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MAC Makeup

This Matte Brown Classic Eye Makeup Goes With Everything

January 20th, 2021 by Karen 5 Comments

eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything
This is an easy, everyday classic eye look.

If I were cruelly forced to select a tiny handful of eye makeup looks to wear for the rest of my life the rest of the winter, this matte brown look with brownish black eyeliner would definitely make the cut.

Not only is it relatively speedy to do (say 15-20 minutes start to finish), it’s also easy because it doesn’t heavily rely on intense blending.

eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything
Products I used…

A banging’ brew of browns

So, what makes it relatively easy? Answer: The two brown shades — the golden brown on my lids (MAC Cork) and the warmer orangey brown in my crease (MAC Saddle) — are similar tones, which makes blending them together easier.

In fact, if you’re REALLY pressed for time, you can even skip the warm brown in the crease, and just wear the golden brown eyeshadow all over your lids.

That said, I do like the warm brown in the crease because, especially when I’m wearing a little bronzer, a warm brown in the crease ties everything together nicely.

Always adjustable

Another added bonus to this look is that it really does work with everything — bold lipsticks, nude lipsticks, no lipstick at all (for when I’m masked up). It’s quite flexible.

eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything bright lip
With a bold lip color, MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in Escandalo. Long Live Lipstick Tee in Red Hibiscus.
eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything
Same eyes makeup, different lip color (MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lipstick in Crossfade mixed with Sorry Not Sorry)
eyeshadow breakdown eye makeup goes with everything nude lip
I feel good in this makeup! Long Live Lipstick Tee in Driftwood.

Base notes

Oh, and about that eyeshadow base — in the pics above, I’m purposefully wearing a beige cream eye primer with a beige powder eyeshadow buffed on top, which are lighter than my skin tone. I do this because, when I want browns to show up on my brown skin, I have to go lighter with my base. That makes them pop. I recommend going with a base that’s similar to your skin tone.

Sometimes, though, I skip the beige base entirely and just do a swish of golden brown eyeshadow all over my lids, like in this pic below:

duri when in rome
I’m wearing MAC Cork all over my lids without an eyeshadow base. The lipstick is MAC Relentlessly Red. Nail polish is Duri When in Rome. Nap Then Attack Tee.

See how the brown shadow adds a touch of depth to my crease? But not as much as it does when there’s a beige base underneath? I think it still works, though.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Today is inauguration day here in the US. Congratulations and good luck to President Biden and Vice President Harris!

There are 5 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Eyes, MAC Makeup, Makeup, NARS, Urban Decay

Goin’ OTT in the Burbs! Green Lids and Glitter, and a New Favorite Nude Lip Combo

December 18th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

urban decay boogie braid
Going for green and glittery! Shirt is the Blush Is My Crush Tee in Ocean.

So, I was wearing this glittery green eye look yesterday when I went to pick up Connor from school, and with the foiled forrest green lids sparkling rainbow glitter in the corners, I felt full-on CRAZYPANTS!

I’ve got a rep to protect

Yesterday the kids went home early for Christmas break, and while the other adults at pickup were rocking tastefully understated tinted moisturizer and mascara, I rolled up to the classroom looking like I was going to da club, HAHAHA!

You know what? I’ve decided to lean into it. 🤷‍♀️ I’m OK being that mom.

urban decay boogie braid
Just a li’l glitter!

The inspo

I did this look because of this gorgeous green smokey eye tutorial by Hannah Martin, but instead of using the Urban Decay Born to Run Palette, I used the new UD Boogie mini palette.

It ended up a little more subdued than hers, and I think that was partly because I haven’t worn this much lewk in a while, so I held back a little because I’m just not used to seeing myself with so much color on my face. I think I’ll try it again, though, maybe with the false lashes and a lip with unblended liner to see if I can push it!

Makeup is physical

Yeah, this look was a good reminder that makeup is a perishable skill. It’s been a minute since I wore anything like this with lots of blending, and I felt rusty.

urban decay boogie braid
Smooth!

One last thing

But I really like how this nude lip turned out! I lined and filled my lips with MAC Oak lip liner, then topped it off with Chanel Amoureaux Rouge Allure Ink liquid lipstick, and I love how smooth my lips look. Definitely going to wear this combo again.

Makeup worn in this look

  • EYES: Urban Decay Boogie 70s Eyeshadow Palette, Chanel Eye Primer, Urban Decay Brow Beater, Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara, MAC Smolder Eyeliner
  • LIPS: MAC Oak Lip Pencil, Chanel Amoureaux Rouge Allure Ink
  • CHEEKS: Hourglass Radiant Bronze Light Bronzer, MAC Gingerly blush
  • BASE: Chanel Ultra Le Teint Foundation in BD51, Chanel Vitalumiere Acqua in 50 Beige, Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder and Chanel Longwear Concealer in 40 Beige

[Continue reading…]

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Chanel, Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Makeup, Urban Decay

MAC Unsung Heroes: Chicory Lip Pencil

December 8th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

mac chicory
MAC Chicory Lip Pencil. Shirt: Mascara & Kitties

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.

I know, I know — we’re all wearing masks. So, what’s the point of wearing lipstick or lip liner, or any other lip products at all?

Listen, just because my face is covered doesn’t mean I don’t get the urge to wear something on my lips. I still LOVE wearing lip color, and I’ll wear it around the house, just because. I don’t need a logical reason. 😁

A few days ago I just happened to come across a lip pencil from MAC that made my heart flutter like a hummingbird, and I thought you might like it as well. It’s a warm matte peachy brown called MAC Chicory, and I think it’s lurvely.

mac chicory swatch nc42
NC42 right here

It’s a little reminiscent of ’90s-style brown lipsticks like MAC Paramount, which is totally bad-@ss — but Chicory is a little less aggressive due to the presence of the peach, so it’s more wearable and down to earth. It’s a kinder, gentler version of the girl who loves wearing combat boots, Levis and button-down flannel.

mac chicory
I’m wearing MAC Costa Riche liner as a base on my lids with MAC Give Me Sun MSF Powder on top.

The shade lives in MAC’s permanent line, and it’s $18. It should last a while, too. Some people aren’t fans of MAC’s pencil liners because of their harder texture, but I don’t mind it at all. I like the stiffer consistency. It helps with longevity, especially if you’re using them as a lipstick, which in this case just entails lining and filling in your lips with Chicory and layering your favorite lip balm on top. (Lately, that’s been CeraVe Hydrating Balm for me.)

If you’re a fan of warm brown eyeshadows, and you lean heavily on Soft Brown, Saddle, Sable or, if you love and wear Costa Riche or Teddy liner often (which I do!), Chicory is a fantastic complement to any of those colors.

Give it a try. I think you’ll love it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: MAC Makeup, Unsung Heroes

Wearable Glittery Pink Lids and Lips | MAC Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadows | Tips for Wearing Pink Shadow

December 4th, 2020 by Karen 4 Comments

mac explosive chemistry
Playful pink! Shirt: Long Live Lipstick Tee

Ya know…sometimes you just need to wear a little pink glitter to go with your pink cat socks!

The torbie-est of the torbie girls

The glittery pink on my lids is MAC Explosive Chemistry from the new super sparkly Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadow line of intensely shiny glittery powder shadows in a foil base.

I’ve been playing with ’em and have consequently figured out a few things…

The MAC Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadows

  1. Ditch the brush. If you want to take advantage of the glistening, gleaming foiled finish, use your fingers to apply them. Not brushes. Because brushes end up just pushing the shadow around and mellowing out the highly reflective finish.
  2. Skip the setting spray, too. I’ve tried applying these shadows wet to test if they look shinier (with a finger sprayed with setting spray), and it makes absolutely no difference in the payoff. You really don’t need that extra step!
  3. And while you’re at it, pooh-pooh the primer. Typically, with a bold foil or glitter, I’d reach for a primer to help the sparkles stick to my lids, but this formula doesn’t need it. It happily sticks to bare skin.

Sale alert!

If you’re interested and want to save a few bucks, FYI, I hopped on the MAC site yesterday and found out they were marked down from $21 to $12.60. Only the red, silver and white with multicolor pearl are still available, but I would keep checking back because you never know if and when they’ll restock more.

The Foils are also on sale on the Nordstrom site for $17.85. Macy’s has them on sale for the same price as well! Last time I checked, Explosive Chemistry was available on both Nordstrom and Macy’s.

mac explosive chemistry

Tips for wearing pink eyeshadow

I know you’re probably thinking, “When am I EVER going to wear a warm pink glitter on my lids?” but listen. You *can* do it in a way that is daytime friendly and super wearable, and all you have to do is…

  1. Sweep a warm orangey brown matte or satin shadow into your crease to counter-balance the flashy glitter. You could do something like MAC Soft Brown or Saddle. Your favorite bronzer will work too (mine is MAC Give Me Sun, which I’m wearing here).
  2. Swap your standard-issue black liner with a brown. It’s softer than black, yet yields a similar effect by defining your lash and waterlines.
  3. Summon your concealer. I’m a huge advocate for skipping under-eye concealer when you can, but with pink shadow, I don’t think that’s an option. Pink shadow can sometimes make you look like you’ve been crying, and wearing concealer helps to lessen the effect.
  4. mac explosive chemistry

    Makeup worn in this look

    • BASE: MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC42 mixed with Strobe Cream in Pink Lite
    • CHEEKS: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Give Me Sun (bronzer) and Hourglass Diffused Heat (blush)
    • EYES: MAC Explosive Chemistry Extra Dimension Foil Eyeshadow (lids), MAC Costa Riche liner (lash lines), MAC Coco Bar (upper lash line), Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara (lashes), MAC Give Me Sun (crease), Urban Decay Brow Beater in Neutral Brown (brows)
    • LIPS: MAC Edge to Edge Lip Pencil with Cerave Healing Ointment

    Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

    Karen

    P.S. TGIF to the extreme!

There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: MAC Makeup

Two-Ingredient Smokey Red-Bronze Eyes | Totally Wearable and NOT Crazy!

December 2nd, 2020 by Karen 11 Comments

mac teddy nub
Every MAC Teddy I’ve ever owned ends up looking like this! (Sweatshirt: Thank You For Being a Friend)

Can I get a whoop-whoop from my friends out there who have worn MAC Teddy down to the nubbiest of nubs?!

I was using this teeny, tiny stub yesterday and couldn’t help but laugh because I have been to this rodeo many times before. I grind and grind that pencil down until, one day, I look and realize, “Oh! I should probably replace it soon because I can barely hang onto it with two fingers.” HA HA HA HA!

MAC Teddy liner is a rockstar for a multitude of reasons (LET ME COUNT THE WAYS), but one standout for me is how well it layers with copper and red eyeshadows. That bronzed brown just werks with copper and red shades.

You can keep it easy-peasy lemon squeeze-y by lining your lash and/or waterlines with Teddy and then sweeping your copper or red shadow on your lids.

mac firewerk the room pan teddy down

Or, optionally, you can do what I affectionately refer to as “sandwiching,” which is when you layer Teddy underneath and on top of a shadow for a smokey eye. I think it’s a surefire way to make even the craziest colors wearable.

The shadow I’m wearing here is MAC Firewerk the Room (from the new holiday collection), and it’s a straight-up red. On its own, it’s borderline bananas, but layered with Teddy it magically transforms the look into a wearable daytime smokey eye.

mac firewerk the room teddy forward

Start by buffing a layer of Teddy on your lids with a finger before sweeping a little Firewerk the Room (or any other red shimmery shadow) directly on top. Then buff with your favorite eyeshadow brush to feather out the edges.

Finish by lining your lash and waterlines with MOAR TEDDY, and don’t forget your mascara!

mac teddy firewerk the room swatches

mac firewerk the room smile forward
Blanche, Dorothy, Rose or Sophia?

Makeup worn in this look

  • BASE: MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC42 mixed with MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite, Estee Lauder 24HR Concealer in Medium Deep
  • CHEEKS: Hourglasss Radiant Bronze Light bronzer and Diffused Heat blush
  • LIPS: MAC Subculture Lipliner with Nuxe Lip Balm
  • EYES: Urban Decay Brow Beater in Neutral Brown, MAC Clear Brow Set, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara, MAC Firewerk the Room eyeshadow, MAC Teddy liner
  • CLOTHING: Here’s my sweatshirt!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 11 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face of the Day (FOTD), MAC Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To

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About Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog
Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my four-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my torbie girl cat (Pretty Girl Rosie, a.k.a. PGR).

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