Daily Beauty

The Kristin Perry Dainty Crystal Spike Ear Cuffs Are Warrior Princess-Approved

July 14th, 2015 by Karen 16 Comments

kristin perry dainty crystal spike ear cuff 890

You know what they say: “Ear cuffs are the new studs!”

Wait — is that what they say? Maybe? I hope so.

I’m going through a non-dangly earrings phase, and these extra sparkly Dainty Crystal Spike Ear Cuffs ($28) by Kristin Perry have been a perfect alternative to everyday studs.

This one is just a single cuff for the left ear only, which I like. Makes me feel like a warrior princess or something, and I think a pair of them might be a little too matchy-matchy.

I usually wear it with one of my cat studs on my other ear because…well, I’m a crazy cat lady like that. 🙂

P.S. Oh, my gosh. I’m watching Beaches for the first time, and I may or may not be a little teary at the moment. 🙁

I don’t know what took me so long to watch it. It’s really good!

The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils Get Some New Shades: 1993, Bad Blood, Bittersweet, Blackmail and Stark Naked

July 6th, 2015 by Karen 23 Comments

urban decay glide on lip pencil — The Urban Decay Glide-On Lip Pencils from the left in 1993, Bad Blood, Bittersweet, Blackmail and Stark Naked

The year was 1993… The city was Novato. Makeup police were investigating a case of beauty Blackmail that resulted in Bad Blood between two makeup-loving friends. According to the unofficial report and secondhand eyewitness accounts, the story had a Bittersweet ending involving a crazy woman running Stark Naked through the streets!

See, this is what happens when someone with an overactive imagination plays with these five new Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils ($20). 🙂

These new matte lip liners match colors from the new Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick line, namely medium brown 1993, deep red Bad Blood, bright purple Bittersweet, deep berry Blackmail and light nude Stark Naked.

Bad Blood, 1993, Bittersweet and Stark Naked get enthusiastic high-fives from me, because they’re super creamy and glide across my skin without skipping a beat (much like typical 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils), but Blackmail is kind of a mess… It’s dry, patchy and pulls at my skin, bah!

urban decay glide on lip pencil 2 — Urban Decay Glide-On Lip Pencils from the left in 1993, Bad Blood, Bittersweet, Blackmail and Stark Naked

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Kendall Jenner Has a New Estee Lauder Lipstick, and It Has Me Feeling Restless

June 24th, 2015 by Karen 24 Comments

Are you feeling Restless? If so, fear not, intrepid lipstick explorer! Adventure awaits! Just point your web browsery thingamabob toward Estee Lauder. Their new $30 Restless matte red lipstick, the product of a collaboration with current spokesmodel Kendall Jenner, is an online exclusive.

Available now for a limited time, it’s a warm, vibrant poppy red with a flat matte finish similar to MAC Lady Danger.

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Travel Makeup: What I Brought And What I Wore

June 15th, 2015 by Karen 33 Comments

Because I get a kick out of seeing what other people bring on their trips (I guess I’m just a voyeur like that!), here’s all the makeup stuff I brought on mine.

Everything in this picture here fit in my MAC Mia Moretti bag.

For the record, the trip was about three full days (I know, I brought a lot), and this was all under the assumption that it was going to be hot and muggy in New Orleans, which it was.

Actually, that doesn’t come remotely close to describing just how hot and muggy it really was. I was covered in a layer of sweat pretty much the entire time.

Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm (a few pumps in a spare contact lens case)
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer (a few squeezes into another contact lens case)
Diorskin Nude Air Serum (made a sample for myself in a small sample-size jar, but it leaked, BOO!)
NARS Pro Prime Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel
Estee Lauder Little Black Primer
Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara
Make Up For Ever Double Barrel Pencil Sharpener
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Black Swan
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliners in Santal and Noir Intense
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in Deeper
MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge
MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork
MAC Monsters Bride Pro Palette X 6 (limited edition, but it has Mylar, Omega, Club, Brun and Carbon, which are some of my most-worn, favorite MAC permanent shades of all time)
MAC Eye Shadow in Cork
MAC Eye Shadow in Woodwinked
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Tan
Shu Uemura Lash Curler
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Biscuit
YSL Touche Eclat in 4.5
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant Light
Bobbi Brown Face & Body Bronzing Duo in Antigua and Golden Light
Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment
NARS Satin Lip Pencils in Lodhi, Yu and Jardin Des Plantes
MAC Lipsticks in Runway Hit, Lady Danger and Play It Soft
Tom Ford Cognac Sable Quad
Tom Ford Lipsticks in Skinnydip, Paradisco and Sable Smoke
Neutrogena Deep Clean Long-Last Shine Control Blotting Sheets (not pictured above)

So that was everything I brought, but this is everything I actually wore…

So I didn’t use everything I brought.

The lesson I learned? I could have left most of the eyeshadows and lipsticks at home…but a girl’s gotta have options, you know?

At least that’s what I told myself as I stuffed things in the bag, LOL!

Overpacking. It’s a problem. 🙂

Tabs on His Deck

June 2nd, 2015 by Karen 12 Comments

Tabs loves his deck garden so much. It’s really coming along now. The tomatoes have already started to sprout tiny little green tomatoes, the cat grass has grown tall, and the catnip growing inside the Tabby Command Center is also doing well.

There are different varieties of tomato plants, some basil and red peppers, catnip, cat grass, parsley, cilantro, sunflowers, zucchini, gerbera daisies and zinnia… I’m sure I’m also forgetting something.

It’s quite a nice spread for a mostly indoor tabby, and he loves spending time out there.

He spends at least 30 minutes outside twice a day. First he inspects the garden, then he does a shift on guard duty in the Tabby Command Center.

Some of his favorite things to do out on the deck are…

1. Climb all over the command center and stand awkwardly on the wooden platforms

2. Clean

3. Scratch, sniff and claw at things

4. Lounge around on the deck

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With the Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Powder Duo Bronzers, Subtlety Plays a Big Part

May 29th, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

If there’s one thing Guerlain “gets” better than most brands it’s bronzers. They do toasty, tanned glows so well.

The latest additions to their brood of bad-@ss bronzers, the $53 Terracotta Joli Teint Natural Healthy Glow Powder Duos, are available now in four shades — 00 Light Blondes, 02 Natural Blondes, 01 Clair Brunettes and 03 Naturel Brunettes — and even though their names correspond to different hair colors, I don’t think you have to necessarily stick to your matching shade. Myself, I bounce back and forth between 02 Naturel Blondes and 01 Clair Brunettes.

These face powder duos pair a bronzing shade for warmth with a brighter pop of color for radiance in every pan, and breaking with their own tradition when it comes to bronzers, Guerlain made these less pigmented this time around. These are more like light golden tan browns than the rich bronzed browns I’m more accustomed to seeing from the brand.

The goal was to glow without looking garish, so subtlety plays a big part — more subtlety than usual for bronzers by Guerlain.

And that’s also a caveat. When I wear these, I don’t really see a major wow factor on my medium-toned skin. The effect may be a little too subtle for some makeup lovers, especially darker divas, and especially considering the $53 price.

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The Impeccably Dressed and Long-Lasting Sisley-Paris Phyto-Eye Twist Waterproof Cream Eyeshadows

May 27th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

Aside from their very fashionable zebra stripes, many brands make shadow sticks that look like these Sisley-Paris Phyto-Eye Twist Waterproof Cream Eyeshadows, but I don’t recall one being dressed as well or one costing as much (they’re $50!).

Dat black and white zebra print, tho.

Sometimes I feel like putting an animal print on something is a gimmicky (albeit usually effective) way to make it seem better…

Sisley-Paris, a high-end skin care and makeup brand, promotes their use of plant-based ingredients (full list of ingredients down below, but note — not all of them look natural), and if the thought of spending $50 for a waterproof creamy eyeshadow stick seems crazier than Ryan Gosling showing up at your front door astride a unicorn while carrying a bouquet of peonies and a homemade Key lime pie, they hope that their ingredients are one reason it’s not.

Despite their extravagant price, I do think that these are gorgeous on the skin, and they’re pigmented, smooth and dramatic with a capital “D.”

Here are two of the eight available shades. The others are 1 Topaz, 3 Khaki, 4 Steel, 6 Marine, 7 Havana and 8 Black Diamond.

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Paul & Joe Nail Polish in Bitter Lime: This Bitter Got Better

May 21st, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

OK, yeah…I admit it. It took me a little while to get on board with Paul & Joe Nail Polish in Bitter Lime ($16).

I don’t know why, but it reminds me of funky ’70s kitchen decor. I vaguely recall our fridge and countertops at home being this color back in the day.

My gut said, “Ew…” when I applied Bitter Lime for the first time, but I kept it on for the sake of experimentation. Within a few hours, my opinion if it started to change for the better. I like how it looks in different light, like in the natural light through the window in my office, it’s like a highlighter yellow, but under the “warm white” bulbs in the bathroom, it’s more of a lime green.

I might be too easily amused (not might — am).

And I love the shiny finish. (*makes grabby hands*) In these pics I’m wearing two coats without a base or top coat.

The formula’s also incredibly sturdy, like OPI-caliber sturdy. When I applied it last week with just two coats and nothing else to help it along, it lasted me three or four days before I saw any chipping at all, and I’m full-time typist tough on my nails. If I were to wear it with a base and top coat, I’m sure it would lasts me six or seven days at least, which would be pretty darned good for me.

Bitter Lime is a limited edition $16 lacquer in the new Paul & Joe Summer Collection, and it’s available now online and at Paul & Joe counters.

Also wearing…

Clutch — LOFT Art Floral Pouch
Dress — LOFT Striped Strappy Flare Dress
Necklace — an oldie from Kate Spade (but here’s something similar)
Nails — Paul & Joe Nail Polish in Bitter Lime

P.S. How’s it going today, my friend? On a scale of 1-10, how’s your Thursday been so far? I’d say mine’s been about a 7.5, which rounds up to 8. 🙂