MAC Cosmetics

MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Warm Soul Mineralize Blush

March 10th, 2014 by Karen 38 Comments

I love the way I feel with MAC Warm Soul Mineralize Blush on my cheeks…

I feel good, and by “good” I mean that feeling you get on a sunny day when you’re out walking in just jeans and a t-shirt, or “good,” like when you and a friend share dessert someplace on a lazy afternoon, and you both know each other so well that neither of you really feels the need to talk just to fill the space.

Comforting, natural and effortless. That’s how I feel with Warm Soul on my cheeks. It’s as if it was always meant to be there — like it was just waiting for me to find it, and when I did, the puzzle pieces fit.

Is it weird to feel this kind of connection with a golden beige powder blush?

If it is, I can’t say I care. 🙂

Warm Soul is the blush I’ve been waiting for — the one that works with errrrthing, that doesn’t get in the way of whatever eye or lip makeup I happen to be wearing, and yet has enough to stand on its own two legs when all I want to do that day is lightly fill in my brows, curl my lashes and apply a little concealer and gloss.

MAC Warm Soul Swatch on NC42 skin — Warm Soul on my NC42 skin

That’s how I wore it yesterday when El Hub and I made a last-minute Target run before The Walking Dead (which I thought was awesome, BTW).

I had less than five minutes to get ready. Only enough time for minimal makeup (“Brows, lashes, lips,” to quote Jeremy Renner) and to sweep Warm Soul on my cheeks.

Gotta love not having to do any elaborate blending or having to deal with any patchiness. Just a few swipes on each cheek, and it’s all good.

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MAC Unsung Heroes: Reflects Antique Gold Glitter

March 6th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

So let’s talk glitter — specifically MAC Reflects Antique Gold Glitter.

Oooh, girl!

Wait — before you put that palm up and say, “No, Karen [INSERT SASSY JENNY-FROM-THE-BLOCK HEAD TWITCH HERE]. I don’t do glitter,” let me just say that this glitter is one of the best afternoon pick-me-ups.

Better than green tea or coffee even. Scout’s honor. 🙂

Like, this afternoon, I was feeling really run down and kind of blah. I took this shimmery loose glitter out around 2 and patted a little on top of my lids. Yup, directly on top of the smokey brown eye makeup I was already wearing.

BOOM! I go from “meh” to “Vegas, b*tches!” in 2.5 seconds, thanks to this turbo-charged jar of sparkling happiness.

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An Everyday Neutral Eye Look Using Classic MAC Colors (Permanent Line)

March 5th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

Before heading to the dentist today, which is always one of my favorite things in the entire world to do (that’s actually not true at all), I did a neutral look using some classic MAC colors from the permanent line.

When I posted about this look before, a few people asked for a tutorial, so here goes!

It’s just that — uh…it ran a little long.

Dude, I’m sorry, but I ramble. It’s an ongoing struggle. 🙂

Here are the products mentioned in the video…

That’s MAC Blush in Cantaloupe on the apples of my cheeks and MAC Iridescent Loose Powder in Golden Bronze on my upper cheekbones.

Oh, and that’s MAC Plushglass in Fulfilled on my lips.

I hope you like it, and thank you for watching (and for putting up with my rambling!).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. So earlier at the dentist, I actually did cry. It was supposed to just be a cleaning, but the hygienist said she needed the dentist to look at something in my mouth, and when he came in, he started sharpening his dental tools in front of me!

I was like, uh…no, we’re not going to do this right now.

I guess I just freaked out a little. Anywho, now I have to go back at some point to finish my cleaning.

Have you ever freaked out like that in the dentist’s office?

One Pan of Eyeshadow, A Trio of Looks! A Smokey Plum Eye Makeup Tutorial Trifecta

March 3rd, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

Are you ready for three ways to work a smokey (or smoky, depending on your preference) plum eye?

Here are THREE different ways to rock the new Clarins Smoky Plum Ombre Minérale Mono Eye Shadow ($21)…or any other eyeshadow you like.

(Click here to watch the video on YouTube.)

The first look is the most casual one, good for daytime. The second is slightly turned up, like for grabbing drinks after work, and the third is a full-on smokey look with lashes, drama and the whole nine yards.

Definitely one for a big night out…or perhaps just to run errands around town, if you’re a diva like that. 😀

I’m using a shimmery purplish taupe shadow in the video, but you could definitely swap that out for another purple or taupe from your collection.

OOH! I think something like MAC Satin Taupe or Shale would look really pretty.

Or, you could skip the purple entirely and go with something like a shimmery bronze, brown, green, gold or blue. Seriously — whatever your heart desires at this moment! The most important thing is that you like it. Whatever it is, you’ll do great. 🙂

Clarins Smoky Plum Eye Shadow — Lashes, BAM! (Yup, this is the third look…)

A smokey plum eye makeup tutorial — A better look at my lids from the final look…

Products mentioned in the video…

Clarins Ombre Mineral Mono Eye Shadow in Smoky Plum ($21)
MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder ($16)
MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush ($25)
MAC 217 Blending Brush ($24)
Katy Perry Lashes in Punk Princess ($6.99)

Thank you for watching! If you give it a try, snap a quick pic and tweet it to me @karenmbb, or tag me at hashtag #makeupandbeautyblog on Instagram. Please!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Unsung Heroes: Style Blush

February 26th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Wearing a single layer of MAC Powder Blush in Style ($21) on my cheeks

I’ve had to do rapid-fire makeup to get out the door and catch appointments two days this week. From start to finish, I’m talkin’ 10, 15 minutes tops.

This pressure cooker of time has led me to MAC Style, a shimmery golden coral Powder Blush in the MAC permanent line.

I picked it up a while back during a stress shopping session (girl, you do it too!) but set it aside when I became totally infatuated with MAC Cantaloupe.

I guess I was just feeling more like matte cheeks and full-on wintery makeup looks for a while there, and Cantaloupe fit the bill. I had a blast layering different highlighters and shimmer products with it, too, but that was when I had enough time to play…

When my schedule doesn’t allow for that and I have to leave the house in a hurry, extra little makeup touches like highlighter usually get cut.

Which is where MAC Style comes in…

A lovely soft coral powder blush with a delicate golden sheen, I think it’s great for getting out the door in a flash. Its moderately pigmented coral base has just enough color to give a nice flush to my cheeks.

It’s not so intense that I have to spend precious breakfast time buffing and blending everything out if I inadvertently over-apply, and it’s easy to control. No exaggeration, but I can get it on my cheeks and be done with blush in less than a minute.

MAC Style Blush Swatch on NC42 Skin — Style Blush on my NC42 skin

But that’s not my favorite thing about Style. That distinction goes to its fine golden sheen.

Swoon!

While delicate and subtle, it totally takes this blush to the next level for me, transforming it into a hybrid blush/highlighting butterfly, and I smile every time I see a flash of its pearly golden glow.

Not only is Style dynamic, it also shaves a couple steps off my makeup routine.

MAC Style Blush Swatch on NW25 Skin — Style Blush on a good samaritan’s NW25 skin

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One To Cross Off the Wish List: MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul

February 25th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

I just got back from the salon (Fox + Stone Salon in Corte Madera) and that Oribe class!

Being the hair model was fun, and I learned a lot while I was there. Check back a little later this afternoon because I have some pics and hairstyling tips to share.

It’s girl code, of course: friends always share hairstyling tips. 🙂

In unrelated news, I also swung by the MAC counter on my way home to replace my broken ~~heart~~ bottle of Pro Longwear Concealer and get a new industrial-sized bag of MAC Bulk Wipes (also known as the best wipes for removing makeup while you’re swatching) and a pan of Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul ($25).

That last one was unplanned, but I’d been coveting it since I saw it last week. Now it’s mine… MINE! Mwahahahahaaa!

The sales gal who was helping me pushed me over the edge. When I mentioned it, she nodded knowingly and said, “That’s going to look perfect on you.”

Yeah, girlfriend. Sold.

How To Do a Basic Brown Smokey Eye

February 24th, 2014 by Karen 33 Comments

Please ignore the Christmas decorations behind my shoulder, LOL! I filmed this back in December before Christmas but then got too carried away with the holidays to prepare it.

I still wanted to finish it, though, because it’s a staple look of mine that I wear all year round, perfect for just about any occasion from work things to movie dates to running errands around town.

I make little tweaks to it all the time, but this time I paired the eyes with nude cheeks and lips. You could always opt for more dramatic colors to brighten it up.

Here’s the final look…

Brown smokey eyes with nude peachy coral cheeks and lips

There are some steps and layering involved, but I’m sure you can do it. If you haven’t tried something like this before, it just takes a little practice.

Full list of products mentioned in the video…

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Try This Tip for Bangin’ Brows

February 20th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

“It’s complicated.”

My relationship with my brows. It’s complicated. I’ve been growing them out for what seems like millennia (but has only been about a year).

They’re just so damned moody! Moody little brows.

Weeks will pass without so much as a peep out of them — no dramatic diva outbursts whatsoever. I’ll go about my days filling them in with eyeshadow or a brow pencil and be done in the blink of a fuzzy caterpillar’s eye.

Until…

They turn against me and become totally uncooperative.

It’s weird…and it usually happens overnight, like the follicles all had a meeting while I slept and voted to revolt.

All of a sudden, they all have their own little ideas and refuse to lay down correctly, and I start feeling like I have to use more product than usual to get them to behave. Consequently, I end up unintentionally crossing that invisible line that separates bold brows from Groucho Marx.

Told ya. Complicated.

Seriously, though, if your brows consistently behave, cherish it. You’re lucky.

Mine have been going through one of their spells… The outer tail areas (the sides closer to my ears) have been particularly ill-tempered lately, and I just haven’t been able to get them to look as crisp or defined as I like with my usual slate of products, so I’ve been brainstorming possible solutions.

And I think I found one…

MAC Brun Eye Shadow (left) and Dipdown Fluidline (right)

Instead of filling in each entire brow with a single product, I’ve been using a combination of two — a powder eyeshadow and a matte gel liner.

First, I fill in the inside half of both brows with a dark brown eyeshadow (usually MAC Brun) using an angled brush.

Applying MAC Brun to the inner portion of my brows with an angled brush

Then, I quickly clean my angled brush by wiping it across a paper towel, and use it to fill in the outer half with a matte gel liner. I’ve been using MAC Fluidline in Dipdown for this, a dark brown with a flat matte finish.

Filling the outer tail with MAC Dipdown Fluidline

The result? Brows that start softly defined closer to my nose but get progressively darker and crisper and more defined as they move out toward my ears. Natural, yet bold, and not Groucho Marx, LOL!

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