, and the next day, and the next….

Oh, and earlier this week I bought myself some clothes for the first time in…I can’t even remember how long.

Also, I found a stylist who does outdoor cuts. Mind you, I haven’t booked an appointment yet because of the virus and whatnot. I’m still nervous about the pandemic, but at least I know that, when I’m ready, she’ll be there, and that’s such a mental relief.

Anyway, that’s what’s been going on with me. Thanks for listening, and on that note…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Check In With Your Makeup-Loving Friends…

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super ridiculous
Sunscreen and bare skin…in yet another picture that I probably shouldn’t be sharing on the Internet, hahaha!

Check in with your makeup-loving friends, because, chances are they’re wearing very little makeup, or no makeup at all, LOL!

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had a conversation over the past few months with a makeup-loving friend or a bonafide beauty buddy that included the phrase, “I really haven’t been wearing any makeup lately.”

Seems like everyone I know who normally loves painting their face is currently primarily sticking to sunscreen and a smile these days, and that includes yours truly.

I’m sitting here writing this post completely bare-faced, and ya know what? I’m cool with it, even though not wearing a lot of makeup has made coming up with ideas for Makeup and Beauty Blog posts…more challenging. (Side note: MBB turns 14 years old this February! OMG!)

The last full face of makeup I wore was about a week ago. It was a 15-minute variation of this matte brown eye look with coral-pink cheeks (MAC Warm Soul Blush) and lips (Honest Beauty Happiness Liquid Lipstick).

k honest beauty happiness jan 2021
Gray hair, don’t care

I also busted out a long-time foundation favorite of mine that I haven’t used in a while, MAC Face and Body, a.k.a. LOVE OF MY LIFE.

I’ve been OBSESSED with this liquid foundation for years, and using it last week reminded me why! Whenever I drift away from it and temporarily land on a different product, it usually looks heavy or obvious. But MAC Face and Body always comes through. It has the perfect amount of sheer, natural-looking coverage, and it’s so lightweight that I can’t even feel it.

I think it looks particularly fetching with a touch of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish powder dusted on top…

mac face and body
LOVE YOU

Let it be known that I haven’t entirely stopped wearing a full-face of makeup. ? I still like to wear a little, like very scaled-down eyes with just a brow pencil, mascara and liner.

Lately, my liner of choice has been a dependable workhorse — one of the skinny waterproof Chanel twist-up pencils from the Stylo Yeux line. I’ve been all about Blackwood, which is a rich matte dark brown that’s great for tightlining, but I also love good ol’ Noir Intense and Espresso.

chanel stylo yeux swatches noir intense espresso black wood
Chanel Stylo Yeux faves

So, friend, where are you right now on the makeup continuum? What have you been wearing as of late?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This Matte Brown Classic Eye Makeup Goes With Everything

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eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything
This is an easy, everyday classic eye look.

If I were cruelly forced to select a tiny handful of eye makeup looks to wear for the rest of my life the rest of the winter, this matte brown look with brownish black eyeliner would definitely make the cut.

Not only is it relatively speedy to do (say 15-20 minutes start to finish), it’s also easy because it doesn’t heavily rely on intense blending.

eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything
Products I used…

A banging’ brew of browns

So, what makes it relatively easy? Answer: The two brown shades — the golden brown on my lids (MAC Cork) and the warmer orangey brown in my crease (MAC Saddle) — are similar tones, which makes blending them together easier.

In fact, if you’re REALLY pressed for time, you can even skip the warm brown in the crease, and just wear the golden brown eyeshadow all over your lids.

That said, I do like the warm brown in the crease because, especially when I’m wearing a little bronzer, a warm brown in the crease ties everything together nicely.

Always adjustable

Another added bonus to this look is that it really does work with everything — bold lipsticks, nude lipsticks, no lipstick at all (for when I’m masked up). It’s quite flexible.

eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything bright lip
With a bold lip color, MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in Escandalo. Long Live Lipstick Tee in Red Hibiscus.
eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything
Same eyes makeup, different lip color (MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lipstick in Crossfade mixed with Sorry Not Sorry)
eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything nude lip
I feel good in this makeup! Long Live Lipstick Tee in Driftwood.

Base notes

Oh, and about that eyeshadow base — in the pics above, I’m purposefully wearing a beige cream eye primer with a beige powder eyeshadow buffed on top, which are lighter than my skin tone. I do this because, when I want browns to show up on my brown skin, I have to go lighter with my base. That makes them pop. I recommend going with a base that’s similar to your skin tone.

Sometimes, though, I skip the beige base entirely and just do a swish of golden brown eyeshadow all over my lids, like in this pic below:

duri when in rome
I’m wearing MAC Cork all over my lids without an eyeshadow base. The lipstick is MAC Relentlessly Red. Nail polish is Duri When in Rome. Nap Then Attack Tee.

See how the brown shadow adds a touch of depth to my crease? But not as much as it does when there’s a beige base underneath? I think it still works, though.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Today is inauguration day here in the US. Congratulations and good luck to President Biden and Vice President Harris!

MAC Unsung Heroes: Chicory Lip Pencil

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MAC Chicory Lip Pencil. Shirt: Mascara & Kitties

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

I know, I know — we’re all wearing masks. So, what’s the point of wearing lipstick or lip liner, or any other lip products at all?

Listen, just because my face is covered doesn’t mean I don’t get the urge to wear something on my lips. I still LOVE wearing lip color, and I’ll wear it around the house, just because. I don’t need a logical reason. ?

A few days ago I just happened to come across a lip pencil from MAC that made my heart flutter like a hummingbird, and I thought you might like it as well. It’s a warm matte peachy brown called MAC Chicory, and I think it’s lurvely.

mac chicory swatch nc42
NC42 right here

It’s a little reminiscent of ’90s-style brown lipsticks like MAC Paramount, which is totally bad-@ss — but Chicory is a little less aggressive due to the presence of the peach, so it’s more wearable and down to earth. It’s a kinder, gentler version of the girl who loves wearing combat boots, Levis and button-down flannel.

mac chicory
I’m wearing MAC Costa Riche liner as a base on my lids with MAC Give Me Sun MSF Powder on top.

The shade lives in MAC’s permanent line, and it’s $18. It should last a while, too. Some people aren’t fans of MAC’s pencil liners because of their harder texture, but I don’t mind it at all. I like the stiffer consistency. It helps with longevity, especially if you’re using them as a lipstick, which in this case just entails lining and filling in your lips with Chicory and layering your favorite lip balm on top. (Lately, that’s been CeraVe Hydrating Balm for me.)

If you’re a fan of warm brown eyeshadows, and you lean heavily on Soft Brown, Saddle, Sable or, if you love and wear Costa Riche or Teddy liner often (which I do!), Chicory is a fantastic complement to any of those colors.

Give it a try. I think you’ll love it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Wearable Glittery Pink Lids and Lips | MAC Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadows | Tips for Wearing Pink Shadow

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mac explosive chemistry
Playful pink! Shirt: Long Live Lipstick Tee

Ya know…sometimes you just need to wear a little pink glitter to go with your pink cat socks!

The torbie-est of the torbie girls

The glittery pink on my lids is MAC Explosive Chemistry from the new super sparkly Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadow line of intensely shiny glittery powder shadows in a foil base.

I’ve been playing with ’em and have consequently figured out a few things…

The MAC Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadows

  1. Ditch the brush. If you want to take advantage of the glistening, gleaming foiled finish, use your fingers to apply them. Not brushes. Because brushes end up just pushing the shadow around and mellowing out the highly reflective finish.
  2. Skip the setting spray, too. I’ve tried applying these shadows wet to test if they look shinier (with a finger sprayed with setting spray), and it makes absolutely no difference in the payoff. You really don’t need that extra step!
  3. And while you’re at it, pooh-pooh the primer. Typically, with a bold foil or glitter, I’d reach for a primer to help the sparkles stick to my lids, but this formula doesn’t need it. It happily sticks to bare skin.

Sale alert!

If you’re interested and want to save a few bucks, FYI, I hopped on the MAC site yesterday and found out they were marked down from $21 to $12.60. Only the red, silver and white with multicolor pearl are still available, but I would keep checking back because you never know if and when they’ll restock more.

The Foils are also on sale on the Nordstrom site for $17.85. Macy’s has them on sale for the same price as well! Last time I checked, Explosive Chemistry was available on both Nordstrom and Macy’s.

mac explosive chemistry

Tips for wearing pink eyeshadow

I know you’re probably thinking, “When am I EVER going to wear a warm pink glitter on my lids?” but listen. You *can* do it in a way that is daytime friendly and super wearable, and all you have to do is…

  1. Sweep a warm orangey brown matte or satin shadow into your crease to counter-balance the flashy glitter. You could do something like MAC Soft Brown or Saddle. Your favorite bronzer will work too (mine is MAC Give Me Sun, which I’m wearing here).
  2. Swap your standard-issue black liner with a brown. It’s softer than black, yet yields a similar effect by defining your lash and waterlines.
  3. Summon your concealer. I’m a huge advocate for skipping under-eye concealer when you can, but with pink shadow, I don’t think that’s an option. Pink shadow can sometimes make you look like you’ve been crying, and wearing concealer helps to lessen the effect.

    4. mac explosive chemistry

    Makeup worn in this look

    Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

    Karen

    P.S. TGIF to the extreme!

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