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

You Had Me at Aloha, Cargo! The Cargo Limited Edition Summer Eyeshadow Palette

July 7th, 2017 by Karen 10 Comments

cargo you had me at aloha palette 1 — Aloooooha, Cargo! Clockwise from the Cargo You had Me at Aloha Eyeshadow Palette in the upper right: Cargo Swimmables Waterproof Mascara Top Coat, Cargo Color Sticks in Key West and Maui and Cargo Swimmables Longwear Shadow Sticks in Morro Bay and Hudson Bay

I do this thing sometimes (sometimes? ALL THE TIME!) when I come back from a trip, where I think back to where I was and what I was doing the day before, or the week before, at that exact time, like, what I was doing in Hawaii exactly one week before at 9:05 a.m., and I do that until the fresh fabulousness of the trip fades from my memory…

I was thinking about Hawaii this morning as I sipped a cup of Kona coffee in the lady sanctuary. I wish I were there today… Le sigh!

To feel a little closer to the islands, I busted out the $34 Cargo You Had Me at Aloha Eyeshadow Palette, which has Hawaii-inspired colors and a Hawaiian theme.

cargo you had me at aloha palette — Aloha, swatches!

The You Had Me at Aloha LE summer palette has 12 powder shadows that appear exclusively in it, and it comes with a pretty soft dual-ended brush and a black eyeliner, which, by the way, is EPIC!

I know that it’s a little weird to obsess over a black liner in a palette that also contains gorgeous golds, teals and purples (also known as “My summer jams”), but the liner… It’s full-sized, pitch black, and it totally sticks to my lash and water lines. Plus, it doesn’t move! It’s lovely, and now, like the makeup weirdo I am, I have to hunt it down in more shades.

cargo you had me at aloha palette k — I’m wearing the palette on my lids, Cargo Swimmables Shadow Stick in Morro Bay on my lower lash line, and the Cargo Color Sticks in Maui and Key West mixed together on my cheeks and lips.

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This New Palette By Too Faced Is a Glitter Bomb, and That’s a Good Thing

July 7th, 2017 by Karen 28 Comments

too faced glitter bomb palette — The Too Faced Glitter Bomb Palette, also known as “An Explosion o’ Glitter!”

First time I played with this new palette from Too Faced, I reached a point during which glitter was seconds away from ending up all over the place…so I came to the following conclusion: why not put it in the crease, too? And the inner corner? And on my lower lash line?! Basically, why not put this glitter everywhere!?

I mean, if you’re gonna go there already, don’t just dip a toe in the glitter pool. GO. ALL. IN.

This fun $45 LE lioness is available right meow with eight powder glitter shadows, as well as two bases that you can layer under the shadows if you want. There’s a matte white base to brighten colors and a black shade to darken them.

too faced glitter bomb palette 1 — GLITTER!!!

I think that the name, Glitter Bomb, is a ref to something that anyone who plays with glittery makeup knows. “That shadow is a glitter bomb!” You know, when it gets all over the place, which you have to expect when you’re working/playing with glitter sometimes. And it happens here.

This lives up to its name. It is a glitter bomb, but it helps to layer a little glitter glue on your lids first, and then apply the glitters with a wet brush.

Also, for sure, do you eyes first. Then clean up whatever bits land on your face after you’re done. Or, you can just leave the glitter in you brows and on your nose like you meant to do it, haha. Like I said…ALL. IN.

too faced glitter bomb palette k2 — I’m wearing Glitter Goals on my lids, Oh Its On in the crease, Rose All Day in the inner corner and Splash along the lower lash line.

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The NARS Powermatte Pigments: The Nudes

July 6th, 2017 by Karen 9 Comments

nars get it on — Get It On! (actually…the exclamation mark is mine, because I like the oomph it adds to this tan rose’s name.)

I realize that some of the shades in this batch of nude NARS Powermatte Pigments look straight-up bold on me, but I figure they could work as nude lippies for deeper divas.

Which reminds me, that’s one thing I’ve always loved about NARS. They try to cover the color gamut with shades for lighter lovelies AND darker divas, so yay, diversity! 🙂

Today is the day, too. These new $26 Powermatte Pigments are available as of meow (here’s a more in-depth review).

These moisturizing liquid lipsticks last about five hours for me, and they have a thinner consistency than usual for their liquid brethren. They’re almost watery, and yet gloriously easy to control.

Overall, I’m all about the dainty pink nudes, like Get It On and American Woman. I also like Slow Ride, which is a brownish pink, because there’s something kinda ’90s about it.

If you, like my friend Bernadette (hey, Berna!), whom I was just talking to last week, have designs on quitting your nude lip habit and moving into bolder colors, well, you probably wouldn’t wanna get anywhere near the Powermattes, because these nudes are addictive. But girl, I won’t stop you from feeding that nude fire if you have to. ?

nars save the queen — Save the Queen — a dusty mauve

nars american woman — American Woman — a chestnut rose

nars walk this way — Walk This Way — a rosy pink

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The NARS Powermatte Pigments: The Brights and Bolds

July 6th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

nars low rider — Wearing the new bright peachy pink NARS Powermatte Pigment in Low Rider on my pout

If you grab one or more of the new NARS Powermatte Pigment liquid lipsticks, of which there are 20 shades that are $26 each (available starting tomorrow at NARS boutiques and the NARS website and coming July 13th to Sephora), may I gently suggest that you refrain from applying them in public? Because it is SO frightening when someone with bright red liquid lipstick all over their teeth smiles at you. In a way, it’s kind of vampire chic, but in another way, it’s f*cking scary!

My bad for not realizing that ya only need a little for full coverage…

nars get up stand up — NARS Powermatte Pigment in Get Up Stand Up, a bright pinkish coral

By the time I finished swatching this batch, which includes the bright and bold colors in the line (I’ll have pics of the nude ones soon), I figured out the best way to apply them is to take a little off the applicator before touching it to your lips.

nars give it up — NARS Powermatte Pigment in Give It Up, a fuchsia

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Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in Perk and (Mis)Adventures in No-Makeup Makeup

July 6th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

milk makeup lip cheek perk — The face I make when I get my hands on an iced green tea latte…

There are days when I wake up looking like I just climbed out of my crypt after 24 mummified years…

Yesterday was one of those days, so I took Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in Perk out to play, and put a little on before my Starbucks’ run.

For testing.

I swiped it on bare cheeks, blended out the edges and headed out the door, excited about the prospect of caffeine in my near future. 🙂

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The Rouge Bunny Rouge “Loess” Eye Shadow Palette Channels Chanel

July 5th, 2017 by Karen 12 Comments

There’s a morsel of that marvelously mysterious Chanel wow factor fluttering about the cool-toned Rouge Bunny Rouge Loess Eye Shadow Palette, and oh! — I’d also like to say that if you have warm-toned skin like I do, I’m 100% convinced that warm-toned wonder women can also wear cooler tones like these.

Now back to what I was saying about that Chanel wow factor…

RBR had fun with the finishes in this pigmented palette in a way that reminds me of Coco. There are four powder shadows — a rose, a beige, a purplish taupe and a gray — with finishes that combine the best of the satin and matte worlds. They blend with the ease of a satin but look a little like mattes on the lids. You can see see that a glint is there at first glance, but when you pause to look more closely, where did it go!? it disappears…

Don’t you just love subtle touches in makeup like that?

rouge bunny rouge loess k — Wearing the Rouge Bunny Rouge Loess palette on my lids and NARS Save the Queen Powermatte on my lips

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The Summer of Skin Care! Caudalie Vinoperfect Essence and Vinoperfect Serum

July 5th, 2017 by Karen 14 Comments

caudalie vinoperfect essence serum — The Summer o’ Skin Care continues…

Back when I was breaking “out on the regular,” Caudalie’s face lotion was one of a handful of products that got me through life. I’m a fiery fan of this French brand, especially their moisturizers. I’ve gone through more bottles of their face moisturizers, body moisturizers and their hand and nail cream over the years than I can count.

I know the brand, and I know their products work for me, so I couldn’t wait to pat-pat-pat and try their new Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence ($42).

First things first, it is NOT a toner. Let’s get that straight. It’s closer to a super watery glycolic serum, and girl, you know I’ve been all about those glycolics lately.

I just wish it listed the percentage of glycolic acid it contains on the ingredient list, because that would make The Summer of Skin Care sooo much easier.

Remember last week how I mentioned that I’ve been incorporating glycolic products of various strengths into my regimen — one mild, one medium and one strong? So I wish I knew which category to file Vinoperfect Brightening Essence under.

Based on how my skin feels after using it — which I know is completely not scientific AT ALL — I’m guessing that it’s on the very mild end of the glycolic spectrum. After I apply it (following the directions, I put a few big drops in my palm, which I then pat on my face and neck after washing my face), I get less of a tingly kick than I get from Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser, which is a 5% glycolic acid product. My skin just feels like it’s going, “Ah…” and it looks pleasantly plump and hydrated.

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What a Beautiful Day at Children’s Fairyland, Oakland’s Storybook Theme Park

July 5th, 2017 by Karen 22 Comments

Welcome to Children’s Fairyland, Oakland’s Storybook Theme Park!

It’s like Disneyland in Oakland. For babies! Who knew?

Connor Claire had so much fun at Fairyland yesterday. Among the things we learned, we learned that she loves puppet shows and sits attentively through them, and we also learned that she loves ducks! She met a cute duck couple named Valentine and Lucky and didn’t want to leave them.

If you ever make it out to Oakland, and you’re traveling with little ones, Children’s Fairyland is a fun stop. If Connor has her way, we’ll definitely be going back.

Oh, my gosh, is that gnome blowing bubbles!?

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