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A 15-Minute Face With Shimmering Cocoa Brown, Pink and Gold

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For the record, I absolutely did *not* look this fabulous on Thanksgiving (this was from the day before), and to the ladies who can pull off prepping a full T-day spread while looking fab, I salute you!

I wore the above 15-minute look the day before Thanksgiving when Connor and I dropped off Thanksgiving cookies and cards to our neighbors. Pretty simple, pretty classic and wearable, and done completely with permanent collections products!

As for my look on Thanksgiving day itself? — it was far less fashionable. I cooked all day long, and it was all I could do to run a brush through the mop on my head and change my pajama pants into joggers. ?

Please excuse my very non-Instagrammable mauve-toned Golden Girls-circa-1992 kitchen. It came with the house, and I make do with it because…eh, it works! #normalizeregularkitchens #itswhatigot

Anyway, the above pic was taken before the hurricane of baking and cooking happened, and waaaaaay before these happened…

These gluten-free cheesy cheddar garlic drop biscuits, which are like mini savory scones, were the last, and by far the best, T-giving thing I made this year. We had maple glazed ham as our main dish (no Turkey this year), and we sliced the biscuits in half and put a slice of ham in the middle. There was also Yukon gold mashed potatoes, a sweet corn casserole, homemade cranberry sauce, GF pumpkin pie and Christina Tossi’s Milk Bar Pumpkin Pie.

MAN. SO GOOD. I’m drooling just thinking about them again… They were so easy to make, too!

If you want the biscuit recipe, let me know, although I do have to warn you… There’s a lot of butter and cheese, so if you’re trying to make healthier food choices…it ain’t exactly health food.

Happy Friday. What are you up to today? Are you doing any Black Friday shopping?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Fresh, Feel-Good Wearable Makeup With Sparkling Champagne Lids (Just One Product!), and Peach Cheeks and Lips

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lancome ombre hypnose erika f k smile
Fresh and sparkling lids, nude lips and cheeks with minimal products. Here’s my shirt!

I went to a candy store yesterday, and this is the makeup I had on while engaging in a deep discussion with my loved ones about popcorn-flavored jelly beans.

Seriously, why do people get so worked up about popcorn jelly beans? I think they’re absolutely delightful and will go so far as to call them my favorite flavor. Everyone else around me thinks they’re gross. Where do you stand on this OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT MATTER?

(Side note: I didn’t actually end up choosing the jelly beans as my treat though. I went with an old classic instead, the Cadbury Fruit and Nut Bar).

cadbury fruit and nut bars
My fave since I was a child!

Raise a glass to shimmery champagne shadows

This is a one-and-done eye makeup look with a single shimmery cream champagne shadow stick worn as liner and eyeshadow. If you don’t have one of these already in your makeup arsenal, I highly recommend finding one you like ASAP.

The champagne shade adds brightness and shine to lids, and in my experience, it’s one of those colors that instantly perks up your face, especially if you look like you haven’t been sleeping well (which has been me lately).

If you can find a champagne stick that works as a liner *and* a shadow, then that’s even better. The one I’m using here is a long-wearing one by Lancôme called Ombre Hypnose Stylo in Erika F.

lancome ombre hypnose stylo erika f graphite
Shimmery cream shadows by Lancôme
lancome ombre hypnose erika f graphite swatches
I’m wearing Erika F.

The Hourglass Sunset trio

To keep the look easy and fresh, I blended a trio of sheer cream products onto my cheeks. I used the Hourglass Sunset Trio, which has a cream bronzer, blush and highlighter, all tucked conveniently into one compact. It used to be part of the permanent collection, but then Hourglass discontinued it, and this season they brought it back. It’s expensive at $62, but it’s SO GOOD (here’s a review if you’re interested).

hourglass illume sunset trio
OH, HAI, GORGEOUS!

Then I lined my lips with nude liner and dabbed a peachy pink gloss on top. (Oh, and yes, I ended up blotting the gloss off before I left for the candy store because I didn’t want it to transfer onto my mask).

lancome hypnoselancome hypnose erika f closeup erika f closeup
This look is quick and elegant.
lancome hypnose erika f hourglass usnset trio swatches
Makeup worn in this look
blush is my crush gloss is my sauce
Blush Is My Crush Tee ($34).

Makeup worn in this look

This will kick your butt!

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DIY Eyeshadow: Mixing Bronzer and Highlighter for Effortlessly Glowing Lids (And Another Lazy Girl Glam Look!)

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lancome skin feels good lazy girl glam eye closeup
Multi-use creams up in the mix!

I stumbled onto this fun way to make your own customized shadow yesterday while I was putting on some makeup to run errands — mix bronzer and highlighter together with a brush, and swish all over your lids. The result? Effortlessly glowing eyes!

I used equal amounts of a multi-use cream bronzer and a highlighter (both by Lancôme), and all I did was dip a tapered blending brush into the pan, swirled everything together on the back of my hand, and then swept the mix on my lids.

lancome skin feels good lazy girl glam eye closeup head tilt final
Lovin’ on the gray eyeliner.

I think this is a cool way to customize your eyeshadow, because you can add more or less of either product, depending on your mood.

Multi-use in the mix

You can easily complete the eye look by curling your lashes and loading up on mascara, which would be super pretty, especially if you used a lengthening and separating mascara to really stretch out your lashes.

I did that here and still felt like something was missing, so I also lined my upper lash lines by loading an angled brush with a shimmery gray cream shadow stick that also doubles as liner.

I love how the gray adds some definition to my eyes but doesn’t look too harsh, and I also love how the gray cream stick isn’t as finicky as a liquid liner or gel. It’s so much easier to control, and you don’t end up with liquid liner running amuck across your lids! ?

lancome skin feels good lazy girl glam eye closeup smile final
A bit of a bold brow, just for fun!

To streamline the look even further, I also used the bronzer and highlighter on my cheeks. Then I used another multi-use cream as a blush and lipstick.

Skin is in

One more item of note — I’ve been really into sheer bases, and the one I’m using here is a new one to me called Skin Feels Good By Lancôme. It’s a tinted moisturizer with SPF 23 and a demi-matte finish, and it comes in 11 shades.

I like it a lot! The tube and pump also make it easy to control, and I never feel like I’m wasting product. The formula feels lightweight too. It’s also pigmented enough to even out the pigmentation on my cheeks but doesn’t look too “made up.”

Good stuff! If you’re into that “no-makeup makeup” look, this is perfect.
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Using the Multi-Use Le Monochromatiques by Lancôme for Today’s Lazy Girl Glam: Daytime Golden Brown Smokey Eyes, Coral Cheeks and Lips

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lancome le monochromatique k french affair down
Lil’ bit of smoke

It’s Friday the 13th! IN THE YEAR 2020! Seriously, good luck to us all… ?

Side note: are you superstitious? I like to think of myself as not overly superstitious, but when given a chance to maximize my luck by knocking on wood or putting coins underneath my doormat on New Year’s Eve (it’s a Filipino thing), I’ll do it. And if there’s ever something that looks sketchy, like a doll made with button eyes and hay with hella needles stuck to it, or an old glass bottle filled with teeth! — there’s ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I’m touching it.

lancome le monochromatique k french smile
Watch out for those ladders and black cats!

On that somewhat weird note…here’s today’s face of the day, which is kinda related to luck because I was lucky enough to stumble onto these fabulous multi-use pans from Lancôme. Have you heard of the Le Monochromatiques? They’re in the permanent line. They’re these creamy multi-use products in chic black compacts with clear tops (which I love, by the way, because I can quickly find the exact color I need), with a bouncy soft texture, and you can wear them on your lids, lips and cheeks. They blend like a dream!

lancome le monochromatique
So chic!
lancome le monochromatique swatches
I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way.

I’ve been really into what I like to call “lazy girl glam” lately, which are looks that rely on multitasking makeup and incorporate a subtle element or two of glamour (like a hazy smokey lid or glowing cheek highlights), but, like, toned down enough so I feel comfortable wearing them to run errands. I purposefully give myself 15-20 minutes to do everything from start to finish; that way I don’t get tempted to pile more stuff on my face, LOL!

Anyway, the Le Monochromatique line is fantastic for this type of look. Here I used the matte coral shade French Affair as a blush and a lipstick. Next, I dabbed a little bit of pearly champagne Eclat on my upper cheekbones and in the inner corners of my eyes as a highlighter (you can also use it as a eyeshadow). Then I swept a bit of matte brown Ooh La La (which doubles as a bronzer) on my lids atop a black pencil for soft, daytime smokey eyes.

lancome le monochromatique k french affair
When you’ve got 12 pounds of hair you might as well do something with it, hahah!

Besides looking effortless — I love how these creams don’t look too thick or obvious — I love how you can use them in so many different ways. I plan on mixing the brown and the champagne on my eyes next to see what happens.

I do my hair toss, check my nails…

Makeup worn in this look

  • BASE: Lancôme Skin Feels Good in Tan
  • CHEEKS: Lancôme Le Monochromatique in French Affair (blush), Eclat (highlighter)
  • LIPS: Lancôme Le Monochromatique in French Affair
  • EYES: MAC Smolder liner, Lancôme Le Monochromatique in Oh La La, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara, Urban Decay Brow Beater in Neutral Brown

Speaking of black cats

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An Autumnal FOTD With Orange, Warm Brown, Red and Copper (Mostly MAC Makeup)

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mac marrakesh lipstick

If you require makeup inspiration, might I suggest looking at your doorway?

Wait — hear me out. That’s where I’ve been finding “inspo” for looks all week long. First, Samantha the ghost bride was my muse. Now it’s the fall leaf garland that hangs on my doorway.

Back when Coywolf was a tiny toddler with teeny pig tails!

I wore this subtle smokey eye with a warm orangey reddish brown lip to preschool pickup yesterday (I took the lipstick off before I put on my mask though) because I was feelin’ fall. The leaves are starting to fall in my neighborhood, and although it’s been climbing into the 70s for a few days, there’s a chill in the air first thing in the morning.

mac marrakesh lipstick

Been thinking a lot about ’90s makeup and so I went with a subtle version of a ’90s-style unblended lip liner in this by pairing a dark burgundy liner with matte orangey reddish brown lipstick. I wanted the liner to be present but not overly obvious… You can kinda see it from some angles more than others, but it’s there!

mac marrakesh swatches

mac marrakesh lipstick eye closeup

By the way, this lipstick, MAC Marrakesh, is one of those orangey reddish brown that deserves more love! It’s a matte lippie in the permanent collection, and it’s loaded with vibrant, lush pigment. If you like MAC Chili (which is similar, but redder) or MAC Paramount (also similar, but browner and redder), then I think you’ll like Marrakesh too.

You can wear it with any and all of your warm brown eyeshadows, like MAC Saddle or Soft Brown; it also pairs well with peachy browns like Amber Lights and bronzy browns like Antiqued. For matching eyeliners, try MAC Teddy or Costa Riche (which is what I’m wearing here)!

Makeup Worn in this look

  • EYES: MAC Costa Riche liner (buffed all over lids and applied to lash and water lines); MAC Eyeshadows in Brown Down (outer v and upper lash line as eyeliner), Havana (outer lid) and Sweet Heat (inner lid), Urban Decay Brow Beater Pencil in Neutral Brown, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara
  • CHEEKS: MAC Gingerly Blush, MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
  • LIPS: MAC Burgundy Lip Liner, MAC Marrakesh Lipstick
  • BASE: Lancome Skin Feels Good Hydrating Skin Tint in Tan

School pics!

Coywolf started preschool just in time to take school pics this year.

If you look closely, you might be able to see her painted nails!

In other news, do you have any plans this weekend? Happy early Halloween to you. We’re taking Connor to a pumpkin patch tomorrow (she’s dressing up as Rapunzel), and then on Sunday I’m going to bake all the pies for Pie Quest 2020. Thank you for your baking tips for the crust, by the way (you can find them in the comments here, if you’re interested). If all goes well with the pumpkin pie, then the next pie I’m going to tackle is pecan pie, and then apple pie, because LOOK!

Did you know that such a gadget existed?! I had no idea.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

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

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urban decay born to run purple look k lids closed

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.

rosie posie chanel blush brush

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!

urban decay born to run purple look eye closeup

urban decay born to run purple look k lids

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…

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.

urban decay born to run purple look k

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

Product Spotlight: Stila Peony Convertible Color Dual Lip and Cheek Cream

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stila peony blush
Stila’s creamy, dreamy blush doubles as a lip color.

Are there actually peonies on Stila’s $25 Peony Convertible Color cream blush?

Hmm… Don’t those flowers on the lid kind of look like succulents?

Inquiring minds want to know! ?

stila peony blush closed
Perhaps they are succulent peonies…? (Thank you, I’ll show myself out.)

This brownish pink cream blush has a matte finish that is faboo for video calls. When I sweep it on the apples of my cheeks, which I just do, BTW, with my fingers, it instantly warms up my face with a delicate, translucent rosy brown flush. If you like a natural cheek look, both on camera and in person, I think you’ll like it as much as I do.

It feels like a non-sticky (unlike some cream blushes), practically weightless cream concealer, except it comes in a pan (think Laura Mercier Secret Concealer or MAC Studio Finish concealer), so it’s thin and creamy.

stila peony swatch
I’m an NC 42 in MAC, and Peony looks like a brownish rosy pink on my skin.

I love that it isn’t incredibly obvious on my skin either. It just adds a little color to liven things up without looking like I went through makeup heavy lifting.

Added bonus: Peony doubles as a lipstick (and, I suspect, could also work as an eyeshadow). In this pic I’m wearing it blended on my cheeks and tapped lightly on my lips.
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Glam on the Go: A Creamy, Dreamy Purple and Gold Look With Big, Bushy Brows

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creamy dreamy purples side view glitter
The easiest eyeshadow placement, ever!

Note to self: stop overcomplicating things, both in life and in makeup! Because sometimes taking the easy route is actually, well…easier. And sometimes it turns out better than you expect!

I did the *least* complicated eyeshadow placement in this eye look, and I ended up liking the final result so much that I can’t wait to wear it again (I might do it again today, ha!).

creamy dreamy purples eyes closed
See the sparkles on the upper lash line?

How to do creamy, dreamy purple and golden bronze lids with a smattering of sparkle

Here’s what I did:

  1. I started with a layer of matte purple cream liner as a base with a satiny bronzy gold blended directly on top.
  2. Then, I rimmed my water lines with a creamy warm brown eye pencil and buffed a little bit of it from the lash line to my crease, and on the outer third, for a subtle hint of depth.
  3. Next, I pushed a bit of glittery cream shadow onto the upper lash line, whacked some mascara on my lashes, and that’s it. DONE!

UD Brow Blade is the best

If you’re into bold brows, my brows are epically bushy — again, with minimal effort! — thanks to Urban Decay’s brilliant Brow Blade. Have you tried it? If you want to exert minimal effort but get maximum bushiness, it’s the way to go.

First, apply the twist-up pencil to fill in those sparse spots. The pencil acts like an anchor/base, so that when you layer the liquid pigment from the felt tip pen on top, it has something to grab onto. Super fast, super easy and super bushy.

creamy dreamy purples open
Pandemic hair, don’t care.

Effortlessness of creams

Gotta give a shout-out to the cream bronzer, highlighter and blush (which also doubles as a lipstick) on my cheeks and lips, because, like the eye makeup, blending happened in a flash. I did everything with a single brush!

I also love how cream face products look on skin because you can’t really see the makeup sitting on top of your face. If you’re going for the whole “Is she or isn’t she wearing anything?” kind of vibe, creams are great for seamless, effortless makeup.

Now that I think about it, the only powder I used for this look was a subtly illuminating setting powder I lightly tapped on specific parts of my face (cheeks and the center of my forehead). An illuminating powder is great to have around if you want to set your cream blush, bronzer and highlighter without altering the color or finish. The trick is to find a powder with a finish that’s closer to a sheen or a satin, rather than a full-on frost. A powder with a sheen or satin finish is less likely to pool up in your pores and highlight them.

creamy dreamy purples smile
Smile and the whole world smiles with you. 🙂

This is definitely making it into my 15-minute-look rotation.

Makeup worn in this look

EYES
Stila Liquid Eye Shadow in Camera Ready, upper lash line
Stila Glitter & Glow in Camera Ready, outer corner
Stila Magnum Mascara, lashes
Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter in Bronze, crease
MAC Costa Riche
Urban Decay Brow Blade
MUFE Ultra HD Y42

CHEEKS
Nudstix Nudes in Bondi Bae
Stila Convertible Color Dual Lip and Cheek Cream in Peony
Hourglass Vanish Highlighter in Champagne

LIPS
Stila Convertible Color in Peony

BASE
Kevyn Aucoin Concealer Medium EC06
First Aid Beauty Coconut Skin Smoothie Primer Moisturizer
Stila Illuminating In the Buff Powder Spray

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ???

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