Hey, girlies. How are you doing? Me — I’ve been in a mental funk for a couple days. Does that ever happen to you? I think I just need a creative booster shot. Any ideas?
I wasn’t in the mood for adventure this weekend and didn’t stray far from the TV. I watched *hella* episodes of The Golden Girls and Stargate Atlantis (attention fellow sci-fi nerds: this is a GREAT SHOW!), played with El Tabs and started a new book (The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory).
Of course, I couldn’t resist the urge to play with makeup. It’s like the call of the wild or something. 🙂 All weekend long I’ve been wearing Stila SPF Shine Lip Color in Tina ($22), a coppery brown.
I first read about Shine Lip Color on Bella Sugar’s blog back in May. Stila packed SPF 20 into these eight shades, each with a glossy yet sheer finish. Formulated with vitamins A, C and E, Shine Lip Color feels moisturizing and light on my lips. It’s lightly scented with vanilla, but the scent dissipates quickly.
A swatch of Stila Lip Shine in Tina without the flash
With the flash
The finish is surprisingly sheer, which makes the product easy to apply directly from the tube, even without a mirror. Unfortunately, the sheerness also means you can expect to have to reapply every couple hours. No big deal, though. If you’re like me, you don’t mind having to reapply.
Stila Lip Shine reminds me a lot of Shu Uemura’s Crystal Shine lipsticks, so if you’re a fan of those you might like these, too. And Shine Lip Color has distinct anti-funkiness properties — like coffee, good food and Christian Bale — guaranteed to pick you up when you’re feeling kind of blah. 🙂
Daily Photo
I love the design and the font on this cover. I started reading the book last night and stayed up late putting a solid dent in the story. I’m only through the first 100 pages, but what I’ve taken away from it so far is that being a member of England’s royal court in the 1600s must have been downright exhausting.
Hope you’re feeling good today. 🙂 I’ll keep on keepin’ on if you do the same.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. It’s that time again! — time for some of the very best beauty blogging of the week from the girls of the Beauty Blog Network.
Lilan from The Daily Cookie gets Bombshell brows and gives you tips on how you can too!
A Touch of Blusher reviews Velvet Creme Wash from L’Oréal’s De-maq Expert range.
Beauty Anonymous plays with the fall nail colors of OPI’s France Collection.
The Makeup Divas reviews Clinique’s High Impact Lip Colour and other products from their Modern Matte Fall 2008 Collection!
The Muse loves Benefit Powderflage! Check out her detailed review with tons of product photos!.
Beauty Banter reveals 5 beauty secrets with 1 drug store product – a product we guarantee you already have in your arsenal of beauty items!
15 Minute Beauty Fanatic has the lowdown on Elizabeth Arden’s Fall 2008 Shadows!
Beauty411 discovers a foundation that thinks it’s a skin treatment product, too!
Beauty Blogging Junkie‘s Napoleon Perdis Lip Service is her version of Napoleon Dynamite’s precious ChapStick. If she were to leave it at home, she’d borrow “your guys’s” phone to get someone to drop it off, stat.
Beauty Junkie in SF find more lovely Grapefruit flavored products to gush over. Check them out!
Product Girl turns 3 years old in September! To celebrate they’re doing a series of giveaways all month long. Enter their first giveaway, goodies from theMAC Cult of Cherry collection. Good luck!
The girls of 90210 grace Nylon’s cover and inspires Beyond Beauty Basics to show you how to get the nude lip look!
Toya from The Life of A Ladybug has started a new feature: Ask me how to! Each week, she will answer a reader question. In the first installment, she shares how you can use your bronzer all year long!
Face Candy tests the new 3 Custom Color Specialist Light Brights Collection.
The girls over at Beauty in Real Life are at it again. This week they have a Pureology ScalpCure shampoo and conditioner giveaway and a SKINN lip gloss set giveaway. Enter for your chance to win here.
This week, Spoiled Pretty is hooking you up, Gossip Girl style. Get in touch with your inner Serena and Blair, with two haute headbands, courtesy of Colette Malouf. Winners will also receive Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season on DVD. Enter today!
Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog gives you a cheap, stylish way to organize all of those eye shadow pans from MAC Cosmetics.
Have you heard about the vibrating mascaras? Are they worth the money? Cybelesays found one that is if volume and length are what you seek.
Pursebuzz.com has expanded and has officially launched a new hair site. From hair days, reviews and hair tutorials I am going have it all about hair. Also, don’t forget to enter the contest for a great set of Chi products. Starts this weekend.
Beauty and Fashion Tech is having a contest for a book and some Neutrogena products!
Beth says
Hey Karen
I totally, completely, fully empathise with how you’re feeling the past couple of days. The last month or so I’ve felt much the same, just completely blah. I haven’t blogged, I haven’t read any blogs really…I’ve just moped.
I’m liking the look of these lip colors a lot – Tina is a really pretty shade on you and I really love the sheer finish!
Hope your weekend is going well!
Bx
Beths last blog post..Blah
Karen says
Hi Beth,
Sorry to hear you’ve been feeling blah, too. One good thing, though, is that there’s always an upside. You’ll hopefully be feeling like your best self soon enough. That’s what I like to tell myself, at least…
I’m totally falling in love with Stila. I kinda want everything from the line now, LOL. I feel like such a junkie.
I am now off to grab some lunch and maybe to the movies. Have a good Monday tomorrow, and keep your chin up.
Loni says
I’m so glad you’re digging the book so far. I just couldn’t put the thing down, and now I’ve made my way through most of the sequels, up to The Virgin’s Lover, which is about Queen Elizabeth. I think they’re great summer reads, and we’ve got to hold on to summer as long as we can!
The Stila lippie looks great, by the way. My complexion is very similar to yours, and I’ve been exploring more copper-based lips lately, too. They feel sort of fresh and easy to me right now. Pink is too sunshine-y. Red is too bold. But a nice copper is a fun take on the usual neutral.
Lilan says
Oooh, I’ve heard The Other Boleyn Girl is really great! I really want to read the book before watching the movie – have you seen it? Hope you’re feeling better Miss Karen!
Lilans last blog post..Get Radiant with Shu Uemura Brightening Oil
Gina says
let me know if you end up liking the book. I love to read! Hope your feeling cheerier today 🙂
Ginas last blog post..Couldn’t Have Put It Any Better
xtina says
I love the Stargate series 🙂 Followed it since I was a wee tyke 😉
Amanda says
yay for stila love! I love their high shines lippies (the color louise is so, so fab). I haven’t tried these yet. hard to tell with swatches online, ya know? but I love the idea of spf.
I read that book recently. I enjoyed it. Then I read the boelyn inheritance….and we started watching “the tudors” (showtime) on netflix. I haven’t gotten to watch the movie version of the book yet. It’s so fun to think about that era in history.
following up to some other post comments–Korres: actually the mascara is the first thing from them I’ve used. I mostly wanted the blue color, but I do like that it is a little more “natural” line.
-golf. I’ve only been playing about 2 summers so I am not very good yet! I still get frustrated with being a beginner. But I do mostly enjoy it. Even if you play bad it’s fun to be out. We had fun with our tourney team and friends.
as for the cruise, yup you remember correctly it WAS going to be Hawaii/NCL, but got changed due to budget. It’s now Key West and Grand Cayman on Celebrity (I’m pretty bummed I was SUPER pumped for Hawaii, but what are you going to do, eh? We are being treated by family so can’t complain. 🙂 ) you’ve haven’t done any writing for celebrity by chance? That was going to be such a fun bonus!!!
Lucy says
I read that book till the last chapter but I didn’t finish it because I gave into watching the dvd when it came out….(I hate when I give into the dvd’s). The movie IS different from the book (I’ll spare you the details since you are still reading it) but it was dramatically good…I loved Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in the movie!!
I’m curious about the Stila gloss….the packaging is cute!
Karen says
Hi Loni,
I just got back from the movies and the first thing I had to do was read a few pages from the book. I think I’m getting addicted. 🙂
I like copper lips, too, for days when I’m wanting some color, but not too much. Do you have any favorite copper shades right now?
Karen says
Hi Lilan,
I read on Rotten Tomatoes that the movie didn’t get really good reviews, so I wanted to read the book first. It’s a real page turner so far. Hope you’re having a good weekend!
Karen says
Hi Gina,
The first 200 pages have been great. I can’t seem to put it down. It’s a pretty fast read and it has lots of family intrigue.
Have you read any good books lately?
Karen says
Hi Xtina,
It’s so great! Have you been watching the new season of Atlantis? I actually cried during the episode where Rodney had that virus and was going to die…
Karen says
Hi Amanda,
I hear ya! It’s much more satisfying to see it all in person. I may have to do a recon mission the next time I go into sephora. 🙂
So far I’ve really enjoyed this book. The writing doesn’t inspire/excite me in the same way that The Time Traveler’s Wife did, but the writing is decent, and the story is interesting and it’s well paced. How do you like The Tudors? That Jonathan Rhys Meyers is *hawt*!
The only thing I tried on when from Korres was the lipgloss, and it was thick, but not sticky, and it lasted quite a while. I liked it. I will have to investigate the mascara next.
LOL, the only golf I actually like is miniature golf (but only if there’s a windmill involved). Do you have clubs and gear and golf outfits? I have to say I do like all the accoutrements involved in the sport.
OH!!! When are you going to Key West? El Hub and I are going in November. I can’t wait to see Hemingway’s house! I haven’t written for Celebrity, but maybe after this visit to the Keys it’ll give me some inspiration to find some freelance travel writing work with them. 🙂
Have a good week… Tabs says Hi!
Karen says
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for not giving the book deets… I will probably finish this by the end of the week so after I’m done we can dish.
Natalie Portman is one of my favorite actresses. She always looks classy and seems like a nice person.
I’m curious about Stila *everything*, LOL. I am really loving it right now!
Do you have any Stila faves?
Brittany says
The Other Boleyn Girl is such a great book. I love all the drama. I’m very happy my life isn’t nearly as dramatic 😛 Whenever you get done reading the book, check out the movie. It was very well done.
Marisol says
What a gorgeous color! Can you imagine having to wear an outfit like the one on the cover of the book? Having someone fit you into a corset would be a pain.
Marisols last blog post.."Donna Martin Graduates"
Karen says
Hi Brittany,
Me too! It sounds exhausting to be in the king’s court!
Karen says
Hi Marisol,
I know! You know I’m all about the stretchy pants, girl.
lindsay says
THIS IS SO PRETTY! I might have to pick one up the next time I’m at Sephora..the packaging is cute too!
I finally bought Clean & Clear’s Soft Steam Facial, and I love it! It made my skin SO SOFT! Thanks for the review:)
Karen says
Hi Lindsay,
I agree. I love the vines on the tube. 🙂
Yay, I’m so glad that you like it. I haven’t used it in a few days… time to bust it out!
Karen B says
That coppery bronze looks great on you.
Oooh, The Other Boleyn Girl is a great book. It’s one of my favourites! Where in the story are you?
Karen Bs last blog post..Oh my effing Iker
Loni says
Karen,
I’ve been wearing Cover Girl Wetslicks in Sugar Maple lately. It’s a sheer bronze gloss with gold shimmer. The lasting power stinks, but for $6, it’s a nice little number. And it smells like cupcakes!
Michelle says
Ooh Karen I looove that book! I have the one with the movie cover. Sadly, the movie doesn’t even compare with the book but it is a long book so I can see why they had to cut out so many of the details. Happy reading!
That Stila shade looks great on you BTW.
lexi says
you’re on a stila kick! what else do you have? you made me revisit all my stila products too the other day!