Product Reviews

Face of the day (FOTD) — MAC Smoke Signals Gentle Fume Eyes, Part Deux; Makeup Tip – Get Dramatic Lashes with a L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black and Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara Combination

September 5th, 2007 by Karen 7 Comments

Gentle Fume Quad, Take Two

Despite our rocky start, the Smoke Signals Gentle Fume quad and I are starting to become fast friends. I’ve discovered that it really comes in handy when you want to look like a vampire (a cute one, of course). I wore Rondelle on the entire lid, Waft on the outer third and a teeny tiny bit o’ Carbon in the outer v. (Big ups to my blogging buddy temptalia.com for suggesting this look!) I wore this out yesterday and can safely report that I felt 100% non-drag queeny. That’s Burnin‘ on my lips along with Bazaarish Lipglass on top, and lil bit of Emote on the cheeks!

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Lol, I just realized that this looks like a high school senior pic with a messy kitchen as the background
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MASCARA REVELATION: L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black + Max Factor 2000 Calorie = BIG DRAMATIC LASHES!

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Whenever I have a rough day I like to head to the drugstore to grab an ice cream cone and look at makeup. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know it’s kind of eighth grade but it’s a nice pick me up and it keeps me from dropping serious stress cash at the MAC counter.

I’ve got straight, medium length lashes that aren’t full or thick, so I’m always looking for mascara. My favorite drugstore mascara lately has been L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. It’s really glossy and dark and builds up my ho-hum, straight lashes nicely. Despite its great color and thickening power, I’ve noticed that it really doesn’t hold a curl from the lash curler. Within an hour or so I have stick straight lashes again. Boo!

Today just for fun I layered L’Oreal Voluminous over MAX Factor 2000 Calorie. 2000 Calorie has excellent curl hold, but the color isn’t as glossy or dark as Carbon Black. Layering the two mascaras makes a dramatic difference, and I loved the results: I got thick and glossy lashes that kept the curl throughout the day.

Before
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…and after
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From the earlier FOTD
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The only thing is I have to work quickly when applying this both mascaras. I used Waterproof 2000 Calorie, which dries really fast, so if I wait to long to apply the Carbon Black it starts to get flakey and hard to apply.

If you’ve got these two around then give it a go, and let me know if it works for you (I hope it does!)

How’s your Wednesday been so far? I hope that your coffee tastes perfect and that you’re feeling happy and pretty.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Reviews – MAC Smoke Signals and Cargo PlantLove Lipsticks; Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog, the Upper Lip Hair Edition; Weekend Beauty Round-up

August 31st, 2007 by Karen 9 Comments

When I was 14 my mom bought me my first tube of lipstick. I cherished that Clinique tube of silver sophistication, and whenever I put it on I felt like an elegant world traveler was staring back at me in the mirror. My actual reflection, of course, was of an awkward teenager with braces, big, unruly hair and weird clothing (it was hard to be haute couture in the East Bay in the early 90s, and try as I might I could never quite get it right.) But that tube made me feel like I was the person I was meant to be — put-together, sophisticated, beautiful.

There’s something special about a great tube of lipstick. Don’t get me wrong … I loves me some gloss. Gloss is sexy, youthful and fun. But lipstick always reminds me of different steps in my life that led me to become a woman: that first Clinique lipstick, countless tubes of MAC Paramount I wore throughout college, and the first Chanel lipstick I bought when I finally got a “real job” in the city.

And just like Justin brought sexy back, the beauty powers-that-be declared this the year of the return of lipstick. Huzzah, sound the trumpets! If you’re not ready for a full-on dark, pigmented mouth (and I’ll have to admit that I am not quite ready for it either), you don’t have to go all the way. These fall lipsticks from MAC’s Smoke Signals line and Cargo’s PlantLove line have enough gloss to make your Lipglasses jealous, but enough thickness and color punch for an air of sophistication.

Product Review — MAC Smoke Signals Lipsticks — Sparks Can Fly, Barely Lit, Mellow Flame, Burnin’

Smoke Signals madness continues! MAC released five different colors that are very natural and for the most part, user friendly. Yesterday I rocked the Brew, so let’s check out the other four!

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Barely Lit
Price: $14.00 for a tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
I am sucker for the MAC’s lustre formulas, because they give just enough color without feeling heavy. I also like that they feel very moisturizing on my lips. Barely Lit is a pink sand with a gold pearl. The color is pretty, natural and really warms up my skin. This picture shows it with two coats applied carefully with the 316 lip brush. However, it also looks great when you are in a hurry (story of my life) and need to apply it straight from the tube. I like this for an easy day look paired with curled lashes and filled in brows. It’s also very pretty for night, too, and for you single ladies (and lads) oh-so-very date friendly. Your crush will not fear giving you a big ole’ fatty of a kiss with this light beauty on your lips!

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Mellow Flame
Price: $14.00 for a tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+
Mellow flame is another lustre in the Smoke Signals lipstick series, a warm coral pink with red pearl. I love coral colors, and MAC really hit it out of the park with this one based on color alone. Even though the color is brighter in comparison to Barely Lit it is still natural-looking without being overwhelming. It’s warm and wearable, and if you wanted to really make it sexified you could pop a coat of Lipglass over it and woo-hoo-va-va-voom! Call the fire department cause there’s a hottie in the house!

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Sparks Can Fly
Price: $14.00 for a tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: D
Um, sparks were so not flying. This creamy rose frost just does not work on me when I use it by itself. There’s something about the coloring that makes my lips look blue-grey, like a lovely zombie bride with frostbite. I’m so not kidding. I think I’ll have to pair it with a warmer Lipglass in order to make it work. Ugh. Don’t do it, ya’ll.

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Burnin’
Price: $14.00 for a tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B
Talk about a kick back to the past. This dark, wine-colored lipstick takes me back to my formative years in East Bay (which coincidentally, is the word “beast” in pig latin). So when you grow up in the East Bay, you end up having so many types of friends because it’s such a melting pot of races and colors. Burnin’ reminds of my friend Monica from algebra class, who wore tight jeans, thick black liner, and was in a Latina gang. She wore dark, wine-colored lipstick like it was nobody’s business. Even though she was tough and could beat the beejebus out of anyone who crossed her, she was very sweet. We’d go on for hours and hours about the merits of Wet & Wild versus Cover Girl.

So my first reaction when I saw this color was “OHHHHHH. Monica would rock this, but could I?.”

I was surprisingly pleased with Burnin’. This was my first time using MAC’s amplified texture, which is slightly glossy and very color-rich. It’s dramatic yet surprisingly wearable, and I didn’t feel like a vampire when I had it on. The biggest drawback about Burnin’ is that applying the deep color takes time and patience, two things that I don’t always have. I also would not give this color to my 14-year old cousin. The color is too mature and too sexy.

If you’re in the mood for a dramatic change then this is worth a go. While not exactly kissable, it would be fab for a sophisticated night out in a little black dress.

Product Review — Cargo PlantLove Lipsticks — Muir Woods, Joshua Tree, Gamba

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Cargo PlantLove Lipsticks
Price: $20 for a tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Cargo’s line of eco-friendly lipsticks called PlantLove recently fell into my hot little hands. One look at the super cute packaging and I was hooked. And would you believe that the tube is made entirely out of corn?!?!

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Cute, yah?

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PlantLove, Gamba
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PlantLove, Muir Woods
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PlantLove, Joshua Tree
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The lipstick comes in an outer carton made out of biodegrable paper with flower seeds embedded in it. You wet the carton, pop it in some dirt, and bam, purty flowers just for you. Satisfy your lipstick lust and your inner botanist in one fell swoop!

All three colors have a similar texture that feels halfway between a lipstick and a gloss. They’re sheer, easy to apply and build up nicely. If you are new to lipstick (or just hella lazy like yours truly) then Gamba is a good gateway product to the big guns, lol. Oh, and if you’re a mom looking for colors for your teenager you’ll like colors like Muir Woods and Joshua Tree, which are natural-looking, not too over the top and perfect for girls who are interested in exploring makeup.

And to top it off Cargo is donating two dollars from every sale of every shade to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, yay.

Lol, don’t you wish
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Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog: the Upper Lip Hair Edition

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Friday means it’s time for your weekly dose of tough love from Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog. Got a beauty question but afraid to go there? Never fear. We’re hear to break it down for ya.

Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog,

I’ve got dark upper lip hair. I’m not the bearded lady or anything, but it’s pretty obvious. I am terrified of waxing it off because I’m afraid it will hurt. I’ve been thinking about buying some hair bleach at the drugstore to make it lighter. Do you think this is a good idea?

Cheers,

Hairy in Hartford

Dear Hairy,

Don’t go running off to join the circus to just yet. Many women deal with upper lip issues in different ways, but we don’t always like to talk about our â€˜stache hair in casual company (so not sexy). Not to fear. You’ve got many options.

There are so many people who either don’t like to wax or just can’t do it for various reasons. I had a roommate who always broke out in bumps after she got waxed so she eventually developed a method of bleaching first and then using small cuticle scissors to cut off the bleached hairs.

Before I started waxing, I would cut the hairs down as much as I could using curved cuticle tweezers. I’d then go to town on the remaining hairs with some fine-tipped tweezers. For me, tweezing isn’t painful, so I don’t mind. I eventually quit this method just because it takes forever and rarely did I ever get truly hair free.

I don’t recommend using the bleach alone â€˜cause girrrrrrl…you ain’t fooling nobody. Step away from the bleach unless you just want to look like you’ve got an orange caterpillar growing underneath your mose.

I know you mentioned that you are afraid of waxing — I used to be too – but I find that it is the most cost effective and best method of hair removal. I do my own waxing with an at home kit; it’s cheap, easy and fast.

I used a transition method to help me go from wax newbie to wax pro:

1. I first went to a professional salon and had my â€˜stache waxed about 4 times over a 12 week period. Where I live you can get an upper lip wax for 8-10 bucks, so it’s not too expensive. Think of it as a small investment in your hair-free future. If your budget is tight try to get it done at least once or twice. My reasoning behind this was to get me used to the sensation of how it feels to have the hair ripped out. I figured I’d then know what to expect once I started doing it myself.

2. After the four waxing sessions, I bought a wax strip kit at the drugstore called Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit for Face, Brows & Bikini. It’s about $8.00. I only use this for the upper lip. I’ve tried it for body hair and it just doesn’t work well for coarser, thicker hair. There are small, medium and large strip sizes. You can use the small strips for your upper lip, and when you run out of them you can just cut the medium and large strips down to size. One box lasts me at least 5 months, and I wax every three weeks. It averages out to a little over a $1.00 per wax, saving me lots of time and money.

3. Okay. Now to the hard part! First I warm the wax strips in my hands. Some people recommend giving the strip a quick shot with a blow dryer, but I never do that because I’m afraid of heating up the wax too much and burning myself. I then place the strip on half of my â€˜stache, pushing it down in the direction of the hair growth. I then take a deep breath (seriously, this is important), and with one hand, pull my skin in the direction of the hair growth, and then use my other hand to pull the wax strip in the opposite direction. I do this quickly! Right as I pull the wax strip off I exhale. It doesn’t really hurt, but the breathing helps to lesson the shock to my system. Right after I pull the strip off I place a finger on the area and gently apply pressure to reduce any sting.

4. The kit comes with azulene oil, which I then use to remove any remaining wax. Sometimes I use Jojoba oil too, which works just as well.

5. I found out that timing was important during those first few sessions. I would take two painkillers at least an hour before and I would never wax right before my period (which is when I become very sensitive to pain.)

6. Voila! No more bearded lady!

I hope this helps! Good luck. Stay smooth.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Weekend Beauty Roundup

Beauty Reading is Fundamental! To start your long weekend off right here’s a round up of the best posts from the lovely ladies at the Beauty Blog Network!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic does a Bioelements Review Series
A Touch of Blusher wants to know if you’d like some samples
All Lacquered Up reviews the China Glaze X collection for fall
Beauty and Fashion Tech looks at Neutrogena lip products
Beauty and Personality Grooming gives natural remedies for undereye dark circles
Beautynomics unwrinkles your eyes with Venom
DivaShop reviews e.l.f. cosmetics
Elke Von Freudenberg checks out the newn ShopVogue.tv
Hello Dollface reviews SuperSmile Toothbrush
Kiss and Makeup reviews Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss
Lipstick, Powder n’ Paint shares a blast from the past on last year’s Tarte cosmetics
Life of a Ladybug shares her list of beauty bargains

And in case you missed it (oh no you didn’t!), www.makeupandbeautyblog.com’s The Best of San Francisco Fashion Week 2007: Super-secret makeup tricks from 5 backstage MAC artists, Runway Videos and MORE!

Can you believe that summer is over and that it’s Labor Day weekend already? Will you be going to few barbeques and doing fun outdoor stuff? I hope so! I’ll be busy this weekend writing a story on Hawaiian heirloom jewelry. Somehow, someway, I will squeeze in some time for some relaxing fun.

Have a fantastic weekend, wear your sunscreen and work that bikini, girl!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Final Night of San Francisco Fashion Week 2007: Backstage Makeup Tips from 5 MAC Artists; MAC Runway Looks; Runway Pictures and Video from August 25, 2007

August 27th, 2007 by Karen 15 Comments

The Saturday Night Runway Show on August 25, 2007

That sage of song Ru Paul once sang, “You better woooooork.” Saturday, August 25 was the final night of the runway shows for San Francisco Fashion Week 2007, so we here at www.makeupandbeautyblog.com busted our bum for one last final hustle to get you more behind-the-scenes MAC looks … possibly more than your MAC-loving heart can handle!

Before we move onto the looks, lets meet a few more members of the MAC team backstage, yah?

Five MAC Backstage Makeup Artists Reveal their Favorite MAC Products and Give Some Oh-So-Juicy Tips

Makeupandbeautyblog.com has spent lots of time with key makeup artists, Victor Cembellin and Louise Zizzo, who work with designers to create a specific look for their runway show.

How do you get these looks onto all of the models? With the help of a fantastic team of MAC artists, of course!

I got the chance to chat with five MAC artists who played this important role backstage. Not only was their eye makeup super hot, they were also really friendly and fun to talk to, and had a lot to say about their favorite MAC products and makeup tricks.

MAC Artist:
Angela Miller
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Years with MAC:
11
What she’s wearing right now:
Espresso and Carbon — it’s kind of a 90s-style makeup because it’s coming in right now. Oh, and an 80s gold lip.
Must have MAC Product:
Any MAC brush! My favorite brush is the 227. I use it for concealer, for eye shadow base, for under-eye cream, it’s an “everything” brush!
Favorite super-secret makeup tip:
Always make sure you blend out your liner whenever you are using a dramatic look with color. If you’re wearing eye shadow color, use a 212 brush to blend out your line to make it more smoky and smudged right by the lash line.

MAC Artist:
Christine Salopak
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Years with MAC:
4
Must have MAC Product:
Zoom Lash
What she’s wearing right now:
A little bit of everything! Studio Fix Fluid, Mineralize Satinfinish Powders (a few different shades), Omega in my brows, good old Soft Brown in the crease, Vanilla on my lid, Blacktrack, brown lashes, and a little bit of Pink Swoon Blush on my cheeks.
Favorite super-secret makeup trick:
Use different tools. If you took my brushes away I’d be hopeless. I’m a big brow girl so I love the 266, the 224, and the 109. I love the 109 because it puts foundation on seamlessly. The 109 is a great way to lay it on seamlessly if you want light coverage, or if you want to layer it on for heavy duty coverage. It’s always about skin every season so it doesn’t really matter if it’s winter or if it’s summer. Your skin has to look flawless no matter what type of shape your skin is in.

MAC Artist:
Melissa Ranoa
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Years with MAC:
5
Must have MAC Product:
I love Face And Body. It feels very light and looks good on everybody. You can apply with fingertips, brushes… a 109 brush is great to use with it. The 109 is my favorite foundation brush because it’s very buffy and I like things to look a little bit softer and natural.
What she’s wearing right now:
Smoke Signals! Smoking in the crease, Showstopper on the Lid, Smoking Liner on the lashline, Falsh Lashes #7, Zoom Lash mascara, and Emote on the cheek. I’m in love with Emote – I need to buy 5! On my lips I’m wearing Brew Lipstick, Amber Ember, which is a Creamstick Liner with a pearl undertone, and Illicit Gloss.
Favorite super-secret makeup trick:
I love using brushes, but now I’m starting to use fingers more to apply makeup, because you can really feel the bone structure.

MAC Artist:
Marinda James
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Years with MAC:
4
Must have MAC Product:
Lady Danger lipstick, because it’s a true vintage orange-red with a matte texture. I love that 50s vintage look, with those powerful lips!
What she’s wearing right now:
Smoke Signals! Rondelle eyeshadow, in the center and on the browbone, smoked out with some of the darker shades in both the Gentle Fume and the Smoking Eyes palettes. Mineralize Skin Finish on cheeks in Northern Lights, and on the lips Brew Lipstick from the Smoke Signals collection, with Beurre Creamstick Liner.
Favorite super-secret makeup trick:
Edge your lip line with a little bit of Studio Fix Powder. It helps to provide a barrier so my lipstick doesn’t bleed, so I can wear my Lady Danger Lipstick all night long with no bleeding.

MAC Artist:
Chris Bustos
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Years with MAC:
5
Must have MAC Product:
Plushglass. It gives fullness to your lips. Plus, I have chapped lips, so it really helps because it has moisturizing agents in it. My favorite color is Cushy White.
What he’s wearing right now:
Select Tint Foundation
Favorite super-secret makeup trick:
Use Graph Black Pencil underneath on the waterline.

A Video of Senior Artist Victor Cembellin Demonstrating the MAC Runway Look for Designer Effie’s Heart

It’s raining lashes, HALLELUJIAH!

Now onto the looks! There was one thing that wasn’t missing from the Saturday night looks and that was lashes.
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Richard Hallmarq

Check out these crazy lashes for the Richard Hallmarq show! Louise told me earlier that one of the reasons why I thought the makeup looked so washed-out on the runway was because of the lighting, but honestly, you could NOT miss these lashes from five miles away.

Model, Chelsea
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Model, Shaopat
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Model, Victoria
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Vindy Co

Here they are once more, in a slightly toned-down form, for the ethereal and doll-like makeup from the Vindy Co show.

Model, Brittany
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Another shot of model Brittany
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Model, Caroline
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Don’t you love the cheeks? That’s Posy and Lady Blush on cheeks, and Luna cream color base around the eye. I *lurves* this!

Velvet Leaf

Heavy Lashes on the bottom along with a pop o’ color were a key elements in the look created by Victor for the designer Velvet Leaf.

Model Nora Shows the Final Velvet Leaf Look
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Another Shot of Nora
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Remember your neon sweatshirt from the 80s? Super-charged brights are baaaaack. “There’s a trend called techno-colors that we’re seeing in Milan and Paris with lots of pops of color,” says Victor. “Think of it as colors with batteries included.”

Inspiration Behind the Look:
– Sad, wide-eyed dolls in velvet paintings from the 60s
– Precious Moments dolls (aww…)
– Sad innocence

MAC’s Look for Velvet Leaf
On the eyes:
– Bare Study Paint Pot
– No Mascara
– MAC #7 Lashes on lower lashes
– Primary Yellow Pigment
– Reflex Pearl Pigment
– Natural Brows

The only product on the lid was a layer of Bare Study Paint Pot. Victor’s used it in six of his nine shows, and it’s been quite a hit. “It’s a champagne shimmer, so it’s easy to wear,” he says. “It’s a great wedding color too! And because it is a paint pot it’s not going to crease or smudge.”

The models were given thick, blunt hairpieces for bangs that covered up the brows, so the brows were left natural. Three layers of Primary Yellow Pigment were added underneath the eyes, and then topped with a little bit of Reflex Pearl Pigment to add a sparkle. Here’s another Velvet Leaf model, Jessica Marie, who I met in the bathroom as she was tugging on her crazy bangs!

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Reflex Pearl is another favorite product of Victor’s, which he calls a very sophisticated glitter. “You can put in on top of lipsticks, on top of high cheekbones, anywhere — and you won’t look like you’re Forever 21 or Wet Seal.” LOL!

To give the lips color but less structure, Victor used MAC Sandy B Lipstick and applied it with a fluffy brush to buff up the lips to avoid making them too shaped. “It creates the dry, overly-frosty 60s lips that maybe Cher would wear back in the 60s,” says Victor.

And to create a plastic looking cheek (think mannequins and Barbies), he spun a 168 brush over and over the cheek with Pink Bronze Pigment to create a “plasticized” look.

Effie’s Heart

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Model, Katie Sue
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Another shot of Katie Sue
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Here’s a pretty pop of color that’s more my style. The scarlet lip for the Effie’s Heart show was inspired by dry, velvety rose petals.

Inspiration behind the look:
– The silent film era, with a focus on structure and shape
– Rose petals

MAC’s look for Effie’s Heart includes:
– A thick line of Blacktrack Fluidline applied on lids with the 266 Brush
– A bright, matte, romantic lip, using Glam Lipstick applied as a stain with the 217
– Apple Red Blush added to the center of the lips, to create the dry, matte look
– Symmetry shadow (a grey brown) to create structure and a high contour up in the crease
– “Gobs and gobs” of Fashion Show Lashes

In the tent you’ll often here the term Fashion Show Lashes. What does it mean?

Fashion Show lashes means as much mascara as ou can possibly put on a model’s lashes to make them look chunky, thick and crazy. It’s not for streetwear, but it’s just when you think you have enough mascara you go back and add another coat to make it WAHHH! It’s three or four layers, and we don’t comb them through. The idea is to get them so chunky that from the runway they won’t look like they are spikey, thick and weird. We always use ProLash Mascara because it goes on thick, once it dries it builds really thick to the next coat. — Victor

Our last two looks are inspired by the Photoshaped series of runway looks MAC’s Web site. WE LIKEY!

Onerary

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Inspiration behind the look:
-A woman in perfect candlelit lighting

The focus of this look is skin, and getting it to look as it perfect as it would during a romantic candlelit dinner with a single candle. “We want the girls to look almost Photoshopped,” says Victor. There’s lots of golds, warm-based browns and glowy skin.

MAC’s look for Onerary:
– Face: Pearl Cream Color base
– Eyes: Bare Study Paint Pot, Layers of Pro Lash Mascara
– Cheeks: Emote from the new Smoke Signals Collection
– Lips: Terra Cotta Lip Gelee

615 Project

Like Onerary, the look created for 615 Project echos the Photoshaped trend. The eyes have warm browns with a glossy center lid.

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Inspiration behind the look:
-A woman that’s traveled the world

MAC’s look for 615 Project:
– Eyes: Cocomotion Pigment on inner eye, A brown Cream Color Base on outer eye, Coffee liner (Victor’s favorite brown liner)
– Brushed up brows set with Brow Set
– “Fashion Show Lashes” with Pro Lash Mascara

Scenes from the runway

Once again, I did my best photographer impression and hung out in the pit once more so that I could get some runway pictures. Here they are!

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A hello and special thanks to Jason from the house photography crew for the tips, Patty over at Soybaby.com and the ladies at Antiquitypress.com for being such groovy company in the pit.

And because I fancy you (yes you), there’s also a video for you to enjoy as well.

But wait! There’s more! Here are Makeupandbeautyblog.com’s SAN FRANCISO FASHION WEEK RANDOM FUN FACTS …
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Bags of LifeSavers Gummies eaten:
2
Pieces of Orbit Gum chewed:
Approximately 14
Best makeup night:
Saturday. I wore Ricepaper on the brow bone, Woodwinked on the lid and into the crease, Blacktrack on the upper and lower waterline, two coats of 2000 Calorie Waterproof mascara, MAC Bronzer on cheeks, Subculture Liner on lips covered with Clear Lipglass
Average amount of sleep per night:
4
Favorite song to listen to when driving to and from SF:
“Watcha gonna do when you get out of jail? I’m gonna have some fun …” Genius of Love, by Tom Tom Club
Weird banana incidents:
One. On Saturday I found a banana on my passenger seat of my 4Runner. I don’t remember putting it there, because I don’t eat bananas in the car (too stinky). I still have no idea where it came from.
Conversations with Russian couture gown designers who spoke no English:
1
Favorite MAC runway look:
Vindy Co!
Favorite designer:
615 Project. That khaki coat is soooooo mine.
Could not have made it through without:
El Hub, who carefully explained the difference between 18 and 55 mm lenses and gave me this sound photography advice when I started FREAKING OUT – “Just take a ton of pictures, damnit! You’ll be fine!” Oh, and these weird chocolate Special K protein bars helped too. They saved my perpetually hungry ass.
Best part about San Francisco Fashion Week:
Using my travel journalism skills in a different setting and genre. Learning new skills that I hope will help me become a better blogger and journalist.

WOW. I am exhausted but so glad that I got to participate in SFFW. I learned a lot and met so many great people. Next stop? The Macy’s Passport Fashion Show in September. Hope to see you there!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.
Didja miss any of our other coverage? Say it ain’t so! If you just can’t get enough of San Francisco Fashion Week, here’s more … just for you, cause you so crazy.

Dinner with MAC folks!
Excitement. Drama. And doughnut cravings from the first night of coverage!
Behold, looks galore from the second night!
Some vids of backstage and the runway for you visual learners!

Next on my agenda…
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Videos – Backstage at San Francisco Fashion Week, Friday Montage

August 25th, 2007 by Karen Leave a Comment

A video of Friday Night Backstage at San Francisco Fashion Week

Getting the models ready in the MAC tent…

Product Review – Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder in #2

August 16th, 2007 by Karen 13 Comments

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Oh, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. How much do I love thee? If I could I would probably make out with you and then hold you tight as you slept next to me … I would even let you steal the covers. Okay, not really. But seriously, where would I be without this stuff? Most of the waking world would wonder if I was questionably undead if I didn’t have this wonder powder to keep my dark circles hidden.

Secret Brightening Powder takes setting your undereye concealer to the next level. It’s not exactly a highlighter, but it’s not exactly a face powder, either. Its transparent white color helps to brighten your undereye area, and it contains very fine micronized pigments, which keep it from settling into fine lines.

It looks oh so innocent in its cute little 0.14 oz jar but then brush some on top of your favorite concealer and BAM! It’s like spooky Harry Potter magic happened all up in your face!
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Case in point: here are two pics I took during a tutorial I did a week ago. If undereye circles could speak, these purple devils would tell you that I was up till the wee hours watching mind-rotting reality television.
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And here I am after applying Secret Brightening Powder with the MAC 217 Brush over a layer of MAC Select Moisturecover. Presto-chango, evil purple circles are gone!
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What I liked about it

Full Disclosure: I tried this product a few months ago at a Laura Mercier event and initially I wasn’t wowed by it. I liked it, but I didn’t love it enough to buy it on the spot. After recently purchasing this on a whim at Sephora and seeing it in pics I have really come to depend on Secret Brightening Powder. It’s now a main staple in my daily makeup routine.

The best part of this powder is the texture. It’s so finely milled that it’s barely noticeable, yet it has great staying power throughout the day and keeps my concealer from budging. The second best thing is that it really brightens up my undereye area and makes me look more awake and refreshed without looking too obvious. The third is that I only have to use just a little bit to get great coverage, so I know this small jar will go a long, long way.

What I didn’t like about it

There were no negatives for me, but some might find spending $22 on a such a small jar a rip off. However, if you think about it in terms of daily use, then the price tag is easily justifiable. A little really goes a long way.

The final word

I have nothing but love for Secret Brightening Powder, and if it were ever discontinued I’d first probably have some form of bodily convulsion. Then I’d buy the remaining jars in a three state radius and store them in my closet until the second coming. Seriously, I ain’t lying. Try this stuff … a super-duper Makeup and Beauty Blog Winner!

MAC Makeup – Frankly Scarlet Matte Powder Blush and Russian Red Lipglass

August 14th, 2007 by Karen 10 Comments

I’m scurred of scarlet!

Hmmm…

I was rifling around my makeup yesterday and I found these two lovlies. That’s MAC Frankly Scarlet Powder Blush (bright rose-red matte) on the left and MAC Russian Red Lipglass (intense blue-ish red) on the right.

I put â€˜em on my Christmas list last year and I just realized yesterday that I have no idea what to do with them! I don’t know what I was thinking, because I am usually very color shy when it comes to brights.

I am going to pair the Russian Red Lipglass with heavy black liner on the top lid, but what the heck should I do with the Frankly Scarlet? I don’t want to end up looking like a clown, yowza!

Any ideas?

Product Review – Bespoke Labs T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer

August 13th, 2007 by Karen 19 Comments

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Discovering the Bespoke Labs T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer was one of those rare life-changing beauty moments. Simply put, this hair dryer makes my hard-to-manage hair look fantastic, and gets the job done fast. I’m talking about clouds-parting-angels-singing-good!

(Oh, and for the record I’m no hair dryer blow out amateur. Before I started wearing my hair curly, I blew out my hair two times a week for seven years. Don’t even think about making me take out my round brush, because I can bring it.)

The marketing for the T3 hair dryer makes several better-hair-through-technology claims, which I initially thought was a bunch of broo-ha-ha. It’s made from “100% crushed Tourmaline jewels” which generate “Tourmaline negative ions” and “far infrared heat” which give you the benefits of both 1.) a quicker blow dry with at least “60% faster drying” and 2.) shiny hair because the “negative ions add moisture and sheen.”

Um…what? “It’s just a hair dryer,” I thought to myself. “I don’t expect it to take me to the moon.”

I’m usually skeptical of product marketing that tries to blind you with science, but after three blow outs with the Bespoke Labs T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer I have to say that this piece of equipment just might live up to its hype.

This is you before you the T3:
that-girl-before1a

The Benefits of Ionic Hair Dryers

You’ll often see the key words ions, ionic, infrared heat and tourmaline. So what does all this mean to your sexy-maned self?

Apparently this new-fangled ionic hair dryer technology is everywhere, and there are several different companies that make and sell them at different price points. Some pricier ionic hair dryer brands include BaByliss, Sedu, and of course, the T3. Lower priced brands that you’ll find at Target, like Revlon and Con Air, make ionic driers too.

Ionic hair dryers are all about negatively charged ions. An ion is an atom or group of bonded atoms that have lost or gained one or more electrons, making them negatively or positively charged.

The presence of these negatively charged ions in your hair dryer supposedly make your hair smoother by both closing the hair’s cuticle layer to create a smooth surface and by sealing in the hair’s moisture.

I’ve also read that the T3 breaks up water molecules into smaller sizes on the hair surface, which make the water evaporate more quickly for faster drying and penetrate the hair shaft more easily for added moisture.

And this is you after:
after-t3

How is the negative charge created?

Different brands have different ways to create this ionic charge.

Some dryers have an ionic spray coating inside of the dryer’s barrel, and others use ion generators. The T3 relies on tourmaline, a gem that occurs in nature, to generate the negative ionic charge. When tourmaline (pronounced tur-muh-LEEN) crystals are warmed they become positively charged at one end and negatively charged at the other. The T3 actually has the Tourmaline injected into its parts (like the fan and the motor mounts).

Why is the T3 different?

Over time, other dryers with an ionic coated barrel may lose their ability to create a strong negative charge, as the air speed and intense heat can eventually wear off the ionic coating, causing the dryer to lose its ionic and infrared power.

The T3 is supposed to be different because the injection of the tourmaline into its parts allows the dryer a continuous source of ionic and infrared “juice.”

What’s the deal with far infrared heat?

The T3 also is supposed to damage your hair less because it delivers far infrared heat deep into the hair shaft, as opposed to the surface of the hair, to heat the hair gently from within.

What I liked about it

There are so many pluses to this dryer, but the best part is that it gets the job done fast, and now I get an extra an hour and a half every week. It used to take an hour to blow dry my hair with my old hair dryer. With the T3 the time is cut down to 30 minutes. And a good blow out on Sunday means that I won’t have to bother with my hair until Friday — so ultimately, I save 10-15 minutes per day. That’s at least 50 minutes over the course of five days!

Also, the results I get from the T3 are far superior to my old hair dryer, which left my hair birdsnesty and frizzy. I definitely get a smoother, silkier blowout with the T3.

There are a few tiny touches that I really appreciate. The diffuser is shaped perfectly for use with a round brush. There are also rubber “stoppers” placed on both side of the barrel. This keeps the dryer in place and prevents it from falling into the sink, which is what my old dryer would do all the time.

And did I mention that it’s extremely lightweight? So even if you have no upper body musculature a la Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen you can still get your blowout on, girl!

What I didn’t like about it

Obviously the price of this dryer is a big fat pain in the ass. I am still having a difficult time coming to grips with the fact that I spent $200 on a hair dryer, although that was money that I had previously budgeted for makeup. Also, the last time I bought a hair dryer was in 2001, so it was due time for a replacement.

A minor caveat: at 1800 watts, this dryer requires a lot of electricity, so if you live in an older building you may end up blowing the electricity out. My building is old so I knew there was chance of this happening, so I decided to test it out before I started using it.

First I kept my receipt in a safe place, just in case I couldn’t use the dryer and would have to return it. The husband and I turned off all the lights and appliances, and made sure that any open documents on the computers (which are always on) were saved. I then went into the bathroom and waited for El Hub to let me know when to turn the dryer on and off as he tested turning on different lights and appliances in the house. I was relived that the T3 worked fine, although I did notice that the lights in the bathroom dimmed a little bit when I put it on high heat.

One last thing — I’ve read on a few forums and reviews of instances when the dryer spontaneously died out or did not work. The product comes with a warranty, so take advantage of that and register your T3 either online or by mail once you bring it home. And always, always, always keep your receipt in case you need to return it!

The final word

This is an expensive product. There’s no way of getting around that. Makeup and Beauty Blog realizes there are times in life when you gotta count every last penny. So if you don’t want to throw down the money for the T3 (and who can blame you, it’s hella expensive) then check out Revlon Tourmaline Ionic 1875, which is recommended by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and a mere steal at only $29.99.

And although the T3 is an excellent dryer, the mere use of it alone will not get you sexy, silky hair. It’s a hair dryer, not a Christmas miracle. To get a great blow out you’ll still need the rights tools and products (I use a round boars hair brush and Phyto Defrisant) as well as good technique.

Despite the steep price, I still highly recommend this dryer, so start a T3 fund if you think that it could work for you. It’s one of those rare beauty products that actually delivered great results and changed made my life for the better by making it easier. A Makeup and Beauty Blog winner!

Oh! If you want to see the T3 in action, here’s a clip I found of it from the Home Shopping Network. Why they used a model with stick straight hair is a mystery (they should’ve done the demonstration on the girl with the bride of Frankenstein do’ that’s sitting next to her) but I guess there are some things in the universe that shall always remain unknown.

Last night I ended up going to bed late once again! It wasn’t because I was up watching bad reality television – it was ’cause I found my journal circa 2001 while I was looking for some old CDs. I stayed up and read the whole thing. It was weird, I found entries from September 11, my first day at my old corporate job which I held for five years, living with crazy roommates, and meeting El Hubby. There were so many things that I wrote about that I don’t even remember happening!

When I finished reading it I thought, “Wow, am I that much of a mess? I just might be nuts!” Seriously, if you want to have a free and everlasting source of amusement, try keeping a journal, even if it’s just for a few months in your life.

Anyway, we are now off to conquer Monday! Gird your loins, ladies!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Weekend Beauty Roundup – August 4, 2007

August 4th, 2007 by Karen Leave a Comment

Good morning! Grab your cup o’ joe and settle in for The Weekend Beauty Round Up!

A Touch of Blusher reviews Erth Minerals.

Beauty and Fashion Tech breaks down the Lumene Skin Product Line.

Lipstick, Powder and Paint reveals some Summer Bag Basics.

Face Candy extends the Smokey Eye Contest.

Life of a Ladybug test drives Smashbox and Tarte’s cheekstains.

Today my 30 days of obscene cardio begins. My goal is to make it through an hour-long spinning class at the end of thirty days at full tilt cardio (and to also earn a Lauren Merkin bag as a lil’ self reward!)

Have a fantastic weekend, and wear your sunscreen.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen