Archives 2023

Laura Mercier’s secret Brightening Powder
By no implies is Laura Mercier secret Brightening Powder sexy or exciting.

It’s a loose face powder with a single talent, but it’s a talent I quite appreciate.

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It sets under-eye concealer — and it’s not flashy, but it does its job well. If dark under-eye circles are a bane of your existence, as they are mine, secret Brightening Powder is freaking fantastic.

I’m serious! — it belongs on the periodic table of elements. That’s how special I think it is. The light-as-air setting powder has white pigments in it that create a subtle brightening effect and help to cancel out dark shadows.

I’ve been using this stuff with concealer on my dark circles off and on for years, and it never looks caked-on or riddled with creases. It keeps my concealer from scooting around and also increases wear time. ideal for when you’re hardly getting any sleep, and/or you’ve been recently bitten by a zombie, and you’re this close to turning.

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Because, clearly…when one is losing their last vestiges of humanity, dark under-eye circles are still a concern. #priorities

Anywho! I’ve had this one jar for, like, seven years. Yeah…it lasts a long time. It only takes a tiny amount to set your concealer.

The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious charm brands.

To apply, I load a small amount (you don’t want to apply too much; otherwise, it looks obvious) on a fluffy eyeshadow brush like the MAC 217, and layer that directly on top of my under-eye concealer using a patting motion, rather than a swiping motion.

(You don’t want to swipe, lest you can unintentionally swipe away your concealer and end up looking much more tired. No me gusta.)

That’s my paw for scale…
Once applied, secret Brightening locks down your concealer, where it ought to behave for the rest of the day.

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It comes in two shades, too. The first, #1, is for fair and medium skin tones, while #2 is for medium, tan and darker skin tones. A 0.14-ounce jar will set you back $24, and you can find it now at Laura Mercier counters and online.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

one of my favorite things to do on getaway is shop for trinkets and baubles. 

(I am probably not alone in this.)

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That way, back at home, whenever I see or wear said bauble (or in some cases they’re doohickeys), I’m reminded of my time on the trip. 

Today I picked up a couple of cute pieces of jewelry from a elegant shop called The Finery. It’s located in the lower garden district of new Orleans, just off magazine Street, which is a popular shopping area with cafes and lots of antique and clothing stores.  

Incidentally, it’s about two blocks from author Anne Rice’s former new Orleans home…

  
Back to The Finery, they carry jewelry by indie designers, both local and from other parts of the country. The style is sort of modern minimalist, and their pieces are pretty affordable, too. 

I grabbed two things from a local designer named Neko — the small Arc earrings ($24) and the Arc necklace ($32).

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If you like what you see, The Finery is located at 1933 Sophie Wright place in new Orleans. say hi to Nicki, the owner, for me while you’re there. She’s really friendly and easy to talk to, and she’ll give you the 411 on everything the store carries and the indie designers. Also, lots much more pics on her Instagram page. 

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

This packaging makes me so happy!
As part of the NARS summertime 2016 Under Cover collection, NARS released two Dual-Intensity Blushes — sexual material as well as Liberation ($45 each) — as well as they are, in a word, gorgeous! I like exactly how NARS collections are always wearable however never boring.

The NARS Dual-Intensity Blushes have a extremely pigmented, soft formula that can be utilized wet or dry. When utilized dry, they’re softly luminous, however if you utilize them with a dampened brush, the radiate is much more intense.

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These two blush duos are extremely flexible as well as would work for a broad variety of skin tones, as well as I like that both of the colors in each duo can work layered or alone.

NARS double intensity Blushes in Liberation (L) as well as sexual material (R)
Sexual material has a soft peach on the left as well as a medium pink on the right, as well as both shades are so pretty! I believe the left color would be a fantastic daily blush for lighter skin tones as well as a good sheen/highlighter for darker skin tones. The color on the best is even much more universal. The swatches below are with a heavy hand to ensure that you can truly see the color, however these can just as quickly be used lightly for a laundry of shimmery color.

Swatches of NARS sexual material Dual-Intensity Blush
Liberation has a cool-toned infant pink on the left as well as a warm rosy/terracota shade on the right. I believe the shade on the best is extremely distinct as well as provides a beautiful natural flush. On lighter skin tones, it may likewise work as a bronzer. Either way, both shades are very quite as well as wearable.

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Swatches of NARS Liberation Dual-Intensity Blush
NARS Liberation Dual-Intensity Blush

Closeup of NARS sexual material Dual-Intensity Blush
Both of these blush duos are stunning, as well as I see myself reaching for them often. I truly can’t pick a preferred since I believe they’re both gorgeous in their own way, however I’d state that sexual material is most likely much better for lighter tones, as well as Liberation would work much better for darker skin tones.

But to be honest…since these colors are so extremely layerable, I’ll be using both!

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In this photo I’m using the best shade of sexual material dusted over my cheeks, as well as I believe it completely works!

Wearing NARS sexual material Dual-Intensity Blush
These blushes are restricted edition as well as offered now for $45 each.

What do you think? will you be choosing anything up from the NARS Under Cover collection?

wearing the $46 Kat Von D shade + Light Contour Palette, available now exclusively at Sephora
Because, clearly, the most logical thing to do when you’re battling a cold is to flick out your eyeliner and contour your cheeks.

Clearly.

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Sniffle-upagus says what now?!

Sorry, I think the cold meds are getting to me… I feel cuckoo for cocoa puffs ideal now, but at least my cheekbones could slice pizza, thanks to the Kat V D shade + Light Contour Palette.

Admittedly, I didn’t think I was going to like this palette because of that font on the cover…and yes, that did sound crazier than I thought it would.

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I’m not a fan of that lower case “h.”

But relating to the palette, first, I must say that I’m not really big on mega-contouring, and that’s mostly because of the amount of blending. It normally takes a lot of it, and blending seems to be one of those things with very little room for error. When I half-@ss it, I end up looking like I drew all over my face with a Magic Marker.

Not cute.

I’d say that a lot of of the time I’m a “light dusting of golden bronzer” girl, but this palette could change that.

Kat Von D shade + Light Contour Palette
Kat Von D shade + Light Contour Palette
Kat Von D shade + Light Contour palette Swatches
I expected Kat Von D’s shade + Light Contour palette ($46) to be tough to use, and I thought I’d need a few tries. but it only took one.

The fluffy, soft powders [turned out to be] easy to blend. My forearms did NOT get a workout, which in this case was good.

Note the range of marvelous matte (YES!) colors, including lighter mattes that you can use as highlighting powders (a pinkish nude, a yellowy beige and a soft peach) and three darker mattes good for contouring (a cool-toned taupe, a soft neutral brown and a cool-toned grayish brown).

The matte shades can be used to swiftly shape shadows and curves into the skin, and because they aren’t excessively cool (color temp-wise), they don’t appear ashy on my warm-toned skin (and they’re very pore-forgiving).

Now, the largish grains of powder do kick up quite a bit of powder dust when I run a brush across one of the pans, so after I’m done using the palette, I gently tap it over a waste basket to remove the excess.

All in all, I’m diggin’ this palette! I’m still several light years away from being able to do a Kim K contour on a daily basis (too lazy for that ish), but shade + Light makes it easy enough to carve out respectable cheekbones in no time flat.

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Lasts all day, too, without requiring a touchup.

Before applying the Kat Von D shade + Light Contour Palette
And after! That’s NARS Kelly Lipstick on my lips, by the way…
PRICE: $46
AVAILABILITY: available now exclusively at Sephora
MAKEUP and appeal blog RATING: A- (I love this palette, even though using it can get a little messy)

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

My top three, best-of-the-best eyeliners!
Eyeliner has to be my many liked makeup product…or one of them, at least. I have been consumed with winged liner for a really, truly long time now, as well as I’ve tried soooo numerous eyeliners throughout the years in the quest to get the ideal wing. Let’s be honest…so numerous of them just ordinary suck, however these three are amazing.

The reason I like winged liner, as well as just eyeliner in general, is since you can utilize it to truly accentuate your eyes. My eyes are a bit on the little side, so I try to make them pop as much as possible! I even did a tutorial on winged eyeliner in four simple steps over on my blog.

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Eyeliner is one of those things that’s either truly good, or really, truly bad. There isn’t typically much of an in between. typically when I purchase new makeup, if it isn’t very great, I can typically make it work up until I surface it up, however not with eyeliner. To have your liner look good, the liner has to really be good.

I assumption that makes me type of an eyeliner snob! I only utilize the very best of the best, as well as one of these three is always in my makeup bag.

1. Stila stay all the time water resistant liquid Eye liner ($22)

Stila stay all the time liquid Eye liner in Black ($22)
I keep buying Stila stay all the time water resistant liquid Eye liner over as well as over once again since it never stops working me! It has a thin felt suggestion as well as a fine point, so you can quickly get a good sharp wing with it without trying as well hard. By type of laying it on its side, you can drag it as well as rapidly line along your lash line as well. With the opaque black formula, you never have to add a second coat, either, which is so nice! I’ve likewise discovered that if you keep the cap snapped on truly tight, it lasts for months. I dislike it when an eyeliner dries out after just a couple of weeks, however you ought to never have that issue with this one.

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Stila stay all the time liquid Eye liner felt tip
Push lightly to get a very thin line, or apply much more pressure to get a thicker line

2. The Balm Schwing liquid Eye liner ($17)

The Balm Schwing liquid Eye liner in Black ($17)
I’ve tried a lot of stuff from The Balm lately, as well as I’ve liked every single thing, including Schwing liquid Eye liner in Black. I believe what I like so much about it is exactly how pitch black as well as matte it is.

I like the look it provides me, as well as I’ve never tried one more liner that does the exact same thing. Schwing has a felt tip, which is my preferred type of liquid eyeliner tip, however rather than it being like a marker, you dip it into the bottle as well as the product coats the applicator.

In my opinion, it’s a bit harder to utilize than Stila stay all the time liquid Eye liner just since you requirement to wipe off a bit of the excess on the edge of the bottle to have the best amount to get a truly crisp line, however it’s not as well complicated.

Still, if liner isn’t your thing, it may make things a bit much more difficult, however if you’re a liner junkie, you requirement TO try THIS ONE. The opaque matte surface is to die for!

The Balm Schwing’s felt tip
So black as well as matte!
A pretty, dainty wing utilizing Schwing!
3. makeup permanently Aqua XL water resistant Eye Pencil ($21)

Makeup permanently Aqua XL water resistant Eye Pencil in M-10, a matte black ($21)

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As for pencil eye liners, makeup permanently Aqua XL water resistant Eye Pencil in M-10 can’t be beat! I just recently evaluated the entire line and fell in like with these, particularly the black one.

I primarily only ever utilize these on my tightline as well as waterline since they really stay put. It’s so difficult to discover an eyeliner that doesn’t move, particularly when your eyes water as poor as mine do. You likewise don’t have to sit there scraping your eyeball trying to get good color payoff. You get a smooth application in one pass. I like all of the colors they have offered too. You can truly make some fun looks with these!

Makeup permanently Aqua XL water resistant Eye Pencil
Mmm, smooth, buttery color…
My picky eyes have been consumed with all three of these eyeliners, as well as they’ve never failed me! What eyeliner has earned a very first class seat in your makeup bag?

Honestly, because a lot of days, 15 minutes is about all the time I get to put on makeup.

Oh, and I may or may not be wearing a sports bra as my top in this pic. ?

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Eyes

MAC Lilacked pro Longwear Colour waterproof Colour Stick

MAC Eye shadows in Woodwinked and Wedge

Clinique intense Ebony Liner

Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara

Estée edit Iced Kohl

Face

Urban Decay naked Skin One & done in medium Dark

NARS Light Reflecting pressed setting Powder in Translucent Crystal

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in medium Golden

Make Up For ever Ultra HD Concealers in R40 and Y33

Hourglass Ambient lighting blush in Incandescent Electra

Lips

MAC Lipstensity Lipstick in Postmodern

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Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

P.S. tell me about your makeup today. Inquiring minds want to know.

I see you making grabby hands at these new liquid lipsticks!

Girl, I did the exact same thing. Gimme those brights!

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I know, when did Estée Lauder begin doing such — exactly how shall I put this? — hip stuff? I utilized to believe of them as a fragrance brand mainly (I used Pleasures as well as personal Collection for years!) or, like, the makeup that my aunties used (it’s true), however they’ve been doing some fascinating things lately, particularly in the realm of color.

Their autumn 2015 collection is huge, with great deals of new things, including these liquid lipsticks, a new line eyeshadow singles, shadow sticks as well as a contouring set for yo’ eyes.

Press play for a look at a few pieces from the launch. The collection is offered ideal meow on the internet as well as at Estée Lauder counters.

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Products mentioned:

Estée Lauder dimension shape + Sculpt Eye set ($40)

Estée Lauder Pure color Envy liquid Lip Potion ($30 each)

Estée Lauder Pure color Envy Eye Defining singles ($25 each)

Estée Lauder Magic Smoky Powder shadow Sticks ($22)

Pure color Envy liquid Lip Potion ($30 each)
Pure color Envy Eye Defining singles ($25 each)
Pure color Envy Eye Defining singles ($25 each)
Dimension shape + Sculpt Eye set ($40)
Estee Lauder Magic Smoky Powder shadow Sticks ($22 each)
Estee Lauder Magic Smoky Powder shadow Sticks ($22 each)
Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

I understand I’ve asked this before (oh, 10 or 12 times), however do you like to wear vibrant eye makeup? Like, lately? I’ve been quite adventurous with color lately. a lot more than I’ve been in years. At least two or three. I dunno… I went with a loooong period when all I wished to wear on my eyes was brown shadow, as well as that was fun in its own way…but I’ve been liking playing with color again. It’s time.

(I’m wondering, does everybody go with a brown shadow phase at least when in their life?? Hmm…).

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Anyway, for the last couple of “What I used Wednesdays,” I went full-on colorful, however today… Girl, I just wasn’t in the mood to blend extremely much (it happens), so I kinda cheated a bit with a sparkly purple liner on my lash lines as well as taupe/bronze/brown lids.

Purple liner, particularly bright as well as sparkly ones like the one I’m using (it’s MAC designer Purple, an amazingly bright as well as sparkly purple liner that lasts permanently on lash lines), provides you a great deal of bang for your back in terms of effort. You’ll look like you tried truly hard, however ya know, it’s just a purple eyeliner.

I went “stash shopping” for this look, which is always interesting since it’s like digging for trick appeal booty/pirate treasure for things that haven’t seen the light of day in a while.

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I had this photo in my mind of matte lids with sparkly purple liner, dewy skin as well as matte neutral lips, since I wished to play with completes as well as color, so I grabbed MAC Constructivist paint Pot (which I utilized as an eyeshadow base) as well as the hourglass Infinity Eyeshadow Palette, which I’ve always thought about underrated, as well as Chanel Malice Blush, since LK as well as I were speaking about it in the comments last week, as well as I got a hankering to wear it.

Oh, Malice… Reunited as well as it feels so good!

In the mix are likewise some new deal with makeup products — the new Marc Jacobs Coconut deal with Primer, together with foundation as well as concealer from a new line called Stellar. They’re the line with all of foundation colors for women in the middle of the shade spectrum. I’m using outstanding endless foundation in S05, which is a light medium with yellow undertones, as well as endless Concealer in S03 (light/medium as well as yellow) on my under-eye area.

As far as shade matches go, I’m pleased so far. a lot of of the time to get foundations as well as concealers to work for me, I requirement ones with a lot more yellow in them, as well as I still have to modify them a little, however these are spot-on.

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I still have to test them for wear time over the next few days, so I’ll get back to ya.

Products in the mix

Eyes: MAC Constructivist paint Pot (eyeshadow base), hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow combination in Infinity (lids as well as lower lash lines), BECCA Opal Shimmering Skin Perfector (inner corner highlight), MAC In extreme dimension water resistant Mascara (lashes), MAC studio Brow Sculpt as well as benefit prepared set brows (brows)

Cheeks: hourglass Radiant Bronze Bronzer (cheekbones), Chanel Malice blush (on the apples), Kevyn Aucion Candlelight Celestial liquid illumination (highlighter)

Face: Marc Jacobs undetectable Undercover Perfecting Coconut deal with primer (primer), outstanding endless foundation in S05 (foundation), outstanding endless Concealer in S03 (under my eyes), NARS Light Reflecting pressed setting Powder (to set my under-eye concealer), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish natural in medium golden (on my forehead, the sides of my nose as well as around my mouth as well as chin)

Lips: MAC velvet Teddy Matte Lipstick

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

I spent my morning break drinking hot tea as well as tum-scratching this adorable kitty lady.

Isn’t she dainty as well as cute!? I’m a bit consumed with her whisker pads…

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She lives in my community as well as stops by every few days to state hi. I named her a while back (since I don’t understand her genuine name), however obviously that name didn’t take since I can’t keep in mind it, LOL!

So now I’ve started calling her “Sunshine”, since every time I see her she’s bright, happy as well as chatty.

El Hub states that I am NOT to seduce her with treats as well as like (he understands me as well well), since even though she doesn’t wear a collar, she looks well cared for as well as fed, however ya know…if she decides to comply with me house someday as well as never wishes to leave, I won’t stop her.

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Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. have you had any type of great community kitty sightings lately?

benefit GALifornia blush ($29), coming April 2017
Shout-out to my fellow Californians!

You know, it’s weird. I always see California portrayed in movies and videos like it’s a perpetually sunny place with palm trees and beaches and everyone’s got a tan and walks around all the time in a bikini top and sunglasses like it’s Bay Watch.

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For the record, it’s not always like that. right now, golden rays of sunshine are not falling upon my cheeks, skin and hair. I’m actually looking out my window, and it’s gloomy, overcast and cold. but haaay! — that’s alright, because when I wear Benefit’s new GALifornia blush, I feel like I’m in the fantasy California. ??

It’s nuanced

GALifornia, a new $29 boxed benefit blush coming this April, is a wonderfully warm golden pink, and when I opened the 0.17-oz. pan for the first time and saw the sunny design, which is, sadly, an overspray, I thought of a bronzer from Guerlain a few years back that had a similar design.

GALifornia is gloriously nuanced in a way I don’t expect to see from Benefit. It reminds me of something from Guerlain or Hourglass.

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Swatch of benefit GALifornia Blush
Different for Benefit

It’s infused with subtle golden pearl particles that so much more subdued than the shimmer in Coralista, Sugarbomb and Bella Bamba, all of which I like, but over the past few years, I haven’t been wearing them as much as I used to. My skin’s changed, and my pores are a little bigger than they were in my 30s.

The shimmer that benefit usually sprinkles on their blush highlighters is…maybe a bit more sparkly than I’d like. I’d say that GALifornia’s fine pearl is closest to the pearl in Sugarbomb, but warmer and finer.

GALifornia’s pearl is more my speed now. At first, you may not even think there’s any there, but it is. and I love it!

Wearing two layers of GALifornia on my cheeks
I don’t usually send my girlfriends who are 30 and up to benefit for blush, but I can happily recommend GALifornia if you’re…let’s just say, not 18 anymore. LOL!

It’s like the Energizer bunny (keeps going, and going, and going, and going…)

The wear time is great too. I popped it on my cheeks at the crack of dawn today, and eight hours later it still looks fresh and beautiful.

I did two layers using a regular old blush brush, so you don’t need any finagling or special tools. The blush does come with one of those silly square shaped brushes that benefit always includes with their boxed blushes, but I’d probably only use it in a dire blush emergency, LOL!

GALifornia girl!

Give it a sniff

Oh, and FYI for the gals out there who are sensitive to scents, GALifornia — *takes a deep breath* — smells like Caress body soap to me (I like it!). I don’t smell it when I’m applying or when it’s on my face, but I pick it up if I hold the box up to my nose.

The final verdict

So much yes! GALifornia is a great blush (but isn’t too “blushy”) no matter your age. If Connor were a teenager, girl, we would totally share this blush.

Latest TJ’s addiction

Found a new favorite salad at Trader Joe’s! It’s the Mexicali Salad With Chili Lime Chicken, and it’s SO good. It’s also only 380 calories, and that’s with the entire tub of tasty jalapeño Caesar dressing.

Most of the time I only use about a quarter or maybe half of the dressing because it’s so rich, and I like to add half a sliced avocado.

Ooh! one of these days I’m gonna add some lime or lemon shrimp.

Secret shopper tip: don’t just grab the salad sitting right at the front of the display, because the ones in front are usually good for only a couple days and have been in the store a while (no shame!).

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Seriously, I tear those displays up! I don’t even care! I want the freshest one.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen