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Search Results for: smokey

Easy Eye Makeup Look for Lazies

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Evening, hotties! Just when I thought I couldn’t get any lazier, I did. I had a major makeup revelation this week. A neutral shimmer shadow plus a lil’ bit of matte in the outer V led to my easiest day eye EVER. A whole new world of 10-minute looks has opened up before me, fo’ reals.

The combo I’ve worn for the past few days combines a champagne shimmer shade with a matte black. It feels breezy and work-friendly. To get the look I used makeup from Chanel, Dior, Laura Mercier and Lacome, as well as three just-released products from Clinique.

Clinique Me

All are fun and easy to use. I’ll post detailed reviews soon, but for now let’s just say *me likey*.

The Products

Eyes

Lips

Face

Doing The Eyes

I like to prime my lids before applying eye shadow, so I started by dabbing MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer onto my lids with a concealer brush. Then, I swiped the shimmery champagne shadow from the Dior Iridescent Palette onto the entire lid with a flat eye shadow brush like the MAC 252 to create a neutral canvas upon which to work.

With a fine, pencil-tipped MAC 219 brush, I applied Clinique Midnight eye shadow on the outer third of the lid. In this step, I concentrated more color on the outer eye, which after blending helps with the smokey effect.
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Magic Mascara Wands and Brushes

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It’s official: folks are gettin’ CRAZY with mascara brushes! Some of the biggest names in the biz, like Lancome, Cover Girl and MAC, are coming out with unusual mascara brushes, some that vibrate, and others shaped like miniature plastic combs or corkscrews.

Don’t throw out your old fashioned mascara brushes just yet, but you may want to give one of the newer breed of brushes a try.

Cover Girl’s Lash Blast and Lancome’s High Definicil mascaras sport short, stubby plastic bristles that look futuristic and efficient, while MAC Plushlash and Dior DiorShow supersize things with extra large brush heads and super long bristles.

Bristles in Motion

Beyond simple changes to brush size and bristle shape, some companies are coming out with battery-powered wands with vibrating brush heads. Look out, Harry Potter!

A few months ago, Spinlash ($15) released a powered wand with a spinning brush head (see it in action on Bellasugar’s blog), and since then several other lines have followed suit.

Estee Lauder’s vibrating Turbo Lash ($30) launched two weeks ago (currently sold out online), and Lancome’s much-hyped Oscillation Mascara ($34) arrives this November (but goes on early sale tomorrow for one day only).

An Irrational Fear

I’m careful about the products I’ll use around my eyes. If it emits heat, vibrates or drips (wax — so scary!), I keep it far, far away from my peepers. I can’t lie; I’m afraid I’ll poke an eye out. Maybe someday I’ll get over my clumsiness, but until then I’d rather avoid the inevitable 911 phone call (“Hello? I just poked my eye out with my vibrating mascara wand!”).

Despite my lack of coordination, Lancome’s Oscillation has already garnered rave reviews. The big beauty guns at Allure had very good things to say about it.

I haven’t gotten up the courage to wield it yet, but it is a highly anticipated product. Once you’ve used it, please let me know what you think. Just be careful you don’t poke your eye out.

Although its official launch isn’t until November, Lancome’s Oscillation Mascara will be available for purchase, one day only, on July 31. Find it online and at select Lancome counters nationwide.

Online

California

  • Brea: The Lancome Boutique at the Brea Mall
  • Costa Mesa: Nordstrom at South Coast Plaza
  • San Francisco: Macy’s Union Square
  • Santa Clara: The Lancome Boutique at the Valley Fair Mall

Florida

  • Miami: Macy’s at the Dadeland Mall

Georgia

  • Atlanta: Macy’s at the Lenox Square Mall

Illinois

  • Chicago: Macy’s on State Street and Bon-Ton at the Yorktown Mall

New Jersey

  • Short Hills: The Lancome Boutique at the Short Hills Mall

New York

  • New York City: Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s 59th Street, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s Herald Square and the Lancome boutique on Columbus Avenue

Texas

  • Dallas: Dillard’s and the Lancome Boutique at NorthPark Center
  • Houston: Neiman Marcus at the Galleria

Crazy Brush Heads

I haven’t gotten on board the vibrating brush head train yet, but I am totally down for mascara brushes with unusually shaped heads.
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How to Attend a Free Chanel Master Makeup Class

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Did you know Chanel provides free makeup classes for customers? The sessions are called Chanel Master Classes, and I went to my very first one last Saturday at my neighborhood Macy’s store.

Department store-sponsored makeup classes typically involve a group of customers observing how an artist applies makeup to a model. I’ve been to a few of them before, and while they’re fun (especially if you go with a friend) and good for a tip or two, they aren’t hands-on and can be kinda boring.

But there was nothing boring about the Chanel Master Class. Chanel makes sure you get your feet wet, so to speak. Instead of merely observing someone else apply makeup, you also get to do your own.

Interactive, Small Classes

Class sizes are kept small — just 12-16 students — so you don’t feel lost in the crowd. You get your own work station, complete with hand-held mirror and a cup filled with gloriously silky Chanel brushes. As an instructor demonstrates each technique on a model in the front of the class, you get to follow along with them, duplicating each technique on yourself.

In addition to the main instructor at the front of the class, a Chanel artist also sits with you to help you pick out colors and to be available to answer any questions you might have. Education + makeup + fun + snacks (cookies, crackers and bottled water) = Karen’s idea of a hella good time. 🙂

These courses are more than simply an opportunity to learn (not that there’s anything wrong with learning); you also get to play with soooo much Chanel. The entire Chanel makeup line is at your disposal to test, touch and drool over. HOLLA!

And if you know what products you want to try beforehand, you can ask your makeup artist for help. So awesome!

Going into the class, I knew I wanted to try the Emerald Coast eye shadow duo and Indigo Inimitable mascara…

chanel-master-class-eye-shadows

I ended up doing a light smokey green eye with nude lips and cheeks.

The Chanel Products I Chose to Use


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Sephora Carries Baked Goods Now

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Nope, not cupcakes and pies; I’m talking about baked eye shadows.

Unlike regular pressed eye shadows, with their flat, even surfaces, baked eye shadows rise up out of the pan like shimmery muffin tops.

If you’re a fan of shimmery long wear eye products, browse through the selection of baked eye shadows now available at Sephora. Baked shadows are generally more water resistant than regular pan shadows are, and many boast shimmery satin finishes.

Before applying baked eye shadows, first prime your lids with a base like Too Faced Shadow Insurance or MAC Shadestick in Shimmersand. Using a base helps make eye shadows last longer.

Once your lids are primed and ready, use a flat shader for the entire lid, a tapered crease brush for detail work, or a dual-tipped brush like the Stila #30 Double-Ended Shadow Brush ($32), which has both kinds of brush heads.

Here are a few baked eye shadows that recently caught my eye:

Stila Eye Shadow Trio, $26

stila-eye-shadow-trio

Pictured above, from left to right…

  • Old Glow – gold, bronze, ivory shades
  • Bronze Glow – rose, gold bronze, ivory
  • Champagne Glow – taupe, burgundy brown, champagne

Baked in a terra cotta disk, each pan of these sheer, shimmery shadows houses three different shades. All can be used wet or dry.

For a quick and easy daytime look, choose one of the multi-colored pans and brush the lightest shade over your entire lid. Then, apply the medium shade in the crease. Finish the look by wetting an angled eye brush and using it to apply the darkest shade as a liner.

Too Faced Galaxy Glam Baked Eyeshadows, $19.50

too-faced-galaxy-glam-baked-eye-shadow

Pictured above from left to right…

  • Moon Beam – black with light green
  • Deep space – black with cobalt blue
  • Shooting Star – black with galactic gold
  • Super Nova – black with peach and pink

Too Faced baked Italian opalescent pigments into each of their black domed shadows for that “galaxy far, far away” look. When mixed together, the shades create a shimmery blend of black and green, blue, gold or pink.

I like these a lot. They’d make great shimmery smokey eyes with a twist of color. For an easy smokey eye, layer eye shadow on top of a creamy, blendable eyeliner like MAC Smolder. A dark, creamy eyeliner helps exaggerate the smokey effect.

Lorac Starry Eyed Baked Eyeshadow Trio, $24

lorac-starry-eyed-eye-shadow

From left to right…

  • Starlet – pink pearl, muted plum, dark purple
  • Evening Star – silver, gray, dark gray
  • Superstar – golden beige, golden tan, bronze

Create shimmery eye looks with the three color-coordianated shades in each Lorac Starry Eyed Baked Eyeshadow Trio. Apply them dry for a natural look or wet for an intense, dramatic effect.

I’m off to go running! What are you up to today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Makeup Rewind: Some of My MAC Favorites

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I’ve got MAC on my mind today. A quick check of the MAC site revealed that all three new collections are now available for purchase, woot! I guess they couldn’t wait for Thursday. To celebrate one of my all-time favorite makeup brands, here are a few posts from the archives.

Good morning! I had a nice anniversary dinner with El Hub last night and ate a ton of sushi. I feel like I should give the man a trophy or something for putting up with me, LOL. How’s Tuesday so far? Got anything exciting planned for today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Play to Win with Lippmann Collection Fall Nail Colors

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lippmann-collection-nail-polish-fall-2008

Seeing these Lippmann Collection fall nail polish colors ($15 each) for the first time, I thought one thing: VEGAS, BABY! The red, black, white and black-purple colors remind me of playing cards.

Beyond the occasional slot machine (free drinks!), I’m not much of a gambler, but when it comes to nail colors, I will take chances. I’ll wear yellows, blues and even purples.

Some may feel these fall Lippmann colors are a bit tame, but I think there’s enough variety among the shades to keep things interesting.

lippmann-collection-stop-and-stare

Stop and Stare, a blue-based matte red, looks like a sure bet. Picture a lounge singer in a smokey bar. She’s wearing a slinky, black dress and Stop and Stare on her fingertips. It’s a beautiful, classic red that would look great at dressy daytime events (meet me at the polo match, dahling), formal evenings out or even a day at the office. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

lippmann-collection-rhapsody-in-white

Rhapsody in White takes me back. This frosty cool white looks exactly like a shade of Wet ‘n Wild I wore through most of the sixth grade. I wasn’t around for the 60s, but this reminds of that era, as in pale lips, bee hive bouffants and go go boots. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

lippmann-collection-fade-to-black

The inky Fade to Black is darker than night. I’m on the fence about black as a nail color because of how high maintenance the shade can be, but all of the Lippmann polishes I’ve used before have chipped less often than most other brands do. If this black matte is as durable as the rest, it could really make a name for itself. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

lippmann-collection-pump-up-the-jam

Pump Up the Jam, a dark purple shimmer, looks almost like another shade of black from afar, but it reveals its true color when seen up close. It’s the deepest shade of eggplant imaginable. I’ve always dreamt of owning a Chevy El Camino in this exact color (and ridin’ dirty in it, haaay!). Is that weird? Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Lippmann Collection polishes have a reputation in the beauty world. They’re known for their durability, and that’s not hype, either; early last month I got a mani/pedi at the Lippmann nail bar in Hawaii, and the coral color on my toes is STILL fresh and intact. I’ve been reapplying top coat every five days, but even that, with most other brands of polish, would not have been enough to make the color last as long as it has so far.
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Now You Can Go Goth with Bobbi Brown Mauve Collection Lipsticks and Glosses

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bobbi-brown-mauve-collection-lip-color-lipsticks

Bobbi Brown’s makeup doesn’t always do it for me. My homegirl once described the brand as “colors for people who are afraid of color,” and I think there’s some truth to that. A lot of Bobbi’s makeup has that jury duty feel to it, ya know? — the kind of makeup you’d wear to court.

But Bobbi threw me a curve ball with the lip colors in the Mauve Collection, her new fall makeup line.

I’d been searching high and low for edgy yet wearable lipsticks and glosses in shades of purple, and these colors are, dare I say, edgy yet wearable. They’re eye-catching without going over the top, and within the colors there’s enough variety to allow you to create lots of different looks. Go on with your bad self, Ms. Brown!

Lip Color

bobbi-brown-mauve-collection-pale-mauve-lip-color

At first I thought Pale Mauve ($22) was going to be too light for my skin tone, but once I got it on I actually really liked this light blue-purple shade. It’s light with a 60’s feel. I plan to pair it with light cheeks and a cat eye with a thick black liquid liner on my upper lash line (and a mini-dress and go-go boots, ha!).

Bobbi’s Lip Color lipsticks have a semi-matte formula that goes on a little thick, but at least it doesn’t peel away after a few hours. I don’t mind the light licorice fragrance, but I’m glad it has no taste/flavor. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

bobbi-brown-mauve-collection-heather-mauve-lip-color

Heather Mauve ($22) is a dark red-mauve, making it a great candidate for my easy-to-wear work lipstick stash. I like the texture and the color itself, but it closely matches my natural lip color, which sort of defeats the purpose of wearing lipstick. I guess it’d be useful as a base color layered beneath one of the other shades listed below. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

Lip Color swatches: Heather Mauve (top), Pale Mauve (bottom)
bobbi-brown-mauve-colleciton-pale-heather-mauve-swatches

Lip Glosses

bobbi-brown-mauve-collection-lipglosses

Dig out your Cure mp3’s and your smudgy eyeliner! Bobbi’s Mauve Collection Lip Glosses ($19) look demure in their petite little tubes, but these colors are equal parts edgy and sophisticated — think goth chick in stunning black suit.
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Colorful Days: Makeup and Beauty Blog Friday Fun

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  • MAC Cosmetics Face of the Day: A Smokey Eye with MAC Pigment in Purple
    “Layering extends the staying power of your eyeshadow and provides extra dimension. Try starting with a layer of a cream product — I like MAC Paint Pots, MAC Paint and MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl — and applying a powdered eyeshadow on top of the cream.”

  • Face of the Day: Wonder Mint Teal Lashes
    “Because the weather out here has been hotter than Christian Bale in a Speedo, I wanted to keep my look light and perspiration-proof. To maintain the emphasis on my lashes, I went with a slice of light violet on the lid.”

  • Face of the Day: A Pink and Blue Pastel Eye
    “Pastels aren’t usually my style, but today the makeup gods chose to bestow enough courage upon me to attempt this pink and blue eye, inspired by Shiseido’s spring makeup look.”

  • MAC Cosmetics Blue and Green Face of the Day
    “If you’re new to makeup, this would be a super easy look to try! Please ask if you have any questions about reproducing it yourself. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll track down someone who does.”

  • MAC Originals Face of the Day, Full on Lust
    “Build color slowly. First, if you’re clumsy like I am, I find that it helps to take the time to build a color slowly, layer upon layer. First, I dipped my crease brush in the eyeshadow pot, swiped it gently on some tissue to remove the excess shadow, and then applied Charred (a shade of grey) in a light layer using a sweeping motion in my crease. I applied about five light layers before I got the color where I wanted it to be.”

  • MAC Cosmetics Woodwinked Pink and Gold Face of the Day
    “Shhh… I have a secret beauty tip. If you ever wake up looking like an extra in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video, reach for MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow ($14). Its warm, golden shimmer restores life to dead tired eyes.”

  • A Salute to St. Patrick’s Day: Green Chanel Garden Party Eye
    “Dior concealer rocks when it comes to covering dark circles. Before I applied my makeup today I had some serious dark circles. I stayed up late last night, partying with the neighbor’s cat while watching ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians,’ my latest guilty reality TV pleasure. In the pics above, can you see the purple in the inner corners of my eyes (and believe me, they are pretty dark today)? LOVE. YOU. DIOR.”

  • Makeup Tips: MAC Parrot Face of the Day
    “This is a really easy face of the day that I wore to work today. It took just five minutes to do my eyes… Yup, it’s official. Me likes the MAC Parrot.”

    • What makeup are you wearing on this lovely Friday? Does your look have a color theme?

    Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

    Karen

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