Karen

I’m Laurie Leopold of 312 Beauty, and This Is My Makeup Life

August 14th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

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: Laurie Leopold
Location: Chicago, IL
Day job/current gig: I work in public relations as an account supervisor for an agency in Chicago.
Hangouts online: 312beauty.com,Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (guaranteed at least one Boston Terrier picture each week!) and Pinterest
Current favorite product: RMS Beauty Lip Shine in Sacred — the perfect daytime red!
Beauty inspirations: The current J. Crew catalog, Lana Del Ray in Fashion Canada’s summer issue, Jessica Chastain always.
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Natural

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

My go-to complexion staples are RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up and Living Luminizer. I love Urban Decay neutral eye shadows, especially the new soft gold Easy Baked and NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Capartes. For lips, the ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioners take the cake! And In My Room is the perfect, wear-with-everything neutral.

When did you start getting into makeup?

I started young with an impressive Bonne Bell collection and regularly rode my bike to Walgreens to buy eye shadow starting when I was 13. But it wasn’t until after college that my makeup bag really started overflowing.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Two products: bronzer and highlighter. A few strategic dabs and sweeps of each, and I can pretty much forgo all other makeup.

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

The Sultra Bombshell has changed my hair game. Before I discovered it, my super-straight hair could never successfully hold a curl. It is unbelievably easy to use — so long as you use the provided glove! Trust me, you only need to make that mistake once.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Don’t tug or rub your eyes, ever. My sister-in-law shared this with me at 15, and it stuck with me. I credit this nugget for keeping the wrinkles at bay. â€¨

What’s your skincare routine?

In a word, extensive. I love my facial oils! I always remove my makeup with an oil-based cleanser. Lately I’ve been using a new cleansing oil from Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics that smells like papayas. I layer on my serums and moisturizers in the a.m. and p.m. and use Kahina Giving Beauty Brightening Serum every morning, followed by RMS Beauty Oil or Weleda Wild Rose Facial Lotion and a healthy amount of SPF. When I need more intense moisture, I reach for my La Bella Figura Rainforest Hydration Treatment. It’s a thicker balm, but when you massage it with your fingers it turns into an oil.

It’s heavenly. I save the masking and relaxing for Sundays — lately with Osmia Organics Detox Mask, which also doubles as an exfoliator.

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

Lip tattoos! Temporary, of course, because I am relatively conservative with anything of a permanent nature (see hair dye sins below). While I totally appreciate these, I don’t think it’s something that looks good on me.

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

Most days, I wear a neutral eye. Neutral cream color all over, soft brown in the crease and black liquid liner with lots of lash. It’s my go-to easy natural look.

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

I’ve made several poor decisions with hair dye. In my teenage years, I bleached my hair to a horrid shade of orange. Not on purpose, of course.

It was bad. And then there was my early 20s where I dyed my hair black. I thought I was so fly at the time, but I just look pale and washed out in all the pictures.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

Nordstrom, Anthropologie and LOFT are my big three. BaubleBar for jewels — to the point where I’ve made multiple orders in a single week — and Spirit Beauty Lounge, Birchbox and Sephora for beauty.

Anything else you want to share?

Yes! One of my newest discoveries has me really jazzed. For years, I’ve been searching for a natural mascara that actually works. After many tubes of smeary, smudgy, flaky and disappointing formulas, I finally found one that rivals nearly all others — natural or otherwise. Kjaer Weis Mascara is not only 99.8% organic, it plumps up my lashes and lasts all day without flaking. Bonus: it smells like roses.

The new Giorgio Armani Face & Eye Palette in Scarabeo for a Colorful Pink and Green Update to Your Makeup Bag

August 13th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo — Wearing Giorgio Armani’s Eye and Face Palette in Scarabeo ($88)

I don’t follow any hard-and-fast rules about wearing colorful eyeshadow during the day, but if I do have many errands to run or expect to interact with lots of different people like I did today — the teller at the bank, the chatty checker at Tar-ghay, other personal assistants at Petco — then I like to keep whatever colors I’m feeling fairly close to my lash lines. That way I can get my color fix on without feeling like I’m wearing a ton of disco makeup on my eyes. Plus, it’s easy (and you know I like that).

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo eyeshadows — The eyeshadows

Today I was in the mood for green and grabbed the pricey new $88 (!) Giorgio Armani Face & Eye Palette in Scarabeo, one of two new Giorgio Armani palettes released for fall.

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo eyeshadows closeup — A closeup of the eyeshadows

I know. That price is insane! You kind of have to be a big Armani fan to even consider it.

With really expensive palettes like this two-tier one from Armani (the shadows are on a level beneath the blush), I usually prefer neutrals, because at least that way you can wear them daily to try to get your money’s worth.

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo blush — The shimmery light pink blush

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5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately, Including a Benefit Body Oil Mist, a Veggie-Themed Hand Wash, a ClÃ© de Peau BeautÃ© Lipstick and Bamboo

August 13th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

1. Benefit Bathina Soft to Touch…Hard to Get ($34 for a 2.5 US fl. oz. bottle)

Ha! This body oil mist sounds like it was inspired by Tabs. 🙂

The name could be his official slogan, ba-dum dum!

Thank you, thank you! I’ll be performing again at 11.

Soft to Touch…Hard to Get is one of those lovely, girly bottles that looks right at home on a vanity. With sweet almond, olive and avocado oils, the lightweight formula lightly moisturizes while leaving skin with a slight sheen and a jasmine flower scent.

The bottle has some heft to it (feels like it’s made out of glass…or really heavy plastic), so when you spray it on damp skin after your shower or on your significant other/booty call as a massage oil, you’ll feel super fancy… Just don’t drop it on your foot.

Yes, I speak from experience.

2. Method Gel Hand Wash Orla Kiely Spring limited Edition in Tomato Vine ($4.49 for a 12 US fl. oz. bottle)

I’m so glad I picked up this bottle of Method Gel Hand Wash in Tomato Vine at Target a few weeks ago. The cute green bottle was just sitting there with a sale sticker next to it at the end of the toothpaste aisle.

I needed some hand wash, soooooo of course I unscrewed the cap and gave it a big sniff right there in the store. (Don’t front! I can’t be the only one who’s done that before.)

DUDE! It really does smell like tomato vines. I’ve got some on my deck right now.

The scent is a little weird at first…but I’m addicted to it now. It reminds me of when Demeter was doing cool, unusual scents like Thunderstorm (before they went completely off their rocker and started doing perfumes like Play-Doh and Crayon).

Anyway, I have to run back to Target today, and I’m hoping they’ll still have a few more of these limited edition scents by Orla Kiely (an Irish fashion designer) left, not only because I think this one smells great, but because it also gets my hands squeaky clean without sucking out every ounce of moisture.

If you don’t live near a Target, you can also find it online at methodhome.com.

3. ClÃ© de Peau BeautÃ© Extra Rich Lipstick Silk ($40)

ClÃ© de Peau BeautÃ© Extra Rich Lipstick Silk in 201

Speaking of fancy, if a mysterious benefactor were to offer to fund a leisurely life of lunches and makeup, for the record, I would not say no.

If that were to happen, you’d find me at the Neiman Marcus Rotunda in San Francisco from Mondays through Fridays for tea around lunch, and then at the ClÃ© de Peau BeautÃ© counter downstairs playing with the smooth, silky and indulgent Extra Rich Lipstick Silks ($40) and Extra Rich Lipstick Holders ($25).

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Ouidad Wave Create Texture Taffy Tames Big Hair To Bring Out Beachy Waves

August 13th, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

Wearing Ouidad’s Texture Taffy ($23) in mah hair!

Scanning the break for beachy waves? If your mane/mop naturally has a lot of volume to it (read: when left to its own devices, it’s big and voluminous enough to exert its own gravitational pull), then Ouidad’s Wave Create Texture Taffy ($23) can tame that untapped volume and turn it into well-behaved waves.

A new flexible styling cream, it coaxes beachy waves out of straight or wavy hair. I’ve been using it for the past few days to tame my tresses and create full-on beachy waves.

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What’s Nude and Covered Up at the Same Time? Your Lips When Wearing These New Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos

August 12th, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 4, a pink beige — That’s pinky beige Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No. 4 smilin’ at you from Novato, California

The last time I was surrounded by this much nudity was last year’s Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, ba-dum bum!

Ha, I jest. 🙂

Well…not really. And that was a little more jarring than the nudity I’m talking about today.

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos — Oh, hai!

Really, though, when a dude jogs past you in nothing but tennies and a fanny pack at the crack (no pun intended) of dawn, it’s a lot to take in before your first cup of coffee.

But I digress…

These new Femme Nude Lip Stylos by Hourglass ($30 each) are a joy to play with, partly because there are so many different ways a nude lip can go wrong, and this new collection of twist-up, retractable lip pencils gets it right.

Hourglass envisioned all six Stylos working together as part of a wardrobe of nudes — nudes for minimal makeup days, nudes for when you’re feeling artsy-fartsy, and nudes for when you have a hankering for something nude and slightly dramatic.

A satin finish gives lips a sheen while ingredients like vitamin E nourish and protect yo’ pout from the elements.

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 1 — No. 1, a pale pink, and the lightest shade in the collection

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 2 — No. 2, a warm honey beige

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 3 — No. 3, a medium nude rosy pink

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: The Hourglass Visionnaire Duo in Prism

August 12th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

Hourglass Prism — Wearing the Visionnaire Duo in Prism by Hourglass…and wondering if I remembered to shave my ‘pits

As a lifetime member of The S.O.S.E. (The Society of Smokey Eyes), I pledge…

To acknowledge my fellow sisters/brothers with a fist bump (the standard S.O.S.E. greeting) and by saying our motto loud and proud, “Smokey eye ’til I die.”
To wear smokey eyes whenever I damn well please! — and not just when it’s considered seasonally or otherwise appropriate (fall, winter and evenings out on the town).
To never, ever withhold sensational smokey eye accouterments, like the $38 Hourglass Cosmetics Visionaire Duo in Prism, from my beauty brethren, and to always spread the gospel of smokey eye love and truth to the best of my abilities.

I’ve been stuck on this duo big time, babe, and the main reason is that black eyeshadow on the right…

It’s SO KILLER.

Imagine the darkest, deepest, truest black shadow that haunts your makeup dreams. Then make it smoother than Jeremy Renner singing in a smokey jazz bar, add powder grains that refuse fallout, and give it the cutest flecks of silvery blue glitter.

And not just a lame sprinkling of glitter, but a perfect amount — just enough to wink at you without venturing into tween makeup territory.

Swatching it on the back of your hand is like looking into a night sky filled with twinkling stars…

I fall asleep thinking about this eyeshadow, no joke. 🙂

Oh, but it gets better. The other half of this duo rocks just as hard.

It’s a shimmery slate, like a combination of periwinkle Crayola crayons and thunderstorm clouds, that buffs and blends into beautiful, smooth gradients.

Neither color leans too cool nor warm, so this is truly one of those smokey eye duos that almost everyone can wear.

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Accessorize Me! Today’s Purse and Shoes

August 12th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

The nude wedges are by Franco Sarto and the purse is by Kate Spade (it’s a few years old).

On my toes I’m wearing Chanel Taboo.

I’ve worn the Franco Sarto wedges to death since I picked them up in April (has it already been that long?!) and they’ve held up really well. Highly recommended!

What purse/shoes are you wearing today? 🙂

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 284

August 12th, 2013 by Karen 52 Comments

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 five years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

What’s your favorite time of day?
Early in the morning, just as the sun is rising when the world still feels like it’s waking up, and all I can hear outside are a few birds singing (the earliest risers).

What color are your eyes?
Chocolate brown with a navy blue ring around the iris.

If you could read minds, would you want to?
Oh, hell no! I don’t want to know what pervy guys are thinking about women’s butts, or have access everyone’s worries.

It would come in handy at the poker tables though… Too bad I don’t know how to play cards!

What’s the next makeup product you plan to purchase?
I need a refill of Bobbi Brown’s Foundation stick.

If you could shapeshift into an animal, what animal would it be?
Either a cute little finch or a hummingbird (would love to be able to fly).

Your sweet snack of choice at the movies?
Sour Patch Kids AND Peanut M&Ms! Yes, please, I’ll take both. 😀 And, um, throw in some kettle corn while you’re at it…

Something you have to remember to do today?
Text my brother at noon to wish him good luck on his job interview today.

Do you ever go to sleep with wet hair?
Yup. I know some folks don’t like to, but I think it saves time, and when I wake up in the morning, I get a fun surprise! — either a head of cute, sexy bedhead curls, or a total hair disaster.

Which do you wear more often: bracelets or necklaces?
Necklaces. I have a hard time finding bracelets that don’t just slip off my small wrists. Plus, bracelets always get in the way while I’m typing.

A helpful lesson you recently learned?
I’ve learned that I do better when I don’t check my email first thing in the day. Better to do my heaviest mental lifting first thing and then work on admin tasks later.

Now it’s your turn. Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em! 🙂

1. What’s your favorite time of day?
2. What color are your eyes?
3. If you could read minds, would you want to?
4. What’s the next makeup product you plan to purchase?
5. If you could shapeshift into an animal, what animal would it be?
6. Your sweet snack of choice at the movies?
7. Something you have to remember to do today?
8. Do you ever go to sleep with wet hair?
9. Which do you wear more often: bracelets or necklaces?
10. A helpful lesson you recently learned?

Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize, and remember, you CAN do this. 🙂 Have a great day, my love!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen