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Makeup

A Manic Mango Thursday and My New Foundation Routine

April 28th, 2011 by Karen 62 Comments

Greetings and happy Thursday, friend! 🙂 What’s shakin’ out yonder way?

Can we talk about foundation for a sec? A few of you noticed that I switched up my foundation/powder recently — the combo I’ve been wearing in my pictures — and I wanted to share why I changed, what I’m doing now, and to ask you about your routine.

But before that, mango break! Thanks for all the great mango suggestions and recipes. You’re really feeding my addiction. Nutella’s facing stiff competition from my new (and at different times former) favorite fruit. I think I’m going to try making mango lassi and mango salsa this weekend. Of course I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’m so hooked on mango right now, it’s ridiculous. Last night at Trader Joe’s I chucked four (FOUR!) boxes of those Mango & Cream Bars into my cart. I actually felt a little ashamed, but it was like I physically couldn’t help myself. Damn those things are tasty…

trader joes mango and cream bars
NOM!

Sorry, back to foundation. As a devoted fan of Laura Mercier Oil-Free Liquid Foundation for years, I was heartbroken to find that Laura changed the color of my go-to shade (NOOOO!). Or, rather, I’m fairly sure she did. I bought a bottle recently that seemed dramatically darker and pinker (is that a word?) than it always had before, so I checked other bottles at several counters just to be sure, and, yup, they were different too.

What a disappointment… It always covered everything, never caused breakouts, and has always been so easy to apply.

I drifted like that, crushed, in foundation no-man’s land for a while and returned to using my trusty Chanel Mat Lumiere, which I love for everyday wear, but I don’t feel like it photographs very well on me (I think it looks a little flat).

I also tried Make Up For Ever HD, which I think looks fantastic and photographs well, but hello, pimples!; and MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation (great coverage, but it smothers my skin) but wasn’t really wowed by either.

Then, last Friday, desperate for relief, I hit up the MAC store to find something new.
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There are 62 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: MAC Makeup, Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To Keywords: chanel, mac

I’m Juiced about These Chanel Les Fleures D’Été de Chanel Glossimers

April 27th, 2011 by Karen 63 Comments

Chanel Pink Peony Pensee

Mango overload! Mango overload! Help! I have no idea what to do with the four ripe mangoes that have been sitting in my kitchen since Easter, all delicious-looking and filled with juice. Salsa? Marinade? A smoothie, perhaps?

Around this time every year, I get a craving for two things: 1) mangoes and 2) shimmery, sheer glosses like Pensée (a shimmery coral) and Pink Peony (a shimmer pink). And what do they all have in common? One word: juice.
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There are 63 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: chanel

Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Bronze Rose Is Like Summer in a Pan

April 27th, 2011 by Karen 48 Comments

Lately, I’ve been super obsessed with the idea of the South of France and the Cannes Film Festival taking place there next month. Plus, you know how much I like surfing, and apparently, Cannes has some really great surf spots, too. Who knew?

Chanel’s new Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Bronze Rose ($50) is fueling this obsession. It launched a couple weeks ago with the new Chanel Les Fleurs D’Ete Summer Collection.


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There are 48 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: chanel

NARS Summer 2011, Sweet Relief and Random Acts of Beauty

April 26th, 2011 by Karen 71 Comments

There are few things I adore more than random acts of beauty like…

My tabby alarm clock

Most mornings I’m awakened by a chubby tabby cat set to go off about a minute before the regular alarm on my phone. It’s a very unusual alarm in that I’m actually the source of the sound, which is like a painful yelp. It works like this: Tabs, who usually sleeps in his kitty bed on the floor, climbs up onto my bladder and launches from it into the air, “Whee!”

And it even has something like a snooze button because after he does it the first time, I usually drift back to sleep, so he does it again about 10 minutes later. This repeats over and over until I finally get out of bed.

But this morning the tabby alarm clock malfunctioned in a glorious way! Instead of using my bladder as a springboard, Tabs climbed up onto the bed and gently snuggled his way into my arms like a present. 🙂 Of course, I soaked it up as long as I could (cat ladies, you know what I’m talking about), listening to him purr and feeling the curve of his warm kitty body against mine as rays of sunlight filtered in through the windows onto his fur. It was so peaceful and calm that I almost couldn’t get out of bed!

Sweet relief

When I finally did sit up, the first word out of my mouth was “Hallelujah!” Today’s was the first morning in — I can’t even remember how long — that I’ve gotten up without pain. I’ve been PMS-ing for what feels like an eternity, and “the girls” have been uncomfortable and sore, so much so that even lying in bed hurts. Does that ever happen to you?

Sleeping in my regular bras hasn’t helped because the hooks and wires dig into my skin, and the sports bra I tried was way too binding. But last Saturday at Macy’s I stumbled upon a line of stretchy one-piece bras from Barely There and decided to give them a try.

I got the one called the ComfortFlex Fit Bandini (comes 2 for $26). It’s basically a super soft, non-binding sports bra without any hooks or wires, and it fits snugly to keep everything in place, but yet isn’t so tight that it cuts off the circulation while I’m sleeping.

Two words: sweet relief!

The best thing since…frozen waffles

After making my way downstairs this morning and fueling up on caffeine and peanut butter toast, I took a generic Zyrtec and put on Tabs’ harness to take him outside for a quick walk.

For some, taking allergy meds may not qualify as a random act of beauty, but JEEZ! — it’s so nice to be able to enjoy spring without sniffling or sneezing from allergies, or feeling sleepy or foggy-headed from meds. Back in the day, the over-the-counter stuff hardly helped at all, and I always had dreadful seasonal allergies. It may not be makeup, but Zyrtec is still beautiful to me.

May I have some eye candy?

While Tabs explored the great outdoors from the safety of his kitty harness, I snapped a bunch of pics, like this one of a blooming bush.
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There are 71 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup Keywords: nars

Here Comes the Urban Bride! Will You Say “I Do” to Urban Decay’s New Urban Bride Set?

April 25th, 2011 by Karen 54 Comments

Urban Decay Urban Bride

Places, everyone. It’s time!

Maestro, queue the Wedding March.

Here she comes! Urban Decay’s new $42 Urban Bride gift box is coming down the aisle. 🙂 And just in time for wedding season to Ulta, select Macy’s stores and also online.

Isn’t her dress beautiful (I hear it’s an exclusive Urban Decay)?

Sometimes, when I’m home alone…

I put on my wedding dress and watch daytime TV on the couch. NOTE: At these times, Tabs is prohibited from making biscuits on my tum.

Urban Decay timed the limited edition wedding-themed set to coincide with the release of Bridesmaids next month (May 13), a new comedy starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne. In the story, Annie is her BFF’s Maid of Honor, whose life unravels as she tries to get the bridesmaids all set for the big day. I’m a fiend for chick flicks, so it sounds like my cup of tea.

The set (how adorable is that box?) comes with six long-wearing Urban Decay products for face, eyes, lips and body…

  1. Razor Sharp Ultra-Definition Finishing Powder (Travel Size) — A translucent setting powder. Urban Decay says it diffuses fine lines. Does it work? Well, I’m testing it now, and you’ll be the first to know.
  2. Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Full Size) — The O.G. Primer Potion. It puts a lock on shadows, keeping them looking fresh for hours.
  3. Supercurl Curling Mascara (Travel Size) — Curl those stick-straight lashes, young lady, with this glossy black mascara.
  4. Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Midnight Cowboy (Travel Size) — A sheer nude gloss. Can be worn alone or atop your favorite lipstick.
  5. All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (Travel Size) — Party till dawn with a few spritzes of this travel-friendly setting spray.
  6. Marshmallow Sparkling Lickable Body Powder (Travel Size) — WARNING: You may be compelled to spontaneously lick your arms like when you wear this stuff because it really does taste like marshmallows!


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There are 54 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: urban decay

Be Bold on a Budget with These $7 Milani Lip Flash Pencils

April 24th, 2011 by Karen 35 Comments

Milani Lip Flash

Hey, cutie. Before driving out to the East Bay this afternoon, I didn’t intend to spend a lot of time on my makeup, but then one thing led to another, etc., etc. Before I knew it, I’d swatched the entire line of Milani Lip Flash Pencils ($6.99).

Remember these? We talked about a shimmery bronze one a while back called Lip Flash.

Not bad for $7, right? Have a look at these, and let me know what you think. 🙂


Clockwise from the purple pencil at the lower left: In A Flash, Flashy, Hot Flash, Photo Flash, Flash Light, News Flash, Lip Flash and Star Flash

The Milani Lip Flashes are pigmented, shimmery lip glosses in stick packaging — a little like budget drugstore versions of NARS Velvet Lip Gloss Pencils. Unscented and unflavored, they feel thick and sticky on the lips and offer full coverage with a four-hour wear time.

These party girl glosses are bold, shimmery and in yo’ face. I’ve been pairing bronzy brown Lip Flash, probably the tamest one of the batch, with brown, gold or bronze smokey eyes. The other seven come in various shades of pink, red, magenta and purple and should be a blast to wear with crazy false eyelashes, glitter and a pair of dangerously sky-high heels. 😉

Milani Lip Flash iphone
With an iPhone for scale

Milani Lip Flash
Lip Flash
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There are 35 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup Keywords: milani

These Milani Baked Eyeshadow Swatches Are Fresh Out the Oven (Careful, They’re Hot)

April 23rd, 2011 by Karen 17 Comments

Milani Baked Eyeshadow Swatches

Heya, gals. How’s your Saturday coming along? Doing anything fun? I’m just taking a quick break from all of the high-intensity relaxing I’ve done today. Ya know, I didn’t want to overexert myself. 🙂

I did want to share a few swatches of the Milani Baked Eyeshadows ($7.49 each) with you, though (if you’re interested, here’s a review).

Milani Baked Eyeshadows
Top row from the left: Purrr-fect Purple, Pink Twice and I Heart You; Bottom row: Blue My Mind, Teal The Truth and Rich Java
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There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup Keywords: milani

You’ll Be a Picture of Bronze Perfection with the NARS Portrait of Paradise Collection

April 22nd, 2011 by Karen 38 Comments

nars portrait of paradise

Odes and sonnets couldn’t capture the wonder that is NARS Laguna Bronzer. A sky writing note that reads, “NARS Laguna is the mutha truckin’ shizz!”, might come close, but I dunno. It’s pretty epic. 🙂

I love that golden brown Laguna doesn’t appear orange on me because so many bronzers do, and I use it almost every day to contour my cheeks and give myself a subtle golden bronze glow.

I’ve been wearing Laguna for years, and like some people are with their America Express cards, I never leave home without it. Intentionally. Once on a trip to Hawaii, I realized on the plane ride over that I’d left Laguna at home. Before I regained my composure, it actually crossed my mind to ask the pilot to turn the plane around.

When I heard that NARS was doing a Laguna-inspired collection for summer, I lost my composure again! Only this time for all the right reasons. The three limited edition items in the new NARS Portrait of Paradise collection (available now online) were each inspired by the shade.

nars portrait of paradise

Orgasm, Albatross and Laguna Blush/Bronzer Trio, $55
This trio teams Laguna with two classic NARS blushes in a stylish fabric, zippered case for a portable island glow. I apply Orgasm (a shimmery peachy golden pink) on the apples of my cheeks for color, then Albatross on my upper cheekbones to highlight, and then Laguna below my cheeks to contour. LOVE this look, but I do wish the pan of Albatross was wider. It’s such a thin strip that sweeping my regular blush brush across it also picks up color from the adjacent pans. I still think it’s a good value, though, as purchasing the three products separately would run a steep $87. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A-

Laguna Multiple, $39
Freak out! I had conniptions looking forward to this piece. It’s the one I was looking forward to the most. I’m addicted to NARS Mutiples (creamy stick highlighters with a thin consistency), and to my knowledge this marks the first time NARS has ever released one inspired by Laguna. This shimmery golden bronze also highlights and contours. Pricey, yes, but I can already see it becoming a summer staple. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

nars portrait of paradise all
Here they are beside an iPhone for scale…

nars portrait of paradise
Orgasm, Albatross and the Laguna Blush/Bronzer Trio
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There are 38 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: nars

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

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