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Brace Yourself for Bodice Ripping Beauty: The MAC A Novel Romance Collection Is a Page-Turner

July 31st, 2014 by Karen 60 Comments

MAC A Novel Romance Collection
The MAC A Novel Romance collection for fall 2014

Normally I wouldn’t have struggled to carry the bags of cat food, but I was wearing 5-inch stiletto heels that day. Not exactly farm-friendly footwear.

“Oh, fudge,” I said, to no one in particular. One of the bags of kibble slipped from my grasp. It spilled open on the ground, and cats came running from all over the farm.

“Need some help with that?”

I spun around. There was a man walking toward me from the barn. He was shirtless, in blue jeans, and had a wry smile. Sun and perspiration glistened on his bulging biceps and muscled body.

“Uh…” I said, preoccupied by his rippling abs, which looked like they had never seen a carb before.

“I’m Kyle,” he said, removing his leather work gloves. “And you must be Karen.”

“Uh…” I said again. I was still not completely lucid. I mean, those shoulders, though. They were huge!

“That’s a lot of cat food,” he said. “Are you one of those crazy cat ladies?” He winked, and I literally saw a twinkle in his eye.

“If you only knew,” I said. “Yeah, I come out here to feed the feral cats a few times a week. Mr. Hargrove likes to keep them around, you know, to catch the rats. Plus they’re cute.”

“I see,” he said. “Do the cats like it when you wear high heels?” He gestured toward my feet.

“Well, no,” I said. “But I was planning to go to a MAC store after this because they have a new collection out. It’s about romance novels. You know, heaving bosoms, long-haired naughty pirates, that kind of thing.”

“Naughty pirates?” he asked.

“Obviously,” I said, “you can’t have a romance novel without naughty pirates.”

“Interesting,” he said. “Fair enough.”

Cats swarmed around my ankles devouring the kibble. Kyle was the new farm hand I’d heard about. Mr. Hargrove mentioned hiring him, but I hadn’t seen him before today. He looked a little like Alcide from True Blood. Part of me hoped he wasn’t a werewolf. Part of me hoped he was.

“Well my work here is done,” I said, looking at the kibble. “I think these cats are sufficiently fed.”

Kyle took a step toward me, and the hairs on the back of my arms stood up. “Do you have to go?” he asked.

The MAC store was already open, and I wanted to get there soon, but Kyle sure looked good in those jeans. I decided that A Novel Romance would have to wait.

–THE END–

Or is it the beginning? 🙂

MAC A Novel Romance Collection: Wearing the Quad in An Amorous Adventure, Powder Blush in Fun Ending, Cremesheen Lipstick in Yield to Love and Fluidline Eye Pencil in Black Brilliance
Here I’m wearing the Quad in An Amorous Adventure, Powder Blush in Fun Ending, Cremesheen Lipstick in Yield to Love and Fluidline Eye Pencil in Black Brilliance

A Novel Romance has some the most memorable fall campaign art I’ve seen since MAC Fabulous Felines. First of all, homeboy in the pic below looks like Khal Drogo. I wonder if that was on purpose…

MAC A Novel Romance

Second, the whole idea just makes me smile. It’s cheesy, but still feminine and pretty. I mean, I get it, even though it’s been years since I’ve read a romance novel.

What we have here is very seductive makeup, but there’s also a softness to it that I like, especially around the eyes. There’s a lot of shimmer, and nothing too hard edged.

MAC Fluidline Eye Pencils (left to right) in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue Sea, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance
Fluidline Eye Pencils (left to right) in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue Sea, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance

I may or may not have breathed a lusty sigh when I saw the new Fluidline Eye Pencils. I’m never without my pot of Blacktrack, and I love me some Fluidline in the pots, so I ’twas intrigued.

I used one of the shades yesterday, Black Brilliance, the basic black. It’s a pencil gel liner, which a lot of brands have, but these pencils have a very fine point. Finer than usual for products like these, and I think it makes them great for getting liner down between each lash at the base…because it seems like I spend half my day trying to get eyeliner between the roots of my lashes.

MAC Fluidline Eye Pencils in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance
Fluidline Eye Pencils in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance

They’re highly pigmented and glide along the skin, but if you want to smudge them at all, you have to work quickly, because once they set, they don’t move. I wore Black Brilliance on my lash and water lines yesterday and had it on for about six hours before removing it, and it looked great the whole time…on my upper water lines and lash lines, that is.

It was a different story on my lower water lines. The color was still intense, but the coverage had broken up in places.

I will say that the formula didn’t irritate my eyes, though, which is something….

Regarding the Electric Cool Eyeshadows in the release, maybe it’s because I’m coming off a Chanel New Moon high, but I’m very excited about these. They have the same spongey, soft texture as the Chanel Illusion D’Ombres, which I love.

MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Pure Flash
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Pure Flash
MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Love Power
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Love Power
MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Superwatt
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Superwatt
MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Coil
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Coil
MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Gilded Thrill
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Gilded Thrill
MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Switch to Blue
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Switch to Blue

MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Highly Charged
Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Highly Charged

[Continue reading…]

There are 60 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, MAC Makeup

Experience Unknown Pleasures (Like Whiter Teeth) When You Wear the New Fall/Winter 2014 Lip Tars From Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

July 28th, 2014 by Karen 36 Comments

OCC Lip Tar in Vain
OCC Lip Tar in Vain ($18)

Through some weird illusionary makeup magic/trick of light, blue lip products are supposed to make your teeth look whiter, but I dunno… Do my teeth look whiter in these pics? I’m wearing OCC’s new Lip Tar in Vain.

I seriously cannot tell; all I see are those blue lips.

They’re just so…blue.

OCC Lip Tar in Vain
Wait — I can’t tell. Can you see my teeth in this pic?? 🙂

OCC explores the boundaries between light and shadow in their fall/winter 2014 Unknown Pleasures collection. Vain is one of the six new $18 Lip Tars in the release.

OCC Unknown Pleasures Collection Lip Tars f rom the left: Covet, Lament, Manhunger, Technopagan, Vain and Pagan
OCC Unknown Pleasures Collection Lip Tars from the left in Covet, Lament, Manhunter, Technopagan, Vain and Pagan

Most of the time when liquid lipsticks dry down, they form an impermeable film on my lips, which is usually long-wearing (yay!), but also very drying (boo!).

Unlike run-of-the-mill liquid lipsticks, which tend to bleed my lips of every milliliter of moisture like Edward Cullen on a bender, the Lip Tars stay wet from start to finish, so they don’t form a drying film.

But the wet texture also leads these to scoot beyond my natural lip line, so it helps to be mindful of rubbing your lips together, especially with the darker shades.

OCC Lip Tar in Covet
Lip Tar in Covet
OCC Lip Tar in Lament
Lip Tar in Lament
OCC Lip Tar in Technopagan
Lip Tar in Technopagan

[Continue reading…]

There are 36 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Lips, Makeup, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Product Reviews

Seducing You Away From the World of Minimal Makeup, One Fallout-Free Sweep at a Time, the New Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections Satin Matte Eye Colours

July 17th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections Collection Fall 2014 Satin Matte Eye Colour k
Wearing Laura Mercier’s Satin Matte Eye Colours in Gold Seduction and Plum Allure from the new fall 2014 Sensual Reflections collection

Seriously, if there’s anything capable of seducing me away from the World of Single Cream Eyeshadows Applied With a Finger (also known as My Current Love Affair With 5-Minute Makeup, also known as Mr. Minimal Eye Makeup for Summer), and back to the Land of Four Shadows All Up in Yo’ Crease, it’s going to be these Laura Mercier Satin Matte Eye Colours ($24 each).

Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections Collection Fall 2014 Satin Matte Eye Colours in Tempting Green, Gold Seduction, Sensual Pink and Plum Allure
From the left, that’s Satin Matte Eye Colours in Tempting Green, Gold Seduction, Sensual Pink and Plum Allure

These should carry a warning that says, “Do not operate heavy machinery while wearing these or gaze too long at your own reflection; otherwise, you might totally forget to eat!”

OK…we all know that’ll never happen (because this girlfriend is HONGRAY), but if I were to ever forget my lunch, you’d be wise to suspect this eyeshadow’s impeccable formula.

Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections Collection Fall 2014 Satin Matte Eye Colours in Gold Seduction and Plum Allure
Also wearing Laura Mercier’s Cheek Mélange in Sensual Reflections on my cheeks and theBalm Read My Lips Lip Gloss in Snap on my lips

New and limited edition, these $24 Satin Matte Eye Colours are part of the new Sensual Reflections fall collection, which is all about smoldering, seductive eyes in shades of gold, plum, green and pink, and I don’t recall ever seeing anything quite like these in Laura’s line before.

The formula is D-O-P-E! Feeling almost like a cream, but one that doesn’t feel wet, these powder eyeshadows don’t feel as grainy as many other powder shadows do to me, nor do they exhibit the same fallout I often notice.

They’re almost like a gel, but not quite.

If you’re familiar with the MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows, I think these are similarly easy to blend and also packed with pigment, but the shine is more nuanced (and, yay! — forgiving) on the lids.

The Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections Collection
Seven pieces from the Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections fall collection

And then there’s the wear time and lack of fallout. Once you get them on your lids (with the help of a good primer), they stay put. No fading, no budging, no creasing — none of that business — all day long.

To make a long story short (or a short story long, depending on your P.O.V.), these are easy like Sunday mornings and last a really long time. No need for touch-ups.

The colors are also surprisingly complex. Each one has something to set it apart — some special twist or flash of color, and when I’m wearing them and blink or turn my head a certain way, there it is. It makes them seem more special than run-of-the-mill flat, monochromatic colors.

Laura Mercier Satin Matte Eye Colour in Gold Seduction
Satin Matte Eye Colour in Gold Seduction

Gold Seduction: Ah… This one is SO my jam and a must-have for gals and guys with warm skin tones. A deep brassy, bronzed gold (almost like MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl in eyeshadow form), it glows when it catches the light just right. It also manages to do this without aiming a bullhorn that says, “This way to Karen’s fine lines!!!”

I’m thinking about grabbing a spare (or two or 12).

Wear it on your lids with a warm matte orangey bronze in the crease, and you’ll feel like you’ve arrived in eye makeup heaven (*cue angels singing!*).

Laura Mercier Satin Matte Eye Colour in Plum Allure
Satin Matte Eye Colour in Plum Allure

[Continue reading…]

There are 11 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Eyes, Laura Mercier, Makeup

Be Cool, Honey Bunny! The New Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Is Coming Soon

July 11th, 2014 by Karen 34 Comments

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection
Coming soon! The new Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection

mia-wallaceBe cool, honey bunny. Be cool!

Try to contain your excitement (“try” being the key word here), Pulp Fiction fans, when you check out the Urban Decay Pulp Fiction collection.

The fall launch commemorates the 20-year anniversary of the movie that gave us phrases like, “Bring out the gimp,” and the products are all designed around one of the flick’s iconic characters, Mrs. Mia Wallace (played by the gorgeous Uma Thurman).

“I do believe Marsellus Wallace, my husband, your boss, told you to take ME out and do WHATEVER I WANTED. Now I wanna dance, I wanna win. I want that trophy, so dance good.”

— Mrs. Mia Wallace

Here’s a quick look at the five-piece collection, which is coming July 16 to Urban Decay counters at Sephora, Ulta and select Macy’s stores, and online to sephora.com, ulta.com, macys.com, beauty.com and urbandecay.com.

  • Pulp Fiction Palette, an eye palette with five shades of Eyeshadow (three new, two repromotes), including Righteous (a matte light cream), Tyranny (a matte warm brown), Vengeance (a satiny matte deep taupe-brown), Furious (a satiny white) and Anger (a satiny black with a slight sparkle). Limited edition, $34.
  • Revolution Lipstick in Mrs. Mia Wallace, a deep blood red lipstick. Limited edition, $22.
  • 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Mrs. Mia Wallace, a blood red pencil that matches the lipstick. Limited edition, $20.
  • Nail Color in Mrs. Mia Wallace, a deep red with a slight shimmer. Limited edition, $15.
  • Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner, a black with black and silver sparkle. Limited edition, $19.
Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Palette
Front of the palette
Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Palette
Back of the palette
Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Palette
Inside the palette
Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Revolution Lipstick in Mrs. Mia Wallace
Revolution Lipstick in Mrs. Mia Wallace
Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Mrs. Mia Wallace
24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Mrs. Mia Wallace
Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Nail Polish in Mrs. Mia Wallace
Nail Polish in Mrs. Mia Wallace

[Continue reading…]

There are 34 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Makeup, Urban Decay

The Four New NARS Night Series Eyeliners and a Heartbreaking Call From Ryan Gosling

July 10th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

NARS Night Series Eyeliner
The four new permanent collection NARS Night Series Eyeliners ($24 each)

ry-guy-sweater**RING! RING!**

KAREN: What up?

RYGOS: ‘What up?’ Are you serious? Why can’t you say hello like a normal person?

KAREN: Why can’t you stop being the subject of countless Internet memes?

RYGOS: Touché…

KAREN: Mm-hmm.

RYGOS: Can you talk for a second?

KAREN: Well, now that you ask, I’m in the middle of a review for the new NARS Night Series Eyeliners —

RYGOS: Cool. Hey, so —

NARS Night Series Eyeliner
The four completely new NARS Night Series Eyeliners from the fall 2014 Night Caller collection

KAREN: You just interrupted me.

RYGOS: Did I?

KAREN: Yeah.

RYGOS: Sorry.

KAREN: It’s OK…

RYGOS: So do you like them?

KAREN: What?

RYGOS: The liners.

KAREN: I do. They’re these new glittery ones based on the NARS Night Series eyeshadows. They’re smooth and pigmented and last a long time, even on bare lids without primer. Only thing is, I can’t use them on my water lines.

RYGOS: Why’s that?

KAREN: The glitter. My eyes are really sensitive, and any time I get glitter up on my water lines, they freak out. And as a general rule, you usually don’t want glitter anywhere it could scratch your eyes.

Wait a second — I know you didn’t call to talk about eyeliner and glitter, so what’s up?

RYGOS: I have some news…

KAREN: Oh, yeah? Is this legit news or the start of some BS joke on my behalf?

RYGOS: I don’t do that.

KAREN: Oh, yes you do! Remember that one about the new line of luxury cat accessories you were working on with Chanel, and you were sending me and Tabs diamond-studded necklaces and collars to wear?

RYGOS: Oh…

KAREN: Yeah, I harassed the FedEx guy for weeks. Weeks!

RYGOS: Hahaha! Sucker.

KAREN: I learned my lesson.

RYGOS: But I really do have news.

KAREN: OK, what’s this news? The suspense is killing me.

RYGOS: Well…it’s about me and Eva. We’re having a baby.

NARS Night Series Eyeliners from the left: Night Bird, Night Clubbing, Night Porter and Night Flight
The NARS Night Series Eyeliners from the left in Night Bird, Night Clubbing, Night Porter and Night Flight

[Continue reading…]

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Eyes, Makeup, NARS, Product Reviews

The New Bobbi Brown Surf & Sand Sheer Lip Colors, and Other Current Summer Obsessions…

July 8th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Bobbi Brown 21 Pink Taffy
The new limited edition Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in 21 Pink Taffy (one of my current summer obsessions), from the Surf & Sand summer collection

Just a few of the things I’m currently obsessing over/lusting after…

1. This straw fedora

Bustin’ my JT moves…

Even though I firmly believe that Justin Timberlake should be the only person wearing a fedora, I can’t quit this hat. I got it at Target a couple years ago for a trip to Kauai, but since then it has become one of my summer staples.

2. Three Twins ice cream

I will happily blow my daily calories on this ice cream.

It’s just so flavorful and rich and dense… I could seriously eat this stuff every day.

Mmm…lemon cookie.

3. Bobbi Brown’s new Sheer Lip Colors from the Surf & Sand collection

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in 18 Sunlit Pink
Bobbi Brown Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in 18 Sunlit Pink, a mid-toned bronze

Sometimes you feel like opaque lips, and sometimes you don’t. For those latter days, there are the four new limited edition Sheer Lip Color ($26 each) shades in the Bobbi Brown Surf & Sand collection — Sunlit Pink, Summer Nude, Peach Sorbet and Pink Taffy.

I like these, because even though they’re technically (“air quotes”) sheer, they’re still pigmented enough to show up on my lips. That, and they’re smooth, slick and moisturizing.

They remind me a lot of the Chanel Rouge Allure Coco Shines.

All four are available now at Bobbi Brown counters and online.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in 19 Summer Nude
Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in 19 Summer Nude, a light beige
Sheer Lip Color in 20 Peach Sorbet
20 Peach Sorbet, a nude peach

[Continue reading…]

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Bobbi Brown, Collections, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

Local Surfer Girl Gang Now Seeking Applicants: Must Be Willing To Rock the Bobbi Brown Surf Eye Palette

July 8th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Bobbi Brown Surf Palette
Wearing the new Bobbi Brown Surf Palette ($65) on my eyes

Hey, surfer girl, hey.

Sure, have a seat next to me on the towel. You can put your board over there by the Surf Palette — yeah, that one with the linen packaging and the four glittery shadows, three shimmer shadows and beige matte shadow inside.

It’s cute, yeah? All of us in the group have one… You should totally get one, too!

Bobbi Brown Surf Palette
The Bobbi Brown Surf Palette, $65

Bobbi Brown Surf Eye Palette Cat lady surfer says what meow?[/caption]

[Continue reading…]

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Bobbi Brown, Collections, Eyes, Makeup, Palettes, Product Reviews

Just a Friendly Call From You-Know-Who About the New NARS Mondore Satin Lip Pencil

July 7th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

NARS Mondore Satin Lip Pencil
Wearing the new NARS Mondore Satin Lip Pencil ($25) from the NARS Night Caller fall 2014 collection

**RING! RING!**

Ry GuyKAREN: Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC, Office of the President, Karen speaking. How may I help you?

RYGOS: Ryan Gosling Incorporated, Office of My Living Room, Ryan speaking.

KAREN: Ryan, you’re hella dumb!

RYGOS: Excuse me, what was that? Who says “hella”?

KAREN: Only the cool kids say hella… So you’re excluded, haha!

RYGOS: Oh, she has jokes.

KAREN: Yeah, yeah…

Dude, I’m kind of busy, so I can’t really chat right now. What’s up?

NARS Mondore Satin Lip Pencil
Jokes. I haz them.

RYGOS: Oh, I’m sorry. You’re busy. Because you’re so important that you can’t make time for your old friend Ryan anymore.

KAREN: Ah, poor Ryan… It’s so hard to find somebody to talk to when you’re a famous actor.

RYGOS: Hey, now.

KAREN: Don’t worry. You’re still my number one favorite shirtless actor. I’m actually just trying to get out of here because I have dinner plans with El Hub tonight. It’s our eighth wedding anniversary.

RYGOS: Wow, eight already? Are you finally gonna give El Hub that medal?

KAREN: What medal?

RYGOS: You know, that medal for putting up with you. 🙂

KAREN: (…) What do you want, Ryan?

RYGOS: I need to get my sister a present.

KAREN: Go on. I like where this is headed.

RYGOS: She said she wanted a red lipstick from NARS, but of course I have no idea which one to get, so I thought I’d call my favorite crazy cat lady/friendly neighborhood beauty addict.

KAREN: Aw, flattery will get you everywhere.

RYGOS: Really? I’ve never heard that.

KAREN: OK, here’s what you do. Wait until July 15th, because that’s when the new NARS Night Caller fall collection comes out.

NARS Mondore Satin Lip Pencil
NARS Mondore Satin Lip Pencil, $25 (limited edition)

[Continue reading…]

There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Lips, Makeup, NARS

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