Makeup

Ready, Set, Bow! Tarte’s $49 Bow and Go 3-in-1 Gift Set Makes Gift Giving Easier

November 14th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Tarte Bow and Go 3-in-1 Gift Set — One of the three boxed kits you get in the $49 Tarte Bow and Go gift set

Tarte Bow and Go boxes — Just add bow and go!

MBB FUN FACT: Despite my love for Biggie and Tupac, I can’t rap worth a damn, but when it comes to wrapping — as in gift wrap — I do alright, if I do say so myself. 🙂

I owe it all to the extensive training I received as an Emporium Capwell gift wrapper in the winter of ’92.

GURL, don’t make me take out my scissors, ’cause I will wrap those boxes like WHOA! (Complete with swirly curly ribbons.)

The $49 Tarte Bow and Go 3-in-1 gift set, which actually has a pretty cool schtick, comes with a gold ribbon (not shown in any of these pics), and I was all set to tie it around the three included gift boxes, but wouldn’t you know it? Tabs took off with the ribbon, and now it’s MIA.

Story of my life…

You’re supposed to tie the ribbon around the boxes (all of them, or just one if you plan to break up the set), add your to/from tag and BAM! — you’re done. A gift on the go.

If I were a grumpier gal, I’d probably go on and on about the lost art of gift wrapping, and how I’ve got nothing but love for this set because 1) I think the colors are gorgeous, and 2) it’s a pretty good price, considering that you could get three gifts out of it for about $16 each ($49 for the whole set).

Tarte Bow and Go Lip Surgence — Kit 1: the Lipsurgence Kit includes (from left to right) Lipsurgence Lip Cremes in Precious, Promise, Thoughtful and Wonder

Tarte Bow and Go Smolder Eyes — Kit 2: the second kit comes with two tubes of Lights, Camera Lashes, and SmolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liners in Matte Brown and Fig

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I Only Have Cat Eyes for…Jouer’s New Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners in Lynx, Leopard and Panther

November 13th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliner in Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners in Leopard, Panther and Lynx — Big cat love! The new Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners in Leopard, Panther and Lynx ($22 each), three new shades just added to the permanent line…I’m wearing Panther

Meow-za! I’ve been having a good ol’ time today with these three new Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners from Jouer — bronzy brown Leopard, glittering gunmetal gray Panther and golden khaki Lynx.

Of course, you can’t go wrong in my book with big cat names, but that’s not the only reason I like ’em. I also think they’re really easy to apply, as far as liquid liners go.

Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners from top to bottom Leopard, Panther and Lynx — From top to bottom, that’s Leopard, Panther and Lynx

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The New $125 Laura Mercier Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Colour Palette for Eyes & Cheeks Is Filled With Flattery for Warm and Cool Skin Tones

November 13th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Laura Mercier Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Colour for Eyes & Cheeks — Wearing Laura Mercier’s new $125 (!) limited edition holiday palette, the Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Colour for Eyes & Cheeks

Since a picture’s worth a thousand words, here’s how I feel about Laura Mercier’s new Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Colour for Eyes & Cheeks…

The thing is, it’s $125.

Uh… Yeah. Ouch.

And it’s not like there aren’t any other holiday sets out there now that cost a lot less. There are, but if you want something comprehensive for your eyes and cheeks that you could use every single day, don’t overlook this two-tiered kit outright, despite its price.

It’s brimming with rich purples and chocolaty browns, and sprinkled with pink, taupe and navy. Plus, the included travel brushes are actually worth keeping! They’re surprisingly soft. I almost always ditch the brushes that come with holiday kits because they’re usually scratchy and…just not up to par, but I think the eye brushes that come with this apply and blend just as well as Laura’s full-sized brushes.

WOOT! Bomb-@ss brushes to go with some bomb-@ss makeup. Who’d a thunk it?

Starting with the eye colors in the first tier…it’s African Violet, huzzah!

LOL! OK, you’re probably about as sick of seeing African Violet as I am (I swear, it must be in half of Laura’s kits). I love ya, L-Boogie, but please, can we take a break from African Violet already? At least for a few months? 🙂

Aside from that little quibble, I think the eyeshadows are tops. Every one has the brand’s signature smooth, easy-to-blend formula, where you literally swipe your blending brush once or twice, and the colors melt together. As with Laura’s Artist’s Palette, I actually have to resist the urge to over-blend these.

And I barely notice any fallout at all — a smidgen, but it’s not enough to annoy me.

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Today in the News, Jouer Has Discovered the Perfect Red Lip!

November 12th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Jouer Grace Lipstick, a creamy coral red that flatters warm-toned blondes and brunettes — Wearing Lipstick in Grace ($22) on my lips from the new Perfect Red Collection by Jouer

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If you answered “F. All of the above,” DING-DING-DING-DING-DING! — you are correct. 🙂 There is such a thing as a perfect red lip.

Just ask Jouer.

Jouer Perfect Red Collection 2013 — The Perfect Red collection includes two Lip Glosses ($20 each) and five Lipsticks ($22 each)

Of course, said perfect red lips aren’t necessarily easy to find (it took me years!), but indie brand Jouer thinks they have some good leads, and they’ve put them in their new Perfect Red Collection.

I really like Jouer… They’re a small-ish brand out of SoCal, and I’ve been following them for a few years. If you like Kate Spade’s vibe — chic, sweet, feminine and fun, but not overtly frilly or afraid to wear color — I think you’ll like ’em, too.

Jouer Perfect Red Collection lipsticks from the left: Ava, Grace, Lana, Simone and Sophia — Lipsticks from the left: Ava, Grace, Lana, Simone and Sophia

Perfect Red’s premise is that you’ll be able to find your perfect red amongst the five lipsticks and two glosses in the collection. There are reds for cool skin tones, warm skin tones and a neutral shade that should suit most everyone. If you like pounds of pigment, go for one of the lipsticks, but if you like sheer shades on your lips, grab a gloss. Jouer even created a convenient flowchart to help you decide.

Jouer Perfect Red Collection Lip Glosses in Monaco (left) and Riviera (right) — Monaco (left) and Riviera (right)

I have warm coloring, but I’ve tried all seven of these shades, and I have to say, I really don’t think you can go wrong with any of any of them. Yeah, the guidelines help, but I think the seven pieces are flexible and flattering enough to work with most skin tones.

Here are some general guidelines (but definitely not strict rules).

For warm skin tones…

Jouer Sophia Lipstick, a creamy rose red that flatters warm-toned brunettes — Sophia Lipstick, a creamy rose red that flatters warm-toned brunettes

Jouer Monaco Lip Gloss, a sheer coral red that flatters warm skin tone — Monaco Lip Gloss, a sheer coral red for warm skin tones

For cool skin tones…

Jouer Lana Lipstick, a creamy berry red that flatters cool-toned blondes — Lana Lipstick, a creamy berry red for cool-toned blondes

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For a Fussy-Free Date Night Look, Try the New $30 Bobbi Brown Date Night Lip & Eye Palette

November 12th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

Maybe I’ve passed the point of no makeup return, but when I think of date night, my first thoughts are usually something like, “Oooh, let’s pop two different colors in the crease,” or “I wanna layer these three liners for a smokey cat eye gradient, yeah!”

Then again, I do have a tendency to over-complicate things (says the woman who just mixed three different concealers to customize a color for her cheeks).

Bobbi Brown’s new $30 Date Night Lip & Eye Palette tries to keep things easy and streamlined, and even though I don’t usually equate paring down my makeup with date nights, I appreciate its simplicity, because sometimes those holiday palettes with, like, 25 different eyeshadows and 10 different lipsticks are just straight-up overwhelming.

Sometimes it’s easier to make a decision when you limit your options, ya know? And I think that’s one of this palette’s strengths. It comes with just enough to put together a pretty date night look, and you can always incorporate other products if you feel like it.

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I’m Scent-Sing Something Fabulous From the Napoleon Perdis Merci Lip Gloss Collection

November 12th, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

It took me a while to place it, but I think I figured out what the fragrant glosses in the new $39 Napoleon Perdis Merci Lip Gloss Collection remind me of, and when it hit me, I was like YES! Thank goodness for my basset hound-like sense of smell.

I may not be able see worth a damned (my eyesight’s crap, man), but at least I can pinpoint exactly what stuff smells like, which I’m sure will NOT come in handy when Z-Day goes down, but whatevs… At least it’s useful for figuring out fragrances, and these smell (and taste) exactly like fresh lychee, I kid you not.

I think the only reason I could place the scent is because I had them (lychee) last summer on Kauai. I bought a small bag at a farmers’ market to snack on at the beach.

There’s just something so…glorious about letting your muffin top hang out and eating fresh lychees at the beach. It’s right up there with the best of life’s most underrated pleasures.

But enough about fruit. I should probably get to the glosses… 🙂

These could almost pass for dupes of MAC Cremesheen Glasses, and that’s probably why I’ve been crushing on ’em.

Napoleon Perdis Merci Lip Gloss Collection in hand — In my paw for scale…

Napoleon Perdis Merci Lip Gloss Collection swatches from the left: Anna, Casey, Kate, Rebecca and Tannia — Swatches from the left: Anna, Casey, Kate, Rebecca and Tannia

Napoleon Perdis Merci Lip Gloss Collection Rebecca — Rebecca

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What a Trip! The Balm Voyage Holiday Face Palette by theBalm Is a Trip

November 11th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

theBalm Balm Voyage Holiday Face Palette — Wearing the new $42.50 limited edition Balm Voyage Holiday Face Palette by theBalm

How flippin’ cute is this holiday palette?! I’m a sucker for retro postcards and posters, so this is totally my style. Plus, I have a soft spot for theBalm because, like moi, they’re from the Bay Area.

Yessir, I grew up in the 510, moved to the 415 after college, and now I’m just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin.

So WOOT! Bay Area represent. 🙂

Balm Voyage… Cheeky name, and fun way to tie in the trip theme. They go all out with the travel references, by golly, from the different cities on the cover, to assigning a “seat” to each of the powder eyeshadows (there are 16 of them, along with three lip and cheek creams). Even the mirror on the inside of the palette looks like a passport for “Anita Vacation,” haha! GURL, anita vacation, too. You don’t even know.

I wore this palette pretty much all through last weekend, and it was perfect for chill-axing on Saturday and Sunday. The eyeshadows apply with either sheer or medium levels of pigment, probably making the palette better for casual, natural eye makeup than bold, high-fashion looks.

You could always crank up the intensity by applying them with a wet brush, or by layering them on top of a pencil or cream base, but that could interfere with how they blend.

When I do just a straight-up simple look with one or two colors on a primed lid, the powders meld seamlessly into each other, but the second I add a cream or pencil to the mix, the lines between the colors become more difficult to diffuse.

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The Mega Moisturizing Lippies in Edward’s Best 8-Color Lipstick Palette Could Best the Driest Climate

November 8th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Edward's Best 8-Color Lipstick Palette by Edward Bess — Wearing Jasmine Blossom Lipstick from the $75 Edward’s Best 8-Color Lipstick Palette by Edward Bess

I want to hang out with Edward Bess…

I mean, have you seen this man’s mane? It looks like it should be moving in slo-mo in a shampoo commercial with, like, birds singing in the background and sh*t.

We could hang out, talk hair, and chat about the $75 Edward’s Best 8-Color Lipstick Palette and how it’s creamy lipstick heaven in a pan. Eventually, I’d segue into my master plan to become the world’s first lipstick nomad/cat lady.

We’d be at Starbucks. I’d reach across the small table, take his hands in mine and say, “Edward, I think it would be really cool to travel the world with a whole cadre of lipsticks, like 100 of them, and take pics of myself wearing a different shade in every new location.”

He would respond, “That’s a wonderful idea, Karen. Let me help you…”

The pigmented lippies in this 8-pan palette could get me through at least one country — perhaps one with a dry, cold climate, since all of these are crazy moisturizing, and wearing them soothes my lips like ahhhhh.

“Edward,” I’d ask, taking a sip of my pumpkin spice latte, “may I french braid your hair?”

“Of course,” he’d reply. “You may.”