Urban Decay

Subtle Spring Sparkle When You Don’t Want to “Go Big” With Glitter

April 24th, 2018 by Karen 32 Comments

mac oh so gilty dazzleshadow — MAC Oh So Gilty Dazzleshadow

Am I in my 40s? Yes. Do I still love wearing glitter? Yes… Is there a way to reconcile both of these things without 1) trying too hard or 2) looking like I’m trying too hard?

Let’s find out, haha! 🙂

Last weekend I went to a Sunday lunch at a fancy brunch place in town with the new members of the moms group I belong to, and I was really excited to go because when do I ever dress up anymore and enjoy a meal that doesn’t involve me getting food on myself as I feed or pet a little animal?

Answer: hardly ever.

I wanted to do something that felt a little glamorous and special, but, you know, for lunch, so I still wanted it to be somewhat reserved.

This look took 10 minutes, and I can confirm that it only took 10 minutes because that’s exactly how much time I had to put on makeup before I had to leave the house.

I’m finding it so hard to connect with new people in real life as I get older, but I’m really trying to put myself out there.

new member luncheon — The veggie frittata was pretty good.

Of course, the original plan was to take my time and enjoy the process, leisurely get ready (that’s half the fun of going out, right?), but as usual, even though I woke up super early and had a detailed checklist, everything came down to the wire.

I had to be out of the house by 11:15. At 10:45, I still hadn’t gotten dressed (which is another story, oy!) or done my makeup and hair.

view fromm hilltop — The view from Hilltop 1892 in Novato (I also went there for Easter brunch one year and for my birthday one year.)

new member lunch moms — You don’t even know how excited I was to talk to other adults in person.

So, yes, this look DOES come together really quickly, in case you were thinking, “Eh, I don’t have time for that!”

For the subtle shimmer, I used two of my current faves from the MAC Dazzleshadow line, which I patted on my lids with a finger. A few flecks fell onto my cheeks, but overall the fallout with these shadows is so minimal, and I usually just incorporate it into the look. 🙂

mac oh so gilty dazzle styel — I like how you can only see the glitter when I blink or look down.

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My Favorite Nude Lipstick at the Moment Is Naked

April 17th, 2018 by Karen 14 Comments

urban decay naked lipstick attention lipstick iphone case final — Attention Lipsticks ? iPhone Case, available now from my store, ConnorClaire.com.

I’ve been wearing creamy nude pink Naked from the Urban Decay Vice Lipstick line almost on the daily lately because it magically matches almost every eye product, palette and blush color in my collection. It’s $18 but feels like a $60 Guerlain lippie!

What’s your current favorite nude lipstick? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Purple Lashes and the World’s Ugliest Pizza Dough Crust

April 11th, 2018 by Karen 24 Comments

urban decay double team mascara vice — Pizza and purple lashes

Purple lashes and pizza are NOT mutually exclusive.

urban decay double team vice — Statistics flashbacks! And Urban Decay Double Team Mascara. And UD 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Vice. Both of which I’m wearing in these pics.

You learn something new every day!

I finally made pizza ? for the very first time using raw pizza dough, which I got from Trader Joe’s, and lemme tell ya — I’m not going to be winning any Beautiful Pizzas of Instagram Awards anytime soon.

My goodness, that’s a hideous crust…

finished pizza — Let’s just say that it wasn’t sculpted by Michelangelo… It was damn tasty though.

Allegedly, El Hub knows how to make pizza dough from scratch (allegedly). Although I’ve yet to witness this phenomenon in person, he still poked fun at me for the raggedy edges.

I tried to make it cute, though! I really did!

trader joes pizza dough — 1,000% not Instagram-able

Ultimately, the hideousness didn’t matter because the pizza was SO good (as was the purple mascara, by the way).

GAH! Purple lashes! When was the last time I applied a purple tinted mascara and actually saw the color on my lashes? Um, like never?! Miraculously, I can actually see the purple from Urban Decay Double Team Special Effect Mascara in Vice, and it’s IN-YOUR-FACE PURPLE, which is awesome.

urban decay double team vice 2 — See the tops of the lashes? So purple!

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How to Get Colorful Mascara to REALLY Show Up on Your Lashes

April 9th, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

urban decay double team gonzo — Yeah, that’s blue! I’m wearing Urban Decay Double Team Special Effect Colored Mascara in Gonzo and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in LSD.

Impact: maximum ✅ Effort: minimum ✅

Curl lashes, then prime with a thin layer of your favorite black waterproof mascara (mine is MAC In Extra Dimension Waterproof, because helloooooo — length for days).

Next, grab a blue mascara, and paint two layers. Line your water and lash lines with a matching blue pencil (and get between those lash roots, just like the relatives who get all up in your business), and say PEACE OUT ✌️ to basic fringe.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The New Urban Decay Naked Heat Vice Lipsticks

March 28th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

urban decay naked heat lipsticks spring 2018 — Coming in hot: seven new Urban Decay Naked Heat Vice Lipsticks ($18 each)

DUUUDE. Urban Decay Naked Heat (we’re gonna talk about the new Naked Heat Vice Lipsticks in a second). Not to get to deep on you, but if you think about it, which came first? — nakedness or heat? Like, was it SO HOT that clothes were removed and nakedness ensued? Or were these people — if we’re imagining people dancing around a fire, don’t ask me why my brain goes there — were they naked first, so they were cold, and then they had to get closer to the fire to get heated? WHO KNOWS?

Yeah, chew on THAT for a bit.

Ooh, Urban Decay, there you go again, throwing another limited edition log on the Naked Heat fire. UD just added seven new Naked Heat Vice Lipsticks, all inspired by the original Naked Heat palette and lipsticks, and the petite Naked palette last month, and this release is like “Naked Heat Lipsticks Part Deux.” (Because everything sounds better in French.)

These $18 shades are warm like the colors in a big ol’ bonfire — burgundies, browns, wine — basically, lots of darker colors in metallic finishes with a sprinkling of peachy nudes, which, yeah, I know, #karenishashtagbasic, but I really like them.

urban decay naked heat lipstick swatches — First Sin, Fuel 2.0, Trip, Faith, En Fuego, Singe and Ember

So, I’m always a little thrown by UD’s Vice Lipstick packaging, because…I mean, it’s nice-looking, but when I pick it up, it feels so insubstantial to me and kind of…cheap.

But then I open them up (!), and these Vices feel and wear like a $$$$ Guerlain Rouge G.

urban decay ember — Ember, a metallic coppery burgundy

urban decay singe — Singe, a metallic deep wine red with glitter

They’re practically pure pigment in a bullet. With the exception of First Sin, which is sheerer than the others and more of a mid-level cream, when I slide them across my lips once or twice, BAM! — full-color smile. 🙂 And even though you’ve got all this color on your lips, the formula doesn’t pool in your lip lines. It’s smooth, intense and regal.

urban decay en fuego — En Fuego, a matte burgundy

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The Urban Decay Backtalk Eye & Face Palette Is Getting People Heated!

March 27th, 2018 by Karen 15 Comments

urban decay backtalk palette eye swatch — Wearing the new Urban Decay Backtalk palette on my lids and cheeks, and UD Backtalk Vice Lipstick on my lips (a classic shade in the permanent line)

MAN, people are FIRED UP ? about the $46 Urban Decay Backtalk Palette, and it’s not just because of the warm tones. If you read some of the reviews on Sephora… My goodness! They make it sound like you’re smearing melted cat poop all over you eyelids when you use it. I mean, people have FEELINGS about it, and the main complaint seems to be the level of pigment, which I don’t really understand because I’m not having problems with it.

Granted, I don’t think the palette is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I’m not raving about it, but…

urban decay backtalk palette 1 — Pink, mauve and, yes, warm

It was inspired by a lipstick.

Anyway, let me rewind a second. First things first — the packaging. There’s a mirror in the middle that separates eight powder eyeshadows and four blushes, and the mirror slides out, which I like.

urban decay backtalk mirror — Now you see it, now you don’t.

The shades are predominantly varieties of warm mauve and pink, which again, is because the palette was inspired by Urban Decay’s Backtalk Vice Lipstick in the permanent line.

urban decay backtalk palette eyeshadow — A mix of matte and shimmery shades

urban decay backtalk palette blush — The blushes have different levels of pearl.

It’s actually pretty good!

I’ve been wearing it, and I haven’t had a problem with the pigment, which is generally on the more intense side of medium, so the shades aren’t quite “full on,” but they aren’t as sheer as some of the reviews have said.

urban decay backtalk palette swatches — What’s that, Karen? You’re still an NC42 in MAC for reference? Yes…yes, I am.

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New Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss

March 27th, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

urban decay hi fi shine lip gloss — Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Lip Glosses ($20 each)

Where are all the naked dudes?!

It’s a completely legitimate question to ask when you’re talking about new Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss, because, as you might remember…

Of course you remember, and don’t play like you don’t! 🙂

UD did that line of lipglosses back in the day with holographic pictures of half-naked dudes on the caps (THEY WERE CALLED POCKET ROCKET. There. *snaps* Sorry, took me a moment to remember.), and when you turned the caps, they’d go from smiling and posing like catalog models, to looking over their shoulder in tight purple boxer briefs.

It was so cheeky, crazy and fun, and quite a different style for UD at the time — not their usual tattoos and piercings cool girl vibe. It’s hard to imagine they did something like that, but I guess if people can change and evolve, so can makeup brands.

Urban Decay glosses through the years…

I used to really ? Honey-Infused Lip Love Therapy.

Remember the mega MINTY Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Glosses?

Of course, we can’t forget these dudes!

The Revolution glosses had the coolest packaging.

An amalgam of two classic lipgloss lines

These new $20 plumping lipglosses do NOT have any Magic Mike action happening on their caps (sorry to disappoint you, ya pervert), but they still got it goin’ on.

Until recently, UD had two separate gloss lines — Revolution and Naked — but they phased them out and replaced them with this line, Hi-Fi Shine.

These are basically the old Naked gloss formula with an additional plumping element, new packaging and new colors. UD carried over some of the Revolution shades (Revolution was their brighter line) and Naked shades (Naked was their nudes line), and added some others. Then they divided them all among four finishes — Cream, Sheer Cream, Holographic and Metallic.

Old flames and new loves

I’m glad they kept the colors I wear all the time, like Beso (a creamy, deep pinkish mauve), Fireball, Naked and Snitch (OMG, this coral!), they also added some new potential stars, like bright purple Jawbreaker and creamy mauve pinkish nude Backtalk.

urban decay hi fi shine lip gloss in beso — Beso, a deep pink-mauve cream (Cream)

urban decay hi fi shine lip gloss in fireball — Fireball, a holographic peach with pink sparkle (Holographic)

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay Urban Defense Complexion Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

February 28th, 2018 by Karen 16 Comments

Where do you fall on the face primer issue?

Well, it’s not really an issue… I mean, do you love ’em or hate ’em? Because it seems like most people are in one of the two camps. I don’t come across a lot of middle ground. Most folks either love face primers…or they don’t.

I love ’em, and I usually wear one daily, even if I’m just doing minimal makeup to take my cat for a walk. I’m not a huge fan of the extra step, but I’ve come to terms with the effort. It doesn’t take a ton of time for me to rub some primer on my cheeks and my forehead, and the payoff is smoother-looking skin, better texture and longer-lasting makeup.

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.

There’s no shortage of great face primers out there, but this one by Urban Decay is one of the best. It’s $34 Urban Decay Urban Defense Complexion Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30, and it’s clear, even though it has sunscreen in it, which makes it something of a makeup unicorn…because, as you know, primers that contain SPF often leave a noticeable white cast on the skin — especially tan skin and darker skin tones — and, frankly, it can be hella annoying.

Sometimes it’s really obvious, but I don’t see any white cast when I use this. It’s completely invisible, and that’s one of the reasons I like it so much.

This feels light, absorbs and dries quickly, doesn’t give me breakouts, and when I wear it under foundation, BB cream, powder, concealer — you name the face product — my skin just looks…better. Smoother. Oh! — and my pores look less aggro, LOL! I have combination skin, by the way (dry on my cheeks and oily in the T-zone), and this works well all over my face.

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