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

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Mascara

March 19th, 2020 by Karen 14 Comments

laura mercier caviar mascara — Ready to give you a lift

FOR DECADES I believed that a lash curler was a non-negotiable when dealing with stick straight lashes (mine will flex the curl outta everything), but that’s totally not so, man! My opinion changed when Laura Mercier’s marvelous Caviar Volume Mascara, which is part of LM’s permanent collection and available at Ulta for $25, rocked my world.

It all started one day a few weeks ago… I was running late for work and couldn’t find my lash curler, so out of desperation I whacked a few coats of this stuff directly on my uncurled lashes, and it finessed a perfectly lifted curl into place.

I was shocked! In fact, I’m still in awe, and I really have no idea how it works. I almost feel like I’m messing with supernatural blood makeup magic and probably shouldn’t go there, but I can’t help myself, ya know? Not only does this mascara lift and curl lashes without the help of a lash curler, but it also separates and elongates lashes while imparting a noticeable amount of volume, but not so much that your fringe looks fake or spidery.

laura mercier caviar mascara before after — No lash curler needed, babe.

It also doesn’t smudge or flake, and even though it isn’t technically waterproof, I’ve cried wearing it a few times (yes, I’m a big cry baby), and it didn’t run.

It comes in one shade, a glossy black, and you can find it at Ulta for $25 a tube.

Your friendly neighborhood fringe addict,

Karen

Spring Makeup Ideas: Sparkly Taupes and Purples With a Soft Hint of Pink

March 19th, 2020 by Karen 31 Comments

wander beauty wanderess k3 — Big hair, big dreams

It’s weird. Even though the world around me feels like it has gone full-on BONKERS, when I go outside for walks with the Coywolf (and we’ve been going for a lot of them), the great outdoors seems unaware of the sitch in the human world.

Spring, in all her glory, keeps coming.

Case in point: One of the showiest trees in the neighborhood is blooming, and she’s absolutely gorgeous.

(Yes, she’s a dainty lady in my eyes.)

Coy-Coy and I went for several walks yesterday, and on one of them we stopped by to visit our favorite tree. As we stood under the canopy of flowers and looked up, tiny pink petals gently floated onto my hair, and I felt a song in my heart.

Thank you, tree, for your inspiration — makeup and otherwise!

For this springtime makeup look, I did shades of taupe and light purple on the lids, with plummy cheeks and soft pink lips.

wander beauty wanderess taupe look swatches — Key items in this springy look

wander beauty wanderess taupe look — Feelin’ springy

Key items worn in this look

EYES: MAC Groundwork Paint Pot (eyeshadow base), Wander Beauty Wanderess Escape Palette (Nude beach and Enchanted in the crease, Flourish on the lids, and Moonlit in the inner corner), MAC Coffee and Cargo Liner (lash and water lines), Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (lashes)

CHEEKS: NARS Sin (blush)

LIPS: MAC Oak pencil (outer lip edge), MAC Boldly Bare pencil (inner portion of lips), MAC Oyster Girl gloss (all over lips)

BASE: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (to prep skin), Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Honey Bronze mixed with MAC Strobe Cream, Estee Lauder 24H Concealer, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Golden Tan

What does spring look like in your neck of the woods?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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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Shelter in Place / Social Distancing / Homeschooling Activity: Adventures in Makeup Artistry

March 17th, 2020 by Karen 22 Comments

If you’re sheltering in place over the next couple weeks and looking for things to do with someone in the house, let them unleash their inner artist by doing a makeover…ON YOU!

I busted out an old LE Tarte palette I’ve had for ages but haven’t used, a few matching bright eye pencils, a handful of brushes and a bright lipstick (which I let Connor Claire choose…so of course she picked the brightest reddish orange!).

Then we parked ourselves in her room, played some tunes, and I let her have at it.

On, in case you’re wondering, the lipstick is MAC Retro Matte in Dangerous.

I’m pretty impressed with her application, LOL!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday-ish / Tuesday Poll, Vol. 618

March 16th, 2020 by Karen 48 Comments

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.

Hi! Hello from Marin County, California. We’re calling this week’s installment of this post “The Monday-ish / Tuesday Poll,” because yeah, Monday’s almost over. I apologize, but there’s been a lot happening, as I’m sure you know.

These are crazy days, man! It’s totally surreal. I never thought I’d live to see something like this. 😷 Today our county Public Health Officer issued a shelter-at-home order, making it officially illegal to go to a movie or the mall. The order is in place from today through at least April 7.

Wow.

Just wow.

I hope you’re safe and doing well. I miss you. Stay safe. Sending you and your loved ones positive thoughts. ❤️

And now…for the first time ever in almost 12 years, it’s time for The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday-ish / Tuesday Poll.

1. Cupcakes, cookies or brownies?

Chocolate cookies with a sprinkling of sea salt, please.

2. Can you do a chin-up or pull-up?

If I’m well-rested and powered by good tunes and coffee, yes, I can do one or two chin-ups.

I still can’t do a full pull-up with an overhand grip unless I use one of those stretchy rubber band things for help, but I think I’ll get there eventually if I can strengthen my core.

Speaking of chin-ups, this is the scene I think of when I’m doing them, although I don’t look as cool as Linda Hamilton does…

One of the great ladies of sci-fi, Sarah Connor (I named Coy-Coy after her)

3. Tell me about your favorite pants.

Right now I’m feeling my thick black stretchy pants by Zella. They’re super soft and, weirdly enough, they keep me warm when it’s cold outside, but I don’t get too hot in them when I’m working out. They truly are a miracle of modern times. LOL! I do wish they had pockets on the sides like my Athleta ones, though.

4. When you’re reading a really a good book, do you read it as fast as you can (GOTTA GET TO THE END!), or do you prefer to savor the chapters slowly?

If it’s so good that I can’t put it down, then I’ll read it every free moment I get — standing in line at the grocery store, doing squats at home, cooking dinner… Every chance I get to sneak in a few sentences, I’ll do it. And if I really, REALLY love a book, I’ll immediately start re-reading it.

5. What are you wearing on your nails?

Essie Crop Top & Roll… It’s a neutrals day!

essie expressie crop top and roll — Fresh paint!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Because you never realized you needed to see an 80-year-old elephant listening to Clair de Lune until a pandemic struck…

Hang in there, my friend. ❤️

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

1. Cupcakes, cookies or brownies?
2. Can you do a chin-up (underhand grip) or pull-up (overhand grip)?
3. Tell me about your favorite pants.
4. When you’re reading a really a good book, do you read it as fast as you can (GOTTA GET TO THE END!), or do you prefer to savor the chapters slowly?
5. What are you wearing on your nails?