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

Latest Hair Obsessions: Kerastase Bain Elixir Ultime Shampoo and Masque Elixir Conditioner

October 30th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

I brought home both of these goodies after my last haircut on the recommendation of my stylist, Alis, and I lurve them.

My mop had been parched lately and was looking a little dull, especially the ends, for which Alis suggested Bain Elixir Ultime Shampoo ($42 for a 250ml bottle) and Masque Elixir Ultime ($65 for a 200ml jar), both by Kerastase.

BAIN ELIXIR ULTIME ($42)

A versatile, nourishing oil providing ultimate shine, softness and nourishment for all hair types

Silicone and paraben-free

Gently cleanses while nourishing and purifying

Strengthens hair, leaving it soft and shiny

MASQUE ELIXIR ULTIME ($65)

A beautifying oil treatment for all hair types

Revives and restores hair

Nourishes deep into the hair fiber

Pumps up the shine

Leaves hair feeling weightless

I was wary of the prices ($65 for a hair mask? OMG!), but Alis assured me that both products would last a good, long while, and I think she’s right. I’ve only been using a dollop of each one for my hair, which is pretty thick and unruly, so I should be able to stretch these out for — I’m hoping — 6 or more months.

Both of them contain a blend of oils — maize, pracaxi, camellia and argan — to soften and add incredible shine, without a lot of weight, and they’re recommended for all hair types.

Gotta say…I’m a believer! It’s only been a couple weeks, but I’m sure my mop is shinier, and the ends definitely feel less crunchy.

I also don’t feel like my hair has a coating/residue (ugh, hate that) after I rinse off in the shower, and best of all, after my hair dries, it still has a good deal of volume.

Both the Bain Elixir Ultime and Masque Elixir are available now.

My Lips Are Glazed: The Secret to Successful Gift Giving Lies in the New Stila Color Me Glossy Set

October 30th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Shhh… I won’t tell if you don’t. Cross my heart and pinky swear. It happens to the best of us at least once this time of year.

You pick up a holiday set, like the $28 Stila Color Me Glossy Lip Glaze kit, and think, “Woo-hoo! What a great deal.”

You contemplate the set’s three trios and conclude that you could give two of them away and keep one for yourself.

Nothing wrong with that. 🙂 It’s totally cool.

That’s because this limited edition Stila set is designed for all kinds of gift-giving, even gifting to yourself. It comes with three separate trios with three Lip Glazes each.

Each trio even has a tag on which to write the recipient’s name, like “TO: Me, FROM: Santa.” How cute is that?!

Considering that one full-sized 0.08-ounce Lip Glaze regularly costs $22, the nine slightly smaller ones (0.05 ounces each) you get for $28 here seem like a steal (cue the endorphin rush)!

But beware the slippery slope of bargains like these…

It usually starts while you’re futzing with the separate sets, which in this case contain coordinating gloss colors.

You spot a color you like from one pack and a second color from another. Next thing you know, you’ve cherry picked the ones you want to keep for yourself!

Pretty soon half (or more) of them are sitting in your pile “to keep.”

At this point, feel free to blame it on the holiday makeup elves. That’s what I usually do. 😉

Stila Color Me Glossy Swatches — From the left: Amaretto, Kaleidoscope and Passion Fruit

[Continue reading…]

Today’s Purse and Shoes…and Gratuitous Cat Butt Shots

October 30th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

If I had to wager a guess, I’d say that 60% of my time is spent gently pushing cat butt out of my face…

Seriously, Tabs is so proud of the junk in his trunk! He’s always showing that thing off.

It was crisp and cool here this morning, but still warm enough to get away with bare feet, so I wore one of my favorite pairs of shoes, the Braided Chain Michael Kors Platforms I got myself for my birthday a couple years back.

They’re pretty comfy…as far as heels go.

The purse is the Zella Gathered Tote, otherwise known as “My Everything But the Kitchen Sink” bag. I think it might actually be big enough to carry Tabs!

Naw, no way. Nothing’s that big. 🙂

What about you? What purse and shoes are you wearing today?

How Often Do You Wear Eyeshadow?

October 30th, 2013 by Karen 43 Comments

Smokey Cat eye using eyeshadows from the MAC RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow Palette in Phresh Out and NARS Crime of Passion palettes — A smokey cat eye using eyeshadows from the MAC RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow Palette in Phresh Out and NARS Crime of Passion palette

Are you an everyday eyeshadow gal, a weekend wearer, or do you just wear it once in a blue moon?

I was chatting with a makeup-loving friend the other day — a fellow eyeshadow palette hoarder — when I was shocked to discover that, aside from mascara and a smidgen of liner, she only wears eyeshadow on weekends.

“Uh…” I said, visibly confused, “that’s only, like, two days a week!? Are you kidding me right now?”

LOL!

I pretty much do the opposite. I’ll usually wear eyeshadow during the week, and then give my lids a break on Saturdays and Sundays (unless I’m going out). Most of the time, I’ll just do mascara, maybe some liner, and that’s it.

But the rest of the week is a shadow free for all! 🙂 And with it being fall, I’ve been wearing a lot of darker colors and smokey looks, like this smokey cat eye I wore the other day using the new MAC RiRi Phresh Out and the NARS Crime of Passion palettes.

What about you? How often do you wear eyeshadow? And what do you wear when you don’t? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Good mornin’, and welcome to the hump. 🙂

OK, so, totally not eyeshadow related, but can we talk blazers for a moment? I love how a cute blazer to pull an entire outfit together.

Today I’m wearing one I found on sale at Anthropologie a few weeks ago called the Delacour by Leifnotes, and seriously — it’s like the Pajama Jeans of blazers.

Wearing the new NP Set Contour & Highlight Palette ($19) on my cheeks — The Delacour Blazer…

I used to be more willing to sacrifice comfort for fashion, but those days are gone. Now, if something’s itchy, stiff or binding in any way, I just can’t do it.

Basically, I want everything to feel like yoga pants or sweats… At least that’s the idea.

Aaaand that’s why I love this blazer. It’s all snugly, warm and cozy, almost like a sweatshirt. It’s actually made from a sweater-like material — a soft polyester and viscose blend.

Oh, and hello! — no need worry about this bad boy wrinkling. You can fold it up, shove it in a bag, and it keeps its shape.

Right now it’s on sale at Anthropologie, marked down from $148 to $79.95.

Happy shopping. 🙂

Dolce Vita Takes Center Stage in the NARS Splendor in the Grass Cheek Palette

October 29th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

It’s hard to say what’s more splendid about the new NARS Splendor in the Grass Cheek Palette ($49) — the fact that it comes with one of my favorite NARS Blushes, Dolce Vita…

…or the fact that it doesn’t come with Orgasm.

Don’t get me wrong — I love NARS Orgasm, but sometimes it’s like the Kardashian sister of the NARS Blush family. It’s everywhere! And you just can’t escape it no matter how hard you try. (SIDE NOTE: anyone else out there convinced that Kris Jenner is a Svengali marketing genius?)

As the largest pan in the palette, dark rosy pink Dolce Vita takes Orgasm’s place on center stage, but truth be told, I can see how it might look a little dark and scary at first glance.

Give it a chance, though, ’cause it’s all kinds of awesome. When my default blush, MAC Blushbaby, is out of reach, I’ll often grab Dolce Vita.

It’s easy to blend, I barely have to use any of it at all, and it works with almost every eye and lip color combination.

And I think the other two blushes in the palette — Sex Appeal, a subtle, appealing peach matte and Angelika, a sheer pink with golden glitter — are just as fab.

Oh, and psst! You can blend them with each other and Dolce Vita to create custom cheek colors.

Last (but not least), the highlighter, golden Albatross. If you’ve ever felt like you’re just not a prime candidate to wear highlighter because of how shimmery they are, sweep this one on your upper cheekbones and down the bridge of your nose. It just might change your mind.

NARS Splendor in the Grass swatches from the left: Sex Appeal, Angelika, Dolce Vita and Albatross — From the left: Sex Appeal, Angelika, Dolce Vita and Albatross

[Continue reading…]

You Won’t Need a Night Light Around POPBeauty’s Bright Up Your Life Palette in Bright Delight (Because It’s So Bright)

October 29th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

POPBeauty Bright Up Your Life Palette in Bright Delight

So. Many. Brights!

There are no basic browns or beiges in POPBeauty’s $24 Bright Up Your Life Palette in Bright Delight. No, ma’am.

These are full-tilt colors for fearless gals unafraid of Kermit the Frog green eyeshadow. 🙂

I like the first row well enough…but I’m all about the second row shades — the hot pink, purple, teal, chartreuse and yellow-gold eyeshadows. Now those are colors that speak to my soul!

If you’re intrigued by Bright Delight, point your bright-detecting antennas toward POPBeauty counters and online.

The MAC RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection: Nail Lacquer in RiRi Woo

October 29th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

OK, Rihanna. I get it — you love wearing red. Me too. It never goes out of style.

MAC’s Nail Lacquer in RiRi Woo, a classic cool red with a creamy finish, goes buck wild with pigment! — so much pigment that you can wear one coat and be totally fine.

I strongly suggest wearing it with an industrial strength base and top coat, though, because I applied two coats without either one (laziness, yo!), and huge chips appeared on two of my nails later on the same day I painted them.

Poo.

I mean, I am pretty rough on my nails, so your results may vary. I put mine through a lot, between the typing and the opening of so many cans of gravy, but I question the formula’s ability to keep up with this cat assistant’s lifestyle. 🙂

(I’m only half joking.)

Bene-Babes Who Like Stripped Down Looks Will Luv It Up! Benefit’s New Holiday Kit Flaunts Nude Colors for Eyes and Lips

October 29th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Benefit Luv It Up Holiday Kit — Wearing Benefit’s new Luv It Up kit on my lips and eyes

It’s been a minute since I was a teen (give or take, oh, 25 years), but I’m pretty sure 14-year-old Karen would have flipped out over Benefit’s new Luv It Up eye and lip kit.

For starters, it’s only $25, which means I might have been able to afford it on my meager paycheck, which consisted of what I earned giving piano lessons to the neighborhood kids for $5 a pop.

Second, the sheer nude shades — totally appropriate for a young lady — would have been (and are) infinitely easy to wear (just swish a single shade on your lids and go).

I may even have been able to talk my parents into getting it for me as a Christmas gift, but that conversation would have gone down a little something like this…

14-YEAR-OLD KAREN: Mom, could you get me this kit for Christmas? I really like nude makeup.

MOM: What do you mean you’re going to be a nudist!?

14-YEAR-OLD KAREN: No… I… It’s nude makeup. Not nudist. Nude.

MOM: No daughter of mine is going to be a nudist!

And that pretty much sums up my teenage years.

But enough about that. 🙂 Let’s get back to the kit!

It contains five pieces of soft, flattering makeup for subtle eyes and lips.

You get three Longwear Powder Eyeshadows in shimmery beige Call My Buff, shimmery pink Nude Swings and shimmery golden taupe Thanks a Latte; one Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in shimmery pink R.S.V.P.; and one Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in sheer pink Dandelion.

All of them are travel-sized, and the entire kit, which comes in a cute tin, almost fits in the palm of my paw.

[Continue reading…]