Lips

3 Tips for Wearing Red Eyeshadow (and a 20-Minute Makeup Look)

November 6th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

viseart libertine — I may or may not be in my pajamas, FYI.

Fall-inspired look, TAKE TWO.

I think this one’s a little closer in terms of vibe to the Thanksgiving baking accouterments I found at Michael’s the other day… More fall, and less summer, with shimmery reddish copper lids, bronze cheeks and nude-beige lips.

I wore it to the bakery the other day… The bakery in my kitchen, THAT IS! Had this on while trying to work out the pumpkin/pecan cupcake situation (yes, this is a thing I’m working on). In a nutshell, I think I found a good balance between a spicy pumpkin cupcake, and brown sugar pecans, but that’s a story for another time…

As for this look, here are some things you may find helpful when wearing reddish copper eyeshadow, or really any shadows with red tones:

1. Full-coverage foundations make a HUGE difference

You know me; I like to wear as little as possible in terms of base products, but whenever I try to do minimal foundation/concealer that incorporates any sort of copper, coppery red or red eyeshadow, I look tired, messy and juuuuust not right. Babe, if you’ve got anything remotely red happening on your lids, then go for full-coverage foundation. A full-coverage base balances with the red eyeshadow’s POW! very nicely, methinks.

2. Tightline with a black liner

You need something like a black liner to add a visible “break” or barrier between your red eyeshadow and the whites of your eyes; otherwise, it can look kinda “off.” If black seems too harsh for you, try a dark brown.

3. Do your eye makeup first

Why? Because you want absolutely NO red underneath your lower lash line, and you’ll want to completely remove it before doing your base. Then, after you clean up, apply a concealer. I’m usually team “Skip the Under-Eye Concealer,” but in this case, I’m thoroughly on board, because, again, it can look weird if you skip it.

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Red Lip Redux: MAC Matte Lip Mousse in Cordon Bleu

October 29th, 2019 by Karen 15 Comments

mac cordon bleu — MAC Condon Bleu, I heart you

Officially, this MAC matte lipstick is a warm pink, but on my lips it looks red, yet the name is Cordon Bleu, like the color blue.

We should just rename it something like, “When Colors Confusingly Collide.” 😂

I wore this lippy last week in one of the Charlotte Tilbury posts not realizing just how much it would steal the show. It’s one of the Matte Lip Mousse lipsticks from the MAC Pony Park collection, so it’s limited edition (I know), and while a lot of the items from that launch are sold out, Cordon Bleu is still available.

The Matte Lip Mousse lippies play on the blurry edged lip trend that’s happening right now, so they’re designed to draw a diffused edge that feathers out ever so slightly.

You don’t really have to do anything fancy to get the effect either — just apply it with the doefoot directly onto your lips. Don’t worry, it won’t travel outside your natural lip line, so you won’t end up looking like the accidental Joker.

Cordon Bleu’s lightweight mousse formula stays put, feels comfy, and best of all, doesn’t dry out lips. It also tastes and smells like MAC’s signature vanilla, which I love. If you’re a fan of MAC Relentlessly Red Lipstick, I think you’ll like this color, too, because it has similar warm coral undertones.

mac cordon blue — Living my best NC42 life

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Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat and Lipstick Is Smoother Than a Silk Pillowcase

October 18th, 2019 by Karen 29 Comments

Yo, if my pillow could talk, it would probably tell a sordid tale of insomnia and drool, ha ha ha! That’s not nearly as sexy as Charlotte Tilbury’s iconic Pillow Talk Lipstick ($34) and Lip Cheat Lip Liner ($22), I know, but such is the life of a sleep-challenged lady. 🤷‍♀️

Chances are you’ve heard about Pillow Talk, the nude-pink lipstick and lip liner famous for flattering so many different skin tones, and bumping and plumping lips to bodacious, billowing proportions.

It’s a pricey combo…but if two lip products can get me some juicy Angelina Jolie lips without any needles or pain, sign me up!

Just to be clear, neither the lipstick nor the lip liner are technically lip plumping products. When used alone or together, both are supposed to make your lips look bigger. How? By combining a smoother-than-smooth semi-matte finish and a universally flattering pinkish-brown nude color.

charlotte tilbury pillow talk swatches — So smooth

Whenever a brand calls something “universal flattering”, I think it’s always a good thing to temper your expectations, because let’s face it — one woman’s lip ecstasy is another’s agony.

I’m a MAC NC42, and my lips are fairly pigmented, and on me, both the Pillow Talk lipstick and liner are pinkish brown with a little bit of beige. It skews a little warm, but not so warm that it appears yellow-based. I definitely get a nude vibe, and I like the color, which is like a blend of MAC Velvet Teddy and MAC Half ‘N’ Half.

The lipstick also smells and tastes very similar to MAC’s signature vanilla (the liner has no flavor or scent), and now that I think about it…when I’m wearing both the lipstick and the liner, the combo feels and looks very much like a mashup between a MAC Cremesheen and a MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick. It has the same light and feathery texture, along with a similar hazy, semi-matte finish. Very, very pretty and very comfortable.

Charlotte does take it to the next level, though, because the way both products glide across my skin is absolutely superior. They’re so, so smooth. No skipping, no dragging, no sort of hesitation when you run the tube or the pencil across your lips. And my lips, after the first application, look extremely smooth.

Pillow-y and plump? Not so much, but definitely smoother. And this effect lasts a while. I’m talking four or five hours. But at the tail end of it, my vertical lip lines look more pronounced than I’d like… It’s not like my lips look like a sad prune waiting to be chucked into the garbage, but they do look a little dry.

I’ll finish both the liner and lippie eventually because the color is totally my thing, but I don’t know if I’d freak out like I do when I’m about to finish a MAC Velvet Teddy. While the Pillow Talk lipstick/liner combo is noticeably smoother, I think Velvet Teddy’s similar enough, and if I were chatting with a stranger on the street about lipstick (as one does, LOL!), I’d suggest that they try Pillow Talk once, but I’d also recommend that they give MAC Teddy a go, since it’s a little more affordable ($18.50).

For about the same price as the Pillow Talk lipstick/liner combo, you could also buy three tubes of Velvet Teddy — one to keep at home, one to keep in your purse, and one to perhaps keep as an extra in case one of the others falls in the toilet…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Laura Mercier Moment…

September 10th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

laura mercier september 2019 — Dearest Laura…you’re rockin’ my world at the moment.

I’m going to assume that you are, or have been, a makeup junkie, and so therefore you have probably had one (or more) moments like I did the other night at back-to-school night, when your makeup universe collides in such a way that you’re, like, “WHOA!”

I can’t be the only one. I just can’t.

I was just sitting there in Connor’s preschool classroom wearing some Laura Mercier products when my nose honed in on someone’s perfume (I have a bloodhound’s sense of smell). It was familiar, but I couldn’t place it, and the source of that scent — swear to gosh — knocked around in my head for days, like a song stuck in my head.

Then, half asleep one night in bed, it hit me! It was Laura Mercier Eau de Lune, which I wore every day for three years straight in the early aughts.

Dang, dawg, I’ve been wearing Laura Mercier makeup off and on for almost 20 years! In fact, I can recall when it was a relatively new line. I remember going to a counter for the first time (must have been about 1997) and being intrigued by the makeup primer, which was very forward-thinking at the time. And their Tinted Moisturizer, Secret Brightening Powder, Eye Basics in Wheat and Stormy Grey eyeliner have all been in my everyday makeup bag rotation at different times for years.

Like I was saying…I just happened to be wearing a few pieces of LM makeup the other night, and it reminded me why I like wearing Laura Mercier makeup so much. Her style is colorful, but not too crazy, and has elegantly subtle touches of pizzazz, like a little glitter here, a demi-matte finish there… It’s also easy to amplify or dial down.

A few quick thoughts on what I’ve been wearing lately…

Foundation Primer ($38)

There are a few different versions of this (Oil-Free, Dry SKin, etc.), and this one is the basic Foundation Primer. It’s a colorless, lightweight primer in a moisturizing gel that instantly sinks into skin (rather than sitting on top). If you like primers that add radiance with barely-there pearl finish (like MAC’s Natural Radiance), you’ll like this, too. It’s an oldie but goodie.

Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($39)

Light as air and completely undetectable, this has a soft matte finish that looks natural to the Nth degree!

laura mercier september 2019 swatches — Lovies by Laura M.!

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Unsung Heroes: The $6 Sephora Collection Eco Biodegradable Sharpener

August 20th, 2019 by Karen 5 Comments

makeup pencil sharpener — All that and a bag of chips!

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

Y’all…with the 15% off VIB sale happening now, I know you’re busy playing chicken with your Sephora cart, but please take a moment to consider one of the most underrated (and best!) tools the mother ship has to offer — the $6 Biodegradable Pencil Sharpener, otherwise known as “the pencil sharpener that elevated my winged liner and saved me from a lifetime of makeup misery.”

It’s the only makeup pencil sharpener I’ve ever owned that I haven’t wanted to hurl across the room.

From sephora.com:

What it is:
A professional-grade, two-in-one pencil sharpener made of an innovative, biodegradable, and sustainable bio-polymer.

What it does:
The Eco Biodegradable Sharpener is a perfect accessory to your cosmetic collection. This sharpener not only accomodates a multitude of pencil sizes, but you can feel confident knowing that you are also helping the environment when you dispose of it. The corn-based PLA body of this sharpener is biologically degradable, while the blade is recyclable. Made in Germany, the carbon steel blades give your pencils the perfect pointed tips for flawless application.

What else you need to know:
This sharpener can be used with a multitude of pencils, sized from 8mm to 12mm. It includes a removable pick tucked neatly into the body to help dislodge the toughest pieces of shavings and lead from the blade.

Sharpest tips EVRRRR

Every successful kitten flick I wore this summer, I totally owe to this sharpener. You know how sometimes you’ll sharpen a pencil, and the end will get nice and pointy but then immediately when you run it across your skin the tip breaks off? That happens to me all the time…but never with this sharpener. The blades whittle dull tips into sharp points with just a few twists and turns, yet they still hold back juuuuuust enough from going past the point of no return.
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