• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To MakeupMakeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Rare Beauty Is the Real Deal

April 4th, 2024 by Karen 3 Comments

OK, most everything I’ve tried from Rare Beauty has been the real deal. I’m currently using and loving the mascara, liquid liner, pencil liner (it’s a twist up, yay!) and the brow pencil. But dang, the pale pink packaging is a challenge because it gets so gnarly so easily.

Well, at least it does for me.

Maybe you’re much neater than I am, but after a few days of using the products, the pristine pink packaging gets covered in foundation, concealer and miscellaneous bits and bobs of makeup.

The part of me that loves to look at pretty things wants to make more of an effort to keep the pieces looking cute, but my practical side says, “Eh, it’s just gonna get dirty again, so just lean into it and accept that makeup is like life; it’s gonna get messy, and that’s OK.” 😀

Anyway, I’ve been using these products with regularity and they are easily everyday rotation items! No joke, every morning before work I get about five minutes to put makeup on, and the Rare Beauty liners (both the liquid and pencil), the brow pencil and the mascara do a lot of heavy lifting in a short amount of time. The textures and pigment are spot on with just enough oomph but not so much that I have to be careful about my application.

The stuff lasts, too! When I take off my makeup at night, my brows, liner and mascara are still intact with little to no smudging.

I’m usually skeptical about celebrity makeup lines because sometimes it feels like a cash grab, but I really like Rare Beauty because it delivers the goods.

Ya did good, Selena!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 3 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Why I *Still* Love Makeup

August 2nd, 2023 by Karen 9 Comments

Sometimes a little bit of liner means a lot.

There’s been some unexpected big life changes in my world recently – nothing too crazy, just some job-related stuff. Although the most important things are still okay (health, family and having a roof over my head), I’ve been feeling like things are shifting in ways that I would’ve never expected.

I think the main thing is that, well, I’m changing. I’ve been craving stability more than anything, and freelance life is so up and down. It can be emotionally draining.

With writing, I’ve always steadfastly known, deep in my core, that I will always land on my feet, but lately, I’ve been wondering if it’s time to dream a new dream.

I don’t know what that looks like, but I’ve decided to open myself up to the universe and see where things take me.

Anywho, I was thinking about all this yesterday *except* for a brief window when I was at Sephora, exchanging the stick of black liquid liner by Rare Beauty that went wonky on me.

To be honest it’s been kinda exhausting to be all up in my head ALL THE TIME lately, but for the few minutes when I was chatting with the nice sales associate about the pros and cons of brush tip versus felt lip liquid liner, my spirit felt lighter.

It just reminded me that there are some small things that one can always depend on, like a thin swish of black liquid liner on the upper lash line, to always bring you back to center.

Even though I’ve worn very little makeup in the last few years compared to The Before Times (pre-pandemic), I still really, really love it for the stability it gives me.

I might be changing in ways I didn’t expect, but some things, like black eyeliner, stay steadfastly the same. Makeup has always been an anchor for me, and I’ll always appreciate it for that reason.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Checking In: A Surreal Moment at Whole Foods, Rare Beauty Liner Update and Happy Friday

July 28th, 2023 by Karen 8 Comments

I wrote this!

Hi, my friend. I’m back from vacation and typing to you from my keyboard home in the Bay Area.

First things first because apparently it’s a lesson I need to learn over and over again! If you ever anticipate coming home at midnight jet lagged from a flight, chances are you’re going to be starving, so you should probably have a few easy things on hand to eat in the cupboard, just in case.

The other night, when we walked through the door, I totally forgot that I cleaned out the fridge before we left for our trip. We were all ravenous by the time we got home and there was nothing of substance to eat, so Connor and I ended up with Lucky Charms and El Hub had microwaved rice with soy sauce. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done.

Moral of the story is to have just-in-case food around for when you get back!

Anywho, on one of our final days in Hawaii, I had a surreal moment at the Whole Foods in Kahala. We were there buying lychees when I stumbled into the beauty section and found a big hair project I worked on earlier this year on the shelf – a new line of shampoos and conditioners from Everyone.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Karen | Makeup and Beauty Blog (@karenmbb)

This was the first time I saw the collection in a store, so it was pretty cool. I wrote the labels and helped name the products!

Oh, and remember the Rare Beauty liquid liner I raved about last week? I don’t know what happened, but I opened it up a few days ago and the ink was leaking into the cap. BOO.

I mean, the liner brush still works if I clean it off on a tissue, but there’s just so much wasted product! I still have the receipt and am going to see if I can exchange it at Sephora. Will keep you posted on what happens.

Let’s see, what else? Well, even though Hawaii is only three hours behind California time, I’m still feeling jet lagged. This morning, I forced myself to wake up at 7 even though my body felt like it was 4! It usually takes me about a week for my body to get adjusted to a time difference, which feels like a long time. Is it the same for you? Or are you one of those lucky people who can readily bounce between time zones?

Last but certainly not least, I hope everything on your end of the keyboard is going great. Happy, happy Friday to you!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Everyone, Just For Fun, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Hawaii Vacation Beauty Products, Part 2

July 21st, 2023 by Karen 9 Comments

Aloha

LOL to this pic of my head and this palm tree!

I was taking a sunset walk and checking to see if the eyeliner that I had applied earlier in the day — the Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner by Rare Beauty — was still on.

It’s by far one of the best on-the-whim beauty buys I’ve made in a long time! It’s a liquid eyeliner with a long, flexible tip that’s very fine, so it’s easy to draw thin, precise lines — purr-fect for the tiny little kitten flicks I’ve been into lately.

I picked it up on a whim at Sephora before leaving the Bay Area, and it’s stayed on through the humidity, drizzle and, ahem, sweating like a beast glistening on a sunset walk. LOL!

Added bonus, the pigment is rich and dark, so I can scribble a quick line and flick and then be on my merry way.

I applied it earlier in the day and wore it with a cute new hat I bought from Splash Hawaii at the Kahala Mall.

Then I wore it all day, and it was still on after a long and sweaty 45-minute sunset walk.

See the tiny lil’ flick and the thin line on my upper lash line?

I love, love, love it. If you’re looking for a liquid liner that’s easy to use and stays on all day, grab it!

It’s been a while since I’ve seen an Hawaiian sunset (at least a few years), and yesterday evening Oahu reminded me just how stunning it is when the sun dips behind the horizon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Try Pairing Liquid Eyeshadow With Liquid Eyeliner for Lots of Bang For Your Makeup Buck, and More Chat About Hobbies!

January 19th, 2022 by Karen 12 Comments

rare beauty stay vulnerable nearly neutral
Hi there!

Good morning, friend! I’m still on my liquid eyeshadow kick. I’m wearing Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow in Nearly Neutral and Clinique Pretty Easy Liner in Brown. This is my new favorite way of getting of lots of bang for my makeup buck — a liquid eyeshadow and liquid liner combo. It’s not too fussy and at the end of it, I feel very put together, especially when I do a monochromatic makeup look like the one pictured above.

Makeup worn in this look

  • Eyes: Rare Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Nearly Natural, Clinique Pretty Easy Liner in Brown, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (side note: I’m not loving this as much as I used to), Chanel Boy Eyebrow Pencil in Deep Brown
  • Base: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Wheat, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden, Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid in Sand and Rare Beauty Blush in Nearly Apricot
  • Lip: MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in A Little Tamed

Remember a few weeks ago when we talked about hobbies? I’ve been thinking a lot about the conversations we had in the comments, and I’ve decided to start slow and take it easy. My natural inclination is to jump into a challenging hobby, like rock climbing or learning a new language, but since this is the year I’m going to treat myself with extra gentleness and TLC (that’s my plan and I’m sticking to it!), I’ve decided to do something different.

All the hobbies I explore have to be simple, easy and fun. Here’s what I got so far:

Reading fiction purely for pleasure.

I’ve always loved to read, but then somehow along the way I got the idea that if I read a book, I had to review it here on MBB or on social media to make it worth my time. I’m going to let that go. If I really love something and want to talk about, sure, I’ll do that. No pressure, though.

coycoy reading in lady sanctuary
Fun, fun, fun

Listening to podcasts.

I mean, is this even considered a hobby? I don’t know, but I like doing it, and I can listen while I’m walking, doing my hair or washing dishes. My current favorite podcast is NPR Life Kit. I like that the shows are 20 minutes or less and how I always learn something interesting or new. I recently just listened to one on what to do if your car ever gets caught in a flash flood!

Walking.

Sometimes I listen to a podcast, sometimes I just enjoy the sounds around me outside.

sonoma plaza ka walking
Let’s go for a walk!

I’ve also recently bought an adult coloring book! I set an alarm to remind myself to do it every couple days, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.

I think eventually I’ll have more time and more energy to open myself up to hobbies that push me more. For now, I think this is a good start.

Have you picked up any new hobbies recently? Or would you like to talk about a hobby that you do and love? Please let me know in the comments. I think it’s interesting and also very important that we do things solely just for us, and I’m going to make that a priority this year.

I hope you’re having a super Wednesday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

5 Things I Love About Liquid Eyeshadow

January 13th, 2022 by Karen 5 Comments

ilia saie september 202 -k2
From the mascara wand: Saie Mascara 101, Ilia Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment in Temptation, Ilia Clean Line Gel LIner in Dusk and Ilia Liquid Powder Chromatic Eye Tint in Fresco

1. The packaging’s cute.

Plus, if by some weird coincidence one needed to defend themselves using solely the contents of a makeup bag, I feel like chucking an Ilia Liquid Eyeshadow with all my might would do more damage than a pan of MAC Soft Brown, ya know? There’s some weight to those tubes!

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora
Rare Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Nearly Neutral

2. You have SO many options.

You can keep it simple and just wear a single liquid shadow shade as is on your lids, or you can make things deliciously complicated by layering other liquids, creams, pencils or powder shadows on top, aka, the story of my life. How many times have I said to myself, “K-Dawg, we’re just going to use this matte liquid taupe and call it a day,” only to have it turn into a whole thing with cat liner, three shades in the crease and a smudged lower lash line? TOO. MANY.

wander beauty exquisite eye liquid shadow swatches
I went through a phase when I was really into these liquid shadows by Wander Beauty

3. The liquid doe foot applicators.

Seriously, why is the sensation of a doe foot on my lid so soothing? It’s like having a tiny bunny paw lovingly caress my face. I’m also very grateful for the precision that doe foots offer now that my lids are getting more hooded seemingly by the second. I have to be very careful with where I place my color these days, and a doe foot from a liquid shadow offers more control than a brush loaded with powder shadow.

chanel desert wind black wood swatch
Love me some taupe! That’s Chanel Desert Wind liquid eyeshadow, by the way.

4. Eye primer? What even is that?

As someone who’s enthusiastically worn eye makeup for most of her life, I’ve gotta say, in the last 10 years, liquid eyeshadows have just gotten better and better in terms of wear time. I remember in the ’90s and early Aughts how it would just disappear from your lids into some mysterious makeup black hole. Now, there’s so many long-wearing liquids that last from morning ’til night. It’s glorious!

5. There are so many finishes and colors to choose from!

Matte, satin, shimmer, and oh, all of the brights, neutrals and everything in between. The possibilities are endless!

What do you love about liquid eyeshadow, and which ones are your favorites? My go-to shades as of late are Ilia Fresco (a satiny taupe) and Rare Beauty Nearly Neutral (a warm pinkish beige).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Hey, friend! How’s it going? I’ve been deep in a project at work with a deadline that’s just around the corner (this Friday), so I’ve been glued to my chair. Things have been OK on this end, although I’m having major 2020 flashbacks right now because Omicron’s surging in our neck of the woods. We’re doing all the things we used to do ’round this time two years ago–anticipating school shutting down, ordering groceries online, avoiding busy places, desperately searching for paper towels… Same sh*t, different year. Sigh. We’re living in a unique time in history, that’s for sure!

Stay healthy, stay safe, stay fabulous.

There are 5 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Eyes, Ilia, Just For Fun, Makeup, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez, Wander Beauty

Friday FOTD Vibes: Unexpectedly Glittery

January 7th, 2022 by Karen 9 Comments

rare beauty discovery eyeshadow palette

I totally didn’t expect this look to end up so glittery and pink, but hey, it’s Friday, so might as well, right?

I’m using the new Rare Beauty products I picked up earlier this week! As you can see, the Discovery Eyeshadow Palette in True to Myself leans very warm. Not my usual style as of late (I’ve been really into cool tones), but I’m having fun with it.

rare beauty swatches

Did you notice the variety of intensity in the eyeshadows? The two darkest shades (the matte reddish brown and the matte plum) are on the sheerer side, which I don’t mind, because it makes it easier for me to control the level of intensity.

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

I find that as I get wiser in years, I have to be much more careful when I wear darker shadows; if the shadows go too dark and intense, my hooded lids appear heavier. So, I gotta go easy, and build that color slowly, steadily!

rare beauty discovery eyeshadow palette

It’s a rainy, overcast day here in Marin county, so I’m happy to be wearing sparkles. 🙂

I hope your Friday is going great so far!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face of the Day (FOTD), Makeup, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

A 10-Minute Makeup Look With Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

January 6th, 2022 by Karen 23 Comments

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

Yesterday I had a DAY (work has been a little challenging), so I did some therapy of the retail variety at Sephora! I picked up some products from Rare Beauty, a vegan and cruelty-free makeup line by actress, singer (and cooking show host!) Selena Gomez.

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

After reading your nice comments on the 5-minute real life FOTD post the other day, I realized that many of you have the same take on makeup as I do at the moment — you love it, but don’t want to necessarily spend a ton of time putting it on.

That’s why I ended up grabbing a few pieces that I thought would work for fast and fresh looks…

  • Rare Beauty Discovery Eyeshadow Palette — I liked the variety of finishes. Matte, glitter and shimmer!
  • Rare Beauty Melting Blush in Nearly Apricot — This formula is supposed to be kind to dry skin.
  • Rare Beauty Nearly Natural Cream Eyeshadow — A matte, warm beige. It kinda reminds me of MAC Soft Brown, but in cream shadow form.
  • Rare Beauty Dewy Lip Balm in Empathy — Don’t laugh, but I bought this mostly because I liked the name.

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

rare beauty by selena gomez sephora

Have you tried anything from this brand? What do you like/don’t like?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face of the Day (FOTD), Makeup, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

Recent Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 878

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 894

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 892

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 891

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 771

Lady Unicorn

Weird Things I Like to Do

brows fill out beforehand

Before You Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

current bare skin status

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.