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Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Karen

My Last-Minute MAC Halloween Costume, and Beware the Shark Cat!

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Shoot, I wasn’t even planning to dress up at all this year, but Tabs insisted that I throw something on, because he didn’t want to be the only kitty on the block without a dressed up assistant/trick-or-treating companion.

I couldn’t bear the thought of hitting up the costume store, since I knew it was gonna be crazy busy, so I busted a Tim Gunn and tried to “make it work” with what I had around the house.

As far as last-minute Halloween getups go, this MAC artist costume was super easy. I slipped on a black dress, fashioned a homemade tag out of a MAC logo I found online and stuck some brushes behind my ear. I also really, REALLY wanted to sling a black brush belt around my waist (like the ones that MAC artists wear at the counter), but I kinda ran out of time. I wore a gold brush belt from the MAC Wonder Woman collection instead.

SIDE NOTE: If you plan to recreate this costume and have a brush belt sitting around the house, use it! It’ll totally take it to the next level.


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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Oct. 31

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The jack-o-lantern I befriended at Jen’s house last night…

  • You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
    Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past three years, which I guess makes this somewhere around Vol. 192. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
  1. Mood:

    2. Really, really great for a Monday. I feel powered up! — like those few hours I spent relaxing with my girlfriends yesterday recharged my batteries.

  2. Your most memorable Halloween costume?

    3. Well, one year I dressed up as Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (the one from 1971), complete with paper-mache golden egg and everything. Not surprisingly, acting like a brat wasn’t much of a stretch, LOL!

  3. Who knows you better than anyone else?

    4. It’s a tie between El Hub and my mom…with Tabs coming in a close second.

  4. What’s the first thing you do when you get off work/out of school?

    5. If it’s still light out, Tabs and I will go for a walk. If it’s already dark, though, I’ll usually just start making dinner, or collapse on the couch.

  5. What’s the most awkward movie-watching experience you’ve ever endured with your family?

    6. Top Gun. I remember we rented the tape from the video store to watch at home, and during the lurve scenes my mom would tell my brother and I to “cover your eyes.” 🙂

    HAHA! I was only about eight or nine at the time, but I remember feeling sufficiently mortified.

  6. How many times have you been in love?

    7. Three.

  7. Which game show would you like to be a contestant on?

    8. The Price is Right because I’ve always wanted to play Plinko!

  8. If you have one, can you tell me about your fitness routine?

    9. Mostly running, spiced up with a Jillian Michaels DVD once or twice a week.

  9. Favorite Halloween trick or treat?

    10. Mini Snickers, please!

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. To remember to get up from my chair every so often and take a few walking breaks throughout the day, to get back on my diet again (I fell off the wagon and stress ate BIG TIME last week), to finish reading one book (any book), and to keep a positive attitude.

The past couple of Mondays have been a little challenging for me, what with the trip last weekend and my family visiting, but this week I should be able to get back to my regular routine (I need my routines).

Spending some time with Jen and Cindy yesterday certainly helped. We went to this place called The Spa Los Gatos down in the cute South Bay town of Los Gatos…

It was more like a day spa than a full-service place, so no special facilities or pools, but it was spotless, homey, and the staff made us feel welcome.

I really needed that deep-tissue massage… Jamilla, the spa technician who worked with me, had great energy, and despite being tiny, her hands could WORK! Homegirl was strong. I left with that loosey-goosey feeling, just totally blissed out. If you’re ever in the area, it’s a great place to unwind.

And because good energy is infectious, here are some virtual vibes:

(You have to touch the monitor to accept them… Just for a second.)

There. Transfer complete. 🙂

Before you jet, do you have a minute to say hi in this week’s Monday Poll?

  • To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.



1. Mood:
2. Your most memorable Halloween costume?
3. Who knows you better than anyone else?
4. What’s the first thing you do when you get off work/out of school?
5. What’s the most awkward movie-watching experience you’ve ever endured with your family?
6. How many times have you been in love?
7. Which game show would you like to be a contestant on?
8. If you have one, can you tell me about your fitness routine?
9. Favorite Halloween trick or treat?
10. Weekly goals:

You have a great All Hallows Eve, alright? Are you getting dressed up tonight?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 163

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Tabs for MAC Paint Pot in Ice Cream Sandwich

What a close call! Tabs almost didn’t make it home in time for Halloween because of an unscheduled business trip. He flew down to San Diego early Sunday morning to help out a photographer friend of his who was in a bind after the Siamese he’d hired to model for a Laura Mercier campaign totally flaked on the job.

The shoot had a Gulliver’s Travels theme, but the Siamese never showed up for work, so Jean, Tabs’ photographer friend, needed a substitute model. He called Tabs early this morning before dawn in a panic.

Right after hanging up the phone, Tabs called a cab to the airport, caught a flight on standby down to San Diego, met the crew at the beach, modeled for the campaign, and then caught the next available flight back home. Total trip time: less than 12 hours.

Jean was so happy with the way things turned out that he booked Tabs for two more jobs next month!

Now that’s the way to get ahead as a top kitty supermodel in this business. 🙂

If you’re interested, here’s a shot from that campaign and the other modeling jobs Tabs had this week.

Tabs for Laura Mercier Gulliver's Traveling Lip Glace

Tabs for Tom Ford Beauty Savanna Mau
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How I Finally Managed To Deep Clean the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

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Juli

Written by Juli

What happens when a brush with destiny meets an unstoppable force? I’m not sure, but we’re about to find out thanks to today’s guest post from Juli.

Deep Clean the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

Good things should be shared amongst friends, but great things must be shared with the world!

Dirty makeup brushes and tools are some of the many things that can cause breakouts and otherwise irritate the skin. I know that mine reacts violently whenever I subject it to a foundation brush that hasn’t been cleaned for more than two weeks, so I always try to keep the things in my kit as clean as possible.

But sometimes that’s easier said than done.

For instance, when I couldn’t get the muck off of my Sigma F80 Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki Brush, I became a very frustrated girl.

The regular shampoo method wasn’t doing the job at all…and olive oil didn’t work much better.

Deep Clean the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

As a matter of fact, olive oil probably did my Sigma F80 more harm than good. I spent more than 45 minutes one day trying to remove all of the oil from the bristles. It had mixed with the remaining liquid foundation in the brush, and no matter how hard I scrubbed with shampoo and detergent, the olive oil and dried foundation flakes wouldn’t budge.

It looked pretty disgusting too…

Deep Clean the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

I’d subjected the brush to extremely vehement abuse, scrubbing the bristles like I would an elephant’s hide, and letting water flow from the tip into the ferrule in an attempt to dislodge the stubborn oil. I even threw it on the floor once hoping it would miraculously learn its lesson and self-clean (sorry).

I hated cleaning the Sigma F80 brush so much that I started to dread the weekends, because that’s when I deep clean my brushes every week.

After considering its rave reviews, I tried MAC Brush Cleanser, hoping that a high-end brand would perform a miracle, but repeatedly dunking the F80 into a cup of MAC’s cleanser only removed a teeny bit of gunk, and the dense bristles soaked up a lot of product…

Hey, hey! Expensive product there, don’t drink it up so quickly, yo! I even tried to dilute the MAC brush cleanser with water, but that also didn’t help much.

Then, one day I was just reading blogs and chanced upon a product that would change my life — okie, more like cut my brush-washing time tremendously.

Jang! Jang! Presenting the Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge!

Deep Clean the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

Before taking these pics, I made sure to get the bristles really brown and dirty to give you that “OMGIGOTTAHAVETHIS!!” effect when you see the brush returned to its pristine white condition. Hoho.

So, here’s my dirty Sigma F80 Brush. For the purposes of showing how the cleanser works, you can replace it with any brush you like.

Deep Clean the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush
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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

OOH! I’m so excited because I just checked the UPS tracking online, and my Forever Lazy is supposed to arrive today…

Just kidding! Have you seen that commercial? I saw it a minute ago while watching Cheaters, which I watch sometimes for the commercials. Forever Lazy is “the one-piece lie around, lounge around, full body lazy wear that covers you from head to toe!” It puts the Snuggie, Slanket and Snazzy Napper to shame, and why wouldn’t it? No other adult footed pajama has Forever Lazy’s patented potty pockets — zippered holes cut into the front and bottom area for easy bathroom breaks.

Très classy. 🙂

But enough about Tabs’ fashion dreams come true — how are you doing today? I’m on my way out the door to meet my friends Jen and Cindy for a spa date that I’ve been looking forward to all week long.

I’ve got hella knots in my back right now… It’s like macramé up in there, and I plan to tell the masseuse to tenderize me like a side of beef!

Hope you have a great day today. I’ll see you soon.

A few beauty posts that caught my eye…

The Weekly Roundup: MBB Posts You Might Have Missed

The Beauty Social: Want to Start Your Own Beauty Brand? THE BEAUTY SOCIAL, OCT. 2011
WANT TO START YOUR OWN BEAUTY BRAND?

Marissa Shipman, founder of theBalm Cosmetics, says that starting theBalm was a very organic process, with the idea growing and evolving over time.

On how to get things off the ground with your own beauty brand, she says, “You just really need a good idea and a good place to start.” When she started talking about wanting to sell her own beauty line, her dad had concerns. “Get a job, get a job,” she remembers him saying, but she was determined, felt prepared and decided to just go for it.

Jenny Frankel, founder, co-creator and executive vice president of Cover FX, actually started out as a chemist working for MAC (she created Clear Lipglass!). “It was tremendous for me,” she says of her time at MAC, “because it was a great learning experience.” On starting your own line, she says the real secret is doing your homework. “Before you invest your money, do your homework. Test on your friends, and if it’s something you want to do as a business, do a business plan. Do a little homework.” Read more…

Laura Mercier Luxe Colour Portfolio A MONDAY FACE OF THE DAY WITH THE NEW
LAURA MERCIER LUXE COLOUR PORTFOLIO FOR HOLIDAY 2011

Okay, so I haven’t figured out why the new $98 Laura Mercier Limited Edition Luxe Colour Portfolio palette comes in a faux snakeskin box, but I do think there’s something mysteriously luxurious about it.

Part of Laura’s new holiday collection, it combines the… Yeah, I’m drawing a blank on the snakeskin holiday thing, but nonetheless, here’s a super quick face of the day.

The palette comes with six non-venomous powder eyeshadows, three cake liners, three powder blushes and three eye brushes, and it’s available now at Laura Mercier counters and also online. Read more…

The Beauty Social Oct. 2011: How to Turn Beauty Blogging Into a Career THE BEAUTY SOCIAL, OCT. 2011
HOW TO TURN BEAUTY BLOGGING INTO A CAREER

Even though I was a little nervous (blast you, Lloyd!) and blinded by the stage lights, I really enjoyed speaking on the blogging panel at The Beauty Social last weekend, and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you while they’re still fresh in my mind.

In hindsight, I wish I’d recorded the session, or covertly taken a few notes, but I do remember most of my answers (NOTE: these are paraphrased, because I can’t remember the exact quotes) and some tidbits from my fellow co-panelists, Christine Mielke of temptalia.com, Erika Valente of makeupbag.net and Romy Schorr of romyraves.com. Read more…

Laura Mercier Limited Edition Mini Lip Glace Set HOW FAR WOULD GULLIVER TRAVEL FOR THE LITTLE GLOSSES IN THE LAURA MERCIER
LIMITED EDITION MINI LIP GLACÉ SET?

Minis rule! — and I’m not just saying that as someone who’s usually the shortest person in the room (even in heels). The diminutive glosses in the new Laura Mercier Limited Edition Mini Lip Glacé Set may share my challenges with vertical stature, but that’s only one of the reasons I think they’re such a dang good deal.

At first glance, the $48 kit may seem expensive, but it makes pretty good sense if you do the math. The price on the set translates into big savings on what are arguably some of the most underrated glosses available on counters now. Read more…

Chanel Les Scintillances De Chanel YOU’LL SPARKLE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
WITH LES SCINTILLANCES DE CHANEL

With my in-laws visiting, I’ve been splitting my time this week among three adults and a demanding tabby. The adults I’ve been able to handle, but the tabby — oh, the tabby. While my father-in-law went to pick up the pizza we ordered for dinner, Tabs insisted that I take pictures of these pieces from Chanel’s holiday collection, Les Scintillances De Chanel.

He’s such a ho for Coco.

The collection has been sparkling on counters and computer monitors for a little while (it’s also available online). I have some reviews planned and a couple of looks lined up over the next few days. Read more…

MAC Holiday 2011 Pictures MAC HOLIDAY 2011
GLITTER AND ICE, ICE PARADE AND DAZZLESPHERE PICS

Hey, buddy. Got pics for ya of some pieces from the new MAC Holiday 2011 collection.

The massive release (IT’S HUGE!) is broken up into several sub-collections: Glitter and Ice, Dazzlesphere, Ice Parade, Viva Glam and Kids Helping Kids. Find the whole shebang now on MAC counters, in stores and also online.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this release yet, but I do know that it’s not one of my favorites of the year, at least from what I’ve seen so far. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, but I am getting the feeling from all of the frosty pieces that it’s not a perfect fit for me. Read more…

MAC Holiday 2011 and Smoky Blue Ornament Swatches MAC HOLIDAY 2011
GLITTER AND ICE, ICE PARADE AND DAZZLESPHERE SWATCHES

More MAC Holiday 2011, love!

Swatches of the new MAC Holiday 2011 collection, available now. Lots of frosty shades for cool-toned ladies here.

Let me know if you see something you like. 🙂 Read more…

Chanel Holiday 2011 Collection CHANEL HOLIDAY 2011 AND A GLAMOROUS
TRADER JOE’S/PETCO FACE OF THE DAY

Oh, Thank the Lord of the Rings for Chanel!

Not that I had a fab event to go to this afternoon, because the most exciting thing I’ve done today was stop by Trader Joe’s to get some Baked Cheese Crunchies, but everything’s better with Chanel…even quick trips to the grocery store.

As a side, I’ve been feeling awfully disheveled lately, and I imagine the crunchies aren’t helping. You know like when you can’t get your sh*t together, no matter how hard you try? That, combined with very little sleep this week, and I’ve been a fussy girl. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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