LORAC

End of Summer Shimmery Mermaid Makeup Tutorial

August 27th, 2015 by Karen 40 Comments

There is absolutely no freakin’ way that matte-heavy eyeshadow looks are even remotely acceptable among members of the makeup-loving mermaid community, and I know this for a fact.

Actually, I don’t really know that for a fact, since I haven’t kicked it with any of my mermaid friends lately, but if I had, they would DEFINITELY be rollin’ with shimmer.

So…why am I talking about mermaids??

Excellent question.

Well, because it’s late August, and even though I’m excited about fall, I’m still sad to see summer go. *sad tabby face* 🙁

I was thinking about the beach this morning (I haven’t been once this year!), and that led me to think about mermaids, and about mermaid water babies basking on the rocks with their shimmery tails swishing in the crystal clear waters and their subtle blue and green eye makeup sparkling in the sun…

So that’s what I was going for here.

For the record, this look is also appropriate for landlubbers, so you don’t need to have a mermaid tail to wear it, although that would be pretty rad.

I think this is a good look for late summer parties and barbecues, or maybe a back-to-school party where everyone gets kinda dressed up. Or, if you’re heading someplace fabulous that just so happens to have lively nightlife and be located near a warm body of water. Or, if you just want something shimmery to wear while you walk your cat around your neighborhood.

It’s a good look for multiple occasions. 🙂

Now, honey, if you just scrolled down, I know this look might seem impossible based on the number of steps, but you can do it! — even if you’re a straight-up beginner.

If you’ve never attempted anything like this before, though, cut yourself some slack. It’s OK and perfectly normal if it looks like shimmery poo the first few times, and it probably will, unless you’re a makeup wunderkind. But so what? Rome wasn’t built in a day.

OK, enough gabbing… Let’s do this.

1. Apply foundation, concealer and powder

Get yo’ base on that face, because we’re not about to leave the house without a little something-something. For this shimmery mermaid look, I like a full-coverage base because I think it balances out the bold eyes and false lashes.

Go with your fullest coverage foundation, concealer and powder, if you need to. Doing a goofy face while you do this is completely optional but highly encouraged. 🙂
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Fans of Frost and Bright Color Will Break Hearts Wearing the LORAC Alter Ego Eye Shadow Palette in Heartbreaker

June 19th, 2015 by Karen 20 Comments

lorac alter ego heartbreaker — LORAC Alter Ego Eye Shadow Palette: Heartbreaker ($24)

I wonder if Sasha Fierce (Beyonce’s not-so-secret alter ego/identity) would like LORAC’s new Alter Ego Eye Shadow Palette in Heartbreaker ($24).

I’m guessing she would…and it wouldn’t surprise me to also find out that she insists that every item in her makeup bag have the exact same hot pink packaging.

Heck, that’s what I’d do if I were Sasha! 🙂

This limited edition summer season palette of 10 powder shadows is available now exclusively from Ulta.

Within the hot pink packaging (LOVE IT) you’ll find a surprising number of colorful eyeshadows…

A satiny tan
A satiny peach
A shimmery reddish plum
A shimmery bronze
A satiny warm beige
A shimmery bright blue
A frosty gray
A frosty light blue
A shimmery deep purplish brown
A frosty light blue

I’d probably wear one or two of the colorful shades together, and then ground them by working in a combination of the tan, peach, beige and/or bronze.

I think you could totally incorporate more than two of these colorful shades in the same look, of course, but for me, between the shimmer and the frost, and with the intensity of the pigments, it could easily turn into a whole lotta look, you know? If you like wearing a lot of color on your eyes and you’re completely comfortable with high-shine frosts and shimmers, you could do it up with this palette and go shimmer/color crazy!

Considering the amount of shine here, the shadows are easy to work with, and they range from moderately to highly pigmented. I haven’t noticed any problems with fallout, either.

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Sailors With Brown, Green and Hazel Eyes May Want to Enlist in This Navy: LORAC Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner in Navy

October 30th, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

LORAC Front of the Line Pro Navy — Meow, cat eyeliner! Wearing the new LORAC Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner in Navy, $23

If LORAC had a Navy (they do), and it was recruiting (they are), I’d tell the ladies in charge that this sailor is going to need a steady supply of Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner if you want her to sign up.

Because I am not about to get stuck at sea without the proper tools to do cat eyes.

Huh-uh.

I’d also add that I absolutely, positively don’t do boats.

Sorry. Just one of my stipulations. 🙂

Ulgh, all the bobbing up and down… Makes me a little nauseous, which is kind of funny, seeing as how I come from Navy stock (my dad was in the service), and I love the ocean.

Weird.

New LORAC Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner in dark blue Navy ($23) is the latest shade in the brand’s fabulous line of liquid liners.

I’ve been a fan of the original black version for years. I like it because it’s relatively inexpensive, I can get really crisp lines with it, and the long, flexible tip makes it easy to draw those little flicks at the ends of my cat eyeliner.

A dark bluish black (no green in it), Navy has a gorgeous satiny finish that loves lash lines, and it’s strong as iron! It easily lasts all day.

I think it really does a lot for brown, green and hazel eyes (and other eye colors too).

The tube I’ve been using, though, might be a little wonky, and I’m actually hoping it’s a manufacturing error. For reasons unknown, this particular pen is nowhere near as easy to wield as the other Front of the Lines I’ve used, and I’ve gone through three or four of them over the past few years.

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LORAC Tantalizes With a Six-Piece Golden Bronze Summer Set That’s Good to Glow: The LORAC TANtalizer Glow to Go Collection

May 22nd, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

My propensity to wait until the last minute has again left me without any fabulous Memorial Day plans…

Unless Jay-Z and Bey call or I win that Mega Millions jackpot, in which case you’ll find me in the Maldives in one of those luxury huts on the water, I’m pretty much stuck at home, puttering away.

Putt, putt, putt…

Of course, Tabs loves the fact that I’m not going anywhere because it means he’ll have his assistant to kick around and assault with his 20 pounds of brute force whenever he wants.

I suppose I should be happy that he doesn’t weigh 25…

Even though I’m staying local, I’m not letting that stop me from at least looking like I went away.

I want a relaxed glow, dagnabbit!

LORAC’s new TANtalizer Glow to Go Collection couldn’t have come at a better time.

This $36 six-piece limited edition summer set covers the bases for a classic golden bronze summer glow for your eyes, cheeks and lips.

LORAC TANtalizer Glow to Go Collection Tahitian Sand Eye Shadow — Tahitian Sand Eye Shadow, a shimmery light gold

Warm-toned gals from light to dark of differing makeup ability can all WERK Glow to Go.

LORAC TANtalizer Glow to Go Collection Barbados Bronze Eye Shadow — Barbados Bronze Eye Shadow, a shimmery bronze

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The LORAC Mint Edition Palette Plays It Cool

May 21st, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Not that I need another clutch…but if someone were to build one based on LORAC’s Mint Edition Eye/Cheek Palette, I would not be averse to the idea.

I’m just sayin’.

How cute is this!?

With the silver and black accents?

I used to rock a pair of mint green Bongo Jeans in the exact same color about a zillion years back (it had zippers and bows around the ankles), and now I suddenly have the urge to put my hair up in a side ponytail with a scrunchie and peg my pants…

Mint — it’s EVERYWHERE!

What year is this again? Did we just go back in time?

Wait — I don’t think so, but LORAC looks like they did for the retro design. This eye, cheek and lip set launched earlier this spring, but it looks like it could have been released a few decades before that.

Regardless of the palette’s release date, mint is having a moment — I’m seeing it on purses, shoes, nails, makeup — and Mint Edition is riding the wave…

A complete look

LORAC included all of the basics for a minty fresh look in this $42 set (a $160 value) — eight eye shadows (four mattes and four shimmers), a powder highlighter, a powder blush and a full-sized liquid lipstick.

LORAC Mint Edition Palette Swatches — Liquid Lipstick in Retro

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GLO Get Me a Doctor! The New $20 LORAC GLOgetter Eyeshadow Palette Is Giving Me a LORAC Attack This Summer

May 20th, 2013 by Karen 30 Comments

The LORAC GLOgetter Palette — Wearing the $20 LORAC GLOgetter Palette on my eyes

With its classic summer colors, LORAC’s GLOgetter eye shadow palette was probably meant for fun-filled beach boardwalks, fair food and cruising down the coast with the windows rolled down…but I feel like a beauty bandit when I think of the price — only $20! — like I should be wearing black from head to toe and a mask like a cat burglar.

I can’t believe this 10-pan limited edition palette is only $20 at Ulta. At that price, it’s almost like stealing!

These easy-to-blend powder shadows are consumate summer colors — the kind that look great with a tan — and when I wear them with primer, they last from 8-10 hours on my dry lids before I notice much creasing. No fallout, either.

I bet you could totally BeyoncÃ© it out with these and bang out some intense looks with loads of blending and layering, but I really like GLOgetter for simple looks with one or two shades.

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Because One Is the Loneliest Number, the LORAC Ready, Set, Splash Waterproof Eyeliner Set Comes With Four

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

To El Hub when he insists that there’s an upper limit on the number of liners I could possibly need on a trip, I say, “Pish-tosh!”

“We’re only gonna be two days!” he says. “Why would you need 10 liners?”

My response: to pack 20 eyeliners! And then to painstakingly describe every single one in great detail, and how my happiness — no, my very survival! — depends on having all of them with me. 🙂

Hey, you just never know when you’ll get the urge to do a two-color double-winged flick? YOU NEVER KNOW!

This is why I find LORAC’s new $28 Ready, Set, Splash kit appealing…

That, and the quick-drying, waterproof formula.

The set’s four twist-up pencils come in colors that work well with most of my favorite summer eye looks.

Ultra Black, Navy, Charcoal and Jade will take you from poolside to dinner party in the blink of a cat eye, and when I want a smudgy vibe, I can just flip one over, and use the sponge tip on the back side.

LORAC Ready Set Splash swatches — From the left: Ultra Black, Charcoal, Jade and Navy

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The Tempting Taste of LORAC Tucked Into a Sweet Set of Six Shiny Glosses: The New $25 LORAC Sweet Temptations Lip Gloss Collection

November 15th, 2012 by Karen 13 Comments

lorac sweet temptations lip gloss collection frosted gumdrop — Wearing Frosted Gumdrop from the new LORAC Sweet Temptations Lip Gloss Collection

I’ve been paying weekly visits to the milk chocolate buttercerams at See’s Candies lately, and yes, it’s only a matter of time before my transformation into Liz Lemon is complete!!

Soon, my delicious little friends will probably start wondering about the nature of our relationship…

“Where’s that hella short cat lady with the cray-cray hair who always visits on Sundays?” they might ask, if/when I miss a visit.

Heck, they might even shed a tiny, sugary tear…

And I would reply, “It’s nothing personal, guys. It’s just that my sweet tooth has become totally infatuated with the flavors and scents of the new $25 LORAC Sweet Temptations Lip Gloss Collection.”

Each of the six sheer, shiny glosses in the set are named after sweet treats, like Butterscotch and Creme Brulee, and they smell and taste like them, too.

But that’s not even the best part… LORAC actually figured out a way to make the scents and flavors good!

Each gloss is tastefully done (LOL!), and not artificially sweet.

lorac sweet temptations lip gloss collection tubes — From the left: Candy Apple, Butterscotch, Creme Brulee, Cotton Candy, Frosted Gumdrop, Sugar Plum

lorac sweet temptations lip gloss collection swatches — Swatches from the left: Candy Apple, Butterscotch, Creme Brulee, Cotton Candy, Frosted Gumdrop, Sugar Plum

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