Lips

A Quick Look at In the Buff, Paradisco and Pink Dune, Three of Tom Ford Beauty’s New Lip Color Sheers

February 27th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Tom Ford Beauty spring 2014 Lip Color Sheer — Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheers ($49 each)

Kind of a funny story… One of El Hub’s childhood friends is visiting from out of town tonight, and we only had about 2.5 seconds to clean the house (OK, more like 20 minutes) before his flight landed this afternoon.

You know you’re doing an improv cleaning job of your condo when your idea of tidying things up is hiding the telltale indicators that you’re a crazy cat lady (“Don’t forget to hide his outfits.”) and spraying Nest Birchwood Pine Room Spray in every room and hallway. LOL!

I probably should tear myself away from makeup temporarily to socialize… While I do that, here are pics of a few of the new Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheers that came out for spring.

Yeah, these are crazy expensive at $49 each, but it’s T.F., so that price point is business as usual. But if you love sheer, luxurious lipsticks, these might be your dream come true.

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheers from the left: In the Buff, Paradisco and Pink Dune

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheer in Paradisco — Paradisco

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheer in Pink Dune — Pink Dune

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheer in In the Buff — In the Buff

Keep an eye out for these shades, along with the rest of the Lip Color Sheers collection, at Tom Ford counters and online.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Clarins Opalescence Spring 2014 Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss and Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick Swatches and Pics

February 18th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Wearing the new Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Tropical Pink from the new Opalescence Spring 2014 collection

Some pics of the lip products from the new 14-piece Clarins Opalescence Spring 2014 collection in action to warm you up on this chilly Tuesday night (assuming it’s not summer or the tropics where you are). 🙂

The two Gloss Prodige Lip Glosses ($23 each) and three Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipsticks ($27 each) are available on Clarins counters now and clarinsusa.com.

Clarins Opalescence Spring 2014 collection lip products from the left: Gloss Prodige Lip Glosses in Coral Tulip and Crystal ($23 each); Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipsticks in Tropical Pink, Coral Tulip and Pink Orchid ($27 each)

Clarins Opalescence Spring 2014 collection swatches from the left: Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Coral Tulip and Crystal; Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipsticks in Tropical Pink, Coral Tulip and Pink Orchid — Swatches from the left: Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Coral Tulip and Crystal; Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipsticks in Tropical Pink, Coral Tulip and Pink Orchid

Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Coral Tulip — Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Coral Tulip

Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Pink Orchid — Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Pink Orchid

Clarins Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Coral Tulip — Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Coral Tulip

Clarins Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Crystal — Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Crystal

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. House of Cards! Last night I watched up through episode 9, which Jodie Foster directed. What a great episode! I know I’ve already asked, but are you watching House of Cards? Isn’t it great?

Be Your Own Admirer With Illamasqua’s Red Hot I’m the One Collection

February 12th, 2014 by Karen 27 Comments

Illamasqua's Feisty Coloring Pencil, Maneater Lipstick and Touch Intense Lipgloss — Wearing Illamasqua’s Feisty Coloring Pencil, Maneater Lipstick and Touch Intense Lipgloss

Be your own admirer.

That’s the message behind Illamasqua’s I’m the One collection, a small but eye-catching release with just one lip pencil, a lipstick, one gloss and a nail polish — but man, oh, man, are they bold! And red. Two things I can really get behind. 🙂

Here are pics and swatches of three of the four pieces from the collection…

Illamasqua I'm the One Collection lip products in Feisty, Touch and Maneater — I’m red-y for ya! Three of four pieces from the Illamasqua I’m the One collection…

Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Touch — Touch Intense Lipgloss, $24

Illamasqua Feisty Coloring Pencil — Feisty Coloring Pencil, $20

Illamasqua Maneater Lipstick — Maneater Lipstick, $26

Illamasqua Swatches from the left: Coloring Pencil in Fiesty, Lipstick in Maneater and Intense Lipgloss in Touch — Swatches from the left: Coloring Pencil in Feisty, Lipstick in Maneater and Intense Lipgloss in Touch

Illamasqua Fiesty Coloring Pencil, Maneater Lipstick and Touch Lipgloss — A closeup of Feisty Coloring Pencil, Maneater Lipstick and Touch Lipgloss

[Continue reading…]

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Hourglass Femme Rouge Lipstick in Muse

February 10th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Got ~~milk?~~ coral lipsticks on the brain?

Why, yes. Yes, I do. But what else is new?

Maybe it’s a genetic thing. I don’t know… But last night I was chatting with my mom on the phone about coral lipsticks and my 86-year-old godmother in the Philippines.

My godmother, whom I call Ninang (pronounced knee-nung), is the most glamorous gal I know, and my mom was telling me last night about how Ninang is apparently obsessed with coral lipsticks right now, LOL!

I guess it runs in the fam. 🙂

I think Ninang would thoroughly approve of Hourglass Femme Rouge Lipstick in Muse, the creamy coral lippie I’m wearing in these pics.

My heart fluttered the first time I saw it. No joke.

Then when I slipped it on — oh, my goodness! — I may have hyperventilated a little. The intense pigment, shiny finish and bright color were all too much for me (but in a “I’m perfectly OK with this” kind of way).

Now, Muse looks pretty dope on its own, but if you want to turn up the drama even more, try layering a reddish coral gloss on top, like MAC Star Quality Cremesheen from the A Fantasy of Flowers collection.

Looks phenom! — as does Hourglass Nectar Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss. (Do I need to post pics of these combos? Let me know. I’ve been all about the combos lately.)

[Continue reading…]

MAC’s Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick and Lipglass: A Red Lip Combo That’s Red-y for Anything

February 6th, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick and Lipglass — Well, hello, red!

Sure, red lips are classic and timeless and they never go out of style. True, true and true. But, oh! — I would have love to have worn MAC Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick ($16) and Lipglass ($15) over the holidays.

Sadly, they hadn’t been around then because they’re newer than that.

As members of the MAC Viva Glam family of gorgeous products, 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of MAC Viva Glam Rihanna Lipsticks and Lipglasses go to support the MAC AIDS Fund, which helps women, children and men living with HIV/AIDS.

As you may expect, Tabs is finicky about the red lipsticks he allows his pet assistants to wear, but he loves this intense blueish red (he also wishes it had been available over the holidays because it matches his red sequined Christmas outfit perfectly…).

The other day, my buddy Marisol asked me if I considered this Lipstick and Lipglass combo “must have,” and ya know, I do. Must. Have. A thousand times over. 🙂

[Continue reading…]

NYX Introduces Tempting New Shades of $5 Butter Gloss To Excite Lips and Make Tummies Rumble

February 4th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

I can’t even begin to understand the concept of skipping dessert.

Well, that’s not true… I get it. Sometimes I do it, too. But I hate it whenever I do. Every time.

It’s easy for my friend Cindy, though. Whenever a waiter asks, “Would you like to see the dessert menu?” she can easily say no (she’s more into salty snacks than sweets), but that’s not even an option for me. I have to see the dessert menu because I live for the sweet stuff, man.

A meal doesn’t seem complete unless I’ve had a piece of cake or a scoop of ice cream at the end, and if it were more socially acceptable to completely skip appetizers and the main dish entirely and go straight to dessert, I totally would.

I like to get my sweet on any way I can, which is why I have a soft spot for these NYX Butter Glosses.

Have you taste tested these sheer glosses before (I meant figuratively, but they do have a light brown sugar and vanilla flavor and scent that I like)? They cost $5 each and originally arrived last spring, when they were added to the permanent line.

They have a satiny finish, a lightweight, super comfy, non-sticky formula and delectable names like Peach Cobbler and Cherry Pie.

They tend to apply a little patchy on me at first and only last about an hour, but I like ’em for what they are, and the price seems right.

NYX recently added 10 more shades, including the three yummy-sounding ones here — rosy nude Angel Food Cake, hot pink Cupcake and berry Raspberry Tart.

NYX Butter Gloss in Angel Food Cake — Angel Food Cake

[Continue reading…]

How ‘Bout Them Apples? Fresh This Season From theBalm, a New Six-Piece Cream Cheek and Lip Palette

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 29 Comments

theBalm How 'Bout Them Apples — Taking a bite out of the newest palette by theBalm

Frrresh fruit! Get your fresh fruit here! Sweeet apples! Crisp and hunky!

Don’t be alarmed if you feel like taking a bite out of theBalm’s new cheek and lip cream palette.

It’s completely understandable. 🙂

And not merely because it houses a bushel of six juicy shades sweet enough to strike fear into the sweetest Honeycrisp…

It’s also because the men of Magic Mike appear inside! WOO HOO!!

OK, not really… Well, maybe.

Seriously, though, I don’t think these dudes have ever grinded to Pony on stage with Channing Tatum, but it looks like they could, judging by the way that cobbler pops that hip. That man clearly two-steps like a pro.

I have to admit that the inclusion of so many abdominal muscles probably heightened my enthusiasm for this palette. I mean, I think I would have liked it anyway, but I’m just sayin’. It’s true. 🙂

[Continue reading…]

The New Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Plastic Passion Spring 2014 Collection, and an Important Announcement

January 23rd, 2014 by Karen 30 Comments

Wearing OCC Pool Boy Lip Tar, one of six new shades from the spring 2014 Plastic Passion collection

It is with a heavy heart that I must share some sad news…

The OCC Plastic Passion Spring 2014 collection

I learned today, moments after swatching the Plastic Passion spring 2014 collection by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, that I am not nearly cool enough to pull off bright blue matte lips.