Face

Guess What? Your Eyeshadow Can Double as a Highlighter

May 7th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Problem: Your favorite highlighter is MIA, possibly due to your cat, despite lacking opposable thumbs, hiding it somewhere in your condo.

You turn over every inch of the place looking for it, peering under every piece of furniture and checking each of your cat’s favorite hiding places, but still can’t find it.

WHERE IS THAT DAMN PAN OF MAC SOFT AND GENTLE MINERALIZE SKIN FINISH?!

Er…not that I’ve ever experienced this. We’re talking hypothetically, of course. 🙂

Solution: You reach for a shimmery peach, coral, beige or white eyeshadow instead.

Yup — that’s right. Because your eyeshadow can double as a face highlighter!

Here I’m using MAC’s Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Lorelei, a shimmery golden beige from the new MAC Alluring Aquatic collection.

MAC Lorelei Extra Dimension Eye Shadow, a golden beige — Lorelei Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

After I’m done applying blush and bronzer, I swirl a clean finger in the pan, and gently rub it on my upper cheekbones…

…down the bridge of my nose (goofy face is totally optional!)…

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Urban Decay’s New Clothing-Optional Naked Flushed Palettes in Native, Streak and Strip Make It Easy To Bring Your Highlighter, Bronzer and Blush With You

May 6th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

Wearing the new Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Native — Wearing the new Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette in Native

Coming at ‘cha! — riding on a wave of nakedness, three new ways to strip down for summer from Urban Decay.

Yup, I think it’s safe to say that UD is on something of a naked streak (get it, streak?) based on their three latest Naked Flushed Palettes ($30 each).

Native, Strip and Streak arrive to the party with a disrobed desire to enhance skin, diffuse light and give a fresh glow to yo’ face, baby cakes.

Each one comes with one powder bronzer, a highlighter and a blush.

The new Urban Decay Naked Flushed Bronzer/Highlighter/Blush Palettes, $30 each

UD bestowed a satiny bronze bronzer upon Native, the palette I’m wearing in these pics, as well as a frosty pinkish beige highlighter and a matte hot pink blush.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Native — Naked Flushed in Native

Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Streak — Naked Flushed in Streak

Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Strip — Naked Flushed in Strip

Swatches of Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Native — Naked Flushed in Native

The second palette, Streak, is ready for a warm roll in the haaay!. It comes with a warm, matte bronzer; a frosty peach highlighter; and a matte coral blush.

Swatches of Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Streak — Naked Flushed in Streak

And Strip, the third palette, glimmers with a frosty golden tan bronzer (so shiny!), a gold highlighter and a matte mauve blush.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Strip Swatches — Naked Flushed in Strip

The new Urban Decay Naked Flushed Bronzer/Highlighter/Blush Trios…

Micronized, jet-milled powder formula free of parabens, fragrances, alcohol and mineral oil
The bronzer, highlighter and blush are all full size
UD designed them to work with all skin tones
New to the UD permanent line for summer 2014

I wear bronzer, blush and highlighter on a pretty much daily basis, so I like the idea of these, especially late in the week, when my brain is usually so fried that small decisions like which bronzer/blush/highlighter to wear is more than I can take, haha.

I think all three color combinations are super flattering, but my favorites are probably Native and Streak. For uber-natural looks, I like those two the most.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed Packaging — Packaging

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A Monday Face of the Day With the New Tom Ford Unabashed Eye and Cheek Compact

April 28th, 2014 by Karen 35 Comments

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye and Cheek Palette — Wearing Tom Ford’s new $95 Unabashed Eye and Cheek compact

The bright matte blue eyeshadow chilling in the corner of Tom Ford’s new summer eye and cheek compact is, well, unabashedly blue and comes, ironically, out of the blue, or so it seems to me.

Then again, maybe that was the point. The compact is called Unabashed, after all, and with a name like that, I guess it makes sense to have at least one outrageous color, methinks.

The bold electric blue looks like it wandered over from the Urban Decay counter and decided to kick it with TF for the summer, and it’s not one of those bait-and-switch blue eyeshadows, either — you know, the kind that scream from their pans, “Haaaay, look at me, playa!” only to apply all shy and sheer.

No way, this blue’s bright and bangin’ — perfect for bold blue eye looks, if you feel so inclined.

When I see blues like this one, my gut usually tells me to do a neutral lid and smudge the blue along my lower lash lines, or perhaps do a soft blue cat eye, but this morning my gut told me something else. It said, “Um, Karen, let the blue play with the other colors in the compact, OK?”

And I said, “Sure.” 🙂

The compact also includes a matte taupe eyeshadow, which looks a little like the taupe from She Wolf, only lighter; a glittery taupe; a shimmery golden peach blush; and a shimmery golden tan bronzer/highlighter.

I found out that if you layer the matte blue on top of the golden bronzer, it summons a dark and beautiful peacock feather teal.

COOL!

For my eyes…

Apply the bronzer/highlighter in the crease.
Sweep the matte blue into the lower crease.
Pat the matte taupe on the lids, then layer the glittery taupe on top (which I’ve applied here with a wet eyeshadow brush to intensify the glittery effect).
Line the upper lash line with Tom Ford’s Eye Defining Pen in Deeper.
Line the upper and lower water lines with Guerlain’s Black Jack Eye Pencil.
Smudge the matte taupe along the lower lash line.
Apply Katy Perry false lashes to my upper lashes.
And coat my lower lashes with Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara.

For the rest of the look, I swept the golden peach blush from the compact on my cheeks and applied the highlighter/bronzer on my upper cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my Cupid’s bow.

I finished by applying a single layer of Tom Ford’s sumptuous Sable Smoke Lipstick (THE BEST high-end nude lippie, EVAH!) and topped it with a little NARS Striptease Lip Gloss.

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Have You Read The Little Black Book of Bronzers, by Too Faced Cosmetics?

April 25th, 2014 by Karen 30 Comments

The new Too Faced The Little Black Book of Bronzers ($139)

OOH! I love coffee table books…

Wait — what’s that? It’s not a coffee table book, you say? It’s actually a limited edition $139 collectible palette with eight beststelling Too Faced powder bronzers inside?

Well I’ll be darned… From the outside it looks like a giant coffee table book, which is actually kind of ironic, because it’s called The Little Black Book of Bronzers.

Little, it is not.

IT’S HUGE!

If for some unknown reason I were forced to suddenly go incognito, I could just hide behind it because the thing is literally bigger than my head.

Too Faced The Little Black Book of Bronzers Open — In the event you need to hide…

Yeah, this is probably not the kind of thing you take on a weekend jaunt, but if you did, you’d have all of your Too Faced bronzers with you in a single place, all nicely marked and arranged. You wouldn’t have to rut around in your makeup bag, which is what I usually end up doing.

Like any good book, this one has a compelling story…

A story of bronzers and adventure starring you. 🙂

In one chapter, it’s Friday, and you’re wearing Beach Bunny and playing hooky from work. In another, you’re wearing Chocolate Soleil on the day you give your career-changing presentation in front of the board.

Later that night, you wear Bronzed & Poreless on your date with that certain boy (or girl).

** SPOILER ALERT** This book is an online exclusive, so you won’t find it on bookshelves or stores. Expect a very limited supply at toofaced.com, sephora.com and ulta.com in May.

As pricey as it sounds, the book actually represents a significant savings, as Too Faced bronzers are normally $30 a pop, so if you were to buy all eight of these individually (they’re all from the permanent line), you’d be looking at $240, versus the $139 the book costs.

That’s a savings of $101, and all of the pans in it are full size.

There’s a good mix of mattes and shimmers here, and all eight bronzers seem to have the same texture, finish and wear time I’m used to from the brand.

The bronzers in the book…

Endless Summer 16-Hour Long-Wear Bronzer: A universal bronze with a subtle shimmer that lasts all day
Sun Bunny: A split pan with a warm silky gold on one side and a pinkish bronze on the other; when you mix the two together you get a natural glow without any orange undertones.
Milk Chocolate Soleil: Totally smells like chocolate, yum! A matte light brown bronzer suited for pale to medium skin tones.
Chocolate Soleil: Another yummy chocolate scented bronzer. A matte bronzer for medium to deep skin tones.
Sun Bunny: Mix the four shades in this bronzer — which has a golden bronze, delicate pink, white and fawn shimmer — for a healthy glow. I use this as a highlighter.
Bronzed & Poreless: A matte medium bronze that minimizes the look of pores.
Pink Leopard: A bronze with golden pink shimmer. Works great as either a blush or highlighter.
Beach Bunny: Like a warmer, more golden version of Snow Bunny, this bronzer has four illuminating shades — a bronze, a soft peach, golden ivory and golden tan

The size definitely makes this un-travel-friendly, but that’s not really the point. If you’ve been waiting for something BIG — literally HUGE — to make the jump to using bronzers on a regular basis, and you want a lot to choose from, check out the book.

Also…it’s cute! I like how when you open it, there are descriptions with little drawings of different places and scenarios where you could wear each of the bronzers.

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Hey, Baby Doll, Let Me Holla at You for a Minute: YSL Baby Doll Kiss & Blush in 1 Fuchsia Desinvolte

April 17th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Yo, yo, yo, Baby Doll! Don’t walk away. Come here for a second. I just want to tell you something.

Damn, Baby Doll Kiss & Blush…you foine.

For real though! Must be that hot-@ss outfit you’re wearing. You kinda looked like a nail polish I know from over there. My bad. I’m sorry. I see you now. You’re a multitasking mousse lipstick and blush with a matte finish, all up in one sexy bottle.

Baby Doll Kiss & Blush in 1 Fuchsia Desinvolte is one of 12 shades available now at YSL counters and online at neimanmarcus.com[/caption]

You’re a little heavy, and I like that. Must be that glass bottle. Shoo’… And that flocked doe-foot applicator?! I love me some curves. I’d wear you on my lips and cheeks like a pair of skinny jeans!

YSL Baby Doll Kiss Blush Doe Foot Applicator — Doe-foot applicator

YSL Baby Doll Kiss & Blush Ingredients — Ingredients

You’re new around here, yeah? I can tell you’re different from the other multitasking lip and cheek products that strut their stuff down this block.

Let me caress you for a moment… It’s alright. Ooh, mousse texture. Fluffy. Kind of creamy, too. I bet you’re so smooth that you’d glide along my cheeks and my lips without any patchiness.

That’s classy, girl. Classy with “C,” not a “K.” 😉

You’re a keeper; I can tell. Not one of those fly-by-nights that just bounces after an hour or two. C’mon, let me take you out sometime. We could hang out on my cheeks for 6-8 hours, on top of foundation, bare cheeks or even atop powder. Or we could just kiss on the lips for 4-5.

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BECCA Ever-Matte Skin Shine Proof Foundation: Oil Better Knot Stand in the Way of This Marriage

April 7th, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

Oh, Matte, yes! A thousand times YES!

I think I’m going to cry…

I’ve been wondering when you’d ask. You just made me the happiest girl in the world. 🙂

I actually thought you might pop the question that morning two weeks ago when we were getting ready for work. You were thinking about it that day weren’t you, Matte? We were standing in front of the mirror together, and I was holding on to you so tightly, and we looked into each other’s eyes, and I thought, “Yes, I could spend the rest of my life with you, Matte.”

Haha! It’s kind of crazy that we can spend all day together without driving each other nuts. Isn’t that crazy, Matte? I’ve never known a liquid matte foundation that left my skin looking so smooth and feeling so comfortable.

And the way you take control of oil on my forehead, nose and chin? — gosh, that’s so frickin’ hot. You always keep the shine away, baby, even on your own. I’ve never known another matte like that. Because of you, I don’t even need setting powder. That’s epic, Matte.

Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation in Bamboo — BECCA Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation in Bamboo, one of 19 shades in the line

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that you look so good in pics, haha! Oh, you know it’s true. You’re easy on the eyes. You look so natural on my skin. Not fake or mannequin-like at all. Honestly, because of problems in my past with that, I didn’t think I’d ever commit to a matte foundation…

Before you.

I love how just the smallest amount patted on my cheeks, my nose and around my chin and mouth give me medium coverage. And how if I want more opacity, all I have to do is add and blend another layer.

Before (left) and after (right) Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation — Before (left) and after (right) BECCA Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation

Now, your family — it’s big, Matte — and you know that I love your family, but are we going to invite all 18 of your brothers and sisters? Because that’s going to be a big-@ss wedding. Bigger than we talked about.

Why don’t we just call your cousin, and have her meet us at City Hall? We could elope right then and there.

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It’s Champagne and Roses All Around With the New 413 BLKR Blush and 413 BLKR Illuminator

April 3rd, 2014 by Karen 27 Comments

Wearing the new NARS 413 BLKR Blush and Illuminator — Wearing the new NARS 413 BLKR Blush ($30) and Illuminator ($30), available now exclusively at NARS Boutiques and narscosmetics.com

413 — that’s, like, a pager code, right?

LOL! Oh, puh-leaz! Don’t even pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about. 🙂 I know you got all smiley and giggly when your crush sent you love emergency pages in the (911 143) middle of the night, circa 1995.

Oh, wait. That was me.

Actually, in this instance, 413 is not in reference to the language of pager love, but rather shorthand for a collection of NARS makeup products called 413 BLKR.

It includes 413 Multiples, Nail Polishes, Eyeshadows, Lipsticks — all manner of cute things.

The numerical nomenclature is a shout-out to the address of the very first NARS boutique, located at 413 Bleecker Street in New York, and the 413 BLKR products were created in the spirit of New York City’s unique energy.

NARS 413 BLKR Blush and Illuminator — The two newest additions to the NARS 413 BLKR line

Recently, NARS added two new pieces to the 413 BLKR fam — 413 BLKR Blush ($30) and 413 BLKR Illuminator ($30).

Rosy matte 413 BLKR Blush, an intense rosy pink powder blush, is super smooth and incredibly pigmented. A little goes a long way with this one, so you might want to use a light touch.

Shimmery champagne liquid highlighter 413 BLKR Illuminator looks like it could be frosty, based on how it looks in its tube, but that’s just because it’s fired up about the prospects of getting on skin, where I think it’s actually very subtle and beautiful.

NARS 413 BLKR Illuminator — 413 BLKR Illuminator, a shimmering champagne

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The Clinique Cheek Pop Blushes: Making Cheeks Pop With Vibrant, Easy-To-Build Color One Layer at a Time

March 31st, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

SUNDAY NIGHT, 6:06 P.M., MY LIVING ROOM COUCH — I’m gobbling Peanut M&Ms by the handful and gulping Riesling. It’s all I can do to cope.

(If you joined me on Twitter last night, then you know why.)

It’s nothing makeup-related, and certainly nothing related to blush. In fact, the couple layers of Clinique’s Cheek Pop Blush in Ginger Pop ($21) I applied early in the day are helping to calm my rattled nerves. Ten hours after applying, the satiny coral color is still going strong, sans streaks, and with only minimal fading.

The problem: more zombies.

*** SPOILER ALERT (SORT OF) ***

Not even 10 minutes into The Walking Dead Season 4 finale, and I’m wondering if I have enough chocolate to make it through the hour. I contemplate sending El Hub out to get more.

Beads of sweat glisten on my forehead. I unzip my Zella hoodie to cool down but promptly zip it back up. I might need to use it as a security blanket.

A band of brutal marauders descend on Rick, Carl and Michonne, and the story takes a dark, dark turn…

I pop some more M&Ms and gulp the wine realizing that this can’t end well. I hug myself tightly and rock back and forth. “Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!”

The head marauder has Rick in a headlock while the others surround them. I think, I don’t know if I’ll be able to watch the show anymore if something (else) terrible happens.

OMG, DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN?!?

I’m screaming through a mouthful of half-chewed bits of M&Ms for what seems like an eternity, but is really just 10-15 seconds.

When the show cuts to commercial, I grab my asthma inhaler, just in case.

Think happy thoughts, I tell myself. Puppies. Kittens. Flowers…

Flowers! — like the ones on these pans of Clinique Cheek Pop Blushes. 🙂

I close my eyes and concentrate on the Cheek Pops, which look exactly like the daisies I’m growing on my deck. My pulse slows as I focus on the easy-to-apply creamy powders.

I feel…better, even as the show resumes after the commercial break. I’m glad that we live in a world free of zombies (for now), where we can contemplate things like blush on our couches, because I’m pretty sure I’d be picked off early in zombie-land. I think I’m too gentle for that world. Too soft.

Then I think, hey, at least I’ll have a fabulous blush on my cheeks when it happens, and everything’s better when you’re wearing a great blush…

The Clinique Cheek Pop Blushes: 10,000-Foot View

What’s the marketing mumbo-jumbo?

Clinique claims that these silky powder blushes, which are part of a new line, look natural and virtually powder-less on cheeks. The four shades stay true on the skin, and should cover options for most every skin tone. While vibrant in their pans, they apply sheer, but can be built up in layers to reach your desired level of intensity.

And the final verdict?

You know the MAC In Extra Dimension Blushes that MAC, for some insane reason, only releases in limited edition collections? They’re MAC’s line of unfathomably smooth cream-powder-liquid hybrids that apply flawlessly and last a cray-cray long time (8-10 hours without having to touch up)?

Well, I’ve long wished that MAC would make them permanent, and in a way I guess my wish came true because now there’s something similar at Clinique!

We are talking about some seriously bomb-@ss blushes, yo.

Based on their similarities, I wouldn’t be surprised if Clinique and MAC shared secret formulas (they do have the same parent company, so who knows?).

Looking, feeling and behaving like clones, the Cheek Pops could easily pass for In Extra Dimension dupes, with the same satiny finish and silky, easy-to-blend formula — not to mention a pretty kick-@ss wear time (I get from 10-12 hours).

Fantastic for effortless, natural-looking cheeks — and they’re versatile, too. I can easily build them up in layers when I want to wear something intense and brighter.

So what do you think?

I love ’em! Highly recommended.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop — Ginger Pop, a coral

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