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Product Reviews

Product Reviews, Fragrance: Demeter Fragrance Library – Crayon, Pure Soap, Egg Nog, Humungous Minis

October 23rd, 2007 by Karen 10 Comments

demeter-crayon-pure-soap-egg-nog

Earthworm. Dirt. Fig Leaf. Wait, did I make a wrong turn somewhere? Is this gardening 101? Nope! These are just a few of the unique scents in the Demeter Fragrance Library, a fragrance company that creates unusual scents from everyday life.

“The whole idea behind Demeter was to bottle those great scents of nature that people don’t really think about,” says Mark D. Crames, chief executive officer. “We appreciate them when we are outside, but we don’t necessarily think about them as being wearable fragrances. And we set forth to show that those things are beautiful in their own right.”

There are hundreds of scents in the library, ranging from easily wearable (Baby Powder, Angel Food, Jasmine) to not-so-easily wearable but still fun (Funeral Home, Lobster, Play-Doh.)

The amazing thing about the fragrances is that they always hit the scent on the nose (pardon the pun), and each scent is an accurate replica of the original smell. When I got a first whiff of one of the newer scents, Crayon, it reminded me of being a kid, opening up a fresh box of crayons, and spending hours with my coloring books.

Another new scent, Pure Soap, is also delicious. It smells just like a freshly showered husband (or boyfriend!)…ahhhh, yummy.

The time to create a scent from start to finish varies, says Crames. Some scents take a matter of weeks, while others take months or years. Sometimes it’s a matter of fine tuning the scent to appeal to an adult nose, like in the case of creating Banana Flambe, one of the more challenging scents. “Banana by it’s definition tends to be a more child-like scent,” says Crames. “To get a banana that was adult-oriented was hard.”

Other times it’s a matter of chemistry. Two scents that the company has been working on for years, Puppy’s Breath and Baby’s Head, are still in production because of this issue. Natural scents often involve large, organic molecules, which are difficult to replicate, says Crames.

Stuff those stockings: Demeter saves your butt just in time for the holidays

Demeter’s got some delish fragrances for the holidays, including a new scent called Egg Nog. And if you’ve got stockings to stuff, head on over to their Web site, because they’ve got an exclusive offer where you can purchase HUMUNGOUS MINIS (a full ½ oz of fragrance) of any of the scents for a mere five duckets. Can’t decide? Pick up one of my three faves: Thunderstorm, Gingerale or Kahala Hawaiian Surf.

It was so beautiful here in the Bay Area today; I hope you were able to catch some sun. I’m off to the gym right now to lift weights and hopefully burn off the gelato I ate for lunch!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 10 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fragrance, Product Reviews

Product Reviews, Skin Care, Beauty Tips – Micellar Cleansers: Darphin Azahar Cleansing Micellar Water Cleanser, Nuxe Eau Demaquillant, Caudalie Paris Cleansing Water

October 22nd, 2007 by Karen 8 Comments

Nora Ephron really hit it on the head when she titled her book, “I Feel Bad About My Neck.”

I don’t have many regrets in life. However, one huge regret that’s been bugging me lately is that I wish I would’ve taken better care of the skin around my neck.

It feels like one morning I woke up, took a look in the mirror and BAM! Neck lines! Rough skin! Wrinkles!

I’m a big fan of wearing sunscreen as an anti-aging treatment and have been slathering it on my face since I was a teenager. I don’t like the feeling of having a sticky neck, so I’d always skip out on slathering it all over my neck. I really regret that now.

In the effort to make up for lost time, I’ve been trying to take better care of my neck, and one thing that I’ve been doing lately is washing it with a Micellar water cleanser.

Several French skincare lines make Micellar water cleansers, which are liquid cleansers that you use without water. They usually come in a bottle in liquid form. You apply a lil’ bit on a cotton pad, wipe your skin down with the moistened pad, and then voila! Your dirty birdy self is clean because there’s no need to rinse off with water. Micellar water cleansers are usually geared towards sensitive skin and sometimes the formulas also combine the cleanser with toner or moisturizer.

The weather is getting cooler round my ‘hood which means that in the morning, my bathroom turns into a freezer. It gets so cold that I can’t bear to wash my neck because that means I have to take off whatever sweatshirt/long sleeve shirt I’m wearing. And if I leave on whatever shirt I’m wearing I get water and soap down my shirt. It’s not a pleasant way to start the day.

So lately I’ve been using Darphin’s Azahar Cleansing Micellar Water Cleanser to wash my neck. A few weeks ago I did a review on it, and back then I felt just so-so about it as a makeup remover, but now love it as a waterless cleanser for my neck. I put a few drops on a cotton pad, wipe the front, back and décolleté area and voila! A clean neck without any fuss or muss. (And, I get to stay warm!)
darphin-cleansing-water

At $50 per bottle, Darphin is definitely on the higher-end of Micellar Cleansers. If you want to try a Micellar cleansers but are on a budget here are a few lower-priced options:

Nuxe Eau Demaquillant
$22.00 for 8.4 fl oz bottle

nuxe-cleansing-water

– antioxidant-rich
– removes all makeup, including water-resistant from face, eyes and lips
– alcohol- and fragrance-free
– moisturizes and tones the ksin
– natural extracts and green tea

Nuxe is a French company that uses plants and essential oils in their products. Their producuts also contain no animal substances, mineral oils or artificial colors. I’ve used a few products in the past and remember really liking the line. I think when I run out of Darphin this is the next brand I will try.

caudalie-micellar

Caudalie Paris Cleansing Water
$22.00 for a 6.7 oz bottle

– Soap-free
– Three-in-one cleanser, makeup remover and toner
– Good for sensitive skin

Caudalie’s line is based on polyphenols found in grape seeds.

In the past I’ve used both Energizing Cream, an anti-aging moisturizer, and Gentle Cleanser, a cleanser containing free radicals. I liked the products because the didn’t irritate my skin are were very gentle.

In addition to a full skin care line they have several “Vinotherapie Spas” with grapevine-derived anti-aging treatments. One is located a stone’s throw away from me in Sonoma. Girl’s spa day, anyone?

avene-micellar-small


Eau Thermale Avene Micellar Lotion Cleanser and Make-up remover

$15.00 for a 6.7 fl oz bottle

– contains “active” ingredients which are naturally encapsulated within the lotion and released upon contact with the skin
– deep cleansing without irritation
– hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free

Avene skin care products are geared towards those with sensitive skin and healing skin conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema. The key ingredient in their products is the therma spring water that flows from France’s Cevennes Mountains.

I’ve got a soft spot for both French skin care (my last name is French, haaaaaaay!) and Japanese skin care. I don’t know if it’s clever marketing, but these brands do seem to have products that appeal to my sensibilities. Do you have any favorite foreign skin care lines?

Besides mangling the French language, when I went to Paris a few years ago one of my favorite things to do was to go into stores and pharmacies to look at all the weird and unusual lines they offered. Paris is one of my favorite cities in terms of style, culture and carbs — OH! THE BREAD! I can’t wait to go back.

Anyway, I hope your Monday is off to a good start, and I raise my cup o’ coffee to you. Keep fighting the powers that be!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Beauty Tips, Product Reviews, Skin Care

Skin care, Drugstore Beauty Finds, Product Reviews – Boots No. 7 Restore and Renew Beauty Serum; Philosophy Purity Made Simple One Step Cleanser; Philosophy Kiss Me Very Emollient Lip Balm in Clear

October 21st, 2007 by Karen 24 Comments

Christmas came early, ya’ll

Feast your eyes upon the early Miracle that is Boots No. 7 Restore and Review Beauty Serum!
boots-restore-renew

For the last four months I’ve been scouring Target (“Tar-ghay”) for this alleged miracle cream from across the pond. And every time I go it’s always out of stock, boo! But yesterday the stars were aligned and for the first time ever I was finally able to get a tube, yay.

Blind me with science, please

Women all over the UK went buck wild after a program on BBC, Professor Regan’s Beauty Handbook, showed scientifically that No. 7 Restore and Renew (known as “Protect & Perfect in the UK) repaired photo-aged skin and improved the fine wrinkles associated with photo aging. After the show aired, sales increased by nearly 2000%, with 13 bottles being sold every minute.

I’ve only used it one night so I can’t give a thorough review quite yet, but I was so happy to finally get a tube that I thought it was worth a big fat shout out of blogger joy. I have high hopes for this one. $21.99 for a 1 fl oz tube.

Danger and Ecstasy: A visit to Sephora

Right next door to Target is a Sephora, which is a recipe for both danger and ecstasy. I picked up two goodies from Philosophy, Purity Made Simple One Step Facial Cleanser and Kiss Me Very Emollient Lip Balm in Clear.

purity-one-step-cleanser
I have adult acne that’s mostly cured, but lately my skin has been acting a little nuts. I’m breaking out on my cheeks and on my forehead. In addition to the breakout, my skin has also been tight and dry. Everything I’ve been using to wash it with lately has been leaving my face feeling tight, even my good ole’ standby Cetaphil.

I read an article on Jeni’s blog over at Savvyskin.com on how she cured her adult acne and one of the products she raved about was Purity Made Simple cleanser.

This is a no-foaming cleanser that:
– deep cleanser pores and eliminates makeup build-up
– hydrates
– contains mild cleansing agents and natural oil extracts to help condition skin
– has a light, slightly herbal/lemon scent

I used it for the first time last night and this morning. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight and cleanses thoroughly. The only negative so far is that it did not remove waterproof mascara. Other than that I’m liking it so far. I hope it doesn’t break me out! $10 for a 3.5 fl oz large sample tube.

Kiss me!
philosophy-kiss-me

The change in season is also wrecking havoc on my lips, which are flaky and dry OVERDRIVE. Ugh. It seems like every three or four days I end up peeling half my lip skin off (gross, I know). I’m glad I picked up this tube of Kiss Me Very Emollient Lip Balm, does a fantastic job of moisturizing my lips.

Kiss Me also comes in Red (sheer berry) and Pink (sheer rose-pink). I love the Red, which smells and tastes like oranges, but can’t stand the Pink. Pink has a weird, pepperminty taste and gives my lips an uncomfortable tingle.

I keep a tube on my nightstand and slap on a thick layer before I go to bed. In the morning my lips feel super soft! $10 for a 0.5 oz tube.

This weekend went by so fast! It was beautiful here in the north bay. I went running yesterday and went for a long walk today around my neighborhood. I know these sunny days are numbered, so I feel like I have to spend as much time as I can outside before it starts to really get rainy and cold.

I hope you had a great weekend and that it was both relaxing and productive.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Product Reviews, Skin Care

Product Reviews: MAC Cremestick Liners; Makeup Tips/How to: MAC Artist Louise Zizzo Gives Tips for Working With Matte2 and Mattene; Just for Fun: Team Midget MAC!

October 17th, 2007 by Karen 14 Comments

Newest MAC Obsession: Cremestick Liners

mac-cremestick-lineres
Product: MAC Cremestick liners
Use: A long lasting, retractable lip, creamy lip liner
Price: $14.00
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

MAC Cremestick liners, where have you been all of my lipgloss life?

For many years I thought Subculture was the epitome of all lip liners. Little did I know there were other kinder, gentler options like Pink Treat, Honey B. and Beurre.

Cremestick liners …

– Glide on smoothly
– Don’t tug on my lips
– Are rich and highly pigmented
– Don’t dry out my lips
– Are easy to use and are great for really getting into the lip corners
– Are retractable so they don’t have to be sharpened (“YES!” says the lazy beast beauty blogger!)

Pink Treat, a recommendation from my girl Christine from Temptalia.com, is my favorite out of the three, followed by Honey B. next and then Beurre last.

I like combo-ing Pink Treat with Soft & Slow lipglass (a soft rose with gold pearl from the Smoke Signals collection) and have been using this on my lips every day for the last week.

It’s an easy, natural and pretty pink lip for minimum makeup days:

– Line with Pink Treat Cremestick liner, making sure to define the corners of the lips to get good definition
– Soften the line with your fingertip (or a lipbrush, whichever is handy)
– Apply 1 coat of Soft & Slow lipglass
– Run out the door!

I am looking forward to adding more Cremestick liners to my collection. On my wish list right now are:

– Mother Pearl (sheer yellow gold)
– Softwood (coral-brown)
– Gingerroot (flesh pink)

Are you a Cremestick fan? What’s your favorite combo?

Ease My Pain, Please! Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Working with MAC Matte2 Shadows and Mattene

MAC Senior artist and all around makeup p.i.m.p. Louise Zizzo always hooks me up with the best MAC tricks.
louise-saves-you-from-yourself

After bemoaning my Matte2 application misery she offered the following tips for working with the shadows and Mattene lipsticks. She even offered fave her combos, too. Rock on, Louise. Rock on.

Matte2 101: Louise Saves Me From Myself

What shadow bases can you recommend using with Matte2 shadows which will keep the matte texture (while minimizing glitter/sparkle) on the eye but still give a good base to grab the color?

These Shadows are amazing because they are extremely silky which means they do grab easily to the skin, I have found the paint pots in neutral shades and no frost or simply concealor dusted over with powder.

Many of us who remember matte shadows from the 90s recall having a difficult time blending. Can you please give a few of your favorite blending tips when working with Matte2?

The key is to make sure whenever you are using these shadows or any matte shadows is you need to make sure you have a nice powdery base to put them on, otherwise they will grab patchy. I really recommend using softer brushes to apply these like the #224 and gradually building up to the intensity you desire. Don’t press hard, use a light touch and these look absolutely amazing.

Can you recommend an easy day eye look for makeup novices who want to use Matte2 shadows?

Oh my gosh the best everyday combo…
Base – Blanc Type
Crease – Tete-A-Tint
Liner – Handwritten ( you can also use this to deepen the crease in the corner)

Work that Mattene 101: Louise Breaks it Down

What is your favorite neutral color lip/eye combo with the Mattene and Matte2?

The above shadow combo and then I love, Flattering with spice lip pencil

How about your favorite bright combo lip/eye combo?

I love the cherry red lip and classic eye using…

Lips – Cherry pencil & Classic Dame
Eyes – Blanc Type – Tete-A-Tint and Black Track Fluid Line

Also I have to add my favorite smokey eye combo

Eye Lid- Satin Taupe
Brow Highlight – Blanc Type
Crease – Handwritten and a touch of Typographic in the corner
Smoulder on the inner rim of eye
Lots and Lots of Plush Lash in Black

Do you prep the lips with anything before using Mattene?

No need because they glide on like silk!

If you have problems with bleeding my fool proof and must have product is the clear brow finisher used around the edge of the lips, it works wonders.

Midget MAC LIVES!

There’s something about this season of I LOVE NY 2 that begs for serious print diarrhea.
midget-mac-floatie
As usual, my hydrophobic homeboy MIDGET MAC comes through once again. Despite his inability to swim, he managed to survive a brush with death (via a defective frog floatie) and even wins a date with Miss NY!

That dumb-ass Tailor Made!
tailor-made-final

I gotta admit that he did work it when he brought NY those shoes. I’d be won over by a man bearing a pair of Manolos. I can’t lie; I’m easy that way.

manolos-gold-shoes

I liked how his ex said that he was a workaholic, because I admire a man with a strong work ethic. However, I can’t stand anyone who would let me trample all over them, and Tailor Made has DOORMAT written all over his moisturizing mask face.

And last but not least, there’s IT. Words cannot express how I feel about this fool. Isn’t his mamma ashamed? RUN, NEW YORK, RUN!

it-roses-wtf

The rain continues on here today and so of course does the boot shopping. I’m still looking for a pair of cute rain boots and the quest hasn’t been easy. Oh Zappos! Be good to me!

Anyway, aren’t you glad it’s Wednesday? We’re that much closer to Friday! How’s your day been so far? Have you been productive? Are ya slacking? Whatever you’re doing I hope that it’s getting you closer to your goals.

Stay dry…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, MAC Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To, Product Reviews

Product Reviews: DHC Q10 Facial Film Soap; Olive Virgin Oil Swabs; Revitalizing Moisture Strips: Eyes

October 16th, 2007 by Karen 21 Comments

Have you heard of DHC? They’re a RAD Japanese skin and cosmetics brand where you can buy a bunch of stuff with no English on the packaging, but you always end up with something cool.

Their products are based on high quality olive oil and free of unnecessary coloring agents or irritating fragrances. I started using their products a few years ago when I bought my first bottle o’ Deep Cleansing Oil as a makeup remover. A big yay for those of us with sensitive skin!

Q10 Facial Film Soap

q10-faicial-film-soap

On my next trip I’ll be sure to take a box of Q10 Facial Film Soap. These portable, thin soap film squares are perfect for the girl (or boy!) on the go. Not only does the soap contain coenzyme Q10 to help fight visible signs of aging, I find that one sheet also does a great job of cleansing and removing all of my makeup at the same time. (You may need a separate cleanser if you wear heavier makeup though!)

Check out the magic in the works:

q10-facial-film-soap-sequence-1
q10-facial-film-soap-sequence-2
q10-facial-film-soap-sequence-3
q10-facial-film-soap-sequence-4
q10-facial-film-soap-sequence-5
This would be a great stocking stuffer for your friends who travel for work or play. One box of 40 sheets is usually $9.50, but right now it’s on sale for $7.00 on the dhccare.com Web site until November 30.


Olive Virgin Oil Swabs

dhc-olive-virgin-oils-swabs
At first I was a little skeptical about this product. One box contains 50 pre-packed, single use cotton swabs that are soaked with Olive Virgin Oil, DHC’s signature beauty oil extracted from organic Spanish olives. How useful can they really be?

Well, after just one week in my life, my tune has so changed, because this stuff is the shizz! I don’t think I can live without these! I am going to start hoarding these and I plan on keeping them in my car, at my desk at work and in my bathroom.

Use them to…

Clean up eye makeup mishaps
Don’t you hate it when you are just about finished with your eye makeup, and then you put on mascara and you end up with stray mascara marks on top of your carefully blending shadow?

This has been happening to me since I started using Plushlash mascara. I’ve been adjusting to the huge mascara brush, so for the past few days I’ve been Olive Virgin Oil Swabs to clean up stray mascara on my top lid. The best part about these swabs is that they lift off stray makeup without disturbing the makeup that you’ve already put on, so you don’t have to redo anything. A big fat HELL YEAH from this lazy makeup blogger!

If I don’t have a lot to clean up I’ll only use one side of the swab, and then keep the other covered half in a safe place in my makeup drawer for later use.

Moisturize dry skin
I pop open a swab when I need to moisturize my cuticles, or the sensitive areas around my nose which tend to dry out when I have a cold.

Clean stinky belly buttons
‘Nuff said.

On the wee babe
The swabs are gentle enough to use even on baby’s skin!

The swabs are really easy to use. You just grab one, twist in the middle, and voila!
dhc-olive-virgin-oils-swabs-sequence-1
dhc-olive-virgin-oils-swabs-sequence-2
dhc-olive-virgin-oils-swabs-sequence-3

Everyone I know will be getting a box of these in their stocking this year. Stock up now, because they are on sale for $3.00 until the end of October (they are regularly $4.00 for a box of 50 swabs…what a deal!)

Revitalizing Moisture Strips: Eyes

dhc-revitalizing-moisture-strips-eyes

Like the moisturizing gel in bliss’ jingle bell socks, DHC’s Revitalizing Moisture Strips: Eyes also contains a high-polymer gel which adheres gently to the skin to deliver a continuous supply of deep-penetrating nutrients. You can even leave the strips on all night for intensive conditioning!

I keep mine on for about an hour (here I am watching I Love NY 2 and cussing out that lame-o, Taylor Made, who conincidentally, wore a gel moisturizing mask before his date wity NY.)
taylor-made-revitalizing-eye-strips
They feel really great on and the skin around my eyes feels softer afterwards. These are also on sale too! One box of six applications is $5.00 (regularly $6.50) on the dhc Web site.

How are you doing on this rainy Tuesday? I hope that you stay dry and that you’re wearing some cute rain gear!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 21 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Product Reviews, Skin Care

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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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