Rise and shine, morning glory. That’s what my mother-in-law says to gently nudge people up in the morning. She quietly whispers, “rise and shine, morning glory.” It’s definitely a kinder sound to get up to than a bleeping alarm clock, am I right?
Other than continuing to get ready for our trip to Hawaii this week, I don’t have a lot planned for today, but it would be nice to go for a walk.
What’s shakin’ out yonder way, and how was your week? Did you get any good makeup or beauty stuff or learn something new? Let’s see… I asked a friend to bring me back a bottle of Chanel polish in Riva from Las Vegas, where she saw it on a family trip. Getting Riva was probably the beauty highlight of my week.
No, not probably — it WAS the beauty highlight of my week. 🙂
The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed
CHANEL RIVA
LE VERNIS NAIL COLOUR
Um, can you say swoon? I’ve been dying — DYING! — to see the new Chanel Nail Lacquer in Riva ($27) ever since it popped up on the runway at the Chanel Cruise fashion show last May. I’ve lusted over Riva more than I’ve lusted over the abs of the official “Sexiest Man Alive,” aka Ryan Reynolds. Needless to say, that’s, um, a lot of lust.
The limited edition shade just launched online and in select Chanel stores as part of the five-piece Chanel Cote D’Azur resort collection. Also included in the release are four Rouge Coco lipsticks in Sari Dore, Perle, Taffetas Rose and Chintz ($30 each). Read more…
$2 NYC ULTRA
LAST LIPSTICKS
I seriously cannot believe these NYC New York Color Ultra Last LipWear lipsticks are just $2. TWO DOLLARS!
Like Trader Joe’s Two-Buck Chuck, (I think) these are worth way more than their price implies. I’m talkin’ hidden drugstore gems.
I didn’t expect much from the three tubes I bought on a whim last weekend, but what a pleasant surprise. Opaque, pretty colors, a smooth texture, a hydrating formula and a high-shine finish? WOW!
Wear time’s been pretty good (about five hours), and they’ve been able to withstand gin-n-juice sips of water, but they don’t really tolerate meals.
Tabs gives ‘em two paws way up for being both drugstore AND cruelty-free, and I give them two thumbs up for not having an (ob)noxious taste or scent (I’m talking to YOU, NYX Beautiful).
To top it all off, they come in 20 shades! The perfectly named Berry Rich is my favorite of the three I got.
And it makes lips sing sonnets paired with purple eye looks. 🙂 Read more…
THE MUD
CARES PALETTE
Would you like to give a gift this year that really makes a difference in someone’s life? How about one that also happens to look as pretty as the new limited-edition MUD Cares Palette ($25)?
Every last cent (that’s 100%) from the sale of the new powder eyeshadow quad goes to the NextAid organization, a nonprofit assisting children in Africa who have been orphaned by AIDS.
Make-up Designory (MUD) stocked the palette with four warm, summery shades from their permanent line — Spanish Gold (a rich golden bronze), Dulce de Leche (an iridescent beige), Cashmere (a sparkling rosy beige) and Moss (a shimmery khaki green with golden undertones). Individually, the pans usually retail for $10 each, making $25 a great deal for the quad. Read more…
ULTRAFLESH
PANTHERA MASCARA
Take your seats, everyone, so we can call to order tonight’s meeting of the Feline Enthusiasts Club.
Okay, I won’t deny that the real reason I wanted to try the new Ultraflesh Panthera Mascara ($26) is because of tube. I don’t know if Ultraflesh designed it with cat ladies in mind, but it sure as heck worked on me.
The product is currently Ultraflesh’s (seriously, what’s up with that name?) one and only item, which I guess we could say recently “pounced” on the makeup scene, LOL! For now it’s available exclusively at Sephora. Read more…
CHANEL COTE D’AZUR
ROUGE COCO LIPSTICKS
I know it’s wrong and crazy, but it’s taking all of my willpower to resist painting Tabs’ claws with Chanel Riva Nail Colour.
And it’s a good thing cats don’t have lips…because if they did Tabs would already be wearing one of the four Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colours from the new Cote D’Azur Collection. 🙂
Despite the season, the small five-piece release (four lipsticks and the one polish) is actually a resort collection for Chanel, which explains why it feels so beachy and tropical.
Here are swatches of three of the four shades (I’m missing coral Sari Doré), Taffetas Rose (a shimmery magenta), Perle (a shimmery pinkish golden beige) and Chintz (a shimmery pinkish coral). All of them have the same smooth, moisturizing texture and plush pigments that define the Rouge Coco lipstick line. Read more…
MUD MAKE-UP DESIGNORY
ALL THAT SPARKLES HOLIDAY COLLECTION
Sometimes I don’t feel like going all out with my makeup. I don’t want to do anything with it — blend, shade, nada. I just want a look that’s simple and easy, and preferably still pretty.
That’s where the new MUD Make-Up Designory All That Sparkles Holiday Collection ($55) comes in.
MUD’s more than just a makeup line with cosmetics, tools and skin care in prices ranging from $10-30. It’s also a makeup school, which has been around for about 10 years, with branches in Los Angeles and New York.
So far I really like what I’ve seen from the brand. The sturdy, modern packaging isn’t fancy, but most of the colors are pretty suitable for everyday wear, unlike a lot of the really cra-zay-zay (but still very cool) colors over at Kryolan, another makeup school/line.
The limited edition All That Sparkles Holiday Collection, a set of products for eyes, lips and cheeks, comes in a palette of wearable pink, silver, violet, charcoal and beige that’s easy to dress up or dress down.
With the set, you also get a roomy, zip-up makeup bag. Read more…
$7 ALMAY INTENSE
I-COLOR TRIOS
Gosh, I haven’t worn any Almay makeup since — when was that? 1992?
I vaguely remember buying something from the line at a Thrifty’s where I cruised for makeup after school. There was something about the products looking kinda stiff and serious that I still remember today. It wasn’t the kind of makeup my friends and I were wearing to school. It was the stuff “grownups” were wearing to work in tall gray office buildings downtown.
But that was literally decades ago, and the line’s changed a lot over the past few years, becoming, dare I say, cooler. Or, maybe I’ve just gotten older, heh. 🙂
I like the new Almay’s easy, breezy vibe. Think Rite-Aid meets Trish McEvoy at the Bobbi Brown counter. It’s a “we take the guesswork out of it for ya!” approach to drugstore makeup, and apparently the line is also hypoallergenic and cruelty free, which Tabs describes as “hella dope” (his words). Read more…
BECCA BEACH TINT
HOLIDAY TRIO GIFT SET
Okay, so you know the Becca Beach Tints? Talk about makeup salvation for the lazy. They’re these multipurpose, oil-free, water-resistant creams for adding a hint of scented color to cheeks and lips. Not only are they easy to blend without streaks, but you can layer them beneath blushes, bronzers and lip gloss, too.
Tubes usually go for $25 a pop, but you can save a few bucks on them with the limited edition Becca Beach Tint Holiday Set ($63). It comes with three full-size Beach Tints in Watermelon (a pink from the permanent collection), Grapefruit (a coral from the permanent collection) and Apricot (a new limited edition peach).
And the scents are delicious! The Watermelon like watermelon, Grapefruit like grapefruit — you get the picture.
The Beach Tint Holiday Set’s expensive, but I could easily see these blushes becoming an every day staple because they’re so easy to apply and they stay on all day. If you’re the type of gal who’s always rushing out the door and you’re in the mood for a splurge, this could be the perfect excuse to treat yourself this holiday. Read more…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Have you already planned out your Thanksgiving meal? If you still have room for another dish, there are dozens of delicious-sounding recipes in the comments on our T-giving recipe exchange (I had a dream about Jennifer’s pumpkin cheesecake).
Ludmila says
I just love love your posts!!they`re awesome!! thanks and kisses from Brasil!!!
Karen says
Hi Ludmila,
Thanks! Big hugs back from Northern California! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Sarahc says
Riva is so gorgeous and elegant. It’s even lovely in the bottle! I WANTS!
Sarahc says
I forgot to mention, I’m not doing anything fun today except a trip to the mall. 🙂
Nina says
MUD – <333.
i did check the palettes out and they are lovely. im torn between the holiday one and the charity one … if i want the charity one, i need to get it online though. 🙂
Tracy says
So jealous of your trip to Hawaii!! Those Becca Beach Tints will come in handy for the trip!
It’s so cold up here-I can’t even describe it.
Christian says
I’m going back home to Hawaii this week too! I can’t wait 😀 Thanksgiving lunch and dinner is gonna be so great with my family! Hope you have a safe trip and let’s hope the weather is good. Oh and thanks for the review on the new Panthera mascara, it looks great on you so I might try it soon! Although I do agree with you about the pointy cat-head…I saw it at Sephora this week and those ears were a lot more pointy than I thought.
Kim says
Have a great trip to Hawaii! 🙂 That’s a cute wake-up from your mother in law. My sister’s boyfriend says “wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey”. Yummy. 🙂