• 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

theBalm

3 Proper New-ish Neutral Palettes for Cozy Winter Cuddles

December 16th, 2016 by Karen 16 Comments

thebalm appetit body shop down to earth mineral fusion enchanted
Let the cuddling commence in 3, 2, 1…

Sure, you could snuggle up on your couch with your cat/s, your S.O. or your favorite cuddle baby/buddy and do it without wearing a stitch of makeup on your lids. I mean, you’d be fine. Your hot cocoa will still taste hot cocoa-y, your Christmas tree lights will still sparkle, and your holiday candles will still smell holiday candle-y.

That said, if you do perform said snuggling while also wearing eyeshadow on your lids, you’ll be selfie ready, and you never know when you might want to take a selfie. 🙂

Here are three new-ish neutral eyeshadow palettes that are perfect for a Christmas cuddle session on the couch. Sure, you could rock a glittery smoky eye with a pair of double-stacked false lashes on the couch, but when I think of cuddling under warm blankets and sipping hot cocoa while watching holiday movies with strings of twinkling lights in the background, I think of cozy neutrals like the ones in these palettes.

thebalm appetit eyeshadow palette
theBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette, $39.50

The first one is theBalm Appetit, and it’s $39.50. It comes with nine neutrals, some of them cool-toned and some of them warm.

There’s a lot of shimmery foiled goodness happening in this palette, so if you like your neutrals on the shiny side, this one will be fun.

thebalm appetit eyeshadow palette
theBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette swatches

theBalm’s super soft eyeshadow powders are on finer side (comparable to Bobbi Brown’s), so it’s easy to get the colors to merge into each other without getting muddy. They’re great for detailed looks with well-defined sections of color in the crease, in the outer v and on the lid.

the body shop down to earth eyeshadow palette
The Body Shop Down to Earth Palette, $36

[Continue reading…]

There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Product Reviews, The Body Shop, theBalm

Allow Me to Introduce Matt(e) Hughes! theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick

May 27th, 2016 by Jen Clark 11 Comments

Meet Matt(e) Hughes liquid lipstick
All the men lined up in a row

Meet Matt(e) Hughes.

He’s attractive, feels good on the lips, smells like Thin Mint cookies (LITERALLY, to the tee!), and sticks around even when you sloppily pound down a massive Big Mac and fries!

Let’s ignore the fact that I just made two food references in the first sentence of this post and get to know Matt(e) a little better…

The Balm has come out with these $17 Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick, and I’m a huge fan. They’re extremely comfortable and don’t feel drying at all, which is so rare when it comes to matte lip products. The formula actually reminds me a bit of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cremes.

When applied they’re quite liquid-y and can even bleed a little, so I would use them with a lip liner to prevent that.

Compared to matte liquid lipsticks from brands like Anastasia and Colourpop before, these are quite different. While those formulas remain full-on GLUED to your lips, which some people like, but some people also hate, these can be easily removed and don’t feel so…claustrophobic. In turn, that does mean that they aren’t quite as bulletproof of some of the other liquid lipsticks out there.

Once they dry down to their matte finish, though, they do stay put.

Here’s the kiss test…

meet matt(e) hughes liquid lipstick
Kiss test using “Adoring”

As you can see, they aren’t completely budge-proof, but they are long wearing! (Side note: Why couldn’t I make kiss marks that looked that cute and not like the squid tentacle prints I made when I was busy sending almost every boy in my 5th grade class a “Do you like me? Check yes or no” note?)

I love the color selection too. There’s mostly everything you need, aside from possibly a purple, but I don’t think a lot of people will really miss that though.

meet matt(e) hughes liquid lipstick
Commited
meet matt(e) hughes liquid lipstick
Charming

[Continue reading…]

There are 11 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Guest Post, Lips, Makeup, theBalm

theBalm Holiday 2015 Collection First Impressions

September 30th, 2015 by Karen 13 Comments

thebalm holiday 2015
The two theBalm Holiday 2015 palettes

I hope the holidays are hella balm, girl, because you know what!? YOU DA BALM.

You da balm dot com!

The balm…? Get it??

Alright, alright, I know. Weak word play…but it’s so much fun. 🙂

thebalm in the balm of your hand 1
Yes, I’m actually holding theBalm In the Balm of Your Hand palette ($39.50) in the palm of my hand…

The holidays have officially begun over at theBalm. Their new holiday 2015 collection is available now, and it’s just two pieces — actually, two palettes. One of them is called “In theBalm of Your Hand Greatest Hits Vol. 1,” so you’ll literally be able to hold theBalm in the palm of your hand.

Both palettes are filled with some of the brand’s most popular products, so there aren’t any new colors here. One consists of powder and cream products for eyes, cheeks and lips, and the other contains a trio of powder highlighters.

thebalm in the balm of your hand 2
theBalm In the Balm of Your Hand palette ($39.50)

[Continue reading…]

There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Makeup, Palettes, theBalm, Video

Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick by theBalm

July 13th, 2015 by Karen 41 Comments

thebalm meet matte hughes 1
The new Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipsticks by theBalm ($17 each)

“Ladies and lipstick-loving gentlemen, allow me to introduce my friend here. He’s from theBalm, he costs $17, and his name is Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick. Go on, Matt(e)! Say hi to everyone.”

[THE SOUND OF CRICKETS CHIRPING…]

“Oops, I’m sorry. You’ll have to excuse Matt(e). He’s not much of a talker on account of him being a liquid lipstick with a matte finish.”

thebalm devoted
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes in Devoted

“Matt(e) and I have been ‘friends’ for a few weeks now 🙂 — yes, ever since he showed up in theBalm’s permanent collection — and, well, I thought you might like to meet him because we’re getting pretty serious…”

thebalm sentimental
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes in Sentimental

“Yup, he’s everything my lips have ever wanted — Adoring (a merlot), Loyal (a deep red), Devoted (a bright red), Sentimental (a warm magenta), Charming (a rich mauve), Honest (a warm coral), Committed (a pinkish nude) and Chivalrous (a warm magenta).”
[Continue reading…]

There are 41 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews, theBalm

Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush by theBalm: In This Desert, It Rains Bronzer and Blush

April 15th, 2015 by Karen 11 Comments

thebalm balm desert
thebalm Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush $21

Wha!?

Is it a bronzer? Wait — no. Is it a blush?

Actualmente, Balm Desert ($21) is both. It’s a new reddish tan face powder by theBalm that you can use as both. It works as a bronzer and/or a straight-up blush.

You could probably also use it as a contouring shade, since it leans neutral/cool…

If you already scrolled down and saw the swatch, your pores may be freaking out right now because of what looks like a slight sheen, but tell them to chill out. Balm Desert looks more matte in real life.

I’ve noticed that theBalm’s powders have a light and fluffy quality to ’em that makes them really easy to blend. It also makes them challenging (also known as “messy”) to work with at times, and Balm Desert’s the same way. Running a brush across the pan lifts a lot of product, and messiness may ensue, but you can head it off by tapping your brush against something to unload the excess.

thebalm balm desert
thebalm Balm Desert, $21

[Continue reading…]

There are 11 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face, Makeup, theBalm

‘Cause One Can Never Wear Enough Neutrals: A Face of the Day With the Nude Dude Volume 2 Eye Palette By theBalm

February 27th, 2015 by Karen 38 Comments

A Face of the Day with thebalm Nude Dude Volume 2

I feel like every girl (and every boy who loves makeup; yes, I know you’re out there, and I love you!!!) has a default makeup look they turn to whenever they need to feel just straight-up pretty…and that’s definitely what I needed this morning because I woke up tired today, dude!

For real, I got like two seconds of sleep last night. The wind was crazy loud and howled all night long (“Awooooo!”), which fired up Tabs, who consequently spent the entire evening running circuits around the bedroom, knocking stuff off the dressers, climbing all over my boobs and generally doing naughty tabby things.

That darned cat! If he wasn’t so adorably squishy, I’d be raging mad at him right now. 🙂

I LOVE THIS FOOL

Needless to say, I needed a pick-me-up this morning, so I figured, heck, why not do something makeup-wise that I really like to wear, so I ended up doing my favorite look to wear in the whole wide world — brown smokey eyes, pink cheeks, pink lips.

Yep, mah standby. 🙂

Key products worn in this look, including thebalm Nude Dude Volume 2
Key products I’m wearing in this look

[Continue reading…]

There are 38 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Ardency Inn, Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, NARS, Rimmel, Sephora, theBalm

The New Mr. Write (Now) Eyeliner Pencils by theBalm: This Mr. Right Is Not a Commitment-Phobe

January 30th, 2015 by Karen 25 Comments

theBalm Mr. Write (Now) in Brian B. Beige, Jac B. Bronze, Bill B. Mocha, Wayne B. Olive, Raj B. Navy, Vince B. Charcoal, Dean B. Onyx and Scott B. Bordeaux
The new Mr. Write (Now) Eyeliner Pencils by theBalm ($17 each)

Mr. Write (Now) is not the kind of guy to hit it and quit it.

Um…can I say that on the blog?? I dunno, that might be kind of rude.

Let me try again…

Will you ever meet Mr. Right? Absolutely! In fact, Mr. Write is ready to meet you right now.

OK, that was better. 🙂

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to commit to this new line of twist-up eyeliner pencils by theBalm. Make a note in your diary to meet one of these guys next time you’re near a counter. They’re available in eight $17 shades, with some of them mattes and some of them shimmers (incidentally, they have a built-in sharpener hidden in the bottom of each pencil).

I was surprised my eyes didn’t freak out when I wore Jac. B Bronze on my water lines this week, because they can usually only tolerate MAC Eye Kohls this time of year. My skin gets very sensitive when the air is cold and dry.

Now, as one might expect of an eyeliner pencil called Mr. Write (Now), these guys will not sneak off without buying you breakfast. They want to stick around (nine+ hours). None of them, and that includes Jac B. Bronze, who I’m wearing on my lower lash lines in these pics, are commitment-phobes.

In fact, these long-lasting twist-up liners are so heavy-duty that I have to use an oil-based makeup remover with them. The formula also dries very quickly, so if you plan to do any smudging, don’t dilly-dally.

theBalm Mr. Write (Now) in Brian B. Beige, Jac B. Bronze, Bill B. Mocha, Wayne B. Olive, Raj B. Navy, Vince B. Charcoal, Dean B. Onyx and Scott B. Bordeaux

theBalm Mr. Write (Now) Swatches clockwise from the upper left: Brian B. Beige, Jac B. Bronze, Bill B. Mocha, Wayne B. Olive, Raj B. Navy, Vince B. Charcoal, Dean B. Onyx and Scott B. Bordeaux
Clockwise from the upper left: Brian B. Beige, Jac B. Bronze, Bill B. Mocha, Wayne B. Olive, Raj B. Navy, Vince B. Charcoal, Dean B. Onyx and Scott B. Bordeaux

[Continue reading…]

There are 25 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Eyes, theBalm

Shorty Schwing My Way: theBalm’s Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner Loves Ladies Who Pine for Precise Lines

November 21st, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

theBalm Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner (4)
Wearing theBalm Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner ($17) on my upper lash lines

Winged eyeliner: making my life harder since the dawn of time.

Seriously, though, why does winged liner, particularly winged liquid liner, make me want to scream into a pillow?

The worst is that moment when the teeny wing you wanted — just a small kitten flick — suddenly morphs into a huge, oversized bat wing that reaches all the way up to your temples, and you have no control over the situation whatsoever.

It’s as if the universe invented winged liner primarily to mock us.

Well, universe, screw you and your plans for makeup mayhem, ’cause I just started using theBalm’s Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner ($17), and I am no longer clutching my chair and rocking back and forth. 🙂

theBalm Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner (3)
LOL, the box! This is kind of what it’s like to hang out with my friends Jen and Cindy.

You might think that a look with thin liquid liner and a tiny kitten flick would be easy, seeing as how you’re not using a ton of product, but oh! — those skinny lines and tiny wings are like the makeup equivalent of open heart surgery. They’re just hard, man.

But Schwing is all about control. The felt tip draws skinny matte black lines with the precision of a fine-tipped calligraphy pen. Hugging lash lines is easy.

theBalm Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner (2)
theBalm Schwing Black Liquid Eyeliner ($17)

[Continue reading…]

There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews, theBalm

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

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.