Makeup

Chanel Rouge Allure L’Extrait in Rouge Puissant | Red Lips Inspired by Fall Leaves

November 3rd, 2023 by Karen 9 Comments

There’s a joke around where I live in Northern California about the Bay Area not having a real fall season. I think the trees around my neighborhood would have something to say about that, LOL! Here’s a stunner that I see every day when I walk Connor to school.

Gorgeous, right? I strolled by her today and couldn’t help but feel inspired to wear a bright red lip.

I’m wearing a super intense, super concentrated red from Chanel’s holiday 2023 collection, Rouge Puissant.

chanel rouge puissant lipstick — Chanel Rouge Allure L’Exrait in 854 Rouge Puissant

It’s a long-wearing formula that takes a bit of elbow grease to remove, so if ya prefer lippies that pack a ton of pigment, you might love it.

Happy Friday to you, my friend! I’ve got a video interview in just a few, and I feel so ready with this makeup. 🙂 Please send good vibes. I’ll take ’em!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Chanel Lumière Graphique and Duo Lumière, and the Inner Corner Highlight Moment

November 2nd, 2023 by Karen 3 Comments

Sometimes that inner corner highlight hits just right! I put a little bit of the new Chanel Duo Lumière highlighter on after doing a swish of the khaki taupe shade from the Lumière Graphique eyeshadow palette on my lids, and it was exactly what I needed today.

Both are from the new holiday collection, by the way.

I feel so out of practice with eyeshadow, but you know what? I’m gonna give myself plenty of grace and go with the flow. 🙂

I’m wearing Chanel Lumière Graphique Eyeshadow Palette and Duo Lumière Illuminating Powder Duo on my eyes

Chanel Lumière Graphique Eyeshadow Palette and Duo Lumière Illuminating Powder Duo

Blush is Ilia Color Haze Pigment in Temptation and Lipsitick is MAC Crossfade

How’s your Thursday going so far? I think I’ve finally recovered from all the Halloween festivities, LOL!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Luminous Taupe Lids with Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance in Parure Cristal

October 12th, 2023 by Karen 3 Comments

I watched a video recently with makeup artist Mia Connor talking about how she likes to do one single block of color across the lids on hooded eyes.

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A post shared by 🤍 M I A C O N N O R 🤍 (@miaconnor)

Simple, effective, easy. Of course it totally spoke to me!

I took her advice about wearing one color this morning when I put on shadow from the Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Quad in Parure Cristal.

This limited edition beauty is one of four quads inspired by precious stones and Chanel jewelry. Designed to be dressed up or down, each quad offers four coordinating shades with glowing finishes.

Parure Cristal. Yup, I’m still an NC42 in MAC.

I mixed the two darkest shades (the taupe and the rosy quartz) on the back of my hand to create a customized color, which I then buffed across my lids. Then I applied the taupe as a liner with an angled brush.

Oh my cheeks and lips I’m wearing NARS Dolce Vita

When you put makeup on just for fun and have no idea where it’s gonna go

I gotta admit, I still feel like I’m wearing a lot of makeup. I do like how it turned out, though. It feels polished but not overly done, and it didn’t require a ton of work.

I think I’m going to stick to Mia’s formula for a bit and see where it takes me on my makeup journey.

Happy Thursday to you, my friend! Keep on keepin’ on.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Beauty Q&A: Do You Wear More Makeup in the Fall?

October 6th, 2023 by Karen 2 Comments

I put this coppery fall makeup on the other day just for fun! Cheeks, lips and eyes are from the Chanel fall collection.

In the beauty world, fall typically means the return of wearing makeup. Is this the case for you? Do you wear more makeup as the weather cools down, or do you stick with your regular routine?

Speaking of wearing makeup, I put on some copper and coral tones from Chanel fall the other day just for fun. It felt a little weird wearing so much color on my lids, but I went with it!

Key products in this look from the Chanel fall collection

When you wear color on your lids for the first time in ages

Hope you’re having a fun Friday so far. I just got back from volunteering at Connor’s school. I helped setup for the Scholastic Book Fair! Remember the Book Fair from back in the day? It is so NEXT LEVEL now! They don’t only sell just books, but there are posters, toys and tons of tchotchkes.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Friday First Impressions: Maybelline Super Stay 24H Skin Tint

September 1st, 2023 by Karen 5 Comments

This 24H Super Stay Skin Tint seems to be everywhere lately!

Super Stay Up to 24HR Skin Tint delivers buildable light-to-medium coverage for a skin-like finish and a natural, radiant look. Vitamin C infused vegan formula brightens skin instantly and overtime. 95 percent said skin looks healthy. Resists sweat, humidity and fading. Available in 18 shades.
—Maybelline.com

Buuuuuut IMHO calling it a skin tint in a stretch. When I think of skin tints, I think of sheer, glowing, barely-there finish, and I’m not getting that vibe from this product at all.

As someone who’s spent a good chuck of the last couple years wearing tints and tinted moisturizers, seeing this on my skin was kinda shocking. On my combo oily and dry face, 24H Skin Tint looks more like a medium-to-full coverage matte foundation.

Not to say that it doesn’t have good things going for it. It is HELLA long-lasting and requires absolutely no special tricks to get it to stick, even when it’s raging hot outside. I can even opt out of setting powder if I want, which is cool. It also dries down fairly quickly, too.

Oh, and the wide shade range and the fact that it’s easy to find? Definitely a plus. By the way, I wear shade 312, which is a warm medium tan with strong yellow undertones.

Ultimately, though, it’s more coverage than I’m used to wearing, and if I go even a little teeny bit overboard with the product, it starts to look heavy and my pores look very pronounced. I’m only comfortable wearing it when it’s very sheered out, like in these pics.

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Makeup of the Day Featuring a New Loose Eyeshadow from Chanel Fall 2023

August 10th, 2023 by Karen 10 Comments

Wearing (and loving!) Sycomore, a new loose eyeshadow from Chanel Fall/Winter 2023

I feel really good in this eye makeup, and the best part about it is it took very little time and effort to pull it together.

Apparetly that’s my makeup mantra now, ha!

I’m wearing a couple tried-and-true workhorses (a brown long-lasting gel liner from Hourglass and a plum shadow stick from Laura Mercier) and a new loose eyeshadow from Chanel, Ombre Premiere Libre in 402 Sycomore, a pearly warm golden beige.

It’s one of six loose eyeshadows launching this month in the Chanel Fall/Winter 2023 collection, and it’s just so lovely!

From Chanel PR:

OMBRE PREMIÈRE LIBRE Loose Eyeshadow Intense, Longwearing Colour

A longwearing shadow that delivers intense effects in a single swipe. Each of the 6 shades recalls the raw tones of nature, illuminated by sunlight. The creamy ultra-fine powder texture makes it easy to apply — just dab or press onto lids with the flexible sponge applicator. $40.00

If “swipe-and-go” is your style, I think you’ll like it.

Chanel Sycomore on my lids, Laura Mercier Rose Thorn on the outer corner and smudged on my upper lash line, and Hourglass Cave eyeliner on my waterlines

It comes in a small tube with a stubby sponge applicator which deposits the perfect amount of loose shadow. I pat and swipe the sponge onto my lids exactly where I want the color; it’s very easy to precisely go where you need to, which I love. Then, I use a tapered blending brush and my fingers to diffuse the edges.

It’s similar to a MAC Loose Pigment in that you get a lot of color intensity with a small amount of product, so you don’t have to sit there and build a bunch of layers.

However, I think what kicks the Chanel version up a notch is that the powder isn’t as messy as a MAC Pigment; the Chanel version is loose enough to easily blend, but it’s not so loose that it lands on your cheekbones, your white shirt, your cat’s fur and everything else in sight.

Cheeks are Laura Mercier Chai powder blush mixed with MAC Strobelite cream (I mixed the powder into the lotion on teh back of my hands and applied with fingers); lips are Ilia Color Haze PIgment in Temptation with a little bit of Biossance lip balm on top

I wore Sycomore yesterday without any eye primer and it stayed on all day. If you’re looking for feel-good eye makeup that’s long-lasting, polished and elegant, I think Sycomore is it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summery Raspberry Lips and a Lil’ Liquid Liner Flick

August 9th, 2023 by Karen 6 Comments

To flick, or not to flick: that is the question.

Is it just me who automatically assumes that wearing black liquid liner involves a flick at the outer corner? I’ve been wearing Rare Beauty black liquid liner lately and for some reason, that little flick just feels right!

By the way, I did manage to exchange the leaky pen for a new one at Sephora last week, but get this! The nice salesperson who helped me said her clients have had issues with it not because of the leaking problem but because it dries out quickly. Sigh. We’ll see. I’ve used it a few times, and so far it’s been alright.

I wore it with a flick yesterday and paired it with raspberry lips – MAC Beet Lip Pencil topped with Biossance Lip Balm. I’ve been thinking non-stop about this cute look and wanted to give it a try.

Anywho, I’ve been going through a “pass on the powders” phase lately, so it’s been ages since I’ve worn powder blush.

Yesterday I took out MAC Blushbaby (an oldie but goodie) thinking that it would pair nicely with the raspberry lips, and even though I blended a couple thin layers on my cheeks, I still felt like I was wearing too much. I ended up buffing it down right before taking these pics.

I think eventually I’ll do powder blush again because it’s one of my favorite things. It’ll probably be in the fall (!), though, when the weather gets crisp again and wearing a layer or two of face paint feels right.

You know what, though? I’m going to focus on the fact that I wore makeup all day long, and for two whole days in a row, LOL! My neighbor stopped by yesterday after dinner and she commented on how she liked my eye makeup. I actually forgot that I had liner on until that moment. It was a nice compliment and it made me excited to wear makeup again.

Speaking of exciting things, I caught a glimpse of the new Chantecaille fall collection yestesrday, and my heart went thump-thump-thump when I saw the dark brown eyeshadow.

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A post shared by Chantecaille (@chantecaille)

So pretty, right?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summer Beauty Buddies: Dior Backstage Concealer

August 8th, 2023 by Karen 4 Comments

I’m wearing Dior Backstage Concealer (and a few other things) in this look

It’s handy to have a full coverage concealer around, even if you don’t like wearing anything close to a full coverage base.

I bought a lovely full coverage liquid Dior Backstage Concealer in 4W at Sephora on a whim a few months ago because I liked the ever-so-slightly pearl finish and the creamy consistency.

Side note, apparently buying makeup “on a whim” is my new beauty philosophy, ha!

Anywho, while I’ve only used it a handful of times, it’s certainly delivered the goods. Lately I’ve had some uneven patches and post-inflammatory dark spots (I’m breaking out from hormones and stress, such a lovely combination), and the concealer does a fabulous job of disguising both.

If you’re searching for a concealer that hides errrrrthang without looking heavy, try the Dior!

I’m wearing it with Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer and Rose Inc Skin Enhance Tinted Serum in these pics.

I applied Laura Mercier Primer as a base, and then I mixed the Dior and Rose Inc Serum together and applied the combo all over my face with my fingers, concentrating on my chin and around my lips. After the base dried a little bit, I grabbed a fluffy face brush and buffed everything together for a seamless look.

Then, I took a tiny, pointed concealer brush and painted the spots where I wanted extra coverage, and softened the edges with a finger to remove any harsh lines.

If you want a full breakdown of all the makeup, please let me know in the comments

At this point one could dust a little powder on to set everything, but lately, whenever I wear powder, I just feel like I have too much product on my face, and the first thing I want to do is take everything off. I guess this is what happens when you go from wearing ALL THE THINGS to NONE OF THE THINGS, which leads me to the face primer from Laura Mercier.

One could easily skip it to save a step, but I feel like if you’re going to opt out of a setting powder at the end, prepping with a primer at the start really does help to anchor all your base makeup to your face. I have combo skin and it seems to really help the makeup stay on all day, especially on my oily spots.

OK, while we’re still on the subject of makeup, I told myself at the start of the week that I’m going to wear a little bit everyday this week and take a pic of whatever ends up on my face, even if it’s not the most camera-ready look. And if the makeup looks pretty much the same bronzed look all week long, I’m just gonna lean into it, LOL! I think it’ll help put an extra pep in my step.

Hope everything is well with you, and that your week is off to a nice start. If you want to tell me something good that’s happened to you lately, I’m all ears!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen