Karen

7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

August 16th, 2014 by Karen 303 Comments

You know that movie The Time Traveler’s Wife?

I watched it again… It was on TV last night.

That movie is just so incredibly sad, isn’t it? But neat. It’s like, here’s what happens when something that could be a gift is actually a curse.

Rachel McAdams sure knows how to pick those heart-wrenching love stories…

Speaking of gifts, happy caturday! Every day we share together, my friend, is a gift, and yes, that’s corny, but I do not care. Not one bit. 🙂

How’s it going this morning? Did you do anything interesting or fun last night? El Hub and I had dinner at a Japanese place here in town that we hadn’t been to before (eh, it was OK), and then walked down the street and got ice cream at Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, and that store is always fun. I’m serious, if Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory had a satellite corporate office, it would probably look just like that store. They have every kind of candy imaginable, from chocolate-covered bacon necklaces to giant rainbow lollipops to caramel peanut clusters the size of small watermelons.

And after that we watched that movie at home. Pretty quiet evening.

Your nephew seems to be in good spirits this morning. Right after I woke up I pet him for a while, so he met his quota for lurvies, and as you know, his moods are pretty much entirely dependent on food and love. Like mommy like tabby.

Well, that’s about it for me. I’m gonna go make my first cup of coffee now and something to eat (Eggo waffles, perhaps?). Good luck in this weekend’s giveaway. Talk to you soon. 🙂

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Would you want the ability to time travel if you couldn’t control when it happened, or to what time you went?
- What’s your favorite animated movie?
- Have you ever ridden a scooter?
- What’s the best smelling shampoo?
- Which do you wear more often: big dangly earrings or small studs?
- Have you ever been to a water park?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, August 18, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Wear Giorgio Armani Cheek Fabric in 503 Daybreak With Black, Grey or Taupe Smokey Eyes This Fall

August 16th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Daybreak.

Wasn’t that an Ethan Hawke movie about vampires?

Or was it Daybreakers?

Sorry… Never mind. 🙂

Giorgio Armani’s $46 Cheek Fabric in Daybreak 503 might not have enough bite for the Ladies League of Plush Pigment Vampires because 1) its apricot sheen is surprisingly subtle on skin, and 2) it’s almost $50.

But if you don’t mind spending a pretty penny (or rather, 4,600 of them) and like makeup that doesn’t look obvious, or you want a blush to wear with bolder eye looks, ch-ch-ch-check it out…

When I want to keep the focus solely on my eyes, like when I’m a wearing a black, gray and/or taupe smokey eye look, I’ll apply Daybreak and swipe a pale nude gloss on my lips.

On my combo dry/oily skin, I get about between 8-10 hours of wear from Daybreak (from about dusk till daybreak, in fact).

Even though it’s super subtle (and perhaps too quiet for some), I think of Daybreak as one of the more interesting blushes I’ve ever worn because of the way the powder lays on the skin. It’s as if it clings to the surface, and it almost feels like I’m wearing nothing at all. Très elegant.

The color is kinda interesting, too. The apricot pigment shows up on my cheeks but still lets a lot of my natural skin tone through.

Apparently, Armani designed it that way. They combine pure pigments with a transparent base, so that when you apply the blush to your skin, it looks soft and luminous.

Daybreak is part of the permanent line and was recently re-promted with Armani’s new fall collection. It’s available now with the rest of its fall cohorts.

PRICE: $46
AVAILABILITY: Permanent, and available now at Giorgio Armani Beauty counters and online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

Get Down With Brown: $7 Maybelline Downtown Brown ColorTattoo Pure Pigments Eyeshadow

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Maybelline Downtown Brown ColorTattoo Pure Purigment Eyeshadow

Yeah, the last thing I need in my life is one more brown eyeshadow (rolls eyes), but this one is just so pretty — and it’s only $7!

It’s Maybelline’s Color Tattoo Pure Pigments Eyeshadow in Downtown Brown, a loose eyeshadow with a magical golden brown, taupey glow, and for only $7, I think it looks much more expensive than it actually is.

I’ve mostly been wearing it by itself on my lids with a black liner on my lash and water lines, but I think it’s also really pretty layered on top of creamy gold shadows like Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Mirage and Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour in Gold.

Um…did I mention that it’s only $7??

That’s less than I had to pay Zac Efron to show me his abs (wishful thinking). 🙂

You can get down with Downtown Brown now wherever Maybelline is sold (like Ulta).

PRICE: $7
AVAILABILITY: Permanent, and available now
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Dior’s 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar: Your Seasonal Summer-to-Fall Chaperone

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Dior Trafalgar — Wearing the Dior 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar

Oh, gawd! That red in the center of Dior’s new 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar ($60) is utterly terrifying…and yet so tantalizingly tempting at the same time.

I have to be careful… If I stare at it too long, I can’t look away. Kind of like watching The Hills (which I’ve been doing A LOT lately).

When I haven’t been pondering the sanctity of girl code and how it was broken in the infamous Brody/Lauren/Jen Bunney love triangle, I’ve been looking for makeup to take me from summer into fall.

Trafalgar has two gorgeous shades that’ll make the seasonal transition easier — a shimmery plummy bronze and a shimmery gold.

Bridging the gap from summer to fall

Both of them have warm, rich tones that look lovely on an end-of-summer tan. I’ve been wear them lately with purple and bronze liners on my lash and water lines, and pairing them with nude cheeks and lips to keep the overall look light and summery.

The plummy bronze and gold also happen to work well with richer cheek and lip colors, like berries, browns and plums, so when fall rolls around, all I’ll have to do is swap out the nude cheeks and lips for something like the dusty rose blush and berry lipstick I’m wearing in these pics…

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The New NARS Audacious Lipstick Collection: The Purples, Plums and Berries

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Wearing the new NARS Audacious Lipstick in Janet ($32)

Just as a helpful warning, if you plan to fly solo when you peep the purple, plum and berry shades in the new NARS Audacious Lipstick collection, wear a Bluetooth headset, or bring a pomeranian in a bow tie.

That way, when you’re gushing over shades like Angela at the counter (“OMG, I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS SO GOOD!”), instead of looking like a crazy chick who carries on loud conversations with herself, you’ll appear to be enthusiastically chatting with your BFF or your favorite canine shopping buddy. 🙂

The new NARS Audacious Lipsticks: Purples, Plums and Berries ($32 each)

It’s about planning ahead, yo.

Among the eight bad-@ss purples, plums and berries in the new 40-piece NARS Audacious Lipstick line, I think the purples are otherworldly!

They may or may not have me speaking in tongues… (“WJguoib hj ahiogh pjogiognae naweagzzzzz!”)

Here they are, along with pics and profiles of the plums and berries.

Let’s do this!

The Purples: Angela, Silvia and Dominique

These three are like the Cher/Dionne/Tai trifecta of the entire collection. Don’t even try to sit with them at their lunch table, unless you can bring it.

Angela, the queen bee, is the one who runs sh*t. A vivid pink orchid, it oozes je ne sais quoi.

Seriously, every time I open this tube, I want to worship it. When I wear Angela on my lips, I feel like raising my arms and screaming up at the sky, “WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?!”

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Angela — Angela

Now, I know that Angela looks like it might work best for cool skin tones, but don’t be afraid to try it if your skin tone is warm. It’s one of those colors that I think will work well on almost everyone.

Wear it, fall in love with it, and then send me an invite to the wedding. 🙂 I’ll be bringing a plus one, BTW, Tabs or Ryan Gosling. Depends on their schedules…

If you like the idea of Angela but feel like it’s a little too perky for you, peep Silvia. They’re both similar, but Silvia is slightly deeper and more purple.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Silvia — Silvia

Dominique, the last of these three, is exclusive to Barneys New York. A pink lilac with a hint of silvery gray, for some reason it reminds me of Dame Edna’s hair…

In a good way.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Dominique — Dominique

I feel kind of like a poser when I wear this shade…but if you’re one of those chic, trendy types who can pull off silvery gray hair, you could totally make it look legit.

The Berries: Fanny and Janet

I bet these two can’t wait for this year’s holiday parties.

While they look very similar at first glance, they come into their own on lips. Janet seems slightly bluer to me and leans cooler.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Fanny — Fanny

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When It Comes to Makeup, Are You Professionally Trained or Self-Taught?

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

Other than a handful of makeup classes over the years at different Chanel and MAC counters, I’m completely self-taught.

I feel like I do OK now with my makeup, but there are still so many things I’d like to learn (and I’d love to be able to do everything faster).

If/when an eccentric billionaire ever takes an interest in me (WHERE ARE YOU!? DAMMIT! HURRY UP!) and decides to fund my cat lady/makeup-lovin’ lifestyle, I would definitely sign up for official makeup training. I think it would be fun and cool.

And if Tabs ever feels so gracious as to give me another day off, I might see about assisting a local makeup artist, just to pick up some new tricks on the job.

What about you? When it comes to makeup, are you professionally trained or self-taught?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 🙂

Howdy, Highlights! It’s the New Bobbi Brown Sandstone Shimmer Brick

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Give me bold highlighters…or give me cats!

Or both! Give me both, preferably!

I’m on a bold highlighter kick right now — bold as in high-shine, borderline disco diva shimmer.

It’s because I’ve been wearing a new foundation by Laura Mercier, which is super matte, and when I wear it, unless I’m rockin’ a strong highlight, I feel like my skin looks flat.

I’m really into this limited edition one by Bobbi Brown called Sandstone Shimmer Brick ($45, from the new Smokey Nudes collection coming September to Bobbi Brown counters and neimanmarcus.com). It’s like a slightly peachier version of BECCA Opal.

Sandstone’s shiny finish is probably visible from low Earth orbit, but that’s what I like about it. 🙂 You have to be careful not to go overboard with it, though, because it’s very easy to go there, especially if you’re in a hurry…or if you have Hulk hands.

I try to be very careful and use a small tapered eyeshadow blending brush (Laura Mercier’s Ponytail Eye Crease Brush) to precisely place the highlighter on my upper cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my Cupid’s bow, and then I buff out the edges, just slightly, with the same brush. That way, I get the impact from the shimmer, but I don’t get it all over the place.

Bobbi Brown Sandstone Shimmer Brick Swatch — Sandstone is like a slightly peachier version of BECCA Opal

Beauty Confessions: Sometimes I Pick My Perfume by Color…

August 14th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

Sometimes on Sunday nights I gather up a bunch of perfume bottles based on color, set them all on my bathroom shelf, and then I wear a different one each day of the week.

This week was all about blue…

Cartier Declaration L’Eau Eau de Toilette: Technically, it’s a men’s fragrance, but I dig it, so why the heck not? Spicy woods, cedar accords, pink peppercorn and grapefruit. $93.
Clean Fresh Laundry: When I can’t be bothered to take a real shower (it happens), I like crisp, fresh scents like this. Brazilian orange, Mexican lime, fresh mown (mowed?) grass, cyclamen, rose otto, night blooming white jasmine petals, heliotrope and musk. $38.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Dreaming in Portofino Eau de Toilette: This was a limited edition Light Blue flanker from 2012 that I like to wear in the summer. Citrus accord, pink pepper, geranium, amber and patchouli. $50.
Dolce & Gabba Le Bateleur No 1: A limited edition unisex fragrance from 2009’s D&G Anthology that I “borrowed” (permanently, also known as “stole”) from El Hub. 🙂 Unfortunately, it’s hard to find now. Notes of juniper berries, cardamom, birch, water, coriander, olivanum (frankincense), cedar and vetiver. $69.
MAC Turquatic: An oldie but a goody! The bottle shown here is the old-school version. It has flashier packaging now (I prefer this older style, though). Anemone (say that five times fast, LOL!), lotus, orris and cedar. $30.
L’Occitane Mer & Mistral: Another refreshing aquatic scent. This one works for gals and guys. Pine, cypress and rosemary. $75.
Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Summer: This one is a little sweet for my taste, but I wear it because I love the beachy bottle (um, is that cray?). Lychee, vanilla, lotus, cyclamen, freesia, carnation, white lily, amberseed and musk. $74.