Makeup

What Do Cosmic Chameleons and Rimmel Match Perfection Blush Have in Common? Not as Much as I’d Hoped

May 16th, 2012 by Karen 31 Comments

Rimmel Match Perfection Blush in 004 Medium/Dark

Drugstore nirvana. That’s what it feels like when I find a new drugstore blush that perfectly matches my skin tone. I get a real buzz from it, like a sweet treat sugar high. OOH! What glosses can I pair with it!? All that possibility, and oh — so much money saved!

A good drugstore blush can have a powerful therapeutic effect on my brain. I just wish my health insurance covered blushes…

Rimmel’s new $10 Match Perfection Blushes (available in four shades) cost less than the average co-pay, and while they might look like standard blush trios in their big pans, they have a sci-fi-ish formula containing blue sapphire pigments that allegedly emulate your natural skin tone.

Rimmel says they adapt to the colors and contours of the face, creating a natural flush, and you can either wear the colors in the trios separately, or swirled together to create a single shade, which is the way I’ve been wearing them this week.

rimmel match perfection blush stack

rimmel match perfection blush 001 light
001 Light

rimmel match perfection blush 002 light medium
002 Light/Medium
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Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Is Shining a Light on Lips With Mega Moisture, Wear Time and Shine

May 15th, 2012 by Karen 22 Comments

dior ultra gloss flash pareo orange
Wearing Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in Pareo Orange, a shimmery orange with golden glitter

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: yes, these Dior Addict Ultra-Glosses ($28) make your jeans fit a little funny.

I giggled the first time I saw it. 🙂 The bulky rectangular tubes could pass for potion props on the set of a Harry Potter movie! Oh, no Voldemort. I’d stuck one in a front pocket the other day and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

“Uh…what’s that bulge?”

Not exactly streamlined — but they sure look adorable in makeup bags and purses.

As for how well they work, there’s nothing funny about it. I’m addicted! — in a good way, though. Not in the “I can’t live if living is without you!” way where you throw a brick through your ex’s apartment window.

These mega moisturizing, super sparkly glosses have been accompanying me everywhere (although not usually in the front pocket of my pants), making my lips look juicy and plump with loads of moisture and a blinding spotlight-like shine.

I’ve tried five of the featherweight shades, including all three from the Summer Croisette collection, (Brown Panama, Orange Pareo and Pink Croisette).

dior ultra gloss flash in hand
Dior Addict Ultra-Glosses from the left: Gold Sunrise, Brown Panama, Prety Rose, Pink Croisette and Pareo Orange

dior ultra gloss flash swatches
Swatches from the left: Gold Sunrise, Brown Panama, Pretty Rose, Pink Croisette and Pareo Orange

dior gold sunrise 224 ultra gloss flash
Gold Sunrise, a sheer, shimmery cool lemon gold
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Let’s Give a Hand (Instead of an Eye) to Dior’s Diorshow Waterproof Liner in Turquoise

May 15th, 2012 by Karen 37 Comments

dior turquoise diorshow waterproof liner

Mysterious things that confuse me…

The allure of Mark Ruffalo. I dunno, he kinda reminds me of those caveman guys from the Geico commercials. I just don’t get it (sorry, Mark! I loved you in The Avengers!).
Cat allegiance. Tabs loves me, Tabs loves me not. One day he’s following me from room to room and baking enough biscuits on my tum to feed a small kitty army; the next, I’m not even worth a glance and a meow. How rude!
The new limited edition Dior Diorshow Waterproof Liner in Turquoise ($29) from the summer 2012 Croisette Collection.

The color of this intense crystal blue twist-up liner, with its flecks of tiny teal glitter, looks like it was inspired by a crystal-clear tropical bay.

It’s really cute! When I swatch it on the back of my hand, a single swipe delivers long-wearing, rich color that lasts through rigorous rubbing and several hand washings, and even though the formula is a little on the dry side, it still applies smoothly…at least on the back of my hand.

dior turquoise diorshow waterproof liner

dior turquoise diorshow waterproof liner swatch
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Lips Luxe Out With Dior Addict Lip Balm in Crystal Coral

May 14th, 2012 by Karen 31 Comments

dior addict lip balm

Remember when all it took was a single tube of Strawberry Lip Smackers?

Now that I’m hopelessly addicted to makeup, I spend hours every day (okay, more like several minutes) contemplating my lipstick, lip liner and gloss.

And those are just the lip products! 🙂

Don’t get me wrong — most of the time, I love it. I love the process, but sometimes I miss those old Lip Smacker days when my makeup was always easy.

If you’ve ever wondered whatever happened to those no-pressure lip looks, I think one of them may have been hiding in this tube of Dior Addict Lip Balm in 003 Crystal Coral ($30).

New for summer, this pigmented coral reminds me of a Revlon Lip Butter, only much more luxurious. It’s a super fancy limited edition luxury lip balm fortified with moisturizing shea butter and lip plumping hyaluronic acid spheres, and it shimmers ever so slightly on my lips.

It’s a truly loveable lip balm in charming pink packaging, and it almost couldn’t be any easier to use (unless it applied itself). No lip liner, no brush, no mirror — nada. The hardest part is probably pulling it out of my purse.

dior addict lip balm

dior addict lip balm swatch
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Chanel’s Peche Cuivre Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil Softly Brightens Lids and Lash Lines

May 14th, 2012 by Karen 30 Comments

chanel peche cuivre le crayon khol intense eye pencil

Thanks to Chanel, I’m turning peachy beige! First it was my nails. Then my cheeks and lips, and now my eyes!

This summer, Chanel die-hards with a weakness for uber-natural makeup eye looks and the Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil line won’t have to scrounge around for an eyeliner to light up their lash and water lines — not with the new Peche Cuivre waiting expectantly on counters.

Is your eyeliner makeup mojo more about subtle definition than crisp, sharp lines? If it is, feast your lids on this limited edition shimmery shade. It graces lids with a shy hint of shimmery, peachy beige — nothing fussy, frightening or overdone — and it even comes with a convenient pencil sharpener.

I guess that’s the least Chanel could do for asking $28 for it…

It’s also boldly emblazoned with that gorgeous logo, there to remind you of life’s luxuries while you sharpen it in the restroom at work (been there, done that!).

chanel peche cuivre le crayon khol intense eye pencil

chanel peche cuivre le crayon khol intense eye pencil swatch
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Brushes, Be Gone! Dior’s New 1-Couleur Eye Glosses Have Application Covered

May 11th, 2012 by Karen 29 Comments

dior 1-couleur eye gloss

Behold! I’m a makeup magician, and my trademark trick involves making my eye brushes disappear, poof!

One minute they’re there, behaving on the bathroom sink. Next minute…

Have you seen my MAC 217? It was right here a minute ago…

Magic like this is unpredictable, and brushes disappear all the time, sometimes to reappear later in the unlikeliest of places, like the back seats of cars or the pockets of camp shirts.

My 224 was the latest to pull a disappearing act. It must have been swallowed up by the same insatiable accessories eater that consumed my Shu Uemura Lash Curler…

Thankfully, my magic can finally rest. With the new limited edition Dior 1-Couleur Eye Glosses, I may never need to reach for another eyeshadow brush again! — or at least not until fall.

The doe-foot applicator affixed to both of these two $28 sparkling gel shadows (like creamy eye glosses), which start out like a fluffy mousse but dry down to a powder, does wizardly work, precisely guiding the product where I want it on my lids. I just swipe, say “abracadabra!” and blend out the edges with a finger.

Done. 🙂

Um…just be sure to prime first, or you risk jaw-dropping creasing within an hour. With NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (the best!) layered beneath them, I get between 6-8 hours of wear.

Oh, and you might want to avoid applying too many layers. These shadows tingle on my lids (it’s supposed to be refreshing). One or two layers seem fine, but many more than that, and they start to sting a little, ouch!

dior 1-couleur eye gloss
The 1-Couleur Eye Glosses in 750 Sunset (top) on the left and 560 Tan (bottom)

dior 1-couleur eye gloss swatches
560 Tan on the left and 750 Sunset on the right
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Mascara Madness! Let’s Do a Haiku Review: Rimmel Scandal Eyes

May 11th, 2012 by Karen 23 Comments

rimmel volume flash scandal eyes mascara

Long lashes sans clumps!
Thickening? Meh, just a’ight.
Yay! No flakes, smudges.

Rimmel Volume Flash Scandal Eyes in Black

What about the shades?
There are two, both permanent.
Black and Extreme Black.

rimmel volume flash scandal eyes mascara brush comparisons
Brush comparisons from the left: Rimmel Scandal Eyes, Illamasqua Masquara, Maybelline Full ‘N Soft, MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash, Hourglass Film NOir and Tarte Lights, Camera Lashes

Sculpts, lengthens and plumps.
The brush is larger than most,
And easy to use.

rimmel volume flash scandal eyes mascara
Bare lashes

Flexible bristles,
They squeeze into corners well.
They waste less product.

rimmel volume flash scandal eyes mascara
Front view after two layers: some thickness, but not nearly drag-queen worthy as I’d like

Curled lashes relax.
Boo! That’s the biggest bummer.
I can live with it. 🙂
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NARS Packed Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF30/PA+++ With Pigment to Spare

May 11th, 2012 by Karen 46 Comments

nars pure radiant tinted moisturizer

I have a thing for tinted moisturizes, in particular ones that let me easily dial up or down my level of coverage.

Because really, who wants a totally inflexible tinted moisturizer? That would be like having to eat the same bland gruel for breakfast every single day, bluh. I guess that’s why I like NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF30/PA+++ ($42).

All nine oil-free shades in the line, which launched a few months back, contain copious amounts of pigment, and that spells flexibility. 🙂

Mixing equal parts of St. Moritz (a medium with neutral yellow undertones) and Cuba (a medium with a balance of neutral pink and yellow undertones) has been working pretty well for me since I got back from Kauai with a bit of a tan, but I think St. Moritz by itself is a pretty close match for my natural skin tone.

nars pure radiant tinted moisturizer

nars pure radiant tinted moisturizer
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