Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Spring Shoe Trends at DSW: Adventures in Platform Sandals

April 9th, 2021 by Karen 9 Comments

I glanced at my feet yesterday, which was the first time I’d paid attention to them in ages, and two thoughts came to mind…

Yay! Sandal season is coming.
BOO! Sandal season in coming. (Note to self: buy a tube of exfoliating foot cream ASAP.)

Warm weather is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to free the feet, so, because I like to be prepared (and, also, because I don’t own any flat sandals that are comfortable), my number one sidekick/sous chef and I went to DSW yesterday.

Guess what? They have quite a few options for ladies who can’t wait to liberate their toes from the suffocating oppression of socks.

I went in specifically looking for options that aren’t sky-high heels, and I was blown away by all of the choices this season.

SO MANY FLATS!

Flat sandals with a platform base, in particular, are having a moment, and I’m here for it 100%. I love the idea of combining the comfort of flats with an extra couple inches of height.

First big trend: flat platform sandals with a cork base

This trend is a little like your traditional cork wedge heel, but with a flatter base. I noticed plenty of neutral colors (black, tan, white and beige) and single thick straps around the ankles, often with a Velcro closure.

I debated for a long time whether to take these Franco Sarto sandals home, because I liked the warmth of the darker tan color and the detailing on the base. They were pretty comfortable too, but I could feel the ankle strap ever-so-slightly rubbing against my skin…

While I love the white base, it’s going to be hard to keep clean.

I’m CRAZY picky when it comes to shoes now (one of the unexpected side effects of the pandemic!), and if a shoe is even just a touch “off” from the get-go, I know I’m not going to wear them.

So, even though I liked them in theory, I didn’t bring them home.

dsw spring 2021 dark tan franco sarto platforms k mirror — These were kinda cute.

My Sous Chef also wasn’t a fan…

sous chef says no — Sous Chef says, “No thank you!”

Second big trend: espadrille flat platform sandals

I saw a lot of these espadrille flats with a platform base too.

Some of the espadrilles also had the same white base I saw from the Franco Sarto pair I tried on. Again, love this in theory, but dang… I’m going to get those dirty in a hot second. Too hard to keep tidy. 🙁

When Crocs move you…

I’ve never in my life been a Crocs person, but I was kinda moved by these platforms. They look a little inexpensive when you see them just sitting there because of the material, but they look higher end on your feet.

I tried on the taupe and liked how they looked and felt, but I didn’t pull the trigger! Now I’m thinking about the black and beige pair because I could wear them with so many things, and they actually looked quite chic.

dsw spring 2021 taupe croc platforms with sous chef — Sous Chef is not impressed.

I’m still on the fence…

Anywho, I’m going to keep looking, and I’ll let you know if I find anything good!

Pet store visits

We’ve been going to Petco every day this week because Connor recently made a guinea pig friend.

coycoy peachy — Our daily visit to the pet store to visit Peachy the guinea pig

Connor is a little obsessed with a tan and white female guinea pig currently residing there named “Peaches.” I keep telling Connor that one day we’re going to go in and Peaches will be gone, because she’ll have found her forever home… I think Connor is not-so-secretly hoping we’ll adopt her.

I would love to add Peaches to our family, but I’m afraid that Rosie would torture the poor thing! I would hate for Peaches to live her life in fear, ya know?

Does anyone have experience with guinea pigs cohabitating with cats? Can they live together?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

This or That: The High/Low-End Beauty Edition

April 8th, 2021 by Karen 12 Comments

freckles and bright lips flat lay — Get ready for another edition of This or That!

How to play

Pick one or the other for each of the questions below, and copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. 💋

This or That: The High- or Low-End beauty Edition

Drugstore lipstick or drugstore mascara?

$5 or $35 shampoo?

Economical or extravagant skincare?

High-end or budget foundation?

Would you rather have a few pieces of Charlotte Tilbury makeup or a whole sh*t-ton of Milani makeup?

Save or splurge — nail polish?

Save or splurge — body wash?

Fancy body lotion or fancy perfume?

Would you rather have one hella expensive brush that you absolutely love, or a full set of inexpensive brushes that technically work but are a little scratchy?

Drugstore lipstick or drugstore mascara?

Drugstore mascara! There have been some been pretty great ones on the market for a while now, right up there with the expensive schtuff.

While I do love a good drugstore lippie, there’s just something extra special about a fancy-lady lipstick. 😁

$5 or $35 shampoo?

Eh, I’m down with the $5 shampoo. My hair is finicky, for sure, but the budget stuff generally works just fine for me (most of the time). I’d rather save on shampoo and splurge on other hair products, like conditioner and leave-ins. Now, those are a different story, ha!

Economical or extravagant skincare?

My checkbook says “economical,” but my heart (and my experience lines) scream “extravagant!”

High-end or budget foundation?

I can totally do budget foundation, but I’m more likely to find a good match for my skin tone with higher-end foundation lines… So high-end it is!

Would you rather have a few pieces of Charlotte Tilbury makeup, or a whole sh*t-ton of Milani makeup?

I’d rather have a few pieces of Charlotte Tilbury makeup. That would be cool. I’ll take a blush, bronzer and an eye quad please. Thank you very much!

Save or splurge — nail polish?

I love fancy $30 polish, but as of this very second…let’s go with “save.”

Save or splurge — body wash?

SAVE, no doubt. It just washes down the drain anyway! I’ll take anything by Aveeno.

Fancy body lotion or fancy perfume?

Ya know, even though the chances of me actually finishing a bottle of fancy body lotion are higher (I’ve done it before, and I can do it again!), in this instance I’d go with the fancy perfume, since it should, in theory, last longer.

Would you rather have one hella expensive brush that you absolutely love, or a full set of inexpensive brushes that technically work but are a little scratchy?

The one brush, because I got no time for brushes that bother me in any way, shape or form, hahaha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Thursday! 😊

Pretty in Pink, Plum and Bronze, and Sea Otters!

April 7th, 2021 by Karen 3 Comments

jane iredale naturally glam origins va va violet — A little bit of color!

“You can do it. Yeah, champ, keep moving that blending brush. You got this… YOU CAN WEAR COLOR! COME ONNNNNNN!”

Yes, these days, my internal makeup dialogue sounds like a boxing trainer talking sh*t from the sidelines.

(Not that I’ve ever boxed a day in my life… The closest I’ve ever come to a ring is watching Million Dollar Baby. Like Tabs was (RIP, buddy), I’m a lover, not a fighter.)

Put this in your “note to self” file next time you get tired of wearing brows and beiges and the usual neutral fare: pink, plum and bronze. It’s so good, and depending on the intensity of your shades, can be surprisingly colorful but still wearable, too.

I’m wearing the same Jane Iredale Naturally Glam Palette from the other day; I blended the dark bronze and the pink shades atop a plum eyeshadow base (MAC Prunella liner, which I buffed out all over my lids).

You guys, don’t sleep on this palette. It’s not flashy by any means, but the more I use it, the more I fall in love with it, especially the glowing finish. It’s SO forgiving, and much appreciated by my experience lines.

The pink in this look also comes through on the cheeks via a peachy pink gel blush by Chantecaille (pricy but natural looking) and a pinkish violet lip from an Origins Lipstick called Va Va Violet.

origins va va violet — Origins Va Va Violet

This lippie is not playin’ because the payoff is crazy intense — like MAC level intense! Here I’m wearing it lightly dabbed on my lips for a stained effect, but it still looks pretty pigmented. I love how this lipstick’s pinkish violet tones complement the subtle pink and purple on my lids.

Note to self: REMEMBER THIS COMBO! It’s a good one!

Makeup Worn in this look

BASE: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare in Tan Warm 41 and Tan Warm 42.5 mixed together and applied to cheeks, nose and around mouth; Kevyn Aucoin Super Natural Concealer in Medium EC 06 dabbed onto select areas on cheeks and around mouth; Honest Beauty Bright Eyes Tinted Eye Cream under eyes
EYES: MAC Prunella Eye Pencil (worn as an eyeshadow base and a liner), Jane Iredale Naturally Glam Eyeshadow Palette (dark brown in outer half and pink on inner half), MAC Cork eyeshadow (crease), Lancome Lash Idole, Chanel Boy Brow Pencil in Deep Brown
CHEEKS: Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer and Happy Gel Blush
LIPS: Origins Va Va Violet Lipstick

Hanging with my lady love

jane iredale naturally glam bronze purple lips coycoy — Just chillin’ with my sidekick!

Connor is home this week for spring break, so we’ve been hanging out a lot! Our new favorite thing to do in the morning is watch the live Otter Cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium while we eat breakfast. I don’t know why, but drinking coffee and watching otters play and swim is the best thing ever.

We’re headed to DSW in a few because this child just keeps growing! I swear I just got her a pair of Nikes, and now they barely fit.

I’m also in the pursuit of a pair of low-heeled platform sandals, ideally in a tan shade.

I’ve decided it’s time to officially retire my collection of heels, which is a little bittersweet because I used to love them so much. I tried wearing a pair of Franco Sarto wedges the other day (they used to be my “comfortable heels”), and I realized — OH, HELL NO! — there’s just no way. LOL! First of all, I can’t chase after a child in them, and second, they’re super hard to drive in. Also, I can’t bend down! I’m done, dude. No more.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Soft Bronze and Beige-Pink Tones for Glowing Lids, Lips and Cheeks (And a Baked Chicken Recipe to Curb Dinner Rage)

April 6th, 2021 by Karen 16 Comments

jane iredale naturally glam — A glowing look for an action-packed day! (Not really.)

This is one of those looks I didn’t do for any reason in particular other than it seemed like fun, because I ended up only sitting around the house like this, but dang if it wasn’t still fun! And I’ve got the pictures to save it for posterity!

I wish I’d thought of someplace interesting to take it out for a spin, even though I have low-key anxiety now around large groups of people. Soft, sparkling lids like this deserve to see the world, haha!

I didn’t really plan on this color palette with bronzes and soft beige-pinks. It just kind of happened, but I love how it turned out. It’s so delicate and girly, and it reminds me a little bit of the pink blush shades ballet dancers wear in their leotards, tights and tutus.

The Jane Iredale Naturally Glam Palette

The glowing goodness happening on my lids comes courtesy of the magical Naturally Glam Eye Shadow Kit by Jane Iredale. They’re a cruelty-free line that does mineral makeup.

Have you ever put something on — I dunno, a bra or a pair of jeans or a shirt — that instantly lights you up and makes you feel good? That’s what happened to me with this palette. The powders have that perfect balance of pearl and pigment, and they’re awfully flattering. They sparkle in a non-frosty and totally forgiving way, and the pigment packs just enough punch (I’d call it mid-level, since it’s definitely NOT full-blown intensity) to delicately define lids and lash lines.

For this look, I buffed the golden beige (the one in the big circle) all over my lids as a base, then blended the gold (inner corner) and the mid-toned brown taupe (outer corner) directly on top. Then, I wet an angled liner brush and loaded it with the dark brown to line my lash lines. To finish the look, I tightlined with MAC Teddy, which goes great with this palette’s bronze vibe, and coated my lashes with mascara.

Nude lip combo of the moment

Oh! — I’m back on a nude lip kick (What can I say? I love me a soft lip.) and found a new pinkish nude lip combo to share…

origins sweeter than honey hourglass provoke gloss — Origins Sweeter Than Honey Lipstick and Hourglass Provoke Gloss

I feel like this lip could also be cool with a darker, unblended lip liner for a ’90s vibe too…

Makeup worn in this look

BASE: Skin prepped with First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Firming Collagen Cream; It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare in Tan Warm 41 and Tan Warm 42.5, and MAC Strobe Cream in Pink Light all mixed together and blended on my nose, cheeks and around my mouth

EYES: Jane Iredale Naturally Glam Eye Shadow Kit, MAC Teddy Liner, Bite Beauty Upswing Mascara, Chanel Boy de Chanel Brow pencil

CHEEKS: MAC Blush Baby

LIPS: Origins Sweeter Than Honey Lipstick, Hourglass Provoke Gloss

The Dinner Rage chronicles, part 3,456

I mentioned to a friend of mine that I’ve been having major Dinner Rage lately (FYI, it’s that feeling that kicks in about an hour before dinnertime when I realize that I have to make food YET AGAIN, hahaha), and she passed along her go-to baked chicken recipe for these days.

It’s a vinegar chicken with crushed olive dressing, and I made it the other day… It turned out OK, even though I under-seasoned it, because I always have a hard time when recipes call for you to just season things with salt and pepper at your will (I always end up erroring on the side of not seasoning enough).

Here’s the recipe in case you want to try it, by the way. Oh, and I ended up substituting the wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar and using dried parsley instead of fresh because that’s what I had. If you make it, let me know how it goes!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 672

April 5th, 2021 by Karen 22 Comments

do more of what you love pink balloons — Note to self!

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. 🌻

1. Essie Ballet Slippers — all that and a bag of chips, or just eh?

Eh, it’s alright. I do recognize that it’s one of those classic neutrals that that works for a lot of occasions but I think there are other brands that do sheer pink polish just as well, or even better.

2. Where do you prefer doing a pop of color — lips, lids or cheeks?

Normally, my cheeks because I feel like I get the most bang for my buck there, since blush covers such a big chunk of face real estate.

During the masked pandemic times though, I prefer a swish of colorful liner on my upper lash line.

3. How much do you like taking quizzes in magazines?

I loved them when I was a teenager! The sillier the better.

4. Something you’d like to give away?

Um…my anxiety? Any takers? LOL!

Really, though, I have 15 pounds of russet potatoes sitting in my kitchen right now because my parents gave me two bags of them for Easter (yes, super weird), so if someone knocked on my door right now and asked for some potatoes, I’d say, “You’ve come to the right place! Knock yourself out.”

5. Cheddar, Swiss or Brie?

Brie, baby!

6. Would you rather be a hippo or a shark?

Hippo all the way, because they seem more relaxed than sharks (?), and, like, I can just see myself being as shark and being totally tense and stressed out all the time.

No thank you!

7. How quickly does it take for you to know that you click with someone?

It really depends. I’ve made friends with people I’ve gotten along with from the get-go, and I’ve had other friendships that took a while to blossom, but normally I can tell within 20 minutes or so if I’m really connecting and getting along with someone.

8. Are you (or have you ever been) a trendsetter?

Hmm… I think so, sort of, back in the day. I’ve always loved pushing boundaries and trying new things with fashion and makeup, but seasons change in life as they do in nature, and these days I’m more comfortable with classic style. But maybe I’ll get back to that trendy space someday… You never know.

9. Something inspiring you at the moment?

I’ve been binging a French show about movie agents on Netflix called Call My Agent, and the makeup is very cool — super restrained and très chic. It’s refreshing to see brows, lashes and skin that aren’t completely over the top.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Essie Ballet Slippers — all that and a bag of chips, or just eh?
2. Where do you prefer doing a pop of color — lips, lids or cheeks?
3. How much do you like taking quizzes in magazines?
4. Something you’d like to give away?
5. Cheddar, Swiss or Brie?
6. Would you rather be a hippo or a shark?
7. How quickly does it take for you to know that you click with someone?
8. Are you (or have you ever been) a trendsetter?
9. Something inspiring you at the moment?

P.P.S. Good morning, beautiful girl! Happy Monday to you. Just in case you haven’t heard it lately, a gentle reminder: you should be so, so proud of where you are and all of your progress so far. Remember, it doesn’t have to happen all at once. You’re closer to whatever it is you’re working toward than you were yesterday, so keep at it, OK? You can do it. 🤗

Oh, and this little lady says hi! All of us here at Casa de MBB hope you had a wonderful Easter.