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Why It’s Natural to Like Korres Eyeliners

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Written by Marina

Today the beautiful Marina of Makeup4All talks about Korres eyeliners and why they might be worth a try.

Korres eyeliners from SephoraI really like Korres and have quite a few products from the brand. That’s why I was so happy to find this value set of 3 pencils on sale at Sephora for only $10 a while ago (you may still be able to find it in some Sephora stores). I just had to get it!

The shades it came with:

  • Soft Eyeliner 3S Light Blue
  • Soft Eyeliner 5S Silver
  • Eyeliner 10 Blue Black

Why I like Korres pencils…

It’s a natural brand with products that are “environmentally friendly and skin compatible.” I like the way the company describes these pencils: “Vitamin E nourishes and provides antioxidant benefits and Jojoba Oil hydrates and ensures a soft application with a creamy finish.”

The liners are soft and easy to use in a variety of ways, from cat eyes to lining the water line, smudging for a creamy or smokey effect, as well as with, on or under eyeshadows.

They’re also very easy to remove; you don’t even have to rub your eyes.
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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup for June 6, 2010

Okay, so, yesterday’s mud bath was…interesting, ladies. 🙂 I don’t regret giving it a try, but I won’t be making a followup appointment anytime soon. Let’s just put it that way.

The weirdest part wasn’t that it felt like I was sleeping on wet dirt in a barn but that I went in thinking it would be a private thing, like at a regular spa where you get your own room. Nope! It was a big @ss room with mud troughs and lots of boobies hanging out, including mine. Not the most relaxing experience, LOL!

But more on that a little later in the open thread…

As for this week in makeup, the highlight for me was Smashbox Eye Illusion because of how much more I liked it than I thought I would. Honestly, it doesn’t look like much in the pan, but the moment I layered it on top of Urban Decay Rockstar liner, I knew it was something special.

I hope you had a good makeup week. Any awesome new finds or hauls you’d like to share?

While I prep today’s open thread and try to forget how traumatic my mud bath was, here’s a quick look at some of the topics we discussed.

Smashbox Eye IllusionSMASHBOX EYE ILLUSION
EQUALS MORE OPTIONS

Every makeup junkie has at least a few of ’em — sad, neglected eyeshadows and liners tossed into a miscellaneous junk drawer or lost at the bottom of a long forgotten makeup bag (aww!).

Smashbox must have felt terrible about all of that wasted potential because they designed their latest Smashbox Eye Illusion ($28, available at Sephora stores and Smashbox.com) trio to breathe new life into second string colors. When layered on top of other eyeshadows and liners, its sheer, iridescent blue, pink and gold change the hue of existing products and add a metallic finish. Read more…

Tips for wearing bright glossy lipsBRIGHT GLOSSY LIPS
TIPS & TRICKS

I swear there’s a magic dial behind makeup counters that associates can use to crank up the brightness of their lipglosses because shiny shades of red, coral, fuchsia, neon orange and hot pink are blossoming right before my eyes!

Bright, glossy lips are among my favorite things about summer. Here are five hot tips to get your pretty kisser primed and ready to glow!

TIP #1: Prevent pigmented glosses from drifting past your natural lip line. Once I spent an entire day sightseeing in San Francisco without realizing I had bright red lipgloss smeared all over my chin… I’d assumed folks were staring because they wanted to be friends, but when a highly pigmented gloss creeps past your natural lip line, it’s like wearing a big sign on your forehead that reads, “WHEE! LOOK AT ME! I LOOK LIKE A CRAZY!” Read more…

Clarins Instant Sun Light PaletteCLARINS INSTANT SUN LIGHT
EYE QUARTET & LINER

Cute black shoes, jeans that make my bum look good, pictures of men with rippled abs, and wearable neutral eye palettes — these are some of the things I love.

Cue the band!

The Clarins Instant Sun Light Eye Quartet & Liner Palette ($36) has a lot to offer ladies who love warm, blendable neutrals. With four smooth, pigmented powder shadows and an accompanying cream liner, it’s ready and waiting to help you rock a range of casual to dressy eye looks.

Now available at Clarins counters and online, it’s part of the eight-piece Instant Sun Light summer collection. Read more…

Hot summertime lipsHOT SUMMERTIME LIPS
FROM URBAN DECAY, LANCOME & ILLAMASQUA

Red often gets pigeonholed as a holiday color, but it can look great any time of year. In summer, I like reds with orange, coral or rose tones and a shiny, high-gloss finish. Bright lips can be tricky, but they’re well worth the work. Pair that pucker with a neutral eyeshadow (here I’m wearing colors from the Clarins Instant Sun Light Palette), and you’re good to go! Read more…

Urban Decay Summer of LoveURBAN DECAY
SUMMER OF LOVE SHADOW PALETTE

I wish I could be a butterfly on the wall at Urban Decay HQ and watch the creative peeps plan the brand’s summer lineup. Do they huddle around a big table smoking blunts and eating brownies, hotboxing in a board room until someone proclaims, “Whoa! Like, Eureka!”

You know what I mean, right? And they must know, too. Those cheeky references to herbal refreshment — nope, I’m not talking about Celestial Seasonings — aren’t foolin’ anyone.

Your honor, let the record show that this year’s Summer of Love Shadow Palette ($29) is a little less obvious in its references than last year’s incredible Get Baked (LOVE!) was, but it still has that same vibe.

The palette’s been available online and at Sephora since March, but I only just recently took the time to explore its many charms. Read more…

MAC Mascara XMAC MASCARA X
LASH LENGTH, VOLUME & GLOSS

I love the look of big, bold tranny lashes, but I can’t wear them all the time (no matter how much I’d like to!). Now, when I need to look more professional than partygoer, I can reach for MAC Mascara X ($13). It delivers the perfect amount of lash volume with great separation and length.

Available for a while as part of the MAC permanent makeup line, it’s one of five mascaras designed to enhance lashes while maintaining a (somewhat) natural feel and appearance (Pro Lash, Splashproof Lash, Pro Longlash and Dazzle Lash are the others).

For volumized lashes that appear long, lush and separated — but still within the realm of possibility — I’ll apply two to three coats of Mascara X. It glides on smooth, dries to a glossy finish and leaves my lashes feeling light, flexible and soft. Read more…

Tokidoki Chromatico Eye PaletteTOKIDOKI CHROMATICO
EYE PALETTE

Okay, so, most of us probably need another eyeshadow palette about as much as RuPaul needs another blonde wig. Perhaps that’s why the marketing mavens at Tokidoki decided to up the ante by adding an alluring treat to each of their three impossibly cute Chromatico Eyeshadow Palettes ($25 each).

Bastardino, Adios and Diamante come with a tiny charm tucked away in the bottom compartment. Aww! They’re like Happy Meals without the calories, but instead of a burger, fries and soda, you get four coordinating shades with vibrant pigmentation. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Makeup
Beauty

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing

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Rise and shine, morning glory! It’s a beautiful day today, or at least I hope it is where you are. How did you sleep?

Last night Tabs rented Invictus on iTunes, the rugby film with Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, so we watched that. I liked it, particularly this one scene where Matt takes off his — wait. I don’t want to spoil it for you. 🙂

I don’t feel properly caffeinated yet, but I think I’m ready for a little Saturday Surfing if you are. You may have to help me paddle out (please!)…

What’s new in beauty?

  • The Balm has a new concealer, REJOICE!
    Zap zits and get a flawless face with new Liquid timeBalm ($20) spot treatment concealer to cover redness, smooth imperfections and soothe blemished skin; available in Light, Light/Medium and Medium.
  • Oh, just brighten up…with Illamasqua Gleam Cream
    Mix Illamasqua Gleam Cream ($36), a lightweight and shimmery highlighter, with your favorite foundation or lotion for an instant skin brightening effect.

  • It’s the dance of the Fresh Sugar Plum fairy!
    Fresh’s new Sugar Plum Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($23) is supposed to moisturize, repair and protect lips while adding a deep plum tint.
  • Show those dark circles who’s boss
    Designed to help conceal the most intense dark circles, Laura Mercier’s Under Eye Perfector ($22) comes in two shades — Orange/Yellow to cancel purple/gray dark circles in olive-to-deep skin tones and Mauve/Rose to cancel pink/purple circles on fair-to-medium beauties.
  • Think pink!
    Isn’t this pink Sedu Revolution Styling Iron ($159) adorable? I’m very happy with the Sedu I use to flat iron my wavy locks. Too bad mine isn’t pink, though!
  • Did James Cameron direct this?
    I’m dying to smell the new Bath & Body Works Deep Aqua scent (products range from $3-14). It lists notes of melon, daffodil, violet, daisy and hydrangea. And, hello! — is that Helvetica Neue Ultra Light on the packaging?
  • Would you pay $105 for foundation?
    For that kind of money, By Terry’s new Or de Rose Teing Supreme Foundation sure better lift, smooth and anti-age like there’s no tomorrow (available in Beige, Rosy, Amber, Sand and Sienna)!
  • Easy, BIG FELLA!
    Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Double Hitter Mascara Duo ($29) adds POW! to your lashes with tubes of regular and waterproof volumizing mascaras.

Other random fun facts…

They’re starting ’em so young these days…

Kind of long but interesting. This might make a good “9 Things” topic, yes?

A beautiful take on my favorite Beatles song

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, May 24

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Sunrise over Diamond Head Crater, Oahu, Hawaii

  1. Mood:

    2. Pretty good! I got eight hours o’ glorious sleep last night and feel rested and recharged. 🙂

  2. Three things that bring a smile to your face?

    3. 1) Kittens, 2) finding something great on sale and 3) the smell of freshly brewed coffee

  3. What do you wear to sleep?

    4. Now, mostly workout clothes — tank tops, t-shirts and yoga pants. That way, I’m already dressed to exercise first thing in the morning if the rhythm hits me. Oh, and if a fire breaks out sometime in the night and I have to make a mad dash outside, I’ll be dressed for it… Don’t want my goods hanging out for all the neighbors to see.

  4. Your favorite pair of shoes?

    5. You may already know this one — the yellow platform sandals I got on sale at Aerosoles a few years ago.

  5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

    6. I’m in product testing mode today and wearing a bunch of random but promising things: Hard Candy 1,000 Lashes Fiberized Mascara in Mermaid Teal/Illamasqua Sheer Lipgoss in Electrify/Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Promise

  6. Your latest food/snack obsession?

    7. Last weekend I re-discovered my love for Jamba Juice’s Orange Dream Machine.

  7. Are you double jointed ?

    8. Nope, but I do have astonishing toe control. I can hold a pen and write with ’em!

  8. What’s one beauty product that everyone else raves about yet doesn’t rock your boat?

    9. Rosebud Salve… I like the way it smells and feels, but my lips need more moisture. And (yep, I know it’s weird), I don’t like dipping my fingers in the tin.

  9. Outfit:

    10. Ha! The layered workout ensemble I wore to bed last night — a gray hoodie over a brown tank top over a brown t-shirt. I’m getting ready to change into jeans and a white tank top here in a minute. Yep, I’m all about tank tops today.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Adhere to a stricter freelance writing and blogging schedule (I’ve been known to spend 100 hours/week on blogging), avoid junk food, exercise at least three times, and finally deal with the mountain of cardboard boxes in the dining room.

What’s shakin’, turkey bacon? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could grab a cup of coffee in the break room this morning and gab about the weekend (le sigh!)?

For now, I guess the Monday Poll will have to do.

To participate (and I hope you do), use your mouse to copy the following list, and paste if with your answers in the comments at the bottom of this post.

Le list

1. Mood:
2. Three things that bring a smile to your face?
3. What do you wear to sleep?
4. Your favorite pair of shoes?
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
6. Your latest food/snack obsession?
7. Are you double jointed?
8. What’s one beauty product that everyone else raves about yet doesn’t rock your boat?
9. Outfit:
10. Your weekly goals:

Now say it with me! — “I’m having a great week!” 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This Week’s Top Posts

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Weekly top posts on Makeup and Beauty Blog

My goodness, girl, what is going on around here with these winds blowing through Northern California? We’ve been seeing steady 10-20mph gusts nonstop since Friday. There are tree branches, leaves, lawn chairs and other odds and ends strewn about everywhere outside — the place is a mess!

The other night El Hub sprung out of bed three times at different sounds he’d heard in the night, assuming in that way that only boys do (God love ’em) that he was hearing someone breaking into the house, when it was just the wind knocking things around. Tabs, of course, was absolutely no help in the guard cat department. He claims his contract doesn’t extend to personal security…

What did you end up doing yesterday? I only managed to take care of some of my laundry and chores, so after my bro’s girlfriend’s graduation this morning, it’s right back to more chores for me!

I don’t mind, though. I’m still riding a high from the makeup and beauty products we talked about last week, and here are a few of my favorites of the bunch:

MAC Pro Longlash Mascara for a Flirty Fringe in a Flash

MAC Pro Longlash mascara“I’m in love with MAC Pro Longlash (I hope El Hub understands) — the dark color, the degree to which it lengthens and thickens, the lack of clumping and how quickly it dries. Plus, the price is totally right!”

Sandal-Ready Feet in a Week? That’s Quite a Feat. My Tow-Up Tootsies Test Drove Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme“After one week with this thick, greasy cream, I wouldn’t say my feet are foot fetish worthy yet, but I do think I’m back to being able to wear flip-flops without feeling self-conscious. My heels aren’t as cracked or dry as they were, and there’s a definite decline in skin scaliness around the tops of my feet and toes. ”

Illamasqua Blush in Lover Is Like a Coral on the Hush

Illamasqua Blush in Lover“Lover’s one of 15 blushes in the Illamasqua permanent line and made its way into US Sephora stores last year. It behaves a lot like the other Illamasqua blushes I’ve tried. Not only is it pigmented and blendable, but it also lasts a good amount of time, both in terms of wear time and because of the size of the pan.”

MAC To The Beach: A Bit of Blue for a Rainy Spring Day

MAC To The Beach: A Bit of Blue for a Rainy Spring Day“Today I’m wearing my new ‘I’m living in complete denial about the weather’ makeup look, which features gold, peach, coral, blue and bronze. Even though it still makes use of some of the brighter colors from the MAC To The Beach collection (among other things like these and this), I think it’s a little daytime-friendlier than the orange and green liner look I tried last weekend.”

Tuesday Beauty Tips: Being Resilient

Tuesday Beauty Tips: Being Resilient“Like sailing, life has its ups and downs. One minute you’re cruising along at a good clip, the wind at your back; next minute it’s like you’re beating back a storm, flailing with your arms and legs just to tread water! Because the seas aren’t always smooth sailing, it pays to be resilient.”

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This Week’s Top Posts

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This was kind of a good week for color, yah? I wasn’t expecting so much from Clinique Brandied Bronze, but that palette alone has my summer basically covered. And then there was MAC’s brighter-than-bright Just Add Colour Lipglass… I could barely take my eyes off it long enough to write the post!

How about you? What was your favorite product this week, and what are you MOST looking forward to now? I feel like going MAC To The Beach…

MAC’s Calling, and They Want You to Just Add Colour

“Limited edition Just Add Colour shimmers by herself as the lone Lipglass in the approaching Prep For Colour collection… Perfect for spring/summer. The color begins with a bold, highly pigmented POP, but it wears down over the day into a surprisingly natural dark pink.”

Next Stop: Essie Resort 2010 and Nail Polish Paradise

“Not only did Essie’s new Resort 2010 collection knock my socks off, but then it picked them up and ran away. I mean, I usually like the things Essie comes out with, but I haven’t been this stoked about one of their releases since Neon 2008!”

MAC Studio Fix Lash, A Haiku Review

Somebody pinch me because I must be dreaming. A $13 mascara from MAC that works this well? What’s the secret? MAC says it’s the mousse! And short, stubby lashes don’t stand a chance. 🙂

Tokidoki Kabuki Brush, A Haiku Review

I don’t know if you’re into the Tokidoki style like I am, but I’ve been drooling all over the new makeup line at Sephora. The new Kabuki brush is more than just a masterpiece of cute! — its good looks belie a highly useful powder/bronzer brush with long, soft bristles that distribute product over a wide area.

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NARS Cactus Flower: A Bloomingly Blendable Blush

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Confession time: part of the reason why NARS Cactus Flower Cream Blush ($26) drew me in was because it looked so freakin’ scary in the pan, LOL! I’ve had serious love affairs with brighter-than-bright NARS cheek colors before (Mounia, anyone?), so I hoped from my fingers to my toes that scary blush lightning would strike twice with this shimmery reddish coral.

Cactus Flower’s one of eight cream blushes in the NARS permanent makeup line. The texture feels slightly thinner than MAC and Illamasqua cream blushes to me (almost like a gel blush), and I think that’s part of the reason why it’s so smooth and easy to blend.

It makes the lazy beast in me dance jigs whenever I put it on because of how little work it takes to use — just a few swipes with my fingers, and less then a minute later I’m out the door.


Wearing Cactus Flower at the start of the day. NOTE: I am NOT nekkid in this pic. 🙂 I’m actually wearing a tube top, ha ha!
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