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Sephora

What I Wore Wednesday, Vol. 9: Purple Wings and Lips

April 19th, 2017 by Karen 41 Comments

urban decay afterdark

It’s been a minute since I’ve worn this much color! It felt SO good though. I was inspired by a picture I saw of model Ruby Rose on Urban Decay’s website wearing purple winged liner with matching sparkly purple lips.

So I took the idea and ran with it. I’m wearing a lot of Urban Decay in this look, including their Afterdark Eyeshadow Palette.

urban decay afterdark

[Continue reading…]

There are 41 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Makeup, Sephora, Urban Decay

Today’s Mini Sephora Haul

March 15th, 2017 by Karen 14 Comments

I go in for one thing…

I think I’m at the point where I should just stop pretending that I can go into Sephora and leave with just one thing.

Like really Karen? Who do you think you’re foolin’?

I went in there today to grab a new bottle of Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch-Up Spray, which is THE BEST tinted spray I’ve ever found to temporarily hide gray roots between coloring sessions.

It’s $25, so it’s a little expensive, but it’s the only one of these sprays that hasn’t made my scalp itchy and make my hair feel stiff or look too matte.

Basically, it’s epic, and if I did the math on how many of these bottles I’ve bought over the past few years… Well, I don’t want to do the math because I’d probably pass out on the spot.

So, yeah, I went into the store for this. That’s all I wanted, but of course I also walked out with a bottle of Sephora Perfect Mist Airbrush Foundation in Medium, which has like a billion great reviews on the Sephora website and gets 4 1/2 stars. It’s comes in 13 colors for $28 each.

I was just about to head over to the register to pay for the bottle of Rita Hazan when I saw it and thought, “I’ll swatch a couple, just for fun,” and I probably would’ve walked away if I hadn’t seen it in Medium, which was practically the same color as my skin…but I did see it in Medium.

Oh, well!

My skin has slightly warm undertones (warmer in the summer), and I can’t always find matching foundation shades that aren’t too pink or peach for me.

I’m stoked to try it because I’ve heard it’s like Dior Airflash… which is like $62 BIG ONES. I used Dior Airflash once a long time ago during a makeover, and I remember liking the feel but not the color (too pink).

Hopefully Perfect Mist is a better match.

Have you ever tried Sephora Airbrush? If you have, lemme know. I’m curious.

Oh! I almost forgot. Today for the first time ever I asked a lady if I could take a picture of her tattoo. I can’t post it because I told her that I’d only share it with my brother (he’s got tons of tattoos), but it was so cool! It looked like one of those little Leggo people wearing a black ninja outfit, and it had cat ears. Or it was a Leggo cat woman. Not sure.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Almost forgot… I also left with a sample of Sunday Riley Good Genes, which I actually needed because I’m running low. 🙂

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Sephora

My Favorite Products From Sephora Collection

June 23rd, 2016 by Carolina Braina 31 Comments

Sephora Collection Best Products
Wearing the Sephora Wonderful Cushion Matte Lip Cream in 04 Wonderful Fuchsia on my lips and the Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil in 06 Soft Charcoal through my brows

Poor Sephora Collection!

I feel like it’s the Cinderella of all the brands you can find at Sephora.

I mean, I don’t know about you, but 99% of the times I go to Sephora, I don’t even look at their own brand.

1% of a bajillion times is still quite a few times, though, so over the years I’ve actually managed to find some real gems.

So get ready, Sephora Collection. Polish your glass slippers because today’s your day to shine!

Sephora Collection Best Products
My favorite products from Sephora Collection

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red & 03 Strawberry Kissed ($14 each)

Sephora Cream Lip Stain 01 Always Red Swatch
The Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red is my go-to for holiday dinner parties as it remains pretty much intact even if I end up eating my own body weight in one meal
Sephora Cream Lip Stain 03 Strawberry Kissed
03 Strawberry Kissed is a shade I prefer using in the summer months, and I included it among my five bright pink lipsticks to try this summer

Sephora definitely knows how to make liquid lipsticks, that’s for sure! I’ve tried three different types, and they all rock.

I’ll start with the one I think is the most popular, which is the Sephora Cream Lip Stain.

I have it in two shades, 01 Always Red and 03 Strawberry Kissed, and they’re both equally good.

Even though they’re completely matte and transfer-proof, they’re not overly drying or uncomfortable.

[Continue reading…]

There are 31 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Guest Post, Makeup, Sephora

5 Bright Pink Lipsticks to Brighten Your Complexion and Mood This Summer

June 15th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 33 Comments

Bright Pink Lipsticks Summer
My favorite bright pink lipsticks

My very first lipstick was a bright fuchsia-pink from Maybelline… I can’t remember the name now, but I think it was supposed to have diamond powder in it? (Yeah, right!)

I was 16 at the time, and my best friend Giorgia gave it to me before I left to go to school on the French Riviera for a month. She had the same lipstick, and we used to share it before going out on Saturday night.

Ahhh, good times… 🙂

Since I was a little sad to leave her for a whole month, she gave it to me and said, “Never underestimate the brightening power of bright pink lipstick.”

You know what?

She was totally right!

Not only is bright pink lipstick one of my favorite ways to brighten up my complexion, it also never fails to brighten my mood!

Seriously, try it sometime, and if you need some ideas, here are five of my bright pink lipstick summertime faves.

Bright Pink Lipsticks Summer
L-R: YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche, MAC Lipstick in Fusion Pink, NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry, Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 3 Strawberry Kissed

1. YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in Fuchsia Fetiche ($37)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats 208 Fuchsia Fetiche

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats 208 Fuchsia Fetiche Swatch
What’s my all-time favorite lipstick? It’s YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche.

So, in my Orange Beauty Edit post I mentioned that Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame is the one lipstick I’d keep if I had to give up all of my lipsticks but one, but can I take that back? LOL!

Just kidding! I think I’d still choose that one, as not only is it a great lipstick, but it also has sentimental value for me, because I got it last time I was in San Francisco, which is a city I’ve been completely in love with since I spent a year at Cal as an exchange student.

But my favorite, favorite lipstick of all time is YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche.

I absolutely adore EVERYTHING about this lipstick. I love how luxuriously long-lasting, beautiful and extremely comfortable it is.

Not to mention, I love the shade! It’s the brightest, most gorgeous raspberry fuchsia I’ve ever seen.

Seriously, gurl, if you’ve never tried the YSL Rouges Pur Couture The Mats, I highly, highly recommend checking them out next time you’re at a counter.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry ($32)

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Lost Cherry

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Lost Cherry Swatch
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry has such a lightweight texture that I usually forget I’m even wearing it!

[Continue reading…]

There are 33 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Charlotte Tilbury, Guest Post, Lips, MAC Makeup, Makeup, NARS, Sephora, Yves Saint Laurent

My Current Favorite Liquid Lipsticks

June 9th, 2016 by Adia Goss 26 Comments

favorite liquid lipsticks
Wearing Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold

I’ve definitely tried my fair share of liquid lipsticks (most recently, the NARS Lip Covers), and I love the look of matte liquid lipsticks in general. It’s interesting to me how each brand handles them a little differently.

I first got into them when Colourpop exploded onto the scene with their “Ultra Matte” liquid lipsticks last summer (here are some of my favorites from Colourpop, by the way), but I’ve slowly but surely moved to some more forgiving formulas from other brands.

Here’s a quick roundup of my current faves…

favorite liquid lipsticks
My current go-to liquid lipsticks

Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold ($21)

I just love it when a product lives up to its name! Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold feels super comfortable and lightweight, and the applicator makes it a breeze to neatly apply. The formula doesn’t dry down to 100% matte, but it still stays put through moderate eating and snacking.

The best part, though, is that my lips don’t feel dry at all after wearing this one all day long. If you’re looking for a long-lasting formula that feels good on your lips, definitely check it out. You can find it at Sephora for $21.

Favorite liquid lipsticks
Wearing Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold
favorite liquid lipsticks
I LOVE the Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick applicator!

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II ($20)

The original Kat Von D Lolita was wildly popular and sold out right away, but when KVD made more, the color was different, which led to Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II.

I bought a set last fall that had mini sizes of the original Lolita, as well as Lolita II, and I prefer the sequel because the warm terra-cotta tones make it so easy to wear.

The formula dries all the way down to 100% matte, and it’s more resistant to transferring than Buxom Centerfold. But it’s still pretty comfortable on the lips (available now at Sephora for $20).

matte liquid lipsticks
Wearing Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II

[Continue reading…]

There are 26 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Buxom, Guest Post, Lips, Makeup, Sephora, Stila

The Disney Minnie Beauty By Sephora Collection: Gorgeous Gold and Black Packaging Makes Minnie a Luxe Lass

May 31st, 2016 by Adia Goss 13 Comments

disney minnie beauty by sephora collection
Wearing products from the limited edition Disney Minnie Beauty by Sephora Collection

I’m not even a huge Minnie fan!

Don’t get me wrong, I love Disneyland, and the Disney movies from the early 1990s are seriously a part of my soul, but I’ve just never been one to collect Disney paraphernalia.

My goodness, though, the limited edition Disney Minnie Beauty By Sephora Collection is blowing me away. Now I want to start hoarding all things Minnie.

I’ve been playing with the Minnie’s World in Color Eyeshadow Palette ($45), Minnie’s Black & White Felt Eyeliner Duo ($20), Reflection of Minnie Compact Mirror ($26), Brush up on Glamour – Minnie’s Beauty Tools ($58), Minnie’s Inner Glow Luminizing Blush ($22) and the Perfect Red Lipstick ($15) this month, and I have to say that I’ve been so impressed, both with the quality of the products and, of course, the super cute packaging.

disney-products

disney minnie beauty by sephora collection
That packaging is just gorgeous!
disney minnie beauty by sephora collection
And how cute is this brush set?

Minnie’s World in Color Eyeshadow Palette comes in a sturdy black clutch with gold polka dots, and both the mirror and the eyeshadows are removable, making the clutch totally usable!

There are 20 eyeshadows of varying sizes, and I like the arrangement, like how the middle of the palette has the larger sized eyeshadows in more neutral colors, while the outer rows have smaller sizes for the bolder colors.

Disney Minnie Beauty by Sephora Collection
A closeup of the Minnie’s World in Color Eyeshadow Palette

[Continue reading…]

There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Guest Post, Makeup, Sephora

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Sephora Radiant Luminizing Drops

April 20th, 2016 by Adia Goss 23 Comments

Sephora Radiant Luminizing Drops

The long-running Unsung Heroes series here on Makeup and Beauty Blog features some of our all-time favorite permanent collection products.

Like Jen, a lot of the beauty products I end up buying are things I’ve heard good things about from other bloggers and makeup lovers, and so they aren’t necessarily “unsung.” But I do find myself coming back over and over again to the Sephora brand products, because I feel like, in general, Sephora brand products are super underrated. Like, everything is really good, but it’s just like when you go to Sephora, you’re overwhelmed by everything else, so I feel like the Sephora brand stuff just gets overlooked.  

There’s actually a Sephora right across the street from my job, which is both awesome and horrible, LOL. So, one day on my lunch break, I was just going to the mall to walk around, and I go into Sephora like I usually do to pass the time and see what they have, and I see this little display of the Sephora brand Radiant Luminizing Drops. There’s a pink one, a gold one and maybe a bronzey-colored one ($14 each), and I did a little sample of the light pink one, Starlight, right then on my hand.

sephora-radiant-luminizing-drops

Wow! It was super pretty! It’s this liquid highlighter that’s pink…but it’s, like, warm enough that it actually shows up as pink, and I love pink. It’s my favorite color, especially when it comes to makeup. Like, I’m drawn to anything pink and shimmery, but a lot of times on dark skin, pink, shimmery products appear white and super harsh, so even though I love the color, when it comes to liquid or even powder highlighter, when I see pink, I steer clear, because I think, “This is gonna look super chalky and just crazy on my face.”  

sephora-radiant-luminizing-dropS

So when I tested this on my hand and saw a really pretty soft glowing pink, I thought, “You know what? I’mma just buy this!” And I did! And I love it!

[Continue reading…]

There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face, Guest Post, Makeup, Sephora, Unsung Heroes

The Sephora Formula X #ColorCurators Edition Nail Polishes for 2016

January 13th, 2016 by Karen 13 Comments

sephora formula x color curators
The Sephora Formula X #ColorCurators nail polish shades for January, February and March 2016 ($12.50 each)

How fun would it be to get a call from someone at MAC, Benefit, Urban Decay or Sephora today saying, “Hi, [insert your name here]! We love what you’ve been doing on your blog and YouTube channel, and we want, in the paraphrased words of Queen Madge, to help you express yo’self!”?

Beauty collaborations. Talk about fun! Seriously, who wouldn’t want to work with one of their fave brands to create their very own lipstick (Lipglass), quad or color?

Sephora’s new Formula X #ColorCurators program is Sephora’s latest beauty collaboration. Each month Sephora will release three limited edition nail polish shades either created or curated by a different mover/shaker in the online beauty, lifestyle or fashion space.

To get the program off to a good start are three people you may have heard of before — fashion blogger Aimee Song of Song of Style, beauty vlogger Patrick Starrr (I watch him on the ‘Tube, and all I have to say is “Slaaaaaaay!” LOL! Patrick cracks me up.) and blogger and author Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Aimee’s shades just launched for January, Patrick’s colors arrive in February, and Emily’s shades debut in March.

sephora formula x nude for you
Nude For You, by Aimee Song of Song of Style
sephora formula x sephora formula x patrick she better werk
She Better Werk, by Patrick Starrr
sephora formula x girls best friend
Girl’s Best Friend, by Aimee Song of Song of Style

So, Formula X. Let’s talk about that. First, the line has been around a while and, if you’ve spent any time at Sephora in the recent past (which, I imagine you have, if you’re on MBB, LOL!), chances are their display of jaw-dropping nail colors and nail doodads has caught your eye. It may have also distracted you from buying dry shampoo, mascara or whatever else you originally intended to buy when you entered the store…

It’s OK. It happens to me too. 🙂

sephora formula x latte run
Latte Run, by Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere

I’ve tried quite a few of these and other Formula X colors, and I like them, particularly their levels of pigment, their drying time (about 10-15 minutes, which is reasonably quick) and wear time, but that last one comes with a catch… I think you really have to pair them with the Formula X accoutrements, namely their base and top coats, to get the most wear time out of them.

sephora formula x peach tea
Peach Tea, by Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere

[Continue reading…]

There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Nails, Sephora

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