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

7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

May 24th, 2014 by Karen 326 Comments

Verve is such a cool word, isn’t it?

Verve…

I actually woke up lacking verve today, LOL! Totally lacking verve.

Oh, well. Hopefully the coffee helps me find it.

How’s it going this morning, my friend? What are you up to? I’m sitting here on the couch finishing my first cup of joe and breakfast (a waffle with almond butter and honey drizzled on top, and a side of sliced peaches) and watching The Golden Girls with Tabs.

Well, he’s actually staring out the window at the bird feeder expectantly. There are currently no birds dining at the restaurant.

Did you do anything fun last night? We were going to go see the new X-Men movie but ended up just going to Pasta Pomodoro instead.

Have you been watching True Detectives? I’m not the world’s biggest fan of cop shows, but dang if doesn’t have some amazing acting. Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson and Michelle Monaghan on screen in a TV show at the same time? That’s one heck of a cast.

Time for my second cup of coffee now! Can I get you one? Enter this weekend’s Sephora giveaway, and I’ll be right back. 🙂

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- I wish i knew how to _____.
- Who tells the best stories?
- Have you ever been to a fashion show? What was it?
- Do you ever find that you know more about makeup than the people working at the counter or store?
- What are you doing for Memorial Day?
- What’s your least favorite household chore?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, May 26, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time).
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

6 Days of OCC: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Stained Gloss in Nomad, Day 2

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

I was on the road once, moving from town to town, not really settling down in one place for long, when I ran into Nomad.

Get it…? Nomad? Moving from town to town?

OK, sorry, that was really bad. 🙂

Dark red Nomad, one of six Stained Glosses in the new OCC Dune Generation summer collection, may look like more of a fall-ish lip color, but heck, so what? Makeup rules are meant to be broken.

It’s available now, along with the rest of the OCC Stained Glosses, online at sephora.com and occmakeup.com (and coming to Sephora stores June 6).

In other news, guess who might go kayaking down the Russian River this weekend?! Yup, and fishing, too.

Have you ever been to Monte Rio Beach near Guerneville? I’ve never been, but it looks neat.

The fishing, I’m not too excited about (I’ll probably just read a book), but I’m really looking forward to the kayaking.

The 6 Days of OCC series features a different Stained Gloss every day

$9 Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational Lip Gloss Beams Brightly on Lips

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Ooh! So shiny…

Something primitive kicks in whenever I see the mirror-like shine of Maybelline’s Color Elixir by Color Sensational lip gloss ($8.99) on my lips.

I wonder if I have leftover genes from a cave girl who was more interested in collecting shiny rocks and staring into sparkly rivers than gathering dried sticks for the community fire (BO-RING).

Perhaps.

These have been out since fall 2013, but this is my favorite time of year for this kind of shine. The non-sticky medium-weight formula lasts about two hours on my lips and shines like a lacquer.

Um…the flavor and scent? I think they’re a tad unusual, like jasmine and earl gray tea perfume, if that makes any sense. I don’t mind it. It’s just a little…strange.

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational in 015 Mandarin Rapture, 02 Signature Scarlet and 095 Blush Essence — From the left: 015 Mandarin Rapture, 02 Signature Scarlet and 095 Blush Essence

“Experience saturated lip color, sensuous balm care and polished lip shine from Maybelline New York Color Elixir by Color Sensational. The exclusive smoothing angora brush delivers a polished, even application and smoothing sensation to lips. The balm infused formula, with pure color pigments, leaves lips feeling cushiony soft.”
– ulta.com

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational in 020 Signature-Scarlet — 020 Signature-Scarlet

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational 095 Blush Essence — 095 Blush Essence

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Let the $28 Clinique On Safari All About Shadow Quad Be Your Guide to Summery Khaki Shadows

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Clinique On Safari All About Shadow Quad

I’ve always wanted to go on a safari. You know — see lions, giraffes and feisty bull elephants on the savannah from the safety of a Land Cruiser.

We’ve thought about it a few times. We know some folks from Tanzania, but a trip like that is a lot to plan. So far things just haven’t worked out.

Compared to that kind of safari, exploring Clinique’s summery new All About Shadow Quad ($28) in On Safari is much easier to arrange.

Gurl, I cannot wait to wear these powder shadows with coral cheeks and lips! Ooh — and how about a little gold highlighter on the upper cheekbones? YES.

And you won’t even have to drive far at all to catch a glimpse of this animal, because it’s available now at Clinique counters and online.

Maybelline’s $7.49 Color Sensational The Buffs Lipsticks in Blushing Beige and Stormy Sahara Promote Acts of Pigmented Public Nudity

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Maybelline Color Sensation The Buffs in Stormy Sahara — Wearing Maybelline Color Sensational The Buffs in Stormy Sahara

When we met at the drugstore, they were full-on nude. None of that halfway bullsh*t.

Maybelline Color Sensation The Buffs in Blushing Bride (left) and Stormy Sahara (right) — Color Sensational The Buffs Lipstick in Blushing Beige (left) and Stormy Sahara (right)

Stormy Nude, the bolder of the two, was the first to start talking. “$7.49. For each. One layer. Full coverage. Satin finish.”

“How about wear time?” I asked.

“Three to four hours,” replied Stormy. “With a moisturizing formula.”

I considered the terms. The faint scent of vanilla and — plastic? — floated in the air.

“Is that…?” I started to ask.

“Vanilla, yes,” answered Stormy, guessing at my question. “Taste like it, too.”

I let the plasticky part go. The other terms were agreeable.

I took a step forward and put out my hand. Stormy grabbed it and we shook. Then, right there in the middle of the store, we all got totally and completely nude.

It was glorious. 🙂

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6 Days of OCC: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Stained Gloss in Aurora, Day 1

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Aurora Stained Gloss

The spice must flow…

Sorry, sci-fi nerd moment. 🙂 It’s not my fault. I had to go there because the new Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics summer collection is called Dune Generation.

While I am unsure if the six-piece collection of $18 Stained Glosses is giant sand worm-approved (virtual fist bump through the monitor if you got that reference), I do see a connection to dunes, desert plains, mirages and otherworldly vacation destinations in the colors.

They have the pigmented punch of an OCC Lip Tar coupled with a glossy finish. Wear them atop your favorite lip products, or alone.

The shades in Dune Generation include…

Dune: a champagne gold shimmer
Off World: a pearlescent lilac shimmer
Hedonist: a neon pastel pink
Aurora: a pink-toned coral
Concubine: a warm plummy neutral
Nomad: a shimmery gold-laced maroon

I’m wearing pinkish coral Aurora in these pics here, and I’m in love! It’s so summery and fun.

Stay tuned for pics of the rest of the six-piece Dune Generation collection over the coming days. 🙂 It’s available now online at sephora.com and occmakeup.com (and coming to Sephora stores June 6).

The 6 Days of OCC series features a different Stained Gloss every day

The Symptoms of This Fever Are Pink: Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Pink Fever — Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever, $8.99

I feel like Maybelline made Pink Fever for hoarders of pink products like me. If it’s pink, I want it. I want errrrrthing!

Pink Fever, one of six cream blush sticks in the Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick line released earlier this year (wow, now that name is a mouthful), is perfect for quickly adding a hint of sheer color with a soft, shiny finish to my cheeks.

I usually just run my fingers across the top of the stick to pick up some product, then dab it directly on my cheeks.

And dabbing is the key here… Any amount of rubbing disturbs the foundation I wear underneath.

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Longwearing Makeup Better Look Out When Benefit They’re Real Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Comes to Town

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

I tried my hand (eye?) at Benefit’s new They’re Real waterproof eye makeup remover last night, saturating a cotton pad with the formula, which is kind of thick like a lotion, then wiping and rinsing.

It lifted away the waterproof They’re Real Push-Up Liner I was wearing without a hitch, but my eyes started watering when it touched my water lines.

Maybe my eyes are just sensitive to it. I might give it another try in a few days… The formula is supposed to be made for contact lens wearers and sensitive eyes.

Until then, I think I’ll stick with MAC Cleanse-Off Oil for the heavy-duty stuff.

If you’re curious, look for They’re Real Remover at Benefit counters and online this July.