MAC Pro Store Visit aka Beauty Powder Dreams Do Come True

Once upon a time, two beauty blogger friends met up in San Francisco to visit the magical land of the MAC Pro Store on Union Street.

Karen and Christine from Temptalia walked though the door and were greeted by the most fantastic store manager, David, whom Karen immediately was enamored with after a he declared that just like her, he “was a fluidline, girl too.” Awww…

David with Christine. Homeboy knows his shizz, ya’ll.

The two bloggers scoured the store and OOHHH-ed and AAAHHHH-ed at several choice products, including the new loose beauty powders.

Please pinch me.

I narrow my choices down to the final three…



David brings out the Reflects Glitter and then we go nuts.

After an hour (or two?) and much deliberation (and self restraint!), both ladies leave the store with their bags o’ loot!

Karen’s Mac Pro Store Mini-Haul

And to top off the trip and to celebrate Christine’s birthday, they head to Kara’s Cupcake shop and gorge on some HELLA DELICIOUS goodies. YUM!

Mystery of the day: Matte2…How Do You Pronounce It? and Matte2 Shadow Experiments

Question for you: do you say, “Matte Two” or “Matte Squared”?

Today I played with a few of the scarier Matte2 colors and did some eye experiments.

Post Haste (bright berry pink), Pen ‘n’ Pink (pastel pale pink), Handwritten (rich chocolate brown)


Post Haste, Fig.1 (eggplant purple), Newly Minted (rich sea green)

These aren’t usually my style but I thought it might be fun to see what I could come up with. I had a really difficult time blending and despite the fact that I’ve heard the color payoff is great I felt like I had to pack on *a lot* of color. However, the jury is still out on the Matte2 shadows. I’ll be spending more time with it over the next few days…hopefully I’ll be able to get them to work for me (crosses fingers!).

I can’t believe the weekend is over already! I need at least three more days off. Hope you had a relaxing Sunday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Your weekend isn’t over yet, hon. Check out the latest and greatest posts from
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“What goes around
Comes around
Comes around
Comes all the way back around.”
–Justin Timberlake

Ain’t that the truth, JT. With all of the gloss, glitter and sparkle of the last few years, the 90s mattes seem like a distant, far away planet.

I’ve been test-driving the Mac Mattenes for the past few days and I’ve been flooded by so many memories MAKEUP TRICKS OF YE OLDEN DAYS. Remember patting loose powder on top of your lipstick to get it as dry-looking as possible? Or lining your lips with black eye liner before you topped them with your darkest, deepest red? Or exfoliating your lips with your toothbrush at least once a week because they’d end up getting so dry after all of your vigorous attempts at mattification?

While I was initially skeptical of the return of the matte, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I guess if Marky Mark can morph from an underwear model with busy, pants-dropping schedule to an Academy Award Nominee, the matte lipsticks can evolve as well.

Product: MAC Mattene Lipsticks
Use: As a time machine to take you back to the 90s/or as a matte lipstick
Price: $14.50
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+/A-

What I liked about it
MAC’s Mattenes, which will be released on October 4th, are the kinder, gentler version of your 90s matte lipstick. The lippies come in a skinny, matte-textured, black tube, which I love because they fit easily into a jeans pocket.

Mattenes are as long-wear lipsticks, with a formula designed to not dry out your lips. The texture is silkier and less chalky, and when applied the product is feathery-soft and not thick.

I was immediately drawn to the neutral colors, like Flattering (beige pink), Café Matte (rich caramel) and Composure (neutral bronze plum). However, after living with these colors and wearing them about town for the past few days, I’ve discovered that the real stand-outs in the collection are the brights, especially my favorite color, Rougette.

Rougette is a wine berry color that sophisticated yet fun color that’s user-friendly and great for day and evening wear. I would feel equally comfortable in this color in a business suit or a black tank top and jeans. I applied the color using a lip brush while looking into a small, mirrored compact, and when I finally stepped into the full-length mirror the color took my breath away. If you are thinking about purchasing any of these lipsticks then take a serious look at Rougette! It is simply beautiful.

What I didn’t like about it
Despite the claims that the lipstick doesn’t dry your lips out, I did experience some dryness, especially with the color Flattering. I will have to prime my lips with something moisturizing in the future, like Prep + Prime lip.

In terms of color, I would pass up Flattering and Night Violet. Flattering was my initial favorite of the bunch but unfortunately the color just didn’t work for me. It made my lips look gray and corpse-like and by the end of the day my lips were feelin’ the peelin’.

Night Violet was also another color that I wasn’t impressed with because of execution difficulty and color. I found it difficult to get the color on evenly – it took about three layers to get it right. Plus, wearing it made me feel like a vampire. (It took a lot of self-restraint to avoid drawing fangs on the picture below.)

The final word
There’s been a lot of hype about these lipsticks, and I think that it’s been fairly justified. Mattenes are definitely a step up from the old school 90s mattes and worth a try if you weren’t around the trend the first time around. Of the neutrals, don’t miss Composure or Café Matte. Of the brights, definitely get your hands on Rougette. And if you’re a red lip girl, Classic Dame is a good one to add to your collection.

I’m off to the Pro Store today with my girl, blogger Christine from Temptalia. On my list? Paint pots, a few crèmestick liners and a jar of Invisible Set Powder. Woo hoo! I’ll bring your MAC-loving heart with me in spirit. Have a great Saturday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Put it in your Crackberry – Mattene drops October 4, 2007

Get thee to the MAC counter today

Now grab a pencil and piece o’ paper. Write down the numbers 1-12. Write down the first thing you think of when you see the following:

1. Favorite day of the week
2. Favorite drag queen
3. Verb ending in -ing
4. Your nickname
5. Favorite gem stone
6. Current celebrity crush
7. Noun
8. Verb ending in -ing
9. Term of endearment
10. Current real-life person you have a crush on
11. Article of clothing
12. Verb

MAC MAD LIBS, Makeupandbeautyblog.com style

On (1. Favorite day of the week) night I had the most wonderful dream.

I went to the MAC counter and all of the sudden, (2. Favorite drag queen) showed and started (3. Verb ending in –ing).

“Hey (4. Your nickname),” she called. “I got some goodies for you.”

She then proceeded to take out the entire collection of MAC Mattene and Matte 2, and handed it all to me in a (5. Favorite gem stone)-encrusted basket.

All of the sudden, out of nowhere appeared (6. Current celebrity crush). He was holding a (7. Noun) and (8. Verb ending in –ing).

“I wanna be your (9. Term of endearment)!” she/he cried.

But then, (10. Current person you have a crush on) showed up wearing nothing but (11. Article of clothing.)

They then proceeded to (12. Verb) for my love. It was truly awesome.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

circa 1989

I can’t lie; my 21st birthday was over a decade ago. Yes, it’s been a little weird for me to see teenagers wearing stuff I wore 15 years ago and to see makeup trends get recycled, but so far getting older has been pretty cool. I can eat brownies for breakfast if I want (which I did this morning); I’m better at real-life problem solving because of various experiences with work, people and life in general; and I understand myself much more than I did as a young lass of 21.

And although I still feel very young (a big YAY for both immature behavior and years of dedicated sunscreen use), I’ve noticed subtle changes year after year. My skin is a little dryer, there’s an occasional white hair on the top of my head and my hands look different.

So lately I’ve been exploring the world of anti-aging products.

If you’ve spent any time in a drugstore or a department store you may have noticed that everyone and their momma is selling something to tighten this, erase that, etc. etc. Although I try lots of products, I don’t always feel comfortable writing about it on the blog because I find it really hard to quantify the results. I don’t have a lot of wrinkles to start with and it’s often hard to see a real difference after only few weeks.

When I evaluate anti-aging products I think about the packaging, the texture and scent, what the active ingredients are and the price. It’s really hard to determine efficacy, and what works for me may not work for you, so please take it all in with a grain o’ salt. Now let’s get to the good stuff!

Hair Product Reviews – Phytodensium Anti-Aging Shampoo and Serum

Products: Pytodensium Anti-Aging Shampoo and Anti-Aging Serum
Price: $24 for the shampoo, $32 for the serum
Use: to strengthen weak and fragile aging hair
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you probably already know that I’m extremely picky about my hair because it’s hard to manage. I figure, we wear our hair every day, so I can justify spending a bit more on hair products that I like.

Phyto is a brand I’ve been using for years. The love affair started in 2001, when I got my first tube of Phytodefrisant and a bottle of their Phytonectar shampoo for dry hair. I like that the products don’t have heavy silicones, are full of botanicals, and don’t strip my dry, colored hair. They recently released an anti-aging shampoo and serum, which I couldn’t wait to get my hands on.

What it does
Phytodensium is an anti-aging shampoo and serum that targets aging hair, and claims to help restore strength into weak and fragile hair.

Active ingredients include:
- Gatuline age-defense (derived from walnet extracts) to protect against free radicals
- Black currant seed oil as a source of oemga-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to regenerate hair
- Botanical protein complex to increase hair’s elasticity

What I liked about it
I shampoo just once or twice a week (the rest of the time I wash with conditioner…there’s a bunch of weird things you have to do with wavy hair to keep it happy) so I’m extremely picky. I like the product to be moisturizing, to not contain any heavy silicones, and to not strip my color.

Phytodensium shampoo delivers on all three of these demands. It cleans without being harsh, and leaves me hair and scalp feeling refreshed. It has a light, slightly floral scent that’s very pretty and it doesn’t leave my hair smelling too perfume-y, which I can’t stand.

The serum is a light, thin, non-oily liquid that I first apply into my palms with the dropper. I rub my palms together and then massage the product into my scalp and hair before styling. It has the same floral scent.

What I found interesting about this combo is that using both products relaxes the wave in my hair. It goes from a one-inch s wave to a one and half inch wave. I like the look or relaxed, beachy waves (think Giselle’s, long flowy locks) so I loved this nice side effect. And the effect is consistent, too, which is a minor miracle when you have hard-to-tame hair.

What I didn’t like about it
I can’t tell if these products are really helping to assist my hair in the anti-aging department. They smell great and give me a beautiful loose waves, but I can’t say for sure if my hair has become stronger or younger-looking.

The final word
I loved this shampoo and serum combo, and I would definitely buy it over and over again, but mostly for the gentleness in cleansing and the wonderful after-effect of loose waves rather than for the anti-aging claims. If you’re trying to avoid silicones, or are looking for products that loosen your curl, then it is definitely worth a try.

You might need anti-aging products if…

- You didn’t get an e-mail account until you took a class that required you to get one…in college.
- You own a mix tape that you made off of the local hip hop station; extra points if either Salt & Pepa’s “Push It” or MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” is on it.
- You remember when girls did not talk about waxing or tweezing their eyebrows.
- Your O.G. “skinny jeans” were of the Bongo or Guess variety, and they were so tight that after lunch you could barely breathe as you sat in history class.
- You had or knew someone who had a spiral perm gone wrong.
- Your bullshit-o-meter is so finely tuned because you’ve heard it all before.

How are you feeling today? I’m a little on the emotionally exhauasted side. I love watching movies and last night I saw a fantastic documentary called God Grew Tired of Us, which follows three of Sudan’s “lost boys.” The lost boys were the 20,000 children who were orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War. The story follows three refugees, John, Daniel and Panther, who find their way to America, where they experience electricity, running water and supermarkets for the first time. The film is so touching and well made (it even won an award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival) and I was teary through most of it. I thought about it as I was falling asleep last night and I’m still thinking about it this morning.

Watching it made me think what sort of impact that we can make on other people. I know that this lil’ beauty blog isn’t going to stop any wars or make any large scale global changes, but I hope that every once in a while I get to help you, even if it’s just to to make you laugh out loud during your day.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Nix’ie Palettes are Too Sexy for This Blog

SoCal girls may already be in-the-know about Nix’ie, a cosmetics line with two free-standing stores in Redondo Beach and Valencia, California. I met a makeup artist recently who raved about their shadows with a great and fanatic urgency! Nix’ie sells these awesome palettes for $9.00, and you can fill ‘em up with any of their 200 (!) shades, which you purchase separately. Each shadow pan is $15.00 and the pans are quite large, too.

I’m becoming a huge fan of palettes and can’t wait to bust into this one.

Blissmobile + Free Brownies = Hell to the Yeah

In addition to being afraid of bright pink and orange eye shadows, I have a fear of vans –
especially white, windowless, kidnapper-friendly ones.

When you stare at this van, do you think of puppies and rainbows? Probably not. You know that whenever a white van is in the equation nothing good can happen.

Despite this, I realize not all vans are scary dens of hell. Take for example the blissmobile, a happy-go-lucky vehicle that makes me want to solve some crimes with Fred, Velma and the rest of the Scooby gang.

Don’t be scurred when you see the blissmobile cruising the streets of San Francisco from the Ferry Building to the Castro Street Fair between October 3-21st. No kidnapping will be involved, just some brownie taste testing! Bliss is on a mission to find the best brownies in SF to serve at their San Francisco spa, and they’re taking it to the streets. They’ll be passing out brownie samples from three bakeries, and then you’ll get to choose which one you like the best on the spot.

Free brownies, hello?

(And if you’re not familiar with bliss products, then you need to stop by Sephora or Pure Beauty stat and get yourself a tube of lemon + sage body butter. It rocks!)

Stay tuned for more bliss news in October, as I’ll be heading to the bliss spa to get a much-needed manicure.

Lusting for Chanel’s Fall Color Line

I’m going to Macy’s next week to get a makeover from a Chanel national artist, and I can already forsee where the hell this party is going. I am determined to go that counter and purchase the Garden Party Quad ONLY. Yup. That’s it. Nothing else.

It’s like when a boy at a college party puts down his red plastic cup (full of Natty light keg beer) and looks longingly into your eyes and says, “Let me give you a massage.” Ya’ll know that you are gonna get more than just a massage, ladies and gents.

Anyway, it’s Tuesday (woo hoo) and sunny and beautiful here! I hope that wherever you are that you can enjoy the sunshine on this fantastic day. Keep smiling!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen