weeklyroundup

Just wanted to say a quick hi and to wish all the mom’s out there a happy Mother’s Day. 🙂 I would love to be able to say that Tabs made me a fancy breakfast in bed, but, yeah, not gonna happen. He is, however, snuggling with me as I write this in my chair.

How’s it going this weekend? What have you been up to? I’ve mostly just piddled around the house here, but I did sneak out to the mall for about an hour last night. I had to return a jacket to Nordstrom, which, incidentally turned into quite an adventure.

I lost the receipt, but all of the tags were attached. A nice salesgirl was helping me with the return when a breathy, impatient woman walked up behind me at the register. She was one of those toe-tappers, huffing and puffing about having to wait in line. “I just have a pick up,” she barked, shooting laser beams at the salesgirl with her eyes.

I felt awful for the girl at the register, but she took it all in stride. I haven’t worked retail in a long time, but I remember having to deal with fussy customers being one of the toughest parts of the job.

Well, I better run. I’m heading out to the East Bay to take my mom out to brunch. You have a great day today. I’ll be back soon.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THIS DIAMOND IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA LINER IN DIAMOND BLACK

Freakin’ epic! I can’t remember ever getting this fired up about a black eyeliner before (maybe MAC Feline? — aka one of the most purrrfect black pencils evah), because, c’mon, it’s black eyeliner. Are they useful? Absolutely, but sometimes it’s hard to get stoked about a staple when there are so many fun, distracting colors around.

That is, unless that staple is Make Up For Ever’s new Aqua Liner in Diamond Multicolor Black ($23). When it reached out and grabbed my attention, it almost knocked me down! If you’re able to try just one thing from this new line of waterproof liquid eyeliners, please make it Multicolor Black. No kidding — this shade is the bidness in a glittery jet black.

So what are the Aqua Liners? They’re a new range recently added to the Make Up For Ever permanent line. Available in a mix of bright and neutral shades in matte, iridescent and diamond finishes, they’re a lot like the other pigmented, long-wearing, quick-drying waterproof liners that’ve been popping up over the past year. Like the MAC Superslick Liners and Stila Sparkle Waterproof Eyeliners, they sport long, skinny applicators with pointy tips, and they last a really long time, withstanding sweat, running water and occasional (hella weird) eyelid kisses from husky tabby cats (SIDE NOTE: Yes, it feels strange to have your eyelids licked by a cat). Read more…

THE NEW BOBBI BROWN SUMMER 2011
ALMOST BARE COLLECTION SHOULD LOOK GREAT WITH A TAN

Bobbi B. is back with a new makeup collection for summer, and judging by the look of things, she’s been chillin’ at la playa.

The new Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Collection, available now in stores and online, looks just like a day at the beach. As she so often does, Bobbi kept things simple and clean, incorporating two dark matte bronzers, three glittery glosses and a repromoted scent (from where the collection gets its name). I think the products seem more Mexican Riviera than Jersey Shore, but the two bronzers, which are both quite dark, will probably thrill Snooks all the way from the top of her pouf down to her Uggs.

Am I the only gal who gets grumpy about tiny 0.14-oz. tubes of $20+ gloss? I bet I’m not. By comparison to 0.17-oz. MAC Lipglasses, these new 0.24-oz. limited edition High Shimmer Lip Glosses are practically huge! And they come with a doe-foot applicator, too. Read more…

LET’S GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE
FOR THE LUSH TINY HANDS MOISTURIZING BAR

Okay, so it kinda looks like an artifact from Raiders of the Lost Ark — a relic buried long ago in a booby trapped cave. But it’s not. The new Lush Tiny Hands Moisturizing Bar shouldn’t be hidden from prying eyes. No, it should be cautiously (more on that in a sec) brought forth from its little tin and given a big round of applause.

After doing some spring cleaning last weekend, my hands looked rough, cracked and felt sore (and don’t even get me started on my cuticles). My paws needed a hand, so I took it as an opportunity to test Lush’s solid moisturizing bar. Read more…

9 THINGS THAT
MADE A DIFFERENCE

It never hurts to take stock of the things that’ve made a difference and influenced your life in positive ways. Here’s my list, in no particular order. Can’t wait to read yours.

(Oh, and because this is MBB, feel free to mix in both beauty related and non-beauty related things!)

1. More sleep

When I was in high school and college, I would pride myself on being able to whirl through my days on five or six hours of sleep, but when I hit my mid-20s, and it happened almost suddenly in fact, I started waking up cranky and feeling groggy all the time.

I figured out the problem after I went to bed early one night, hours before my usual bedtime. The next morning I felt like a new girl, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I could have been a superhero with all of the energy coursing through my veins.

Crap! I’d been sleep deprived for almost a decade.

My sweet spot seems to be about eight hours of sleep, and when I’m able to get it, not only do I mentally and physically function better, but I see the difference in the mirror. My dark circles look less dark and scary, and I don’t break out as much.

Now, every so often, I go through bouts of insomnia (so annoying), but I really try to get as much sleep as I can. Going to bed early at least once a week helps. Read more…

A STILA STUNNING IN SAYULITA
PALETTE HUMP DAY FACE OF THE DAY

Rise and shine, morning glory. I felt like wearing my green dress today, so I thought I’d incorporate some green in my eye look, too. A color called Palm Tree from Stila’s new Stunning in Sayulita Palette provided the green.

The $14 palette (BARGAIN ALERT!) comes with four powder shadows, a powder blush and a bronzing powder, which, hello, is so light that it probably performs better as a highlighter on my tan skin.

For this look, I followed the little tutorial that comes with the palette (I appreciate when companies include these things; they’re cheap to make and great for ideas and inspiration) and then wrapped it up with Bobbi Brown’s High Shimmer Lip Glosses in Bellini on my lips. Read more…

DOING LAUNDRY JUST GOT COOLER AT THIS LAUNDROMAT
NEW TOCCA LAUNDRY DELICATE FINE FIBER WASH

It seems so obvious now, but I think I just figured out the real reason why Tabs has always preferred to sleep on the floor instead of the bed. The second I put fresh sheets down washed with the new Tocca Laundry Delicate Fine Fiber Wash, he was like, “Wow, this bed is AWESOME!” He couldn’t wait to roll around on the duvet cover and brush his cheeks on the pillows. Apparently, he has a taste for the finer things, and drugstore laundry detergents just won’t do.

I should have known. I love Tocca, too. The brand is known for their Italian-styled perfumes and candles, but maybe that’s about to change. I started collecting their scents about a year ago, and now I’m hopelessly addicted to a few (I’m in love, love, LOVE with Bianca, in particular).

I can say with 100% certainty that I’ve never been this excited to do laundry in my life. Read more…

ESSIE SUMMER 2011

Yesterday I dug out my old surfing wetsuit and tried to put it on. No. Such. Luck. Not without a gallon of Crisco and a whole lot of prayer.

Le sigh…

I haven’t surfed up here in years, but I’m starting to get desperate. Since I don’t see a tropical trip on the horizon, either I brave these frigid waters again, or I dry up like a land-locked fish.

And the Essie Summer 2011 Color Me Braziliant Collection (six colors; $8 each) is only making things worse. It arrives in June, right around the time I’d love to be out galavanting on a beach vacation. Read more…

MAC SURF BABY
CHEEK POWDER IN MY PARADISE: A DIVA IN DISGUISE

Don’t let the cute hibiscus fool you. Limited edition MAC Surf Baby Cheek Powder in My Paradise, the one and only blush in the upcoming Surf Baby collection, is a total diva in disguise.

The pretty packaging fooled me at first. It lulled me into expecting a run-of-the-mill peachy gold blush, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. My Paradise roars with pigment. It reminds me of NARS Orgasm, except three times as intense, with a lot more reddish orange inside. Yup, you better bring a fan brush to this makeup dance. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
HUMID EYESHADOW

“If you’re going to San Francisco,” the song goes, “be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” Flowers like the ones that bloom 365 days a year inside the gigantic 19th century greenhouse that is the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. It’s the oldest municipal wooden conservatory remaining in the United States and one of my favorite places in the city to visit with a camera.

From the steamy, lush jungles of the Lowland Tropics Room to the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies of the Aquatic Room, the structure must contain every conceivable shade of green (they practically drip from the walls!). Not only is it a very peaceful, beautiful place filled with exotic plants, but by virtue of it basically being a gargantuan greenhouse, it also reminds me of one of my favorite MAC shadows, the appropriately named Humid ($14.50).

A MAC artist introduced me to Humid a few years ago. I told her I was looking for one green to rule them all! “This is the only green you’ll ever need,” she said, as she handed me the pan. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Heavens to Murgatroyd! It sounds like dueling sneezes up in here. Both Tabs and El Hub have bad allergies, and Zyrtec is the only thing keeping me in the game.

Good morning, young lady. 🙂 How are you doing today? Have you had breakfast yet? I’m in the mood for something good. Maybe pancakes and eggs.

Oh, you might be interested in this. Last night I read a few reviews of a new-ish camera that looks pretty interesting. It’s the Canon PowerShot S95 (about $400). It’s very expensive, but it boasts an unusual combination of features you don’t see often on little point-and-shoots, like a very fast f/2.0-4.9 lens, which basically means it’s equipped to take pics in fairly low light. The lens also opens up to 28mm at the widest, which means it sees more of the scene than most little cameras at 35mm do. Makes it a little better for shooting in cramped spaces and for panoramic landscape and architectural pics. The wider angle means you don’t have to step back quite as far to get the entire subject in the frame. In this particular camera’s case it’s only slightly significant (the difference between 28mm and 35mm).

If you’re interested in this sort of thing, here are the cameras I use right now…

• Canon T2i — a DSLR that supports interchangeable lenses; my main workhorse; the newer T3i model adds a very useful flip-out LCD (with it I’d be able to check myself in the LCD when the camera is mounted on a tripod in front of me)
• Canon G11 (the newer G12 is nearly the same) — a mix between a little point-and-shoot camera and a bulky DSLR; has a flip-out LCD but doesn’t support interchangeable lenses; does give you manual control over aperture, shutter speed and exposure
• Canon SD950IS — a basic little Canon point-and-shoot that takes unbelievably crisp, vibrant pictures; most of Canon’s point-and-shoot cameras take fantastic pictures

I think these are all great cameras for swatches, closeups and portraits. Where the DSLR takes the clear lead is with taking pictures of moving subjects (like Tabs) because it supports very fast lenses like the 50mm f/1.4 that are able to freeze action better than a point-and-shoot. Fast lenses are also better in low-light situations. The camera also supports wider-angle lenses than the lenses that come with the little ones.

Every so often I’m asked about the cameras and lenses I use, and I always try to explain how the best pieces of camera equipment I own are the manuals that come with each camera. Even the least expensive point-and-shoot cameras can usually take pictures that look just about as good as the pics the most expensive cameras can take when they’re used correctly.

I try to keep these two things in mind when I’m taking pics…

• Light, light, light! The more the merrier. Natural sunlight produces more accurate colors than yellowish soft-white indoor light bulbs do (although stores do sell daylight bulbs as well). Bright light also means not having to use a flash, and flashes can alter colors.
• Camera shake. Even when you try to hold a camera perfectly still, there’s still a slight movement when you press the shutter button, and that movement can make pictures blurry. That’s why I use tripods so often and/or the camera’s self-timer. Light is a cure for camera shake because it allows the camera’s shutter to open and close quicker (because it doesn’t have to be open for as much time to capture the light it needs). So, if your pics are coming out blurry, open more windows, step outside in daylight, or bring another bright lamp into the room.

I’m always looking for new photography tips, so please share if you have any.

Before you jet, here’s a quick look back at some of the things we talked about in makeup and beauty this week. Hope you have a great day. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

BE BOLD ON A BUDGET WITH THESE
$7 MILANI LIP FLASH PENCILS

Hey, cutie. Before driving out to the East Bay this afternoon, I didn’t intend to spend a lot of time on my makeup, but then one thing led to another, etc., etc. Before I knew it, I’d swatched the entire line of Milani Lip Flash Pencils ($6.99).

Remember these? We talked about a shimmery bronze one a while back called Lip Flash.

Not bad for $7, right? Have a look at these, and let me know what you think. These party girl glosses are bold, shimmery and in yo’ face. I’ve been pairing bronzy brown Lip Flash, probably the tamest one of the batch, with brown, gold or bronze smokey eyes. The other seven come in various shades of pink, red, magenta and purple and should be a blast to wear with crazy false eyelashes, glitter and a pair of dangerously sky-high heels. Read more…

NARS SUMMER 2011, SWEET RELIEF
AND RANDOM ACTS OF BEAUTY

Most mornings I’m awakened by a chubby tabby cat set to go off about a minute before the regular alarm on my phone. It’s a very unusual alarm in that I’m actually the source of the sound, which is like a painful yelp. It works like this: Tabs, who usually sleeps in his kitty bed on the floor, climbs up onto my bladder and launches from it into the air, “Whee!”

And it even has something like a snooze button because after he does it the first time, I usually drift back to sleep, so he does it again about 10 minutes later. This repeats over and over until I finally get out of bed.

But this morning the tabby alarm clock malfunctioned in a glorious way! Instead of using my bladder as a springboard, Tabs climbed up onto the bed and gently snuggled his way into my arms like a present. Of course, I soaked it up as long as I could (cat ladies, you know what I’m talking about), listening to him purr and feeling the curve of his warm kitty body against mine as rays of sunlight filtered in through the windows onto his fur. It was so peaceful and calm that I almost couldn’t get out of bed! Read more…

HERE COMES THE URBAN BRIDE!
WILL YOU SAY “I DO” TO URBAN DECAY’S NEW URBAN BRIDE?

Places, everyone. It’s time!

Maestro, queue the Wedding March.

Here she comes! Urban Decay’s new $42 Urban Bride gift box is coming down the aisle. And just in time for wedding season to Ulta, select Macy’s stores and also online.

Isn’t her dress beautiful (I hear it’s an exclusive Urban Decay)? Urban Decay timed the limited edition wedding-themed set to coincide with the release of Bridesmaids next month (May 13), a new comedy starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne. In the story, Annie is her BFF’s Maid of Honor, whose life unravels as she tries to get the bridesmaids all set for the big day. I’m a fiend for chick flicks, so it sounds like my cup of tea.

The set (how adorable is that box?) comes with six long-wearing Urban Decay products for face, eyes, lips and body. Read more…

HOW TO GET THE MOST BOUNCE FOR YOUR BUCK
FROM THE NEW MAC BIG BOUNCE SHADOWS

Do you remember flubber? It was a rubber-like, super bouncy substance created by an absent-minded professor in 1961. Actually, by THE Absent-Minded Professor in the Disney movie of the same name. I suspect MAC might have lured the professor out of retirement to help them develop the upcoming MAC Big Bounce Shadows ($16.50 each) because, like flubber, they’re also quite bouncy and unusual.

The rich colors don’t feel like anything I’ve ever felt before. Think dense whipped cream, if that makes any sense, and when I tap the pans with a finger, I can actually feel them bouncing back in a very cool, weird way.

Hopefully these 16 shadows with metallic and/or pearl finishes are easier to corral than flubber was. Getting that stuff to stay put was almost impossible, but these shadows are supposed to bounce onto counters May 5 as part of the new MAC Flighty collection.

For help getting the most bounce from these beauties, I turned to one of my favorite MAC senior artists, Romero Jennings (are you following him on Twitter?). Read more…

SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL MOISTURIZING
BRONZING POWDER IN BRONZE ROSE IS LIKE SUMMER IN A PAN

Lately, I’ve been super obsessed with the idea of the South of France and the Cannes Film Festival taking place there next month. Plus, you know how much I like surfing, and apparently, Cannes has some really great surf spots, too. Who knew?

Chanel’s new Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Bronze Rose ($50) is fueling this obsession. It launched a couple weeks ago with the new Chanel Les Fleurs D’Ete Summer Collection.

Doesn’t it make your heart flutter? love It’s like summer in a pan, ah…

If it seems like you’ve seen this film before, you have a good eye, my friend. A similar four-color powder bronzer premiered with Chanel’s Cote D’Azur Summer Collection back in 2009, except that story starred four shimmery golden browns instead of a shimmery pinkish gold; a peachy pink; a warm, golden orangey brown; and a light baby pink. Read more…

MAC STUDIO FIX BOLDBLACK LASH
FEELS AS LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF AS A BOARD

When I was a kid, every slumber party I went to started with 16 Candles, progressed to crank calling cute boys from class, and ended with us playing light as a feather, stiff as a board.

For the game, one of us would lie down on the floor. Then, a bunch of us girls would lift her, using just two fingers on each hand, while chanting, “light as a feather, stiff as a board,” over and over again. I have no idea why this was considered fun, but we got the biggest kick out of it and did it all the time.

Ah, to be young and easily amused… 🙂

MAC’s new Studio Fix Boldblack Lash mascara ($14) reminds me of that old game. Launching April 28 on counters with the new Fashion Flower Collection (NOTE: it’s available now online), Boldblack will join the MAC permanent line. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
NAKED LUNCH EYESHADOW

What I wouldn’t give to learn the story behind the name of today’s MAC Unsung Hero, Naked Lunch ($14.50).

Was there really a lunch in which the attendees were naked (eww!)? If so, I wonder what was on the menu… I assume that soups and other hot foods were absent, as well as beans and cheeses that encourage, um, bloat.

I’m all for culinary adventures, but when it comes to my lunches, I think I’ll stick to wearing clothes and this powder shadow from MAC’s permanent line.

When I need something foolproof to wear with my favorite browns, I often reach for Naked Lunch. It casts a candlelit glow on my skin that ignores my fine lines, and it blends like a makeup dream. Read more…

I’M JUICED ABOUT THESE CHANEL
LES FLEURES D’ÉTÉ DE CHANEL GLOSSIMERS

Mango overload! Mango overload! Help! I have no idea what to do with the four ripe mangoes that have been sitting in my kitchen since Easter, all delicious-looking and filled with juice. Salsa? Marinade? A smoothie, perhaps?

Around this time every year, I get a craving for two things: 1) mangoes and 2) shimmery, sheer glosses like Pensée (a shimmery coral) and Pink Peony (a shimmer pink). And what do they all have in common? One word: juice.

The luscious, juicy glosses are two of the three Glossimers from this summer’s Les Fleurs D’Été de Chanel collection, and I think they look delicious on tanned skin. Delicious, yes, but not altogether surprising, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I, on the other hand, am a little surprised that Chanel chose to go such a traditional route with these when they repeatedly broke so much ground last year with products like the Khakis, Riva and this spring’s Ombres Perlees Palette. Read more…

A MANIC MANGO THURSDAY AND
MY NEW FOUNDATION ROUTINE

As a devoted fan of Laura Mercier Oil-Free Liquid Foundation for years, I was heartbroken to find that Laura changed the color of my go-to shade (NOOOO!). Or, rather, I’m fairly sure she did. I bought a bottle recently that seemed dramatically darker and pinker (is that a word?) than it always had before, so I checked other bottles at several counters just to be sure, and, yup, they were different too.

What a disappointment… It always covered everything, never caused breakouts, and has always been so easy to apply.

I drifted like that, crushed, in foundation no-man’s land for a while and returned to using my trusty Chanel Mat Lumiere, which I love for everyday wear, but I don’t feel like it photographs very well on me (I think it looks a little flat).

I also tried Make Up For Ever HD, which I think looks fantastic and photographs well, but hello, pimples!; and MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation (great coverage, but it smothers my skin) but wasn’t really wowed by either. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Rise and shine, pal o’ mine. Happy Easter. 🙂 You’re just in time for the big Easter egg hunt. The eggs are hidden all around, but you better hurry. Tabs got an early start this morning, and it looks like he’s already found at least two of the eggs in the yard.

Here’s your Easter basket. Yup, that one’s all yours. You can put your eggs right in there next to the Jelly Bellies, Cadbury Creme Eggs and Marshmallow Peeps.

Well, go on. Get a move on, and have fun! You don’t want Tabs finding all of the eggs.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THE $5 GOODY REVERSIBLE HEADBAND
MAKES FOR GOODY, CLEAN FUN

Maybe I’m just way too easily amused, but I can see myself having a lot of fun with these new Goody Reversible Headbands ($5).

These fabric wrapped headbands are double sided, so when you feel like switching up your look, all you have to do is move the fabric to reveal the other side. It’s like getting two headbands for the price of one.

One minute, I’m sitting in a crowded boardroom. “Pardon me, everyone,” I say, getting up from my seat. “I’ll be right back.” I walk out of the room and around the corner, reverse the headband, and then nonchalantly walk back to my seat. Hehe… Psyche!

As far as headbands go, it’s great. Comfy and doesn’t squeeze or hurt my brain. It’s really just a headband, though, except with the power of reversibility. It should come in handy when my bangs start to grow out. Read more…

HOW HOT IS THE $36 LORAC HOT OFF THE RED CARPET COLLECTION?
IT’S SO HOT THAT IT MADE SUMMER START EARLY

The LORAC Hot Off The Red Carpet Collection ($36) may not push the boundaries of summer makeup, but I’m okay with that. With plenty of metallic gold, teal, bronze and brown, products in the five-piece limited edition will look right at home this summer gracing makeup counters and tan, warm skin.

Two words: smokin’ hot. Hot, like Giselle working the Victoria’s Secret runway, or a shirtless Jakey Poo working an outdoor car wash.

The kit comes with four full-size pieces of makeup (two eyeshadow duos, a bronzer and lipgloss) and A cute golder-than-gold clutch.

I love where LORAC went with these finishes, in particular the powders. The eyeshadow duos and bronzer apply with sophisticated, fine shimmer that says, “Yes, I’m classy (with a ‘c’),” and they stop shy of crossing the line into obnoxiously frosty territory. Read more…

GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MAC COSMETICS PRODUCTION FACILITY
AND ESTÉE LAUDER COMPANIES CANADIAN INNOVATION CENTRE

Last week my adventures in Toronto led me and a group of fellow bloggers to the MAC production facility and Estée Lauder Companies Canadian Innovation Centre, where MAC and some of the other members of the ELC family create makeup magic. Both buildings are located right next to each other in the nearby city of Markham in Ontario, about an hour from Toronto.

The tour was only one of the reasons for my trip. I’ll share the others soon, but for now, help yourself to some steel-toe boot covers, safety glasses and a white lab coat — oh, and you’ll need to stow your jewelry in your purse — because where we’re heading, it’s safety first!

The inside of the production facility looks like a cross between a hospital and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory (sans the Oompa-Loompas). The scent of vanilla fills the air, and you find yourself looking for MAC Lipsticks around every corner. As luck would have it, they are around every corner here. Read more…

IS BARE MINERALS PRETTY AMAZING
LIPCOLOR, WELL, PRETTY AMAZING?

When makeup marketers name a product “Pretty Amazing,” they’re setting the bar high. I mean, what do they do if the product only ends up being mediocre? How do they answer their boss when she asks, “How did those new Pretty Amazing Lipcolors turn out?” Well, miss, I think they turned out…fine.

Ouch.

I have to admit, I had high expectations when I heard about the new Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolors line of hybrid liquid lipgloss/lipsticks ($16 each). I wondered if they’d make my eyes roll back in my head in ecstasy (I hope!). Would I find myself speaking in tongues?

Judging by their names, the eight new Lipcolors do have a certain swagger. There’s Bravado (a brick rose), Charisma (a coral pink), Ambition (a fuchsia), Courage (a warm strawberry), Fearless (a rosy mauve), Free Will (a pink nude; oddly, I keep wanting to call this one “Free Willy”), Moxie (a bright petal pink) and Strength (a vibrant red). Hot. I’ll call your positive messages, Bare Minerals, and raise you some power.

No, these aren’t lipglosses for wallflowers. They’re much stronger than that. These are like lipglosses on P90X — super thick and sticky with full-color coverage and subtle shine. Imagine the thick, sticky texture of a MAC Lipglass coupled with the uber-pigmented power of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams and BAM! — you’re Pretty Amazing. Read more…

NOW HERE’S A TIP: IT’S ATOP THE NEW
HOURGLASS SCRIPT PRECISION LIQUID LINER PEN
So tiny and cute! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a liquid liner tip as teeny as the one atop the new Hourglass Script Precision Liquid Liner pen ($32).

The pen’s extra fine 0.5mm nib would make drafting pens jealous. New for summer, it’s built for the ultimate in line drawing precision and lays down fine, thin lines along my lash line with very little skipping. It did, though, take me a couple of minutes of fiddling to find a good position to hold the pen, as the tip is shorter than most liquid liners and feels a little awkward in my hand.

Jett, the single color available, looks like a shiny grayish black with blue undertones on me.

If you and Jett hit it off, hang on to your receipt until you’re able to make sure your pen works because the first one I tried had problems. The tip had dried up and wouldn’t work at all. It might’ve been a fluke, but for $32 (expensive!), you definitely want one that works. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
RUSSIAN RED LIPGLASS

Heads turn so fast when MAC Russian Red Lipstick ($14.50) enters a room that some of them get whiplash.

The blue-based red, long a favorite of MAC fans (like moi!), lives in the permanent line, but she also guest stars from time to time in limited edition releases like the MAC Wonder Woman Collection as a repromote shade.

I’ve loved the color for years, but I didn’t always know she had a sister, super shiny, highly pigmented MAC Russian Red Lipglass ($14.50).

If any product deserves a share of the MAC Unsung Heroes spotlight, it’s Russian Red Lipglass — one of my go-to colors to pair with cat eyes. Just how red is it? Well, do you remember how red your cheeks got that time in gym class with the sit-ups (PROOOT!)? Yup, it’s even redder than that. Read more…

HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL! GOODY’S NEW
PEARLIZED SHELL HEADWRAP DELIVERS A LUXE LOOK FOR LESS

When it comes to hair accessories, I’m a gal of simple tastes. I’ll do black ponytail holders and Spin Pins; sometimes I’ll even rock a scrunchie around the house (hey, they’re comfortable), but Goody’s new slew of spring headgear has me rethinking my minimalist ways.

Their Modern Organica Collection, available now at Target, features a bevy of new barrettes, headbands, headwraps and clips with an earthy theme, some of which would probably be more expensive on the shelves of a department store.

This $7 Pearlized Shell Headwrap has a non-rigid elastic band with braided fabric and shell accents (like mother-of-pearl). It’s available in beige, brown and black.

For what it’s worth, the neutral brown one seems to go well with white, pink, beige, peach, orange and blue shirts… I have a feeling there won’t be an accompanying color it doesn’t like. Read more…

MAC FLIGHTY
PRODUCT PICS AND SWATCHES

Whatever Tabby wants, Tabby gets! That’s right, Tabs threatened to swipe the living crap out my ankles if I didn’t take product pictures and swatch the new MAC Flighty collection, ASAP (damn cat).

He’s especially excited about the new Big Bounce Shadows ($16.50), a line of whipped mousse cream eyeshadows with a fluffy texture and pearly finish that MAC’s adding to their permanent line.

The MAC Flighty collection bounces onto MAC counters May 5 in North America and June internationally. Read more…

I HAVE A BLUE CRUSH ON
THE NARS SUMMER 2011 COLLECTION

I wonder what prompted this 11-piece release. I can imagine François Nars, all tan and relaxed from a kick-ass beach vacay, dreaming up these playful colors because the teal, coral, citrus and cantaloupe fit the tropics to a (surf) T.

But there’s much more to the collection than that. An opaque white nail polish and warm, shimmery gold and silver metallics join the punchy, vibrant hues. By all appearances, someone had a blast this time around.

While the NARS Spring 2011 and Holiday 2010 collections reminded me of cocktail dresses, dainty heels and white wine spritzers at a bar in the Financial District downtown, this collection reminds me of a girl on vacation in Hawaii. She’s cruising around the island in a rented jeep with her surfboard in back. After catching a few waves, she stops by a beach bar, tucks a hibiscus behind her ear, and charms the bartender, who serves her free umbrella drinks all night long. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Yea! That was fun. I see you found some of the eggs. 🙂

El Hub and I are driving out to the East Bay to spend the day with my parents and brother. My dad’s birthday is coming up, so we’re also going to combine the festivities for that. Should be a lot of fun.

No matter what you’re doing or where you are, I hope you have a great day today. Tabs says hi!

Rise and shine, sleepy head. Good morning. 🙂 It’s another happy Sunday in Blogland.

What did you do last night? We stayed in and rented/Netflixed a pretty funny movie called Shades of Ray, starring Zachary Levi from Chuck. He plays a half-white, half-Pakistani man dealing with his mixed identity, the dating pool and his goofy, intrusive parents. It’s a lovable, refreshingly laid back story that could have taken itself too seriously but didn’t.

No big plans for me today. Maybe some froyo, a little TV, laundry and groceries. I would like to stop by Sephora this afternoon… I haven’t been all week, but it seems like a lot longer than that, LOL!

Before we bid adieu to the week, here’s one last look at some of the things we talked about in the worlds of makeup and beauty.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

READY, SET, GLOW! THE NEW URBAN DECAY
URBAN DEFENSE TINTED MOISTURIZERS WITH SPF 20

Dang, I like how my skin looks with this stuff on. As far as natural-looking finishes, the new Urban Decay Urban Defense Tinted Moisturizers with SPF 20 have got it on lock. Two layers applied with my fingers right after I cleanse and tone, and my skin looks fresh like morning dew (and not in a sequins and disco-ball sorta way).

I don’t usually think of subtle when I think of Urban Decay. The way these tinted moisturizers glow is so refined and quiet that I would have guessed they were from Bobbi or Laura. What a really nice surprise.

Just in time for warmer spring and summer weather, the new line comes in four shades: Halo (a sheer alabaster for fair skin tones), Bodyguard (a sheer nude for fair and medium skin tones), Bulletproof (a sheer sand for medium skin tones) and Forcefield (a sheer fawn for medium and dark skin tones). I think my tan NC35 skin falls somewhere between Bulletproof and Forcefield, so I’ve been mixing the two. Read more…

PACIFICA FRENCH LILAC BODY WASH
IS TURNING SHOWERS INTO GARDENS

Last month I put myself on Pacifica lockdown when I couldn’t find my toothbrush on the bathroom counter. Oh, I knew it was there, buried somewhere beneath a precarious pile of Pacifica Body Butters and Washes, but it took way too much time and shuffling around to find. Gah! “Is this what I’ve become?” I asked my reflection in the mirror.

Right then and there, I made myself a deal. No new bottles or tubes until I finished an old one.

Can I get a woot-woot for small beauty victories?

The embargo was finally lifted last week, so to speak, when I finished a tube of Malibu Lemon Blossom Body Butter, huzzah! It made room for this lovely bottle of Pacific French Lilac Body Wash ($10 for an 8-oz. bottle). Read more…

I’M GOING SLIM COGNITO TONIGHT WITH THE SPANX
MID-THIGH BODYSUIT SHAPER

Hark, what manner of slimming sorcery is this?? Its power is even greater than Nutella’s potent hazelnut hermetics!

Some say that Spanx are forged by magic, and I’m inclined to agree. Selkie’s have been singing the praises of this line of body slimming shape wear for years. There are several different pieces to choose from, but the Slim Cognito Mid-Thigh Bodysuit Shaper wins my personal wardrobe Nobel prize.

But first, a bit about my body. I try to be happy with mine, even though I’ve put on a few pounds over the past year. I’m healthy, after all, and everything works (knock on wood!), and in the grand scheme of things, that’s plenty good enough. Sometimes, though, I do miss being able to wear the cuts of clothing I was able to wear way back when I was thinner. Hence, Slim Cognito Spanx. Read more…

LOOK YOUR BEST EVERY DAY WITH THE
PIXI WEEK OF WAKEUP MAKEUP KIT

When I was a kid I had one of those sets of underwear with a different printed pair for every day of the week, and being the rebel that I was, I liked to wear the days out of order. Sometimes, I’d wear the Saturday pair on Wednesday, the Thursday pair on Monday — you get the idea.

I wonder if that’s why I feel compelled to wear the products in Pixi’s new Week of Wakeup Makeup ($34) out of order… The new palette contains 21 powder eyeshadows, 7 powder blushes and eight lip glosses sorted into groups for a different look every day of the week (like Underoos for makeup, LOL!).

Products in the Pixi makeup line, which was developed by makeup artist (and mum) Petra Strand, are designed to enhance natural beauty, so you won’t find any crazy colors here. Just plenty of neutrals in warm and cool shades — basically, tones to bring out a slightly more colorful version of yourself. Read more…

SWATCHES OF THE BENEFIT VELVET EYESHADOWS
AND THE SUMMER OF 2009

I was at the Benefit counter the other day picking up my umpteenth pot of Skinny Jeans, and while I was there I figured I may as well put my arms to good use by swatching the entire line of Velvet Eyeshadows.

These came out in the summer of 2009 — a truly great year for makeup — and I think they’re still some of the best things in the Benefit line. They’re silky and pigmented with a gorgeous, subtle sheen (like a very faint shine). And coupled with a good primer, they last all day long on my skin without creasing or fading.

I’m particularly fond of Where There’s Smoke (looks FANTASTIC atop Skinny Jeans), Nice Melons (love this for that wide awake look) and Fancy Pansy (gorgeous! — flashes from pink to purple to blue), but I like just about every shade in the line. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
VEX EYESHADOW

Wow. I just realized that my love affair with MAC Vex Eyeshadow ($14.50) has spanned almost 10 years… And you know what? I love it as much today as I did the first day we met — the first time I swiped this duo-chrome powder shadow on the back of my hand.

Vex can be vexing hiding in its pan like a boring blah gray, but it comes to life when it touches skin, gracing it with a really pretty glow. A beige with greenish pink pearl and a frosty finish, it flashes pink from some angles and green from others — almost like crushed pearls under a bright light. I think of it as the MAC Strobe Cream of the eyeshadow world.

When I first got Vex(ed), it was to wear it with smokey eyes, and I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve used it for that (usually with MAC Soft Brown, Print and Brule).

But smokey eyes aren’t the only ways I’ve worn Vex. I also love it dressed down. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
BLUSHBABY BLUSH

Like many romances, this one starts with a dramatic hook: “It was a dark and stormy night…”

Okay, well, it could have been a humid afternoon, but that just doesn’t sound as good.

One fateful night about 10 years ago I stopped by a MAC counter to get a new tube of MAC Spite. One of the artists there suggested I pick up something else to go along with it, a sheer beige and pink powder blush called Blushbaby ($19.50).

Was she kidding?, I wondered, crinkling my brow. This? It didn’t look like much in the pan, just a basic pinkish beige powder, but the artist whipped out her brush, spoke some magic words (not really), and that was that. One look in the mirror and I said, “Sold!”

Before Blushbaby, I never really thought much of blush. I used to think it made me look like a tiny brown clown, but Blushbaby changed all that. Now, I’m unabashedly pro-blush — a blush ho, if you will (LOL!). Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
SYRUP LIPSTICK

Sweet! Every time I wear syrup, strangers stop to ask me what it is. Wait — that didn’t come out right. No, not corn syrup or maple syrup, although those are also great. I’m referring to pretty pink MAC Syrup ($14.50), a permanent member of the MAC Lustre Lipstick line.

Described as a cloudy pink on the MAC website, this hydrating, cool-toned lippie hides a hint of purple behind its shiny finish. I dig the way it looks, but my lips love the way it feels — not too thick nor thin. And it’s a great value, too, thanks to its versatility. It looks great with everything from dramatic smokey eyes to conservative everyday looks. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Why do they call it a cold front when it’s the back of my legs that always feel the coldest?

Rise and shine, young lady. 🙂 Brrrr! It’s cold in here. There must be some Toros…or, yup, I forgot to turn up the heater before bed.

Did you do anything fun last night? El Hub and I went to see Hanna. Stylistically, I loved it — loved the camerawork, the settings (parts of North Africa, Spain, Eastern Europe, the Arctic), techno-ish music and the characters/caricatures — but the story kinda meandered for me around the middle, like the writers couldn’t decide where they wanted it to go. I still enjoyed it, though. A little like My Girl meets The Bourne Identity with a strong European flair. I love the super spy genre almost no matter what, and it didn’t disappoint.

As for the worlds of makeup and beauty, what did you think about this week? Did any new products or discoveries rock your world? I was probably moved more by accessories, services (Nordstrom personal stylist) and beauty tools (Becca Professional Brush Soap) than by makeup, which happens from time to time.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

BENEFIT CHACHATINT
THERE’S A NEW TINT IN TOWN

Benefit’s Benetint and Posietint are getting a sassy little sister! ChaChaTint ($29), the newest kid on the Benefit lip and cheek stain block, doesn’t dance across counters until June 1, but here’s a sneak peek at this coral cutie.

ChaChaTint looks quite bold unblended, but rubbed into my cheeks it delivers a light mango flush with just a hint of shine (less than a shimmer).

On the lips, it’s a different story, one worthy of CAPS and exclamations!! When I paint a layer on my pucker and just leave it there to dry, the color totally POPS! I think I might try adding a layer of Benefit Ultra Shine Spiked Punch Lip Gloss or perhaps a little MAC Viva Glam Cyndi on top (just for fun). Read more…

STEP UP YOUR STYLE GAME
WITH A NORDSTROM PERSONAL STYLIST

Oh! I wanted to tell you how my appointment with the Nordstrom personal stylist went yesterday. Before I met with Rob, the stylist at my nearby Nordstrom in Corte Madera, California, I told him over the phone what I hoped to achieve. Among other style suggestions, I wanted a cute, fashion-forward, age-appropriate spring dress to hide my tum and minimize my bum.

The whole personal stylist experience was very cool, kinda like being on one of those makeover shows, except you don’t bring home the clothes for free (dang!).

Rob usually asks clients to start the styling process by getting fitted for a bra, so when I arrived at the store I headed over to Rachel in the lingerie department. She took care of the fitting for me and also introduced me to the preternatural power of Spanx (OMG! Review coming soon!). Read more…

JOUER CREME EYESHADOW IN ORGANZA
TAKES YOU STRAIGHT TO THE TAUPE

Did you feel that?? That little shiver in your loins when you laid eyes on Jouer Creme Eyeshadow in Organza? That, my friend, is what I like to call a taupe-gasm. It’s not an official word (yet), and you won’t find it in Webster’s, but it’s only a matter of time before the verbal powers-that-be enter it officially…like they did with ginormous.

They occur when when taupes hit you with a BANG! — which is exactly what went down the first time I put this creamy, $20 lavender taupe shadow on my eyes.

When I have it on I feel like my peepers shine in a way that says, “Booyah, b*tches, I got eight solid hours of sleep last night!” I think it’s the subtle sheen in the pigmented formula that does the trick. It adds just the right touch of glow without looking too glittery or frosty. Read more…

BURBERRY BEAUTY SPRING / SUMMER 2011
EASY ELEGANCE THAT GOES WELL WITH ALMOST ANYTHING

To say one merely “walks down the street” in her signature Burberry trench coat doesn’t do justice to the coat. Walk? Nay. Ladies strut in Burberry. Both in their coats and in beauty products from the Burberry Beauty brand. Like Burberry’s coats, pieces in the makeup line exude elegance with a timeless ease that wears well with pretty much anything.

Despite not having been on the makeup scene long (less than a year!), with only a couple of seasonal collections under their check pattern belt, the company has done a good job bringing their luxuriously unfussy sensibility to the products I’ve seen.

With their Spring/Summer 2011 release, an 11-piece collection of limited edition and repromoted products for eyes, lips and cheeks, Burberry sought to channel the same effortless look they like to send down the Burberry runway. Sculpted cheeks softly glow in pink, rose and tangerine; rosy nude lips blow kisses; and eyes, softly defined with powder shadows in beige, rose and brown, charm unsuspecting passersby. Read more…

ROLLING WITH THE HOT PINK FROM THE
NEW URBAN DECAY ROLLERGIRL PALETTE

The year was 1985. Doc Brown and Marty McFly had just gone Back to the Future (for the first time)! I was just a wee lass then, spinning her wheels every Saturday afternoon at the roller rink, which was THE place to go in my small suburban town. One of the moms would drive us in something called a “station wagon,” a kind of prehistoric car forced into extinction by the much larger and faster minivan.

At the rink, we’d spend hours skating in circles to Madonna and Huey Lewis tunes beneath multi-colored disco lights in our stinky, rented skates…

Yup, there are some things I wish I could forget about the ’80s (hello, high bangs and side wings!), but the roller rink is not one of them.

I always felt bad for the one kid clinging for dear life to the side rails. I couldn’t do any fancy tricks, and never quite mastered the art of breaking/stopping (my method involved running into a wall), but I was fast. I’d fly around the rink, zipping between the taller skaters, only sometimes body checking the slower moving targets. Read more…

BECCA PROFESSIONAL BRUSH SOAP
IS THE BEST MAKEUP BRUSH CLEANSER I’VE EVER USED — BAR NONE

When it comes to some tasks, time ceases to exist in a measurable way. For all intents and purposes, these tasks have neither a beginning nor an end. They simply last forever…

Brushing cat hair from my clothes (Tabs sheds like cray-cray!), scraping the last bits of Nutella from a mostly (but never entirely) empty jar, groping around the house for misplaced eyeglasses, washing makeup brushes…

That last one, in particular, is the bane of my existence. Because I paint my mug a lot, and sometimes a few times a day, I leave dozens of dirty brushes in my wake.

I was going through a $12 bottle of MAC Brush Cleanser every couple of months until the day I tried Aussie Opposites Attract. It worked as well as the MAC cleaner yet cost just $3.

I love saving scrilla (who doesn’t?), but Becca’s $15 Professional Brush Soap has me reconsidering that. After using it for the past two weeks, dayum! — makeup cleansing greatness. Read more…

SOFT, TOUCHABLE VOLUME WITH
$3 SUAVE TOUCHABLE FINISH HAIRSPRAY

Can I just say that I’ve been having a serious Suave moment lately? I tried their Dry Shampoo a couple weeks ago and was blown away by how well it worked — and not just because it’s $3.

Turns out their new Touchable Finish Hairspray is another $3 gem. An aerosol hairspray designed to add light hold without weighing hair down, it’s designed to compete with Sebastian Zero Gravity Hairspray, which costs about $10 more.

I’ve never tried Sebastian’s version before, but now that I’ve found this one, I may not have to.

When I apply Touchable Finish before and after using my curling iron to style my hair, I’m shocked by how soft, bouncy and voluminous my curls look.

I like the light citrus scent and the fact that it dries so quickly (takes about a minute). Suave says the product’s anhydrous formula (which means it doesn’t contain water) accelerates drying time. Read more…

PICKING THE PERFECT
URBAN DECAY BAKED BRONZER

Urban Decay’s three new Baked Bronzers for Face and Body ($26 each) probably won’t satisfy the Oompa-Loompas or Snookies of the world. Able to be worn wet or dry on the face, eyes, lips and body, the faux tan these powder bronzers bring doesn’t look as orange that.

But if you’re interested yet unsure which Baked Bronzer to snag, Urban Decay International Makeup Artist Eric Jimenez suggests following these steps:

1. Decide on a level of color and coverage. These Baked Bronzers come in three different levels of color. The lightest is Gilded, Baked is the medium, and Toasted is the darkest shade. Each also varies in terms of coverage, with Gilded offering the least, and Toasted delivering more of a full-coverage look.

2. Do you want to shimmer or matte? If you plan to wear them on your face, Eric suggests going with the finish that best suits the condition of your skin. If you have great, practically flawless skin, consider either Gilded, which has a shimmery golden finish, or Baked, which has a shimmery silver finish. (NOTE: The “veins” of shimmer in these new Baked Bronzers are not spray overlays; they penetrate all the way through the entire pan). Read more…

GET GUILT-FREE CHOCOLATE WITH THE
NEW TOO FACED THE BRONZED & THE BEAUTIFUL FRENCH RIVIERA KIT

Yes, that would be me standing in the middle of Sephora sniffing the new Too Faced The Bronzed & The Beautiful French Riviera Edition Kit ($38) like a weirdo.

The new limited edition summer set comes with a bevy of bronzing treats to get your skin tanned and highlighted just right. You get three bestselling Too Faced powder bronzers, an exclusive golden highlighter, a face primer and three step-by-step bronzing tutorial cards.

Just thinking about the pan of Chocolate Soleil bronzer, by far my favorite thing in the kit, makes my tummy rumble… IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE TOO! Chocolate Rice Krispies, to be precise. A smooth, matte pure brown without orange undertones, it’s a combination that can be hard to find. It’s so brown, in fact, that if I’m not careful and go overboard with it, it can look muddy on me. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

If you liked 12 Monkeys, Groundhog Day and Moon, don’t miss Source Code. For serious! I was hooked from the opening credits. The movie opens with some incredible swooping overhead shots of daytime Chicago looking bigger and brighter than I ever thought it did and then zooms in on a man yanked awake from a restless sleep on a commuter train. The man knows himself as an Army helicopter pilot who an instant ago had been flying a combat mission over Afghanistan, and now, as if somehow teleported from thousands of miles away, he finds himself where? On a train? Who are these people? WTF? GREAT. SCI. FI. FLICK.

How about you? What have you been up to this weekend? I hope you’re doing something fun.

Last week took a lot out of me, and if it wasn’t for the Becca Halcyon Days Palette and China Glaze Island Escape collection, I might not have made it through… Okay, that’s being overly dramatic, but you get the idea.

This is unrelated, and I hadn’t thought of it like this before, but doesn’t it seem like the prices of Target’s makeup and beauty products have been trending upward lately? Wait — not only at Target. I haven’t done the math yet, but it seems like after a brief downward price trend, makeup prices everywhere are again heading up. Where we were seeing some great value kits and palettes from beauty brands late last year, now we’re seeing a return to the $45-65 range, especially for department store kits and palettes.

I hope I’m wrong… Maybe I’m just attributing too much to Jemma Kidd’s recent higher-priced products.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THE BECCA HALCYON DAYS PALETTE SOFTLY SHIMMERS
LIKE SUNSET AT AN EXPENSIVE BEACH RESORT

When I opened the new Becca Halcyon Days Palette ($65), sunbeams shot out of the pans directly into my gold, bronze and coral-lovin’ heart. BAM! This palette is almost everything I could ever want from summer makeup. Just thinking about it fills the air with the scent of sunscreen, my mouth with the taste of orange Creamsicles, and my ears with the sound of surf pounding on a beach.

Take unseasonably warm weather like we’re having here in the Bay Area this week (this, after last week’s downpours and freeze-your-butt-bones weather), add Halcyon Days, and you get one happy Karen. 🙂

Here, let me show you! Grab my virtual hand because the journey to summer, summer, summertime is just a hop, skip and a Becca palette away. Read more…

STRIKE A POSE (THERE’S NOTHING TO IT)
WITH JK JEMMA KIDD IN VOGUE PERFECT BLUSH

Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it, strike a pose, there’s nothing to it —

Aw, man! It was only after I took these pictures that I put two and two together. I should have done Vogue poses for these pics! Oh, well… Next time.

Have I ever told you about the time my friend Cindy and I went to Madonna Night at a club in San Francisco? Yep, the DJ played Madge hits all night long. It was awesome! — except for one thing, and that thing had nothing to do with the music and everything to do with my height.

I’m a little shorty, and every time the DJ played Vogue, which he did several times, I spent the entire song dodging sharp Vogue elbows to my temples and long arms to my face. I left the club happy that night, but I looked like a to’ up rag doll with a mild concussion. Read more…

I’M BRINGING JELLY BEANS
TO MY CHINA GLAZE ISLAND ESCAPE

With a name like Island Escape, China Glaze’s new nail polish collection could be about bright, tropical colors, but the sugar fiend in me can’t help but see jelly beans in these bottles.

The six-piece summer collection (about $5 per bottle) features a rainbow of tropical candy colors — four shimmers (108 Degrees, Cha Cha Cha, Senorita Bonita and Blue Iguana), which require two coats to reach full opacity, and two creams (Papaya Punch and Electric Pineapple), which take three.

If you were wondering, yes, I did eat these jelly beans, starting with the popcorn ones first (they’re my fave!).

I’ve had excellent luck with China Glaze polishes over the years; they’re some of the sturdiest and most chip-resistant polishes I’ve tried. They get the texture and consistency just right — it’s not too thick nor thin — and they don’t skimp on the pigment. Read more…

THE JEMMA KIDD GLITTERATI SHADOW DUST DUO
COLLECTION IS CONSPIRING AGAINST BOREDOM

In Dan Brown’s new book, a secret society of cream shadow enthusiasts plots to overthrow the government from a network of hidden catacombs beneath the country’s largest Target store. At the heart of this cosmetics conspiracy — the JK Glitterati Shadow Dust Duo Collection.

Angels & Demons was only the beginning! Where the Illuminati failed, the Glitterati succeed by appealing to lazy ladies who love shimmery cream shadows. Each of the three $18 duos in the collection has two ends. On one, a cream shadow with a doe-foot applicator; on the other, a loose powder shadow with a roller ball.

Despite being expensive for a drugstore makeup product, the flexible, long-wearing duos quickly spread to Target’s many stores nationwide…

It’s quite a page-turner. 🙂 Read more…

MIGHT AS WELL FACE IT I’M ADDICTED TO DIOR
THE NEW DIOR ADDICT LIPSTICK

Alright, did someone sneak in a second Monday today? Yeesh! I had a tough Tuesday, ladies. Couldn’t focus worth squat. I felt like a cat in a thunder storm — perpetually on edge and ready to freak out. The only headway I made all day was with these newly reformulated Dior Addict lipsticks ($28 each). I say headway because I actually tried them on my lips.

Dior refers to these as iconic, a gutsy claim if we were talking about a different company, but Dior gets a pass from me for marketing speak like that. That’s how much I like the brand. Their corny tagline, on the other hand, I think I’ll gently tease: “A declaration of love between beauty and style, color and couture, and Dior and its addicts.” Come on, guys. You can do better than that. 🙂

I counted 44 shades on their website and tried three of them today. The new formula seems slightly thicker and more pigmented to me than the old one did. I could wax philosophic about how hydrating and extraordinarily shiny these heavenly bobbins are, but wax is one thing these lipsticks don’t do. Well, they do, but they do it less than usual, which is to say that they’re made with 25% less wax than classic lipsticks are. Read more…

WHAT’S THE STORY MORNING GLORY?
THE TALE BEHIND BARE ESCENTUALS BE CARES SWEET SMILE EYECOLOR

One thing I’ve always liked about makeup is the story behind the product, and how when you see a piece of makeup, you’re not just looking at a lipstick or an eyeshadow. Sometimes, you’re also seeing someone’s hopes and dreams.

Who was that someone at Bare Escentuals who, when they first saw the opalescent purplish grey that would later become limited edition BE Cares Sweet Smile eyeshadow, thought they would release the color to honor Jessica, one of their customers, and her sister, who underwent 24 operations to correct a cleft palate?

I’ve been wearing Sweet Smile as a light wash over my lids this week for a hint of color and blue sparkle that don’t look too overdone. The color isn’t incredibly pigmented, but applying it with a wet brush helps (makes it more intense). Read more…

SONIA KASHUK’S NEW SPRING 2011 NAIL COLOURS
HAVE A FORMULA THAT’S RIGHT ON TARGET
If Sonia Kashuk’s new Nail Colours were any easier to apply, they’d be called Nail Polish for Dummies — or, in my case, Nail Polish for the HELLA Sleep Deprived.

I barely slept at all last night, which, as you can probably imagine, isn’t conducive to good decision making. For reasons I won’t even try to understand, I decided to do some swatching this morning…at 3 a.m. (aka the witching hour). Yes, I know. Crazy, right? Well, I was awake, and it just seemed like a good idea at the time. Despite the ridiculous hour and this little thing called “poor hand-eye coordination,” Sonia’s polishes still did a remarkable job.

I tried three of the four new colors released for spring — khaki green Fatigued, creamy purple Violetta and bright reddish coral Tutti Frutti. I also really wanted to try the fourth shade, hot pink Jammin, but I haven’t been able to track it down. Like another one of Sonia’s popular products, her Flat Top Brush, it’s always sold out at the store. Read more…

THIERRY MUGLER MAKEUP, COMIC SANS AND
FASHION DON’TS FOR DUDES

Hey, friend. How’s Wednesday treating you? Sorry if it seems like I haven’t been around as much as usual, especially in the comments, but I’ve been a little out of sorts. It started with a bad case of writer’s block yesterday, which I think I’m still recovering from. I feel much better today, but it still wore me out.

I feel selfish complaining with everything going on in the world, but who else can I tell if not you? Unless it involves gravy, Tabs isn’t concerned.

Even though I haven’t been able to express myself, I’ve been dying to tell you about some of the weird things that have crossed my path lately, like…

Comic Sans! You know how much I like typography, right, and can’t stand Comic Sans? Well, for some reason, I’ve been getting almost one e-mail per day written ENTIRELY in Comic Sans. Like, paragraph after paragraph of bold 18-pt Comic Sans, usually in violet, orange or pink. 🙂 I kid you not! The universe is having a free-for-all font field day at little old moi’s expense. It makes me want to laugh and barf at the very same time. Read more…

THE URBAN DECAY ROLLERGIRL NAIL KIT
MAKES THE CLAWS COME OUT

Sometimes I wonder if Tabs has lost his ability to connect with felines and humans outside of the digital world. Since getting his iPhone, he communicates more and more of his requests demands via text, like this one from yesterday: Woman, you need to swatch the Urban Decay Rollergirl Nail Kit ASAP or suffer the consequences. Don’t make me take my claws out!

I haven’t worn them long enough to gauge wear time yet, but so far I like the colors and formula. They apply smoothly with nary a streak, and two coats deliver full, opaque coverage.

Roller girls, roller boys and makeup-loving tabby cats, this $28 limited edition summer kit of six minis skates onto counters soon. See anything you like? Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Rise and shine — yikes! It’s quarter to ten already? How’d that happen?

Well, good late morning anyway. 🙂 I started snapping pictures of Tabs after breakfast, and it appears that time has gotten away from me.

How’s your weekend been so far? I can’t recall having done anything spectacular with mine yet, but I did swing by a Barnes & Noble last night after dinner to read some magazines. That’s always fun. And I almost bought copies of the new French and Japanese versions of Vogue, but they were about $15 each (!) and shrink-wrapped, so I passed.

I know this isn’t beauty related, but I’m heartbroken about the Borders bankruptcy and bookstore closings announced here in the U.S. I found out this week that our store here in Marin is one of the ones on the chopping block. Dang, whenever a bookstore closes, I think a piece of the community it was in dies a little bit.

Of course, I’m guilty of contributing to its demise because I would often browse the store, only to leave and buy the books I found interesting from Amazon.com for less. But what can you do, right? Amazon was often 30-40% less expensive. That’s too significant a difference for me to overlook, even in support of something I really like.

Oh, well. C’est la vie…

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THE SONIA KASHUK BEAUTIFUL BERRIES LIP QUAD
IS A DRUGSTORE MYRRH-ACLE

If you’re in the mood for a weekend drugstore splurge/reward, what do ya think of Sonia Kashuk’s new Beautiful Berries Lip Quad ($12.99)?

It’s one of three in SK’s new spring collection, and it looks like a perfect pick-me-up to me.

The pigmented colors and sleek packaging first caught my eye — so cute, right? — but the interesting ingredients sealed the deal. Sonia added myrrh resin extract to supposedly reduce the signs of aging and the depth of wrinkles, and antioxidant-rich pomegranate fruit sterols to moisturize and protect against environmental damage (the juice has been shown to be good for the heart, so there may actually be some real benefits to its use here). Read more…

SUAVE SAYS THEIR $3 DRY SHAMPOO
WORKS AS WELL AS $24 RENE FURTERER

I’ve been wearing my normally wavy hair straight lately and waiting a few days between washes to extend the life of my blowouts. To prevent my scalp from getting too funky with excess oil, I’ve been reaching for Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo, my fave dry shampoo, which also gives my roots a nice lift.

The problem: Naturia costs $24.

Ouch! Time to find a less expensive alternative…

And maybe I have. Suave Professional Dry Shampoo refreshes hair “as well as Rene Furterer” — at least that’s what it says on the side of the bottle. 🙂

Not even considering the fact that it only costs $3 (compared to $24?), the stuff is pretty good. Then when you DO consider the price, it’s downright amazing! First, there’s how fast it works. Read more…

THE SMASHBOX SULTRY/SWEET GLAMBOX TAKES
THE GUESSWORK OUT OF LOOKING GOOD

By the time I finished folding my laundry last weekend, there was a stack of 10 surf tees sitting on the bed. I don’t know when or how it happened, but it’s official — I have the wardrobe of a tween surfer boy.

It’s not that I wouldn’t like to wear other things. I just don’t like to spend the time and energy (read: I’m too lazy) it takes to put together comprehensive, fashion-forward looks. What I need is a wardrobe correction kit, a single set of pieces designed to create comprehensive looks, like a wardrobe version of the Smashbox Sultry/Sweet Glambox ($68). Read more…

LIKE SNICKERS, BITE BEAUTY DEFINE & REFINE
LIP SET REALLY SATISFIES

Sometimes you just need a quick snack to quiet the rumbling in your tummy, ya know? Not a full-on meal. Just a quick snack, like when Vampire Bill takes a sip from Sookie (Ha! I almost typed “Snookie”) while they’re “having relations.”

In a way, Bite Beauty’s new Define & Refine Lip Set ($36) is like a quick snack. You get to taste three full-size Bite lip products without having to pay full price. Purchased separately, they’d cost $68, or almost twice the price of the set.

I think Bite did a pretty good job picking the colors for this set. These are shades that should work well on a wide range of skin tones, and the overall quality, pigment and price make it a pretty great deal. If I could only recommend one thing from the Bite line so far, without a doubt, this would be it. Read more…

YOU’LL MARBLE AT MILANI’S
BAKED EYESHADOW COLLECTION

Remember when the first baked eyeshadows emerged hot and fresh out the beauty ovens way, way back in 2008? The big department store lines were popping them out faster than you can say, “I’ll take two red velvet cupcakes with extra frosting on the side.”

Three years later, the trend lives on! Budget versions of these sturdy baked beauties, which tend to resist water a little better than traditional shadows, have now made their way into drugstore makeup aisles.

And some of them work just as well as their pricier department store cousins. Take Milani’s Marbleized Baked Eyeshadows ($7.49 each), for instance. Read more…

MAC QUITE CUTE IS…
OH, THAT’S TOO OBVIOUS.

I wish I could hop into a time-traveling Delorean with the upcoming MAC Quite Cute collection and zoom back to 1984 (to when I was in 4th grade). Even though I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup back then, I would have done flips for these pastel treats for cheeks, nails, lips and eyes.

When I was a kid, I was crazy for anything and everything pastel. My favorite colors were mint green, lavender, peach and/or baby pink (not necessarily in that order). The colors of the MAC Quite Cute collection would have driven my 9-year-old self into fits! I probably would have locked myself in my room with it, loaded Duran Duran’s Notorious tape into my mint green Casio portable radio and danced around my purple painted room like an ’80s fairy princess.

Now in my thirties, I still have a deep and abiding love for pastels, and I felt the same familiar flutter in my tummy today when I saw Quite Cute up close for the very first time. Read more…

THE GLITTER IN MAKE UP FOR EVER’S NEW HIGHLIGHTERS
MAKES ME WANT TO STAY UPLIGHT

Rarely does my bizarre memory for cheesy pop music lyrics come in as handy as it did today. While marveling at the explosion of pigment and glitter on my cheeks from two of the eight new Make Up For Ever Uplight ($28) highlighters, I sang along to a MUFE version of Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl.

“Uplight girl! She’s been living in her uplight world!”

Okay, so I’m way too easily amused. But I do think these multitasking, oil-free illuminators are well worth singing about. Maybe because they’re mostly water (70%), these gel highlighters feel almost weightless, and it’s like they melt right into my skin.

NARS released a similar product earlier this spring called the Illuminators. While I think both those and these are great, MUFE gave the Uplights a fluffier, airier texture that I find easier to blend. And from the colors I’ve seen so far, the Uplights also appear to pack much more pigment. For a subtle tint, I might opt for a NARS Illuminator, but I’d reach for an Uplight if I wanted bolder colors with intense glitter and shine. Read more…

SPRING’S AWAKENING WITH SONIA KASHUK’S
LATEST LIMITED EDITION MAKEUP PALETTE

Now that it’s spring here in the northern hemisphere, Tabs has been getting up early to perch up high on his cat tower by the windows and watch the birds outside.

On our walk around the neighborhood today, we saw that the branches of one of our favorite trees, which sits at the bottom of our hill, are now dressed in coat of beautiful pink blooms.

My spring allergies are already kicking in (thank goodness for Zyrtec!), but I wouldn’t trade this time of year for anything. Early spring is like getting a post card from a friend who’s coming to visit. You know there’s something fun right around the corner, but you’re not quite there yet. You know that if if you can be patient a little longer, the fun will start soon enough. Read more…

MAC BRONZE EVERYDAY COLLECTION
THE SUN NEVER SETS WHEN IT’S MAC BRONZE EVERYDAY

Well look who’s just in time for sundresses. 🙂 Hey there, MAC. Wait — let me bare my shoulders before we go outside…

Come April 7, babes, the bronze will be on — North American MAC counters, that is (internationally some time in April). That’s when the new MAC Bronze Everyday collection beams down.

The release features a mix of old and new MAC bronzing items for face and body. Expect to see repromoted favorites like the Skinsheen Leg Sprays and Lustre Drops alongside new products like Mineralize Skinfinish Natural and the Mineralize Skinfinish Bronzing Powders.

If you miss the release, don’t despair. MAC plans to add everything here to their permanent line. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

If you just found out you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d do?

Good mornin’, lovely! I don’t know why I thought of that question now, but it’s one I ask myself every so often, the old, “What if I won the lottery?” thing. I think it’s fun to daydream and let the mind wander, ya know? Fo’ reals, the entertainment value I get from a $1 lottery ticket is well worth the price, even though the odds of actually winning are a zillion to one.

Okay, but let’s set some ground rules… Say you’ve just discovered that you’ve won, but you won’t receive the money for about a month (lottery processing time). What do you do first? Do you flip out and start screaming at the top of your lungs? Do you tell your friends and family right away? Do you ask them not to tell anyone else? Do you call an attorney or an accountant first? Which area of law specializes in not being a complete doofus with lottery winnings? Is it safe to talk about it over the phone? Could someone be listening? Do you go to work tomorrow, and if you do, do you tell your coworkers? LOL!

I’d tell El Hub first, but after that I don’t know what I’d do. I keep thinking that “With great power comes great responsibility.” So true, Uncle Ben… So true…

In other news, I’m in mad lurve with the products in the new Jouer Glisten Up collection (what I’m wearing in the picture at the top), especially the Brightening Powder. I haven’t been this excited about something since, well, two paragraphs ago. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

EYE LOVE YOU TOO, JOSIE MARAN
THE JOSIE MARAN EYE LOVE YOU TOO EYESHADOW PALETTE IN ACTION

When I looked out my window this morning, I saw a hopeful reminder that spring is right around the corner. The oak trees outside, which had been nothing but scrawny twigs and branches for months, have sprouted new leaves!

It’s nice to know that even though it’s wet and gloomy outside, the trees are still paying attention to the calendar.

Doesn’t the outside scene above almost look like it could have been painted with the browns and greens in Josie Maran’s new limited edition Eye Love You Too Argan Eyeshadow Palette ($42)? I reviewed it a while back, but I thought you might like to see it in action. Read more…

BITE BEAUTY VITAMIN GEL TASTES
SO GOOD I HAD TO HAVE SECONDS

Three words: Botan Rice Candy.

If you know what I’m talking about, don’t you just love the edible rice paper wrapper? YUM! I ate tons of those chewy, lemon-orange flavored candies as a kid. My mom would always let me put one pack in the cart whenever we’d go grocery shopping.

I hadn’t thought about them in years until the other day when I slipped a layer of new Bite Beauty Vitamin Gel in Pink Grapefruit ($18) on my lips.

It’s one of five vitamin-enriched flavors in Bite’s new line of moisturizing, non-sticky lip treatments, and I think it tastes EXACTLY like Botan Rice Candy (but not like grapefruit), om nom nom! Read more…

GLISTEN CLOSELY, BECAUSE JOUER HAS
SOMETHING SHIMMERY TO SAY: THE JOUER GLISTEN UP COLLECTION FOR SPRING 2011

My brain perceives sparkly makeup and ice cream (BASKIN-ROBBINS!) in similar ways. When I see either of them behind their respective counters, I do a lot of ooh-ing and aah-ing with grabby fingers in the air. Most of the time I can barely speak at all, with the only sentence I’m able to utter consisting of the words, “I want!”

That’s what glitter can do to ya. It’s powerful stuff — especially good glitter, like the kind in Jouer’s new Glisten Up collection for spring.

Like good-looking, well-mannered men who also happen to be a little short, good glitter is small, fine and sophisticated (Ben McKenzie in a suit). It’s glitter for grownups. Picture the kind of glitter Snooki would wear, swing the pendulum in the opposite direction, and BAM! That’s good glitter (sorry, Snooks!). Read more…

WITH JOSIE MARAN ARGAN BLEND CONCEALER
TWO SHADES ARE BETTER THAN ONE

Sometimes I feel like I deserve to win the gold medal…for dark circles. The little purple half moons beneath my eyes are like the Michael Phelps-es of the dark circle world. They’re overachievers. I’m serious. They’re very good at what they do.

MAC Pro Longwear can’t defeat them outright, but it has slowed them down. It’s been my jam for the past few months, but I’ve been wanting to find a cruelty-free option, which is why I was hoping the new Josie Maran Argan Blend Concealer ($28) would rock my world.

This creamy new concealer comes in three colors — light, medium and dark. I have the medium one, which goes by the name Suede. It’s a pretty good fit for my tan skin (I’m an NC35 in MAC foundation).

The compact actually comes with two products — a salmon shade and a darker yellow-based beige. I’ve been applying a layer of the salmon shade first, which acts like a color corrector, canceling out most of the purple in my circles (like a color corrector), and then add the yellow-based concealer on top. Read more…

FROM STONEHENGE TO QVC: THE TARTE
8TH WORLD WONDER KIT

The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympus and now Tarte. Someone wake up Herodotus. It’s time to add one more to his Seven Wonders of the World, and this one’s a QVC exclusive.

Tarte continues to sizzle this spring. Their recently released $53 limited edition 8th World Wonder Kit comes with some Tarte colors you can’t find anywhere else, like Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten.

In the kit, Glisten joins six other pieces for eyes, lips, face and cheeks, all in a cute purple clutch purse. I’m not crazy about PureOptic gloss, but I still think this is a lovely kit. I do wish that Tarte had thrown in a LipSurgence instead. Even so, I think the kit’s a pretty good deal for $53. The full-size products work out to about $6.60 apiece (including the clutch). Read more…

I FEEL LIKE I’M REPEATING MYSELF BECAUSE
I KEEP SAYING YES TO CARROTS PAMPERING CONDITIONER

If you’re ever looking for cheap entertainment on a Friday night, Target is THE PLACE to go. I’m only half kidding, too. I stopped by last Friday around 9:30ish to satisfy a craving for Power C Vitamin Water, and the store was hoppin’!

People buy some weird sh*t in the middle of the night, LOL! Like Vitamin Waters. I spent more time people watching than actually shopping.

But I did swing by the beauty aisles; I picked up this bottle of Yes To Carrots Pampering Conditioner for Normal to Dry Hair ($8) on a whim.

Like their Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner (SO GOOD!), this one is also free of petroleum products, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), paraben and silicones. At the same time, it’s cruelty-free and 99.8% natural, made with minerals, the company says, that were collected from the Dead Sea, as well as other cool stuff like carrot seed oil and honey. It’s a very diverse group of mostly natural ingredients. Read more…

AREN’T THE NEW ROUGE G DE GUERLAIN
SERIE NOIRE LIPSTICK COMPACTS SERIE-OUSLY CUTE?

The Serie Noire lipsticks themselves shine much like the lippies from Guerlain’s original Rouge G line do, but I think they’re sheerer and not quite as opaque. They do layer well, though, so if you crave more pigment from them, you could always add a layer or two.

Also like the O.G. Rouge G’s, they feel smooth on my lips, but I think they’re lighter and not quite as dense. They remind me of the lipstick/gloss hybrids that have been cropping up over the past few years (like the JK Jemma Kidd Hi-Shine Gloss Sticks and the discontinued MAC Slimshines).

Guerlain gave them something they call “precious ruby powder,” or “PRECIOUS RUBY POWDER!!!” LOL! I think it just looks better in all caps. 🙂 It’s supposed to make them look extra radiant in daylight. Since it’s been so overcast outside, I can’t really tell if they’re working, but I do think my lips look smooth and slightly plumper than they did a few minutes ago. It might have something to do with the finish. Read more…

I’M GETTING A CHARGE OUT OF DIOR ELECTRIC TROPICS
NUDE HEALTHY GLOW POWDER IN SUNSET
Hey, cutie. Remember the Dior Electric Tropics collection you and I drooled over last week? Today I spent some time getting to know one of the limited edition Nude Healthy Glow Powders, Sunset #002 ($46), and now we’re officially attached.

Sunset’s a warm orangey brown with coral accents (like a blush version of MAC Soft Brown Eyeshadow), and I swear it’s just as gorgeous in person as it is in the promo pics. Here I’m wearing it on my cheeks as a blush, but I also tried (and liked) it as a bronzer and an all-over face powder.

For me, the mostly matte finish is what makes this stand out in a crowd. It gives off just the faintest touch of shimmer and looks fresh and weightless on the skin.

Even though it’s a summer release, I could see myself wearing this all year round, even on blustery days as a bronzer to warm my pale skin (well, pale for me). Knowing I could reach for it often soothes the sting from the price…a little. Read more…

RAYE WEDGE SANDALS BY COCONUTS
THESE COCONUTS ARE HIGH IN FUN

So I realize that I don’t review shoes often, but the more I wear these Coconuts sandals, the more obligated I feel to share their awesomeness with womankind. 🙂

These Coconuts Raye Wedge Sandals usually go for $65 a pair, but I stumbled upon them at Marshalls for $30. They come in three colors — Metal (multicolored gold, silver and bronze), Pink (multicolored pink, orange, purple, blue and green) and Black (multicolored black, pewter and gold; the ones I got). I usually wear shoes in a 7, but the closest size I found was an 8. Luckily, these run kinda small. They’re still a touch big, but not annoyingly so, and they’re surprisingly comfortable for high heels. As a matter of fact, I barely had to break them in.

Exactly how high are they? Well, they’re 3 and a 1/2 inches beneath a platform of about an inch. Gurl, my vertically challenged self feels SUPER tall with ‘em on! Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen