Becca

Stay (Rose) Golden, BECCA: The New BECCA X Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette

May 16th, 2017 by Karen 17 Comments

becca chrissy teigen closeup — The new BECCA Chrissy Teigen X Glow Face Palette ($46)

So, remember when rose gold hit the scene this last time, and everybody went crazy for it? When was that…? 2014? 2015? I keep thinking that one day it’s going to fall out of fashion, but it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, am I right? Like, the new BECCA X Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette ($46) is ROSE. GOLD. EVERYTHING. And I’m lovin’ it.

Isn’t it pretty??

This face palette… It caused quite a stir when it launched a couple weeks ago. I had a friend text me, and she was like, “Should I get it? SHOULD I GET IT?” and I was like, “I dunno! You should get it if you want to,” and she texted back, “Well, OK, I guess I’ll hold off on it…” Then she wrote back 30 minutes later and said, “I bought it!”

I totally get why it would ignite a frenzy. I mean, even the outside packaging is beyond beautiful. It’s got pinkish peach marbling and the BECCA X Chrissy logo.

But when you open it, it gets even better.

becca chrissy teigen — Wearing the palette on my lids and cheeks

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The Lust List, Vol. 8: Stuff I Kinda Want

May 10th, 2017 by Karen 31 Comments

What is it about pricey makeup palettes — or me, for that matter, haha! — that makes me wish I could give them all a happy home? Especially the warm ones with a golden brown, a taupe, golden beige and/or peach?

I want to tell them all, “Come live with me, little lovelies, and we shall skip and prance under the light of the full moon.”

On that note…please try to ignore the crazy lady typing on her keyboard, and proceed ahead to this week’s Lust List. 🙂

Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Instant Look in a Palette ($75) — Thanks, gals, for telling me that the Charlotte Tilbury Seductive palette looks great on medium and darker skin tones! Now it’s on mah wish list.
MZ WALLACE Mia Bedford Nylon Crossbody Bag ($325) — This is a straight-up mom bag, and yes, I want it. I’ve been carrying around the same brown Kipling nylon bag FOR YEARS, and it’s starting to look a little long in the tooth… This one’s much more stylish. I like the gold hardware and the red accents. Classy. PLUS, LOOK AT ALL THOSE POCKETS. They’ll come in handy for Connor’s binkies and all the Ziploc plastic bags I seem to need at all times.
Tom Ford Nude Dip Palette ($83) — I have one of Tom’s quads with this same powder shadow formula (it’s even silkier than TF’s other quads, and the shimmer looks almost glossy), and this version? [INSERT DROOL HERE] I’m all about neutral taupe, browns, peach and beige.
Been wanting this FOREVER but have yet to add it to my collection. One could probably wear it along with the Charlotte Tilbury Seductive palette, yes?
BECCA X Chrissy Teigan Glow Face Palette ($46) — I’ve put this in my cart — no joke — at least five times, and when I finish writing this post, I’ll probably do it again. This palette is a collab with model and cookbook author Chrissy Tiegan, and it sold out on the Sephora website in about two seconds.
It’s still on the BECCA site, though! There’s a bronzer, two highlighters and a blush in it, and everything’s warm toned, which is so my jam. My rationale for getting it is that if I also get one for my mom (despite the fact that she hardly ever wears makeup, so this makes NO SENSE AT ALL), I should also be able to get one for myself. Right? RIIIIIIIGHT!
Chanel Contour Eyeshadow Brush #20 ($38) — I’m doing a terrible job of convincing myself that I don’t need any more Chanel eyeshadow brushes…
Why do they have to be SO SOFT?? I keep picturing a whole slew of them in a dainty jar on my desk, and now I can’t un-see that image.

Hit me with what you got on your lust list. I can take it! (And I just might add to mine, haha!)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

BECCA Sunchaser Palette: Those Warm Colors Look Lovely on Toasty Skin

May 9th, 2017 by Karen 10 Comments

Girl, you know how BECCA is kind of informally known as, like, the HBIC of beachy-lookin’ makeup? Anyway, I tried wearing beachy wave hair today to go with the BECCA Sunchaser Palette ($34) on my cheeks, and I can’t decide whether my mane looks more artfully tousled or just plain messy.

Eh, I’m gonna go with messy.

Sunchaser is an LE cheek palette that came out earlier this spring, and it’s still available. It’s a wonderful warm-toned blush, bronzer and highlighter, and if you bring it home, you’ll pretty much be covered through the end of summer.

becca sunchaser swatches — From the top: Ipanema Sunset Bronzer, Apricot Blossom Blush and Opal Highlighter

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What I’ve Been Wearing Lately – NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint + BECCA Backlight – It’s All About That Base!

March 24th, 2017 by Karen 9 Comments

Been getting a lot of questions about the foundation I’ve been wearing (isn’t that always nice?). I wish I could say, “Oh, it’s the latest thing! Honey, this is gonna change your life!”

But it’s not revolutionary. The products have been out a while. It was a former favorite combo of mine about a year ago, and I’ve gotten back into it. I mix NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint with BECCA Backlight Primer, about 75% NARS, 25% BECCA.

I put them on the back of my hand first, mix with my finger, apply, then blend with a wet beautyblender.

Oh, boy, mystical stuff happens when these two get together — velvety NARS Skin Tint and peach-alescent (yes, I’m inventing that word), pearly BECCA Backlight. They turn into THE MOST natural-looking, medium-coverage foundation.

Where do I start? It blurs pores and makes your skin look smoother, and it feels and looks fresh and light.

Always a good look, amirite?

The NARS shade I wear is St. Moritz (a.k.a. “my winter color”), but as I get more sun, I’ll add a few drops of Cuba, because I’m overly complicated like that. 🙂

Really, though, if you aren’t turned off by the idea of getting two shades of the same foundation for your skin in different seasons, I highly recommend it.

I’ve never tried this combo with BECCA First Light, which is their new purple version of Backlight. First Light doesn’t really do anything for my skin tone, but lots of ladies love it. It’s worth a try.

If you live near a Sephora that carries BECCA and NARS, maybe you can take this combo for a spin if you ask an associate for samples, and you never know, they might even hook you up with other samples, too! 🙂 I’ve had that happen, and it always makes my day.

Anywho, that’s the skinny on what I’ve been wearing.

Isn’t it funny how you forget sometimes things that you find and love so much? Why did I ever stop using it?? Something must have distracted me…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Beauty of BECCA Soft Light Blurring Powder in Golden Hour

March 14th, 2017 by Karen 12 Comments

becca golden hour soft light blurring powder 1 — BECCA Soft Light Blurring Powder in Golden Hour, $38

I read about this guy somewhere a while back who said that he fell in love with SO MANY ladies on Instagram because of the Valencia filter…

You know, I can’t blame him, because that Valencia filter? Damn. Wow. It’s like the most glamorous, flattering light ever.

I can haz my own Valencia personal filter??

That’s sort of the idea behind the new $38 BECCA Soft Light Blurring Powder in Golden Hour — that’s it’s a portable, personal 24/7 photo filter.

Is it really transparent?

It’s part of BECCA’s spring collection, and the effect is supposed to be like basking in buttery, perfect twilight (but not the kind starring Edward and Bella). The 0.35-oz. jar is available now in BECCA’s permanent collection.

It’s a luminous loose powder with a satin finish that blurs pores and scatters light. BECCA calls the color transparent, but some folks say that they can see a peachy tint on very light and very deep skin. I like the way it works on my NC42 tan, but that’s something to keep in mind.

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BECCA First Light Filter Face Primer Review

March 7th, 2017 by Karen 12 Comments

becca first light priming filter — BECCA First Light Priming Filter, $38

BECCA Backlight Face Primer totally slays, and I love it so much that I always keep a bottle on standby!

But you know…I just don’t understand this new purple version of it, the new BECCA First Light Face Primer ($38).

Like Backlight, it’s a pearly face primer that you apply before foundation to hydrate your skin and help it look more luminous and less lackluster, but where Backlight is a peachy beige pearl, First Light is a sheer, cool-toned violet pearl.

First Light also has a citrus scent, while Backlight is unscented.

I’ve been testing First Light for about a week now, and ya know…it doesn’t do anything for me. My skin looks more or less the same after I apply it. I suspect that the violet pearl is just too subtle for me.

becca first light priming filter swatch — BECCA First Light Priming Filter, blended and un-blended

I’ve tried it by itself on bare skin, beneath foundation, and I’ve even added it to tinted moisturizer. Whichever way, I really can’t see a difference.

Maybe that’s purposeful, and I’m just not the target market. Bottom line, this one’s way too quiet for me. I think I’ll be sticking to my tried-and-true Backlight.

First Light does get great reviews, though. It currently has 4 1/2 stars out of 5 on the Sephora website, so there are lots of people out there who love it.

If you’re interested, it’s available now at BECCA counters, Sephora, Ulta and online. It’s $38 for a 1-oz. bottle.

Do you ever use Backlight? How do you feel about it?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I may or may not have just googled “What to do when baby throws a tantrum.”

My Picks for This Year’s Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches

June 22nd, 2016 by Adia Goss 24 Comments

best spring summer launches — Some of my picks for “The Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches”

Whew! There has been so much good makeup lately.

I mean, I used to get more excited about moody fall colors, but this year the spring and summer collections have been incredible! Literally, every time I turn around, I’m seeing another gorgeous collection.

If your head has been spinning a little like mine, then I hope you’ll like my picks for some of the best spring/summer makeup launches. I’d also love to hear yours.

I think I’ll start with lips, because I think a new lipstick or gloss is probably the easiest way to update your look.

Lips

First up, the Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint by Tarte, and I have the shade called Double Tap (here are swatches of the full range in this post).

I’m wearing cool-toned nude Double Tap in these pics, but I usually go for warmer-toned peaches and pinks. Thing is, this mauve is just so pretty and different from the rest of my stash. It’s opaque and not sticky at all.

Next, Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick, and I just mentioned the shade called Swinger in my roundup of my favorite liquid lipsticks, so I’ll be brief now: the color and formula are AMAZING. This one is perfect for summer.

Of course, I couldn’t talk about this season’s new launches without mentioning beautiful ColourPop Dohee.

Here’s a snap of me wearing it from my Spring Haul video.

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I’m OBSESSED With These Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blushes

June 14th, 2016 by Adia Goss 38 Comments

becca luminous blush — I need help picking a favorite!

OK, so I’ve been eyeing these $34 Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blushes for the longest time. There are six of them now, and I actually fell in love with the shade called Blushed Copper back when it was sold as a “blush topper,” also known as a super intense highlighter, last summer. I bought it when it was limited edition and promptly fell in love. It was super pigmented, super shimmery and just…super smooth and blendable. Very super. So when I heard that Becca was expanding the “Luminous Blush” collection this year, I cheered!

These six shades do not disappoint, and when I think of this year’s spring makeup launches, for me, this one’s top three. It’s the formula. It’s incredible!

I tend to stick with the same group of basic blushes for my workday wear, but I think as far as shimmery blushes go, these really stand out for their unique formula. I know that MAC has some frosted blushes…but these Becca Luminous Blushes blow them out of the water.

They’re insanely pigmented and smooth, and the color payoff is brilliant. You barely need to tap your brush on one of them to get this level of pigment, and because they are so pigmented, you don’t need to put a lot of product on your face. It’s not like you have to cake these blushes onto your face or do a ton of layering to get true-to-pan color.

And the sheen? SO beautiful, and so, so perfect for this time of the year.

Well, who are we kidding? These work any time of year, but I do like to go crazier with glow and shimmer in the warmer months.

I could go on and on about these blushes!

But I won’t. I’ll just give you the details…

There are six shades, so if you’re into shimmering or luminous blushes, you should be able to find one that works for you. I have a hard time picking a favorite, so maybe you guys can help!

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