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

What Was the First MAC Collection You Fell Head Over Heels in Love With?

January 31st, 2014 by Karen 34 Comments

Three words (and some hearts): ♥♥♥ Barbie Loves MAC. ♥♥♥

I affectionally refer to this collection as my gateway collection — the one that started it all, and by “it,” I mean 1) my obsession with MAC and 2) the unofficial start of Makeup and Beauty Blog.

Yup, Barbie Loves MAC was my very first post on MBB (spring 2007). I almost can’t believe this blog will be seven years old next month.

Time files when you’re having fun. 🙂

How about you, my friend? What was the first MAC collection you fell head over heels in love with?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

If only I were this stylish, LOL! (As I sit here typing this in stretchy pants and a hoodie.)

Don’t you just love her over-the-knee boots and that MAC train case? Barbie’s got it goin’ on!

In other news…I’ve become addicted to another Bravo reality TV show. Have you seen Toned Up, starring Internet famous fitness gurus Karina and Katrina?

It sucked me in! I want to hang out with them and do crunches on the beach, LOL! They seem very cool and fun.

The Crystal Cactus Amethyst Unicorn Sliver Necklace

January 31st, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

The only thing it doesn’t do is teleport.

According to crystalcactus.com…

Each Amethyst Unicorn Sliver Necklace is cleansed with sage and infused with DNA healing vibrations on a 16″ gold-plated chain.
Benefits of wearing the Amethyst include:

Helps relieve stress and increase calmness and self-esteem

Increases spiritual and intuitive awareness, since it is closely associated with the crown chakra

Aids in restful sleep

Guards against psychic attack

Assists in beating addictions

WOW! That’s a lot of awesomesauce right there. 🙂

The magical benefits are impressive, but I like the shapes and colors… Of course, if wearing it also helps me relax and keep from losing my sh*t while the construction guys tear apart the outside of my house, score.

Legend has it that the elusive Amethyst Unicorn Sliver Necklace lives ~~in the secret forest~~ at crystalcactus.com ($38).

At $6 Each, These NYX Baked Shadows Make Wallets Say, “Sweet!”

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Wearing the new NYX Baked Shadows in Lavish, Kush and Sugar Babe on my eyes

OK, so maybe NYX’s new Baked Shadows are neither nutritious nor delicious, but they are a treat, and where else can you get a baked dessert this good for $6?

$6… I almost can’t believe that price is real. Almost. Hey, this is NYX. Everything on their makeup menu is super affordable.

Oh! — and calorie-free, which makes my muffin top shimmy with joy/relief. 🙂

First things first, like NYX’s new Baked Blushes (and many other delicious desserts), these have a crunchy outer shell, beneath which exists the really good stuff. Break through the crust (seriously, what’s up with that?), and you’re rewarded with eyeshadows utterly devoid of fallout.

Zero. Zip. Nada.

And blending these shadows is easier than saying “yes, please” to a second brownie. Buffing and softening lines between these eyeshadow colors is a total cakewalk. All it takes is a few swipes of my trusty blending brush.

NYX Baked Shadow in Blue Dream — Blue Dream

[Continue reading…]

How ‘Bout Them Apples? Fresh This Season From theBalm, a New Six-Piece Cream Cheek and Lip Palette

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 29 Comments

theBalm How 'Bout Them Apples — Taking a bite out of the newest palette by theBalm

Frrresh fruit! Get your fresh fruit here! Sweeet apples! Crisp and hunky!

Don’t be alarmed if you feel like taking a bite out of theBalm’s new cheek and lip cream palette.

It’s completely understandable. 🙂

And not merely because it houses a bushel of six juicy shades sweet enough to strike fear into the sweetest Honeycrisp…

It’s also because the men of Magic Mike appear inside! WOO HOO!!

OK, not really… Well, maybe.

Seriously, though, I don’t think these dudes have ever grinded to Pony on stage with Channing Tatum, but it looks like they could, judging by the way that cobbler pops that hip. That man clearly two-steps like a pro.

I have to admit that the inclusion of so many abdominal muscles probably heightened my enthusiasm for this palette. I mean, I think I would have liked it anyway, but I’m just sayin’. It’s true. 🙂

[Continue reading…]

Dear Hourglass Cosmetics Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Glosses, You’re My Obsession

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Lush (bottom) and Origami (top)

Ever go through phases where you become totally obsessed with one makeup line? I’m going through one of those right now with Hourglass. 🙂

Soooo, along those lines, I’ve been looking for springy shades to wear with the new Ambient Blushes.

Feast your eyes upon these two Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss pretties! Lush and Origami.

I love how they look by themselves (and atop lipsticks and lip pencils).

The Extreme Sheens ($28 each and available in 13 shades) are among of my favorite glosses. What a formula. So moisturizing, and they have that high-shine, non-sticky thing going for ’em, too. Throw in a light cupcake fragrance, and we’re talking major win.

They’re available now at Sephora and hourglasscosmetics.com.

Swatches of the Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Lush (left) and Origami (right) — Lush (left) and Origami (right)

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Origami — Origami

If You Could Have a Do-Over for Any Single Makeup Moment in Your Life, What Would It Be?

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

Oh, this one’s easy. A few re-doable moments come to mind, like the super skinny brows I rocked during Madonna’s Dita years (I walked around with a perpetually surprised look on my face, haha!), but the one at the top of my list is the day I walked into The Body Shop and walked out with a cah-ray-zaaaay purplish black lip liner and frosty beige lipstick combo.

I remember it like it was yesterday… [CUE FLASHBACK JINGLE AND CAMERA FADE]

I was playing with some shimmery eye shadow when one of the sales gals approached, and we started chatting. “You should try this!” she said, to which I eagerly agreed. 🙂

She did a look on my lips that was very trendy at the time (this was the mid-’90s) — a barely blended in matte purply black lip liner around the edge of the lips topped with a frosty beige lipstick. Then she popped a little clear gloss in the center.

I remember thinking, “I look like a backup dancer in a Missy Elliott video.” Sold! LOL!

Little did I realize just how completely unflattering the look was on me… The dark liner looked stark and harsh, and the frosty lipstick emphasized every lip flake.

Seriously, I don’t know why, but I wore that look for months thinking I was the sh*t!

Um, dated much? Yeah…

Your turn! If you could have a do-over for any single makeup moment in your life, what would it be?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Smoothies!!! Ooh, I made a yummy one this morning, totally on accident. I chugged it before I could take pics (it was that good), but it’s worthy of documenting here. 🙂

First, blender. Add a couple hunks of frozen banana, a cup of frozen sliced peaches, half a ripe avocado (yup, avocado; trust me on this), a tablespoon of chia seeds and a squeeze of honey. Then, in separate glass (because I think it blends better that way), stir one full scoop of this vanilla protein powder into a cup of almond milk, and add that to your blender.

Blend, and when you’re done, you’ll have a delicious avocado peach smoothie, om nom nom!

Next time I have to remember to snap a picture because it was the awesomest shade of guacamole green…

Oh, the construction guys are back and pounding away outside my window. They say “wassup!” by the way.

NYX Baked Blushes, and They’re Sweet, Dainty and Only $7 Apiece

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

NYX Baked Blush in Ignite — Wearing NYX’s new Baked Blush in Ignite on my cheeks

I haven’t baked anything in ages, but right now I’m in the mood. (Ooh…maybe a pan of gooey brownies.)

Normally, I would blame a sudden urge like this on PMS, but not today. Today the cause is NYX.

Four of 12 new NYX Baked Blushes, $7 each

Their new line of Baked Blushes is just as sweet as can be (and they’re only $7 each), from the darling black bow on the front closure to the dainty shades. The pink, peach and tan ones here look almost as good as frosted cupcakes.

They’re designed to be applied wet (for more oomph) or dry. I prefer dry because I think they look a little more delicate that way.

After playing with four of the 12 shades, I came away impressed…but only after I broke through their tough outer layer. Like my BFF Cindy’s personality, they’re tough on the outside, but sweet and gentle on the inside. 🙂 Just gotta chip away at that bad-@ss exterior, which doesn’t take much to get through (I swirled a dense kabuki brush around for a minute or two in each pan).

After you shave off that top layer, eureka! — makeup gold. You reach a soft, easy-to-blend powder with a radiant sheen. Two or three layers quickly blended with a blending brush creates a lovely flush, and it doesn’t look like you’ve tried too hard.

NYX Pink Fetish Baked Blush — Pink Fetish

[Continue reading…]

Paul & Joe’s Spring 2014 Collection Is Bucking for Best Dressed This Spring

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Oh, Paul & Joe… You certainly know how to woo a girl who loves cute packaging.

The limited edition 19-piece spring 2014 collection recently sprung on Paul & Joe counters and online, and, as one might expect from the line, everything’s cute, cute, cute!

There are eight eyeshadow trios ($35 each), four Eyeshadow Compacts ($10 each), five nail polishes ($16 each), a Face Powder ($45) and one Face Brush ($30).

I wore three of the pieces last weekend to the Marine Mammal Center. A few brief thoughts… (On the pieces. I loved the Mammal Center!)

The Face Powder S — A little like Guerlain’s Meteorites Perles! I used it as a highlighter and got a gentle, barely there glow… Smells amazing, too. Like violets.
Face Brush — Soft like kittens? Check.
Eye Color Trio in My Little Kitty — Mostly glitter. Low in pigment (it’s pretty sheer). It reminds me of the Bobbi Brown glitter shadows. I wore the bronze shade on my lids, the gold in the inner corners and used the dark purply brown as a liner. They lasted on my lids for 12+ hours with primer but migrated into my fine lines and creases. Really pretty, though, for subtle, sparkly looks.
Nail Enamel in Petunia — An uber-sheer pink with tiny flecks of glitter in different shapes and sizes, which is cool. I think it’s cute, but a little too subtle for me.