Makeup Tips/How To

Get Glowing Skin That Looks Like You Just Got a Facial, With the Help of a Liquid Highlighter and a Flat Foundation Brush

March 28th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Illuminator in Opal — Ah, spa! Here I’m wearing BECCA’s Shimmering Skin Perfector Illuminator in Opal on my upper cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupid’s bow

No, seriously, if you and I get J-Renn’s permission to open a spa called “Deep-Tissue Massage by Jeremy Renner” we would make GAZILLIONS. We could even have, like, a rewards card, where you “Book nine deep-tissue massages with J. Renn and get the tenth free!”

It would be almost as rad as these cat lady shoes by Vans…

Cat lady says what now? — See, dreams DO come true

But I digress…

I’ve been using this technique to get glowing, “you just got a really, really, really great facial at a fancy-schmancy spa” skin with liquid highlighter and a foundation brush lately that I think you might like. It’s like getting an entire spa day in 60 seconds or less. 🙂

1. Start with a good liquid highlighter

The $41 BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Illuminators from the left in Moonstone (a pale gold), Pearl (a white pearl), Opal (a golden opal pearl) and Topaz (a golden bronzed pearl)

First, grab a good liquid highlighter, and there are lots of ’em out there, like MAC’s Lustre Drops, the NARS Illuminators or Benefit’s Highbeam, to name a few.

I use a variety, but my current favorites are the Shimmering Skin Perfectors by BECCA ($41, available in four shades).

BEYOND obsessed with these, for so many reasons. I love the way their pearlescent, natural-with-a-kick finish catches the light, and yet isn’t frosty, so it doesn’t emphasize my fine lines or pores. Because they contain just the right amount of shimmer, they glow without looking oily.

The BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Illuminators from the top down in Pearl, Moonstone, Opal and Topaz

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Ask MBB: Makeup Tools of the Trade for Natural-Looking Contouring and Definition

March 18th, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

I usually like to wear a little MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish or Guerlain Terra Nerolia Bronzer — just to add some warmth to my skin after applying foundation — and to get a very soft, natural contour.

Here’s what I typically do to contour in this video at the 10:21 mark…

I like that way just fine, but lately I’ve been wanting to try something different — a more defined, contoured look that’s a bit more sculpted, but not scary.

In this episode of Ask MBB, MAC Senior Artist Victor Cembellin weighs in with a few products and tools to get a sculpted, contoured effect that still looks natural.

Products mentioned…

Eek, I am all over that angled brush! It’s at the top of my mile-long MAC wish list.
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Ask MBB: How Do I Stop My Liquid Liner From Creasing?

March 17th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

When it comes to liquid liner, to quote the great Mary J. Blige, “No more drama.”

I don’t want any crazy business when I’m tending to my lash lines, and I wager you don’t either.

In today’s installment of Ask MBB, MAC Senior Artist Victor Cembellin, all around cool guy and the dude you wish was your BFF, has the cure for liquid liner madness — also known as creasing.

Products mentioned…

May your liquid liner always be like my tubby tabby’s fangs — razor sharp and feline fierce.

Meow ya later.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Got a question for Ask MBB? Let your fingers do the talking in the comments down below. 🙂

An Easy Way To Take Your Winged Liner Looks From Day to Night

March 14th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

MAC Pure Show and NARS Black Valley — Wearing MAC Pure Show Superslick Liquid Eye Liner and NARS Black Valley Eye Paint on my upper lash lines (and trying to look “artsy-fartsy”)

I’m all about the winged liner life…

Ya feel me?

Winged liner, also known as cat liner, is one of my favorite makeup looks (especially in a classic black).

You can wear it pretty much anywhere. Pair it with nude lips to proactively synergize your ROI at work (LOL!), or raise the roof with a bright lip and cheek for a night on the town. The possibilities are endless.

I don’t know if I could ever truly get tired of black winged/cat liner, but I don’t always do it the same way. Sometimes I like to try something a little different, like by incorporating a liner in a different color. I’ll run it along my upper lash line parallel to the liner, like I’m doing with the gold in these pics.

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When Two Become One: Mixing Foundation Shades To Get a Match

March 12th, 2014 by Karen 40 Comments

Wearing Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation in Amber and NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Stromboli — It’s a match! Here I’m wearing a mix of Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation in Amber and NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Stromboli…

I held on to it for many years — the hope that somewhere out there was a bottle of foundation with my name on it. A perfect match for my skin tone in a perfect formula.

Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking! 🙂

It sounds kind of crazypants now that I think about it — like I was going to just walk up to a counter and see a shade called “KAREN (THE CRAZY CAT LADY ONE FROM NOVATO).”

LOL!

Well, at least things are better now than they were in the ’80s and early ’90s. There weren’t a whole lot of foundation options back then if your skin had a little color.

There are huge shade ranges nowadays and many more brands, which is super cool because I have found shades that get really close to my skin tone, but I’ve still yet to find a perfect match off the shelf.

I’m guessing that I’m not the only person facing this issue.

But you know what? There is hope (cue Disney theme song: “Somewhere, out there!”). If you’ve been unable to find a perfect match, you might be able to make one yourself.

I’m talking about mixing, babe. Mixing foundations.

And you can do it in a bunch of different ways. There are some companies that will actually custom mix a color for you, like over at prescriptives.com with their online beauty advisor chats. They ask you a series of questions over a webcam to create a custom color just for you.

Or, you can do what I do, which is more random, but when you get it right you feel awesome! — like a foundation ninja/MacGyver.

I highly recommend it, and if you decide to give it a try, here are a couple of different approaches you can take…

1. Mix two shades (one darker than the other) of your favorite foundation formula

This one’s the easiest and probably most obvious way, where you mix two shades of the same foundation or tinted moisturizer formula, one that you know you like. I do this all the time right on the spot, usually on the back of my hand, while I do my makeup with NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer or MAC Face & Body Foundation.

MAC Face & Body Foundations in C4, C5 and C6

I usually keep two bottles in my main makeup bag — one lighter than my skin tone, or like my skin tone in the middle of the winter; and one darker than my skin tone, or closer to what my coloring is when I have a little tan.

Then it’s magic cauldron time. I mix until I get a match, which usually takes a minute or two.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizers in St. Mortiz and Cuba

I’ll play with different ratios throughout the year, like maybe do three parts of the lighter shade and one part of the darker shade during winter, half and half in spring, then mostly the darker shade, with just a taste of the lighter shade, in summer.

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Ask MBB: How To Get Bold, Full Brows That Still Look Natural

March 11th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

In tonight’s very special episode of Ask MBB, the housemates face a crisis of epic proportions…

Wait — wrong intro! Sorry, too much Bravo. 🙂

In this installment, MAC Senior Artist Victor Cembellin goes buck wild for brows — a subject I could seriously discuss for days.

FOR DAYS!

Productions mentioned…

If you’ve ever wanted bold, lush, full brows that still look natural, press play.

Thank you for watching, my friend. I know I don’t say this enough, but I love you. I love you, and I hope you’re having a good night.

Sorry, feeling a little sappy right now. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Got any burning makeup questions for Ask MBB? Leave them for me in a comment down below.

P.P.S. In other news, new cat sighting in my neighborhood. I spotted him on my walk the other day…

Wouldn’t ya know it? The one time I don’t have cat treats in my pocket, a new cat crosses my path. It’s so unfair. #catladyproblems

I’ve named him Lucky, and while he doesn’t know it yet, he is going to be my new kitty BFF. 🙂

A Tour and (Reverse Eyeliner) Makeover at the New Flagship MAC Pro Store at 45 Powell Street in San Francisco

March 10th, 2014 by Karen 47 Comments

OK, fellow MAC zealots, are you ready for a treat?

In this extended play (read: 33-minute-long!) makeup tutorial, MAC Senior Artist for North America Victor Cembellin works his magic on me with a “reverse” eyeliner look at the new flagship MAC Pro Store at 45 Powell Street in San Francisco (phone: 415-402-0658), which just opened its doors late last week.

The video is much longer than my usual 10-minute vids, but it’s jam-packed with Victor’s insider pro tips. I just can’t get over how much useful information he covers!

It’s neat seeing a real makeup master’s technique. Seriously, I could watch this man do circles in the outer corner for days!

The makeover was also a little historic in that it was the first makeover at the new store, and I’m kindasortathrilled to play a tiny part in MAC history. 🙂

The new flagship store is DOPE! Not only do they have everything in both the MAC and MAC Pro lines, but there’s also 45 of the Bay Area’s best makeup artists on staff.

There are stations in the center of the store for makeovers, and for even more personal attention, there’s a private suite in the back for more in-depth makeup training.

Sh*t is crazy! — but in the best possible way. I actually came this close to driving back into the city the next day to play some more, LOL!

The new store is located at 45 Powell Street in San Francisco’s Union Square right next to the cable car turnaround…

I can’t wait to go back!

Products mentioned in the video…

What you see when you first walk into the store — that middle section is where the artists do makeovers, and there’s also a lash bar, and a private makeup room in the back for personalized lessons.

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Ask MBB: Gel or Liquid Outlines for Cat Eyeliner?

March 7th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Still clawing and scratching for a way to work more MRRRROW into your huntress cat eyeliner looks? Today might meow your day. 🙂

This is the first installment in a new video series I’m starting called Ask MBB. If you have a question you’d like to see answered in an upcoming installment (of course, Tabs will help), drop it down below in the comments here or on YouTube.

Today’s installment tackles a question about cat liner technique and when to use a gel or liquid to build out your look.

Products mentioned…

I hope you find it useful. Thank you for watching!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen