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

When Was the Last Time You Went All-Out at a Beauty Sale, and What Did You Buy?

June 28th, 2016 by Karen 30 Comments

It’s not easy to carry around 15 bottles of Bath & Body Works lotion…

OK, 14 bottles of lotion and one bottle of body wash.

But it’s not easy to walk around the mall and drink your boba tea while you’re hauling around all that stuff. I can tell you that much!

The last time I went all-out at a beauty sale was last Sunday when these lotions happened. See, I’d gone to the mall to get a boba tea at the food court, but then I accidentally wandered into the Bath & Body Works thinking I’d quickly sniff a couple candles, wash my hands at their sink, put on some hand sanitizer and be on my merry way, but alas…that’s not what went down, because B&BW is having an amazing sale right now.

Some of their scents (lotions, body washes and sprays) are 50-75% off. I got most of the lotions in that gigantic picture at the top for $3 each (normally they’re $12.50!), so it’s a really good deal.

I asked one of the sales associates, and she said that the sale is ongoing through July 3.

Anywho, I started out getting a couple of lotions for myself (Tiki Mango Mai Tai and Aloha Waterfall Orchid) and a bottle of body wash for El Hub…but then I texted my mom and was like, “Hey, girl! Do you want me to get you a bottle of lotion at Bath & Body Works? They’re on sale for three bucks each!” and she was like, “I want 12! And your dad wants one.” LOL!

It’s because they’re planning to take a trip to the Philippines this fall, and if you’re Filipino, I’m sure you know this, but when you go back home to the islands, there’s a cultural thing where you fill a couple of big cardboard boxes, which are called a balikbayan boxes, with things like snack foods, clothing, beauty products, toys, etc. and bring with it with you to give to your relatives back home.

So my mom and dad are filling up their boxes right now, and the lotions will be for my mom’s sisters. Plus, she just got really excited over the $3 sale. She’s a lady who loves a good deal.

How about you? When was the last time you went all-out at a beauty sale, and what did you buy?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Mist Me, Please, With the TOCCA Hair Fragrance Collection

June 27th, 2016 by Karen 10 Comments

I can imagine seeing these bottles laid out on a vanity in Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, all nestled amongst the feathers and powders and potions and other opulent things…

Every time I spray one of these TOCCA Capelli Profumatis fragrances, also known as the scents in the TOCCA Hair Fragrance Collection, which is available now exclusively at Anthropologie, into my hair, I can’t stop sniffing my strands!

I’m an unapologetic TOCCA super fan, and these hair mists are just as lovely and fresh as the other fragrances I love in the line.

You mist them on your hair for scent, obvs, but they’re also supposed to moisturize and add a subtle shine, too, which comes courtesy of coconut oil.

There are five $36 scents in the collection, all of which are inspired by fragrances in the TOCCA line, but they aren’t exact replicas, as TOCCA pulls on some of the notes to bring them to the forefront.

I think these versions smell a little lighter and a little fresher than the original TOCCA fragrances on which they’re based.

I can’t get enough of three of the five. Those are Liliana, which has notes of peach muguet; Collette (which is my FAVORITE, favorite, ahh!), which has notes of vanillla and sandalwood; and Stella, which has notes of Italian blood orange (which is different, ya know, than California blood orange…).

There’s also Cleopatra (grapefruit and cucumber) and Florence (bergamot and gardenia), but I haven’t smelled those two yet. I’m hoping and guessing they’re also lovely.

Official fragrance notes

Florence: an alluring combination of bergamot, crushed violet petals and blond wood (floral)

Cleopatra: rich amber patchouli blends royally with vanilla musk and hints of tuberose and grapefruit (spice)

Colette: a lush mix of bergamot, citrus, juniper and pink peppercorn mingle with florals, musk and woods (fresh)

Liliana: neroli, gardenia and faint peach (fresh)

Stella: a flirtatious combination of sheer musk, white freesia, blood orange and spicy lily (fresh)

— anthropologie.com

I bet these would make great gifts for a girlfriend’s birthday or… Oh, I gotta remember this! — for Mother’s Day next year. Or maybe this Christmas, but I’m not always sure about giving perfumes as a present because they’re so personal, and because an entire bottle of perfume seems like such a huge commitment on the receiver’s end, ya know?

But a hair scent, I dunno… For some reason, that seems more like an accessory. Plus, TOCCA’s scents have been pretty universally pleasing, in my experience. I’ve never run into a girl who doesn’t like TOCCA.

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Conquering My Fear of the Buxom Full-On Lip Creams

June 27th, 2016 by Adia Goss 10 Comments

Full Disclosure: I’ve been afraid to try the Buxom Full-On Lip Cream for ages.

I heard them described as “plumping” and “tingling” and was like, “Oooh, girl. No.” Like, I was seriously nervous about trying these glosses! But because I take my job as a beauty blogger very seriously, I finally took the plunge.

There are 15 shades in all, $20 each (available now at Ulta), and I have five of them here — Peach Daiquiri, Pink Champagne, Grape Groove, Sangria and Berry Bramble.

First up is Peach Daiquiri, which is very sheer with just a hint of a peachy undertone. On my bare lips, it’s not particularly groundbreaking, BUT I do think it would look nice over a nude lipstick to give it a little life.

Pink Champagne is another very light gloss that would probably work better over a lipstick than on its own, at least for me.

Both Peach Daiquiri and Pink Champagne are kind of high maintenance, though, in that lines form and the color clumps a little when I press my lips together.

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 429

June 27th, 2016 by Karen 41 Comments

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.

Pick a lip color for today. Now tell me, what is it?
Watermelon pink, because it feels like a summery watermelon pink kind of day.

Something that recently made you laugh?
So I went to Target last night to get some emergency bread, olive oil, Toll House Dark Chocolate Chips and a box of La Croix Blueberry and Cucumber Mineral Water and saw a little girl, who looked about four, dancing and singing in the bread aisle next to her mom.

She sang in her cute little girl voice, “Watch me whip. Now watch me, nae nae! Watch me whip. Now watch me, nae nae!”

Ohmigosh, it was too funny.

Have you ever done a juice cleanse?
Oh, hell no, girl. I like food way too much. Plus, I get really crabby when I’m hungry.

Like really, REALLY crabby.

Poor El Hub would probably end up screaming and running down the street to get away from me if I ever did a juice cleanse, LOL!

What’s your recipe for creativity?
I do my best brainstorming when I have long blocks of time to just let my mind wander. Doing something kind of rhythmic, like walking or jogging, or going through a physical routine I know well, like taking a shower, also helps.

I don’t know why, but moving around really gets those creative connections going.

Oh, and being relaxed. If I’m fussy or stressed out, I can’t do anything creative.

Heaven contains…
Among other things, fluffy tabby kittens with chubby paws, an endless supply of chocolate, stretchy pants, my favorite pillow and all of my favorite lipsticks.

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

1. Pick a lip color for today. Now tell me, what is it?
2. Something that recently made you laugh?
3. Have you ever done a juice cleanse?
4. What’s your recipe for creativity?
5. Heaven contains…

Hey, cutie pie, happy Monday! I’m sitting here at my desk taking deep breaths, relaxing my shoulders and getting in the mood to work. Babylove and Tabs are also here with me, one cooing and chatting up a storm, and the other quietly cat-napping.

Connor’s in a good mood, so I’m in a good mood, and I hope you’re in a good mood, too.

Have a wonderful Monday, sweets, and try to stay positive. Great things can happen when you do. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 404

June 26th, 2016 by Karen 9 Comments

If Tabs has a favorite toy of all, it might be this squeaky little squirrel.

The squeak doesn’t sound anything like a squirrel, and it doesn’t even really look like a squirrel. It’s tiny like a mouse, but Tabs bats it around like he’s playing racquetball with himself!

And every time he taps it, it squeaks.

Sometimes I’ll be upstairs at my desk, and I’ll just hear this constant squeaking coming from downstairs, coupled with the sound of husky tabby paws running and jumping.

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The Day in Beauty Vol. 20: The New $49 NARS Survival Kit 2, Connor Claire Cuteness and Wine for Yo’ Cat

June 25th, 2016 by Karen 31 Comments

We made it to Saturday, babe! Great job. 🙂 Wherever you are, I hope you have a nice weekend lined up.

I felt like switching up my makeup game today because I’ve been all about black eyeliner, beige and brown lids and nude lips lately. I love that look (it’s easy), but I felt like doing something different, hence the NARS Survival Kit 2 ($59), the second of two new limited edition sets coming soon from NARS (July 1 exclusively to NARS counters at Nordie’s). This one comes with two eyeshadows, two blushes, a mini gloss and a mini mascara.

This one incorporates color in a fresh way with everyday shades that aren’t intimidating, but also aren’t really typical of nude/neutral looks.

Beginning with Tokyo II Eyeshadow, a light satiny violet, which creates an absolutely gorgeous wash of color on the lids, ya know, if you don’t have a lot of time to get ready and you want to wear color, I think Tokyo II is a great way to go. Here I quickly buffed it on my lids with a domed brush and blended out the edges with a tapered brush.

Rich, warm reddish brown Galapagos, which is one of my absolute favorite NARS shadows, has tiny flecks of golden glitter. It also makes an appearance in the palette in this kit.

SO pretty and SO much hotness in smokey eyes, especially with a black base under it. Here, though, I decided to keep it simple, since I only gave myself 20 minutes to get ready this morning, so I used Galapagos as a liner by wetting an angled brush (the NARS #47, which I think is THE BEST angled brush for winged liner!), then applied Galapagos on my upper lash lines.

Wetting the brush intensifies the shadow and makes the brown richer and yummier and more milk chocolatey…and also makes the gold flecks really come through.

nars survival kit 2 k — Wearing NARS Survival Kit 2 on my eyes, cheeks and lips

Of the two blushes in this kit, Modesty and Daydream, Daydream is a satiny mid-toned peachy pink kinda like NARS Orgasm, but without the golden shimmer running through it. Sometimes I like colors like Daydream a little more than Orgasm, to be honest, because they don’t come with the same shimmery gold drama.

I mean, Orgasm’s really pretty too, but if you’re having a “big pore day,” it’s not always easy to wear.

And Modesty works well as a warm golden beige highlighter. I only need to use a little because it’s pretty shimmery and intense.

The kit also comes with a juicy, plummy red gloss called Phantasia. It’s so pigmented that it’s almost like wearing a liquid lipstick, but the glossy aspect of the gloss subsides over a few hours, leaving behind a soft stain.

nars survival kit 2 packaging — The NARS Survival Kit 2 packaging

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A Refreshing Watercolor Nail Tutorial to Quench Your Thirst for Color

June 24th, 2016 by Jen Clark 10 Comments

I’m a little giddy today because we’re headed on a little vacation this weekend! We’re headed down south to warmer weather (not that it’s been cold here in Logan, Utah), or should I say, “sweltering weather,” where it’s supposed to be right up around 100 degrees while we’re there. That’s alright with me, though, because I plan to live in the pool.

Since I’m pregnant, there’s been no working out or eating healthy to do (one of my favorite perks), so all I had to do to get ready was just slap on a layer of my favorite fake tan, and grace my usually bare nails with a fresh, summery manicure.

While browsing Pinterest for some inspiration, I fell in love with watercolor nails. You can literally use any colors you want, and it’s so easy! The only special tool you need is a sandwich bag, and I’m pretty sure everyone has those on hand. (See what I did there? Eh?)

Let me show you how quick and easy this is!

1. Start with white nails

Start off with white nails (I’m using China Glaze White On White), and I painted mine the night before to make sure they were completely dry.

From experience, I’ve figured out that if the nails are still a little wet, it’ll cause problems with the rest of the process.

Start off with a white base — Start with a white base

2. Apply your colorful blobs

Working one nail at a time, put a fairly generous blob of each color you want to use on the nail. I put the blobs in different areas so that the nails don’t all turn out looking similar.

I wanted mine to resemble pools of water, so I used two blues — Zoya Blu and Sally Hansen Blue Rose (discontinued) — and a turquoise called Essie Turquoise and Caicos.

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Sneak Peek! MAC Vamplify Is Making a Comeback #MACVamplify

June 24th, 2016 by Karen 17 Comments

Erhmahgawd, that blue!!!

But where the heck am I gonna wear it?

Hmm… I’m sure I’ll find someplace wildly inappropriate, like the Babies “R” Us or the farmers’ market, LOL!

Lip swatches coming soon, but here’s a quick peek at the upcoming MAC Vamplify glosses.

I’m so excited that MAC is bringing these back! Remember these from last summer? They’ll always have a special place in my heart because I was wearing Spankin’ Haute when El Hub and I told the parents we were pregnant. 🙂

mac vamplify swatches — MAC Vamplify swatches

Spankin’ Haute is back, yay! In total, this batch will include 16 shades, with nine of them being re-promoted colors from last year, and seven of them being new, and they’re all $20 each.

It’s a limited edition launch and arrives on the MAC website July 7, and then on counters from July 14 – August 25.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen