Product Reviews

Does New NARS Climax Mascara Take Lashes to the Peak of Perfection?

August 16th, 2018 by Karen 16 Comments

This being NARS we’re talking about (because even my glam granny knows that NARS has a thing for naughtily named makeup), I’m pretty sure the new NARS Climax Mascara was named after the big “O,” but can we pretend François was inspired by Klymaxx’s Meeting in the Ladies Room?

I’ll be back real soon…

Now, after you’re done dancing in your chair to the song (because you know you’re feeling it), please do actually meet me in the ladies room, because that’s where you’ll find me applying another coat of this easy-to-layer mascara, because it builds like WHOA!

NARS Climax Mascara ($24)

First Hourglass Caution; now NARS Climax. I’m really liking this trend of featherweight, flexible mascaras you can endlessly layer without clumping.

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Try the New MAC Dazzleshadow Liquids for Glittery, Glossy Lids and Long-Lasting Shimmer and Shine

August 15th, 2018 by Karen 12 Comments

mac dazzleshadow liquid rayon rays every day is sunshine — Glossy, glittery goodness

Is it a glitter, or is it a super shiny eye gloss? Quelle suprise! ‘Tis both.

The MAC Dazzleshadow Liquid Eyeshadows ($22 each)

The sparkling new MAC Dazzleshadow Liquid eyeshadows come in 10 shades in every color you’d want to wear to schmexy time, to preschool library story time (IT ME), or any time, really.

“Get lost in eyes that tantalize, mesmerize and glamorize. Introducing the irresistible twinkle of our all-new daze-inducing Dazzleshadow Liquid. Available in a range of beaming finishes – from glaring glitter to subtle sparkle and cool chrome – this ultra-shiny liquid eye shadow glides across lids for a wash of brilliant colour that keeps its splendour for up to 8 hours. Its lightweight cooling formula sets quickly for the ultimate second-skin texture that feels ultra-soft on lids.”

— maccosmetics.com

Seriously, they’re such a find. You’ll never have to deal with renegade glitter bits cascading down your cheeks or under your eyes (or, in my case, up in my brows, and why or how glitter manages to get up there, I’ll never know) again.

And because of the reflective finish, you can also get the high-fashion look of magazine-style glossy eyes without that sticky, gooey, gross feeling on your lids. Dab some on the back of your hand with the doe-foot applicator, pick up the littlest amount with a tapered blending brush (THIS IS KEY! DON’T USE TOO MUCH!), blend on your lids, and it won’t budge all day long. (Watch the clock, though, because you’ll only have about two minutes to buff before the formula completely sets.)

mac dazzleshadow liquid rayon rays every day is sunshine 2 — That’s Liquid Lip Suede Matte Lipstick in Nude Blush by Civilized Cosmetics on my lips.

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

August 14th, 2018 by Karen 13 Comments

estee lauder double wear stay in place honey bronze — I’m wearing your new favorite matte liquid foundation.

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! ?

Double Wear Fan Girl Badge ?️?? unlocked!

The original Double Wear Stay-in Place liquid foundation is an O.G. cult classic, and it’s gotten mad love in gazillions of reviews. Basically, you can’t turn a corner without someone practically warbling a ’90s love song about it.

All my life, I’ve waited for ~~someone like you~~ a foundation like Double Wear

That’s why I waited a hot second to put it through its paces and make sure I wasn’t just falling for the hype.

Now that I’ve been using it a few times per week for a couple months…ya know what?

I totally get it now. It’s really THAT good.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup ($42 for a 0.1-oz. glass bottle)

But before we even get into how perfectly it sits on different skin types (mine is a HELLA fussy combo of oily, dry and normal areas with a sprinkle of acne-prone spots along my jawline, and my skin loves it), this foundation is already a winner-winner-chicken-dinner for me. It’s oil-free, truly transfer-proof (so no makeup on your favorite Price tee, hooray!), fragrance-free, and — get this — available in a staggering 56 shades.

By comparison, Fenty has only 40.

“Only,” she says, ha! Remember when the biggest department store lines had maybe 14 at the most? How things have changed!

From the Sephora website…

What it is
A 24-hour-wear liquid makeup with a flawless, natural, matte finish that unifies uneven skin tone and covers imperfections with buildable medium to full coverage.

What it does
Double Wear makeup gives you 24-hour staying power for a flawless, natural matte finish. This foundation unifies uneven skin tone and covers imperfections with buildable medium-to-full coverage. The makeup feels lightweight and so comfortable, you won’t believe it is super long wear. The non-acnegenic formula won’t clog pores, which may help avert breakouts, and helps control shine. It’s waterproof, won’t run, rub off, or smudge and lasts in hot and humid weather.

Double Wear comes in Cool, Neutral and Warm undertones with shades that have been blended so they won’t look grey on deeper skintones.

What else you need to know
This product is fragrance-free and has been dermatologist tested. It is oil-free, mattifying, transfer-resistant, dermatologist-tested, non-acnegenic, and fragrance-free.

My shade is Honey Bronze, which is a smidgen warm for my (MAC NC42) skin at the moment, but it’s darn close, and even though it isn’t spot on, I’m OK with that because it doesn’t oxidize, which has always been my biggest issue with this type of base. It’s really hard for me to find a matte liquid foundation that doesn’t darken as the day goes on, and this one stays true to the original color.

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[The Shower Files] Get Fresh Life Body Oil and Body Lotion Into Your Shower Right Meow

August 13th, 2018 by Karen 2 Comments

fresh fresh life body oil — I *just* sniffed my arm, and it smelled absolutely delicious.

Obvs, Fresh is a skin care line, first and foremost, but I have extra gravy-caliber love in my cat lady heart for their fragrances.

Fresh Life is my favorite of them all, but Sugar Lemon runs a close second.

Then Hesperides Grapefruit.

And Sugar Lychee.

Bah, who am I kidding? I love them all…but Fresh Life is the one I wear the most. It’s airy, refreshing, girly and doesn’t get up in your grill. It’s like a lighter cross between Chloe and Byredo Gypsy Water. I think if you like either of those — or if you just love lemony or sugary scents, or grapefruit, or lilac and/or magnolia — you’ll love this too.

I wore the Eau de Parfum through spring and summer, but I just realized that there’s also a bunch of other Fresh Life products, like lotion, oil and soap…

SAY WHA!?

Rock that I’ve been hiding under, meet my beauty bestie. Beauty bestie, meet the rock I’ve been hiding under FOR YEARS.

Dear, Fresh Life Body Lotion ($23 for 10.1 oz.) and Fresh Life Body Oil ($48 for 3.3 oz.), thank you leveling up my after-shower scent game.

WARNING: The bright lemon and toasty brown sugar notes may tempt you or anyone in your immediate vicinity to nibble on your forearm (side note: neither of these are classified as edible). Yes, that sounds Hannibal Lecter-y, but hopefully nobody will cannibalize your limbs.

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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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Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara: [WARNING] Your Lashes Will Love This!

August 6th, 2018 by Karen 24 Comments

hourglass caution mascara — Please note the lashes stretching out *TO HERE* in this pic, and that’s after just one coat of Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara!

Lash drama: I has it.

Rather, I’m going through it.

Have I already mentioned this before? Only a million times, you say? Yeah, well…I promise that if the Fabulous Fringe Fairy materializes at the foot of my bed one night, waves her Wand of Winsomeness and bequeaths me with naturally lush lashes 4LIFE, I will happily STFU about the Grand Canyon-sized gap along the lash line of my right eye, and you will never have to hear another sordid tale of my lash woe again. 😉

(Believe me, I want this as much as you do.)

Until then, there’s new Hourglass Extreme Lash Mascara.

hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara in Ultra Black ($29 for a 0.33-oz. tube)

So, what makes this mascara so fancy? — I mean, other than the intensely black color (it’s darker than a supervillain’s heart) and the tapered brush (it’ll grab lashes you didn’t even know you had)?

Answer: Caution lets you just. Keep. Adding. More. Layers. No matter how many you apply, it won’t go full-on Tammy Faye, at least I don’t think so. I haven’t seen a single clump when I wear it. Like not one. And, honey, no matter how many layers you use, your lashes will still feel light and soft. Not crunchy or flaky at all!

An all-in-one mascara that delivers endless length, intense volume and sky-high lift for extreme, dramatic lashes. The combination of the innovative 4D Amplifier™ brush with the continuously buildable formula create lashes that defy the boundaries of traditional mascara.

4D Amplifier™ brush combines 2 brushes in 1 to deliver volume, length, lift and definition for extreme lashes

Saturates lashes from root-to-tip for the most volume in a single stroke

Perfectly coats the bottom lashes without smudging onto the lower lashline

Tapered end reaches even the smallest lashes in the corners of the eyes

Smooth, buildable, ultra-black formula creates dramatic but weightless lashes that don’t smudge or flake

— hourglass.com

OK…but that’s not even the best part. Remember the catchphrase, “Extreme Lash”? It’s so accurate. My lashes are long, thick, curly and lifted to the N-th degree. Shout-out to the lab geniuses who knocked this one out of the park.

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The Urban Decay Aphrodisiac Collection (Swatches and First Look)

August 3rd, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

urban decay aphrodisiac collection k — Wearing the Urban Decay Aphrodisiac collection

Like any good love ? potion, the new Urban Decay Aphrodisiac collection is mysterious and hard to find…

No, literally. It is. The collection doesn’t appear to have officially launched yet, and details are scarce, but what I do know is this: it’s new for fall 2018, and the palette and three glosses are new (the two liners, Rockstar and Zero, are re-promotes).

Urban Decay Aphrodisiac

Release date: TBD

Aphrodisiac Eyeshadow Palette (estimated price, $29, since it’s the same size/shape as Naked Petite Heat)

Hi Fi-Shine Ultra Cushion Lipglosses in Aphrodisiac, Ghosted and Tongue Tied ($20 each)

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Zero and Rockstar ($21 each)

urban decay aphrodisiac collection 2 — New for fall 2018: Urban Decay Aphrodisiac

urban decay aphrodisiac eyeshadow palette — Aphrodisiac Eyeshadow Palette

urban decay aphrodisiac collection lipgloss — Hi Fi-Shine Ultra Cushion Lipglosses in Aphrodisiac, Ghosted and Tongue Tied

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist

August 1st, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

estee lauder double wear set and refresh — Estée Lauder Set + Refresh

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! ?

I’ve been skipping powder as of late (’cause I’m waaaaay too deep into this whole skin-that-looks-like-skin thing), so setting spray has been vitally important to me. I literally — literally, and I don’t mean figuratively instead — haven’t left home without it in weeks.

My all-time ride-or-dies are Urban Decay All Nighter (obviously) and the lesser known Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix, but, as you know, I have to try everything, and this one from Estée Lauder is a nice surprise.

Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist ($36 for a 3.9-oz. bottle with a pump)

Estée Lauder’s Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist doesn’t actually have any Double Wear branding on it, but if you hop on their site and check out the Double Wear section, it’s there among the foundations, concealers and whatnot.

I’ve asked around, and a few MUA friends have said that this particular spray is BOSS when you use it on top of the O.G. Double Wear Foundation.

I’ve yet to try that combo, but it’s at the top of my to-do list, along with 1) mourning the loss of single Nick Jonas to Priyanka Chopra (honest to god, I thought he was gonna ask ME to marry him), and 2) eating a bag of baby carrots in one sitting (because why the heck not?).

The fine, lightweight mist, which performs like it’s equal parts primer and dewy setting spray, is made for all skin types. You can use it before AND after applying your base products.

Whenever I douse myself in it, I revel in the fresh, subtle scent, which smells like spring sunshine to me — or, less metaphorically, like pears with a squeeze of lemon, brown sugar and a handful of freesia petals.

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