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

Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes

July 26th, 2017 by Karen 7 Comments

boots beautiful quick thinking wipes — These are fab!

? These Boots were made for walking…right into your makeup bag! ?

I found the best makeup wipes! — and better still, they’re totes affordable and available right down the street at the drugstore. They’re the Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes for All Skin Types, and I randomly picked up a pack one day on a whim at Target because I ran out of the Pixi wipes I’ve been using since last month.

I also wanted to try something new (story of every beauty junkie’s life, am I right?). As luck would have it, they’re amaze-balls! They’re quite possibly the best makeup wipes I’ve ever used.

First, the important stuff: they’re fragrance-free and remove everything, even long-wearing and waterproof stuff. They also do it in the blink of an eye and don’t leave a greasy film behind (like so many heavy-duty wipes do, like the ones from MAC, which had been my makeup wipe standard bearer for years).

The thing I love most about these is that I don’t have to tug or rub at my skin at all. It’s all about light swipes, and that removes all of my makeup. I’m talking ALL OF IT. I’ve even used these on my water lines in a pinch and didn’t experience any irritation.

OK, so, you know how most wipes feel almost dry? They’re just slightly wet? They feel like they don’t have a lot of makeup remover in them? Well, Boots isn’t chintzy like that because these feel wet.

I was gonna type “moist,” but then I remembered how much I hate that word… Moist, moist, moist. The more you say it, the weirder it sounds. Blech!

Anyway, I never expected to ever get this excited about makeup wipes, but I’ve tried my share, and these are straight-up exceptional. They’re also a pretty good price, but you gotta get them in a two-pack to get the best value. Both Ulta and Target charge $10.99 for a two-pack of 30 wipes each (60 wipes total), which works out to 18 cents per wipe.

Not bad, right? If you get them in a single pack of 30 wipes for $6.99, you pay a little more.

For comparison, my previous holy grail wipes from MAC, which I used to buy in bulk (and which are still great, but I think the Boots ones are better at removing waterproof mascara), are 29 cents per wipe.

Who gets excited about affordable makeup wipes? THIS GIRL RIGHT HURR. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Shower Tales, and Current Caudalie Body Favorites

July 26th, 2017 by Karen 29 Comments

caudalie body products — Some of the best body products from Caudalie

For the longest time — for MONTHS after Connor was born — and this may or may not sound weird, but whenever I’d take a shower, I’d cry.

Like, bawl my eyes out. My hormones were redonk for months after Connor’s debut. Also, every time I touched or glanced down at my emergency c-section scar, I broke down. I would start thinking about that night and the nurses and the fear and the doctors coming into the room to quietly discuss serious options… It was too much.

Most of the time, I was able to focus on the fact that Connor was born healthy, and that would calm me down, but standing there under the water when you’re looking at your naked body with nothing between you and a huge scar, and wishing that things had turned out differently… I felt let down by my body. It’s hard to explain. Anyway, I couldn’t even talk about it for a really long time.

Like they say, though, time heals all wounds. I’m no longer crying in the shower anymore, yay! It’s back to being the fun, safe, happy place it used to be. 🙂

Now, let’s talk about some bad-@ss body products from Caudalie.

caudalie vine body butter — If I could dive right into a gigantic bucket of Caudalie Vine Body Butter, I totally would.

Caudalie is a French skin care line (available at Sephora) known for adding antioxidants from the grapes in their vineyards in France. They make some of the best moisturizers and body products out there, like my old-school faves, their Vine Body Butter ($34) and Hand and Nail Cream ($15). Both are righteously rich and thick — so rich that you can pretty much kiss those scales on your shins buh-bye.

When you step out of the shower after a day at the pool and your dry skin desperately needs moisture, or if you just need some heavy-duty hydration, they’re great.

caudalie hand and nail cream — Moisturizing mania continues…

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Countdown to National Lipstick Day on July 29th! NARS Dragon Girl

July 25th, 2017 by Karen 13 Comments

Huh! I almost just called this shade “Dragon Roll,” and I do that every single time I wear it…

Why!?

Contrary to what my brain thinks, this is not a delicious sushi roll. It’s a lipstick from NARS called Dragon Girl.

I guess I just really love sushi?! (I do.)

Dragon Girl is in the NARS permanent line of Velvet Matte Lip Pencils — ya know, the ones that look like a crayon that you sharpen.

They have a matte finish, but it’s not just any old basic, flat matte finish. It has a kick to it — a light stain that gives it a softness that you don’t get from truly flat mattes. I think it makes it more approachable.

But that’s not even the main reason I’ve been all about this shade for years. Seriously, it’s my favorite NARS red, and NARS is well-known for their reds.

I’m just sayin’. There’s so many good ones!

Dragon Girl is a chameleon color because, depending on what I’m wearing on my eyes, cheeks, and even my clothes, it can look very different. Sometimes it’s a blue-red. Sometimes it’s a pink-red, or an orange-red, or sometimes it’s got a berry tone. It’s a red that works with everything, and for a desert island challenge, if I had to pick just one NARS red to wear ’til forever arrived, it would be Dragon Roll —

Girl! Dragon Girl. I did it again… 🙂

nars dragon girl swatch final — She’s a Dragon Girl

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Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Sticks: Your Makeup Bag Needs One Right Meow!

July 25th, 2017 by Karen 5 Comments

Every day after Connor and I have lunch, we go outside to play on the grassy knoll in the front yard common area here in our little condo complex, and almost every day we go out there, I’ve got some degree of craziness on my face — mismatched eyeshadow, false lashes with the wingspan of a bird of prey, bright green Hulk gloss, etc. — so I usually look a little nuts and get some sidelong glances.

Do I really care? Nope!

It is nice, though, when I’m not testing some new makeup and actually, ya know, look kinda normal and someone gives me a compliment, which happened last week while I was wearing the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour stick No. 24.

Actually, come to think about it, whenever I wear one of these cream blushes, somebody asks about it. I’d probably do the same if I saw a gal wearing one, because they’re bomb!

chanel les beiges healthy glow sheer colour stick swatches — I wish I could wear all of these on my cheeks at the same time and not look completely cray-cray. From the top, that’s No. 21, No. 22, No. 23 and No. 24. There’s also a tan shade called No. 20 that I haven’t tried.

They’re twist-up cream blush sticks sort of like the NARS Multiples, and there are five of them, all available on Chanel counters now in the new Les Beiges collection. Also, yay! — I’ve been told that they’re permanent.

They feel similar to the Multiples but aren’t quite as dry. They’re wetter and creamier, so they’re also 1) easier to blend and 2) don’t push around whatever you have on your cheeks, like foundation, tinted moisturizer, concealer, etc.

chanel les beiges healthy glow sheer colour stick no 22 — No. 22

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The Lune + Aster Midnight Sun Eyeshadow Palette: Bobbi and Trish Fans, You’re Gonna Love This

July 25th, 2017 by Karen 4 Comments

lune aster midnight sun eyeshadow palette final — Bobbi and/or Trish fans, you’re gonna love this!

Time: the great equalizer. More precious than tiny tabbies, Tom Ford, platinum and diamonds. I went to high tea a few weeks ago with my college crew, and we got to talking about time and how it seems like there’s less and less of it every year. Life, love, school, work, hobbies, kids and cats (of course!) happen, and then all of a sudden you realize how little time you have left for yourself at the end of the day.

Time is precious and valuable, and saving more of it is the name of the game for this cool little brand called Lune + Aster. It’s a vegan, paraben-free makeup line exclusively available at Bluemercury stores, and it was started by CEO Marla Beck in 2016. Everything in the line is focused on getting you made up and out the door in five minutes or less.

It’s not a huge line, but they do have a range of products, including a CC cream, an eyeshadow palette, a few cheek palettes, bronzers, brushes and lip glosses in prices from $18 (for a gloss) to $56 for the eyeshadow palette I’m wearing here called Midnight Sun.

lune aster midnight sun swatches — Midnight Sun swatch-a-rooni

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Countdown to National Lipstick Day on July 29th! Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Paradiso

July 24th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

tom ford paradiso — Five more days until National Lipstick Day, Saturday, July 29th

Question: why isn’t every day National Lipstick Day? Because it should be. Every day should also be National Tubby Tabby Day, National Doughnut Day ? and National Black Stretchy Pants Day.

Every. Damn. Day.

But seriously (as if), National Lipstick Day ? is a thing, and it’s almost here! It’s Saturday, July 29th, and I’m kicking it off by wearing some of my favorite lippies, like this cutie from Tom Ford called Paradiso, a.k.a. the current BFF of my dry-lipped life, because it’s so moisturizing that I feel like I’m standing underneath a tropical waterfall whenever I wear it…

OK, so, maybe that’s a little over-dramatic, but it really is moisturizing, and look at that dreamy finish, ooh-la-la!

Paradiso is a smooth coral Moisturecore Lip Color in the four-piece Tom Ford Paradise capsule collection, an online exclusive available now.

Because it’s Tom Ford, I have to warn you… Take a deep breath (*inhales sharply*), because it’s $55.

I know!

But it’s massively more moisturizing than most moisture-rich lipsticks. The inner core is packed with potent passionfruit oil, and the outer lip color contains a blend of melon fruit extract and murumuru butter.

Tastes and smells like yummy vanilla, too.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 485

July 24th, 2017 by Karen 25 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past 10 (!) years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. Have you ever been bitten by an animal?

If we’re including human beings, then yes, because my brother and I used to fight like cats and dogs when we were little, and there were several biting exchanges with really, REALLY sharp teeth! Oh, and Tabs has recently taken to biting me, but they aren’t real bites. Just gentle nips here and there.

I think it’s ’cause he’s older now and doesn’t have as much patience as he used to. I think of them as love ? bites.

2. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being off-the-charts fabulous, what’s your skill with liquid liner?

If my trusty Tom Ford liquid liner or Clinique Pretty Easy Pen are in my paw, I give myself a solid 8; otherwise, it’s kind of questionable. A 5 or 5.5 at the most.

3. What’s your current no-makeup makeup routine?

OH. GIRL. My favorite makeup style at the moment! I fill in my brows with MAC Brow Sculpt Pencil in Spiked because I ran out of it in Brun, but also because I wanted to try something different…

Spiked is good for brunettes, but I still prefer Brun.

Anyway, then I apply a little MAC Matchmaster Concealer under my eyes if I’m looking really tired. If, on the other paw, I’m looking semi-rested, then I skip it.

Next, I curl my lashes, add a layer or two of COVERGIRL Total Tease Mascara to my bottom and top lashes, some Pixi Gel Blush on my cheeks and a lip tint or gloss.

I’ve been alternating between the Pixi duos with the lip tint and gloss, and a Cremesheen Glass from MAC called Cha-Cha-Cha from the Fruity Juicy collection.

4. What purse are you carrying at the moment?

It’s an old Michael Kors tote that my mom got me as a present years ago, and I love it! It’s dark brown, so it goes with everything, and it’s very lightweight.

I can fit all of my usual suspects in there, like my wallet, giant key ring, my phone, my makeup bag, snacks (protein bars, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies), water bottle… It’s also roomy enough to fit baby girl’s things, which I usually keep in a Ziploc gallon bag. One diaper, travel packs of diaper wipes and Wet Ones Wipes, a travel diaper changing blanket, an emergency toy (usually a tiny plastic Elmo) and an extra binky. #momlife

5. A color you wear well?

I like the way I look in coral, and I also seem to do well in bright yellows and pale mints…but I haven’t been wearing any of those shades lately. Lately, I’ve been wearing lots of neutrals — white, black, gray.

Note to self: wear more color!

6. Can you recommend a good book to take to the beach or pool?

I read Big Little Lies a couple months ago, and I couldn’t put it down! It’s well-written and perfect for the beach because it’s suspenseful, but it isn’t too mentally demanding.

It’s SO good.

Have a marvelous Monday

Every morning when Connor wakes up — and I mostly do this as a reminder to myself — I say, “It’s morning times! We have a new day before us, and it’s filled with so many possibilities. We’re going to fall every once in a while, be when we do, we’re going to pick ourselves up and keep trying.”

Have a great one, sweet friend. We have a new day before us, and it’s filled with so many possibilities. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen