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

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

MAC Fafi and Laura Mercier Gold Digger for a Warm Weather Face of the Day

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makeup and beauty blog fotd

In typical Bay Area fashion, grey, overcast skies quickly replaced the sunny, warm weather we’d had for a few days, but I refuse to let go! I wasn’t up for this uber-red MAC look here, but I still wanted to try something bright and lively. So, this morning I gave this summery bronze and gold eye a try, featuring colors from the MAC Fafi and Laura Mercier Gold Digger collections. I first thought about going for broke with false eyelashes, too, but those will have to wait ’til next time.

Matte coral cheeks and shimmery coral lips complete the look. Now, all I need is a warm beach, a pair of flip flops and a large Jamba Juice (Orange Dream Machine, yum)!

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Guess by Marciano Perfume: For the Maneater in You

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Guess by Marciano perfume
I haven’t lived the single life in a while, but dangit if I were on the prowl I’d so rock Guess by Marciano. Maneater aptly describes the way I feel wearing this scent.

I usually think of myself as the girl next door — ya know, the quirky one in t-shirt and jeans who drinks beer, watches reality TV and writes lists — but when I wear Guess by Marciano I feel transformed, like a cougar on the prowl! Rrraaooowww! Ft! Ft! 

Just what makes this spicy floral so darn sexy? I suspect the fruity top notes (the first blast of fragrance) mellow out the musky base notes (the finale). The resulting fragrance is neither cloying nor overly sweet. 

Top notes — star fruit, grapefruit, orange curacao (an orange-flavored liquour) and cardamom (an herb belonging to the ginger family)
Middle notes –pink honeysuckle, peony and jasmine
Base notes — wood, vanilla, musk and dulce de leche (caramel)

I don’t have many spicy fragrances (piquant or pungent scents like clove oil, cinnamon or thyme) in my perfume collection because, for some reason, they make me sneeze! But my nose agrees with Guess by Marciano. No sneezing whatsoever.

It also has enough endurance to last all day long. I sprayed it on in the morning, and as I sniffed at my wrist throughout the day, there it was. The scent does change, though — a whiff of jasmine at lunch, and then vanilla and musk appeared later in the afternoon.
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MD Skincare All-Over Blemish Solution: A Pricey but Awesome Acne Fighter

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md skincare all over blemish solution
At $84 it isn’t exactly budget friendly, but MD Skincare’s All-Over Blemish Solution got me saying “Awwwwww yeeeeeah!”

Women have been going crazy over beta hydroxy (aka salicyclic) acids lately, and after a month of using MD Skincare’s product I’m ready to climb aboard the bandwagon. Scoot over, ladies! Make room! There’s really no comparison between my old standby benzoyl peroxide creams and All-Over Blemish Solution in terms of their ability to treat pimples. I saw a dramatic difference in my skin within days. 

Even the cosmetics industry itself is going ga-ga over this stuff. Each year, members of CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women, Inc.) recognize the most innovative beauty products of the year as voted on by CEW members, industry professionals and beauty experts. The award is considered one of the beauty industry’s highest honors. All-Over Blemish Solution won the award in 2007.

Shoot, I’d give this bad boy an award if I could … the Makeup and Beauty Blog Zit Destroyer Award. First off, the most welcome thing I noticed after using All-Over Blemish Solution was in how my skin felt. Benzoyl peroxide products have a tendency (at least on me) to tighten and dry sensitive skin, making it peel and itch. Not so with this stuff. All-Over Blemish is considerably less drying than any benzoyl peroxide I’ve ever used, even Proactiv. With All-Over Blemish Solution I noticed that my forehead and cheeks — my worst breakout zones — stayed almost zit-free and considerably smoother than they are when I’m using benzoyl peroxide. 

Beyond the startling $84 price tag, there’s another price to pay if you intend to try this product — beta hydroxy acids increase skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Be extra mindful to wear sunscreen on your face because most experts cite the beta-hydroxy acid-sun sensitivity issue as the most common side effect. My favorite facial sunscreen is Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Face Cream SPF 55.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog: Where You At??

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truancy (noun, plural): the state of being idle

It’s hella hot out here in the Bay Area today, so I made the executive decision to play hooky and blog from Ocean Beach in San Francisco. 

Well… to be honest, I didn’t actually do any “blogging” at the beach, but I thought about it. 🙂

My truancy today also involved cruising around in the 4Runner with the sunroof open and all the windows down while bumping Ray J.’s Sexy Can I.  

You’re a dirty birdy, Ray J.

But you know your girl — I couldn’t stay away from the Internets and had to sneak in a Makeup and Beauty Blog-related something, tom foolery or not.

My nails were thrashed after the beach, so I did a quickie manicure at home. Because it was so frickin’ hot this afternoon — like Christian Bale hot — I chose a cool, icy shade, going with Laura Mercier’s Nail Lacquer in Sterling ($15). 

laura mercier gold digger sterling nail lacquer

Other than the beach and a manicure, I did a whole lotta nothing today and ’twas glorious! Of course, now the pangs of guilt are making themselves heard. Back! Back, evil guilt!

How was your Saturday, homie? Did you have chores to do, or were you able to catch up on some quality slacker time?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Shu Uemura UV Under Base SPF 10: Primer Time with This Mini-Mousse in a Can

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shu uemura uv under base spf 10
Small can, big mousse — Shu Uemura’s new UV Under Base with SPF 10 packs a wallop, but $32 is a lot to ask for a 2.2 oz can.

Have you ever used a mousse foundation primer before? — because I haven’t, until now. It’s kinda neat, all airy, fluffy and foamy. Because Shu’s UV Under Base is a mousse and not a runny liquid or gel like most foundation primers are, my skin soaks it up like a sponge. This baby does double duty as a skin protectant with the addition of SPF 10, which isn’t necessarily the ideal level of SPF to wear to the beach, but if you work in a black hole of an office building (like I did for years) and only see the sun on your breaks, SPF 10 should suffice.

But I wonder… The $32 can is barely 5 inches tall, and when I press the mousse trigger a ginormous strawberry-sized blob of product shoots out. I think I have poor thumb-to-mousse control. I get the feeling the can won’t last very long.

When I wore it under Becca Stick Foundation the other day, my skin looked really smooth. The pores on my face all but disappeared (although I still knew they were there, ha!), and the foundation I was wearing lasted all day long. Shu calls the product color Beige 01. I think it looks like dolce de leche ice cream. The very first time I used it, I got mousse happy and applied too much. With my skin tone (neutral, not yellow or pink dominant), it actually left a slight pink tint, so the second time around I used a lot less product — viola! No pink tint.

Can you see the Thanksgiving turkey in this clump o’ mousse?
shu uemura uv under base spf 10-product shot

Foundation primers are an optional makeup step, used to smooth the skin and to create an even surface on which to apply foundation. I’ll use one a few times a week when I have a little extra time. As a foundation primer, Shu’s Under Base works great and has a light scent that reminds me of baby powder and cinnamon. I wore it the other day under Becca Stick Foundation. Normally, I use Laura Mercier’s Oil-Free Foundation Primer, and Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer has a lot of fans. Shu’s UV Under Base compares well to Laura’s primer, but I haven’t used Smashbox’s before.

Product: Shu Uemura UV Under Base SPF 10
Price: $32
Use: As a foundation primer
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

Shu claims you can use UV Under Base by itself (en lieu of foundation) to even out your skin color. Maybe for lighter-skinned cuties, but with my skin tone I’d need something a bit more pigmented to wear it like that.

I had a blast in San Francisco today! My friend and I sat on a sunny bench in the middle of Union Square, drinking iced tea and catching up. After we said our goodbyes, I checked my Crackberry/Blackberry for your makeup suggestions and headed straight to Macy’s cosmetics department. 😉
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A Makeup and Beauty Break in San Francisco

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makeup and beauty blog union square san francisco heart
Happy Friday, ya’ll! We made it! At this very moment I’m heading out the door for a short trip into San Francisco. I’m bound for Union Square to have lunch with a friend and to do some much-needed shopping. My need for new pants has reached code red status; if I don’t get a new pair of khakis and some lightweight jeans ASAP, my bum will riot! I’ve been falling out of every pair of pants I own, and that is NOT CUTE.

I need your help! I plan to swing by a few makeup counters today. If you have any urgent makeup recommendations for me, lemme know in the comments. With my trusty Crackberry/Blackberry, I’ll get your suggestions in milliseconds. Dang, don’t you love living in the digital age? I sure do, most of the time. Pony Express would so not cut it.

Check in later today for a review of Shu Uemura’s UV Under Base and whatever other gems I discover in the city.

Hope you’re having a great day so far!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Counts Down to the Sex and the City Movie Release

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Makeup and Beauty Blog SATC Poll-final1

Bust out your Manolos, ladies, because the countdown is on! As of today, there are only 49 days until the May 30 release of the Sex and the City movie. I am a die-hard fan of the show, and when the last season aired a few years ago I almost felt like I’d lost a fabulous group of girlfriends.

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I know that many of you love the show as much as I do. It’s fun to think about which character you identify with the most. My friends C-Lo and J-Money identify with Miranda. While I’ll always have a beef with her choices concerning Mr. Big, Carrie cracks me up. I like to think of myself as a Carrie. I, too, am a shoe geek and writer … and I dig her quirky taste in clothes.

How about you? Which character from the show do you most identify with?

The movie opens on a Friday, so I’m planning to hit the first show. Fridays are my days off! You best believe I intend to wear my four-inch heels to the theater at 11am![Continue reading…]

Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15: Pretty New Shades, Long-Lasting Lip Protection

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Clinique long last glosswear spf 15 1

“Ohhhh, so purty!” I said when I first laid eyes on Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 ($14), Clinique’s latest lipgloss offering. “They’ve got SPF 15? I’ll take ’em all!”

I fall victim to any beautiful lipgloss colors with combined SPF protection. Check out these little lovelies:
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