Ilia

3 Recent Revelations, and Ilia Rococco Lipstick

September 27th, 2022 by Karen 12 Comments

ilia roccoco hourglass ray — Key products: Ilia Rococco Lipstick, Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow in Ray and Chanel Malice Blush

1. Re: buying blinds for your house

We finally caved in and went to a store that specializes in blinds because all the options and colors have just gotten too overwhelming.

We had someone come out yesterday to measure and walk us through the process, and the biggest takeaway I got was that continuity is key when you’re buying blinds.

For example, when all the shades or blinds are down and you’re looking at your house from the outside, it’s really nice to see all the window treatments matching.

If you don’t want to do that, and say, you have a two-story house, you can match all of the blinds on the first floor, and then have a different type of matching treatment on the top floor.

My point is, you ideally want to have some sort of continuity with your window treatments! Who knew?

2. Ilia Rococco Lipstick is lovely, but…

I got this a while back but haven’t worn it in a bit. It’s a beautiful warm rosy pink lipstick that’s loaded with pigment, but be mindful of it transferring onto your teeth. That’s why I’m smiling with my lips closed in the top pic, LOL!

ilia tahiti rococco — Fun with Ilia lip products!

3. You can wear a bodysuit unsnapped

Holy crap, this has been one of those weirdly surprising game changers for me. I love having the longer length of a bodysuit because I don’t like it when tucked-in shirts ride up, but sometimes I just can’t deal with snapping and unsnapping the crotch part. I recently read that if you’re not in the mood to snap, you can just skip it and wear the bodysuit loose. That’s what I’ve been doing lately, and it’s been glorious.

Here’s the thing, though: You have to make sure that the bottom of your bodysuit doesn’t escape. It’s easier to keep track of the front, but the back it can be tricky. I get around this by wearing pants with a high rise and/or a long blazer.

Have you had any revelations (beauty related or otherwise) lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summery Taupe Smoke

June 29th, 2022 by Karen 12 Comments

Oh, smokey eyes, I’ve missed you!

I wore shimmery, summery, taupe-y smokey eyes to take Connor to gymnastics camp and swimming lessons yesterday. I can say with 100% certainty I was the only person in both instances wearing smokey eyes, which kinda bums me out. Think of how visually interesting it would be if you could stand in a gymnastics camp line at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday and stare at a variety of smoked out lids. I may be alone in wanting this to be a thing, but whatevs!

The star of this summery smoke show is a liquid shadow by Chanel called Vastness. It’s a warm, bronzy taupe with a deliciously subtle shimmer. It used to be part of Chanel’s permanent collection but appears to be missing in action on the Chanel website, which is a bummer, because it’s SO GOOD. It’s easy to blend, has a perfect level of pigment and you don’t need much at all. I did some digging and found it on the Macy’s website, but it’s low stock, so grab it while you can!

I’m wearing Vastness with Espresso liner, a Chanel workhorse. I lined my eyes, then applied the shadow using this technique to smoke it out.

For my lips and cheeks, I went with a bright, juicy pink, Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick in Goddess. I swiped a layer on my lips, blended it with a finger, then used the same finger to tap the lipstick onto the apples of my cheeks as blush. Then, I dabbed Ilia Lip Tint in Tahiti on my lips for a touch of shine.

The glowing base is Rose Inc Skin Enhance Tinted Serum (I wear shade 80)! It’s quickly becoming one of my favorites for sheer coverage. More on this in a few.

Hope your week is going great so far and that life is treating you well. Has anything good happened to you lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Quick Makeup Tip: Control That Cream Shadow

May 5th, 2022 by Karen 4 Comments

Instead of swiping cream shadow directly on your lids with the applicator, use a dome-shaped eyeshadow brush. The brush will lay down a sheer layer of product, and it will allow you to place it exactly where you want, so you have more control!

First, I load my eyeshadow brush by running it directly along the applicator, then I remove any excess on the back of my hand before applying the shadow on my lids and lower lash lines.

Today I did this with Ilia Liquid Eye Tint in Fresco!

Makeup worn in this look

This look took me about 15 minutes, and I did it all right before a 9 a.m. meeting. The bulk of my time was spent on my brows and lashes because they’ve both been stressing me out!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Instant Fix Concealer in Medium Deep Warm – Under my eyes, on my cheeks and around my mouth.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden – To set the concealer.
MAC Omega and Concrete Eyeshadows – I mixed both and applied to my brows.
Laura Mercier Eyeliner in Stormy Grey – Waterlines and lashlines, smudged.
Ilia Fresco Eye Tint – Applied with a Laura Mercier domed shadow brush.
Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara – Seriously, not the greatest, but I keep using it. Shrugs.
Lilah B Lip Oil in B. Elegant – A lovely lip oil if you like nude lips.
Laura Mercier Blush in Chai – Applied with a duo fiber brush.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Friday Fun Beauty Buys!

February 25th, 2022 by Karen 4 Comments

I celebrated Fri-yay with a long-overdue trip to Sephora. Here’s what I grabbed…

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint in ST11.5 Morgat: I’ve been wanting to try this forever! I’ve been wearing sheerer coverage in the past year, and so I hope this has just enough to even out my skin without appearing too “done.”
Ilia Skin Serum Concealer in SC3 Kava: I’ve been needing a new concealer. When I swatched this one in the store, it seemed to have a smooth texture and medium coverage. Fingers crossed!
Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara: Please let this tubing mascara with argan oil be the one. I have high hopes for curl and length.
Hourglass Scattered Light in Ray: A deep champagne glitter shadow, because all I want to do is sparkle. 🙂
Ilia Clean Gel Liner in Dusk: This is my second tube of this dark brown twist-up gel liner. It stays on my waterlines and lashlines all day.
Sephora Face Masks: I bought two! One for me, and one for Connor so that we can do an at-home girls’ spa day afternoon.

I hope your Friday has been fun and full of makeup!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

4-Step Lavender Lids

January 21st, 2022 by Karen 2 Comments

laura mercier orchid ilia cool nude palette — It takes just four steps to get this lavender lid look

Easy eye makeup? YES, PLEASE. This four-step lavender lid has been my go-to all week long.

It involves a layering technique, which I think is fun and easy. You start with a shimmery cream shadow base, and then layer and blend a matte powder shadow on top. The result? A shimmery base that peeks through the matte for a soft, subtle shine.

To get a similar look, you’ll need…

A shimmery cream eyeshadow, like Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Orchid. I like this one because I can blend it easily with my fingers.
A matte lavender powder eyeshadow. This one’s from the Ilia Cool Nude Eyeshadow Palette.
A black liquid liner. I used my favorite Clinique Easy Liner in Black. The flexible felt tip makes it easy to control the width of my lines.
A shimmery dark purple powder eyeshadow. This one is also from the Ilia Cool Nude Eyeshadow palette.

Four steps to lavender lids

Apply your cream shadow as a base, and blend the edges with a brush or finger.
Layer the matte lavender eyeshadow directly on top, then blend.
Line with the black liquid liner.
Layer the shimmery dark purple eyeshadow on top of the liquid liner with an angled brush; blend the edges.

Add your favorite brow product and mascara, if you’d like, then get ready to shine!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

5 Things I Love About Liquid Eyeshadow

January 13th, 2022 by Karen 5 Comments

ilia saie september 202 -k2 — From the mascara wand: Saie Mascara 101, Ilia Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment in Temptation, Ilia Clean Line Gel LIner in Dusk and Ilia Liquid Powder Chromatic Eye Tint in Fresco

1. The packaging’s cute.

Plus, if by some weird coincidence one needed to defend themselves using solely the contents of a makeup bag, I feel like chucking an Ilia Liquid Eyeshadow with all my might would do more damage than a pan of MAC Soft Brown, ya know? There’s some weight to those tubes!

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora — Rare Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Nearly Neutral

2. You have SO many options.

You can keep it simple and just wear a single liquid shadow shade as is on your lids, or you can make things deliciously complicated by layering other liquids, creams, pencils or powder shadows on top, aka, the story of my life. How many times have I said to myself, “K-Dawg, we’re just going to use this matte liquid taupe and call it a day,” only to have it turn into a whole thing with cat liner, three shades in the crease and a smudged lower lash line? TOO. MANY.

wander beauty exquisite eye liquid shadow swatches — I went through a phase when I was really into these liquid shadows by Wander Beauty

3. The liquid doe foot applicators.

Seriously, why is the sensation of a doe foot on my lid so soothing? It’s like having a tiny bunny paw lovingly caress my face. I’m also very grateful for the precision that doe foots offer now that my lids are getting more hooded seemingly by the second. I have to be very careful with where I place my color these days, and a doe foot from a liquid shadow offers more control than a brush loaded with powder shadow.

chanel desert wind black wood swatch — Love me some taupe! That’s Chanel Desert Wind liquid eyeshadow, by the way.

4. Eye primer? What even is that?

As someone who’s enthusiastically worn eye makeup for most of her life, I’ve gotta say, in the last 10 years, liquid eyeshadows have just gotten better and better in terms of wear time. I remember in the ’90s and early Aughts how it would just disappear from your lids into some mysterious makeup black hole. Now, there’s so many long-wearing liquids that last from morning ’til night. It’s glorious!

5. There are so many finishes and colors to choose from!

Matte, satin, shimmer, and oh, all of the brights, neutrals and everything in between. The possibilities are endless!

What do you love about liquid eyeshadow, and which ones are your favorites? My go-to shades as of late are Ilia Fresco (a satiny taupe) and Rare Beauty Nearly Neutral (a warm pinkish beige).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Hey, friend! How’s it going? I’ve been deep in a project at work with a deadline that’s just around the corner (this Friday), so I’ve been glued to my chair. Things have been OK on this end, although I’m having major 2020 flashbacks right now because Omicron’s surging in our neck of the woods. We’re doing all the things we used to do ’round this time two years ago–anticipating school shutting down, ordering groceries online, avoiding busy places, desperately searching for paper towels… Same sh*t, different year. Sigh. We’re living in a unique time in history, that’s for sure!

Stay healthy, stay safe, stay fabulous.

Ilia Lipstick in Rococco and Lip Oil in Tahiti

November 19th, 2021 by Karen 4 Comments

Why snag one Ilia lip product when you can snag two? I enthusiastically believe this needs to be added to a fortune cookie. Don’t you? 😁

I picked up the Lip Oil in Tahiti and the Lipstick in Rococco a while back, and I love how lightweight and comfy Tahiti feels. You get the shine of a lipgloss without the stickiness, and it barely feels like anything at all.

ilia tahiti lip oil — Ilia Lip Oil in Tahiti

ilia lip oil in tahiti — Ilia Lip Oil in Tahiti

That said, I do wish it was a bit more moisturizing, because after wearing Tahiti all day, I’ll often need to apply a thick layer of soothing lip balm before bed.

It sure is pretty, though. If your lips aren’t as dry as mine, it might be better for you than for me, especially if you love shiny corals.

As for rosy brown Rococco, what a gem! If you like pigmented, long-lasting lipsticks with a hint of shine, check it out.

ilia rococco lipstick — Ilia Lipstick in Rococco

Oh! — and if you’re picky about scents or flavors, FYI, both of these lip products smell and taste very faintly of vanilla, but it’s a barely there situation and not overpowering at all. I’ve been getting a few migraines lately, and strong fragrances bother me when my head is acting up, but I can wear either of these without incident.

ilia lipstick in rococco — Ilia Color Block Lipstick in Rococco

I’ve heard rumors that Ilia does a pretty good Black Friday sale, so if that’s on…I’m definitely getting another lipstick or two.

Hope things on your end of the keyboard are good. I’m hanging in there. Lots of meetings and deadlines, per usual. Thankfully, lipstick makes everything a little better. 😘

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 😺🎈🤗✨😸

A Little Sephora Pick Me Up: Ilia Lip Oil in Tahiti, Ilia Lipstick in Rococco and Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Hair Treatment Oil

November 2nd, 2021 by Karen 15 Comments

ilia liptick lip oil briogeo hair oil — A little Sephora pit stop

Hiya, and happy Tuesday! The recent enthusiasm for lipstick around these parts continues. I finally gave in and bought a tube of Ilia Color Block Lipstick in a warm pink called Rococco when I was allegedly “causally browsing” at Sephora last weekend. I also grabbed a tube of Ilia Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil in Tahiti along with a bottle of Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Strengthening Treatment Oil.

briogio dont depair repair oil — I think that’s a real flower

I came *this close* to picking up a tube of JVN Complete Air Dry Cream from the new hair line by stylist/cat lady extraordinaire Jonathan Van Ness, but after squeezing a little out of the tube and working it into my ends, I just couldn’t handle the intensity of the floral scent.

Fun fact: the company that makes JVN is called Amyris, Inc.; they also make Biossance, Pipette and the new makeup line by Rosie Huntington-Whitley.

One of the sales associates mentioned that the Sephora VIB sales starts soon, so I’m making a list. Here’s what I have on it so far:

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm — I’ve been wanting to try this for a while. I’m intrigued by the thought of a soothing oat balm in the double cleanse process.
Kate Somerville Anti Bac Acne Clearing Lotion — My ride or die to keep pimples at bay, always and forever.
Stila Smudge Stick in Damsel — A recommendation from Christine in the comments (hi, friend!).
Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation — You know I love me some tinted sunscreen.
Topicals Faded Serum for Dark Spots & Discoloration — This gel serum with tranexamic acid, niacinamide and azelaic acid gets a lot of hype. It’s currently sold out so I’m hoping Sephora restocks it soon.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask — I’m also grabbing a few jars of this to give as stocking stuffers to the ladies in my life.

Are you planning to shop the sale? Drop me your wish list in the comments. I’d love to see it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen