Product Reviews

A Polished Daytime Makeup Look With Gunmetal Gray Liner, Lightly Defined Taupe-Brown Lids and a Whole Lotta Laura Mercier ❤️

April 20th, 2021 by Karen 3 Comments

laura mercier 2021 face of the day — Loving this vibe

Fun fact: makeup artist Laura Mercier spent her formative years in France. (Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to picture myself wearing her makeup while getting coffee and croissants?!)

If we were going to meet at a cafe today for a socially distanced lady date (I WANT!), I’d wear this Laura Mercier makeup look, and I’d get an iced latte and a plain croissant. What would you order?

marin coffee roasters — Incidentally, my favorite coffee drink as of late is an iced latte with a single shot from Marin Coffee Roasters.

Laura Mercier is one those lines I keep coming back to, over and over and over again. My love affair with all things LM began before I started MBB (so, we’re talking prehistoric time).

In teen romance terms, we’ve been going steady…for a good 14 years now (here’s Baby Karen mixing and wearing Laura Mercier foundation). I know I can count on the makeup, and whenever I wear it, I truly feel like myself.

I recently restocked on a few oldies but goodies (and a few new-to-me things as well)…

Caviar Volume Mascara: Epic curl, lift and volume. SO GOOD for wimpy lashes that need lots of help.
Eye Basics in Wheat: A beautiful satiny matte cream shadow that you can wear alone as a lid base or as a primer. Fun fact — this used to be called “Basic Color.”
Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Cobblestone and Moonlight: Cocoa is my favorite in this line of cream shadows, and these two are new to me. Cobblestone, I LOVE. It’s a mid-toned matte brown and adds just the right touch of light definition to lids. And Moonlight is a shimmery taupe… I like it, but don’t love it because it’s a little too frosty for my taste.
Inner Eye Definer in Stormy Grey: I hope LM never discontinues this gunmetal gray liner, which I’ve been wearing and loving for 10 years, at least.
Cheek Color in Ginger: The shade Rose is my jam, but I like this sheer matte peachy nude too.
Tinted Moisturizer: OLD SCHOOL, BABY! Lightweight feel with just a hint of tint to even everything out. I mixed Wheat with Tan and set it with Laura’s iconic loose setting powder in this look.
Vanille Gourmande Eau Gourmande: Did you know Laura Mercier makes some beautifully wearable scents too? This one has notes of vanilla, vanilla orchid, vanilla liqueur, bourbon vanilla and vanilla musk, mixed with heliotrope, lily, sandalwood and amber.

laura mercier 2021 flat lay — Current faves!

Do you have any Laura Mercier loves? I wish we could chat about them over croissants in real life!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Disney X House of Sillage

April 15th, 2021 by Karen 7 Comments

disney house of sillage — For Disney fans who love luxury: the new Disney X House of Sillage collection

Disneyland or bust, March 2022! I’m going to say it over and over again so I can manifest the sh*t out of that plan, LOL! For her next birthday, we’re going to take Connor to Disneyland and she’s going to have a super-mega-ultra princess blowout.

We’re going to eat HELLA churros while I’m there, but not so many that we spoil our lunch at Blue Bayou (I’ve always wanted to eat there!), and we’re going to meet ALL THE PRINCESSES. Oh, and we’ll have to meet Mickey and Minnie, of course. What’s Disneyland without visiting the ultimate power mouse duo?

Over the last few years, Disney has done quite a few makeup collabs, and one of the newest ones on the high end is a collection that just launched with House of Sillage.

A trip down memory lane with these Disney makeup collections…

The MAC Maleficent Collection Conjures Crimson Kisses and Chiseled Cheeks

The MAC Cinderella Collection: Light, Airy Formulas Combine With Glossy Finishes to Create Beauty Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

MAC Venomous Villains: 101 Things You Didn’t Know

MAC Aladdin Collection Swatches

Paul and Joe for Disney: American Debut Coming Soon!

Pixi Turned Target Into a Magic Kingdom With the New Disney Pixi PixiGlow Collection

Urban Decay Followed the Yellow Brick Road All the Way to Two New Limited Edition Palettes Inspired by Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful

They’re a luxury beauty brand out of Newport Beach in Southern California known for their perfumes, and now they’re venturing into color cosmetics. The limited edition Disney X House of Sillage is their first makeup collection.

For a launch based on cartoon characters, it feels surprisingly elegant. The black, silver and red packaging on the outside look like collector’s items you’d find in a Disney fanatic’s vault of precious items, and the wearable plums, bronzes, pinks, beiges and red shades inside look like something you’d find at Chantecaille or Cle de Peau.

I remember years ago chatting with someone in the makeup industry about how all the best powders are produced in Italy, and that’s where this collection’s made. There’s an eyeshadow palette ($68), a highlighter and blush duo ($58), two lipsticks ($58 each) and a Lipgloss ($36). There’s also a chic boxed set with all the items and a makeup bag for $240.

Super pricey, but that’s in line with the House of Sillage vibe. A typical bottle of their perfume is $360, so ya know, it’s #fancylady stuff.

A few quick thoughts on the items I’ve worn:

Eyeshadow Quint: The shades lean warm, and the finishes are shimmery like fine (Disney) fairy dust. Powder texture is on the softer, fluffier side and borderline delicate; I loaded a wet angled eye liner brush with the shimmery mid-toned bronze and gasped when I saw the big dent I left behind. They range from medium to full pigment. My lids are dry, and after a day’s wear on bare skin, I saw minimal creasing. I think they’re even prettier as the day goes on; the shimmer settles in nicely, and my eyes had a luminescent glow. So expensive at $68, but perhaps worth it if warm pinks and bronzes are your thing and your heart beats for the high-end schtuff.
Diamond Powder Lipstick in Playful Nude: Feels like a Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick (smooth, silky and comfortable) and tastes and smells like a MAC lipstick (vanilla). Impressively high pigment load. I think this would be a very generous gift for the Disney lover in your life who has everything. She (or he) would FREAK OUT. If there were one thing I’d get from the launch, it would either be this lippie or the eyeshadow quint.
Complexion Duo Blush & Highlighter: Cute mouse ears on the peach blush! The blush blends out beautifully, and the highlighter has a fine shimmer (always a plus); however, I wanted a little more pigment for the price. I like this, but I think you could find something similar for less.
Lip Gloss Luminizer in Something Sweet: Lightweight, not sticky, smells and tastes like vanilla. Sheer. I feel like I really need to dig in deep to get enough product on the wand?! Cute, but more like nice extra if you’ve got some extra lunch money.

I just might wear this collection with my Minnie Mouse ears when I finally make it back to Disneyland! 😃

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

April 7th, 2021 by Karen 5 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

Final Word on the Urban Decay Naked Wild West Palette | A Pretty Pink Cheek and Lip Combo With Jane Iredale Clearly Pink Blush and Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick

April 2nd, 2021 by Karen 5 Comments

urban decay wild west april 2021 — I say YAY to Urban Decay Naked Wild West!

After spending a month with the new Urban Decay Naked Wild West palette, I’m happy to say that I can totally recommend it. I enjoy its mix of practical neutrals (a mélange of matte brown, beige, taupe and gray) with colorful teals, bronzes and golds, and if you’re like me and love a wearable, easy eye look, you can get that look quite easily.

Here’s what you do: 1) mix one or two of your favorite mattes with a blending brush, and sweep that onto your lids. Then, 2) wet an angled eye brush, load it up with any of the shades from the palette, and use it to line your upper lash line.

I like to think of this palette as a neutral matte palette with a bunch of fun liner shades. 😊 And when you use Naked Wild West in this way, you’ll have an endless (and easy) array of wearable combinations to choose from!

One item of note for my ladies with hooded lids — Laredo, the matte gray taupe, is totally key! Since most of the Naked Wild West mattes are warm-toned browns, I like to mix in the cooler-toned Laredo to create the illusion of a deeper crease.

urban decay wild west laredo — Laredo is the key!

urban decay wild west april 2021 closeup — The teal here looks so effortless, methinks.

OH! — I stumbled on a new wearable pink lip and cheek combo I like with Jane Iredale PurePressed Blush in Clearly Pink and Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick.

jane iredale clearly pink blush origins dusky rose lipstick — A pretty pink lip and cheek combo!

Jane Iredale Clearly Pink is a powdered pinky beige blush that leans slightly cool, and it totally looks like something Chanel would do! I love how it looks like a matte pink when you sweep it on your cheeks, but you can see the tiniest little flecks of silvery glitter peek when you look closely. It’s sophisticated, and a little goes a long way.

If you like Chanel Pink Explosion or Clinique Cupid, you’ll probably be into Clearly pink.

As for Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick, like the blush, it packs a pigmented wallop. It’s a brownish rose with a cream finish… Have you ever worn MAC Cosmo Lipstick? Because if you have and you liked it, I’m betting Dusky Rose will work for you!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 🐇💐🐤