Eyes

MAC Supernatural Dazzle: Dazzleshadows in It’s All About Shine, Shine De-Light, Oh So Gilty, Dazzle Style, Dreamy Beams and Midnight Shine

March 30th, 2018 by Karen 14 Comments

Hey, if this were like an Internet spelling ? bee, and we had to spell Dreamy Beams, which is the Dazzleshadow from MAC that I’m super in love with right now, it would be spelled D-R-E-A-M-Y B-E-A-M-Z. But maybe with two Zs — NO, THREE Zs! Beamzzz. Then you’d be the the legit Internet spelling bee winner with your three crazy Zs. ?

mac dazzleshadow swatches — It’s All About Shine (NEW), Shine De-Light (NEW), Oh So Gilty (NEW), Dazzle Style (NEW), Dreamy Beams (NEW) and Midnight Shine (Repromote)

I’m wearing Dreamy Beams, a beautiful bronzed brown with a squeeze of purple, on my lids today and thinking that I need to wear it every day for perhaps the next two months! It’s one of the new $18 Dazzleshadows from the MAC Supernatural Dazzle collection, which quietly dropped on MAC counters and the MAC website a few weeks ago.

There are a bunch of these glittery eyeshadow singles, some Dazzleglass glosses as well, all being added to the MAC permanent line. Some of the shades are new, some are re-promotes… Among the Dazzleshadow eyeshadows, there are six new ones, and I have five swatched here. Beamy Dreams… HAHAHA! Dreamy Beams is one of the new ones, and it’s the most swoon-y to me, although there are several that make me fall out of my flip-flops, like moody Midnight Shine, a dark plummy purple.

A few of the gorgeous @maccosmetics Dazzleshadows glistening in the sunshine! From the top: It’s All About Shine, Shine De-Light, Oh So Gilty, Dazzle Style, Dreamy Beams, Midnight Shine #maccosmetics #makeupswatches #makeupstash #makeupcollection

A post shared by Karen | Makeup and Beauty Blog (@karenmbb) on Mar 29, 2018 at 9:34am PDT

These aren’t like the UD Moondusts at all, even though they look similar in the pans. I love the Moondusts, but they’re sheerer than these are, and the glitter bits are bigger, so I think of them more as glitter top coats. Like, if you already have your eyes done on Friday night, and you’re about to leave the house but you want a little something extra, you tap a Moondust on your lids.

On the other hand, you can build an eye look around a single Dazzleshadow. You don’t need to apply them on top of something else because they have a pigmented base, so they can stand alone.

mac dreamy beams — Dreaming of Keanu Reeves making me blueberry pancakes while wearing Dreamy Beams on my lids…

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Quick Tip: Do Your Dark Circles a Favor, and Apply Your Under-Eye Concealer Last

March 28th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

If your under-eye concealer looks thick and heavy, apply it last.

Yes, I realize that this goes against what some makeup peeps suggest, and it might sound weird, but give it a try! Apply the rest of your makeup first. Do your eyes, your base, lipstick, blush — the whole nine yards — and do your under-eye concealer as your last step.

I’m serious! Do it *after* mascara, too. If you’re anything like me, you’ll subconsciously use less concealer without even realizing you’re doing it, and your under-eye area will look much more natural than it does when you conceal as one of your first steps.

Why?

Honestly, I can’t say for sure! But I don’t care. ? All I know is that when I’ve got my full face on with foundation, powder, blush, lipstick, ad infinitum, I have some context to work from, and it’s just easier to figure out how much or how little concealer to use… Actually, how little you need to wear.

It’s the same idea as applying red lipstick before blush. How much blush should you use? Base it on the brightness/boldness of your lips.

In almost every case when I do my under-eye concealer FIRST, I use more concealer than I need, and the less concealer I wear, the lighter and better it looks.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Urban Decay Backtalk Eye & Face Palette Is Getting People Heated!

March 27th, 2018 by Karen 15 Comments

urban decay backtalk palette eye swatch — Wearing the new Urban Decay Backtalk palette on my lids and cheeks, and UD Backtalk Vice Lipstick on my lips (a classic shade in the permanent line)

MAN, people are FIRED UP ? about the $46 Urban Decay Backtalk Palette, and it’s not just because of the warm tones. If you read some of the reviews on Sephora… My goodness! They make it sound like you’re smearing melted cat poop all over you eyelids when you use it. I mean, people have FEELINGS about it, and the main complaint seems to be the level of pigment, which I don’t really understand because I’m not having problems with it.

Granted, I don’t think the palette is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I’m not raving about it, but…

urban decay backtalk palette 1 — Pink, mauve and, yes, warm

It was inspired by a lipstick.

Anyway, let me rewind a second. First things first — the packaging. There’s a mirror in the middle that separates eight powder eyeshadows and four blushes, and the mirror slides out, which I like.

urban decay backtalk mirror — Now you see it, now you don’t.

The shades are predominantly varieties of warm mauve and pink, which again, is because the palette was inspired by Urban Decay’s Backtalk Vice Lipstick in the permanent line.

urban decay backtalk palette eyeshadow — A mix of matte and shimmery shades

urban decay backtalk palette blush — The blushes have different levels of pearl.

It’s actually pretty good!

I’ve been wearing it, and I haven’t had a problem with the pigment, which is generally on the more intense side of medium, so the shades aren’t quite “full on,” but they aren’t as sheer as some of the reviews have said.

urban decay backtalk palette swatches — What’s that, Karen? You’re still an NC42 in MAC for reference? Yes…yes, I am.

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The MAC Liquidlast Liners Are Back (Remember These?)

March 22nd, 2018 by Karen 11 Comments

Pretty sure I mentioned this the other day, but yeah, my lids are getting progressively more hooded every day. I think it’s just a getting older thing, but now I appreciate long-lasting liners like the MAC Liquidlasts THAT MUCH MORE, because if you’ve got a hooded lid situation, finding a liner that doesn’t transfer up into your crease can be harder than finding a chupacabra unicorn.

Enter the MAC Liquidlast Liners. They’re long-lasting and water-resistant.

mac liquidlast swatches — MAC Naked Bond, Late Night, Coco Bar, Keep It Currant, Rich & Robust, Blue Me Over, Wet Road, and Misty Me

A bunch of them that just landed on MAC counters and the MAC website ($21 each), but you might remember them from back in the day. The Liquidlast Liners used to be part of the permanent collection. Then they went away, but now they’re back in nine shades, most of which are permanent.

The only LE colors are matte purple Rich & Robust, which I friggin’ love (GAH!) and shiny teal Blue Me Over.

mac rich robust liquidlast liner lash lines — Rich & Robust

To someone just passing by a MAC counter, they look a little like lip glosses, at least until you open them up and see the skinny, fine-tipped brush.

That brush, though? T-r-i-c-k-y to use.

mac rich robust liquidlast liner brush — It helps to unload almost all of the liner from the brush first.

The first time I used these years and years ago, I wan’t crazy about ’em because of the brush, but now I think I just didn’t know how to use it. I think I might know how now.

What I wasn’t doing then was unloading the brush enough before bringing it to my lids. Now I run the brush against the inside of the lip of the tube a bunch of times to get rid of the excess.

mac rich robust liquidlast liner — Rich & Robust on my upper lash lines. I’m also wearing MAC Kid and Uninterrupted Eye Shadows on my lids, and Powersurge liner on my lower lash line. The blush is Melon Pink from the MAC Padma collection, and my lipstick is Mittai Pink (worn as a stain), also from MAC Padma.

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The MAC Throwback Eye Shadows in Kid, Uninterrupted, Tete-A-Tint and Goldbit Are Available Meow

March 21st, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

There are four pans of MAC Kid Eye Shadow sitting in my shopping cart, and I would normally consider this to be an excessive number of backups, buuuuut…lemme tell you why I think it’s a good idea in this case.

This shade… It’s one of the four shadows in the MAC Throwback collection. See, MAC released a collection of formerly discontinued eyeshadows and lipsticks that they brought out of retirement, and it’s available on counters now.

Kid is GREAT.

Actually, all four of these shadows are so good that it leads me to wonder why the heck MAC ever nixed them?

My friend Fern told me about this one a while ago. She was pretty crabby when it got discontinued, and I can see why. It’s a light matte golden tan, and it’s and one of those browns that you can carve out the crease with and not be left with something that looks heavy or gray or weird. It’s the perfect transition shade. You can just sloosh it on your lids with a MAC 224 and end up with the perfect amount of definition.

mac kid eyeshadow — I’m wearing Kid and Tete-A-Tint in my crease, and Goldbit on my lids. The lipstick is a mix of Skew and Shrimpton (two of the lippies from the #Throwback collection; review coming soon). And the blush is Melon Pink from the MAC Padma collection.

Unfortunately, the Throwback shadows (Kid, Uninterrupted, Tete-A-Tint and Goldbit) are all LE, so this is like their big comeback tour. It’s also why there are currently four pans of Kid in my cart…

The three matte shades — Kid (technically, it’s a Veluxe Pearl, but it looks matte on my skin), Tete-a-Tint and Uninterrupted — blend like it’s what they were put on this earth to do. They’re pigmented, smooth, soft, and don’t even know the meaning of the word “skipping.” Any of them could easily become your go-to transition crease color.

Goldbit, the solitary shimmer shade, is also a beaut. She’s a golden beam of light on your lids. All you have to do is lightly press your finger into the pan to pick up so much gorgeous shine that you’ll practically glow in the dark (but not really). It’s like pure pigment pressed into a pan, but it isn’t messy or obnoxiously glittery.

mac goldbit tete a tint kid uniterrupted eyeshadow swatches — Goldbit, Tete-a-Tint, Kid and Uninterrupted

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The MAC Girls Qween Supreme Palette

March 19th, 2018 by Karen 11 Comments

mac qween supreme palette — I’m wearing the new MAC Girls Qween Supreme Palette on my lids. It’s $39.50, and in the permanent collection.

You know what? I like my job. The last thing I want to do is disappoint my boss (you may have heard of him — Tabs the cat, world-renowned kitty supermodel), but he’s going to be woefully disappointed when he finds out that, if I were given the chance to be a queen supreme, as in the name of the new MAC Girls Palette, Qween Supreme (yes, it’s spelled that way), but the job required me to wear a crown, I would not be able to rock that thing 24/7.

Sorry, Tabs!

I mean, I’d wear it to take pics for the ‘gram, especially if I had a collection of bejeweled sparkly crowns at my disposal, but I wouldn’t wear it if I were just chillin’ in the palace and wanted to Netflix and chill at home.

Sorry, buddy! I know that you like to think of your assistant as more fabulous than that, but, sadly, I’m not. 🙁

tabs qween supreme — Tabs is not having it.

Qween Supreme is still quite new, and if you ask about it at nearby MAC counter, they might not even have it in yet (for sure, it’s online).

mac qween supreme palette open — Mega metallics

It’s one of nine eye palettes in the MAC Girls collection. Some are more adventurous than others (some are mostly neutrals). Qween Supreme just happens to be the metallic palette, and it’s also one of the newest ones!

mac qween supreme palette swatches — Living that NC42 life, purr usual

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The MAC Girls Risk Taker Palette

March 16th, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

mac risk taker palette open — Should you take a chance?

Hocus-pocus ?‍♀️ Powersurge! Presto change-o ?? Honeylust! Alakazam Satin Taupe and Woodwinked, too!

By the Power of Grayskull, I HAVE THE POWER. ?

If you know this incantation (and I do!), you’re probably a MAC gal or guy, and if you are, then it’s OK to freak out a little (go ahead, I’ll wait), because MAC just dropped three new MAC Girls Palettes into the permanent line. They also brought back the six they launched last year.

So yeah, now you can get them whenever you want. They’re $39.50 each and available online and at “select” MAC stores, which is MAC code for “better call your local counter to check first.”

This one is Risk Taker, and it riffs on some MAC permanent colors I’ve loved for years. Like, Bossing It looks a little like Woodwinked, Outfitted looks kinda like Honeylust, and Risky Business is like the more sparkly version of Satin Taupe. The whole thing spoke to my soul when I opened it for the first time, so of course I automatically assumed I’d have a good time with it.

And I did… Mostly.

https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/mac-risk-taker-palette-open-closeup.jpg — AHHH!

mac risk taker palette on lids — MAC Risk Taker on my lids, Urban Decay Fuel Lipgloss on my lips, and NARS Kingpin and Buzzed blush on my cheeks.

mac risk taker palette swatches — Yup, still a MAC NC42.

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Celebrate Your Uniqueness With ALMAY at Walgreens

March 12th, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

I think one of the cooler things about getting older, among the less cool things like randomly waking up two hours before dawn and having achy knees before a storm, is how we keep getting to know ourselves better, and how we’re always discovering new sides to our personality.

I mean, deep down inside, I know who I am, and that core Karen stays pretty much the same. But, over time I find new things about myself that I never knew existed, like, it wasn’t until I met Tabs in my 30s that I realized I was a full-on crazy cat lady!

The idea of embracing the different sides of your personality, many of them as yet undiscovered, is at the center of the new #AlmayTrueYou campaign. It’s all about expressing your individuality through makeup that enhances your uniqueness, but doesn’t cover up the true you.

I’m sure you’re familiar with ALMAY, and you’ve seen them at Walgreens. The brand is famous for their hypoallergenic formulas and their more natural look, so even if you’re wearing makeup, you still look like you, and not like a completely different person.

Heads up, smart shoppers! As we speak, all ALMAY products are buy 2, get 1 free at Walgreens through March 24, 2018.

It’s a look I’ve been into lately. It’s still me, but, like, zhuzhed up with extra flair. ???

ALMAY just launched a nifty new line of eyeshadow quads called the Almay Shadow Squad™. They’re only about $6.99 each, and each one comes with a matte, a glitter, a metallic and a satin finish square in the same shade. There are 15 shades in the line, ranging from everyday neutrals to trendy brights. So, there’s a lot to choose from.

I like them, especially because they are Opthamologist tested, don’t irritate my sensitive eyes or make them itch or tear up. I also like having all four soft, easy-to-blend finishes in one place. They’re surprisingly flexible. It’s easy to pick one up and do an entire look from start to finish, but I also like grabbing a few and custom blending to whip up unique finishes (which is so totally my style, and what I’m doing in the three #AlmayTrueYou looks below).

So, as has been well documented in the O.M.R. (Official Makeup Record), I’m a beauty addict, a mom and a friend to the felines, but you may not know that I’m also…

1. A boss baker

At least I am in my head. And I’m getting better all the time. I hope to be a super boss baker someday.

I love to bake, and I obsessively save recipes and pictures of cakes and cupcakes. I’m working toward the dream of baking a three-tiered wedding cake from scratch and piping that frosting to perfection. That day will come eventually, mark my words!

My boss baker look is inspired by dark chocolate cupcakes with hot pink sprinkles.