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Unsung Heroes

Unsung Makeup Heroes: NARS Dolce Vita Blush

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nars dolce vita blush
The blush BFF to all your dark, vampy fall lipsticks ($30 NARS Dolce Vita Blush)

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.

Anyone who’s ever rocked a fall berry or red lip *and meant it* should own NARS Dolce Vita Blush. I started wearing it years ago to go with Dolce Vita Lipstick (that classic NARS reddish brown pink), but along the way I found out that it also ROCKS the heck out of other opaque, intense fall lipsticks, especially berries and brownish reds (but also chocolate browns and plums, too).

nars dolce vita blush
Wearing Civilized Cosmetics Liquid Lip Suede in Blackberry with Dolce Vita on my cheeks

One swipe — literally, just one! — across the pan, and then buffed gently on my cheeks, and I look MUCH more awake. It also perfectly balances with whatever matte or satiny fall color I have on my lips without competing with whatever I have on the rest of my face (yup, even smoky eyes).

nars dolce vita blush
That’s Dolce Vita Blush with Kosas Cosmetics Lipstick in Dark Room and MAC Lip Pencil in Auburn.

Plus, you can skip highlighter with it if you want, since Dolce Vita has a touch of sheen. Just a touch, though, so tell your pores to chill. They’ll be alright. 😉

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung (Household) Heroes: The TubShroom Strainer/Hair Catcher

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tubshroom review
The most magical mushroom of all

These are mushrooms…

trader joes mushroom

And this is a magical ? mushroom…

But this is the most magical mushroom of all…

tubshroom

It’s called the TubShroom, and it’s one of those genius “as seen on TV” doohickeys that’ll have you wishing you were the person who invented it, because if you’ve got hair, and that hair clogs the tub drain, this thing will revolutionize your life.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Créatif

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chanel creatif swatch
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Créatif

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’m always down for a summery coral lippie, and Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Créatif ($37) is THE ONE.

Well…the one for this week, ha ha ha! ? Hello, have we met? My name is Karen, and I have a new coral crush every other day.

But that’s neither here nor there.

This one’s a matte liquid lipstick, but it’s unlike your typical dry and heavy/hello horizontal lip lines/cat butt liquid lippie sitch. It’s on the thinner side, like the NARS Powermattes, so you can’t feel it sitting on your lips, and it lasts about the same amount of time (~5 hours), but it’s much, much easier to control as it glides across your lips.

chanel creatif
I’m hoping that wearing Créatif will spark some creativity…

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Customizable Complexion Booster

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charlotte tilbury hollywood flawless filter 5 tan
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless

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.

For some people, hairy spiders, public speaking, or accidentally farting loudly in tiny windowless rooms during important work meetings are the stuff of their worst nightmares.

My nightmare scenario? Life without ALL. THE. FOUNDATIONS.

Yes, I know, life will (probably) go on if we didn’t have hella options for glowing skin, but — and I ask mean this in all sincerity — what would be the point?? Where’s the fun in that? 🙂

My latest “Is she or isn’t she wearing makeup?” love is Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter Customizable Complexion Booster, and when I wear it I feel like I’m in a living, breathing, real-life version of Instagram, because sh*t blurs EVERYTHING. Seriously, WHAT PORES?

“Discover a brand new REVOLUTIONARY category in face makeup with the Hollywood Flawless Filter. This MUST-HAVE customisable complexion booster has the versatility of a face primer, with the mega-watt glow of a highlighter and the perfecting properties of your favourite digital filter. Choose your level of GLOW with filter makeup to illuminate your skin just where you want it for a radiant complexion.”

— charlottetilbury.com

The barely-there coverage is also — as the kids say — on point, and the glistening, opalescent glow looks literally LIT.

OK, I’ll stop…

It’s a dramatically dewy finish — even dewier than MAC Face & Body or L’Oreal True Match Lumi — and some may call it borderline sweaty.

But I like it.

Sometimes I will matte it down a tad with a light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural or MAC Mineralize Loose, and you can also matte it down even more by mixing it with your favorite matte liquid foundation or matte tinted moisturizer (’cause it’s good at that, too).

charlotte tilbury hollywood flawless filter 5 tan
I’m a MAC NC42 and wear shade 5 Tan.
charlotte tilbury hollywood flawless filter 5 tan flash
With a flash!

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Unsung (Hair) Heroes: Revlon Essentials Maximum Hold Extra-Thick Elastics

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revlon maximum hold extra thick elastics
If you have thick, heavy or otherwise wild, unruly hair, these will make you believe in unicorns (again).

My stylist buddy Alis likes to joke that I have enough hair on my head for three people (although, for the #officialmakeuprecord, I don’t have as much hair as I did pre-baby), but it’s not all kittens and rainbows, because having a decent amount of hair comes with its own challenges, like destroying every single hair elastic within striking distance.

When I’m putting my hair up in a ponytail, most elastics either break, or get stretched out so far that they look like the granny panties you should’ve thrown out THREE YEARS AGO (but still continue to wear when you’re on your period), and are thus rendered utterly and completely useless.

There’s also the whole “ponytail falling out while I’m merely existing” thing, which is a pain.

At HIIT class last week, I decided that enough was enough. I. Am. Done. Pulling up my ponytail every third burpee or switch lunge.

DUUUUUDE…Revlon has this little packet of miracles called the Maximum Hold Extra-Thick Elastics, which just changed everything in one fell swoop. It’s the strongest, thickest, sturdiest and most bass-@ass hair elastic I’ve ever worn.

Normally, I have to double-up elastics to keep my hair from falling all over the place, but in last night’s HIIT class, I used just one — ONE! — and my ponytail stayed perfectly in place through 60 minutes of intense jumps and sprints. Not once did I have to readjust.

When I took off the elastic before showering, I noticed two things. First, that my ponytail was in the exact same place it was when I first put it up. Second, that the elastic wasn’t stretched out at all. Not one teeny, tiny bit.

I also can’t get over how affordable they are. Three bucks for 15 of ’em!

So, so, good, you guys!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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