Product Reviews

Product Spotlight: Hourglass Lip Oil in Cameo

March 29th, 2019 by Karen 10 Comments

hourglass cameo swatch — Hourglass No. 28 Lip Oil in Cameo

Remember when Marky Mark had his Funky Bunch? Well, if I were rolling with my girls, and we all were wearing Hourglass Lip Oil in Cameo, we’d be known as Bougie Bouge and the Bougie Bunch, because this tiny tube costs $49! — which is REDONK. But if you’re feeling fancy, it’s good stuff, especially if your lips are flaky and dry.

I’ve been a fan of No. 28 Lip Oil since day one (back when it was a “steal” at just $42). I’ve had a tube on my nightstand for years, and while I’ve never liked the price (I always buy mine during the Sephora VIB sale), I know that when my lips are past the point of no return, I can slick the O.G. clear No. 28 on my lips before bed (it smells and tastes a little like rosemary), and when I wake up the next morning, everything’s copacetic.

Hourglass recently added tinted versions of No. 28 to the line, and the stand-out for me is the rose shade called Cameo.

Absolutely gorgeous.

My lips are pretty pigmented, so lightly tinted products are hit or miss for me, but Cameo looks like a perfect MLBB shade. (Side note: Isn’t Cameo also an ’80s band?? So many music references in this post…)

Cameo is shiny, but it isn’t thick or goopy. It’s also gloriously moisturizing. If you want plump and juicy rosy lips — and you’re feeling Bougie Bouge! — this is it.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ?

Product Spotlight: Wander Beauty Exquisite Eye Liquid Shadow

March 28th, 2019 by Karen 9 Comments

wander beauty exquisite liquid eye shadow amber wave — Wander Beauty Exquisite Eye Liquid Shadows in Amber Wave and Champagne ($22 each) on my lids, and Brownstone as eyeliner

You know how Marie Kondo is always taking about things that spark joy?

Like…

And…

Well, these Exquisite Eye Liquid Shadows by Wander Beauty also spark intense joy in my makeup-loving soul.

wander beauty exquisite eye liquid shadow swatches — I built these up swatches so you could easily see the color, but when they’re blended out the shimmer is mellower in real life.

First, look at those gorgeous neutrals… Swoon!

My favorite is Amber Wave, which I wore today. Now that’s an oh-so-pretty coppery brown. It’s like a cream shadow Teddy Liner.

Another fave is soft, shimmering peach Champagne. Mm…

Basically, if you wear neutrals and lurve brown, beige and taupe, you’ll lose your mind when you see these up close and personal.

I think the best thing about them, though, is that they’re just like Tom Ford’s iconic $46 cream shadows (OMG!), but instead of coming in a pot, they come in a tube with a doe-foot, so they’re much easier to use IMO, and at $22 each, just under half the price!

It’s almost as if someone poured Tom Ford’s shadows into these tubes because they have the exact same magic. They make lids shimmer without looking frosty, and the formula?? OMG again! Light. As. Air. You can’t even feel them on your skin, and they look lightweight too, unlike some cream shadows that look heavy. Tom Ford’s don’t, and neither do these.

You can build them up or buff them out, but either way, they stay out of my fine lines, and I never feel like they make me look older when I wear them.

As if that wasn’t enough to send love arrows straight through your heart, Wander Beauty’s shadows also last just as long as Tom’s. I was playing with them this morning, put some on my lids, and then kindasorta forgot I had them on (seriously, they feel like nothing).
[Continue reading…]

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Kosas Tinted Face Oil

March 27th, 2019 by Karen 21 Comments

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Shake, shake, shake! Dot, dot, dot! Blend, blend, blend!

No, these are not the steps to the latest dance craze ? all the kids are doing. They’re what I do whenever I use Kosas Tinted Face Oil ($42 for a 1-oz. bottle).

I’m into speedy makeup at the moment, and this tinted face oil, which has a thin, somewhat runny consistency, is a minimalist’s dream come true.

Have you ever used MAC Face & Body? It feels just like that. Sorta slippery, sorta “melty.”

kosas tinted face oil before after — Left: no foundation. Middle: Wearing the shade Tone 06. Right: With all the other bells and whistles.

I dab a few drops on my face, blend it with fingers, and 30 seconds later — BOOP! — my skin’s fresh and dewy-looking, my pores look smoother, and the pigmented patches on my cheeks, along with the red areas around my nose, have disappeared. My skin looks naturally even and juuust disguised enough — no fake-looking mannequin skin. If you’re into “skin that looks like skin,” you’ll be into it.
[Continue reading…]

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Rodan + Fields Enhancements Lash Boost Nightly Conditioning Eyelash Serum

March 25th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

rodan enhancements after four months — Lashes like WHOA

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.

Behold, my latest lash obsession! — Rodan + Fields Enhancements Last Boost.

Since I started using it, my lashes, which peaced-the-eff-out after I gave birth to Connor, are longer, thicker and so much lusher now, and the difference is DRAMATIC. Shout-out to the gals who noticed in these mascara pics.

I’ve used other OTC lash serums before, but I’ve never seen this caliber of results. Too bad it’s so expensive ($155 per tube, OMG).

For the first time ever, though, my lashes actually curl up at the ends, and now when I wear mascara, my lashes touch the my lenses when I wear my glasses.

WHAT THE WHAT?!

Yeah, they do, which is one of those makeup problem I’ve always wanted to experience, but was never able to due to my previous lash limitations.

Take that, genetics! After decades of wanting to “live dat lash life,” NOW I CAN! (Yes, this needed to be in all caps.)

I can see the difference in pics with my bare lashes (these are after four months using the product), but when I wear mascara, it’s even MORE noticeable. I can definitely see more length, especially where there had previously been bare spots/gaps where my natural lashes were their smallest and stubbiest. Also, I can see a difference in the outer corners. Now my fringe even flares out.

rodan fields enhancements lash boost before after — Bare lashes with nothing on them. The top pic was taken at the end of November last year, and the bottom was this month, so it’s been about four months.

[Continue reading…]

Mascara Is My Medieval Chain Mail

March 22nd, 2019 by Karen 41 Comments

mac extended play perm me up lash mascara — Remember when perms were cool?

To anyone who says that makeup is meaningless, or who dismisses makeup as something shallow or frivolous, all I have to say is, “Kiss my wannabe J.Lo booty,” because that sh*t is powerful.

Those tiny tubes of mascara and lipstick can change worlds.

I’ve worn makeup practically daily for decades, and sometimes I just go through the motions and take it for granted as part of my habitual routine, but there are those other days, like yesterday, when I really realize just how potent it is.

I was having a sh*tty day yesterday, as was Connor Claire, because poor thing is sick again. She got croup, again, so I’ve been tending to her needs, which has made it more difficult to balance my other responsibilities.

I don’t want to whine but…I’m going to! LOL! ? Basically, I haven’t been sleeping well because I’ve been staying up to comfort Connor, and it all kind of came to a head yesterday afternoon. I felt super grumpy and defeated, but I still wanted to go to my HIIT class at night, because I knew that if I continued to sit around the house, I’d feel progressively worse.

Normally, I don’t wear makeup to work out, and that’s mostly because I usually don’t have time to put any on. It’s not that I don’t want to, because I used to back in the day, but these days I look at the clock, and it’s like “OH, SNAP!” It’s all I can do to don stretchy pants and go.

But yesterday, even though I was running behind as usual, I said to myself, “Self, you need to do something.” I needed to put on my proverbial armor, lest I burst into tears in the middle of class mid-burpie.”

So I curled my lashes, put on the new MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash curling mascara (It’s smudge-proof!), a little Urban Decay Naked Lipstick and, the piece de resistance, I combed my hair! I actually applied some hair paste, strong-hold hairspray on my cray-cray wiry witch hairs, combed my hair, and put it in a high pony.

Someone needs to invent flattering gym lighting…

Then I went to the gym, and ya know what? Even though I wanted to cry for the first 20 minutes, I swear to you, there was something about that little bit of makeup “armor” I was wearing — like the mascara was a suit of Medieval chain mail — that slowly but surely made me feel a little tougher. I said, “Ya know, I can get through this. I don’t have to be the toughest I’ve ever been, but I can make it through this workout without bursting into tears,” and I did. At the end of the class, I actually felt like pushing a bit. I felt really, really good.

mac extended play perm me up lash brush — I like a mascara brush with a curve.

[Continue reading…]

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Clinique Chubby Stick in Amp’d Up Apple

March 21st, 2019 by Karen 17 Comments

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick — TBH, this was more like 5-minute makeup! Concealer on cheeks and under the eyes: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Golden; eyeshadow: Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint in Ample Amber; mascara: MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash; liner: MAC Coffee Eye Pencil; lipgloss: NARS No Regrets; AND BARE BROWS, AHHH!

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

This is gonna sound so cheesy, but this is my feel-good blush. ? I just feel really good when I wear it. It’s Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm in Amp’d Up Apple, and it’s $24. When I put a bit of this beautiful matte pinkish brown on my cheeks, I look like I just finished a round of crossover jumping jacks (which are surprisingly difficult)!

Wearing this blush is like working out…without having to actually work out. Cheeks look lovely and healthy with Amp’d Up Apple’s wash of pink color, so you look like you *did* show up, and you’re ready to bring it. When you want a little more than basic contrast, it’s a great way to go. Methinks there’s something very chic French girl about it.

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick swatch — I’m an NC42, but Amp’d Up Apple should work well on most skin tones.

[Continue reading…]

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: NARS Multi-Use Gloss

March 20th, 2019 by Karen 10 Comments

nars multi use glosses — The lightest and loveliest non-sticky gloss for your lids, cheeks and lips

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Oh, how do I love 10-minute makeup? Let me count the ways… LOL.

I’ll spare you the lengthy soliloquy, but here’s the gist of it: I like putting on a full face without spending HELLA YEARS applying and blending. Sometimes it’s just nice to do a quick makeup look that doesn’t look like a rush job. That said, even *I* get a little tired ? of doing the same brown smoky eye with peachy coral cheeks and a nude lip every day… I mean, I LOVE THAT LOOK, but sometimes you need to switch things up when you’re feeling “makeup restless,” ya know?

That’s where these new NARS Multi-Use Glosses come into play…

These glittery glosses are limited edition and available now on the NARS website for $24 each, so if you see something you like, you better grab it sooner than later because they won’t be around forever.

They feel like lip gloss and look like lip gloss, but you can wear them on your lips (of course), your eyes and your face (as a highlighter!).

nars multi use gloss swatches — My favorite shade is Relentless, the rose-gold with tiny flecks of glitter.

nars multi use gloss applicator — The applicator is a thin, flexible paddle.

All five of have the daintiest flecks of graceful glitter, so they sparkle and shine, which kicks them up a level.
[Continue reading…]

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Clinique Fuller Fudge

March 18th, 2019 by Karen 8 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.

It doesn’t get speedier than this: Clinique Fuller Fudge.

Mmm, fudge… Now I want some See’s Candies. ?

Sorry! Sidetracked!

Anywho… I’ve talked about Clinique’s line of twist-up cream shadows before, but this shade — this one — is my favorite because it’s highly compatible with my lifestyle these days, and by that I’m talking about 10-minute makeup, which is just about all I do these days (maybe 15 minute makeup on a good day!).

The funny thing about this $18.50 shadow (well, funny to me) is that whenever I wear it, I get questions like, “What are you wearing on your lids? Is that a palette? Are you wearing a mix of creams and powders?”

People always assume I’m wearing something more complicated than it is, but nawwwww, it’s just Fuller Fudge. It just so happens to be fab.

It’s a one-stop smoky lid shop, the most delicious warm dark brown with enough soft shimmer in it to keep things from falling flat. When I wear it, I usually do a few swipes directly on my bare lids, then blend out the edges with a finger, or sometimes I’ll dip a 217 into whatever bronzer I plan to wear that day and use that instead.

A few windshield wiper motions here, a swish there, and voila! — I’ve buffed my way to elegant smoky lids that I can wear to pretty much anywhere, with pretty much any cheek and lip colors.
[Continue reading…]