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Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette Review (Video)

December 9th, 2016 by Karen 13 Comments

’tis the season for sparkle, tinsel, glitter, right? — so why not turn up your cheek situation two or three notches? Or twelve?

Highlights galore going on with the new Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette, which is very different than the O.G. Ambient Lighting Blush Palette.

I’m wearing two shades from the new palette in this video because I like to mix-it and match-it that way. I mixed Incandescent Electra (the one on the left) with Brilliant Nude (middle shade), popped that on my cheeks and then buffed it within an inch of its life with a kabuki brush because the sparkle was like HEY GIRL HAAAY, and I happened to be in the mood for mellower shimmer.

The new limited edition Strobe Lighting Blush Palette is $62, and it’s available now at Sephora and Hourglass counters.

hourglass ambient light blush palette 2016 — The new Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette shades from left to right: Incandescent Electra, Brilliant Nude and Euphoric Fusion

Other makeup I’m wearing in the video

Face: Hourglass Vanish Foundation in Beige, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in Medium Golden, NARS Soft Matte Concealers in Macadamia and Ginger

Eyes: MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre; MAC Eye Shadows in Mylar, Omega, Wedge and Club; Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Solstice, Clinique Kajal in Black, NARS Audacious Mascara, MAC Cream Colour Base in Hush

Lips: MAC Velvet Teddy and Creme d’Nude Lipsticks, MAC Mariah Carey Butterfly Bling Lipglass

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Friday to you! I hope you’re feeling good today. 🙂 I feel pretty refreshed. esterday I took some time to continue refilling my well, like, I decorated my tree, hung out with the coywolf and baked this loaf of low-fat zucchini chocolate chip bread (I like to bake in my spare time).

Zucchinis and chocolate chips — when you think about them, they don’t sound like should go together, right? They sound kind of gross…but they’re actually great together when you get ’em in a bread situation!

For the record, the bread does NOT taste like a vegetable. The zucchini just adds some background sweetness.

This didn’t exactly photograph well (LOL!), but it’s delicious.

An Ode to MAC Hush | MAC Cream Colour Base

December 3rd, 2016 by Karen 10 Comments

Rise and shine, morning glory! Happy Caturday!! Here’s a quick video about one of my favorite MAC products, MAC Hush.

I’m actually about to put it on right now because I have to hop on a Skype call. And yes, I’m in my pajamas.

I hope you’re having a great weekend so far. I’m excited because I think we’re gonna get our tree this afternoon, yaaay! 🙂

Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The NARS Unfiltered I and Unfiltered II Cheek Palettes

December 1st, 2016 by Karen 13 Comments

Surprise! No Orgasm.

[awkward pause]

Um…why is it that everything I say lately sounds unintentionally dirty? I don’t know. 🙂

These two new NARS Unfiltered Cheek Palettes are coming soon to the Sephora website on December 6th and then to narscosmetics.com and Sephora stores on December 15th, and they. Are. Gorgeous!

nars unfiltered i unfiltered ii — The NARS Unfiltered I Cheek Palette on the left and the Unfiltered II Cheek Palette on the right ($59 each)

Each one has five new limited edition blush colors and one repromote.

That bright red, though!!? You might recognize it. That’s Exhibit A in the Unfiltered I palette, and the other repromote is Hot Sand in Unfiltered II.

I’m so impressed with these palettes! The blushes are NARS soft, NARS smooth and NARS pigmented. This right here, girlfriend? This is the brand at its best.

And, yeah, no Orgasm.

Unfiltered I (new LE shades marked with an *)

*WATCH ME: Opalescent gold (sheen)
*ME FIRST: Apricot (sheen)
*TAKEOVER: Copper rose (sheen)
*OUT THERE: Deep russet (matte)
*CHIC: Rich raspberry (matte)
EXHIBIT A: Red (matte)

Unfiltered II

*CONQUEST: Pastel peach (matte)
*UNDEFEATED: Pale pink (shimmer)
*POWER PLAY: Vivid pink (matte)
HOT SAND: Peach champagne (sheen)
*FAME: Pink amber (sheen)
*CANDID: Mauve raspberry (shimmer)

nars unfiltered i closeup — Closeup of NARS Unfiltered I, starting with the top row from the left: Watch Me, Me First, Takeover; bottom row: Out There, Chic, Exhibit A

nars unfiltered ii closeup — Closeup of NARS Unfiltered II, starting with the top row from the left: Conquest, Undefeated, Power Play; bottom row: Hot Sand, Fame, Candid

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5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

December 1st, 2016 by Karen 12 Comments

OMG, it’s December 1st! Christmas is, like, basically here. I am so not ready for it.

On the plus side, though, TJ’s snacks, amirite? 🙂

Here are some things I’m currently loving at the moment. What have you been loving lately, my dear?

Trader Joe’s seasonal noms
Serving trays at Marshalls
MAC Brow Sculpt Brown Pencil
MAC Mariah Carey Lash 05
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer Review + Swatches

November 30th, 2016 by Karen 20 Comments

I just pulled two NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealers out of my makeup bag because I’ve been rockin’ them 24/7.

OK, maybe not 24/7…but most of the waking hours. Yes, I NEED concealer, LOL!

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer
16 shades, permanent, $30, available January 1 at NARS boutiques and online
Chantilly (true ivory shade for a light complexion), Vanilla (tiny cast of pink or a light complexion), Creme Brulee (fair with a light pink undertone), Cannelle (light with a peachy undertone), Honey (warm peach for a light to medium complexion), Custard (yellow tone for a light to medium complexion), Macadamia (medium with a peachy undertone), Ginger (golden undertone for a medium complexion), Biscuit (medium dark natural balance of pink and yellow undertones), Caramel (medium dark yellow and golden undertones), Chestnut (medium with a pink undertone), Amande (medium dark with golden olive undertones), Hazelnut (medium dark with a warm red undertone), Cafe (dark shade with warm red undertones), Cacao (dark shade with deep golden brown undertones), Dark Coffee (dark brown with an olive undertone)

“NARS’ highest coverage concealer yet delivers natural natural-looking coverage in an oil-free cream formula that blurs, concealers and smooths imperfections with its soft-focus smoothing complex. Optimal Diffusion Powder helps maximize light diffusion with spherical surface powders designed to absorb and refract light with a powerful optical effect. Instantly transforms the look of skin to help blur imperfections. Advanced powders created with a unique, interwoven structure lay flat while staying connected for the highest level of coverage with the lightest touch. Resists settling into fine lines and pores. Collagen-boosting peptides smooth and reduce the appearances of wrinkles and pores. Hyaluronic acid helps to hydrate, soften and plump the skin for a healthier-looking complexion. Antioxidant Daily Defense delivers a cocktail of Vitamin A, C and E for environmental defense.”

— NARS PR

They’re full coverage, stay out of my fine lines and blur my pores. That’s a concealer triple threat!

I’m wearing Macadamia under my eyes in this video and Ginger on my cheeks and around my mouth.

They’re $30 each and coming to NARS counters in January 2017.

nars soft matte complete concealer — Swatches of all 16 shades of NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer

Thank you as always for watching. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen