Makeup Tips/How To

Red Hot Summer Lips!

June 28th, 2022 by Karen 18 Comments

I’m not a fan of Red Hot candies (too spicy), but I do love me some matte red lipstick!

Yesterday’s Monday Poll question about matte red lipstick inspired this makeup look with glowing skin, softly defined brows, lush lashes, pearly lids and a matte orangey red lip.

It’s amazing how much heavy lifting a red lip can do, and equally amazing how I seem to forget this lesson time and time again, LOL! When I put this red lipstick on yesterday (it’s MAC Quite the Standout, by the way), once again I realized how red lips can carry most of the makeup since it’s such a strong focal point. One really doesn’t need much to round out the look.

To contrast with the opaque matte lip, I went with a sheer, glowing base with low-level pearl (Rose Inc Skin Enhance in 80), with just a touch of concealer (Hourglass Retouching Fluid in Sand) on the parts where I wanted more coverage — underneath my eyes and on my upper lip, and oh, side note, damn that pigment mustache.

I set the areas with concealer with a tiny touch of powder by loading a small face brush with MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden. I tapped most of the powder off before lightly dabbing the brush head on my face.

I also wanted to play with texture, so I blended a cream blush (Chanel Les Beiges No. 25) on my cheeks, and dabbed a pearly liquid highlighter (MAC Strobe Cream) on my cheekbones and lids.

To round out the look, I went with softly filled in brows and separated, long, lush lashes to keep it fresh and summary.

I think this look could also be lovely with a glossy coral lipgloss or lip tint, too!

Do you have a red lipstick that you adore? Drop your go-to shade in the comments; I want to hear all about it.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: A Chanel Blush Brush Haunting, and a Jewel-Toned FOTD With Purple Lids!

June 14th, 2022 by Karen 12 Comments

This blush brush is still one of my favorite tools. I used it this morning to apply a wash of bronzer. Then, I promptly hid it from Rosie-Pose before she could get a hold of it. 🙂

I will totally get to these purple lids in a second (BECAUSE PURPLE), but first, can we pleeeeease talk about the latest mystery to unfold on this end of the keyboard — a mystery also known as “The Haunting of Casa MBB”?

Don’t worry, there’s nothing terribly sinister afoot (I’m not splashing buckets of holy water on things left and right, in case you’re wondering!).

I’ve been gently “haunted” for the past few weeks by my favorite Chanel blush brush, which has been disappearing and reappearing all over the house in the most random places. I’ve found it on my bed, in the hallway, on the middle of the stairs, on the kitchen floor.

Last week I found it smack dab in the middle of living room, just sitting there on the carpet right in front of the couch.

Hmm… ?

I just assumed that Connor had grabbed it and played with it and forgot to put it back, but when I asked her about it later she said, “No, mama, I have my own brushes.” (Hahaha! She totally does!)

Now, this brush just so happens to be one of my favorite blush brushes because it’s super soft, and the brush head fits perfectly on top of the apples of my cheeks and underneath the hollow of my cheekbones, so I can use it for blush and bronzer. The bristles are also perfectly floofy, so it blends like a dream.

I thought, if an otherworldly entity/spirit has been obsessing over it, I completely understand.

But it ended up not being due to a makeup brush-loving ghost. The disappearances were in fact due to a cat.

YUP! Look who I just found outside my office doing her “hunter’s mewl.” It’s this cute little growl/grumble Rosie Posie does whenever she stalks and hunts one of her soft toy balls and she wants to show off the riches of her spoils.

I went into the hallway to investigate and give her the usual attention she likes after she catches her prey (“Oh, good job, Rosie-Pose! You’re such a good mouser. Look how well you stalked your toy!”), and that’s when I caught her red-handed (red-pawed?) with my Chanel brush in her mouth.

Mystery solved!

I guess from this point forward, this brush will have a special hiding place…inside a drawer!

(QUICK UPDATE: Later in the day, I also caught her dragging my NARS blush brush around, so she appears to be expanding her hunting horizons.)

Jewel-toned purple lids

OK, so let’s talk purple lids. Now, this might look a little familiar to ya because I’ve been doing variations of this look using the same neutral colors in the crease, inner corner and lash lines, but with different jewel tones on the lids. First, green, and then blue, and now purple!

Find your core

This totally wearable look relies on finding a core group of matte brown and beige eyeshadows for your crease colors. Once you find ones you like, then you can just keep them on standby, and then quickly swap out the jewel tone on your lids with other colors to create different looks!

I’ve been using the same set of warm browns and beiges in this series…

Beige matte shadow base: NARS Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Light
Beige shadow: MAC Mylar
Light warm matte brown shadow: MAC Soft Brown
Mid-toned warm matte brown shadow: MAC Saddle
Dark mate brown shadow: MAC Brun
Bronze pencil: MAC Teddy

For the purples, I’m wearing a shimmery purple called Guilt Trip, a dark purple called Drift (both are from the Urban Decay Born to Run Palette) and a dark purple UD pencil called Empire.

The foundation, powder blush/bronzer and lipstick are the same products I recently used in a 10-minute makeup look in this It Cosmetics Foundation review (which I’m also wearing in this pic, by the way).

As you can see, I’m pretty stoked about this look, and I’m excited to wear makeup again! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Putting Sunscreen on Top of Makeup Is a Thing

June 3rd, 2022 by Karen 7 Comments

mac prep primes skin k — It’s a good day to (re)apply your sunscreen.

Good morning and happy Friday!

Something fascinating I learned recently about liquid sunscreen is that you can touch up it throughout the day by reapplying it directly on top of makeup.

MIND BLOWN!

This is assuming you’ve already got a layer (or two) underneath your usual face paint. Chances are you’re already wearing sunscreen underneath your foundation, blush, etc. if you’re going to bother reapplying your sunscreen in the middle of the day.

Oh, and this is also assuming you’re not wearing super dark blush or a black smokey eye! It seems to work best when the shades aren’t too intense.

That said, here’s the gist:

Texture is key. A liquid sunscreen with a watery gel-like consistency works best. Anything too thick or heavy will move stuff around. Two to consider are Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen and Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence.
You’ll want to pat, not rub. Use your fingers, a sponge (don’t wet it; leave it dry) or a synthetic foundation brush to pat the sunscreen on your skin. Patting minimizes moving the making underneath. Keep patting until the sunscreen’s fully absorbed. Wait a minute, then do another layer.

A kitty makeup tip — Oh, Tabs! I miss you, buddy.

Start with the non-colorful areas first. If you’re using a sponge (leave it dry) or brush, start on the parts of your face that don’t have a ton of bright and intense color first, like your jaw, around your nose and mouth, and your forehead, so that you’re not mixing too much color. Wait a minute or so for the, then do your blush and eyes last.

If this seems too out-of-the box for you, then you could always go the more traditional route with a loose powder sunscreen that comes with an attached brush. Colorscience makes one that’s supposed to be pretty good.

Building those happiness muscles, day 12

The two simple things I’m grateful for today are 1) Laneige Lip Mask (this best thing for dry lips, I swear), and 2) my friend, Kelly.

So, Kelly and I met through our kids. Her daughter Kensley and Connor have been BFFs since preschool.

Not only Kelly’s super easy to talk to and the nicest person, she’s also a real-life MacGyver!

Case in point: yesterday I took Connor Claire to play at their house and as she was getting out of the car, she dropped her favorite water bottle, which then rolled onto the sidewalk and into a storm drain. 🙁

I had pretty much given it up as lost forever, but Kelly saved the day by fishing it out of the gutter using a pool noodle, duct tape and a hook.

Seriously, everyone needs a friend like her!

I hope the rest of this beautiful day treats you well. Take care of yourself!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Quick Makeup Tip: Let Your Liner Do All the Heavy Lifting

June 2nd, 2022 by Karen 5 Comments

urban decay light liner — Clockwise from the white on the upper left: Urban Decay Yeyo, Urban Decay Scorch, Urban Decay Goldmine, Urban Decay Heartless, Esum Rose and Urban Decay Cuff

When you’re pressed for time, use your eyeliner as your shadow! Pencil liner usually works best; I like pencils with a little bit of slip, but not too much, like the MAC liners — Powersurge and Teddy are two of my favorites.

I’m wearing Powersurge all over my lids in the pic below…

Oh, and try not to overthink it! Just sketch a rough shape on your lids with your pencil, then smudge and blend with either a finger or a fluffy domed shadow brush.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Quick Makeup Tip: Bronzer Unifies Your Look

May 24th, 2022 by Karen 11 Comments

Your makeup can be as complicated — or as simple — as you’d like. If you’re in the mood to streamline, then grab your bronzer, and apply it strategically to multiple places. This not only simplifies your routine but also unifies your look. Sweep it on cheeks as a blush-slash-contour, around the edge of your face to add warmth, and in the crease for depth. The result? Easy monochromatic makeup.

Today I’m wearing an old favorite, MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish. It’s a warm medium golden brown with a slight sheen and a finish that looks natural on skin. I’m wearing it on my lids (just in the crease), on my cheeks, across my nose and around the edge of my face.

This natural, fresh look with warm browns and neutrals was easy peasy and took me 15 minutes! The other items I used…

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Wheat
Kevyn Aucoin Super Natural Conceaeler in Medium EC05
Hourglass Retouching Fluid in Sand
MAC Costa Riche Liner
MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash
Anastasia Beverly Hills in Medium Brown
MAC Boldly Bare Lip Liner with MAC Spite Lipglass

Building those happiness muscles, day nine

Hiya! It’s time to build those happiness muscles.

Anywho, the two things I’m grateful for today are 1) listening to music first thing in the morning (it always does so much to get my mind right for the day), and 2) stretch videos on YouTube.

Feel free to join me in the comments, if you want.

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

Quick Makeup Tip: The Best Brush for Effortless Powder Blush or Bronzer

May 4th, 2022 by Karen 7 Comments

Feeling rushed? This blush and bronzer brush is your new BFF.

You can’t go wrong with a duo fibre synthetic brush when applying powder blush or bronzer. This type of brush lays down a sheer layer of product, so matter how rushed you’re feeling, you’ll always apply just enough color — but not too much! When I have a very narrow window of time to apply makeup, it’s the brush I reach for when I do my cheeks.

I used it today for a 10-minute makeup look that I did before a video work call. I layered Laura Mercier Ginger Blush and MAC Give Me Sun MSF Powder for a sheer, warm flush on my cheeks.

You might hear this blush referred to sometimes as “skunk brush.” Lots of brands make them; I have one by MAC (the 188) which I’ve used and loved for ages. It’s in the pic above! What I like about it is that width of the brush head. It’s on the smaller side, so it’s easier to control exactly where the color goes.

Makeup worn in this look

Here’s everything I’m wearing in the 10-minute look above, in the order in which I applied the products.

MAC Omega Eyeshadow – In my brows.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Wheat – Dotted all over and blended with fingers.
Ilia Dusk Gel Liner – Waterlines and lash roots.
Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid in Sand – Under my eyes and round my mouth.
MAC Medium Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Golden – I applied the sheerest layer to my under eyes, cheek, between my brows and around my mouth
Ilia Cool Nude Eyeshadow Palette – Just the taupe shade, Infinity, applied with a finger and blended out with a tapered brush.
Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara – Upper lashes, but to be honest I’ll be ditching this soon. It’s thick and hard to control.
Lilah B Lip Oil in Be Remarkable – Lips, applied with the wand and then blended in with a finger.
Laura Mercier Ginger Blush – Did this first for a light flush of color.
MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinifinish – Layer this on for instant warmth. Also works fab as a crease color!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup Makes Me Feel Better, Period.

April 19th, 2022 by Karen 11 Comments

The title pretty much says it all. Makeup often gets talked about for the visual transformation; I think there’s so much more to it, though. I know that when I’m not feeling all that great (like I was when I woke up this morning…been a long few weeks!), putting a little bit of color on makes all the difference with my attitude.

When you need a lift, MAC classics always help.

I’m wearing what’s basically my makeup equivalent of comfort food in this look, which means lots of MAC.

How are you doing today? Now that I feel and look put together, I feel like I can finally get some stuff done.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen