Makeup Tips/How To

Holiday Makeup How-to with Becca Cosmetics: Bronze Smokey Eye, Pink Cheeks and Lips

December 8th, 2007 by Karen 15 Comments

Perfect for the Office Holiday Par-tay

Why do they call office holiday get togethers “parties”? Everybody knows the only reason you show up is because you have to!

So, what do I do when I know I’ll be subjected to this farce o’ revelry? I buy a new dress to ease the pain a bit and work some fierce makeup, of course.

This year I plan to wear a bronze, gold and khaki smokey eye with punchy pink cheeks and lips. Lynn Furge, Becca cosmetics national artist and all around cool lady, created this look just for Makeup and Beauty Blog. Pretty, yah?

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The beautiful Marcella Faustini, a Bay Area in-house artist for Becca, worked her magic when re-creating the look:

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To get it, Marcella used the following products:

Face
– Becca Mattifying Primer to prep skin ($35.00)
– Becca Line and Pore Corrector to fill in spots and to smooth out lines and pores ($32.00)
– Becca Skin Color SPF 20+ as a tinted moisturizer ($40.00)
– Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter SPF 20+ as a highlighter and lumimizer ($38.00)
– Becca Concealer ($35.00)
– Becca Stick Foundation in Coffee ($39.00)
– Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder in Mocha on t-zone only ($35.00)
– Becca Pressed Bronzing Powder in Salsa around frame of face and neck ($34.00)

Cheeks
– Becca Watermelon Beach Tint on apples of cheeks ($22.00)
– Becca Creme Blush in Geranium ($27.00)

Eyes
– Becca Eyeliner Compact and Waterproof Sealer in Barbarella on upper lash line ($27.00)
– Becca Creme Eye Color in Antique Gold on eyelid ($25.00)
– Becca Eye Color Powder in Lurex all over lid ($20.00)
– Becca Eye Color Powder in Chintz along lash line and outer corner ($20.00)
– Becca Eye Color Powder in Shantung ($20.00) and Chnitz on lower two-thirds of lashes

Lips
– Becca Geranium ($27.00)
– Becca Glossy Lip Tint in Angel Kiss ($22.00)

Chintz Eye Color Powder – khaki-gold shimmer
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Lurex Eye Color Powder – silvery-gold shimmer
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Shantung Eye Color Powder – antique-bronze shimmer

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To see the Becca line in the SF Bay Area, visit the San Francisco Neiman Marcus, which has a Becca counter. If you see the lovely Marcella, tell her I sent ya!

Marcella Faustini, Becca Artist

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Mega Becca Sale on Sephora.com

Sephora.com has a huge sale on Becca cosmetics right now. I picked up the Nut Tinted Moisturizer for $10.00 (normally 40 bucks!) and the Coffee Stick Foundation for $9.75 (usually $39.00). Many items are out of stock, but you still may be able to find a lil’ something on deeeeep discount.

Have a groovy Saturday! I’m off to the gym to do some cardio. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Beauty Snacks

December 6th, 2007 by Karen 21 Comments

I have a very dysfunctional relationship with the neighbor’s wretched tabby cat. He comes by a few times a week and meows at my door, begging for snacks. I let him in. I feed and pet him. He bites me. He leaves. It’s like this every single time. He’s such a user, but I fall for it every time.

Anyway, the beast came by yesterday for a visit and as he nibbled my arm I started thinking, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we all had somebody who would give us beauty snacks?”

fussytabby-beauty-snacks-final Beauty Snacks (like Scooby Snacks, but cooler)

Sephora sales

Did you know that if you type the word “sale” into the search bar on Sephora’s Web site, you get a list of everything on the site that’s discounted? I do this often and find lots cool stuff perfect for holiday stocking stuffers — brushes, makeup, body products — for less than $10.00.

Some products have deep discounts, like this NARS Hot Sauce lip palette, on sale for $30.00 (originally $50.00).

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I run the Sephora sale search a few times a week ’cause I like a good deal. You know your girl loves a sale!

Daily Motivator

At the risk of appearing completely cheesy, I thought I’d share a special site with you because, frankly, it has saved my butt on many occasions. When I’m feeling blue, or when things get crazy, and I need to check myself (before I wreck myself), I visit the Daily Motivator for quick shots of wisdom. Some might find Ralph Marston’s daily motivators and observations corny, but I like ’em. They help me stay motivated and remind me to keep things in perspective.

Use the force, Luke

daily-motivator

Taye Diggs: Hottie, actor … hip hop dancer?!?!

My friend J-Money sent me an e-mail yesterday inviting me to a one-time, advanced hip hop class taught by master dance teacher, TAYE DIGGS (star of one of my fave movies, Brown Sugar). Did ya’ll know Taye could dance? I sure as heck didn’t. I’m going to the two-hour class in February. You better believe I’ll be hustling for a spot up in the front so I can watch him, um, teach.

Hopefully Taye will teach in this outfit

taye-diggs-jazz-hands-hearts-final

Neutrogena Soft Color Blush

Damn, these blushes rule. They’re cheap (about $6.00 for a huge pan), look natural and are easy to apply. When I’m in a hurry, these are my go-to blushes because they don’t streak (even on bare skin), blend easily and aren’t chalky.

If you’re blush shy or new to blush then these are good starter products (ditch the included brush, though, ’cause it’s useless). I have Sunny Spice, Divine Wine and Soft Suede colors in my collection.

Back to MAC Program

Yesterday, while I was rifling through one of the several piles of makeup in my living room, I found a stash of used MAC Lipglasses and empty brush cleaner bottles. I keep all my used MAC stuff so I can participate in “Back to MAC,” MAC’s recycling program. You bring in six used product packages (lipstick, Lipglasses, compacts, etc.) and get a free lipstick in return. There are a few exceptions, so find out what’s considered a recyclable product on the MAC Web site.

I bet I’m the last person in the world who needs another lipstick, but hey, I’m heading to the counter after work if traffic isn’t bad. What color should I get?

Lazy Beast Cardio 101

Most of the time I love working out and going to the gym, but when it’s cold and rainy I get lazy. On those days, I reach for a workout DVD at home. It won’t substitute for a three-mile run on the treadmill, but it’s better than nothing.

Workout DVD’s can be expensive, so I rent mine from Netflix. Their huge selection helps stave off workout boredom. Right now I’m really missing Hawaii, so I’ve been doing a 30-minute hula workout called “Island Girl Dance Fitness Workout for Beginners.”

The workout is low impact, but it sure works up a sweat. I love the tropical scenery, and I’m a sucker for upbeat island music.

Coffee break

Mmm, coffee. I can’t survive without my morning cup. Coffee’s tasty but it stains teeth like crazy! I asked my dentist what I could do and she suggested using a straw, so I keep a pack of bendable straws in the kitchen cupboard and always use them when I drink coffee, tea and red wine at home. It’s weird at first — I like sipping my coffee through my front teeth, and my friends and El Hub gave me a lot of crap for it — but eventually I got used to it. Now my teeth stay sparklin’ white.

Girl, wherever you are I hope it’s warm because it’s cold around my ‘hood! How are you holding up in this rain?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Makeup and Beauty Tips from Paris Hilton

November 18th, 2007 by Karen 86 Comments

Tip #1: Wear a scent that means something to you.

For some people, scent is highly tied to memory, like how a whiff of men’s Eternity can bring back memories of one’s lame ex-boyfriend (I’m not bitter).

I used to sneak a spritz or two of my mom’s Chanel No. 5 when I was a wee child. For Paris, the fragrances of Jean Patou hold a special place in her heart.

The first perfume she ever wore was Jean Patou’s 1000 because her mom wore it when Paris was young. Jean Patou’s Joy was another one. “It just smells like my grandma,” said Paris. “She always used to wear it. She passed away from breast cancer a few years ago, so it kind of reminds me of her when I wear it.”

Paris signs a pic for a fan at the CAN CAN release event held at Macy’s Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California on November 17, 2007

Just as fragrance can influence how we feel, it also affects how people remember us. That’s why Paris decided to make perfumes. “I wanted to do a fragrance because I feel like it’s such a big part of life.”

CAN CAN was really personal for her. She enlisted the help of friends and family in making it. Step one was to create a batch of sample fragrances with the help of a perfumer — one of those professional smell expert gurus — based on some of her favorite scents. With her three or four favorites in tow, she went home to do a little good ole’ fashioned market research. “I’ll have them smell,” said Paris of her friends and family, “and see what they like best.” With their input, she chose the fragrance she thought would appeal to the widest audience. The result was CAN CAN, a fruity floral with notes of clementine flower, cassis, nectarine, musk and amber.

This is the fourth fragrance campaign for Paris, who also did campaigns for her other perfumes: Heiress, Just Me and Paris Hilton. CAN CAN is the fourth campaign but the first with a distinct theme. She called it the best of the photo shoots she’s done for a fragrance so far. She danced and posed on a Moulin Rouge themed set while her self-titled debut album, Paris, played in the background. “We’ve always done really beautiful shots,” she said, “but not really a theme, so it was really fun.”

Paris is often reminded of how her fragrances can influence every day life. Dudes and chicks stop her on the street to tell her that they’re wearing her stuff. “I always go and smell them,” she said. I wore CAN CAN on the day I did this interview, so from now on every time I catch a whiff of it I’ll remember that day. I almost shoved my wrist up her nose at one point but thought it faux pas.

Thousands of rabid fans showed up to the event. Apparently it pays to be tall when you’re jostling other Paris fans for camera phone pics.

Tip #2: Rock the lipgloss.

CHANEL Glossimer lipgloss, YES!

Paris was rocking a fierce look in our interview. She was wearing a sleeveless cream top and black skirt by BCBG and hot pink Christian Dior shoes. Ladies and gents, you know how your girl loves the shoes. I briefly thought about stopping the interview to have my photographer (El Hub) take shots of Paris’ fantabulous footwear, but alas, I only had six minutes to get through all my questions. So sorry, fellow shoe lovers!

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For her makeup, Paris wore a silver, sparkly eye with thick black liner on the top lid along with a soft flushed cheek. She had on MAC shadow and Max Factor blush. The focal point of her look was a pink lip topped with a layer of Chanel Glossimer lipgloss in Astral #104. “I love the glitter in it,” she said.

For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to motivate myself to do stuff by using Chanel makeup as a self-motivator — i.e. Karen does ‘X’ tasks and gets two tubes of Chanel lipgloss — but after seeing Paris wearing Glossimer, I’m afraid I’m going to cave, like, really soon. Perhaps tomorrow, even. Girlfriend’s lips looked *super hot*.

MAC Prrr Lipglass, YES!

When Paris is working, she spends a lot of time in hair and makeup with her stylists and makeup artists, so on her days off she doesn’t like to wear a lot of makeup. She does love her gloss, though, and can’t live without MAC Prrr Lipglass. “When I’m just like, chilling,” she said, “I’d rather just put on mascara, and like, really cute lipgloss.”

Maybelline Great Lash, NOOOO!

And what is Paris’ mascara of choice on her days off? Maybelline Great Lash, the one from Rite-Aid in the pink and green tube.

I thought, “Are you serious, girlfriend?” I would’ve put my money on Paris being a Diorshow kind of girl. I had some Plushlash in my purse, and I thought about giving it to her as a gesture of goodwill mascara salvation. Paris, girrrrrrl, if you’re reading this, I’m gonna hook you up with some Plushlash, STAT!

Tip #3: Get the glowy look with weekly facials and Kate Somerville products.

Paris is known for her dewy, glowy skin. She said her secret is a weekly facial at Kate Somerville, a spa located down the street from her house. She and Kate are homies, and Paris gets treatments with extractions at the spa when she isn’t too busy with work.

Extractions? I cringed.

I wish you could see Paris’ Christian Dior shoes in this pic. They were *awesome.*

“You know,” she said, “it’s good for you. Everyone should do it. And like Lasergenesis, which makes your skin really, like, plump … it’s just this light that goes on your face.”

Kate Somerville offers a full skin care line, and Hilton is an avid devotee. “I use all Kate’s products,” she said. She can’t live without Nourish moisturizer and Exfolikate (formerly known as Kate in a Jar) exfoliating treatment. On the day of our interview, beside the sparkly eye and lip, Paris’ skin actually had very little shine. It was a very matte skin look, which is really trendy right now.

“I just think it’s good to just take care of yourself and get massages and drink water,” she added.

Tip #4: Planning ahead never hurts, especially when it comes to skin care or the quest for beauty-product world domination.

Paris’ quest for world domination doesn’t stop at the fragrance counter. She is currently working on a makeup line and would also love to create skin care products. Her take home message for skin care: start young! I hear ya, girl. Like I always say, the best anti-aging secret is sunscreen (and don’t forget your neck, oy!).

Tip #5: Be polite and sweet to everyone.

Although I never really watched Paris’ show, “The Simple Life,” I’ve read a lot about her in the news, and truth be told I didn’t know what to expect from this interview. Would she roll her eyes because I wasn’t from Newsweek or the New York Times? Girlfriend did say she didn’t use the Web too much, and she’d never heard of beauty blogs before. Would she spend the entire time text-messaging Nicole on her massive jewel-encrusted smartphone?

To my surprise, she was nice. Although she seemed a bit guarded and heavily media trained, she was sweet and fully engaged throughout the conversation. The moral of this story? Despite all of the drama surrounding Paris in the news, I found her to be a sweet girl who works hard and loves her family.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that it was, dare I say, hot.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Before you jet, beauty lover, check out the home page for more makeup reviews. 🙂

Makeup Junkies, Don’t Miss the Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend Show!

November 11th, 2007 by Karen 22 Comments

There are only two reasons I’d wake up at 5:00 a.m. on a cold, dreary Saturday morning — if I had to catch a plane to a far off tropical location, OR if I had the chance to see the latest Holiday makeup trends at the Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend Show.

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After two cups of coffee and several layers of concealer (gotta hide those dark circles), your girl hauled her cookies over to Nordstrom Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek to see the best Holiday 2007 makeup and skincare trends from several lines, including Dior, Chanel, Lancome, Clinique, Philosophy and MAC.

I met up with my blogging buddy Christine, who I thought would be the only other person crazy enough to wake up at 5:00 a.m. to go look at makeup. Little did I realize we weren’t the only ones. When we got to the store at 7:30, there was already a line of women waiting out front. You go, ladies!

Hurry up and sit down, ya’ll!
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To attend a Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend Show, visit their Web site for dates and locations near you (listed under their “Store Locations & Events” section). RSVP by phone. There’s a modest $15.00 cover charge, which applies toward any beauty/cosmetics purchases you make on the day of the event.

nordstrom-cosmetics-trend-three-models

If you love cosmetics but are NOT a morning person, then be forewarned: the Trend Show is kinda like a rock concert. There’s loud music, hot models, screaming women (no joke!) and unbridled makeup enthusiasm. Several premier artists from top lines, like Louise Zizzo (MAC), John Fussell (Chanel), Rachel Ito (Clinique) and John Trau (Philosophy) discussed the hottest looks for this season.

Louise Zizzo from MAC works the crowd
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John Fussel from Chanel. Check out the model’s boots!
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Bold Lips and Eyes!

The three trends featured at this show were matte skin, lined eyes and red/burgundy lips.

Matte Skin:

– natural yet flawless extra-matte finish
– new products have lightweight and transparent matte formulas, unlike the heavier mattes of the 90s
– healthier, brighter-looking skin without the shine

Matte skin and flirty lined eyes from Lancome
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Lined eyes:

– dynamically lined eyes for powerful, strong looks
– for a flirty look, try black, slate or grey liner on top lashes
– for an edgy look, try liner on lower lashes only
– to keep focus on black-lined eyes, use natural lip tones

An edgy, chic look from MAC
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Red/burgundy lips:

– colors for fall include scarlet, burgundy or aubergine hues
– top bold colors with gloss, or smooth down with matte pigments
– to draw attention to lips, use a slight touch of color on eyes and mascara only

Estee Lauder featured bold lips
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But wait! There’s more…

Another great reason to sign up for one of these shows is you get free stuff. Everyone at this event received this stylish, roomy, silver train case.

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In addition to the train cases we also got snacks. Honey, you know that the two ways to my heart are through Chanel and through my stomach, so I was super excited to open my little goody box to find it filled with fruit, muffins and other yummy morning snacks.

But the fun didn’t stop there. In one of the show’s many raffles, Christine, who at the start of the show bemoaned how she never wins anything, actually won a bag full of Fusion Beauty products, ha ha ha! Lucky!

Joelle Russo, Nordstrom beauty director and emcee for the show, gets ready to raffle off more goodies
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After the show, attendees headed downstairs to the store’s beauty department to buy more goodies and get makeovers. Several of the lines had special gift-with-purchase offers, free samples, and “best of” product packages for sale.

A Philosophy bag from the trend show filled with of some of the best products in the line. Can you spot my new fave cleanser, Purity Made Simple?
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This special gift from Clinique included Allure magazine favorites from their color and skincare lines
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If you love makeup then I highly recommend checking it out one of these shows. There are two Nordsrom trend shows happening next weekend, November 17, at the Fashion Valley and Valley Fair Nordstrom stores in California. Check out the Nordstrom site for more details.

Oh, and if you do plan on going, don’t let your husband play around with your beauty loot when you get home. I’m just sayin’…

nordstrom-cosmetics-trend-show-clinique-lipstick-destruction

I hope your weekend has been full of lots of makeup fun!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P. S. Your weekend isn’t over yet. It’s time for the weeks best o’ beauty from The Beauty Blog Network!

I know you didn’t miss Makeup and Beauty Blog’s Best of Clinique’s Holiday 2007 Makeup and Fragrances.[Continue reading…]

Product Reviews, Makeup, Fragrance, Face of the Day (FOTD), Just for Fun – Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Perfume; Clinique Holiday 2007 Happy & Bright Makeup; Weekly Beauty Roundup; Chanel Holiday 2007 Palettes and Glosses

November 4th, 2007 by Karen 26 Comments

More Holiday Wish List 2007 – Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Perfume

elizabeth-arder-mediterranean

It’s been months since I’ve gone surfing and I miss being in the ocean. Just looking at the blue packaging and bottle for Elizabeth Arden’s Mediterranean perfume makes me feel like I’m in Hawaii, sitting on my board and waiting for the next wave to come and carry me away.

Aside from the beautiful bottle and packaging, the best part about this perfume is that the scent isn’t too heavy or cloying. Mediterranean is described on the Elizabeth Arden Web site as a “radiant woody floral.” Imagine a hybrid between the best parts of Fresh’s Lemon Sugar perfume and Covet.

When I spray it on I get an initial burst that’s lemony and white floral. It then dries down to a light, black tea scent. On me Mediterranean smells gender neutral and not overly feminine or sweet.

If you have a girlfriend, sister or mom who likes perfumes that aren’t too sweet then she’ll love this. It would also be a great gift for a friend who loves beachy scents but doesn’t like strong “tropical” notes like pikake or tuberose.

The 1.7 fl oz bottle you see in the pic above is $47.50, but for the holidays Elizabeth Arden’s got a special set that includes the 1.7 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray, Body Lotion and a wee Eau de Parfum replica for $52.00. Don’t you love the extra goodies in gifts sets? I sure do.

A Holiday 2007 Face of the Day with Clinique’s “Happy & Bright” Makeup

Here’s a face of the day I did with Clinique’s Holiday 2007 “Happy & Bright” makeup. What do you think?

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fotd-clinique-happy-bright-holiday-2007-110307-eye

I used the pink shade farthest on the left all over the lid, then the peach shade to highlight the browbone and inner eye. I put the lighter brown shade in the crease and used the darker brown on the far right to line the top and bottom. Then I finished it off with two coats of BECCA The Ultimate Mascara in Black.

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On the cheeks I used the lightest touch of MAC’s Dollymix blush with Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Peony layered on top.
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I finished the look off with Raspberry Glace Different Lipstick and Camisole Full Potential Lipglass on the lips.

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I really love these colors. They are buildable and pretty much mistake proof. My next Clinique Holiday 2007 mission: use the Pink Truffle quad to create a gentle smoky eye!

Weekend Reading Just For You

Your weekend isn’t over yet! Here’s the latest beauty buzz from The Beauty Blog Network.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic – Christine Explains how Antioxidants Work
A Touch of Blusher – All About Japanese Cosmetics
All Lacquered Up – All Lacquered Up Reviews OPI’s Holiday in Hollywood Dazzling Darks & Neutrals
Beauty and Fashion Tech – Beauty and Fashion Tech Looks at the New MAC Holiday Collection and Provides Swatches
Beauty and Personality Grooming – Homemade rich nail cream
Etailers Mall – The Blog – PlumSmoke
Face Candy – Bridal Beauty
Makeup Moxie’s Beauty Blog – Makeup Moxie Reviews Cover Girl Lashblast Mascara
Musings of a Muse – The Muse’s First Look at the Sephora 2007 Catalog
Mystical Beauty’s Musings – How do you feel about your makeup talking to you?
Savvy Skin – Skimpy Thinning Eyebrows
SugarShock – Fragrance Notes: Factory Girl
Temptalia – MAC Curiositease Review, Swatches, and Photos!
Makeup Loves Me – Refreshing Facial at Fresh

And oooh girl, I know you didn’t miss Makeup and Beauty Blog’s MAC Holiday 2007 Curiositease Lip Sets: What to buy, What to pass up!

A Few More Random Thangs Currently Up in My Grill

Because the world is constantly moving toward randomness…here are few tidbits that have crossed my radar in the last few days.

In definance to all the laws of the universe, somehow Christian Bale came SECOND PLACE to Wentworth Miller in Entertainment Weekly’s Ultimate Hottie Poll, BOO!

That’s okay, I’ll comfort you, Chris
bale

I saw this kid dancing on “The Soup” and I laughed for about 10 minutes straight. I kept rewinding and laughing, rewinding and laughing. He’s my hero.

Not that I need any more TV in my life, but Torchwood on BBC is FANTASTIC. Tivo it, yo!

What’s My Motivation?

Today I was in an infinitely better mood then yesterday because last night I slept twelve hours. No joke. Every moment of sleep was like manna from the heavens. Ahhhh!

In between working it out at the gym and watching the Colts and Patriots game (that Tom Brady is HAWT!) I thought of all the stuff I have to get done this week that I just don’t want to do.

tom-brady

“Hmmm,” I thought, “What’s the ultimate form of motivation? What’s gonna make me want to go the extra mile to get all this craptacular crapola done?”

The answer? C to the H to the A to the N to the E to the L.

The reward for finishing my first project…
chanel-gloss

And the second…
chanel-camelias

And the third…
chanel-palette

The moral of this story? A little Chanel bribery goes a long, long way.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

News – Classic Makeup and Beauty Blog Posts; Beauty Blog Network Weekly Beauty Read

October 28th, 2007 by Karen 12 Comments

fussy-tabby-classic-hits-final
Taking it Back to the Old School

Sometimes it’s fun to visit your roots. I’m feeling nostalgic today, so here’s a compilation of a few classic Makeup and Beauty Blog posts.

Work those high heels at the club with these Tips for Making High Heels Comfortable.

Got lash envy? Here are a few MAC tips and tricks for perfect lashes.

A little self-promotion never hurts.

It’s time to start Christmas shopping. Pick up a few gifts for your family, then pick up a few MAC Favorites from Allure Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards for your bad self.

Remember MAC Sheer Mystery Powder?

Ha! I actually brought a tube of Rimmel After Dark Lipglass to the club last night.

The Beauty Blog Network Hotties are in the House

But wait! There’s more beauty to be had with the best o’ the week from The Beauty Blog Network!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic – Christine Tries out Sara Happ’s Lip Scrub
A Touch of Blusher – Foundation Face-Off: Chanel & SUQQU
All Lacquered Up – Check out Essie’s Winter Collection Before It Hits Stores
Beauty and Fashion Tech – Beauty and Fashion Tech Looks at the New MAC Holiday Collection and Provides Swatches
Beauty and Personality Grooming – Facial scrubs for dry skin
Elke Von Freudenberg – Elke finally (gulp) loves pink lipstick
Etailers Mall, The Blog – Sarah features the Deadly Kiss Choker from After Dark Jewelry.
Makeup Moxie – Customized Clinique Happy Photo Bottles
Musings of a Muse – MAC Formal Black 2006 vs MAC Antiquitease 2007 with Photos and Comparisons
Mystical Beauty’s Musings – The Body Perfumery Gloss Me! Hair Serum Review
Savvy Skin – Laser Hair Removal – Worth Another Chance?
Temptalia – Antiquitease: Royal Assets & Heirlooms Review & Swatches
The Life of A Ladybug – Toya’s ode to Kevyn Aucoin
Makeup Loves Me – Lancome’s Color Fever Gloss in Volcanic Pink
And just in case you missed it (oh no you didn’t) my post from earlier in the week covering Makeup Trends from LA Fashion Week and Tips from Smashbox Makeup Artist Lori Taylor.

Booty Short Stress

I report with a touch of sadness that last night’s pole dance class did not happen. Our instructor never showed up (BOO) so all of my booty short stress was all for naught. We ended up going to get suishi and then to a club called Suede. For the record, it’s hard to dance with cat ears on.

Club cuties

How was your Saturday night? Did you go to any pre-Halloween parties? ‘Twas a fun night but now I’m exhasuted. I think I’m gonna chill out for the rest of the day.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup Tips, Product Reviews, Skincare: Smashbox’s Lori Taylor Gives Makeup Tips from Los Angeles Fashion Week; DHC Rose Toner; Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion

October 24th, 2007 by Karen 26 Comments

Makeup Trends from Los Angeles Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and Tips from Lori Taylor, Smashbox Makeup Artist

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Los Angeles was last week. So maybe you weren’t hanging with Paris Hilton in the front row at the shows this year … but hey, neither was I! We’ve always got next year to look forward to, right?

This year Smashbox sponsored the makeup. To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the flawless skin trend we saw at the San Francisco and New York shows was a big theme this year on the L.A. runways, too.

Want to get the look at home? Here are a few tricks from Smashbox makeup artist Lori Taylor, who was nice enough to share a few backstage tips with Makeup and Beauty Blog.

What was the biggest makeup trend we saw at the LA shows this year?

la-fashion-week
Perfect and Flawless skin. During the shows we used tons of High Definition FX Foundation and Function 5 Self Adjusting Foundation. Also, smoky eyes of colors such as metallic green and purple. And bright lips with lipstick, not gloss!

What tips can you give women who want to re-create these looks at home?

Apply a sheer wash of color on the eye in black or brown, and then use metallic burgundy; soft, sheer purple; or taupe metallic shades. Use a ton of mascara and a liner in color. For the lips use a velvety lipstick or a sheer color.

When you’re working backstage, what are your can’t-live-without Smashbox products?

High Definition FX Foundation, Function 5 Self Adjusting Foundation and Photo Op Under Eye Brightener. We were all fighting for it backstage!

What is your favorite part about doing makeup for runway shows?

I love the fast and chaotic pace as well as the responsibility of being the head makeup artist.

Least favorite part?

My least favorite part is that I’m not so much hands on anymore. Once I create the look the other artists take over.

A pic of Lori Taylor with Smashbox Founders Dean and Davis Factor
lori-taylor

Toner-o-Rama with DHC Rose Toner and Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion

I like to blog about whatever beauty and skin issue is plaguing me at the moment. The big problem du jour right now is my skin. I’ve been breaking out and getting dry patches…so NOT cute.

When my skin goes nuts it means it’s time to review my skin regimen. I just switched to a cleanser which I’m starting to really love, Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple. The next step? Finding a complementary toner that both moisturizes and fights the good fight against pimples.

(Side note: I don’t believe that you have to stay with one skin care line, because IMHO that’s just marketing-schmarketing. I always end up using a mix of brands because I haven’t found a line that I love enough to be solely devoted to.)

Toner…Not Just for Copy Machines

Toners are liquid products that you use after you cleanse your face, and you apply it with a cotton ball to your face and your neck. The purpose is to take off the last traces of makeup and prep the skin for moisturization. Some toners also have other benefits, like fighting zits (yes!) and moisturizing (yessss!). I must confess; I’m not always an avid toner user. Sometimes I don’t feel like my skin needs it and sometimes I’m just plain lazy. If I can skip a step I’ll leave it out, ya know?

But when my skin is going nuts like it is now I’ll make the extra effort to really baby it. Here are two toners that I’ve been test driving: DHC Rose Toner and Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion.

DHC Rose Toner Smells Divine, Fights Zits Like a Champ

DHC Rose Toner is lovely-smelling toner made from distilled damask rosewater for ladies (and gents) with blemish-prone skin.

The benefits:

– calms overactive, stressed complexions
– controls excess oil
– tightens pores
– all-day oil control

What I liked about it:

– smells fantastic, like I’m wandering around in Oprah’s rose garden
– cute packaging!
– excellent oil control

What I didn’t like about it:

– dried out my skin

When I was younger my skin was really oily, breakout prone and tougher than Tina Turner on a world tour. If I was ten years younger then DHC Rose Toner would be right up my alley. The dry patches on my face are a new thing for me, so unfortunately this toner was a little too drying to use over my entire face. However, Rose Toner did a fantastic job of drying up my zits. I’m going to use it as a spot treatment in the future, rather than an all-over toner.

You might like it if:

– you have younger, oilier skin that can tolerate stronger toners
– need lots of oil control

A 3.3 fl. oz bottle is regularly $21.00, but is on sale for $15.50 until November 30, 2007 on the DHC Web site.

Also … a lil’ birdie told me that there’s a full Rose skincare line available in Japan but not in the US. It’s a DHC best seller and apparently the entire line is phenomenal. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that they make it available in the US soon!

Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion, Where Have You Been All My Life?

Before I buy new skin care products, I read other beauty blogs and check sites like makeupalley.com first. I like to do background research on a product because it gives me a good idea of what it does and whether or not it might work for me.

I got the idea to try Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion from the skin care board on makeupalley.com and all I gotta say is PRAISE JEEBUS! This stuff is the sh*t!

Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion is a gentle exfoliator that contains salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid. It’s moisturizing, doesn’t have an offensive smell and is so far doing a great job of clearing up my skin.

The benefits:

– exfoliates skin
– moisturizes, yet doesn’t leave a weird, sticky film behind

What I liked about it:

– texture (it’s thicker than a regular liquid toner but not as thick as a gel)
– doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight
– doesn’t contain alcohol
– has salicylic acid, which penetrates skin to exfoliate pores
– very gentle
– doesn’t break me out

What I didn’t like about it:

– absolutely nuthin’! Love, love, love all around

You might like it if:

– you have combo skin
– you need a non-drying salicylic acid treatment
– you have sensitive, acne-prone skin

I wanted to add a salicylic acid (BHA) treatment to my daily skincare routine because I’ve read that for some people, the combination of benzoyl peroxide with a BHA works wonders to keep skin pimple-free.

How do these two work to keep breakouts at bay? BHA is a chemical exfoliant that keeps pores clear, and benzoyl peroxide kills acne bacteria present in the pores. So far this combination has been working for me quite well. My pimples are starting to clear up, and my skin doesn’t feel as dry and tight.

If you go to the Clinique counter to buy this don’t let the MUA talk you into any other toner. I went in after work one day and I hadn’t blotted in a few hours so my skin looked really oily. The makeup artist tried to push the “oily skin” toner on me. I’m glad I stuck to my guns because Mild Clarifying is a new skincare staple. I love, I love!

A 6.7 oz bottle is $11.00, available at Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Sephora.

But Paris Says the Stars are Blind…

I’ve been having a weird few days.

Weird as in:
– I go to the local Punjabi Burrito place (I’m so not kidding) in Marin to buy a Punjabi Burrito and find out when I get to the counter that they don’t take credit cards; it’s cash only. And of course I only have five bucks on me and the Punjabi Burrito costs $7.50. And of course I’m hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm.

Weird as in:
– Every night for the past few days I’ve been waking up at 3:00. No rhyme, no reason. The clock hits 3:00 and there I am. Ready to knit, do calculus, build a better mousetrap, blog. You name it, I can do it at 3:00 in the morning because I’M WIDE AWAKE.

Weird as in:
– Random neighborhood cats have been wandering into my apartment. The weather’s been hot so I’ve been leaving the front door open when I write. The cats come in. They sniff around the random beauty products strewn across the floor. They meow. They leave. They always leave. I feel cheap and used.

I dunno, maybe it’s mis-alignment of the planets or perhaps something is in retrograde.

Anyway, I hope that your week’s been going well and that it’s going by fast. Hey, at least we’re halfway there!
bon-jovi-halfway-there
Rock on…it’s all we can do!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup Tips, MAC Makeup, Just for Fun: Makeup and Beauty Blog’s Hell-to-the-Yah! List: Friday, October 19, 2007

October 19th, 2007 by Karen 16 Comments

Hell-to-the-Yah! #1: Uppity Fluidline from the MAC Antiquitease Limited Edition Collection

Everyone and their mamma is buzzing about the Antiquitease release, and for good reason. It’s sparkly. It’s pretty. And it reminds me of the Solid Gold Dancers.
solid-gold-dancers
Even though I’ve been hopelessly devoted to Blacktrack for the last three months, I find myself jonsing for the gold colored Fluidline, Uppity (yellow gold with gold pearl). Why do I need gold eyeliner? Where will I wear gold eyeliner? These questions are irrelevant. I can’t wait to dip my 209 into this. I think that it just might be better than eating a dozen hot, fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Maybe.

Hell-to-Yah! #2: Mission: KIMMORA LEE SIMMONS
kimora
I see dead people … okay not really. I see fried chicken. And Kimora Lee Simmons.

The other night I got about 2.5 seconds of sleep because I had a burst of creative energy between 11:00 and 3:00 am. I usually have fleeting creative moments in the shower or when I’m brushing my teeth (weird, I know), so when it comes on full blast I cannot deny its siren call.

At 2:15, just as I was in the middle of brainstorming story ideas, I hallucinated a plate of Kentucky Fried Chicken, complete the with biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy and that weird but tasty sweet corn. Then I had a very clear, very precise revelation:

Someday, somehow I am going to meet KIMORA LEE SIMMONS. And I’m going to interview her.

I’ve caught a few episodes of her show, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane this past week and for some reason I just think she’s kinda cool.

Sure she makes unrealistic demands on her people and seems to always be on the verge of bitching someone out. But I see her as having vision and not settling for less. And have you seen her closet? I’d consider giving up my firstborn up for the shoes and Louis Vuitton luggage alone.

I don’t know when it’s going to happen or how I’m going to do it but this is now one of my missions in life.

Kimora, watch out, girl! One of these days we’ll be talkin’ shop!

Hell-to-the-Yah! #3: Brown Round Toe Boots by Rebels
rebels-boots
After searching high and low, I finally found a pair of boots that truly move my soul. I saw these brown Rebel boots on Zappos and I knew from the first glance that they were the boots for me…sigh! Whether or not they are practical in the rain remains to be determined. But who cares, they’re hot. I love you Zappos!

Hell-to-the-Yah #4: Halloween!

Out of the fall holiday trifecta (Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) my favorite of the bunch is Halloween. It’s fun, non-denominational and of course, there is the gorging of the candy. Mmmm, Snickers.

This year I’m going to dress up as the hot mess chanteuse known as Amy Winehouse. I’ve got the beehive hair and cat eye covered but the tattoos, well…that’s an issue where I’m still working out. Hopefully I’ll find a bunch of cool temporary ones at the Halloween store this weekend.
amy-winehouse
Are you dressing up this year? What’s your costume?

Hell-to-the-Yah #5: Feeding My Inner Beast O’ Laziness … with Anti-bacterial Wet Ones
wet-ones
The fab makeup artist to the stars and Billy B. gave me my newest favorite makeup tip. When he’s working on several clients he’ll wipe his brushes between gigs with Anti-Bacterial Wet Ones wipes, which clean and disinfect brushes quickly and thoroughly and don’t leave a weird film on the brush heads.

And holy effing crap! These wipes are like gold for cleaning your brushes. If you don’t always have the time to do a thorough brush cleaning at the sink (or if you’ve got lazy beast tendencies like your truly) then these will save you from a life of dirty birdy brushes.

Woo hoo! We made it! Sometimes I think that we should all get an award for just making it to Friday without losing our minds. Now if only that reward involved copious amounts of Chanel …

Have a fantastic weekend! Drive safe in this rain, okay?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

If you liked this post, check out MAC Makeup Tips: MAC Does Makeup for Music, Too. 🙂