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The Urban Decay Basquiat Collection: UD’s Best Collection Ever

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urban decay basquiat exhibition lipstick
Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat. I’m wearing the Gold Griot Eye Palette on my lids, Gallery Blush Palette on my cheeks and Exhibition Lipstick on my lips.

If you’ve ever been stuck in a makeup rut, I’m telling you, the new Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat collection will kick you outta that funk like that. *snaps*

urban decay basquiat collection overview

“Art as makeup. Makeup as art.”

That’s the tagline for the collection, which is available now (sort of, but more on that in a minute). And the collection is a work of art. I think it’s incredible. This is some of the best — THE BEST — makeup Urban Decay has ever done. Like, every single thing in this collection makes me want to paint my face in a myriad of different ways.

But let me back up juuust a bit…

Urban Decay Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette

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These Too Cool for School Skin Care Products Have Egg-Cellent Scents

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too cool for school eggs
Crack open some eggs!

How weird would it be to have an omelet-scented face mask?

Pretty weird, right?

It’s almost something I’d expect to see from Too Cool for School. They’re a quirky K-beauty brand available at Sephora, and, for instance, they make this mascara I love called Dinoplatz, which is 1) amaze-balls at locking the curl from my lash curler while lifting and lengthening my lashes, and 2) it also has dinosaurs on the tube.

That’s a double whammy right there!

With their EGG line of skin care products, you’ll literally have egg on your face, because they all contain egg whites and yolk extracts for tightening, brightening and moisturizing.

Let’s get real, though. The main reason I wanted to try these, all of which are available in the brand’s permanent line, is to smell them, because I’m a nosy noodle. 🙂

Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ($12): It contains egg white extract for dissolving dead skin cells and excess oil, but it smells nothing like a fritatta, in case you were wondering (I was). It smells like freesia to me, and I really like it. The scent is just right and not overpowering.

I don’t know why, but I find it weirdly satisfying to wash my face with this thick, rich mousse. I’m definitely going to finish the bottle. My combo dry/oily skin feels clean and hydrated when I rinse it off.

Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ingredients
Water, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, Butane, Triethanolamine, Sodium Coco Amphoace- Tate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Propane, Myristic Acid, Milk Protein Extract/Extrait Protéine Du Lait, Egg Yolk Extract /Extrait De Jaune D’oeuf, Albumen Extract, Glyceryloleate, Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.

Egg Mousse Pack Facial Mask ($20): Again with the faint floral freesia scent. I like it! To use this mousse-y mask, you apply the mousse to your face, wait five minutes, then rinse it off. The egg yolk extract in it is supposed to be very moisturizing.

All I know is that it makes my skin tingle, and after I rinsed it off, the dry, sensitive skin on my cheeks feels extra tight.

I think this might be better for people with oily skin, instead of combo skin like mine.

Egg Mousse Pack Facial Mask ingredients
Water, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Lauryl Phosphate, Isopentane, Trehalose, Carbon Dioxide, Arginine, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Laureth-1 Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Egg Yolk Extract/Extrait De Jaune D’oeuf, Albumen Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ppg-3 Caprylyl Ether, Acrylates /C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Fragrance.

Egg Mousse Mask Pore Tightening Sheet Mask ($6): Whatever you do, refrain from eating crumbly shortbread cookies while wearing this sheet mask, because if you don’t, you’ll make a huge mess.

I’m just sayin’!

Anywho, my pores look a little tighter after I use this freesia-scented mask… Just a little bit.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 473

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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. How good are you at delegating?

Bah, I’m terrible. Delegating? What’s that…? To be honest, my life would probably be easier if I were better at delegating, although…I don’t really have anybody to delegate to, other than Tabs, and he’s too busy delegating tasks to me, haha.

I’ve always just thought that I had to do everything myself, even when I was totally overwhelmed. Maybe it’s a control thing? I dunno… Like, if I do it, at least I know it’s going to be done the way I want it to be done. Of course, herein lies the problem. When I’m overwhelmed, things don’t get done. It’s a conundrum.

But I really would like to get better at it, or at least better at asking for help when I need it.

2. Last time you wore a tutu?

Oh, snap, mama! Don’t ask me why I thought of this question now, because I have no idea, but I don’t think I’ve ever worn a tutu. Clearly, this is a travesty of epic proportions!

3. Last time you rode a bike?

Hmm… It’s been a while. I think it was before I got pregnant with Connor Claire. I seem to remember going on a ride around the neighborhood with El Hub after he got a new helmet. It must have been 2015.

Unless a stationary bike counts. Then it was a month ago.

4. Style or comfort?

Le sigh… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have to go with comfort.

5. What’s the last pic you took with your phone?

This one here…

The doll was a gift from Connor’s grandparents, and it came riding in a teeny, tiny stroller. The first thing Connor did was replace the doll with a cat (I swear, it wasn’t my idea!).

6. Is one of your eyes easier for you to do makeup on?

Yes, definitely my left, because the crease is slightly deeper on that eye, and it makes everything easier.

My left brow is also longer and more in proportion to my left eye, so I don’t have to do as much work to it as I do on the other side.

7. Liner: with or without a wing?

Most of the time without, and if I do a wing it’s usually a kitten flick, instead of an adult cat wing.

Have a sweet Monday, my sweet friend ?

I’m getting over a cold meow, and I’m just really hoping the baby doesn’t get it. Fingers and toes crossed.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

1. How good are you at delegating?
2. Last time you wore a tutu?
3. Last time you rode a bike?
4. Style or comfort?
5. What’s the last pic you took with your phone?
6. Is one of your eyes easier for you to do makeup on?
7. Liner: with or without a wing?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 447

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Tabs was hongry today on our walk. Not just hungry, but hongry. He was ravenous! He didn’t even care about the giant turkeys gobbling on the hill or the little kids shouting at the neighborhood playground. He was too busy hunting for the freshest, tastiest shoots of grass, which were hard to find today because the condo landscapers mowed the hill this week.

Tabby loves Novato so much, and we’re coming up on the best time of year for kitty exploring. The days are nice and long now, which means that he can go for more walks.

The only problem is that everyone else has the same idea, so there are also more trespassers and violators of the Tabs the Cat Industries LLC property perimeter.

Consequently, sometimes Tabs has to flex his kitty muscles to show ’em who’s boss, and he’s always ready to throw down, because you never know when some other cat will attempt a hostile takeover. As I’m sure you know, the kitty modeling business is cutthroat.

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Saturday Surfing: April 29th, 2017

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If we didn’t have company over (Connor’s grandparents have a playdate with Ms. Thang), I’d be parked on the couch, playing with palettes and watching Midsomer Muders ALL DAY LONG.

I totally blame Jessica for this. She mentioned the show on Facebook, so I gave it a go, and now I’m straight-up obsessed.

It’s a detective show set in a rural U.K. village where you might think the most dramatic thing to happen would be someone getting a flat bicycle tire, but noooo! All sorts of sordid things churn in the village’s seedy underbelly… People are dying left and right of unnatural causes!

It’s pretty slow paced, even though creepy stuff happens, so it isn’t terribly stressful. I love it. I watched it every night this week tucked under a blanket with a cup of Sleepytime tea.

Anywho, that’s what I’m binging.

In other news…here are some things that caught my makeup-lovin’ eye this week.

Have yourself an epic weekend, ‘k? Please do something fun. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Mostly Makeup-Related Friday Ramblings: The Urban Decay Basquiat Collection, New Makeup Setting Sprays, and Mom Brain (It’s a Legit Thing!)

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urban decay basquiat collection final
I had some fun today with the Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Collection.

Hey, guys! Happy Friday. 🙂 I hope you’re having a good one so far. I hope it hasn’t been too hectic or stressful. Sometimes on Fridays I feel a mix of relief, because it’s the end of the week, and a little bit of…I dunno, anxiety? Just because I like to leave things in a good place for Monday. You know what I mean? I like to fix up my office a little and have a plan for what I’m going to do the next week, maybe take pictures if I need to or go to the arts and crafts store for props.

I also like to do a little housecleaning if I can get to it, just so that I don’t have to think about it over the weekend, and I can actually, maybe relax.

So even though I’m super excited that it’s Friday, it’s tinged with slight stress, LOL.

Anyway…

Today I started testing some new products from Urban Decay. They have a new collection out called UD Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Yup, inspired by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. That’s his artwork on the packaging.

urban decay basquiat collection 1
The Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquait Collection

I saw the neutral Gold Griot Eyeshadow palette and thought, “Girl, I need to get that on my lids ASAP,” so I’m wearing it.

I’ve got a warm brownish red in the crease (I used reddish brown Anatomy Glide-On Eye Pencil as a base), a bronze lid and a soft navy cat eye flick. I’m also wearing the UD Gallery Blush Palette and two of the collection’s lipsticks, warmish brown Epigram and purplish pink Exhibition, mixed together.

I’m thinking about throwing on some glitter later to take it up a notch if we go out to dinner (we’re thinking pizza). 🙂

urban decay basquiat collection k1
That’s the UD Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette on my lids (also used Anatomy 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil as a base), the Gallery Blush Palette on my cheeks, and the lipsticks in Exhibition and Epigram mixed together on my lips.

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What Makeup Products Do You Use the Most, and What Products Do You Use the Least?

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Alright. OK. The most? The products I use the most to de-zombie-fy myself on the daily (but not necessarily everyday together) are under-eye concealer, my lash curler, mascara, brow filler (which is usually a powder or a pencil and a clear brow gel), foundation or tinted moisturizer, face powder, blush, bronzer, highlighter, gloss, lipstick and a black pencil liner for tightlining.

Now, for the things I use the least? Hmm… That would be anything having to do with contouring. Also, anything overly matte, like a super matte foundation or setting powder. I don’t use those very often.

I don’t use long-wearing matte liquid lipsticks either (well, hardly ever), because they’re usually a pain to apply, and I don’t like how they start to look cracked as the day wears on.

So, yeah. That’s me. How about you? What makeup products do you use the most, and what products do you use the least?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, you know it, girl! It’s that time again. 🙂 TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!

The MAC Fruity Juicy Collection Is a Fiesta of Fruit for Bronzed Babes

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mac fruity juicy collection top pic
The MAC Fruity Juicy collection, coming May 28th to MAC counters and online (available through June 29th)

Hey, have you ever noticed that when someone cuts up some fruit ? for you, even if it’s, like, the stringiest, most mediocre mango or the blandest apple ever, it tastes better?

What’s up with that? I don’t even know.

mac fruity juicy packaging
Frooooooot!

Like, if someone walked up right now with a tray of all the fruit on the packaging for the new MAC Fruity Juicy collection and said, “Hey! Here’s some coconut and banana slices for you. And half a nice papaya. Mmm… And we’ve got some tasty pineapple cubes!” I would not be hating life.

It’s a warm-toned color collection

Summer, summer, summertime! I know! It’s almost here. I can hardly contain myself [INSERT CONNOR CLAIRE’S HIP WIGGLY DANCE]. 🙂

That’s one of the things I always look forward to — MAC summer collections. Most of the time they’re warm and colorful to go with whatever summery bronzed bodaciousness you’re wearing, and Fruity Juicy is too.

mac fruity juicy collection open
The yum-inducing MAC Fruity Juicy collection

A focus on face and cheek products

A tropical fruit salad o’ makeup, Fruity Juicy goes all out with face and cheek products, which makes sense to me, seeing as how MAC tends to focus on bronzed, beautiful skin in their summer collections.

There are four bronzers (I’ve tried the two $27 Bronzing Powders but haven’t tried the $33 Studio Sculpt Bronzers yet), two liquid highlighters (Lustre Drops in Sun Rush and Bronze Hero, both $21), a beautiful $33 bronzer/blush/highlighting Pearlmatte Face Powder called Oh My Passion, and a bottle of Prep+Prime Coconut Fix+, which I need to spray on my face RIGHT NOW. *spray*

Ah… That smells so good. We’ll get to that one in a second.

mac fruity juicy boxes
Now I want a smoothie…

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