Eyes

See Jane Line and Shine With Jane’s $8 Water Resistant Liquid Eye Liners

December 9th, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

Wearing Jane Water Resistant Eye Liner in Metallic Lilac on my lash lines

Cat eyeliner-lovin’ cat ladies cannot line on gels and pencils alone. The cosmetics-loving cat enthusiast community is completely united on this point.

It simply can’t be done. I, for one, have liquid liner coursing through my veins. That’s how much I love the stuff.

The last liquid liner I had a lecherous liaison with with was Tom Ford’s flawless Eye Defining Pen in Deeper, but good grief, Charlie Brown! — that $55 price tag is totally insane.

Since then, I’ve had my sights set on more affordable liquid liners…

Jane Water Resistant Eye Liner in hand — With human paw for scale…

I wondered if Jane’s $8 Water-Resistant Liquid Eye Liners were worth their drugstore price, and well — for $8, it’s pretty hard to go wrong. Perfect, they’re not, but they are available in a wide range of colors (13, to be exact); have a high-gloss, waterproof finish; and you can get a similarly shiny look to MAC’s $19.50 Superslicks Liquid Liners if you don’t mind putting in a little work.

What do I mean?

Two words: the brush.

I don’t know what it is with me and thin, flexible brushes, but we just don’t get along. And these are like Olympic gymnasts (read: very flexible), so drawing really sharp edges, like at the wing, is no easy feat. With these I definitely have to (or at least should) run a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover along the edges to clean up any mistakes.

If you’re an experienced liquid liner wearer, you’ll probably be fine, but beginners might need some time to really get the hang of it.

Even considering the brush, though, I do think these have major potential, and I’d even go so far as to call them respectable dupes for the MAC Superslicks.

Sure, I find myself needing several layers of Jane’s liners (as opposed to just one or two of MAC’s) to achieve that signature Superslick look, so that’s also something to consider. That, and I have to remember to keep my hands off my eyes when I wear them, because any rubbing at all and they flake, flake, flake.

I’ve tried three of the 13 colors so far (a dark metallic navy blue, a metallic purple and a pale pink with silver glitter), and I’m partial to the darker colors. Seems like I don’t have to layer them as much to get a good amount of color.

Jane Water Resistant Eye Liner swatches from the left: Metallic Pink, Metallic Lilac and Bleu Marine — Swatches from the left: Metallic Pink, Metallic Lilac and Bleu Marine

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Long Live Length, Lift and the Good Fight Against Zombies! Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara by Givenchy

December 3rd, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Hello, lifted lash curl! This is me wearing two coats of Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara (a permanent product in Givenchy’s line) on my upper lashes…

This was the mascara I was wearing when I was watched The Walking Dead mid-season finale last Sunday, and by the time the show finished, I’d already been wearing it, oh, 8-9 hours.

By that point, I knew I liked how tightly it held and lifted my curled lashes and how well it separated and defined (I did want a little more volumizing/thickness, though), but honestly, I was not expecting to also test it for waterproof-ness that day.

Enter The Walking Dead mid-season finale…

If two coats of this stuff can withstand an unexpected 15-minute fit of crying without any smearing, running or flaking whatsoever, then it’s alright by me, even if the three-sphere brush takes some getting used to.

Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara brush head — Check out that brush head… Kinda crazy, right?!

Let me put it this way: the first time I took Noir Couture to my lash lines, I ended up leaving big-honkin’ flecks of mascara on my lids and beneath my eyes.

I think it was partly due to how accustomed I’ve become to haphazardly throwing on a couple coats of Be Long Mascara by Clarins, which I’ve been wearing a lot lately, without having to really think about it.

Muscle memory — you know how it is.

Eventually, I figured out that I had to hold Noir’s sphere-studded brush at a funky angle to avoid bumping my skin. Given a couple weeks…it would probably become second nature.

And for the lazy-pants among us, removing this stuff requires some effort since it really clings to lashes. I have to bust out the big guns (an oil-based eye makeup remover) in addition to my regular cleanser, which is kind of a pain, but I guess that’s the tradeoff for this kind of resilience.

I bet this mascara could be a good fit for you if you like higher-end mascaras with a glossy finish, good length, separation and lift; and a tough-as-nails wherewithal to withstand water and tears.

Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara before and after — Bare lashes on the left and two coats of Noir Couture on the right

I do like it…but it’s not the end-all, be-all solution to my waterproof mascara woes because I do crave more thickness. I’ll still reach for it every once in a while and be happy with the results, especially when I want a really lifted curl, which is one way it’s ca-ray-zaaaay good!

Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara ingredients — Ingredients

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Flower Beauty Is Keeping Eyes on the Prize by Possibly Duping Clinique’s $17 Shadow Stick Tints With an $8 Eyeshadow Chubby

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

The new Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubbies ($8 each)

When it comes to saving time, I gotta say, Flower Beauty’s new Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby sticks deserve first place honors.

Don’t get me wrong — I could happily fritter away an entire Saturday afternoon blending and blending eyeshadows (I NEED MORE EYES!!), but sometimes, like on really hectic days when my pet assisting duties start early (Mondays are the worst! I’m lucky if I get five minutes of precious makeup time before Tabs is on me to do his bidding.), I’ll do anything to save time.

For quick eye looks these twist-up shadow sticks are #winning. 🙂 The husky tip covers a large swath of lid real estate, so one or two swipes usually does the trick. Just blend out the edges with a finger, curl your lashes, whack on a layer of mascara, and you’re done with your eye makeup in two minutes, dude.

Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Daffodil With It — Daffodil With It

Have you ever used Clinique’s Chubby Stick Shadow Tints? Well, these are similar in terms of texture and color payoff (they have a smooth, creamy formula), but they definitely beat Clinique in price ($8 each versus $17 for Clinique’s).

Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Dark Side of the Blue — Dark Side of the Blue

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Get 96 Excellent Eyeshadows (Conveniently Laid Out) for 10 Cents Each With the New ELF Eyes Lips Face 96-Piece Geometric Eyeshadow Palette

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

How many elves does it take to ~~screw in a lightbulb?~~ make one heck of a gnarly holiday eye palette? Answer: just one, if that elf is e.l.f, and the palette’s their 96-Piece Geometric Eyeshadow Palette (regularly $20, but it’s on sale for $10 now at eyeslipsface.com).

This budget-friendly behemoth isn’t one of those streamlined holiday palettes with just a small handful of select, everyday shades.

Hello! — there are at least five varieties of green up in that one corner (Kermit the Frog would be pleased).

Yeah…there’s definitely a lot going on here.

It’s downright daunting, particularly if you get overwhelmed easily (like moi). I mean, the thought of 96 powder eyeshadows all in one case intimidated me at first, but then I took a closer look at the way the colors are all laid out and started seeing a method to the madness…

The triangular pans aren’t just randomly strewn about. They’re arranged in such a way as to make it easy to find coordinating colors (usually a big struggle for me with these blockbuster palettes) — browns with golds in the upper left, greens with peaches and yellows in the upper right, cool-toned purples and pinks in the lower left, and cool-toned grays and blues in the lower right.

So the palette isn’t just mathematically interesting. It’s also wise. 🙂

I looked at this palette’s smaller nephew, the 18-Piece Geometric, a couple weeks back and thought it, too, was a great value — quality, long-lasting eyeshadows rich in pigment — and the shadows in this larger 96-pan package perform just as well. Same formula, same pigment. I think they’re way up there in terms of drugstore makeup quality.

My only semi-major gripe with the 18-piece version was the diminutive pans (too small for most brushes), but this larger one addresses that with bigger pans, meaning more room to run my brushes across the shadows, making it that much easier to pick up product.

There are so many budget-friendly holiday palettes out there now, but this is one of the best ones I’ve tried. You should be able to track it down in drugstores for $20, but if you don’t mind shopping online, it’s available now for $10 at eyeslipsface.com.

Oh, and for the rest of Cyber Monday, they’re also offering 50% off everything on the site (and free shipping on all orders over $35, no coupon code needed).

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The New Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Palette: A Sweet-Smelling Set of 16 Neutrals for Spring 2014

November 26th, 2013 by Karen 45 Comments

Honestly, the folks at Too Faced Cosmetics really, REALLY should’ve put a warning label on their new Chocolate Bar Eye Palette ($49) (“Do not bite!”), because among their fans, it would have saved the chocolate lovers gazillions of dollars in dental repair bills.

Even before and after pics on the box would have been helpful (this is Karen before biting the palette, and this is Karen after).

For instance, for the before picture, they could have used something like this pic of a smiling cat lady just chillin’ with the cute chocolate-bar shaped case moments before she opened it…

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette — Oh, hello! I’m just holding a chocolate bar.

Then, for the after pic, they could have used something like this to illustrate what happened moments after that same cat lady opened the tin for the first time and caught a whiff of the scented eyeshadows inside it.

OMG! All 16 powder eyeshadows smell EXACTLY LIKE CHOCOLATE…which I guess makes sense, seeing as how they’re all made with cocoa powder, which is supposed to help protect and smooth your skin.

Man, I was hella hungry this afternoon, too, and after that first sniff of cocoa deliciousness I scoured the house for anything chocolate (found a can of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, score!). I bit down on the edge of the tin like I was one of the bad children from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (I’d want to be Veruca Salt, of course). So, yeah. Watch out for your teeth.

This Chocolate Bar is a brand-spankin’-new eye palette for spring 2014, and technically, it’s not available yet, but you can put in a request to be emailed when it’s available. I’ve yet to hear word on the official release date, but I’m guessing it’ll be soon (probably within the next two weeks).

“Too Faced Co-founder and Creative Director Jerrod Blandino learned of the healing properties of cocoa while getting a chocolate facial in Maui. With Chocolate Bar he created a first-of-its-kind palette that combines the healing benefits of chocolate with richly pigmented, velvety smooth shadows. Chocolate has been used for centuries for its soothing properties and to protect, condition, and heal skin that has been damaged by sun and wind. Studies have shown that the scent of cocoa powder can increase memory and brain power.”

— Sephora.com

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Length for Days! The New L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

November 25th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Tonight I find myself pondering imponderable things…

Like, does the flapping of a butterfly’s wings affect the sway of a husky tabby’s tum halfway around the world?

Or, if I were to wear L’oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara and bat my lashes at the guy making my hot cocoa at Starbucks (being generous with the whipped cream earns you good karma points!), does that alter the sway of tabby tums everywhere?

These are the profound profundities (not really) that passed through one cat lady’s mind as she wore the new L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara today ($8.99). 🙂

It’s all about the (asymmetrical) brush, man!

It’s pretty neat… It looks a little like a comb, doesn’t it? With the longer bristles on one side and shorter ones on the other?

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Le Métier de Beauté’s Kaleidoscope Eye Kit in Saint-Domingue Has a Fresh, Unusual Combination of Colors and a Knack for Staying Out of Trouble (Also Known as My Fine Lines)

November 22nd, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Whoop! I just had a NARS moment.

I swiveled Le Métier de Beauté’s Kaleidoscope Eye Kit in Saint-Domingue open, and you know how some NARS limited edition collections leave you scratching your head at first?

It’s happened to me more than once. Sometimes the color pairings seem a little odd at first glance, but then I start digging in, and everything clicks (or usually does).

That’s how it was for me at first with this four-pan palette of powder eyeshadows. The rosy peach matte, matte periwinkle blue, shimmery reddish golden purple (so pretty!) and shimmery gunmetal gray aren’t the kinds of colors I would think to put together, but once I started playing with them, they started making sense.

At $95, the limited edition set, exclusive to Saks Fifth Avenue stores and online, isn’t exactly budget (that’s an understatement!), but they are an interesting blend of colors that go together in unusual ways.

“This exquisite collection, inspired by the uniquely rich, colorful Creole culture that was born out of Haitian, West African, and French influences on the island of Hispaniola, features soft, misty neutrals combined with rose and shimmering plum. Kaleidoscope Eye Kits contain four complementary shades in one compact that create a prism of color for the eye. The kaleidoscope is easy to carry and has a mirror on the top for on-the-go touch-ups.”
— saksfifthavenue.com

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Looking for a Less Expensive Dupe of Urban Decay Naked and Naked2? You’ll Want To Check Out the Revealed Palette by Coastal Scents

November 21st, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette k top — Wearing the new Coastal Scents Revealed Palette

#Realtalk: I’m riding on a huge Urban Decay Naked high right now, primarily due to Naked3, which finally went on sale online (FINALLY) today, and it’s already sold out. HOLY WOW!

If you missed it, you can sign up here to be alerted when it’s back in stock.

Needless to say, if it’s Naked, I’m on it!

Wait — that sounded a little dirtier that I thought it would.

Anywho! My reignited fire for all things Naked is why I’m extra stoked about ~~RyGos’ abs~~ the new Revealed Palette by Coastal Scents.

I didn’t know much about the brand before this week, only what I’d heard on YouTube. It seemed like for a hot second there, the Coastal Scents 88 Palette (with, like, every color imaginable) was hella trendy.

I recently started testing a few things from the line, and uh, yeah, so far, I’m not seeing any shortages of pigment. None of the products are too expensive, either, and the aren’t tested on animals.

So, why the Revealed palette? Well, if you eyed Urban Decay’s Naked and/or Naked2 palettes but didn’t spring due to their price ($52 each), Revealed could be an option. It’s only $19.95.

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