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A Fab Friday With Rosy Brown Lids and Lips + Mauve Cheeks

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mac keep stijl

I swear, in real life this eye makeup is not as orange as it looks in these pics…

I think the bright top (J. Crew, found at The Rack last fall) is throwing a monkey wrench in the mix.

Hmm… I should probably just be grateful I’m dressed in something that makes me appear to be a real, live grownup. It’s all about the little victories, you know? ?

I was going for a springy pinkish brown for this look but ended up more summery orange… Oh, well! I like it.

mac keep stijl

I’m wearing several pieces from the new MAC Loud and Clear, and Glow Play, collections, which I’m still (clearly, ha ha ha) into. If you run across something you love, I’d suggest picking it up sooner rather than later because things are either selling out quickly or have already sold out.

One of my coworkers from the bakery is also a MAC gal, and she barely was able to get her hands on one of the lipsticks (Baroque the Internet), so don’t hesitate, MAC-aholics!

One more item of note about this look: I blended the blush I was wearing on my cheeks into my into my crease, an old trick to tie your lids and cheeks together in a neat little bow!
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NARS Kalahari Love

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nars kalahari
Love ya, NARS Kalahari!

They say, if you love something, set it free, which I guess makes sense if you love butterflies or toucans, but in the case of makeup, if you love something, I say you should talk about it ALL THE TIME, which is why I’ve been raving about NARS Kalahari for years!

Kalahari eyeshadow duo is perfect for lightly defining your lids. One side is a shimmery rosy bronze, and the other side is a shimmery taupe — two colors, granted, that you can find in almost any line, but here’s the kicker: NARS found a way to avoid all of the typically problematic side effects that befall so many shimmery shadows.

For instance, Kalahari is reflective, but it isn’t frosty, so fine lines aren’t even a thing. When you sweep and swirl it on your skin, a sweet, bronzed glow remains. It’s very “J. Lo running errands in her velour track suit.” Casual, but still noticeable. (This is a good thing in my book.)

Here’s one of my favorite ways to wear it:
Mix the two shades together with a domed shadow brush, then apply from lash line to crease (or just above the crease if your eyes are hooded like mine). Build it up if you want more color intensity, but don’t worry — this is eyeshadow that won’t look heavy, since the powder is very delicate and fine.

Next, wet that same brush, and apply more of the mix on the mobile part of your lid, which is the part of your eye that “blinks.” Leave it a few minutes to dry, and work on the rest of your face. Once you’ve almost gotten to the end — I usually wait until I’m done with almost everything, including blush and lipstick — take a clean tapered blending brush, and gently rock it back and forth in your crease and along the outer corners to blend.

nars kalahari

If you want, you can also rim your lash or water lines with chocolate brown eyeliner, which I did for these pics. I also smudged a cooler taupe liner (Urban Decay’s Mushroom) on the bottom lash line ’cause I like the subtle contrast of tones.

Makeup worn in this look

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How a Sharpie and 5 Seconds Can Completely Change Your Perspective on Your Makeup Collection

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neutral palettes sharpie
It’s a whole new world.

A couple weekends ago, I reorganized the drawer where I keep all of my neutral eyeshadow palettes. (Honestly, would ya expect anything else from me? A neutral eyeshadow closet perhaps?)

In the process, I discovered something surprisingly simple but deliciously helpful. With a Sharpie, on the back of each palette, I wrote the year the palette entered my collection.

Doesn’t sound revolutionary, right? Well, what a difference five seconds and a Sharpie can make!

SHARPIE DATE: WHY I STARTED DOING THIS

Short of carbon dating, I have no idea how old a lot of the makeup in my collection is… Some things could be in the decades (I know!), because I’m usually not a stickler for adhering to suggested expiration dates and guidelines.

And since I like to hoard makeup collect makeup and keep it for posterity, I don’t always know what’s fairly new or ridiculously old.

While reorganizing my neutral palettes, I was having a darned-near impossible time discerning between what could realistically stay and what absolutely needed to go, but seeing the dates on the palettes — and realizing just how long I’ve been holding on to some of them — made it crystal clear.

BORROWED FROM THE BAKERY

This idea to write dates directly on my makeup with a Sharpie came from my part-time gig at the bakery.

When we store food, everything and anything that enters any of the storage areas — dry storage, the fridge, the freezer — always, always has an expiration date written on it with a Sharpie, if it doesn’t have an expiration date on it already.

Also, whenever food gets stored, the newest items go in the back, and the oldest ones go up front, which ensures that the older items get used first.

I borrowed these ideas and implemented them for makeup.

“EXPIRES ON THIS DATE”

Now, if you’re super strict with the expiration dates for beauty products, you could do a version of this where you write “Expires on this date” on back of your compacts, on the bottom of your lipstick tubes or foundation etc., and if you want to “next level” it, you could even use the dates to sort your makeup by putting the oldest items in front to make sure you use them up first.
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Electric Eyes and Urban Decay Wired

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urban decay wired bright eyes
B-A-N-A-N-A-S

*ring* *ring* ☎️

Hello? Is anyone there? Hellooooo. It’s me, Karen, calling on my fruit phone, because this eye makeup is BANANAS. ???

urban decay wired bright eyes

There’s a lot going on here, I know! Not my usual neutral style at all, but I was inspired by the rainbow eye makeup on the model for the new Wired pressed pigment palette. ?

Plus, I was in the mood to try something new, which I highly recommend doing as often as possible, even if your cat is the only creature around to appreciate it…

Or, maybe not, since I can’t tell if Rosie likes brights! ?

urban decay wired bright eyes

Just in case you’re wondering, the fallout on this isn’t an issue. I hardly had to do any cleanup with a makeup wipe, which was great, but I could have done with more intensity.
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The Urban Decay Wired Palette Gives Color an Electrifying Jolt! (Swatches)

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urban decay wired
Clear. Concise.

A few years ago, Urban Decay released a pressed pigment palettes similar to Wired, their newest neon offering, but Wired will not make your brain short circuit while you’re blending it.

UD identifies which colors can be worn on your eyes and which can’t right on the compact.

Everything is mapped out, and the total package is concise and clear.

The Wired palette is part of a larger limited edition collection of florescent liners and lipglosses, and it’s currently available now.

From the Urban Decay website…

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
A 10-pan palette of pressed pigments in shockingly bright yet ultra-blendable shades for face, eye, and body.

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW
Go electric with the Wired Pressed Pigment Palette, a 10-pan lineup of velvety-smooth pigments that deliver insane color payoff while being super blendable and buildable. Experiment with these hyperpigmented shades or dip into Glitch, a pure white hue, to transform bright shades into ultra-modern pastels.

OH, YEAH, IT’S ALSO…
Cruelty-free

Fill Weight: 10 x 1.2 g POIDS NET / NET WT. 10 x 0.04 oz

Urban Decay is 100% cruelty-free.

Side note: I see makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts creatively using palettes with shades labeled “for use on eyes only” on their lids all the time, and I swear the model in the UD promo picks looks like she’s wearing the red from the “Face & Body” side on hers…

There’s a reason why companies choose to mark some shades as “approved” for use on the eyes while others aren’t, and in most cases, it’s due to the use of ingredients that aren’t approved for use on the eyes.

All I can say is what I’ve done and what I’ve seen…so what’s the moral of this makeup tale? Answer: You do you, baby boo!

See the red wing?
urban decay wired
Electrically bright colors by Urban Decay
urban decay wired
Cute cover

Sooo, I kinda love all the color blocking on the model’s eyes in the promo pic, and I might try that look just for fun, but generally these colors are a bit cray for me during this season in my makeup life. I do love the idea of doing something wearable by applying one or two of the shades with a wet angled brush as winged liner, and I’ll probably also apply a bit of white underneath one of the brights to punch up the color even more!

And, hey, maybe one day I’ll actually stumble upon an occasion to paint my body and finally sport a lively lime green on my booty or a crazy crimson on my elbows. If, and when, that occasion arrives, it’ll be electrifying. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Loud and Clear Lipsticks: Yash, Baroque the Internet, Fleur D’Coral, Sugar Sweet Cameo and Sugar Dada

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mac sugar sweet cameo
Matte Lipstick in Sugar Sweet Cameo, a midtone coral pink

I keep vacillating over which of the five lipsticks in the new MAC Loud and Clear collection is the most “noteworthy.” One the one hand, there’s warm nude pink Baroque the Internet, and mid-toned coral-pink Sugar Sweet Cameo, both of which have more than enough oomph and color to compliment smokey eyes, wings and just about every eyeshadow look imaginable.

mac baroque the internet
Matte Lipstick in Baroque the Internet, a warm nude pink

But then there’s also deep natural matte Yash, which is nowhere near as flashy, but you can throw it on with almost anything, so it’s also super flexible.

mac yash
Matte Lipstick in Yash, a deep neutral

Four of the five lipsticks are in MAC’s classic Matte formula, so expect soaring pigment, a nearly flat finish, and longevity for days (OK, more like 4-5 hours).

The odd woman out is Fleur D’Coral, a sheer light peach MAC Lustre with the faintest hint of a sheen.

mac fleur d coral
Lustre Lipstick in Fleur D’Coral, a light peach

And oh: If you like your makeup early-’90s style (I’m guilty of this from time to time), you’ll be sweet on Sugar Dada, a warm brownish orange matte. I, along with half the population of my former high school, rocked a similar shade circa 1992.

mac sugar dada
Matte Lipstick in Sugar Dada, a warm brownish orange

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3 Unexpected Beauty Lessons I Learned This Week

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expressie express to impress
Things I learned this crazy week!

Happy Valentine’s Day, my friend!

My goodness, it has been a week. The run-up to Valentine’s Day at the bakery was cray! Yesterday, I made frosting for 4 hours in the biggest mixer we have. Simply put, I was buttercreamed out by the end of my shift.

Somehow, I still had it in me to wear some makeup this week, believe it or not, and in the process I may have stumbled upon a few new beauty lessons.

Just goes to show ya — not even buttercream can stop the beauty learnin’. 🙂

Unexpected Beauty Lesson #1: A 24-hour mint green mani is totally worth it.

We don’t wear nail polish while working at the bakery, but I painted paws on my day off with Essie Expressie Polish in Express to Impress.

It’s a quick-drying formula with a base and top coat built in, and it takes me about 5 minutes to do two layers — and that includes drying time.

expressie express to impress swatch
Two layers of Expressive Express to Impress

Unexpected Beauty Lesson #2: Face oil is a friend to your lashes and lash curler.

Does your lash curler ever crimp your lashes with an overly aggressive curl? — like, when the bend is almost at a crisp 90-degree corner? If it does, try massaging a little of your favorite face oil on your lashes beforehand, and the lash curl should be curved — more like a letter “c” than a hard, right angle.

I’ve been doing this all week long with Kahina Giving Beauty Prickly Pear Seed Oil, and my lashes have been curling perfectly! The moisturizing face oil makes lash hairs more receptive to a softer curl.

Unexpected Beauty Lesson #3: Use the “leftovers” in your brow brush.

I found the best shortcut for busy ladies and gents who rush through filling in their brows with an angled brush.
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Covergirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk

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covergirl clean fresh skin milk
Good stuff!

I just found your new favorite base for no-makeup makeup days. 🙂 And guess what? It’s less than 10 bucks! (Technically, $9.99.)

Say, “Oh, hai,” to Covergirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk, which for the official makeup record is a foundation, but performs like a sheer tinted moisturizing rock star.

Remember the limited edition Hydrating Glow Tints NARS did a couple years ago? Clean Fresh Milk has the same effect (although Covergirl’s is thinner, like a liquid, and not a fluffy cream like the tints from NARS).

It doesn’t cover or disguise freckles or pimples — don’t expect to hide anything — however, the beauty is its subtly. Clean Fresh Milk quietly evens out your complexion as it ever-so-slightly blurs pores. It slightly amplifies your natural complexion, resulting in the look of freshly washed skin that’s dewy, but not shiny. For weekend no-makeup makeup, or for de-zombifying yourself before preschool drop-off in the morning, it’s lovely.

covergirl clean fresh skin milk swatches
Swatch out…

From the official PR:

“Show off fresh, healthy skin with COVERGIRL Clean Fresh Skin Milk Foundation. Formulated without formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens, sulfates and talc, this lightweight nourishing liquid foundation gives your skin the moisture boost it craves with a delicate infusion of coconut milk and soothing aloe. You’ll experience a glowing, dewy finish that lasts all day long, blurring imperfections and creating a more even skin tone. Get Sheer, buildable coverage with 14 expertly designed shade-adaptable formulas to match 99% of the skin tones and all undertones. Pro-tip: Make Skin milk Nourishing Foundation your go-to for no makeup, makeup days.”

And yup, you guessed it. The mom in me loves that it’s so, so easy. I squirt a little bit onto my fingertips and blend it into my combo oily/dry face. I like that I don’t have to buff it in with a brush or blend it with a sponge, because, yay! — it doesn’t streak. Instantly, with a few swipes, I’m done with my base.

covergirl clean fresh skin milk tan rich final
I’m wearing shade Tan/Rich (I’m an NC42 in MAC).

Oh, and best part? I don’t feel like it’s sitting on top of my skin. It feels like I’m not wearing anything at all.
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