Makeup Tips/How To

3-Step Easy Eyeliner

April 10th, 2015 by Karen 13 Comments

This is the face I make when I’m having a bad eyeliner day…

LOL! Yes, having a bad liner day is a real thing (albeit one that doesn’t exactly constitute the definition of “important”), and it’s happened to me on many, many occasions.

It usually happens when I’m rushing (in other words, all the time), or I’ve had too much caffeine and get the shakes, or when I’m just less coordinated than usual for reasons I can’t explain. The resulting uneven lines (referred to as “wonky liner,” as in “My liner is extra wonky today.”), cray-cray bat wings, jagged edges, or combination of the three are extra annoying.

I’m always trying to figure out ways to make lining my eyes easier, and I think I’ve hit upon something that works.

It’s totally easy (important) and fast (also important), too. You just need 1) your favorite long-wearing pencil liner and 2) an angled brush.

Ideally, the pencil liner should be one that gives you enough time to smudge and manipulate before it dries, like the Pearlglide Intense Eye Liners from MAC ($16 each). They’re long-wearing, so they don’t transfer up into my crease as I go about my day, but when I’m working with them, they stay soft for 2-3 minutes, which gives me enough time to tweak, cajole and play.

The shade I’m wearing in these pics is Chanel Stylo Yeux Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Ardoise. It’s a dark gunmetal gray with subtle shimmer. Really, though, use any liner that you like.

Here’s what I do…

STEP ONE

First, I sharpen the pencil, because I really want a precise point. Then I draw a thin line along my upper lash lines, really getting in there at the roots of the lashes with the pencil’s tip.

At this point, it doesn’t really matter if the line is neat because we’ll sharpen the edge in a second. The key is just to make it thin.

STEP TWO

Next, I grab my angled brush (usually the NARS #47 Angled Brush), and use it to smooth out the edge of the line, working from the inner corner out, and subtly thickening the line as I go.

The resulting soft liner defines the eyes but doesn’t look too harsh. It’s also very fast and very easy (yay!).

Sometimes, depending on the clock, I’ll stop at this point, then curl my lashes and add mascara, but if I have a few extra minutes, I move on to step three…
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Ulta Haul! Products by Shea Moisture, Rimmel, Maybelline, Covergirl, Anastasia and Hot Tools [VIDEO]

March 23rd, 2015 by Karen 21 Comments

GURL, you don’t even know. My usual plan of attack when I go to Ulta (or Sephora, or Target, or CVS, or any other place where I can physically pick up makeup and drop it into a basket or cart) goes like this: if I can’t carry it to the register with my own two hands, it’s not leaving the store with me.

This usually prevents the urge to keep throwing stuff (and by “stuff,” I mean everything and the kitchen sink) into my basket.

Usually.

It didn’t work the last time I went to Ulta.

(Long story…)

Here are the products I picked up and which ones I’m loving (and not loving) from that visit.

Products mentioned…

Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex Hand & Body Scrub, $9.99
Shea moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Bath and Body Massage Oil, $9.99>
Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze, $4.99
Maybelline Brow Drama in Deep Brown, $7.99
Covergirl Natural Lash in Clear, $5.99
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown, $21
Hot Tools Black Hair Pins, $3.49

As always, thank you again for watching!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Have you been to Ulta lately? What should I grab on my next trip?

A Few Bestselling MAC Eyeshadows and Lipsticks to Consider [VIDEO]

March 13th, 2015 by Karen 16 Comments

It never hurts to be prepared! Should you have a sudden MAC attack this weekend (it happens), consider one of these eyeshadow or lipstick shades, which were recommended by the MAC artists at my favorite Nordie’s MAC counter at The Village at Corte Madera, California.

As always, thank you for watching.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Squeeze Every Last Drop Out of Those Free Makeup and Skin Care Sample Packets With This Little Tip

March 12th, 2015 by Karen 11 Comments

Just a really quick tip to eke out every last drop from those free cream and liquid sample packets you get from beauty counters.

I wish I’d discovered this sooner, but better late than never.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. So…I played a little hooky today. Sort of. I just had to get out of the office because Tabs was driving me absolutely crazy, so I went to the mall, had a late lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, got a pair of shoes, watched some dogs and people…and ran into a friend who was also playing hooky. 🙂 (What’s up, Bernadette!?)

What’s Your Current Face Makeup Routine? (Here’s Mine)

March 12th, 2015 by Karen 40 Comments

MAC Julia Petit Lipstick in Boca — Wearing my current face makeup routine…

Do you have 2 hours?

No! Just kidding. It doesn’t take me 2 hours, but it is a process. I mean, one thing I’ve learned along the way is that you can’t just slap a sh*t-ton of product on your face and expect it to look “natural.”

There’s definitely an art to getting the skin to look smooth and not so fussy, and I’m always tweaking my steps and products, but here are the broad strokes for my current routine…

For me, the first part has to be primer. I’m a big believer in primer. Bobbi Brown’s Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm and Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing — those are the two I’ve been keeping in my bag and using daily.

After primer I go in with some combination of lightweight medium to full-coverage foundations, which I mix because it’s difficult for me to find one color that matches my skin. Plus, you know, your skin is always changing (Bobbi Brown’s videos emphasize this). I may have gotten a little more sun yesterday, so I might have less noticeable yellow tones in my skin today and more pink or red. Or maybe I didn’t get enough sleep last night (happens often), so I look super tired.

Lately I’ve been mixing two or more (usually two) of these three together: NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, L’Oreal True Match Lumi, or the new Diorskin Nude Air Serum SPF 20.

MAC Bao Bao Wan Lipstick in Forbidden Sunrise — Another look with a similar foundation/concealer routine

And I don’t go heavy with this combo. I use as little foundation as I can — just the faintest amount — because it’s the next step that really helps get that more “flawless” look, or as close to it as I ever get. I take a small amount of that same foundation mix and add a full-coverage concealer, which I then use on my cheeks, around my mouth and around my nose.

Under-eye circles are a totally different story, though, and I’ll get to that in a minute.

I set the foundation combo with a powder, and one I’ve been loving lately is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. But I don’t just slap it on there willy-nilly. I take time to blend and buff it in so it doesn’t look like it’s sitting on top.

And that’s basically it for foundation.

I handle my under-eye situation separately, and I know it sounds involved, but I try to use as little of each product as possible to keep the area from looking cakey.

This time again, I start with a primer, and I’ve been using one called Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer.

It’s bomb!
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A Rocking Red Carpet Makeup Tutorial

February 6th, 2015 by Karen 31 Comments

Quick question for you: would Nick Jonas count as a rockin’ red carpet date?

I was totally feeling his song Jealous last night. It sounds like old-school Babyface, doesn’t it? Love it.

The funny thing is that El Hub actually knew the song when it started playing. He was all, “Oh, that’s that Jealous song. I’ve heard it on the radio.”

LOL! This coming from a 40-something-year-old dude who reads sci-fi blogs and watches YouTube videos about carpentry. Seriously, what rock have I been hiding under that I missed that song? I am usually the last person to get to the party/figure things out, but dang! — go on with your bad self, Nick Jonas!

Anywho, what we’ve got here are two fun, un-intimidating pops of color — a smokey purple lower lash line and a hot pink lip (this is a video tutorial of the look I did earlier this week).

As always, thank you for watching. See you on the red carpet! 🙂

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A Rocking Red Carpet Makeup Look – Plus a CoverGirl & Ulta Giveaway

February 3rd, 2015 by Karen 270 Comments

You know what they say: “Always be prepared…”

…to walk a red carpet with rock stars. 🙂

Because seriously, you never know.

In the event you find yourself alongside ~~the left shark~~ Katy P. as her plus one at a fancy awards show, you need a makeup look with an edge, maybe like this sassy red carpet rock-inspired eye with smoked-out purple liner and cool-toned lids.

Here’s a step-by-step in pics (YouTube tutorial coming later this week, and there’s also a giveaway at the bottom of this post). First, I prepped my skin with some products from Olay, then followed that up with lip colors and eye products from Covergirl (all available now at Ulta)

By the way, Ulta shoppers, from now through February 14, 2015, buy any Covergirl product, and get an extra Covergirl product for 50% off! (BOGO 50% off)

A quick step-by-step red carpet rock-inspired makeup look with pops of pink and purple

First, gotta prep! I started by washing my face with Olay Regenerist Regenerating Cream Cleanser before moisturizing with Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream and Olay Regenerist Intense Repair Treatment.

Olay Regenerist Regenerating Cream Cleanser

Olay Regenerist Intense Repair Treatment

Next, I evened out my skin tone and texture by applying primer, foundation and concealer, then filled in my brows with Covergirl Bombshell Powder Brow Liner in Dark Brown.

Covergirl Bombshell Powder Brow Liner in Dark Brown

Then I dove into the Covergirl Eye Shadow Quad in Notice Me Nudes, applying the colors on my lids. — Then, I applied the Covergirl Eye Shadow Quad in Notice Me Nudes.

UPDATE: Come say hi this Thursday night, Feb. 5, at 8 p.m. EST on Twitter, and we’ll talk about red carpet looks, among other things…very likely cats (use hashtag #ULTAglam). I hope to see you there!

Covergirl Eye Shadow Quad in Notice Me Nudes

To give my eyes more depth and drama, I lined my water and lash lines with a black eyeliner and smudged out my upper lash lines with the darkest shade from Stunning Smokeys, another Covergirl Eye Shadow Quad.

Covergirl Eye Shadow Quad in Stunning Smokeys

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A Classic Neutral Makeup Tutorial With Cool-Toned Eyes and Nude Lips

January 28th, 2015 by Karen 44 Comments

I’ve been wanting to do a tutorial for this look forever! It’s one of my fallbacks when I don’t want to think too hard…which is, like, all the time. Often. 🙂 It’s a timeless classic eye with some cool-toned eyeshadows, and some neutral eyeshadows, and I usually pair it with peachy pink cheeks and nude lips (and sometimes false lashes).

There’s a bit to it, so it’s not a 5-minute look by any means, but it’s not too far out there either. It’ll get easier the more you do it.
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