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

Shimmery, Sparkly and Just Plain Fun, the Latest Limited Edition MAC Pressed Pigments Are Purrfect Pick-Me-Ups After a Long Week

August 2nd, 2013 by Karen 10 Comments

And they’re also quite handy when your fussy feline employer sends you the following office text: “I will fire your @ss if you don’t start wearing more glitter.”

Yes, sir! 🙂

The 12 new $21 limited edition MAC Pressed Pigment shades are…

Vanilla Diamond, warm yellow beige with a frost finish
Sweet Acting, a mid-tone pink with a frost finish
Summer Honey, a pastel coral with a frost finish
Lime Ice, a seafoam green with a frost finish
Rock Candy, a mid-tone fuchsia with a frost finish
Pink Pepper, a deep coral with golden pearl and a frost finish
Enlightening, a deep silver with a frost finish
Moth, a mauve with silver pearl and a frost finish
Black Grape, a deep aubergine with multicolored pearl and a frost finish
Jet Couture, a charcoal black with a frost finish
Damson, a deep brown with golden pearl and a frost finish
Midnight, a vibrant deep blue with a frost finish

MAC Summer Honey Presed Pigment, a pastel coral with a frost finish — Summer Honey Pressed Pigment, a pastel coral with a frost finish

MAC Lime Ice Pressed Pigment, a seafoam green with a frost finish — Lime Ice Pressed Pigment, a seafoam green with a frost finish

MAC Rock Candy Pressed Pigment, a mid-tone fuchsia with a frost finish — Rock Candy Pressed Pigment, a mid-tone fuchsia with a frost finish

MAC Pink Pepper Pressed Pigment, a deep coral with golden pearl and a frost finish — Pink Pepper Pressed Pigment, a deep coral with golden pearl and a frost finish

MAC Moth Pressed Pigment, a mauve with silver pearl and a frost finish — Moth Pressed Pigment, a mauve with silver pearl and a frost finish

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If You Could Wake Up Tomorrow Morning With the Hair You Always Wanted, How Would It Look?

August 2nd, 2013 by Karen 33 Comments

Would you go shorter, longer, a few shades darker or lighter, get bangs or go with a bob? Would you dive headlong into beachy waves or opt for something straight?

If I could wake up tomorrow morning with a head of dream hair, I’d definitely want something long (past my shoulders) that I could just wash and wear.

I’ve always been envious of friends who could just hop in the shower, run a comb through their hair, and walk out the door lookin’ like a freaking Pantene commercial because, yeah, I’ve just never been able to do that.

Even for a low maintenance look, with my current style, I still feel like I have to use product and blow dry my bangs, at the very least. So for me, I’d want easy, shiny, long and slightly wavy (with no funny business down there at the ends).

I don’t want to have to do anything with it at all. 🙂 Seriously, laziness is key here.

Oh, and while we’re at it, can we do something about my roots?? Everyone in my family goes gray early, le sigh.

A TIP TO ROOT FOR: Because I’m way overdue getting my roots done, I’ve been doing some creative things to hide ’em, like wearing my bangs up in a poof and pulling the rest of my hair back in a ponytail. It hides the roots well, and I can bang it out in less than five minutes.

As for color, I’d go one or two shades lighter than natural. I like it when my hair is dark, but when it’s a couple shades lighter than natural, I feel like it brightens my overall look a little bit more.

Let’s talk hair, babes. If you could wake up tomorrow morning with a head of dream hair, how would it look (and it’s perfectly okay to say you have your dream hair now)?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

Enter a Realm of Shimmer and Shiny Cheeks With the New NARS Realm of the Senses Cheek Palette

August 2nd, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Ooh, artsy!

I really like how NARS handled their logo on the new Realm of the Senses Blush Palette pan ($41).

Tilted and oversized, nice. It’s totally something I would do if I ever had the chance to decorate a fancy-schmancy blush pan with a logo. 🙂

Realm of the Senses is a limited edition blush palette with sheer peach, bronzed rose and sparkling golden powders for sculpting, highlighting and defining cheeks and faces, and it’s available now exclusively at Sephora and sephora.com.

This palette’s powders are much more shimmery than those in the Adult Content and Killing Me Softly Blush Palettes, so if it’s bold highlights and shiny cheeks you’re looking for, step right up!

NARS Realm of the Senses Cheek Palette Swatch — From the left: sheer peach, bronzed rose and sparkling golden sand

Venice Beach Street Art

August 2nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

I only had about 15 minutes to walk down to Venice Beach this morning before leaving for the airport, but I passed some really cool street art in that time.

If I ever make it back down there, I’d love to spend a whole day just snapping pics of painted sidewalks and buildings.

There was so much of it, and it’s so beautiful!

A Look at the Six New Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos and a Tip for a Heart-Stopping, Life-Changing Coral Lip Combo

August 1st, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Muse and Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Nectar — Back in the Bay Area, and wearing a coral combo that will change yo’ life!

Guess who’s back in the Yay Areaaa!

Yup, when I got back from Hourglass Cosmetics headquarters in Venice Beach this afternoon, I arrived home to find a furrious feline employer demanding immediate lurvies.

Gimme Kisses, Woman — Gimme kisses, woman!

Tabs didn’t even ask how the trip went! — not even after a deep-tissue scruff massage and 10 minutes of rigorous chin and jaw scratching.

Rude.

Outside the Hourglass Cosmetics offices in Venice Beach, California

Hourglass Cosmetics office inside — Inside the Hourglass cosmetics offices

Hourglass cosmetics office upstairs — The view of the entryway from upstairs…

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Hourglass Cosmetics Veil Mineral Primer

August 1st, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Rae of The RAEviewer.com. You can also find Rae on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram.

The Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 ($52) is worth fighting for. The sleek lines of the frosted glass bottle make this primer hard to resist, but the addition of the naturally derived titanium dioxide and zinc oxide instead of chemical sun-blocking agents make this Holy Grail material in my beauty book. Sunscreen in face makeup products tends to smell funky, but the Veil is oil-free and truly fragrance-free. I adore how this unique mineral-based, water-resistant formula manages to even out my open pores without irritating my sensitive skin, and it also calms the redness on my cheeks and around my nose, though I do recommend topping with a concealer for more coverage.Â

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I’m Rae of The RAEviewer, and This Is My Makeup Life

August 1st, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

The My Makeup Life series asks beauty biz insiders, bloggers, makeup mavens and artists to share their holy grail products, tricks, tips and favorite beauty tools. Is there anyone you would like to see featured in My Makeup Life or questions you think I should ask? Let me know here.

Name: Rae
Location: Orange County, California, in the U.S.
Hangouts online: The RAEviewer, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram
Current favorite product: It’s a tossup between Giorgio Armani’s new Flash Lacquer lip gloss and Lancome Hypnose Star Waterproof Mascara!
Beauty inspirations: Rose gardens, San Diego sunsets, Impressionist art
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Traditional

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

I cannot live without my Le Metier de Beaute ‘Peau Vierge concealer for my blemishes, Bobbi Brown’s Retouching Powder in Peach to brighten my complexion, Cle de Peau’s Eyebrow Pencil in Natural Black 204 to define my brows, Lancome’s Hypnose Drama Waterproof Mascara and Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, Giorgio Armani’s Silk Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil, Tom Ford brushes and lipsticks, Chanel lip glosses and nail polishes as well as Tom Ford and Giorgio Armani eyeshadows (all varieties).

New Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer lip gloss

When did you start getting into makeup?

I was 16 or 17 when I started wearing makeup regularly (mostly Lancome and Bobbi Brown), but I didn’t start collecting designer makeup until I was 19. It all began with Dior.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

A bright lip! A deep pink or red lipstick will perk up the complexion and add instant ‘wow’ factor. Skip eyeshadow and pair with defined brows, eyeliner, and mascara for a sophisticated look that takes mere minutes to achieve.

What’s your favorite beauty tool (brush/tweezers/curling iron/cleanser)?

My Sedu blow dryer is my favorite tool. I rarely curl or flat iron my hair these days, so I love to dry it upside down for volume. My Tweezerman’s are a close second, though, since I shape and tweeze my own eyebrows.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Stop obsessing over perfection. And always wear sunscreen!

What’s your skincare routine?

My skincare is pretty elaborate and always has been. I currently use Kenzo Ki products in the mornings and cycle through all different ranges at night depending on what I feel suits my skin’s condition best. My mainstays, however, are by Kiehl’s and Lancome. My favorite cleansers at the moment are Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Cleansing Gel and Peter Thomas Roth’s Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel. The best treatments for my skin are the Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment Bar, Juice Beauty Full Strength Apple Peel, and Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Mask.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

I’m constantly trying new makeup, but nothing will dethrone OCC’s green Lip Tar called Power Plant. It is intriguing in the tube, but it is just too weird a lipstick color on my complexion.

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

Yes, long dark hair with a short manicure, winged eyeliner and glossy lips!

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

I probably should say skinny eyebrows, but I think circle/colored contact lenses take the cake. They might still be popular and really add variety to makeup looks, but I look back at photos and wonder why I wore them for so long!

Where are your favorite places to shop?

Nordstrom, Sephora, lululemon athletica, Nordstrom Rack, and Neiman Marcus. I’m a beauty girl and still enjoy shopping for cosmetics the most.

Anything else you want to share?

I’m an old soul. I love to eat and lift weights. My life is simple, despite all the makeup, and I am a proud Aunt to my best friend’s cats Turkey and Crissie!

Orgasm Makes an Appearance in the NARS Killing Me Softly Palette

August 1st, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

In case you were worried that NARS wasn’t going to release a blush palette that didn’t include Orgasm, you can now wipe the sweat from your brow.

Wait — was that a double negative? I kind of confused myself there…

Killing Me Softy, one of two new blush palettes for fall, does include the cult classic peachy gold blush, along with three other shades for highlighting and contouring. There’s Gilda (a coral with a hint of red), Albatross (a luminous gold) and Outlaw (a soft rose with golden shimmer).

Overall, the palette leans quite warm, so if you wear toasty peaches, golds, corals and red shades well, you might want to take a closer look.

It arrives at NARS counters, boutiques and online September 1.