Product Reviews

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat and Lipstick Is Smoother Than a Silk Pillowcase

October 18th, 2019 by Karen 29 Comments

Yo, if my pillow could talk, it would probably tell a sordid tale of insomnia and drool, ha ha ha! That’s not nearly as sexy as Charlotte Tilbury’s iconic Pillow Talk Lipstick ($34) and Lip Cheat Lip Liner ($22), I know, but such is the life of a sleep-challenged lady. ?‍♀️

Chances are you’ve heard about Pillow Talk, the nude-pink lipstick and lip liner famous for flattering so many different skin tones, and bumping and plumping lips to bodacious, billowing proportions.

It’s a pricey combo…but if two lip products can get me some juicy Angelina Jolie lips without any needles or pain, sign me up!

Just to be clear, neither the lipstick nor the lip liner are technically lip plumping products. When used alone or together, both are supposed to make your lips look bigger. How? By combining a smoother-than-smooth semi-matte finish and a universally flattering pinkish-brown nude color.

charlotte tilbury pillow talk swatches — So smooth

Whenever a brand calls something “universal flattering”, I think it’s always a good thing to temper your expectations, because let’s face it — one woman’s lip ecstasy is another’s agony.

I’m a MAC NC42, and my lips are fairly pigmented, and on me, both the Pillow Talk lipstick and liner are pinkish brown with a little bit of beige. It skews a little warm, but not so warm that it appears yellow-based. I definitely get a nude vibe, and I like the color, which is like a blend of MAC Velvet Teddy and MAC Half ‘N’ Half.

The lipstick also smells and tastes very similar to MAC’s signature vanilla (the liner has no flavor or scent), and now that I think about it…when I’m wearing both the lipstick and the liner, the combo feels and looks very much like a mashup between a MAC Cremesheen and a MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick. It has the same light and feathery texture, along with a similar hazy, semi-matte finish. Very, very pretty and very comfortable.

Charlotte does take it to the next level, though, because the way both products glide across my skin is absolutely superior. They’re so, so smooth. No skipping, no dragging, no sort of hesitation when you run the tube or the pencil across your lips. And my lips, after the first application, look extremely smooth.

Pillow-y and plump? Not so much, but definitely smoother. And this effect lasts a while. I’m talking four or five hours. But at the tail end of it, my vertical lip lines look more pronounced than I’d like… It’s not like my lips look like a sad prune waiting to be chucked into the garbage, but they do look a little dry.

I’ll finish both the liner and lippie eventually because the color is totally my thing, but I don’t know if I’d freak out like I do when I’m about to finish a MAC Velvet Teddy. While the Pillow Talk lipstick/liner combo is noticeably smoother, I think Velvet Teddy’s similar enough, and if I were chatting with a stranger on the street about lipstick (as one does, LOL!), I’d suggest that they try Pillow Talk once, but I’d also recommend that they give MAC Teddy a go, since it’s a little more affordable ($18.50).

For about the same price as the Pillow Talk lipstick/liner combo, you could also buy three tubes of Velvet Teddy — one to keep at home, one to keep in your purse, and one to perhaps keep as an extra in case one of the others falls in the toilet…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Doing the Dew With MAC Cream Colour Base in Luna

October 10th, 2019 by Karen 3 Comments

mac luna — MAC Cream Colour Base in Luna

Dear 1990s-era mattes,

Enjoy your moment in the makeup world, my friends, because in 30 or so, tastes will shift, and people will be all about shimmering skin. They’ll even go so far as to talk about varying levels of dewiness… Can you imagine? I KNOW. It’s craziness.

Your friend,

MBB

As you know, I’ve been into dewy skin for… What has it been now? Years? And what has propelled this obsession to stratospheric levels has been the sheer breadth of different types of dew and shininess (yes, there are varying levels of dewiness).

One of my favorite ways to “do the dew” is to have skin that glows with just the sheerest, subtlest opalescence, and that’s what you get with MAC Cream Colour Base in Luna ($24).

Now, I realize that Luna looks a little like a stark and scary full moon in the pan… I think of it as a cream version of MAC Strobe Cream, but without the pink or gold tones. The color is a warm pearly white sheen sans any glitter or frost, and as long as you don’t pile too much of it on (because it’ll start to look harsh and obvious), it’s totally wearable. When you blend a thin layer on your skin, Luna reflects light in soft, subtle ways… It’s the polar opposite of hard, harsh metallic creams and powders, and it looks very natural.

Luna is most often used as a highlighter, but I think it also shines (ha ha ha, very punny, Karen!) when you layer it underneath other products. I love it as an eyeshadow base for neutral tan, taupe and beige powder eyeshadows because it brightens up your toasty tones a tad while adding the softest hint of pearl.

The overall effect? Fresh-faced, sightly dewy lids.

Side note: if you have MAC Satin Taupe, Naked Lunch or Era on hand, Luna looks magical underneath any of ’em.

Oh, you can also layer Luna with blushes, too. Yup, both powder and cream blushes. Dab a little on the apples of your cheeks, then tap your blush on top with either fingers or a skunk brush. Or, mix it with your cream blush on the back of your hand before applying from there with your fingers.

mac luna swatch — Blended and unblended on my NC42 skin

Luna feels like an ever-so-slightly thinner and creamier MAC Paint Pot. Don’t worry if it seems stark white in the swatch because you won’t see it sitting on top of your skin if you blend it.

Yes, because it’s a cream, Luna will scoot a little bit…or a lot, depending on your skin type. I’m combo oily/dry, and my dry spots like the Cream Colour Bases. They latch onto them for about five hours (maybe six in winter), and I don’t normally reapply them throughout the day because if/when my makeup shifts and changes, I’m usually cool with that.
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Unsung Makeup Heroes: e.l.f. Solid Sponge Cleanser

October 9th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

What’s an unsung hero in beauty-speak? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup (or polish!) morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. My long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

If you’ve been visiting MBB for a while now, you might already know that my ride-or-die makeup brush cleanser has been good ol’ Dr. Bronner’s solid soap for years; however, one thing that drives me crazy and has always driven me crazy about Dr. B’s is that once you use that white bar, it never looks anywhere near as pristine as it did when you first opened it, and it ends up looking dirty and gross in the soap dish…

The part of me that’s morphing into a lady who only wears muumuus and yells at kids on her lawn does not like this, which is why I bought the e.l.f. Solid Sponge Cleanser. It’s black, so you can’t see any dirt on it, which I adore. Plus, it works crazy well. Even your jankiest brushes will sparkle quicker than you can say, “GET OFF MY LAWN.”

elf solid sponge cleanser review — Ahhh!

This soap is made to clean makeup sponges like Beautyblenders and whatnot, but you can also use it on natural and synthetic fiber makeup brushes. It foams up in a hummingbird’s heartbeat, and then BAM! — cuts through whatever’s in your bristles. Then it rinses out with just a few splashes of water. When I leave my brushes out to air dry, the next time I use them, they feel soft, not crunchy, and they smell kinda minty… I wonder if that has something to do with the charcoal they added to the soap, which is supposed to have anti-bacterial properties).

Hmm…

Dare I say that it works faster Dr. B’s?! ?

Oh, and P.S., it’s only $4, bargain hunters. I get mine at Target.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow

October 8th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

To quote the great Lizzo (Lizzo for president!), it ain’t my fault if I’m out here getting loose. And I say that because I’ve been wearing Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow ($39), so, ya know…I’m getting loose with it, ha ha ha!

(I don’t blame it on the goose or my juice, in case you were wondering.)

This face setting powder is a rare gem. It has a subtle pearly finish (I know, blowing your mind right now!), which sets makeup without making pores look like moon craters (an issue with any sort of powder with shimmer or sheen).

Yes, you can wear it all over your face! It adds a hint of dewiness, so your face doesn’t look flat or too matte, and it does this without showing off your fine lines or smile lines, a.k.a your experience lines.

You can also wear it like a traditional highlighter as well, if all-over glow is a little too much for ya.

Oh, and did I mention that it feels weightless and doesn’t look cake-y? It’s so good, you guys. So, so good.

laura mercier traslucent loose setting powder glow swatch — I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way.

You know, if you like that dewy skin look, but you don’t want to look greasy or a shiny metallic robot, this is it.

A big 1-oz. jar is $39 (comes with a sifter, but it doesn’t come with a brush or powder puff though), and there are two shade options — one lighter and one darker. I wear the lighter option, and it works fine with my NC42 skin.
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These Are My Current MAC Crushes (What Are Yours?)

September 24th, 2019 by Karen 19 Comments

mac crushes top — Wearing my latest MAC Crushes: Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick (I’m an NC42), Love Me Lipstick in Under the Covers, and a mix of Satin Taupe and Woodwinked eyeshadows

Sometimes, you just gotta spend some quality time with your first love… Your first makeup love, that is! For me, that’s MAC, ’cause I am still, and always will be, forever a MAC girl at heart.

There are a couple of things (actually, quite a few things) they’ve released recently that I’ve really been into, like the Love Me Lipsticks.

This line of really cute lippies came out this summer (which officially just ended here in the Northern Hemisphere), with distinct, colorful packaging that hints at what’s inside — crimson tubes for red shades, peach tubes for the nudes, purples for the violets.

You get the picture.

mac love me lipstick — MAC Hug Me Lipsticks, available now

mac love me lipstick swatches — 12 of the 24 shades of Hug Me Lipstick

The lippies are infused with argan oil, and they’re super moisturizing (no lip flakes here!). I like the satiny finish, which reminds me of the Cremesheens, but the shine is turned down a notch or two.

I’ve been wearing a few of the shades lately, and — big surprise! — my favorite is a neutral pink. It’s called “Under the Covers,” and it basically goes with everything.

(Side note: you can see Let Them Eat Cake, French Silk and My Little Secret in action here.)

The Love Me lipsticks are SO intense, SO concentrated, that sometimes, if I apply a little too much, they pool in the vertical lines on my lips.

NOOOOO!

Thankfully, it’s only temporary, because after a quick blot and a few pats from a finger, they look perfectly smooth and stay that way for the duration, which, depending on the color, is from 3-4 hours.

So lovely!

Another thing I’m loving? The new MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick. It’s a light-to-medium coverage foundation that comes in a cream stick, and it’s clearly catering to that “skin is in” moment happening in makeup right now.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Essie Angora Cardi

September 19th, 2019 by Karen 11 Comments

What’s an unsung hero in beauty-speak? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup (or polish!) morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. My long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

(Not so) Deep thoughts: do you suppose Cardi B ever wears Essie Angora Cardi?

HMMM… I wonder!

If anybody could actually point me in the direction of a chunky, cozy cardigan that’s the exact same shade as this nail polish, I’ll be forever grateful. I like the idea of having something to match with it because it’s one of my favorite fall colors, and I think it could be one of yours, too.

It’s a deep, creamy dusty rose, $9, and you can find it in Essie’s permanent line, so it’s not going anywhere. Thank goodness, because it’s one of those shades I’ll wear year after year after year, especially this time of year between seasons.

Meet me in the middle

It’s like the transitional ~~booty~~ bootie of the nail polish world. Not quite as light as your “starter” fall colors like Essie Clothing Optional, which I like to wear late August/early September, but not as deep and dark as the full-on vampy colors we see everywhere between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

So it’s perfect for sweater weather and that in-between time. Because it’s dark, you can definitely see it on your nails, but it isn’t so intense or deep that it mentally signals that we’ve past the point of no return when it’s officially cold every day, and it ain’t turning back for months.

It’s also super shiny, which is something Essie is known for. If you’re the type of person who can’t even bother with a top coat, Angora Cardi is shiny enough on its own.

I’ve got no time for flakes

I also love this shade because it’s one of the most durable Essie nail polishes I’ve ever used. Like every brand’s polishes, Essie’s colors vary in terms of their anti-chipness/durability, and I think this is one of the line’s more durable colors. When I do my nails with it on a Sunday afternoon, by the Friday of the following week, when I’m passing out in my pajamas on my couch at 5:30, I look at my hands and inevitably think, “You know what? This mani did really well!” There may be a few tiny dings on a few tips, but ya know, after a week, that’s great for me.
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Fall for Fresh Skin and Shimmering Lids With the Latest From Wander Beauty

September 18th, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

wander beauty wandress rush palette — Pretty, new products from Wander Beauty to get you going

Is it just me, or does autumn seem like the hottest new holiday season? — because it feels like the latest and greatest, most bustling time of year to me.

It’s almost like the powers that be know ALL. THE. THINGS on my to-do list right now, including…

Traipsing through piles of autumn leaves (no, seriously, Connor has preschool homework this week that involves gathering fallen leaves!)
Driving the coywolf to and from various toddler events, of which, surprisingly, there are many
Researching lighting fixtures for a half-bathroom remodel (who knew there were so many different types of lighting fixtures?)
Low-key freaking out about everything (which isn’t actually on my to-list, but it’s something I’m doing anyway)

Wander Beauty seems to *GET* this, because all of their new makeup and skin care launches for fall 2019 focus on getting you ready in a flash, so you can conquer the world! — or, at least conquer the bus ride to work or the morning school drop-off.

wander beauty wandress rus — Wander Beauty Products I’m wearing in this look: Wandress Rush Eye Palette on my lids, High Line Liquid Eyeliner on my lash lines, Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel in Dark Brown in my brows, Trip for Two Blush and Bronzer Duo in Dauiri/Tulum on my cheeks, and the Lip Setter Duo in On the Mauve on my lips. The foundation is MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick in NC42.

wander beauty wandress rush swatches — Wandress Rush Eyeshadow Palette, Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel and High Line Liquid Eyeliner (I’m an NC42 in MAC)

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Essie Gel Couture Top Coat

September 12th, 2019 by Karen 13 Comments

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

Nobody puts baby in the corner, and nobody puts bullsh*t top coats on my nails.

I’ve had the time of my life!

Like the ladies who unabashedly carry hot sauce in their purse, I’ve reached that point in life where I bring Essie Gel Couture Top Coat with me everywhere (no, seriously, I keep it in my touch-up makeup bag), including the nail salon.

On the rare occasion that I get my nails ? done, it’s the ONLY top coat that I know can withstand all of the obstacles the universe throws in my path — the never-ending deluge of dishes, the ferocious onslaught of words inside my head waiting to be unleashed upon this keyboard underneath my fingertips, and, ya know, toddlers. They always have those Lego blocks that need to be pried apart and My Little Ponies that need their manes braided LIKE YESTERDAY.

Gel Couture is a clear, glossy topcoat originally designed to be used with the Essie Couture Gel polishes, but I’ve recently figured out that it’s an excellent topper for ALL polishes, not just the Essie Gels.

For starters, it’s so shiny that it always looks wet (even when dry), which I love.

The texture’s also thick for a top coat, and I think that’s why it functions like the ultimate armor against nicks and chips.

But don’t get it twisted. It’s far from goopy or difficult to paint with.

I’m not a fan of top coats that you’re constantly tempted to peel off whenever you get out of the shower. Gel Couture, thankfully, relieves me of that temptation!

One coat atop whatever I’m wearing (right now it’s the Smith & Cult base coat and two layers of Essie Angora Cardi, a.k.a. THE BEST FALL COLOR), and five minutes later I have a mani that looks just as fresh after five days as it did on day one.

Super great, and it’s relatively affordable at $11.50 a bottle! You can find it at Ulta and beauty supply stores… I’ve also seen it at Target.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen