Drugstore Beauty Finds

Kashuk Tools: 3 Bargain Makeup Brushes that Rock

May 26th, 2008 by Karen 46 Comments

sonia-kashuk-tools-angle-shadow-brush-1

Bargain brush goddess Sonia Kashuk’s gone and done it again. Her Synthetic Flat Top Blusher Brush won me over a few weeks ago, and now I can’t live without several of the brushes from her Kashuk Tools line. I’ve been reaching for the Powder Brush ($19.99), Large Eye Shadow Brush ($12.99) and Angeled Eye Shadow Brush ($9.99) so often that I might as well have all three surgically attached to my hand.

Here’s why I love ’em, and why you might, too. 🙂

sonia-kashuk-tools-power-brush-3

Kashuk Tools Powder Brush

Use: To apply loose or pressed powder to the entire face
Price: $19.99
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Confession time! I keep this brush on my work desk and periodically rub it all over my face for no reason other than to feel its softness against my skin. It sends me into a state of minor ecstasy. I’ll make ooh, ahh sounds, like when I’m eating dulce de leche ice cream. In general, I try to do this when nobody’s looking, but the other day El Hub caught me and said the act looked “kinda pervy.”

But Sonia’s powder brush has even more going for it than its amazing softness. It applies powder evenly on my skin, powder that doesn’t look caked-on, and leaves a lovely, natural finish I just adore.

If you’re tempted to save a few dollars by purchasing the $11.99 white-handled Powder Brush 01 from Sonia’s other Brush Collection line, resist the urge. I’ve used the white-handled brush, too, and it’s not nearly as soft.

sonia-kashuk-tools-angle-shadow-brush-1

Large Eye Shadow Brush

Use: To apply eyeshadow to the entire eyelid area
Price: $12.99
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Sonia’s Large Eye Shadow Brush multi-tasks like a mo-fo. The Kashuk brush brigade designed the thick, soft brush (with a slightly rounded edge) to apply eyeshadow over the entire lid — much like the MAC 252 Large Eye Shader Brush ($29). While I absolutely love the MAC 252 for fast, single washes of color over the entire eye, it doesn’t multi-task quite like Sonia’s Large Eye Shadow Brush does.

Not only do I use Sonia’s Large Eye Shadow Brush for color washes but also to apply color to specific parts of the eye, which I can’t really do with the 252. The rounded shape of Sonia’s brush fits nicely into nooks and crannies — ideal for the crease, under the brow bone or in the outer V.

In a pinch, it even works as a blending brush, too.
[Continue reading…]

Freeman Papaya and Lime Overboard Shine Conditioner: Great Hair for the Cost of a Margarita

May 9th, 2008 by Karen 20 Comments

freeman-papaya-lime-overboard-shine-conditioner

I got softer hair this week for $3.99. I think that’s quite an accomplishment. I’ve been conditioner washing with Freeman Papaya and Lime Overboard Shine Conditioner, and now my hair is so smooth and bouncy-looking that I feel like I belong in a hair commercial, running like a fool with my arms up through a field of flowers while dappled sunlight caresses my new $3.99 hair. Fo’ reals.

Conditioner washing involves showering with a conditioner in place of shampoo. In a nutshell, I skip the shampoo (en lieu of conditioner) a few days a week to extend the life of my hair color and to prevent my wavy hair from drying out. It’s one of my favorite hair beauty tips. I’ve conditioner washed with a number of drugstore conditioners before, but Overboard Shine outshines them all.

I find that I have to use a palm-full of Overboard Shine to clean my shoulder length hair, but in this case I don’t mind having to use a lot of product because it’s so darn cheap. After washing and thoroughly rinsing with Overboard Shine, my hair and scalp feel refreshed and clean without feeling stripped.
[Continue reading…]

Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Flat Top Blusher Brush: A Budget Friendly Beast

May 8th, 2008 by Karen 45 Comments

BOW DOWN before the mighty Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Flat Top Blusher Brush. Marvel at its multi-tasking prowess and how it applies blushes and foundations with ease. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself trembling — with glee! — at the cash register. Not only is this brush amazing, but it’s also cheap — $14.99. Holla!

Billed as a cream blush brush, its synthetic fiber head feels like velvet against my skin. Earlier this week when I used it with Sonia’s Creme Blush, it left just the right amount of color on my cheeks without any streaking. Blending with it was also a snap. It removed harsh lines with ease.

The brush is flat on the top of the head, which is not a totally revolutionary design, but it is one I’d never used before.

I couldn’t help but wonder what else I could use this brush with, so I experimented with it this afternoon. I think it also works great with…
[Continue reading…]

Sonia Kashuk Creme Blushes: Natural, Flushed Cheeks on the Cheap

May 7th, 2008 by Karen 40 Comments

sonia-kashuk-creme-blush-ginger-petal-rosey

Sonia Kashuk’s new Creme Blushes are like buttah, baby. These highly pigmented blushes ($8.99 each — hello, bargain!) feel so soft and creamy to the touch that I’m tempted to grab a knife and spread ’em on toast. I think all three shades are truly bee-yoo-tiful. They pack plenty o’ color for my cheeks and produce a fabulous dewy finish.

Sold exclusively at the House of Tar-ghay (aka Target), these shimmer-free blushes are surprisingly wearable considering how highly pigmented they are. I used a single layer to give my cheeks a natural flush and two layers to creates a bolder pop of color.

I wore two layers of Rosey for my look today.

The three shades, from left to right:

Rosey: pink-coral
Petal: cool rose-pink
Ginger: warm orange-brown

sonia-kashuk-creme-blush-ginger-petal-rosey-swatches

I’ve been wearing these blushes separately for the past few days. To apply them I’ve used Sonia’s Flat Top Blusher Brush ($14.99). The synthetic fiber brush head grabs just enough color and fits nicely onto the apples of my cheeks.

sonia-kashuk-flat-top-blusher-brush

First, I applied foundation followed by a layer of Creme Blush and a dusting of loose powder. I followed it up with a second layer of Creme Blush atop the loose powder.

A layer of powder blush will set Creme Blush, giving it a bit more staying power. On my combo oily/dry skin, Creme Blush by itself lasts about four hours, comparable to how long other cream blushes that I’ve tried have lasted.

To push Creme Blush beyond its limits, I’ll reapply around halfway through the day, swiping a finger across the pan and dabbing and blending a little more product onto my cheeks. The compact comes with a small sponge brush, which certainly works in a pinch, but I ended up throwing mine out because it seemed to cause some streaking.

If I’d tried to use Sonia’s Creme Blushes a few years ago when my skin was oilier than it is now, I doubt I would have liked them as much as I do. They’re emollient-rich, and I have a feeling they would have slid right off my uber-oily skin.

sonia-kashuk-creme-blush-ginger-petal-rosey-2
[Continue reading…]

Hello Aveeno Active Naturals Eczema Care, Goodbye Itchy Skin

March 12th, 2008 by Karen 44 Comments

For me, spring heralds the arrival of allergy season and periodic bouts of hives along with random patches of itchy skin. Yea, spring!

When my allergies are acting up, I try to avoid scented body products because they will often make the situation worse. Thank goodness for Aveeno Active Naturals Eczema Care Body Wash ($9.99 ) and Moisturizing Cream ($9.99), a superstar unscented combo able to clean and moisturize without irritating or drying out my allergy-prone skin.

Aveeno Active Naturals Eczema Care Body Wash and Moisturizing Cream

Use: To cleanse and moisturize the itchy, extra-dry skin associated with eczema
Price: $9.99 apiece
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Both Eczema Care Body Wash and Moisturizing Cream are fragrance- and steroid-free, making them ideal for people with sensitive skin. Created by dermatologists to provide itch relief to eczema sufferers (you don’t have to suffer from eczema to use it, though), each contains oat essence and ceramides, compounds with soothing properties. These products are so gentle that they’re approved for use on baby skin (but, as with any product, read your labels and consult a physician if in doubt). [Continue reading…]

Makeup and Beauty Blog Looks Back on 2007

December 31st, 2007 by Karen 29 Comments

Ahhh, the last day of 2007. I always get a little sad when I know something is coming to an end; I guess it’s the thought of a part of my life ending and knowing I’ll never be able to go back (unless I drop $10 million for those time travel plans on eBay).

When I started this blog, I never imagined how much fun it would be. This year has been, to quote my eighth grade East Bay self circa 1989, “hella cool.”

Dita Von Teese – Interviewing MAC Viva Glam spokesperson Dita Von Teese at the Macy’s Passport fashion show was a trip. She was so stunningly beautiful and I was so nervous. The other day, I listened to the audio recording of the interview and laughed because I even SOUNDED sweaty.

Paris Hilton – The Dita experience really helped, though, when the time came to interview Paris Hilton for the release of Can Can, her new perfume. It was a level of celebrity that I’d never experienced before — body guards, press folks, rabid fans foaming at the mouth. It was the first time I’d interviewed a really high profile celebrity AND the first time I had to do it in a room filled with people watching me. What a learning experience.

SF Fashion Week – But my favorite event of the year was hanging out with MAC backstage at SF Fashion Week. I fell in love with a few products, learned a lot and met other beauty bloggers, like Erika and Christine.

Laura Mercier – There was plenty of Laura Mercier love last spring.

Tokidoki bag – The Tokidoki bag fit all my stuff AND rocked my world.

Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash – Unfortunately, I experienced getting pimples on my butt for the first time. Fortunately, Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash saved my ass (pardon the pun).

43 makeup things – Thanksgiving was an excuse to eat turkey, wear stretchy pants and think about the 43 makeup things I’m thankful for.

43 non-makeup things – Thanksgiving also provided an opportunity to give thanks for everything else.

Chanel Glossimers – I became a fiend for Chanel Glossimers.

Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple – And Purity Made Simple simply rocked my world.

Chanel Garden Party Quad – Chanel’s National Artist John Fussell helped me fall in love with the Chanel Garden Party Quad, and now there’s no turning back!

Smashbox’s Lori Taylor – Smashbox’s Lori Taylor gave some backstage tips from L.A. Fashion Week.

Billy B. – I met and interviewed one of the nicest guys in the beauty biz.

MAC’s awesome Louise Zizzo – Louise Zizzo saved me from myself when the MAC Mattene collection came out.

Celebrity makeup artist Bruce Grayson – Bruce Grayson’s makeup tips from the Emmy’s red carpet.

Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog – I heard from Shy in Chi-town.

Guide to Smart Clubbing – You asked for tough love, and in the Guide to Smart Clubbing I gave it to ya (hey, I’ve had a lot of practice).

Curiositease – And my number one makeup love, MAC, didn’t let me down.

Pigments and Glitters – Remember when I was grouchy about Pigments and Glitters?

MAC Loose Beauty Powder – I fell in love.

Smoke Signals – It rocked my world.

MAC Mad Libs – We had a lil’ fun together.

MAC Mattene lipsticks – Where’s my plaid shirt and my Pearl Jam CD? MAC Mattene lipsticks took me back to the 90s.

A quick smokey eye with MAC shadow – Oh, this is old school.

But the best thing that happened to me this year was meeting all of you. It’s been fun getting to know you and learning about your lives. You’d think that it would be hard to make a connection behind a computer screen, but sometimes I feel like we’re all just having a cup of coffee together and gabbing about makeup.

I hope you make the most of this fantastic last day of the year!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Get Green with L’Oreal, Maybelline and Lancome Eyeshadows

December 23rd, 2007 by Karen 12 Comments

Green is good

Oh, oh, oh! Ever since MAC Parrot eyeshadow entered my life I’ve been a little obsessed with greens, and I’m not talking collards or peas, girl. Behold my current green shadow crushes, from the left to the right: Maybelline Antique Jade Expert Wear Eye Shadow, Lancome Ombre-Eclair in Emerald and L’Oreal’s Pure Pigment Shadow Stick in Mesmerizing.

If you’re still green-shy, then consider Maybelline Antique Jade Expert Wear Eye Shadow (about $3.50), a very pretty true green with no blue undertones. Its soft, pearl finish gives it a subtle shimmer, and in my experience shimmer shadows are easier to blend than mattes and more forgiving.

Because the shadow isn’t as pigmented as MAC or Shu Uemura eyeshadows, you have lots of room for error. I like lining both my upper and lower lashlines with a creamy liner like MAC Technakohl, and then applying Antique Jade to “set” it in much the same way that loose powder sets foundation. Layering the shadow on top of your eyeliner gives eyes a different texture and color than using eyeshadow or eyeliner alone.

Didja ever make chalk drawings on the sidewalk when you were a kid? I dig L’Oreal’s Pure Pigment Shadow Stick in Mesmerizing ($9.99), an olive-green shadow that comes in a stick, not only ’cause it looks like chalk, but also for its flexibility. My lazy beast self likes to use it when I’m in a hurry because it leaves out the middle man, aka the brush. I apply the stick color directly on my lid along the upper lash line, and then smooth out the edges with my fingers for a sheer, shimmery green lid. Two coats of mascara and I’m done!

If I want a bolder look I run the stick briefly under water. Wetting it intensifies the color, turning it into a metallic gold-green. Don’t you love having options?

Last but not least there’s Lancome’s Ombre-Eclair eyeshadow pencil in Emerald ($20.00), a bold green shadow with color punch that comes in an easy-to-use pencil. Soft and creamy, it glides onto my lids without any tugging; just one swipe over my top lid leaves a bright, shiny burst of color.

Be warned: because the formula is smooth like buttah, it does have a tendency to migrate into the crease, so I use it with an industrial strength lid primer like Urban Decay Potion Primer on my top lid. I usually don’t like Potion Primer because it makes shadows hard to blend, but if I’m only going to use one swipe of color it’s fine.

Another option is to layer a dry powder shadow like Antique Jade or MAC Vex on top to prevent color from migrating and create lotsa different effects.

Are ya ready to go green? 😉

Here I go again on my own, going down the only road I’ve ever known…

I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, so it doesn’t feel like Sunday at all! Not having the gnawing feeling of “Here I goooooo again!” in the pit of my stomach sure helps my mental health.

Mega super props if you can name 1.) the video this pic is from and 2.) the woman who made gymnastics on automobiles an art form

Today I did a *ton* of cleaning and then went for a looooong run in the cold (LOL, it’s 55 degrees here in Northern California. I know that’s practically tropical compared to most parts of the country). Now, El Hub and I are off to the movies to elevate our minds with the fine feature film, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Marcello Mastroianni it ain’t, but I need a good mindless flick from time to time!

Are your stockings stuffed? What are you hoping Santa will bring you this Christmas? I’m really wishing for a vat of peppermint ice cream from Baskin Robbins.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Your weekend isn’t complete without the weekend round up of the best posts from the Beauty Blog Network!

I know you didn’t miss Bag Balm Udderly Fantastic [Continue reading…]

Bag Balm is Udderly Fantastic

December 14th, 2007 by Karen 78 Comments

Bag Balm is Udderly Fantastic

Growing up in the burbs meant that I didn’t have much contact with farm animals, so the first time I saw a bottle of Mane n’ Tail shampoo in the drugstore I stood in the aisle for 15 minutes trying to work out what the hell was going on.

mane-n-tail-shampoo

“Hmmm,” I thought. “There are no farms in my ‘hood, so why carry a shampoo for horses on the shelf? And if horses need shampoo, what about conditioner or gel for that matter? Do horses in the wild have rattier hair because they don’t use shampoo? And what kind of woman would use a horse shampoo anyway?” It was all very confusing.

(Full disclosure: I have to point out that I am easily confused. During my entire freshman year in high school I had a picture of Bobby Brown on my algebra binder. I wish I could say that at the time I was trying to be sarcastic, but, unfortunately, that was not the case.)

bobby-brown-dont-be-cruel

Ever since then I’ve been weirdly fascinated by beauty products suitable for use by both animals and humans.

So, three years ago I was cruising Walgreen’s in downtown San Francisco and found a mysterious green tin of BAG BALM in the lotion aisle. That’s when it struck me — de ja vu/vu ja de!

bag-balm-lid

Yes, that is a cow’s head surrounded by a wreath of roses. The tin said it was for “chapped conditions and superficial abrasions” and gave directions on how to use the balm after milking.

WHAT?

It got even better after I saw the picture of udders on the side and read the “special directions”:

“For use on cows, thoroughly wash treated teats and udder with separate towels before each milking. To avoid contamination after each milking, bath the udder with plenty of hot water, strip milk out and dry skin. Apply BAG BALM freely and massage gently with this proven ointment twice daily. This product contains no alcohol.”

LOLOLZ! You better believe I bought that tin on the spot.

I owned no farm animals in need of udder moisturization, so when I got home I really didn’t know what to do with it. For kicks that night I ended up putting a layer on my feet before bed. And, girl, what a happy surprise! Bag Balm is a fantastic moisturizer. My dry heels were velvety soft in the morning.

bag-balm-tin

Around since 1899, Bag Balm is a salve made from a short list of ingredients — 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate 0.3% in a petrolatum, lanolin base. It’s thick and greasy, like a cold stick of Crisco, and it’s stinky, too; the scent reminds me of a mix of old, musty books and fresh street tar. Despite these not-so-attractive factors, my feet can’t live without it because it’s incredibly moisturizing.

I’ve also read that it’s popular for chapped and irritated skin and as a post-tattoo skin soother. ‘Tis cheap, too. One huge 10 oz tin runs about $6.00 and lasts forever. I’ve barely used half of the tin I bought three years ago!

I keep a tin under my couch, so as I’m watching TV before bed I can slather on a layer, massaging it into my feet while paying attention to my heels and cuticles. Then, I’ll pull on a pair of toe socks to keep my feet toasty, and the warmth seems to intensify the moisturization process.

toe-socks

In the morning my tootsies are super soft! Yes, it still weirds me out a little to think that this is also used for a cow’s private parts but whatever, it works.

cow-beauty-secrets-final

Aren’t you glad the weekend is here? Tonight El Hub and I are going into SF for my friend’s birthday party. We’re all going to a Puerto Rican restaurant and I can’t wait to get my grub on. Carbs, here I come!

Got any exciting plans? I hope they involve some fierce makeup!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen