Product Reviews

MAC Unsung Heroes: Half ‘N’ Half Lipstick

August 19th, 2019 by Karen 13 Comments

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.

MAC Half ‘N Half Lipstick ($18.50) is a neutral girl’s neutral — a nude pinkish brown with a creamy finish that you can wear with warm Havana eyeshadow, neutral golden brown Soba, or cool-toned taupe Omega, plus each and every natural-looking neutral in between.

You want pigment? Girl, you got pigment. You want shine? Half ‘N Half has you covered, and since Half ‘N Half has MAC’s intense Amplified formula, you can swipe once and ask questions (or reapply) later.

Like, much later.

Three or four hours, even.

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The Sonia Kashuk Demi Lash Curler, and the Quest for Lifted Outer Lashes

August 16th, 2019 by Karen 8 Comments

First thing I’m going to do after I return this to Target and get my $9 bucks back is go to In-n-Out for a vanilla shake… Then, I’m going to pour a little out on the ground to mourn my lost homies (otherwise known as “the lashes that unexpectedly fell out when I tried using it”).

I’m also going to order a bucket of fries and a cheeseburger to comfort myself, since I can’t get back the minutes I lost this week trying to actually curl my lashes with the thing.

Why was it so hard to figure out how to properly angle the black rubber pad along the outer corner so it nestles the base of my lashes…? And why did it pinch my skin every time I clamped down on the curler?

OUCH!

I eventually figured out that if I squint my eyes and lift my lid with a finger, I can get down to the base and give the curler a good squeeze, but even then, the curler only bends the base of the lashes ever so slightly, and those few curled hairs relax back into their natural straight state within minutes.

Y’all…this thing just doesn’t work.

But I’m not about to let it rob me of my curled lash dreams. My desire to find that elusive tool that’s able to lift that outer fringe, coupled with the spark of hope (and perhaps another double cheeseburger?), will continue to fuel me on this beauty quest.

We will prevail, people!

Until then, extra fries and ketchup for everyone. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

I Hauled These Two Victoria’s Secret Scents to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Me

August 15th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

victorias secret amber romance — When your beauty decisions are motivated by insects ravaging you at night…

This may look like your standard-issue “Oh, there’s a two-for-one body splash sale at Victoria’s Secret, so lemme go hook that up” kind of haul.

Totally not.

Instead of being motivated by a good deal (which is my usual motivation for spur-of-the-moment beauty buys), this purchase was brought on by tiny monsters.

Specifically, flying insects.

Specifically, insects that buzz around your house and sink their proboscis into your unsuspecting flesh in the middle of the night. I’ve been getting devoured by what I think are mosquitoes…

THANK GOD. And I say that because for a while there I thought they might be bed bugs. But now I’m pretty sure they’re mosquitoes.

I think it’s because the contractors who replaced our furnace, water heater and AC left the front door open the whole day they were here. Consequently, a gaggle of mosquitoes came into my house, and they’ve been biting me at night.

I’ve got bites around my ankles, on my feet (Fun fact: Mosquitoes love the scent of feet.), on my back, my tummy, on the backs of my shoulders… I’ve been very itchy, and it hasn’t been fun.

A few days ago, I started using a real-deal mosquito repellent containing picaridin at night, and it keeps them away for 14 hours. It’s helped a ton — no new bites! — but in the process of researching how to make yourself less appealing/more disgusting to the little monsters, I stumbled upon a treasure trove of information about two Victoria’s Secret scents that allegedly repel bugs.

People talk about this stuff as if it’s manna from heaven as far as keeping bugs away, and fisherman and deep-sea researchers go on and on about it. It’s Victoria’s Secret Amber Romance, and it’s supposed to be the bee’s knees at keeping gnats, mosquitoes and other flying insects away. Even the dudes on the Louisiana State Baseball team swear by it!
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New From Honest Beauty: Liquid Lipstick

August 6th, 2019 by Karen 6 Comments

honest beauty happiness — Happiness — an aptly named bright peachy pink 😊

If you feel like you can’t toss your high pony, toast a Pop Tart, or brush the cat fur from your shoulder without bumping into a liquid lipstick, you’re not alone. Especially over the past few years, they’ve been errrrywhere — from fancy brands like Chanel to big drugstore lines (I like the ones from Maybelline and Physicians Formula), and at all price points in between.

Now there’s a “clean” beauty option from Honest Beauty, and guess what? It’ll make you cabbage patch right outta your office chair, which is what happened to me when I tried one of the nudes.

Mauve nude BFF is the perfect “there but not there” lip color (and you know I love me a nude lip!).

I’ve tested four of the seven shades, and all of them feel smooth and flexible on my lips. The mousse-like formula stays put through breakfast, lunch, snacks and copious amounts of coffee and water without settling into my horizontal lip lines. Plus, most importantly, NO CAT BUTT LIPS. 😄

Even after wearing one for a full day, my lips feel comfortable and moisturized, and there’s nary a flake in sight the next day.

honest beauty goddess — Goddess (a bright reddish pink)

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay Chaos Eyeliner

August 5th, 2019 by Karen 3 Comments

urban decay chaos swatch — When a little Chaos in your life is a good thing

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 can’t keep track of all of Urban Eyeliners. I mean, what do I look like, man? — a walking Guinness Book of World Records for makeup!? LOL! Anyway, there’s just so many of them, especially in the blue category. SO. MANY. BLUES.

But *this* shade is, by far, the one I wear the most, and it’s my favorite. It’s called Chaos, and it’s a gorgeous, pigment-rich cobalt blue that looks like it has a glossy finish from some angles and a matte finish from others. I don’t know how it does this whole quick-change-finish thing, but I suspect it has to do with “ze’ magic,” otherwise known as “the secret shimmer.”

If you buff right into it, tiny silver pieces of glitter appear. It’s the most beautiful (and surprisingly subtle) effect, and when you’re nerding-out over makeup, those little details are the ish.

Oh, and I also wear this liner because — you know I wear a lot of neutrals, right? — it works with both cooler-toned true neutrals like the Clinique Teddy Bear Palette (which I’m all about these days! It’s what wearing in these pics), and warmer orange and reddish neutrals as well. It goes with errrrthing, and you gotta love flexibility (and not having to think too deeply when it comes to your blue liner, ha!).

Chaos pencil is one of UD’s 24/7 Glide-Ons, so once it’s on, it doesn’t budge. I like to wear it full-tilt, but you can also buff it down to a pretty whisper of blue and silver sparkles. Yeah, you can do subtle with Urban Decay, too! It’s awesome.

Chaos is part of their permanent collection (yay!), and it’s $22.

urban decay chaos close up 2 — The lippie, in case you’re wondering, is Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick in BFF.

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