Category Make-up

back when my hair was dark as well as my layers were long as well as I was having a great hair day. Incidentally, I am using clothes in this photo (I swear!).
About three times a week…or four if I’m feeling additional ambitious.

I can’t keep in mind the last time I went with an entire week washing my hair daily. It may have been…maybe 10 years ago?

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Whenever it was, it’s been a while.

But when upon a time, long, long ago, I utilized to strike dry my hair directly every day, as well as coupled with everyday shampooing, my hair ended up being really, truly dry as well as over-processed. I’m not sure what prompted me to stop washing it with shampoo all the time (and easing up on the warm styling), however somewhere along the way, something did, as well as it truly assisted my hair. It likewise saves time.

If I laundry my hair one evening, let it air dry overnight, as well as then style it the next morning, I can get at least three days out of it before my roots begin to feel “janky” as well as odor funky. Sometimes, I can make it four days if I douse the roots with dry shampoo (no, seriously), then put my hair up in a pony or half pony, although EEK! — that’s so gross, however so true.

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About half the time, I’ll laundry it with conditioner alone, as well as the other half the time with conditioner as well as shampoo.

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I don’t understand why this topic fascinates me, however it does, as well as weirdly enough, it comes up in conversation all the time. I was chatting with a buddy a while back, as well as she stated that she laundries her hair daily. one more buddy stated she does it only when a week (!). exactly how about you? exactly how frequently do you laundry your hair?

How frequently do you laundry your hair?

fewer than twice per week

2-3 times/week

4-5 times/week

nearly every day

several times per day

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Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

There’s nothing like a bit morning meditation to remove the kitty cobwebs and focus your powers of feline fabulousness on kitty modeling domination.

Tabs wished to choose his walk at the crack of dawn this morning before the neighborhood hustles and bustles to ensure that he could channel his chi and practice his kitty yoga poses…

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His favorite time to walk is early, early, early in the morning, often even before dawn when it’s still a bit dark, because it’s quieter and often there are still interesting varmints like raccoons skulking about.

Today it was already light, but it was still early and quiet.

I’ve observed that he’s not as confident outside as he once was. It utilized to be that he wouldn’t get startled by people and cars, but now if something noisy occurs he’ll pull me on his leash all the method back to the front door.

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As a world-renowned kitty supermodel/feline fashion icon, he’s probably thinking, “I can’t deal with this drama! I have as well numerous essential things to do!”

Your friendly neighborhood charm addicts,

Karen and Tabs

I got the KIKO Gossamer emotion Creamy Lipstick in 130 Black simply because I wanted to have a black lipstick in my collection
The other day, Marcella shared with me and the rest of the MBB-gang a Buzzfeed article on a rainbow highlighter, asking if we’d ever wear it.

Since I don’t even use traditional one-color highlighters that much, I said that I probably wouldn’t wear it, but it would be something amazing to have.

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Which got me thinking…

Am I a makeup collector?

Well, to a certain extent I unquestionably am.

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I mean, I’m not the type of collector that would get a product and never use it to preserve the design embossed on the pan. To me makeup is something to touch, test, and play with. So I guess that if I really got that rainbow highlighter, I would somehow use it, at least a few times.

But I definitely am a collector in the sense that sometimes (ahem… most of the time) I buy makeup products simply because I want to have them in my collection. Which doesn’t mean that I won’t use them. It just means that I don’t need them.

At this point I could go off on a major tangent and tell you that when it comes to makeup nothing is really needed. I mean, it’s not like makeup is one of the basic human survival needs, right? but when I say that I need something in relation to makeup what I actually mean is that I’ve finished a product, like mascara or foundation, and need to replace it.

Yeah, that’s what I classify as a need.

So, going back to what I was saying before, I typically buy new makeup products even if I don’t need to replace anything, which I guess makes me a collector.

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I’m pretty good at keeping my foundation, mascara, concealer, and highlighter stash very streamlined, but I definitely have more than I need in all the other product categories, with lipsticks being my most purchased items.

I didn’t actually need any of these products, but I got them because I liked the packaging, or because my collection was lacking a specific shade, or because I wanted to have at least one thing from a certain brand
Please, excuse the rambly post, but I don’t get many chances to chat about these types of things in the real world. Well, I mean, sometimes I do tell my partner (AKA Mr. Page) about my makeup musings, but 10 seconds into my monologue, he starts staring into nothingness, and I can clearly picture a cymbal-banging monkey inside his head à la Homer Simpson.

So please, bear with me and tell me… Are you a makeup collector? Or do you only buy things you really need? and what’s your most purchased type of product?

Hi, everyone!

As one of the prettiest (in my opinion) collections of spring 2016, the benefit Dandelion Collection is an growth of Benefit’s bestselling Dandelion Brightening completing Powder ($29), with the new Dandelion timid Beam liquid Highlighter ($26) as well as Dandelion Dew liquid Blush ($28).

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This is a little as well as concise collection with every product layering on top of each other to produce a gorgeous as well as brightening flush.

Benefit spring 2016 Dandelion Collection
Benefit Dandelion Powder

The two new collection items: benefit timid Beam as well as Dandelion Dew
An overview of the collection:

Dandelion Dew liquid blush ($28). A sheer as well as dewy baby-pink liquid blush. during my preliminary swatch, I didn’t discover the blush to be sheer at all as well as only a bit dewy. I LOVE the pump.

Dandelion timid Beam Matte Highlighter ($26). A nude-pink matte highlighter. On my yellow skin tone, the product’s pink shade looks really strong…chalky even. Benefit utilizes this product on Asian designs on their website and Sephora video though. I’d like your viewpoint on this one, guys! It may just be user-error.

Dandelion Box o’ Powder blush ($29). A pale-pink highlighting blush as well as powder. While it didn’t work on me as an all-over powder, the powder was a classically quite blush. Love.

Doing the Dew: First-Impressions of the benefit Dandelion Collection

Painting timid Beam Matte Highlighter on the high points of my eyes as well as cheeks
Patting Dandelion Dew liquid blush onto my cheeks
Topping everything off with Dandelion Powder
Close-up of the Dandelion-inspired eye. I utilized makeup Geek fantasy eyeshadow, metropolitan Decay Roach eyeshadow, Kat Von D Thunderstruck eyeshadow, as well as Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Swatches of (L-R) Dandelion Brightening Powder, Dandelion Dew, Dandelion timid Beam
The final look utilizing the benefit Dandelion collection on the (your) left half. I’m likewise using YSL Rouge Volupte Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick in 3 beige Ultimate.

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Hope you enjoyed this overview as well as very first impressions! So, what do you believe about Dandelion? (Both the benefit ones as well as the flower.)

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See you in the next,

Anna

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 Lipglass as well as Lipstick (coming September 1 to the MAC site as well as to stores as well as counters September 8)
Hot damn, Viva Glam! Ariana Grande is back with two new Viva Glams — a $17 matte Lipstick as well as a $16 Lipglass — as well as I believe they’re so freakin’ gorge…

I’m figuratively shaking in my Timberland boots.

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MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 Lipglass as well as Lipstick
I can’t keep in mind the last time I was this thrilled about a Viva Glam. I’ve always been down to support the cause, which I believe is awesomesauce, since MAC donates all of the proceeds from the Viva Glam releases to assist kids as well as households impacted by HIV as well as AIDS, however I believe the past few Viva Glam rounds have been… Well, let’s just state that they’ve been on the artsy side.

Deep great pink matte MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 Lipstick
I believe these two, though, are straight-up pretty. I like them even much more than Ariana’s very first Viva Glam back in January. They’re brighter, however I believe they’re likewise much more wearable as well as fun.

Neutral nude pink MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 Lipglass

Doesn’t the lipstick look like candy? Or like the color of a Popsicle? Technically, it’s a great pink, however I believe it looks kinda purple on me.

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It’s just so smooth as well as pigmented… like IT.

Wearing MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 Lipstick as well as Lipglass together
The Lipglass reminds me of MAC Spite as well as made me go “Ooh!” the very first time I ba-doomped it on my lips. On its own, it’s a completely wearable daily neutral, however it’s absolute perfection layered on top of the lipstick.

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 Lipstick (left) as well as Lipglass (right)
Both will be offered starting September 1 on the MAC website, as well as then in stores as well as counters September 8 with February 1, 2017.

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What’s your preferred Viva Glam of all time? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

Plant-powered skin care!
There’s a bounty of botanical-based skin care products at area NK meow, as well as right here are five of my favorites at the moment.

1. Sunday Riley C.E.O. C + E antiOxidant safeguard + repair work moisturizer ($65)

This rich, mega-moisturizing anti-aging moisturizer has an oil-soluble version of vitamin C called tetrahexydecyl ascorbate (or THD ascorbate) that some researchers believe can penetrate skin much better than old-fashioned vitamin C.

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Vitamin C is notoriously fickle/unstable, however tetrahexydecyl ascorbate is steady as well as less irritating than other develops of vitamin C, making it appropriate for peeps with sensitive skin, too.

Hurry, get the C.E.O.!
I just started utilizing this, as well as my skin, which has been drier than usual, laps it up. together with THD ascorbate, it includes an exfoliating botanical extract called lime seed pearl, typically understood as “finger lime.” It’s a plant, native to Australia, as well as it include numerous small capsules of lime juice. They look like caviar.

2. Sunday Riley C.E.O. C + E Micro-Dissolve Cleansing Oil ($38)

This cleansing oil likewise has lime pearl, in addition to THD ascorbate, white willow bark, turmeric as well as evening primrose. It makes quick work of my foundation, concealer, lipstick as well as blush, however it makes me tear up when it touches my water lines, so I have to get something else to eliminate my eyeshadow, mascara as well as liner.

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White willow bark includes salicin, which is the precursor to aspirin.

3. Kat Burki PH+ Enzyme Essence ($100)

This lightweight pH-balancing serum includes vitamin C, as well as it smells like the freshest, many tasty eco-friendly smoothie!

Truthfully, the scent is a huge reason why I started utilizing it.

It’s developed to brighten skin, balance its pH, avoid breakouts as well as stimulate cell turnover. You utilize it after cleansing as well as toning however before applying moisturizer.

I just started utilizing it, so I can’t tell exactly how well it’s working yet, however here’s to high hopes!

Use after cleansing as well as toning however before moisturizing
4. Goldfaden MD sun Visor Ultralight Oil-Free SPF 30 mist ($45)

This lightweight sunscreen includes a combo of physical as well as chemical sunscreen ingredients. It likewise includes antioxidant red tea extract.

You’re expected to mist it on your deal with after moisturizing, however I like to spritz a few sprays into my palm, then pat that on my deal with as well as neck, since I feel like whatever gets covered much better that way.

I like that I can’t feel this sitting on my skin, as well as it isn’t sticky.

I like utilizing it on my neck, especially.

Lightweight as well as takes in f a s t!
5. (MALIN+GOETZ) Grapefruit deal with Cleanser ($34)

This foaming gel cleanser has grapefruit extract to avoid breakouts as well as cleanse skin without stripping it bone dry. It’s developed for all skin types, however it’s expected to work truly well for rosacea-prone peeps.

For all skin types

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I utilize it at night after intensely sweaty sessions at the fitness center or on the treadmill since it truly feels like it gets all the gunk out of my pores.

Your friendly community 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?

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 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