Search Results for: smokey

Mirror, mirror on the wall, which eye liner’s the smoothest of all?

Stila’s Kajal Eye Liner ($18) lays smooth smack down on pencil liners that tug and skip along lash lines. Available in eight shades, it literally glides across the skin, creating solid, intensely colored lines — no muss, no fuss.

Available in 8 Shades

I tried two of them, Emerald and Amethyst. Both performed admirably when used on my upper and lower lash lines, creating both soft and sharp lines with a single swipe. The tip texture feels unusually soft and creamy, and it was a cinch to smudge out lines for smokey looks.

Similar to MAC Kohl in Smolder

Smudginess — is that even a word? I don’t know if it is, but either way I think it accurately describes the texture and feel of this formula. Kajal reminds me of MAC Kohl Eye Liner in Smolder, a pencil I often use in my smokey eye looks.

The MAC Kohls cost a few dollars less ($14.50 vs. $18) and come in a wider selection of colors (15 vs. 8), but I think Stila Kajals perform just slightly better. Both brands have enough muscle to last the day and deliver seriously intense color, but the Kajals are just a wee bit easier to apply and to smudge. Now, do they perform 24% better than the Kohls? — because that’s the difference in price. Of that, I’m not so sure.
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I know it’s early October, and you probably haven’t even picked out a pumpkin to carve, but all the makeup lines are unveiling their new palettes and sets for the holidays. They want you festive, dammit, whether you’re ready or not! 🙂

Yup, Bobbi Brown is starting early this year, releasing a string of limited edition palettes this month.

• Lip and Eye Palette, $60: A double decker palette with four lipsticks and four eye shadows
• Lip Gloss Trio, $45: A copper case with Spun Gold, Pink Glitter and Sandy Beige lipglosses
• Moon Rock Long-Wear Eye Palette, $55: Two long-wearing cream shadows and liners in shades of gold, silver, black and chestnut
• Night Sky Long-Wear Eye Palette, $55: Two long-wearing cream shadows and liners in silver, blue, black and gray.
• Velvet Plum Eye Palette, $45: Four coordinating powder eye shadows in plums and neutral tones
• Tube Tints Set, $30: Four mini-lipgloss tubes, each with SPF 15, in sheer pinks and browns

Last weekend I played with the Tube Tints Set, Night Sky Long-Wear Eye Palette and Velvet Plum Eye Palette. I think each would make a nice gift for any makeup lovin’ ladies in your life.

Velvet Plum Eye Palette

A few years ago, when I worked a 9-to-5 gig in downtown San Francisco, I’d bring my makeup and brushes with me to work and apply makeup in the bathroom on my breaks. I’ve always had issues packing light, even for work, so streamlined I was not. I’d walk around looking like I had a turkey stuffed in my bag. If I could turn back time, I’d totally give myself this palette along with a note that read, “Streamline, girl!”

From left to right: Bone, Naked, Velvet Plum, Espresso

This gorgeous palette contains four versatile powder eye shadows suitable for business meetings or drinks after work.

Bone Eye Shadow: off white
Naked Eye Shadow: medium neutral pink
Velvet Plum Eye Shadow: shimmery black plum
Espresso Eye Shadow: dark chocolate brown

Neutral work eye:
Apply Bone all over the lid and Naked into the crease. Wet an angled brush and then line the upper and lower lash lines with Espresso.

Plum night eye:
Wet a shadow brush, and apply Velvet Plum onto the lid and just barely into the crease. Then, with an angled eye brush, line the bottom lash line with Espresso.

Brown-plum smokey eye:
Line upper and lower lashlines with a creamy eye liner like MAC Smolder. Smudge Espresso on top of the liner on both lash lines. Then, apply Plum on the lid and just into the crease.

Out of the three palettes I tried, this one is my favorite. It’s just so flexible, and the colors pop without taking things too far. Gotta give Bobbi much lurve for this one. Go girl!

Tube Tints Set

From left to right: Brown Sugar Shimmer, Posey Shimmer, Bare Shimmer and Tea Rose

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Clarins Wonder Plum stars as the shy Ms. Little Plum in this highly anticipated sequel to the smash hit, The Attack of the Plum Mascaras! On counters now, it’s the latest long, natural lash product release from the people who brought us the rest of the Wonder Length Mascara family.

Okay, enough with the movie hype…
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Target set the beauty world ablaze earlier this month with the release of three new prestige beauty lines — JK Jemma Kidd, Pixi by Petra Strand and NP Set by Napoleon Perdis.

NP Set, by famed Australian makeup artist Napoleon Perdis, may look a little familiar to Perdis fans. The logo harkens back to his first major makeup release, aptly named Napoleon Perdis. The line sells at Ulta stores and at a slightly higher price point than Target’s NP Set.

But that’s the beauty of Target, right? — good prices on quality merch.

What Sets NP Set Apart?

The new line is huge, with more than 80 face, lip and cheek products priced between $12-$30. NP Set bridges the gap between the other two big beauty lines to launch at Target, combining the color vastness and artistry of the JK Jemma Kidd line with the breezy fun of Pixi by Petra Strand.

Breezy, Elegant Packaging

The subtle tropical colors, clean lines and minimalist packaging evoke beach umbrellas and rolling surf — a sense of relaxed elegance, which even carries over to the glossy white compacts and lipstick tubes.

Pretty Colors and Textures, But Limited Staying Power

I tested five items from the line, and most delivered nice texture and beautiful, pigmented color.

There are several things I like about these products, but the one issue that consistently came up was their staying power.

I had trouble keeping this stuff put! For some reason the items I tried weren’t as long-lasting as the products by Pixi or JK Jemma Kidd, fading and creasing within hours, so, if there’s any room for improvement in the NP Set line, that’s it.

Of the items I tested, my favorites were the eye and lip products.

NP Set by Napoleon Perdis Show Loose Dust Duo in Australia, $26

Dust Duo, a double-sided eyeshadow duo, has built-in sponge tip applicators perfect for gals on the go.
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