Makeup

Ask MBB: Makeup Tools of the Trade for Natural-Looking Contouring and Definition

March 18th, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

I usually like to wear a little MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish or Guerlain Terra Nerolia Bronzer — just to add some warmth to my skin after applying foundation — and to get a very soft, natural contour.

Here’s what I typically do to contour in this video at the 10:21 mark…

I like that way just fine, but lately I’ve been wanting to try something different — a more defined, contoured look that’s a bit more sculpted, but not scary.

In this episode of Ask MBB, MAC Senior Artist Victor Cembellin weighs in with a few products and tools to get a sculpted, contoured effect that still looks natural.

Products mentioned…

Eek, I am all over that angled brush! It’s at the top of my mile-long MAC wish list.
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Get a Fabulously Faux Glow With Guerlain’s New Terracotta Joli Teint Foundation

March 17th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint — Working my heart-shaped sunnies and a faux bronze glow with Guerlain’s new Terracotta Joli Teint

Taking bronzer to “the next level” (air quotes!).

Raise your hand if you’re a bronzer enthusiast — also known as someone who wears bronzer almost daily, hook or crook, without fail.

I am totally raising my hand right now. 🙂

Guerlain’s new Joli Teint was made for you.

Like a lightweight liquid bronzing foundation, or maybe a primer for your bronzer, it couples SPF 20 sun protection with a warm-toned matte finish and a flexible formula you can wear sheer or built up for more coverage.

Comparable to sunshine in a tube, this magical, lightweight fluid gives skin an instant touch of summer, leaving behind a perfectly radiant glow. Used on its own or paired with Terracotta Powder for buildable color, there is no easier and healthier way to create the perfect customizable tan for every complexion. Terracotta Joli Teint has a feather-light texture that glides on, leaving an incredibly fine and silky veil over the skin. It contains nourishing natural ingredients which counter the visible effects of fatigue, reviving dull skin for a radiant, even complexion. .
–Guerlain PR

Available in five shades — Light, Natural, Medium, Dark and Ebony — it can be worn all by itself as a standalone foundation, or combined with bronzer, which is the way it was designed to be used.

I like it both ways.

The shades are warmer and darker than the shades in Guerlain’s mainstream foundation line, Lingerie de Peau, giving your faux glow an extra boost, like a bronzing support tool.

Wear a little for sheer coverage, or build up layers for more.

Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint swatches in Natural — Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint swatches of Natural on my NC42 skin — that’s unblended on the left and blended on the right

Natural, the shade I’ve been wearing, has noticeably warm/orangey bronze undertones, and I like the way it partners with Guerlain Terra Nerolia, the bronzer I’ve been hooked on since last summer. It even has the same wonderful tiara flower scent.

At $53 a tube, it’s not budget by any means, but at least it performs. It goes on smoothly (no patchiness, not even on my dry spots, yay!), doesn’t settle into my exuberant pores, stays put all day long, and best of all, feels lighter than a feather on my skin — almost like nothing at all.

I wore it both days last weekend with a bit of bronzer and some blush, and my pores could breathe. I didn’t feel like I was suffocating under a layer of foundation.

I do a single pump on the back my hand, and then, using either clean fingers or a foundation brush, stipple it on my cheeks just under my cheekbones where I need the coverage. Then, I run whatever remains on the brush along my jawline, down the bridge of my nose and across my forehead.

By that point, if I feel like I need more coverage, I’ll do an extra “half pump,” patting and blending that to build up the level of coverage on my cheeks.

Then I followup with bronzer.

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Because Weekends Are for Hot Pink Lips (and Lip Combos), There’s MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste

March 14th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

MAC Pro Longwear LIip Pencil in Shock Value, MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste and Pro Longwear Lipgass in Full Spead Ahead — What’s the quickest way out of a nude lip rut?

The first step to breaking out of a nude lip rut is admitting that you’re in a nude lip rut.

(Note to self: I am in a nude lip rut.)

When all 15 (!) of the lipsticks and glosses in your purse are various shades of nude beige, light peach and pink…you are in a nude lip rut.

I figured the quickest way to break free (“break free, break from the chains!” Shout-out to Wilson Phillips!) was a bright, bold lip — something upbeat. And pink.

Because Fridays were made for pink.

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Shock Value, MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste and Pro Longwear Lipglass in Full Speed Ahead

After rutting around in my makeup stash, I came up with this — a bright, shiny pink lip, and it’s all MAC’d out. The star attraction is the new MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste.

First, I lined my lips with bright pink MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Shock Value, then used a lip brush to fill them in with Good Taste, before topping it off with a layer of bright magenta MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Full Speed Ahead.

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An Easy Way To Take Your Winged Liner Looks From Day to Night

March 14th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

MAC Pure Show and NARS Black Valley — Wearing MAC Pure Show Superslick Liquid Eye Liner and NARS Black Valley Eye Paint on my upper lash lines (and trying to look “artsy-fartsy”)

I’m all about the winged liner life…

Ya feel me?

Winged liner, also known as cat liner, is one of my favorite makeup looks (especially in a classic black).

You can wear it pretty much anywhere. Pair it with nude lips to proactively synergize your ROI at work (LOL!), or raise the roof with a bright lip and cheek for a night on the town. The possibilities are endless.

I don’t know if I could ever truly get tired of black winged/cat liner, but I don’t always do it the same way. Sometimes I like to try something a little different, like by incorporating a liner in a different color. I’ll run it along my upper lash line parallel to the liner, like I’m doing with the gold in these pics.

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See Subtle Signs of Lovely Light With $70 Chanel Jardin De Camelias Illuminating Powder

March 13th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

If this were a PowerPoint slide about Chanel’s $70 Jardin De Camelias Illuminating Powder, the key bullet points would be…

Super pretty in the pan
Super subtle on the skin
Super expensive

Available now exclusively online as part of the new 11-piece Jardin de Camelias collection, Chanel Jardin de Camelias Illuminating Powder, it’s a sheer ivory highlighting powder with a dainty pinkish rose opalescence.

The super subtle shimmer and rosy pink tint are probably easier to see in real life, where they create a delicate halo of light that dances off the skin, illuminating it all day long.

Chanel Jardin De Camelias Illuminating Powder swatch — Chanel Jardin De Camelias Illuminating Powder Swatch

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It’s Zen and the Art of Camellia Blooming With Coco’s New Quad: The Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Jardin Zen

March 13th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Wearing the new Chanel Jardin Zen Quadra Eye Shadow on my eyes

Oh, OK! I get it. Jardin Zen. The name of this Chanel quad means “zen garden” in French, and that’s kind of what the pattern on the pans looks like — one of those Japanese gardens with the little stones that someone rakes cool patterns and design into. Neat.

Of course, Coco Chanel’s zen garden would have to have a design that looks a little like her favorite flower, the camellia. It’s only logical.

Just like mine, if I were ever to make one, would have cats and cupcakes on it. 🙂

A new limited edition online exclusive available now on chanel.com, the Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Jardin Zen is part of the 11-piece Jardin de Camelias collection.

A beautiful Monday through Friday eyeshadow palette of basics for the girl/guy who wants something other than a bunch o’ browns. I’s like a Chanel Flap bag, with its chain and quilt detailing, but in a color like greige, as opposed to basic black. Something you could wear all the time, and it goes everything, but it’s a little different, ya know? I like that.

You get a gorgeous violet gray, a golden beige, a pastel pink and a soft black — all colors that are easy to work into an everyday makeup routine. Practical, but not too boring or basic.

Being from Chanel, it’s expensive, though, but it’s also Chanel quality. Sure, you’re paying a premium for the name, but I also think the shadows perform extremely well.

Long-lasting, easy to blend with other shadows and each other, and they contain a perfect amount of pigment. Plus, they don’t crease, as long as I wear them with primer.

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When Two Become One: Mixing Foundation Shades To Get a Match

March 12th, 2014 by Karen 40 Comments

Wearing Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation in Amber and NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Stromboli — It’s a match! Here I’m wearing a mix of Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation in Amber and NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Stromboli…

I held on to it for many years — the hope that somewhere out there was a bottle of foundation with my name on it. A perfect match for my skin tone in a perfect formula.

Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking! 🙂

It sounds kind of crazypants now that I think about it — like I was going to just walk up to a counter and see a shade called “KAREN (THE CRAZY CAT LADY ONE FROM NOVATO).”

LOL!

Well, at least things are better now than they were in the ’80s and early ’90s. There weren’t a whole lot of foundation options back then if your skin had a little color.

There are huge shade ranges nowadays and many more brands, which is super cool because I have found shades that get really close to my skin tone, but I’ve still yet to find a perfect match off the shelf.

I’m guessing that I’m not the only person facing this issue.

But you know what? There is hope (cue Disney theme song: “Somewhere, out there!”). If you’ve been unable to find a perfect match, you might be able to make one yourself.

I’m talking about mixing, babe. Mixing foundations.

And you can do it in a bunch of different ways. There are some companies that will actually custom mix a color for you, like over at prescriptives.com with their online beauty advisor chats. They ask you a series of questions over a webcam to create a custom color just for you.

Or, you can do what I do, which is more random, but when you get it right you feel awesome! — like a foundation ninja/MacGyver.

I highly recommend it, and if you decide to give it a try, here are a couple of different approaches you can take…

1. Mix two shades (one darker than the other) of your favorite foundation formula

This one’s the easiest and probably most obvious way, where you mix two shades of the same foundation or tinted moisturizer formula, one that you know you like. I do this all the time right on the spot, usually on the back of my hand, while I do my makeup with NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer or MAC Face & Body Foundation.

MAC Face & Body Foundations in C4, C5 and C6

I usually keep two bottles in my main makeup bag — one lighter than my skin tone, or like my skin tone in the middle of the winter; and one darker than my skin tone, or closer to what my coloring is when I have a little tan.

Then it’s magic cauldron time. I mix until I get a match, which usually takes a minute or two.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizers in St. Mortiz and Cuba

I’ll play with different ratios throughout the year, like maybe do three parts of the lighter shade and one part of the darker shade during winter, half and half in spring, then mostly the darker shade, with just a taste of the lighter shade, in summer.

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With the Weather Warming Up, Sonia Kashuk’s New Spring 2014 Collection (and Some of Her Face Products From Fall) Hit Right on Target

March 12th, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

Nods to warmer days ahead with Sonia Kashuk Spring 2014 (and some Fall 2013 warm weather faves)

Just got back from a walk with Sonia! 🙂

You know, Sonia Kashuk?

No, not in person, silly! But she was with me in spirit, as I was wearing some products from her new spring line.

They’re available right now at Target stores and target.com.

Her spring collection is HUGE this year — 37 pieces total.

Here are the ones I wore today, along with some fall face products (permanent collection) that seemed perfect for the warm weather we’re having.

Eye Shadow Quad in Up in Smoke ($13.69, spring)

Sonia Kashuk Up In Smoke Eye Shadow Quad — Eye Shadow Quad in Up in Smoke ($13.69)

One of three new quads added to the family this spring. The other two are called Prima Ballerina (with rose and lavender shades) and Island Dreams (blues and greens).

Up In Smoke’s beige, taupe, gray and charcoal struck me as fall colors at first, but this is makeup, and there are no rules. 🙂 Perfect for when you want to wear a smokey eye while everybody else is rocking pastels.

With super shimmery, buttery soft shadows that seem more expensive than they really are, it reminds me of a disco dancing version of Tom Ford’s She Wolf trio.

Pearlescence Longwear Creme Shadows in Diamond and Quartz ($8.99 each, spring)

Sonia Kashuk Pearlescence Longwear Creme Shadow in Diamond (top) and Quartz (bottom), $8,99 each — Pearlescence Longwear Creme Shadow in Diamond (top) and Quartz (bottom), $8.99 each

My favorite thing from Sonia’s spring collection so far! These are completely new additions to the line.

Despite being shimmery metallics, they stay away from my fine lines (which I really appreciate). Sonia claims these smooth pigments actually help eyes look brighter and more youthful, and ya know? Maybe. I definitely do feel like my eyes look younger and more alert when I wear ’em.

Sonia Kasuk Pearlescence Longwear Creme Shadow in Quartz (left) and Diamond (right) — Pearlescence Longwear Creme Shadow in Quartz (left) and Diamond (right), $8.99 each

They’re easy to apply with fingers or a brush and don’t crease or move once they’re on my lids.

Joining the shades shown here, pale champagne Diamond and rosy Quartz, are a bronzy brown called Tiger’s Eye and an icy taupe called Moonstone.

Satin Luxe Lip Colour SPF 16 in Pink Buff and Very Berry ($9.99, spring)

Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color SPF 16 in Pink Buff (left) and Very Berry (right), $9.99 each — Satin Luxe Lip Color SPF 16 in Pink Buff (left) and Very Berry (right), $9.99 each

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