Colour Pop

A Summery Makeup Look With Coral Cheeks and Lips and Blue Lashes, and Carrying On

July 28th, 2021 by Karen 13 Comments

OK, so fun fact: right before I put on this makeup, I had a minor meltdown. Long story short, El Hub is back in the office and Connor’s at camp, so it’s just me and Rosie all by ourselves at home, and even though I love her torbie-tude and her sassy company, I’m having trouble adjusting to being alone again. For over a year now, I’ve constantly had someone nearby, and now that I’m by myself again for long stretches of time, well, it’s weird. It’s waaaaaay too quiet. I thought I would love having so much time to myself, but when the house is silent and all I can hear is the hum of the air conditioner…I feel isolated and very lonely.

Anyway, I’ve been trying this new thing where I “lean in” to whatever uncomfortable feelings I’m experiencing, so that instead of fighting it, I allow myself to just feel the feelings and let the sadness pass over me. Does that make sense? Leaning into it for me usually means walking for 10 minutes or so on the treadmill or outside to get my body moving, and listening to music. Sometimes I cry to get it all out. After I do this, I usually feel better.

Yesterday this was the song I listened to while I walked…

Afterwards, I felt so much better that I even put on some makeup. Not a ton, but just enough to feel like myself again. I did blue lashes with coral cheeks and lips and a touch of bronzer. Very summery!

I only used a handful of products…

The main focal point is the blue mascara, which, by the way, is Blue Ya Mind by Colourpop. I bought it on a whim at Ulta last month, and eh, it’s just OK. I probably won’t buy it again because it’s not particularly great at curling or fattening up lashes on its own, but when I layer it on top of a waterproof mascara, it’s doable. I have it here on top of a single coat of waterproof Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara.

I’m also wearing my favorite gel bronzer and gel blush by Chantecaille on my cheeks and lids. I like to do a 50/50 mix on my cheeks, let that layer dry, and then dab just the blush on the apples of my cheeks. For my eyes, I applied the bronzer on my lids with my fingers. SO EASY!

The blue lashes and bronzy coral cheeks pair well with a matte coral lipstick (MAC Crossfade), but I think a coral gloss would’ve looked good with this too.

Makeup worn in this look

BASE: Avene Solaire UV Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid in Sand
EYES: Chanel Boy de Chanel Brown Pencil in Deep Brown, Colour Pop Volumizing Mascara in Blue Ya Mind, Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer, Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara

CHEEKS: Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer, Chantecaille Cheek Gelee in Happy

LIPS: MAC Crossfade

Is anybody else out there experiencing something similar? I can’t be the only person having trouble adjusting to the latest new normal.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

My Picks for This Year’s Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches

June 22nd, 2016 by Adia Goss 24 Comments

best spring summer launches — Some of my picks for “The Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches”

Whew! There has been so much good makeup lately.

I mean, I used to get more excited about moody fall colors, but this year the spring and summer collections have been incredible! Literally, every time I turn around, I’m seeing another gorgeous collection.

If your head has been spinning a little like mine, then I hope you’ll like my picks for some of the best spring/summer makeup launches. I’d also love to hear yours.

I think I’ll start with lips, because I think a new lipstick or gloss is probably the easiest way to update your look.

Lips

First up, the Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint by Tarte, and I have the shade called Double Tap (here are swatches of the full range in this post).

I’m wearing cool-toned nude Double Tap in these pics, but I usually go for warmer-toned peaches and pinks. Thing is, this mauve is just so pretty and different from the rest of my stash. It’s opaque and not sticky at all.

Next, Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick, and I just mentioned the shade called Swinger in my roundup of my favorite liquid lipsticks, so I’ll be brief now: the color and formula are AMAZING. This one is perfect for summer.

Of course, I couldn’t talk about this season’s new launches without mentioning beautiful ColourPop Dohee.

Here’s a snap of me wearing it from my Spring Haul video.

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How I Wear Nude Lipstick (A Collaboration With Anna)

May 12th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 11 Comments

From the top, clockwise: Wet n Wild Velvet Matte Lip Color in Hickory Smoked ($3.49), Colourpop Lippie Stix in Lumiere ($5), and Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Thrill ($6.99)

When I first started wearing lipstick, I was a sucker for a red lip, particularly matte red lips, and I still am. If I had to wear the same lip color for the rest of my life, it would probably be something red.

But my tastes have grown over the years to include many other colors, including nudes. A change of pace is nice sometimes, and some nudes are just too good to pass up.

I tend to go for the bolder nudes, like pink nudes, or a nude with brownish red undertones.

To go along with Anna’s favorite nude lippies, here are three of my favorite nudes that I’ve been wearing on the regular (when I’m not going for my signature red).

The first one is one of the Maybelline Vivid Mattes, and Adia did an amazing review of these a little while back, so I’m not going to spend too much time on the particulars. I will say that it’s one of my favorite everyday liquid lipsticks for a few reasons. The color lasts, it’s not overly drying, and it’s truly a universally flattering shade.

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Thrill

It can easily be worn with just a bit of mascara for a daytime look or something like a smoky eye for night.

My second favorite nude is my go-to pink for when I feel like wearing something other than red, but don’t want to wear anything particularly bright. It’s Colourpop Lippie Stix in Lumiere, a dusty mauve.

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My Most-Used Makeup Products at the Moment

April 14th, 2016 by Adia Goss 28 Comments

I’m always trying new products, but I thought it would be fun to share what have been my most-used makeup products lately. For me, these are the products that “just work,” and they’re the things I reach for when I want to throw something on my face without having to give it any thought. The colors are just right, and they help me achieve my signature look — glowy skin and pinky/nude lips. 🙂

Foundations

I am a sucker for glowy, lightweight bases, and I’ve been constantly reaching for PUR Minerals HydraFluid Water Serum Foundation in Tan and NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Annapurna, which may be a tad too light for me, but it’s sheer enough that it still works.

The PUR Minerals foundation is amazing, by the way. Here are swatches and a full review. It’s available now at PUR Minerals for $39.

No brand matches my skin as well as NARS, and I love that NARS Pure Radiant has SPF 30. This was one of my first high-end foundations, and I’ve repurchased it time and again and will probably continue to do so because it’s a great everyday foundation. It’s available now at NARS Cosmetics for $44.

And, just to make sure my face is seriously glowy, I also like to use Pixi by Petra Glow Mist. It adds glow and helps my makeup last a bit longer. It’s definitely one of my favorite facial mists, and it’s available now at Target for $15.

most used makeup — L to R: Swatches of PUR Minerals HydraFluid Water Serum Foundation in Tan and NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Annapurna

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8 Pink Lipsticks for Spring: A Roundup of My Latest Lip Loves

April 5th, 2016 by Adia Goss 28 Comments

pink lipstick spring — Wearing ColourPop Cosmetics Ultra Matte Lip in Clueless

It’s officially, finally spring — and for me that means pink lippies!

To be honest, I wear some of these lipsticks year round (especially ColourPop Clueless)…but I am somewhat seasonal with my makeup. I do think it’s fun to change my look with the seasons, and here are my current top pink spring lippies this year.

I went with lots of different finishes and colors this time (here were my pink spring picks last year). Whatever your style, I hope this list gives you some ideas.

pink lipstick swatches — L to R: ColourPop Cosmetics Ultra Matte Lip in *Clueless*, Kevyn Aucoin Lipgloss in *Peonine*; Glo Minerals Cream Glaze Crayon in *Heirloom*; Glo Minerals Suede Matte Crayon in *Demure*; Glo Minerals Cream Glaze Crayon in *Dahlia*; MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in *Plum* *Dandy*; Glo Minerals Cream Glaze Crayon in *Bloom*; MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in *Chatterbox*

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For a Pop of Color From Santa Monica, Try the New Colour Pop Super Shock Shadows

May 30th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Bargain hunter says what now?! The new Super Shock Shadows by Colour Pop are only $5 each?

A new makeup line from Santa Monica, California, the brand does eyeshadow singles in a double rainbow of hues and finishes for just $5 each.

Other than being totally affordable, they feel pretty interesting, too. While they look like powder eyeshadows on the skin, they feel more like a creamy mousse to the touch.

To get the most intense color on your lids, Colour Pop recommends applying the shadows either with a finger or a flat eyeshadow brush.

I’ve tried applying and blending them with a bunch of different brushes, and for me, fingers or a flat eyeshadow brush create the most vibrant colors. Most of the time, I’ll grab a domed, tapered fluffy brush because, you know…girlfriend is not about to sweep a bright purple into the crease with a finger, even though it would be possible, but my clumsiness knows no bounds, and it could also be a recipe for disaster.

The fluffier the tool, the more it tends to diffuse the shadows, which is why these appear super intense in the arm swatches (where I applied them with a finger) and mellower on my lids.

Just an FYI…in case the thought of parting with yo’ 217 or 224 freaks you out.

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