Karen

Eye Love the Subtle Sheen of These Satin Finishes: The $3 NYC New York Color Mono Eyeshadows

May 17th, 2011 by Karen 45 Comments

nyc new york color mono eyeshadow review

Thanks to NYC New York Color’s 10 new limited edition Mono Eye Shadows ($2.99 each), I’m a little less freaked out about my birthday next month (I’m turning 36, oy vey!). I’ve been on the market for eye makeup that doesn’t draw attention to my fine lines, so these comfort colors could not have come at a better time.

nyc new york color mono eyeshadow review

Most of them have this sophisticated, soft satin finish that’s one of the most attractive, forgiving satins I’ve ever seen from a drugstore line (there are also a couple of mattes and frosts).

In terms of shine, satiny shadows broadcast a subtle sheen that sits somewhere between shimmers (or frosts) and mattes, and unlike hi-shine shimmers, they don’t appear to actively seek out the tiny wrinkles on my lids.

I feel like NYC’s satin shades turn back the clock to a kinder, gentler time — let’s call it 26, LOL! — when my eyes looked all bright and glowy most of the time. 🙂

A few of the shades stand out to me like…

Luxury Reborn — If MAC Woodwinked and Soba had a love child, I bet it would look just like this warm and golden bronzy brown. It looks BANGIN’ in the crease. Got teals, golds and greens? Don’t miss Luxury Reborn.
Broadway Look — This deep charcoal is the star of playgrounds where smokey eye looks are found.
In Vogue — I like this dark purple because it contains very little red, and some reddish purples can make me look like I’ve been crying.

nyc new york color mono eyeshadow review
Clockwise from the brown pan on the bottom left: Luxury Reborn, In Vogue and Broadway Look

nyc new york color mono eyeshadow review
Clockwise from pink pan on left: Buzz List, High Street and 5th Avenue

nyc new york color mono eyeshadow review
I Love NY

nyc new york color mono eyeshadow swatches
Swatches from left to right: Broadway Look, I Love NY, Luxury Reborn, Manhattan Gaze, In Vogue, High Street, 5th Avenue and Buzz List
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Should You Take the Plunge with Urban Decay’s New Cannonball Ultra Waterproof Mascara?

May 17th, 2011 by Karen 51 Comments

urban decay cannonball review

I wish I could say I field tested the new Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara ($20) by leaping from the rock at Waimea Bay on Oahu, but the methodology I used was a little less glamorous than that.

To put the new lengthening, waterproof mascara to the test, I pit it against two super soaking challenges. First, I charged headlong into a downpour to run some errands without an umbrella-ella-ella. Then, I pushed a heavy vacuum around my house for more than an hour. 🙂

If waterproof mascaras that leave your lashes feeling heavy and cakey make you want to weep bitter tears, you can throw them in the trash. We have a solution: Cannonball Ultra Waterproof Mascara! Rigorously field-tested in the ocean as well as sweat-drenched gym conditions, this exclusive Japanese formula refuses to budge. A special microcrystalline wax works with the dense, fuzzy brush to increase seductive length and volume, all while never flaking off and compromising your lashes’ natural feathery texture. Mermaids can now sing their siren songs with abandon, and high maintenance types can cry all they want.

—UrbanDecay.com

As soon as I applied two layers first thing last Saturday morning, I noticed a very cool doe-eyed effect. Not only does Cannonball dramatically lengthen and separate lashes, it also cures the curl from my Shu Uemura lash curler, locking it into place. It made my peepers look crazy big, like an anime puppy’s eyes when it begs for bacon.

With it on, I proceeded to vigorously vacuum the house, and by the time I finished, I was covered in a glistening, sweaty sheen. As soon as I finished that, I left to run some errands around town (it was raining cats and dogs!), first to Trader Joe’s, then the UPS store and finally to Target, before returning home to crank out three miles on the treadmill.

Covered. In. Sweat. I know that with what I put it through, I was expecting a lot, but no one wants to make excuses for a $20 mascara. Straight up — I was expecting a lot.

urban decay cannonball review tube

urban decay cannonball review brush
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Kate Spade Sample Sale: Select Items Up to 75% Off

May 17th, 2011 by Karen 40 Comments

Just a quick heads up for all my fellow Kate Spade addicts: the brand’s currently hosting a kick @ss online sample sale with select handbags, clothing, jewelry and accessories up to 75% off.

Shipping on all orders is just $5, and all sales are final. The sale runs until 11:59pm PST on May 19, and quantities are limited, so if you see something you like you might want to snatch it up sooner than later. Also, you’ll have to enter your email address to gain access to the sale.

My birthday’s next month (shout out to all the Geminis!), so I’m thinking about treating myself to a birthday gift or two. 😉

A few items from the Kate Spade sample sale

Happy (deeply discounted) shopping!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. A big thanks to EC over at Never Enough Nails for the heads up on the sale.

The Goody Summer Waves Roller Project: Have You Ever Used Foam Curlers Before?

May 17th, 2011 by Karen 41 Comments

Have you used foam curlers before?

The other day I realized that in all my years of experimenting with different hair styling doodads, I’ve never once used foam curlers. No particular reason why. I think I just fell in love with my curling iron at a young age.

But since I’ve been hitting the curling iron a lot lately, now might be a good time to give foam curlers a try.

I can remember my granny rolling foam curlers into her wet hair before going to bed, so I plan to do the same with the Goody Summer Waves Rollers ($10 for 15 rollers) some time this week. They’re designed to build big, loose beachy waves instead of dense, tight curls.

I did a bit of research online and came up with the following steps to hopefully make The Goody Summer Waves Roller Project a curly success. 🙂

1. Work in sections

At the scalp, collect about a 2-inch lock of hair in one of your hands (measured about 2 inches along the scalp, as opposed to the length of the hair shaft).

2. Decide on the size of the curls you want

The volume of hair you wrap around each curler determines how tight or loose the curls are. For tight curls, wrap less hair; for loose curls, wrap more.

3. Coat hair with a styling product (optional)

This seems to be an optional step. I’ll probably use a soft hold hairspray, since my hair usually needs the help of a styling product to keep it under control. I’ve also read that a light application of mousse works well.
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Becca Halcyon Days Collection for Summer 2011: Damselfly Mineral Blush

May 17th, 2011 by Karen 6 Comments

Becca Halcyon Days Collection for Summer 2011

Becca Mineral Blush in Damselfly ($32), a shimmery coral, one of 10 pieces from the new Becca Halcyon Days collection for summer 2011.

Becca Halcyon Days Collection for Summer 2011: Nail Colour

May 16th, 2011 by Karen 6 Comments

Becca Halcyon Days Collection for Summer 2011

How exciting! Becca’s now doing nail polish. 🙂

From the left to the right: Dancing Barefoot (an apricot nude), Summerdaze (a retro pinkish coral) and Tangerine Dream (a bright sunset coral), $15 each. All three are part of the Becca Halcyon Days collection for summer 2011.

Available now at select boutiques and also online.

NYC New York Color Smooch Proof 16H Lip Stains: Date Night Approved

May 16th, 2011 by Karen 42 Comments

nyc new york color smooch proof lip stain

They were just a blip on my drugstore radar screen a few months ago, but now I’m tracking NYC New York Color full time. Before I even knew about the company’s cruelty-free philosophy, I was impressed by their prices and interesting colors, and after their awesome Ultra Last Lipsticks and Liquid Lip Shines buzzed my tower, I assumed the Smooch Proof 16H Lip Stains ($4.99 each, available in 10 shades) would too.

These unflavored, lightly fruit punch scented liquid lip stains come in a tube with a stiff felt-tip applicator. The 16H in the name refers to 16 hours, which is how long they’re supposed to last. They apply wet but dry to a finish that resembles the way lips look after a Popsicle or a glass of Kool-Aid. I wouldn’t exactly call it matte because it isn’t full coverage or thick like a matte lipstick, but it’s not at all shiny either. One layer leaves a light stain; two or three, a brighter, richer color.

Lip stains are great for date night. 🙂 Typically they deliver easy, long-lasting color without the stickiness or stained collars of a lipstick or gloss. And when one of you leans in to steal a kiss at the end of the night, homeboy won’t go home with glitter on his lips. Good lip stains usually last around four hours, which means not having to worry about touchups between dinner and the movie.

nyc new york color smooch proof lip stain

nyc new york color smooch proof lip stain swatches
Swatches from left to right: Never Ending Nude, Smooch Proof, Forever Fuchsia, Berry Long Time and Rock on Ruby

nyc new york color smooch proof lip stain
Never Ending Nude on lips
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Should You Slide for $8 or Glide for $17? The Choice Between the NYX Slide-On Eye Liners and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils

May 16th, 2011 by Karen 57 Comments

nyx slide on eye liner review

I used to get really grumpy back in school when kids would copy my style. It’s not that I thought of myself as a fashion visionary or anything, but I took pride in my penchant for offbeat things and fancied myself as different. So when Angela showed up to band one day wearing a baby poo green plaid vest eerily similar to the one I’d been rockin’ for most of that fall, carrying her sheet music in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles folder a lot like mine, I couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed.

I vented about it to my friend Cindy, expecting a sympathetic ear. “Just chill out and be flattered,” she said. It was only worth tripping about if things got creepy and Single White Female (which, thank goodness, they didn’t).

Cindy was right, of course. After all, I’d copied/borrowed a few ideas from other kids, too, and looking at it that way, I thought perhaps that old saying about imitation and flattery was true.

Which brings us to this: if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Urban Decay must feel REALLY flattered by the new NYX Slide-On Liners ($8 each).

Even the unwieldy name sounds familiar — Slide On, Glide On & Definitely a Turn On Water Proof Extreme Shine Eye Liner. Sounds a little like Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils ($17), right?

Like the Glide-Ons, they’re smoother than Blackstreet in their heyday (remember Before I Let Go? That’s some baby-making music, ma!), with vibrant colors more intense than a triple rainbow deluxe.

I’ve got mad love for UD liners, especially Bourbon, but I’m always open to budget options. I couldn’t wait to give these a try.

They come in a wide range of colors, 18 of them, in a mix of matte and shimmery finishes, and I see several possible dupes here for classic UD shades…

NYX Slide On Pencil
16 of the 18 shades
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