Karen

The Shimmery Jewel-Toned Eyeshadows in the NYX Suede Palette Are Anything But Typical for Summer

May 30th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

Dust off that stick of MAC Costa Riche liner (or any of the warm reddish brown eyeliners or eyeshadows in yo’ collection, for that matter), because the new NYX Suede Palette ($15) wants to make magic with it.

This new palette of shimmery, pearlescent jewel-toned eyeshadows is like the partridge to a warm reddish brown’s pear tree. I’m thinking a warm reddish brown with a matte finish…a la MAC Costa Riche, Swiss Chocolate or Embark.

Because all eight shadows in the palette have a shiny finish that borders on metallic, incorporating a matte to contrast with the shimmer should balance with the shadows quite nicely. For these pics here, I used good ol’ MAC Costa Riche on my water and lower lash lines, but I think I’ll sweep a matte brown in the crease as well next time I try this.

These shadows sure are easy to work with. Hardly any fallout at all, lots of pigment, AND they’re easy to blend. The only issue I’ve really had with any of them at all is with my eyes watering — not a lot. Just a tad. My eyes must be super sensitive today because my left eye got a little teary after I smudged the dark blue teal along my lower lash line.

NYX Suede Palette Swatches — Swatches of the top row

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You Only Get One Shot 24 Times With the New Sephora Formula X Press Pods Single-Use Nail Polish System

May 30th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

The part of me that takes indecision to epic heights would have a field day with this set of 24 — yes 24! — single-use nail polishes.

That’s right, single use. As in one use each. That’s the idea behind the Sephora Formula X Press Pods set ($39 for 24 shades). You open a bottle, paint yo’ paws with it, and then ditch that one when you’re done.

“Why settle on one color when you can have 24? Meet the Press Pods — travel friendly, single-use manicure capsules — and play your way through a vast color spectrum with one tiny, groundbreaking innovation. The set includes a variety of polish-filled pods in a covetable collection of standout shades, including vibrant classics, elegant neutrals, and modern metallics. One capsule paints all 10 nails in two generous coats of superior lacquer. For a flawless manicure on-the-go, simply pop, press, and paint.”

— sephora.com

Just think of the possibilities. You could be like, BOOM! I’m the Jack Bauer of the nail polish world, and I’m gonna paint my claws a new color every hour for an entire day!

Or, you could sit there, like I probably would, and vex over whether you should start with the colors you want to wear the most (life is short, why not?), or save the ones you want to wear the most for last.

Hmm…

I came this close to picking this up at Sephora yesterday, but I just couldn’t figure out where I’d start. Nail polish indecisiveness, #thestruggleisreal!!

The Sephora Formula X Press Pods are available now at Sephora stores and online at sephora.com.

For a Pop of Color From Santa Monica, Try the New Colour Pop Super Shock Shadows

May 30th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Bargain hunter says what now?! The new Super Shock Shadows by Colour Pop are only $5 each?

A new makeup line from Santa Monica, California, the brand does eyeshadow singles in a double rainbow of hues and finishes for just $5 each.

Other than being totally affordable, they feel pretty interesting, too. While they look like powder eyeshadows on the skin, they feel more like a creamy mousse to the touch.

To get the most intense color on your lids, Colour Pop recommends applying the shadows either with a finger or a flat eyeshadow brush.

I’ve tried applying and blending them with a bunch of different brushes, and for me, fingers or a flat eyeshadow brush create the most vibrant colors. Most of the time, I’ll grab a domed, tapered fluffy brush because, you know…girlfriend is not about to sweep a bright purple into the crease with a finger, even though it would be possible, but my clumsiness knows no bounds, and it could also be a recipe for disaster.

The fluffier the tool, the more it tends to diffuse the shadows, which is why these appear super intense in the arm swatches (where I applied them with a finger) and mellower on my lids.

Just an FYI…in case the thought of parting with yo’ 217 or 224 freaks you out.

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5 Wacky but Extremely Useful Beauty Tools!

May 30th, 2014 by Karen 62 Comments

Great things have been achieved with the simplest of inventions.

Like the wheel. And ink. And simple beauty tools that make life so much easier and happier. Imagine removing facial hair with a spring, pinning up your hair with Velcro, or using tape to reinforce or alter the shape of your eyelid.

Epistick Facial Hair Remover

If I were the manufacturer, I’d have named it The EPICstick! — because the results I get from this little spring are nothing short of epic. Lodged between two rubber handles is a tightly coiled metal spring that works to remove those little hairs on your upper lip, cheeks, chins, and forehead.

To use the Epistick, grab it at both ends, and bend it into an inverted U-shape. Then, roll it in an outward motion along the surface of your skin to remove the hair in that area. Simple instructions for one of the most amazing tools ever invented to remove facial hair.

The sensation is similar to threading, a little prickly, but oh-so-worth it. I find it hurts less than threading actually because how much pain you endure during threading depends on the skill of the person performing the procedure. When you do it yourself, you can always pause in between for a breather. I usually do it while watching TV to distract myself from the pain, and because, well, I don’t have to look at myself in the mirror to know where my upper lip and chin are.

Having a face clear of obvious facial hair not only makes you look fresher and cleaner, it also allows for a smoother canvas for makeup application. WE WANT!

Mascara Guard

Ever done a fantastic rainbow eyeshadow look only to ruin it by accidentally getting mascara on your lids? And do you also avoid applying mascara on your lower lashes to reduce the risk of getting the product on your under-eye area? Hell, YES to both questions!

But those sad times are a thing of the past ever since I got the Mascara Guard. This oddly-shaped piece of plastic fits the contours of the eye area so that you can apply mascara without fear of staining your eyelids and under-eyes. Because I don’t have to be as careful when I use it, it also effectively cuts down the time it takes to apply mascara on my lower lashes. I don’t like to be careful because careful takes time. The double-sided comb on the other end can also be used to comb out mascara clumps or separate individual lashes.

Hair Fringe Velcro

What do you use to pin up your hair when you apply makeup? Bobbi pins, butterfly clips, a hairband?

Me? I use this.
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You Can Always Count on Cat Butts…and Something Casual and Summery From Clarins, Like Their New Lip Balm Crayons

May 30th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

The new Clarins Lip Balm Crayons, $20 each

There are some things we can always count on, like…

That cats will stick their kitty butts in our face, often at inopportune moments
That Clarins will knock out a new line of lovely lip products for summer

Clarins is just so good about the whole glossy, effortless lip look thing — the kind of makeup where it looks like you were summoned by the gods and washed up on a tropical shore solely for the purpose of looking seductively pouty, with your luxuriously wavy hair (seaweed artfully woven into it); bronzed, glistening skin and your lips that shine bright like a diamond (Shine bright like a diamond).

Clarins Lip Balm Crayons from the left: 01 My Pink, 02 Tender Pink, 03 Tender Coral, 04 Sweet Cherry, 05 Delicious Plum and 06 Soft Coffee — From the left: 01 My Pink, 02 Tender Pink, 03 Tender Coral, 04 Sweet Cherry, 05 Delicious Plum and 06 Soft Coffee

Their new line of limited edition moisturizing Lip Balm Crayons (which taste and smell like vanilla milkshake, OMG, YUM!) totally nails that summery lip look. Each retractable pencil lavishes lips with sheer color and glossy shine, while a moisturizing, lightweight mix of mango, apricot and shea butter hydrates your parched pout.

Clarins Lip Balm Crayon in My Pink — 01 My Pink

You might find yourself craving all six shades, but you may only need one (or two), because at some point, I think they all start to look the same, especially if your lips are quite pigmented like mine.

I suppose you could blank out the natural color of your lips first using something like OCC’s Tarred + Feathered Lip Balm Duo, and then layer a Clarins Crayon on top to coax out more of its color (you makeup overachiever, you!), but, you know, it’s a lip balm… I don’t think it’s supposed to be that complicated.

Clarins Lip Balm Crayon in Creamy Pink — 02 Creamy Pink

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6 Days of OCC: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Stained Gloss in Off World, Day 5

May 29th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

One day I hope to use the name of this new OCC Stained Gloss in a sentence pertaining to interstellar travel, as in…

“What are you doing this weekend, K?”

“Oh, just heading Off World for a little meow time. El Hub is taking us to one of those fancy Relaxarian spas on Relaxus 5. You know, the ones with the massage therapy droids? Should be back late Sunday afternoon. Why, what’s up?”

But, until that day arrives, be advised that further use of the phrase “Off World” on this blog will primarily pertain to OCC’s pearlescent lilac shimmer from the Dune Generation summer collection (available now, along with the other colors for $18 each at sephora.com and occmakeup.com, and coming to Sephora stores June 6). 🙂

The 6 Days of OCC series features a different Stained Gloss every day

Drawing the Human Body, Literally, With the New Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic Pencils

May 29th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

I think I’m going to start calling makeup shopping “art supply shopping.” That way, when I get something new and sneak it into the house in my XXL purse (NOTE: this is a good way to avoid the, “Do you really need another pink gloss?” convo with El Hub), I won’t exactly be fibbing, since pencil-shaped makeup really is a thing these days. 🙂

Case in point: the new Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic twist-up eyeshadow pencils ($21 each), which look equally at home on a makeup vanity or an easel.

And if El Hub asks what I’m doing, I’ll just say that I’ve taken up drawing (…on my face, haha!).

These long-wearing creamy shadows can be used as eyeshadows or as eyeshadow bases, and they’re supposed to be smudge-proof, waterproof, creamy and creaseless and stay that way all day long without fading.

“This eye shadow pencil glides on and stays put. The unbelievably blendable texture includes silica, so it applies effortlessly onto the eyelid and won’t transfer. This highly-pigmented, waterproof, smudge-free shadow delivers immediate, intense color payoff. A retractable twist-up mechanism allows for quick and mistake-free application, and a sharpener makes it convenient to take this product to go for touchups.”

— sephora.com

Currently there are 10 shades…

Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic swatches from the left: Diamond Black D-10, Satiny Warm Brown S-60, Diamond Golden Grey D-12, Iridescent Pop Purple I-90 and Iridescent Electric Blue I-22 — Swatches from the left: Diamond Black D-10, Satiny Warm Brown S-60, Diamond Golden Grey D-12, Iridescent Pop Purple I-90 and Iridescent Electric Blue I-22

Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic swatches from the left: Iridescent Turquoise I-20, Iridescent Lime Green I-30, Metallic Golden Taupe ME-50, Metallic Pinkish Beige ME-54 and Satiny Flesh-Colored PInk S-52 — Iridescent Turquoise I-20, Iridescent Lime Green I-30, Metallic Golden Taupe ME-50, Metallic Pinkish Beige ME-54 and Satiny Flesh-Colored Pink S-52

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Cat Sure: Nutrition for Mature Cats

May 29th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Seeing as Tabs was a stray when we met, I don’t know his exact birth date (a vet pegged his age then at about one year), so I decided a long time ago that we should totally share birthdays! My baby-cat turns 8 (!) on June 9 this year, and we’re both going to co-celebrate.

I know, total crazy cat lady move, but whatevs.

After my swatch visit to Sephora today I walked into the Petco next door to look for a present.

As Tabs is a mature adult kitty now, I might have to get him some of this CatSure, which is a liquid nutritional supplement kind of like Ensure, but for adult and senior cats.

Awww! 🙂

Or what about this roll-on catnip?

Did you know this was actually a thing?? Roll-on catnip?

Who knew?

If I can’t decide, I could always get him grooming products but, you know, since he’s always so naturally fabulous, he might just pooh-pooh the idea.

So, awkward question for you… Have you ever thrown your pet a birthday party? Inquiring (and slightly embarrassed) minds want to know. 🙂