Karen

A Happy Honu Meets a Happy Girl

August 16th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Honu, Kauai, Aug. 15, 2013 — A honu grazing at Tunnels beach on the North Shore of Kauai, Aug. 2013

One of the coolest things ever happened today. I was snorkeling at Tunnels beach on the North Shore of Kauai and ran into a giant honu (sea turtle)! He was huge — about four feet long — and was RIGHT THERE. If he wanted to get up in my grill, he could’ve easily done so (he didn’t try anything funny, LOL!).

We swam around together for a good 10 minutes, just me and him in the warm blue water with the waves crashing over us. It was surreal — and really very moving. It felt like the ocean had given me a special gift, a wonderful memory to cherish.

I also went to a local farmers’ market and gorged myself on tropical fruit, spent some quality time with my Kauai kitty, Tortie Girl (Remember her? She’s still around, entertaining hotel guests by the barbecue pits.), and even bumped into an MBB reader on the beach (aloha, Chloe!). Like literally bumped into her. We put our beach towels down under the same exact tree!

And wouldn’t ya know it? The one time I’m not wearing a lick of makeup, I run into a fellow makeup lover. Would have been nice if I’d at least curled my lashes, but noooo.

Remember Tortie Girl, my Kauai kitty from last year? She’s still around!

Oh, I almost forgot! Guess who started feeding the hotel kitties again. Go on, guess. I’ll give you one guess. 🙂 Her name starts with ‘K’.

Matching Makeup and Clothes? Is This a Do or a Don’t for You?

August 15th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

A gray BCBG dress with coordinating bluish gray smokey eyes (courtesy of the Hourglass Visionnaire Duo in Prism)

For me at least, I say it’s a do! — as long as I’m not wearing the exact same colors from head to toe.

Like, I really don’t think I could pull off a blue dress, blue accessories, blue nail polish and blue eyeshadow from lash line to brow bone…but if you can, more power to ya. I think it all depends on your personal style. Done well, even that degree of matchy-matchy can look really cool.

I shoot for coordination moderation (hey, I just made a rhyme!) and focus on one or two accent colors, like if there’s a pop of coral in a print I’m wearing, then I might match it to a reddish coral lipstick or a peach gloss, or if I’m wearing a gray dress, I might go with bluish gray smokey eyes, like in that pic up top.

Instead of completely matching my makeup and clothes, I’ll go for more of an echo, echo, echo…as opposed to something more obvious that shouts, “HEY, MA, CHECK US OUT! WE’RE MATCHY-MATCHY TODAY!!”

I don’t know… I just don’t want to look too Miss Havisham, ya know? I’m in my late 30s now. If I were still in my teens and 20s, completely different story.

What about you? Do you ever coordinate your clothing and makeup? Do you have pairings you particularly like? I’m always on the market for ideas. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung Makeup Heroes: NARS Matte Eyeshadow in Thunderball

August 15th, 2013 by Karen 10 Comments

NARS Matte Eyeshadow in Thunderball ($24)

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Radhika Mohan of weekendramblings.com. You can also find Radhika on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+.

For a good part of my makeup life, I had only read about NARS on makeup blogs, but we didn’t (still don’t) have NARS back home in India, and all I could do was stare at photos of “the best blushes ever.” It was only when I came to the US that I could finally try out products from this brand, and the blushes weren’t what really caught my eye. My favorite products from NARS are the eyeshadows, and considering how much I love a dark smokey eye, my pick for an unsung makeup hero would be NARS Matte Eyeshadow in Thunderball.

Thunderball is described as a midnight gray, but to me, this is a deep greenish gray that can look almost black under certain lights. Like most NARS powder products, Thunderball too comes packaged in a small black compact with a mirror on one side and a transparent plastic cover protecting the eyeshadow on the other.

Thunderball is a matte eyeshadow with a velvety smooth texture — no chalkiness to this one! It is amazingly pigmented and pretty much true to the color in the pan. On lighter skin tones, the greenish undertone would show up better, but on my darker skin, this can be mistaken for a grey or even black. In the swatch below, I have added a black eyeshadow just for comparison (it’s the black from L’Oreal Hip Duo in Dashing, for anyone who’s curious).

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While Way Pigmented, $32 Armani Rouge d’Armani Lipstick in 300 Won’t Weigh You Down

August 15th, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Giorgio Armani’s Rouge D’Armani Lipstick in 300 feels like kissing a cloud…

As lightweight as air, it’s super smooth, almost like you’re not wearing a lipstick at all, but still rich in pigment.

“Exceptional long-wear formula results in up to 8 hours of intense color. Experience comfort and shine, without fading and feathering. Soft texture leaves lips feeling continuously hydrated. Lipstick packaged in an elegant black lacquered case with an exclusive magnetic closure. Sealed with a click.”

— giorgioarmani.com

This one here, orangey red 300, is one of six numerically named shades recently released for fall.

It’s available now at Armani counters and also online (click here).

I’m Radhika Mohan of Weekend Ramblings, and This Is My Makeup Life

August 15th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

The radical Radhika of Weekend Ramblings

The My Makeup Life series asks beauty biz insiders, bloggers, makeup mavens and artists to share their holy grail products, tricks, tips and favorite beauty tools. Is there anyone you would like to see featured in My Makeup Life or questions you think I should ask? Let me know here.

Name: Radhika Mohan
Location: Santa Clara, California, and when I’m in India, I call Bangalore home.
Day job/current gig: I work(ed) part-time, from home, for a medical transcription company — a job that involves a lot of typing…and chipped polish.
Hangouts online: weekendramblings.com, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, Facebook and Pinterest
Current favorite product: Dior Creme Abricot Fortifying Cream for Nails. A little sticky and best used right before bedtime, but this cream sorts out any pesky dry bits around the nails almost overnight.
Beauty inspirations: Clear blue skies and starry nights, my mom’s garden after a rain, and the best mood board of all — Pinterest!
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Simple

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

This Indian girl can’t live without a black eyeliner, and my favorite is the Urban Decay eyeliner in Perversion. Also, Bobbi Brown Corrector (dark peach) and a good lip balm.

When did you start getting into makeup?

For the longest time, I had a 2-step makeup routine — Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation (which I bought mostly because it came with a brush) and a liquid eyeliner. Trouble started about 5 years back when I discovered beauty blogs. A brief stop at a Chanel counter, and I got myself a brand new obsession!

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Pygmalion and Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Calypso Coral

My go-to time-saving beauty trick is to use my lipstick as a blush. Pick up the color either directly from the lipstick or from the lips and dab on to the cheeks. Perfectly coordinated blush in a second! Or use a lip-cheek combination product like the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge.

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

Chanel eyelash curler, which for reasons unknown is/was a limited edition release. My lashes are quite straight, and I love how the curler gives them a naturally lifted appearance.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Eat healthy, walk a lot, sleep early. Of course, when it comes to actually following all that advice, I am a bit of a work in progress. :Pâ€¨

What’s your skincare routine?

Grab a cookie or two…this is going to be one long answer! My skin type is oily/combination-sensitive, and here’s what I am using currently.

Face wash: Olay Cleansing Cloths for oily-combination skin. These have salicylic acid in them, and the textured cloth provides gentle exfoliation to keep skin looking clean.
Serums: Chanel Resynchronizing line – Le Jour and La Nuit. The day serum has salicylic acid in it, and La Nuit — for the night — has hyaluronic acid. Both are light enough to use under my regular moisturizer and are perfect for my crazy skin type.
Moisturizer: Lush Dream Cream (actually a body moisturizer meant for sensitive skin) for the day and Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask for the night.
Eye Cream: Chanel Sublimage Eye Cream. I had always believed a good face cream would work just as well for the eye area, but after trying a couple of samples of this cream and noticing a difference in the darkness around my eyes, I gave up on the theory and bought a full-sized (tiny) jar.
Face masks/treatments: I am currently using the When Travelmate Essence sheet masks. And, Biore Pore Strips – a must-have for anyone who has a camera inches away from the nose!

For my incredibly dry lips, I depend upon the Fresh Sugar Polish and the Rosebud Salve.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

I can’t call this weird as it is something a lot of people do, at least back home in India — use a mix of henna powder, yogurt, and egg as a hair mask. It adds in moisture to the hair and gives it a healthy shine, but I cannot stand the smell of eggs…and yogurt…mixed together. Sigh…the things I try on my hair!

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

Brown eyeshadow, black eyeliner — I look sleepy-eyed without it — and a nude/neutral lipstick.

Used here, on the eyes — NARS Fez and Night Porter, UD Perversion eyeliner.
Lipstick — L’Oreal Nature’s Blush

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

I did try cutting my hair myself, ending up with a lopsided blunt cut that took ages to grow out.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

I do a lot of my shopping online, but in-store or online, I love to shop at Nordstrom and Sephora.

Anything else you want to share?

Two of my favorite things: Road trips and photography!

What’s Your Stance on Permanent Makeup?

August 14th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

There’s a cafe in my town that I go to for lunch every so often. I go in, order my salad (dressing on the side with extra tomatoes) and chat, when the place isn’t too hoppin’, with the gal who usually works at the register.

She loves funky nail polishes, so we always have something to talk about. (SIDE NOTE: beauty gals/guys should have a secret handshake or something, like the jeep wave, so we can identify ourselves in public and commiserate, haha!)

Anywho, one day I noticed that she was wearing teal eyeliner. It looked sharp, and I asked her about it. She said it was permanent. She’d had it done years ago — had her liner permanently tattooed — and she absolutely loves it. It saves her a ton of time. Looked really good, too.

Sometimes I entertain the idea of having my brows permanently filled in… Just think of all the time I could save every morning if I didn’t have to fill in my brows! — but then I remember my control issues and how much I hate needles and chicken out. 🙂

The thought of leaving the fate of my brows in someone else’s hands FOREVER makes my left eye twitch…so no permanent makeup for this girl.

Plus, my tastes change. And styles change, too. I wouldn’t want to feel stuck with something I didn’t like anymore.

But…it’s an interesting idea, isn’t it? It’s a great option for some people, too, especially after chemotherapy or an injury to hide a scar or restore pigmentation to damaged skin.

Have you ever considered getting permanent makeup? Think of all the time you could save! Or do you have any permanent makeup now, like your liner/brows/anything else? What’s your take on it?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Touchdown! Aloha from Lihue, Kauai. El Hub and I got in around noon, had fish tacos for lunch at a beachside grill (Duke’s), went for a quick swim, took a nap, and now we’re gonna hit the Wal-Mart to pick up some snorkel fins, a tiny tube of toothpaste, shaving stuff for him, maybe a bag of cookies… You know, important stuff like that. 🙂

Hope you had a good day today. What did you think of Laurie’s skincare routine in today’s My Makeup Life? Pretty extensive, right? She uses a bunch of products I’ve never tried before.

Unsung Makeup Heroes: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer

August 14th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Laurie Leopold of 312beauty.com. You can also find Laurie on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Without a doubt, highlighter is one of the hardest working products in my makeup bag. Admittedly, I have an entire drawer full of them in liquid, cream and powder variations.

Don’t wear it? Perhaps it’s a matter of finding the right one. That might just be the only thing standing in the way of you getting your supermodel on. And I mean that rather literally.

My holy grail highlighter is RMS Living Luminizer ($38), developed by Rose-Marie Swift, makeup artist to supermodels everywhere. Giselle and Miranda Kerr are fans of RMS Beauty and who doesn’t want to look like them? They make flawless and glowy look so easy.

Despite the stockpile of highlighter I’ve managed to accumulate, Living Luminizer stands out from the rest.

The long-running Makeup and Beauty Blog Unsung Heroes series features much-loved permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

Made with just a handful of ingredients, including coconut oil and beeswax, Living Luminizer is a sheer balm that leaves skin glowing and fresh. No glitter or sparkle, just supermodel-worthy glow. The kind that you notice but don’t see.

There’s not much this Luminizer can’t do. It even works on all skin tones, from the fair to the deep. If this was the only beauty product I used on any given day, I’d be all right. Use your fingers or a brush — or both, as I prefer. It’s a no-rules highlighter. It goes far beyond use on just cheekbones and brow bones.

Living Luminizer can also…

…oomph up concealer. Because the formula is nearly translucent, it can be used under the eyes. I mix it with a little dab of RMS “Un” Cover-Up and it brightens and conceals.
…double as eye shadow. Blend ever so slightly on the lid, focusing on the center. I wear a primer if I do this and usually tote it along in my bag for touchups.
…illuminate your body. Sometimes you just need to highlight your clavicle, you know? Also, I love blending just a bit onto shoulders when wearing a sleeveless dress. You notice the effect but don’t see the product.
…be used as lip gloss. Always dab a bit at the bow of your lips and even wear as a base for lip gloss. The coconut oil is nourishing so you don’t have to worry about it drying out your lips.

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BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal Is a Peachy Bronze Beauty

August 14th, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

Becca Opal Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed 1

Aaaaand Becca just keeps churning out the highlighting hits! The new peachy bronze Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal looks freaking fabulous on warm skin tones. If you’re rockin’ a tan right now, this is the color you’ll want to try next.

It’s available now You can find it now exclusively at Sephora stores and sephora.com for $38.