Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
Today I came *this close* to chomping down on the cheek stains in Tarte’s Three Carats Set ($25) because they reminded me of Push-Ups pops. Nom, nom, nom! 🙂
One of three new limited-edition makeup gift sets from Tarte, Three Carats comes with three mini-gel blushes decorated in festive silver and rhinestones.
Don’t be fooled by how dark they look in their blingy outfits; they apply super-sheer and natural, despite appearances.
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MY BEST:
Monday’s unusually great hair day! 🙂 Oh, and my skin finally cleared up after a two-week-long breakout.
MY WORST:
The moment of dead silence after I accidentally dropped my pan of MAC Blue Sorcery eyeshadow on the kitchen floor. It was like watching the Matrix, seeing the pan fall in slow motion, except that I was powerless to stop it… Poor thing didn’t stand a chance.
What were your best and worst beauty experiences of the week? Please share yours in the comments.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Things I’m crushing on this weekend…
That there at the top is the Black Tie lip combo I wore to the movies last night. 🙂
I went with Defining Liner for Lips in Pomegranate ($14) layered beneath Different Lipstick in Different Grape ($14), and for extra sparkle and shine I added Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Bloomberry ($18).
It made the movie easier to bear, LOL!
As far as the colors and finishes of the products I used (to dupe them with other things from your collection), the combo breaks down to…
I’m picturing the look with thick black cat eyeliner. Wouldn’t that look hawt?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Did you do anything fun tonight? I just got back from pizza, and now I’m looking for a brainless movie on iTunes. Tabs says “meow.” He wants me to get The Ugly Truth. He loves those romantic comedies…
Good morning, ladies. 🙂 How was your night? The only thing I did was go to the movies to see The Box, the new sci-fi thriller starring Cameron Diaz and cutie pie James Marsden, but the highlight was probably the popcorn.
I went expecting a lot since the movie’s based on a short story by one of my favorite horror writers, Richard Matheson (also wrote I am Legend, Stir of Echoes and Hell House), but I thought it was a little slow, confusing and disjointed at parts.
LOVED the ’70s-era styling, though, and left the theater wanting to feather my hair and find bellbottoms and a long silk scarf, fo’ reals!
What are you up to today? I’ve got some household chores (boo), but after those I plan to reward myself with some me time and Urban Decay’s Show Pony Palette ($30).
How do you feel about the packaging? The design’s by Kime Buzzelli, an artist, fashion designer and the owner of the Echo Park clothing boutique.
It’s limited edition but has been out for a few months already. I wish I’d gotten wind of it sooner because I’m kinda ga-ga over the shadows.
I can’t decide on a fave…
Loading ...The palette has six swoon-worthy, shimmery shadows; a travel-sized 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (in Zero) and one of UD’s mini Eyeshadow Primer Potions, too.
From left to right: 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero, Eyeshadow Primer Potion
If you have eyes for Show Pony (or something else from Team UD), here’s a great deal that’s going on now: Save a whopping 30% with Urban Decay’s online Friends and Family sale (valid through Nov. 20). Enter code “FNFW1” at checkout and hit “Redeem Coupon.” Hey, you’ve been good this year, right? Um, RIGHT? 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
‘Twas the night before Saturday, when all through the house
Not a beauty addict was stirring, not even a mouse.Makeup brushes were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Violet soon would be there.
Behold the real fruits of my Friday night labor! I went all swatch crazy with Clinique’s new Black Tie Violets collection, whee!
Here’s a quick look at seven of the 11 pieces from the collection (a limited edition holiday release).
Let me know if anything pops out at ya. 🙂
Clockwise from bottom: Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Bloomberry, High Impact Lip Color in Extreme Pink, Different Lipstick in Different Grape, Shimmering Stripes Powder Blushes in Tuxedo Plums, Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Black Tie Violets, Brush-On Cream Liner in Violet Luxe and Defining Liner for Lips in Pomegranate
Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Black Tie Violets, $25
Shimmering Stripes Powder Blushes in Tuxedo Plums, $30
Brush-On Cream Liner in Violet Luxe, $15
High Impact Lip Color in Extreme Pink, $14
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OMG, but I think I lost a Friday.
I seriously lost the day. I must have set it down somewhere late last night, like between my shower and the bed, and totally forgot where. Now, it’s almost Saturday, and all I have to show for it is some holiday indulgence.
Even though I misplaced my Friday, I did find something else: Palazzo d’Oro, the newest limited-edition collection from Clarins.
With makeup products for face, eyes and lips ranging from $24-66 apiece, the limited-edition four-piece release costs considerably more than the average holiday collection, but I think it looks and feels like jewelry.
Substantial, seemingly solid gold cases housing sophisticated colors and luxurious textures — I can see them sitting atop mountains of gems and golden, silver and platinum treasure in a red dragon’s cave or some Medieval king’s treasure chamber!
In other words, if you’re in the mood to splurge, there’s *a lot* to splurge on here. 🙂
Clarins tried to channel Venetian architecture and the light of the city in Palazzo d’Oro’s shimmery gold, brown, beige and taupe palette. I don’t know how they did since I’ve never been to Venice, but I do think they succeeded in creating shades I could wear all day and all night.
What do ya think?
Gold Attraction Eye Quartet and Liner Palette, $66
Gold Attraction Face Palette, $57
Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Gold Reflections, $24
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Do you also have those dreams where you look in the mirror and see yourself with Terminator eyes?
Thanks to Lashlight ($25), the newest mascara from Too Faced, “futuristic cyborg” can now be your face of the day.
My right eye looks like it’s about to shoot lasers… Spooky!
Something tells me Too Faced didn’t have flesh-covered robots bent on the destruction of womankind when they designed Lashlight, but they still outfitted it with hella upgrades!
I think it should be noted that the LED lights in the base of the wand also make this mascara the *world’s best* for finding your house keys in the dark.
The way Too Faced creative director and founder Jerrod Blandino explains it, he got the idea for the LEDs from the times he struggled to apply mascara to clients in dimly lit (but oh so glam!) locations.
NOTE: I’ve never had to apply mascara in the dark — trapped, say, with a shirtless Ryan Reynolds — but, thanks to Lashlight, I find it comforting to know that I could. 🙂
Picture taken in my darkened bathroom… How Blair Witchy is this?
Too Faced also claims that “liquid crystalline particles” in the Lashlight formula act like microscopic mirrors, brightening up the eyes by reflecting light off and around the lashes.
Hmm…
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If you’re a budget-lovin’ babe who wears cool-toned shadows well, Sonia Kashuk’s got your back. Her new Starry Eyes Palette ($15) for holiday 2009 comes with six cool-toned powder eyeshadows in a mix of glitters and matte.
Exactly what’s inside?
I’ve been going through a glitter renaissance of late, and the glitter shadows in this palette are hitting all my right notes. You know how some glittery shadows are just too sheer? How all you can see sometimes is the glitter (but no color)? Well, these aren’t like that at all. All three deliver respectable pigmentation — a nice surprise for gals on Team Glitter.
Speaking of the glitter, I expected it to feel gritty here based on how chunky the bits look in their pans.
But that wasn’t the case. In fact, the particles appear fine — just right, in fact — once they’re applied.
It adds up to a very refined glitter look, if there is such a thing. 🙂
Swatches with flash
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