Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Unsung Heroes: BECCA Eye Tint in Gilt

December 14th, 2012 by Karen 6 Comments

becca gilt eye tint — BECCA’s $24 Eye Tint in Gilt

Not “guilt,” like in how Tabs should feel after he exercises his claws on the cushions of my favorite chair, but “gilt,” as in BECCA’s $24 Eye Tint in Gilt, which gets extra Unsung Hero holiday party brownie points today for the tiny pieces of golden glitter swimming in its shimmery bronze base, and for its fabulously long-wearing, water-resistant cream eyeshadow formula.

I can apply a layer on my lids first thing in the morning, spend the day running errands for Santa (Tabs), head back home at night, and hang out by the tree after dinner with Gilt shimmering and shining under the tree’s blinking lights, even when I skip wearing a primer.

becca gilt swatches — Gilt built up on the left and sheered out on the right

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Deborah Lippmann’s Limited Edition Trio of Radiant, Glittery Holiday Polishes Promises to Rock This Town

December 14th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

deborah lippmann rock this town top — The new limited edition Deborah Lippmann Rock This Town Trio ($42)

NOTE TO SELF: do not from multitask while thinking about Deborah Lippmann’s $42 Rock This Town Trio, because if you try to do anything more complicated than walking while contemplating the glittery polishes in this limited edition set, you end up doing bone-headed things like stepping out of the shower and rubbing face wash, instead of moisturizer, on your legs and only realizing it a full minute later.

Whoops.

Light seems to love the glitter in mauve Moon Dance, copper Phoenix Rising and blackened khaki Chain Reaction more than usual.

As do I. 🙂

I don’t know why, but these polishes are downright dazzling…like getting caught in a tractor beam powered by Ryan Gosling’s smile.

deborah lippmann rock this town all — From the left: Chain Reaction, Moon Dance and Phoenix Rising

deborah lippmann chain reaction swatch — Two layers of Chain Reaction

deborah lippmann phoenix rising swatch — Phoenix Rising

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Benefit Got Deep! The New Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Eye Primer in Medium/Deep

December 14th, 2012 by Karen 14 Comments

benefit don't stray in medium/deep — The new Benefit Stay Don’t Stray in Medium/Deep ($26)

“Sit. Stay. Don’t stray!”

Sounds like me trying to get Tabs to sit still for a picture. 🙂 It’s actually the idea behind Benefit’s $26 Stay Don’t Stray, the brand’s creamy eye primer for lids and under-eye areas.

It’s designed to boost the wear time of concealers and eyeshadows. Problem is, it’s only been available in a single shade…until now.

Yup, Benefit got deep! Come spring, a darker shade, Medium/Deep, joins the original, lighter Stay Don’t Stray.

Both shades will also get a new bottle with a doe-foot applicator instead of the old pump.

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Better Together: Essie Where’s My Chauffeur and Beyond Cozy

December 14th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

Not your typical holiday mani. I like it! 🙂

Fly Higher

December 14th, 2012 by Karen 5 Comments

When they try to knock you down, spread your wings and fly higher.

Wonder Twin Powers, Activate! Shape of a Dual-Tipped Dior Cherie Bow Twin Set Eyeshadow!

December 13th, 2012 by Karen 11 Comments

dior twin set eyeshadow duo grey sigh ballerina pink 7 — The new Dior Twin Set Eyeshadow Duos in Grey Sigh on the left and Ballerina Pink right ($30 each)

Dahhhhhhhling, be a dear and hand me my pearls and pocketbook, would you? I want to wear my Dior Twinset today, and I absolutely must have the right accessories to go with it.

Silly goose, did you think I was talking about some kind of shell or cardigan from that Mad Men show? Whom do you think I am? A young Peggy Olsen on her first day in the secretarial pool? No, no, no.

These are Twinsets for modern makeup lovers who appreciate convenience. Oh, yes, these shimmery dual-tipped eyeshadow sticks will get your lids ready in a flash. They’ll be dressed to impress in no time.

Dior’s gunmental Grey Sigh and fuchsia Ballerina Pink Twin Sets, both from the new Cherie Bow collection ($30 each), come with a creamy, twist-up stick eyeshadow on one end and a matching foam tip loaded with loose powder eyeshadow on the other.

Dior designed them to complement each other, like a matching sweater set. Start with the creamy stick shadow on your lids as a base, and then for more color, shimmer and depth, pat some of the eyeshadow from the foam tip directly on top.

dior twin set eyeshadow duo ballerina pink grey sigh foam tip 2 — Ballerina Pink on the left and Grey Sigh on the right

dior twin set eyeshadow duo ballerina pink grey sigh stick eyeshadow 3 — Ballerina Pink on the left and Grey Sigh on the right

dior twin set eyeshadow duo grey sigh ballerina pink swatches 4 — Swatches of Grey Sigh on the left and Ballerina Pink on the right

dior twin set eyeshadow duo grey sigh 5 — Wearing Grey Sigh

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Like Diamonds, the New Holiday L’Oreal Infallible Le Gloss 8HR Lipglosses Are a Girl’s Best Friend

December 13th, 2012 by Karen 17 Comments

loreal dazzle me — Wearing L’Oreal Infallible Le Gloss 8HR in Dazzle Me ($9.99) from the new limited edition Diamonds holiday collection

If…

…Jeremy Renner just texted you about your upcoming date: “Can you wear diamonds, baby? I love it when you shine.” Or…

…you feel incomplete unless your makeup bag is bursting with glitter (too much shimmer? NEVER!), or…

…you’re just in the mood to celebrate the season with some affordable bling…

…then you won’t want to miss the shimmery Infallible Le Gloss 8HR lipgloss shades in L’Oreal’s new limited edition Diamond holiday collection ($9.99 each).

The five glittery glosses range from sheer to opaque, so no matter what level of lipgloss coverage I’m craving, I know I can get my fix on here (incidental update: I still haven’t found my perfect holiday sweater, but I’m still looking!).

Silvery white All Iced Out, pinkish violet To Be Treasured and yellow golden Something Shiny sprinkle a soft dusting of sheer, cool-toned color, while opaque fuchsia Dazzle Me and rich red Sparkle Frenzy flash like bright Christmas lights.

loreal diamonds holiday collection Infallible Le Gloss — From the left: All Iced Out, Something Shiny, To Be Treasured, Dazzle Me and Sparkle Frenzy

loreal diamonds collection swatches legloss — From the left: Al Iced Out, Something Shiny, To Be Treasured, Dazzle Me and Sparkle Frenzy

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A Subtle Performance With 724 Moves: The New Dior 5-Coueleurs Eyeshadow in Rose Ballerine #724

December 13th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

Wearing the colors from the new Dior 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow in Rose Ballerine #724 ($61)

Take a bow, Dior, because that performance was right en pointe!

“Bow,” as in Dior’s new Cherie Bow collection, and “en pointe” as in Rose Ballerine #724, the second of two new $61 5-Coueleurs Eyeshadow quints in the release (the other is Rose Charmeuse #854).

Eyes take center stage with the quint’s shimmery pink, peach, beige and taupe shades, which brighten my lids without putting my fine lines under a spotlight.

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