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Makeup

Water Makes the New Yves Saint Laurent Metal Eyes Pure Chromatics Go Buck Wild

May 13th, 2011 by Karen 39 Comments

YSL metal eyes collection

For the life of me, I could not concentrate at all this afternoon. So I stopped trying to and ran away to Nordie’s instead. 🙂 Nothin’ like a little retail therapy to clear the mind, or at least to distract it long enough to forget whatever it was having a hard time trying to process.

While I navigated the makeup department with a chai latte for companionship I bumped into these pretty cool eyeshadow quads over at Yves Saint Laurent. They’re called the Pure Chromatics Wet & Dry Eyeshadows ($48 each).

Have you seen these up close and personal before?

ysl metal eyes collection
Top row from left to right: YSL Metal Eyes Pure Chromatics quads in 1, 2 and 3; Bottom row: 4, 5 and 6

The six of them, all powder eyeshadow quads, were released earlier this spring with the Metal Eyes Collection, a 35-piece release that included some waterproof liners and mascaras along with the quads.

A placard on the counter says that YSL used “a new water-processed technology” to manufacture these that supposedly produces more intense pigments. More intense than what, I’m not sure, but these absolutely do look intense to me, and that metal finish is off the hook!

“Water does not dilute, but enhances color pigments in Pure Chromatics. When used wet, the water rehydrates the eye shadows and gives full intensity to their pigments. The effect is the satiny powder transforms into a luxurious cream while pearls shine with a metallic finish.”

—yslbeautyus.com

I think it’s kinda funny to hear how revolutionary YSL characterizes the application of shadows with a wet brush, like they just came up with it at lunch. “Jill, you’ve gotta give this a try! Apply the shadows wet!” 🙂 Seriously, guys, I don’t mean to burst any bubbles over there, but we’ve been doing that for years. That said, I do dig how rich and metallic these look when they’re applied wet. They shine like my favorite husky tabby’s eyes shine in the dark.

Swatching these, I couldn’t help but also notice how the soft, smooth texture glides across the skin. Straight up, they feel as good as they look.

ysl metal eyes swatches
Top row: Pure Chromatics in 1 (left) and 2 (right) dry; Bottom row: Pure Chromatics in 1 (left) and 2 (right) wet
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There are 39 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup Keywords: yves saint laurent

Honey, I Got Swatches: Urban Decay Lip Love Honey-Infused Lip Therapy Swatches

May 13th, 2011 by Karen 36 Comments

Remind me why I didn’t doze off watching Thor last night with El Hub. Oh, yeah… The abs. 🙂 Thank you, Chris Hemsworth, for all of the sit-ups you do. A grateful blogger salutes you!

And how are you doing, young lady? Did your Friday get off to a good start (I hope so)? Mine started off great, then took a minor detour. I’ll explain more in a minute, but for now, I have kisses! Honey-infused kisses from the Urban Decay Lip Love Honey-Infused Lip Therapy glosses ($16 each). Here are swatches of all five shades. They’re available now at Sephora stores and also online.

Have you given any of these a try? If you have, what did you think? I’m really diggin’ Lolita (of course, I would like the scandalous one, LOL!).


From the left: Stung, Drizzle, Failbait, Lolita and Taunt


Swatches from the left: Drizzle, Failbait, Taunt, Lolita and Stung


Stung
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There are 36 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup Keywords: urban decay

Benefit Almost Never Discounts New Products, Which Makes Today’s One-Day Sale on ChaChaTint Pretty Cool

May 12th, 2011 by Karen 16 Comments

benefit cha cha tint swatch

It’s after midnight on the East Coast, but it’s never to late to dance! In fact, this is the perfect time to dance with Benefit’s new ChaChaTint Mango-Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain. It doesn’t officially debut until June 1, but it’s on sale today only (5/13) for a special one-day event on HSN (Home Shopping Network) and HSN.com.

And that’s not all. It’s regularly $29, but it’s being offered today as part of a $33 set ($77 value) that comes with three other products, too.

Benefit ChaChaTint One-Day Sale

In all, the $33 Benefit Now to Wow! Color Collection includes…

  • Cha Cha Tint Mango-Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain (Full Size)
  • Instant Brow Pencil (Full Size; choose from Light or Medium)
  • BADgal Lash Mascara (Full Size)
  • High Beam Mini Luminescent Complexion Enhancer (Deluxe Mini)

Domestic shipping is just $2.50.
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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, News Keywords: benefit

Welcome to the Offices of Urban Decay Cosmetics: Where Wonderland Meets Newport Beach

May 12th, 2011 by Karen 94 Comments

Urban Decay Offices

At one point on my quick trip to Southern California this week, I must have taken my eyes off the sidewalk in front of me for a moment (oops!), because before I knew it, I’d fallen into a rabbit hole…

And this wasn’t just any rabbit hole. Nope, it was a magic one that transported me to Newport Beach and the offices of the largest independently owned color cosmetics company in the United States. 🙂

Disguised as an unassuming gray building…

Despite appearances, this quiet, unassuming gray building nestled on a side street in Newport Beach isn’t an accountant’s office or a place that makes frames. It’s actually the offices of Urban Decay.

Inside, it’s purple, purple, everywhere!

Sweet carnival of chroma, batgirl! The outside belies the pageantry of purple taking place inside these walls. The interior is a cornucopia of color (I never would have guessed it from the building’s facade).


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There are 94 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup Keywords: travel, urban decay

Drugstore Lipgloss Nirvana for Less Than $3 with the NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshines

May 9th, 2011 by Karen 76 Comments


NYC New York Color Lipshine in Midtown Mulberry

Today El Hub found out about my affair. 🙁

It had been going on since way back in 2006. That’s when I met the Sally Hansen Diamond 12-Hour Lip Treatments while cruising the aisles at Walgreens one afternoon for a pick-me-up after a really tough day.

There they were, non-sticky and pigmented, with a wear time that lasted for hours and hours…

What can I say? It just happened. When I saw they were a mere $6, I was willing to throw everything away. They were the closest thing to drugstore lipgloss nirvana I had ever seen.

But I’m not going to say I would have done it all again. No way. What I should have done is hold out for the NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshines I met last week. 🙂

Like the Sally Lip Treaments, they’re light and non-sticky with lots of rich color, but they’re an even more incredible bargain at $2.49 a pop!

Since the last experience I had with an NYC gloss was less than stellar, I expected Brighton Beach Peach (a shimmery golden peach), Midtown Mulberry (a creamy berry) and Big Apple Spice (a pearly bronze) to let me down. They’re the three Lipshine shades I recently tried (out of the 10 available).

Thankfully, it didn’t work out that way at all.


From top to bottom: Midtown Mulberry, Brighton Beach Peach and Big Apple Spice


Wands from the left: Brighton Beach Peach, Big Apple Spice and Midtown Mulberry


Swatches from the left: Brighton Beach Peach, Big Apple Spice and Midtown Mulberry
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There are 76 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: bargain, nyc new york color

The Long and Short of the New Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara

May 9th, 2011 by Karen 28 Comments

When the wands started oscillating, I thought I’d seen it all. After the whole vibrating/spinning mascara brush trend (so 2008!), what else could one possibly do with a basic mascara brush? Wait — I know. They could fashion one into the shape of a medieval flail, hi-ya!

But that wasn’t the end of innovation for the mighty mascara wand. Buxom’s Amplified Lash Mascara ($22), a Sephora exclusive, comes with a new twist (literally).

Available in just a single shade called Loud Black, it’s designed to thicken, lengthen and separate lashes. That’s all well and good, but I think the brush is what really sets it apart. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before. By twisting a little knob on the end of the wand, right where you hold it, you can expand and contract the length of the brush part about a quarter of an inch. The different lengths, says Buxom, create different lash effects.

Buxom Mascara Brush

When fully extended, the brush volumizes lashes up to 600%. When in its compact position the bristles squeeze closer together to expertly comb through each and every lash for maximum length, separation and definition.

—sephora.com

Twisting the knob one way makes the brush longer; the other way makes it shorter. And you can see it expanding and contracting right before your very eyes — like mascara magic, oooh!

I don’t have a lot of experience with the Buxom brand, but the few products of theirs I have tried have stood out more for packaging than actual performance.

Until now. 🙂 I’ve been wearing Amplified Lash for the past few days, and I must say — I like it.

I start by applying one coat with the brush in the elongated position, and then add two more coats using the shorter position. Together that gives me lashes that look dramatically longer and well defined.
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There are 28 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: buxom

Break Brows of Bad Habits with Becca Brow Shaping Gel

May 8th, 2011 by Karen 12 Comments

Gurl, you know I can’t even take out the trash without doing a little something-something to my brows first. I mean, you never know who you’re gonna meet out there, right? — the neighbors, the mail carrier, the FedEx guy.

This week I’ve been using Becca’s new Brow Shaping Gel ($20) to tame my wild eyebrows when I’ve either been in a hurry/haven’t been awake enough to deal with my current go-to brow product, Benefit Instant Brow.

A clear, conditioning formula infused with Chamomile Flower Extract and Glycerin to soothe, strengthen and nourish brow hairs. Non-greasy finish will not crack, flake or feel heavy on brows. Perfect for creating more refined looking brows or defining sparse brows.

— beccacosmetics.com

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There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: becca

$65 Thierry Mugler Make Up Face Shadows & Lights Blush Is Killing Me Softly

May 6th, 2011 by Karen 20 Comments

thierry mugler face shadows light

Thierry Mugler Make Up Face Shadows & Lights Blush works in a very interesting way. The two-step process starts with intense sticker shock! — as the product costs a whopping $65. The resulting loss of blood flow to the face bleaches the color from cheeks; then, and this is the best part, the powder contouring and highlighting duos restore a lifelike appearance. 🙂

But seriously, at least now I know who makes a very expensive, but totally natural-looking, powder blush. The price is like a whole new level of splurge beyond Chanel, but if flawless, airbrushed cheeks are your thing, then it might be worth a shot.

Like a pair of Christian Louboutin basic black pumps without any bells or whistles, the two available shades — Brown & White (a medium warm brown blush with a soft white highlighter) and Pink & White (a light cool pink with a soft white highlighter) — appear restrained and elegant. The duos contain a blend of silky polymers, powders and atomized pigments for a high precision finish with a subtle effect.

What does that mean? It means some of the finest milled powders I’ve ever tried or seen.

I barely see the grains on my skin, and I bet one could apply as many as six layers without producing a heavy, mask-like effect. The quiet sheen they deliver gives off a lovely, soft glow — something like a MAC Beauty Powder turned down a notch or two.

thierry mugler face shadows light closed
Pink & White (left) and Brown & White (right)

thierry mugler face shadows light
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There are 20 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: thierry mugler

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