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Quietly Shine with New Benefit Lip Gloss

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benefit lip gloss review fresh squeezed

Hey, shorties! Take a quick look at some of the new Benefit Lip Glosses ($18), and tell me what you think.

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Aren’t they sheer?

And don’t some of them look alike? From how rich they looked in last weekend’s swatches (click for more details on the line), I’d assumed they’d pack a little more bada-bing, bada-bang.

New, thicker formula

Unlike Benefit’s The Gloss and Her Glossiness lines, these new glosses feel surprisingly thick and dense, like I’m spreading peanut butter on toast.

They’re quite easy to over-apply (resulting in goopy, uneven color), but if I use a little elbow grease and take lots of care, I’m able to get a nice, even layer.

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Thick, but not sticky

I’m amazed that despite how thick they feel, these new glosses aren’t excessively sticky, and with the exception of Almost Famous (a shimmery copper with a slightly gritty texture), they feel smooth when I rub my lips together.

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Kiss You, Kiss Me

Hard core Benefit lip gloss fans might recognize shimmery fuchsia Kiss You. It’s a new interpretation of a Benefit cult classic gloss, Kiss Me.

Ladies who love Kiss Me may want to stockpile the shade because Kiss Me won’t be around forever. Benefit plans to discontinue it soon, and despite how similar they sound, Kiss Me and Kiss You are far from being dupes.

The original Kiss Me (a clear fuchsia) applies with more pigmentation, shine and a deeper pink. I think it’s one of those effortless, magical colors that just looks great on everybody.
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, July 5

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Assorted macaron cookies from Laduree bakery in Paris

  1. Mood:

    2. Wide awake now (shocker!) and cheerful.

  2. What’s your favorite type of music?

    3. I *love* hip-hop and R&B, but I listen to everything. My music collection is a mish-mash of singers and bands from across the board.

  3. Do you like to match your toe and finger nail polishes?

    4. It depends. Sometimes, but I mostly like to wear complementary colors.

  4. What do you like to do on your days off?

    5. Sleep in, curl up on the couch with a good book and watch movies!

  5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

    6. I’m going with a cat eye and red lips today using mostly MAC products. Eyes: MAC Painterly Paint Pot, MAC Arena Eyeshadow, MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack and MAC Dazzlelash Mascara in Black Dazzle. Lips: MAC Cockney lipstick from the Euristocrats 2 collection. Cheeks: Illamasqua Bronzing Duo in Glint & Burnish.

  6. Dudes who wear eyeliner: hawt or not?

    7. I can appreciate a well groomed man, but I was never drawn to guys who wear more beauty products than I do, LOL!

  7. Are you a planner or a spontaneous kinda girl?

    8. A mix of both. For certain things, like big meals out or events with lots of people, I like to have a plan, but if it’s just me and another person, I prefer to wing it.

  8. Do you have any phobias?

    9. A couple, like I’m afraid of earthworms (YUCK!) and confined spaces. Oh, and I’m deathly afraid of one day getting stuck in an elevator!

  9. Outfit:

    10. Dark jeans, a black scoop neck top, white cotton blazer, black strappy sandals and a long necklace with faux pearls.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Dust off my stability ball and try some new ab exercises, rearrange the living room, and find a few new writing exercises to try.

Whew! I’m running behind this morning because I stayed up late last night reading Dead Until Dark, by Charlaine Harris.

It’s one of the books that inspired the True Blood TV series. Yup, Mom always said there’s nothing like curling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a vampire story…

Okay, maybe Mom never said that, but it would have been *really awesome* if she had. 🙂

Were you ready for Monday this morning? Warm up to your day by taking a minute for the Monday Poll. Just copy the empty list below, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Let’s do this!

Le list

Mood:
What’s your favorite type of music?
Do you like to match your toe and finger nail polishes?
What do you like to do on your days off?
Eyes/lips/cheeks:
Dudes who wear eyeliner: hawt or not?
Are you a planner or a spontaneous kinda girl?
Do you have any phobias?
Outfit:
Weekly goals:

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Bliss Lid+Lash Wash: A Blissful Eye Makeup Remover

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At Bliss the other day, my friend Jen insisted that I pick up a bottle of her holy grail eye makeup remover, Bliss Lid+Lash Wash ($14).

Infused with soothing chamomile extract, it’s a gentle, no-rinse gel makeup remover for erasing makeup from the eyelid, lash and lip area. I’ve been using it for a couple days now and can see why Jen’s obsessed.

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The oil-free formula removes everything — even waterproof makeup! — and does it fast, without stripping my skin or stinging my eyes. I’ve noticed that after using it my eyes look less puffy, too. I wonder if that’s the chamomile extract at work, hmm…

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Bliss Lid+Lash Wash

Price: $14 for a 4.2-oz bottle
Use: An oil-free, non-irritating gel makeup remover for eyes and lips
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

I like that it’s a gel. The consistency keeps it from spilling all over the place, and I can even see myself using this in cramped quarters.

The best part is the price! It costs half as much as Decleor Eye Makeup Remover Gel ($28), an effective but much more expensive gel makeup remover that I’d been lovin’ on until Jen suggested this. Yay for saving moolah!

Viva la vino

bistro-jeanty

Yesterday El Hub and I drove the 40 miles north to Napa Valley to celebrate our third wedding anniversary with a few hours of wine tasting and walking around. We stopped to have lunch in Yountville, one of the small towns up there, at a place called Bistro Jeanty.
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What’s Your Biggest Mascara Gripe?

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What's your biggest mascara gripe?

I’ll tell you what bothers me: mascaras that won’t hold a curl. That, and ones that smudge. Grrr…

I know it’s a crowd pleaser, but Maybelline Great Lash smudges on me like crazy, unlike my current favorite, Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara, $22.

How to apply mascara

  1. Start by curling your lashes with your trusty eyelash curler. NOTE: If you curl your lashes after you’ve already applied your mascara, you run the risk of ripping some of them out! I’m guilty of having done it before… but it’s a big no-no that probably isn’t worth the risk.
  2. With your mascara wand in hand, remove any excess product from the wand by brushing it lightly against a clean tissue.
  3. Now, apply your first one or two coats.
  4. For better definition and more length, use a lash comb, getting in there *before your mascara dries*.
  5. For super-deluxe-crazy-dramatic length, apply one or two additional coats of mascara, but only to the tips of your lashes. Then, reach for your eyelash comb again, and run it through once more.
  6. Clean up any mess with Q-Tips or a tissue. 🙂

What's your biggest mascara gripe?

View Results

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. For more fun with lashes, check out 11 Luscious Lash Tips.

21 Nail Polish Tips

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21 Nail Polish Tips
Essie Canyon Coral

They say “it’s the little things,” and I think they’re right.

A fresh coat of nail polish always improves my outlook, no matter what’s bringing me down. An at-home manicure is an easy, affordable way to brighten even my dreariest days. When I’m feeling out of sorts, I’ll plop down on the floor in front of the TV to give myself a manicure.

Be good to yourself and your nails with the help of these 21 nail polish tips. 🙂

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  2. Fingernails FAQ, or Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Fingernails but Were Too Afraid To Ask: Did you know that nails are 10 times more porous than skin or that nails get thinner as we age?

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  3. Nutrition for Strong Nails: In this video nutrition expert Carla Kay dishes on what to eat for strong and healthy nails.

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  4. How to Avoid Bubbles in Your Nail Polish: All it takes is one little bubble to ruin a great manicure. Keep these tips in mind.

    5. bubbles

  5. 11 Tips for a Perfect Homemade Manicure: Get great looking paws with this awesome step-by-step.

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  6. 5-Minute Nail Polish Routine: This isn’t a long blog post, but I think it’s an overview that hits the nail on the head (LOL!).

    7. nail-polish-tools
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