Makeup

How ‘Bout Them Apples? Fresh This Season From theBalm, a New Six-Piece Cream Cheek and Lip Palette

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 29 Comments

theBalm How 'Bout Them Apples — Taking a bite out of the newest palette by theBalm

Frrresh fruit! Get your fresh fruit here! Sweeet apples! Crisp and hunky!

Don’t be alarmed if you feel like taking a bite out of theBalm’s new cheek and lip cream palette.

It’s completely understandable. 🙂

And not merely because it houses a bushel of six juicy shades sweet enough to strike fear into the sweetest Honeycrisp…

It’s also because the men of Magic Mike appear inside! WOO HOO!!

OK, not really… Well, maybe.

Seriously, though, I don’t think these dudes have ever grinded to Pony on stage with Channing Tatum, but it looks like they could, judging by the way that cobbler pops that hip. That man clearly two-steps like a pro.

I have to admit that the inclusion of so many abdominal muscles probably heightened my enthusiasm for this palette. I mean, I think I would have liked it anyway, but I’m just sayin’. It’s true. 🙂

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NYX Baked Blushes, and They’re Sweet, Dainty and Only $7 Apiece

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

NYX Baked Blush in Ignite — Wearing NYX’s new Baked Blush in Ignite on my cheeks

I haven’t baked anything in ages, but right now I’m in the mood. (Ooh…maybe a pan of gooey brownies.)

Normally, I would blame a sudden urge like this on PMS, but not today. Today the cause is NYX.

Four of 12 new NYX Baked Blushes, $7 each

Their new line of Baked Blushes is just as sweet as can be (and they’re only $7 each), from the darling black bow on the front closure to the dainty shades. The pink, peach and tan ones here look almost as good as frosted cupcakes.

They’re designed to be applied wet (for more oomph) or dry. I prefer dry because I think they look a little more delicate that way.

After playing with four of the 12 shades, I came away impressed…but only after I broke through their tough outer layer. Like my BFF Cindy’s personality, they’re tough on the outside, but sweet and gentle on the inside. 🙂 Just gotta chip away at that bad-@ss exterior, which doesn’t take much to get through (I swirled a dense kabuki brush around for a minute or two in each pan).

After you shave off that top layer, eureka! — makeup gold. You reach a soft, easy-to-blend powder with a radiant sheen. Two or three layers quickly blended with a blending brush creates a lovely flush, and it doesn’t look like you’ve tried too hard.

NYX Pink Fetish Baked Blush — Pink Fetish

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Wonder Twin Powers Activate! Shape of…the New Urban Decay Duo Shade Eyeshadows!

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Urban Decay Duo Shades — Wearing the new Urban Decay Duo Shade Eyeshadows in X and Half Baked ($18)

So bangin’!

No, I’m not referring to the pounding outside my window (this time), which, El Hub informs me, will be ongoing for two weeks.

Argh.

The new Urban Decay Duo Shades, $18 each

I predict that by the end of the day I’ll be rocking back and forth in the corner and clutching these two new Urban Decay Duo Shade Eyeshadows to my chest like a security blanket while mumbling, “Safe place, safe place…”

Urban Decay Duo Shades swatches: X and Half Baked (far left); Sin and Mushroom (far right) — X and Half Baked (far left); Sin and Mushroom (far right)

The duos, which just launched online at urbandecay.com, are like eyeshadow comfort food. Each one comes with two of UD’s bestselling shades — familiar, much-loved colors that give lurvies to your lids.

Urban Decay Duo Shades in Sin/Mushroom — Sin and Mushroom

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Today Felt Like a Guerlain Spring 2014 Kind of Day

January 28th, 2014 by Karen 30 Comments

When I passed him in the kitchen this morning wearing this look with pieces from Guerlain’s new spring collection, the first thing El Hub said was, “You smell good!”

But I wasn’t wearing any perfume, unless you count the cloud of Eau de Tabby Cat that permeates my clothes…

I’m pretty sure he was picking up the scent of my makeup, despite that fact that he has the worst sense of smell (his nose was broken several times in his martial arts days), because Guerlain’s spring stuff smells amaze-balls! — like plumeria and jasmine. Even their brow powder smells really good.

Having slept well and feeling good, I was in the mood to wear something a little colorful today, so I did this green and taupe eye with pink cheeks and fuchsia lips.

Guerlain Ecrin 4 Eyeshadows in Les Tendres, $63 (limited edition)

Guerlain Meteorites Blush in Cherry, $42 (also limited edition)

Guerlain Météorites Pearls in 03 Medium — Guerlain Météorites Pearls in 02 Clair, $60 (permanent)

Guerlain Meterorites Brush — Meterorites Brush, $42 (permanent)

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Natural, Yet Complex, Is the Glow I Get From These New Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes

January 27th, 2014 by Karen 60 Comments

Wearing the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat ($35) on my cheeks

Opportunities abound for clever wordplay with the name of these new Ambient Lighting Blushes by Hourglass.

Think about it…

You [Ambient Lighting Blush] light up my life.

These Ambient Lighting Blushes are turning me on!

Stealing the spotlight this spring? These six new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes, yea!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush compact — The sleek compacts…

Unfortunately, however, because 1) my brain cells are moving at the speed of belly button lint today, and 2) I feel slightly less creative than an amoeba, I am unable to partake of said wordplay.

Instead, this is the best I can do: issue a grave warning…

DO NOT get within five feet of these things — don’t do it! — unless you plan to bring at least one of them home right then and there, because these things are more charming than the Borg, and by that I mean that resistance is futile.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes in Radiant Magenta (left) and Diffused Heat (right), $35 each US and $41 CDN

Because only half of my neurons are firing today (if that), I was going to say that these blushes melt into my skin like butter, but then I thought, “Good grief, Karen! Is that the best you can do?”

No, I think not.

Picture this: your work crush grabs you by the shoulders when no one is looking, presses you up against a file cabinet, kisses you squarely on the mouth, and then quietly, nonchalantly, walks away without saying a word.

That — that right there. That natural flush on your cheeks? That’s the kind of flush these Ambient Lighting Blushes can create.

Hourglass Radiant Magenta Ambient Lighting Blush — Radiant Magenta, so pretty!

So, what are they, and how do they work?

Well, I’m glad you asked. 🙂

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Eyeko Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner: Purrfect for Cat Ladies and Crying Insomniacs

January 27th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Oh, black cat eyeliner, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

One…

Wait — I’d much rather talk about this in a video review. Here’s a look at a new liquid liner I’ve been using a lot lately, $19 Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner by Eyeko.

This jet-black collaboration between Eyeko and British it-gal Alexa Chung is designed to be worn on lash and/or water lines.

Press play to hear how it fares throughout the day, and if Eye Do sounds like something you’d like to try, it’s available now at Sephora and online.

Thank you, as always, for watching. 🙂

In other news, how’s your Monday coming along? I’m hanging in there, but I feel like my brain only half turned on today. Don’t you hate it when that happens? I’m working at about 50% brain efficiency right now.

Words. Difficult. String. Together.

Big sigh… It happens sometimes (often on Mondays), and when it does, I just try to go with the flow. I mean, what else can you do?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

OCC’s Creamy, Intense Cosmetic Colour Pencils Just Might Inspire Hue

January 24th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils — The new Cosmetic Colour Pencil line by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

I feel like I’ve been battling with liner all winter long, like this is Westeros and they’re the White Walkers north of the Wall, but it’s mostly just that my skin has been drier than the Atacama, and it’s getting sooo old.

I haven’t been able to wear the long-wearing gel liners I was wearing and loving last spring and summer (they’re too drying), and the only pencils my lash and water lines are tolerating have been the MAC Eye Kohls…

Until now.

These soft, creamy Cosmetic Colour Pencils by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics actually remind me a lot of my beloved MAC Kohls. They glide along my lash lines like gold medal figure skaters across fresh ice.

Ah…

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils from the left: Anime, Grandma, Hoochie, Pennyroyal, Pool Boy and Sybil — From the left: Anime, Grandma, Hoochie, Pennyroyal, Pool Boy and Sybil

These pigmented pretties, some of which are approved for use on lips and body, while the others are for lips, body and eyes, come in 12 shades, all of them matte. The triple threats (eyes, lips and body) are clear Anti-Feathered, peachy brown Pennyroyal, blackened midnight brown Sybil, true black Tarred, true white Feathered and aquatic blue Pool Boy.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils from the left: Anti-Feathered, Black Dahlia, Feathered, NSFW, Tarred and Trick — From the left: Anti-Feathered, Black Dahlia, Feathered, NSFW, Tarred and Trick

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils Swatches of the shades you can wear on your lips, eyes and body (left to right): Anti-feathered, Pennyroyal, Sybil, Tarred, Feathered and Pool Boy — Swatches of the shades you can wear on your lips, eyes and body (left to right): Anti-feathered, Pennyroyal, Sybil, Tarred, Feathered and Pool Boy

Warm beige Trick, vibrant neon pink Anime, true red NSFW, blackened red Dahlia, coral Grandma and vibrant magenta Hoochie are the ones that just like lips and body…

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils Swatches of shades you can wear on lips and body (left to right): Trick, Anime, NSFW, Black Dahlia, Grandma and Hoochie — Swatches of shades you can wear on lips and body (left to right): Trick, Anime, NSFW, Black Dahlia, Grandma and Hoochie

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The New Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Plastic Passion Spring 2014 Collection, and an Important Announcement

January 23rd, 2014 by Karen 30 Comments

Wearing OCC Pool Boy Lip Tar, one of six new shades from the spring 2014 Plastic Passion collection

It is with a heavy heart that I must share some sad news…

The OCC Plastic Passion Spring 2014 collection

I learned today, moments after swatching the Plastic Passion spring 2014 collection by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, that I am not nearly cool enough to pull off bright blue matte lips.