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

My Favorite Products for Winding Down After a Long Day

June 7th, 2016 by Nicole Fraser-Herron 12 Comments

Hi, I’m Nicole, and I’m a workaholic.

I spend most of my days running my raw cat food shop in Oakland called RAWR and most of my nights designing product packaging, photographing shows, or photographing/writing here. I have a deep passion for everything on my plate and hold a high standard for work that goes out into the world with my name on it. While realistic perfection within my work is important to me, running on 3-4 hours of sleep night after night is not sustainable.

So I’ve been making a lot of adjustments.

It starts with my surroundings. I schedule my phone to go on Do Not Disturb everyday from 9pm-7am, and I generally stop working around 10pm, unless I have no other choice. After that, no screen time is allowed unless its media on the tv with the backlight lowered almost all the way. I switched the bulb out of my lamp to a blue one mainly because I thought it would look neat, but it turned out to be much more useful than a cool look.

I like winding down with media on Netflix, but I don’t like sitting in the dark while watching television, unless I’m in a theater. The contrast between the brightness of the TV and the darkness of the room hurts my eyes. Since switching the bulb to blue, I’ve found that being immersed in blue light totally relaxes me, which makes falling asleep happen 40% faster.

Even when I’m relaxing, I’m all about efficiency.

My go-to makeup remover is the Bye Bye Makeup 3-in-1 Makeup Melting Balm from It Cosmetics. I like it because it gets all of my makeup off quickly, even glitter and waterproof mascara. It’s easy to wash off and leaves my skin feeling hydrated, but not oily. I like to follow up with a gentle cleansing milk like this one from Vichy or this one from Bioderma, just to make sure my skin is happy and clean.

My favorite skincare product to reach for ever is the Aromessence Neroli Hydrating Night Balm from Decléor. Scents relax me more than anything, and this balm really makes me stop and unwind. It sends a signal to my brain that’s like “now entering Low Power Mode”. Just like clockwork, my eyes get all droopy, and I smile a sleepy grin.

Decléor Aromessence Neroil Hydrating Night Balm, 0.5oz for $42 — Decléor Aromessence Neroil Hydrating Night Balm, 0.5oz. for $42

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I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Tried Dior ‘Diorshow Mono’ Eyeshadow

June 7th, 2016 by Adia Goss 14 Comments

dior eyeshadows and mascaras — Kicking myself for not trying these Dior eyeshadows sooner!

As much as I love Dior, I can’t believe I never tried the Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows before now!

I mean, I haven’t been totally living under a rock, because I do have an eyeshadow palette or two, and I LOVE the sparkly Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadows. And I’m also a fan of Dior foundations and brow products, and these nail polishes look amazing, so I really have no excuse for not trying them sooner.

This spring Dior released nine new shades of their $29.50 Diorshow eyeshadow, and here are four of my favorites from the line: Gallery, a soft champagne gold with a satin/shimmer finish; Minimalism, a grayish taupe with a satin finish; Atmosphere, a cool-toned purple with a satin finish; and Power, a rich plum with a satin finish.

Here are two sets of swatches in different lighting:

These eyeshadows look pretty standard in their pans, but get them on your skin in the sun? Wow! They’re more complex than they seem, and there’s a really pretty (but subtle) shimmer running throughout. I think they’re great if you like matte shadows but want ones that won’t look so flat. I’m really surprised by how beautiful these eyeshadows are. If you’ve wondered about them, definitely take a look in a store! I don’t think that pictures online can do them justice.

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Finding a Father’s Day Card for My One-of-a-Kind Dad #sponsored

June 7th, 2016 by Karen 23 Comments

As a participant in the Hallmark at Walgreens Card for Dad campaign, I received compensation in exchange for writing this review. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own. @walgreens #HallmarkAtWalgreens #CareWithACard #sponsored

Um…who’s that girl taking silly selfies in the middle of Walgreens?

Yeah, that would be me. Hey, when the urge strikes, you’ve gotta go with it. 🙂

I credit this particular “no shame” moment to my dad, who’s quite possibly the biggest goofball in the entire world.

My dad is one of just a handful of people who can make me laugh so hard that my side aches, and I have tears streaming down my face! Sometimes he does it with his funny nicknames, like how he calls Tabs “Mister,” as in “Hey, Mister! How’s it going Mister? What are you doing Mister?” He nicknamed all of my stuffed animals (like Andolini the teddy bear…who sends me random texts all the time), and he’s a pro at making up nonsensical song lyrics (something I also do on a daily basis).

I think I also look a lot like my dad. Whenever I would meet a distant relative or family friend for the first time, they’d invariably say, “WOW! You look so much like your dad.”

Of course, I didn’t believe it at the time, but now when I look at old pictures of him from the ’70s around the time that he and my mom immigrated to America, yeah, I see the resemblance, and sometimes I also see it when I look at Connor Claire! — which is kind of magical and freaky at the same time.

My dad’s very outgoing too. He’ll talk to anyone. Seriously, anyone! He can walk up to a complete stranger and within 10 minutes get that person to tell him their life story (this happened A LOT on family vacations). I don’t know how he does it, but he always seems at ease in social situations.

I remember one of the company picnics when were all sitting and eating at a table. I got up to get a scoop of ice cream, and when I returned five minutes later, my dad had joined a random volleyball game. Even though he isn’t athletic and had no idea how to play at all, he was high-fiving his teammates like they’d all been playing together every Sunday for years.

My dad with some of his Navy buddies in the '70s — My dad with some of his Navy buddies in the ’70s

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Have a Peek Inside My Handbag!

June 6th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 16 Comments

My everyday essentials can easily fit into this tiny Dampaì Bernarda Handbag!

The beauty bits that accompany me on my daily journey could easily fit even into the smallest of my purses. I like to think that it’s because I’m so low-maintenance (HA! — I can’t even keep a straight face while saying that!), but more likely that’s because I have a bad back and the less weight I carry around, the better.

Besides my wallet, phone and keys, very few are the products that you can usually find in my purse. Let’s have a look!

Handbag Beauty Essentials — My handbag beauty essentials: KIKO Blotting Papers, BIODERMA Hydrabio Moisturizing Anti-UV Mist SPF 30, Merci Handy Hand Sanitizer, Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Cherry (mini-size), Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Sun-Kissed

Let’s start with my most essential essential – that is, lip balm. My favorites are the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments ($24 for the full size), because not only are they nicely moisturizing, but also add a pretty tint to my otherwise corpse-like lips.

If I’m wearing lipstick, I’ll usually pop it in my bag for any touch-ups, but lip balm is most definitely a permanent resident in there.

Coming in a close second on a scale of on-the-go essentialness are blotting papers (I use KIKO’s — $10). Being cursed with oily skin, I love how they turn me from ‘grease ball’ to ‘freshly made up’ in an instant — and no, regular tissue doesn’t work the same!

Unless it’s a special occasion, I don’t keep very much makeup in my handbag at all. Most of the time, I’m happy with just a bronzer, which I can use throughout the day to liven up my complexion. For the longest time, I used the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder ($58 at Nordstrom) in shade 50 because of the pretty decent brush it contains, but now that I’ve almost finished it up, I’ve replaced it with the slim Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Sun-Kissed ($28 at Sephora), paired with the Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush ($9.99).

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A Drugstore Jamboree! My Weekend With the Almay Smart Shade Products

June 6th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 10 Comments

Wearing Almay Clear Complexion Makeup in Ivory 100, the 140 Trio for Greens on my eyes, Smart Shade Blush in 30 Coral on my cheeks and Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick in 40 Red-Light on my lips

Do you ever want to go to the drugstore and fill your basket with new makeup to try out a whole new look?

That’s something I could never do at a high-end makeup counter, but sometimes it’s fun to take maybe $25 of fun money to buy drugstore colors I’d NEVER even think to purchase from a department store line — you know, just to play. It’s like what I used to do when I first started wearing makeup (at home only, I promise mom!) as a young teenager.

That’s kind of like what I did with these Almay products a couple weekends ago — have frivolous fun and experiment — and I found some things that definitely deserve more attention than they get in the blogosphere!

For starters, I can’t believe I’ve never noticed Almay’s Smart Shade Blushes (about $12). The stars sculpted into the powder are all-American (the brand’s slogan is “the American look”) but also classic Sailor Jerry style nautical stars…so you know that this tattooed makeup lover is all about the way these look.

With these pans, like with regular ombré blushes, you can vary the depth of the shade you want for your cheeks, and the pans also have a shimmery strip that you can glide your brush over when you want to.

I love the look of Coral blended out on the apples of my cheeks with a pop of the lightest shimmering peachy pink on the tops of my cheekbones.

Almay Smart Shade Blush 20 Nude and 30 Coral (about $12 each)

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 426

June 6th, 2016 by Karen 31 Comments

Just put one foot in front of the other... — Just put one foot in front of the other…

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.

What are three things on your bucket list?
1) Start an all-girl rock band, 2) learn how to make jewelry (“She’s making jewelry now…”), and 3) do karaoke at least once in each of the 50 states.

Is it ever OK to snoop through someone’s email?
Ooh, I have mixed feelings about this… OK, on the one hand, I would never ever want somebody to go sifting through my private emails, but on the other hand, now that I’m a parent, I can see why some people snoop through their child’s emails, because I’m so freaked out — SO FREAKED OUT! — about how I’m going to handle, like, online technology when Connor gets older. Oh boy, that’s a different conversation entirely. Soooo, I guess my answer is “I don’t know.”

I’m gonna leave it at that.

It’s your wedding day! You have to pick one or the other: would you rather lose a front tooth right before the ceremony, or wear a Lady Gaga meat wedding dress?
Well, both options are completely disgusting, thank you very much.

Just thinking of that meat dress on my skin…

BLUH. Makes me throw up in my mouth a little!

But I would also hate to lose a front tooth… I like my teeth (thanks for the braces, Mom), so… Ugh! I guess I’d go with the wedding day meat dress, despite how utterly disgusting it is.

Do you use color correctors on a daily basis?
Hmm… How do I answer this? Well, I don’t use a product that’s traditionally billed as a color corrector, but I do use a peach-toned concealer in my under eye-area to cancel out the purple. So…yeah, I do.

Ocean, river, lake or swimming pool?
Hard choice because I love all bodies of water. I mean, if there’s a clean, swimmable body of water somewhere, I’m the first person to jump in.

Normally, I’d go with the ocean (so I could go surfing), but swimming pools are also nice, especially right now, because I don’t want to put in too much work, LOL! I just want to float around with a couple of water noodles and chill out.

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

1. What are three things on your bucket list?
2. Is it ever OK to snoop through someone’s email?
3. Would you rather wear a lady gaga meat dress to your wedding or lose a front tooth on your wedding day?
4. Do you use color correctors on a daily basis?
5. Ocean, river, lake or swimming pool?

What do you do when it’s just Monday, and you ALREADY feel overwhelmed with all of the stuff you have to do that week?

You sit up straight, take a few deep breaths (Deep breathing helps… No, really, it does!), and put one foot in front of the other. Just take it step by step. That’s all you can do.

Aaaand, that’s what I’m telling myself right now because my to-do list is about a mile long, and I feel thoroughly daunted.

We can do this, though. I’ll stay calm if you do.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 401

June 5th, 2016 by Karen 11 Comments

Calling all adventurers! ‘Tis your fearless leader Tabs. I’ve got an exciting proposition for you. As you know, I like to give back to the community and share my love for kitty modeling through my various philanthropic endeavors, one of which is Camp Catnip, and I’m very excited to announce the start of the new season!

Like we do every year, we’re looking for a few fun, friendly and fabulously motivated felines and humans to help us run our award winning programs.

Camp Catnip holds a very special place in my heart. I started the camp to teach up-and-coming kitty models from underserved communities the skills they need to handle a fast-paced kitty modeling life.

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The Day in Beauty Vol. 17: NARS Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette, Smith & Cult Fauntleroy Nail Polish and Messy Dutch Braids

June 4th, 2016 by Karen 39 Comments

Happy Caturday, my darling! I hope you’re having a wonderful morning so far, and I hope you’re feeling refreshed and ready for a fun weekend.

It’s a lovely day here in Northern California. Nothing but blue sky from rolling hills to rolling hills. It looks like it’s gonna be a hot one, too, which is why I have my hair in a Dutch braid.

GURL, I’ve been all about the Dutch braid lately.

It’s basically an inverted French braid, where instead of pulling the hairs over when you braid, you pull them under so the braid kind of pops out, and you can make it, like, all poofy-looking and larger than life if you loosen up the hairs after you tie the end, which has the added benefit of not giving me a throbbing headache like some tightly braided styles can.

All about the Dutch Braids — 5-minute messy Dutch braid

I love the whole messy braid trend… I rue the day if/when they go out of style, because this one here took me less than five minutes, and I was able to do it without having to look in a mirror!

WHAT?! Yes.

I also rue the day when big, bushy eyebrows go out of style because it took me forever and a day to grow mine out. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time…

Wow, it’s already getting hot here, and it’s not even 8:30. I guess it’s appropriate that I’m wearing the $45 limited edition NARS Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette.

nars long hot summer palette — The NARS Long Hot Summer Palette

Isn’t it a cutie pie? Six powder eyeshadows — a beige, a taupe, two coppers, a deep brown and a beautiful light gray — and it fits in the palm of my hand. The top row has some cooler-toned neutrals, and the bottom row has warmer tones.

I’ve been wearing the palette all week long, and it gets extra points for not taking up much space in my already overloaded makeup bag. It should be a great travel companion if I take any trips this summer.

Speaking of trips, I gotta get on that. I’m thinking, though, that it might be too hard to travel with a baby. I dunno… Moms, give me your thoughts on that.

I also like that the palette has a nice mix of cool and warm tones, because you know how it goes with some neutral palettes. You either get warm or cool tones. You don’t always get both.

These shadows also start off all punchy and pigmented but fade in a beautiful way throughout the day. In the case of the shimmery shades, they glisten more toward the end of the day, getting to where you look like you’ve been dancing in the front row at a music festival for three straight hours.

It’s pretty cool.

In other news, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m super obsessed with this freakin’ Justin Bieber video for his song Sorry.

OK, did I just say that out loud? Admittedly, I’m not the biggest JB fan, but I’m not extremely familiar with his work, and I know that he’s gotten into trouble a few times.

But whatever. I heard this song on the radio and had to look it up online. The choreography is so much fun! There’s so much booty shaking and hip swaying — I freakin’ love it! Oh, my gosh, I haven’t taken a dance class in years, but it’s making me want to dance again.

Plus, there are several girls in the video wearing those ’90s contruction boots that I rocked back in the day.

I wonder whatever happened to those boots… I think I gave them away? I wore them every day for like two years. I remember that my feet were always hella hot in them, and my arches hurt like a mother, LOL!

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