Karen

Ricky Martin and Nicki Minaj Join the MAC Viva Glam Fam

February 2nd, 2012 by Karen 47 Comments

Viva la Vida Glam, Barbz! The new Ricky Martin and Nicki Minaj for MAC Viva Glam collection just danced onto my desk, and I’m in the mood to celebrate.

Both the yellowish pink Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick ($14.50) and the clear Lip Conditioner ($15) just feel so springy and fun! Plus, like all Viva Glam products, 100% of the proceeds of Viva Glam Nicki and Lip Conditioner sales go to the MAC AIDS fund, which helps women, children and men living with HIV/AIDS.

With just one tube at a time, millions have been raised since the program’s start in 1994. Gotta love that. 🙂

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Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour in Kissed Lips Does for Coral What Punxsutawney Phil Does for Meteorologists (Makes It Springy)

February 2nd, 2012 by Karen 9 Comments

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Fear not the coral lipstick, for it knows not what it does. Some of them just don’t know that they can look a little too South Beach senior swingers for their own good, but add a dash of pink, a semi-matte finish and voilÃ ! — the springy and fun Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour in Kissed Lips ($22).

Part of spring’s Lingerie collection, Kissed Lips excels at looking natural and fresh, but it’s not the lowest maintenance lippie on the block.

First, my lips need to be smoother than a porcelain doll’s because the texture’s pretty thick. Kissed Lips tends to catch on every flake, so it’s a no-go for me if/when my lips are extra dry.

Complicating matters, the formula seems fairly drying to me, which means having to start with a layer of something moisturizing first, like a really good lip balm.

After applying a balm and letting it settle in, I dab Kissed Lips lightly on my pucker for a light my-lips-but-better stain; for a more concentrated look, I bust out a lip brush, since the color tends to spread unevenly when I apply it directly from the tube.

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Grace

February 2nd, 2012 by Karen 5 Comments

Shiseido Shimmering Rouge in BR304 Grace, $25.

Available now at Shiseido counters and online.

Sometimes I Take Pictures That Look Like This

February 1st, 2012 by Karen 9 Comments

She’s a Sweet Peach: Laura Mercier CrÃ¨me Cheek Colour in Innocent Peach

February 1st, 2012 by Karen 55 Comments

I haven’t been on a first date in years, but in the event that time travel becomes a reality and El Hub and I get the chance to have ours all over again, I’m adding Laura Mercier’s CrÃ¨me Cheek Colour in Innocent Peach ($22) to my “Best Blushes to Wear on a First Date” list.

Sweet and Breezy are this blush’s middle names (yep, it has two of them). It’s a creamy peach blush fit for a sunny Saturday afternoon — perfect for coffee and chocolate croissants at the farmers’ market with your crush.

Swipe and blend a couple layers on the apples of your cheeks, add your favorite mascara, juicy lipgloss, skinny jeans, a tank top and some Chucks (maybe leaving your hair in a messy bun), and that boy (or girl) won’t stand a chance. 😉

And have I mentioned how easy it is to apply? Shoot, a gal could probably do it hanging upside down from monkey bars…which is basically my nightmare scenario.

SIDE NOTE: Once when I was a kid, I did fall from some monkey bars while I was hanging upside down… Honestly, I can’t really recommend it.

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Wet Your Brushes If You Plan to Get Nude: The $10.95 Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Nude

February 1st, 2012 by Karen 25 Comments

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Do you remember A Night at the Roxbury with Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan? Gawd, that movie, as dumb as it is, still cracks me up.

It occurred to me this morning while I was playing with the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Nude ($10.95), a new 9-pan palette from Physicians Formula.

What if Nude was a woman at the Roxbury sandwiched between those two goofballs as they did their rapid-fire dry-hump schtick? I wonder how long it would take before she slapped them both.

Dressed in pinkish beige and black lace, Nude doesn’t just look like a lady. She expects to be treated like one, too.

You can’t just walk up to her and expect her to give up the goods. Not a chance. She’ll respond to a gentleman’s advances, sure, but she has to be approached in a certain way.

One of four new $10.95 palettes in the new Physicians Formula Universal Looks collection (remember Smoky, Fashionista and Casual from earlier this week?), Nude bares all with nine shimmery neutral shadows in shades of beige, brown, taupe and black.

physicians formula nude eyes (7) Applying the shadows with a dry brush lends a softer look, while a wet brush intensifies the pigments, shimmer and overall glam.

Mix and match the shadows to create your own look, or follow the three-step tutorials on the box for natural, playful or dramatic eyes.

First things first, I love Nude’s packaging, colors and price, but after spending some time with the palette, I’m not completely sold…

Maybe it’s a matter of how my skin responds to these pigments, but I feel like I have to do a lot to help them be their best.

It’s not that they exhibit any fallout, because they don’t — like nada, zip, zero. The formula’s kind of amazing in that respect, but after trying a bunch of different brushes and application methods, the two techniques that delivered the best, most consistent results were 1) to apply a single shade on my lids with a wet brush head (basically, not having to blend them), and 2) using them along my lash lines.

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Burberry Body Mist Welcomes Spring Early With Rose Petals, Iris and a Signature of Sandalwood

February 1st, 2012 by Karen 23 Comments

Burberry Body Mist Ah, spring…

It’s getting closer by the minute. Yesterday I noticed a tree on my street, which doesn’t usually bloom until April, already has flowers on its branches, and this morning on the Today Show the hosts were saying that much of the country has been having an unseasonably warm winter.

But it’s not all good. They say it’s confusing some crops and bird migrations.

I think it’s also confusing my sense of smell. This winter, I’ve been reaching for the heavier perfumes I tend to wear this time of year less often than usual, and opting for lighter, fresher fragrances like the new Burberry Body Mist ($50) more often instead.

I almost wore out the original Burberry Body last fall, and I like this new, limited edition spin on the scent just as much.

It seems more dainty and delicate than its sibling, yet still retains the rosy, feminine feel that made the original Burberry Body a hit with me.

Burberry Body Mist

“Dive into a sensation of green freshness with the fruity accents of peach and the sensuality of freesia. This fragrance blooms with light floral notes of rose petals and iris, gently combined with the captivating signature of sandalwood. The cashmeran base blends with soothing vanilla, amber, and musk to reveal the unique character of this seductive woman. A new way to experience Burberry Body, this mist is formulated without alcohol and can be used all over the body and hair.” – Sephora.com

Top notes: fresh green absinthe, peach and freesia

Middle notes: Rose absolute, iris and sandalwood

Base notes: wood cashmere, creamy vanilla, amber and musk

It reminds me of a lighter version of Lancome’s rosy Tresor, but with stronger notes of iris and freesia, and I think it’s just so girly and sweet that it compels me to don a pink dress, pearls and heels.
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