• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

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

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

A Face Full of MAC Classics

December 24th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

mac classics
Sometimes you gotta go with the classics. ?

As a makeup hoarding enthusiast, I’ll be the first to admit that the thrill of the hunt — the quest itself — to find new makeup to fall in love with, is one of the motivating factors for why I like makeup and beauty so much.

There’s always something new to discover, right? A new technique to master? A new finish, new formula, a new plant-based ingredient discovered deep in the jungle, a brand new brand, a classic brand re-brand, a secret formula, an ancient skin care secret, a new GWP, BOGO, or a gorgeous LE palette?

At the same time, there are days when I just want to take it back to beauty “comfort food” — the old standards I know so well, and that I know work for me, and for me, that’s always MAC. I’ll always be a MAC girl at heart. ?

In this look, I’m wearing some classic MAC colors I’ve loved for more than this entire decade. It seems weird to say that, but I did the math; it’s true!

There’s a hint of color in the liner, but everything else on the lids, cheeks and lips is neutral.

I like this look because I can wear it anywhere and everywhere. The lids are softly defined with cooler-toned browns in the crease and a sparkling peach from lash line to crease (to create the illusion of more deeply set eyes, since mine are getting more hooded by the second!).

There’s also lash definition by way of the liner, which is *not* a stark, inky black, or even a brown. Instead, I’m wearing an eyeshadow called MAC Club, which is a beautiful shimmery peacock feather that goes from teal to green to gray to dark brown. It’s GORGEOUS.

So, yeah, I’m wearing that along my upper lash line.

mac classics

On the lower lash line, I’m wearing a pencil liner that I also consider a MAC staple, MAC Powersurge. It’s a warm, shimmery bronzed gold, and it adds a little something-something, but it doesn’t get all up in your face. It’s one of my favorites! I think it’s even subtler and less intense than a brown liner. I wore it every day for almost a year.

On my cheeks, I’m wearing the first MAC blush I ever fell in love with, MAC Blushbaby… It’s a matte pinkish beige.

And, on my lips, I’m wearing an updated take on an early-2000s lip. Yup, you know that light, glossy nude lip everyone was wearing back in the day (along with their low-rise jeans and camisole top, of course)? I got there with MAC Stripdown lip liner, MAC Honey Love Lipstick, and good ol’ Angel Lipglass.

Oh! — I just realized that I forgot to add a swatch of MAC Teddy liner, which I tightlined with.

I wish I could take credit for this combination of eyeshadows, but I can’t. It’s from the most unlikely palette from years and years ago, from, like, Halloween! I never thought I’d fall in love with it, but I use it almost daily. Remember the Monster’s Bride palette? I don’t use the green color (ever), but everything else is a workhorse, so if you’re building a MAC palette, I can recommend all of these colors 100%.

The lightest color — satiny beige Mylar — you can use as an all-over eyeshadow base to brighten your eye makeup, or, you can even use it as an eye or a cheek highlighter. (Side note: I just looked this up on the MAC website, and it’s MIA; sad panda. 🙁 But you can sub it with Shroom.)

The lighter cool-toned matte brown is Omega, which I’m wearing in the crease. It’s great for pushing a hooded lid back *and* for filling out brows (I’m wearing it mixed with Brun in my brows in this look). It’s great if you want a really ashy brown brow, but you don’t want it to look too gray or too harsh.

If you have any gaps in your brow, it’s particularly great for filling in sparse spots.

MAC Brun, LOVE OF MY LIFE. Wearing it in my brows and outer crease.

Club is the liner, which I applied with an angled brush wet with MAC Fix+.

Carbon, I’m not really wearing in this look, but it’s your standard-issue black that you can wear with anything and everything.

mac classics

While we’re on the subject of MAC classics, please list the MAC classics you love down below. I’m curious!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I saw this earlier today, and now I can’t stop laughing! It’s a trailer for the Christmas movie Elf (one of my favorites), recut and reimagined as a thriller… 🙂

There are 7 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Face of the Day (FOTD), Lips, MAC Makeup, Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 606

December 23rd, 2019 by Karen 19 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start.

    1. What can you tell me about your toothbrush?

    It’s green and white! I think there’s a little bit of blue in there somewhere too?

    2. Weirdly specific question: what were you doing 45 minutes ago?

    I was typing this post while sipping Earl Grey tea (with milk and honey) and contemplating whether to go find my morning slippers (it’s freezing this morning!).

    3. Your thoughts on eggnog?

    I would say that I’m ambivalent about it. I neither love nor hate it. I mean, if I’m around and someone says, “Who wants some eggnog!?” I’ll have a sip, but it’s not like I’ll chug a tall glass or anything

    To be honest…I could go the rest of my life without having more eggnog and be OK with it.

    4. Scars: do you have any? How did you get your biggest one?

    I have my share, as most people my age do. My C-section scar is the longest one, and it’s longer than usual… It took a lot to get the Coywolf into this world.

    5. Do you have any plans over Christmas?

    We’re going to my parents’ house in Union City on Christmas Eve, where we have our annual feast, and then stay up until midnight (or at least try to, ha ha) singing Christmas karaoke and opening presents.

It’s Christmas week!

Raise your hand if you also have some gifts left to wrap. ✋ I only have a few left to do, which is truly a Christmas miracle. ?

I hope your week goes swimmingly. I’ll be at the bakery today prepping for the craziness of Christmas Eve, which means that I’ll be covered in powdered sugar very soon, and my shoes will be covered in frosting!

Speaking of shoes, thank you for all the recommendations for work shoes. The DSW near my house sells Dansko, so I’m going to try on these black and white clogs.

The print is kind of crazy, but that’s my favorite thing about ’em, LOL!

One last thing before I head out: yesterday Rosie and I watched a riveting program on Hulu called A Very Kitty Cocktail Party, and we both strongly believe that you need to watch it ASAP! ?

See ya in just a few!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. What can you tell me about your toothbrush?
2. Weirdly specific question: what were you doing 45 minutes ago?
3. Your thoughts on eggnog?
4. Scars: do you have any? How did you get your biggest one?
5. Do you have any plans over Christmas

There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 585

December 22nd, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

I was looking through some old pictures of Tabs from last Christmas, like this one. He was so happy because he’d just redecorated his office…

Oh, and this one: this was his outfit for the company Christmas party…

Simply put, he was a fashion genius.

The coat was custom made from the actual red carpet for the 85th Cat Academy Awards in 2014. That was the year Tabs won the Oscar for Best Cat Actor…

Every year, he pulled out all the stops at Christmas… ?

Everybody knew it. He was fearless when it came to fashion.

[Continue reading…]

There are 7 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Tabs

Saturday Surfing, December 21st, 2019

December 21st, 2019 by Karen 14 Comments

Mama and daughter lunch date yesterday. (Please note the headless gingerbread man.)

Good morning and happy Caturday, my friend. ? Are you feeling the Christmas spirit today? I am, coupled with excitement and a tinge of exhaustion, because…

In case you didn’t know this, sugary baked goods are in high demand this time of year. ? Yeah, it’s been busy at the bakery (!), and I’ve baked more cookies and cakes over the last two weeks than I’ve ever baked in my entire life!

Don’t get me wrong — I’m loving it, but I’m so happy to have a few days off. (Side note: The arches of my feet are happy about it too. Speaking of that, can anybody recommend good shoes for standing on your feet a lot?)

In other news, yesterday was Connor Claire’s annual preschool Christmas ? performance, and she and her classmates sung their sweet little hearts out.

It was the first day I’ve had with her all to myself in a while, just like the good ol’ days, so we made a girls’ day of it and did some last-minute Christmas shopping before grabbing lunch at the bakery we used to go to after story time at the library.

I’m reminded of this all the time, seems like everywhere I look, but in case you haven’t heard it lately, here goes: Time is fleeting and so, so precious. Be gentle with yourself and others, and cherish the time you have with the important creatures in your life.

OK…on that (preachy) note, it’s vital that I get more caffeine into my system as soon as humanly possible. I’m on a tea kick at the moment, so I’m gonna get down with this cup of Earl Grey with honey and milk. ?

Here’s this weekend’s reading:

  • This makeup carousel (which looks like a lazy susan!) is allegedly for people with a lot of products, but I dunno… I’d need like 25 of them. LOL!
  • Wanna learn how to put on makeup like a Rockette?
  • Need some inspo for that holiday party? Pat McGrath’s got your back.
  • If you’re all about trendy nail polish, then put velvet chrome nails on your radar for your next manicure.
  • Because I’m sure this has happened to all of us at one point in time: how to get nail polish out of your carpet.
  • 16 surprising ways to hurt yourself when you’re over 40. (Side note: It’s a jungle out there.)
  • The curious history of Earl Grey tea (my fave at the moment).


You know you love this song. 🙂


‘Cause you make me feel…


J. Lo’s makeup in this is killer.


Who else needs to wrap gifts this weekend?


Coy-coy and I just watched this movie.


I can’t wait to see this!

Have the sweetest Saturday. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

What Are Your Go-To Makeup Multitaskers at the Moment, and Why Do You Love Them?

December 20th, 2019 by Karen 12 Comments

multi taskers honest beauty
Got nothin’ but love for these marvelous multitaskers

One of my grandest multitasking loves could be considered basic…but it’s a wonderful workhorse. It’s MAC Brun Eyeshadow, and I use it as a brow filler, an eyeliner and, yes, as an eyeshadow.

Dark brown Brun is neither too warm nor too gray, and its satin finish looks almost matte when it’s on skin.

Also, yeah, it’s surprisingly easy to blend. 🙂

I’ve been wearing it for north of a decade now (YIKES), and it’s one of my tried-and-true MAC faves. It’s truly a staple.

That said, I also ❤️ me some Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer, which is practically a dupe for the much more expensive Charlotte Tilbury concealer with the sponge thingamabobber!

Works fab as a full-coverage under-eye concealer because it stays put and doesn’t settle into fine lines, but it also sheers out beautifully, so you can easily transform it into a foundation if ya want. Just buff it down with a brush dampened with MAC Fix+, or mix it with a little MAC Strobe Cream, and then set it with a touch of powder (if you feel so inclined).

Lastly…and this may sound a bit odd, but I’ve been doing my makeup in the car a lot lately before my shift starts at the bakery, and the liquid lipsticks by Honest Beauty have been perfect for long-lasting lip and cheek color.

So that’s me! How about you? What are your current go-to makeup multitaskers?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! ?

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup

Product Spotlight: MAC Antiqued Eyeshadow, and Bronzed Purple Smoky Eyes

December 19th, 2019 by Karen 5 Comments

mac antiqued eyeshadow

What the world needs now is love, sweet, love…and it also needs all the women who hoard love makeup to shop their stashes, because when you dig into what you actually have, you find gold!

Case in point: I was knockin’ around my makeup collection to find something to recreate this look Olive Wilde rocked by Mélanie Inglessis, and that’s when I rediscovered the wonder that is MAC Antiqued Eye Shadow.

View this post on Instagram

Director #oliviawilde at the #sxsw #booksmart premiere! #makeupbymél #smoked

A post shared by Mélanie Inglessis (@melaniemakeup) on Mar 11, 2019 at 9:15am PDT

mac antiqued eyeshadow

Antiqued is a deep reddish bronze with a pearly finish in the awesome MAC Veluxe Pearl eyeshadow family (so it’s soft, easy to blend and buffs out without any resistance). You can grab it as a single pan for $7 or with an eyeshadow case for $17.

It’s one of those colors that you can pretty much wear with any warm orange brown in the crease. (Try MAC Saddle, MAC Soft Brown or MAC Texture, and reddish browns like Swiss Chocolate play well with it, too.)

Purple also pairs well it, and you can either do purple liner on the lash line or the outer corner, or you can do what I did here, which is layer it atop a purple liner base like NARS Nagoya.

Speaking of eyeliner…try Antiqued with either MAC Teddy or MAC Costa Riche. ‘Tis magical!

mac antiqued swatch
[Continue reading…]

There are 5 comments on this post. Leave yours.

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

Soft Holiday Glam With Plum Lips

December 18th, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

mac art library nude model plum lips

Don’t you love it when you accidentally fall into a well of inspiration? That’s what happened when I stumbled upon makeup artist Mélanie Inglessis the other day. She’s a makeup artist who does a lot of work on celebs, including Olivia Wilde and Natalie Portman.

I love her style because it’s soft and approachable, with a sprinkle of glam.

View this post on Instagram

AMANDA Daylight Dreams.. @amandahearst ?

A post shared by Mélanie Inglessis (@melaniemakeup) on Oct 1, 2019 at 7:55pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

TAYLOR Starting the TIFF week press with this beauty @taylor_russell___ for her movie WAVES. #makeupbymél #taylorrussell

A post shared by Mélanie Inglessis (@melaniemakeup) on Sep 9, 2019 at 8:29am PDT

View this post on Instagram

PARIS It’s always a smoky eyes kind of night in my book.. Smoldering and gorgeous #parisjackson for Amfar Gala. #makeupbymél

A post shared by Mélanie Inglessis (@melaniemakeup) on Oct 10, 2019 at 10:45pm PDT

I just love the warm brown smoky eye on Paris Jackson.

UGH, SO GOOD!

You’d think this type of makeup would be easier than it is, because it looks so simple and elegant, but I dunno… In many ways, I think simple and elegant is way harder harder than full-on complicated, because it’s harder to your hide mistakes. Like, say, if you’re doing a neon green eye with lots of colors and blending, and you pair it with a bright, glossy hot pink lip…there’s a lot there to take in! If you fudge something, there’s a decent chance no one will notice, but with very streamlined makeup like Melanie does, there’s almost zero room for error.

Anyway…Mel’s style inspired me to do this soft holiday glam eye look with plum lips today.

I don’t feel like I totally “got there” with this, but I’m gonna keep working at it this week.

mac art library nude model plum lips 2

mac art library nude model plum lips 3

Key products worn:

EYES: MAC Art library Nude Model Palette and Chanel eyeshadow base (lids and lower lash lines), Maybelline Tattoo Studio Liner in Bold Brown (liner), It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara (lashes), Chanel Beryl liner (lower water line, sadly discontinued!), MAC Brun and clear brow gel (brows)

CHEEKS: MAC Give Me Sun MSF (bronzer), Clinique Plum Pop (blush), Laura Mercier Candleglow (highlight)

LIPS: Maybelline Superstay Ink Crayon in Accept a Dare, Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 172

BASE: MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion (primer), BECCA Backlight Primer mixed wtih Covergirl Trueblend Matte Foundation in Tan, Double Wear Instant Fix Concealer in Medium Deep, Chanel LoosePowder in 40 Dore

Throwback jams

OK, have you heard about the beef between Lizzo and Cece Peniston? Apparently, Cece (and other people in the music industry) believe that Lizzo intentionally used a line from Cece’s song, Finally. and she never credited Cece for it.

DRAMA FOR YOUR MAMA!

All this is to say that ever since I read that story, I’ve been listening to a lot of ’90s house music I haven’t heard in years lately, and I’ve been feelin’ it.

Remember this one?

This was my jam back in the day. ?

And of course, Cece’s Finally!

LOL. Totally #datingmyself, but I love dance music ? from this era.

In other news, it’s been raining hard all day today. If it’s raining (or snowing) where you are too, drive carefully! And stay dry!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face of the Day (FOTD), Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To

How Do You Like to Wear Your Liner These Days?

December 18th, 2019 by Karen 9 Comments

2 blue cat eyeliner
Can we talk about liner?

I have an auntie (I think she’s my auntie… To be honest, I’m not really sure. She’s a lady of a certain age who I’ve always called “Auntie,” but I don’t know if I’m actually related to her, HA HA HA!) who has her eyeliner and brows periodically tattooed every few years, and every single time I see her, I think, “Now THAT is commitment to your eyeliner.”

purrfect feline eyeliner
#truth

I don’t think I could ever commit to that degree to a particular liner color or style, although I do go through phases where I’ll wear my liner a certain way for weeks or months… Like, last spring and summer, I was heavily into a very thin, very dainty barely-there black liquid liner kitten flick. And before that, I was into brown pencil to tightline, and then brown along the lower water line (which was then smudged ever-so-slightly on the outer corner).

So, I go through phases.

clinique pretty easy liquid eyeliner pen 1
Still obsessed with this Clinique liner.

My current eyeliner phase has me loving slightly thicker, I guess, cat eye flicks? A little bit more substantial than a dainty feline flick, but still not a full-on bat wing.

(Side note: I’ve been very inspired by Charlotte Tilbury’s style lately, which I think has something to do with it.)

How about you? How do you like to wear your liner these days?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 209
  • Go to page 210
  • Go to page 211
  • Go to page 212
  • Go to page 213
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 1912
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

Recent Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 878

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 894

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 892

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 891

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 771

Lady Unicorn

Weird Things I Like to Do

brows fill out beforehand

Before You Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

current bare skin status

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.