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Have No Hot Pink Fear, Laura Mercier’s Gel Lip Colour in Dollface Is Here

January 30th, 2012 by Karen 32 Comments

laura mercier dollface (3)

The scenario: weekend brunch with the girls. After a short stack of banana pancakes, three cups of coffee and two solid hours spent laughing, chatting and catching up, it’s time for a quick touch-up before heading out. If you happen to pull hot pink Laura Mercier Gel Lip Colour in Dollface ($22) from your purse, what happens next could sound a lot like this…

BFF: “Ooh!”

You: “I know, right? It’s Laura Mercier’s Dollface lipstick.”

BFF: “LOVE the color, but I dunno… Do you think I could ever wear something that bright?”

You: “Oh, yes! For sure! It’s way more bark than bite. It looks super bright in the tube and goes on like a really sheer, shiny hot pink, but when it mellows out it looks like a lip stain.

“I like it… I don’t like having to reapply it every hour or so — that’s kind of a pain — but it’s very hydrating, and my lips are dry, so it’s great for that. Oh, and it tastes and smells a little like vanilla, which I like.

“Here, wanna try? I promise I don’t have cooties. 🙂 Wipe the tip on that napkin over there… And use my mirror.”

Next thing you know, grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s after brunch gets put on the back burner, and you and your girls are making a beeline for the nearest Laura counter so they can pick up Dollface, too.

Yes, I speak from experience.

Beyond its uncanny ability to inspire sudden changes in plans, Dollface also possesses the power to seduce wearers into thinking that it, and the rest of Laura’s Gel Lip Colours, are among the slickest, lightest weight, most comfortable lipsticks you and your lips have ever kissed.

laura mercier dollface (4)

Dollface doesn’t just feel smooth. It feels smoove…like that time you “accidentally” ate that bowl of buttercream frosting you were supposed to use for the cake you baked and then, as you licked the smooth, rich frosting from your lips, realized that — holy wow! — there was a ton of butter in that.

Again, I speak from experience. 🙂

And maybe I’ve watched way too much Masterpiece Theater lately, but I think there’s also something very Downton Abbey about Dollface, especially after about 20 minutes, when it settles down and the shine gives way to a soft, pink stain with a careless whisper — wait, did I just say “careless whisper?” — of sheen. I can totally see the Crawley girls wearing it whilst sipping tea, or perhaps while touring the gardens on a hazy spring day.

Seriously, does the sun ever come out on that show?


[Continue reading…]

There are 32 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Laura Mercier, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: laura mercier

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 205

January 30th, 2012 by Karen 54 Comments

  • You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
    Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
  1. Mood:
  2. Optimistically mellow… 🙂

  3. Flashback time! We’re going all the way back to the winter of 2002. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing 10 years ago?
  4. That would have made me 26, so let’s see… I was four months into a new job working in the legal department at a big public utility and living with a roommate in San Francisco’s Richmond District (five minutes away from the beach!).

    It was the happiest I’d been in a while. I finally had a steady job again and a great roommate after working a string of temporary gigs and living in less-than-ideal situations. And things got even better a few months later when I met El Hub.

  5. Are you naturally athletic?
  6. Good gawd, no. Not when it comes to projectile sports. I was the person in P.E. who’d run away from the ball whenever it was thrown in her direction. In my defense, part of it was because I was nearsighted but didn’t really figure it out until I was 16.

    I’m okay when it comes to running, but that’s about it.

  7. Three makeup or beauty-related things you’ve been loving lately?
  8. Anything and everything moisturizing, like Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Tiger Lily, Laura Mercier Gel Lip Colour in Dollface and Pacifica French Lilac Body Butter (in LOVE with this since I picked it up at Sephora on Saturday).

  9. Three other things you’ve been loving lately?
  10. My pink and black plaid Victoria’s Secret pajamas (complete with matching slippers), the nice weather we had last weekend, and Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Vanilla Tea.

  11. Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
  12. It depends. I’m more of an extrovert, but I withdraw when I’m tired or sad.

  13. Something you feel too old to wear?
  14. Let’s be honest here. Sh*t happens, and yes, there are some things I feel too old to wear, like short shorts, mini skirts and anything with tons of ruffles and/or zippers…

  15. Do you blog? Why or why not?
  16. I do! I do it because I enjoy writing, photography, makeup, being theatrical and whimsical, and getting to know interesting people like you.

  17. What’s the least amount of sleep you can fully function on?
  18. Six hours. Anything less and I’m a foggy-headed grumpy goat.

  19. Weekly goals:
  20. Email and call a couple of old friends to say hi, go through the stack of magazines piling up in the living room, and try a new recipe or two.

Hey, hey, happy Monday! I hope you had a nice, relaxing weekend, friend. As usual, mine wasn’t long enough, but I was able to go for a long hike on Saturday with El Hub, and I still feel recharged from that.

There’s just something about spending time outdoors that always perks me up, ya know? I went to this place near my house called the Indian Valley Open Space Preserve. If you’re ever in the area with some time on your hands, there are some beautiful trails, even a tiny waterfall (home to a bunch of salamanders, El Hub excitedly pointed out!), and a number of friendly horses and horseback riders.

I don’t know how ready I am yet for today, but I’ll hang tough if you do. Please take a minute to touch base and say hello in today’s Monday Poll.

  • To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.



1. Mood:
2. Flashback time! Do you remember where you were and what you were doing 10 years ago?
3. Are you naturally athletic?
4. Three makeup or beauty-related things you’ve been loving lately?
5. Three other things you’ve been loving lately?
6. Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
7. Something you feel too old to wear?
8. The least amount of sleep you can get by on?
9. Do you blog? Why or why not?
10. Weekly goals:

Jeez, last Monday of January already? Let’s make it a day to remember.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 54 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

She’s a Fashionista

January 30th, 2012 by Karen 4 Comments


The new Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Fashionista, $10.50. Available now at drugstores.

I’m feeling that pop of yellowish green in the middle. How ’bout you?

There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty Keywords: physicians formula

Self Portrait

January 29th, 2012 by Karen 2 Comments


There are 2 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Photo

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 176

January 29th, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

Tabs for Essie Bluebird Nail Polish

Back from Vietnamese food for din-din, and now I’m freshly showered and ready to watch the next episode of my latest TV obsession, Downton Abbey!

“…my latest TV obsession.” I must type that phrase at least five time a week.

Anywho, Tabs finally talked me into giving it a try, and I’m so glad I caved because it’s 10 shades of great. It’s filled with royal politicking and machinations, just like life with Tabs. 🙂

The reason he wanted me to watch it is because he’s actually a guest star on the show. Yep, he plays a groundskeeper in a few of the episodes who takes care of the family’s extensive 4-acre zinnia garden.

I’m just about to fire up the next episode, so I gotta run. Feel free to hit me up in the comments if you’d like to Downton Abbey dish.

But first! — highlights from Tabs’ kitty modeling work this week. He had shoots with Essie, Burberry, Tarte, Estée Lauder and Hourglass.

Tabs for the Burberry Cat Carrier

Tabs for Tarte Tabby Tummy Tint in Rainbow Trout
[Continue reading…]

There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun Keywords: tabs

Tarte Maracuja Blush & Glow Could Use a Dash More Blush and a Tad Less Glow

January 29th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

tarte maracuja blush & glow (4)
Wearing Tarte Maracuja Blush & Glow in Sunlight on my cheeks

Aha! I knew I’d seen this unusual suspect before…

Tarte’s new Maracuja Blush & Glow line of tint and highlighter duos has been giving me major déjà vu. They look and feel awfully similar to a couple of my tried-and-true loves from NARS, namely the Multiples ($39) and Illuminators ($29).

Available now at Sephora stores and online for $32, each Blush & Glow comes with a Tarte Tint at the tip and a Luminizer in the tube.

Passion fruitMaracujá oil comes from passion fruit seeds, and Tarte added it to the Maracuja Blush & Glows. They say it delivers a high dose of essential fatty acids and vitamin C to the skin when applied.

As similar as I think these are to the Multiples and Illuminators, I wouldn’t call them dupes. Their counterparts over at NARS do seem to pack a little more pigment and feel a tad smoother to me, but after giving all three Blush & Glow shades a try, I will say this: they’ve got game.

The Tint tip performs like a cream blush on bare skin or atop foundation, while the illuminating Luminizer, aka a liquid highlighter, bestows a shimmery glow to the tops of cheekbones, along brow bones or when added to foundation.

Shimmery champagne Candlelight appears to be the neutral babe in the bunch; cool-toned shimmery pink Moonlight should work well for gals who like the way they look in cool-toned pinks; and Sunlight, a warm shimmery peach, is just begging to play with warmer skin tones and tans.

I gave each of them a try on bare skin and then atop foundation, and I thought they did much better with foundation. On bare skin, the colors skipped town after about an hour, but they held their grown for 5 hours on top of foundation.

Part of me loves natural-looking cheeks, and that’s the part that adores the subtle glow I get from these duos. I also like how I can apply and blend them with my fingers. It’s just nice not having to use a brush, and it saves time for more important things, like emergency trips to See’s Candy, Target, Trader Joe’s and Petco (Tabs has been all about dried catnip lately) — or other times when I need to look presentable in a rush.

tarte maracuja blush & glow (5)
Tarte Maracuja Blush & Glow from the left: Sunlight, Candlelight and Moonlight

tarte maracuja blush & glow (6)
From the left: Sunlight, Candlelight and Moonlight
[Continue reading…]

There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face, Makeup, Product Reviews, Tarte Keywords: tarte

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

January 29th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Good morning, fellow beauty babe. How’s it going today? Did you do anything fun yesterday?

I didn’t get to a whole lot of the things I wanted to get to around the house yesterday, like housecleaning and grocery shopping, but I did manage to go for a nice hike with El Hub. Fun took precedence over function.

Oh, what do you know about cat cafes…? Yes, this is completely random, but if you come by very often, you’ll know that’s sort of par for the course around here. 🙂

So about cat cafes, apparently they’re popping up all over Japan. They’re places where you pay a reasonable fee for the privilege of spending some time with cats. Here’s an interesting article about ’em (complete with pretty kitty pictures!). Seriously, someone needs to open one here in the U.S. because I know at least a few hundred cat lovers who’d be regular customers, myself included, even if it meant upsetting Tabs… He’d probably say I’m cheating on him.

In other news, here’s a trend (you have to click your region after the link) I never thought would ever again see the light of day. I saw these recently on the American Apparel site.

I remember wearing HUGE bows back in the day… Every girl in my seventh-grade class had one in her hair.

I don’t know, though. Are these supposed to be for grown women? I’m a little confused (and yet intrigued). 🙂

As for food trucks, remember last weekend when I mentioned wanting to make it to Off the Grid (the local food truck jamboree)? It was raining here during the last one, so I missed it, but it’s supposed to be sunny today.

Wish me luck!

A few beauty posts that caught my eye…

  • How to prevent eyeshadow fallout — Kajal Couture
  • Nail art brushes: having the right tools for the job — The Nailasaurus
  • LOVE these cool iPhone cases — society6
  • The Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Grège 734 — The Beauty Look Book
  • Tips to overcome procrastination (I’ll try ’em later, LOL!) — the99percent
  • How to use your camera’s Aperture Priority (sometimes called AV) mode to create awesome blurry background effects — Running on Happiness
  • Four words: Hunger Games sugar cookies — Fictional Food
  • How to cover practically anything on your skin from pimples to red patches — Beauty Editor
  • Good knight! a England’s Order of the Garter is a gorgeous blue nail polish — Nihrida
  • Gotta love a good makeup book: Makeup Makeovers in 5, 10, 15, and 20 Minutes — Jennysue Makeup
  • The relationship between acne and food — The Beauty Department

MAKEUP MONSTER: BRONZER BUGBEAR

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Makeup MonsterFREQUENCY: Rare
SPEED: Slow
ARMOR CLASS: 9
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Bronzer Bugbears are huge, slathering ogres with a taste for bronzer. They consume it for the talc and silica, which they need to survive, and also like to roll around in it like elephants do with mud.

Bronzer Bugbears are able to sense the presence of bronzer within a 10-mile radius, but the exact mechanism by which this sense works remains a mystery (it’s not a sense of smell, since Bronzer Bugbears lack noses). Once within range of bronzer or a person wearing it, they attack! — using a special powder puff that all Bronzer Bugbears instinctively know how to construct. After collecting the bronzer, they retreat to their lairs to eat it in peace.

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: Huge (12′ tall)

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Makeup Monsters

Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Burberry Beauty Spring/Summer 2012Summer in Britain With Burberry Beauty

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes for Spring 2012Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes for Spring 2012

Burberry Beauty Pale Barley EyeshadowBurberry Beauty Pale Barley Eyeshadow in No. 22

MAC A Shade of Red for Every HeartMAC A Shade of Red For Every Heart

Burberry Lip Cover Lipstick for Spring 2012New Pink Burberry Beauty Lip Cover Lipsticks

Essie Navigate Her Nail PolishesThe Essie Navigate Her Nail Polishes

Estee Lauder Illuminating Perfecting PrimerEstée Lauder Illuminating Perfecting Primer

Estee Lauder Pure Color BlushesThe Estée Lauder Pure Color Blushes

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun Keywords: weeklyroundup

Casual Dress Code

January 29th, 2012 by Karen 11 Comments

The new Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Casual, $10.50. Available now at drugstores.

I like the colors, but I’m not quite sure what to make of the zipper detail. It almost seems like a bedazzled afterthought, you know?

There are 11 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty Keywords: physicians formula

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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.

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