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Kashuk Tools: 3 Bargain Makeup Brushes that Rock

May 26th, 2008 by Karen 46 Comments

sonia-kashuk-tools-angle-shadow-brush-1

Bargain brush goddess Sonia Kashuk’s gone and done it again. Her Synthetic Flat Top Blusher Brush won me over a few weeks ago, and now I can’t live without several of the brushes from her Kashuk Tools line. I’ve been reaching for the Powder Brush ($19.99), Large Eye Shadow Brush ($12.99) and Angeled Eye Shadow Brush ($9.99) so often that I might as well have all three surgically attached to my hand.

Here’s why I love ’em, and why you might, too. 🙂

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Kashuk Tools Powder Brush

Use: To apply loose or pressed powder to the entire face
Price: $19.99
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Confession time! I keep this brush on my work desk and periodically rub it all over my face for no reason other than to feel its softness against my skin. It sends me into a state of minor ecstasy. I’ll make ooh, ahh sounds, like when I’m eating dulce de leche ice cream. In general, I try to do this when nobody’s looking, but the other day El Hub caught me and said the act looked “kinda pervy.”

But Sonia’s powder brush has even more going for it than its amazing softness. It applies powder evenly on my skin, powder that doesn’t look caked-on, and leaves a lovely, natural finish I just adore.

If you’re tempted to save a few dollars by purchasing the $11.99 white-handled Powder Brush 01 from Sonia’s other Brush Collection line, resist the urge. I’ve used the white-handled brush, too, and it’s not nearly as soft.

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Large Eye Shadow Brush

Use: To apply eyeshadow to the entire eyelid area
Price: $12.99
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Sonia’s Large Eye Shadow Brush multi-tasks like a mo-fo. The Kashuk brush brigade designed the thick, soft brush (with a slightly rounded edge) to apply eyeshadow over the entire lid — much like the MAC 252 Large Eye Shader Brush ($29). While I absolutely love the MAC 252 for fast, single washes of color over the entire eye, it doesn’t multi-task quite like Sonia’s Large Eye Shadow Brush does.

Not only do I use Sonia’s Large Eye Shadow Brush for color washes but also to apply color to specific parts of the eye, which I can’t really do with the 252. The rounded shape of Sonia’s brush fits nicely into nooks and crannies — ideal for the crease, under the brow bone or in the outer V.

In a pinch, it even works as a blending brush, too.
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There are 46 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup Tools, Product Reviews

Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Eau de Parfum: Boy Eau Boy

May 25th, 2008 by Karen 15 Comments

bobbi-brown-almost-bare-eau-de-parfum

If I could, I’d change the name of Bobbi Brown’s newest summer fragrance. It left the factory known as Almost Bare ($60), but Almost Boy may have been a more accurate moniker.

When I spritzed it on my wrist, I smelled bar soap, tree bark, crushed leaves and citrus rind; the very first thing the scent made me think of was how the Brawny paper towel man must smell after a shower.

Some of my favorite recent products by Bobbi Brown…

  • Long-Wear Cream Shadows create an easy, subtle eye look.
  • Lip Crayons are pretty and practical.
  • Beach Shower Gel smells like vacation in a tube.

Bobbi Brown calls Almost Bare a fresh floral and lists violet, muguet (Lily of the Valley) and jasmine as some of the individual notes within the fragrance, but I couldn’t detect them at all. The product’s more masculine notes — Italian bergamot (a citrus fruit), cedar and amber (a warm, kitchen-ey smell) — dominate the feminine notes, so, basically, it makes me smell like a dude. Sure, I smell like a clean, freshly washed dude (probably a very hot dude), but I still smell like a dude.

Bobbi Brown has marketed Almost Bare as a fragrance for women, but even the name seems a little masculine to me. The marketing folks probably meant to imply a subtle, undressed sexiness, but, honestly, when I hear Almost Bare I can’t help but picture bears. Yes, it’s weird, I know, but I can’t help it.

werebear-sup-beeyotch

Nor is it a very complex fragrance. It remains much the same throughout the day, unlike fragrances that transition through a range of different notes over time.

Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Eau de Parfum

Use: A slightly masculine summer fragrance
Price: $60 for 1.5 oz. bottle
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: C+

I may not have been Bobbi Brown’s target customer with Almost Bare. I gravitate toward girly-girl scents with lots of layers. Give me J’adore or Coco Mademoiselle, and I’m in heaven. Even though I typically prefer much more complex and feminine fragrances than Almost Bare, I do have to hand it to Bobbi for creating a perfume that perfectly reflects the company’s makeup aesthetic. For me, the Bobbi Brown makeup line evokes a minimalist, not overly-feminine design. Almost Bare’s simple, clean, unisex fragrance reflects their makeup philosophy to a tee.
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There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fragrance, Product Reviews

5 Makeup Tips for Movie Night

May 24th, 2008 by Karen 26 Comments

thegirls
Ladies, I sure hope you’re able to get away from things for a couple hours to enjoy a fun movie night out with friends. You deserve a break! Go with girlfriends, that strapping young man in your life, or, hell, go by yourself (which I’ve done many times before). And to help you get ready for movie night, here are five quick makeup tips!

Face

  • To be ready for your closeup and to get that shine under control, try Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets ($5.29). They combat shine without powder buildup. And look for Laura Mercier Undercover Concealers ($22). Use just the minimum amount of foundation and thin concealers, only where needed, to even out your skin tone.

Eyes

  • Before applying your eye makeup, start with Olay Definity Eye Illuminator ($25.99). Its multi-colored micas help to hide imperfections and limit the amount of makeup you’ll need to use around your eyes.
  • Use shimmer eyeshadows and blush selectively, especially if you’re going out to dinner before the movie. Harsh bar and restaurant lighting accentuates the contrast in shimmery makeup.

Lips

  • What makes a good story? The answer: drama. For dramatic lips, start with a good round tip lip brush. Apply your lipstick from the center of the lips (the bow of the upper lip and the center of the lower lip), working outward toward the corners. To line your lips, use a color that complements the shade you chose for your lips.
  • For extra shiny oomph!, apply a layer of MAC Clear Lipglass($13.50) on top of your lipstick.

Could somebody please pass the popcorn?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 26 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup Tips/How To

What to Look for When Buying a Product with SPF

May 24th, 2008 by Karen 32 Comments

summer goddess

What to look for when buying a product with SPF

Most experts recommend checking the list of ingredients for two things: the first is to see if the product provides broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) coverage; the second is to see if the broad-spectrum sunscreen contains avobenzone, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. All provide excellent UVA protection.

What’s the deal with UVA and UVB?

Both are types of sun radiation. UVB damages the outer layer of the skin and causes sunburns, boo!

An SPF number refers to the UVB burning protection a product offers (one with an SPF of 15 allows the wearer to stay in the sun 15 times longer than she would otherwise be able to).

But now we know that UVA rays, while they don’t cause sunburns, do damage the skin’s deeper layers. They work insidiously, wrinkling and spotting skin from within, destroying its elasticity. Like UVB rays, UVA rays are also believed to be a potential cause of skin cancer (melanoma).

Use it or lose it…

Don’t be chintzy with your sunscreen! The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using at least one ounce (about a shot glass full) of sunscreen on exposed skin every day. And don’t be shy about reapplying throughout the day. Experts say frequent application is key to maintaining good sun protection.

The American Academy of Dermatology Seal of Recognition

aad-seal-of-recognition-homeIt can be overwhelming to choose a sunscreen because of all the choices available. To help consumers choose products that provide the sun protection recommended by dermatologists, the American Academy of Dermatology has started a program called the “AAD Seal of Recognition.”

But the program has attracted a certain amount of controversy. When applying for the seal, manufacturers are obliged to pay $5,000 for the application, $10,000 on approval of the application and a further $10,000 a year later. Your best bet remains knowing (because knowledge is power!) which ingredients to look for (the most effective ones being avobenzone/Parsol 1789, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) when shopping for a product with sunscreen.

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There are 32 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Beauty Tips, Skin Care

You Must Choose: The Sasquatch Edition

May 23rd, 2008 by Karen 38 Comments

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With summer and lighter clothing right around the corner, my never-ending battle against excess fur kicks into overdrive this weekend. Not only have I been too lazy to wax, but I hate shaving. That, and I don’t have the pain tolerance for laser hair removal. Avoidance of hair removal = furry Karen. I’m a straight-up YETI right now.

But I’ve reached my limits; I’ve hit the hairy wall. It’s time to deal with this fur situation one way or another.

YOU MUST CHOOSE! — the Sasquatch Edition.

Sasquatch Situation #1

Would you rather 1) have a really hairy bum (I’m talking shag carpet hairy), or 2) no eyebrows? YOU MUST CHOOSE!

Sasquatch Situation #2

You finally meet your dream boy. He’s perfect in every way … except for one little hair issue. Unfortunately, he’s inherited a rare disease which causes hair to grow unchecked in specific places. Waxing, shaving — NOTHING stops it from growing, and when his hair gets removed, it instantly reappears. Poof!

If you could choose which parts of his body exhibited the disease, would you rather they be 1) his nose and ears, or 2) his back (where you could braid it for him)? YOU MUST CHOOSE!

Sasquatch Situation #3

It’s time for a haircut, so you head to your favorite stylist’s chair for summer bee-yoo-ti-ficatin. Sadly, your stylist has just switched meds, and he frequently falls a little off his rocker. He handcuffs you to the chair and proclaims you his hostage!
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There are 38 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Beauty Snacks: Sites of the Day

May 23rd, 2008 by Karen 19 Comments

iCiNG – galadarling.com
Gala is a gifted Australian beauty blogger with a devilishly quirky sense of humor. Her uplifting outlook has brought many a smile to my face.
icing-galadarling

Pink Is The New Blog
Trent just cracks me up. He writes about celebrity stuff, but unlike Perez Hilton he can do it without being mean (most of the time).
pink-is-the-new-blog

fourfour
Rich blogs for VH1, and they’re damn lucky to have him. With his dry sense of humor, random cat videos and shameless love for Mariah Carey, he makes animated .gif images into works of art.
fourfour
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There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

MAC Cosmetics Woodwinked Pink and Gold Face of the Day

May 22nd, 2008 by Karen 54 Comments

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Shhh… I have a secret beauty tip. If you ever wake up looking like an extra in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video, reach for MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow ($14). Its warm, golden shimmer restores life to dead tired eyes.

And good thing it does because I needed it this morning. I was CRANKY! I haven’t slept well this week and for the third day in a row woke up looking like a zombie. When it got time for me to get ready for work, I really wanted to just leave my ratty hair uncombed, throw on some sweats and skip my makeup altogether (gasp!).

But I knew that walking around like that all day long would have made me feel even worse, so I threw on a dress and picked up my pan of Woodwinked.

Fifteen minutes later, zombie girl had left the building. Woodwinked made my eyes look bright, alert and awake. Easy, and fewer calories than a latte.

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The basic eye…

  1. MAC Shroom eyeshadow applied directly beneath the highest point in the arch of each eyebrow
  2. MAC Neutral Pink eyeshadow on the browbone
  3. MAC Saddle eyeshadow in the crease
  4. MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow on the lid, barely into the crease and along the lower lash line
  5. MAC Kitschmas Pigment on the inner third of the eye (side closer to the nose)
  6. MAC Technakohl liner in Graphblack on the upper and lower waterlines

mac-cosmetics-woodwinked-fotd-052208-eye-map

mac-cosmetics-woodwinked-fotd-052208-eye-4

mac-cosmetics-woodwinked-fotd-052208-lips
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There are 54 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup

Chipped Nails: A Faux Pas No More?

May 22nd, 2008 by Karen 23 Comments

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According to a story in The New York Times, a new trend in nails has lazy women everywhere jumping for joy! Get this: chipped nail polish.

On the fingers of some fashion-forward women, streaked, chipped and basically tow-up nails are replacing well-manicured nails.

“Over the last few years — since the era of the skull print scarf, let’s say, or the (metaphorical) rise of the Olsen twins — having streaked, chipped or just plain grotty nail polish no longer suggests drug addiction, manual labor or pure laziness. Like untied high-tops, thread-worn jeans and bedhead, it’s now part of a deliberate look.

And chipped polish is not sported solely by nail-biting school students and downtown punkers. It has been spotted uptown, in professional settings and gala parties, behind department store sales counters and even (gasp!) on beauty and fashion industry insiders.

Anyone can get caught between manicures. But now women no longer have to sit on their hands when they do.”

NYTimes.com (free registration required)

This works out great for me. Lazy women rejoice! Is it a sign of the times? Are we too busy to take care of our nails? Homemakers, businesswomen, fashionistas, students, beauty bloggers — we all lead busy lives. Where does painting your nails rank on your list of things to do?

I’m all for new trends and the evolution of style, but I think chipped nails look messy. Hell yeah, I’m certainly guilty of sporting chipped nails from time to time (BlackBerry/CrackBerry typing wreaks havoc on nail polish, girl!), but rarely on purpose.

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There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Nails

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