Beauty product reviews, makeup tips and news from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict.
January 15th, 2008 | Karen | Filed in: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Product Reviews
If I had a nickel for every time I rocked the brown eye shadow back in the day I’d be a rich woman. Even though I’ve recently ventured into brighter colors like blues and greens, I’ll always have a place in my heart for my first eye shadow love — beautiful, basic brown.
Brown may be neutral, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Brown doesn’t mean you can get away with yawn-worthy makeup, young lady. The face of the day below, inspired by the Avarice face chart from MAC’s Originals collection, shows that brown can still be fun.
Eyes
When I wear different shades of brown at the same time, I choose browns in the same tonal family (cool browns with cool browns, warm browns with warm browns) that don’t have a lot of contrast between them. This makes them easier for me to blend.
The only semi-difficult part about this eye look was getting the darkest brown, A Little Folie, into the crease with a MAC 219 brush, a brush I have a love/hate relationship with. Used to apply a fine line of color in the crease or underneath the eye, the 219’s pencil tip-shaped brush head doesn’t always distribute color evenly. It could be faulty design, but more than likely it’s because I haven’t discovered the brush’s sweet spot yet. Using the 219 well takes a lot of practice.
Despite the range of products I used for this look, the whole thing took about 10 minutes because there wasn’t any complicated layering or lining of the waterline (which for me can take SO MUCH TIME).
Cheeks
The original Avarice face chart called for Raizin blush (a gold reddish-brown matte) and Reflects Blackened Red Glitter, but I don’t own Raizin, and Reflects Blackened Red looks terrible on me, so I opted for two Shu Uemura Glow On blushes instead.
Lips
I’m a total klutz, so it took me forever and a day to get this red lippy going. My biggest issue? I couldn’t get the Rozz Revival to apply evenly, and because I didn’t use a lip liner the Rozz was revival-ing all over the place. I resorted to applying two layers of it and one layer of Avarice Lipglass with a MAC 316 covered lip brush. Next time I’m going to use a lip-colored pencil, like MAC Pink Treat Cremestick Liner, to make it easier!
Clue eyeshadow. When I first swatched this I wasn’t moved, but after I got it on my eye I totes fell in love. A mid-tone dirty grey with silver pearl, this eyeshadow has a pretty finish, soft texture and is very easy to work with. For a simple, subtle grey eye, I use Groundwork Paint Pot over the entire lid and then swipe Clue from the lashline into the crease. I give my lashes a quick curl, add two coats of mascara and I’m done!
Rozz Revival lipstick.When I think of red lipstick I usually think of sophisticated and serious looks, but Rozz Revival is a fresh, young and fun twist on red. With a high shine, lustre finish, this watermelon reddish pink lippie would look great with a tan! I can’t wait for summer!
Coffee eye pencil. This pencil is a fantastic deep brown with no red or orange tones. Even though it isn’t a Technakohl, I love it because it’s soft and easy to blend.
Are ya rocking the browns today, or did you go crazy with color?
I’m in the middle of my first cup of coffee and the caffeine is starting to work its magic – wheeeee! I hope you’re Tuesday is off to a fantastic start!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
January 4th, 2008 | Karen | Filed in: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Product Reviews
Figuring out how to use MAC pigments opened up a new world of makeup for me. I used to be at a loss when it came to these sparkly jars of color, but learning what brushes to use made a big difference in preparing this face of the day. Below is the Originals C-Thru face chart for inspiration.
Do you ever go through makeup phases? Right now, I’m all about green eye makeup, and MAC Golden Olive pigment really makes the eyes in this look pop!
Here’s what I used to get the look:
Eyes
Brows – MAC A Little Folie eyeshadow
Browbone – MAC Frisco eyeshadow
Lid – MAC Sweet Sage Fluidline, followed by MAC Golden Olive pigment
Crease – MAC A Little Folie eyeshadow
Upper lashline – MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Lower lashline – MAC A Little Folie eyeshadow
Lashes (upper and lower) – Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara
Cheeks
Cheeks – Neutrogena Softcolor blush in Sunny Spice
Cheekbones – MAC Antique Gold Reflects
Lips
Lipliner – MAC Subculture
Lipstick – MAC Sandy B
Lipgloss – MAC C-Thru lipglass
Do you wanna know what your new favorite browbone shadow is? Despite its terrible, terrible name, you’ve got to pick up Frisco eyeshadow because it’s totally boss. This beautiful pale pink is sheer and subtle, and it’s not as loud as browbone shadows like Ricepaper or Shroom. It’s a great choice for natural looks (for work, pair it with Woodwinked or Soba).
Sidenote: Please don’t call San Francisco “Frisco” when you visit! It is my number #3 pet peeve in the entire universe (#1 is when people leave an empty toilet roll and don’t bother to put in a fresh one, and #2 is knee-high boots that don’t hug your calves). It’s “The City,” or “SF,” and in some very rare cases (i.e., Christian Bale can get away with it) “San Fran.”
Also, Sandy B lipstick is a can’t miss color. Peachy with a slight frost, it’s a pretty neutral for no-fuss days. That said, I’m not crazy about it with C-Thru Lipglass in the look above because the C-Thru has that overly frosty, 60s go-go dancer thing going. I think it’s much more wearable and prettier topped with a clear gloss instead.
A few days ago I was all about the glitters in this collection, but now I’m having second thoughts. Next time I do this look, I’m skipping the Reflects Blackened Red. It made my cheeks look really muddy and didn’t mesh well with my skin tone at all. I’d think twice about this purchase!
We got hit by a hurricane early this morning in the Bay Area. Trees and street signs were down outside, but we made it through. I heard that 6-foot waves were supposed to hit inside the Bay and 28 footers just outside the Golden Gate. Too bad we can’t surf this!
Right now I’ve got a killer sore throat. I guess I’m fighting a cold, so I’m off to do some serious resting on the couch. Stay dry, and if you’re out on the road drive safely, please!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
January 3rd, 2008 | Karen | Filed in: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup
I’m feeling the sass today because I get tomorrow off from work, so today is my “Friday,” and also because of my wacky hair:
El Hub’s been reading a lot of manga books (Japanese comics), and I swiped a few the other day. They inspired me to rock my hair like this.
Hair of this sassified caliber deserves superhero makeup, too, so today I gave the MAC Full on Lust face chart a go.
This is a brighter daytime look than I’m used to wearing, but I like it because it makes me feel really cute and spunky. If the blue is too cartoony for your liking you can always use a lighter touch to lessen the color intensity.
Here’s what I used to get the look:
Eyes
Brows – MAC Concrete eyeshadow
Browbone – MAC Frisco eyeshadow
Lid – MAC Jadeye Fluidline
Center and outer lid – MAC Parrot eyeshadow
Crease – MAC Charred eyeshadow and MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
Upper lashline – MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Lower lashline – MAC Carbon eyeshadow
Lashes (lower and upper) – Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara
Cheeks
Cheeks – MAC Blushbaby blush
Lips
Lipliner – MAC Subculture
Lipstick – MAC Twig-Twig
Lipgloss – MAC Full on Lust
When using dark colors in the crease, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Build color slowly. First, if you’re clumsy like I am, I find that it helps to take the time to build a color slowly, layer upon layer. First, I dipped my crease brush in the eyeshadow pot, swiped it gently on some tissue to remove the excess shadow, and then applied Charred (a shade of grey) in a light layer using a sweeping motion in my crease. I applied about five light layers before I got the color where I wanted it to be. Yes, it’s time consuming, but it’s easier for me to slowly build up layers instead of overloading my brush. Remember, it’s easier to add color than to take it away.
Don’t over blend. Have you ever tried a smokey eye, used several colors, but ended up with absolutely no definition between the colors you applied to your lid, your crease or your outer V? Here’s the deal: when you’re doing a smokey-inspired eye, you can’t go crazy with the blending; otherwise, you end up with a solid layer of dark shadow (aka ONE HOT MESS) on your eyelid. Trust me, I’ve effed up my share of smokey eyes by overblending to oblivion.
Now when I’m doing a smokey eye I use a MAC 224 brush to lightly diffuse any harsh lines and take special care not to go crazy with the blending. I use the very tip of the brush and lightly tap the edges of the shadow to blend the color. Or, I’ll use the tip, and with a light hand sweep it back and forth to diffuse the color.
Carbon 101. If I’m using a dark color like Carbon in the crease, it’s all about the brush. To get that dark black pop in the outer crease I’ll use a MAC 219 brush, which has a pointed head shaped like a pencil tip. Using the very tip of the brush, I’ll lightly swipe Carbon back and forth in the crease with extra emphasis on the outer half. To keep the Carbon from blending into the Charred, I’ll use the 224 brush to tap out any overly harsh lines.
Often I attempt a lighter lip with smokey eyes and end up looking like a corpse with pale beige lips, but the Twig-Twig lipstick/Full on Lust lipglass combo has just enough warmth to not look undead. It’s light, natural-looking and keeps the emphasis on the eyes, hawt!
This look isn’t one that I’d do everyday because I don’t always have the time to devote to layering color ever-so-carefully, but I’ll definitely do the eye makeup again when I’m feeling the spunky sass spirit.
MAC asks, “Are you an original?” Your answer better be Hell-to-the-Yeah!
If you exude OG spirit, then be sure to enter this spiffy contest ’cause there’s some serious MAC prize loot.
Enter by visiting MAC Cosmetics online and uploading a picture and a 200-word testament on how you are a MAC Original. Online voters will then determine the winner, who’ll snag a $1,000 gift card (holla!) from MAC and the entire Originals collection.
or…
If you live in the New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco or Houston areas, you can visit your designated MAC location to get your makeup done for free and have your photograph taken by a professional. Each city will have one winner who’ll receive a $250 MAC gift card, the entire Originals collection and be featured in local publications. The winners will also be entered into the online contest mentioned above.
December 28th, 2007 | Karen | Filed in: Face of the Day (FOTD), Makeup, Product Reviews
Girl, it’s hella cold in the Bay Area right now! I suppose I could do some jumping jacks or put on an extra fleece to stay warm, but screw that. I’d rather use Chanel makeup to get me through these long winter nights.
Chanel Winter Nights Quad
Okay, so maybe an eyeshadow quad doesn’t have the warming power of a down comforter. Yes, I may be partially frozen and unable to feel my toes, but at least my eye makeup looks hot.
I gotta give you gals that live in places with freezing temps mega-props for being able to handle a real winter, ’cause when it drops into the 40s here I’m barely functional. It’s so cold that I don’t even want to shower, and, believe me, my will to be clean is VERY STRONG.
My stinky self has resorted to layering and various Jedi mind tricks to keep warm. A good friend from Eastern Europe told me that a trick to surviving cold weather is to walk around thinking hot thoughts, so for the last half hour I’ve been pacing around my living room thinking about Hawaii, Christian Bale and Chanel’s Spring Aurora Blues collection. Three words: hot, hot and HOT!
Remember a few months ago when we got the heads up on what was in store for Chanel’s Spring 2008 color line? Well, the Aurora Blues collection is finally here and available both online at Chanel.com and in person at your nearby Nordstrom Chanel counter.
Here are a few goodies to melt away your cold-weather blues.
Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Bleu Celestes (navy and pale tones), $55
Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Enchanteresse (brown rose), $40
Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Exquise (shimmering peach), $30
The limited edition Fleurs de Chanel eyeshadow quad is really cute, but I passed because I don’t really see myself wearing these pale colors. Plus, I couldn’t bear to ruin the beautiful camilla flower design, and I sure as heck am not going to throw down $65 bucks for a quad that I’m only going to admire from afar.
I love the beauty shot for this collection. Isn’t she pretty?
For some weird reason I’m digging those big, Brooke Shields-esque brows, too.
The model in the pic above inspired this face o’ the day.
All the makeup I used here was by Chanel.
Eyes:
From the Bleu Celestes Quad:
Browbone – white shadow
Crease – grey shadow
Inner lid – light blue shadow
Upper and lower lash line – dark blue shadow
Lashes – two coats of Inimitable Mascara
Cheeks:
Joues Contraste blush in Enchanteresse
Face:
Matte Reflecting Powder Makeup in Honey
Lips:
Rouge Allure in Exquise
To get the bright, bold blue at the lashline, apply the shadow with a wet, flat brush like the MAC 239 or 252. When applied wet, it’s exactly the same color as the Precision Eyeliner in Blue Jean ($27.50), so save yourself some money (is that even possible with Chanel?) and get more bang for your buck by purchasing the Bleu Celestes quad instead.
Last but not least is this cutie pie from the Spring 2008 collection, Creme Gloss Lumiere in Petit Four ($32), a creme pink lipstick/lipgloss hybrid that comes in a brush pen.
Creme Gloss Lumiere blends the best of both worlds by combining the texture of a lipstick with the high shine of a lipgloss. I like the light texture and the color. Even though I wish the brush pen was a little bit stiffer, it’s still easy to use and perfect for when I don’t have time to apply lipstick with a lipbrush.
And, yes, I couldn’t forget the swatches.
From left to right:
1. Creme Gloss Lumiere in Petit Four
2. Rouge Allure Lipstick in Exquise
3-6. Quadra Eyeshadow in Bleu Celestes
7. Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Enchanteresse
Somebody make me some tea! It’s FREEZING!
Stay warm, ladies.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
December 20th, 2007 | Karen | Filed in: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To, Product Reviews
This is a really easy face of the day that I wore to work today. It took just five minutes to do my eyes.
To get this look I used:
Eyes
Brows – MAC Concrete
Brow bone – MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow
Crease – MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow
From lashline and then barely into crease, with the color most concentrated on lashline – MAC Parrot eyeshadow
Outer V – MAC Club eyeshadow
Top lashline and on waterline – MAC Jadeye Fluidline eyeliner
Inner corner – MAC Vex eyeshadow
Lower lashline – MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow
Underneath eyes and on lids – MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer in NW 25
Upper and lower lashes – Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Mascara in black
Cheeks
NARS Torrid blush
Lips
MAC Princely lipstick
MAC Enchantress lipgloss
Other ways to modify this look:
- Line top lashline and/or waterline with Blacktrack Fluidline liner, and then liner bottom lashline with Jadeye Fluidline.
- Line top lashline and/or waterline with Blacktrack and leave lower lashline bare!
- Line top or bottom lashline with Uppity Fluidline.
- Use Jadeye Fluidline as a base on from lashline into crease instead of Select Moisturecover concealer to intensify Parrot’s color.
- Using a wet 266 brush, apply Club (the color, not the weapon) onto bottom lash line.
- Make the look smokier using Club in the crease.
Yup, it’s official. Me likes the MAC Parrot.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
And if you enjoyed this post, give this one here a try: MAC Makeup – MAC Russian Red Lipglass Face of the Day
