Makeup

What’s the Skinny on Tarte’s EmphasEYES Waterproof Brow Pencil?

May 31st, 2011 by Karen 32 Comments

Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Brow Pencil

Even my dextrous little digits have a hard time holding the Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Brow Pencil ($19.50). Straight up, it’s probably the daintiest brow pencil I’ve ever used!

Years of piano lessons (mostly against my will, I might add) and flute playing gave me fleet fingers and thumbs, and I can usually draw with even the thinnest pencils. This one, however, feels awkward and uncomfortable in my paws.

Bummer, because if it were a bit bulkier, I’d probably be a bigger fan because it reminds me of Benefit’s Instant Brow ($20), which I’ve been wearing for months.

Like Benefit, Tarte got the pigment just right. It’s available in two shades, and when I blend Medium Brown, the one I’ve been wearing, into my brows, I can barely tell it’s there (doesn’t look fake or obvious). And if I need to go darker, it’s also easy to build.

From left: EmphasEYES Waterproof Brow Pencil in Medium Brown, EmphasEYES Waterproof Brow Pencil in Taupe and MAC Technakohl liner in Graphblack (for comparison)
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What’s the Oldest Piece of Makeup in Your Collection?

May 29th, 2011 by Karen 55 Comments

MAC Eyeshadows in Brule (left) and Print (right) in packaging from 1998!

While rifling through my makeup collection yesterday, I found two ancient relics of my cosmetics world, these pans of MAC Eyeshadow in Brule and Print.

I’ve kept a handful of products like these around for the sake of nostalgia, but I don’t really use most of them anymore, like the two shadows at the top, which are from 1998! One of these days I may toss ’em out, probably during a future feng shui fit, but for now I plan to hold on for one more day (yes, I just quoted Wilson Phillips).

What’s the oldest piece of makeup in your beauty collection, and (if you remember it) what’s the story behind it?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, since we’re on the subject of old makeup, these links just seemed appropriate, LOL!

Let’s Be Clear About Becca Lip Plumping Moisture Gloss: $23 Seems Like a Lot

May 28th, 2011 by Karen 11 Comments

Becca Lip Plumping Moisture Gloss Review

Becca, I just want to make sure we’re clear. Oh — would you look at that? It looks like we are. 🙂 Because Becca’s new Lip Plumping Moisture Gloss ($23) is exactly that: clear.

It’s a clear, hydrating gloss with a few good things going for it, like a finish shinier than high-gloss nails; a comfy, non-sticky texture; and a yummy cinnamon-and-brown sugar flavor and scent (it’s subtle and fades quickly).

I also like the brush tip, which is soft, but not too soft, so it doesn’t splay. A minor thing, sure, but I appreciate how easy it is to control.

As far as the product’s plumping prowess, well, I haven’t really noticed a lot. No big difference in lip volume, but that’s par for the course for me when it comes to lip plumpers. At least in this one’s case, it doesn’t sting.

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Are Those Lashes Fake? Nope, According to Benefit’s New Mascara, They’re Real

May 27th, 2011 by Karen 28 Comments

Who wants wimpy lashes? I don’t, I don’t! If you say ptooey! to lashes that look anything less than false, Benefit’s betting their new They’re Real (“The mascara that’s beyond belief!”) mascara will satisfy your lash-tastic lust.

Coming this July to Benefit counters, stores and online, the new $22 jet black mascara promises dramatic length, separation, curl, volume and lift — pretty much the whole shebang. And to help it deliver on all these fronts, Benefit built a special brush with staggered bristles (to enhance volume) and a spiky tip (for lift, definition and curl).

The lashes I’ve been sporting this week have come courtesy of a new mascara combo. I like the look, but it takes a lot of work, so I’m hoping They’re Real delivers results just as good as my combo or better. 🙂 Gotta love streamlining, ya know?

To put They’re Real to the test, I applied it in several different ways — a single coat applied with the brush held horizontally, a single coat with it held vertically, then a double coat horizontally, etc. I felt I got the best results when I applied two coats while holding the brush horizontally, and then added a bit of the product with the brush held up and down.

benefit theyre real mascara

The finished lash look actually resembles the one I get from MAC Studio Fix BoldBlack Mascara — jet black and lightweight, yet it looks thick, with a moderate increase in length, coupled with a tendency to relax the curl from my lash curler.

Does it deliver in each of the areas Benefit said it would? Maybe not, but I still love the overall look. I like how thick and dark my lashes look with it on, and the wear time seems good so far. I’ve already had it on for about six hours today without a single smudge or flake, and from using it this week, I found that it’s also easy to remove.

benefit theyre real mascara
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L’Occitane Pivoine Flora Collection Lipstick in Fuschia Is Perfect for Casual Fridays

May 27th, 2011 by Karen 36 Comments

Of the products I’ve played with so far from the new limited edition L’Occitane Pivoine Flora collection, my favorite has to be the Lipstick in Fuschia ($15, one of four shades; yes, here Fuschia is spelled with an ‘s’ before the ‘chia’).

It gets the pigment just right, walking that fine line between mediocre pigmentation and high-maintenance, with a finish that still looks natural even with its subtle shine. Perfect for days when I want a casual lip look without the blinding bling of a gloss.

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LancÃ´me’s L’Absolu Nu Lipstick Really Shines for a Split Second

May 25th, 2011 by Karen 48 Comments

Whatever you do, keep flaky lips far, far away from the LancÃ´me L’Absolu Nu lipsticks ($29).

LancÃ´me’s new lippies come in 16 shiny, translucent shades that look and feel like they were influenced by the delectable $28 Dior Addicts, with a similarly slick, ultra-thin texture.

When I applied a layer of shimmery Coral Sand (the one with silver micro-glitter shown at the top) yesterday morning, I didn’t realize how dry my pucker was at the time, and Coral Sand was not forgiving at all. It latched on to every little flake, emphasizing the facts that 1) I really needed to exfoliate, and 2) I was probably more than a little dehydrated.

But after I scrubbed my lips with Lush Lip Scrub and had a glass of water, L’Absolu looked much better. No more flakes, and my kisser shined like freshly polished jewelry with a slight coral tint.

The strong lip-sticky fragrance, a cross between baby powder and roses, mellows out after about 15 minutes, which is great because that’s right around the time I think it would have gotten annoying, LOL!

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The L’Occitane Pivoine Flora Color Creams: Lighter Lovelies Are in Luck When It Comes to These Blush and Highlighter Duos

May 24th, 2011 by Karen 22 Comments

L’Occitane’s Pivoine Flora Color Cream in Abricot on cheeks

I couldn’t demi pliÃ© my way out of a paper bag, but one thing I can do is hoard cream blushes like these Pivoine Flora Color Creams from L’Occitane ($16 each).

Even after six months of ballet lessons back when I was in my 20s, I never looked half as graceful as the dancers on this packaging. These delicate dames look like they land leaps that make less sound than a sigh. I, on the other hand, usually land my leaps off balance, and frequently with a loud thud.

I turn to cream blushes a lot when I’m in a hurry to get out the door. They’re just so blasted easy to apply, even with fingers (apply to cheeks, blend and go).

Each of the limited edition L’Occitane Pivoine Flora Color Cream duos comes with a blendable matte blush AND a shimmery highlighter, so you get your cheek color and glow going from a single, pretty package.

I’ve been playing with two of the three duos, Abricot (a sheer coral-ish peach blush with a pale peach sheen highlighter) and Rose (a reddish pink blush with a glittery pink highlighter). Both of the blushes feel smooth and dry with a texture that reminds me of Smashbox’s Photofinish Primer. I’m not crazy about it, but it’s easy to blend and seems to layer well without looking too heavy on my skin.

Abricot

Rose
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It Takes More Than Teint Miracle Instant Retouch Pen to Tame My Dark Circles

May 24th, 2011 by Karen 37 Comments

To sleep, perchance to dream of disappearing dark circles with the new LancÃ´me Teint Miracle Instant Retouch Pen ($29.50).

LancÃ´me calls this illuminating instrument a multipurpose foundation in a pen. Micro-fluorescent particles in the formula supposedly mimic a surge of natural light to illuminate and smooth the skin while reducing the appearance of imperfections on the face.

Brilliant! So does it work?

Well, I think that depends.

Do you adore YSL’s Touche Ã‰clat? It looks like LancÃ´me does. The similarities between YSL’s award winner and the Teint Miracle Instant Retouch Pen are recognizable from a mile away — the pen packaging, the brush tip, the whole illuminating angle. It’s Touche Ã‰clat dÃ©jÃ vu in a less expensive ensemble ($29.50 vs. $40 for Touche Ã‰clat).
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