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Search Results for: chanel

Checking In: A Chanel Blush Brush Haunting, and a Jewel-Toned FOTD With Purple Lids!

October 20th, 2020 by Karen 19 Comments

urban decay born to run purple look k lids closed

I will totally get to these purple lids in a second (BECAUSE PURPLE), but first, can we pleeeeease talk about the latest mystery to unfold on this end of the keyboard — a mystery also known as “The Haunting of Casa MBB”?

Don’t worry, there’s nothing terribly sinister afoot (I’m not splashing buckets of holy water on things left and right, in case you’re wondering!).

I’ve been gently “haunted” for the past few weeks by my favorite Chanel blush brush, which has been disappearing and reappearing all over the house in the most random places. I’ve found it on my bed, in the hallway, on the middle of the stairs, on the kitchen floor.

Last week I found it smack dab in the middle of living room, just sitting there on the carpet right in front of the couch.

Hmm… ?

I just assumed that Connor had grabbed it and played with it and forgot to put it back, but when I asked her about it later she said, “No, mama, I have my own brushes.” (Hahaha! She totally does!)

Now, this brush just so happens to be one of my favorite blush brushes because it’s super soft, and the brush head fits perfectly on top of the apples of my cheeks and underneath the hollow of my cheekbones, so I can use it for blush and bronzer. The bristles are also perfectly floofy, so it blends like a dream.

I thought, if an otherworldly entity/spirit has been obsessing over it, I completely understand.

But it ended up not being due to a makeup brush-loving ghost. The disappearances were in fact due to a cat.

rosie posie chanel blush brush

YUP! Look who I just found outside my office doing her “hunter’s mewl.” It’s this cute little growl/grumble Rosie Posie does whenever she stalks and hunts one of her soft toy balls and she wants to show off the riches of her spoils.

I went into the hallway to investigate and give her the usual attention she likes after she catches her prey (“Oh, good job, Rosie-Pose! You’re such a good mouser. Look how well you stalked your toy!”), and that’s when I caught her red-handed (red-pawed?) with my Chanel brush in her mouth.

Mystery solved!

I guess from this point forward, this brush will have a special hiding place…inside a drawer!

(QUICK UPDATE: Later in the day, I also caught her dragging my NARS blush brush around, so she appears to be expanding her hunting horizons.)

Jewel-toned purple lids

OK, so let’s talk purple lids. Now, this might look a little familiar to ya because I’ve been doing variations of this look using the same neutral colors in the crease, inner corner and lash lines, but with different jewel tones on the lids. First, green, and then blue, and now purple!

urban decay born to run purple look eye closeup

urban decay born to run purple look k lids

Find your core

This totally wearable look relies on finding a core group of matte brown and beige eyeshadows for your crease colors. Once you find ones you like, then you can just keep them on standby, and then quickly swap out the jewel tone on your lids with other colors to create different looks!

I’ve been using the same set of warm browns and beiges in this series…

  • Beige matte shadow base: NARS Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Light
  • Beige shadow: MAC Mylar
  • Light warm matte brown shadow: MAC Soft Brown
  • Mid-toned warm matte brown shadow: MAC Saddle
  • Dark mate brown shadow: MAC Brun
  • Bronze pencil: MAC Teddy

For the purples, I’m wearing a shimmery purple called Guilt Trip, a dark purple called Drift (both are from the Urban Decay Born to Run Palette) and a dark purple UD pencil called Empire.

urban decay born to run purple look k

The foundation, powder blush/bronzer and lipstick are the same products I recently used in a 10-minute makeup look in this It Cosmetics Foundation review (which I’m also wearing in this pic, by the way).

As you can see, I’m pretty stoked about this look, and I’m excited to wear makeup again! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Eyes, Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To, Urban Decay

Lip of the Day: Chanel Virevoltante, Kate Spade Glasses and a Costco Optical Tip!

January 24th, 2020 by Karen 15 Comments

chanel virevoltante
Kate Spade frames and Chanel Virevoltante lipstick

Costco Optical, man… Really impressed me. Good selection, fantastic prices.

Yup, I wore Chanel Virevoltante lipstick yesterday to get those Kate Spade frames I’ve been thinking about from Costco, woo-hoo! Costco is having a promotion, by the way, until January 28 where you can get a second pair of frames for $40 off, so I ended up also getting this clear pair by Via Spiga, which I’m going to use for prescription sunglasses…and I’m very excited about that! I’ve never had a pair of prescription sunglasses before. I feel so fancy. 🙂

chanel virevoltante
Via Spiga frames

The lipstick didn’t last through the ramen I had for lunch, though…

ramen
Belly full o’ noodles

And that’s because opaque berry rose Virevoltante is in the Chanel Rouge Allure line, which is Chanel’s line of highly pigmented, lightweight lippies, which are relatively long lasting for a featherweight-feeling lipstick (seriously, sometimes I forget I have one on), but they’re nowhere near as resilient as a MAC liquid lipstick, by comparison, which you can wear from this lifetime into the next.

Virevoltante will last about three hours if you’re only trying on glasses or puttering around, but it’ll peace out if you start eating hot noodles.

chanel virevoltante
Chanel Rouge Allure in 158 Virevoltante

It’s a popular star at the moment on account of how saturated it is. It’s INTENSE, but it still doesn’t creep into lip lines. I think it’s also comfy and moisturizing, to boot, and it makes my lips look so smooth. Love it!

chanel virevoltante
Hello, Chanel Viravoltante

Back to the glasses…

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There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Lips, Makeup

Chanel, You’re Rockin’ My World at the Moment!

July 10th, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

chanel contour graphique
A little Chanel never hurt anyone.

Heya, friend. I’m sitting here at my desk with a rumbly tumbly because I’m waiting on an air conditioning specialist to stop by for an estimate. (Side note: Phase one of Operation Casa Mini Remodel is officially underway.) Two things I’ve learned so far about home remodels and home repair projects:

  1. Anything that can break, will break, and surprise! — everything breaks at the same time.
  2. Waiting on the people who can fix those broken things wreaks havoc on your lunch plans, because when someone says, “I’ll be there between 10 a.m. and noon,” that’s code for “I’ll ring your doorbell at 12:15.”

Anyway, yeah, I’m waiting on someone right now, and I’m hungry, but I don’t want to start making food because then I’ll have to eat it really fast, or wait and have it get cold, or awkwardly shovel a frozen breakfast burrito down my gullet in front of a stranger…

This is probably a good time to distract myself with one of my favorite things in the whole wide world: mascara.

I’ll gleefully try each and every new mascara that promises lusciously long lashes, but the one I’ve been loving lately is Dimensions de Chanel Mascara.

I got hooked on it last spring when Chanel introduced the shade Nero Metallo, a smoldering deep onyx (take a breath, it’s still available!).

chanel dimensions de chanel
Oh, hello lashes!

The bristle brush wand stretches the stubbiest strands up toward the sky, and one coat coaxes my skinny, straight lashes into a captivating curved fringe that could pass for a pair of falsies. And yes, it does all this without flakes, clumps, smudges or smears.

As for removal, an oil-based makeup remover takes it off in a snap.

I’ve been wearing it daily for a while (you may have noticed), and I can’t get enough.

I also can’t get enough of products that can be used for more than just one thing, because why not have an eyeshadow that doubles as an eyeliner? — which is exactly what you get with the Chanel Stylo Ombre et Contours. (I’m on a Chanel kick, as you can see.)

Twist-up cream shadows have been around forever, but it’s rare to find one that’s blend-adble enough to play with on your lids, and long-wearing enough to stay put on the waterline.
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There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Makeup

The Chanel Les Beiges Natural Eyeshadow Palette

June 20th, 2019 by Karen 17 Comments

chanel les beiges natural eyeshadow collection

You know when you get something new that you really like but you want to save it for a special occasion, but then Mother’s Day comes and goes, your birthday comes and goes, and you realize that if you keep waiting for a big moment to bust it out, you’ll just end up waiting forever, so one day you just go for it and use it on a random Wednesday?

Well, I’ve been saving this gorgeous neutral eyeshadow palette from Chanel — which is certifiable Karen makeup crack! — for a special occasion because it’s just SO DANG PRETTY. Simply staring at it ignites my lusty makeup passion…

You know the struggle, I’m sure.

So, I finally wore it yesterday, and what was the special occasion, you might ask?

Answer: Wednesday. It was a Wednesday. That is all.

And it was also Connor’s first ballet class of the summer…but the main reason was just that it was Wednesday. 🙂

For once, I was not rolling up to the dance studio in a topknot, black yoga pants and nothing other than mascara, with my usual layer of coffee fuzz on my teeth. Instead, it felt good to really wear some makeup — eyeshadow, liner, blush, lipstick, foundation, and the whole kit and caboodle — like I used to when I’d rock a full face to Target to buy a bag of emergency M&Ms.

Oh, and I rediscovered a Chanel cheek/lip coral combo I used to wear all the time with Malice blush and Creatif liquid lipstick. The corals go well with the warm golden browns from the eye palette (as does the Chanel Mat Taupe liner I wore today).

chanel les beiges natural eyeshadow collection

karen chanel les beiges les indispensables
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There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews

Blue Kitten Flicks, Lessons From My Cat, and Chanel (Because It’s the Right Thing to Do)

May 2nd, 2019 by Karen 46 Comments

chanel les beiges water fresh tint 1

Tabs: “Don’t you do it. Don’t cry.”

Me: *sniffs* “But what if this is our last photo shoot together?”

Tabs: “Then you should probably wear Chanel. It’s the right thing to do.”

Me: “I’m really trying not to cry but…”

Tabs: “No buts, lady. Think about all of the pics we’ve taken together over the years. How many have there been? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Think about how lucky we’ve — no, how lucky you’ve been to have me in all those pics, because, quite frankly, your poses are hella boring. You’re kind of a hot mess…”

Me: “Oh, man. I’m gonna miss you so much.”

Tabs: “Will you promise me something?”

Me: “Anything.”

Tabs: “Promise me you won’t let grief consume you. Because I know you. I KNOW YOU. And you can’t let that happen. Under any circumstances.”

Me: “I can’t guarantee that, my love.”

Tabs: “You’re going to have to be brave. When I’m gone, you’re going to get out of bed in the morning, comb your fur, get out of your pajamas, and maybe put on a little makeup. Every single day. Most importantly, I want you to smile.”

Me: “People will judge me for grieving too much or too little, for sharing too much or too little, for being weird…”

Tabs: “Kid, I thought you were tougher than that.”

Me: “Apparently, I’m not.”

Tabs: *sigh* “Look, here’s the deal: I’m leaving soon, and I’m sorry but that’s the reality. You’re going to have to keep going, and I want you to do it with love in your heart. If there’s anything I’ve taught you, I hope it’s that. Radiate love, and send your joy out into the world.”

Me: “I’ll do my best…”

Tabs: “That’s all any of us can do. Now, will you smile for me? Let’s play some music, take pictures and enjoy the day.”

Me: “That sounds like a good idea.”

chanel les beiges water fresh tint 3


I think this song perfectly captures his spirit/cattitude, and it’s the one we listened to while we took these pics. Now it will always remind me of him.

Makeup I’m wearing in these pics…

  • Chanel Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint in Medium Plus
  • Wander Beauty Nude Illusion Liquid Foundation in Golden Tan
  • Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder in Translucent 3
  • bareMinerals Endless Summer Bronzer in Warmth
  • bareMinerals Endless Glow Highlighter in Fierce
  • MAC Sheertone Blush in Gingerly
  • Wander Beauty Mile High Club Mascara
  • Chantecaille Mermaid Eye Matte in Bee
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Chaos
  • MAC Cicero Full Face Kit (blue eyeshadow)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict(s),

Karen and Tabs

There are 46 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Face of the Day (FOTD), Just For Fun, MAC Makeup, Makeup

The 2019 Chanel Cruise Makeup Collection in Action: A Few First Impressions

April 16th, 2019 by Karen 16 Comments

chanel cruise makeup collection 2019
A few pretties from the Chanel Cruise 2019 collection

Despite my obsession with The Love Boat as a child, I’ve never taken a cruise…because HELLO, CLAUSTROPHOBIA! But I might consider one if the destination were Chanel. LOL! “Hello, ladies and gentleman!” announces the captain over the ship’s intercom system. “Next stop: Chanel, a.k.a. ‘Your Makeup paradise.’ Please watch your step as you disembark the vessel.”

Who’s comin’ with me? ??

The new Chanel Cruise collection arrives in port next month, and judging by the pieces I wore today, Lucia Pica was going for a subtle look, as in sheer, luminous highlights on the high points of the face; soft, subtle contours on eyes and cheeks; a rosy brown lip; and a soft glossy glow on the lids.

I like it. Of course, I’ve been really into non-crazy makeup lately.

A few first impressions…

DUO BRONZE ET LUMIÈRE EXCLUSIVE CREATION BRONZER AND HIGHLIGHTER DUO IN CLAIR ($70): This subtle powder highlighter duo, which is the lighter of the two duos in the release, has a light peach matte on one side and a luminous pinkish peach on the other. The lightweight, finely-milled powder feels almost creamy, like the NARS Dual Intensity Blushes, and it’s very elegant and smooth… It’s definitely NOT appropriate for bling-bling highlights.

DUO BRONZE ET LUMIÈRE EXCLUSIVE CREATION BRONZER AND HIGHLIGHTER DUO IN MÉDIUM ($70): This one feels just as light as Clair, but it has a matte neutral chocolate bronzer on one side and a rosy gold highlighter on the other.

Note: It is VERY, VERY sheer, which I don’t mind, because it makes the product easy to control.

It should suit lighter lasses and medium-toned mavens particularly well.

Also noteworthy: The bronzer doesn’t have warm orange tones, so it’s a straight-up brown. If I apply it too heavily, I look like I have dirty stripes on my face…which is why I think you’re forced to wear it sheer.

(Works great as an eyeshadow duo, too.)

ROUGE COCO FLASH IN HYDRATING VIBRANT SHINE LIP COLOUR IN CONTRASTE ($38): This silky, moisturizing rosy brown lipstick looks a tad frightening in the bullet, but I think it’s totally wearable, comfy and oh, so shiny.

The formula smells and tastes a little like roses, and the color lasts about two hours for me.

I’m low-key addicted to this formula… Can I haz all teh colors, plz?

OMBRE PREMIÈRE GLOSSTOP COAT EYESHADOW IN LUNAIRE ($36): No glitter. Just pure silvery gloss.

Wear time is quite limited at about an hour. This is lighter than a MAC eye gloss, but not as light as the NARS one, which, overall, I like better because it lasts longer.

LE VERNIS LONGWEAR NAIL COLOUR IN AFTERGLOW AND PURPLE RAY ($28 EACH): Ooh! Pastel nails! I like that these aren’t simply pink or peach pastels. Afterglow is a grayish beige with a subtle golden pearl, and Purple Ray is a lavender cream with a subtle gray undertone.

I’ll be taking these for a spin after my current Sally Hansen mani disappears (or I remove it, whichever comes first).

chanel cruise makeup collection 2019 k
I’m wearing the bronzer/highlighter duos in Clair and Medium on my eyes and cheeks. There’s also a touch of the silver eye gloss in the inner corners and the center of my lids. On my lips is Rouge Coco Flash in Contraste, and I’m also wearing blush in this pi (I felt naked without it!). It’s Chanel Joues Contraste in Rose Bronze.
chanel cruise makeup collection 2019 swatches
I’m an NC42 in MAC.

The best thing I’ve tried from the collection so far is Rouge Coco Flash, and it’s gorgeous and effortless! I think I just found my new everyday lipstick.

It’s pricey…but you can wear it down to the nub.

I also like the face duos, but they might be too sheer for some peeps, especially considering the $70 price. You really have to appreciate the subtlety of the look Chanel was going for in order to “go there,” because there are similar products out there that will cost you a lot less.
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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Collections, Eyes, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

Chanel Has a New CC Cream! $55 Chanel Super Active Complete Correction Broad Spectrum SPF 50

October 18th, 2018 by Karen 12 Comments

chanel cc cream
Chanel has a new CC Cream!

Why, oh, why am I still livin’ on a prayer like it’s 80 degrees outside?

Oh, yeah. Because it was 77 yesterday! Bay Area weather is so weird. We get these spells of the muggiest, summery-est weather right around Halloween, which are usually followed by a couple of very rainy, chilly weeks.

I’m not complaining. It’ll be sweater weather soon enough. Anyway, to go with this warm spell we’re having, I’ve been wearing appropriate warm weather bases, because — hi! — do you like it when your face melts off in the heat? I sure don’t. So, tinted moisturizers and BB and CC creams are in heavy rotation as of late, including this new CC by Chanel.

chanel cc cream ingredients
What’s inside…

From chanel.com:

PRODUCT
1 tinted moisturizer, 5 superpowers: evens, moisturizes, corrects, protects, illuminates. CC CREAM with Broad Spectrum SPF 50 combines skincare benefits with a longwearing, medium-to-full coverage makeup effect and a glowing finish — for the look of a more luminous, healthy complexion. After one month of use, the enhanced formula helps to correct signs of aging, improve skin’s texture and visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Day after day, skin appears healthier with natural-looking radiance.

KEY INGREDIENTS
CC CREAM is infused with Murunga Plum Extract — unearthed from an Australian super fruit rich in vitamin C — to help protect skin from environmental aggressors while enhancing texture and glow. A new form of Hyaluronic Acid helps hydrate skin throughout the day for increased suppleness and comfort. With continuous moisture, skin looks plumped.

HOW TO APPLY
Wear alone after your skincare ritual or underneath powder makeup.

[Continue reading…]

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Face, Makeup, Product Reviews

Chanel La Base Ombre À Paupière Longwear Eyeshadow Primer Is the Ace of Base

September 12th, 2018 by Karen 7 Comments

chanel longwear eyeshadow primer
Before, and after eight hours, wearing Chanel Longwear Eyeshadow Primer as a base. (BTW, that’s the PYT Beauty “No BS” palette on my lids.)

Let me begin this by saying that I’ve been skipping eyeshadow primer for months.

I just haven’t been using it.

It was just another step, ya know? And I felt like I could forgo it because it was incompatible with my quest for extreme makeup minimalism (as defined by a person who carries at least five nude lipsticks in her purse at all times).

Basically, it wasn’t like I needed my eye makeup to impress anyone for hella hours anyway. It’s not like Tabs and Connor point out when my crease color is fading into oblivion (thankfully), but with the Coywolf in preschool now, I want to start doing different things with my makeup again.

Mostly, I wanna wear brown smoky eyes and red lips again. 🙂 But I refuse to subject you to patchy lids, so I’d like an eye primer, but I want one that has all the bells and whistles.

Like this one from Chanel.

$32 Chanel La Base Ombre À Paupière Longwear Eyeshadow Primer

This untinted eyeshadow primer swept me off my feet cat Vans!

Granted, it’s not like applying eye primer is difficult, but it’s definitely easier than usual with this one because of its smooth consistency.

chanel longwear eyeshadow primer
Comes in a tube with a doe foot. Props if you can name the surrounding Chanel eyeshadows and quads!

La Base is “wetter” than primers from NARS and Urban Decay, but it lasts just as long. Using it is like applying an eye cream, and I think it’s just easier and faster for me to use than other primers from the big dawgs.

[Continue reading…]

There are 7 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

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