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The $9.99 NYX Lid Lingerie Makes It Perfectly Acceptable to Wear Lingerie in Public

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Is this the best drugstore palette out there right meow?

If the $9.99 NYX Lid Lingerie Shadow Palette were a bra, it would be one that you wouldn’t normally pick out for yourself, but, because it was, like, on super deep discount, you buy it anyway, and even though it doesn’t fit as well as your go-to favorite bra, you come to realize, after wearing it a few times, that you love it more, the more you wear it.

Yup, that about summarizes this six-pan palette of neutral powder shadows, in a nutshell.

nyx lid lingerie swatches
Look at my lingerie!

A more affordable alternative to the Viseart Neutral Palette

Lid Lingerie, which is available now at Ulta and other drugstores, has been out a while, but it only recently caught my eye, and I think it did because of how much I’ve been thinking about my beloved Viseart Neutral Matte Palette.

I love that thing, but damn! — it’s so freaking expensive. So I’ve been looking for a drugstore option, and I think Lid Lingerie is it.

nyx lid lingerie swatches k2
FYI (TMI?), I’m wearing my most comfortable bra in this pic. Oh, and Lid Lingerie is on my lids.

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NYX Away We Glow Liquid Highlighter Makes It Easier for Makeup Lovers to Get Their Affordable Glow On

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nyx away we glow swatches final
And Awaaaaay We Glow! The NYX Away We Glow Liquid Highlighters from the top in Moonbeam, Daytime Halo and Gold Rush.

Calgon NYX, take me away! Take me to that place where highlighters don’t have to be so totally in your face, and where folks cherish a subtle pearly glow.

Oh, my goodness! The NYX Away We Glow Liquid Highlighters are so, so good! I was expecting a chunky, obvious “hello from the outer reaches of the universe” type of highlight from these liquid highlighters, but they aren’t like that at all. I’ve tried three of the nine shades, all of which are available in the permanent line, and they’re gloriously subtle. They have more of a pearly sheen than an in-your-face frost, and I think they look just like the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfectors (but at a fraction of the cost).

nyx away we glow
Wearing a mix of Daytime Halo and Gold Rush on the bridge of my nose and my upper cheekbones…

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These Pixi Sheer Cheek Gels Are Perfect for Way-Too-Hot Mascara/Brows/Gloss Days

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pixi sheer cheek gel natural flushed rosy
Barely-there cheek color that’s oh-so-hot. From the top: Pixi Sheer Cheek Gel in Natural, Flushed and Rosy ($14 each)

You guys…it is SO FREAKIN’ HOT.

As I’m sitting here, literally not doing anything except existing, I’m covered in sweat, and I feel the sweat running down the valley between my boobs.

Boob sweat. It’s a real thing.

Now, what does that have to do with the Pixi Sheer Cheek Gels? Actually, a lot! LOL! Because when it’s BEYOND hot like this, I don’t like to wear a lot of makeup. I draw the line at mascara (waterproof, of course), a lip tint or gloss, filling in my brows, and using a tiny touch of concealer and blush. That’s all I can handle. (“That’s all,” she said, as if that wasn’t still a lot.)

I like these gel blushes because they’re perfect for those way-too-hot-mascara/brows/gloss days, or, whenever you need to look presentable and fresh-faced but can’t bring yourself to try too hard.

pixi sheer cheek gel swatches natural rosy flushed
Swatches from the top: Natural, Rosy and Flushed

They come in these little 0.45-oz. tubes, and it doesn’t seem like you get a lot for $14, but you don’t need to use very much. I do a little squeeze for each cheek and gently blend the edges.

You don’t get a ton of color — I’ll tell you that right now — and if you’re expecting Insta-glam intensity, you’ll be disappointed. The effect is sheer and natural-looking, and very similar to the effect I get from Clinique Pop Oil Lip & Cheek Glow, except without the oil, as Pixi’s blushes don’t have it (they’re oil-free).

I like to wear gel blushes on bare skin, as opposed to wearing them on top of other products, to keep things easy and minimal. Whenever I layer them on top of foundation or tinted moisturizer, the gel ends up moving stuff around, so I don’t even wanna bother. But you could wear these Sheer Gels on top of face makeup if you wanted to… Just be sure to pat them, instead of sweeping, to protect whatever you may be wearing under them.

pixi sheer cheek gel review rosy
Wearing sheer red Rosy

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R+Co Palm Springs Pre-Shampoo Treatment Mask: Scrunchin’ Like It’s 1988

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r and co palm springs bottle
Like a getaway for your mane!

Are you ready to surf wave after wave of ’80s nostalgia? If you are, girl, all I have to say is R+Co Palm Springs Pre-Shampoo Treatment Mask! It will take you there, because it’s a mousse…and if you were an impressionable tween in the ’80s who had a spiral perm like yours truly, you might remember putting tons of mousse in your hair.

At least, that’s one of the things I recall about the late ’80s. I was always scrunching mousse in my hair, and it’s kind of fun to do it with this treatment, too.

Typically, pre-shampoo masks have a thick, lotion-like consistency like a hair conditioner, but R+CO likes pushing boundaries and doing things differently. Palm Springs is a lightweight, airy mousse, and the moisturizing formula is designed to help damaged hair.

You apply it to damp hair before you shampoo, then leave it to sit for anywhere from five minutes to a couple hours. And can I just say that if you have a couple hours to kill while your hair mask does its thing, I’m so jealous?!

After that, you hop in the shower, rinse it out, shampoo, condition and style as usual.

r and co palm springs foam
Take me back to 1988…

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How Much of a Punch Does the Soap & Glory Kick Into Neutral Palette Pack?

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soap glory kick into neutrals packaging
I wanna kick it with these Soap & Glory shadows.

There are nine shimmers and a matte in the $20 Kick into Neutral Eyeshadow Palette by Soap & Glory, of which the “kicks” are closer to light instep taps than drag queen chorus line high kicks.

This palette has plenty of things going for it, including a bevvy of everyday cool tones. In fact, the cool tones are why I wanted to try it.

First, though, before we get to that…Soap & Glory makes makeup now? Who knew??

I think it’s a relatively recent development, but yeah, they moved beyond the realm of body products and now have a pretty extensive makeup line, with lots of lip products (so many lipsticks!), a sprinkling of foundation and face powder, highlighters (of course), blushes and even a couple of eyeshadow palettes. Kick into Neutral is one of them.

soap glory kick into neutral swatches
Swatch it to me!

Most of the shadows in the 10-pan palette lean cool, so if you like your neutrals with a kiss of cool gray or taupe, this could be the palette for you. After busting it out a few times, though, overall…I think this palette might actually be TOO cool-toned for me.

I dunno… I’m not sure how I feel about the cool gray tones. Something about ’em isn’t sitting right with me. Normally, I like the contrast of cool shadows on warm skin, but in this case I feel like it’s a little jarring.

Oh, well. I guess you can’t win ’em all, Karen (although the #makeuphoarder in me really wants to!).

soap glory kick into neutral k
I’m wearing Cuddly Bare in my crease, Pink-a-little on my inner lids, Mice-tro in the outer corer and Spookstar on my lash line.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 484

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becca cosmetics flat lay monday poll july 17
Happy Monday, sweet girl!

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. Your gut feelings about red eyeshadow? Yes/no/maybe/sometimes/not a chance?

I like it! I know it’s been trending for a while. I think it can look hella cool, and there are some things that can also make it more wearable, like coupling it with black liner on your lash and water lines, or adding a warm brown eyeshadow, like a reddish brown or an orange-brown, into the crease.

2. Introvert or extrovert?

I’m pretty extroverted most of the time, but I withdraw and quietly seethe when I’m tired or hangry.

3. What products did you use in your hair today?

I’m all about that R+Co life! I’m wearing High Dive, which I put on last night after my shower, Sail, which I put on my roots and midshaft today, and a minuscule amount of Trophy sprayed all over the top layer.

4. Big earrings or dainty earrings?

Dainty earrings, all the way!

I do love big earrings (especially hoops) too, but I can’t wear them right now because Connor Claire can’t resist anything sparkly.

5. ____ is a girl’s best friend.

I wanna say concealer, because, let’s face it, we are tight! — but I feel like my responsible side wants me to say “financial independence.”

Financial independence is a girl’s best friend…but concealer is her closest, most beloved cousin, haha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy and paste.

1. Your gut feelings about red eyeshadow? Yes/no/maybe/sometimes/not a chance?
2. Introvert or extrovert?
3. What products did you use in your hair today?
4. Big earrings or dainty earrings?
5. ____ is a girl’s best friend.

P.P.S. Just a quick reminder. You might not be where you want to be right now, but if you take a step you’ll be that much closer. Doesn’t even have to be a big step, either. Even tiny steps move you forward.

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 458

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Today was a busy day at the offices of Tabs the Cat Industries LLC, despite it being the weekend. Quite a few people showed up to work, including me and the intern, whose responsibility it was to follow the CFO (Chief Feline Officer) around and lavish him with pets and lurvies.

After fueling up on morning gravy, Tabs went on patrol around the perimeter…

As you probably know, his approach to corporate security relies heavily on kitty modeling, in that he poses in plain sight, where his breathtaking physique temporarily stuns would-be intruders.

It’s been a very effective technique over the years.

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Saturday Surfing: July 15th, 2017

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Of course that’s the first thing I’d ask for

My new favorite thing to do when I’m on the couch watching American Ninja Warrior (which, by the way, I’m weirdly obsessed with): texting the SF MOMA for art.

Yes, this is a thing!

Apparently, the SF MOMA has sooooo much art in their archives — more than they have physical space in the museum to display — that they created a way for people to experience all of this excess art that would be otherwise tucked away in a basement by text message. You can now text the SF MOMA at 572-51, and ask them to send you a pic of a piece of art related to any subject that interests you.

For instance, I asked them to send me cats, because hello! Priorities. 🙂 Then they sent me the above piece by Hungarian-born photographer André Kertész of a man and his Siamese.

Cool, right? I could LITERALLY do this all day long.

I get to find out about new artists and see art that I probably never would’ve otherwise seen.

And now for an awkward transition…American Ninja Warrior! I love the show, and I particularly love seeing women compete so well and do such superhuman physical feats!

In case you haven’t seen the show before, it’s a competitive obstacle course of increasing difficulty where hundreds of competitors try to make it all the way through to hit the buzzer at the end, and then to go on to the national finals in Las Vegas. In nine seasons, only two people have made it all the way and finished the very final event, because it’s THAT hard. Whoever makes it through the final course, I think, wins a million dollars.

For years and years and years, it was a bunch of dudes, but finally, over the past few years, women started competing and doing well in it. Anyway, last year four ladies got through a qualifying round to hit a buzzer, which was a big deal.


Jesse Labreck doing her thang. GET IT, GIRL!

A few of them came back this year and competed in the most recent show, but it was weird… Most of the time before the athletes do their run through the obstacle course, the show does a little video montage of things they’ve been up to in their life, things they’ve achieved over the past year, that kind of thing. Well, this year they did two videos on two of the women who hit a buzzer last year, Allyssa Beird and Jesse Labreck.

In both cases, the videos didn’t focus on what I’ve come to expect from the male competitors on the show — accomplishments at work, finishing school, or how their ninja warrior training is going. Instead, they were mostly about their new relationships. In other words, boyfriends.

BOYFRIENDS.

I mean, I’m all for love. ? I think love is great! But it still irked me. El Hub even noticed it, and I was like, “What if Connor Claire made it on the show, made Ninja Warrior history, and then instead of getting a montage about how she trained like a beast over the last year, it was about how she GOT A BOYFRIEND, wouldn’t that kinda grind your gears?”

Anyway, I’m just sayin’. American Ninja Warrior crew, please get your sh*t together. There’s so much more to a woman’s story than how she met her boyfriend.

OK, mini rant over! 🙂

On that note, don’t miss the post below about Disney princesses as engineers.

Have a great weekend, my friend. I think we’re gonna grill today for the first time this year. Wish me luck, haha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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