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What I Wore Wednesday, Vol. 6: Daytime Smoky Eyeshadow for Hooded Eyes

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mac next to nothing foundation

Another day, another smoky eye! — and guuuurl, I wouldn’t have it any other way. 🙂 I did a variation, though. This one’s a little different than my usual smoky eye. I took a different path to get to my smoky place.

Smoking it out with cream shadows

I was inspired by this smoky eyeshadow look for hooded eyes on Monika Blunder’s channel.

I love her! She does lots of wearable looks. In this tutorial, she uses cream shadows to build up the smoke on her lids and lower lash lines. Normally, I would have just used powder eyeshadows, so this was a new thing for me.

I blended Clinique Chubby Stick in Fuller Fudge on my lids and MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Stick in Bitter Clove in the outer corners with a MAC 217 (for haziness), and I smudged Clinique Curvaceous Coal along my lower lash lines with a pointy smudge brush.

The cream shadow sticks are SO speedy and easy to control, BTW. I’m definitely going to use these three again.

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MAC Feline Kohl Power Pencil, MEOW!

Can we just talk about this black liner for a second? One of the things that makes a smoky eye a smoky eye for me is the black liner, and this one is GORGEOUS. Since I haven’t had the chance to grab another stick of Chanel 88 Noir Intense, I used MAC Feline Kohl Power Pencil instead (another fave), which is a deep, dark, intensely glossy black.

I love how it looks with smoky eyes, especially along the water line, but it’s one of those pencils that works best if you do multiple layers, so I apply the first one, let it dry, add the second, let it dry (rinse and repeat as desired). It’s worth it, though, for intense drama for yo’ mama. I would wear it every day if I didn’t have to layer it so much, ha!

Leave it to me to go on a tangent about black liner for five minutes…

The purr-fect nude lip for pigmented pouts

Also, have you ever tried MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Clever? Oh! It’s a beautiful brick-coral, and if you have pigmented lips like I do, it’s a perfect dark nude. When my lips feel dry and look hella flaky, I’m all about Clever because it’s MEGA moisturizing.

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NEW! MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour Foundation and Pressed Powder

I can’t believe I almost forgot to mention this! These are both coming out from MAC next month: MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour Foundation and Pressed Powder. There’s a liquid foundation that comes in a glass bottle with a pump, and also a pressed powder. They’re lightweight, sheer and glowing, which I’m all about.

Today I blended Medium Plus with Medium Deep (because I’m complicated like that) for the foundation and used Medium Pressed Powder to set.

I’ll keep testing them over the next few days and let ya know how they do!

This makeup look: What’s in the mix?

Eyes: Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow in M-536 (crease), Clinique Chubby Stick in Fuller Fudge and MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Stick in Bitter Clove (outer corner), Clinique Chubby Stick in Curvaceous Coal (lower lash line), MAC Feline (water line), NARS Audacious Mascara (lashes), MAC Brun and Benefit Ready Set Brow (brows).

Cheeks: NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer in Laguna (cheeks) and NARS Hot Sand Blush (upper cheek bones).

Face: Clarins Flash Balm (applied all over my face to moisturize and prime), MAC Next to Nothing Face Colours in Medium Plus and Medium Deep (applied all over my face), MAC Next to Nothing Pressed Powder in Medium (on my forehead, down the sides of my nose and around my mouth) and Make Up For Ever HD Concealer (under my eyes and on my cheeks).

Lips: MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Clever.

What did you do for your makeup today? Are you testing anything new right meow? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Let the New NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer Collection Bathe You in Faux Sun Rays

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nars sun wash diffusing bronzer collection 1
The new NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer Collection

Gosh, dreams ? really do come true. Cats ? rule the Interwebz, The Craft is now on Netflix, and NARS Laguna Bronzer is finally available in a matte finish sans shimmer! ?

*Raising the roof at my desk right now.*

A new sheer matte formula

Yes, ma’am, the new NARS sheer matte Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzers will bathe your skin in faux sun rays. They’re made to look smooth and feel like almost nothing at all while they crank up a soft-focus effect.

Each of the four 0.28-oz. pans is $40. Seaside (Light 1), Laguna (Medium 1), Casino (Medium 2) and Falaises (Dark 1) don’t lean too orange on my medium skin (I wear St. Moritz in the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint line, for reference). Seaside and Laguna lean more toward golden bronze, while Casino and Falaises add some red.

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Clockwise from the top: Seaside, Laguna, Casino and Falaises

They borrow a page from NARS Translucent Light Reflecting Pressed Powder

Like, NARS Translucent Light Reflecting Pressed Powder, a.k.a. my holy grail setting powder for under-eye concealer, you can’t see these powder particles on your skin. You see the sheer color, but the particles preternaturally disappear.

Are these toy makeup pans?

They almost look like it — like they’re solid, hard plastic — but rest assured, they aren’t. Your brush bristles will pick up the powder. It just won’t kick up a million visible grains.

nars sun wash diffusing bronzer swatches
NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer swatches from the top: Seaside, Laguna, Casion and Falaises

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The Lust List, Vol. 2: Stuff That I Kinda Want

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Imagine the damage we could do if we won a sweepstakes and had to fill a gigantic, Costco-sized shopping cart with beauty products.

Just imagine… Let that stew for a second.

Meanwhile, here are some things on my latest lust list…

  1. Chanel Le Stylo Yeux Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 88 Noir Intense ($33).

    Technically, I’m going to call this one a “need,” instead of a “want,” because I tightline every day, yo! It’s a way of life. And I just ran out of this pencil.

    THE HORROR!

    I’m not kidding, every single time I finish one of these pencils I’m shocked, like, what? Another one?! Don’t ask me why I don’t always have a backup.

    Well…it’s because of the price.

  2. Also, AHHH! I’m wanting this Viseart 01 Neutral Matte Eyeshadow Palette so hard.

    I’m new to the Viseart brand, but I’ve heard so many great things about it. Every single time I walk by this $80 palette, I’m like, “Shield your eyes, Karen! Walk faster! Look away!” because I’m the last person in the world who needs another matte brown eyeshadow in her life…but yet I STILL WANT IT SO BADLY YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW.

    3. There’s also a Viseart Blush Palette in 2 Rose Coral (also $80) calling my name.

  3. Speaking of brown eyeshadow, this Chantecaille 3 Mermaid Eye Matte trio ($95…OMG!) has three lovely-looking matte cream shadows.

    Can we just… “AHHHH!” And the clouds parted…

    It has a deep neutral brown that looks like it urgently needs to be on my lids as soon as humanly possible, a soft creamy vanilla and a soft smoky gray.

    WANTS.

  4. So, I’ve actually never smelled Acqua Di Parma Rosa Nobile Eau De Parfum ($130), but it reminds me of the hotel I stayed at when I visited Milan a few years ago. They had Acqua Di Parma bath products, and they smelled so, so good. (Yes, I “borrowed” the soap, girl, and brought it home. I’m that person.)

    I also want it because it’s pink. ?

  5. When I got my hair colored a couple weeks ago, the salon had R+Co products, so my stylist friend Alis hooked me up with some samples. She gave me this huge tub — like a big salsa container, HAHA! — of High Dive Moisture + Shine Cream, and when I’m done with it, I’m gonna spring for the full-size $27 tube, because it’s really lovely!

    Basically, it’s a smoothing leave-in conditioner that moisturizes and adds shine, but it doesn’t make your hair look greasy or feel weighed down. And it smells AMAZEBALLS, kinda like Bobbi Brown Beach perfume, but without the notes of sunscreen.

    I swear, R+Co products…if they sold their scents as eau de parfums, I’d be all over that.

    Anywho, I also have a sample size of their Death Valley Dry Shampoo Spray, and holy wow! — it’s great too. Now I also want a $29 full-size bottle of that. It’s one of those dry shampoo sprays with a powder so fine that you don’t even see it on your roots, even if you have dark hair, and it doesn’t make my scalp itch. No greasy roots, either.

  6. And yeah, I’m still on that Smith + Cult train. Now, I think I need their Basis of Everything Base Coat ($18) and Above It All Top Coat ($18), partly because I want to try them, and partly because I keep having this vision of a shelf in my office dedicated to my Smith & Cult polishes, and I want to make that dream a reality.

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Benefit Is “Baton” a Thousand With the Benefit Cheek Parade Blush Kit

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benefit cheek parade blush kit
The Benefit Cheek Parade Blush Kit is a parade of blushes! It comes with 5 full-size blushes and costs $58.

Band Geek Karen knows that the sassy majorettes on the new Benefit Cheek Parade Blush Kit are doing high mark time. Yes they are!

Oh…I marched across a lotta football fields back in the day with my flute, but these chicks look a lot cooler than I ever did.

benefit cheek parade blush kit closeup 3
Filed under “Things Band Geeks Know”

Five full-size pans

A new LE blush and bronzer kit, Benefit Cheek Parade is $58 and comes with five — FIVE! — full-size products from the Benefit permanent line, including Hoola Bronzer and the new Hoola Light; old-school blush faves Rockateur and Dandelion, as well as the new Galifornia; and a full-size face brushy-brush.

benefit cheek parade blush kit open

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Saturday Surfing: March 25, 2017

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mac extra dimension blush skinfinish april 2017

Meow, kitty cat. Happy Caturday! I hope you slept well last night.

This morning I was awoken by a dainty love bite on my left forearm… It was Tabs reminding me that he runs the show on Caturdays, and it was already 7 o’clock. Time to get up! Hop to it!

OK, so you may want to sit down for this one: we have some news about the MAC permanent line.

(Who gets excited about products being added to the permanent line?! THIS GIRL!)

mac extra dimension blush skinfinish april 2017

I know, we live in a limited edition world, and we’re all mere spectators. We watch as wonderful products gets rotated on and off shelves, so when something great makes its way to the permanent line, especially when it’s in the MAC Extra Dimension formula, I get REALLY excited. Because you can fall in love and stay in love with it without worrying about it leaving you in the lurch someday.

Most of the time. Yeah, I’m still bitter about MAC Kid Eye Shadow being discontinued…

Anywho! MAC is adding 11 new shades of their new Extra Dimension Blush and three Extra Dimension Skinfinishes — one, a shimmery gold you might remember from the MAC Magic of the Night holiday collection a couple years back called Oh Darling. The other two are new.

I’m all about that blush/highlighter life so I’m stoked!

Expect to find these at MAC counters starting April 6th until the end of time…

OK, maybe not until the end of time…but they should be there a while.

In other news, here are some things that caught my eye in beauty news this week, including this — wait for it — BABY SPA.

Yes, it’s a legit spa for babies.

Little babies…not big babies like yours truly, LOL!

And a few videos


To do this weekend: try this hooded eye makeup look.


I’m gonna have to cave and grab a Viseart palette.


In case you were wondering how nail polish is made…


Dupes for high-end products!

Rise and shine, morning glory. I’m just puttering around the house now and trying to figure out everything that I need to get done before I leave the house at 4 with my friend Marisol for a girls night out adventure. We’re heading to a winery in Healdsburg, which is about an hour north of us here in Novato, called Chateau Diana to hang out with other wine-lovin’ ladies.

I’m really looking forward to making convo with new people (and, yes, sipping wine). I’m a social creature.

And after that we’re gonna grab some pizza, and…how could pizza not make someone happy? Seriously, I dunno. It’s one of the best things ever.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, whatever you’re up to.

One word: glitter. I’m just throwing that out there. 🙂

Have a great day. Talk to you later.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What I’ve Been Wearing Lately – NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint + BECCA Backlight – It’s All About That Base!

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nars velvet matte skin tint becca backlight final

Been getting a lot of questions about the foundation I’ve been wearing (isn’t that always nice?). I wish I could say, “Oh, it’s the latest thing! Honey, this is gonna change your life!”

But it’s not revolutionary. The products have been out a while. It was a former favorite combo of mine about a year ago, and I’ve gotten back into it. I mix NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint with BECCA Backlight Primer, about 75% NARS, 25% BECCA.

I put them on the back of my hand first, mix with my finger, apply, then blend with a wet beautyblender.

Oh, boy, mystical stuff happens when these two get together — velvety NARS Skin Tint and peach-alescent (yes, I’m inventing that word), pearly BECCA Backlight. They turn into THE MOST natural-looking, medium-coverage foundation.

Where do I start? It blurs pores and makes your skin look smoother, and it feels and looks fresh and light.

Always a good look, amirite?

The NARS shade I wear is St. Moritz (a.k.a. “my winter color”), but as I get more sun, I’ll add a few drops of Cuba, because I’m overly complicated like that. 🙂

Really, though, if you aren’t turned off by the idea of getting two shades of the same foundation for your skin in different seasons, I highly recommend it.

I’ve never tried this combo with BECCA First Light, which is their new purple version of Backlight. First Light doesn’t really do anything for my skin tone, but lots of ladies love it. It’s worth a try.

If you live near a Sephora that carries BECCA and NARS, maybe you can take this combo for a spin if you ask an associate for samples, and you never know, they might even hook you up with other samples, too! 🙂 I’ve had that happen, and it always makes my day.

Anywho, that’s the skinny on what I’ve been wearing.

Isn’t it funny how you forget sometimes things that you find and love so much? Why did I ever stop using it?? Something must have distracted me…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

NARS Pop Goes the Easel Blushes in Threesome, Misconduct and Peep Show

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The new NARS Pop Goes the Easel collection Blushes (the collection is a Nordstrom exclusive)

My mom has never really been a makeup girl, but if she were to strike up a conversation with me about NARS blushes, I hope to gawd she doesn’t bring up the new blushes from the Pop Goes the Easel collection, because one of them is called Threesome, and I DO NOT want to be having a conversation with my mom that involves the word “threesome.”

NOPE. Can’t do it. Not gonna do it!

But if it were you and me? Totally fine. Threesome, Misconduct and Peep Show. Those are the three new powder blushes in the NARS Pop Goes the Easel collection. They’re $30 each, limited edition and only available at Nordstrom.

nars pop goes the easel blushes 2

Misconduct is a warm peachy plum with golden sheen (like a really sheer version of NARS Sin), Threesome is a matte cool baby pink, and Peep Show is a matte bright reddish pink.

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