• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To MakeupMakeup 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

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

Makeup

Going for the Glitter? Get Thee a Fluffy Brush, ASAP!

December 12th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

nars ignited palette k
Glitter during the daytime hours? WHY NOT!

Friends, please raise your coffee mugs and join me in congratulating my dayum self!

Now, you might be asking, “Um…Karen, what the heck are we toasting to?” And if so, fair enough. ? See, I’ve come to the life-changing conclusion that using a fluffy brush to apply glitter changes lives.

Why a fluffy brush?

Correction: It has to be a specific type of fluffy brush. What you want is a fluffy flat or angled eyeshadow brush — something like the MAC 275S or my fave, the Sephora Pro Angled Shadow Brush #13, which, sadly, is discontinued.

Basically, though, a fluffy flat (or angled) brush deposits the perfect amount of glitter onto lids while simultaneously minimizing fallout.

I’ve only just started doing this because I normally just use a finger to press the glitter on my lids to pack that ish in place, but the thing is, when I wanna wear glitter during the daytime, BECAUSE WHY NOT, this approach can be a little too disco.

nars ignited palette k2
Pretty subtle as far as glitter goes. I’m wearing the NARS Ignited Palette, by the way. It has lots of pink and purple and warm reddish browns, and methinks it looks *good* with rose-colored tops and dresses.

Sheer, but precise

Fluffy brush, though? Yes, life-changing! The key is the low density of the brush head. The fluffiness sheers out the glitter just enough to leave you with a dusting of elegant sparkle on your eyes, as opposed to full-on rave glitter (err, do people still call those parties raves? #datingmyself). The shape of the brush head is also a may-jah player. Since flat or angled eye brushes are precise, and much more precise than, say, domed or tapered eye blending brushes like the MAC 217 or 224, so you can put your glitter exactly where you want it.

I mean, of course you’ll have to tap off your brush first, and then pat, rather than sweep, the glitter on your lids to reduce as much fallout as you can (obvi), but using a fluffy brush results in a sheerer, more elegant and subtle application that *totally* works for daytime makeup.

Fix that fallout

And if you do end up with fallout, no worries. Just use a little Scotch tape or the sticky part on the back of a Post-it, and gently press it onto any wayward glitter flecks to lift them away!

What I’m wearing in these pics

I used the Sephora #13 brush to apply some glitter from the new NARS Ignited palette ($59, limited edition, available at Sephora) that I wore last week, and it was a look I also happened to be wearing when I picked up Connor Claire at preschool.

nars ignited palette
The NARS Ignited Palette
nars ignited palette packaging
I like the packaging, too.

[Continue reading…]

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To, NARS, Palettes

Product Spotlight: Honest Beauty Demi-Matte Lip Crayons

December 11th, 2018 by Karen 14 Comments

honest beauty demi matte lip crayon
Target run, anyone?

Why aren’t more people obsessed with these lip crayons from Honest Beauty?? They’re so good! They’re the $12.99 Demi-Matte Lip Crayons, and they’re available at Target (and you can also get them online through the Honest Beauty website).

They come in a bunch of colors, but the two I wear are nudes. Or rather, nude-ish. Easy-to-wear Blossom is a warm-toned pinkish beige — completely opaque with just one swipe (no settling into vertical lip lines, either!) — with a demi matte finish that’s ever-so-slightly shiny and creamy, like someone mixed a morsel of matte lipstick into a MAC Cremesheen Lipstick.

And note: Unlike many pinkish beige nudes that are SO DIFFICULT to wear, it’s neither super skippy, nor will it make your lips look like a cat’s butt. If you like MAC Creme Cup, you’ll probably love Blossom.

Rosy brown Marsala is the other shade I’ve been all about, and like Blossom, it’s smooth, opaque and easy to wear. I have very pigmented lips, and it’s slightly deeper than my natural lip color, so on me it works as a nude shade, but it may look like a more standard ’90s-style brown lip, depending on your skin tone.

honest beauty marsala
Marsala

Neither of these has a noticeable flavor, but if I get my nose all up in there — seriously, I gotta get one of them up into my nostril — I can smell a little rosy waxiness, but it’s far from overwhelming.

honest beauty blossom
Blossom

[Continue reading…]

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Honest Beauty, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

This Week’s Makeup Inspiration: Cindy Crawford ’90s Supermodel Makeup

December 11th, 2018 by Karen 30 Comments

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cindy Crawford ?• (@wonderfulcindy) on Dec 1, 2018 at 2:18pm PST

Over the past few days, I’ve probably spent more time that I should readily admit deep-diving into Cindy Crawford’s supermodel days, and I need to say this next bit aloud: Her makeup from the ’90s slays my life.

Smoky eye ’til I die, man. Where do I even begin?

One could characterize her makeup from that era as “classic,” but COME ON — Cindy Crawford at the height of her supermodel-ness was freaking iconic!

I loved her makeup back then, and I still love those looks now. I think that says something when… Wait — let me stop and do the math. This was almost 30 years ago! It says something when anything is still relevant after so long, and I’d bet my tubby tabby that those makeup looks will hold up pretty much forever. They’re timeless.

My fave thing for sure are the brows. She’s got full, lush brows that are a may-jah focal point, but they’re still soft, without any sharp edges or hard definition, so while they’re prominent, you’re not sucked into staring solely at those fuzzy little caterpillars.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cindy Crawford ?• (@wonderfulcindy) on Sep 26, 2017 at 1:37pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kimmy Blanco (@thekimmyblanco) on Nov 27, 2018 at 1:20pm PST

In many of her makeup looks, she wears some kind of variation on a smoky eye that usually looks matte or semi-matte, and then she either does a nude or a red lip.

Look closely at the nude lip looks… See how there’s usually a darker unblended line at the edge? It’s so very ’90s. I haven’t worn unblended liner like that in ages, but I’ve been mildly curious about trying it again ever since I noticed that the makeup artist who does Kelly Clarkson’s makeup on The Voice does it a lot with Kelly’s nude lip looks.

I’m gonna revisit it again this week…

Oh, and then there’s Cindy’s cheeks! There’s something happening there, for sure, with the contouring and highlighting, but I love that there are no visible stripes of bronzer or over-the-top bling.

I really wonder who did the makeup in these images… I know Kevyn Aucoin worked with her a lot, but I have no idea if he did any of these looks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by vintage gallery (@agelessfilms) on Nov 8, 2018 at 8:39am PST

Can’t forget to mention the hair. Maybe it’s because I came of age during the prime “hair bear” years, but I love me some big Cindy Crawford hair. My friend Gloria told me the other day that whenever she gets a blowout, she tells the stylist to give her Cindy Crawford ’90s hair, which is genius! Why haven’t I thought of that before? I rarely get a blowout, but if I ever get an opportunity to have someone work their magic on me with a T3 and a round brush, I’m gonna tell them to dial up the volume to the highest of ’90s Cindy Crawford hair heights.

[Continue reading…]

There are 30 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup

November 2018 Favorites

December 10th, 2018 by Karen 19 Comments

november favorites

Because it’s cold, I’m already getting nostalgic for November! Here are some things I loved the heck out of last month…

1. Onomie Boosting Lip + Cheek Sticks ($30 each)

onomie lip cheek

These are super sheer compared to some other creams products out there, like the MAC Cream Colour Bases, but don’t walk away just yet. I don’t really use them when I’m gonna be taking pics for MBB, because they’re too subtle for photography, but for regular life, like when I’m wearing the most minimal of minimal makeup (a recurring theme when you live with a demanding tabby and a toddler), they’re B-O-M-B. They add just enough color to cheeks and lips to liven things up so I don’t look totally dead, ha ha.

I blend concealer under my eyes and skip the tinted moisturizer/foundation completely, then plop on a coat of mascara, and dab and blend one of these tints on my cheeks and lips.

It’s a very Megan Markle makeup look, and I’m into it.

Comes in six shades. I wear the Berry the most.

2. Juno & Co Microfiber Velvet Sponge ($6 each, or four for $20)

juno sponge

You can use this soft and squishy makeup blending sponge wet or dry to apply or set foundation, powder and/or concealer. The surface of the sponge feels velvety, similar to velvet fabric, which makes a big difference in the finished look. It’s a more airbrushed and polished look than you get with the beautyblender-y makeup sponges out there.

3. R+Co Television Perfect Hair Shampoo and Conditioner ($30 each)

randco television waterfall

You know when your hair feels coated, weighed down and heavy? UGH, I hate that feeling. It’s like living with a family of filthy forest animals on your head 24/7. Anyway, with this shampoo and conditioner, you can completely avoid that issue. They’re for smoothing, moisturizing *and* volume, and they’re made for all hair types, from fine to thick and wavy like mine, and everything in between. When I use this set, my hair is what I call, “light and fluffy.” My only wish is that they came in bigger bottles!

The scent is lovely, too. I detect lavender, pineapple, tangerines and warm, white musk.

4. R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion ($29)

Again for the girls and guys who like hair that isn’t coated with a thick layer of goo. (R+Co is good at that.) This intense leave-in conditioner and frizz-fighter is just as moisturizing as their High Dive Moisture + Shine Cream (don’t even ask me how many bottles of that I’ve gone through), but it retains more volume in your strands, so it flattens the hair less than High Dive.

Both are brilliant, but if you have long or medium-length hair, and you’re all about floofy marshmallow volume, this is the one you’ll want, especially if you like violets, oranges and caramel, which is how it smells.

[Continue reading…]

There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Clinique, Fresh, Hair, Juno, Makeup, Makeup Tools, Onomie, R+Co, Skin Care

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyeliner Pen

December 7th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

clinique pretty easy liquid eyeliner pen 2
I love this so much that I rubbed off the writing on the package!

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

OK…I don’t know how you feel about liquid eyeliner in general, but this is THE best black liquid eyeliner in the known universe, IMO, and yes, I think it’s just as good as the Tom Ford pen.

(Yup, *that* $58 Tom Ford Liner.)

It’s the Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyeliner Pen, and it’s a comparatively bargain $22. It does so many of the things that the Tom Ford liner does, and does them just as well. It’s a deep, dark black; it draws super skinny lines; dries quickly; it’s really, REALLY easy to use.

It’s got one of those long, flexible felt tips, so if you want to draw an ultra-fine line on your upper lash line or a precise cat flick in the outer corner, you can easily do it, even if you’re all thumbs, half-asleep or in a hurry.

Normally, I’d never dream of applying liquid liner when I’m in a rush, but it’s totally doable with this one. There’s something kinda magical about it and very user-friendly…which is probably why they call it the Pretty Easy Liquid Eyeliner Pen, ha!

clinique pretty easy liquid eyeliner pen 1
When you try to make kissy faces and look awkward but decide to just go with it anyway. (That’s the liner on my upper lash lines, by the way.)

One of my favorite things about it is the ~20-second drying time, which doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but it’s just enough to either 1) let the line dry on its own, or, 2) and this is what I like to do, I grab a smudge brush and feather out the edge of the line to make it look blended and smooth.

And after that 20 seconds, you can blink, roll your eyes or whatever, and your liner won’t transfer up onto your lids! Once this stuff is dry, it’s smudge-proof and budge-proof.

But that’s not all! You can also find it pretty much anywhere. I love that I can just pop into the Novato Sephora and grab one if I “need to,” or that I can stop by a Clinique counter at Macy’s or Nordstrom.

I should probably get a new one soon because mine is looking very…well-loved, ha ha ha!

[Continue reading…]

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Clinique, Eyes, Makeup, Unsung Heroes

Product Shout-Out: Estée Lauder Defiant Nude Is the Neutral Palette You Didn’t Know You Needed

December 6th, 2018 by Karen 19 Comments

estee lauder defiant nude
***ALERT*** Makeup workhorse! ***ALERT***

All through November, every single time I had to get ready for something — be it Thanksgiving dinner, a Novato Mothers Club meeting or lunch with a friend — I was always strapped for time (partly because I have bad time management skills, but I’m working on it. #keepingitreal).

With this palette, however, I was able to do a put-together makeup look from start to finish in 10 minutes time.

Yup, just when you thought when you’d seen and hoarded every neutral eyeshadow palette that you absolutely “needed” (“air quotes”) to get, along comes one from Estée Lauder to blow your mind.

Estée Lauder Defiant Nude ($54) has five powder eyeshadows — two mid-toned golden browns, a dark matte neutral brown, a neutral matte beige and a slightly darker matte peachy beige.

Do these colors sound pretty basic?

Yes, yes they do…

But let me tell ya, every single time I had to dress up and go out to see people looking respectable in the month of November, I grabbed this palette. Then I grabbed it again. And again. AND AGAIN!

It’s just so wearable, lovely and easy to use, and all of the shadows are long-lasting, with or without an eyeshadow base.

(Yes, sometimes I leave the house without an eyeshadow base… I know! Believe it or not, though, the world does not fall apart.)

estee lauder defiant nude swatches
wear Honey Bronze in Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation (NC42 in MAC)

You know me; I love my golden browns, cooler-toned browns and neutral browns, and this user-friendly palette masterfully sculpts the crease while adding an opalescent, understated glow to your lids. Plus, you can be imprecise with your application AND your blending, and your eye makeup will still look good.

That’s magical.

Estée Lauder gave it just enough pigment to define your eyes and add some color, but not so much that you’ll miss the movie because you’re stuck buffing and correcting and blending at home because you accidentally overdid it during the application.

estee lauder defiant nude
Wearing Defiant Nude on my lids and lower lash lines.

And they also have such gorgeous finishes! The two golden browns get the most play on my lids because they’re both… Well, you know how when you want your lids to glow, but you don’t want them to be so shiny that they scream “LOOK AT MY FINE LINES”? These two golden browns are it!

[Continue reading…]

There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Estee Lauder, Eyes, Makeup, Palettes, Product Reviews

Someone Is (Illegally) Using My Name and Likeness to Contact Beauty Companies and Solicit Free PR Products

December 6th, 2018 by Karen 32 Comments

PR friends, contacts and dear readers,

Someone is using my name and likeness in order to obtain free PR products (and who knows what else?).

This appears to have been happening since March of 2018 (!).

I apologize for any confusion this may have caused. If you’ve corresponded with someone via the following email address:

karenmakeupandbeautyblog@gmail.com

Or, if you’ve sent, or have been asked to send, PR review products to a mailing address that includes…

San Francisco, CA 94118

That was not me. 🙁

To the person doing this, you should know that this constitutes mail fraud, which is a federal offense. Your email address, San Francisco mailing address, and other pertinent details have been provided to law enforcement.

Also, this is so not cool. Shame on you.

— Karen

There are 32 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup

Long-Lost Makeup Twins and Midweek Makeup Inspiration With Smoke and Glitter

December 5th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Визажист, Челябинск (@piminova_valery) on Oct 29, 2018 at 12:39am PDT

You know how people say that everyone on earth has a secret doppelganger twin out there somewhere that they have no idea about?

I believe this universal condition of life also applies to secret makeup twins…but they aren’t, like, someone who does their makeup the exact same way as someone else. No, a “secret makeup twin” (yes, I’m coining the term right now) is someone who does makeup in a way that speaks to your soul, and whose looks you wish you could wear all the time. They do makeup that you would totally do yourself, if you could.

Short story long…I think I found mine, and she’s in Russia! And her name is Piminova. I found her on Instagram while I was looking for inspiration and new artists to follow.

Take the look at the top with the purple lids and the teal on the lower lash line…

That teal! I love how low the artist takes the shadow, and how there’s a dark greenish gradient on the outer and middle lower lash line, which then ends with a bright pop of green in the inner corners.

MAN! That’s what I would wear today if I had four hours to put on makeup and nowhere to go, ha ha ha! Because seriously, that’s how long it would take me to do this.

I’m sure Piminova can bust it out quicker, but no joke, half my day…

But everything about this look is exactly how I would try to handle it! I love how the model’s eyes are so “bah-BAM,” but the skin is even-toned, and yet aggressively contoured or highlighted.

I love the nude lip, too, and the hint of highlighter on her Cupid’s bow and the tip of her nose. And I love that her brows are brushed and bushy.

So good!

Here’s another look I love…

[Continue reading…]

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 55
  • Go to page 56
  • Go to page 57
  • Go to page 58
  • Go to page 59
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 502
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

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.

Recent Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 878

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 894

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 892

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 891

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 771

Lady Unicorn

Weird Things I Like to Do

brows fill out beforehand

Before You Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

current bare skin status

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.