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

What’s Your Best Advice for Someone Headed to a Makeup Counter for the First Time?

December 3rd, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

The NARS Boutique on Fillmore Street in San Francisco

Bring a buddy. That’s my first advice. Someone who knows a little bit about beauty, because if you’re completely new to makeup, a makeup counter with hundreds or thousands of colors and products crammed into a small space can be downright intimidating, and a buddy can offer moral support and valuable input (like helping you decide between similar products or encouraging you to stick to your budget).

You can make a day of it and go out to lunch or coffee before or after. 🙂

I’d also suggest…

1. Knowing your beauty goals

What would you like to achieve? Is there an eye look you’d like to learn or a concern you have (dry/oily skin, hyper-pigmentation, under-eye circles, how to contour)?

Having something specific in mind, even if it’s just one thing, will help the makeup artists/sales associates help you.

2. Bring pics

Smartphones have really helped with this. Bringing pics of looks you like will really, really help. A picture’s worth a thousand words.

3. Gauge your skill level

You might want to let the artist know where you’re coming from in terms of your skill level. Even though it’s your first visit (or, one of your first) to a makeup counter, do you ever wear makeup at home? What do you wear? Are you comfortable with blending? Do you ever wear cat eyes or smokey looks?

Knowing what you can already do, and what you’re comfortable with, will help the person assisting you.

4. You can always go back later

Even though the temptation’s there (this, I know), you do not have to buy every single product. 🙂 Or any of them at all. It’s just one counter! There are plenty of other counters to try.

Lastly, if you have a good rapport with someone helping you, you can always go back to them and learn even more later.

What about you? What’s the best advice you could give to someone headed to a makeup counter for the first time?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Deborah Lippmann’s Sheer Lipstick in L.O.V.E. Is Sheer To Break Nude Lip-Loving Hearts

December 3rd, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Applying Deborah Lippmann Lipstick Rouge in L.O.V.E. on my lips — Applying Deborah Lippmann Lipstick Rouge in L.O.V.E.

In the event you were looking for another moisturizing nude lippie (because, really, one can never have enough), there’s Deborah Lippmann’s new Sheer Lipstick in L.O.V.E ($22).

This one’s super hydrating and feels light and smooth on my lips (like a good kiss).

Deborah Lippmann Lipstick Rouge in L.O.V.E. — Swatch of L.O.V.E. (Isn’t that the title of a reality TV show?? Tonight on Swatch of Love…)

It’s available now at Nordstrom stores and also online.

Flower Beauty Is Keeping Eyes on the Prize by Possibly Duping Clinique’s $17 Shadow Stick Tints With an $8 Eyeshadow Chubby

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

The new Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubbies ($8 each)

When it comes to saving time, I gotta say, Flower Beauty’s new Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby sticks deserve first place honors.

Don’t get me wrong — I could happily fritter away an entire Saturday afternoon blending and blending eyeshadows (I NEED MORE EYES!!), but sometimes, like on really hectic days when my pet assisting duties start early (Mondays are the worst! I’m lucky if I get five minutes of precious makeup time before Tabs is on me to do his bidding.), I’ll do anything to save time.

For quick eye looks these twist-up shadow sticks are #winning. 🙂 The husky tip covers a large swath of lid real estate, so one or two swipes usually does the trick. Just blend out the edges with a finger, curl your lashes, whack on a layer of mascara, and you’re done with your eye makeup in two minutes, dude.

Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Daffodil With It — Daffodil With It

Have you ever used Clinique’s Chubby Stick Shadow Tints? Well, these are similar in terms of texture and color payoff (they have a smooth, creamy formula), but they definitely beat Clinique in price ($8 each versus $17 for Clinique’s).

Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Dark Side of the Blue — Dark Side of the Blue

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Holy Familiar Fragrances, Batman! It’s Tom Ford’s Sahara Noir Eau de Parfum

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Another one it took me a while to figure out! I couldn’t place where I’d sniffed Tom Ford’s new Sahara Noir Eau de Parfum before, but then my Basset hound-ian sense of smell kicked in…

Catholic midnight mass on Christmas Eve. (The first time I wore it, El Hub said, “You smell like church.”)

Fo’ reals!

Frankincense (hello, of three gifts fame), a desert resin, dominates the scent, and during midnight mass, there’s a part of the service where they burn an incense with the exact. same. note.

I was curious about the fragrance from the start, but I wasn’t sure I liked it. It’s quite heavy and spicy (I also detect strong notes of clove). In fact, although it’s billed as a women’s fragrance, I think it could easily be worn by a dude.

But the more time I’ve spent with it, the deeper I’ve fallen in love. It’s kind of warm and comforting, and I can’t recall ever wearing anything quite like it before.

“Tom Ford presents his new fragrance inspired by the mystery and luxury of the Middle East. Evoking the untamed beauty of the land, Sahara Noir is Tom Ford’s ode to the enchanting power of one of that land’s most treasured ingredients: frankincense, a precious desert resin.”

— neimanmarcus.com

Best of all, it doesn’t give me a headache, which happens sometimes with other heavy, spicy scents.

If you swear by light, feminine, floral fragrances, this probably isn’t going to light your fire (but it’s worth a sniff to satisfy your curiosity). Of course, if you like a lot of deep, rich unisex scents with heavy resin and spice notes, check it out.

A 1.7-ounce bottle of Sahara Noir costs a whopping $150. It’s available now at Neiman Marcus stores and neimanmarcus.com.

Get 96 Excellent Eyeshadows (Conveniently Laid Out) for 10 Cents Each With the New ELF Eyes Lips Face 96-Piece Geometric Eyeshadow Palette

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

How many elves does it take to ~~screw in a lightbulb?~~ make one heck of a gnarly holiday eye palette? Answer: just one, if that elf is e.l.f, and the palette’s their 96-Piece Geometric Eyeshadow Palette (regularly $20, but it’s on sale for $10 now at eyeslipsface.com).

This budget-friendly behemoth isn’t one of those streamlined holiday palettes with just a small handful of select, everyday shades.

Hello! — there are at least five varieties of green up in that one corner (Kermit the Frog would be pleased).

Yeah…there’s definitely a lot going on here.

It’s downright daunting, particularly if you get overwhelmed easily (like moi). I mean, the thought of 96 powder eyeshadows all in one case intimidated me at first, but then I took a closer look at the way the colors are all laid out and started seeing a method to the madness…

The triangular pans aren’t just randomly strewn about. They’re arranged in such a way as to make it easy to find coordinating colors (usually a big struggle for me with these blockbuster palettes) — browns with golds in the upper left, greens with peaches and yellows in the upper right, cool-toned purples and pinks in the lower left, and cool-toned grays and blues in the lower right.

So the palette isn’t just mathematically interesting. It’s also wise. 🙂

I looked at this palette’s smaller nephew, the 18-Piece Geometric, a couple weeks back and thought it, too, was a great value — quality, long-lasting eyeshadows rich in pigment — and the shadows in this larger 96-pan package perform just as well. Same formula, same pigment. I think they’re way up there in terms of drugstore makeup quality.

My only semi-major gripe with the 18-piece version was the diminutive pans (too small for most brushes), but this larger one addresses that with bigger pans, meaning more room to run my brushes across the shadows, making it that much easier to pick up product.

There are so many budget-friendly holiday palettes out there now, but this is one of the best ones I’ve tried. You should be able to track it down in drugstores for $20, but if you don’t mind shopping online, it’s available now for $10 at eyeslipsface.com.

Oh, and for the rest of Cyber Monday, they’re also offering 50% off everything on the site (and free shipping on all orders over $35, no coupon code needed).

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 300

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 69 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for December 2, 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.

Plaid shirts: yea or nay?
YAY! What’s not to love? They’re warm, you can get away with not ironing them, and they look cute with hoop earrings. I came of age in the ’90s, also known as “The Era When Plaid Shirts Ruled!” But unlike with overalls, I’m glad to see plaid make a comeback.
What’s one thing you hate sharing?
Honestly…dessert. It drives me nuts when I go to a restaurant and someone assumes that I’ll split dessert with them. I’m like, hello! — I purposefully ate a lighter main meal so that I could splurge on dessert, and now I’m not gonna share you. Get your own damned pie! 🙂
What do you try hard to avoid?
Conflict. I don’t like fighting with people, or when people around me are fighting.

Can you draw?
You might think that with my single semester of rigorous eighth-grade art training, I’d be able to draw like da Vinci, but no, not really. I can draw little things, like simple sketches of flowers and cartoony shapes, but nothing too complicated.

Would you ever date someone 10 years younger?
I don’t know. Let me check with my husband, LOL! 🙂

But seriously, yes, if they 1) were mature beyond their years and 2) loved cats. Tabs and I are a package deal.

If you could invent a beauty product that would make your life easier, what would it be?
A shampoo and conditioner that would allow my hair to air dry into perfectly curled loose waves.

What were you like as a child?
Weird-looking and very, very shy. And obsessed with Hello Kitty.

When was the last time you braided your hair?
Yesterday. When in doubt…side braid that sh*t!

What are your favorite colors to wear on your eyes?
Golds, golden browns, purples and greens.

What book are you reading at the moment?
I’m re-reading Angelfall, by Susan Ee, because the sequel just came out, and I wanted the last book to be fresh in my mind before diving into the new one. Do you ever do that?

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. Plaid shirts: yea or nay?
2. What’s one thing you hate sharing?
3. What do you try hard to avoid?
4. Can you draw?
5. Would you ever date someone 10 years younger?
6. If you could invent a beauty product that would make your life easier, what would it be?
7. What were you like as a child?
8. When was the last time you braided your hair?
9. What are your favorite colors to wear on your eyes?
10. What book are you reading at the moment?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. The Walking Dead mid-season finale!? WTH!? Why…? All I have to say is I’m glad I was wearing waterproof mascara.

P.P.S. I just realized that this is the three hundredth installment of the Monday Poll (vol. 300).

Wow, that’s a lot of questions. I wonder how many times I’ve repeated myself. 🙂 See, that’s the beauty of memory — forgetting when you’ve forgotten things, haha!

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 272

December 1st, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

My friends:

I’m feeling disheveled at the moment. The humans were gone all afternoon, so no one was here to pet me on command or feed me treats. Then, suddenly, when the humans returned, they walked through the door dragging a 6-foot-tall plant — one that I did not request for the home office.

My assistant yelled out, “Look, Tabs, it’s your Christmas tree!” and made a huge ruckus as she forced the greenery through the door. “Better not knock it over this year.”

That, of course, set the wheels in motion for a plan to knock that mother trucker down.

With the tree mounted in its stand now, I’ve sampled some water from the base, and I do have to say, my assistant chose well this year. It’s a good vintage — sweet, but not overly sugary. Good sap. Bravo.

Within the next day or so, I expect several presents to be left for me where they customarily go beneath the foliage.

I have requested a number of luxury cat goods from Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy this year. Perhaps Christmas will come early, and I will be able to model my new outfits for you in a lavish holiday spread. Keep your paws crossed. 🙂

Meanwhile, please enjoy my latest crop of kitty modeling pics.

Much love, always,

Tabs

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). 🙂

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

November 30th, 2013 by Karen 424 Comments

Brr! It’s getting chilly, babe. Last night was freezing! — which makes sense, I guess, as much as I don’t like it. It’s already December…

Every winter reminds me again of how much I’m a warm weather gal. If I had my way, San Francisco would be located firmly in the tropics, and I’d be wearing shorts and flip-flops today instead of wool socks and a sweater.

Oh, well…

I know, I know, we Californians are weather wusses. I won’t deny it. It’s true. 🙂

In other news…I have no other news, haha! Nothing exciting to report. I’ve just been taking it a little easier since Thanksgiving. I watched a ton of TV yesterday (re-watched The Godfather for the bajillionth time) and actually, for the first time in what seems like ages, took a real life nap on the couch. ‘Twas glorious!

Today, I want to hit the treadmill, clean the bathroom, eat something yummy for lunch and maybe, hopefully, get a Christmas tree with El Hub.

That would be nice… We usually don’t get ours for another couple weeks, but I want to get into the holiday spirit earlier this year.

Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you’re doing, and good luck in this weekend’s giveaway. Talk to you soon.

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:
- What did you do for Thanksgiving?
- Did you do any Black Friday shopping?
- Do you ever use product recycling programs like Back to MAC?
- What’s your favorite holiday/Christmas movie?
- Do you find it easier to do makeup on someone else than it is to do it on yourself?
- Best three makeup brushes you own?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, December 2, 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