Daily Photo

The Spice Must Flow…Through Covergirl Clean Glow Bronzer in Spices

September 11th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Spices: for adding flava to your look.

OK, that was corny…

Like spicy corn salsa. 🙂

Covergirl’s Clean Glow Bronzer in Spices ($7.89) is a matte powder bronzer with a bit o’ kick to it. It may not pack enough heat for darker skin tones, but it’s got a little somethin’-somethin’.

Use the peachy brown, tan and dark taupe-brown separately, or mix them together to contour and warm up the skin.

I actually don’t use this as a bronzer, but rather as an improv matte eyeshadow palette.

Yup, that’s right. I think the medium and dark shades make fantastic crease colors, and the lightest shade does a bang-up job as a brow bone highlighter.

Gotta love those multi-taskers (especially when they cost less than $8).

If you’re interested in spicing up your life with Spices, you can find it now at drugstores, supermarkets and online.

If You Have Eyes for Copper, Plum and Burgundy Shades, Try Covergirl Queen Collection Eye Shadow Pot in Dazzle Q185

September 10th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Covergirl Queen Collection Eye Shadow Pot in Dazzle Q185

Dazzle Q185, meet the Dupe Alert 3000.

Dupe Alert 3000, meet Dazzle Q185.

I had high hopes that Covergirl Queen Collection Eye Shadow Pot in Dazzle Q185 ($4.49) would be a respectable, dramatically less expensive dupe for MAC Mulch, but according the Dupe Alert 3000, “BEEP! Subject is a little too coppery red. BEEP-BOOP! Match negative.”

Oh, well.

That doesn’t stop Dazzle Q185 from being a beautiful shade in its own right. It packs plenty o’ pigment and looks even more intense layered with a reddish copper cream shadow. I really dig it with Laura Mercier Burnished Copper or Chanel’s New Moon.

I think it also goes well with colors that contain plummy and burgundy tones, like MAC Sable, Twinks and Sketch.

So there, stupid Dupe Alert 3000. Take that. 🙂

Covergirl Queen Collection Dazzle Q185 (left) and MAC Mulch (right) — Covergirl Dazzle Q185 (left) and MAC Mulch (right)

Vintage Paul & Joe Cures Cat Crankiness Caused by the New Shupette Collection

September 9th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

I think Tabs and I have our cycles synched.

OK…that sounded crazier than I thought it would in print.

It could be true, though, except for the fact that he’s a neutered male kitty.

I mean, except for that.

Still, based on my current PMS-fueled moodiness and his fussy tabby rage, one could logically conclude…

No, not really. 🙂

I’m cranky because of hormones, but Tabs is cranky because of Choupette Lagerfeld’s new collaboration with Shu Uemura on the cleverly named Shupette Collection, an upcoming holiday makeup release.

They’ve been rivals for a few years (Tabs and Choupette). Sure, they’re polite in public, but in private, well, let’s just say that they’re not exactly cuddling in the cat tower.

I’ve been trying to soothe Tabs by showing him pieces of kitty-themed makeup, like these vintage Paul & Joe pieces from spring 2012.

It’s kind of working so far…

Remember this launch? Pure purr-fection. Definitely a great moment in cat-related makeup history.

Sunday Funday: The Presidio of San Francisco and a Visit to The Walt Disney Family Museum’s Mary Blair Exhibit

September 8th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Have you ever been to the Presidio in San Francisco? It’s a park and former military base on the northern tip of the peninsula that makes up the whole city.

It’s recognizable by the red ceramic tiled roofs of the buildings, which are mostly former military offices and barracks. Now many of them are home to museums, schools and businesses, like Lucasfilm (yup, Star Wars), which has a large presence there.

Yesterday El Hub and I drove down to hit up The Walt Disney Family Museum, which we’d never visited before, and we’re both huge Disney fans.

We arrived to a pleasant surprise.

FOOD!

Off The Grid is this big jamboree of fancy food trucks and food stands. Lots of interesting, eclectic eats. They hold them in a few different parts of the Bay Area, usually one day a week. We didn’t know this ahead of time, but it was being held yesterday right across from the museum.

I ended up having a wild sea bass salmon roll for lunch and a salted caramel creme brulee for dessert. El Hub had a mixed plate of Vietnamese-style barbecue chicken and rice.

After that, with full tummies, we headed to the museum.

I’d wanted to go to the museum because yesterday was the final day of their Mary Blair exhibit.

Mary Blair was an influential member of the Disney animation team during the ’40s and ’50s era. Classically trained as a fine artist, she was known for bringing a very colorful, playful artistic style. Among her many contributions to the Disney movies from that time, she also designed the theme and artwork for Disneyland’s It’s a Small World.

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The Majestic Savannah Tabby

September 5th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

I am not kidding here. Half the pics on my computer are of my left arm (my swatch arm), and the other half are pics of Tabs.

I never get tired of looking at that face! 🙂 I think he looks extra leonine today.

You’re Just Purrfect!

September 4th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

I know it probably isn’t your birthday today, but maybe it is. Everyone has a birthday, after all. And sooner or later you’ll have one too, and when you do, this card is for you (it’s also available online at rockscissorpaper.com for $3.95). 🙂

That rockscissorpaper.com site is actually a goldmine of CCL-themed items.

How about this mug for the resident cat lady in your life? It’s never too early to start planning for the holidays…

The Illamasqua Fatale Palette Is a Fall Fatale of Purply, Brownish Taupe Terrific-Ness

September 3rd, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

I’ve been hesitant to embrace Illamasqua’s Fatale Palette while it was in the upper 80s and 90s here, but now that Labor Day is behind us, and it’s been a bit cooler outside, the shimmery bronze, berry, violet and purplish, brownish taupe (OMG, LOVE), are starting to feel right.

With Sephora no longer carrying the line, Illamasqua hasn’t been that easy to find here in the US these days, but the $55 Fatale palette is still available online at illamasqua.com, and at select Bloomingdales, Hudson’s Bay and Kryolan stores.

I’m tellin’ ya — that purply brown taupe will haunt your dreams! 🙂

Feed Parched Paws Rhubarb & Roses: Molton Brown London Rhubarb & Rose Replenishing Hand Cream

September 1st, 2014 by Karen 8 Comments

Molton Brown London Rhubarb & Rose Replenishing Hand Cream

Surprise! — Molton Brown London’s Rhubarb & Rose Replenishing Hand Cream ($15) smells neither like roses nor rhubarb, even though it does contain the extracts of both botanicals.

That said, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the brand had attempted said wacky scent combo and managed to pull it off. They are, after all, the gang behind Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod, which seemed to me like it would smell, I dunno, funky and spicy, but somehow — don’t ask me how — it totally worked.

To my basset hound-like sense of smell, Rhubarb & Rose hand cream evokes fancy fizzy citrus cocktails. It has notes of yuzu (a citrus fruit originally from East Asia), grapefruit and mandarin. My schnoz also picks up a hint of sweet champagne. The concoction is very crisp and invigorating.

Quite the pick-me-up when I wear it.

The moisturizing cream also doesn’t coat my claws with an annoying sticky or greasy film, and it’s always quick to absorb.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the pink tube is cute. 🙂

There’s even a matching hand wash which, not gonna lie, I’m kind of obsessed with.

“Why?” you may ask.

Well…because it comes with a pink bow.

I’m a hand cream junkie (I always, ALWAYS, have one in my purse, and another one on my desk) and this one is my current crush. A 1.4-oz. tube of Rhubarb & Rose Replenishing Hand Cream will set you back $15, and you can find it now at Neiman Marcus stores and online.