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

An Elegant, Everyday Makeup Look With Coral Lips, Golden Brown Eyes and Lots of Chanel

January 29th, 2015 by Karen 29 Comments

Chanel Rouge Allure in 152 Insaisissable — That’s Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 152 Insaisissable on my lips…

Gotta buy cat food? Need to get some French fries? Always take advantage of any opportunity to wear Chanel.

Even if it involves tracking down (at your employer’s request) a can of special cat food that just so happens to be the most impossible wet food to find in the U.S. because it’s imported all the way from New Zealand.

I’m sorry, what was I saying…? Oh, yeah! — any opportunity to wear Chanel. 🙂

I derive great joy from wearing Chanel to run everyday errands. It makes otherwise uninspiring activities immensely more bearable.

Here’s one of my everyday makeup looks, this time featuring Chanel spring 2015 goodness. Soft coral lips with warm golden tones on the eyes, and lots of liner and lashes. No false lashes, though, or sparkling glitter, so it’s not too cra-zay-zy or outlandish, and there aren’t a ton of eyeshadows up in my sauce. It’s pretty simple, and I feel elegant when I wear it.

You could also skip the lashes and liner to make it even more casual, and I do that sometimes.

That’s Chanel Tisse Vendome (so my jam these days) on my lids and the Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Rose from the spring collection on my cheeks.

Other products I’m wearing from the Chanel spring collection…

Vibrant creamy reddish coral Rouge Allure Lipstick in 152 Insaisissable, a permanent collection shade currently being re-promoted with the spring launch.

I actually started snapping the pics in this post wearing Insaisissable but eventually swapped it for Rouge Coco Shine in 97 Desinvolte (another permanent shade currently being re-promoted in the spring launch) because my lips were feeling a little dry.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 97 Desinvolte — Rouge Coco Shine in 97 Desinvolte

[Continue reading…]

The Oakland Cat Town Café and Adoption Center: The Nation’s First Cat Café

January 29th, 2015 by Karen 46 Comments

So I finally made it out to the new Cat Town Cat Café in Oakland last weekend (2869 Broadway in downtown Oakland, CA), and for starters, it was everything I imagined and more! 🙂 Coffee, smiling faces, adoptable felines, cupcakes and macaroons. With a business like that, how can you go wrong??

I walked in without a reservation, which you can make by phone or online, so I had to wait a little while for the next available appointment. You can peruse the cafe and sip a tasty beverage while you wait, which is what I did, because they only let a few people into the cat part of the cafe at a time.

When we got there in the early afternoon, the cats were pretty sleepy, and I got the feeling that they probably party all night long. After the humans go home and that play area is nothing but cats, I bet it’s total cat carnage/mayhem.

Knowledgeable volunteers and staff members are available to answer your questions about teh kittehs in the cat area, too, and the cats are all adoptable, so you can actually bring one home if you find your feline match.

I know my employer pretty well…and I didn’t find any new potential employees on this visit, but I’ll be going back.

Highly recommended if you like coffee, cats and you’re ever out this way.

[Continue reading…]

Fierce Felines Festoon This Palette From the New Paul & Joe Menagerie Collection for Spring 2015, Mrow!

January 29th, 2015 by Karen 26 Comments

Paul & Joe Menagerie Spring 2015 Face & Eye Color CS in Les Flamants Roses

Naturally, a tabby was the obvious choice to include on the packaging for this new spring palette from Paul & Joe.

Tabs and I approve. 🙂

The palette is the Face & Eye Color CS Palette in Les Flamants Rose ($39), one of Paul & Joe’s new spring palettes, and the box is covered in cats.

But what do you expect? It’s Paul & Joe, and their design philosophy falls somewhere along the lines of “MOAR CATS.”

Les Flamants Rose ($39) is part of the new spring Menagerie Collection, an infinitely adorable mix of animals and colors available now with the rest of the launch at Paul & Joe counters and online.

I cannot wait to play with this makeup! The last time I freaked out this hard over a Paul & Joe launch was the cat lady one they did a few years ago.

I hope this one’s just as good. I’m gonna put it through its paces this weekend, woo-hoo!

Paul & Joe Menagerie Spring 2015 collection Face & Eye Color CS from the left: Elephanteau (096), Les Flamants Roses (094) and Girafe (095), $39 each — Face & Eye Color CS from the left: Elephanteau (096), Les Flamants Roses (094) and Girafe (095), $39 each

A Classic Neutral Makeup Tutorial With Cool-Toned Eyes and Nude Lips

January 28th, 2015 by Karen 44 Comments

I’ve been wanting to do a tutorial for this look forever! It’s one of my fallbacks when I don’t want to think too hard…which is, like, all the time. Often. 🙂 It’s a timeless classic eye with some cool-toned eyeshadows, and some neutral eyeshadows, and I usually pair it with peachy pink cheeks and nude lips (and sometimes false lashes).

There’s a bit to it, so it’s not a 5-minute look by any means, but it’s not too far out there either. It’ll get easier the more you do it.
[Continue reading…]

Help for Dry Winter Lips

January 28th, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

I saw a ChapStick ad this morning before a video on YouTube, and the girl in it said that our skin is thinnest on our lips.

I thought, yeah…maybe that’s why mine hurt so much every winter!

It’s always the same, too, every year. When winter rolls around, so much ouch. My lips get cracked and dry, and it hurts.

It gets worse for a few weeks after we visit my in-laws in Redding, which is a town near the Oregon border.

Weirdly, Oregon gets a ton of rain, but Redding, even though it’s close, does not. I swear, the air there gets drier than the inside of a hot oven.

But time has taught me a few things that help my perpetually parched pout. I hope they help yours too. 🙂

1. Scrub-a-dub-dub

Exfoliate. It’s easier when my lips are soft and damp, like right after I get out of the shower.

Every once in a while I’ll mix a spoonful of sugar with a little honey or olive oil, and gently scrub (more like rub) that on my lips with an old toothbrush after I shower.

The Nimbus Microfine Regulars are awesome for this, by the way. Softest toothbrushes I’ve ever used.

They’re kind of hard to track down in stores… I’m not sure why, but here’s a five-pack on Amazon for $14. Highly recommended.

Brush your teeth (and your lips), kids! (And don’t forget to floss.)

If DIY doesn’t sound good, then you can use a regular lip exfoliator instead. Fresh Sugar Lip Polish ($22.50) is an excellent choice, as is Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub.

2. A balm before bed

And keep it right on your nightstand, where it’ll be easy to remember (and reach).

I apply a thick layer of balm after I kiss El Hub and Tabs goodnight. It’s become part of my regular bedtime routine — 1) kiss El Hub, 2) kiss Tabs, 3) insert mouth guard, and 4) smear a thick layer of lip balm on my lips. Zzzz…

Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($19) is the one on my nightstand now. It’s almost as thick as a paste and tastes and smells like honey.

The big glass jar isn’t super convenient to carry around during the day, but it’s purrfect for bedtime at night.

3. Guzzle water

For real though! Drink a sh*t-ton throughout the day. I notice a HUGE difference when I fall out of the habit of drinking enough water, and it’s not just that my lips get drier. My skin gets worse and less, I dunno…plump?

The difference is crystal clear, especially in winter. When I don’t drink enough water, my lips get tow up.
[Continue reading…]

10 Things I Love About Tea (and T)

January 28th, 2015 by Karen 23 Comments

1. Trader Joe’s Vanilla and Cinnamon Black Tea

The Trader Joe’s brand teas! — especially the seasonal ones that come out around holidays. Every Xmas I hoard and stockpile a few boxes of the Vanilla and Cinnamon Black Tea and Candy Cane Green Tea (YUM!), and then obsessively ration them.

I believe I shall make a cuppa right now (lol, someone’s been watching BBC lately).

2. Tabbies

I got mad love for all teh kittehs, but due to my current employment situation…husky tabby boys are my faves. 🙂

Tabs contouring with his new Real Techniques Contour Brush — Tabs demonstrating the proper way to contour using the Real Techniques Contour Brush…

3. Organic Raspberry Leaf Tea by Traditional Medicinals

Otherwise known as “PMS Tea” around these parts, it improves my mood when my hormones are acting like irrational toddlers behind the wheel of a tractor trailer truck, if ya know what I mean.

4. Cute tea pots and cups

I have a couple of cute, dainty pots and cups but rarely use them because I’m partial to huge mugs.

Since we’re on the subject, though, did you ever have a toy tea set when you were a kid? I did! And I used to love playtime with tea.

Wish I could remember what happened to that thing…

5. Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford African Violet Nail Lacquer — Tom Ford African Violet Nail Polish, Purse by Reed Krakoff, and bracelet by Na Hoku

“T” for Tom Ford. 🙂 Don’t even get me started on Tom.

African Violet Nail Polish, Cognac Sable Eye Quad, Negligee Lipstick, the Unabashed Palette, and oh! — that crazy expensive, utterly epic brow filler I’ve worn down to the nub.

Oh, Tom…
[Continue reading…]

How Often Do You Use Cream Eyeshadows, and What Are Your Faves?

January 27th, 2015 by Karen 42 Comments

Just a quick video about these new Giorgio Armani Eye Tints and a question: how often do you use cream eyeshadows, and what are your faves?

As always, thank you for watching. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday!

With the Right Brush, Everything’s Coming Up Roses for Milani’s New Rose Powder Blushes

January 26th, 2015 by Karen 21 Comments

Wearing Milani Rose Powder Blush in Tea Rose on my cheeks — That’s $7.99 Milani Rose Powder Blush in Tea Rose on my cheeks

Everything did not come up roses the first time I used Milani’s Rose Powder Blushes…

I made the mistake of using a cheek brush with a small, dense brush head to apply one and ended up with so much color on my cheeks that I looked like a Harlequin clown doll/vaudeville performer.

Milani Rose Powder Blushes from the left: Coral Cove, Tea Rose and Romantic Rose ($7.99 each) — The Milani Rose Powder Blushes from the left in Coral Cove, Tea Rose and Romantic Rose ($7.99 each)

The three available shades are preternaturally pigmented and matte, and therefore forgiving (pore issues, yo!), but they can look scary intense (think painted circles of bright pink) if applied willy-nilly with the wrong brush, i.e. blush brushes with a small, dense head. Same goes for large, fluffy blush brushes.

In case I haven’t stressed it enough, these blushes are VERY pigmented, and I get the best, most natural-looking results when I chill out and use a medium-sized, moderately dense duo fiber brush.

But I think a fan brush would also work well.

The flat finish looks divine in pics, and I dig the colors, which remind me of beloved shades I wear all the time, like MAC Blushbaby (01 Romantic Rose), and Chanel Malice (05 Coral Cove).

If these blushes didn’t have a logo or any branding, I’d assume they were from Sephora or Nordstrom and quite a bit more expensive (they’re $7.99 for a 0.60-oz. pan). There’s also no funny business with the fine powders. They sit on top of my skin, don’t require a lot of buffing, and last all day long.

Romantic Rose is a matte pinkish beige, Tea Rose a matte neutral rosy pink, and Coral Cove a warm poppy.

You might remember Coral Cove from last spring. This new version is more or less the same, but Milani added rose oil (although I don’t detect a scent).

Milani Rose Powder Blush in Romantic Rose — Rose Powder Blush in Romantic Rose

[Continue reading…]