Makeup

Purple Plus Matte Equals Music to My Ears: The New Guerlain Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Violines

September 4th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Guerlain Les Violines Ecrin 4 Couleurs Long-Lasting Eyeshasdows — Wearing the new Guerlain Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Violines ($63)

It occurred to me while fiendishly gurgling on my third cup of coffee this morning and scouring every surface of my office (including the floor) for my missing, precious pan of MAC Soft Brown (I eventually found it) that on any given second of any given day, there are women, and makeup-loving men, around the world joining Team Matte Eyeshadow.

If you’ve already been drafted, congratulations, and welcome. 🙂 Now check it — Guerlain’s new Ecrin 4 Couleurs in Les Violines is like the Super Bowl for violet eyeshadow lovahs.

It’s $63, which, ya know, is business as usual at Guerlain, but if you’re open to the idea of paying that much and have a yearning, burning love for matte purples, I think these are pretty great.

Les Violines strums a tune about violet. Its three lightest shades are tonally near and dear to each other, making them ideal for blown-out matte purple looks with smooth transitions, like what I’m wearing on my lids in these pics. I paired Violines with contoured cheeks and a slightly shiny berry lip, for a look that I think has that meow-rrific ’90s thing going for it.

[Continue reading…]

I’m a Girl Without Curl When I Wear L’Oreal’s Miss Manga Mascara

September 3rd, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Based on the cuteness factor of the packaging, at the very least, I expected L’Oreal’s Miss Manga Mascara ($7.99) to grant me lashes that Jem and the Holograms would envy.

The pink and black tube? The bendy brush? The very name itself? — Miss Manga Mascara?

It would have been silly of me to have expected anything other than cartoony doe-eyed drama.

Loreal Miss Manga Mascara brush — See the joint on the wand just below the brush head? That’s where the wand flexes and bends (like one of those flexible straws)

L’Oreal’s latest mascara, Miss Manga is available now in three shades for $7.99 each. The one I’m wearing in the pics below is called 374 Blackest Black.

Now, this stuff is designed to create a very distinct lash look — thick, clumpy, kind of wet and glossy.

Not everyone’s cup of tea, and I can see why, as it’s a little costume-ish and not very natural.

L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara before and after — L’Oreal Miss Manga Mascara, before and after

[Continue reading…]

Laura Mercier’s New High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye Disguises Dark Circles, But Demands Significant Elbow Grease

September 3rd, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye in shade 4 — Wearing the new Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye ($28) to cover up ye olde dreaded dark circles

If your current full-coverage under-eye concealer were a skimpy Brazilian-cut bikini, then Laura Mercier’s new High Coverage Concealer ($28 for a 0.27-oz. tube) would be a Victorian Era bathing costume, complete with skirt, bloomers, bonnet and shoes.

In other words, no skin be showin’ here, ma! Those dark circles will be covered-the-eff-up.

A recent addition to Laura’s permanent line, High Coverage is referred to as “three in one” by Team LM. It’s supposed to cover, de-puff and brighten under-eye circles, all at the same time, and it comes in 12 shades that correspond to the colors in Laura’s existing Secret Concealer range.

I had hoped to experience significant makeup nirvana testing High Coverage based on how much I’ve been loving the new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation Laura released at the same time (one word: amazing), but to be honest, my feelings run hot and cold… My overall opinion depends on how psycho my skin is acting on any given day.

Annoying Dry Skin Issues: Chapter 1,576

My under-eye area is usually some degree of dry, from slightly dry to very, and when it’s very dry, High Coverage Concealer does not look cute.

Yes, it completely covers my dark circles, which is great, but the texture looks thick and heavy, and cracks appear around my fine lines.

It’s a different story, however, when my skin is behaving better (and I also jump through some extra hoops, which I’ll describe in a moment), in which case, High Coverage looks and works great. The cracking is kept to a minimum, and the texture looks natural.

Being somewhat dry and thick (it looks and feels like a thick paste, as opposed to a runny liquid), the formula is also pigmented — things that don’t often lend themselves to easy blending — so if you attempt to half-@ss the application, you could be in for a janky surprise (particularly if you have mature skin).

The way around it is to really get in there and do the work, and if you do, High Coverage can look lovely.

Here’s how I apply it

A drop the size of a pin head is enough, literally, to do both eyes. The back of the tube recommends dotting a bit on a fingertip and patting that beneath your eyes, but I tried that and wasn’t too crazy about the way it turned out. I thought it looked a little heavy…

Instead, I load a smidgen on the back of my hand, where I sheer it out using a synthetic tapered blending brush (you could use a brush with natural fibers for this, but I find that synthetic brush heads usually have stiffer bristles, which in this case handle the thick-ish formula better.)

[Continue reading…]

For Comfort and Eye-Catching Color, Try Sonia Kashuk’s $8.99 Lustrous Shine Lip Crayons

September 1st, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Lustrous Shine Lip Crayon in Peony — Wearing Sonia Kashuk’s new Lustrous Shine Lip Crayon in Peony ($8.99), one of four shades available now at Target

Yet one more reason to go fan-girl over Sonia Kashuk: the unfathomably high levels of pigment in her new Lustrous Shine Lip Crayons.

Sonia Kashuk Lustrous Shine Lip Crayons Orchid (left) and Peony (right) — Orchid (left) and Peony (right)

I can’t believe these $8.99 retractable crayons aren’t more expensive. Smooth, silky and lightweight like a lip balm, they remind me a lot of pricier products from Too Faced and Benefit.

Sonia Kashuk Lustrous Shine Lip Crayon swatches in Peony (left) and Orchid (right) — Peony (left) and Orchid (right)

[Continue reading…]

When It Comes to Burnished Brows and Long-Lasting Formulas, Giorgio Armani Beauty’s Eye & Brow Maestros Give a Command Performance

August 29th, 2014 by Karen 8 Comments

Wearing the new Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye & Brow Maestros in 1 Jet Black, 9 Gold and 2 Wenge Wood — Sporting the new Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye & Brow Maestros in 1 Jet Black (on my upper lash lines), 9 Gold (lower lash lines) and 2 Wenge Wood (brows)

OK, don’t worry. We’re going to get through this. You’re going to put down the 20-pound tabby, and step away carefully…

Not yet! Wait for me to give you this signal [I demonstrate a gesture with my hand].

I know, it’s hard because he’s so soft and cuddly, but you have to trust me on this. He really likes his deep-tissue kitty massage, and if you stop abruptly, he could just go off, and no one wants that.

Alright, are you ready? Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon, and then you’ll be able to devote your full attention to this thought: shiny eyebrows.

Yup, you heard me. Shiny eyebrows.

Kind of weird, right? You wouldn’t think it would work…but it does when Giorgio Armani Beauty does it.

Unlike most brow fillers, their nine creamy new $34 Eye & Brow Maestros have the slightest hint of a sheen. The sheen is supposed to get brows looking as natural as possible by simulating your hairs’ natural shine (as in the hair on your head!).

Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye & Brow Maestro in 1 Jet Black — 1 Jet Black

Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye & Brow Maestro in 2 Wenge Wood — 2 Wenge Wood

Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye & Brow Maestro in 9 Gold — 9 Gold

Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye & Brow Maestro Swatches from the left: 1 Jet Black, 2 Wenge Wood and 9 Gold — Swatches from the left: 1 Jet Black, 2 Wenge Wood and 9 Gold

[Continue reading…]

Giorgio Armani Beauty’s New Fall 2014 Eyes To Kill Liners Have Killer Shine

August 28th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Wearing Giorgio Armani Beauty's Eyes To Kill Liner in Rose Iron — Wearing Giorgio Armani Beauty’s Eyes To Kill Liner in Rose Iron

With his heat ray vision, Superman has eyes to kill.

Medusa has eyes to kill (well, turn you to stone, but that’s basically the same thing).

And now, with new Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Liners (called Ametista, Oro Oscuro, Perla Nera and Quarzo on the website), we mere mortals can also have eyes to kill.

Shiny eyes to kill, because when I wear these liquid liners on my lash lines, I feel like I have shine for days, yo!

But it’s an unusual shine…

Starting at the finish

“Muted metallic.” That’s how I describe the finish. Mind you, it’s not as frosty or shiny as some metallic or glitter liners, like the kind you might see at Urban Decay or MAC, some of which reflect so much light that you can look like you’re wearing a costume if you go too far with them.

There’s no mistaking these for matte — that’s for sure — but the shiny finish seems softer to me, more diffused and more elegant than the finish that a lot of other shiny liners have.

Giorgio Armani Beauty Eyes to Kill Liner in Rose Iron — Rose Iron on my lash lines, MAC Smolder on my water lines, and Armani’s Black Ecstasy Mascara on my lashes

Not everyone is gonna get the distinction. Like, El Hub, adorable yet clueless dude that he is, he probably wouldn’t get it. “What’s the big whoop?” he’d say. “They just look shiny to me.”

Now, if you’re the kind of guy or gal who carries eight different black liners in your makeup bag and can quickly rattle off their names and differences, you’ll probably appreciate these and their muted metallic finish.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Liners from the purple shade on the left: 3 Mercury Nude, 2 Acid Gold and 3 Rose Iron — Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Liners from the purplish shade on the left: 3 Mercury Nude, 2 Acid Gold and 3 Rose Iron

Easy-peasy application

As for the formula itself and the way these feel, one word: bomb. They’re sort of halfway between a liquid and a cream, almost like a watery gel, and it makes them easy to control, especially with the included, fine-tipped brush applicator. With it, I can easily draw skinny and thick lines with sharp edges in a single swipe.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Liner — With a MAC Lipglass for scale

[Continue reading…]

The Nude ’90s Are Back With Rosy Brown Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color in Negligee

August 26th, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

Tom Ford Negligee Lipstick — Wearing Tom Ford’s new Lip Color in Negligee ($50) on my lips

Tom Ford’s Lip Colors, at $50 each — holy sh*t — are redonkulously expensive.

Yup, redonkulous, the adverbial form of the made-up word. That’s how redonkulous they are.

Still, I think they’re among the most drool-worthy, covetable things in his line. Smooth like a tabby’s tum and oh, so comfortable. Plus, it’s almost criminal how much color they contain, and they fade slowly and evenly, too, like mystical makeup apparitions…

As a side, I’m hoping we can keep the fact that I just ordered a new tube of Sable Smoke a secret, because El Hub would probably freak. Bless his heart, but he thinks that paying one penny more than $10 is too much to pay for a t-shirt, so I have a pretty good idea what he’d think about a $50 lipstick. 🙂

Until this week, Sable Smoke was my TF nude lip jam, but there’s a new nude in town, the provocatively named Negligee.

[Continue reading…]

In the MAC Artificially Wild Collection, MAC Takes Nudes Underground With Dirty Mauves, Sooty Greys and Golden Beige Browns

August 21st, 2014 by Karen 24 Comments

Did you ever read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It’s the Phillip K. Dick story that inspired Bladerunner, and in it there are these ultra realistic android animals, like robotic dogs and cats, that some people have as pets because many of the real animals are driven extinct during a world war. Only the mega rich can afford to have living, breathing pets. Everyone else’s animals are artificially wild…

Which brings me to this: MAC Artificially Wild.

Based on MAC’s promo pics for the 22-piece release, truth be told, I was kinda freaked out. The camo, the dark shadows under the model’s eyes — it seemed potentially drab and depressing, and I couldn’t see myself feeling good in a look like that.

But I liked the overall idea. Nudes, with a subversive, fight-the-power angle. Instead of regular warm, buttery browns and beiges, there were dirty mauves, sooty greys, golden beige browns and a light sprinkling of khaki.

In the end, the call of the wild was too strong to resist. After playing with the products, I started to come around…

It was kind of like when you see a dress that you’d never pick out for yourself on a hanger, but just for kicks, you try it on, and then you think, “OK. Yeah. I can work this.”

Cheek products for contouring

There are some cool things here…like the cheek products, in particular. A couple of ’em contour and carve out cheekbones better than Michelangelo. I really like the Powder Blush in Taupe, which transforms my chubby cherub cheeks into chiseled choppers capable of cutting concrete.

I think Cream Colour Base in Breaking Ground deserves mentioning. A purplish gray mauve, you can use it below your cheekbones to create well-placed shadows on your face. Chanel did something like it a while back with a powder blush called Notorious… Breaking Ground is basically a cream version.

MAC Eye Shadow in Artificial Earth — Artificial Earth

MAC Eye Shadow in Marsh — Eye Shadow in Marsh

MAC Eye Shadow in Natural Wilderness — Eye Shadow in Natural Wilderness

MAC Powder Blush in Next to Skin — Powder Blush in Next to Skin

MAC Powder Blush in Pink Cult — Pink Cult

MAC Cream Colour Base in Breaking Ground — Breaking Ground

MAC Cream Colour Base in Au Nature — Cream Colour Base in Au Nature

Icon

MAC Lipstick in Shitake — Lipstick in Shitake

MAC Lipglass in Obviously Bare — Obviously Bare

MAC Lipglass in De Nude — Lipglass in De Nude

MAC Eye Shadows in Artificial Earth, Stony, Marsh and Natural Wilderness — From the left, Eye Shadows in Artificial Earth, Stony, Marsh and Natural Wilderness

MAC Powder Blushes in Taupe, Next to Skin and Pink Cult — Powder Blushes in Taupe, Next to Skin and Pink Cult

MAC Cream Colour Bases in Breaking Ground and Au Nature — Cream Colour Bases in Breaking Ground and Au Nature

Lipsticks in Icon and Shitake

[Continue reading…]