Makeup

Four Steps to Fabulous Fall Matte Lips

August 11th, 2021 by Karen 11 Comments

laura mercier fresh — Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Lipstick in Fresh

Gah! I’m so excited about 1) sweater weather (anyone else totally over the heat?), and I can’t wait for all of the full-on pigmented matte lip colors for fall! I’m already building my army of berries, reds and roses…

If you’re all about rich, autumnal lips like I am, here are four application tips to help you get fabulous matte fall lips that look great all day long.

1. Step one: Get prepped

Prep your lips by applying your favorite moisturizing balm to remove any dryness. (I’m a fan of CeraVe Healing Ointment, myself.)

2. Step two: Soften those edges

With a finger, press a thin amount of your favorite liquid concealer all along the edges of your lips until your lip line kinda disappears into your skin. Then, wait a minute for the concealer to dry. Right now I’m loving Hourglass Veil Retouching Concealer (it’s what I’m wearing in these pics), but any good pigmented liquid concealer should do.

3. Step three: Set it and forget it

Load a tapered eye brush with a translucent setting powder, and lightly dust a layer on top of the concealer to set it.

4. Step four: Just add color

Apply your rich fall lip color either directly from the tube, or using a brush. Then, step back and admire your beautiful lips! 😊

laura mercier femme — Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Lipstick in Femme

urban decay the big one — Urban Decay Matte Lipstick in The Big One

I wasn’t the only one inspired to wear something colorful today! This is Connor’s peacock-inspired look.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Clique

August 5th, 2021 by Karen 9 Comments

laura-mercier clique velour extreme matte lipstick — Reddish pink perfection!

Srsly, who knows more about chic, effortless makeup than Laura Mercier? Thanks to LM’s intensely pigmented reddish pink Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Clique, you’ll swoon, then pick yourself up, then pull together a lovely look in a few quick swipes. Just add black kitten liner, a lengthening mascara, your favorite blush, and you’re off to adventure! 😺

If you’re already gently dipping your toes into fall season makeup like I am…or you intend to start soon, the ultra-matte formula is perfect. Velvety and smooth, it doesn’t make my lips flake and doesn’t leave behind any dry spots at the end of the day.

Oh, and FYI, you won’t need a separate lip liner because there’s a hidden sharpener in the tube! Use it to file the twist-up lippie down to a fine tip, and then draw a sharp edge along your lip line.

These are normally $30, but they’re on sale right now on lauramercier.com for $21! Also, while you’re there, you might as well check out the Roseglow Caviar Sticks, too…if you 1) love hidden gems and 2) are into bright, glowing lids. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Tell Me About Your Current Beauty Loves…

August 4th, 2021 by Karen 21 Comments

honest beauty get it together eyeshadow palette — The Honest Beauty Get It Together Eyeshadow Palette, $19.99

Inquiring minds want to know! What shampoo, zit medicine, exfoliating face scrub, mask, liquid liner or eyeshadow has been making you swoon? Hair, makeup, skin care, perfume, you name it — please share. I want to hear the deets.

I’m always curious about the things my beauty buddies adore and recommend, so please don’t hoard this critical information! Share it with me! I want to know everything you’ve been into lately and why you love it.

Truth bomb — I’m partly motivated to ask this because I’ve got a Nordstrom birthday gift card burning a hole in my Kate Spade purse. 😁

Here are some of my beauty loves as of late, and if it feels like I talk about these things nonstop here…it’s almost certainly because I do, ha! (Sorry, not sorry.)

Things have changed a bit as I’ve scaled down my beauty collection over the past few months. Like, I’ve discovered that I’m straight-up happier with a smaller number of products I absolutely adore than I am with a larger collection of items I hardly ever wear. This has also changed the focus of my coverage here on MBB, for sure, so before I get into the lurvable products themselves, I just want to say thank you for sticking around. 😊

Anywho, my current (as of right at this precise moment) beauty loves! (Note: Subject to change in about 10 minutes.)

Honest Beauty Get It Together Palette

For now at least, this feels like the only palette I need! There’s a good variety of colors and finishes in it (mostly mattes and satins, with a few non-disco shimmers). It also includes all of the practical-slash-useful shades one needs to put the fine-tuned finishing touches on an eye look, like a matte bone (which I use as an all-over lid base in lieu of a separate primer) and a matte black (handy for lining or smoking out any of the colors). Quality-wise, the shadows blend well and don’t crease, so this is a winner, winner chicken dinner. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chantecaille Cheek Gelee and Radiance Gel Bronzer

So, it’s hot here right now, like it is throughout huge swaths of the Western United States, and the thought of wearing anything remotely powder based on my face…is very unappealing to me. I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing five pounds of product on my skin. Consequently, this gel blush and bronzer add casual, lightweight color and life to my cheeks while simultaneously not spotlighting ye olde pores, and they stay put even when I’m glistening with nature’s highlighter, a.k.a. when I’m sweating buckets. LOL!

When you wanna wear blush and bronzer but can’t be bothered with foundation, there’s Chantecaille gel blush and bronzer.

chantecaille blush bronzer swatches — Cheek Gelee Blush in Happy (cute name, yeah?) and Radiance Gel Bronzer. I’m 100% sure you’re gonna ask me about the polish. It’s Chanel Purple Ray. 😊

Chanel Boy de Chanel Brow Pencil

This brow pencil is sold in Chanel’s makeup line marketed for guys, but don’t let that stop ya! It’s sweat-proof (YES) and perfectly pigmented. Yes, you can see it, but ooh — it looks so natural!

mac crossfade april 22 — That’s Chanel Boy Brow Pencil in my brows! I’m also wearing Laura Mercier Wheat Eye Basics, NARS Isolde Duo, NARS Coconut Grove (worn wet as liner) and NARS Bengali eyeshadow singles, Chanel Espresso Liner and Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara

I rarely swoon over brow pencils, but this one will sweep even the most seasoned makeup lover off her feet, because it works so darn quickly. Figuratively, I can do my brows with a snap of my fingers! If El Hub ever asked me to buy him a brow pencil…I’d buy him this one, and then I’d keep it for myself. 😁

Can’t wait to hear about yours!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Fabulous MAC Lipsticks to Celebrate National Lipstick Day!

July 29th, 2021 by Karen 15 Comments

Happy National Lipstick Day, team! 💄🥰💖 I’m going need you to drop the color you’re wearing today in the comments, or, heck, even if you aren’t wearing lipstick today, what has graced your lips lately? Or, what lip color do you normally wear the most?

Here are five of my personal faves (these are all from MAC), and, uh…I wear these colors a lot! There are two bold brights — juicy red (All Fired Up) and neon pink (Candy Yum-Yum).

Of course, there are also a couple of neutrals, namely Velvet Teddy and Half ‘N Half, a.k.a. “The MAC Lipstick Loves of My Life.”

And then the “in between” color is Model Off-Duty, which is from the Powder Kiss Collection.

Let me put it this way: I LIKE THESE COLORS A LOT.

mac lipstick national lipstick day 2021 — Swatches, babe!

Since we’re on the topic of lipstick, when you think about it — I mean really think about it — is there a lipstick out there from any brand that makes you feel magnificent when you wear it? “Magnificent.” That’s such a powerful word, isn’t it? Magnificent! Inquiring lipstick-loving minds want to know. 😻

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: Korres and Wander Beauty Masks, a Pressed Powder by bareMinerals and an Upcoming Haircut!

July 27th, 2021 by Karen 12 Comments

korres triple dose wander beauty extended stay — Last Friday night!

Question for ya: do you know what constitutes a really good time at night for me these days (please, for the love of cats, keep your mind out of the gutter, LOL!).

Answer: A double mask session, informally known around these parts as “a double mask sesh.”

The double mask sesh

Um…before you go thinking that I layered an N95 under my Caraa mask before hitting the club, allow me to clarify. When I say double masking, in this case….I’m referring to using two kinds of skin care face masks — the kind you slather onto your skin! — one after another.

DUDE. Only during post-pandemic times can you say something like that out loud, LOL!

I did this last Friday, and it was the TLC I didn’t realize I desperately needed.

Why do two face masks (again, not in reference to the pandemic)? I like to think of it as treating my skin to a double dose of whatever it wants or needs at any given moment, and last Friday I wanted exfoliation and moisture!

I started with Korres Triple Dose Resurfacing Mask, an exfoliating mask loaded with AHAs, BHAs and pomegranate enzymes, which has a slightly grainy texture for those who like a little bit of physical exfoliation action.

Leave it on for three to five minutes (on my combo skin it felt satisfyingly tingly), and then rinse off.

I like very gentle physical exfoliation, so I gently push the grains around with my fingers when I rise the product away with water.

As for the scent? DIVINE. Like a perfect marriage of fruit punch and roses.

After dabbing my skin with a soft towel, I applied a thick layer of Extended Stay Hydrating Mask by Wander Beauty for an extra mega dose of moisture.

wander beauty extended stay hydrating mask — Wander Beauty Extended Stay

Unfortunately, this particular moisturizing mask is no longer available from the line, and it seems they’ve replaced it with Staycation Hydrating Mask. Really, though, any decent hydrating mask will do.

Any time you can treat yourself to an exfoliating mask followed by a hydrating mask is a guaranteed good time, especially on a Friday night. And, of course, it’s totally even better if you’re hanging out with someone… My Friday night date was Rosie, and I did all of this double masking while we hung out on the couch, LOL!

Pressed powder power

This one’s for my people out there who love a pressed powder! I’ve been using this pressed translucent powder by bareMinerals on my oilier-than-normal forehead (summer skin, am I right?), and it really keeps the shine under wraps. It also doesn’t look heavy or powdery.

Added bonus? I can’t feel it sitting on my skin. Granted, I don’t mind a little dewiness on my face, but I draw the line at a hella greasy forehead, which is what happens when it’s hot outside like it has been lately.

(The powder also comes in a bunch of other colors if translucent isn’t your thing.)

One last thing before I jump into this two-part cardio workout with extra vigor…

Get ready to sweat

And sweat some more

I just booked a hair appointment for next month, my first one since last February! I’ve still got time before the appointment to decide how short I’m going to go, but I’m thinking I might do something that just grazes my shoulders…on the possibility that everything shuts down again this fall or winter (please no!!!).

Anybody else nervous about the new variants? All I can think of is how dire everything felt last January, when I was at my loneliest. Can’t think about it now…

Anywho, hair

I’m going back to the same gal who did my hair last time, Ariana Benoit, because, among other reasons, I really like how her cut from February has grown out.

Which leads me to an old tip a hairdresser friend passed onto me years ago — when booking a hair appointment, grab the first one of the day, if you can. That way your stylist buddy is fresh out the gate and ready to go! 👍

Alright. Going to go get my sweat on. Talk soon, yeah?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

FOTD Candy Colored Bright Blue With Urban Decay Chaos

July 15th, 2021 by Karen 6 Comments

Rosie-Pose would like to inform you that she is queen of everything within paw-striking distance, including board games.

That board game above is Candy Land, and, FYI, the artwork in the latest version is…slightly terrifying. (Or is it just me?)

Speaking of candy, the electric blue on my lower lash and waterlines totally reminds me of sweets from my youth. It’s Urban Decay Chaos 24/7 Shadow Stick in Chaos, a vibrant matte blue with a touch of pearl. The formula’s long-wearing and waterproof, and it sets really quickly. You have less than 30 seconds to blend it out, so blend with a purpose, girl!

I tried it by itself first, and it looked good, but then I got curious, so I added a layer of shimmery blue and purple from Born to Run, my favorite colorful UD eyeshadow palette of all time. I love the rich jewel tones, and every one of the bold, intense shades is still surprisingly wearable. The mattes and shimmers are easy to blend, too. Whenever I’m in the mood for brights, I reach for this palette, and I love it so much that I have a backup. 😁

Now, I’ve worn a LOT of UD over the years, and Born to Run is truly a standout for me, which is why I’m bummed that it appears to have been discontinued. It’s not easy to find anymore; however, I did some digging and found a few online at JC Penney (remember JC Penney!).

urban decay born to run — Urban Decay Born to Run

If you’re ever looking for discontinued UD products, periodically search the sale section on the Urban Decay website. A friend who works in PR for UD suggested this tip, and it’s turned up gold! I found the sadly discontinued Cannonball Mascara there, and I got three tubes! It’s something to keep in mind if you love a particular UD product that’s no longer stocked on shelves.

Anyway, candy. My childhood next door neighbor Karrie and I would ride our bikes to the corner store to buy candies that would probably break my teeth now if I ate them, ha ha ha! Lemon Heads, Boston Baked Beans, and these little hard blue jawbreaker-like candies whose name I can’t recall… I want to call them “blueberry somethings,” but I can’t remember.

We also loved Nerds and the powder dips where you’d get a sugary stick to dip into even more sugar. 😁 We’d gorge on candy right in front of the store, then take our sugar high onto our bikes and ride around the neighborhood for hours.

By the way, about this look I’m wearing, the upper lid has a swish of black liner via Chanel Hyperblack, which I’ve been extra loving lately. It’s similar to MAC Blacktrack but so much better because it’s darker and more intense (so less layering), and it sticks like glue to lash and waterlines. SO GOOD!

Also, the only base products on my skin are tinted moisturizer and concealer, as I’ve been into very minimal skin lately. And lightweight, dewy medium-coverage Aveeno Tinted Sunscreen has been on repeat.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. In TV news, has anyone seen The White Lotus yet on HBO? I watched the first episode the other night and…I’m just…confused. Is it good? Junk? Strange? I just can’t figure it out. I like so many of the actors in it (like Connie Britton rocks), but it’s not what I expected.

FOTD: Glowing Rose Gold Lids With Black Winged Liner for Anniversary Date Night, Laura Mercier Rose Glow Caviar Sticks, and an Excellent, Affordable Hair Oil by Hask

July 8th, 2021 by Karen 23 Comments

I brought a whole bag of makeup with me to Hawaii last week, and I did not crack it open once…

I know! Pandemic-era K-Dawg continues to amuse me. ? Packing that bag wasn’t for nothin’, though, because I used it yesterday to put on some makeup. We went out to dinner last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary (15 years!), and, yes, I actually painted my face. Then I had to snap a few shots because if ya don’t take a pic (or two) with your cat, then it officially didn’t happen.

FYI, in case you were wondering what 15 years of marriage is like, in a nutshell…it feels like lugging around your husband’s pain-in-the-butt XXL bottle of gluten-free tamari in your Kate Spade purse when you go out to eat sushi (fun fact: soy sauce isn’t gluten-free), but then having so much fun once you get to the restaurant, HA HA HA!

The Warriors Roll from Sushi Tri restaurant in Novato: real crab and avocado topped with spicy mayo, seared salmon, tobiko, crispy fried onion and scallions with unagi sauce

The Pretty Lady Roll with fresh salmon and avocado topped with fresh scallop, ikura, lemon slices and special sauce

Anyway, MAKEUP! I HAZ IT! This look uses a mix of the products from the makeup bag I packed to go on my trip (so, lots of tried-and-true Chanel faves because I’m on a Chanel kick) and some new cream shadow sticks from the recently launched Laura Mercier Rose Glow collection, which, side note, IS GORGEOUS!

The shadows have shimmer, but it’s a low-level glow, not a high-shine metallic frosty finish, and it’s dreamy! The shadows blend like butter, too, so my eye makeup came together in a flash.

All in all, the look took about 20 minutes from start to finish…

laura mercier rose gold swatches — These swatches are Rosie-Pose approved!

I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I’ll definitely wear it again soon.

Before my Hawaii trip fades away to a distant memory, I’ve gotta give a shout-out to these travel-friendly hair oils by Hask I found at Ulta. I originally brought the Argan Oil Repairing Shine and Monoi Coconut Oil Nourishing Shine Oil vials with me because they were super compact and just $2.99 each, but I ended up LOVING them.

They’re great if you’re looking for an oil to apply to freshly washed and conditioned hair and want mega moisture without weight or greasy strands.

FYI, the oils do contain silicones, so keep that in mind if you’re particular about silicone-containing hair care products.

I spent a lot of time last week at the beach and the pool, and my hair would have looked and felt rough if it hadn’t been for these bad gals. Good stuff, and so, so affordable!

Hard to believe that we’re already in full-on summer, isn’t it? Back-to-school is just around the corner, and I’ve already noticed the beach items and swim suits at stores are starting to be replaced by notebooks, pencils, highlighters and book bags. It’s been so long since I’ve lived with the rhythm of a school year, and it’s just sinking in right now that since Connor will be starting kindergarten in the fall, this will be my schedule for the next few years.

Before you go, take a second to let me know what the weather’s like on your end. It’s been comfortable and relatively cool here in the North Bay Area…for now. It’s a dreamy upper 70s, which won’t last but a moment, I know, but I’m enjoying it while I can.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss: Bold, Bright Summer Shades in the Permanent Collection

July 2nd, 2021 by Karen 3 Comments

What would summer be without bright, juicy glosses?

These vivid vixens reside in the Chanel permanent collection ($32 each), so feel free to fall in love with one all of them. ?

Radian 748 Nectar is a pigmented true coral, and if you’re a coral craver like I am, it’s a must.

Vibrant reddish coral 752 Bitter Orange is another member of Chanel’s coral fam, and it has tiny flecks of golden glitter that make it look amazing on bronzed skin!

Now, if berry shades are more your thing, then add 764 Confusion to your wish list. It’s a bold, cheerful, opaque summer berry.

chanel rouge coco gloss 748 nectar — 748 Nectar

chanel rouge coco gloss 764 confusion — 764 Confusion

chanel rouge coco gloss 752 bitter orange — 752 Bitter Orange

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! Sending a sunny hello to you from this side of the Pacific. I took Connor to the beach yesterday, and we were there practically all day long! We would’ve stayed there from sunrise until sunset if she had her way. I had to bribe her with shave ice to get her to leave. ?