Urban Decay

FOTD: Elegant Rose Quartz Gemstone Lids With a Smokey Bronze Lower Lash Line

September 16th, 2020 by Karen 22 Comments

I wore this look to drop Connor off at her dance class (she’s taking outdoor classes two days a week now, and yay for seeing other kids her age!), and then to go to Trader Joe’s, because doing that kind of regular everyday stuff is the adult equivalent of going to your high school senior prom now. (Dance studio drop-off IS AN EVENT. Ya gotta do it up!)

I took the new Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Palette for a spin for the first time in this look. It’s a new palette with 12 powder eyeshadows, the majority of them with this chonky-looking glitter formula that has a bit of squish to it. They look like they could potentially look like you’re wearing big flakes of glitter on your skin, but there was hardly any floof, fallout or flakes when I got Tiger’s Eye on my lids. The formula applies smoother than I expected it to, but you get WHOA, WHOA, WHOOOOOA levels of shimmer.

So…Urban Decay isn’t shy about their 420 references, but in this case I think “Stoned Vibes” actually refers to, ya know…gemstones, although Tiger’s Eye looks nothing like a stone on my eyelids. It’s a lovely pinkish bronze (heavy on the pink!), which is why I paired it with rose cheeks and lips.

OH! — I gotta point out the lower lash line. I’m wearing MAC Teddy, yet again, because apparently this fall is going to be my greatest hits tour of Teddy smoked along the lower lash line. I just kinda forgot how great it is when worn that way?! It’s fantastic.

I think I’m going to do a look with the purples in this palette (it’s $54, BTW) next because they remind me of my birth month gemstone, Alexandrite…which leads me to a question for you!

What’s your birth month gem? Drop it in the comments, along with any Qs you might have about the palette or this look, if you have ’em. As usual, the full breakdown of products is down below.

urban decay stoned palette wander beauty — Hey, that arm’s an NC42!

Makeup worn in this look

EYES

NARS Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Medium — all over the lids as a base
Urban Decay Stoned Palette Eyeshadows — Good Karma (brow bone), Antidote (crease), Hexed (outer crease), Third eye (outer v), Tiger’s Eye (lids, applied with finger)
MAC Whisper of Gilt — inner corner highlight
Urban Decay Brow Blade in Dark Drapes and MAC Clear Brow Set — brows
MAC Teddy — lower lash line
Honest Beauty Liquid Liner — winged liner
Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara — lashes

CHEEKS

Laura Mercier Soleil 1 — bronzer
Laura Mercier Rose — blush

LIPS

Wander Beauty B.B. and Riviera Dual Lipstick — mixed together

BASE

Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Face Oil — prep
Laura Mercier Foundation primer — prep
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter in Tan — foundation, all over face
Kevyn Aucoin Supernatural Concealer in Medium 05 and 06 — under eyes, cheeks and around mouth
Laura Mercier Translucent Honey Loose Powder — forehead, down the sides of nose, around mouth and along the jawline

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

August 27th, 2020 by Karen 18 Comments

New favorite way to enjoy a refreshing drink

1. Drinkin’ fruit-flavored water from my Fressko Water bottle

I have about 1,354 water bottles in my cupboard. ?‍♀️

This one from Australian brand Fressko is probably the coolest. It can be used for hot or cold drinks, comes with a tea infuser, and is made from double-insulated glass. I use it to make my favorite beverage at the moment: green tea infused with sliced lemon and lime!

The bottles come in 10-, 13- and 16-oz. sizes. I have the 16-oz. bottle, which is $39.95. I think it’s a well-designed, useful something special to have around, and the possibilities for beverages to make with it are endless.

2. Pared down makeup using a brow pen/pencil combo, mascara and liquid liner (and sometimes a liquid lipstick)

Lately I’ve been getting back in the habit of wearing a little makeup a little more regularly than I had been earlier in the pandemic because it boosts my mood, like a daily workout (but without the sweat!). And sometimes when I don’t feel like working out, I’ll just do my makeup, so that way I’m still doing a little something to help my mood.

urban decay brow blade honest beauty liquidliner laura mercier caviar — Three loves of my makeup life right now…

I like to start with this three-piece pared down combo using a brow pencil, mascara and liquid liner: Urban Decay Brow Blade (seriously, SO GOOD), Urban Decay Cannon Ball or Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (or a combo of both), and Honest Beauty Liquid Liner (easy to use and dries quickly).

If, when I’m done with those three, I still want to wear more, I’ll wear more. If I don’t, I’ll just stop there!

3. Victoria’s Secret Amber Sunset

It’s a little funny to me that I now consider this my “late summer scent” because I originally bought it as a mosquito repellant. ? LOL!

But you know what? It I think it actually smells REALLY good. Please give it a try.

victorias secret amber romance pool — Smells like late summer (and not like mosquito repellant)

Amber Romance has notes of warm vanilla, sandalwood and amber, with a pinch of tart cherry, and it’s not strong. It’s juuuust right. Added bonus: it does keep mosquitos away!

4. This giant, overstuffed anatomically-shaped heart stuffed toy

I don’t know who needs this giant stuffed heart in their life right now, but apparently I think I do.

I love how BIG it is, and I especially love that it has valves, LOL! ❤️

5. How people are creatively adapting to life in the pandemic

I admire how people have adapted to “the new normal.” It’s been a lot to handle, but people will do what they have to do. Many small businesses are also coming up with some amazing ideas to keep their places going, like Connor’s dance studio. They couldn’t hold their annual spring dance recital in a big theater like they used to, so a few weeks ago the instructors taped the routines outside in a parking lot in the back of the studio. They added a hand washing station, tents for shade, and then built individual mini “stages” spaced six feet apart for the dancers to perform their routines on while the performances were recorded on iPhones.

We’re witnessing a very unique time in history, aren’t we? It was definitely a dance recital I’ll never forget. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Glam on the Go: A Creamy, Dreamy Purple and Gold Look With Big, Bushy Brows

August 7th, 2020 by Karen 13 Comments

creamy dreamy purples side view glitter — The easiest eyeshadow placement, ever!

Note to self: stop overcomplicating things, both in life and in makeup! Because sometimes taking the easy route is actually, well…easier. And sometimes it turns out better than you expect!

I did the *least* complicated eyeshadow placement in this eye look, and I ended up liking the final result so much that I can’t wait to wear it again (I might do it again today, ha!).

creamy dreamy purples eyes closed — See the sparkles on the upper lash line?

How to do creamy, dreamy purple and golden bronze lids with a smattering of sparkle

Here’s what I did:

I started with a layer of matte purple cream liner as a base with a satiny bronzy gold blended directly on top.
Then, I rimmed my water lines with a creamy warm brown eye pencil and buffed a little bit of it from the lash line to my crease, and on the outer third, for a subtle hint of depth.
Next, I pushed a bit of glittery cream shadow onto the upper lash line, whacked some mascara on my lashes, and that’s it. DONE!

UD Brow Blade is the best

If you’re into bold brows, my brows are epically bushy — again, with minimal effort! — thanks to Urban Decay’s brilliant Brow Blade. Have you tried it? If you want to exert minimal effort but get maximum bushiness, it’s the way to go.

First, apply the twist-up pencil to fill in those sparse spots. The pencil acts like an anchor/base, so that when you layer the liquid pigment from the felt tip pen on top, it has something to grab onto. Super fast, super easy and super bushy.

creamy dreamy purples open — Pandemic hair, don’t care.

Effortlessness of creams

Gotta give a shout-out to the cream bronzer, highlighter and blush (which also doubles as a lipstick) on my cheeks and lips, because, like the eye makeup, blending happened in a flash. I did everything with a single brush!

I also love how cream face products look on skin because you can’t really see the makeup sitting on top of your face. If you’re going for the whole “Is she or isn’t she wearing anything?” kind of vibe, creams are great for seamless, effortless makeup.

Now that I think about it, the only powder I used for this look was a subtly illuminating setting powder I lightly tapped on specific parts of my face (cheeks and the center of my forehead). An illuminating powder is great to have around if you want to set your cream blush, bronzer and highlighter without altering the color or finish. The trick is to find a powder with a finish that’s closer to a sheen or a satin, rather than a full-on frost. A powder with a sheen or satin finish is less likely to pool up in your pores and highlight them.

creamy dreamy purples smile — Smile and the whole world smiles with you. 🙂

This is definitely making it into my 15-minute-look rotation.

Makeup worn in this look

EYES
Stila Liquid Eye Shadow in Camera Ready, upper lash line
Stila Glitter & Glow in Camera Ready, outer corner
Stila Magnum Mascara, lashes
Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter in Bronze, crease
MAC Costa Riche
Urban Decay Brow Blade
MUFE Ultra HD Y42

CHEEKS
Nudstix Nudes in Bondi Bae
Stila Convertible Color Dual Lip and Cheek Cream in Peony
Hourglass Vanish Highlighter in Champagne

LIPS
Stila Convertible Color in Peony

BASE
Kevyn Aucoin Concealer Medium EC06
First Aid Beauty Coconut Skin Smoothie Primer Moisturizer
Stila Illuminating In the Buff Powder Spray

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ???

Before and After: Urban Decay Lash Freak Mascara

July 30th, 2020 by Karen 4 Comments

urban decay lash freak mascara before after — New Lash Freak Mascara by Urban Decay

Ooh! Urban Decay just launched a new long-wearing mascara with a freaky-looking wand for $25. It’s designed, first and foremost, to increase volume, especially at the roots, and has a crazy-looking wand with three distinct surfaces! If you like bold lash looks and a cruelty-free formula that doesn’t smudge or smear, check it out.

How does it it work?

On one side of the brush there’s a row of asymmetrical teeth that really maximizes the amount of product the brush deposits on your lashes. The brush tip has a series of spikes to separate and define individual hairs, too. The last side — the smooth, curved part of the brush — is designed to press up against the roots for added lift.

What does two coats look like?

On my lashes, which naturally point downward and struggle to hold a curl, Lash Freak adds noticeably dramatic thickness at the base of my lashes, and you couldn’t miss it from a mile away! Two coats are enough for thick and lush lashes, but here’s the thing: from up close, the individual lashes look lumpy and bumpy. The curl from my lash curler also relaxes quite bit, so the coated lashes end up reaching out rather than curling up…

I like the color though. It’s a rich, dark black, and the formula doesn’t smear or smudge.

Why should you try it?

If you like thick, edgier long-wearing mascaras with a slightly spidery effect, you might like it.

Who would love it?

Best suited for someone who embraces drama and doesn’t mind bumpy-looking lashes (when seen up close).

When will it be available, and where can you get it?

You can grab it now on the UD website for $25 a tube.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

FOTD: Unintentionally ’80s Copper and Purple

July 29th, 2020 by Karen 19 Comments

urban decay naked ultraviolet copper purple2 — Dreaming of Duran Duran?!

I blame all of the talk about Duran Duran in the Monday Poll comments on this makeup. I was going for colorful and modern with copper and plum lids, but I think I may have ended up unintentionally recreating the ’80s instead.

WHOOPS! ?

(While we’re at it, would someone please pass me a pair of big-@ss shoulder pads and a bottle Aqua Net, STAT?)

That’s the Urban Decay Naked Ultraviolet Palette on my lids again, by the way. Marcia asked in the comments last week what I think of it, and ya know…I have mixed feelings.

The purples are easy to blend, and they’re just different enough to be able to create a variety of violet looks with them, which is cool! As for the powder blue highlight shade (Lucid)? It’s surprisingly versatile (and beautiful) as an inner corner highlighter and to mix with other purples, but the warm, orange and copper tones are kind of a challenge to work with. I totally get that UD was going for a purposeful clash with the orange and purple, but they’re a little too disjointed to put the two against each other.

The orange undertones are a tad *too* warm for my taste, which I found out in the makeup I’m wearing here. I struggled to smoothly transition the copper into the plum, as there are a couple of “bridge” colors missing, it seems. The addition of something like MAC Saddle or Soft Brown would’ve made the whole thing a little easier.

Speaking of Duran Duran…what’s your favorite song? Here’s mine!
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FOTD: Violet Tendencies and a Shout-Out to the Early Aughts With an Icy Blue Highlight!

July 17th, 2020 by Karen 13 Comments

Do you ever start a look with a specific idea in mind, but then it turns into something completely different?! That’s what happened with this eye makeup. I fully intended to do a simple lid with a sweep of matte brown eyeshadow and the thinnest slice of purple winged liner (“Just five minutes, Karen, that’s it!”), but surprise! — somehow I ended up with several shades of purple swirling together into this violet smoke show.

I mean…there is a hint of a gradient wing happening (on the upper lash line if you look closely), so I guess I kinda stuck to the plan? HA HA HA. Eventually, at some point along this crazy makeup journey we call life, I’m just going to have to lean into my smokey eye tendencies and accept that I really don’t want to do any other type of look. ?‍♀️

Also, shout-out to the early Aughts with the shimmery, icy blue inner corner highlight. Add a satin camisole shirt, low-slung bootcut jeans and a fedora. and it’s 2002 all over again!

(You know you rocked this same look back in the day. ?)

I’m wearing a couple new Urban Decay products, by the way — the Naked Ultraviolet Palette (very easy to blend!) and the Lash Freak Mascara (tons of volume at the roots). If you have any questions about either, hit me up in the comments.

Makeup worn in this look

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Product Spotlight: Urban Decay Inked Brow

June 2nd, 2020 by Karen 3 Comments

This cruelty-free vegan brow-filling gel is pigmented and lasts a loooong time. If you’re a fan of Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow, you’ll like this too. Inked Brow comes in seven $26 shades and is available now at UD counters and online.

Things I’ve done to dislodge Urban Decay Inked Brows from my face: 1) Chased a preschooler while they sprinted and splashed in rain puddles. 2) Grunted, thrusted and sweated (get yo’ mind out of the gutter) through a 1-hour booty building HIIT workout. 3) Sang Just What I Needed over and over for 10 minutes in the shower.

ALL FUTILE ATTEMPTS, MIND YOU.

This line of long-wearing brow gels is built to last. Urban Decay even goes so far as to call it “semi-permanent” and claims it lasts up to 60 hours (with the caveat that you need to refrain from washing your brows for three days… Who does that?!).

urban decay inked brow neutral nana — The shade Neutral Nana over the course of one day

It’s like hella pigmented maple syrup for your brows, except that it isn’t sticky and you can’t eat it…so please refrain!

My point is that the viscous formula makes it better for adding color to brows than for molding and shaping. If you’ve got mad scientist brows, you might require the help of an additional brow gel to hold everything in place.

urban decay inked brow brush — Closeup of the brush

Before engaging in the aforementioned shenanigans, I painted it on my bare brow spots using the angled brush it comes with, then ran a brow brush through my brows a few times.

(Do not skip the latter step, or you risk being mistaken for a pirate!)

urban decay inked brows dark drapes neutral nana — Two of the seven shades

I have no desire to leave any product in my brows for three days…but if I did, this would be that product.

Remember — if you decide to use this, don’t use too much, and brush, brush, brush through your brows with a brow brush.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Warm Browns With a Matte Bright Blue and Shimmery Teal

April 15th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

Banged out these bright eyes during the golden hour, otherwise known as “afternoon rest time,” otherwise known as “the two hour break when Connor takes a nap and I get to put on a li’l makeup.”

Lower lash line surprise

I’m wearing warm brown eyeshadows with a bright matte blue on the upper lash line and a shimmery, glittery teal on the lower lash line…but look closely! You’ll also see a thin line of the same matte bright blue I’m wearing on my upper lash line hugging the roots of my lower lash line for an unexpected makeup surprise.

Sharpen those weapons

You could totally do this look with other accent combos. For the bright accent here (in this case blue), I think the key is to combine a darker matte finish with a lighter shimmer. I think that’s what makes it work.

Whichever colors you choose, have your favorite eye pencil sharpener handy, because the sharper your liner, the more control you have over the width of your lines. I used to overlook this and would line my lash lines with dull tips until I found an eyeliner tutorial by The Goddess Her Makeup Majesty Charlotte Tilbury (GOODNESS GRACIOUS, I LOVE HER). She emphasized, over and over, the importance of a sharp tip whenever you’re working with pencil. Lo and behold, when I started religiously sharpening, lining got much easier and less messy.

Big ups to Char for forever changing my life. ?

Spirit makeup animal shout-out

I also gotta give it up to another one of my favorite makeup artists, Brittany Sullivan, for inspiring this look and for temporarily lifting me out of my bronze/brown/neutrals ~~rut~~ routine. Follow her if you aren’t already because her hair and makeup style (how she perfects the base without it looking overdone = AMAZING) is the stuff of effortlessly casual dreams. Serious #foundationgoals.

Makeup worn in this look

Base: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (to prep skin), MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick in NC42 (cheeks, nose, around mouth) and Estée Lauder 24HR Concealer in Medium Warm Deep (just a single dot underneath each eye)

Eyes: MAC Soft Brown and Saddle (lids and crease), Urban Decay Chaos liner (upper lash line, and very thinly along lower lash line), Urban Decay Electric (lower lash line), MAC Hush (inner corner and brow bone), Hourglass Arch Brow Gel in Dark Brunette, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara

Cheeks: Nudestix Lip & Cheek Pencils in Blush and Purity (cheeks) and MAC Hush (upper cheekbones)

Lips: Nudestix Lip & Cheek Pencils in Purity (lip liner) and Blush (lipstick)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen