Author: rvsol

So…sometimes I want to wear a smokey eye look, but I want it to just magically appear on my face, like POOF! All done. instant smokey eye.

Basically, I want the smokey payoff part without all of the work, the blending.

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That’s where palettes like the Colour Riche Ombre Quad in amazing Grey ($9.99) by L’Oreal Paris are great. I’ll line my lash lines with a dark gray or gunmetal liner, smudge out the edges, and blend a deep gray shadow directly on top of the liner. then I’ll line my water lines with a black kohl for a subtle gradient from black to gray.

I’ll keep it kind of messy on purpose…kind of rock ‘n’ roll.

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By the way, these Colour Riche Ombre Quads are fab. The shadows are very pigmented, and the formula couldn’t be a whole lot much easier to blend. Plus, they’re only $9.99 each.

Next time you swing by a drugstore, take a look. amazing Grey and the other Colour Riche Ombre Quads are available now at drugstores, Ulta and online.

P.S. Whew! What a long week. anybody else in the mood for Chinese food? I’m really craving walnut shrimp…

This post is sponsored by Purina pro plan #proplancatpartner. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

Tim Gunn isn’t the only one in the fashion world with a famous catchphrase (“Make it work!”). Tabs has one as well.

Actually…he has dozens of them. In fact, he’s famous for his quick-witted kitty quips and outrageous statements, and rumor has it that Karl Lagerfeld himself steals his own viral memes from Tabs (who’s thinking about purr-suing legal action).

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Here are 12 of my favorite Tabs-isms this year.

In other news, I’M BAAAACK! We got home from Redding a little while ago, and let me tell you — my roots are excited! girlfriend has not washed her hair since Christmas-freaking-Eve.

Whoops! too much info…

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I have kitty snuggles to share because Tabs is being extra lover-boy right now. He must have missed me while I was gone.

Anybody else maxing and relaxing at home tonight? I’m going to try to paint my nails…but it’s gonna be hard with a 20-pound tabby rubbing his chin against every available body part.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

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Karen

About Purina pro plan cat food

Tabs may appear loving and playful and funny and adorably fluffy and chubby and more squeezable than a bunny! — but he’s also a ravenous monster. Purina pro plan fuels him through his busy kitty modeling schedule.

If your feline friend also aspires to kitty modeling greatness, try Purina pro Plan. Their wide range of dry and wet cat foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, comes in three unique nutritional platforms — Savor, Finesse, and focus — with each designed to provide advanced nutrition to help bring out the superstar in your cat. For more information, visit www.proplan.com, and follow Purina pro plan cat on Twitter @proplancat.

There’s a street in the community where my parents online that goes crazy all-out with the lights (Vegas style), and everybody cruises up and down the street checking out them.

This was my preferred house…

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Of program I’d like the over-the-top one.

I understand you’re honnngray checking out these pics, ’cause I’m hungry as well (if you like crab and shrimp, and Filipino food, which I do). this time around of the year is when I unshackle myself from the hater that is the My physical fitness friend app, aka calorie counting, and accept my stretchy pants with arms (and mouth) large open, which, in other words, indicates a second and third assisting of crab.

Let the holiday gorging begin!

five shades (and the top coat) from the new limited edition Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise Collection, available now ($9.99 each)
My version of a poolside paradise usually includes some combination of the following…

Trashy mags, and us weekly is a fave.
Strangely, I only read it when I’m at the pool…

Iced tea.

One of those oversized fluffy beach towels that are so big that I can wrap them around my torso twice.
Because I’m not about that tiny towel life. even when it’s 95 degrees outside, I’m always freezing when I get out of the water.

Sunscreen, obvs.

A bathing suit that stays put even after multiple cannonballs (learned this lesson the hard way).

Cheapie sunglasses, because who wants to tension out over losing or breaking their favorite pair of expensive sunglasses at the pool?

A shiny mani/pedi combo, ideally in bright shades like the ones from the new Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise Collection above, because despite the lack of verifiable scientific evidence to support this, I think they make your cannonballs much more cannon-bally.
Seriously, they completely do.

I wore two of these Sally Hansen miracle Gel polishes last week on my trip to new Orleans (creamy yellow morning Sunshine on my toes and creamy leafy green Lip palm on my paws), and they were all it took. now I consider myself a card-carrying member the miracle Gel cult.

Wait — do the miracle Gels actually have a cult??

If they don’t, they completely should. These nail polishes are…

Long-lasting

Playful and bright

Easy to apply

And affordable

All of which add up to “drugstore gem!”

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Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise miracle Gel in morning Sunshine

If you’re new to the Sally Hansen brand, her miracle Gels launched last year. The limited edition Poolside Paradise Collection is available now and includes seven $9.99 shades.

Unlike conventional gel polishes, the miracle Gel formula doesn’t require the use of a special UV lamp. All you do is paint your nails with one (or more, of course) of the colors, and then pop the miracle Gel top coat (also $9.99) on top.

That’s it. You’re done. and that ought to last up to 14 days.

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Technically, you don’t even need a base coat, either, but I’d still use one for the blues and greens, because those two color families typically stain my nails.

I wore a base coat with both morning Sunshine and Lip palm last week, then applied a layer of the miracle Gel top Coat, and I don’t think the base coat hurt anything at all.

Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise miracle Gel in Lip Palm
Normally, if I just look at my nails, whatever polish I’m wearing will chip.

OK, I’m exaggerating… A little. but I am very rough on my nails.

But these miracle Gels can take everything I dish out, like lugging around luggage, holding onto those stabilizer bars in streetcars, and opening and closing a zillion Ziploc bags filled with travel portions of products.

After eight days, my polish was still at about 95%, which is kind of miraculous, because with many polishes, I typically start seeing big chips on or around day three.

These may very well have lasted a full 14 days, but I switched them up with different nail polishes after eight.

Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise miracle Gel in Rum Punch
Along with the lady boss wear time, you also get…

A wide, oversized brush (can cover a nail in a few strokes)

A 15-minute dry time

A shiny, mirror-like finish

A highly pigmented, smooth and creamy formula

Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise miracle Gel in Swimsical
Sally Hansen Poolside Paradise miracle Gel in Dive Bar

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Poolside Paradise includes seven very shiny sunny colors ($9.99 each) in cotton candy Pink-A-Colada, creamy reddish orange Life’s A Peach, bright yellow morning Sunshine (my favorite!), cerulean blue Dive Bar, leafy green Lip Palm, deep pink Rum Punch and teal Swimsical. They’re available now at drugstores, Ulta and online.

PRICE: $9.99 each
AVAILABILITY: limited edition, available now online and at drugstores and Ulta
MAKEUP and charm blog RATING: A

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

just a quick video about these new Giorgio Armani Eye Tints as well as a question: exactly how frequently do you utilize cream eyeshadows, as well as what are your faves?

As always, say thanks to you for watching.

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Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

P.S. pleased Tuesday!

wearing new spring 2015 makeup from make up For Ever
Rouge artist intense 53, $20

Rouge artist intense lipstick in 53, a pearly, pinkish copper
I’m picking up Chanel vibes from this warm pearlescent pink lipstick. The long-lasting, highly pigmented formula feels a little thick and reminds me of Coco’s Rouge Allures.

The pearlescent copper sprinkled through the pink base? That could easily pass for something Chanel might do for spring.

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Super pretty!

If your lips happen to be chapped or otherwise textured, try layering a pink gloss on top to tone down the pearl, lest it emphasize any flakes or lip lines.

Coming March 2015 to make up For ever Boutiques, counters and Sephora.

Rouge artist intense 54, $20

Rouge artist intense lipstick in 54, a pearly golden pink
Like Rouge artist intense 53, warm pearly golden pink 54 has very little patience for imperfect lips.

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Oh, but the color… Breathtaking. It’s practically like a lipstick version of MAC Nymphette Lipglass.

I like to layer a gloss like shimmery beige MUFE’s lab shine Lip Gloss in D16 on top of this one to slightly downplay and soften the impact of the pink and pearl and create a pretty pinkish nude.

Coming March 2015 to make up For ever Boutiques, counters, and Sephora.

Ink Liner, $23

MUFE’s Ink Liner
Decidedly dark and marvelously matte, this pigmented liquid liner has high-fashion runway look written all over it.

Super stark and very cool, especially if you’re banging out a bold ’60s-style liner.

The firm suggestion stays stiff when I run it across my lash lines, which makes drawing crisp edges a bit of a challenge for (I’m much more of a flexible felt suggestion gal), so I keep an angled brush and a pot of black gel liner close to smooth out any jagged areas.

Available now at make up For ever Boutiques, counters and Sephora.

Graphic Liner, $24

Make Up For ever graphic Liner
You might remember this intense black liquid liner from the 50 shades of Grey set. That vinyl finish? Wow! It shines brighter than a pair of kinky dominatrix boots.

The felt suggestion makes it easy to draw precise, thin lines, but like the Ink Liner, it’s quite stiff and inflexible. It took me a while to figure out how to get smooth edges out with it, but practice makes perfect! now I really like this one, especially for accurate kitten flicks.

Available now at make up For ever Boutiques, counters and Sephora.

Smoky stretch Mascara, $24

MUFE Smoky stretch Mascara
Ooh! — this one’s beautiful for straight-up length and definition when you don’t want to deal with flakes and smudging. A couple whacks from the wand, and my lashes stretch like they’re in Bikram yoga!

If you want better curl hold and much more volume, two things Smoky stretch doesn’t really do well, you’ll want to use it with a lash primer, possibly one like Estee Lauder’s little Black Primer.

Coming March 2015 to make up For ever Boutiques, counters and Sephora.

Spring 2015 swatches from the left: 53, 54, Ink liner and graphic Liner
Wearing graphic liner and Smoky stretch Mascara on my eyes and Rouge artist intense 53 on my lips
That’s Rouge artist intense 54 on mah pout…

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Your friendly neighborhood MUFE addict,

Karen

P.S. pleased hump day, babe.

wearing the new Nudestix Lip Pen in Bare Matte ($24) and the #GILTYLOVE holiday kit ($49), available now at Sephora
Eaack! What was that?! Did you see it? I thought I saw something behind me…

Oh, well. never mind. I guess it’s gone.

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I was just about to tell you how much I like Nudestix, an upstart makeup line out of Toronto. I like how all of their stuff seems, I dunno, kind of unstructured and casual.

A quick swipe here, a little pat there and some blending with a fingertip, and voila! You’re done. but you still look like you put in some effort.

With these pieces on your lids and lips, no one will mistake you for something that just fell off a vegetable truck and rolled to the side of the road (an issue that plagues me often).

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It’s makeup to wear while you’re lounging next to a fireplace, sipping hot cocoa in a button-up flannel, leggings and a relaxing scarf, maybe also with some fuzzy Yeti slipper-boots, which your cat will hate with a passion (of course). In other words, it’s casual makeup.

#GILTYLOVE holiday Kit, $49
For their first holiday collection ever, they’ve released a limited edition $49 set of three Magnetic Eye colors called #GILTYLOVE. (Did you just say “hashtag” out loud? because I absolutely did.)

The artwork on the tin, which houses three full-size creamy pencil eyeshadows in shimmery taupe Twilight, peachy gold Gilt and matte black Night, is by Canadian artist Jessica Gorlicky.

From the left: Magnetic Eye colors in Gilt, Twilight and Night
Gilt, Twilight and Night
I like to use these pencils as accents. like here, for depth and nuance, I’ve applied Twilight (the taupe) on my lower lash lines, night on my water lines and Gilt on my brow bones and in the inner corners. (Side note: I’m wearing Giorgio Armani Orient Excess palette on my lids, and that’s LORAC Front of the Line pro Line liquid eyeliner in Navy on my lash lines.)

Wearing Nudestix Lip Pen in Bare on my lips, Magnetic Eye color in night on my lower water line, Magnetic Eye color in Twilight on my lower lash line and Gilt on my brow bone and the inner corner
The $49 tin (a $72 value) is available now exclusively at Sephora stores and online.

The tin is joined by a new line of eight $24 Lip Pens (four matte, four gloss), but these are bound for the Nudestix permanent collection. like the tin, they’re available now online and at Sephora stores.

Nudestix Lip Pens in Bare Matte and Nudity Gloss, two of eight shades, $24 each
I’ve been using two of them, sheer brown Nudity Gloss and matte pinkish brown Bare Matte, with the latter feeling airy and light on my lips, which I like, but it also catches every little flaky bit…

Blast you, dry lips!

Nudestix Lip Pen in Nudity Gloss
As for Nudity, I’m a fan (haha). I like the non-sticky texture and glossy, high-shine finish.

Bare and Nudity
With both pens, which smell faintly of vanilla, I can feel a very subtle tingling sensation ideal after application. It fades over about 10 minutes.

Have you tried any Nudestix products before? If you have, what did you think?

Happy Halloween! Let’s celebrate by napping…

Last night was my first run considering that the half-marathon two weeks ago, and it was just a short, slow one. My back had been aching, but it felt good enough again to work off some of the candy I plan to devour today and tonight, hehe.

After all, someone has to finish the last of the Fun-Size Snickers from the bag I allegedly gotten for the trick-or-treaters tonight.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

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Karen

P.S. Boo!

P.P.S. TGIF!

For the love of tubby tabbies, why can’t I spell the word “algorithm”!?

I keep wanting to spell it algo-rhythm, which sounds like some kind of odd exercise class where you crunch numbers and abs.

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“Welcome to Algo-Rhythm! Where Zumba and calculus collide!”

I also can’t figure out why this NARS Algorithm Laguna Bronzing palette is seems so huge (it’s 0.24 ounces, which I only realized after I published this post is actually smaller than the regular NARS Laguna Bronzer’s 0.28 ounces, but for some reason it just seemed bigger to me). Or expensive. It’s $89!

I mean, I love NARS Laguna, but it’s already in practically every single NARS blush palette. It’s not like I’m gonna be running out of it anytime soon. This pan alone could conceivably last the rest of the decade.

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*Shrugs shoulders* I guess some people really like Laguna.

The palette also comes with a mini-sized NARS Ita Brush, which I think is just OK… I need to spend a lot more time with it, though, because so far, I keep having to finish my blending with a fluffy brush after using it.

If you want to decipher this Algorhythm Algorithm, it arrives at department and specialty stores, online, and at NARS boutiques November 1.

urban Decay summer 2015: The new revolution Lipglosses ($22 each)

NOVATO, CA — This is Karen from UD news reporting live from my makeup bag…

It’s chaos! There are savage creatures running all over the place, big Bangs left and right, and somebody’s walking through the street? I don’t know… They appear to be Punch Drunk. There’s only one word to describe the scene unfolding before me now: revolution!

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An urban Decay Lipgloss Revolution.

Yes, this is the urban Decay that many of us know and love. Over the past few years, they’ve gotten a little naked happy, which is also cool, but this new line of 14 pigmented lipglosses (coming April 15 to counters and online) swings the pigment pendulum all the way to the other side, with liters of rich color and shades that your grandma might see and be like, “Young lady, do you wear that outside?? I’m not sure if a respectable young girl should wear that outside…”

Yup, these are those kinds of colors. To put it a different way, if UD’s naked glosses are Sunday brunch, these are Friday night.

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Of course, there are also a few less harrowing shades, but we’ll get to those in a minute…

So, urban Decay has done lipgloss lines before, and you might remember a couple years ago when they did the flat ones with the half-naked dudes? Well, those were shaped very much like these — flat, so that you can put them in your back pocket, and they won’t bulge. In this case, the clear plastic tubes are also textured, and they look almost wavy…like you’re about to dive into an ocean and swim through a school of gloss.

These are also unlike another other UD lipglosses I can recall in that they’re unflavored and unscented, which should open the door to some people who didn’t like the flavor of UD’s other glosses.

As for coverage, you won’t need to put a lot on your lips to see these colors. I’d classify them as just shy of full coverage — like teetering on the edge on kitty tippy-toes.

Interestingly, the medium-weight formula starts non-sticky, but seems to get stickier over time as they’re worn and you smack your lips together. They get stickier and slightly tacky, which I think helps them hang on longer than UD’s non-sticky glosses. For me, these last between three and four hours.

Urban Decay revolution Lipglosses, $22 each
Urban Decay revolution Lipglosses, $22 each
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Apocalypse
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Brickhouse
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in 69
Most of the colors are creams, with a sprinkling of glittery shades. The glittery ones, though, are still comfortable. I have to point that out, because they aren’t gritty or obnoxious at all.

The only one I haven’t seen up close is Kinky, which looks like a creamy tan nude.

For everyday colors, my favorites are medium creamy pinkish nude Liar and light neutral pink Failbait, but you know…those are the kinds of colors you stick in your purse and eventually forget about…

Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Assassin

Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Punch Drunk

Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Quiver

Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Scandal
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Savage
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in big Bang
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Vice
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Bittersweet
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Liar
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Failbait
From the left: Apocalypse, Brickhouse, 69 and Assassin
Punch Drunk, Quiver, scandal and Savage
Big Bang, Vice, Bittersweet, Liar and Failbait
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Apocalypse
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Brickhouse
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in 69
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Assassin
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Punch Drunk
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Quiver
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Scandal
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Savage
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in big Bang
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Vice
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Bittersweet
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Liar
Urban Decay revolution Lipgloss in Failbait
On the other hand, bright creamy orange Punch Drunk (LOVE IT), bright purple Bittersweet (which is kind of an unusual shade, more for going out) and electric pink scandal are the kinds of colors you dream about. The kinds of colors that wake you up in a cold sweat.

Oh! — and bright red 69. Naughty name. pretty color.

So, yeah! The $22 revolution Lipglosses are coming to urban Decay counters and online April 15 with the rest of the urban Decay summer 2015 Collection. stay tuned for more on the release this week.

PRICE: $22
AVAILABILITY: coming to urban Decay counters and online April 15
MAKEUP and beauty blog RATING: A

Is that you, winter?

It’s so cold here today! — which is not good weather for a revolution, really. When I think of revolutions, particularly ones involving makeup, I think of tank tops and short shorts. call me cray.

When I went for a walk outside this morning, I actually had to bust out my thick, warm jacket for the first time in two months!

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I know, I know. Wimpy Californian.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

deal with masks!

Homegirl has a deal with mask addiction, it’s true.

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Especially sheet masks, as well as not just ’cause they provide me an reason to do my finest Friday the 13th Jason Voorhees imitation.

Last weekend after lunch with my sibling in the city, we stopped by Japan town to do some buying as well as sightseeing, as well as while I was there I grabbed a few $2 deal with masks from a store called The deal with Shop.

It’s a Korean cosmetics store/brand, as well as they likewise offer deal with as well as body products. I’d heard of them before however had never visited one of their stores.

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I spent method to much time in that place, partly since of all the goodies (it’s not as huge as Sephora, however they bring a ton of products), as well as partly since of the music! The soundtrack they were playing was incredible. It was like a Beyonce CD but, like, in Korean. Amaze-balls.

Back to the masks…

I don’t understand what it is about pre-moistened cloth-type masks, however I like ’em. I got addicted to them after I started utilizing the SK-II masks a while back, which are FANTASTIC, by the way, since they leave your skin radiant as well as moisturized as well as soft, however they’re likewise unfortunately hella expensive.

I utilize an SK-II mask once, or perhaps twice a year, as well as only before a special event or a huge event (the last time was right before the Emmys last fall). The rest of the year I utilize whatever I can discover that looks great as well as doesn’t expense an arm as well as a leg.

I’d never tried a mask by The deal with shop before, so I grabbed a lot of different “flavors” while I was there. They were only $2 each.

I ripped open the Olive Oil Mask, which is supposed to be nourishing for additional dry skin, as soon as I got home.

It was a’ight… My skin definitely felt softer as well as moisturized after utilizing it, however the mask left behind a sticky film, as well as for me that’s a no-go. You’re not supposed to rinse after utilizing these masks, however I ended up taking off the mask as well as rinsing my deal with to eliminate the excess goo.

I haven’t tried the other masks yet, however I may utilize one tonight. I’m hopeful that the other ones are a bit less gooey. They don’t have to be amazing…but if they’re quite good, that’ll be excellent thinking about the price.

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There are a lot of different varieties offered at the stores as well as The deal with shop website, as well as they’re all about $2-5 each. Not poor at all if you’re in the mood to try a new mask, as well as the believed of $2 seems good.

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen