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

5 Fab Products for Curly, Kinky Hair

July 5th, 2016 by Adia Goss 17 Comments

When it comes to haircare, I have NO LOYALTY. I will switch things up in a minute because I usually don’t feel like there’s anything that’s all that unique. But, despite my persistent product junkie-ism, I find myself always coming back to these five products.

1. Oribe Shampoo For Moisture and Control ($45)

Ok…so this is really expensive ($45!). It’s probably the most expensive hair product I’ve ever used. I tend to go for cheaper hair shampoos and conditioners because of how thick my hair is, and because I go through products super quickly.

Despite wanting to hate this product and my hope that I’d never want to re-purchase it, I have to admit that it’s the ONLY shampoo I’ve ever tried that actually feels moisturizing.

Ironically, as a rule, I mostly only buy “moisturizing” shampoos, but they all leave my hair feeling the same as it ever was. But this shampoo, my goodness, is incredibly moisturizing. It also lathers up into nice, big, refreshing suds. If you’re looking for a haircare splurge, this is it. By the way, the conditioner is great too.

2. Giovanni Direct Leave-In Weightless Moisture Conditioner ($9)

I’ve tried so many different leave-in conditioners, but I’ve NEVER found one quite like this one. The formula has the perfect consistency (not too thick or thin), it’s an affordable $9, and it just works. I am 100% committed (I actually buy it in bulk on Amazon).

I slather it on my hair when it’s soaking wet in the shower, then comb it through with a wide-tooth comb. It coats and provides lasting moisture, but it doesn’t leave behind a thick residue. Whether I’m going to slick my hair into a bun or add some gel for a wash & go, this is always the first thing on my hair after I wash it.

3. Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Wrap Set Mousse ($6.89)

This little miracle product is the secret to all of my twist-out styles! Here are some pics of the hair styles I do with it:

kat von d shade and light palette — Thanks to ORS Olive Oil Mousse! (Details on this look in this post)

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Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom and Velvet Orchid Lip Color

July 5th, 2016 by Karen 24 Comments

tom ford velvet bloom — Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80)

Is this jewelry, or is this makeup? — because sometimes with Tom Ford I just can’t tell!

Do wear it on my face, or do I dangle it from a chain and rock it as a statement necklace? I gotta hand it to Tommy-boy for nailing the whole luxury aesthetic. He’s got it down pat, especially when it comes to limited edition packaging.

Here’s a look at two of the lush and tasty (and expensive) purple and gold tidbits in Tom’s new Fall 2016 Orchid Collection.

The new nine-piece limited edition fall release (yup, fall!) just launched online July 1, and it arrives at Tom Ford counters this August. It’s inspired by Tom Ford’s Black Orchid Eau de Parfum, his first fragrance.

And fragrance plays a big part in the launch, as five of the nine pieces are perfumes, while the other four — two lipsticks and two blushes — are the goodies you can wear on your face.

The Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection includes…

Black Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Nightbloom Powder in Black Bloom ($80)

Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80)

Black Orchid Solid Perfume ($190)

Velvet Orchid Solid Perfume ($190)

Black Orchid Eau de Parfum ($115)

Velvet Orchid Eau de Parfum ($115)

Orchid Soleil Eau de Parfum ($120)

I’m a “smoky eye till I die” kinda gal, so I always look forward to the dramatic eye pencils, eyeshadows and all of that fun schtuff I’m used to seeing for fall. So I’m a little bummed that this release doesn’t include any eye makeup for me to lust after.

tom ford velvet orchid — Tom Ford Orchid Collection Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Strangely, neither of these two pieces here — pearlescent rosy plum Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60) and sheer, cool-toned pink Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80) — give me that same visceral desire that I usually feel for Tom Ford’s products.

Like the Velvet Orchid Lip Color? Yeah, it has all the hallmarks of a dreamy TF lippy, with its deliciously even application throughout, in and around the curves of my lips (none of that patchy nonsense!), its fabulously lighter-than-air formula, and yeah, the color, which is something I can totally see myself wearing in fall, but I dunno… I guess I was hoping for more.

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Look No Further for Your Perfect Summer Lipstick! The MAC Huggable Lipcolours Are All You Need

July 4th, 2016 by Jen Clark 11 Comments

I’ve taken a break from the heavy makeup lately, honestly, probably out of pure laziness (pregnancy saps my energy), but I’m kind of digging it! On days that I actually put on makeup, it’s usually dewy skin that showcases my new summer freckles, brows and winged liner (because I will always wear winged liner), some mascara, and an easy-to-wear lipstick like these $14 MAC Huggable Lipcolours.

You know those lipsticks that feel so good to put on that you can sit there for a few minutes and just smear them all over your face? These Huggable Lipcolours feel like that to me.

Weird, I know, but don’t judge me. They just feel so good!

They feel almost like a really luxurious, comfortable lip balm, and with a nice amount of color payoff, they’re the perfect lipsticks to keep in your bag and pop on throughout the day, whether you’re wearing more makeup or not.

I also have to commend MAC on the packaging. The gunmetal tube feels so heavy and expensive. I like it a lot more than MAC’s standard plastic lipstick packaging.

I really can’t believe you get such an amazing product and impressive packaging for only $14. That seems like such a good deal to me!

From left to right: MAC Origami Orange, Bonsai Bloom, Good Luck Mochi, What A Feeling!, Seoul-ful, Cantonese Carnation

There are 20 colors to choose from, and I have six of them here.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 430

July 4th, 2016 by Karen 28 Comments

Happy fourth! Shades from top to bottom by Essie: Hiking Heels, Coconut Cove and Loot the Booty — Happy Fourth! Shades from top to bottom by Essie: Hiking Heels, Coconut Cove and Loot the Booty

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 eight (!) 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.

Have you ever worn “Instagram makeup”?
Yeeeeeah, totes! I went through a phase a while back when I was all about the super sharp brow tail, the bronzer you could see from across the ~~Pacific Ocean, haha!~~ room, the lashes and the overdrawn lip — the whole Instagram makeup kit and caboodle.

It was fun, and I’ll still go that far on occasion.

How did you style your hair today?
So, lately I’ve had ZERO imagination when it comes to my hair. Absolutely zilch. Nada. None. Like, all of the energy I used to use to keep my hair looking somewhat decent has been diverted toward other pursuits, like changing Connor’s onesie every five minutes. (How does a baby get so dirty? I honestly don’t know.)

So today my hair is up in a high pony, which will probably morph into a messy bun over the course of the next five minutes.

What makes you feel hopeful?
Reading my horoscope (can I get an amen from all my Gemini girls?), seeing people help one another, random acts of kindness and watching the sun rise above the oak trees outside my window. 🙂

Five words that describe your home?
Messy but full of love.

East Coast or West Coast?
West Coast, baby! I grew up here and totally identify with that Cali life.

Something you need to get rid of but can’t?
Ohmygawd, the 10 million bottles of nearly finished body lotion in my bathroom.

I don’t know why I do this, but I feel like I have to use every single, solitary last drop — even the tiny droplets that cling to the insides of the tube or bottle — before I can throw one out.

So I’ll leave them upside down all over the counters just to be able to use those last few precious drops, but the thing is…this leads to me having multiple bottles of basically empty lotion all over the place.

It drives me (and El Hub, truth be told) absolutely nuts.

But I can’t stop!

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. Have you ever worn “Instagram makeup”?
2. How did you style your hair today?
3. What makes you feel hopeful?
4. Five words that describe your home?
5. East Coast or West Coast?
6. Something you need to get rid of but can’t?

Hey, babe! Happy Fourth of July! I hope your day is filled with fun, fireworks and delicious barbecue. If you don’t mind, please save me the sides, will ya? I’m all about that potato salad and corn on the cob.

A little later this morning, we’ll probably go to Petaluma for lunch, just to get out of the house. We like to time it just right around Connor Claire’s meals, so we’ll get everything ready — her baby bag with the wipes and diapers and stuff, her stroller and Sophie the Giraffe — then we’ll change her, feed her and GO, GO, GO! And try to make it back home before the next feeding time, haha!

It’s a process.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 405

July 3rd, 2016 by Karen 11 Comments

I’m very confident that Tabs would have fared well during Egyptian times.

He and I were watching Terminator: Genesis yesterday (well, we were trying to, but the movie’s just so bad…), and during one of the time travel scenes, I looked over at Tabs and wondered what would happen if he accidentally stepped into a time machine and ended up in the time of the Pharaohs.

I’m 100% sure that somebody would have put some jewelry on him and stuck him on a gold throne, and he would have been cool with it, because he already thinks he’s being worshipped as it is.

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The Day in Beauty, Vol. 20: Roses and Tea with Annick Goutal, and a Bouquet of Lovely Lavender

July 2nd, 2016 by Karen 21 Comments

Hey, sweetie boo, happy Caturday! 🙂 It’s a sun-shiney day in Novato today, and I’m up bright and early because babylove is all about that rolling over lifestyle. She figured out how to roll over, and now it’s all she wants to do, so she got up at 6 for her morning meal and workout.

Do you have any plans for the Fourth? We’re thinking about driving up to Petaluma for the afternoon.

How was your week? Mine had a lot to do with scents, first with those TOCCA hair perfumes, and now with these two scents by Annick Goutal, which are kind of on the new-ish side.

Annick and I go waaaay back. I first started wearing her perfume back in 2005, I believe it was. It was on the whirlwind European backpacking adventure when El Hub proposed. We were in France at the time, and even with my broke-down high school French, I still managed to buy the biggest bottle of Des Lys perfume (which was limited edition), as well as a SECOND backup bottle. WHA?? I know. The power of beauty compelled me, even across international lines.

I like Annick Goutal’s scents because they’re usually light and refreshing. I mean, you know I love heavier, full-bodied scents in fall and winter, but lighter scents are really nice when it’s hot. When I’m perspiring, it seems to amplify whatever scent I’m wearing, and when I wear lighter scents, it doesn’t overtake the room…

Rose Pompon is like a peppery peony rose (super dainty and feminine), and L’Ile au Thé (Oooh! My fave!) smells like a lemony iced tea with dash of sugar.

So freakin’ good.

Speaking of scents, you might’ve noticed this beautiful bouquet of lavender in the background. I picked it up the other day at Trader Joe’s for $3.99.

I couldn’t wait to get it home, but as soon as I did get it home, I was like, “What the heck am I gonna do with this now?”

I put it in some water, but now I’m starting to rethink that strategy, because I have a lavender plant on my back deck, and it absolutely hates being overwatered, so now I’m thinking that I should take it out of the water and let it dry. I dunno… If you have any experience with lavender, please hook a cat lady up.

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My Latest Skincare Finds for Combination Skin

July 1st, 2016 by Adia Goss 12 Comments

Over the past year or two, my decidedly normal skin became very “combination.”

Maybe it was my cross-country move from NYC to the Bay Area, or maybe it’s just that I’m in my 30s now, but I’m constantly looking for the right products for my sensitive, combination skin.

Here are some things I’ve been testing:

combination-skin-2 — The skincare products I’ve been testing lately (L to R): boscia Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray, Erborian Bamboo Matte Lotion, Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 and Sephora Clarifying Booster

I don’t like heavy skin products, especially now that it’s consistently over 85 degrees every day, so I’ve been trying out all kinds of different things, from setting sprays and toners, to SPF and skincare boosters.

First up is Erborian Bamboo Matte Lotion (available at Sephora for $34). It’s the product I’ve been using the longest of this bunch, and for good reason. I love it! It’s definitely earned a place in my skincare routine.

It’s actually a toner, and I picked it up randomly one day at Sephora because I’d been curious about it for a while. As you can see in the photo above, a powder settles at the bottom of the bottle. I just give it a quick shake and apply directly to my face.

Since my skin is classic combination right now — dry on my cheeks and shiny along my T-zone — I can’t really get down with strong toners because they just make my skin feel too tight, but this Bamboo Matte Lotion manages to work well wherever I use it.

The water is infused with moisturizing bamboo, but the powder helps soak up oil.

I love applying this after I wash my face. It just balances my skin so perfectly.

I’ve also been testing Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 (also available at Sephora, and it’s $40).

It’s a moisturizer with SPF, and I definitely like the convenience of having one product that does both. It does a great job preventing shine, but at the end of the day, my cheeks feel a bit tight when I use it. I don’t think that translates into visual dryness, but I can feel it!

Also, I feel like SPF 15 is pretty low for a sunscreen, and I like to wear SPF 30 at least. My uncle was diagnosed with skin cancer when I was in junior high, and even though he was able to get treatment in time and is doing just great now, that experience alerted me to the danger of not protecting myself from the sun.

I’m gonna get off my soapbox now, but outside of the low SPF, I think this Murad does a good job at keeping my skin matte.

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How Do You Store Your Makeup Brushes?

July 1st, 2016 by Karen 20 Comments

What’s your current makeup brush storage situation?

Do you stick them in your favorite mug (the one that says “Crazy Cat Lady” on it), throw them in your makeup bag, or drop ’em in a box all willy-nilly? Or do you do something else?

For the longest time, I kept mine in this roll-up travel bag contraption with different compartments, and served me well for many, many years, but — SADNESS! — I guess I loved my brushes so hawd that a few of the compartments have holes in them. The bag is falling apart. 🙁

So I’ve been looking for a replacement, or another solution to this obviously pressing dilema, for a few months…

On a recent trip to Homegoods with my friend Marisol, Marisol picked up a desktop organizer similar to the Sheffield Home 6-Section Desktop Organizer ($19.99) pictured at the top, but she got it in black.

They’re kind of like a lazy susan for desktop accessories — ya know, pencils, pens and whatnot — but you can also use it as a makeup brush holder.

I didn’t get one that day because I wanted a different color to fit my office decor, but every time I’ve gone back to Homegoods since then I’ve looked specifically for that twirly thingamabob. I’ve seem it in brown, black, white and gray, and a different version where the carousel sides are shorter and more squat.

But then this past weekend I went and saw this mint green one, and I was like, “Yup! That’s it!”

I think the beauty in this thing is that you can separate your brushes in whatever way makes sense to you, whether it’s by brush function, shape, whether they’re clean or dirty, or how often you use them.

Oh, and it twirls, which is nice.

If you live by a Homegoods, keep an eye out for this bad boy. I found mine in the section where they have office furniture and supplies, but I’ve also seen it in the aisles near the big storage boxes and baskets by the bathroom items.

Let me know how you store your brushes in the comments. Bonus Q: Are your brushes currently clean or dirty? I’ve got a whole pile of dirty ones waiting to be washed.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen