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Burt’s Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey & Grapeseed Oil Hand Creme Knocks My Nose for a Loop

October 23rd, 2011 by Karen 14 Comments

burts bees thoroughly therapeutic honey grapeseed hand creme ingredients

Every year I shamelessly use fall as an excuse to justify stocking up on certain things — things like boots, hats, lip balms (gotta have one for every jacket!) and, of course, hand creams.

Burt the BeeTo wit: even though I probably already have enough tubes of hand cream to last me through the next ice age (stashed in the car, on my nightstand, on my desk, in every purse…), I still couldn’t resist bringing home Burt’s Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey & Grapeseed Oil Hand Creme ($10).

It’s been around for a while, but I’d been so enamored by another one of Burt’s products, his Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme (which I still love despite how long it takes to absorb), that it took me this long to branch out.

True to form, Burt’s bees kept Thoroughly Therapeutic 99% natural, incorporating honey and hydrating grapeseed oil, and they were kind enough not to test it on animals.

burts bees thoroughly therapeutic honey grapeseed hand creme tube-1
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There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Product Reviews, Skin Care Keywords: burt's bees

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

October 23rd, 2011 by Karen 6 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup
The following events are based on a true story…

I slew a mighty beast last night, a beast that had been terrorizing the good people of Santa Monica for years, and to show their gratitude for my act of selfless heroism, the townsfolk brought me Pinkberry. 🙂

I was hired to hunt down the creature, which the children in the town referred to as the Vomiting Triceratops, after it built its nest on one of the region’s most sacred sites, a place known as the Pink Berry.

The stakes were high. The Pink Berry was the area’s only source of top quality yogurt, and without it, the people were getting weaker by the day…

I picked up the creature’s trail in a valley called the Third Street Promenade…a narrow gorge buffeted on both sides by steep Nike Stores and Asian fusion restaurants.

That’s when I saw it — standing as still as a statue on a small grassy knoll.

The Vomiting Triceratops.


The fearsome Vomiting Triceratops


I made my move!


With the creature defeated, the people rejoice…

Luckily, it was easier to defeat than I thought it would be because it didn’t move an inch. It just stood there, perhaps paralyzed with fear. 🙂

In other news, it’s Day 2 of The Beauty Social. Sorry I haven’t been able to post anything about the event yet, but I will. I’ve been taking lots of notes. I just haven’t had time to prep the pictures.

Wasn’t this a pretty good week for makeup and beauty? I liked the Tom Ford Beauty stuff, even though it seems needlessly expensive.

How about you and your week? What was your makeup/beauty highlight?

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

MAC Creme in Your Coffee MAC UNSUNG HEROES
CRÉME IN YOUR COFFEE LIPSTICK

So maybe you’re tempted to try darker MAC lippies like Dubonnet and Paramount but haven’t worked up the courage? No worries. I totally get it. If you’re not accustomed to seeing yourself in dramatic lip colors, a bout with “transitional shades” could help. Somewhere between the bolder colors you eventually want to wear and the colors you’re already comfortable in, transitional shades can help you push your limits while easing you into something bold.

Say your game plan is to work your way up to fall’s darker browns, reds and plums. Crème in Your Coffee ($14.50) lipstick, today’s Unsung Hero, could be a great place to start. Read more…

China Glaze Let It Snow Collection for Holiday 2011 CHINA GLAZE THINKS
WE SHOULD LET IT SNOW

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but China Glaze is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

You’ll have to set down that Halloween candy corn for a minute, though, but don’t worry. I have a holiday candy cane and a cup of eggnog for you instead. Yes, it’s time for another holiday collection, and this one’s from China Glaze.

Even though winter is still months away, I say Let It Snow — as in the new 12-piece collection of festive polishes coming soon from China Glaze (about $6 each). Read more…

A Few Fab Fall Foundations A FEW FAB FOUNDATIONS FOR
FLAWLESS SKIN THIS FALL

As much as I love easy, breezy makeup and tinted moisturizers in summer, I always look forward to fuller coverage products, darker colors and matte textures each fall.

There’s a season for everything, and for me, fall means dressy, dramatic, and oh so much fun — like moody lipsticks, darker nail polishes, cozy fragrances and seductive smokey eyes.

Here are a few drugstore foundations to go with your fabulous formal makeup looks this fall. Read more…

NARS Pondorosa Cream Eyeshadow I PINE FOR MORE TIME AND NARS
PONDEROSA CREAM EYESHADOW

I can’t even remember the last time I finished everything on my daily to-do list. Let’s see — when was that again? Maybe six months ago?

But no matter how poop-tacular it is to be as busy as we are, I try not to let it get my inner optimist down. Being busy, after all, is a good excuse to streamline your makeup routine, which can be a lot of fun, especially when it leads to products like the new NARS Podorosa Cream Eyeshadow ($23; from the Holiday 2011 collection).

After moseying through last weekend wearing this glossy, glittery golden brown shadow, I can safely say that it’s almost everything I’d want from a creamy brown. Read more…

NARS Miss Liberty Blush YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GLOW QUIETLY WITH
NARS MISS LIBERTY HIGHLIGHTING BLUSH

Let’s band together, fellow makeup revolutionaries, and declare our freedom from big chunks of glitter! — because we, the blush lovers of the world, have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of a subtle glow.

And this year, victory is ours! Demure, shimmery cheeks are just a NARS Miss Liberty Highlighting Blush ($27) away. After you don a few layers of this sheer, shimmery peach, don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel the urge to raise your fist, power-to-the-people style. I did (and then quickly lowered it when I remembered how long it’s been since I shaved my pits, whoops!). Read more…

Tom Ford Beauty Sahara Haze Eye Color Quad THE TOM FORD BEAUTY SAHARA HAZE
EYE COLOR QUAD WOULD CATCH ANY SULTAN’S EYE

Today, like wavering rays of light on a distant desert dune, the Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Sahara Haze made me doubt what I was seeing.

“Is it a mirage?” I wondered, sweeping the taupe shade into my crease. “Could it really be this good?”

At one point this afternoon I think my heart, which was booming like a timpani at both the beautiful quad and its exorbitant $78 price, actually did skip a beat. Few things in this world ever make me feel that way. Great makeup is one of them; glazed doughnuts are another.

Flawless, I tell you. Like a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed. So glowy. So pigmented. So melty and delicious. Read more…

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Box of Gems BARE ESCENTUALS BAREMINERALS HOLIDAY 2011 SWATCHES
THIS BOX OF GEMS HAS THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GLOW

“Calgon, take me away…”

I had one of those moments today, but my escort away from drama wasn’t Calgon. It was Bare Escentuals, with their new bareMinerals holiday collection of bright, shimmery colors in kits with names like Things That Make You Glow.

Today was a little challenging. It got off to a good start, but when Tabs found out that I’m heading out of town this weekend, he went ballistic, unleashing a litany of diva demands, all of which he wants met by the time I leave on Friday.

I finished the easy ones — making arrangements for his favorite pet sitter, bringing one of the zinnia plants in the house, programming the Tivo to record Cats 101 — but then it got tough. He also wants an XXL kitty ascot (has to be silk) and a two-day supply of organic, gluten-free, non-GMO gravy. Read more…

Tom Ford Violet Fatale Lipstick TOM FORD BEAUTY VIOLET FATALE
LIPSTICK CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION

I’m a firm believer in the motivational might of makeup as a reward for a job well done, and drugstore mini-hauls after a hard day’s work are a favorite of mine, but sometimes, like after a really monumental achievement — graduation, a new job, reaching a long-term goal — you might want to go even bigger than that.

Big like Tom Ford Beauty’s pricey princess, Violet Fatale Lip Color ($48).

A vivid purplish pink, it makes me feel like a superhero version of myself — bolder, brighter, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound!

Okay, well, maybe not that last one…but I do feel a lot better with it on. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 6 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun Keywords: weeklyroundup

Hey, Sugar

October 23rd, 2011 by Karen 6 Comments



Some eyeshadows from the Sugarpill Cosmetics booth at The Beauty Social to start your morning. Happy Sunday! 🙂


One of the Sugarpill girls… love her smile and her pink hair

There are 6 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Photo

She Bangs, She Bangs

October 22nd, 2011 by Karen 9 Comments


Looking extra Lloyd Christmassy!

(Glasses by Warby Parker.)

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty

MAC Unsung Heroes: Twig Lipstick

October 22nd, 2011 by Karen 21 Comments

mac twig lipstick

We interrupt our regular schedule of dark fall lipsticks to bring you this important message about trees…

Wait — did I say trees? I meant twigs. 🙂 Rather, a twig, as in MAC Twig Lipstick ($14.50), today’s Unsung Hero and another one of my favorite transitional shades.

QUICK REWIND: What are “transitional shades”? They’re what I like to call colors that help bridge the gap between the vivacious shades you want to wear (yet might not feel ready for), and the shades you feel most comfortable wearing now.

Say it’s one of the dark, rich lipsticks we see a lot in fall, something like a full-on vampy red. If you feel the urge to go there but haven’t quit mustered the courage, an approachable lipstick like Twig could walk you a little further down the path to your ultimate destination.

It’s a little like Crème in Your Coffee (another great transitional shade), except a smidgen lighter and a little more pink than brown; I feel like Twig’s semi-matte finish gives it a slightly more formal, more conservative, vibe than Crème has with its subtle sheen.

mac twig lipstick
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There are 21 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Lips, MAC Makeup, Unsung Heroes Keywords: mac, unsungheroes

These Biore Makeup Removing Towelettes Prove That I’m Not Always in the Mood for Green Tea

October 22nd, 2011 by Karen 21 Comments

I had a Pavlovian response to these Biore Makeup Removing Towelettes ($8 for 30 wipes) when I spotted them at the drugstore the other day… I saw the words “with Green Tea” on the packaging and reflexively reached for the box.

I thought, “Gee, I like green tea.” Sounds like a match made in heaven.

After checking myself and making sure I wasn’t just thinking about getting them because they contain green tea — I had just run out of my MAC Wipes — I placed them in my cart.

The cleansing rinse-free makeup wipes are also, according to Biore, supposed to be able to handle waterproof mascara. Full of hope, I thought, “We shall see.”


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There are 21 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Product Reviews, Skin Care

Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora!

October 22nd, 2011 by Karen 509 Comments

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Lovi.! Congratulations, Lovi! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Win a $50 Sephora eGift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog
“Marbled sides and pantaloons.” That’s what I call my tabby when we teleconference over the Skype Kitty Cam.

Rise and shine, morning glory! 🙂 It’s a beautiful day here in Blogville. The data packets aren’t colliding, my cameras are charging, and I just finished painting my nails.

I’m really looking forward to The Beauty Social this weekend. I haven’t seen much of Santa Monica yet, just the little bit I saw out the window on the 15-minute drive to the hotel from LAX last night, but it was dark, and I was very sleepy at the time…

The panel I’m participating in, How to Turn Beauty Blogging Into a Career, isn’t until tomorrow, so between now and then I plan to just look around, check out the waterfront, drink lots of tea, attend some of the other sessions (and take good notes to share, of course), track down a Pinkberry, and just have fun.

Here are some of the sessions I’d really like to attend…

  • Expert Trendspotting Secrets Revealed: How do you spot a trend? Beauty and fashion editors discuss how they became expert tastemakers and share their picks for the top trends in 2012.
  • So You Want To Be a Guru? Your favorite gurus give their secrets on how to succeed in the cutthroat world of online tutorials.
  • All In The Family: Annie and Maggie Ford Danielson of Benefit Cosmetics share what’s in store for the next generation of this beloved brand.
  • Brown Girl Beauty Uncensored: Hair, makeup, and skin care tips for Beauties of all colors.

The event starts soon, so I’d better start getting ready. I hope you have a nice weekend lined up. Swing by the blog to say hi every so often when you can. I’ll be checking in often and posting updates, per usual.

Now, since I have your attention… 🙂

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Win a $50 eGift card from Sephora" title="Win a $50 eGift card from Sephora

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

  • There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, have you ever been to Los Angeles? Are you doing any beauty maintenance today (painting your nails, plucking your brows, shaving your toes…)? What nail polish are you wearing? — you get the idea.
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/rrcr0D

  • The deadline to enter is Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
  • Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
  • A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
  • Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
  • Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. International winners may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
  • The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
  • Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, and don’t jet before you enter The 2011 Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway. If you haven’t yet, it’s something you don’t want to miss. It’s easy, it matters, and that huge pile of products from MAC, Clinique, Make Up For Ever, Estée Lauder and Bobbi Brown (click here for the full details) needs a good home.

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Lovi.! Congratulations, Lovi! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
There are 509 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun Keywords: giveaway

Becca Lost Weekend Collection: Wild Honey Mineral Blush

October 22nd, 2011 by Karen 3 Comments

How sweet! Becca Mineral Blush in Wild Honey, $32.

There are 3 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Photo Keywords: becca

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

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