Origins

Pretty in Pink, Plum and Bronze, and Sea Otters!

April 7th, 2021 by Karen 5 Comments

jane iredale naturally glam origins va va violet — A little bit of color!

“You can do it. Yeah, champ, keep moving that blending brush. You got this… YOU CAN WEAR COLOR! COME ONNNNNNN!”

Yes, these days, my internal makeup dialogue sounds like a boxing trainer talking sh*t from the sidelines.

(Not that I’ve ever boxed a day in my life… The closest I’ve ever come to a ring is watching Million Dollar Baby. Like Tabs was (RIP, buddy), I’m a lover, not a fighter.)

Put this in your “note to self” file next time you get tired of wearing brows and beiges and the usual neutral fare: pink, plum and bronze. It’s so good, and depending on the intensity of your shades, can be surprisingly colorful but still wearable, too.

I’m wearing the same Jane Iredale Naturally Glam Palette from the other day; I blended the dark bronze and the pink shades atop a plum eyeshadow base (MAC Prunella liner, which I buffed out all over my lids).

You guys, don’t sleep on this palette. It’s not flashy by any means, but the more I use it, the more I fall in love with it, especially the glowing finish. It’s SO forgiving, and much appreciated by my experience lines.

The pink in this look also comes through on the cheeks via a peachy pink gel blush by Chantecaille (pricy but natural looking) and a pinkish violet lip from an Origins Lipstick called Va Va Violet.

origins va va violet — Origins Va Va Violet

This lippie is not playin’ because the payoff is crazy intense — like MAC level intense! Here I’m wearing it lightly dabbed on my lips for a stained effect, but it still looks pretty pigmented. I love how this lipstick’s pinkish violet tones complement the subtle pink and purple on my lids.

Note to self: REMEMBER THIS COMBO! It’s a good one!

Makeup Worn in this look

BASE: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare in Tan Warm 41 and Tan Warm 42.5 mixed together and applied to cheeks, nose and around mouth; Kevyn Aucoin Super Natural Concealer in Medium EC 06 dabbed onto select areas on cheeks and around mouth; Honest Beauty Bright Eyes Tinted Eye Cream under eyes
EYES: MAC Prunella Eye Pencil (worn as an eyeshadow base and a liner), Jane Iredale Naturally Glam Eyeshadow Palette (dark brown in outer half and pink on inner half), MAC Cork eyeshadow (crease), Lancome Lash Idole, Chanel Boy Brow Pencil in Deep Brown
CHEEKS: Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer and Happy Gel Blush
LIPS: Origins Va Va Violet Lipstick

Hanging with my lady love

jane iredale naturally glam bronze purple lips coycoy — Just chillin’ with my sidekick!

Connor is home this week for spring break, so we’ve been hanging out a lot! Our new favorite thing to do in the morning is watch the live Otter Cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium while we eat breakfast. I don’t know why, but drinking coffee and watching otters play and swim is the best thing ever.

We’re headed to DSW in a few because this child just keeps growing! I swear I just got her a pair of Nikes, and now they barely fit.

I’m also in the pursuit of a pair of low-heeled platform sandals, ideally in a tan shade.

I’ve decided it’s time to officially retire my collection of heels, which is a little bittersweet because I used to love them so much. I tried wearing a pair of Franco Sarto wedges the other day (they used to be my “comfortable heels”), and I realized — OH, HELL NO! — there’s just no way. LOL! First of all, I can’t chase after a child in them, and second, they’re super hard to drive in. Also, I can’t bend down! I’m done, dude. No more.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Final Word on the Urban Decay Naked Wild West Palette | A Pretty Pink Cheek and Lip Combo With Jane Iredale Clearly Pink Blush and Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick

April 2nd, 2021 by Karen 5 Comments

urban decay wild west april 2021 — I say YAY to Urban Decay Naked Wild West!

After spending a month with the new Urban Decay Naked Wild West palette, I’m happy to say that I can totally recommend it. I enjoy its mix of practical neutrals (a mélange of matte brown, beige, taupe and gray) with colorful teals, bronzes and golds, and if you’re like me and love a wearable, easy eye look, you can get that look quite easily.

Here’s what you do: 1) mix one or two of your favorite mattes with a blending brush, and sweep that onto your lids. Then, 2) wet an angled eye brush, load it up with any of the shades from the palette, and use it to line your upper lash line.

I like to think of this palette as a neutral matte palette with a bunch of fun liner shades. ? And when you use Naked Wild West in this way, you’ll have an endless (and easy) array of wearable combinations to choose from!

One item of note for my ladies with hooded lids — Laredo, the matte gray taupe, is totally key! Since most of the Naked Wild West mattes are warm-toned browns, I like to mix in the cooler-toned Laredo to create the illusion of a deeper crease.

urban decay wild west laredo — Laredo is the key!

urban decay wild west april 2021 closeup — The teal here looks so effortless, methinks.

OH! — I stumbled on a new wearable pink lip and cheek combo I like with Jane Iredale PurePressed Blush in Clearly Pink and Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick.

jane iredale clearly pink blush origins dusky rose lipstick — A pretty pink lip and cheek combo!

Jane Iredale Clearly Pink is a powdered pinky beige blush that leans slightly cool, and it totally looks like something Chanel would do! I love how it looks like a matte pink when you sweep it on your cheeks, but you can see the tiniest little flecks of silvery glitter peek when you look closely. It’s sophisticated, and a little goes a long way.

If you like Chanel Pink Explosion or Clinique Cupid, you’ll probably be into Clearly pink.

As for Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick, like the blush, it packs a pigmented wallop. It’s a brownish rose with a cream finish… Have you ever worn MAC Cosmo Lipstick? Because if you have and you liked it, I’m betting Dusky Rose will work for you!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ???

Smudged Cat Eye | Day 4 With the Honest Beauty Get It Together Eyeshadow Palette

February 26th, 2021 by Karen 9 Comments

honest beauty smudged cat eye side — Today’s smudged cat eyes; I really love this!

Leave it to the cat lady to love a smudged cat eye, hahaha! This is yet another look — I’ll say “inspired by” the tutorial card that comes with the Honest Beauty Get It Together Eyeshadow Palette.

honest beauty smudged cat eye swatches — Just four eyeshadows

The tutorial suggests using the beige shade all over the lid as a base, but I thought that might look a little weird on me, so I buffed the matte brown shade (Soft Bronze) on top of the beige to define my crease.

Gosh, these shadows blend so well! But that’s just one of the great things about this palette.

Can we talk about lips for a second, because I need to know if anyone else out there has been into tinted lip balms lately? They’re SO MY JAM, which is kinda funny because until recently I’ve been solidly Team Liquid Lipstick for the last few months. My previous lip logic was that if I’m going to wear something on my pout during the pandemic…it had to last long enough under my mask to ensure that I wouldn’t have to keep removing my mask to reapply it.

I know, interesting logic. ?

Turns out tinted balms are a great no-drama/low-effort option, since I can 1) easily apply one without a mirror (doing it right now, as a matter of fact), and 2) remove it just as quickly with a tissue when I’m about to mask up. Plus, hello moisture! (Side note: my lips have been dry lately.)

This sheer plum tinted balm by Origins is called Night Bloom, and it’s low-key epic in terms of moisture. I get old-school Clinique Black Honey vibes from the color because it looks crazy dark in the tube, but it’s just a sheer plummy tint when it’s applied.

Night Bloom pairs really well with mauves, taupes, browns and bronzes, a.k.a. all of the colors in the Honest Beauty Get It Together Palette. It’s also sheer enough to wear with just bare skin and mascara.

In case you’re wondering, it smells and tastes a little minty, but it’s not overwhelming.

origins night bloom — Moisturizing, sheer and just lovely

Another thing I’ve been into: the look of barely-there blush. MAC Warm Soul is great for this!

honest beauty eye palette mac warm soul — Love ya, MAC Warm Soul!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ?

Origins Lip Swatches (LOTS of Them), Post-Thanksgiving Doldrums, and Michael B. Jordan (BABE!)

November 27th, 2018 by Karen 29 Comments

Seriously, what was I thinking?? Yesterday I thought I’d just get back in the saddle, sit at my desk, and resume my pre-Thanksgiving work groove…

Nope! Apparently, I must have lost my damn mind, because why is it SO HARD to get back into the swing of things after a big holiday? Especially Thanksgiving? I don’t know… (Maybe it’s all the food.)

Yesterday was a tough one. I love my routines, and the holiday broke ’em.

Anyway, it’s always hard for me to get back into my routines after a holiday, and I know it’s hard for other people, too. It’s vexing. I’m vexed… Ha ha ha! Yesterday morning I sat at my desk for three hours trying to describe Fresh Seaberry Skin Nutrition Cleansing Oil while everything and the kitchen sink crossed my mind.

I simply could NOT concentrate, so, on that note, here’s a picture of Michael B. Jordan…

He is SO adorable. I saw him in Creed II the other night, and El Hub was like, “Hey, I wanna watch Creed II,” and I was like, “Boxing? Meh… But Michael B. Jordan? ALRIGHT!”

And it’s not just that he’s good-looking (he is though!). He’s also a good actor, and I’ve seen him in interviews and other things, and he seems like he as a good head on his shoulders, but who knows, right? The media portrays people in a certain light, and the light that bathes Michael B. Jordan is GOOD, ha ha!

Anyway, he seems like a nice guy. And polite.

Don’t ask me why, but polite does it for me. I mean, the handsomeness and the muscles do it for me too, but good manners and good grammar go a long way, which is why I married my husband.

Anyway!

It’s a good movie if you’re looking for something to watch on date night (Side note: It was co-written by Sylvester Stallone. Who would’ve thunk it?).

Now, just so I don’t leave you without anything makeup-related whatsoever, here are a whole lotta lip swatches from Origins…

origins lipsticks — New lipsticks and balms by Origins ($20 each)

Origins just relaunched a line of really, REALLY good lipsticks and lip balms. They’re super moisturizing, smooth, and they don’t settle into lip lines.

The lipsticks are similar to the MAC Amplified Cremes (hella pigmented!), but the balms are sheer and moisturizing like the NARS Orgasm Lip Balm that came out last spring. I have one in every pocket of every coat.

They’re addictive that way.

From the PR:

What It Is:
Kissed by nature. Made with 12 flowers, this long-wear lipstick provides bold, rich, full-coverage color that hydrates & conditions, stays color-true & lasts all day. Available in 24 fresh-picked shades.

What It Does:
The power of nature meets the proof of science. Infused with Crushed Petals, repurposed Buttery Flower Waxes, Flower Honeys & Essential Oils, this full-coverage lipstick packs a punch of color without skimping on what’s important. It keeps lips, hydrated, conditioned & smooth for hours & stays brilliantly bold from morning to night.

We Formulate Without:
Parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol, mineral oil, DEA, petrolatum, paraffin, polyethylene beads, formaldehyde & animal ingredients*
*except cruelty-free honey & beeswax

Ingredients:
12 FLOWERS
From Lavender to Rose, we infused a dozen Flowers into our lip-loving colors. Crushed Petals, repurposed Buttery Flower Waxes from perfumeries & Wildflower Honey help condition & protect your pout from dryness while helping give our lipstick its petal-soft texture. Essential Oils scent the shades. Inspired by nature & made with nature, Blooming Bold™ brings out your bold beauty.

origins merlot moon 12 — Blooming Bold Lipstick in Merlot Moon

origins wild flower 11 — Blooming Bold Lipstick in Wild Flower

origins va va violet 10 — Blooming Bold Lipstick in Va Va Violet

origins dusky rose — Blooming Bold Lipstick in Dusky Rose

origins sweeter than honey 8 — Blooming Bold Lipstick in Sweeter Than Honey

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Book Reviews (and My Take on the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask)

August 9th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

Among other mind-blowing things I’ve learned in the last few weeks…did you know that when silent film starlets would wear lipstick on camera in the 1920s, the lipstick would register as black on film? Also, although perhaps less interestingly, I’ve finally figured out that the key to properly using face masks is — drum roll, please — reading books!

For serious.

Yes, I know. Face masks have many skin benefits, especially for combo skin like mine, but I absolutely loathe waiting for them to dry because it feels like there are so many other important things I need to be doing, like plotting to arrange the marriage of Idris Elba and Beyoncé so they can finally adopt me and make all my dreams come true. 🙂

If I apply a mask before I sit down to read, though? Oh, man, the time just flies, and my skin is better for it!

The mask I’ve been hitting the books with lately (reviews below) is by Origins.

Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask to Purify and Nourish ($34 for a 2.5-oz. jar)

I usually steer clear of anything “purifying” or “detoxifying” because they often render my cheeks dry and tight (UGH), but Origins spiked this deep-cleansing mask with honey to moisturize while it draws out the gunk from your pores.

It smells like honey, and it kinda feels gooey like honey, too, but it’s weirdly satisfying when I smear it all over my face. I’ll read a chapter or two as it dries, then rinse it off, and my skin just glows afterwards.

From the Origins website…

WHAT IS IT
This gentle purifying mask deeply detoxes while nourishing skin, leaving it feeling comfortably clean, clear & conditioned.

WHAT IS IT FORMULATED TO DO
Formulated with Bamboo Charcoal, this purifying mask actively deep cleans & draws out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, impurities & debris. Golden Wildflower & Fermented Honey help nourish skin.

WHAT IS IT FORMULATED WITHOUT
Parabens, Phtalates, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffin, DEA, Polyethylene Beads, Animal Ingredients*
* except cruelty-free Honey & Beeswax

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW
Bamboo Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, Wildflower & Fermented Honey help nourish. Skin looks clear, feels perfectly pure & conditioned.

INGREDIENTS
Water, Butylene Glycol, Bentonite, Montmorillonite, Honey, Polysorbate 20, PEG-100 Stearate, Polybutene, Jojoba Esters, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil*, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil*, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil*, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Bud Oil*, Gaultheria Procumbens (Wintergreen) Leaf Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Ethyl Phenylacetate, Limonene, Linalool, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Benzoate, Yeast Extract, Kaolin, Charcoal Powder, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Trehalose, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-150 Distearate, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499). *Essential Oil

— origins.com

❤️❤️❤️❤️ 4 out of 5 hearts.

And because reading is fundamental…

The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson

Oh, gosh, so good! — but don’t start reading it before bed because you’ll end up staying up way your past your bedtime. This suspenseful tale tells the story of the three women of the Glass family — Angie, Ruby and Silja.

The action kicks off in the fall of 1960 when Silja goes missing and Ruby’s father commits suicide deep in the woods of upstate New York. Angie, Ruby’s aunt, thinks she’s traveling from her Wisconsin home to New York to care for and comfort her niece, but she discovers dark Glass family secrets instead…

I practically tore through the pages and was even tempted to skip ahead and read the last few chapters before finishing the book (which I never, ever do). That’s how desperately I needed to find out what happens at the end.

Highly recommended reading for your next long flight because the time will fly! Haha.

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Origins Original Skin Pore Perfecting Cooling Primer Has Plenty of Chill

January 25th, 2018 by Karen 3 Comments

origins original skin primer — Origins Original Skin Pore Perfecting Cooling Primer ($32 for a 1.8-oz. can)

Could someone please explain why all of these chill-inducing skin care products are launching in the middle of winter? First Kate Somerville’s Cryogenic thingamabob, and now this — Origins Original Skin Pore-Prefecting Cooling Primer With Willowherb? Both of them feel freezing when you put them on your face, and that’s the last thing I need help with right now. Mother nature is taking care of that all by herself, thank you very much. (Side note: I’m wearing the thickest, most unsexy socks right now…but they’re so warm!)

I will say, though… This primer is kinda cool, both literally and figuratively. It’s a tinted, airy, mousse-y foam makeup primer, and like the Jelly Cleanser it just launched with, it has willowherb extract to help with hyper-pigmentation.

It does feel cool to the touch when it first comes out of the can — not painfully freezing cold or tingly or anything, but it is chilly enough to get your attention. I find it refreshing, like holding a chilled washcloth to your face, and the effect wears off in about 10-15 seconds.

You work a little on bare skin after washing your face and applying your skin care for the day, but before applying your makeup, and it helps everything you apply afterward (foundation, concealer, powder, etc.) look smoother and last longer.

On my 40-something combo skin, it works as a moderately potent smoothing primer (I can definitely see a difference in pore size when I use it), similar to BECCA Backlight (but without the shimmer), Hourglass Veil or MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance, but not as intensely smoothing as a silicone-heavy primer like Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer or Urban Decay Urban Defense, both of which fill pores like painter’s putty for your skin.

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Origins Original Skin Cleansing Makeup Removing Jelly With Willowherb

January 22nd, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

origins original skin cleansing jelly — Origins Original Skin Cleansing Makeup Removing Jelly With Willowherb ($23 for a 3.4-oz bottle)

Good luck trying to resist singing Bootylicious while you’re taking off your makeup with this.

Because…

I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly.
I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly.
I don’t think you’re ready for this…
‘Cause my body too bootylicious for ya, babe.

I’m probably the only person on earth who hoped Origins Original Skin Cleansing Makeup Removing Jelly With Willowherb would smell like popcorn jelly beans, which are my favorite flavor, a fact that my brother, the family’s resident jelly bean enthusiast, thinks is totally cray (he also assures me that disliking popcorn jelly beans is a thing), but alas…it’s unscented.

The “jelly” in the name refers to the texture, because this stuff looks and feels like a hair gel, but not a sticky one like the Depp you used for that extra crispy crunch in your spiral perm back in the day. 🙂

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Origins Ginger Soufflé and Smoothing Soufflé Whipped Body Creams, and Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash: 3 Body Treats to Beat the Winter Blahs

December 28th, 2017 by Karen 23 Comments

origins ginger souffle — Pick-me-ups for chilly mornings

I like ginger snaps, but I ❤️ Ginger Soufflé. Specifically this Ginger Soufflé, because I don’t have to actually cook it, LOL!

This soufflé is a winter staple I’ve been using off and on for years. It’s a Whipped Body Cream, and it’s $35 from Origins.

I’m a twice-a-day body moisturizing person — once in the morning, and once again before bed — and I’ve gotten back in the habit of slathering myself with Ginger Soufflé. The fresh, zingy (but not too spicy) lemon and ginger notes pick me up, and on chilly mornings, every little thing helps get ye olde engine going, ya know?

It’s packed with rich, moisturizing plant oils (olive, grape seed, rice bran and apricot kernel), but since it’s whipped, it still feels light and fluffy. It absorbs quickly and easily, too. It just takes a few quick rubs, and yes, this is totally important, ’cause nobody puts Baby in the corner, and nobody wants to put Karen in a cold bathroom, half naked and rubbing lotion on her legs for 10 minutes first thing in the morning…

I’m just sayin’.

The consistency is similar to Josie Maran’s airy Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter. It isn’t as dense as Kiehls Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter, for reference.

Sometimes I swap it for another Origins fave, Smoothing Soufflé (also $35), which, like Ginger Soufflé, is also rich but fluffy and loaded with plant oils, but it smells like mint instead of ginger. (For the record, Smoothing Soufflé smells absolutely nothing like toothpaste to me. It’s more like a cup of freshly brewed peppermint tea spiked with orange peel.)

Ginger is my cozy scent, but minty Smoothing Soufflé is better when I need an extra energizing kick, like after a workout.

Speaking of that…I started doing a sweaty core workout in the mornings (because sometimes you just gotta get it over with and move on with your life, hi), and before I do the whole body cream thing, I lather up first with Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash ($25) while I’m still in the shower. It smells exactly like a fresh grapefruit, and the bubbles cheer me up. You can also use it as a bubble bath if you wanna #treatyoself.

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