Search Results for: smokey

A Face of the Day With a Few Tried-and-True Shades From MAC’s Permanent Line: A Smokey Brown Cat Eye, Pink Cheeks and Lips

November 14th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

MAC Mulch Cork Bamboo FOTD — Wearing a few all-star brown eyeshadows from MAC’s permanent collection

I can’t even begin to describe to you the chaos swirling around me right now. Almost every single one of the houses in my neighborhood is under some kind of construction — I am so not exaggerating — and behind the cacophony of hammering and sawing is poor Tabs pacing the house while adding his own mewling and grumbling (“Mrrroooow!”) to the symphony of sound.

I am *this close* to completely loosing my sh*t…

Safe place! Safe place!

The only thing preserving my sanity has been this song: Sail, by Awolnation, which I’ve been trying to play loud enough to drown out the noise outside.

That whole entire album (Megalithic Symphony) is my power jam right now. I listen to it and pretend that all of the banging going on outside is part of the song, haha.

SAIL!

The ruckus started right after dawn and hasn’t let up. By 11 I felt like I needed the makeup equivalent of a large vanilla shake and a basket of fries, also known as comfort food, so I fell back on a look I do all the time with some of my favorite things from MAC’s permanent line.

More classy than flashy (hopefully), it’s a softly smoky golden brown eye with black cat liner, pink, barely-there matte cheeks and glossy pinkish gold lips. I used to wear this look a lot when I worked in the city and still do whenever I want to look pulled together but not over the top.

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Because the Eyes Are the Nipples of the Face: Bobbi Brown’s New Smokey Eye Crayon Kajal Liner

November 7th, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

Bobbi Brown Crayon Kajal — That’s Bobbi Brown’s new Crayon Kajal in Black Coffee on my lash and water lines

“The eyes are the nipples of the face.”

Yes, truer words were never spoken. 🙂

Ha! OK, let me explain. I was watching My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding the other day (whatever, don’t judge!), and that’s what one of the girls (14 years old, wearing booty shorts with pink rhinestone hearts) said while she was doing her makeup for a matchmaking party her parents arranged to help her find a husband.

FUN FACT OF THE DAY: The quote is originally from The House Bunny, starring Anna Farris.

So that’s what I kept thinking this morning while I was applying my eyeliner, Bobbi Brown’s new Smokey Eye Kajal Liner in Black Coffee.

Face nipples. I’m lining the nipples…OF MY FACE.

The liner’s new and comes in six colors, including the Black Coffee shade I’m wearing here. Their big selling point: that they’re super soft, smooth and won’t tug at your skin. They’re also very, very pigmented (also known as uber-pigmented) and easy to smudge. Better for messy rocker chick looks with soft diffused liner than looks with sharp lines.

The fancy formula stays creamy, so you can buff it out and play with it throughout the day, but it still lasts 5-7 hours along my lash lines.

Which is cool.

Of course, that wear time doesn’t extend to my water lines, where it gives up the ghost in 1-2 hours. If you’re looking for a long-wearing liner that will set and last there, Smokey Eye Crayon Kajal probably isn’t ideal.

Bobbi Brown Crayon Kajal Swatches from the left: Black Amethyst, Black Coffee and Noir — Swatches from the left of Black Amethyst, Black Coffee and Noir

Something like Bobbi’s Long-Wearing Gel Eyeliner might be better. Twelve hours on lash and water lines. Jet, the basic black, used to be my jam. I wore it all the time until my water lines started acting up (no idea why). Now I use Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Perversion.

Now, even with that limited water line wear time, Bobbi never billed these as long-wearing, so there’s that. They’re designed first and foremost for smokey eyes.

Bobbi Brown Crayon Kajal Swatches from the left: Jade, Pacific and Storm — Swatches from the left of Jade, Pacific and Storm

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This Gemini Likes the Topshop Smokey Eye Palette in Constellation

November 7th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

The $24 Topshop Smokey Eye Palette in Constellation, available now at Topshop stores and topshop.com.

By the way, what’s your sign? 🙂

Topshop Smokey Eye Palette in Constellation swatches — Swatches…

Of Lists and Lashes: 15 Things I Learned Today About Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara and Life

November 7th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

15 Things I learned today about Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye Mascara and life in general

Today is a new day.
The world is not falling apart. It only felt like that for a little while.
It helps to set a timer when you write. Ten minutes is a good starting point. More than that, and you’re apt to spew a lot of crazy talk.
When it comes to busting through writer’s block, don’t think too much. Avoid the urge to self-edit. Just dictate the words as you hear them in your head.
It helps to read about writer’s block when you have it (go figure).

A little light reading…

3 Simple Steps for Staring Down Writer’s Block

How to Identify the Dread Writer’s Block and Its Relatives

How to Deal with Writers Block

Strategies for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Overcoming Writer’s Block

The constant sound of construction in my neighborhood (it seems like all of my neighbors are doing work on their homes right now) is surely contributing to my agitation.
It almost always helps to make lists.
Playlists are also pretty cool.

It also helps to straighten your hair (seriously), and flat irons are great.

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My Warm Skin Tone Is Warming Up To the Neutral Cool Shades in the Bobbi Brown Smokey Cool Eye Palette

November 4th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

The Sisterhood of Sparkly Shadows will probably kick me out of the sorority for this, but eff it! — I’m saying it anyways: Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye Cool palette could really use one fewer glittery eyeshadows and one more matte brown.

There. I said it. 🙂

“This carefully edited mix of six eye shadows is the perfect palette for those who prefer their smokey eye look on the cool side. Featuring everything you need to take eyes from day to night including Bobbi’s beloved base shadow in Ivory and an array of sparkly and shimmery textures in cool grey hues. A Mini Dual Ended Shadow/Liner brush completes this mirrored compact-all it needs now is a bow.”

— bobbibrowncosmetics.com

I’m really not trying to hate on the sparkly stuff, ’cause you know I love me some glitter.

WOO-HOO! TEAM GLITTER! *fist bumps*

It’s just that I tried to make this work using only the six shadows in the set (it comes with three mattes, one shimmer and two glitters), but I couldn’t tie them all together without a medium brown shade to ease the transition from the lighter shades into the darker ones.

It’s like a piece of the puzzle is missing, ya know?

Now, if I were able to swap one of the Sparkle Eye Shadows, which are Bobbi’s take on pressed glitters, for an easy-to-use golden brown along the lines of MAC Cork, it would be so on…

Bobbi Brown Smokey Cool Eye Palette swatches from the left: Ivory Eye Shadow, Graphite Sparkle Eye Shadow, Smokey Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Truffle Eye Shadow, Platinum Sparkle Eye Shadow and Caviar Eye Shadow — Swatches from the left: Ivory Eye Shadow, Graphite Sparkle Eye Shadow, Smokey Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Truffle Eye Shadow, Platinum Sparkle Eye Shadow and Caviar Eye Shadow

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A Memo From Management, and a Bronzey, Smokey Cat Eye of the Day With the MAC Stroke of Midnight and Nocturnal Holiday Collections

October 30th, 2013 by Karen 32 Comments

MAC Stroke of Midnight Eyes Warm — Wearing products from the MAC Stroke of Midnight and Nocturnal holiday collections on my eyes and lips

To all current and future employees of Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC:

It has recently come to the attention of management that several employees celebrated National Cat Day yesterday, October 29.

While the formal acknowledgement of the fabulousness of felines is always encouraged, we would like to take this time to remind you that, here at Tabs the Cat Industries, every day is Cat Day.

Purr the management, please advise your teams that kitty-themed clothing and makeup are mandatory components of the company dress code.

Please direct all inquiries regarding this memo, or eye makeup looks, like this bronze and brown smokey cat eye using products from the new MAC Stroke of Midnight and Noctural holiday collections, to Karen in the executive offices, care of Tabs the Cat. Karen would be happy to purr-vide you with further details.

The MAC Stroke of Midnight and Nocturnal holiday collection products I’m wearing in this look

MAC Stroke of Midnight Eyes — The Stroke of Midnight Eye Shadow X 5 compacts

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Ask MBB: How Can I Blend a Better Smokey Eye, and What Brushes Should I Use?

October 29th, 2013 by Karen 43 Comments

“You do such a fantastic smokey eye… Mine needs so much work.

I think part of my problem is just not having the right tools to blend with (brush recommendations would be appreciated!)… I love how, in your looks, the colours seem to flow together seamlessly. I also know NOTHING about eyeshadow bases beyond eyeshadow primer (I’m such a noob), so any tips on that would also be super helpful!”

–Jess

Hi Jess,

I’m on it! OK, so it really helps to have a good blending brush — scratch that. A good, clean blending brush, because even a good brush with a lot of gunk in the bristles will just scoot the shadows around your lids, instead of blending the colors together seamlessly.

I have a couple of favorites I love and use all the time, like the mighty MAC 217 and 224.

The 217’s brush head is a little denser and smaller than the 224’s, so I prefer it for blended eye looks with more distinct transitions between the color gradients or when I’m working with hard-to-blend eyeshadows.

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette 2013 — For this look with the new Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes, I blended it with the MAC 217.

And when I want smoother color gradients and a smokey effect that looks really blown out, I grab the 224, which has a fluffier, wider head.

Basically, when I don’t have to be terribly precise, I go for the 224.

Too Faced A Few of My Favorite Things — Blowing it out with the Too Faced My Favorite Things Palette and the MAC 224…

Between the 217 and 224, you really can’t go wrong with either one.

Too Faced also has a tapered blending brush similar to the MAC 224 that I like. It’s a little thinner than the 224 and great for guys/gals with small lids. It’s available in their $39 Shadow Brushes Essential 3-Piece Set, which also comes with a flat shadow brush and a small smudger brush. The whole kit is top-notch, come to think of it.

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With Its Glitter All Grown Up, Navy Blue NARS Kamchatka Eyeshadow Ships Out This Fall Carrying a Smokey, Shimmery Surprise

July 9th, 2013 by Karen 10 Comments

Can I get a “hells, yeah” for bomb-@ss smokey shadows you can wear along your lash lines?

I realize that’s a very specific shout-out, but duuuude, you know how many times I’ve tried to smoke out a shadow along my lash lines only to end up looking like a reject from the Thunderdome? — with my lids all dark, contrasty and totally and completely unblended, even though I practically broke my wrist trying to smooth out the edges?

Picture the most questionable makeup look you’ve ever seen on Toddlers and Tiaras, but applied in the dark, upside down, without any brushes.

Now, push that disturbing image out of your mind, because there’s none of that nonsense with new navy blue NARS Kamchatka ($24). This bad boy totally gets it right! 🙂

(Well, at least along lash lines.)

NARS Kamchatka Single Eyeshadow, a navy smoke ($24) — Kamchatka Single Eyeshadow, a navy smoke ($24)

Yes, NARS had some fun with this color. It’s one of those secretly shimmery shadows — a Clark Kent Kamchatka, perhaps? — that looks like a run-of-the-mill matte navy in the pan, but it turns into a Kryptonian superhero when it touches skin, as flecks of silver glitter within the formula flex their tiny makeup muscles.

I think it’s a gorgeous, grownup take on the sparkly stuff.

NARS Kamchatka Swatch — See the super tiny silver sparkles? You have to look pretty closely…

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