Eyes

Fall for Fresh Skin and Shimmering Lids With the Latest From Wander Beauty

September 18th, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

wander beauty wandress rush palette — Pretty, new products from Wander Beauty to get you going

Is it just me, or does autumn seem like the hottest new holiday season? — because it feels like the latest and greatest, most bustling time of year to me.

It’s almost like the powers that be know ALL. THE. THINGS on my to-do list right now, including…

Traipsing through piles of autumn leaves (no, seriously, Connor has preschool homework this week that involves gathering fallen leaves!)
Driving the coywolf to and from various toddler events, of which, surprisingly, there are many
Researching lighting fixtures for a half-bathroom remodel (who knew there were so many different types of lighting fixtures?)
Low-key freaking out about everything (which isn’t actually on my to-list, but it’s something I’m doing anyway)

Wander Beauty seems to *GET* this, because all of their new makeup and skin care launches for fall 2019 focus on getting you ready in a flash, so you can conquer the world! — or, at least conquer the bus ride to work or the morning school drop-off.

wander beauty wandress rus — Wander Beauty Products I’m wearing in this look: Wandress Rush Eye Palette on my lids, High Line Liquid Eyeliner on my lash lines, Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel in Dark Brown in my brows, Trip for Two Blush and Bronzer Duo in Dauiri/Tulum on my cheeks, and the Lip Setter Duo in On the Mauve on my lips. The foundation is MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick in NC42.

wander beauty wandress rush swatches — Wandress Rush Eyeshadow Palette, Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel and High Line Liquid Eyeliner (I’m an NC42 in MAC)

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A Laura Mercier Moment…

September 10th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

laura mercier september 2019 — Dearest Laura…you’re rockin’ my world at the moment.

I’m going to assume that you are, or have been, a makeup junkie, and so therefore you have probably had one (or more) moments like I did the other night at back-to-school night, when your makeup universe collides in such a way that you’re, like, “WHOA!”

I can’t be the only one. I just can’t.

I was just sitting there in Connor’s preschool classroom wearing some Laura Mercier products when my nose honed in on someone’s perfume (I have a bloodhound’s sense of smell). It was familiar, but I couldn’t place it, and the source of that scent — swear to gosh — knocked around in my head for days, like a song stuck in my head.

Then, half asleep one night in bed, it hit me! It was Laura Mercier Eau de Lune, which I wore every day for three years straight in the early aughts.

Dang, dawg, I’ve been wearing Laura Mercier makeup off and on for almost 20 years! In fact, I can recall when it was a relatively new line. I remember going to a counter for the first time (must have been about 1997) and being intrigued by the makeup primer, which was very forward-thinking at the time. And their Tinted Moisturizer, Secret Brightening Powder, Eye Basics in Wheat and Stormy Grey eyeliner have all been in my everyday makeup bag rotation at different times for years.

Like I was saying…I just happened to be wearing a few pieces of LM makeup the other night, and it reminded me why I like wearing Laura Mercier makeup so much. Her style is colorful, but not too crazy, and has elegantly subtle touches of pizzazz, like a little glitter here, a demi-matte finish there… It’s also easy to amplify or dial down.

A few quick thoughts on what I’ve been wearing lately…

Foundation Primer ($38)

There are a few different versions of this (Oil-Free, Dry SKin, etc.), and this one is the basic Foundation Primer. It’s a colorless, lightweight primer in a moisturizing gel that instantly sinks into skin (rather than sitting on top). If you like primers that add radiance with barely-there pearl finish (like MAC’s Natural Radiance), you’ll like this, too. It’s an oldie but goodie.

Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($39)

Light as air and completely undetectable, this has a soft matte finish that looks natural to the Nth degree!

laura mercier september 2019 swatches — Lovies by Laura M.!

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The New Urban Decay Naked Honey Is a Sweet New Golden Eyeshadow Palette

September 6th, 2019 by Karen 23 Comments

urban decay naked honey open — Feelin’ the buzz

Oh, sugary golden brown nectar of the eyeshadow gods… I SEE YOU, URBAN DECAY. The hive’s buzzing ? over Naked Honey, the brand’s newest Naked palette, a festoon of gilded golds, tantalizing tans and burnished bronzes, with none of those challenging-to-wear reds or orange reddish brown eyeshadows from the past few years in sight.

*Breathes sigh of relief*

Finally, a neutral palette that actually looks…kinda neutral. ?‍♀️

The $49 powdered shadow palette flies into Sephora stores and arrives online September 13th, and then a little later on September 23rd to ulta.com, macys.com, nordstrom.com and belk.com; and to Ulta, Macy’s, Nordstrom and Belk stores a few days later on September 26th.

Queen bees who crave toasty tones will probably like that it hums with warm shades, and I’m buzzing over all those golden browns!

urban decay naked honey swatches — Honey, I’m an NC42 in MAC foundation, BTB.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Props if you can remember when MAC did Naked Honey first. ?

P.P.S.

Before and After: It Cosmetics Lash Blow Out Mascara

August 23rd, 2019 by Karen 2 Comments

it cosmetics drybar lash blow out top — A blow out for your fringe?

I guess since Drybar caters to hair, and since lashes technically are hair, there’s a correlation between having a stylist blow out your unruly mane, and lengthening your lashes with mascara?

Weird flex but OKURRRR!

Drybar is known for their blow-drying hair services and not for makeup, so I was surprised when they teamed up with It Cosmetics to launch a new mascara.

It Cosmetics Lash Blow Out ($25) is supposed to lift, lengthen and thicken your lashes (my life’s purpose), so I’ll bite…

it cosmetics drybar lash blow out mascara — Cute! The packaging resembles a round brush.

The ends of the bristles on the wand have tiny spheres designed to catch and comb through lashes, while the wand latches onto your lashes to separate each and every hair (so it works!), but I do wish that the tip of the brush was thinner, because it’s hard to get it into the inner and outer corners without leaving a trail of wayward mascara bits and bobs behind.

it cosmetics drybar lash blow out mascara before after — I used two coats.

After two coats, my lashes (which are longer and thicker thanks to Rodan + Fields Lash Boost) are slightly longer and more separated, but the lift at the base only lasts for about an hour before my lash curl starts to droop ever-so-slightly.

As for volume, I need at least three layers of Lash Blow Out to get the results I see from one coat of $32 Dimensions de Chanel Mascara (my current holy grail).

So, the effect is noticeable, but it isn’t life-altering.

Verdict: If you’re all about length and separation, Lash Blow Out delivers. You’ll get both, sans clumps, smears or heaviness; however, if you also crave lift and volume (like I do!), then this stuff will test your patience. It requires at least three coats to reeeeeally thicken that fringe.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!!! ?

Unsung Heroes: The $6 Sephora Collection Eco Biodegradable Sharpener

August 20th, 2019 by Karen 5 Comments

makeup pencil sharpener — All that and a bag of chips!

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

Y’all…with the 15% off VIB sale happening now, I know you’re busy playing chicken with your Sephora cart, but please take a moment to consider one of the most underrated (and best!) tools the mother ship has to offer — the $6 Biodegradable Pencil Sharpener, otherwise known as “the pencil sharpener that elevated my winged liner and saved me from a lifetime of makeup misery.”

It’s the only makeup pencil sharpener I’ve ever owned that I haven’t wanted to hurl across the room.

From sephora.com:

What it is:
A professional-grade, two-in-one pencil sharpener made of an innovative, biodegradable, and sustainable bio-polymer.

What it does:
The Eco Biodegradable Sharpener is a perfect accessory to your cosmetic collection. This sharpener not only accomodates a multitude of pencil sizes, but you can feel confident knowing that you are also helping the environment when you dispose of it. The corn-based PLA body of this sharpener is biologically degradable, while the blade is recyclable. Made in Germany, the carbon steel blades give your pencils the perfect pointed tips for flawless application.

What else you need to know:
This sharpener can be used with a multitude of pencils, sized from 8mm to 12mm. It includes a removable pick tucked neatly into the body to help dislodge the toughest pieces of shavings and lead from the blade.

Sharpest tips EVRRRR

Every successful kitten flick I wore this summer, I totally owe to this sharpener. You know how sometimes you’ll sharpen a pencil, and the end will get nice and pointy but then immediately when you run it across your skin the tip breaks off? That happens to me all the time…but never with this sharpener. The blades whittle dull tips into sharp points with just a few twists and turns, yet they still hold back juuuuuust enough from going past the point of no return.
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The Sonia Kashuk Demi Lash Curler, and the Quest for Lifted Outer Lashes

August 16th, 2019 by Karen 8 Comments

First thing I’m going to do after I return this to Target and get my $9 bucks back is go to In-n-Out for a vanilla shake… Then, I’m going to pour a little out on the ground to mourn my lost homies (otherwise known as “the lashes that unexpectedly fell out when I tried using it”).

I’m also going to order a bucket of fries and a cheeseburger to comfort myself, since I can’t get back the minutes I lost this week trying to actually curl my lashes with the thing.

Why was it so hard to figure out how to properly angle the black rubber pad along the outer corner so it nestles the base of my lashes…? And why did it pinch my skin every time I clamped down on the curler?

OUCH!

I eventually figured out that if I squint my eyes and lift my lid with a finger, I can get down to the base and give the curler a good squeeze, but even then, the curler only bends the base of the lashes ever so slightly, and those few curled hairs relax back into their natural straight state within minutes.

Y’all…this thing just doesn’t work.

But I’m not about to let it rob me of my curled lash dreams. My desire to find that elusive tool that’s able to lift that outer fringe, coupled with the spark of hope (and perhaps another double cheeseburger?), will continue to fuel me on this beauty quest.

We will prevail, people!

Until then, extra fries and ketchup for everyone. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

4 Ways to Work Your Favorite Colorful Eyeliner

August 8th, 2019 by Karen 22 Comments

Most days, I will gleefully wear neutrals on my lids (NEUTRALS 4 LIFE!), but there are still days when I just gotta get some color in the mix.

Will I frequently carve out 30 minutes for cray-cray eyeshadow gradients and intense layering and blending? Nah, but when I am pressed for time (which is daily, it seems), and I still need a color fix, I’ll grab a colorful eyeliner.

Purple, blue, green, gold, pink… Seriously, I feel like a kid in a candy store whenever I see those bright sticks, and one of the best things about colorful liner IMO (besides the endless choices!) is that you can go subtle OR bold with them.

Here are four ways to work colorful liner into your day, starting with two options that are more wearable, and ending with two that have more OOMPH.

In all of these pics, the colorful eyeliner I’m wearing is Urban Decay Mainline, a deep bluish green with a matte finish!

Look #1 (wearable): Liner layered beneath a neutral eyeshadow

This is a fab, facile way to work some color into your eye makeup. First, start by lining your bare lids with your eyeliner of choice, then blend a neutral eyeshadow (or eyeshadows) directly on top.

The result? A super subtle wash of color peeking through your upper lash line.

Look #2 (wearable): Layered liner with a tightline for a subtle gradient

For sightly more verve, tightline your upper lash line after layering your liner. Do it, and you’ll end up with a wink of color and a subtle gradient. ?
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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay Chaos Eyeliner

August 5th, 2019 by Karen 3 Comments

urban decay chaos swatch — When a little Chaos in your life is a good thing

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

I can’t keep track of all of Urban Eyeliners. I mean, what do I look like, man? — a walking Guinness Book of World Records for makeup!? LOL! Anyway, there’s just so many of them, especially in the blue category. SO. MANY. BLUES.

But *this* shade is, by far, the one I wear the most, and it’s my favorite. It’s called Chaos, and it’s a gorgeous, pigment-rich cobalt blue that looks like it has a glossy finish from some angles and a matte finish from others. I don’t know how it does this whole quick-change-finish thing, but I suspect it has to do with “ze’ magic,” otherwise known as “the secret shimmer.”

If you buff right into it, tiny silver pieces of glitter appear. It’s the most beautiful (and surprisingly subtle) effect, and when you’re nerding-out over makeup, those little details are the ish.

Oh, and I also wear this liner because — you know I wear a lot of neutrals, right? — it works with both cooler-toned true neutrals like the Clinique Teddy Bear Palette (which I’m all about these days! It’s what wearing in these pics), and warmer orange and reddish neutrals as well. It goes with errrrthing, and you gotta love flexibility (and not having to think too deeply when it comes to your blue liner, ha!).

Chaos pencil is one of UD’s 24/7 Glide-Ons, so once it’s on, it doesn’t budge. I like to wear it full-tilt, but you can also buff it down to a pretty whisper of blue and silver sparkles. Yeah, you can do subtle with Urban Decay, too! It’s awesome.

Chaos is part of their permanent collection (yay!), and it’s $22.

urban decay chaos close up 2 — The lippie, in case you’re wondering, is Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick in BFF.

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