Urban Decay

Dreaming of Vacay With Wander Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and More

March 11th, 2020 by Karen 15 Comments

I woke up wishing I was on vacation this morning. There weren’t any viruses to worry about, no freaky headlines on the news, or piles laundry to fold, no meals to plan. Ah…

When I dream of vacation, it usually involves a beach, ‘cause I’m a sand, surf and sun girl.

I LIKE ALL THE TROPICAL PLACES, and I’m equally happy at remote, out-of-the-way secret beaches that are only accessible by rickety rope ladders as I am at Disneyland-like resorty beaches with all the accoutrements, including a big umbrella, a comfy chair, a clean bathroom and a snack shack. (Gimme all the snacks!)

Walking down to Hideaways beach on Kauai

A play on sheen, shimmer and shine

You know how when you’re at the beach on a hot day, you’re always kinda sweaty, even if you’re just sipping on strawberry shave ice? Well, that’s what I was aiming for with the base in this look. I wasn’t going for “sweaty” necessarily, but rather glistening. There’s an all-over subtle sheen on the skin (thanks, Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter), paired with bright, shimmery spots beaming from specific areas — the inner corners of the eyes, in particular, and the bridge of the nose. Then, there’s just the faintest amount of shine on the lips, thanks to a bright reddish coral lippie with a creamy finish.

I know I talk about “Char’s” Flawless Filter all the time, but really, it’s that good. I like it just as much as I ever have, and I still routinely say, WHAT THE HELL KIND OF MAGIC IS IN HERE? when I blend it in and look in a mirror.

If you’ve tried it and didn’t like it because you felt like the opalescent finish made you look sweaty, try setting it with a face powder that has a matte or demi-matte finish. For this, I’m a massive fan of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. And Chanel’s loose powder is good with Flawless Filter, too. Both temper the sheen a tad for a purrfect glow.

Cue the contrast

Did ya notice the matte lids and lash lines? Yup, that’s on purpose. I wanted a flatter finish on those areas to play against the intense inner corner highlight, and I’m wearing shadows from the new Wander Beauty Wanderess Escape Palette, which has a mix of matte, shimmer and glitter shadows in warm, summery shades of brown, bronze, gold and peach (there’s also a pop of teal in there). If you’ve ever fallen in love with any of the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess palettes, I think you’ll like it.

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A Springy Purple and Orange Makeup Look Inspired By Purple Rain

March 3rd, 2020 by Karen 19 Comments

prince purple rain — When the Purple One inspires your look

The first time I saw Purple Rain I was eight, and it was at my friend Peachy’s slumber party.

Peachy’s mom let us pick out whatever movie we wanted at the video store (this was right after she took us to Chuck E. Cheese, of course, where I killed it at ski ball), and I’m 100% positive she had no idea what the movie was about when she rented it.

Even though none of us understood what was going on when we watched it, we knew that Prince was in it, and that’s all we really needed to know. To this day, the soundtrack from the movie is one of my favorite albums of all time.

I don’t care pretty baby, just take me with you.

To take it a step further, the colors on my Purple Rain tee (thanks, Target) inspired this orange and purple makeup look…

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The Urban Decay Wired Palette Gives Color an Electrifying Jolt! (Swatches)

February 20th, 2020 by Karen 3 Comments

A few years ago, Urban Decay released a pressed pigment palettes similar to Wired, their newest neon offering, but Wired will not make your brain short circuit while you’re blending it.

UD identifies which colors can be worn on your eyes and which can’t right on the compact.

Everything is mapped out, and the total package is concise and clear.

The Wired palette is part of a larger limited edition collection of florescent liners and lipglosses, and it’s currently available now.

From the Urban Decay website…

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
A 10-pan palette of pressed pigments in shockingly bright yet ultra-blendable shades for face, eye, and body.

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW
Go electric with the Wired Pressed Pigment Palette, a 10-pan lineup of velvety-smooth pigments that deliver insane color payoff while being super blendable and buildable. Experiment with these hyperpigmented shades or dip into Glitch, a pure white hue, to transform bright shades into ultra-modern pastels.

OH, YEAH, IT’S ALSO…
Cruelty-free

Fill Weight: 10 x 1.2 g POIDS NET / NET WT. 10 x 0.04 oz

Urban Decay is 100% cruelty-free.

Side note: I see makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts creatively using palettes with shades labeled “for use on eyes only” on their lids all the time, and I swear the model in the UD promo picks looks like she’s wearing the red from the “Face & Body” side on hers…

There’s a reason why companies choose to mark some shades as “approved” for use on the eyes while others aren’t, and in most cases, it’s due to the use of ingredients that aren’t approved for use on the eyes.

All I can say is what I’ve done and what I’ve seen…so what’s the moral of this makeup tale? Answer: You do you, baby boo!

Sooo, I kinda love all the color blocking on the model’s eyes in the promo pic, and I might try that look just for fun, but generally these colors are a bit cray for me during this season in my makeup life. I do love the idea of doing something wearable by applying one or two of the shades with a wet angled brush as winged liner, and I’ll probably also apply a bit of white underneath one of the brights to punch up the color even more!

And, hey, maybe one day I’ll actually stumble upon an occasion to paint my body and finally sport a lively lime green on my booty or a crazy crimson on my elbows. If, and when, that occasion arrives, it’ll be electrifying. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

February 7th, 2020 by Karen 23 Comments

1. Earl Grey

I like mine with milk and ? honey…lots of honey. I’ve been downing it daily, sometimes twice, and I’m freaking out a little because I just made myself a cup and realized that I’m out of tea now…

I think I’m low-key addicted!

2. Sparkly pencil eyeliner

In particular, anything with tiny flecks of glitter, because when you buff out the liner, it’s so sparkly! And, seriously, it’s the easiest way jooj up weekday work makeup.

urban decay oil slick swatch — See the sparkles? LOVE.

3. Morning affirmations

You are 100% permitted to call me corny, because this video sounds like something b-list comedians would make fun of on Saturday Night Live, but listening to positive affirmations first thing in the morning helps. A lot. I repeat them internally while I’m washing my face, brushing my teeth, getting changed and making my bed. Gets the day started right.

4. Cats on my couch

Cats make a house feel like a home, amirite?

Everyone should have at least one content kitty on their couch at any given moment. Currently, there are two napping on mine…

5. Level Up by Ciara

I feel like Ciara is so underrated, man. This song is about learning from your mistakes (I think) and having the strength to get over your fears. Also, that beat is bangin’! I have it on my running playlist.

What have you been loving lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF.

Greens and Grays

January 29th, 2020 by Karen 18 Comments

Raise your paw if you ever get stuck in color combo ruts.

I FEEL YOU!

So, lately I’ve been trying to wear color combos that I normally wouldn’t think to pair together, but it’s hard to break out of old habits, man. Like with this green and gray look. I naturally want to wear greens with warm brown, so it was a little challenging to go against my nature and swap the brown for gray.

I ended up liking how it turned out, though, so yay for makeup experiments! I’m getting a springtime vibe from it… Only 51 days till winter is over.

There’s a ton of sh*t happening on the lids, I know. It’s A LOT of color. I started with a mid-toned matte gray in the crease, then blended a shimmery green on the lids and lower lash lines, finishing with a darker blackened green on the outer corner and a bright light green on the lower waterline (I think it pops against the darker colors). And lots of mascara, of course.

Makeup worn in this look

Eyes: NARS Eyeshadow Primer in Medium (all over lids), Viseart Netural Matte Palette (matte gray shade in crease), UD Born to Run Palette (green is Wanderlust and Big Sky mixed together and applied with a wet brush to lid and lower lash line); the dark greenish blackened gray in the outer corner is Jet, Drift and Radio mixed together), Urban Decay liner in Freak (lower lash and water lines), IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara (lashes), MAC Brun and Omega (brows)

Cheeks: Clinique Cupid Blush, MAC Hush (highlighter), Hourglass Radiant Bronze Light (bronzer)

Base: MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour in Medium Plus and MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick in NC42 (foundation), Estee Lauder 24H Concealer in Medium Deep Warm (concealer), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden (powder)

Lips: Estee Lauder Raw Sugar Lipstick topped with Hourglass Horizon Lipgloss

Coywolf’s snow story

When I dropped off the Coywolf at school one day this week, I couldn’t help but notice some new artwork on the classroom wall. Last week the kids all got to take turns dressing up in an Olaf snowman costume and discussing snow, and the teacher took pics. I had one of those, “This is definitely my child” moments when I found Connor’s…

I like the part where she talks about ice cubes on her head, ha ha ha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Glittery Green Gradient Wings: A Quick and Easy Holiday Makeup Look

December 11th, 2019 by Karen 16 Comments

Current dilemmas du jour?

What to do with the five pounds of lemons Rosie’s former foster mom gave me (she has a tree in her yard that produces a RIDICULOUS amount of lemons).
What’s some festive and colorful holiday makeup that won’t take me till Valentine’s Day to finish? (I’m only half-kidding.)

As of yet, I still have no clue what to do with the lemons (ugh, lemon bars and lemonade? Maybe some kind of lemon marinade?), I figured out a trick to flying through different colorful looks.

And here it is…

Play with your winged liner. THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS!

Like with this look here with glittery green gradient wings. It was surprisingly quick and easy to do.

The step-by-step

Start by drawing your winged liner with a dark green matte liner as the base (I used Urban Decay Mainline). Be as subtle or dramatic as you like.
Then, for a bright shimmer POP, layer a bright green glitter in the center (I’m wearing Urban Decay Stage Dive) on your lash line.
Lastly, to create a color gradient, dip an angled brush into a black eyeshadow (MAC Carbon for life!), and pat that on top of the outer portion of your wing.

Green goes well with warm browns and peaches, which is what I’m wearing on my lids, lips on these cheeks in this look. If you want to be more adventurous, however, pink would be a playful complementary color… I’m just sayin’. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Monochromatic Makeup: Playful Pinks, and a Play on Cat Eyeliner

December 6th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

mac steady going lipstick k smile — Inspired by this pink sweater!

I was inspired to do this monochromatic pink look by this quilted sweatshirt I found at the Eddie Bauer outlet store for 50% off (!).

I can’t remember the last time I walked into an Eddie Bauer store, but there’s one of their outlet stores at Vintage Oaks in Novato, and El Hub wanted to check it out one day to look for a jacket, which he found…and I found this. It’s incredibly soft, and I love the color.

I almost didn’t use any brushes for this look. I used my fingers to press the pink glitter eyeshadow on my lids and to pat the pink cream blush on my cheeks. Really, the only brush I used was an angled eyeshadow brush, which I dipped in a dark brown shadow to diffuse the edge of the liquid black cat eye liner (Tom Ford, baby!).

Speaking of the liner, next time you want to flip the script on your cat eyeliner game, try this: after you finish your cat eye flicks, line the inner corner of your eyes with the thinnest, skinniest line you can get away with.

urban decay glitterrock

Then line the outer portion of your lower lash line with your liquid liner, and connect the inner and outer sections by smudging the most infinitesimal amount of a coordinating eyeshadow color.

If you like to geek out over makeup, this is a fun way to do something a little different with your liner.

mac glitter rock
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What I Wore this Week: 3 Looks With the Urban Decay Naked Honey Eyeshadow Palette

September 20th, 2019 by Karen 13 Comments

urban decay naked honey swatches — Playtime with this Queen Bee

Herald the trumpets, because I actually wore eyeshadow this week…repeatedly. ?

I KNOW.

I wore the new Urban Decay Naked Honey Eye Palette a few times and was surprised by the variety of eye looks I was able to do with it. Before I tried to test its limits, I didn’t expect it to be as versatile as it turned out to be because there isn’t a ton of variation among the shades, but you can actually do a lot of different things with it!

Like…

Look 1: “Tropical vibes”

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Honey Eyeshadows in Sweet (lightly buffed all over the lid as a base), Hive and Drip (crease), Honey (lash line to crease)

Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Loaded (upper lash and water line), Heartless (inner corner), Ether (lower water line), Psychedelic Sister (lower lash line)

Mascara: It Cosmetics Lash Blow Out

Brows: NARS Brow Perfector in Komo, MAC Brow Set in Clear

Blush: Kosas Papaya 1972 High Intensity, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Give Me Sun

Foundation: MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick (as an all over base), Zoeva Authentic Skin in 200W Genuine (cheeks), Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation (around mouth)

Face Powder: Nada

Lipstick: MAC Love Me Lipstick in Let Them Eat Cake (purple lips); MAC Love Me Lipstick in French Silk (neutral lips)

Look 2: “Crimson and chocolate”

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Honey Eyeshadows in Swarm (lightly buffed all over lid as a base), Hive and Drip (crease), Sting (outer crease), HBIC (lash line to crease)

Eyeliner: MAC Teddy

Mascara: Chanel Dimensions de Chanel

Brows: NARS Brow Perfector in Komo, MAC Brow Set in Clear

Blush: MAC Fleur Power Blush buffed out with MAC Sun-Soaked Strip Bronzer

Foundation: MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick (as an all over base), Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation (cheeks and around mouth)

Face Powder: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden

Lipstick: MAC Love Me Lipstick in My Little Secret, MAC Lip Liner in Cherry

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