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

A Bangin’ Bright Glossy Red: Deborah Lippmann’s Sheer Lipstick in She Bangs

December 9th, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

Deborah Lippmann She Bangs Sheer Lipstick

This is one of those decidedly juicy reds that could almost pass for a gloss.

It’s *that* shiny.

I’d take it easy with Deborah Lippmann’s $22 Sheer Lipstick in She Bangs because a little dab ‘ll do ya. A stained lip look only takes the smallest amount. Trust me — less is more when it comes to this seductress. For these pics, I applied a full layer (pretty!), but within 10 minutes it was a hot mess! A full layer of this bright tomato red color and slippery, silky formula added up to “high maintenance.”

That’s what I mean — less is more.

Like the other colors in Debbie-Deb’s Sheer Lipstick line, She Bangs is unscented and unflavored, but it’s got moisture for miles…

You’ll find She Bangs online and bangin’ at Deborah Lippmann counters at Nordstrom stores.

See Jane Line and Shine With Jane’s $8 Water Resistant Liquid Eye Liners

December 9th, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

Wearing Jane Water Resistant Eye Liner in Metallic Lilac on my lash lines

Cat eyeliner-lovin’ cat ladies cannot line on gels and pencils alone. The cosmetics-loving cat enthusiast community is completely united on this point.

It simply can’t be done. I, for one, have liquid liner coursing through my veins. That’s how much I love the stuff.

The last liquid liner I had a lecherous liaison with with was Tom Ford’s flawless Eye Defining Pen in Deeper, but good grief, Charlie Brown! — that $55 price tag is totally insane.

Since then, I’ve had my sights set on more affordable liquid liners…

Jane Water Resistant Eye Liner in hand — With human paw for scale…

I wondered if Jane’s $8 Water-Resistant Liquid Eye Liners were worth their drugstore price, and well — for $8, it’s pretty hard to go wrong. Perfect, they’re not, but they are available in a wide range of colors (13, to be exact); have a high-gloss, waterproof finish; and you can get a similarly shiny look to MAC’s $19.50 Superslicks Liquid Liners if you don’t mind putting in a little work.

What do I mean?

Two words: the brush.

I don’t know what it is with me and thin, flexible brushes, but we just don’t get along. And these are like Olympic gymnasts (read: very flexible), so drawing really sharp edges, like at the wing, is no easy feat. With these I definitely have to (or at least should) run a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover along the edges to clean up any mistakes.

If you’re an experienced liquid liner wearer, you’ll probably be fine, but beginners might need some time to really get the hang of it.

Even considering the brush, though, I do think these have major potential, and I’d even go so far as to call them respectable dupes for the MAC Superslicks.

Sure, I find myself needing several layers of Jane’s liners (as opposed to just one or two of MAC’s) to achieve that signature Superslick look, so that’s also something to consider. That, and I have to remember to keep my hands off my eyes when I wear them, because any rubbing at all and they flake, flake, flake.

I’ve tried three of the 13 colors so far (a dark metallic navy blue, a metallic purple and a pale pink with silver glitter), and I’m partial to the darker colors. Seems like I don’t have to layer them as much to get a good amount of color.

Jane Water Resistant Eye Liner swatches from the left: Metallic Pink, Metallic Lilac and Bleu Marine — Swatches from the left: Metallic Pink, Metallic Lilac and Bleu Marine

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A Gold and Warm Brown Face of the Day With MAC and Rouge Bunny Rouge (and a Tip for Doe-Eyed Looks)

December 9th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Rouge Bunny Rouge Embrace of Cashmere — Today felt like a gold and warm browns kind of day…

You might think that my down-filled winter coat gets all the credit for keeping me warm right now, but nope — that’s not why I feel downright toasty today (although the coat is helping, because DUUUDE, it’s cold outside!).

I’ve been going through a gold phase, and when I woke up this morning, the first thing I wanted to do — well, after putting on thermals, two pairs of socks and the aforementioned coat — was bust out the warm browns to wear with some shimmery gold shadows.

Ah… So warm and toasty. 🙂 I used one of my favorite easy eye makeup tricks, too. It’s a good way to add extra kick to metallic looks, and make your peepers appear rounder (think “more doe-eyed”).

Rouge Bunny Rouge Embrace of Cashmere, MAC Woodwinked, MAC Bamboo, MAC Soft Brown, MAC Ricepaper — MAC Ricepaper along my brow bone, MAC Bamboo in the crease, MAC Soft Brown in the crease and lower lash line, MAC Woodwinked on the lid and Rouge Bunny Rouge Pigment in Embrace of Cashmere in the center of the lid

For the gold effect here, all you need are two golden shimmery eyeshadows — one lighter than the other. Today I chose two shades that aren’t too far from each other because I wanted to keep my blending to a minimum. I went with MAC Woodwinked for the darker gold and Rouge Bunny Rouge’s new Loose Glitter Pigment in Embrace of Cashmere ($26) as the lighter shade.

I started by sweeping a warm matte brown in the crease, then patted the darker gold on the lid, blended the two together to erase any harsh lines and patted the lighter gold in the center of the lid, just above my iris.

MAC Teddy, MAC Powersurge, MAC Blacktrack and MAC Carbon — MAC Blacktrack and MAC Carbon Eye Shadow on my upper lash line, MAC Teddy Eye Kohl on my upper water line, MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl on my lower lash line and MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara on my lashes

The lighter color in the center completes the gradient that goes from the darker gold in the outer corner of the lid (the side closer to your ear), to the lighter color in the center, to the darker gold again in the inner corner.

And the gradient makes the magic happen. 🙂 It’s what makes the eyes look slightly rounder, while the lighter metallic color flashes in the light to give a little extra something to the overall look.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Embrace of Cashmere with MAC Woodwinked — MAC Woodwinked with Rouge Bunny Rouge Embrace of Cashmere in the center

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As It Is With Holiday Decorations, When It Comes to Nails, It’s All About The Statement Piece: L’Oreal Nail Color in The Statement Piece

December 9th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

L'Oreal Nail Color in The Statement Piece

My nails and I are totes feeling the holiday spirit now.

That’s what happens when you spend the weekend watching yule log television and listening to Christmas music. 🙂

Candy canes and gingerbread cookies for everyone (including the cats)!

Feeling festive, I swapped the green Sally Hansen Dive In polish I had been wearing for golden glittery The Statement Piece ($6.99), one of nine shades in L’Oreal’s new limited edition Gold Dust Colour Riche collection of textured nail polishes.

It’s a gritty, glittery yellow gold with flecks of silver glitter swimming throughout — very shimmery and sparkly, and a fun shade to wear if you’re into the whole textured nail trend.

If Zoya’s Tomoko and OPI’s It’s Frosty Outside Liquid Sand (from the Mariah Carey holiday collection) got together and had a love child…it would look like The Statement Piece. Or to put it another way, picture Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy Glitter Eyeliner in nail polish form.

Thanks to the wide brush, painting with it goes quickly. Two swipes completely cover one nail, and I can even get away with a single coat (although, per usual, I’m wearing two for this swatch).

I think textured polishes, especially ones with lots of glitter, are great for people who are tough on their nails. They wear extremely well and are generally pretty resistant to chipping.

That said, I can already tell that this one’s going to be a pain in the butt to remove.

Oh, well… I guess that’s the tradeoff for something this sturdy.

I haven’t been able to find The Statement Piece online, so you might want to keep an eye out for it at the drugstore. Oh, and while you’re there, would you mind picking up some Temptations Treats for Tabs? He’s running low… 🙂

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 301

December 9th, 2013 by Karen 39 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for December 9, 2013

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past six years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

One of your favorite holiday snacks/noms/sweet treats?
Oh, so many to choose from, but I look forward to Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Stars every year…even if my waistline does not. 🙂

Whatevs… Waistline just needs to deal. I’d rather indulge and then run an extra mile or two.
How do you know when a mascara is right for you?
My lashes are normally pretty average — stick straight, no curl to speak of, and not particularly long or thick — unlike El Hub’s, which are AMAZING.

I swear, boys get the best lashes… It’s just not fair.

Anyways, yeah, I can usually tell when a mascara hits the sweet spot for me when it holds a curl from my lash curler, makes me go “OooOOOoooh” when I see it on in the mirror for the first time, and it doesn’t smudge or flake.

While I don’t like drama in my personal life, I need it from my mascaras. BRING IT!
What’s one thing you do really well?
Uh…sleep?

LOL! I can sleep through almost anything — thunderstorms, earthquakes, concerts. I’m a deeeeep sleeper, and once I’m out, I AM OUT.

Is it snowing where you live?
Almost. It almost never snows here in Marin County (just north of the Golden Gate Bridge). Maybe once a smidgen every 10 years or so. It gets cold — like down around the upper 20s for a couple weeks a year — but it rarely snows.

What’s something weird you keep in your purse?
Cat treats.

Are cat treats weird…? There are a couple of new kitties in our neighborhood, and I’m hell bent on befriending them.

Food is the fastest path to feline friendship! Hmm… I should put that on a bumper sticker.

Do you ever wear dark smokey eyes to work?
Sometimes. The dress code here at the home offices of Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC, does occasionally call for dressy attire. 😉

Are you easy to spot in a crowd?
If it’s a crowd of short people, LOL! Or if I’m waving my phone above my head like a maniac to get your attention. I’m pretty short.

What’s your best over-protective parent story?
Once in high school when a boy came over to take me out on a date, my dad was doing some yard work in the back yard.

He invited the guy back there for a “quick chat.” While they were there, my dad went through his regular list of non-negotiables (no drinking and driving, missing curfew, etc.) while swinging a huge axe back and forth in front of the poor kid’s face.

I was mortified at the time…but now I just think it was just hilarious!

Are there any beauty products you need to re-purchase?
Right now? YSL Touche Eclat in 4.5 and Kate Sommerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion.

What’s the best thing that happened to you last weekend?
El Hub and I had a really lovely, relaxing Saturday night. We turned on the Comcast Yule Log channel on the TV, listened to Christmas music and read books by the faux fireplace.

It was so nice…

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

1. One of your favorite holiday snacks/noms/sweet treats?
2. How do you know when a mascara is right for you?
3. What’s one thing you do well?
4. Is it snowing where you live?
5. What’s something weird you keep in your purse?
6. Do you ever wear dark smokey eyes to work?
7. Are you easy to spot in a crowd?
8. What’s your best over-protective parent story?
9. Are there any beauty products you need to re-purchase?
10. What’s the best thing that happened to you last weekend?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 273

December 8th, 2013 by Karen 10 Comments

Who is Tabs the Cat? About six years ago I befriended a stray, flea-bitten tabby cat with a bad case of worms. I could see he’d fallen on hard times, but his profound knowledge of high fashion and department store cosmetics led me to believe that he was more than meets the eye. We became fast friends, and now he’s actually my boss (and a successful kitty model). 🙂

Dear fans and felines:

I’m on the cusp of an exciting adventure! Finally, a world where cats and technology become one…

I’ve been approached by a group of VCs and tech giants in Silicon Valley to consult on a thrilling new project involving kitties, technology and treats. I’m not at liberty to reveal the company’s name yet, but let’s just say that it rhymes with “Snoogle.”

Exciting times, these are…

I will always love kitty modeling; it is my art. But upon my recent acceptance into Kitty Mensa, I’ve decided to also explore academic pursuits like this exciting new venture. I’m enthralled by the new frontier of tech, in particular tech for cats, who have traditionally lagged behind humans in the tech arena.

Truth is, I’m not just a hot body. I’ve got brains, too. 🙂

Don’t worry. I have no plans to quit modeling. In fact, I was quite busy this weekend, and here are the latest snapshots in my kitty modeling portfolio.

Much love, always,

Tabs

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

December 7th, 2013 by Karen 481 Comments

OH! I’m watching one of Rick Steve’s travel programs for Paris on PBS as I type this (he was just at the Musee Rodin) and would so LOVE to be sipping my hot coffee at a Parisian cafe…

That would be nice. 🙂

Rise and shine, morning glory! It’s going to be a beautiful day. I hope you have something nice lined up, or at least don’t have a ton of chores to do today. I should do a little cleaning and finish decorating the tree…but I really don’t want to. I’d rather futz around and play.

Have a wonderful weekend, OK? If I keep watching this program, I’m never gonna get anything productive done, so I’d better hop to it. The treadmill is calling my name… “Karen!? Aren’t you going to run on me?? You’re supposed to run on me today!!”

Haha! I made myself laugh.

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:
- When was the last time you went to a museum?
- How do you say “beautiful” in your first language?
- Do you have any paintings on your walls?
- Most beautiful bottle of perfume you’ve ever seen?
- Who makes your favorite blush/bronzer?
- Do you have any strange and unusual talents?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time).
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Please Leave a Message After the Beep for Deborah Lippmann Sheer Lipstick in Call Me Maybe

December 7th, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

“Hey, I just met you… This is crazy!”

Kid you not, you’ll be singing the minute you slick Deborah Lippmann’s Sheer Lipstick in Call Me Maybe ($22) on your lips.

I had an immediate physical reaction to this juicy, sheer reddish coral — a sudden need to bust out in song.

And you know what’s crazy? I keep wanting to punctuate this lipstick’s name. Doesn’t “Call Me. Maybe?” sound clearer and more concise? Methinks it does…

Haha! 🙂

You can find it now online and at Nordstrom stores.