Product Reviews

More From the Mally Beauty Mallywood Collection: Mallywood Eyeshadow Palette, Mallywood Wazza Wazzup! Ombré Highlighting Trio, and Mallywood Highlighting Blush

July 30th, 2018 by Karen 7 Comments

mallywood highlighting blush — When second grade #goals come true…

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was second grade.”

I think that’s how that quote goes…

Second grade was the year Jen and I (along with most of the little girls in our class) were in love with the same boy in our homeroom.

Lee. ?

In the spring, I fainted in the middle of art class, and my face conveniently landed on the edge of Lee’s chair, splitting my lip open. There was blood. IT WAS EVERYWHERE. To everyone else, it was grossly fascinating, but to me, it was destiny… Clearly, Lee and I were gonna get married and raise 12 calico cats.

Second grade was also the year hot pink and gold glitter ruled, and everything pink and glittery gold was a hot commodity on the playground — stickers, beaded hair accessories, pens, friendship bracelets and those weird braided plastic keychains that everyone had — and shortly after the fainting incident, Lee shyly handed me a pink and gold glitter cat sticker.

We never spoke of it.

The pink and gold packaging in the Mallywood makeup collection by Mally Beauty brings back all the feels, and second grade Karen… Shoot, she would’ve traded her pesky little brother for the palettes and the mascara in a hot second (“Here, take him. Just feed him hot dogs, rice and ketchup every day, and he’ll be fine”). Sure, I wouldn’t know what to do with anything, but who cares? PINK AND GOLD GLITTER.

Mally Roncal is the cutest.

The best thing from this launch for me is the Smoky Mama Mascara, and I’m hoping that Mally will find a way to add it to the permanent line (oh please, oh please, oh please) because it’s THAT great.

As for the three other pieces, I think they have their moments…

Mallywood Eyeshadow Palette ($29)

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup

July 27th, 2018 by Karen 15 Comments

estee lauder double wear nude cushion stick radiant makeup honey bronze — So, this applicator is a little cray.

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! ?

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup ($42 for a 0.47-oz. bottle — on sale now for $21)

Gonna keep this short and sweet (for once! I KNOW.) because, sadly, this gorgeous sheer and satiny skin tint is being phased out, but since there are still quite a few shades left on esteelauder.com, I wanted to give it a mention in case you like minimal coverage and wanna grab one for 50% off.

“Touch on, buff and blend to your perfect nude. Polishes and evens skintone for a healthy-looking glow. Skin-loving, weightless and comfortable formula instantly hydrates. 8-hour wear. Innovative stick combines liquid makeup and applicator in one. You’ll know it’s time to replenish as the stick becomes smaller until the clear window disappears.

“This makeup is a different formula than our original Double Wear Stay-in-Place liquid foundation. It is instantly hydrating and leaves skin with a radiant glow. All day 8-hour wear. In shades for all skintones.”

— esteelauder.com

Yes, the sponge applicator’s lame. You’ll end up with too much on your face if you go there, so ignore it. The trick to this is to twist the base at the bottom ever-so-slightly, so the tiniest bit comes out, and work it your skin with your fingers. Then you’re only a few pats and swipes away from radiant, glowing spahhhhhh skin that looks preternaturally smooth all day long.

Remember the fabulous LE NARS Hydrating Glow Tints? This has a very similar barely-there “Oh, hello there, freckles!” type of look. Très Megan Markle on her wedding day.

How does Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup compare to the other Double Wear Foundations?

I’m still working my way through the collection, but here’s what I have so far…

Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30 — Cushion Stick is very sheer with a subtle glowing satin finish, while Nude Water Fresh is medium coverage with a soft matte finish. Cushion Stick works for dry skin or for those with fine lines (HELLO, MY NAME IS KAREN). Water Fresh would be a better fit for oily skin.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Light — Cushion Stick is sheerer than Double Wear Light, which has medium coverage (similar to like Water Fresh). Double Wear Light’s finish more of a velvet, so it’s compared to Cushion Stick it’s more matte, but it’s not as matte as Nude Water Fresh.

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Rahua by Amazon Beauty Is the Cat’s Meow

July 26th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

Yoga breathing right now so I can slow my roll…because my hair hasn’t been this glossy and soft and full in forever! — and now I’m ready to make it rain over at Rahua.

BREATHE, KAREN, BREATHE.

So, friend. You’ve probably seen Rahua around, yeah? Say it with me: “raw-wah.” It’s this hella hydrating line of of hair products (and some body things, too), and they’re carried at SpaceNK and Sephora.

The packaging has a silhouette of a lady with long locks drawing a bow and arrow (very Katniss Everdeen), and everything in the line has an ancient ingredient found deep in the Amazon rainforest called rahua oil. As the story goes, the women of the Ecuadorian Quecha-Shuar tribe have been using rahua oil for centuries to moisturize their hair and skin, because it is THE STUFF.

I’ve been bouncing back and forth between travel sizes of their different shampoos, conditioners and hair treatments, which are $9 each, and have had a series of epic hair days. Like, Oribe-caliber exceptional.

The Classic Shampoo and Conditioner (which also doubles as a leave-in), the Hydration Shampoo and Hydration Conditioner, the Color Full Hair Mask and the Founder’s Blend Hair & Scalp Treatment leave my wavy color-treated (and slightly dry at the moment) hair shiny, silky soft, bouncy and hydrated.

The only things I feel just so-so about are the Color Full Shampoo and Conditioner, because they aren’t as moisturizing as the other products (and moisture is my main motivation at the moment because the pool has been doing a number on my ends), but everything else I’ve tried from the line has me *this close* to forsaking all the other hair products sitting in my shower.

It’s fascinating to me how Rahua smooths frizzes, adds loads of glossy shine and moisturizes, all while removing all of the hair styling stuff I like to pile on, and it does this all without drying or weighing down the strands. Plus, the products don’t contain silicone or sulfates!

How do they do it? Must be the rahua oil.

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It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Oil-Free Matte With SPF 40

July 25th, 2018 by Karen 16 Comments

it cosmetics cc oil free — Super new! —> It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-Free Matte SPF 40 (I wear it in Tan, which is fine for everything below my eyes but borderline ashy on my forehead right now because, somewhat ironically, I have a tan at the moment.)

Does It Cosmetics CC+ Cream Oil-Free Matte tinted moisturizer hold the secrets of the universe?

Nah, but wouldn’t it be nice if it did, though?! I could finally figure out what the heck happened to Jon B.!

My club jam back in the day. Someone please rescue him from whatever wormhole he feel into.

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Oil-Free Matte with SPF 40 ($38 for a 1.08-oz. bottle)

The teal tube may have a summery look, but it’s something I’ll wear year round. It’s a lightweight medium-coverage tinted moisturizer that’ll have everyone around you believing you’re having a seriously sweet skin day — although, heads up, it won’t fool the frenemy who goes straight for the jugular and points out a ripe zit immediately before saying something like, “Me? Oh, I never get pimples.”

Bless her heart!

“Developed with plastic surgeons, Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Oil-Free Matte delivers color-correcting full coverage, anti-aging skincare, and SPF 40 broad-spectrum physical sunscreen—all with a poreless, natural-looking matte finish that lasts. This multitasking, complexion-perfecting breakthrough instantly camouflages skin imperfections including dark spots without creasing or cracking and is clinically tested to reduce shine and control oil for up to 12 hours. It’s also infused with charcoal to detoxify, colloidal clay to absorb oil, and tea tree extract to combat blemishes—plus, an advanced anti-aging serum made of hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid, vitamins, and antioxidants. You’ll see powerful results instantly and more dramatic results over time.

“It delivers seven benefits, all in one! Full-coverage matte foundation, SPF 40 UVA/UVB broad-spectrum physical sunscreen, brightening color corrector, hydrating anti-aging serum, poreless finish primer, dark spot concealer, and moisturizing day cream.”

— sephora.com

Smaller pores and even tone? Yes and yes. And here’s the kicker, which takes it over le top: the matte finish totally locks down shine, and it’s just matte enough. Not too harsh.

it cosmetics cc oil free tan- — A tan girl wearing Tan

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30

July 24th, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

estee lauder double wear water fresh makeup honey bronze — When you have enough oil on your face to fry meats and various potato products and then some

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! ?

Back in the day (like, when people carried pagers and weren’t at all trying to be ironic about it, and beards on hipsters weren’t ubiquitous), my skin was Oil Slick City. Now, my face resides in a rustic hamlet called Oh So Dry It Hurts, although it’ll visit its former residence every once in a while.

Does it do this because it has nothing better to do? Or, does it do it because it thinks it’s funny (haha!) to torment me? Or, maybe it just goes there because it’s hot.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30 ($42 for a 1-oz. bottle)

A couple weeks ago, during a blisteringly hot week in Novato when my forehead produced enough grease to fry a whole chicken, it was clear to me that I needed to change my foundation game to better handle the heat. Luckily, the Double Wear Dream Team over at at Estée Lauder cooked up Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30, an oil-free AND oil-controlling liquid foundation that’s both lightweight (it’s runny like a serum foundation) and long-lasting.

“Real-skin flawless. Real protection. 24-hour staying power. Waterlight. This fluid, long-wear makeup feels like you have nothing on. Moves comfortably with your skin. Looks fresh, natural, healthy, even-toned. With SPF 30 and anti-oxidants, it’s your invisible defense against environmental damage from UV rays and pollution. Instantly and continuously hydrates with a moisture complex of red fruit extracts, including watermelon, lychee seed and apple. In shades for all skintones.”

— esteelauder.com

Back in my oily-skinned heyday, the only real way to lock down shine was with a heavy layer of matte, caked-on makeup, but it’s a totally different story now. Now, there’s no reason why oil-prone peeps can’t get comfy coverage that feels like they aren’t wearing anything at all.

estee lauder double wear water fresh honey bronze swatch — Honey Bronze is a pretty spot-on match for MAC NC42 skin.

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Unsung (Household) Heroes: The TubShroom Strainer/Hair Catcher

July 20th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

tubshroom review — The most magical mushroom of all

These are mushrooms…

And this is a magical ? mushroom…

But this is the most magical mushroom of all…

It’s called the TubShroom, and it’s one of those genius “as seen on TV” doohickeys that’ll have you wishing you were the person who invented it, because if you’ve got hair, and that hair clogs the tub drain, this thing will revolutionize your life.

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Urban Decay Lo-Fi Lip Mousse Is Hella High-Five Worthy

July 19th, 2018 by Karen 11 Comments

Ya know, I’ve been reviewing makeup and waxing philosophic about makeup and photographing makeup (and cats!) for more than a decade now (started in 2007, yo!), and when you write about any topic for that long, you really, REALLY gotta love it (and I do!); otherwise, you risk falling into a fugue state akin to Breaking Bad.

But here’s the deal: although I still relish discovering new coral lipsticks and love the thrill of finding a fab new cream blush, sometimes it feels like every “new” highlighter/palette/liquid lipstick/etc. that crosses my desk is something we’ve all seen before…except with a different cheeky name and outfit.

These days, it takes something seriously funky or outrageous to grab my attention and make me wanna shoop, shoop-eh-doop, if you know what I mean, so when Urban Decay’s new Lo-Fi Lip Mousse showed up, I was like, “I cannot bear to hot tub time machine back to 2012 right now. Let’s just eat some brownies, fire up season four of Sex and the City and take a cat nap, but HOLD ON, WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME PUT SOME BOOTY IN IT — you’re telling me this isn’t a blush?? It’s a matte lipstick instead!? Alright, Urban Decay, tell me more.”

Urban Decay Lo-Fi Lip Mousse ($22 each)

These are mousse matte lipsticks in a compact, and they’re wacky in the best possible way (as opposed to being strange for the sake of being weird). They actually work really well.

urban decay lo fi boxes — The color-coordinated boxes are a nice touch!

Urban Decay must’ve poached some NASA rocket scientists to formulate these because not only do they look smooth, avoid my lip lines and feel feather light, they couldn’t be a lot easier to apply.

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Stay-in-Place EyeShadow Base

July 18th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

estee lauder double wear stay in place eyeshadow base — Double Wear
Stay-in-Place EyeShadow Base, $21

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 deep diving…metaphorically, into the world of Estée Lauder Double Wear as of late (in a nutshell, it’s soooo good!), so, in today’s episode of “The Previous Life and Times of Karen’s Many Failed Dates,” we explore the two seconds during which I dated a wanna-be Olympic diver.

He was beautiful, tan, book-smart and drove an old Mustang, but I knew it would never go anywhere because whenever I’d tell a joke he’d just sit there and blink slowly… Like crazy slow. And it would go on for, like, a minute.

It was so awkward! ?

At first I wondered if he had a terrible case of dry eyes, but then I realized that he just didn’t get my sense of humor. I dunno… Maybe I’d just assumed he got all of those abdominal muscles from laughing? Needless to say, it was over before it ever started, because in the immortal words of Hall and Oats, I can’t go for that. (No can do.)

OH, MY GAWD, KAREN, GET TO YOUR POINT. OK, OK! I’ve always liked Estée Lauder makeup, but it’s only been recently that I really started to love and appreciate the brand thanks to all things Double Wear, because everything I’ve tried so far has been magic.

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