Face of the Day (FOTD)

Monochromatic Makeup: Playful Pinks, and a Play on Cat Eyeliner

December 6th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

mac steady going lipstick k smile — Inspired by this pink sweater!

I was inspired to do this monochromatic pink look by this quilted sweatshirt I found at the Eddie Bauer outlet store for 50% off (!).

I can’t remember the last time I walked into an Eddie Bauer store, but there’s one of their outlet stores at Vintage Oaks in Novato, and El Hub wanted to check it out one day to look for a jacket, which he found…and I found this. It’s incredibly soft, and I love the color.

I almost didn’t use any brushes for this look. I used my fingers to press the pink glitter eyeshadow on my lids and to pat the pink cream blush on my cheeks. Really, the only brush I used was an angled eyeshadow brush, which I dipped in a dark brown shadow to diffuse the edge of the liquid black cat eye liner (Tom Ford, baby!).

Speaking of the liner, next time you want to flip the script on your cat eyeliner game, try this: after you finish your cat eye flicks, line the inner corner of your eyes with the thinnest, skinniest line you can get away with.

urban decay glitterrock

Then line the outer portion of your lower lash line with your liquid liner, and connect the inner and outer sections by smudging the most infinitesimal amount of a coordinating eyeshadow color.

If you like to geek out over makeup, this is a fun way to do something a little different with your liner.

mac glitter rock
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5-Minute Makeup: Glowing Peach Cheeks and Lips, Cool Brown Lids and Latest Drugstore Loves!

December 4th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

neutrogena kerry washington essential eye palette cheek palette — All. The. Carbs.

Good morning! We’re not back in Novato yet, but we’ll be home tonight. I prepped this post before we left on vacation, and now I’m seeing the pics and mentally preparing myself for jacket weather.

If, while strolling through downtown Novato recently, you saw a woman taking selfies with a bag of bagels in her car, FYI, that woman was very, very likely me — especially if she had a massively cheesy smile. 🙂

The smile was there for a couple of reasons. First — hello! — ALL THE YUMMY CARBS (this was shortly before the Spartan race, so I brought them with me to share with my coworkers at the bakery). Second, I did my makeup in five minutes (and it wasn’t a hot mess).

Fresh and glowing

This 5-minute makeup look has glowing peach cheeks, glossy peach lips and cool neutral brown lids with the lightest touch of pink sparkle. I wore it to work a couple Fridays ago.

I have absolutely no idea why, but I got some nice compliments from people I ran into while I was running errands that day, and also from El Hub when I saw him later that evening, and that surprised me, because why does super easy makeup like this get so much love? I don’t get it. I’m literally just throwing sh*t on and hoping it doesn’t go awry.

My best guess is that maybe it’s because I didn’t have the time to overthink it, so I didn’t do too much counterproductive tweaking? I just went with my gut and got it done? Who knows?

New drugstore makeup loves

Oh! — for all my drugstore makeup-lovin’ ladies, I used a couple of palettes in this makeup look from Neutrogena: the $12.99 Kerry Washington Essential Eye Palette and the $9.99 Kerry Washington Essential Cheek Palette. Both are easy to blend, pretty (I think so), and the powders last all day long. Highly recommended.

Makeup worn in this look

Eyes: Neutrogena Kerry Washington Essential Eye Palette (lids and upper lash line liner), Urban Decay Glitterrock (pink glitter pressed lightly onto lids), Chanel Dimensions de Chanel Mascara (lashes), NARS Komo Brow Pencil and MAC Clear Brown Set (brows)
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5-Minute Makeup: Bright Berry Lips and Glowing Taupe Lids

November 22nd, 2019 by Karen 19 Comments

mac craving lipstick — Yes, Bay Area people will wear scarves and thermals when it’s 63 degrees outside. ?

So…you know those mornings when everything goes smoothly, and you even have extra time to do a load of laundry or stop by the drive-through coffee shop to get a latte before you start your day? On top of that, you also get to work 15-minutes early (so you don’t have to drive around the block two times to find good parking)?

Yeah…this was not one of those mornings. LOL!

I don’t know what happened, but Connor and I made it out the door by the skin of our teeth. We made it, though!

And I still managed to 1) get out of my pajama bottoms (although I seriously considered wearing them to the bakery, HA HA HA!), and 2) put on 5-minute makeup.

I grabbed what was within reach and moved with a quickness. Funny thing is, I even got compliments on my makeup today!

You know, sometimes the quickie looks are the best ones…

I think the bright berry lipstick really helped. Berry is great when you’re rushing because it’s just so colorful, and it instantly brightens up your face, but it’s usually also less labor-intensive than red or bright pink.

Also, you can pair it with a bunch of different colors. Purple and gray work, but a lightly shimmering taupe is my go-to to wear with berry. If you’re ever in a serious time crunch, go with a berry lipstick, 100%.

mac art library nude model palette k — When you have a photoshoot in your car…

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Layer Your Liner for Flickering Feline Flicks in a Flash

November 15th, 2019 by Karen 8 Comments

urban decay starfire — Kitten flicks with a little flash of glitter give you a lot of bang for your buck.

Layering liners. I’ve been doing this a lot lately because 1) it’s fast (since you don’t have to be terribly precise or do any razzle-dazzle complicated eyeshadow blending) and 2) because it lets you unleash the full fury of your creative side by conjuring up all sorts of fun finishes.

For this look, I drew a baby cat eye flick on my upper lash lines with a black felt tip pen liner, then ran a glittery bronze liner right along the edge for sparkle.

Next, I lined my lower lash lines with a pearly bronze pencil liner, smudged the edges, and topped it off with the same glittery bronze liner I used on the upper lash line.

I also defined my lids with a quick sweep of orange-brown eyeshadow, but that was totally optional. You could skip it and just wear liner, and do your brows and mascara, for a complete eye look.

One last thing: my feline flicks are pretty subtle here because I wore this to work, but if you’re going to a par-tay or other to-do, you could go bigger and bolder with your cat eye flicks. Or, you could pat EVEN MOAR GLITTER on your lids.

Makeup worn in this look

Eyes: MAC Texture (lids), Charlotte Tilbury Feline Flick Liquid Eyeliner (upper lash line), Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Starfire (upper and lower lash lines), Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Smog (lower lash line), It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara (lashes), Covergirl Ultrafine Brow Pencil in Soft Brown (brows)

Cheeks: MAC Sunbasque blush

Base: MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC42 mixed with MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite set with Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden (this is my go-to base combo)

Lips: MAC Mahogany lip liner all over with a little bit of MAC Paramount lipstick blended on top

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ?

Product Spotlight: MAC Opalescent Powder in Rising Star, From the New Starring You Holiday 2019 Collection

November 14th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

mac rising star — Shoot for the Stars, Rising Star!

This Rising Star from MAC ? is shooting straight to the top of my list of “Best of the Best Makeup to Wear With MAC Teddy.”

(Wait…doesn’t everyone keep that list around?)

Of all the things in the new MAC Starring You holiday makeup collection (which is the sub-collection of makeup within the mega collection of LE holiday items, including the kits and palettes), warm golden Rising Star ($36) face powder is the 1) most wearable eye product IMO, and 2) the kindest to fine lines, which makes it the star of the show in my book.

And, oh yeah, it looks amazing when you wear it with MAC Teddy! (Totally key.)

Rising Star is a warm golden pressed powder in the MAC Opalescent Face Powder fam. It’s a pressed powder with finely-spun grains of granulated powder that practically float atop your skin, and it’s designed to be worn as a highlighter.

Are you familiar with the Hourglass Ambients? If so, MAC’s Opalescent Face Powders are very similar in terms of texture and finish, but with slightly higher shine.

As a highlighter, it gives cheeks a soft, subtle candlelit glow…but I like to take my cues from MAC artists who use it as an eyeshadow! That’s where I think it really shines (pun intended).

I buff it on top of my lids with a MAC 217, and it automatically adds a glam “Charlotte Tilbury-ness” to my lids, especially when I wear it atop a base of MAC Teddy liner.

It’s an easy and elegant eye look, which is totally my style, and best of all, the powder lasts all day. I wore this eye makeup to the bakery the other day, and it stayed put for a solid 14 hours!

mac rising star k — Rising Star Powder layered on top of a base of MAC Teddy liner

mac rising star look — Makeup worn in this look

Makeup in this look

Eyes: MAC Teddy (base), MAC Rising Star (lids), Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow (crease), MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash (lashes), MAC Concrete and It Cosmetics Prow Power (brows)

Base: Estee Lauder Double Wear mixed with Becca Backlight Priming Filter

Cheeks: NARS Amour (this looks really great with MAC Smoked Almond lipstick)

Lips: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, MAC Smoked Almond, NARS Chelsea Girls

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Space Buns and Sparkly Purple Lids

November 12th, 2019 by Karen 11 Comments

triple hair buns — I may or may not have about a billion bobby pins in my hair at the moment.

I’m sure this tri-bun hairstyle has an official/formal name, but I intend to call it “space buns,” because there’s something undeniably Star Wars about it…

If I were hurtling through space on a rocket bound for Mars, and I was required to wear my hair up (to protect the sensitive electronic equipment from static discharge, you see), you better believe I would NOT be rocking a basic low pony.

SPACE BUNS ALL THE WAY, GIRLFRIEND.

Side note: Connor calls this a “pony hairstyle” because she’s into horses at the moment.

Maybe it’s the stars twinkling in the firmament…but sparkles and space buns just seem *right* to me, hence the purple glitter in this look.

mac wishful thinking — Wearing some newness from the MAC Holiday collection

I got a few compliments from my coworkers when I wore this to the bakery the other day. 🙂 It was nice. I think it was because this is one of those looks that isn’t too over the top in terms of base and lips (I kept the foundation super sheer and the lips glossy and subtly sparkly, which boosts the wearability for daytime), but I think the glitter is punchy and fun enough to catch your eye.

If you like this type of makeup, you need to follow Katie Jane Hughes on Instagram ASAP. She’s a celeb makeup artist known for her sheer base, the wings she does, and her penchant for sparkle. It’s very inspiring!

I’m using some new MAC products from the very sparkly Staring You holiday collection, by the way. This collection, which is out now, has new Spellbinder Shadows in glittery holiday shades (you might remember these ionized eyeshadows from 2016).

mac starring you holiday 2019 — The new, limited edition MAC Starring You holiday 2019 collection, available now

Two things if you plan on picking up one of these loose shadows: 1) most definitely DO NOT skip wearing an eyeshadow base; and 2) apply it using a stiff, flat eyeshadow brush, or your fingers.

If you’d like to chat more about the Spellbinders, drop me a comment. I’m happy to help!
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Autumnal Dessert: 15-Minute Makeup With Chocolatey Reddish Brown Smoky Eyes and Matte Rosy Brown Lips

November 8th, 2019 by Karen 11 Comments

nars balboa — A classic fall combo: brown lids/brown lips

Luckily, I was wearing this chocolatey reddish brown smoky eye yesterday because I spent the majority of my shift at the bakery prepping dry chocolate cake mix from scratch…which may or may not have left me covered in a fine layer of cocoa powder.

(By the way, you haven’t lived until you’ve almost tipped an industrial-sized vat of cocoa powder on top of yourself. Yes…my life is a thrill a minute, I know. Side note: Holy crap, there’s SO MUCH SUGAR in chocolate cake mix!)

About the look

Apparently, the universe wanted me to be covered in chocolate in both the makeup and culinary sense, and these chocolate smoky eyes were super simple to do with a quick smudgy eye base from an opalescent bronze pencil eyeliner, which I topped with a matte reddish brown eyeshadow.

Matchy-matchy?

When I first started wearing eye makeup about one billion years ago, I believed that if you wore any matte finishes, then everything — your liner, your eyeshadow and your base — also had to be in a matching matte, but that’s so not the case. You can totally mix and match your finishes, which is what I did here with the pearly base and the matte eyeshadow to create a satin finish.

Feel free to play and layer different finishes if you don’t already, because you never know what you’ll cook up!

Playing with blending

Also, experiment with your blending. I’m normally inclined to “blow out” my eyeshadow, a.k.a. “blend out the edges so they fade out smoothly,” but I went for more definition at the edges in this look by choosing to not buff out the edges as much as usual… I kinda like it!

The more obvious edges of the eyeshadow are framed by a bolder brow, which I whipped up by mixing brow pencil with an eyeshadow.

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3 Tips for Wearing Red Eyeshadow (and a 20-Minute Makeup Look)

November 6th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

viseart libertine — I may or may not be in my pajamas, FYI.

Fall-inspired look, TAKE TWO.

I think this one’s a little closer in terms of vibe to the Thanksgiving baking accouterments I found at Michael’s the other day… More fall, and less summer, with shimmery reddish copper lids, bronze cheeks and nude-beige lips.

I wore it to the bakery the other day… The bakery in my kitchen, THAT IS! Had this on while trying to work out the pumpkin/pecan cupcake situation (yes, this is a thing I’m working on). In a nutshell, I think I found a good balance between a spicy pumpkin cupcake, and brown sugar pecans, but that’s a story for another time…

As for this look, here are some things you may find helpful when wearing reddish copper eyeshadow, or really any shadows with red tones:

1. Full-coverage foundations make a HUGE difference

You know me; I like to wear as little as possible in terms of base products, but whenever I try to do minimal foundation/concealer that incorporates any sort of copper, coppery red or red eyeshadow, I look tired, messy and juuuuust not right. Babe, if you’ve got anything remotely red happening on your lids, then go for full-coverage foundation. A full-coverage base balances with the red eyeshadow’s POW! very nicely, methinks.

2. Tightline with a black liner

You need something like a black liner to add a visible “break” or barrier between your red eyeshadow and the whites of your eyes; otherwise, it can look kinda “off.” If black seems too harsh for you, try a dark brown.

3. Do your eye makeup first

Why? Because you want absolutely NO red underneath your lower lash line, and you’ll want to completely remove it before doing your base. Then, after you clean up, apply a concealer. I’m usually team “Skip the Under-Eye Concealer,” but in this case, I’m thoroughly on board, because, again, it can look weird if you skip it.

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