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Archives for June 2009

MAC Arena Eyeshadow: Unsung Makeup Hero

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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.

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MAC Arena on lid with flash

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MAC Arena on lid without flash

Now I’m wondering how Arena will work with more complicated eye looks…
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How Do You Soothe Chapped Lips?

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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

4 Takes on Smokey Eyes

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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.

Easy 4-Step Eye Makeup with Benefit Cosmetics

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I love crazy, complicated eye looks as much as the next makeup junkie, but some mornings I just can’t get it together — I’m either running late or just plain lazy as all hell.

I’ve been wanting to do something with my eye makeup for a few days but haven’t wanted to do anything *too* complicated, so I limited myself to four steps.

Why four steps? I guess it’s my happy medium. Five steps feel like too many; three not enough.

Oh — I’m not counting curling my lashes or applying mascara as individual steps… I probably should, but I don’t like the sound of six steps as much as four. 🙂

Benefit four-step eye look

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The look is a shimmery neutral eye with a bit of gray, and I think it’s a great look for beginners.

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Here’s how I get the look…

  1. To start, I apply Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Samba-dy Loves Me (a shimmery peachy gold) on the lids and just up into the crease with my fingers, smoothing away any harsh lines.
  2. Next, using a Sonia Kashuk Large Eyeshadow Brush, I sweep Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow in Leggy (a shimmery peachy pink) over the entire eye.
  3. With the same brush, I pat Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow in Where There’s Smoke (a shimmery blackish gray) onto the lid and into the crease.
  4. To finish, I line my upper and lower lash lines with Benefit Bad Gal Waterproof Liner (a true black) and smudge out both with a MAC 219 Pencil Brush and Where There’s Smoke Eyeshadow.

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Cheeks and lips

You could pretty easily dress up this look with bold pink or red lips, but since I’m not really going anywhere special today, I shot for light and breezy with Benefit Posie Tint (a semi-matte peachy pink) on my cheeks and Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in Thrillin’ Brazilian (a shimmery golden peach) on my lips.
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Pretty in Pink: Make a Difference with OPI Bubble Bath

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Two women I love — my mother-in-law and my good friend Mary Anne — are breast cancer survivors (click here for info on performing monthly breast self-exams), and I know that many of you have also been touched by cancer in one way or another.

With their Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath ($7), OPI is trying to help women cope with changes in their appearance that can result from cancer treatment. Part of every sale goes toward Look Good…Feel Better, a national public service program with more than 50,000 participants each year.

Easy-to-wear color

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Part of OPI’s Soft Shades Collection, Bubble Bath hides chips well, which is one reason I like it a lot. It applies as a non-streaky pale pink and dries quickly to a shiny finish.

Because it hides chips so well, I think it makes a great low-maintenance shade if you’re rough on your fingertips like I am (lots of typing).

Boosting self-esteem

Through the Look Good…Feel Better program women are able to take free workshops on makeup application, dealing with hair loss and taking care of nails both during and after cancer treatment.

Where to buy

Over 10,000 salons and beauty retailers nationwide will be selling OPI Bubble Bath this July and August, so look for displays featuring OPI Bubble Bath and information about Look Good…Feel Better. 🙂

Every bottle helps

OPI will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of every bottle of Bubble Bath Nail Lacquer, with a minimum contribution of $25,000.

I like the idea of something as seemingly insignificant as a little bottle of nail polish making a positive difference in someone else’s life.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. The fabulous Christina over at Dishiness has chosen to donate her hair in honor of Farrah Fawcett. The decision is between two worthy groups, Locks of Love or Pantene Beautiful Lengths, that make wigs for cancer patients. If you’ve ever donated your hair before or know of someone who has, please let Christina know.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, June 29

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  1. Mood:

    2. Happy

  2. What are you looking forward to most this week?

    3. Visiting the Bliss Spa in San Francisco later this week with my friends Jen and Cindy. I haven’t been to a spa in years! I’m looking forward to catching up with the girls and nibbling on brownies…

  3. Describe your pet(s).

    4. Last summer a chubby, affectionate tabby cat adopted me. Some might say I stole him from a neighbor, but whatevs. I think it was meant to be. He was covered in fleas, had tapeworms and wasn’t wearing a collar, so I think he was looking for a life change.

    “SMT (single male tabby) seeks nice girl for wet food, long afternoon naps and heavy petting.”

    He still has a penchant for losing collars (the area around our apartment must be littered with ’em).

  4. Did you wear braces?

    5. Yup, from middle to high school. They even made me wear a retainer.

  5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

    6. Today’s about the Benefits. On my eyes I’m wearing Benefit Creamless Cream Shadow in Samba-dy Loves Me, Velvet Eyeshadows in Leggy and Where There’s Smoke, Bad Gal Waterproof Liner and Bad Gal Waterproof Mascara.

    On my lips, I’m going with Thrillin’ Brazllian, and it’s Posie Tint on my cheeks.

  6. Favorite city?

    7. I pick two: San Francisco and Paris.

  7. Hairy dudes: hawt or not?

    8. Hmm, it depends… I’m cool with moderately hairy arms, legs and chest, but back or bootay hair? — not so much. Wax that shizz off, homie!

  8. Do you have a green thumb?

    9. I’m pretty good with plants, except for cacti and violets. At one point I even played with the idea of botany as a career.

  9. Outfit:

    10. Jeans and a light blue t-shirt.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Keep my desk tidy (it’s not bad right now), clean the kitchen, go to dance class at least once, find a new place to live that’s not too expensive and avoid procrastinating!

Do you ever have one of those mornings when breakfast kinda blows your mind? I just had a bowl of Rice Crispies with sliced bananas, and for some odd reason it tasted like the BEST bowl of cereal, ever.

I may need to get out more. 🙂

It’s Monday yet again, my lovely PYTs. Before you get swept away by work and responsibilities, take a second to touch base. Just copy the list below and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Let’s make this week a good one for us all!

Le list

Mood:
What are you looking forward to most this week?
Describe your pet(s).
Did you wear braces?
Eyes/lips/cheeks:
Favorite city?
Hairy dudes: hawt or not?
Do you have a green thumb?
Outfit:
Weekly goals:

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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