Product Reviews

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Cocoa Caviar Stick Eye Colour

March 18th, 2020 by Karen 4 Comments

What you need to know: Laura Mercier Cocoa Caviar Stick Eye Color is a flexible brown cream shadow stick your time-pressed self needs, so if you’re building a better makeup bag and you love a workhorse brown neutral, this absolutely HAS to be in there because it doesn’t move, and you can wear it a bunch of different ways. (It’s available at Ulta for $29.)

This cocoa is a pain in the butt.

It’s the cocoa powder we use at the bakery, and whenever I have to dig into the bin, the powder is so fine that it gets all over the place! — my apron, my leggings, my face, everywhere. As adept as it is at making stuff taste good, it’s highly annoying, especially when you accidentally leave two big ol’ cocoa powder palm prints on your backside and don’t realize it until a stranger buying tuna at Trader Joe’s points it out.

This other Cocoa by Laura Mercier is not a pain in the butt…

laura mercier cocoa swatch — A swatch of Laura Mercier Cocoa, which is like a less red cream eyeshadow version of MAC Teddy liner. I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way!

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Are You an Aveeno Kinda Girl or Guy?

March 5th, 2020 by Karen 11 Comments

Ahhhhh, Aveeno! Remember that ad? Whoever dreamt that up is the real MVP because here I am, years later, saying “Ahhhhh, Aveeno,” every time I use Aveeno.

I’ll admit it; I’m an Aveeno girl, and I always have something from Aveeno in my bathroom.

In fact, I just picked up a couple refills from Targhay for Stress Relief Body Wash (creamy, smells like lavender, and it’s hella hydrating and comes in a big ol’ 33-oz. bottle for $9.99) and Baby Wash & Shampoo ($8.99), which Coywolf loves because it doesn’t sting her eyes.

They’re everyday staples for us.

Aveeno is on the pricier end of drugstore skin care, but if you have dry or sensitive skin, you might want to give it a try. I’m basically a living, breathing human alligator woman (translation: I have very dry skin), and everything body-care related by Aveeno agrees with me — the body washes and lotions, especially. They moisturize all the parched places (MY SHINS) and leave ’em happy. No flakes or dry spots, ever, thank you very much.

The scent depends on the item, but generally they’re light and non-obtrusive, so the products smell good, but they don’t give me a headache or interfere with perfume. Aveeno also makes a lot of unscented versions of their products, too.

aveeno baby ingredients — Baby Wash ingredients

I’m really into the Stress Relief lavender scent right now, so much so that I plan to grab the matching Stress Relief Lotion as a treat for myself next time I do a Target run, because I’m all about the affordable drugstore luxuries lately. 🙂

Are you an Aveeno kinda girl or guy?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Essie Expressie Quick Dry Nail Polish in Crop Top and Roll, Before and After 7 Days

February 25th, 2020 by Karen 5 Comments

essie expressie crop top and roll — Essie Expressie Quick Dry Nail Polish in Crop Top and Roll, before and after seven days

The “after” photo reminds me of the enchantment bewitching the self-checkout monitors at Target! I swear, those cameras could even make Dolly look haggard (and she’s practically invincible, in my book).

So, since the Essie Expressie polishes are quick drying, I wasn’t expecting this to be a super long-lasting mani, but these two layers of Crop Top and Roll held up better than I thought they would. They held up nicely over Connor’s mid-winter break, part of which which I spent chasing butterflies and birds with her and swinging on the monkey bars at the playground.

The really noticeable chips didn’t appear until day four, mostly around the base and tips of my nails, especially on my right hand (I’m right-handed), and the shine from the built-in top coat dulled over the week, but overall the mani looked good through the end of the week.

I have to say, it’s pretty good for quick dry, although I’d advise against waiting a full week to swap it out. I think four days is the max, and that’s fine with me, since the longest I usually ever get to keep the same polish on my nails is three or four days.

I have a friend who swaps out her polish every three days, so if you’re like her and you don’t wanna bother with a base or top coat (they have ’em built in), give it a try! 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Electric Eyes and Urban Decay Wired

February 25th, 2020 by Karen 12 Comments

urban decay wired bright eyes — B-A-N-A-N-A-S

*ring* *ring* ☎️

Hello? Is anyone there? Hellooooo. It’s me, Karen, calling on my fruit phone, because this eye makeup is BANANAS. 🍌🍌🍌

There’s a lot going on here, I know! Not my usual neutral style at all, but I was inspired by the rainbow eye makeup on the model for the new Wired pressed pigment palette. 🌈

Plus, I was in the mood to try something new, which I highly recommend doing as often as possible, even if your cat is the only creature around to appreciate it…

Or, maybe not, since I can’t tell if Rosie likes brights! 🐈

Just in case you’re wondering, the fallout on this isn’t an issue. I hardly had to do any cleanup with a makeup wipe, which was great, but I could have done with more intensity.
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Product Spotlight: MAC Glow Play Blush in Grand

February 19th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

mac grand glow play blush swatch — 30 seconds to blush

FOR THE LOVE OF CHICKEN STRIPS (this is indicative of my colorful language these days, since Connor’s been repeating everything she hears), I’ve been pushing my luck hard in the mornings to get what I need to get done before heading to the bakery for work.

When it comes time for makeup, I fly up the stairs, grab my most reliable products and tools, and set my timer for three minutes.

One of the reliable products I know I can turn to now is peachy pink MAC Grand Blush ($30), because even in full sunlight (which, you know, takes no prisoners), it absolutely does not make me look crazy. 🤗

It feels like a finely-packed powder wearing a soft, bouncy cream, and as I smooth it on my cheeks, no particles pool in my pores. Also, hard edges?? What are those?

There’s a comfort in knowing that even though I rushed the makeup (seriously, it’s a miracle I haven’t poked my eye out with a mascara wand), I can dance into my day without looking like a rogue clown who terrifies children in nightmares. 🤡

(It’s the little things.)

Blush is that often-overlooked connective step that ties many makeup looks together, and so even when I’m doing very simple makeup looks — mascara, tinted moisturizer and a nude (or a bold) lip — I try to make time for blush.

The exceptional ones, like MAC Grand, take a mere 30 seconds to use, and they’re worth it.

mac grand blush before after — I’m wearing Grand on my cheeks. (The lipstick is MAC Baroque the Internet, in case you’re wondering.)

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