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Makeup

Ruminations on Red Eyeshadow…

December 4th, 2018 by Karen 23 Comments

I’m seeing scarlet! That’s MAC Eye Shadow X 9 in Red Hot Times Nine on my lids, BTW.

If you would’ve asked me five years ago to talk about red eyes, I would’ve told you about that one time I sat in an exit row seat on a frighteningly turbulent red-eye flight to Maui (Side note: It was terrible.), or about the creepy dude I used to work with who got “pink eye” every five minutes…then proceeded to give all of the other people in our office pink eye every time he got pink eye. *shaking my head*

Yes, it was gross.

But I digress…

In case you hadn’t noticed, red eyes, as in red eyeshadow, are totally a thing now, and I never would have predicted the rise o’ red in a million years. I mean, even Chanel did a collection with red eyeshadow (back in 2016)! If that isn’t a tell-tale sign of how mainstream red eyes have become, I don’t know what is.

chanel le rouge collection no 1
Wearing the quad, blush and cream shadow from Chanel’s Rouge No. 1 collection

And it isn’t only about straight-up crimson. Warm reddish browns and reddish oranges are also having (and have been having) their moment.

I resisted red (and reddish) eyeshadow for very long time, but then Instagram started inundating my feed with all of these artists doing looks with red. I was seeing red in the crease as a transition shade, and red on the upper lash line as winged liner, and somewhere along the way, it started to rub off on me.

Now when I wear red, I don’t automatically feel like I look like death warmed over. Now I think it looks kinda artsy-fartsy, and I don’t mind it anymore.

urban decay elements palette k front
Reds with the Urban Decay Elements palette
MAC Red Red Red collection on my lids and lips
MAC’s Red Red Red collection from 2014

[Continue reading…]

There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup

Gloss + Liquid Lipstick + Stain = MAC Versicolour Varnish Cream Lip Stain

December 3rd, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

mac versicolour varnish
Creamy, shiny, slick! The new $22 MAC Versicolour Varnish Cream Lip Stains are available meow

Not once, but twice over the past week have I wondered aloud, “What is this exactly?”

The first time I was out getting dinner with the family.

Actually, it was during dessert (I got spumoni ice cream, which, who’d a thunk that cherry, pistachio and chocolate would go so well together?).

The second time was the first time I was trying the new MAC Versicolour Cream Varnish Lip Stains.

mac versicolour varnish 2
I wonder… What’s the plural of doe-foot??

These creamy, shiny glosses are kinda different and cool. They have a non-sticky formula, and they fade over time to a matte lip stain. They come in a whole bunch of colors, too, for $22.

I think one of the reasons I like them so much is because they feel like my favorite MAC glosses…which I can’t recall the name of right now.

Dangit! What are those called again? I’m having a brain fart… They’re the moisturizing ones that feel thinner than a Lipglass? Something-something glasses?

Not Lipglass. Not Dazzleglass…

Wait! — CREMESHEEN GLASS! Aaah!

The Versicolours feel just like them, only thinner.

“Captivate with a lip colour hybrid that’s glossier, higher coverage and harder impact than ever before. Its watery-light formula glides on creamy and comfortable to impart long-wearing, saturated full coverage and an always-fresh wet finish. Find entrancement in its 12-hour, intense staining power – promising to last far into the day and night.”

— maccosmetics.com

When they go on, they’re VERY pigmented and shiny. It’s like, BAM! — color and shine. And that goes for all of them.

Over the next 10 minutes or so they start to feel thicker — almost like a liquid lipstick — and fade into a stain.

Even though I’m more drawn to the dark pinks and reds in the collection, I think the best shade of the whole bunch is rosy nude Bitten Babe because it doesn’t stain my lips unevenly like the other colors do to where I get a dark or bright spot in the middle of my lips, which then fades into a lighter stain toward the edge of my lips.

I guess that’s a high fashion-y lip look, but I’m partial to evenly stained color, a la Bitten Babe, which I’ve been wearing a ton. It starts as a glossy, rosy pink but turns into a nude pink stain by midday, where it lasts for about four hours.

mac bitten babe before
Fresh coat of Bitten Babe
mac bitten babe after
After two hours…

More deets…

  • They aren’t particularly moisturizing or drying…so they’re somewhere in the middle in terms of moisture.
  • Unsurprisingly for MAC, they smell like vanilla, and I don’t detect a flavor.
  • They don’t settle into my lip lines (yay!).
  • The darker stains last longest — like 6-7 hours.
  • The reds all kinda look alike on me… Go figure.
mac try to stop me
Try to Stop Me
mac crushing it
Crushing It
mac varnishly red
Varnishly Red

[Continue reading…]

There are 10 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Lips, MAC Makeup, Makeup, Product Reviews

MAC Patrick Starrr Slay Ride Holiday Collection: Swatches and a Rose Gold Look

November 30th, 2018 by Karen 14 Comments

mac patrick starrr holiday collection 2018 1
Take a Sleigh Ride with Patrick Starrr

I think it’s safe to say that Patrick Starrr sleigh-ed 2018.

Get it? Sleigh-ed?? ?

OK, sorry, you know how I am with puns.

The mega influencer/YouTuber/all-around “It Boy” is launching yet another collab with MAC, and it’s pretty intense for a holiday collection. There are five lipglosses, three lipsticks, a huge over-sized Mineralized Skinfinish that’s almost as big as my head, a translucent loose setting powder, two eyeshadow palettes and three pigments, and the whole shebang drops December 3rd.

mac patrick starrr holiday collection 2018
Va-va-voom!

Patrick Starrr’s known for bringing the glam, so there’s lots of sparkle, shine and cheeky innuendo. The products have names like “Shady Santa” and “Ride My Sleigh.”

I just swatched the collection and took a few things out for a spin while I returned almost all of the clothing I bought on Black Friday… Side note: The jig is sooooo up. I officially loathe shopping for clothes because apparently I’m terrible at it now and can no longer dress myself without professional help. ARRRGHHHH!

I did, however, keep this $10 scarf from Old Navy, which happens to go with the rose gold eyes I wore using Patrick’s Oh Holy Eyes palette.

mac patrick starrr holiday k1
Wearing the Eye Shadow X 6 in Oh Holy Eyes and the PatrickStarrr Pigment on my eyes, and MAC Vintage Rose Cream Colour Base (discontinued) and Mineralize Skinfinish in Baby Its Gold Outside on my cheeks.

Some thoughts on the products…

  • Eye Shadow X 6 in Oh Holy Eyes: Swatches smoothly and intensely, but when the shadows are applied dry, they’re sheer on my lids. The shimmers are pretty frosty, too, so I had to buff like crazy to take the shine down a few notches.
  • Pigment in PatrickStarrr: Fine shimmer? I like!
  • Mineralize Skinfinish in Baby Its Gold Outside: Intense and frosty.
  • Lipstick in Spank Me Santa: A smooth, opaque, WEARABLE rose
  • Dazzleglass in Twerk for Gifts: Surprisingly subtle glitter that isn’t gritty. Love this as a layering gloss for nudes and pinks.
  • Set Powder: Completely translucent (no flashback), but very, very matte.
mac patrick starrr holiday k2
Lips: Spank Me Santa Lipstick and Twerk For Gifts Dazzleglass

[Continue reading…]

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, MAC Makeup, Makeup

Have You Tried the $7 Trader Joe’s Facial Cleansing Oil With Argan & Coconut Oils?

November 29th, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

trader joes facial cleansing oil

The Trader Joe’s beauty section should have a big-@ss warning sign above the aisle — something akin to “BEWARE! YOU’RE ENTERING SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT SPENDING TERRITORY!”

That would work, or better yet a huge LCD screen with winged dollar bills floating away, since we’re moving toward a world where we will soon be communicating solely through emojis. ? ? ? ? ?

I’ve always had trouble saying “no” to anything having to do with makeup removal, especially face oils, because what goes on, must come off, so grabbing this facial cleansing oil was a no-brainer. Somehow, TJ’s found a way to make it smell like the most heavenly mix of eucalyptus, lemon verbena and roses, although, from a quick scan of the ingredients, it doesn’t appear to have any of those things in it!

And speaking of the ingredient list, it contains different types of oils, too, not just argan and coconut. I also see sunflower, crambe abyssinica seed (which is new to me) and capyrylic/capric triglyceride.

trader joes facial cleansing oil

trader joes facial cleansing oil

It doesn’t look like this will replace my beloved DHC Deep Cleansing Oil anytime soon. I mean, it’s fine for removing mellower makeup — basically anything non-waterproof is fine — but it can’t handle heavy-duty, long-wearing stuff on its own. It’s $7 for a 4-oz. bottle, though, so the price is right, and it doesn’t break me out or make my combo skin feel dry, so I’m not too crabby about it not being all that effective on long-wearing makeup. But still…I’m not about to go into hoarder mode for it. I’ll save that for when the Rose Hand Cream comes back!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews, Skin Care, Trader Joe's Keywords: trader joe's, trader joe's facial cleansing oil review

A Whole Lotta Lip Swatches

November 28th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

mac sweet assortment retro matte shiny pretty things
MAC Sweet Assortment: Retro Matte/Shiny Pretty Things holiday set

Heya, friend. How’s it going? I miss you. Hope you’re doing well. I’m chugging along…albeit slowly and not very productively. I’m in the midst of a midweek malaise, perhaps tied to the fact that it’s cloudy and drizzling. 🙁

It’s as if I’ve completely forgotten how to function normally or something!

I hope to regain the gift of gab again soon, but while I continue to quietly work through it, please enjoy this bevy o’ lip swatches…

MAC Sweet Assortment: Retro Matte/Shiny Pretty Things (a $69.50 limited edition holiday set)

This is a limited edition holiday set (one of many) available at MAC right now. I like it because all of the Retro Mattes are full size.

mac oh lady swatch
MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Oh Lady
mac dance with me swatch
MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in High Drama
mac burnt spice swatch
MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Burnt Spice
mac fashion legacy swatch
MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Fashion Legacy
mac so me swatch
MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in So Me

[Continue reading…]

There are 10 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Christian Audette, Lips, MAC Makeup, Makeup

Origins Lip Swatches (LOTS of Them), Post-Thanksgiving Doldrums, and Michael B. Jordan (BABE!)

November 27th, 2018 by Karen 29 Comments

Seriously, what was I thinking?? Yesterday I thought I’d just get back in the saddle, sit at my desk, and resume my pre-Thanksgiving work groove…

Nope! Apparently, I must have lost my damn mind, because why is it SO HARD to get back into the swing of things after a big holiday? Especially Thanksgiving? I don’t know… (Maybe it’s all the food.)

Yesterday was a tough one. I love my routines, and the holiday broke ’em.

Anyway, it’s always hard for me to get back into my routines after a holiday, and I know it’s hard for other people, too. It’s vexing. I’m vexed… Ha ha ha! Yesterday morning I sat at my desk for three hours trying to describe Fresh Seaberry Skin Nutrition Cleansing Oil while everything and the kitchen sink crossed my mind.

I simply could NOT concentrate, so, on that note, here’s a picture of Michael B. Jordan…

He is SO adorable. I saw him in Creed II the other night, and El Hub was like, “Hey, I wanna watch Creed II,” and I was like, “Boxing? Meh… But Michael B. Jordan? ALRIGHT!”

And it’s not just that he’s good-looking (he is though!). He’s also a good actor, and I’ve seen him in interviews and other things, and he seems like he as a good head on his shoulders, but who knows, right? The media portrays people in a certain light, and the light that bathes Michael B. Jordan is GOOD, ha ha!

Anyway, he seems like a nice guy. And polite.

Don’t ask me why, but polite does it for me. I mean, the handsomeness and the muscles do it for me too, but good manners and good grammar go a long way, which is why I married my husband.

Anyway!

It’s a good movie if you’re looking for something to watch on date night (Side note: It was co-written by Sylvester Stallone. Who would’ve thunk it?).

Now, just so I don’t leave you without anything makeup-related whatsoever, here are a whole lotta lip swatches from Origins…

origins lipsticks
New lipsticks and balms by Origins ($20 each)

Origins just relaunched a line of really, REALLY good lipsticks and lip balms. They’re super moisturizing, smooth, and they don’t settle into lip lines.

The lipsticks are similar to the MAC Amplified Cremes (hella pigmented!), but the balms are sheer and moisturizing like the NARS Orgasm Lip Balm that came out last spring. I have one in every pocket of every coat.

They’re addictive that way.

From the PR:

What It Is:
Kissed by nature. Made with 12 flowers, this long-wear lipstick provides bold, rich, full-coverage color that hydrates & conditions, stays color-true & lasts all day. Available in 24 fresh-picked shades.

What It Does:
The power of nature meets the proof of science. Infused with Crushed Petals, repurposed Buttery Flower Waxes, Flower Honeys & Essential Oils, this full-coverage lipstick packs a punch of color without skimping on what’s important. It keeps lips, hydrated, conditioned & smooth for hours & stays brilliantly bold from morning to night.

We Formulate Without:
Parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol, mineral oil, DEA, petrolatum, paraffin, polyethylene beads, formaldehyde & animal ingredients*
*except cruelty-free honey & beeswax

Ingredients:
12 FLOWERS
From Lavender to Rose, we infused a dozen Flowers into our lip-loving colors. Crushed Petals, repurposed Buttery Flower Waxes from perfumeries & Wildflower Honey help condition & protect your pout from dryness while helping give our lipstick its petal-soft texture. Essential Oils scent the shades. Inspired by nature & made with nature, Blooming Bold™ brings out your bold beauty.

origins merlot moon 12
Blooming Bold Lipstick in Merlot Moon
origins wild flower 11
Blooming Bold Lipstick in Wild Flower
origins va va violet 10
Blooming Bold Lipstick in Va Va Violet
origins dusky rose
Blooming Bold Lipstick in Dusky Rose
origins sweeter than honey 8
Blooming Bold Lipstick in Sweeter Than Honey

[Continue reading…]

There are 29 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Lips, Makeup, Origins

Makeup of the Day // Shades of Blue Liner

November 20th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

chanel splendeur et audace palette k 2
Feeling blue

I got the idea for this metallic blue eyeliner look from a look Kristin Stewart wore to Cannes earlier this year, and I’ve been wanting to wear it ever since. Obviously, I’m no Beau Nelson (I WISH), but I tried.

#kristenstewart in Cannes hair by @bridgetbragerhair styling @taraswennen makeup and Photo by me @beau_nelson #beaunelsonstudio

A post shared by Beau Nelson (@beau_nelson) on May 10, 2018 at 12:31pm PDT

There are so many things I love about this makeup look, but the main things are 1) how vibrant and metallic the liner is, and 2) how the liner morphs from bright metallic teal in the inner corner, to green in the middle (it isn’t obvious, but it’s there, methinks) and a dark blue in the corner, and that’s just along the upper lash line! The lower lash line has these small, subtle blocks of dark blue interspersed with teal… It’s colorful but not cray-cray.

I would totally wear this out to run errands. In fact, I did, out to get groceries, and I almost said “WASSSSUP” to the older woman who straight-up stared at me in the bread aisle as if I were a visitor from another planet.

chanel splendeur et audace palette k 1

Some thoughts on the key products

The most complicated thing in this look is the liner, but you can make it as easy or as complicated as you want. If you want to go a simpler route, you can use a couple of bright metallic blue pencils and a black liner on your water line, but I did a combination of eyeliner, cream shadow and powder shadow… Basically, I was in the mood to play. 🙂

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Electric: A metallic teal with silver glitter, available in the permanent line. It’s super bright and intense, but don’t get it anywhere close to your water line because your eyes will tear up if they’re sensitive.

Chanel Stylo Ombre Et Contour in Contour Graphique ($34): I used this dark matte navy as a base for the darker blue parts of the liner. It’s creamy, smudgy and intensely pigmented. It also takes about 5 minutes to fully dry down, so you’ll have lots of time to play with it.

Chanel Splendeur et Audace Quad ($61): I layered the black and blue shades on top of the dark matte navy liner. It’s shiny but less intensely metallic than similar shadows from Urban Decay and MAC… Eh, it’s alright.

[Continue reading…]

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Christian Audette, Eyes, Makeup, Palettes, Viseart

For You, What’s the Hardest Thing About Doing Eye Makeup?

November 16th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

urban decay basquiat tenant palette
When you wanna wear all the things…

Oh, gosh, where do I even start? — because there are so many levels and layers to this answer! Out of all the things that are hard for me about doing eye makeup (and, dude, there are so many of them), the hardest for me is applying eyeshadow.

Loved it since the beginning of time, but it took me years to figure out what to do with it with any degree of competency.

And when I really started putting ALL THE THINGS on my lids, I read books and tried to follow tutorials, so I’d put color in the crease and the outer third (like all makeup junkies are wont to do), and then I’d look in the mirror at the final product and think, WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK? Seriously. LOL!

Eventually, I figured out that I was placing eyeshadow on my lids in ways that didn’t suit my eye shape (they’re slightly hooded and turn down at the outer corners), and it took a lot of trial and error to figure out a better way for me (I have to put eyeshadow higher up on my lids and closer to the center; otherwise, it drags my eyes down).

It still isn’t easy to this day, especially when I’m using multiple colors, but at least it’s slightly manageable.

How about you? What’s the hardest thing about doing eye makeup?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup

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