Makeup

Beauty Revelations, March 21, 2012: Blue Lips, Green Eyes, a Tiny Wand and Tata Harper

March 21st, 2012 by Karen 40 Comments

illamasqua apocalips

1. There’s something very Hunger Games about blue lipstick

illamasqua apocalips

I wonder what Katniss’s prep team would say about Illamasqua’s Lipstick in Apocalips ($24.60, and part of the new Human Fundamentalism collection). Something tells me it would appeal to their Capitol sensibilities.

(Yes, I have a bad case of Hunger Games fever…)

illamasqua apocalips

2. I like to call it “Illamasqua’s Eye Shadow in Kermit the Frog”

illamasqua pivot

But that’s its unofficial name. Officially, this matte yellowish green Powder Eye Shadow is called Pivot ($24.50, and also part of the Illamasqua Human Fundamentalism collection), and it only looks like my favorite amphibian.
[Continue reading…]

Urban Decay’s New and Improved Big Fatty Mascara

March 20th, 2012 by Karen 37 Comments

urban decay big fatty mascara

Contrary to the rumors circulating in the kitty modeling world, the new Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara ($20) was NOT named after Tabs. 🙂

Although I can see why some would believe that to be true…

“I’m too husky for this box.”

If the Big Fatty Mascara name rings a bell, you’ve probably seen it before. It’s been a part of the Urban Decay line for years (in the psychedelic red and yellow tube). UD just revamped it and gave it a new outfit.

BFM promises a bit of everything — volume, length, definition, curl hold and jet-black color in a lightweight formula.

Urban Decay also traded the original Big Fatty’s over-sized Diorshow-esque bristle brush for a minimalist approach. The sleek new brush head is designed to fan out lashes.

urban decay big fatty mascara brush

And those little nubs really get in there! When I used this today, my fringe looked s u p e r s t r e t c h e d out.

By the way, if you love the original Big Fatty, you still have time to stockpile. It’s still available on urbandecay.com.

I never gave the original Big Fatty a try, but I like what I’ve seen from this new version so far, especially the thickness I get from it at the base of my lashes.

urban decay big fatty mascara before and after
Before (top pic) and after two coats of Big Fatty Mascara (bottom pic)
[Continue reading…]

Mambo Italiano! The Dolce & Gabbana Bouquet Collection Eyeliners

March 20th, 2012 by Karen 16 Comments

dolce gabbana acqua
Wearing Dolce & Gabbana Eyeliner in Acqua

Happy vernal equinox, fellow weather watcher! It’s official. Spring is in the air. 🙂 Bring on the flowers, the pollen, the unbidden allergies. Zyrtec, my trusty steed, come hither! Winter hath ended, and it’s time to…

…update my makeup and wardrobe for spring. It being that time and all, I’ve been contemplating ways to incorporate different springy themes into the mix, and this outfit in Nordstrom’s February catalog got me thinking about florals:

HEART! The pants, especially. The muted tones say to me, “Yes, Karen, I’m dressing for spring, but I’m also a grownup.” They’re flowery, but not in a bunny rabbits and Cadbury Creme Eggs kind of way, ya know? And I think the denim jacket and white top give the outfit a vintage feel.

I bet it’ll look lovely with makeup from the new Dolce & Gabbana Bouquet collection, which, by the way, makes me feel like this:

Sophia Loren = the hotness!

Have you seen this spring/summer launch yet? It’s still pretty new (just recently arrived at Saks), and has some eyeliners, a quad, some lipglosses and six rainbow polishes.

Since I started playing with it last week, I’ve grown quite attached; it could be one of my favorite Dolce & Gabbana launches to date.

The collection combines floral, Italian and 1950s themes for a retro vibe that’s flirty and fun. The color palette picks from lilacs, roses, some vivid shades of fruit, and the concept of summers in Southern Italy.

Yeah, that’s some pretty great sources of inspiration right there. 🙂

I can really see the different themes play out among the six Eyeliners ($29 each) in the collection as I’ve worn them over the past few days.

Man, talk about soft! When Dolce & Gabanna first launched their liners, the pencils felt stiff to me, but these? — these feel great! I don’t know if they changed the formula, but these sure seem to glide better than the earlier versions.

dolce gabbana bouquet collection eyeliner
Crayon Intense Eyeliners in Shimmer (repromote), Lilac (repromote), Agave (repromote), Lemon (new), Acqua (new) and Mint (new), $29 each
[Continue reading…]

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss: When Literature and Lipgloss Collide

March 19th, 2012 by Karen 15 Comments

Wearing bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Spark Plug

Please note that if The Hunger Games movie ends up being a dud, you will find me holding a pitchfork and torch and leading an angry mob in the movie theater parking lot.

(I just got tickets for Friday’s midnight show!)

I can still remember when the only people talking about this series were 12 years old. Wait — except for me. 🙂 Young adult science fiction with a bad@ss heroine? Totally my thing.

I’ll be rocking the China Glaze Capitol Colours to the show, of course, but I haven’t decided on the rest of my makeup for the night. Maybe just a simple, Cinna-inspired gold liner along my upper lash line (LOVE YOU, CINNA!).

Photo credit: seattlepi.com

For my lips? Hmm… I’d love to make a statement, but for this, the purple pout I wore for the Sex and the City midnight show doesn’t feel quite right.

And I see myself having more in common with the residents of the Seam than the green-skinned, gold-tattooed girls of the Capitol. Purple lips don’t exactly scream “District 12.”

No. I should go bare, or almost bare. Maybe with something sheer and shiny, like one of the 10 new Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipglosses ($18 each).

I like how the colors in this line of lightly mint-flavored and scented long-wearing glosses have such powerful names. They remind me of many of my favorite Hunger Games characters, like Risk Taker (a chocolate shimmer), Trail Blazer (a nude gold) and Maverick (a rosewood shimmer) to describe Katniss. Smooth Talker (a golden pink) — now that could describe Peeta; and Rebel (a pink mauve) — perhaps Gale?

Gotta love any collision of literature and lipgloss, even when they’re (probably) unintentional.

Here’s a closer look at four of the 10 shades, all of which lightly tingle and are supposed to have a subtle plumping effect. Per usual, I don’t really see a difference in the size of my lips with ’em on, but I rarely do with products that allegedly plump.

At least I know these glosses will shine through the movie. I’ve been getting about four hours from them, and they should withstand a big bucket of popcorn (I know this because I wore Spark Plug to see 21 Jump Street last Friday).

From the left: Risk Taker, Party Starter, Spark Plug and Show Off

bareminerals marvelous moxie lipgloss party starter
Risk Taker
[Continue reading…]

Weekend Beauty Report for March 18, 2012: It’s Raining Skin Care!

March 18th, 2012 by Karen 37 Comments

weekend beauty haul

After fish and chips last night, I asked El Hub to drive me to Sephora, because the best way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day when you’re playing the proximity Irish card is to 1) eat fried food, 2) drink a pint of beer (I highly recommend the Unfiltered Wheat at Moylan’s next time you’re in Novato) and 3) do a wee bit o’ beauty hauling.

Last night was a skin care night. I love makeup, but there’s something about the prospects of a new skin care holy grail that always fills me with hope (LOL!). The gal who rang me up last night at Sephora said it best, “New makeup is always fun, but new skin care feels like a fresh start.”

Here, here, girlfriend! Preaching to the choir. 🙂

I picked up a few things that I hope will help me with some skin issues I’ve been having… A new crop of hormone-fueled pimples just popped up along the edge of my chin — the kind where you can feel the hard bumps just beneath the surface.

It’s like, when I hit my mid-30s, all hell broke loose on my chin, ugh!

My skin usually responds well to beta hydroxy and benzoyl peroxide acne products, so I’m trying bottles of Peter Thomas Roth Beta Hydroxy Acid 2% Acne Wash ($35) and Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39). The Kate Somerville one contains 5.3% benzoyl peroxide. Hopefully that’s enough to take care of those zits.

I’m curious — when you break out, what usually works for you? Do you prefer benzoyl peroxide, beta hydroxy acid or something else?

peter thomas roth beta hydroxy acid acne wash

kate somerville antic bac clearing lotion
[Continue reading…]

Keep an Eye Out for the Too Faced Summer Eye Summertime Sexy Shadow Collection

March 16th, 2012 by Karen 22 Comments

too faced summer eye

Earlier today, as I sat upstairs in my office staring out the window, I realized that I spend a lot of time staring out the window. 🙂

I’m pretty sure the neighbors think it’s creepy… I’ve caught them staring back a few times, but whatev. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, right? Letting my mind wander helps me work stuff out.

I have noticed that I think about different things depending on the weather. When it’s raining and overcast like it’s been this week, I keep getting distracted. Instead of contemplating lip plumpers, verbs and things I can photograph on top of Tabs, I’ve been daydreaming about summer, beaches and hanging out by the pool.

Thank goodness for the new Too Faced Summer Eye Summertime Sexy Shadow Collection ($36), which is really just a palette… It’s part of the new limited edition Too Faced Summer 2012 collection, and it’s been the only thing keeping the weather from getting me down.

The palette contains nine shimmery, summery shadows in beachy bronzes and browns, accented with warm coral, pink and teal (here are the swatches). It also has a few how-to cards that show how to create three different eye looks.

too faced summer eye

too faced summer eye
[Continue reading…]

What a Beautiful Bouquet: It’s Summer in Italy, Circa 1950, and the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2012 Bouquet Collection Is in Bloom

March 15th, 2012 by Karen 39 Comments

Dolce & Gabbana Bouquet Collection

Someone’s a very sleepy sheepy out here (that would be me)…

I’m actually so beat right now that these pieces from the new Dolce & Gabbana Bouquet collection are barely speeding up my heartbeat at all.

And that’s freaky weird because I’m all over these rainbow shades and the mix of shimmers and creams.

The 18-piece release for spring/summer has some fun, flirty bits for eyes, lips and nails. The theme: 1950s Italian summers.

Okay, I’m down. I like the ’50s, Italy and summers, so it sounds like a win to me. 🙂

What do ya think? And how about those pastel nail lacquers? Even exhausted, I think my heart just skipped a beat.

dolce gabbana bouquet collection eyeshadow quad
Smooth Eye Color Quad in Bouquet 152 (new), $59

dolce gabbana bouquet collection eyeliner
Crayon Intense Eyeliners in Shimmer (repromote), Lilac (repromote), Agave (repromote), Lemon (new), Acqua (new) and Mint (new), $29 each

dolce gabbana bouquet collection lipgloss
Lipglosses from the top to bottom: Acqua (repromote), Raspberry (new), Innocence (repromote), Shimmer (repromote) and Pink Diamond (repromote), $29 each
[Continue reading…]

Intimate or Not, I Have to Share How Much I Like Sunday Riley Blush in Intimate

March 14th, 2012 by Karen 34 Comments

sunday riley intimate blush

I imagine it’s just a phase, like wanting a pony or collecting rainbow Lisa Frank stickers, but this particular phase — my obsession with blushes that perfectly balance pigment and shimmer — has lasted, oh, about 10 years so far. 🙂

In that time this phase has led me down the road to radiant cheeks many times before, a road marked by MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes, NARS Blushes and lively, glowing cheeks.

And now, there’s a new stop on the road (yay!). It’s called Sunday Riley Blush in Intimate, and it’s a find that should be shared.

One of those “Ohmigosh! I think I look 10 years younger!” colors, the $30 blush is one of six new shades sweeping into beauty departments at Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman stores (and also online), alongside the rest of the Sunday Riley makeup collection.

Like Sunday’s Prismasilk Eye Colors, the blushes, which apply with a super smooth, even texture on me, employ silica particles painted in pigment.

Intimate reminds me of a slightly pinker, more neutral version of NARS Orgasm, with a soft, candlelit sheen, as opposed to a high-shine golden shimmer.

I love it, and I have a strong feeling it’ll look lovely on a wide range of skin tones.

With Intimate on my cheeks, I feel like I look refreshed and better rested (and maybe even a little younger…like I’m of an age where I spent my awkward teens years listening to the Spice Girls on CD instead of Debbie Gibson and Tiffany on tape).

sunday riley blush in intimate

sunday riley swatch
Swatch of Sunday Riley Intimate Blush on the left and NARS Orgasm on the right
[Continue reading…]