Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Yay! Hip-hip-hooray! We made it, ladies. 🙂 For our last post of 2009, a farewell to some of my favorite bright eyeshadow looks and tutorials from the past year (the image sections are clickable links).
How do you feel about 2009 now that it’s behind us? Was it a good year for you? Truth be told, I’m glad it’s history. I feel ready for 2010!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Good morning, ladies. 🙂 Yes, the rumors are true. In a little more than 12 hours, we’ll close the book on 2009 forever and begin a new chapter titled “2010”, a brand-spankin’ new year filled with promise and hope for us all.
With a lead like that, it feels like I should do something special tonight, LOL! Ya know, it’ll be special, no matter WHAT — even if I end up just spending the night home with the two men in my life (El Hub and Tabs). So far my plans involve the three of us, a couch, Hulu and perhaps a glass (or three) of something bubbly.
What about you? What’s on your dance card tonight? While I think I’m staying in, I still have designs on my New Year’s makeup, and I’m thinking about something with fireworks.
Like…
Then, after the funeral, I swung by my parents’ house in the East Bay for a low-key birthday celebration for my mom.
I’m pretty spent right now but have so much I want to share… I think it’ll have to wait, though, until I’ve gotten some sleep.
How was your day? What was the highlight?
Tonight, I went digging through the blog archives and found this post from almost three years ago. I’m due for a new DMV picture soon, and this post came to mind.
I double dare you to email a scan/photograph of your DMV picture to me (karen@makeupandbeautyblog.com ). 🙂 Pretty please? And if you’ll let me, I’d like to post it on the blog.
Nighty night…
Your sleepy neighborhood friendly addict,
Zzzzzz…
My mission today is possibly one of the biggest of all of beauty challenges: I have to go to the DMV to take a new license picture and somehow make it look cute.
The nasty florescent lighting, the institutional blue paper background … there are many elements that point toward certain disaster. Plus, I think the picture-taking dude that works at the nearby DMV REALLY HATES his job. He purposely waits for your eyes to be crossed, or for you to look like you’re confused before he snaps away, thus preserving your startled doe-in-the-headlights look for all eternity.
The only decent license picture I ever took was when I was 21 and weighed 20 pounds less … needless to say, I need a little bit more help now, since the fresh blush of youth and innocence has left (I’m not bitter!).[Continue reading…]
MAC’s Put a Spell on You Pink lip bag, part of the Magic, Mirth, and Mischief! holiday collection, makes lip color dreams come true. For just $36, you get a full-size Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks (light pink with sparkles), a full-size Dream lipstick (pearly beige-pink), and a small Dervish lip liner (a neutral-toned pink with flecks of subtle shimmer) — all squeezed into a cute metallic silver bag. Better still, the colors look great on all skin tones.
I have a beauty confession to make… Before purchasing this bag, I never wore lip liner. Not once. I hate the typical lip liner look, with a harsh line circling the mouth and a too-light lipstick or gloss filling in the lips, but I promise you, this bag will NOT give you that look.
The tried-and-true trio of lipstick, lip liner and gloss may seem like a no-brainer, but they can be worn together in surprisingly different ways. Below is my favorite look.
Dervish lip pencil and Baby Sparks Dazzleglass are part of MAC’s permanent collection. They can be recreated with other colors as well like…
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We hear ’em every year — wait, no, every season! — a new batch of makeup and beauty trends. Which ones will go mainstream, and which ones won’t? Everyone loves playing prognosticator every once in a while, right? Err, at least I sure do. 🙂
Oh, if I missed a trend that you expect us to see a lot next year, do tell. Let me know in the comments.
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Brrr! It’s so cold up in here, girls. I’m back home in frigid Novato, Caly-for-nigh-ay — home of the Mighty Marin Raccoons, yee haw! Tabs hasn’t stopped meowing since I walked in the door, and that was a half an hour ago. Lawd, he doth protest!
It’s awfully late here, but it’s not too late for today’s giveaway, yes? 🙂
One lucky lady will win the Benefit Celebutante set (a $34 value), with eight Benefit bestsellers including…
Entering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.
First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a post about anything at all.
OOH! Speaking of Benefit, I love their Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit. It’s a shimmery golden beige cream eyeshadow that totally lights up my eyes.
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win Benefit’s Celebutante Set (a $34 value) http://bit.ly/6WHCeb
I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, December 30.
Alles van die beste!!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I recently went on a weekend trip and had to scale down my makeup kit (normally a 3-foot-tall, multi-compartment wheeled kit). I only brought the essentials — the products I most often use on myself and constantly find myself suggesting to clients.
Eye primer is always the first step in my makeup process. Because most people like to draw attention to their eyes, it’s important that the shadow stays on and doesn’t crease. Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17) eye primer does exactly that, and a little goes a long way.
Talk about smooth! Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils ($17 each) truly does glide on, and it’s easy to work with when you want a smudged liner look. It’s also great on the waterline, and comes in a variety of colors.
It’s a cult favorite for a reason — it works. I use it on myself and on my clients because it lengthens, thickens, and doesn’t clump. I use the original >DiorShow Mascara ($24) for an everyday look, but I like Diorshow Blackout ($24) for a more dramatic look.
A truly matte bronzer is hard to find, but Benefit has done it. I apply Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder ($28) all over the face after foundation and powder, and it really evens out the skin. It can also be used to contour lighter skin.
I use this after foundation, and it really helps set it. I work with a lot of brides, and Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder ($30) is the product that keeps their makeup on all day. It gives a flawless finish to the skin and doesn’t feel heavy at all.
The perfect peachy pink. NARS Blush in Orgasm ($25) flatters most skin tones and builds and blends with ease. That, and the compact lasts for a while, so it’s also a good value.
Yes, ma’am, I did. 🙂 Well, my hairdresser did. She covered up my grays and gave me highlights — not pink ones like this Photoshop image (thank goodness!), but caramel highlights.
How about you?
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Happy Tuesday, ladies. How’s it going today? I’m just about ready to head to the airport for our trip home to California. We had a nice visit, but I just got an email from Tabs. He said he’s “running low on gravy — hurry home.” 🙂