Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for Your Body and Face: Highly Recommended for All My Alligator People!

December 31st, 2020 by Karen 9 Comments

OK, so the packaging for CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($18.99 for a 16-oz. jar) is a bit…clinical, and it isn’t particularly schemxy, which is why, if you aren’t in the know, you might end up passing it by, but let me tell you…this jar is a gem! It’s a drugstore miracle for My Fellow Alligator People because it’s so, so moisturizing.

My skin gets dry and itchy this time of year, and this actually keeps my face and body completely moisturized. I can’t even count how many jars I’ve finished. It’s so good! — even arguably the best moisturizer I’ve ever found for super dry-skinned peeps.

The formula is chock-full of hydrating ceramides and hyaluronic acids — ingredients thirsty skin loves — but I think most of the heavy lifting is based on how the ingredients are delivered. The fine folks at CeraVe found a way to time release the moisturizing power slowly over the course of 24 hours, so your skin is constantly receiving hydration all day (and night) long.

Developed with dermatologists, Moisturizing Cream for Normal to Dry Skin has a unique formula that provides 24-hour hydration and helps restore the protective skin barrier with three essential ceramides (1,3,6-II). The formula also contains hyaluronic acid to help retain skin’s natural moisture.

With ceramides 1, 3 and 6-II

Hyaluronic acid to help retain skin’s moisture

Non-comedogenic

Fragrance-free, non-irritating formula

–ulta.com

cerave moisturizing cream ingredients — What’s inside

The thick, rich cream melts right into my skin the moment it hits it. Plus, it’s unscented, so my current favorite fragrance, Lancôme Idole, remains front and center stage.

I use CeraVe Moisturizing Cream on my knees, elbows, shins, feet, hands and cuticles… Heck, even my friend Jane over at Daly Beauty swears by it as a face moisturizer. I usually get the jar that comes with a pump, but it’s also available with a regular ol’ screw top.

Oh, and if you like to save money (um, who doesn’t?), CeraVe has a coupon right now for $4 off any of their products.

So, yeah, this stuff kicks dry scaly skin’s boo-tay! I have to warn you, though — it just might be a CeraVe gateway product. The Moisturizing Cream opened the doorway for me to several other CeraVe loves, including the Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Renewing SA Cleanser, Skin Renewing Night Cream and Healing Ointment. Half my bathroom is now filled with CeraVe, and I’m not mad about it.

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Our plans tonight involve chillin’ at home, watching movies and eating bread! Yup, I made a brioche in my new bread maker yesterday, and it turned out pretty good — soft and a little sweet, with a slightly yeast-y tang.

It’s delicious!

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Hanging With the Chanel Les Fleurs de Chanel Spring-Summer 2021 Collection

December 30th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

Maaan, I gotta hand it to Chanel. They have a knack for releasing righteous reds that are preternaturally easy to apply.

How do they do it?!

I didn’t even need a lip liner or lip brush for Pivoine Noire, the matte berry red I’m wearing in this look. It’s an LE shade in the new Les Fleurs de Chanel Spring-Summer 2021 collection, and yes, I can’t get over the fact that we’re talking about a spring/summer release.

I applied it freehand without much thought, straight from the tube.

chanel pivoine noire — Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in 136 Pivoine Noire, a dusty berry red

Now I’m wondering if I could apply it while driving a car like Jessica Chastaine’s character does in Ava in the opening scene. She’s a soldier-turned-assassin, and with one hand she opens a tube of what I’m pretty sure is a Chanel lipstick and proceeds to flawlessly apply a layer of dark burgundy while racing down the freeway.

It’s impressive!

chanel movie lipstick — A novel way of opening a Chanel lipstick while prepping for a nefarious deed…

I wonder if I could do that… Survey says, “probably not!” LOL!

This new collection is inspired by spring blooms and warm pink, red, rose and coppery brown hues, and it lands on counters and the Chanel website next month (which starts this week!). There are lots of finishes — matte, metallic and satin — in various levels of coverage.

Here are some notes on the items I’m wearing…

The powder blush/highlighter duo

The coral-pink blush lays down a sheer flush of luminous color, so if you like blushes that don’t scream “Look at me! I’m obvious!” you might like it. I also love the finish on the peach highlighter. It’s a soft eggshell shine similar to the Hourglass Ambients. No bling-bling highlighter here.

The matte red lipstick

On the opposite end of the coverage spectrum is this gorgeously opaque matte berry red. Chanel’s Velvet Extreme formula applies flawlessly and glides along the skin without tugging, but it’s not too slick to easily control. Basically, it’s suuuper smooth, and it smells and tastes like rose hard candy.

The metallic mascara

The coppery bronze color actually shows up on dark lashes, which is super cool (colorful mascaras rarely show up on my lashes), and the Le Volume de Chanel formula delivers the thick, dramatic lash look the line is famous for. If you’ve got lighter lashes, the effect will probably be more dramatic and flattering than it is on me. On me, I think the color tends to make my eyes look smaller and more hooded than a standard-issue black mascara…

chanel metal terracotta mascara — My black lashes actually look terra cotta!

The Chanel Les Fleurs de Chanel Spring-Summer 2021 collection includes…

FLEURS DE PRINTEMPS Blush and Highlighter Duo
An Exclusive Creation powder duo with a satiny peach highlighter and luminous pink coral blush. Embossed
with a floral motif. Use the included brush to sweep the blush onto cheeks and the highlighter onto center of
forehead, tops of cheekbones, brow bones and Cupid’s bow. Limited edition. $70.00

LE VOLUME DE CHANEL Mascara
Now in a limited-edition rose-copper shade, the innovative mascara adds a colourful touch to lashes. The
CHANEL-exclusive brush and volumizing formula help achieve greater length and thickness in a single stroke.
$32.00

ROUGE ALLURE VELVET EXTRÊME Intense Matte Lip Colour
Introducing limited-edition berry red and warm coral shades of the extreme matte lipstick. The intense
longwearing formula glides on smoothly and doesn’t dry out lips. $40.00

ROUGE ALLURE LAQUE Ultrawear Shine Liquid Lip Colour
The new ultra-intense, ultra-longwearing satin shine liquid lipstick in a limited-edition metallic aubergine shade.
The creamy, fluid texture applies easily and wears comfortably, while the special doe-foot applicator ensures precise,
even results. $40.00

LE VERNIS Longwear Nail Colour
The high-shine nail colour features carefully selected pigments for even application and lasting wear. Available in 3
new shades: a soft peach, a light raspberry red and a metallic red. $28.00

AVAILABLE ON CHANEL.COM AND AT CHANEL BOUTIQUES: JANUARY 2021

AVAILABLE AT DEPARTMENT AND SPECIALTY STORES: FEBRUARY 2021

Adventures in bread making

So, I made my first 1-1/2 pound loaf of French bread in my new Cuisinart bread maker yesterday!

Isn’t the loaf cute? It was a test loaf. It’s pretty small, enough for about four sandwiches.
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This or That: The New Year’s Edition 🥂

December 29th, 2020 by Karen 15 Comments

new years eve cheers 2021 nye — I’m ready, 2021!

How to play

Pick one or the other for each of the questions below, and copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. 💋

This or That: The New Year’s Edition 🥂

Your NYE celebration outfit for this year — pajama pants or leggings?

You decide to do a NYE makeup look this week (just for the heck of it!). Between the following two options, do you go with colorful smokey eyes or duo-chrome glittery lids?

How about graphic liner or pink eyeshadow?

Which would you rather have for a NYE hairdo — a big, bangin’ blowout or a sleek high pony?

Go to sleep early or stay up all night long?

You and your quarantine crew decide to have a Zoom “beauty night” in for NYE. What DIY treatments do you choose (pick two)?

Facial with the works

Spa-style Mani/Pedi

Deep-conditioning hair mask and an at-home gloss

Who’s making your NYE meal — you or someone else?

How do you show up to your Zoom NYE party with your friends — full-on glam with hair, nails, makeup and a feather boa, OR barefaced in your jammies?

Your NYE celebration outfit for this year — pajama pants or leggings?

Leggings, y’all. High-waisted in a warm, soft cotton material. Matte black, baby. As you can see, I’m a leggings aficionado, HAHAHA! Plus, with leggings, I don’t have to deal with the hem of my pants dragging along the ground, which is otherwise known as “petite lady pajama problems.”

You decide to do a NYE makeup look this week (just for the heck of it!). Between the following two options, do you go with colorful smokey eyes or duo-chrome glittery lids?

I’ll go with duo-chrome glittery lids because 1) there’s more room for error, and 2) they require less blending.

How about graphic liner or pink eyeshadow?

Pink eyeshadow.

Again, more room for error. 👍

Which would you rather have for a NYE hairdo — a big, bangin’ blowout or a sleek high pony?

So, in theory, I would love a sleek high pony because it would get my hair out of my face and probably be faster to do. Plus — bonus! — I swear, a high and tight ponytail takes 10 years off my face! Unfortunately, two hours in I’d have take it out because sleek ponytails always give me a headache.

So, this is my long-winded way of saying that I’d go with the blowout!

Go to sleep early or stay up all night long?

I would try to stay up all night…but I’d still falling asleep on the couch at 9:30 (because 9:30 is the new 12); however, knowing this about myself, I’d set my alarm for 11:45PM and wake up just in time to do all of my Filipino old lady NYE’s rituals, like opening the front door at midnight to welcome the good luck in, and jumping up and down at midnight while banging pots and pans to invite the good spirits into the house, etc., etc.).

Then I’d promptly fall back asleep at approximately 12:05…

You and your quarantine crew decide to have a Zoom “beauty night” on NYE. What DIY treatments do you choose (pick two)?

Facial with the works
Spa-style mani/pedi
Deep-conditioning hair mask and an at-home gloss

The facial and the mani/pedi!
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 658

December 28th, 2020 by Karen 33 Comments

rocks on walk — Spotted these beauties on my walk yesterday

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. 🌻

1. What’s your definition of “no makeup” makeup?

Well…it’s all an illusion as you know. Mine starts with sunscreen, followed by a quick curl with a lash curler and a coat of mascara. Then, brows filled in with a pencil, followed by the daintiest kitten flick done with either liquid liner or eyeshadow applied with a wet angled brush.

Voila!

2. Would you rather cut your own bangs or dye your own hair?

It’s been two years since the last time I colored my hair(!), so at this point, I’ll reluctantly opt to cut my own bangs… I’ve done it before, although it was in high school, so I’m fairly sure I could do it again…but I’ll cut slooooOOOooowly and carefully, and I’ll do something like side-swept bangs that I could easily pin back if disaster struck and I made a major boo-boo.

3. Something you’ve been wearing a lot since March?

High waisted Zella black leggings! At this point they may be permanently glued to my body.

4. What kind of tea would you like today?

Earl Grey please, with a splash of half-and-half. No sugar.

5. Would you rather have to apply your makeup solely with your fingers, or solely with sponges? (It’s either/or in this scenario.)

Fingers! — although I know you can do a lot with a Beauty Blender, I feel like I have more control when I use fingers. Plus, it’s faster for me to pile on a more concentrated application of eyeshadow and blush with my fingers!

6. What’s the weather like today where you live?

It’s overcast in the mid-50s with some drizzle. Nice winter day for us. I may take Connor out in her rain boots and rain coat to splash around in some puddles.

7. Say something nice to the person above you in the comments.

Since there’s nobody in the comments yet, here’s a nice thing for everyone reading this: you’re doing SO good. Hang in there, and keep it up!

8. One of your go-to beauty products as of late?

Oooh, Odele Leave-In Conditioner! It does a little bit of everything (tames frizz, moisturizes dry hair and adds a light hold), and it does it all without my hair feeling heavy or weighed down with product. A big 8-oz. bottle with a pump is pretty affordable, too, at $11.99.

9. Something you want to do today?

I got a Cuisineart Bread Maker for Christmas as a gift from my niece (thank you, Rachel!), and I want to bake my first French bread loaf in it today.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. What’s your definition of “no makeup” makeup?
2. Would you rather cut your own bangs or dye your own hair?
3. Something you’ve been wearing a lot since March?
4. What kind of tea would you like today?
5. Would you rather have to apply your makeup solely with your fingers, or solely with sponges? (It’s either/or in this scenario.)
6. What’s the weather like today where you live?
7. Say something nice to the person above you in the comments.
8. One of your go-to beauty products as of late?
9. Something you want to do today?

P.P.S. Hello, my friend! 🤗 Last Monday Poll of 2020. Deep breath in, deep breath out…and remember, we’ve totally got this!

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 639

December 27th, 2020 by Karen 4 Comments

This time of year, I keep my gaze looking forward, which is something I learned from Tabs. Right after every Christmas, he’d always have me draft his New Year’s resolutions for the upcoming year, so I took some time to work on mine today, and one of the things I would like to do in 2021 is become an avid cyclist.

I’m gonna start my cycling journey by spending lots of time on my new stationary bike. 🚴‍♀️

I have a feeling my feet will thank me in a few years.

While I was riding today, I got to thinking about Tabs’ resolutions throughout the years…

He had some quirky ones, like one year he wanted to win a chili cook-off. Another year he wanted to become a hydroponics expert, and the cool thing about him was that he actually did all those things!

Rosie’s resolutions

I asked Rosie today if she had any New Year’s resolutions, and the first thing she said was that she would like to climb all of the trees in the neighborhood in 2021. She had me draw out a map of the neighborhood topiary, and after she climbs each tree, we’ll be marking it off with a big red “X.”