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
YO. I literally cannot escape my manager. He’s on my @ss 24/7, watching me, looking over my shoulder, micromanaging every. Single. Thing.
Even when he’s allegedly “taking a break,” he keeps one eye open, so he can monitor my activities.
It’s a Devil Wears Prada situation to the Nth degree. MY BOSS IS A BEAST!
Guerlain Baby Glow, Guerlain Baby Glow, Guerlain Baby Glow… Now try to say that three times really fast without thinking of tiny glow-in-the-dark infants.
It’s almost impossible, isn’t it?? THOSE DAMNED GLOWING BABIES.
I’ve always wanted to look like an incandescent infant.
OK, not really. 🙂 But I like the idea behind Baby Glow. It’s a sheer foundation that’s supposed to make you look less stressed and flat-out exhausted by appearing to plump your skin (only aesthetically; it doesn’t actually plump it) and make it look more luminous.
The new product line recently launched with the spring collection in just three shades ($54 each) — 02 Clair, 03 Medium and 04 Dore.
I’m closest to 04 Dore, the deepest shade (incidentally, I’m an NC42 in MAC-speak), a medium-toned peachy golden tan, although I think it’s still a tad too light for me to wear on its own, so I warm it up with some bronzer or mix it with a darker foundation.
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I have a serious Vitamin Water Zero addiction, and by “addiction,” I mean that I could easily chug three or four bottles every day.
They’re just so darned tasty!
But I’ve also been trying to cut back a little on processed and packaged foods and drinks lately because I recently realized (again, because I re-realize this all the time) that I feel really good when I eat more of what my husband calls “rabbit food” — lots of veggies, fruit and not a lot of processed carbs and pre-made schtuff.
We’ll see how long the phase lasts this time, ’cause it’s all fun and games until someone opens a jar of Nutella…
Anywho, in my latest attempt to curb my Vitamin Water Zero addiction/habit, I’ve been making improv fruit infused water at home.
Why? Because it’s easy and delicious. 🙂
This time I used some gigantic strawberries I found at Trader Joe’s and some little oranges from my orange tree.
Chop, chop, chop into thin slices…
Then plop the slices into a pitcher and fill with water.
Let that chill in the fridge for a few hours, and voila! — water infused with the flavors of yo’ fruit!
Give it a try sometime. I highly recommend strawberry and orange, and cucumber and lemon/lime.
Ooh! And Grapefruit and pomegranate’s also delish.
Hmm… How does one take pics of herself wearing a fabric face mask and still look cute? I’m lookin’ for ideas. If you have any, by all means, please share with the class.
‘Cause I dunno.
Walking around the house looking like Jason Voorhees does have its perks, though, like, it makes doing work at your desk seem less like work, because it’s hard to get stressed while one of these cloth face masks is doing its plumping and hydrating thing.
I’m also that much better prepared to scare away the neighborhood kids when they come a-knockin’ to sell chocolate bars, because THIS LADY DON’T NEED ANOTHER CHOCOLATE BAR, SON.
I checked out these Sephora Collection masks today! The rainbow display was hard to miss.
So, I really like the face masks by SK-II, but clutch my pears! — those things are obscenely expensive ($135). They’re maybe a once-every-two-years thing.
These Sephora masks, on the other hand, are only $6 each, and there are eight.
From the Sephora website…
- Lingzhi Mask: Creates the appearance of smoother, plumper, and younger-looking skin.
- Lotus Mask: Refreshes tired skin and reduces signs of strain and fatigue.
- Honey Mask: Nourishes and balances to soothe and refresh dry or sensitive skin.
- Pearl Mask: Perfects and brightens with natural-origin pearl to create high luminosity.
- Ginseng Mask: Tones and energizes while providing a tightening effect for a plumped and supple complexion.
- Green Tea Mask: Mattifies and purifies to soothe skin, absorb sebum, and reduce the appearance of outbreaks.
- Rose Mask: Provides deep moisture and brightening properties through natural rose extract.
- Pomegranate Mask: Awakens, energizes, and protects the skin with antioxidant-rich natural pomegranate extract.
I chatted with a friendly Sephora makeup artist in the store, and she mentioned that the Rose Mask was their bestseller, so I grabbed one of those. She also recommended the Honey Mask for straight-up hydration, and since the masks are only $6 each…
Twist my arm, why don’t ya! 🙂
She also said that her personal favorite was the new Lotus Mask for refreshing tired skin, so maybe I’ll try that one next time.
All of them are easy to use. Just open the package, apply to clean, dry skin, and leave it on for 15 minutes. Then remove and gently massage any remaining product into your skin. No need to rinse.
When I got home from Sephora this afternoon, I washed my face and used the Rose Mask.
I was surprised by the amount of product in the fabric, considering that it’s only a $6 mask.
I think the SK-II masks I’ve tried in the past were juicer? — for lack of a better word, but this one is still moderately juicy, LOL!
When I removed the mask today and did a little facial massage, as per the directions, my skin felt a little less dry. I think I also looked less tired and more radiant.
That said, the areas around my mouth and cheeks that were dry before I used the mask were still a tad tight…although a bit better, so maybe this particular mask isn’t as ideally moisturizing as I’d like.
But it’s $6…which is $129 less than the SK-II masks (!).
I’m really looking forward to trying the Honey Mask next. Hopefully that one’s even more moisturizing.
If you’re interested, Sephora has an online-only deal going on now where if you buy four masks, you get a fifth mask free.
In a parallel universe, maybe I could have been a symphony flute player…
In this universe, music was a huge part of my identity and life from the age of four until I left for college, when it stopped being the main focus (you know how it is). I spent years and years in band and taking piano lessons and doing scales and practicing and performing on stages and football fields. I played flute, French horn (so much spit!), piano, piccolo and a wee bit of trumpet.
Now I kind of wish I’d stayed involved in music over the years because — oh! — the symphony.
El Hub and I went for our Valentine’s Day special date night. 🙂
It was the San Francisco Symphony at the Davies Symphony Hall. They did a special Valentine’s tribute to Mozart.
So, there was music…and I got to dress up and wear bright lipstick. Score! 🙂
The first part of the performance was Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K. 459…
After so many years playing piano as a kid, I can still kind of tell where the music is supposed to go (although I never played anything that difficult).
The second part of the performance was by a composer I wasn’t familiar with, someone named Sibelius. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 43.
I can totally see this one in a modern day movie soundtrack. It’s a good one to listen to with your eyes closed.
Also, since a gal’s gotta eat, before the performance we had dinner at Chez Maman, a little French Bistro right around the corner from the symphony hall…
Very casual place and good food. They don’t take reservations, and prices are reasonable (for that part of the city). It was a warm night, so we had our dinner outside just as the sun was setting…
Hello, romance. 🙂 Our table was tucked away in a corner on the sidewalk, not easily accessible, so our waiter would pass our food to us through the window next to me.
Everything was delish, but the crème brûlée? Best part. I live for cracking that crust on crème brûlée, homie.
Boo! Happy Friday the 13th from Novato, California.
Actually, this black cat’s name is Boo Radley. That’s what I named him. 🙂 I saw Mr. Radley today on my walk around the neighborhood. He’s your black cat of the day. For the record, you’re crossing his path. He’s not crossing yours.
This is the hill that Tabs patrols on his walks with me. It’s his favorite place in the world. 🙂
Welcome to the jungle, baby! Every piece of makeup in this $60 limited edition six-piece set (seven pieces including the makeup bag) has Tarte’s signature skin-lovin’ ingredient.
Amazonian Clay, anyone?
The set includes a bottle of Maracuja Miracle Foundation (available in Fair, Light, Light-Medium, Medium, Tan or Deep), a tube of LipSurgence Liquid Lipshine in a berry shade, a tube of Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara, two brushes, a makeup bag and, the apparent star of the show, the Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette with a coral powder blush and six cool-toned powder eyeshadows.
The blush, gloss and mascara are the standouts for me. All three have that fresh, natural-looking, “Oh, I’m just chillaxing on my day off!” makeup look.
As for the eyeshadows…for me, I prefer a little more pigment, but if you like fairly sheer pigments and cool color temps, you’ll find those here.
The $60 limited edition set is a QVC.com exclusive, available one day only, February 13, 2015, so make a note in your Hello Kitty day planner if you’re interested. 🙂
With this little gang of new liners from Estée Lauder, my water lines are like, “Hey, ma! Stick around a while. Please…?”
Yup, lash lines get all the lovin’ around Estée Lauder’s Stay-in-Place Double Wear Eye Pencils, and the two are practically joined at the hip.
These pencils last a good seven or eight hours on my lash lines (!), which is cool and all…but what’s up with the lack of water line love?
It makes me a sad panda. 🙁 Because sometimes homegirl doesn’t want to have to grab another liner just to handle her water line sitch. Some days that’s just too much, and I can’t. I just can’t.
These are definitely giving me an Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On vibe, which is kind of odd, I know, considering how Estée Lauder and Urban Decay are about a billion miles apart in terms of makeup style, but still.
Both feel silky, slick and scoot along my skin, which I love. Getting these on my lids is no problem at all — there’s no tugging! — but EL’s pencils do take a few minutes longer to dry down, which means more time to play and smudge with the rubber/smudging thingamabob on the end of the pencils.
In K-Dawg terminology, this is good. 🙂
Their only major drawback (at least for me) is their poor performance on my water lines. Not only do they refuse to stick around, but when I do use them there, my eyes freak out.
Just a little. And this dry winter weather we’re having probably doesn’t help (interestingly, though, my eyes have been able to tolerate the old-school MAC Eye Kohls just fine).
If you only intend to use these Estée Lauder Stay-in-Place Double Wear Eye Pencils on your lash lines, you should be good. They’re available now in 16 shades for $23 each at Estée Lauder counters and online.
P.S. Happy hump day, my friend. I’ve still got that cold, but I’m doing my best to keep chugging along. Tabs has actually been quite helpful (surprisingly). He makes me Throat Coat tea with extra honey and lemon. 🙂
