Lips

Ilia Lipstick in Rococco and Lip Oil in Tahiti

November 19th, 2021 by Karen 4 Comments

ilia tahiti rococco — Fun with Ilia lip products!

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 Daytime Look With Shimmering Taupe-Gold Lids, Bronze Liner, Peachy Cheeks and a Pink Stained Lips

November 18th, 2021 by Karen 5 Comments

jane iredale solar flare fotd products — Feeling like a fancy lady in Jane Iredale!

One of the things I love most about Jane Iredale makeup is how I still feel like “me” when I don it, but just a little more put together version of myself. I had a bunch of meetings yesterday (three hours in front of that tiny camera), and I wore this look with shimmering taupe-gold lids, bronze liner, peach cheeks and a lovely pink lip stain.

A few quick thoughts on the Jane Iredale items…

Eye Shadow Kit in Solar Flare: Blends flawlessly! I like how my eyes look defined but not overly done. The shimmer on these powders is more intense than I expected (could be a good, or a not-so-good, thing, depending on how your lids do with frosty finishes).
GreatShape Contour Kit in Warm: I’m wearing the peach and tan shades on my cheeks, and the beige shade as a highlight on my upper cheekbones and underneath the arch of my brows. Like the eye kit, the powders blend seamlessly. I bet this kit could also double as an eyeshadow palette in a pinch. Lovely!
Lip Stain in Forever Pink: OH! SO! GOOD! It’s a lovely, lightweight and long-wearing stain that feels oh-so-moisturizing on my dry lips. Apparently, you can also wear it as a blush?! I can’t wait to try that ASAP.
PureLash Lash Extender & Conditioner: A lash primer you layer under mascara. I didn’t really see a big difference from it…but I’m going to try it with a few other mascaras, just in case.
Longest Lash Mascara in Black Ice: I did a couple coats on top of the primer, and my lashes didn’t look as big and curly as I usually like… I ended up layering Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara on top to bump up the volume.

How do you usually feel after long meetings? I get really antsy… My body REALLY wants to move after sitting for a while. In fact, after my video calls were done, this is how I felt! 😁

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Thursday! 🤗

Bold Lip of the Day: Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Luxuriant

October 19th, 2021 by Karen 10 Comments

I used to think makeup lovers adored the cat eye and bold lip combo because it’s a classic, but now I’m starting to think the reason why people love it so much because it’s 1) easy and 2) packs a major punch. That’s the main reason why I’ve been wearing it so much lately, LOL!

Today’s bold lip is with a beautiful matte liquid lippie by Chanel, Rouge Allure in Luxuriant! It’s a bright matte red with a fuchsia undertone. I like how lightweight it feels and how it doesn’t suck the moisture out of my pout. Oh yeah, I also think it looks absolutely beautiful!

BTW the liner is my go-to liquid liner, Clinique Pretty Easy Pen in Black. If you’ve ever felt like cat eye liner is just too hard, give this pen a try. It has a flexible tip, the ink flows out steadily and is smudge-proof. I always have one in my makeup bag.

clinique pretty easy liquid eyeliner pen 3 — This is the finish after it dries. Sorry for my sloppy lines… I just drank a ton of coffee and was hella shaky, LOL.

Have a very happy Tuesday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Spotlight: Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in Runaway

September 22nd, 2021 by Karen 6 Comments

ilia runaway — Seriously, one of the best “throw it on and go” lip colors!

If you have any plans to start your holiday shopping early, girlfriend, I’m going to support that 100%! I’m currently on a kick where I do things hella early, as in waaaay before they’re due, and I flat-out love it (more on this in a few).

Going back to the holiday shopping… May I suggest you start with this lovely little number from Ilia for your friends and fellow makeup lovers? I love it so much I’ve given it as a birthday present twice, and I already intend to put it in a Christmas stocking or two.

Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in Runaway ($28) is a neutral rosy nude with a creamy finish and subtle shine. It’s more pigmented than most lip balms but less intense than a typical lipstick, and you know what? It’s absolutely fabulous and just so easy to wear. I’ve worn it in pretty much all of my work meetings over the last couple days… Have there been four? Or was it five? Seriously, I’ve lost count. I forgot that working with other people means a whole lotta meetings. Thankfully, this lip balm looks great on camera and in real life, and I’ve been wearing it a ton!

It’s lightweight yet moisturizing, so my lips feel good when I’m wearing it, and I also like the light vanilla flavor and scent. The whole vibe is very comfy, like stretchy pants, except for…your lips.

And the color? Now, this might sound gross, but for some reason I really like lip colors that are the same color as my gums! Weird, I know, but “gummy pinks” light up my face. It’s very my-lips-but-better, and I suspect that this particular shade will work across a wide range of skin tones.

Fittingly, it’s called a lip balm, which I think makes it sound a little less intimidating and more approachable than a full-on lipstick. Sure, it’s less intense than something full-coverage like Stila Beso, but when all I want is a quick touchup, I’ll grab Runaway over Beso any day of the week because it requires less precision.

I purchased Runaway at Sephora because I wanted the option to return it, but next time I think I’ll go to the Ilia website instead. I heard they had a Black Friday Sale last year with 20% off everything. If they do that again, I’ll be there.

OK, so, back to doing stuff and showing up early…it’s my new favorite thing in the whole wide world! Lately, I’ve been showing up to appointments 15-20 minutes early — from dropping Connor off at school, to going to meetings, to arriving to school-related events — and my world is forever changed. Parking has been easier, I’m not stressed out about showing up late, and it just feels great being one of the first to arrive. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if I’m there early, I’m a happy camper! 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy first day of fall! 🍂

Another Way to Work Your Favorite Nude Lipstick

September 14th, 2021 by Karen 7 Comments

Check this out. I do it often. It’s one of my favorite lip tricks of all time!

Even when you regularly roll with eight nude lippies at any given moment, sometimes you still want to shake things up, which is where a sheer berry gloss comes in handy.

“Sheer” is the key word here, i.e., something to add a tantalizing touch of berry tint to tease and tempt without taking over.

Start with a layer of your nude lippie du jour.
Blot (if you want), but I usually skip it because…laziness, TBH. But it’s helpful if you’ll be taking pics because it keeps your lip color from looking thick and gooey.
Apply a layer of gloss directly on top, but WAIT! — don’t stick that wand back in the tube quite yet. Wipe off any lipstick with a tissue first so the lipstick doesn’t mix with your gloss and change the color. Optionally, instead of using the doe foot directly on your lips, you can swipe it on the back of your hand, then pick up the gloss from there, and apply it to your lips with a finger.

chanel jumbo matte lip crayon 257 — Chanel Jumbo Matte Lip Crayon in 257 Discretion

chanel rouge coco gloss 764 — Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 764 Confusion

chanel jumbo matte lip crayon 257 chanel rouge coco gloss 764 — Just a hint of berry

You can also do this trick with reds, purples, browns — any sheer gloss you like.

Good morning, BTW. Happy Tuesday. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Four Steps to Fabulous Fall Matte Lips

August 11th, 2021 by Karen 11 Comments

laura mercier fresh — Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Lipstick in Fresh

Gah! I’m so excited about 1) sweater weather (anyone else totally over the heat?), and I can’t wait for all of the full-on pigmented matte lip colors for fall! I’m already building my army of berries, reds and roses…

If you’re all about rich, autumnal lips like I am, here are four application tips to help you get fabulous matte fall lips that look great all day long.

1. Step one: Get prepped

Prep your lips by applying your favorite moisturizing balm to remove any dryness. (I’m a fan of CeraVe Healing Ointment, myself.)

2. Step two: Soften those edges

With a finger, press a thin amount of your favorite liquid concealer all along the edges of your lips until your lip line kinda disappears into your skin. Then, wait a minute for the concealer to dry. Right now I’m loving Hourglass Veil Retouching Concealer (it’s what I’m wearing in these pics), but any good pigmented liquid concealer should do.

3. Step three: Set it and forget it

Load a tapered eye brush with a translucent setting powder, and lightly dust a layer on top of the concealer to set it.

4. Step four: Just add color

Apply your rich fall lip color either directly from the tube, or using a brush. Then, step back and admire your beautiful lips! 😊

laura mercier femme — Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Lipstick in Femme

urban decay the big one — Urban Decay Matte Lipstick in The Big One

I wasn’t the only one inspired to wear something colorful today! This is Connor’s peacock-inspired look.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Clique

August 5th, 2021 by Karen 9 Comments

laura-mercier clique velour extreme matte lipstick — Reddish pink perfection!

Srsly, who knows more about chic, effortless makeup than Laura Mercier? Thanks to LM’s intensely pigmented reddish pink Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Clique, you’ll swoon, then pick yourself up, then pull together a lovely look in a few quick swipes. Just add black kitten liner, a lengthening mascara, your favorite blush, and you’re off to adventure! 😺

If you’re already gently dipping your toes into fall season makeup like I am…or you intend to start soon, the ultra-matte formula is perfect. Velvety and smooth, it doesn’t make my lips flake and doesn’t leave behind any dry spots at the end of the day.

Oh, and FYI, you won’t need a separate lip liner because there’s a hidden sharpener in the tube! Use it to file the twist-up lippie down to a fine tip, and then draw a sharp edge along your lip line.

These are normally $30, but they’re on sale right now on lauramercier.com for $21! Also, while you’re there, you might as well check out the Roseglow Caviar Sticks, too…if you 1) love hidden gems and 2) are into bright, glowing lids. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Fabulous MAC Lipsticks to Celebrate National Lipstick Day!

July 29th, 2021 by Karen 15 Comments

Happy National Lipstick Day, team! 💄🥰💖 I’m going need you to drop the color you’re wearing today in the comments, or, heck, even if you aren’t wearing lipstick today, what has graced your lips lately? Or, what lip color do you normally wear the most?

Here are five of my personal faves (these are all from MAC), and, uh…I wear these colors a lot! There are two bold brights — juicy red (All Fired Up) and neon pink (Candy Yum-Yum).

Of course, there are also a couple of neutrals, namely Velvet Teddy and Half ‘N Half, a.k.a. “The MAC Lipstick Loves of My Life.”

And then the “in between” color is Model Off-Duty, which is from the Powder Kiss Collection.

Let me put it this way: I LIKE THESE COLORS A LOT.

mac lipstick national lipstick day 2021 — Swatches, babe!

Since we’re on the topic of lipstick, when you think about it — I mean really think about it — is there a lipstick out there from any brand that makes you feel magnificent when you wear it? “Magnificent.” That’s such a powerful word, isn’t it? Magnificent! Inquiring lipstick-loving minds want to know. 😻

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen