• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To MakeupMakeup 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

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

Eyes

This Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Primer + Shadow + Liner Is Turning on the Sprinklers at Midnight Blue

July 9th, 2012 by Karen 47 Comments

stila smudge crayon midnight blue

You used to see it a lot in movies that took place in Brooklyn, New York, where on a blisteringly hot day, one of the so-called dog days of summer, someone, most of the time you didn’t know who, would crank open a fire hydrant on a busy street, and all of the kids in the neighborhood would laugh and play in the spray.

Back when I was a kid, since none of the houses on our street had a swimming pool, and fire hydrants were deemed off limits and impenetrable, we did something similar with sprinklers.

It never seemed planned, but on some of the hottest days, one of the moms or dads would turn on the sprinklers in the yard, and all of us kids would converge on the house like a swarm of butterflies, buzzing and darting through the spray.

My thing was cartwheeling, which I’d deftly do directly over one of the sprinklers, up close like to thoroughly soak my hair.

Big sigh… That was always one of my favorite things about summer.

Ya know, someone should pass an ordinance making it socially acceptable for adults to leap and frolic through sprinklers in their bathing suits. I’d strongly support something like that.

Among the selling points: sprinklers cost less than swimming pools, they’re a very efficient way to cool off, and you can use the opportunity to try out some waterproof eye makeup at the same time.

LOL! Don’t even front. I know you were thinking it, too. It’s one of the reasons I love ya.

Not wanting to miss a millisecond of fun, I’d look for a smooth-as-silk liner with lots of pigment, ideally one that I could quickly apply, like Stila’s Smudge Crayon Waterproof Primer + Shadow + Liner in Midnight Blue ($22), a chubby, twist-up waterproof crayon able to draw thick, rich lines that dry in less than a minute.

It’s one of eight Smudge Crayons that recently made their way onto Stila shelves last spring, each one promising to prime, shade with shadow, and line.

stila smudge crayon midnight blue

Okay, but what makes it worthy of one those great summer sprinkler sessions?

I’m glad you asked. 🙂

The answer: intestinal fortitude! Also known as durability. On my bare combination dry/oily lids, as long as I’m careful not to rub my eyes, it won’t budge for a solid 6-8 hours, 5-6 on my water lines, and it’s totally fearless around water, and that includes perspiration.

When I’m in the mood for thick swipes of dark blue, I like to use it as a liner…

stila smudge crayon midnight blue
Stila thoughtfully tucked a sharpener into the base of the liner, making it a snap to sharpen

stila smudge crayon midnight blue swatch
[Continue reading…]

There are 47 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews, Stila Keywords: stila

These Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows Could Teach a Class in Perseverance, But Could Use Some Help Blending In

July 6th, 2012 by Karen 15 Comments

essence stay all day long lasting eyeshadow

“Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Be on the lookout for cheap makeup thrills. Repeat, cheap makeup thrills.

“Suspect was last seen shimmering on eyelids for $2.99. I repeat, $2.99. Over.”

With the Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows, shimmery, long-lasting color is just 299 pennies away.

These pigmented cream shadows are great for quick washes of shimmery color, and they cling like crazy to my skin. On my combination dry/oily lids, I get from 7-8 hours with primer and 5-6 without.

Not bad for $2.99, but I think they’d be even better if it weren’t for a few things…

The texture

Seems a little hit or miss. Of the four shades I’ve tried, 09 For Fairies feels the best — almost like a mousse. It’s soft and fluffy and just glides across my lids.

The other three shades, however, 01 Coppy Right (great name!), 02 Glammy Goes To, and 07 JM-ME Blue, feel denser and drier to me, which makes them a tad tougher to blend and apply.

Blending

I’d hoped to be able to easily blend a few of these colors together in the same looks, but they have a tense relationship… The colors don’t transition well, or at least easily, into each other.

If all I’m doing is softening the edges of a single shade on my lids, no problem — the blending goes a little better — but they’re still not as easy to blend as a MAC Paint Pot or Benefit Creaseless Cream (although they’re an awful lot less expensive).

Layering

Tricky! Apply a milligram too much, and these begin to appear heavy and caked, and almost too metallic. For me with these, one thin, single layer works best.

essence stay all day long lasting eyeshadow
From the left: 02 Glammy Goes To, 09 For Fairies, 01 Coppy Right and 07 JM-ME Blue

essence stay all day long lasting eyeshadow swatches
From the left: 01 Coppy Right, 02 Glammy Goes To, 07 JM-ME Blue and 09 For Fairies

essence stay all day long lasting eyeshadow
Wearing 01 Coppy Right
[Continue reading…]

There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Essence, Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: essence

Need a Lift? Score Lashes That Soar Sky High With the New Too Faced Lash Injection Extreme Tubing Mascara

July 6th, 2012 by Karen 9 Comments

too faced cosmetics lash injection extreme volume tubing mascara

It occurred to me this morning as I was dressing up my lashes with a layer of Too Faced Lash Injection Extreme Volume Tubing Mascara that I could (and often do) spend entire days playing with eye makeup.

Entire days.

A few hours patting primer here, a few more drawling liner there, shadow blending, blending, blending, and then the sun sets behind Novato’s verdant hills in the distance…

Of course, I do take breaks for tabby play time and pasta (of course!). 🙂

Naturally, good chunks of time are devoted to applying mascara, since my natural lashes are a little on the uninspiring side, and I feel like my eyes look much bigger and brighter when I’ve lifted, curled and lengthened my lashes.

My latest lash love stars Too Faced Lash Injection Extreme Volume Tubing Mascara.

Whew! Now that’s a mouthful.

Too Faced reformulated their old-school mascara of the same name and gave it a new outfit. It’s $21 and available in a single shade called Black.

If you’re unfamiliar with tubing mascaras, no, they are not named after the popular pastime that usually involves bodies of water and coolers filled with adult beverages. They’re named after the way the formulas encapsulate lashes forming tubes that surround each hair to extend and thicken them.

Brands often claim that tubing mascaras are particularly great for humid climates as they resist flaking and smudging.

I never gave the original Lash Injection a try, so I don’t know how it compares to the new one, but Too Faced says that it’s much improved. Version 2.0 is supposed to stretch and lengthen lashes better than before.

How does it fare? Well, like a push-up bra for my fringe! Two coats of the waterproof formula applied with the included brush (in the style of a DiorShow brush) boosts my lashes with lift and length.

The formula does a pretty good job holding the curl, too, keeping it firm but flexible, and I don’t detect any smears of flakes, not even at the end of the day.

too faced cosmetics lash injection extreme volume tubing mascara before and after
Before (top) and after two coats (bottom)
[Continue reading…]

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews, Too Faced Keywords: too faced

It’s My Latest Love’s Time to Shine: L’Oreal’s New Paris Infallible Never Fail Lacquer Liner 24H in Blackest Black

July 5th, 2012 by Karen 43 Comments

LOreal Infallible Never Fail Lacquer Liner

Not to get all Real World confessional on you, but can you keep a secret…?

I’ve been holding it in so long that I’m going to explode if I don’t tell someone!

Here goes… Deep breath, Karen.

I’ve been cheating on the love of my life, and I don’t plan to stop any time soon.

Wait — did you think I was talking about El Hub? Oh, gawd no. I’m stuck on that man like cheese on macaroni. I’m referring to my other love, my favorite black gel liner in the whole wide world, also known as MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack.

I don’t know why I did it… Boredom, perhaps. Blacktrack and I have been rolling deep since 2007, and despite dalliances with many other gel liners along the way, I’ve always, always come home to Blacktrack. I think it’s just the smoothest, longest-wearing, darkest black gel liner around.

But then my eyes wandered to a new gel liner last week called L’Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lacquer Liner 24H in Blackest Black ($9.95), looking all mysterious in its little pot, and I couldn’t restrain myself.

It actually reminds me of Fluidline in some ways. Both of them deliver smooth, dark lines, either sharp or smudgy, on my lash and water lines in just a swipe or two.

L’Oreal claims Blackest Black is able to last 24 hours, but after spending time with it for a while, I sense a bit of beauty bravado there. I get more like 6 hours along my water lines and 9-12 along my lash lines when I wear it without a primer on my combination dry/oily lids.

Not too shabby, cocoa tabby, and again, comparable to Blacktrack.

So what’s the attraction? Why haven’t I been picking up one of the five pots of Blacktrack scattered around the house (no, seriously!)?

Two words: glossy finish.

LOreal Infallible Never Fail Lacquer Liner
Each pot of Infallible Lacquer Liner comes with a brush, which works surprisingly well!

LOreal Infallible Never Fail Lacquer Liner Swatch
[Continue reading…]

There are 43 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Eyes, Loreal, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: loreal

Edging Closer to Cat Eyeliner Perfection With the ELF Studio Eye Makeup Remover Pen

July 4th, 2012 by Karen 14 Comments

ELF Makeup Remover Pen

Yes, Tabs, I’m well aware that you and your feline friends laugh at me behind my back whenever you see me drawing thick cat eyeliner on my upper lash line and flicking out the ends.

I’ve watched you, laughing at me… “Haha!” you say. “Look at her trying to look like us. Haha! Silly human. We wake up like this!”

Well, you better watch your six, kitties, because this human is getting closer and closer to cat eyeliner like yours thanks to the ELF Studio Makeup Remover Pen ($3).

It’s a moisturizing liquid makeup remover made with a meow mix of Vitamin E, cucumber and chamomile, and it comes in a felt-tip pen.

I’ve been using it to correct minor mistakes, smudges and smears with wayward mascara, liner or eyeshadow (even the waterproof stuff) without messing up the rest of my eye makeup. It’s quick and easy and works without the need to rinse.
[Continue reading…]

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, elf, Eyes, Makeup Keywords: elf

Bold, Shimmery Eye Makeup That Doesn’t Break the Bank: It’s Easy to Fall for These Six New L’Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Shadows

July 3rd, 2012 by Karen 52 Comments

loreal infallible endless
Wearing L’Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Shadow in Endless Sea

I’ve been kind of feelin’ the spirit lately with my eye makeup, you know, wanting to wear looks with 20 steps involving primer, 10 different shades of eyeshadow, liner (pencil, liquid, gel AND cake) and false lashes. Basically any and all eye makeup I can get my furry little hands on.

SIDE NOTE: And I’m so not kidding about the fur! Here’s what nobody tells you about your dirty thirties: they’re hairy, as in you start noticing hair growing in odd places (LIKE ON YOUR FINGERS), and suddenly questions like, “Is it faux pas for a woman to shave her hands?” cross your mind.

Ahem! Inside voice, Karen.

Right. But what about those days when Tabs is blowing up my phone with “urgent” pet assistant requests, like, “Please alphabetize my gravy cans, thanks!” and I have the inkling, but don’t have the time, to indulge in complicated eye makeup?

Well, there’s always one of the six new L’Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Shadows ($7.95 each). 🙂

Liquid Diamond, Golden Emerald, Endless Sea, Glistening Garnet, Bottomless Java and Smoldering Plum join 12 existing permanent shades in L’Oreal’s faboo Infallible Eye Shadow line of long-wearing, easy-to-blend powder shadows so satiny smooth that they make velvet jealous, and so shimmery that I keep expecting cherubic angels to emerge from the clouds and say, “DAYUM, GINA!”

And did I mention they’re long lasting? Worn with a primer, they cling to my lids for 8-10 hours without creasing.

loreal endless sea
Endless Sea

loreal infallible golden emerald
Golden Emerald

loreal infallible glistening garnet
Glistening Garnet
[Continue reading…]

There are 52 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Eyes, Loreal, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: loreal

The Urban Decay Smoked Palette: Smoked Signals That Urban Decay Is Thinking About Jewels and Neutral Colors This Fall

July 2nd, 2012 by Karen 56 Comments

urban decay smoked palette

Vacations are synonymous with summer in many parts of the world, especially those parts that get downright chilly in winter, but I like to set aside some time for a quick trip or two each fall.

Temps are usually a little cooler, the crowds a little smaller, and, beauty weirdo that I am, I like being able to use the season as my rationale for wearing smokey eyes almost every day, and in all of my vacation pics. 🙂

LOL! I had a feeling you’d understand. Now let’s pinky shake for being makeup nerds 4eva!

Thanks to Urban Decay, I think I may have found a perfect palette to take on my next fall foray. It’s called Smoked, sells for $49, has smokey eyes written all over it, and arrives at Sephora and Ultra stores, Macy’s and the Urban Decay website later this week.

urban decay smoked palette

Comprised of mostly neutral colors with a few smouldering jewel-toned shades, lacking any electric hot pinks or teals, it seems almost subdued for Urban Decay, but not at all in a bad way.

These are colors a rock goddess might wear to a black-tie affair with fishnets beneath her formal gown and heels bristling with chains and spikes.

It’s as if a warlock took Urban Decay’s Naked and Naked2 palettes, dropped them into a boiling cauldron, added the Black and 15-Year Anniversary palettes, let that stew for a few hours, and then poured the mixture into the Midnight Emergency Kit’s packaging.

The sleek zippered case contains 10 Eyeshadows, five of them new and five repromoted, but all of them in Urban Decay’s new eyeshadow formula; one full-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion (repromote), an inky black the color of a starless sky at midnight; a travel-sized Primer Potion (repromote), and a booklet called the Smoked Get The Look Book, with 12 step-by-step smokey eye tutorials (new).

Truth be told, I’d probably leave out the Primer Potion, as I have a tough time blending shadows on top of it (I don’t think it’s “slippery” enough for me), but I do know many gals who swear by it. If I were going on, say, on a 10-day trip to Italy this fall (hi, El Hub! Hint-hint!), that’s the one piece that come with the palette that I might just leave behind.

Ah… I can see it now — traipsing across the country on a quest to find the perfect pasta, and eating plate after plate of fettuccine, fusilli, spaghetti, ravioli and linguine with clams, perhaps while wearing a look like the smokey cat eyes I’m wearing here.

And I wouldn’t even have to worry about having to reapply after having that second cannoli because these easy-to-blend shadows, which exhibit very little fallout, stay put for at least 12 hours without fading or creasing.

My lower lash and water lines, however, might need a quick touch-up with Perversion pencil after 5-6 hours, but I can live with that.

If I happen to be in a more dramatic mood, because lawd knows that nothing goes with bread, wine and cheese like two smouldering smokey eyes (LOL!), I could even follow one of the tutorials in the Get The Look Book, or line my lash and water lines with Perversion, and then smudge one of the shimmery shadows along the lash lines.

urban decay smoked palette

urban decay smoked palette k4
[Continue reading…]

There are 56 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Palettes, Product Reviews, Urban Decay Keywords: urban decay

A Liner Poseidon Would Use: The New Trident Shaped 3*Way Lash Lining Tool From Too Faced Creates Thicker, Fuller Lashes

June 28th, 2012 by Karen 41 Comments

too faced 3 way lash lining tool

I need another black liquid liner like I need another reason to watch Magic Mike! — but that’s not stopping me from wanting another black liquid liner, especially a good one with the power of innovation. 🙂

Fellow liner lover, walk with me for a bit as we bat our lashes at the new 3*Way Lash Lining Tool from Too Faced ($22).

Do you suffer from chronic tardiness? (I do!) Thin lashes got you down? (Yup!)

If you answered in the affirmative to either of those inquiries, Too Faced feels they can help, and their solution takes a three-pronged approach.

The new 3*Way has a three-pronged tip — kinda like a trident — designed to create the illusion of a full lash line; the product doubles (triples?) as a liquid liner to draw both thin and thick lines, hence the name.

too faced 3 way lash lining tool tip

It works like this: starting at one end of your upper lash line, place the prongs at the base of your lashes between the roots. Gently apply pressure to dispense the liquid, stamping three black dots. Repeat along the full length of your lash line, filling in the spaces between your lashes.

When you’re done, your lash line should look a whole lot thicker.

Alternately, to use the 3*Way as a liquid liner for super skinny lines, just drag the edge of one of the three tips along your lash and water lines, or for thicker lines, like for cat eyes, make contact with all three tips placed flat.

Now, dotting liner along the base of your lashes and between the roots isn’t a new trick. Sometimes it’s referred to as “backing the lashes,” and truth be told, most any black liner, be it liquid or pencil, can deliver a similar effect.

too faced 3 way lash lining tool swatch

too faced 3 way lash lining tool hand
[Continue reading…]

There are 41 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews, Too Faced Keywords: too faced

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 113
  • Go to page 114
  • Go to page 115
  • Go to page 116
  • Go to page 117
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 132
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

Recent Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 878

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 894

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 892

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 891

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 771

Lady Unicorn

Weird Things I Like to Do

brows fill out beforehand

Before You Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

current bare skin status

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.