Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Urban Decay Show Pony Palette: What’s Your Favorite Shadow?

November 14th, 2009 by Karen 20 Comments

urban decay show pony palette open

Good morning, ladies. 🙂 How was your night? The only thing I did was go to the movies to see The Box, the new sci-fi thriller starring Cameron Diaz and cutie pie James Marsden, but the highlight was probably the popcorn.

I went expecting a lot since the movie’s based on a short story by one of my favorite horror writers, Richard Matheson (also wrote I am Legend, Stir of Echoes and Hell House), but I thought it was a little slow, confusing and disjointed at parts.

LOVED the ’70s-era styling, though, and left the theater wanting to feather my hair and find bellbottoms and a long silk scarf, fo’ reals!

What are you up to today? I’ve got some household chores (boo), but after those I plan to reward myself with some me time and Urban Decay’s Show Pony Palette ($30).

How do you feel about the packaging? The design’s by Kime Buzzelli, an artist, fashion designer and the owner of the Echo Park clothing boutique.

urban decay show pony 2

It’s limited edition but has been out for a few months already. I wish I’d gotten wind of it sooner because I’m kinda ga-ga over the shadows.

I can’t decide on a fave…

urban decay show pony swatches 1 thru 3

urban decay show pony swatches 4 thru 6

urban decay show pony swatches all

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The palette has six swoon-worthy, shimmery shadows; a travel-sized 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (in Zero) and one of UD’s mini Eyeshadow Primer Potions, too.

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From left to right: 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero, Eyeshadow Primer Potion

If you have eyes for Show Pony (or something else from Team UD), here’s a great deal that’s going on now: Save a whopping 30% with Urban Decay’s online Friends and Family sale (valid through Nov. 20). Enter code “FNFW1” at checkout and hit “Redeem Coupon.” Hey, you’ve been good this year, right? Um, RIGHT? 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Tabby in a Blanket

November 13th, 2009 by Karen 20 Comments

It’s a Miracle

November 13th, 2009 by Karen 5 Comments

No really, it is! MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in It’s a Miracle ($20).

Clinique Black Tie Violets Collection: Swatch Me, I’m Falling!

November 13th, 2009 by Karen 56 Comments

clinique-black-tie-violets-1

‘Twas the night before Saturday, when all through the house
Not a beauty addict was stirring, not even a mouse.

Makeup brushes were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Violet soon would be there.

Behold the real fruits of my Friday night labor! I went all swatch crazy with Clinique’s new Black Tie Violets collection, whee!

Here’s a quick look at seven of the 11 pieces from the collection (a limited edition holiday release).

Let me know if anything pops out at ya. 🙂

clinique black tie violets collection all
Clockwise from bottom: Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Bloomberry, High Impact Lip Color in Extreme Pink, Different Lipstick in Different Grape, Shimmering Stripes Powder Blushes in Tuxedo Plums, Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Black Tie Violets, Brush-On Cream Liner in Violet Luxe and Defining Liner for Lips in Pomegranate

Clinique Black Tie Violets colour surge eye shadow quad
Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Black Tie Violets, $25

Clinique Black Tie Violets shimmering strips tuxedo plums
Shimmering Stripes Powder Blushes in Tuxedo Plums, $30

Clinique Black Tie Violets violet luxe
Brush-On Cream Liner in Violet Luxe, $15

Clinique Black Tie Violets extreme pink
High Impact Lip Color in Extreme Pink, $14
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Clarins Palazzo d’Oro Collection Gives the Royal Treatment

November 13th, 2009 by Karen 24 Comments

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OMG, but I think I lost a Friday.

I seriously lost the day. I must have set it down somewhere late last night, like between my shower and the bed, and totally forgot where. Now, it’s almost Saturday, and all I have to show for it is some holiday indulgence.

Even though I misplaced my Friday, I did find something else: Palazzo d’Oro, the newest limited-edition collection from Clarins.

With makeup products for face, eyes and lips ranging from $24-66 apiece, the limited-edition four-piece release costs considerably more than the average holiday collection, but I think it looks and feels like jewelry.

Substantial, seemingly solid gold cases housing sophisticated colors and luxurious textures — I can see them sitting atop mountains of gems and golden, silver and platinum treasure in a red dragon’s cave or some Medieval king’s treasure chamber!

In other words, if you’re in the mood to splurge, there’s *a lot* to splurge on here. 🙂

Clarins tried to channel Venetian architecture and the light of the city in Palazzo d’Oro’s shimmery gold, brown, beige and taupe palette. I don’t know how they did since I’ve never been to Venice, but I do think they succeeded in creating shades I could wear all day and all night.

What do ya think?

clarins palazzo doro collection jolie rouge gold attraction closeup
Gold Attraction Eye Quartet and Liner Palette, $66

clarins palazzo doro collection gold attraction
Gold Attraction Face Palette, $57

clarins palazzo doro collection jolie rouge gold reflections
Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipstick in Gold Reflections, $24
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Bloggerati Spotlight

November 13th, 2009 by Karen 5 Comments

Rise and shine, morning glories. 🙂 Can you believe it’s another Friday already? Was there even a Tuesday this week, LOL?

While I make myself presentable and crank up the generator that is my coffee-fueled brain, take a moment to warm up with the gals in Daily Makeover’s Beauty Bloggerati.

Beauty tips from Petra Strand of the Pixi Beauty line — A Mom in Red High Heels
Tested: 3 holiday products for your man — Makeover Momma
How to get glamorous waves — Hair Thursday
GROSS! Why you might want to change your shower head, ASAP! — Beauty Blogging Junkie
DIY: A Freida Pinto makeup look — Talking Makeup
Cute! Bling me this eco-friendly jewelry for Xmas — The Jet Set Girls
A quick peek at Shiseido’s Rich Rocks collection for the holidays — Makeup Bag
How to keep your foundation from smearing — Spoiled Pretty
Where’s the remote? NARS is coming to QVC — Product Girl
Even more dry winter skin tips — Beyond Beauty Basics

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Did Too Faced Lashlight Mascara Light Up My Life?

November 12th, 2009 by Karen 33 Comments

too faced lashlight mascara review

Do you also have those dreams where you look in the mirror and see yourself with Terminator eyes?

Thanks to Lashlight ($25), the newest mascara from Too Faced, “futuristic cyborg” can now be your face of the day.

too faced lashlight mascara review terminator eye

My right eye looks like it’s about to shoot lasers… Spooky!

Something tells me Too Faced didn’t have flesh-covered robots bent on the destruction of womankind when they designed Lashlight, but they still outfitted it with hella upgrades!

I think it should be noted that the LED lights in the base of the wand also make this mascara the *world’s best* for finding your house keys in the dark.

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The way Too Faced creative director and founder Jerrod Blandino explains it, he got the idea for the LEDs from the times he struggled to apply mascara to clients in dimly lit (but oh so glam!) locations.

NOTE: I’ve never had to apply mascara in the dark — trapped, say, with a shirtless Ryan Reynolds — but, thanks to Lashlight, I find it comforting to know that I could. 🙂

too faced lashlight mascara review blair witch project style
Picture taken in my darkened bathroom… How Blair Witchy is this?

Too Faced also claims that “liquid crystalline particles” in the Lashlight formula act like microscopic mirrors, brightening up the eyes by reflecting light off and around the lashes.

Hmm…
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