Makeup

9 Things a Fashion-Forward, Makeup-Loving and Somewhat Judgemental Feline Is Thinking When You Wear the New MAC Powerchrome Eye Pencils

May 14th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

9 Things a Fashion-Forward, Makeup-Loving and Somewhat Judgemental Feline Is Thinking When You Wear the New MAC Powerchrome Eye Pencils

Will you PLEASE stop gushing about how these creamy, flexible shadow pencils don’t need a primer, and start gushing about how awesome I am instead??

Are you getting so lazy that you don’t even bother to use eye brushes anymore? I mean, I totally appreciate that you’re doing quick eye looks with these (frees up your time to do more of my bidding), but I really hope that this rampant laziness of yours doesn’t spill over into your pet assisting duties.
Maybe you should take those fingers you’ve been using for blending and utilize them to scratch behind my ears a little more…
I see that your lids are looking shimmery and sparkly. Kudos for that, but it’s distracting people who would otherwise be admiring my shiny coat.
Okay, okay, so I don’t totally hate your makeup. That shimmery brown and black smokey eye you’re wearing does look moderately fierce… Nowhere near as fierce as my naturally smokey eyes, of course, but fierce nevertheless.
It only took you five minutes to do that eye look. That’s fast, but NOT FAST ENOUGH! Now go to the kitchen immediately and fix me some gravy.
I give you permission to wear these gold, copper, charcoal and bronzed brown pencils all summer long…since all of them go well with my fur.
Good thing these pencils stand up to warm weather and perspiration, because when we’re on my private South Pacific island, I’ll need you to look good at all times, in the event that the paparazzi find us.
Ugh! Yes, you may take your vacation in June, pending completion of the necessary paperwork, obviously. And just so you know, even though it’s a terrible inconvenience on my part, I’m still happy to help you with your travel makeup list. In fact, I suggest starting now by packing the MAC Powerchromes. You’re welcome. 🙂

MAC Powerchrome Eye Pencils — From the left: Copper Strip, Life’s Luxury, Polished Jet and Rich Glance

[Continue reading…]

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Smog

May 13th, 2013 by Karen 39 Comments

Sometime in the not-so-distant future…

“Remember smog?”

“Smog! Of course I remember smog. It was one of my favorite things about the early twenty-first century.”

“Mine too!”

Years from now as you and I share a cheesecake in the middle of the night at our Miami home with the other Golden Girls — dibs on being the Sophia of the group! She’s short, cranky and carries her purse around everywhere, so I feel like I’d be a good fit — we’ll look back on this time as the era of Smog.

No, not the kind that hovers over the San Fernando Valley… I’m referring to Urban Decay’s $19 shimmery masterpiece of golden khaki bronze, the 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Smog.

“Gosh, we wore it with everything!” we’ll say. “We didn’t even touch black liners there for a while.”

It looked so good with summery golds, khakis, bronzes and browns. Even corals, purples and teals.

“Dang,” we’ll say, “that was one flexible liquid liner…”

You’ll roll your eyes as I retell the story (FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME) of how I was wearing waterproof Smog along my lash lines when I bumped into Ryan Gosling that time in Hawaii.

It was early in the morning just after dawn, hardly anyone else in the water, and I was sitting back on my surfboard waiting for the next wave. Smog’s shimmery, shiny finish caught the sunlight, which caught Ryan’s eye and prompted him to paddle over and say, “Hey girl.”

“We surfed, laughed and shared a shave ice that day,” I’ll say, “and Smog lasted from 10-12 hours.”

At some point you’ll remind me of my penchant for telling tall tales, and I’ll tap my plate with my fork, contemplating another slice of cheesecake. 🙂

What else can I say about Smog, babe? I just love it.

It’s waterproof and long-lasting enough to spend the day surfing and complements just about every eye color I’ve ever seen.

I love the way its golden khaki bronze color works with the kinds of colors I like to wear in summer.

[Continue reading…]

Tom Ford Beauty’s Fire Lust Skin Illuminator: Candle Power or Five-Alarm Blaze?

May 10th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

Is Tom Ford Beauty’s $65 Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust more like a candle or a five-alarm blaze?

Hmm…

Well, let’s just say that it’s a little like trimming your bangs…if trimming bangs had anything at all to do with liquid face illuminators. 🙂

Put another way, it’s a subtle effect that won’t hit someone over the head, but if you point it out to ’em, they’ll probably say something like, “Oh, yeah… I can see it now. Kinda.”

Tom Ford Fire Lust Swatch — Unblended on the left and blended on the right

[Continue reading…]

The New Giorgio Armani Summer 2013 Face & Eye Palette Makes Me Wanna Be a Billionaire…So Freakin’ Bad

May 10th, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

Wearing the new Giorgio Armani Summer 2013 Eye & Face Palette on my cheeks and eyes

Rest assured that when you wear Giorgio Armani’s Summer 2013 Face & Eye Palette, you will not look like…

You just won the 2013 Jell-O Wrestling World Championships
You just crushed a can of PBR against your forehead
You opened your eyes this morning and let out a 30-second-long barbecue potato chip-tinged burp that someone heard on the other side of town

Rather, when you brush the shimmery golden bronze highlighter on your cheeks and any combination of its three accompanying powder shadows on your lids, you’ll look more like you spent the day channeling Jackie O. on the Greek coast with a pair of Stephen Bonanno Palm Beach sandals, oversized glasses (of course) and a Lily Pulitzer shift dress.

Even if you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing with this two-tiered eye and face compact, you almost can’t go wrong because the long-lasting powders hug skin like skinny jeans hug hips.

They’re just plain easy to wear.

The golden peachy bronze highlighter in the top pan and the beige, brown and peach eye shadows in the bottom pan are like good pieces of jewelry that go with everything. You could dress ’em up with RiRi Woo red lips and a body-con bandage dress, or dress ’em down with your favorite Clarins gloss and a sundress.

The sky’s the limit. 🙂

And even if you totally botch that brown smokey eye you were going for (been there, done that about 1,622 times), don’t fret. You can buff it out with a few swipes of your MAC 217 (or something similar), as the soft powders are totally unlike magnets or the Borg (read: they offer very little resistance).

Seriously, even if you can’t blend for sh*t (don’t worry!), you could do a look with these that would make even the most seasoned makeup nerds recognize.

Giorgio Armani Summer 2013 Face & Eye Palette swatches — Swatches from the left: the beige, peach and brown eye shadows; and the peachy bronze highlighter

[Continue reading…]

Giorgio Armani Beauty Said, “Forget the Mousetrap. Let’s Build a Better Lip Gloss!” The Giorgio Armani Beauty Flash Lacquers

May 9th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Wearing Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in Rouge 400 ($29), one of 36 shades in the new Flash Lacquer line available now

If I’d realized back then as an undergrad slogging through chemistry classes that science could also be used for things like building a better lip gloss…I probably would’ve paid closer attention in class and said things like, “Cyclohexane chair and boat shapes? I’M ON THAT SH*T!”

Thank you, science, for taking us to the moon, creating super-sized movie popcorn kernels and for providing us with better living through advanced lip gloss chemistry, like the chemistry behind Giorgio Armani Beauty’s new line of Beauty Flash Lacquers ($29 each and available in 36 shades).

Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in Pink 526 on the left and Rouge 400 on the right — Flash Lacquer in Pink 526 on the left and Rouge 400 on the right

The brand new line of lip glosses flaunts scientific-sounding bells and whistles and a stratospherically shiny, smooth formula with characteristics like…

An elastic shine formula that fills in lip lines for an extremely smooth surface
A polymer weave that continuously reshapes itself while on your lips
A low viscosity to keep the gloss surface perfectly smooth

All of this in the pursuit of one lofty goal: to fashion the highest reflection ever achieved in a lip gloss!

Groovy…

Well, it’s shiny — that’s for sure. And dramatic like a microphone drop.

Earlier today I was standing in front of a window, and I could see the color on my lips in the reflection as clearly as if I was standing in front of a mirror.

Boom.

And the formula remains super shiner as long as I don’t go rubbing or pressing my lips together. When I do, the shine quickly dulls down to a slight sheen.

I’ve been testing two of the shades this week, shimmery Pink 526 and creamy red Rouge 400.

Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer swatches in Rouge 400 (left) and Pink 526 (right) — Swatches in Rouge 400 (left) and Pink 526 (right)

[Continue reading…]

15 Is the Magic Number: Too Faced and Sephora Celebrate the Big One-Five With the New Too Faced Loves Sephora 15 Years of Beauty Palette

May 9th, 2013 by Karen 36 Comments

The new Too Faced Loves Sephora 15 Years of Beauty Palette, $52

So…because I spent so much time ogling shoes and purses at DSW yesterday, I only had five minutes left for Sephora — time I tried to use wisely by swatching the new Too Faced Loves Sephora 15 Years of Beauty Palette ($52). 🙂

The limited edition palette commemorates the 15 years Too Faced and Sephora have worked together.

In it, 10 exclusive eye shadows (each named after a different iconic moment, person or memory in their long-term relationship, cute!), two bronzers, a blush, a tiny tube of Shadow Insurance, a brush and a Glamour Guide with tutorials for 15 looks.

[Continue reading…]

Grab the Keys to the Bentley and Your Tube of Tom Ford Beauty Lip Lacquer in Pink Lust

May 8th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

Tom Ford Pink Lust Beauty Lip Lacquer, $30

Who might like Tom Ford Beauty’s Lip Lacquer in Pink Lust? Hmm…

Someone willing to drop the scrilla on three pairs of Choos, and would do it without batting an eye.
Someone who drives the Bentley to Rite Aid to get a Mother’s Day Card because the chauffeur has the day off.
Someone with an in-house beauty team at her beck and call (NOTE: Mariah Carey has one, which does not surprise me, and it furthers my theory that MiMi is a kooky, yet misunderstood, genius).

In other words, unless your upper makeup spending limit hits three or four digits on the reg, most guys/gals will probably find Tom’s $30 pearly pink gloss, as gorgeous as I think it is (especially with a tan), really, really expensive for what you get.

Why?

Because it’s $30 (!), pretty sheer and only lasts about 30 minutes. Tops.

Like a MAC Cremesheen Glass’s ritzy cousin, it has a similarly thin, smoove formula and texture, similar vanilla flavor and scent and a super shiny finish.

[Continue reading…]

3 Reasons I Fell in Love With Tom Ford Beauty Pink Haze Cream Color for Eyes

May 7th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

I’ve got it bad for rose gold! — and Tom Ford Beauty’s $40 Pink Haze Cream Color for Eyes is fanning the flames of my desire…

How much do I love thee, oh peachy pink prince of a cream eye shadow with golden pearl?

Let me count the ways…

1. You’re flawless

Like Escapade, your limited edition Cream Color comrade in Tom Ford’s summer 2013 collection, lightweight Pink Haze glides along skin like an ice cube across glass, and the mousse formula lasts longer than a Duracell (easily all day) — no patchiness, creases or fading, even when worn without primer.

2. So flexible

Oh, the many ways to wear it… When I want that ’57 Chevy chrome-like shine but don’t want my makeup looking caked on or heavy, I’ll just layer Pink Haze. But if instead I crave a softer look, I’ll buff and buff until I’m left with a peachy pink golden sheen. And then there’s its power to work as a base for powder eye shadows, where it also excels, especially when it comes to peaches, purples, pinks, bronze and gold.

3. Flattery will get you everywhere…

Yes, it lavishes praise, particularly upon tans, or if you wear golds, pinks and corals well.

Tom Ford Beauty Pink Haze swatches — Unblended on the left and blended on the right

[Continue reading…]