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

It’s a Neutral Open House: The New Napoleon Perdis Limited Edition Chateau Collection Welcomes Neutral Lovers With a Pop of Color

November 29th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

Napoleon Perdis Prismatic Eye Shadow Quad Chateau Swatches

Neutrals in da hiz-ouse!!

Yes, I went there, but it’s OK because this three-piece holiday set by Napoleon Perdis is called “Chateau,” which is French for “castle,” or a large, stately house (three years of high school French, merci!)

First, I have to apologize for misplacing the coral red cream nail polish from this set. I’m sure it’s floating around here somewhere, but I haven’t been able to find it (I REALLY need to clean my office)… The eyeshadow quad and lip quad do convey the theme, though — neutral browns, beige and gold on the eyes with a pop of warm, glossy color on the lips.

I won’t be staying up late obsessing over the lip quad, as it’s pretty standard, but the eye quad? — that’s another story.

I love, LOVE the finish these neutral eyeshadows have. They look like mattes in the pans, but they actually have a faint sheen once you get them on skin; I think that’s what helps make them so easy to blend.

So, in effect, you get the look of a matte eyeshadow — which is always great to have around if you plan to have your picture taken or if you want to wear a conservative eyeshadow look — without the hassle that often comes with blending them out.

If that sounds interesting, the set’s available now for a limited time at Neiman Marcus stores and online for $59.

204 Ways To Say “I Love Pinkish Beige” With the No-Makeup Makeup Look-Appropriate Inglot Freedom System Fusion Blush & Illuminator in #204

November 29th, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

I keep a running mental list of makeup that looks really, really natural because 1) I still hold out hope that one day my tomboy friend Cindy will see the light and ask me to do a makeover on her (DARE TO DREAM), and I know that unless whatever I do looks really natural she’ll completely freak out; and 2) I occasionally run into peeps who ask for product recs for “no makeup” makeup looks.

The new Freedom System Fusion Blush & Illuminator in #204 by Inglot just joined that list. For $10.40 you get a medium pinkish beige with a matte finish and a lighter pinkish beige illuminator/highlighter. Both add subtle color and can be used to contour the face without the finished product looking too “done.”

For me this is a weekend blush — something to wear on bare skin or a little tinted moisturizer. I pop a layer of the matte on the apples of my cheeks and a smidgen of the illuminator on my upper cheekbones, and it’s off to brunch and/or errands. 🙂

#204 is one of four new Fusion Blushes ($10.40 each, Freedom System Blush Palette sold separately for $8), so if pinkish beige isn’t your thing there’s also…

#201 — an intense blue-based fuchsia pink paired with a muted illuminating pastel pink
#202 — a rosy blush with a highlighting pink
#203 — a rusty apricot with a frosted soft peach highlighter

The new Inglot Fusion Blushes are available now online and coming to Inglot counters, boutiques and select Macy’s stores January 2014.

Inglot Freedom System Fusion Blush & Illuminator in #204

Hello, Glossy! Hair Do You Do? Introducing the New Oribe Beautiful Color Collection Holiday Set

November 28th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

I’m still deeply in love with the Kerastase Bain Elixir Ultime Shampoo and Conditioner I picked up at the salon after my last haircut, but you know how it is to be a beauty junkie. One week you’re making a lifelong commitment; the next week you’re eyeing a new crush. 🙂

Aaaaand, my latest crush? The shampoo, conditioner and hair mask from the Beautiful Color Collection by Oribe limited edition holiday set.

First…it’s $75.

Yup, it’s a splurge, but if you want glossy, shiny strands and regularly stock your shower with pricey products for your color-treated mop, it could be worth it. You get an 8.5-ounce full-size bottle of Oribe’s Shampoo, a 6.8-ounce tube of their Conditioner for Beautiful Color and a 1.7-ounce travel-sized jar of Oribe Masque for Beautiful Color.

On mornings when I plan to bust out the flat iron and wear my hair straight, I like using a good shampoo and conditioner in the shower (I don’t shampoo every day because it dries out my scalp and hair). These products from Oribe add lots of shine without tons of weight, and oh, gosh, the scent!

Like mandarin oranges and jasmine… I love it, and the fact that it’s not so strong that it interferes with my perfume is the icing on the cake.

“Intense cuticle-enriching conditioners, color-protecting UV filters and next-generation frizz-taming biopolymers supercharge this reparative, glossifying trio.”

— From the PR for the Oribe Beautiful Color Collection

The products do contain silicones, though, in case you’re trying to avoid them. I’m OK with them in moderation, so I won’t be using these every day. Maybe once or twice a week, which is about how often I straighten my hair.

If you’re interested in checking out the set, it’s available now online and at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores.

Love Pigmented Nail Polishes? Say “I Do” to Tom Ford’s New Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

November 28th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

The name of this nail polish cracks me up. I can see Tom at home in his bathrobe watching Real Housewives and thinking, “trophy wife, hmm… Now that’s a good name for my next nail polish.”

Trophy Wife is the second of two nail polishes in the new Tom Ford Jasmine Rouge collection (Shameless is the other).

It’s pretty interesting, isn’t it? It looks kind of like a metallic reddish purple in the bottle, but applies like a creamy bluish red on my nails.

Like Shameless, one coat’s enough for opaque coverage…but I used two for these swatches ’cause old habits die hard. 🙂

You can find it now at Tom Ford counters and online for $32.

P.S. So. Much. Pecan. Pie… I’m having my second huge slice right now and trying to figure out if I want to watch Legally Blonde now or more Walking Dead. Hmm… Decisions, decisions. 🙂

MAC Pro Store Must-Have Makeup Recommendations

November 28th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

You do not have to be a professional makeup artist or card-carrying beauty fanatic to visit a MAC Pro Store.

In fact, unlike da cloob, they won’t card you at the door. The stores are open to the public, and you should totally visit. They’re called Pro stores because they carry a range of MAC products made to meet the needs of makeup professionals (but non-pros can also buy them).

Next time you make it out to San Francisco, try to stop by the MAC Pro Store at 1833 Union Street, but be warned — plan ahead if you bring your significant other (and they aren’t big on makeup). Charge their smartphone ahead of time (or have them bring a good book), because you’ll probably want to stay in the store for hours — HOURS!

I kid you not.

A view of the inside of the MAC Pro Store on Union Street in San Francisco — A peek inside the MAC Pro Store on Union Street in San Francisco…

The big draw — well, at least for me — is the sheer quantity of products! According to MAC Senior Artist Victor Cembellin, they carry more than 300 in the store. On top of that, the SF store is the only MAC Pro Store serving the entire Pacific Northwest.

MAC Pro Lip and Concealer Palettes — MAC Pro Lipstick and concealer palettes

Sure, you can order MAC Pro products now online, but it’s such a different experience in the store. The makeup artists who work there are a goldmine of tips and tricks.

While I was at the SF store this week to learn how to use the new Masterclass Brushes, Victor also shared a couple of his must-have MAC Pro products and why you need them in your makeup bag. (Note to self: pick up a jar of Platinum Metal Pigment, ASAP!)

MAC Pro Lipmix and Platinum Metal Pigment — MAC Lipmixes

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Wishing You a Very Happy Thanksgiving

November 28th, 2013 by Karen 62 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving, my friend! 🙂 I just wanted to say a quick hello and wish you a wonderful day. I hope it’s filled with food and love, and of course, eyebrows so fierce that others temporarily forget that there’s pie and ice cream to be eaten (mmm… pecan).

Truth be told, today totally snuck up on me this year (whoops!), so we’re keeping it low key. Just gonna chill at home, hang out (Walking Dead marathon, anyone?!), and enjoy some Thanksgiving noms courtesy of Whole Foods (yes, the lazy last-minute reveler’s approach).

Of the many things I’m thankful for, the deli counter at Whole Foods is definitely one of ’em…

I don’t say this nearly enough, but thank you for your friendship. Sometimes it’s downright impossible to make a connection with people these days, but I feel like I have one with you, and even across a keyboard like this, that’s important to honor.

Thank you also for your kindness, which you’ve always given so freely and without any strings attached. I’ve had some ups and downs over the years (who hasn’t?), and you’ve always been there with something nice to say in a supportive comment or tweet. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to completely turn around someone’s day, week or year — a little reminder that we’re not alone, even when our only company is a cat. We’re all in this crazy adventure together.

Thank you for also teaching me that I have room to grow — always — both in makeup and in life.

Thank you for sharing another year with me. This is our seventh (!) Thanksgiving together — can you believe it?! Some of us graduating from college now were freshmen in high school back then, and Tabs was just a kitten, instead of the 20-pound terror/kitty modeling superstar he is now.

WOW! That’s pretty amazing…

Thank you again. Have a wonderful rest of your day and a happy, happy Thanksgiving.

With lots of love, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Gobble, gobble!

The New $33 Bliss Suds + Butter Set Comes Bearing Grapefruit and Wishes for a Happy Aloe Days

November 27th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

Bliss Happy Aloe Days Set — The new $33 Bliss Happy Aloe Days Holiday Set

Whoever invented citrus-scented body products…BLESS YOU. 🙂

I’ve been cruising the halls at Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC, HQ this week with a spring in my step and the scent of grapefruit on my skin from the new $33 Bliss Holiday Suds + Butter Set in Happy Aloe Days.

Yup…nothin’ like a little citrus and a gift set with a clever name to perk ya right up (Happy aloe days?? Like happy holidays? Get it? I’m easily amused…).

This limited edition three-piece set’s been my main shower squeeze since last week. It comes with a full-size 6.7-ounce bottle of Bliss Grapefruit + Aloe Body Butter, a full-size 16-ounce bottle of Grapefruit + Aloe Soapy Suds Body Wash and a matching pink bath poof.

(Pink bath poof… Good luck saying that one five times fast!)

I usually think of wearing light, refreshing grapefruit scents like this one more in spring and summer, but forget that! The colder months are when I actually need the reminder of warmer weather.

To my nose, Grapefruit + Aloe has a fresh, light grapefruit scent perfectly balanced between tart and sweet. I have very dry skin this time of year, particularly on my legs, and it usually gets progressively worse as the temperature drops, but this body wash and body butter are doing a great job keeping everything moisturized.

Lately, I’ve been sudsing off in the shower after my morning workout with the body wash, which gets all the sweat off without stripping my skin. I follow that up with the body butter, which sinks in quickly and moisturizes like whoa!

I suppose you could get this for a friend (the packaging’s super cute and ready to gift), but I vote for keeping this one for yourself. 🙂

Oh, and Bliss also offers two other “flavors” of the Suds + Butter sets if grapefruit isn’t your thing — Wishing You the Zest is scented with refreshing lemon and sage, and A Citrus Carol is an invigorating blood orange and white pepper.

You can find all three sets now for a limited time at Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus stores and online.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

It’s a Clear Case of Lipstick Efficiency: The New Empress Lip Palette by Napoleon Perdis

November 27th, 2013 by Karen 6 Comments

Much as I love fancy palette packaging, there’s something to be said for good ol’-fashioned clear cases, like the one for the new Empress Lip Palette by Napoleon Perdis. Being able to see exactly what’s inside makes it easy to find the right color, and this does come in handy, especially when you’re running late, and your kitty overlord is demanding lurvies and/or gravy.

The Empress holiday lip palette comes with 12 warm neutrals and brights, all containing moisturizing Vitamin E.

It’s available now (limited time) for $59 at Neiman Marcus stores and neimanmarcus.com.