Makeup Tips/How To

Snow Bunny Beauty Tips

November 12th, 2009 by Karen 17 Comments

beauty-on-the-slopes

Snow bunny Jo wants to look her best this winter, and she’s getting ready for a grand adventure on the slopes.

Hiya Karen (oops, feel like I know you!),

I’m about to go skiing for 5 months. I’ve always used cream blush (especially the MAC ones), but now I need one that will give strong color but that won’t rub off too easily with goggles, gloves and possibly snow!

I’m terrified about beauty on the slopes to be honest, so any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Jo

Hi, Jo. 🙂 Sounds like an awesome trip. I’m really excited for you!

Before we start, I gotta come clean. Snow and I don’t always get along (I’m more of a surfer girl), but here are some things that should help keep your makeup where it belongs.

1. Start with a makeup primer

Primers are typically colorless lotions or gels applied before foundation, blush and/or powder to anchor your makeup in place. It’s simple: when I wear a primer, my blush lasts longer, and I don’t have to reapply as often throughout the day. Take a look at Korres Face Primer; deluxe sample tubes are just $10 at Sephora.

2. Try a layer of powder blush above your cream blush

Whenever I wear a cream blush, dusting a layer of powder blush on top really seems to lock in the color. If you can swing by the MAC counter before your trip, bring some of your favorite cream blushes with you, and ask the MAC makeup artists for coordinating powder blush recommendations. Oh, and if you don’t have one already, shop around for a good blush brush. I really like the MAC 129 ($34).
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The Spellbinding MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief! A Saturday Tutorial

November 7th, 2009 by Karen 13 Comments

MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief

Hey, homies. 🙂 What’s shakin’? Despite the lack of posts so far today, I haven’t been out busy doing exciting things. As a matter of fact, I’m still in my jammies at home (and it’s after noon!). I’ve just been sitting at my computer playing with Photoshop and MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief.

I thought I’d put together a quick tutorial for the shimmery blue/silver/peach look from yesterday. This one’s a little more complicated than usual for me, but it’s still pretty easy overall.

What you’ll need

mac-magic-mirth-mischief-tutoral-swatches

A neutral matte cream eyeshadow base like MAC Paint Pot in Painterly ($17)
A shimmery silver eyeshadow like the silver side from MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Blue Sorcery ($20)
A shimmery blue eyeshadow like the blue side from MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Blue Sorcery ($20)
A shimmery golden peach eyeshadow like MAC Arena ($15)
A dark black eyeliner like MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline ($15)
A black liquid liner like LORAC Front of the Line Pro ($22)
A black mascara like MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash ($13)
A matte peachy blush like MAC Blush in Peachykeen from the Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit ($38)
A shimmery pink highlighting power like MAC Beauty Powder in Pretty Baby from the Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit ($38)
A shimmery warm beige highlighting powder like MAC Beauty Powder in Sunsparkled Pearl from the the Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit ($38)
A brownish pink lip liner like MAC Lip Pencil in Spice ($13)
A peach lipstick like MAC Lipstick in Surprise Me ($14)
A shimmery peach gloss like MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff! ($18)

Eyes

mac-magic-mirth-mischief-eyemap-1
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What’s Your Favorite Waterline Eyeliner?

November 5th, 2009 by Karen 77 Comments

orange-and-blue-eye-closeup

Hi, ladies. Do you ever think about your first time?

Mine was 1988… It was fifth period lunch, and I was in the girls bathroom.

I’m talking about the first time I lined my waterline, of course. 🙂 It took me 15 minutes per eye because they kept watering like crazy.

I’m 100% sure it looked awful, but I remember feeling so fly! I used purple liner to go with my outfit — a purple Esprit sweater, stretch pants, slouchy socks and shoes. Yup, good times…

My stroll down waterline memory lane was triggered by this e-mail from MBB reader Stephanie:

Hey Karen!

I’m a late bloomer in the eyeliner department! I’ve just started doing waterline eyeliner, but it doesn’t work well for me. It’s like my waterlines are *too watery.* Do you have any tips because I really like the look! Thanks a mil!

Stephanie

What’s up, Stephanie? When it comes to drawing attention to the eyes, nothing beats those waterlines. I’m a big fan. 🙂

First things first — finding a product that’s 1) easy on the eyes and 2) stays put!

Champions of the waterline!

cargo plant love eyeliner closeup
Cargo Plant Love Liners

Here are my current waterline favorites…

Cargo Plant Love Liner in Black ($16): A smooth, organic, long-wear liner free of parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances. NOTE: I just checked the Sephora website for availability, and it looks like this and most of the Cargo Plant Love makeup line are MIA online. Finding this one might take a phone call or a trip to the store.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero ($17): This rich, dark black liner has legions of devoted followers! It’s so soft and buttery, yet lasts long and strong once it dries.
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($15): Of these three, I think Fluidline lasts the longest, but it also takes the most effort and requires a brush to apply (for me). Totally worth it in my book, though, and as a bonus it doubles as an eyeshadow base.

Other liners to consider

Friends on Twitter and Facebook had a few more recommendations. The girls love…
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Having Fun with Benefit Celebutante and Powderazzi: A Quick Tutorial

October 29th, 2009 by Karen 11 Comments

benefit celebutante fotd 2

Heya, ladies. A few days ago I discovered the benefits of Benefit’s holiday kits in Celebutante and Powderazzi.

Tonight I thought I’d revisit that post, adding an eye map and a breakdown of the steps I followed.

It’s an easy shimmery pewter eye/plum lip combo, and you won’t need an arsenal of tools (just fingers and a couple eye brushes) or time spent blending. I can see myself wearing this on rushed mornings when I “accidentally” hit the snooze button one too many times (oops!). 🙂

Ready?
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Does Your Beauty Routine Change in the Fall?

October 20th, 2009 by Karen 32 Comments

makeup-and-beauty-blog-102009

Mine does, for sure.

A few of the things I do when the leaves begin to fall…

I switch to richer moisturizers on my face and body (to compensate for moisture-sapping colder temps)
I wear darker lipstick colors and more frequent smokey eyes
I spritz on fragrances with heavier notes like musk and rose

How about you? Have you changed your beauty routine for fall?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Homecoming Dance Makeup Tutorial Featuring Urban Decay Cosmetics

October 9th, 2009 by Karen 41 Comments

homecoming-makeup-tutorial

If you’re feeling blue about Homecoming, you’re not the only one. The color’s been a popular choice this season for formals and dances.

MBB reader Cheyda is looking for makeup ideas to go with her blue dress.

Hi Karen!

I am going to my first formal dance (homecoming) in about a week.

I’m wearing a navy strapless dress with my hair down, and I have NO idea what makeup to wear.

I want it to be kind of dramatic, but not too out there. Plus, it needs to stay put.

Any suggestions as far as colors and brands?

Thanks a bunch!

Cheyda

Hi Cheyda,

How exciting! Dances are so much fun. Not only do you get to play dress up, but they’re also great opportunities to try new makeup looks.

It sounds like you want to be noticed without looking overly done. I got you. 🙂

Before we get into details, here are some things to consider:

Photography. Chances are you’ll be in some pictures, so you’ll want makeup that looks good in photos. When I do makeup for pictures, I wear a little more than I normally would. Natural, everyday-type looks, those done with a very light hand, can look washed out under flash photography.

Leading up to Homecoming, take a few practice swings at your look. Go from start to finish and ask friends or family (or use your camera’s shutter timer) to snap some test pictures with the flash. It’ll give you time to adjust your technique before the dance.

Long-wear products. If you plan to dance the night away, you’ll want your makeup to last, so primers, waterproof formulas and long-wear products (like lipsticks vs. gloss) are musts. Layering also helps increase wear time.

To go with your navy dress. I’m thinking a shimmery purplish blue smokey eye with pinkish nude lips and a sheer, matte pink cheek. What do ya think? 🙂 I can see it now… The colors should pop without looking to matchy-matchy or melodramatic.

What you’ll need

A shimmery peachy eye primer like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin ($17)
A shimmery golden beige shadow with glitter like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Midnight Cowboy Rides Again ($16)
A long-wear, shimmery blue eye pencil like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Binge ($36, part of the Super Stash set)
A shimmery purplish blue eyeshadow like Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Frigid ($18)
A black eye pencil like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero ($17)
A waterproof mascara like Stila Lash Visor in Black ($12.50)
A sheer matte pink blush like Chanel Joues Contrastes in Rose Dust ($40)
A nude lip liner like MAC Cremestick Pearl Liner in Gingerroot ($14.50)
A nude lipstick like Benefit Full-Finish Lipstick in Lady’s Choice ($18)

homecoming-makeup-tutorial-swatches

You can find drugstore alternatives (Sonia Kashuk makes some great ones) to most, if not all, of these products. If you’re interested, shoot me a line and I’ll send some suggestions. 🙂
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Halloween Ideas with Kryolan Professional Makeup

September 29th, 2009 by Karen 19 Comments

Evening, ladies. How was your Tuesday? Mine wasn’t bad, except that I spent my whole afternoon stuck in the East Bay with car trouble. I’m finally back home now (a little worse for wear).

The post that follows is a reprint of one of my favorites from last year, and with Halloween approaching it seemed particularly apt. Hmm… Is it too early to start brainstorming costumes for this year?

Every girl deserves a makeover from time to time. My last one was ages ago. I’d been itching to try a new look, so yesterday I made the short trip into San Francisco hoping to find inspiration.

I hit my usual haunts — MAC, Dior and Chanel — but I was in the mood for something, well, kinda different, so I kept looking.

I was almost ready to throw in the towel when a sign on a building caught my eye: Kryolan Professional Makeup. Curious as ever and not wanting to head home defeated, I decided to check it out.

Jake, the Kryolan showroom manager, gave me a tour of the place and described their products and services.

The company offers a full line of professional and consumer beauty products but specializes in theater makeup and makeup education. I was immediately drawn to their Aquacolor wet cake makeup — pans of highly pigmented, glycerin-based face and body makeup available in 250 different shades ($6 each).

Once I spotted their beautiful brushes (high quality, and generally more affordable than department store lines), body paints and, um, fake blood, I knew I was in for a different kind of makeover. Sign my booty up!

Dominic, Kryolan’s director of education, got me ready for my makeover, sitting me down beside a counter covered in Aquacolor pans. I told him to go nuts! I didn’t know what to expect, but I got a little suspicious when he glued a prosthetic cat nose to my face.

That’s when it dawned on me: homie was probably not going to do a simple smokey eye.

After all, Kryolan is known for extreme movie and theater makeup. You’ve probably seen their makeup at work in Hollywood films, and their credits include the makeup for The Chronicles of Narnia, Collateral and Pirates of the Caribbean.

With my new prosthetic cat nose in place, Dominic started layering different colors to develop the look. “The painting process is fun,” he said. “This is the most time consuming part of the whole process.”

The entire Karen-into-cat transformation took about 45 minutes, but here’s the condensed version…

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MAC Style Black: A Tutorial with Gilt By Association Eyeshadow and Black Cream Colour Base

September 25th, 2009 by Karen 35 Comments

mac style black collection tutorial

I’m having a blast exploring different ways to wear MAC’s new Style Black collection.

Earlier today I tried a bronzy black smokey eye using Mineralize Eyeshadow in Gilt By Association ($20).

It turned out better than I thought it would! At first I was afraid (I was petrified) the slippery Cream Colour Base would look too messy, but I found that as long as I didn’t overuse it, it stayed put reasonably well.

This is a look I’ll definitely wear again, maybe with a white, brown or bronze top and some gold jewelry.

mac style black collection tutorial eyes both

mac-style-black-collection-tutorial-eye-side1

Tutorial: What you’ll need

An eyeshadow primer like Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17)
A creamy black eyeshadow base like MAC Cream Colour Base in Black ($17)
A shimmery blackish bronze shadow like MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Gilt By Association ($20)
A shimmery, peachy golden eyeshadow like MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked ($15)
A shimmery, bronze pencil liner like MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge ($15)
A black liquid pen liner like LORAC Front of the Line Pro ($22)
A black mascara like MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash Mascara ($13)
A black gel liner like MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($15)

mac style black collection tutorial swatches-1
Swatches from left to right: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, MAC Cream Colour Base in Black, MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Gilt By Association, MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked
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