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

How Often Do You Put on a Full Face of Makeup Only to End Up Just Sitting Around the House?

August 29th, 2018 by Karen 13 Comments

bright eye makeup makeup nerd sweatshirt — The sweatshirt…

Does this happen to you? All the time?? If that’s the case, then hello! — welcome to my world. I try a new eyeshadow or lipstick or a different technique, and my makeup’s looking reasonably banging, but then I don’t really have any place fancy to go, so I end up chillin’ on the courch with a bag of TJ’s Mochi Rice Nuggets and watching My So-Called Life for the umpteenth time.

Sigh…

Oh, and by the way, it may be happening right now as I type this, ha ha ha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

COVERGIRL Flourish by Lash Blast Mascara: New and Less Than $10

August 29th, 2018 by Karen 16 Comments

Two layers of COVERGIRL Flourish on my upper and lower lashes

I haven’t surfed warm waters in five years, babes. FIVE. That’s a minor tragedy when you’re a water baby at heart. Still, I’m not salty about the mermaid vibes emanating from this teal tube of Covergirl mascara, even though looking at it makes me wish I was paddling out in Diamond Head’s shadow at Waikiki Beach instead of googling gluten-free Pop Tart recipes at my desk in Novato…

COVERGIRL Flourish by Lash Blast Mascara ($9.49)

Now, the actual mascara, which has one of those all-around formulas for a “boosted but natural” lash look, inside the tube isn’t teal (it comes in Black, Brown and Very Black), so if your lash situation can currently be described as long and full, cool. You might like this because it doesn’t flake, doesn’t feel stiff or heavy, and it’s also easy to remove (and it’s less than $10).

However, as you probably already know because I’ve only said it about a million times, I crave all the mascara bells and whistles to the extreme! — so I want/need my mascara to deliver enough drama to rival a Real Housewives season finale.

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Custom Coverage Correcting Duo

August 28th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

estee lauder double wear custom coverage correcting duo — Another fab find in EL’s Double Wear line

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! ?

Swear to gosh, ditching under-eye concealer and opting for things like tinted moisturizer and pearly eye creams instead has completely changed the game for my dark circles.

Who knew one could still look lit-from-within without having to wear layers of powder and other products?

Plus, not having to deal with creasing concealer has been SO liberating (also trimmed out about 10 minutes from my routine!), buuuuuuut…plot, meet twist. The lack of sleep in my life right now is taking a toll on my under-eye area, and I look a little more “tow up” than usual.

This morning, just as my inner dialogue was hitting the gas (“Should I just walk around with pantyhose over my head like an O.G. bank robber? Maybe I should stick My Little Pony Band-aids under my eyes?”), I suddenly remembered the Double Wear Custom Coverage Correcting Duo.

I’ve been using it off and on all summer, and today was a reminder of what it can do.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Custom Coverage Correcting Duo ($32)

“No-Sleep Karen” is all about this two-tone skin-perfecting duo, which comes in a bunch of different colors, and, depending on what shade you go for, you can use it to spot-correct dark circles, spots, redness and dullness. Technically, it’s supposed to be used before concealer and foundation, but I use it in Tangerine all by itself for dark circles without anything else on top. (For reference, I’m a Honey Bronze in Double Wear Foundation and an NC42 in MAC.)

“Correct, conceal, transform. Skin-perfecting duo helps custom-correct dark circles, spots, redness, dullness and more. Each duo has two levels of coverage. On one end, a light, luminous wears-all-day formula with brush applicator to sweep across larger areas. On the other, a full-coverage hydrating concentrate with sponge tip to cover targeted areas for up to 24 hours. Helps blur the look of imperfections for a flawless, even skintone. Creates a flawless base for concealer and/or foundation. For best results, apply before concealer and/or foundation. Gently tap on with applicator and lightly blend with fingertip or a brush.”

— esteelauder.com

There’s a satiny peach shade on one end and a darker satiny peach on the other, and both are warm enough to cancel out purple or blue areas (totally key). Neither one is too obviously orange, either (also totally key), so you won’t look like you’ve got two traffic cones under your eyes.

Both peachy shades are also opaque enough to do some serious brightening, and they do it without settling into fine lines. Best of all, once the color corrector dries, it does not move! I don’t even need to set it with a powder. It stays PUT.

estee lauder double wear custom coverage correcting duo tangerine k — Tangerine in action

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Another Way to Work Your Favorite Nude Lipstick

August 28th, 2018 by Karen 23 Comments

Even when you regularly roll with eight nude lippies at any given moment, sometimes you want to shake things up, which is when a sheer berry gloss comes in handy.

“Sheer” is the key here, i.e. something to add a tantalizing touch of berry tint that will tease and tempt without taking over.

Start with a layer of your nude lippie du jour.
Blot (if you want), but I usually skip it because…laziness, TBH. But it’s helpful if you’ll be taking pics because it keeps your lip color from looking thick and gooey.
Apply a layer of gloss directly on top, but WAIT! — don’t stick that wand back in the tube quite yet. Wipe off any lipstick with a tissue first so the lipstick doesn’t mix with your gloss and change the color. Alternatively, instead of using the doe foot directly on your lips, you can swipe it on the back of your hand, then pick up the gloss from there and apply it to your lips with a finger.

chanel jumbo matte lip crayon 257 — Chanel Jumbo Matte Lip Crayon in 257 Discretion

chanel rouge coco gloss 764 — Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 764 Confusion

chanel jumbo matte lip crayon 257 chanel rouge coco gloss 764 — Just a hint of berry

You can also do this trick with reds, purples, browns — any sheer gloss you like.

Good morning, BTW. Happy Tuesday. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

When You’re Wondering About Winged Liner at 3AM (and Reviews of the PTY Beauty No BS Eyeshadow Palette, a Fab Crease Brush for Hooded Lids, and a Drugstore Beauty Staple)

August 27th, 2018 by Karen 28 Comments

pyt beauty no bs eyeshadow palette 1 — WINGS!

I haven’t been sleeping through the night lately, and by “lately” I mean for the past two weeks, which was approximately when Tabs started his new workout regimen where he does wind sprints up and down the stairs beginning at the witching hour, and Connor started having dreams that wake her up in the middle of the night. (Last night she woke up saying, “Mama, NO! Those are my bubbles. MY BUBBLES!”)

The routine has gone something like this: After I’ve comforted all of the little animals, I crawl back into bed and lie there for an hour or two with my gumbo stew of thoughts.

Among last night’s ponderings…

Is it possible to make a gluten-free roux for a white sauce?
If all of your teeth were pointy, could you still eat Popsicles?
When was the last time I wore winged liner?

I have a pretty good memory for makeup-related tidbits, like what lip liner I wore with Clinique Black Honey circa 1994 (it was Wet ‘n’ Wild 666, which is still around!), so to NOT remember when I wore winged liner last is a minor tragedy in my book, which is why I busted them out today with a mix of products, old and new…

PYT No BS Eyeshadow Palette ($28)

Ooh, can’t say enough about this cool-toned palette with its eight neutral powder eyeshadows. Whether you’ve taken a two-year hiatus from serious blending (LIKE ME), or you’ve just started experimenting with making windshield wiper motions, these buttery powders will make your crease work look like you can blend in your sleep. The shadows combine the fineness of NARS eyeshadows with the softness and smoothness of Dior, and they feel much higher end than $28 to me.

pyt beauty no bs eyeshadow palette swatches — I’m an NC42 in MAC for reference.

For my wings today, first I lined my upper lash line with a black pencil liner to sketch out the wings, and then I dipped an angled brush into the matte dark brown and layered directly on top to set the pencil and soften the color just a touch.

pyt beauty no bs eyeshadow palette k — Dark brown eyeshadow + black pencil liner = a kinder, gentler wing

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 539

August 27th, 2018 by Karen 29 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Good question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll. 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 gazillion years (more than 10!). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a great start. ?

1. What was your favorite year in school, and what was special about it?

I mean, it’s gonna sound so cliché, but senior year in high school really was great.

OK, I didn’t drive, but all of my friends did, so I never had to take the school bus, which, in our district, was a lawless land. So, driving around with my friends at lunch was a lot of fun.

Plus, that year there was the anticipation of what the future held, but not knowing yet where my future was going to lead me, and I think that seeing all of that possibility, you know, when you’re young, makes the future seem so wondrous.

Academically, it was hard, but I think there was actually less pressure than the first three years of high school, because I’d gotten pretty good grades through that point, so I wasn’t too worried about getting into at least one college.

I was also lucky to have really good girlfriends, and, like, I kinda knew my place in the world, if that makes any sense.

That was also really the last year I felt completely steady and sure…because right after that real life happened and all hell broke loose!

2. Can you fake any accents?

Man, my grumpy Filipino old lady accent is ON POINT.

(Maybe that’s because I am a grumpy old Filipino lady, ha ha ha! I recognize that.)

I can also do a terrible wannabe bougie English accent, like “Ellow! May I offuh ew a coppa tea?”

Wait a second, that sounded more Austin Powers.

3. How do you like your popcorn?

I have a patented Karen method for movie popcorn. I do what I like to call a Kettlecorn Sandwich, where you do one layer of regular popcorn (no butter), then a thin layer of Kettlecorn in the center, and then a layer of regular popcorn on top. Then I add as much salt as I can get away with before El Hub catches me. 🙂

4. A recent unexpectedly great makeup, skin care or beauty find?

Burt’s Bees Baby Lotion. I got it for Connor originally, but I used it one night because I was getting hives… It’s just that time of year when my skin has allergic reactions to what I’m assuming are dead and dying leaves and stuff… I don’t know. It just always happens in the fall.

Anyway, the lotion’s great. It’s very moisturizing, affordable, absorbent, and it smells juuust enough like babies (powdery).

5. Costco?

otherwise known as “the happiest place on earth.” I’ll go if you’re driving, ’cause I am a savage in that parking lot.

By the way, if you’re going, get a box of Sabatasso’s Gluten-Free Cheese Pizzas (in the frozen section). The cheese tastes completely fresh, and I would never have thought that the crust would actually be so good as it is because it’s gluten-free, but it’s DELICIOUS! Flavorful and salty, and delightfully chewy. YUM! Best frozen pizza out there now, IMO.

The world wouldn’t be itself without you

To partially quote Ace of Base, I saw the sign! Well, I saw a sign at Starbucks yesterday that said “The world wouldn’t be itself without you,” and I couldn’t help but wonder who the nice person was who took the time out to draw it and put it on the community board. Whoever you are, thanks. You made a stranger smile.

Side note: my drink of choice at the moment is still a Venti Passion Iced Tea, no sweetener with a splash of coconut milk… It’s a less sugary version of their Pink Drink and it’s YUM.

What’s your drink of choice on this beautiful Monday?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

1. What was your favorite year in school, and what was special about it?
2. Can you fake any accents?
3. How do you like your popcorn?
4. A recent unexpected makeup, skin care or beauty find?
5. Costco?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 516

August 26th, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

Even as a sci-fi nerd, my knowledge of Star Wars canon pales in comparison to Tabs’. (He, El Hub and Connor LOVED the Clone Wars and watched every episode of Star Wars Rebels together.)

Anyway, this morning Tabs pulled me aside on our walk and told me, with great seriousness, that I was Sith…which I kinda suspected for a while, but you know, now it’s official.

While we were walking around, there was a lot of talk about a disturbance in the force… I think it has to do with all of the Harris sightings lately.

When I asked Tabs about his tie, he gave me much more info than I needed about the prequels. Then I jokingly asked why he didn’t have Jabba the Hutt on his tie, because I used to call him that back in the day, and he just gave me a dirty look before proceeding to investigate the neighbor’s cacti.

We’ve received some reports of Harris being in the vicinity.

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Saturday Surfing, August 25th, 2018

August 25th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

chanel profondeur — Chanel Velvet Nail Colour in Profondeur, and the book I’m reading right meow!

G’morning! As I sipped my coffee from my favorite cat teacup this morning, I got to thinking about matte nail polish…

It’s not my favorite thing. They look like a car with a paint job that was suddenly abandoned halfway.

But that dark purple matte from the Chanel fall collection, though? *swoon* It’s everything. I’ve been hemming and hawing about whether I should “go there,” because I promised myself after The Great Gel Nail Polish Debacle of Summer 2018 that I’d take better care of my nails, and I told myself I’d care for them and paint them every week.

To that end, I’ve been wearing two coats of whichever polish has caught my eye each week (along with a base coat and shiny top coat), but the latest polish that caught my eye just so happens to be matte.

Go figure.

Sooo, I know that matte top coats exist, but wearing one now would totally disrupt the flow of my new nail polish master plan…which calls for me to use the same base coat and shiny top coat every week for consistency…

I know, I know! Clearly, I am Karen-ing this, and it’s spiraling to the Nth degree. I should just paint my damn nails already. ?

What are your feelings about matte nail polish? Should I go there?

But first, some light reading…

This stylish (and très expensive) line of modern furniture is the new West Elm for cats, but if I actually got one of those beds for ? Tabs…he’d ignore it and sleep in the box it came in instead!
How a New York Times columnist outsourced help to learn how to do her makeup in five minutes. (And it really does sound like a five-minute look.)
Ruh-roh. Certain brands are catching serious heat for digitally altering their swatch pics for “the ‘gram.”

In case any of the big dawgs are reading this, here’s how I’ve been doing swatches for the past 11 years:
1. Bust out your arm.
2. Swipe some makeup on it.
3. Take pictures.
4. Seriously, it’s that easy!
The beauty brand Lush is trying to encourage the development of native crops like avocado and vanilla in Guatemala to hopefully reverse some of the effects of deforestation and environmental degradation there.
These Le Labo scents are designed to evoke your favorite ?️ cities.
Quelle suprise! A mascara technique I’ve never seen before: This unconventional method involves keeping your eyes closed while you wiggle the brush.
Red maple leaf is a buzzy new skin care ingredient, and it could be the next big thing for smoothing fine lines.

Even if you aren’t into Erykah Badu, you still have to watch this just for her makeup. Also, the guy playing the matte black flute! Where was that flute when I was in band?!

Still on a lasagna kick.

Change my life, why don’t you?

What’s on your agenda this weekend? I got a late start today, but I want to do a little reading — this young adult suspense novel called The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir, and no, it’s not about nail polish (because I know you were wondering, ha ha ha!). It’s about a girl, the youngest of six, who grows up in front of the camera as part of a reality TV show. She wants to leave the show, but it isn’t easy, and she has to maneuver around her parents and the show’s producers like she’s living a chess game.

I’m about halfway through, and I can’t turn the pages fast enough!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen