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The LORAC Ooh La Lace Palette Makes Me Feel Ooh La La

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lorac ooh la lace

CAUTION: Seductive palette ahead.

LORAC’s lurvely Ooh La Lace palette ($36), the latest piece from the brand’s fall collection of lingerie-inspired delectables, has been wooing me with its smoldering selection of baked eyeshadows in neutral and smokey shades of beige, gray, black, peach, bronze and brown.

Want big, bedroom eyes? Lucky for you if you do, because LORAC chose the colors they put into the palette to create eyes just like that.

But that’s not all this palette has. I also see versatile, wearable colors here capable of going out for drinks with the girls after work.

LORAC infused these matte and shimmer shadows with plenty of pigment to spare. Most of them gush with vibrant color, and all of them blend like a very good dream, clinging to my lids all day long while admirably resisting creasing and fading.

When I do a look with more than two of these shades, my blending brush barely has to touch the surface of my skin to transition from one shadow to the next. I have a feeling this palette’s gonna be great for girls who either don’t have much time to get ready in the mornings, or who could use a little help when it comes to blending (or both).

lorac ooh la lace

lorac ooh la lace
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I’d Gladly Stay Awake Till Sunrise for This Vibrant Sula Beauty Lipstick

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sula beauty awake till sunrise lipstick

Just how pigmented is vibrant orange Sula Beauty Lipstick in Awake Till Sunrise ($8)? Well, if I were ever going to scribble a note on a bathroom mirror with a tube of lipstick, I’d use it, because “YOU’RE MINE FOREVER!!” scrawled on a mirror in sheer baby pink just doesn’t have the same impact.

This — THIS! — is what I’ve been hoping for from the Sula Beauty line. Creamy reddish coral Awake Till Sunrise totally hits it out of the park (think MAC Hibiscus), and I wouldn’t be surprised if it and the other lipsticks in the line skipped right past “Go” on their way to the Drugstore Makeup Hall of Fame. 🙂

Not only did Sula peg the price at a reasonable $8, they omitted the parabens and phthalates, refrained from testing on animals and loaded this particular shade with so much pigment that it could easily pass for department store.

Awake Till Sunrise even feels more expensive than it is, with its creamy, moisturizing and slightly thick texture. For a minute there, I almost forgot it wasn’t a Chanel Rouge Coco.

sula beauty awake till sunrise lipstick

sula beauty awake till sunrise lipstick
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Smile for the Camera with These New Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Trios

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smashbox photo op eye shadow trio

You don’t have to be a photography nerd to appreciate these new Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Trios ($28 each), but it wouldn’t hurt if you are. For gals familiar with the photographic arts, the 16 trios in the line, each with three coordinating powder eyeshadows, have fun photography-related names like Aperture and Telephoto (I’m surprised they left out ISO and Bokeh).

For the past couple of seasons, I’ve been a little unsure about Smashbox’s eyeshadows. I thought many of them were hit or miss, and I’ve had issues with texture, fallout, wear time, blending and pigment. These new ones, however, are restoring my faith in the line.

I’ve been having a blast with two of the trios this week, Multi-Flash (a trio of nude pink, peach and taupe) and Mega Pixel (a pink, raspberry and plum). First things first — no fallout (yay!). The colors in each trio deposit pounds of pigment yet remain easy to blend. Plus, they’ve been lasting all day long on my oily lids without creasing or fading. 🙂

smashbox photo op eye shadow trio mega pixel
Mega Pixel
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Nuance Salma Hayek Beautiful Blends Eye Quad in Smokey

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Nuance Salma Hayek Beautiful Blends Eye Quad in Smokey, $8.49.

What do you think of the colors? I’m feeling the green.

Nuance Salma Hayek Beautiful Blends Eye Quad in Smokey

For more on the Nuance Salma Hayek line, check out…

Burberry Beauty Lip Cover in Nude Cashmere No. 26

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Burberry Beauty Lip Cover in Nude Cashmere No. 26 ($30), one of eight items in the new Burberry Beauty Autumn Winter 2011/12 Collection available next month at Burberry counters.

Are you a fan of nude lippies? I love ’em!

The Burberry Beauty Autumn Winter 2011/12 collection includes…

Fresh Glow, a golden hydrating luminizer with a dewy finish, $48
Sheer Eye Shadow in Midnight Brown No. 21, $29
Eye Definer in Golden Brown No. 06, $27
Effortless Mascara in Midnight Brown No. 02, $28
Effortless Mascara in Midnight Blonde No. 03, $28
Lip Cover in Nude Rose No. 25, $30
Lip Cover in Nude Cashmere No. 26, $30
Lip Definer in Rosewood No. 07, $27

That New Nuance Salma Hayek My Secret Super Moisturizing Body Cream Drenches Dry Skin Isn’t a Secret Anymore

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nuance salma hayek body cream

Some words just belong together, ya know? — like “super” and “secret,” especially when the super comes before the secret.

Maybe that’s why I keep wanting to call Salma Hayek’s new Nuance Secret Super Moisturizing Body Cream ($14.99) “My Super Secret” body cream instead. 🙂

Of course, it’s no longer a secret; this cat’s out of the bag, as it and the other products in the new Nuance line of makeup, skin and hair care are available now exclusively at CVS/pharmacy stores.

I applied the cream before bed both nights last weekend, and color my dragon scales impressed! Not only has it soothed and smoothed the thirstiest parts of my bone dry bod (my legs, ankles and elbows), it even gets a paws up from Tabs.

Salma’s cosmetologist grandmother whipped up the secret sauce herself, or so the story goes, to nourish, relieve and restore dehydrated skin. The tube lists a bunch of plant-based and natural ingredients (many of them up near the top of the list) like shea butter, honey and macadamia nut oil.

nuance salma hayek body cream
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Outfit of the Day, Vol. 5: Basics with a Twist for a Casual Date

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Last week for date night El Hub and I went to the market! — the farmers’ market, in the nearby town of San Rafael.

Now, style icons like Carrie Bradshaw can probably strut down pot-holed streets and weave between vegetable stands in five-inch Manolos and marabou feather coats without skipping a beat, but I opted for more casual comfort in a tank top and jeans.

And basics, of course, don’t have to be sloppy or boring, not with the help of a few easy accessories.

Spruce Up Jeans and a Tank Top with…

  1. A tote bag in a fun print — This spacious blue and white one from Kate Spade is perfect for sightseeing because of how much it holds — everything from my wallet, to my camera, my makeup and all the late-summer produce I love (peaches, pluots and plums, yes please!). Plus, the colors match my jeans and top.
  2. A pair of colorful shoes — Don’t these dark purple Seychelles sandals pop beneath the outfit’s blue and white? Their comfy, low heel makes them perfect for standing in long lines at the kettle corn booth. 🙂
  3. A large textured scarf in neutral colors — Temps are falling around here after dusk, but it’s not cold enough yet for a jacket. This wide, striped scarf doesn’t just add texture to the outfit; it also doubles as a light wrap when there’s a chill in the air.


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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, August 22

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  • 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 three years, which I guess makes this somewhere around Vol. 182. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
  1. Mood:

    2. Getting better by the second. I’m still a little groggy from staying up too late last night (two words: True Blood!), but I spent some time writing in my journal this morning. I worked on a list of things I’m thankful for, and lists like that always put me in a good mood.

  2. One thing displayed/posted on the front of your fridge?

    3. A refrigerator magnet with a picture of a guitar, a banjo and a fiddle; above them is a caption that reads, “Country Music: Branson, MO.” The funny thing is that I’ve never been to Missouri, and I can’t remember when/where I got the magnet.

  3. Your favorite pair of earrings?

    4. These dangling silver feather earrings by Kris Nations. My mom gave them to me for my birthday. 🙂

  4. What are some of the projects you’re working on now (professional or otherwise)?

    5. To totally rearrange my home office and implement a better way to store my gadget gear and photography equipment, and to get in better shape (an ongoing project).

  5. One of your most memorable moments of 2011 so far?

    6. Visiting the MAC Innovation Centre in Toronto earlier this year. That was definitely something I’ll never forget. Speaking of MAC, the Bloggers’ Obsessions Collection will be going, going gone soon, so if you’ve been considering bringing home one any of the products, you might want to move on them sooner than later.

  6. Vegas, baby! — yea or nay?

    7. Yea, but only for a maximum of 72 hours at a time. I’m not a big gambler, so I start getting antsy after spending a few hours in the casinos. I do love the shows, restaurants, buffets (ZOMG! The Bellagio’s buffet is the TRUTH!), spas and shopping, though, but even those get kind of old after a while.

  7. When was the last time you watched an outdoor fireworks display?

    8. I honestly can’t remember. I didn’t see one last Fourth of July, and I don’t remember seeing one the year before that. Hmm… It’s been a while.

  8. Your favorite weeknight quickie meal?

    9. This delicious pasta in avocado basil pesto dish I’ve been making lately. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and even though it’s veggie, El Hub thinks it’s great.

  9. Eyes/Lips/Cheeks:

    10. Nothing yet, but I see some products from the MAC Me Over collection in my immediate future…

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. I’m just trying to keep things simple this week by concentrating on my food and exercise plans. I’ve been logging everything into the My Fitness Pal iPhone app, which I love. Thanks for recommending it, by the way.

Good morning, cutie patootie. 🙂 Guess who started watching True Blood on her laptop late last night in bed (allegedly, I was only going to watch it for 10 minutes). An hour later…

It was quite the bootylicious episode, wasn’t it? Hasn’t there been a lot more man bum than usual this season? No complaints, of course. I’m just sayin’.

Let me know how you’re doing this morning by filling out this week’s Monday Poll, and feel free to share your thoughts on that scene from True Blood with Alcide (you know the one I’m talking about).

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



1. Mood:
2. One thing displayed/posted on the front of your fridge?
3. Your favorite pair of earrings?
4. What are some of the projects you’re working on now (professional or otherwise)?
5. One of your most memorable moments of 2011 so far?
6. Vegas, baby! — yea or nay?
7. When was the last time you watched an outdoor fireworks display?
8. Your favorite weeknight quickie meal?
9. Eyes/Lips/Cheeks:
10. Weekly goals:

You have a great week, okay? And I’ll try to do the same.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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