Sonia Kashuk

Now Playing: Possessed by Purple, Starring Sonia Kashuk’s Shine Luxe Lip Colour in Sheer Plum

January 2nd, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Sheer Plum Shine Luxe Sheer Lip Colour

Well, it looks like I just found the title to my new tell-all book about being a member of Tabs’ inner circle.

I’m calling it Possessed by Purple: The Life and Times of a Makeup-Loving Cat Lady.

Isn’t that catchy? 🙂 Expect to see it on the New York Times Best Seller list soon.

Haha! Not.

The “purple” is in reference to the orchid obsession currently afflicting my makeup bag. I’m a little infatuated with Pantone’s Color of the Year, Radiant Orchid, so I’ve been wearing purple lips a lot lately…

The purple in this pic is by Sonia Kashuk. It’s her Shine Luxe Lip Colour in Sheer Plum ($10.99), and even though it’s a little darker than I expected for something called “Sheer,” I like it. It’s comfy, too — slick and lightweight — and oh, so moisturizing.

It’s available now at Target stores and also online.

A Purple Pout Named Violetta: Sonia Kashuk’s Luxe Lip Color SPF 16 in Violetta

January 1st, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Everyone has their favorite colors of the year, right? Well, Pantone, purveyors of color standards for the design industry, picked theirs last month, and it’s called Radiant Orchid.

My purple pout today came via Sonia Kashuk’s Satin Luxe Lip Color SPF 16 in Violetta ($9.99) — a relative of Radiant Orchid.

Are you familiar with these lippies (the Satin Luxes)? They’re part of Sonia’s permanent line, and they’re FAB! — like drugstore versions of MAC Mineralize Rich Lipsticks.

Violetta here is a creamy purple with a mirror-like shine, and I think it looks quite fetching with coral cheeks. 🙂

This orchid prefers the climate inside Target stores (it’s also available online).

Doopdadoo… It’s 7, which means it’s almost time for bed (I’ve committed to going to sleep by 9 tonight)! Nothing new to report. I had a nice, relaxing day with Tabs and El Hub. I went for a run AND a walk, and then watched a ton of TV.

I need to work off all the dark chocolate stars I inhaled this season (blast you, Trader Joe, you delicious fiend!).

Three Cheers for the Three Tiered Sonia Kashuk Floral Print Triple Train Case!

September 13th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Foral Triple Train Case — Sonia Kashuk’s ferociously fabulous Floral Print Triple Train Case (and my new snow leopard sweater from Target)

The new Sonia Kashuk Roll Up Valet bag might be better at keeping makeup and brushes separated and organized…but sometimes you don’t care about organization and just want to bring along a sh*tload of stuff!

Well at least I do. 🙂

I have a confession — packing light does not come naturally to me (unlike my knack for tracking down new Kevin Federline-esque fedoras).

It’s actually really hard. Whenever I fly somewhere, I pare down because I have to, but dangnabbit! — those carry-on luggage restrictions sure cramp my style.

Now, when traveling by car, since I can bring however much I want and don’t have to haul my cookies around an airport, I tend to go a little cray-cray in the makeup packing department.

Let me put it this way: I’m the girl with five different face powders and six bronzers at any given time, and oh — what’s that? You want to borrow a glittery nail polish? Can do. I’m sure I have at least two or three of them with me…

It’s time like those, when I can bring however much I want and indulge in my makeup hoarding tendencies, that Sonia Kashuk’s Floral Print Triple Train Case ($19.99) is mah jam.

New for fall, the three-tiered zippered travel case has become my go-to bag whenever I want to bring along hella blushes, powders and/or eyeshadows.

Bulkier products like face powders fit nicely into the bottom tier, which is the deepest level of the bag, and when I stand them up in two rows, the bag fits about 20…

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I’m Rolling Deep With Sonia Kashuk’s $19.99 Roll Up Valet Makeup Bag

September 5th, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Roll Up Valet — Sonia Kashuk’s fantabulous Roll Up Valet ($19.99)

I love trying out new makeup bags in the hope of finding THE ONE BAG that will rule them all, Highlander-style, and the bag I brought with me to Vegas this week, the $19.99 Roll Up Valet by Sonia Kashuk, just may be that one!

Truth be told, I never thought I’d ever want a spare/backup makeup bag. Backup lipsticks and eyeshadows, sure — but a backup makeup bag?

Well, yes. Sonia’s Roll Up Valet is without a doubt one of the best makeup bags I’ve ever owned. It’s like your own personal makeup admin assistant, keeping everything organized, and it’s compact and lightweight, too.

From the outside, it’s a cute bag with a handle and a snap closure, but unroll it, and it turns into a magic carpet!

Okay, not really… 🙂

It opens to reveal four separate, see-through zippered compartments, which make it easy to find the products within.

I keep brushes in one of the compartments, my face makeup (foundation, blush, bronzer, etc.) in another, eye makeup in the third and lip products in the fourth. With this beautiful bag, I don’t have to rut around in the dark, or dump everything out on a counter, to find what I’m looking for.

I also like how it lies flat when it’s open. Perfect for tabletops.

Better still, it couldn’t be a whole lot easier to clean, and it only costs $20!

The new Sonia Kashuk Roll Up Valet: what fits inside — It fits all of this, with room to spare!

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Like Gatorade for Your Lips, New Mega Moisturizing Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Colours in Pinky Beige and Spiced Berry

August 30th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Wearing the new Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color in Spiced Berry ($9.99, available now at Target)

Mark my words! Come hell or high water! I AM GOING TO TARGET TO BUY THAT CAT LADY SWEATER TODAY!!

I’ve had it on my to-do list for… Heck, I don’t know how long it’s been on there. At least a week. El Hub’s car has been in the shop, so he’s been taking my Mazda to work, which has left me at home with Tabs.

Not that I mind (except for the sweater).

But I’m mobile again. Got my car back, so I can run a few errands this afternoon. Tabs needs gravy (Seriously, he really does. There isn’t a can left in the house.), and I need that sweater from Target.

When I’m there, I’m gonna swing by the Sonia Kashuk section to see if they have her Satin Luxe Lip Colours with SPF 16.

Babe, have you tried these before? I’m kicking myself for not getting on the train sooner because they’re kind of the sh*z. I’ve been wearing the two newest shades in the fall collection, Spiced Berry and Pinky Beige, off and on for the past couple of weeks and lovin’ it.

Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color in Pinky Beige and Spiced Berry — See the colors at the bottom of the tubes? Makes it so easy to find whichever shade I’m looking for.

Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Colour SPF 16

Oh, yeah. And they’re less than 10 bucks ($9.99 to be exact). The buttery, featherweight formula feels almost exactly like a $22 MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick to me, and they’re super duper smooth, so there’s none of that annoying business where the color settles into the lines on my lips.

More to love

They’re unscented and unflavored.
Contain SPF 16.
Last from 2-3 hours, which isn’t bad for something this lightweight.
And each tube has that see-through part, which makes it easy to find the shade I’m looking for at a glance.

OK, but are they worthy of a precious permanent place in your purse?

I think so…but my definition of “permanent” is more like long-term temporary. 🙂

If they do deserve that kind of love, it’s on account of how moisturizing they are — like we’re in the desert, and our Jeep Wrangler just stalled off-road 20 miles from the nearest service station, and then you apply one of these, and it’s like a giant bottle of Gatorade for your lips.

Yeah, that moisturizing.

If your pout gets crazy dry and flaky like mine does, or if you travel a lot by plane (can’t stand that recycled air!) or live somewhere with very low humidity, I think you’ll appreciate it.

Plus, the colors are totally on point for fall.

Pinky Beige

Pinky Beige just might be the perfect creamy nude. Not too cool nor warm, it’s medium coverage and massively low maintenance. You could probably pair it with any color smokey eyes — black, gray, bronze, green, blue — no problem at all. Hands down, it’s one of the most flexible, affordable lip colors you could add to your makeup bag this fall.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Spiced Berry

Spiced Berry’s shimmery finish caught my eye immediately. It’s got good glitter, ya know? Not that cheer champ stuff, but the kind of glitter that goes great with sleek black dresses, patent pumps and dainty gold jewelry.

If you like vampy lip looks or think you might like them but have yet to give ’em a try, Spiced Berry could be a good place to start.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Swatches (for reference, I’m an NC42)

Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color in Pinky Beige Swatch — Pinky Beige

Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color in Spiced Berry Swatch — Spiced Berry

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Keep Your Eyes on Neutral Shimmer With Sonia Kashuk’s New “Eye on Neutral Shimmer” Eye Couture Palette

August 28th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Shimmer — The Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture palette in Eye on Neutral Shimmer

Should you ever wake from a moment of reverie with your eyes closed and a big grin on your face as you cradle the new $19.99 Eye Couture palette in Eye on Neutral Shimmer to your bosom in the Sonia Kashuk section of your favorite Target store, I completely understand.

You see, I too have a weakness for shimmery taupes, grays, golds and browns.

Sonia Kashuk Eye Coutre in Eye on Neutral Shimmer — It’s easy to keep your eyes on a palette this sharp…

Sure, duochrome pink-to-purple shadow singles with rainbow glitter seem more exciting at first, but they’re like quick sugar fixes (the novelty wears off fast). Unlike Luna Bars and the Eye on Neutral Shimmer palette, they aren’t really designed for long-term sustenance.

That’s why I hold neutral palettes like this near and dear to my heart.

New for fall with 12 pans of powder shadow in shimmery neutral shades, these color temps are just right — neither too cool nor warm, and should flatter a wide range of skin tones from light to dark.

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12 Pans of Shimmer Shine in the Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition “Jewel of an Eye” Eye Couture Palette

August 27th, 2013 by Karen 55 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Jewel of an Eye — The current apple o’ my eye: the $19.99 Eye Couture Palette in Jewel of an Eye from Sonia Kashuk

With autumn about to make its big debut, what’s one way to stay on trend without breaking the bank?

The Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition “Jewel of an Eye” Eye Couture Palette

Perhaps you’ve already stocked up on fall staples over the summer — a chic red lipstick, a black liquid liner, a deep plum (and) or berry gloss — and are saying to yourself, “Whee!” and asking, “What else can we put in there?”

Throw some jewel-toned shadows into the mix

Ya know, for emerald, amber, amethyst and sapphire smokey eyes. All are so, SO apropos with knee-high boots, tweed blazers and snuggly, chunky knits.

Ah… I can almost hear the leaves crunching beneath my feet and Tabs whining because of how chilly it is outside (too chilly to go for his daily walk). Maybe we should get matching turtlenecks — my cat and I — because that’s what I really need — to give my neighbors another reason to think I’m a crazy cat lady. 🙂

As far as fall makeup, I suppose we could hunt and peck for jewel-toned duos and trios, or spend an arm and a leg searching for “the perfect combo,” but who has time for all that?

Try this: tell your hubby/honey/Ryan Gosling that you’ll be back in 10 minutes, because we’re going to Target to check out Sonia Kashuk’s new “Jewel of an Eye” Eye Couture Palette ($19.99).

Okay…make that 30 minutes. We both know that Target is a time warp. We’ll never get out of there in less than 15.

12 pans of shimmer

This 12-pan palette of intense, shimmery shadows pulsates with possibilities for trendy jewel-toned looks, and it’s RAD.

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Pair It Up: Kick Your Summer Makeup Repertoire Into High Gear With Matching Lips and Tips

June 13th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

Five of summer’s must-have lip and tip combos

This summer inspiration is brought to you by Target. Find more fun and surprises all season long on Target’s #SummerUp Pinterest board.

Lounging languidly beside any pools this summer? Planning any barbecues at the beach? Don’t forget those all-important warm-weather essentials like your swimsuit, big floppy hat, sunscreen, cooler filled with drinks and snacks, and of course, your matching lips and tips. 🙂

Some among us may argue that those last two items aren’t summer fun essentials. Either way, I sure do love bright nails and lips this time of year, especially when they match!

Gotta get that quick burst of color from your fingers as you write your name in the sand, or blow kisses into your camera phone as you snap a quick selfie to send to your sweetie (“Wish you were here, boo!”).

I searched high and low for a few fun, affordable combinations to wear this summer and combed through countless contenders (a tough job, but someone had to do it) to come up with the following five trendsetting color combos.

You don’t have to pay Dolce & Gabbana prices to look fashionable and fab. These five lip and tip pairings are available now at Target stores and online at target.com.