Tom Ford Beauty

Teal Liner Gives Me Wings! A MAC Bangin’ Brilliant Face of the Day

July 12th, 2016 by Karen 30 Comments

mac bangin brilliant fotd — Wearing some MAC Bangin’ Brilliant today!

Can I just say, it took all of my strength to NOT wear nude lips with this look today, but I dug deep and busted out a glossy, orangey red instead. Thank you, babe, for giving me strength!

You know, it’s funny…but this is basically the same look I’ve been rocking for the last five months or so — winged liner, lashes and lipstick — but with slight adjustments, and it’s kind of amazing (and I forget this sometimes) how a few simple tweaks can turn something routine and basic into something new and different.

mac bangin brilliant fotd k1 — Hey, girl, haaaay!

When I did my winged liner this morning, instead of doing a teeny, tiny kitten flick in basic black, I used a teal eyeshadow (worn as an eyeliner) and exaggerated the flick a little more than usual.

Then for my lashes, instead of using mascara, I grabbed my good ol’ trusty Ardell Demi-Wispies (which I’m able to put on in my sleep now, for reals).

And for my lips, instead of going the nude route, I reached for a glossy reddish orange gloss.

mac bangin brilliant fotd swatches — Summery teals and oranges, yum!

Most of the key products I used for the look are from MAC, with a couple of items from the new MAC Bangin’ Brilliant collection.

Remember Teal Appeal, that teal I was drooling over yesterday?

Yeah! I managed to get it on my lids sooner than later (small victories!), and that’s what I’m wearing on my lash lines. I’m also wearing MAC Bangin’ Brilliant Blush in Bright Response on my cheeks.

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Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom and Velvet Orchid Lip Color

July 5th, 2016 by Karen 24 Comments

tom ford velvet bloom — Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80)

Is this jewelry, or is this makeup? — because sometimes with Tom Ford I just can’t tell!

Do wear it on my face, or do I dangle it from a chain and rock it as a statement necklace? I gotta hand it to Tommy-boy for nailing the whole luxury aesthetic. He’s got it down pat, especially when it comes to limited edition packaging.

Here’s a look at two of the lush and tasty (and expensive) purple and gold tidbits in Tom’s new Fall 2016 Orchid Collection.

The new nine-piece limited edition fall release (yup, fall!) just launched online July 1, and it arrives at Tom Ford counters this August. It’s inspired by Tom Ford’s Black Orchid Eau de Parfum, his first fragrance.

And fragrance plays a big part in the launch, as five of the nine pieces are perfumes, while the other four — two lipsticks and two blushes — are the goodies you can wear on your face.

The Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection includes…

Black Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Nightbloom Powder in Black Bloom ($80)

Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80)

Black Orchid Solid Perfume ($190)

Velvet Orchid Solid Perfume ($190)

Black Orchid Eau de Parfum ($115)

Velvet Orchid Eau de Parfum ($115)

Orchid Soleil Eau de Parfum ($120)

I’m a “smoky eye till I die” kinda gal, so I always look forward to the dramatic eye pencils, eyeshadows and all of that fun schtuff I’m used to seeing for fall. So I’m a little bummed that this release doesn’t include any eye makeup for me to lust after.

tom ford velvet orchid — Tom Ford Orchid Collection Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Strangely, neither of these two pieces here — pearlescent rosy plum Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60) and sheer, cool-toned pink Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80) — give me that same visceral desire that I usually feel for Tom Ford’s products.

Like the Velvet Orchid Lip Color? Yeah, it has all the hallmarks of a dreamy TF lippy, with its deliciously even application throughout, in and around the curves of my lips (none of that patchy nonsense!), its fabulously lighter-than-air formula, and yeah, the color, which is something I can totally see myself wearing in fall, but I dunno… I guess I was hoping for more.

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I’ll Save the First, Last and Every Dance in Between for the Tom Ford Last Dance Eye Quad

June 16th, 2016 by Karen 29 Comments

It’s totally fine if you don’t know the words to Donna Summer’s disco classic, Last Dance, right now, but just know that from this moment onward, whenever I open the Tom Ford Last Dance Eye Quad to marvel at its golden taupe, beige, forest green and glittery midnight blue deliciousness in your presence, you’re going to have to sing the song with me.

Sorry, those are the rules! 🙂

So you’re gonna have to learn the words. Here, you can practice with the video…

When I’m bad, I’m so, so baaaaad!

P.S. When I was in high school, my friend Jen and I would sing Donna Summer songs all day, every day (especially in the car). Yes, I’m a not-so-secret Donna Summer fan.

Now back to the quad!

Somewhere between that first month with Connor, when I was getting, like, no sleep and would go to Panera Bread in my pajamas just to get of the house for 15 minutes (by the way, I was the lady with the unkept hair and dark circles eating the salad and crying), and today, the Tom Ford Last Dance Quad became my go-to Tom Ford eyeshadow quad.

I can’t say that it’s my favorite Tom Ford quad of all time, because upon that pedestal sits the regal Cognac Sable (which, I’ll never understand why, was discontinued!), but it’s definitely up right there.

I love it.

If you lean toward neutrals but also like fun pops of color, you’ll wanna literally AND figuratively dance with this quad.

With higher-end/designer/expensive makeup, in particular, I always feel like if the brand’s charging as much as they are, the makeup had better pass muster.

I ask myself, “Self, is this something I know I’ll be able to wear at least three times a week without getting tired of it?” Because, as you know, there’s a lot of great makeup out there that costs less than $80, and just because something is expensive doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good.

With pricey products like an $80 Tom Ford quad, OK isn’t good enough. It should be so good that I swoon on my fainting couch!

Thankfully (or, perhaps, unfortunately), the Tom Ford Last Dance Eye Quad isn’t just OK. It’s great. I think it’s fantastic for everyday neutral makeup.

That golden taupe? Oh, gorgeous! Whenever I get it on my lids, I feel like I’m discovering golden taupe for the first time. And the beige? It’s that kind of shiny that isn’t frosty, which is one of Tom Ford’s strengths when it comes to eyeshadow. He’s really good at that glistening, high fashion, glossy (but not frosty’80s-style) look.

Yeah, the two neutrals might not be as dramatic as a crazy rainbow glitter duochrome, but there’s no fallout, they’re hella pigmented, they’re a breeze to blend, they last all day long and, to top it all off, they’re abso-freakin’-lutely gorgeous, and I could wear them every single day.

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The Orange Beauty Edit

May 25th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 25 Comments

Orange Beauty Products — A few of my favorite orange beauty products

I LUUURVE orange.

To me it is such a mood- and energy-boosting color… It makes me think of a summer sunset on the beach, when the sun is an orange ball of fire and everything looks magically better in its warm light.

Since orange-toned makeup is my favorite to wear at this time of the year, today I thought I’d tell you about some of my favorite products in this fun, energetic hue, including a couple of non-makeup extras.

Let’s dive right in!

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame ($52)

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte Flame Swatch — Wearing the Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame on my lips, the MADINA Prisma Blush in 03 on my cheeks, and the Essie Nail Polish in Fifth Avenue on my nails

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this lipstick. I don’t know if it’s because it’s called ‘Flame’ (apparently, I have a thing for makeup products whose names evoke fire or places in North Africa… – don’t ask), or because I got it last time I visited my favorite city in the world (AKA the City by the Bay), or because of its perfect point of red-orange that I like to wear no matter the season or time of the day… All I know is that I love it with my heart and soul, and if I had to keep only one lipstick out of my entire collection (oh gawd, the thought of giving up all my lipsticks but one is beyond horrifying… Why did I even go there?!), it would most likely be this one.

The Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame is the lipstick I chose to ring in my third decade on this planet, and it remained pretty much intact through an Italian-style BBQ, two desserts and numerous toasts.

Despite having a bomb staying power, it’s very comfortable on the lips and doesn’t dry them out…

Did I mention that I LOVE it?

Maybelline Color Sensational The Creamy Mattes in Craving Coral ($7.99)

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Mother’s Day Gift Ideas: 5 Fantastic Fragrances

May 3rd, 2016 by Karen 15 Comments

From the left: Gucci Bamboo, Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua, Clean Reserve Velvet Flora, Maison Martin Margiela Replica Lipstick On and Tocca Emelia

There’s something so comforting about hugging mom and getting a good whiff of her scent.

Why is that? Maybe it’s some primal leftover from childhood that never quite leaves you? Hmm, deep thoughts…

Mother’s Day is this weekend! If you’re looking for a gift, here are a few of my favorite mom-friendly scents.

For the sophisticated mom — Gucci Bamboo

Gucci Bamboo is like a perfect pair of nude pumps or a tan trench that goes with everything. For moms with a classic style.

Official notes: Italian bergamot, Casablanca lily, ylang ylang and Comoros sandalwood.

Unofficial notes: A great day at a job you love, cocktails with good friends after a long week, and looking at yourself in the mirror and totally feelin’ your current outfit.

$92 for a 1.6-oz. bottle, available now at Sephora.

For the fun-lovin’ mom — Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua

This playful perfume smells like summers on the beach. If your mom’s a water baby, I bet she’ll love it.

Official notes: Citrus and amber

Unofficial notes: Sand between your toes, saltwater on your skin and endless summer days that lead to sultry summer nights…

$150 for a 1.7-oz. bottle, available at Sephora.

For the no-nosense mom — Reserve Velvet Flora, by Clean

For moms who like their scents on the not-so-sweet side, Reserve Velvet Flora could almost pass for a men’s cologne.

Official notes: Green bergamot, jasmine lily, saffron flower, cedarwood, moss, musk, amber and patchouli.

Unofficial notes: Old books, Sunday brunch on a crisp spring morning, and standing next to your current boy crush and catching a whiff of his cologne.

$90 for a 3.4-oz. bottle, available at Sephora.

For the flirty mom — Lipstick On, by Maison Martin Margiela

A girly-girl scent for moms who never leave home without a tube of red lipstick.

Official notes: Bergamot oil, heliotrope accord, neroli oil, orange flower absolute, orris concrete, galbanum oil, tonka bean absolute, vanilla bourbon extract and patchouli oil.

Unofficial notes: Matte red lips, black cat eyeliner and a single strand of pearls. *meow*

$125 for a 3.4-oz. bottle, available at Sephora.

For the easygoing mom — Tocca Emelia

I think this is a scent for almost anyone of any age. You’ll be tempted to “borrow” this fresh, easygoing scent from mom to wear it for yourself.

Official notes: Watery clementine, loquat fruit, bucchu leaves, fig leaf, geranium coeur, magnolia tree leaf, amaryllis, Kadota fig, maté absolute Paraguay, bison gross, florentine orris, praline, ambrette seed absolute and coconut water.

Unofficial notes: Chatting on the phone with your best friend and laughing at all of your inside jokes, long walks in the afternoon on a sunny spring day, and your favorite maxi dress.

$68 for a 1.7-oz. bottle, available now at Sephora.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday, friend. 🙂

Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon: With These Shadows, the Honeymoon Period Lasts and Lasts and Lasts…

February 16th, 2016 by Karen 34 Comments

tom ford honeymoon — Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon ($80)

Competely proven, statistically verifiable facts (well…) about the new spring Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon…

It costs $1 BILLION!
OK…it’s more like $80, but it feels like a billion dollars because we’re only talking about four eyeshadows.
Studies show that upon applying any of these four luminous shades, nine out of 10 people exhibit the following symptoms: their eyes roll back in their head, they bite down on their fist and scream, “OHHHH!” in sheer ecstasy. The tenth person just face plants directly on the ground from a standing position.
You could probably live without it (LIES!!!).

I mean, seriously, there are so many things (price notwidthstanding) about this quad that make me want to do the snake in my chair. In terms of texture, finish and wear time, it knocks it outta the park.

tom ford honeymoon swatches — Swatches of the Tom Ford Eye Quad in Honeymoon (for reference, as you may or may not already know, I’m a MAC NC42)

It’s as if Tom probed my mind like a creepy makeup alien from The X-Files (have you been watching the new ones?) and molded all of my lusty eyeshadow dreams into these pans. When I load my brush with these shadows and apply them to my lids, the pigmented powders glide, blend and buff like they were put on this planet solely to make my makeup life easier.

A few days ago, I got it into my head to use the palette, and it was a day when I didn’t have a lot of time to get ready. No joke — I had my eye makeup all blended and done in less than five minutes, and even though I blazed through everything, I didn’t have to clean up anything under my eyes.

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Tom Ford Holiday 2015 Noir Color Collection

November 5th, 2015 by Karen 26 Comments

There should be a video embedded in this post. If you can’t see it, you can click here to watch it on YouTube.

So, the Tom Ford Holiday 2015 Noir color collection. I mean, really, it’s not like I was going to do a freaking cut crease with these products. The collection has smoky eyes written all over it!

And when I realized that, of course I had to do a little wiggle dance in my chair, because nine times out of 10, I’ll pick smoky eyes over just about anything else, so thank you, Tom, for helping me indulge my natural smoky eye makeup tendencies. Sending you matte lipstick kisses from across the Interwebs. 🙂

Cream and Powder Eye Color in Night Sky ($66)

Five of the seven pieces in the limited edition release, which is available now online and at Tom Ford counters, are eye products. The other two include a black nail polish and a re-promoted matte pinkish nude lipstick from the permanent line, and for extra fancy effect, all of them even have special limited edition packaging (see how the caps are black instead of the regular dark brown?).

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Neat and New to Me: Tom Ford Metallic Mink Eye Defining Pencil

October 20th, 2015 by Karen 25 Comments

Neat and New to Me

Unlike my Unsung Heroes series, which features permanent collection products I’ve known and loved a long time, the Neat and New to Me series showcases permanent collection products that slipped under my radar for a while, but then I discovered them! — and now I think they’re neat and new to me.

The answer, my friend, would be yes. A thousand times yes!

If a roving band of performance artists stopped me one day on the sidewalk in downtown Novato and asked, “Excuse us, miss [yes, they’d say ‘miss’]? Would you mind if we poured this bucket of melted Tom Ford Metallic Mink eyeliner on you to cover your entire body from head to toe like a fabulous coat of golden purply bronze?” I’d say yes, even though it would be hard to clean up, ’cause it would look fabulous.

tom ford metallic mink swatch — Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil in Metallic Mink

All I have to say about this eyeliner is “Get outta my dreams; get into my car! — and grab me a backup while you’re at it, yo!” Metallic Mink looks SO lovely smudged along lower lash lines, especially with reddish browns or purply brown eyeshadows on your lids.

It’s a shimmery golden bronzed brown eye pencil with a slight essence of purple that comes through every once in a while, and it’s the closest thing I’ve found to BECCA’s fabled Cabrera liner. Although it’s not an exact dupe, it’s close enough to warrant a ticker-tape parade and a pair of naked baby angels playing harps. 🙂

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