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

DHC Is Now at Ulta…

March 13th, 2019 by Karen 9 Comments

dhc deep cleansing oil — You can find this bad girl at Ulta now!

Which means that you (and I) can roll up to the store and grab a bottle of Deep Cleansing Oil — which is THE BEST — right off the shelf.

Who said beauty dreams ? don’t come true?!

To summarize, I love this stuff. I know I’ve talked about it at length, but in case you missed it…this $28 makeup removing cleansing oil is the real deal. It makes everything, even waterproof and long-wearing mascara and liner, instantly melt away. Also, it doesn’t cloud up my vision, which is an annoying side effect some other cleansing oils have.

Oh, yeah, and ALSO, because you only need to use one pump, a bottle will last for months.

I have textbook combo skin, and this oil doesn’t give me breakouts or make my cheeks feel tight. I think it works faster than Fresh Seaberry Skin Nutrition Cleansing Oil, and it’s not as drying as Neutrogena Ultra Light Face Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover.

Even though shopping online is so easy to do now, sometimes I just wanna run into a store and get something.

Yay! Now I have another reason to “just run in” whenever I’m near an Ulta. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Let’s Bond Over Blush

March 13th, 2019 by Karen 47 Comments

flesh beauty blushes — Flesh Tender Flesh Blushes in Caress (top) and Glaze (bottom), $26 each

Can we please bond over blush? Because I have a new appreciation for its power.

It’s REALLY powerful!

This occurred to me last week while conducting the “just one thing” experiment. I realized that applying blush on a bare face was one of the things that made the biggest impact.

Every beauty article ever written on blush basically says the same thing — that blush makes you look healthy and vibrant — but like, really, when you don’t have other stuff going on with your makeup and your face is otherwise bare, you can REALLY see just how powerful blush is.

Yeah, I’ve been loving on my blush a little extra lately. ?

flesh beauty mac clinique blushes — Current blush crushes

I have a couple new favorites, and they’re from a brand called Flesh, which is the line by Allure magazine founder Linda Wells (launched last summer and available at Ultar), and the powder blushes are bomb! I’ve been going back and forth between Caress, which is a matte tan/warm brown (almost looks like a bronzer), and Glaze, which is a deep reddish coral with subtle gold shimmer. I’ve had extremely dry skin for a couple weeks because of winter, and because I’ve been using a retinol at night, but when I wear these powder blushes, which are ridiculously smooth, I can’t even see the dry patches.

flesh glaze — I’m wearing Flesh Tender Flesh Blush in Glaze.

They practically float on top of my skin above the flakes. It’s super cool. Both colors, by the way, are somewhat intense, so if you tend to be heavy-handed with your blush (which I do sometimes because I’m so used to doing makeup for flash photography), just so ya know, grab a makeup sponge or a buffing brush — basically whatever you use to buff down your foundation or concealer — and stipple the leftover base makeup on top of the blush. That should tone down the brightness and lift away any excess product. Or, just, you know…go in with a light touch. That’ll work too! LOL!

Don’t ask me why I only just figured this out right now, but I bought this empty six-pan MAC blush palette years ago, and it didn’t occur to me until last week (!) that you can actually remove the frame that holds the pans and stick your blushes directly into the palette.

DUH, KAREN!

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Dreaming of Spring at DSW

March 12th, 2019 by Karen 27 Comments

The sun came out yesterday for the first day in a loooong time, and I was able to walk outside without a sweater, a sweatshirt, a coat and a raincoat. ‘TWAS GLORIOUS. I could actually put my arms down without feeling like Randy from A Christmas Story in his snowsuit.

Every person I ran into yesterday said something along the lines of, “The sun is out! Let us bow down and worship it!”

Yeah, I’m exaggerating, but we Californians are nuts. ?

It wasn’t quite warm enough to wear sandals outside yet (unless you’re one of those dudes who wears Tevas in a snowstorm), but the Coywolf and I still stopped to smell the flowers and the new spring shoes as DSW.

I love tennies with cute animal prints, and there were plenty of puppy patterns for all the #crazydogladies.

Are dressy flip-flops a thing? Because they should be. These Kate Spade slippers fit the bill. I like them, but I can’t spend $70 an a pair of fancy flip-flops, ya know?

To clarify: I really want to…but I can’t. If they go on sale, though? That’s another story! ?

I haven’t worn a proper high heel in three years, but I liked this navy and tan Clarks of England sandal and this Dr. Scholl’s sandal. The heels don’t seem obnoxiously high…

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What’s Your Current Go-To Hair Style at the Moment?

March 12th, 2019 by Karen 25 Comments

karen chunky braid side — All about that chunky braid life

I’ve been doing some form or fashion of a chunky braid for the last month because it’s the only way I’ve been able to tolerate my hair. I’m way overdue for a cut, but I’ve been putting it off because I keep getting the urge to chop it off into a short, spunky bob.

Although I feel like I’m walking around with 20 pounds of hair on my head, I don’t want to do anything drastic or spur-of-the-moment, so I’m making myself wait!

So yeah. Not only does the chunky braid (or CB, as I like to call it) lift the hair off my shoulders and keep it out of my eyes, but it also tames the wayward silvers at my hairline and weaves the color of my natural hair into the colored bits in a way that isn’t jarring.

What’s your current go-to hair style at the moment? High pony? Pixie cut? Low bun? Loose waves?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Maybelline Age Instant Age Rewind Concealer

March 11th, 2019 by Karen 22 Comments

maybelline instant age rewind concealer review — A steal of a deal at just $10

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

Dear beauty industry people…just stop, collaborate and listen. Enough with the attached sponge applicators already! The sponges get all thick and nasty, and then when I press them against my skin, there’s a weird sucking sound, like “thhhmeeeeeeee,” which is the makeup equivalent of someone saying the word “moist” repeatedly.

MOIST, MOIST, MOIST.

It’s super, super gross.

The attached sponge applicator is the only thing I don’t like about the otherwise awesome Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer. I would prefer one of ye olde standard-issue doe-foot applicators, buuuuuut since this concealer is only $10, and it’s available in a nice shade range, and it’s practically a drugstore dupe for the much pricier Charlotte Tilbury under-eye concealer, which I’ve used to the very last drop, I put up with it, because seriously, WHATCHAGONNADO? You can’t spend all your time and energy fighting city hall. *shrugs*

Anyway, this concealer is fantastic for women (and dudes… More on this in a second.) who have fine under-eye experience lines, and who also like a decent amount of coverage but don’t feel the need to go full-tilt, so FYI, Tarte Shape Tape, MAC Pro Longwear and Sephora Bright Future Gel Concealer it is not; however, if you like light-to-medium coverage (a la Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid, which I’ve grown to love, or Tatcha Softlight), it’s magic in a click pen, because the concealer never appears caked-on or thick when applied to mature skin with lines.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 567

March 11th, 2019 by Karen 30 Comments

artistic colour revolution — Kinda springy, yeah?

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 do you love about your hair?

Frankly, not much at the moment. It’s been driving me CRAY since I started growing out my natural color… It’s those rebellious silvers at along my hairline, man!

I do appreciate how fast my hair grows, though, because it’s made all of the terrible haircuts I’ve gotten throughout the years easier to endure.

2. Fruity or spicy? ??️

Fruity, please.

3. When was the last time you sent a handwritten letter?

Geez… Honestly, I can’t remember. I think the last time I actually wrote a handwritten letter to someone, and not just filled out a greeting card, might’ve been in the ’90s?

I suspect that it could have been a love letter to some lame boy who didn’t deserve my awesomeness. ?

4. Who do you resemble in your family?

I look a lot like my dad, who in turn looks like my glam granny.

5. I think it’s really important to _____.

Get enough sleep, and yes I know I sound like a broken record and it’s trite and cliche to say, but seriously, sleep makes everything so much better!

I’m a firm believer in going to bed at 8 sometimes.

I also think it’s important to remind yourself daily that you are enough, just as you are.

Heck, we gotta tell ourselves that multiple times a day, even. Do it every time you have a meal, or walk up and down a flight of stairs, or catch a glimpse of your bad self in the mirror.

Whatever the catalyst, just say it!

BONUS QUESTION: Cheesecake or ice cream?

The Golden Girl in me is saying “cheesecake” today, but I’d say yes to both in a heartbeat right now if I could. NO SHAME.

Spring shades

About those nail polishes at the top…I’m more of a green/blue/purple kinda girl when it comes to nail polish on my fingers, but those dainty bridal pastels at the top are totally doing it for me today. I like the idea of short nails in a pale semi-transparent cherry blossom petal pink or peach with a shiny top coat.

The cherry blossoms ? are springing up all over my neighborhood right now (it’s that time of year!), so yeah.

A pastel pedicure is another story, though. I love pale shades like these on my toes, especially during sandal season, WHICH IS COMING UP SOON! I seriously can’t wait to free ‘ze feet. They’ve been oppressed by socks for way too long, LOL!

Random side note: Do you remember how some dudes wore Tevas or flip-flops or Adidas slides year round in the ’90s? Even when it rained? When I was in high school and college, there was always that one guy in class who would roll up to lecture wearing sandals in the middle of a deluge.

As you can tell, I’m totally over the rain ?️ and the ❄️ cold. Are you antsy for spring, too?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Question time! Here they are to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to you soon.

1. What do you love about your hair?
2. Fruity or spicy?
3. When was the last time you sent a handwritten letter?
4. Who do you resemble in your family?
5. I think it’s really important to be _____

BONUS QUESTION: Cheesecake or ice cream?

Go Forth and Smolder in the New Smoky Tee

March 11th, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Smoky lids-4-life! I’ve got mad love for smoky eyes. They’re my all-time favorite eye look to wear (and there are endless ways to wear them)…which is why I had to go and tell the world about it on a shirt.

Dark and dramatic? CHECK. Black sooty smoke? CHECK. Glossy and gray with a touch of taupe? AFFIRMATIVE. Burnished brown and blown out? YOU KNOW IT.

Basically, I will take ALL. THE. SMOKY. EYES.

If you love them as much as I do, peep the new Smoky Tee in the store. It’s available in sizes S to 2XL.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 544

March 10th, 2019 by Karen 5 Comments

Sometimes, less is more. A simple white pleather collar with a single silver clasp. A narrow navy blue or bright yellow nylon collar with a black plastic buckle.

But sometimes, like today, more is more, and you feel like reminding the world that you are totally willing to break fashion rules by simultaneously rocking multiple collars.

Bam.

Fashion rules really don’t apply to Tabs. There are just some cats who can wear anything and still look good.

So yeah, today was pretty uneventful except for a Harris sighting this afternoon. We’d gone back into the house after going outside on patrol — you know, inspecting the corporate property line. Tabs was doing his nails when we heard Connor Claire exclaim, “Mama, it’s Harris! Harris is on the deck!”

Tabs leaped to action!

Well, not really leaped… He slowly sauntered over to the sliding glass door, where he locked eyes with Harris through the glass.

Then, Tabs proceeded to meow, loudly, in protest, as if to say, “Guards, get the trespasser! Apprehend him!”

I ran to the front door, opened it and stepped outside, but by the time I got over to the side of the house/office, Harris was gone. He must have run away.

It was a disaster averted, but it still annoyed the heck out of Tabs…

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