Two things I recently realized about MAC Arena eyeshadow ($14.50):

1. If you say the words “MAC Arena” fast enough, it sounds like you’re saying macarena.
2. The color looks a billion times hotter on the skin than it looks in the pan.

Arena’s a permanent member of the MAC eyeshadow line, but I never really paid her much attention before.

I guess I just thought she looked kinda uninspiring in the pan. With colors like Freshwater (a bright and shimmery blue) to distract me, Arena simply got overlooked.

Thankfully, I’ve come to my senses.

Arena applies as a shimmery golden peach — a subtle look — but the color packs enough peachy goodness to stand out in a crowd.

So far, I’ve mainly worn her as a wash on my lids, where I think she really brightens my eyes. Perfect for one two-minute eye makeup days.

MAC Arena on lid with flash

MAC Arena on lid without flash

Now I’m wondering how Arena will work with more complicated eye looks…

Continue Reading…

At a family barbecue a couple weeks ago I ate an obscene amount of mango (apparently too much mango). They’re one of my fave fruits, but they can also irritate my lips.

That’s because Mango contains a substance called urushiol (mostly in the tree’s sap, but there’s also a very small amount in the skin of the fruit), the same toxin found in poison ivy and poison oak!
Also see: source

For days after the BBQ my lips felt dry and peeled like mad. It was awful!

Coincidentally, reader Cari e-mailed asking for tips to soothe her peeling lips…

Hi Karen,

I enjoy reading your very informative blog everyday but I have a major, out of control problem that you haven’t covered!

I have big, beautiful plump lips but they peel EVERY DAY. Big ol’ gobs of cells that collect in the corners of my mouth. Ew.

I’ve tried Vaseline, Chapstick, coconut oil, every gloss imaginable but nothing seems to stop the sheds. You wanna know the most awful thing about it? They tend to peel a couple of hours after I’ve applied the prettiest lipgloss I own. FRUSTRATING!

So, I figure I need a lip exfoliator but I’m LOST (with Jack and Kate) when it comes to this. I’ve seen your gloss posts and you work your lips on the regular so you’ve gotta know something I don’t. Or maybe you’re just lucky. Either way, can you help a sista out? I’ll be sure to xoxo once I get this peeling thing under control!

Heya, Cari. Here are some things I do when my lips are chapped or dry:

Drink lots of water

I drink *hella* water. Not only does it help keep my skin clear, but it’s good for the “constitution” (LOL!) and even helps keep my lips from drying out. When I’m not drinking enough water, my lips will peel like cray-zaaaay!

I like to keep a water bottle next to me while I work and sip from it throughout the day.

Try a hydrating lip gloss

Not all gloss formulas are hydrating, and some are more moisturizing than others. A few of my favorite hydrating ones include Chanel Aqualumiere Glossimer ($27), Smashbox Limitless Long Wear ($21), MAC Lipgelle ($14) and Estee Lauder Tender Lip Balm ($14).

Try lip conditioner or lip butter

Lip conditioners and lip butters have a thinner formula than glosses but deliver rich hydration along with subtle color and shine. Two I always reach for are MAC Lip Conditioner in Gentle Coral ($15) and Korres Lip Butter in Plum ($9).

Slather up with one of these lip balms

Before applying lipstick or gloss, I’ll prep my lips with a layer of a hydrating balm about 10-15 minutes beforehand. Then, before bed, I’ll reach for a balm again.

Some lip balms tend to make matters worse, but here are two that have worked well for me: Philosophy Kiss Me in Clear ($12) and Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment ($12).

Exfoliate

Only when my lips are irritated or chapped, I’ll gently exfoliate once about every other day.

Tarte sells one I like called fRxtion ($11). It exfoliates and conditions at the same time. Plus, it comes in a travel-friendly lipstick tube that you can just pop in your purse.

My favorite things about it are how yummy it smells and tastes — like brown sugar. I have been tempted to nibble, ha! Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to chomp on it, too.

Sometimes I’ll also exfoliate at night before bed, mixing olive oil, a teaspoon of honey, two teaspoons of white granulated sugar and a dash of lemon juice. I’ll apply the concoction with a finger or a toothbrush and *gently* rub on my lips.

Tenderonis, I know you’ve got a few beauty tricks up your sleeves. How do you soothe chapped lips, and what products do you use to keep your pucker looking and feeling soft?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I’ve always wanted a Burberry coat like the one Harry Potter alum Emma Watson has on here, but the coat wasn’t what first grabbed my attention about this new ad campaign. It was her smoldering, smokey eyes!

The one-minute smokey eye

The look, in its many incarnations, never really goes out of style, and one of my favorite things about smokey eyes is how little effort they can take.

Take, for example, this one-minute smokey eye by MAC Senior Makeup Artist James Malloy, which breaks down a little something like this:

1. Start with a jet black eye kohl pencil like MAC Technakohl Liner ($14.50). Really get the black in between the root of the lashes and build outward.
2. End with a blackened silver shadow over the top of the kohl pencil, adding a spot of a steely gray, gunmetal shadow pressed in the center of the lid to add a highlight.

Or how ’bout a shimmery midnight blue?

A brownish black with false lashes?

This look by makeup artist Nancy Spencer starts with a base on the eyelid and an eye primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion ($17) to help the eyeshadow stay put.

Or a sexy red carpet look?

Experiment with your smokey eyes, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Like MAC Pro Artist Neil Young says, “It’s not a tattoo; it [makeup] comes off.”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Have you peeped the new Benefit Smokin’ Eyes Palette yet? With seven products for $36, I think it smacks of a pretty good deal.