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Wander Beauty

Dreaming of Vacay With Wander Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and More

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urban decay tryst

I woke up wishing I was on vacation this morning. There weren’t any viruses to worry about, no freaky headlines on the news, or piles laundry to fold, no meals to plan. Ah…

When I dream of vacation, it usually involves a beach, ‘cause I’m a sand, surf and sun girl.

I LIKE ALL THE TROPICAL PLACES, and I’m equally happy at remote, out-of-the-way secret beaches that are only accessible by rickety rope ladders as I am at Disneyland-like resorty beaches with all the accoutrements, including a big umbrella, a comfy chair, a clean bathroom and a snack shack. (Gimme all the snacks!)

Walking down to Hideaways beach on Kauai

A play on sheen, shimmer and shine

You know how when you’re at the beach on a hot day, you’re always kinda sweaty, even if you’re just sipping on strawberry shave ice? Well, that’s what I was aiming for with the base in this look. I wasn’t going for “sweaty” necessarily, but rather glistening. There’s an all-over subtle sheen on the skin (thanks, Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter), paired with bright, shimmery spots beaming from specific areas — the inner corners of the eyes, in particular, and the bridge of the nose. Then, there’s just the faintest amount of shine on the lips, thanks to a bright reddish coral lippie with a creamy finish.

I know I talk about “Char’s” Flawless Filter all the time, but really, it’s that good. I like it just as much as I ever have, and I still routinely say, WHAT THE HELL KIND OF MAGIC IS IN HERE? when I blend it in and look in a mirror.

If you’ve tried it and didn’t like it because you felt like the opalescent finish made you look sweaty, try setting it with a face powder that has a matte or demi-matte finish. For this, I’m a massive fan of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. And Chanel’s loose powder is good with Flawless Filter, too. Both temper the sheen a tad for a purrfect glow.

Cue the contrast

Did ya notice the matte lids and lash lines? Yup, that’s on purpose. I wanted a flatter finish on those areas to play against the intense inner corner highlight, and I’m wearing shadows from the new Wander Beauty Wanderess Escape Palette, which has a mix of matte, shimmer and glitter shadows in warm, summery shades of brown, bronze, gold and peach (there’s also a pop of teal in there). If you’ve ever fallen in love with any of the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess palettes, I think you’ll like it.

urban decay tryst
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Ringing in the New Year With Warm Browns and a Splash of Blue on the Waterline

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urban decay stay naked threeesome in naked swatches
There’s a 100% chance I’m wearing pajamas right now.

First, hello and welcome to 2020, my friend! ? Hope you’re having a happy new year so far!

Second, I know there must be a scientifically explainable reason why warm orange browns look sooooo good with blues (is it because orange and blue are on opposite sides of the color wheel?), and my left brain knows this, yet when I see the two colors happening on my face, my right brain steps in and is like, GIRL, YES. My heart begins to flutter, and I get that tingly crazy makeup lady feeling in my toes! It’s one of those electric color combinations I love to wear.

I wore the combo yesterday to work at the bakery, where, speaking of color, I made the most beautiful blush pink buttercream frosting. Check it…

I KNOW. I’m going to shop my nail polish stash for a similar opaque pale pink today.

But first, back to the warm browns and blue…

urban decay stay naked threeesome in naked swatches
See the subtle blue on the lower waterline?

I knocked this out in about 10 minutes yesterday because, basically, it’s just a neutral look with a slice of color on the lower waterline.

If you’re wearing something like this and going about your business, most people won’t be able to tell that you’re wearing blue liner, but ya know, if I were to run into you at TJ’s and we’re chatting about the Mini Brie Bites, if you’ve got blue liner on like this, then I’m gonna be like, “BABES, whatcha got there? Tell me about this business on your waterline.”

mac texture
I see you!

This blue, by the way, is one of my MAC favorites. It’s called Take the Plunge, and it’s one of the Technakohls (which I love for the waterline because they don’t move), but (SAD PANDA) I just looked on the MAC website, and it appears to be missing in action. So, if you can’t find it, try something like Urban Decay Mainline, or really any of the dark blue/teal 24/7 Glide-Ons. Basically, if it’s a dark blue/teal, you’re good!

If you struggle to get bright colors to look bold on your waterline, you’re not alone. It’s common for blues like this to look muddy, especially if you wear liner on your upper lash line or upper waterline, because they can get mixed in with the blue and tone it down.

So here’s whatcha do…
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Fall for Fresh Skin and Shimmering Lids With the Latest From Wander Beauty

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wander beauty wandress rush palette
Pretty, new products from Wander Beauty to get you going

Is it just me, or does autumn seem like the hottest new holiday season? — because it feels like the latest and greatest, most bustling time of year to me.

It’s almost like the powers that be know ALL. THE. THINGS on my to-do list right now, including…

  • Traipsing through piles of autumn leaves (no, seriously, Connor has preschool homework this week that involves gathering fallen leaves!)
  • Driving the coywolf to and from various toddler events, of which, surprisingly, there are many
  • Researching lighting fixtures for a half-bathroom remodel (who knew there were so many different types of lighting fixtures?)
  • Low-key freaking out about everything (which isn’t actually on my to-list, but it’s something I’m doing anyway)

Wander Beauty seems to *GET* this, because all of their new makeup and skin care launches for fall 2019 focus on getting you ready in a flash, so you can conquer the world! — or, at least conquer the bus ride to work or the morning school drop-off.

wander beauty wandress rus
Wander Beauty Products I’m wearing in this look: Wandress Rush Eye Palette on my lids, High Line Liquid Eyeliner on my lash lines, Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel in Dark Brown in my brows, Trip for Two Blush and Bronzer Duo in Dauiri/Tulum on my cheeks, and the Lip Setter Duo in On the Mauve on my lips. The foundation is MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick in NC42.

wander beauty wandress rush swatches
Wandress Rush Eyeshadow Palette, Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel and High Line Liquid Eyeliner (I’m an NC42 in MAC)

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New From Wander Beauty: Trip For Two Blush and Bronzer Duo, Hidden Glow Brightening Cream, and the Trip for Two Blush and Bronzer Brush

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wander beauty trip for two
The fastest route to glowing

Filed under “Weird Things I Could Do in Less Than 5 Minutes if I Absolutely Had To”? 25 Spartan Race-style burpees, immediately followed by putting on minimal makeup.

Fore sure, I’d use mascara, a gloss and these new products from Wander Beauty.

(Side note: This occurred to me in HIIT class as I sprinted around a parking lot carrying a 15-pound medicine ball. Amazing the things you think about when you’re out of breath and about to toss your cookies.)

Trip For Two Blush and Bronzer Duo ($36 and available in two shades)

Some bronzer/blush duos are so saturated that you can easily end up looking like you’ve got Duran Duran stripes on your cheeks, but these matte duos have purposefully pared down pigment for the quickest blending you’ll ever experience. I like to start by buffing the blush on the apples of my cheeks, then blending it out with the bronzer for a fast, natural-looking cheek flush.

wander beauty trip for two swatches
Bellini/Costa Rei is the lighter option, and Daiquiri/Tulum is the darker one.

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Saving All My Kale for You…

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wander beauty lip retreat
?

Real talk: Does anyone actually sit at a pretty vanity table with a special lighted mirror, and scented candles burning in the background, and music playing, and perfect lighting hitting all the good angles while they apply their lipstick or other lip products for the day? — because my usual scenario involves me using the rearview mirror while sitting in my car as it warms up in my dark garage, and putting on whatever I’ve got in my purse in the 30 seconds I have before leaving to take Connor somewhere, and P.S., apparently, three-year-olds have many, many places to be, which is why I’m basically the family Uber driver now.

Anyway, that’s why I’m grabbing something moisturizing with a wash of color 99% of the time (#drylips #priorities), like a balm, a lip tint or a hydrating lip oil, which brings me to the latest love of my lip life by Wander Beauty…

Shine and moisture FTW

The Lip Retreat Lip Oils drench dry lips with moisturizing fruit oils and fatty acids, and they coat that kisser with a shiny finish that feels slightly sticky (but not obnoxiously so). There are four shades to choose from, each with a different degree of vivid intensity, and my favorites are juicy strawberry pink Spa Day, and clear shiny Oasis. Both of them smell and taste a little like vanilla, which I’m cool with.

wander beauty lip retreat 2
Oasis (a clear shade) on the left and Spa Day (a strawberry pink) on the right
wander beauty spa day
Spa Day!

The angled doe-foot has a pointed tip, so drawing into tight corners with the brighter shades is just as easy to do as it is with the nude colors, and the squishy tube means that I can squeeze every last drop outta the 0.33-oz. $22 tubes.

No parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances or mineral oil, and they’re cruelty-free and gluten-free as well.

If you like your tints on the bougie side, a la the Hourglass tinted lip oils or the new NARS lip tints, you’re gonna love these!

I love lip oils…but I do not love kale.

I have no problem eating my veggies, but kale? Eww! I’ve tried all sorts of ways to get myself to like kale over the past few years, but it always tastes like gummy, chewy grass to me, and is therefore my equivalent of low-key punishment. (Give me spinach any old day.)

I don’t mind kale in my beauty products, though, especially when they work as well as the Yes to Carrots & Kale Wipes ($5.99).

yes to carrots makeup wipes
The only kale I don’t mind…

yes to carrots makeup wipes ingredients
What’s inside?!

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Product Spotlight: Wander Beauty Mile High Club Mascara

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wander beauty mile high club smoky 5
For crazy curl!

Quick take: This marvelously easy-to-use mascara lengthens, lifts and holds a curl almost all the way up to the stratosphere. It’s also practically waterproof (even though it isn’t alleged to be).

Wander Beauty just gets me, man. It’s like they have a camera into my soul! They know that I usually only have 10 minutes a day to do my makeup, so every nanosecond of that 10 minutes counts, and every moment is so precious and beloved and luxurious to me that I’ve become obnoxiously picky about the products I use. I literally have no more time for nonsense.

The days when I would bust out three different mascaras to do a single look are long gone. Now I’m all about one tube — ONE TUBE TO RULE THEM ALL! — and that’s what I’ve found with Wander Beauty’s New Mile High Club Mascara ($26).

It has since replaced the It Cosmetics Super Hero Mascara I was loving on for a minute, and the reason is because it isn’t finicky at all. Like, I can just pull it out of the tube, plop it on, and I get even better results that I get from Superhero — lighter-than-air lift, longer lashes and darker, richer pigment — all without having to deal with any drama.

My lashes also look fuller, since Mile High combs each hair out so precisely that it looks like I have more lashes than I actually do. Two coats, and they’re full and fanned.

wander beauty mile high mascara
Two coats of Mile High on my upper and lower lashes!

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Product Spotlight: Wander Beauty Dualist Matte and Illuminating Concealer

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wander beauty dualist concealer tan review
I wear it in Tan.

You guys, you gotta be able to laugh at yourself, because if you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re taking yourself way too seriously, and if you’re taking yourself way too seriously, you’re probably Kanye West, and if you’re Kanye West, you’re driving people (a.k.a. me) absolutely nuts.

Freakin’ Kanye!

Anyway, where was I…?

Oh, yeah, I’m laughing at myself SO HARD RIGHT NOW because I used to be a person who couldn’t go from point A to B without at least three different tubes of concealers on me.

NO MORE.

One of my themes for 2019 (’cause I don’t do resolutions) is to “embrace change” (and not just in my makeup life), and that’s definitely happening here with the Dualist Matte and Illuminating Concealer by Wander Beauty ($29).

Dualist has a full-coverage matte cream concealer stick on one end and a sheer illuminating liquid concealer on the other, so two products in one sleek, portable stick that’s quite the opposite of the small entourage of under-eye concealing products I used to tote around with me.

Best thing about ’em is that the products on both ends actually do what they’re supposed to do, and they do it well!

wander beauty dualist concealer tan
Tan rocks! I’m an NC42 in MAC, and a Tan in Wander Beauty’s Nude Illusion Liquid Foundation.

What it is:
Dualist Matte and Illuminating Concealer is an innovative double-sided concealer with a full-coverage matte stick on one end and a lightweight illuminating liquid on the other.

What it does:
The matte stick provides maximum coverage for discoloration, blemishes, dark circles, age spots and redness, while the moisturizing illuminating concealer can be used to awaken a dull complexion, brighten the under-eye area (and cheekbones) and diffuse fine lines with a soft and flattering glow.

The skin-loving formula is enriched with soothing, nourishing aloe vera extract, collagen to improve firmness/elasticity, and vitamin E to help block free radicals for healthier looking skin. This multitasking, globally-inspired crease-proof formula provides long-lasting, fool-proof coverage that blends effortlessly without feeling heavy. It helps you achieve the right coverage and color correction for great looking skin, and it’s ideal for quick touch-ups on the go. The matte stick and illuminating liquid can be used separately or together for ultimate complexion perfection.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Parabens
– Sulfates
– Phthalates

What else you need to know:
Wander Beauty creates multitasking makeup essentials so you can look gorgeous on the go. The brand draws from global inspiration as each formula is enriched with skin-loving ingredients from around the world. “Wander Beauty is color to be carried.”

This product is free of mineral oil, fragrance and is gluten-free and cruelty-free.

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Product Spotlight: Wander Beauty Nude Illusion Liquid Foundation

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wander beauty nude illusion liquid foundation review
Lightweight, looks natural and lasts a looong time = my new foundation crush!

You guys, I found the BEST foundation, and, GASP! — it’s full-coverage.

I KNOW! Who am I…? What happened to Karen??

I almost never wear full-coverage because full-coverage usually means full-effort. You’ve gotta blend and stipple and buff and blend and blend so that your skin doesn’t go all cake-face. But with this liquid foundation by Wander Beauty, I literally do a 60-second slapdash job with my fingers, and my skin looks even-toned and natural.

Wander Beauty is an up-and-coming makeup line you can find at Sephora (and also on the Wander Beauty website). Their whole shtick is makeup for the busy makeup-lovin’ lady-on-the-go, or really anyone who likes put-together makeup but doesn’t have all the time in the world for complicated looks. (Remember Bobbi Brown before Bobbi left? It’s kinda like that, but with more of an emphasis on the whole travel angle.)

And that pretty accurately describes the payoff for Nude Illusion Liquid Foundation. Effortless, simple, elegant. You can put it on in a moving car while you’re half-asleep. A one-ounce tube is $40, and it comes in 12 different shades for all skin types.

wander beauty nude illusion first thing in the morning
Here’s shade “Tan” in natural light right after applying it in the morning.

I put it on this morning, then took pictures of it throughout the day. First thing this morning, I swiped and dotted the foundation all over my face with the large doe-foot (it’s similar to the applicator that comes with my beloved Neutrogena Hydro Boost). Then, I blended it in with my fingers and — surprise! — that was that. Didn’t even have to buff it down with a Real Techniques buffing brush or anything. I just left it as is! No powder, no nothing. It looks natural and lasts all day long.

wander beauty nude illusion lunch
And here it is in outdoor lighting right after lunch (about four hours later). Still looks fresh!

The finish? I love it. It’s satiny, so a little bit of light reflects off the skin, but it’s not full-tilt dewy like Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter or MAC Face and Body.

Come to think of it, this is very much like NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint, but with more coverage. Bottom line: It’s matte with a low-key pearl and looks very skin-like and just plain gorgeous. Plus, bonus — it also blurs pores ever-so-slightly.

wander beauty nude illusion late afternoon
Later in the afternoon (with my copilot bossing me around) in indirect light in the car

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