Karen

Like Slipping on a Pair of Stretchy Pants, the New MAC Mineralize Rich Lipsticks From the Tropical Taboo Collection Feel Good

June 26th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

MAC Lady at Play Mineralize Rich Lipstick from the Tropical Taboo collection — A picture of a Lady at Play… MAC’s Lady at Play Mineralize Rich Lipstick from the Tropical Taboo collection.

As a card-carrying member of MAC’s Mineralize Rich Lipstick Club, I suspected the five shades in the new Tropical Taboo collection would be the business, and MAC did not let me down.

Smoother than Ryan Gosling on roller stakes, more satisfying than unbuttoning my skinny jeans after a big meal (or taking off my bra after a long day) and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! — these moisturizing, lightweight lippies are super fab.

MAC Divine Choice Mineralize Rich Lipstick — Divine Choice Mineralize Rich Lipstick, $22

MAC Glamour Era Mineralize Rich Lipstick — Glamour Era Mineralize Rich Lipstick, $22

Lightweight and loaded with moisture, they feel like a balm on my lips, but they’re also packed with full-coverage, easy-to-control color. I can wear ’em without a lip liner and don’t need a lip brush to apply, even with the more intense colors like Midnight Mambo and Lady at Play.

MAC Lady At Play Mineralize Rich Lipstick — Lady At Play Mineralize Rich Lipstick, $22

I get so fired up just talking about some of these, like Lady at Play (so bright), Glamour Era (looks a little like Twig) and Divine Choice, that I have to fan myself! Those are the three that raise my temperature the most. All three easily transition from day to night (yay for flexibility!).

MAC Midnight Mambo Mineralize Rich Lipstick — Midnight Mambo Mineralize Rich Lipstick, $22

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You’ll Look Like You’ve Been Dancing All Night Long Wearing One of the Three Bright New MAC Tropical Taboo Mineralize Blushes in Exotic Ember, Simmer and Sweet Samba

June 26th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

MAC Simmer Mineralize Blush from the Tropical Taboo Collection — Simmer Mineralize Blush from the MAC Tropical Taboo collection

Guess who just got cast in a new reality TV show!?

I know! It’s called So You Think You Can’t Dance, and it’s still pretty new, so it only has a small following of just one husky tabby cat.

For now. But I’m sure it’s going to catch on soon. It has a winning formula.

The season premiere was last night…in my living room. Yeah, it aired while El Hub and I were watching So You Think You Can Dance, when after every one of the show’s dance routines, we danced around our living room, hootin’, hollerin’ and twirling around like reject ninjas.

“Okay,” one of us would say in complete seriousness, “now it’s time for our contemporary routine!” Then, no matter what type of dance we were supposed to be doing, El Hub would end up doing the robot, and I’d do the cha-cha.

Being the only contestants on the show, the odds of us winning this season are good. 🙂

It’s fun, but I really just want to practice my Latin dance moves so that I could keep up with the three new $25 MAC Tropical Taboo Mineralize Blushes…

MAC Exotic Ember Mineralize Blush — Exotic Ember Mineralize Blush, an orange with bronze pearl

Exotic Ember, Simmer and Sweet Samba shimmy onto MAC shelves and into hearts and stores tomorrow (but they’re available online now!), and they’re ready to lead MAC girls (and guys) through a glamorous and tropic-themed routine on the dance floor.

Just don’t be surprised if they try to hog the spotlight, because they’re hella pigmented.

MAC Simmer Mineralize Blush — Simmer Mineralize Blush, a burnt rose with peach and gold pearl

Hips grind, skirts twirl, heels spin and skin glistens as you work yourself into a frenzy on the dance floor. These blushes are a flurry of intense pigment and luminous, opalescent shimmer, and with any of them on your cheeks, you’ll look like you’ve been shaking what your mama gave you all night long.

MAC Sweet Samba Mineralize Blush — Sweet Samba Mineralize Blush, a dark pink with tan pearl

With MAC’s Mineralize Blush formula, there’s always the chance you’ll run into a shade with chunky glitter that flies all over the place or an uber-frosty finish that acts like a foghorn for your pores (WE’RE KAREN’S PORES! CHECK US OUT, Y’ALL!!), but that hasn’t been the case for me with any of these shades.

All three have a shiny finish, which is typical of the Mineralize Blushes, but their shine comes from fine pearl particles that create flushed, bright cheeks that catch the light without appearing metallic or frosty.

MAC Tropical Taboo Swatches Mineralize Blush — Mineralize Blush from the left: Exotic Ember, Simmer and Sweet Samba

These blushes are also pigmented, so if you want very dramatic, flushed cheeks for, say, a stage performance (which I think these would be awesome for!), then a regular ol’ blush brush should suffice, but for everyday looks, I’d opt for a fan brush.

MAC Sweet Samba Mineralize Blush from the Tropical Taboo Collection — Sweet Samba

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What’s One Beauty Lesson You Learned the Hard Way?

June 26th, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

That’s what’s funny about beauty. Just when I think I have enough of the basics figured out — BAM! — something happens to kick my butt and put me in my place.

You’d think I would have known better than to mess with my brows early in the morning before my neurons are firing properly, but noooo. The other day I stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom, and after washing my face, I noticed that the hairs along the tops of my brows were looking a little long.

Most of the time when I trim them, I do it very carefully with a small pair of cuticle scissors I keep in my bathroom drawer, so I did that. I picked up the scissors and went to town.

Thing is, it was slow going and more awkward than usual. I couldn’t quite figure out what I was doing wrong, maybe because it had been a while since the last time I used that pair of scissors (I’ve been trying to grow out my brows).

It was awkward, and the snipping wasn’t as smooth as usual, either, like the scissors needed to be sharpened or oiled…

Looking back, that was probably the moment when I should have put the scissors down and had a cup of coffee to work things out.

But nope! I powered through it, finishing my right brow.

Then came the left…

Disaster!

Well, almost. I came this close to accidentally clipping off a huge chunk of the inner half!

I think in my early morning mental fog I misjudged my angle of approach with the scissors. That coupled with the scissors not opening and closing smoothly almost added up to an eyebrow disaster.

Whew! That was close.

Lesson learned. Next time I mess with my brows, I’m making darned sure I’m fully functional and wide awake, and that my tools are working properly.

So, my friend, I’m all ears (and brows!). Give me the dirt, and tell me about a beauty lesson you learned the hard way.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day. 🙂

DAILY PHOTO: Impromptu Photo Shoot

June 26th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

From the job description for my position here at Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC:

“Must be prepared to photograph the company president at the drop of a hat, no questions asked.”

Vibrant Mineralize Skinfinishes, Blushes, Eye Shadows and Lipsticks Simmer, Shimmer and Shine in the New MAC Tropical Taboo Collection

June 25th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

Dear MAC Tropical Taboo,

Let’s dance!

Mambo? Samba? Cha-Cha-Cha? I can hang, even in three-inch heels, as long as I have a strong partner, and I get the feeling that partner is you. 🙂

Twirl me, dip me, toss me in the air! Just don’t ask me to do the Lambada (“The Forbidden Dance”). It would be — I dunno — too taboo, and this show is PG-13.

The only thing I ask before we set fire to the dance floor is that you indulge me with shimmer, sparkle and shine from your chorus of new Mineralize Skinfinishes, Blushes, Eye Shadows and Lipsticks…because I want my eyes, lips and cheeks to sizzle as we samba!

Of course, we mustn’t forget to twirl the Cremesheen Glasses, Lip Pencils, and Kohl Power Eye Pencils that come with this launch (there’s also a mascara and three brushes). They deserve their time in the spotlight, too.

Why no, I don’t mind sharing you at all. If you’d like to ask my friends to dance, feel free to show off your sauciest, most seductive moves…

Shhh! What follows are pictures and swatches of 28 of the 33 forbidden (not really) pieces in the MAC Tropical Taboo collection…

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish — Adored Mineralize Skinfinish, $30

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish — Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish, $30

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Item No. 1 on My Beauty Bucket List Takes Us to a Sicilian Seaside Town: Say “Ti Adoro!” to the Five Vibrant, Energetic Nail Polishes in the Dolce & Gabbana Love in Taormina Collection

June 25th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

Dolce & Gabbana Love In Taormina Collection 2 — Say *“Ciao!”* to the five new nail polishes in the Dolce & Gabbana Love In Taormina collection, docking at U.S. ports next month.

I have a new list.

Because, you know, what I really needed in my life was a new list to go with the many lists I already have.

Some of my other lists…

9 Things: People Never Told Me

9 Things: Lessons Learned from Going Away to College

9 Things: I Would Like to Try

9 Things: Times You Took a Chance

9 Things: I Feel Like I’m Always…

9 Things: Simple Pleasures (Summer and Otherwise)

9 Things I Never Expected

This new list is called my “Beauty Bucket List,” and only beauty-related things that border on outrageous and/or far-fetched are allowed to go on it.

That’s because it’s a bucket list, not a grocery list, so I figure the things I add to it should be a little out there, ya know? I mean, what’s the point in daydreaming, if we aren’t going to dream big?

Today I’m adding my first item to it…

1. To wear the five new Dolce & Gabbana nail polishes from the Love in Taormina collection actually in the town of Taormina

And that means holiday in Sicily! 🙂

I’m still working out whether I should wear one color per day while I’m there (this is still in the fantasy planning stages, BTW) or all five colors on my fingers at the same time.

I do know that I don’t want to mix colors on my toes, because whenever I do that I look like I have monkey feet…

Ideally, the trip would take place in summer, since the Love in Taormina collection was inspired by flowers that are supposed to bloom in the summertime there.

I’d try to find a sun-dappled garden somewhere, and look for flowers in the same shades as my freshly painted nails.

And eat gelato…

Lots and lots of gelato.

Ideally, my hair will also look great, and I won’t be dressed like a 12-year-old skater boy.

It’s a floral affair

What lovely colors.

I really can see the floral influences in the shades, and when I see them on my nails, I almost feel like I’m there, in Taormina, standing on the sidewalk by a cobblestone street to admire a lush garden, and take a break from my busy Italian holiday…

But unlike gelato, these colors aren’t necessarily sweet, not like the desaturated pastel florals you’d find on Laura Ashly prints or Jessica McClintock dresses from the 1980s.

No, these aren’t exactly the kinds of colors one imagines herself wearing for a chaste peck on the cheek. I think these are more intense than that, like when your lover grabs your hand, and a jolt of electricity shoots up your arm. Bzzzz! And you feel like jumping his/her bones right there.

These vibrant, energetic colors are a little on the lusty side, but that’s Dolce & Gabbana. 🙂 They aren’t known for prim and proper.

These pigments are CAH-RAY-ZAY!

Dolce & Gabbana Love In Taormina Collection Swatches Iris — Iris (two coats)

I realized just how pigmented these polishes are last night after my nightly shower…

Yeah, who paints their paws right before bed? Answer: this girl.

With these as pigmented, opaque and smooth as they are, you could probably get away with applying a single thick coat or two lighter ones. Either way, though, you’re covered. Your nails should be completely covered.

Like a trip through the seasons from spring to summer and fall

Dolce & Gabbana Love In Taormina Collection Swatches Bouganville Swatch — Bouganville (two coats)

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Should You Bring the Paul & Joe Beaute Eye Liner WP & Eye Crayon Duo in Saint Tropez 001 to the Beach, Baby?

June 25th, 2013 by Karen 29 Comments

Few years ago I got to talking with a friend of mine who lived in Hawaii for some years. She said that while she lived there, she never once went in the ocean.

Paul Joe Eyeliner from Saint Tropez 001 Duo — Eyeliner from Saint Tropez 001 Duo Eye Crayon on the left and Eye Liner on the right

It kind of blew my mind. As a bonafide beach baby, I couldn’t fathom living in a place with warm, tropical water and not once stepping into it while you’re there. It’s everywhere around you, after all!

I know, different strokes for different folks, but if I could, I’d go swimming or surfing in that ocean every day…or at least every other day (everyone seems to say that, though, don’t they?).

Maybe that’s why Paul & Joe Beaute’s Beach Baby collection speaks to me…

Paul Joe Eye Crayon from Saint Tropez 001 Duo — The Eye Crayon from the Saint Tropez 001 Duo…

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DAILY PHOTO: 5 More Reasons to Love Sicily With the Dolce & Gabbana Love in Taormina Nail Polishes

June 25th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

The new Dolce & Gabbana Love in Taormina collection colors were inspired by local flowers that grow in the Sicilian town of Taormina, and based on these nail polishes, there must be some bright flowers out there!

Nails make out like bandits in the 17-piece release. There are five new shades, two new top coats (one matte and one shiny) and a base coat. The rest of the collection consists of repromoted pieces for nails, eyes, lips and cheeks.

The new Love in Taormina collection includes…

Nail Lacquers in True White 20 (repromote), Oleandro 98 (new), Ibisco 112 (new), Camelia 115 (new), Bouganville 119 (new), Fire 125 (repromote) and Iris 169 (new), $24 each
High Shine Nail Coat (new), $24
Matte Nail Coat (new), $24
Protective Base Nail Coat (new), $24
Shine Lipstick in Violet 100 (repromote), Classic Cremam Lipstick in Velvet 120 (repromote) and Classic Cream Lipstick in Cosmopolitan 237 (repromote), $32 each
Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Amore 145 (repromote), $59
Luminous Cheek Colour Blushes in Sole 15, Apricot 27 and Mocha 28 (all repromotes), $45 each

Look for these flowers to bloom on Dolce & Gabbana counters in July.

Here’s a quick look at five of the new Nail Lacquers. Swatches on paws coming soon. 🙂