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

The Secret to Tinker Bell’s Shimmer, Exposed! She Uses Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder for Face and Body in Aura

September 17th, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

When I finally figure out how to open the portal to the Magical Land of The Drag Queen Roller Disco, I would really like to have Urban Decay’s Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder for Face and Body in Aura ($29) with me in my purse, because it would be a shame to enter a realm where the moon looks like a giant disco ball and the sky rains glitter without at least a little highlighter on my face.

That’s all I’m saying.

Once through the portal, I’m pretty sure this baked golden peachy pink powder would also give me good street cred within the inner circle. They’d be like, “Honey, did you see that chick with the big Lorde hair wearing Urban Decay’s new highlighter? Girlfriend had glitter on her face FOR DAYS. But in a good way.”

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Dastardly Dilemmas: You Can Only Have One Bath or Shower Product for the Rest of Your Life. What Is It?

September 17th, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

El Hub would probably (absolutely, definitely) say that most of the 20-some-odd bath and body products in our shower are unnecessary, but I have to politely disagree. That man may be able to survive on a single bar of soap, but I can’t. I NEED EVERY DAMN THING IN THERE.

You don’t even know. Without the proper care and attention, my hair goes wild! I’m talking star of its own show on Animal Planet. I’d have hairy hobbit toes, too. And without the right scented bath products? Huh uh. I don’t want to smell like overripe peaches.

So, yeah, this is a tough one for me… Do I pick the razor, (’cause sister is hairy), or hair conditioner, or soap, or one of the other things in my shower?

If this were the end times, like if things were really, REALLY bad, I’d go with a good cleanser, like Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser, and use it on my face, body and hair. I’d stockpile bottles of that stuff.

Then, and this is totally fair game because I didn’t say anything about DIY or kitchen products, I’d condition my crazy mane with olive or coconut oil.

This is assuming, of course, that I’d be able to find some (post-apocalyptic Karen would be crafty), and then I’d trim my rogue body hair with a sharp knife or a pair of tweezers, which I could also use as an anti-zombie weapon in a pinch.

If this were some other kind of situation, like if an eccentric billionaire said to me, “Karen, I’ll give you $10 million if you only use one bath or shower product for the rest of your life,” then I’d still go with soap…but I’d spend some of my millions on waxing and deep conditioning treatments at the salon. 🙂

Dastardly dilemmas: You can only have one bath or shower product for the rest of your life. What is it?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day!

My Latest Red Lip Love: Covergirl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor in Blushing Berry With LipPerfection Lip Liner in Passion

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

I’ve been jonesin’ for a new red lip look, and this new combo by Covergirl hits the spot.

First, I line and fill in my lips with neutral red LipPerfection Lip Liner in Passion ($6.74). Next, I add a layer of metallic reddish berry Outlast All-Day Lip Color in Beaming Berry ($9.99) directly on top. Then, for extra shine, I top it all off with the clear topcoat that comes with Outlast All-Day.

Feels very Christmassy, doesn’t it? I’m gonna keep this one in the mental makeup Rolodex for the holidays.

From the left: Passion, Beaming Berry, Clear Topcoat

Herbal Essences The Sleeker The Butter Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Herbal Essences The Sleeker The Butter Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner

Deep breath. Ah…

I’ve been sniffing my hair a lot today thanks to new Herbal Essences “The Sleeker The Butter” Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner ($3 each). I washed and conditioned with both this morning and, ah…

Sorry, grabbed another sniff. Anyway, where was I?

Oh! Both the shampoo and conditioner contain cupuacu.

Yeah, I have no idea what that is… 🙂 But apparently it’s a tropical tree related to cacao, the chocolate plant, and it’s pretty great at taming wild hair. It also leaves my mane smelling exactly like coconut Life Savers, which, coincidentally, are one of my favorite candies in the whole wide world.

When I was kid, my mom would always let me grab a pack of gum or candy at the grocery store checkout line, and I’d usually go for the Tropical Life Savors. Then I’d eat all of the other flavors and save the coconut ones for last.

Look for The Sleeker The Butter Shampoo and Conditioner at drugstores and online now. A 10.1-oz. bottle of each costs $3.

Like Actual Shadowboxing Is for Boxers, Urban Decay Shadow Box Is Great for Beauty Beginners (and More Experienced Makeup Mavens)

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Urban Decay’s new $34 Shadow Box Eyeshadow Palette has better balance than an advanced yoga class! — and that gives me So. Much. Hope.

I may never be able to achieve perfect balance in my day-to-day life, but with my makeup? Haaay! Girl can get close. 🙂

With this palette, I’ll be able to push what my makeup-averse friend Cindy calls “my makeup agenda,” and next time I see her and my friend Jen (my two best childhood gal pals), you better believe I’m going to do that.

This is a great one for beginners (makeup-averse friends) and people new to the brand.

Jen and Cindy aren’t exactly makeup obsessed, but it’s been my life’s mission to change that. One day, I will be victorious!

Here’s my plan: first, I’ll lure them in with Shadow Box’s stylin’ black and purple case, which houses 12 powder shadows — nine of UD’s bestselling shades and three brand new ones (Indo, Moonshadow and Baked Cowboy).

Next, I’ll hook ’em with the neutrals, and the browns, black, golds and bronzes. Yup, half of this palette is comprised of everyday shades, which makes it gloriously practical.

Urban Decay Shadow Box Swatches from the left: Sin, Indo (new), Bordello and Tornado — Swatches from the left: Sin, Indo (new), Bordello and Tornado

Urban Decay Shadow Box swatches from the left: Smog, Blackout, Flash and Mushroom — Smog, Blackout, Flash and Mushroom

Urban Decay Shadow Box Swatches from the left: Lost, Freelove, Moonshadow (new) and Baked Cowboy (new) — Urban Decay Shadow Box swatches from the left: Lost, Freelove, Moonshadow (new) and Baked Cowboy (new)

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NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF24: The Stuff of My Most Radiant, Soft Matte Finish Dreams (in Somewhat Tricky Packaging)

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Wearing the new NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Broad Spectrum SFP24 ($48)

Of all my many makeup and beauty pursuits, like the quests for big hair, lush lashes and behaved brows (frickin’ Raul!), the quest for luxurious-looking skin consumes the most time.

I’m always looking for that expensive, luxurious Louis Vuitton skin look…without having to spend Real Housewives of Beverly Hills money.

Polished.

Elegant.

And hella pricey (looking).

Available in 13 shades, the new $48 NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation delivers exactly that, and it’s a revelation, especially when it’s applied with a wet sponge (I use a Beauty Blender).

It’s the stuff of my most radiant, soft matte finish dreams (in somewhat tricky packaging).

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation light — The light shades

My big fear with powder foundations is that they’ll look thick and heavy on my combination skin, because many of them do, but NARS All Day Luminous does not. The fine, silky powder formula looks and feels lightweight, while the finish falls somewhere between dewy and matte.

Coverage ranges from light to medium, depending on how you apply them. When I use a dry sponge or brush, the coverage is at its lightest. The formula does even out my skin tone a little, but some of the natural redness in my cheeks still peeks through, and I can still see my freckles. Worn this way, the look is super casual.

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Medium — The medium shades

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Medium Dark — The medium-dark shades

Using a sponge or Beauty Blender to apply them kicks up the coverage a notch. For the highest coverage (medium), I like to apply a 50/50 mix of Stromboli and Tahoe, because together they’re a closer match to my skin tone than any of the 13 individual shades, with a wet Beauty Blender. That keeps my freckles on the down-low and makes sure that no red on my cheeks sneaks through.

I’m definitely partial to applying these with the wet sponge (I use a patting and rolling motion). I think that way the look is more natural.

These don’t take long to apply, either. I can have a full face of foundation applied, blended and done in 3-4 minutes.

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Swatches — Swatches of all 13 shades

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What Are You Wearing on Your Nails?

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 36 Comments

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Polish in Distortion — Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Lacquer in Distortion ($10)

Today I’m wearing two coats of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Lacquer in Distortion ($10), a deep metallic navy from the fall Unknown Pleasures collection, along with Sephora X Base Coat and Shine Top Coat, my current go-to polish protectors.

I did this pretty haphazard mani last Saturday while simultaneously reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone on the couch, and I was at a thrilling “OHMYGOSH!” moment in the book, so I wasn’t really paying close attention to my nails.

You know what though? Sometimes good enough is fine. 🙂

As for Distortion’s durability, after two and a half full days, tiny chips have already started to appear on the nails of my right hand, but I can’t spite the lacquer for that because I rushed through the application, and I do put my hands through a lot. Lots of typing, testing cleansers and lotions, stuff like that, and I usually don’t (read: almost never) wear gloves when I do the dishes, so there’s also that.

How about you, babe? What are you currently wearing on your nails (and what are you thinking about wearing next)?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Out of curiosity, what’s the longest lasting nail polish formula you’ve ever tried? So far on my list of long-lasting lacquers, I have OPI, Tom Ford and Dior.

When You Walk Into Ulta for One Thing…

September 15th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

…and you walk out with a bag full of things you have deemed “necessities.”

The plan was to run in, grab cotton swabs, and run out.

I actually go through these things pretty fast. I use them to blend the edges of my eye makeup (especially liner on my bottom lash line), to apply lash glue to false lashes (I break them in half and use one of the broken ends without the cotton swab), to fix the edges of my lipstick…so many things.