Makeup

Whether Seated in a Balcony or on a Bus, You’ll Look Elegant in Guerlain’s Night at the Opera Holiday Collection

October 28th, 2014 by Karen 35 Comments

Unlike me at karaoke, Guerlain’s new Night at the Opera holiday collection hits all the right notes, tra-la-la-la-laaaaaaaa!

Please pardon my need to insert a vibrato on that last laaaaaaaa! It’s leftover trauma from living with a slightly overbearing opera singer in college. She regularly criticized my breathing technique when I sang around the house (Really, dude? It was just a little Alanis Morissette while I did my chem lab homework.) and held notes out for a beat too long when she covered pop songs.

I still can’t listen to I Still Believe by Brenda K. Starr without thinking of her take on the chorus…

The 10-piece limited edition Guerlain Night at the Opera collection

At any rate, one does not have to enjoy opera, or to have lived with an overbearing opera singer, to derive great joy from the classic holiday reds and golds in this 10-piece limited edition collection for eyes, cheeks, lips and nails.

But an appreciation for opera may translate into a greater appreciation for the release’s finer details, like the bows on the packaging, which are supposed to represent the bows worn by men at big galas, or the bows worn by the ballerinas in their hair.

Me likes. I’m a sucker for strong themes and collections that tell a story. 🙂

Guerlain Meteorites Perles d'Etoiles Illuminating Pearls, $60 — Meteorites Perles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls, $60

Guerlain Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks — Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks

I also like that when I’ve worn pieces from this collection over the past couple weeks, I’ve gotten pretty good feedback — both from El Hub, also known as “the man who never notices anything,” and from you guys, too.

I was wearing pieces from A Night at the Opera on my eyes, lips and cheeks in the Mia Bun Ease post last week and received a number of positive inquiries about the makeup I was wearing.

Guerlain Gloss d'Enfer Maxi Shine Lipgloss in 901 L'Oiseau de Feau — Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shine Lipgloss in 901 L’Oiseau de Feau on my lips, and the Petrouchka Palette on my eyes and cheeks

The fresh, glowing peachy golden cheeks, shimmery beige and copper eyes, and glossy golden lips — those are pure Guerlain, man. What I affectionately refer to as (in air quotes) “that magical Guerlain holiday glow.” It’s makeup that catches your eye but doesn’t SCREAM IN YOUR FACE.

In that way I think Guerlain totally got this collection right. Yes, it’s a holiday release, and it’s made to feel glamorous and indulgent, but the pieces are also versatile enough to wear during the workweek leading up to the big gala.

Typical for Guerlain, the products are hella expensive. Thankfully, they also exude quality. The eyeshadows, powders and blushes blend effortlessly, and everything — from the lipsticks to the glosses to the nail polishes and that to-die-for jar of golden pinkish peach highlighter (SWOON!) — looks high-end.

If you’re going to take a closer look at the collection on counter, don’t miss the Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks, the Meteorites Pereles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls, Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shine Lipgloss in L’Oiseau de Feau, or the nail polishes, especially if you like subtly radiant golds, beiges and coppers.

Le sigh! I could happily wear these pieces every day for a year. With these colors and finishes, warmer skin tones will make out like bandits.

Meteorites Perles d'Etoiles Illuminating Pearls — Meteorites Perles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls

[Continue reading…]

With These Nudes, You’re Fully Covered: The Full-Coverage Illamasqua Glamore Lipsticks in Tease, Cherub and Naked

October 28th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Naked — Glamore Lipstick in Naked

When Sephora stopped carrying Illamasqua (bummer), it made the brand a little harder to find here in the U.S. for those of us who don’t happen to live within driving distance of the Kryolan City stores in Chicago or Toronto.

But if you do live within day-trip distance, and/or you don’t mind paying extra for shipping to order online, you might want to check out Glamore, Illamasqua’s line of full-coverage lipsticks released earlier this fall, because talk about pigment up the wazoo!

Illamasqua Glamore Lipsticks from the left: Tease, Naked and Cherub — Illamasqua Glamore Lipsticks from the left in Tease, Naked and Cherub ($30.02 each)

Ilamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Tease — Glamore Lipstick in Tease

[Continue reading…]

A Bounty of Beauty Awaits in theBalm Balmsai Eyeshadow and Brow Palette

October 23rd, 2014 by Karen 57 Comments

I’d fully intended to channel the spirt of the bikini babe on the front of theBalm’s new Balmsai Eyeshadow and Brow Palette ($39.50) this morning by doing a light, colorful, tropical surfer babe eye makeup look, but then I started listening to The Smiths and this dark smokey eye happened…

Oops.

Oh, well. I am human and I need to be loved! 🙂

Oh, Morrissey… How I love your emo warbling. I think you really get my pain, the pain all the way down in the marrow of my bones (my lower back still hurts after the half marathon).

Speaking of things that really “get it,” theBalm always seems to know what I want/need in an eyeshadow palette. Their Balmsai palette has a great combination of neutral matte and shimmer finishes fabulous for classic looks, as well as some fun teal, blue and purple shades for spice.

On my lips: Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Naked and MAC Cremesheen Glass in Stately Shimmer

[Continue reading…]

The New MAC Objects of Affection Lip Gloss Sets in Nude and Red, Pink and Plum, and Nude and Coral

October 22nd, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

It’s Christmas morning.

You tear open an oddly shaped present with shiny reindeer wrapping paper and find a plastic banana holder.

You consider this for a moment…

Do you jump up and down with enthusiasm, so happy to finally have a place to store a banana?

No, you do not, and I can say this with certainty because I actually did receive a plastic banana holder last year as a gift, and I did not jump up and down with enthusiasm.

Now, had I opened the same present and found one of the three new MAC Objects of Affection Lip Gloss Sets instead ($35 each, $42 CAD), things would have been different. I would have leaped and kicked and danced in my flannel pajamas because unlike MAC’s regular holiday eyeshadow palettes and brush sets, which can be hit or miss, their gloss sets tend to consistently delight me.

In my experience, the glosses in their holiday sets are right up their with the glosses in MAC’s permanent line in terms of quality, making them good bets for gift giving.

I’ve gifted past MAC holiday gloss sets to beauty gals of all ages over the years, from my teenage cousins to my 80-something-year-old glam granny, and they’ve always been hits. Even my BFF Cindy, who’s aggressively anti-makeup, hasn’t groaned when I’ve given her one of them. That has to tell you something.

This year, there are three lip gloss sets in the MAC holiday collection — Nude and Red, Pink and Plum, and Nude and Coral. Each one comes with three mini Cremesheen Glasses and a mini Dazzleglass.

I love these two formulas, especially during the cooler months. Unlike the Lipglasses, they aren’t sticky, so my hair doesn’t get stuck to my lips when it’s windy. They’re also moisturizing and shiny, to boot.

I don’t mind having to reapply them every two to three hours because of how good they feel on my lips, like Zella hoodies in gloss form.

The three MAC Objects of Affection Lip Gloss Sets: Overview

If you’re looking for variety, grab the Nude and Coral set. It has a good mix of sheer and fully pigmented shades.
If you want glosses for layering, go for Pink and Plum. Its three sheerest shades really come into their own when layered on top of lipsticks. There’s also a more intensely pigmented bright blue pink in the set for a fun pop of color.
If you go gaga for classic makeup looks, don’t miss Nude and Red. Its three neutral nudes and bright raspberry red go well with makeup standards like cat eyeliner and smokey eyes.

The Nude and Coral Lip Gloss Set

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Stately Shimmer — Cremesheen Glass in Stately Shimmer

MAC Fashion Whim Cremesheen Glass — Cremesheen Glass in Fashion Whim

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Rising Sun — Cremesheen Glass in Rising Sun

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Courtley Coral — Dazzleglass in Courtley Coral

MAC Objects of Affection Nude and Coral Lip Gloss Swatches from the left: Stately Shimmer, Fashion Whim, Rising Sun and Courtly Coral — Nude and Coral Lip Gloss Swatches from the left: Stately Shimmer, Fashion Whim, Rising Sun and Courtly Coral

The Pink and Plum Lip Gloss Set

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Fashion Scoop — Cremesheen Glass in Fashion Scoop

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Pagoda — Cremesheen Glass in Pagoda

[Continue reading…]

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Tom Ford’s Bad@ss, Budget-Busting $44 Brow Sculptor

October 22nd, 2014 by Karen 43 Comments

Smizing and wearing Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in Espresso

People of the world…y’all just don’t understand! In the morning, right after I wake up, I can barely make it the eight feet from my bed to the bathroom without falling down. “Not a morning person” isn’t just a catchy phrase with me. It’s an official descriptor, like female, 39, 5’1″, Gemini, not a morning person.

Before I’ve splashed some water on my face and had my coffee, delicate makeup maneuvers like the filling in of brows are normally impossible, but Tom Ford’s Brow Sculptor gives me a fighting chance.

I’ve successfully used it to fill in my eyebrows and create perfectly drawn arches at jacked-up times without a drop of coffee in my system (so we’re talking about worse muscle control than a zombie). This $44 makeup miracle delivers flawless, full, natural-looking brows, and I could not live without it.

Well…I could, but you know. Life would be rougher, man. 🙂

Of course, here’s the thing about Tom Ford Beauty: it’s So. Freaking. Expensive. I feel that unless his products are completely on point, I can’t justify their price.

I mean, what sane person drops $44 on a brow pencil??

Answer: someone who’s tried some of Tom’s products before, because when he gets it right, boy gets it really, really right (case in point).

Most brow pencils for me are slightly less exciting than a John Philip Sousa march, but I think Tom’s Brow Sculptor is epic.

EPIC.

So epic that I had an out-of-body experience once when I put two of them into my online cart (the shade I wear is called Espresso) and realized that the subtotal was $88 before tax. I swear, I floated out of my body and watched myself slowly click the “buy” button while my inner monologue said, “Holy effing crap.”
[Continue reading…]

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Topshop’s Terrific $12 Cream Blush in Afternoon Tea

October 21st, 2014 by Karen 38 Comments

Topshop Afternoon Tea Blush — Topshop Cream Blush in Afternoon Tea, $12

Do you have to be simultaneously sipping tea out of a dainty teacup while wearing Topshop’s $12 Cream Blush in Afternoon Tea to fully appreciate the nuances of either product?

No, you do not.

It does, however, help. 🙂

And it also helps to appreciate a great deal.

(Incidentally, if you decide to brew a pot of Earl Grey, I’ll take mine with cream and two lumps of sugar, please.)

I almost can’t believe this pretty pink cream-to-powder blush is only $12. It’s a total unsung hero in my book. On my unpredictably combination oily, and sometimes dry, cheeks, I swear it looks exactly like the $38 Le Blush Creme blushes by Chanel, and it lasts just as long. I get from eight to nine hours if I do a minor touchup around hour six.

[Continue reading…]

The Shupette by Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura Holiday Collection: First Look and Giveaway!

October 20th, 2014 by Karen 164 Comments

There’s no doubt about it. Choupette Lagerfeld (as in Karl Lagerfeld’s fashionable feline) has the whole cute kitty thing down. Even Tabs, as much as he would like to, can’t deny it. Those bright blue eyes, that plush, snowy white coat, and those killer ear tufts…

THOSE EAR TUFTS, THO.

Every time I see a Choupette pic, I want to reach into my computer screen and eat that delicious belly meat! Or, en lieu of that, I want to accessorize her.

(I’m thinking a diamond tiara or bejeweled bib necklace…but please don’t tell my boss!)

Now, if my cat lady barometer is correct, which it often is when it comes to pressing matters involving makeup and felines, then tails will be a-twitching when the new Shupette by Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura holiday collection sashays onto Shu Uemura counters this month (however, it’s available online right meow!).

To receive an exclusive Shupette by Karl Lagerfeld Tote bag and free shipping on any purchase of $25 or more on shuuemura-usa.com, use the promo code SHUBLOG.

How freakin’ cute is this collection!? When I see Choupette’s sweet face on the packaging, I’m compelled to squeal, “SHU-PETTE!” much to my kitty overlord’s chagrin.

The collection purrs with pieces for eyes, cheeks, face, lips and nails, as well as a smattering of other Choupette-themed beauty accessories, like flirty false lashes, a lash curler, a brush set and a luxe makeup trunk (not shown in these pics).

It’s catnip for cat ladies!

To my cat-loving eye, the star of the collection is the Shupette Has-It-All Eye & Lip Palette, with its mix of cool-toned blue, gray, pink and berry on the left, and its warm gold, bronze, pink, orange and coral on the right. I feel like there’s something for everyone in this palette, and to top it off, you also get a fuzzy white makeup bag.

I’m actually wearing the Has-It-All Palette in the pics below. 🙂 For a shimmering, smokey blue cat eye, I blended the blue, gray and black shades on my lids, then lined my lash lines with Eye-Need-Shu Liner in Midnight Black (a deep black with blue pearl), before adding a dash of glitter from the My Precious Glitter Set in the inner corners.

To finish the look, I dabbed the Silk Cushion Cheek Palette in Orange on my cheeks and brushed the Has-It-All Palette’s bright pink lipstick on my lips.

A look behind the scenes…

Oh, hai, Karl! A behind-the-scenes video of the Shupette collection

IT’S GIVEAWAY TIME! Enter to win a Shupette Has-It-All Palette (an $89 value)

Would you like a Shupette Palette of your very own? Let’s make that happen! 🙂 Tabs and I have teamed up with Shu Uemura this week to give one away. Enter using the widget below. Giveaway open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only (please see the widget for complete rules).

But wait, there’s more! A SECOND giveaway. Enter to win the entire Shupette collection…

Meow-za! You can also enter to win the entire collection (a $1,500 value). Just hop, skip or jump on over to the Shu Uemura Facebook page to enter: Enter to win the entire Shupette collection!

Shu Uemura Shupette by Karl Lagerfeld collection — MEOW!

Shupette Has-It-All Eye Lip Palette — Shupette Has-It-All Eye & Lip Palette

From the Shupette collection, Clockwise from the left: Eye-Need-Shu Trio in Tokyo Kawaii, Parisienne Chic and Rouge Bonbon Fantasy Trio in Parisienne Chic — Clockwise from the left: Eye-Need-Shu Trio in 02 Tokyo Kawaii, 01 Parisienne Chic and Rouge Bonbon Fantasy Trio in 01 Parisienne Chic

Shupette Eye-Need-Shu Liners in Gala Brown (left) and Midnight Black (right) — Eye-Need-Shu Liners in Gala Brown (left) and Midnight Black (right)

Shupette Silk Cushion Cheek Pink (left) and Orange (right) — Silk Cushion Cheek Pink (left) and Orange (right)

Shupette My Precious Glitter Set — My Precious Glitter Set

Shupette My Precious Glitter Set open — My Precious Glitter Set

[Continue reading…]

Nike Women’s Half Marathon Race-Day Essentials

October 17th, 2014 by Karen 43 Comments

Two more days.

TWO MORE DAYS! Roughly 39 hours (give or take) until I hit the ground running, literally, for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco with Team Neutrogena on Sunday.

I’ve been training for the past six weeks, and I’m actually feeling really good about this. By no means am I a hardcore athlete, but I tried to do everything I could to help myself make it through race day.

That’s in stark contrast to the last time I ran a half marathon about 10 years ago, when I did everything wrong. I was in tears when I crossed the finish line of that race because I was in so much pain (one word: chafing). Plus, I think I was just mentally unprepared for it.

This time, I feel ready! I was careful not to overtrain, which is something else that bit me in the @ss last time. Plus, I added cross-training (pushups and Jillian Michaels DVDs) and ate the food I was supposed to eat when I was supposed to eat it. I also took my rest and recovery days seriously.

So, yeah. I’m excited about Sunday, and not just because there will be San Francisco firemen in tuxedos handing out Tiffany necklaces at the finish line. 🙂

I’ve also been preparing/vetting all of my race-day essentials, which, of course include beauty products, because you know I couldn’t go 13.1 miles without doing a little something-something.

1. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

Also known as “my improv shower.” I’m putting a couple of these in a plastic bag and bringing them with me so I can wipe off some of the sweat immediately after the race. I’m also keeping a pack in the car for the drive home, just in case I still feel sticky. $8.99 for a reusable case with a pack of 25 towelettes. Available now at drugstores, Ulta and online.

2. Cle de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara

UGH! — so expensive, but so, so good… If there’s any mascara that can handle 13.1 miles and buckets of sweat, it’s this one. Waterproof, smudge-proof, budge-proof, and it delivers mad crazy length and separation. $50, and available now at Neiman Marcus and neimanmarcus.com.

3. Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in Espresso

Technically, Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in Espresso is not a waterproof product, but it may as well be. I’ve worn it in 105-degree heat, and it didn’t move, so I expect it to withstand the mileage. $44, available now at Tom Ford counters and online.

4. NARS Mini Satin Lip Pencil in Yu

I may live to regret this…but life is short! So what the hell! 🙂 I got it into my head to wear hot pink lipstick during the race because 1) it really does make everything better, and 2) because it matches my CW-X Bra.

Call me crazy.

NARS Mini Satin Lip Pencil in Yu is one of five lip pencils in the $49 NARS Digital World set, coming November 1 to Sephora and sephora.com.

[Continue reading…]