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I’m Spellbound by the Natural Flush and Light Sheen These Pixi All-Over Magic Powders Deliver

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pixi all over magic
Wearing Pixi All-Over Magic Powder in No. 2 Rose Radiance on the apples of my cheeks and No. 3 Brightening Radiance on my upper cheekbones

These new Pixi All-Over Magic Powders ($24 each) take me back to my teens, and those kinder, gentler days when I’d wake up every morning with a built-in youthful glow.

Subtlety and sheen characterize the three brightening blushes and highlighters (one isn’t shown here), each of which contain five colors designed to be swirled together when applied.

pixi all over magic rose radiance
No. 2 Rose Radiance (applies as a warm pink with shimmer)

pixi all over magic brightening radiance
No. 3 Brightening Radiance (applies as a light pinkish peach with shimmer)
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The Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Palette Helped Me Face My Neighbors (and the Day)

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Okay, methinks it’s time to stop scaring the neighbors. With last week’s beehive and that other blast to beauty’s past, I got more than a few sideways glances every time I went outside.

I don’t really know my neighbors very well, but I’m sure they know me — as the crazy lady who walks her cat on a leash while wearing lots of eye makeup and bathrobes, ha! I love it. 🙂

I kept getting that look. You know the one, where they’re afraid to make eye contact, but their glassy, straight-ahead stares betray what they’re really doing, which is watching you from the side with their peripheral vision… I do it a lot at restaurants to see what everyone else is eating, haha.

This morning I decided to give ’em a break and go back to wearing something a little less shocking in public. Out came the new Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Palette ($45).

bobbi brown smokey eye palette
The Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Palette from left: Eye Shadow in White, Metallic Eye Shadow in Tin, Eye Shadow in Storm, Long-Wear Eye Paint in Onyx

Have you seen it yet? One of three new kits in the just-released Choose Your Glam collection, it comes with four powder eyeshadows perfect for black/gray smokey eyes.

I’ve been chomping at the bit for this one, specifically for the sparkly black Long-Wear Eye Paint in Onyx.

Bobbi makes a pretty big deal about how it can be worn either wet or dry, but isn’t that true of most powder shadows?

Eh, with glitter like this, who the hell cares!? They can say whatever they want as long as they catch me when I swoon. 🙂
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The Smashbox Masquerade Collection Unleashes a Sultry, Smoldering Makeup Fantasy for Fall 2010

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smashbox masquerade fall 2010 collection swatches review photos

Gimme, gimme jewel-toned blues and greens, soft browns, pinks and golds!

SING IT WITH MEH!

Gimme, gimme jewel-toned blues and greens, soft browns, pinks and golds!

ONE MORE TIME!

Gimme, gimme jewel-toned blues and greens, soft browns, pinks and golds!

I’m as happy as a kid at the front of the deep fried Twinkie line at the county fair. 🙂 Girl, grab your ball gown and bedazzled mask, and prepare to be lured by a Smashbox Masquerade.

Available online now, Masquerade’s a small but comprehensive fall release with seven limited-edition pieces dressed in sophisticated indigo blue packaging. Pink, gold and peach shades softly light up lips and cheeks, and rich browns and beiges — along with a sprinkling of jeweled shimmery greens and blues — smolder on the eyes.

smashbox masquerade fall 2010 collection swatches review photos

smashbox masquerade fall 2010 collection swatches review photos

I think there’s something scary seductive about this collection. When I read the color story, I felt the shades drawing me into a fantasy that starred detailed satin ball gowns and glittering masquerade masks. I think the collection’s much prettier and softer than last year’s Reign, which had a cool edginess to it, but some of the colors in Reign weren’t the easiest ones to wear (two words: red eyeshadow).
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Saturday Surfing

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121909-saturday-surfing

I’m practicing avoidance right now. 🙂

I should be packing for my trip on Monday, but I’m browsing the web instead. Why? Because it’s more fun than packing, yay!

Okay, just a few more minutes… Then I’ll pack.

Question: What makeup do you like to bring when you travel?

Sing it, Tom!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Spellbinding MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief! A Saturday Tutorial

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MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief

Hey, homies. 🙂 What’s shakin’? Despite the lack of posts so far today, I haven’t been out busy doing exciting things. As a matter of fact, I’m still in my jammies at home (and it’s after noon!). I’ve just been sitting at my computer playing with Photoshop and MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief.

I thought I’d put together a quick tutorial for the shimmery blue/silver/peach look from yesterday. This one’s a little more complicated than usual for me, but it’s still pretty easy overall.

What you’ll need

mac-magic-mirth-mischief-tutoral-swatches

  1. A neutral matte cream eyeshadow base like MAC Paint Pot in Painterly ($17)
  2. A shimmery silver eyeshadow like the silver side from MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Blue Sorcery ($20)
  3. A shimmery blue eyeshadow like the blue side from MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Blue Sorcery ($20)
  4. A shimmery golden peach eyeshadow like MAC Arena ($15)
  5. A dark black eyeliner like MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline ($15)
  6. A black liquid liner like LORAC Front of the Line Pro ($22)
  7. A black mascara like MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash ($13)
  8. A matte peachy blush like MAC Blush in Peachykeen from the Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit ($38)
  9. A shimmery pink highlighting power like MAC Beauty Powder in Pretty Baby from the Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit ($38)
  10. A shimmery warm beige highlighting powder like MAC Beauty Powder in Sunsparkled Pearl from the the Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit ($38)
  11. A brownish pink lip liner like MAC Lip Pencil in Spice ($13)
  12. A peach lipstick like MAC Lipstick in Surprise Me ($14)
  13. A shimmery peach gloss like MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff! ($18)

Eyes

mac-magic-mirth-mischief-eyemap-1
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Saturday Surfing

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Saturday surfing

Saturday shenanigans?

G’morning and happy Saturday to ya. 🙂

I feel like I’ve been up since the dawn… of time. I set the alarm for 6:30 because I’m still trying to turn myself into a morning person. Depending on how much caffeine I’ve consumed prior to any given moment, it’s hard to tell how well the experiment’s working.

What are you up to today? No plans for me except for some puttering around, maybe laundry, maybe reading the September issue of Marie Claire and playing around with Obviously Orange Technakohl liner.

Any ideas for ways to wear an orange eyeliner? I’m stumped.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Bobbi Brown Ivy League FOTD Eye Map

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bobbi-brown-ivy-league-redux
G’morning, ladies!

A few of you asked to see details of the Bobbi Brown Ivy League look I tried on Monday.

Nicole and Nancy wanted a breakdown of the eyes. They took about eight steps. If you were comfortable trying any of my 4-step eye makeup looks, I think you could easily do this look as well.

Bobbi Brown Ivy League face of the day

My Bobbi Brown Ivy League eyes

bobbi brown ivy league eye

Oh, if you’d like to tone down the look, swap the black pencil liner for a brown one or omit the lining along the lower lash line entirely.

bobbi-brown-ivy-league-eyemap

  1. I start by applying Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Forest Shimmer Ink (a dark green with golden flecks) on my lid and just up into the crease with a Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Concealer Brush, smoothing away any harsh lines with a fingertip.
  2. Then, using a MAC 217 Blending Brush, I pat Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in Bash (a shimmery forest green) over the lid and just barely into the crease.
  3. Next, with a MAC 226 Small Tapered Blending Brush, I sweep MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow Quad in Assemblage (a shimmery gold) into the crease.
  4. Applying a light color under the brow bone can add definition to eye makeup, so I pat on some MAC Eyeshadow in Arena (a shimmery golden peach) with a MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush.
  5. For a slightly smokey eye, I line my upper lash line with Bobbi Brown Creamy Eye Pencil in Jet (a matte black) and diffuse/fade the edges by running the pencil’s attached sponge along them. Then, still with the same pencil, I line my upper and lower waterlines.
  6. To emphasize my lower lash line while still keeping it soft, I draw a line along it (ideally, getting between the roots of each lash) with Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Forest Shimmer Ink.
  7. Then, I soften the lined lower lash by gently swiping Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in Bash along the outer half (toward the ear) with a MAC 226 Small Tapered Blending Brush.
  8. Finally, still with the MAC 226, I swipe MAC Arena along the inner half of the line (toward the nose).

All done. 🙂

Possible alternatives for Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in Bash

bobbi-brown-bash-mac-humid-swatch
Swatches from left to right: Bash, MAC Humid, the light and dark green shades from the Chanel Murano quad

Thanks for suggesting so many alternatives to Bash in an earlier post. I think MAC Humid comes pretty close, and the two darker green shades in the new Chanel Murano quad should also work.
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Bloggerati Spotlight

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The Beauty Bloggerati

Like a sunflower, girls, it’s time for us to rise and shine. 🙂

Hope you had a nice Sunday night. The highlight of mine was watching Jason Stackhouse dig himself in ever deepening holes on the latest episode of True Blood. That poor boy’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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