A closeup of the new Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95), available now at Dr. Hauschka counters and online

Oh, it hurts, doctor! Right here in my heart (and my makeup bag). It’s like a yearning, aching hunger for a trio of silky smooth shadows in natural shades…

Yes, Dr. Hauschka, I’ll take one of the new $39.95 Eyeshadow Trios and call you in the morning. It’s one of five pieces from your limited edition spring 2013 collection, you say?

The five-piece Dr. Hauschka limited edition spring 2013 collection, clockwise from the trio in the lower left: the Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95, limited edition), Eyeshadow Definer Blush ($22.95), Eyeshadow Blender Brush ($27.95), Black Volume Mascara ($29.95) and Black Eyeliner ($17.95)

Should I take it with food? Oh, I see. It doesn’t matter.

You say that you designed the shimmery beige, rosy pink and chocolate trio to flatter every eye color and fortified the formula with botanicals like black tea to baby the delicate skin around the eyes?

Fascinating… And you used a smooth base of silk and talc powder?

The new Dr. Hauschka Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95)

Swatches on my NC42 skin

Wearing the new Smashbox Softbox II Photo Op Eye Shadow Palette ($39) on my eyes

There I stood, surrounded by piles of jeans, my feet planted shoulder-width apart, as I looked at myself in the three-way mirror of my tiny dressing room doing squats, while the stylist helping me watched from the doorway.

Two, three, four…

I paused, noting 1) the status of my muffin top in the pair of stretchy skinnies I’d just shimmied into, and 2) how the neutrals from new Smashbox Softbox II Photo Op Eye Shadow Palette were holding up (I’d already been wearing them for six hours, and still no signs of creasing or fading, yay!).

“I dunno…” I said, thinking about the jeans. “I feel a lot of muffin going on.”

“Keep going,” the stylist replied, referring to the squats. “Trust me. These start really tight, but they’ll stretch. They’ll be perfect in 10 minutes.”

Five, six, seven…

“The squats speed things along.”

Halfway through my eighth rep, I silently thanked the makeup gods for creating the Photo Op Palette.

Looking for a new pair of jeans is not one of my favorite tasks in the world. I’ll go so far as to say that it’s almost as stressful as shopping for a new swimsuit (first world problems, I know), but it’s always easier when I’m wearing eye makeup that helps me feel pretty.

Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Palette Softbox II

Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Palette Softbox II

Which this palette does.

Smashbox Softbox II Photo Op Eye Shadow Palette swatches from the left: Russet, Truffle, Bare, Juniper, Sandstone and Sumatra

Too Faced Summer Eyes Summer Sexy Shadow Collection

Dear Insomnia,

I think we need a break… Our relationship isn’t working. I’m just not that into you.

Love,
MBB

My mom always says to look on the bright side, so looking at things that way, the fact that I couldn’t fall asleep last night was a good thing, because it allowed me to finally watch the new episode of Southland (one of the best shows on TV!!).

While watching it I realized that 1) if I ever meet Ben Mckenzie in real life, there better be a fainting couch nearby because I’d probably swoon, and 2) he’s on twitter, which gives me another place to follow him.

Another silver lining to last night’s insomnia? It gave me extra motivation to do a bright, glowing makeup look today with golds, tans and corals — some of my favorite colors these days.

Two new products play starring roles in this look — the brown, coral and gold eye shadows from the “Classic” row in the new Summer Eyes Palette from Too Faced and the coral NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi. And on my cheeks, that’s good ol’ Chanel Frivole.

By the way, if you were thinking that the Summer Eye Palette looked familiar, then good eye! The same palette was released last year but on a very small scale. Too Faced decided to re-release it this year with a new shade (Seashell, instead of last year’s Sugar Sand) to let fans who missed it get their paws on it now.

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Wearing Estée Lauder’s Pure Color Gelée Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun (from the new Bronze Goddess collection) on my eyes

When I was getting ready this morning, I grabbed my eye shadow palette crush o’ the moment, Estée Lauder’s Pure Color Gelée Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun from the new Bronze Goddess summer (!) collection, and I wondered about how other makeup lovers like to wear eye palettes.

Par exemple, when you grab a palette, do you usually stick to the shadows in that palette, or do you like to mix and match them with other shades?

I’m not really strict about sticking to the colors in a single palette; it’s mostly about proximity, LOL! If something’s close by and will work with the palette I want to wear, then I’ll add it into the mix. But if I’m traveling and only have room in my bag for a single eye palette, then I’ll just stick to those colors.

A few of my favorite spring and summer palettes…

Estée Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun ($48)

Too Faced Summer Eyes Summer Sexy Shadow Collection ($36)

Chanel Ombres Matelassées Eyeshadow Palette in Pearl River ($80)

Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs in Coup de Foudre ($59)

What about you? When you wear an eye shadow palette, do you tend to stick to just those colors? Are you an eye shadow palette purist, or do you like to mix it up?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Too Faced Sweetheart Beads Radiant Glow Face Powder ($32), one of four pieces from the new Hello Sunshine collection for summer 2013, coming soon to Too Faced counters and online

Pack your swimsuit, friend, because you and I are heading to the beach this summer with Too Faced Cosmetics.

Too Faced Hello Sunshine Collection for Summer 2013

Their four-piece Hello Sunshine collection will be surfing onto counters and our lovely faces soon. Take a peek at these pics and swatches, and let me know what you think.

Too Faced Sweetheart Beads Radiant Glow Face Powder, $32

Too Faced Sweetheart Beads Radiant Glow Face Powder

Too Faced Sweetheart Beads Radiant Glow Face Powder

Too Faced Sweetheart Beads Radiant Glow Face Powder

Too Faced Sweetheart Beads Radiant Glow Face Powder