Do You Plan to Wear Makeup on Christmas Morning?

Christmas 2015 (BG was still in my tum)

To be honest, I don’t think it’s in the cards for me this year. I’m Filipino, and my family will be celebrating tonight and staying up all night long (yes, I sang that like Lionel Richie).

But we literally stay up all night long! I mean, maybe we’ll zonk out at like 1 or 2, but that’s after a whole lot of food, fun and karaoke. By the time Christmas morning rolls around, I can’t handle much. I might brush my teeth (maybe), or sometimes I’ll roll out into the living room with furry teeth and a furry tongue, and that’s totally fine too. When I go to midnight mass, which I used to do more often when I was younger, I will wear some makeup, but it’s been a few years since I’ve done that.

Perhaps in a few years when Connor’s a little older and we get up early to open presents by the Christmas tree, I may put in the effort to stick some concealer under my eyes because, you know, I’m 41 now… You can do the math. By that time, who knows how good the cameras will be on our phones? And I just don’t need to have that captured for posterity.

So my answer will probably change in a few years.

How about you? Do you plan to wear any makeup on Christmas morning? Props to you if you are, girl.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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The post, “Do You Plan to Wear Makeup on Christmas Morning?,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

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For the Smoothest Eyeshadow Transitions, Use an Eyeshadow With a Satin Finish, Instead of a Shimmery or a Matte Finish, in Your Crease

If you’re going for a super-blended eyeshadow look that seamlessly transitions from your lid shade to your crease shade, use a crease color (a transition shade) with a satiny finish, instead of a full-on shiny, shimmery finish or a matte.

Mattes are popular as crease transition colors because they don’t reflect as much light as shimmery shadows do, so you can use them to make your crease appear deeper set, and make whatever you’re wearing on your lid *POP* more.

But matte eyeshadows are also usually harder to blend than shimmers, which have glittery sparkle particles that help to scoot the pigment around.

If you’re trying to blend a matte crease color into a shimmery lid color, it can take A LOT of extra swiping and little circles to create seamless transitions between them.

By using an eyeshadow with a satin finish and (just the faintest hint of shine) as your crease shade instead, you can still use it to make your crease appear deeper, but it should also be easier to blend than a straight-up matte.

My favorite foolproof crease/transition shades are MAC Soba, which is a medium golden brown with a satin finish, and MAC Texture, a warm peachy brown. Both are in the permanent line and look like they could pass for mattes at first, but they aren’t completely flat.

Basically, they’re awesome.

Bomb-@ss zucchini bread

Behold! Magic zucchini bread!

You guys! Excuse the bare face (it ain’t nothing you haven’t seen before), but I was too excited about this food situation in my hands to pause to put on makeup.

My workout class had a fun potluck holiday brunch get-together this morning, so I brought a loaf of my (now I refer to is as “my” because I like it so much, LOL) zucchini chocolate chip bread, and it was a hit!

I always get nervous bringing food to potlucks because I don’t have a ton of confidence when it comes to my cooking… I mean, I can follow a recipe, but I’m always afraid that whatever I bring is going to be the one dish that nobody touches. (Am I the only person who does this?)

Anywho, the ENTIRE LOAF GOT EATEN!

Well, except for one slice…

So, apparently, it was bomb!

I hoped it would be because my family likes it, but when you hear it from people who you don’t cook for regularly, sometimes it’s more convincing, you know?

Oh, and before I left, several of the ladies asked for the recipe.

Here’s the link to the recipe. It comes together really quickly, too. It takes about 15 minutes to prep, then 45 minutes in the oven, and you don’t even have to do any complicated baker-y things.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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The post, “For the Smoothest Eyeshadow Transitions, Use an Eyeshadow With a Satin Finish, Instead of a Shimmery or a Matte Finish, in Your Crease,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

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Keep Your Eyeliner and Lip Liner Pencils in the Fridge to Make Them Less Likely to Break When You Sharpen Them

There’s a method to the madness

My poor husband.

You know what the new normal has been in his life since we got together and I ended his bachelorhood? It’s that now when he opens the fridge, instead of seeing his old Big Gulp-sized Simpsons cup filled with premixed protein powder and Tupperwares upon Tupperwares filled with leftover chili and rice (one of his bachelorhood staples), he gets to see cute lipstick mugs filled with chilled eyeliners and lip liners.

Because that’s where I keep mine! I keep them in the fridge because it makes them less apt to break when I sharpen them, and I really hate it when my pencils break when I sharpen them.

DRIVES. ME. BANANAS. I can’t even tell you…

I don’t keep them all in there, though, because that would be weird (whereas one mug is not, haha), and our fridge would be FILLED with makeup…although that would also be kinda cool.

So I just keep the main lip liners and eyeliners in there that I’m using at moment, which is usually my favorite UD lip liners and MAC Teddy, MAC Powersurge and MAC Costa Riche Eye Kohl.

The fridge keeps the tips hard, because most makeup pencils have a pretty low melting point, and sometimes, even at room temperature, they just break so easily.

Before I use them on my face, though, I warm and soften them up a little by rubbing them against the back of my hand for 5-10 seconds. And then they glide across my lids and lips, ahhh.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! (For reals this time.)

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The post, “Keep Your Eyeliner and Lip Liner Pencils in the Fridge to Make Them Less Likely to Break When You Sharpen Them,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

from Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/makeup-tipshow-to/store-lip-liners-eyeliners-in-the-fridge-prevent-breaking/
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Draw the Focus Upward, and Create a Lifted Effect by Using the Makeup on Your Lids as a Guide

I think it’s a combination of getting older and not getting as much sleep as I need/like, but my lids seem to be getting more and more hooded every day. And one of the things I notice now is that whenever I do anything that sort of lifts my eyes, it gives a whole lift to my look.

Some people call this next tip a makeup rule, but if you want to give your eyes an instant, easy lift, wear more makeup on your upper lids and lash lines than you wear on your lower lash lines. It’ll draw the focus upward, instead of downward, and give a lift to your eye.

Also, if you do your eye makeup on your lids and lash lines first, you can use them as a guide to help you decide how much makeup to apply on your lower lash lines.

To be honest, I break this rule all the time. Sometimes I’ll do a bright or glittery lower lash line with a barely there color on my lids, or I’ll wear the same amount of color on my upper and lower lash lines. It just depends on the day. It’s all good.

With tricks like this, though, I think you have to give them a try, because you never know how they’ll work for you until you do.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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The post, “Draw the Focus Upward, and Create a Lifted Effect by Using the Makeup on Your Lids as a Guide,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

from Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/makeup-tipshow-to/draw-focus-upward-create-lifted-effect-using-makeup-lids-guide/
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How to Get Your Lipstick to Last Longer

MMMWAH!

Hey, man, I’m not about to get up in the middle of The OA just to touch up my lipstick, because Netflix marathoning is serious business.

LOL! #forrealtho

Follow these three steps to longer-lasting lipstick, and you may never have to hit “pause” again.

1. Prep those lips!

Prepping and priming your lips will turn your pout into a perfect canvas. Use a lip primer and/or a lip-prepping product, and I know that MAC makes one. I used it a long time ago and thought it was OK, but you know…you can also prep your lips with something you might already have in your makeup bag — liquid foundation or liquid concealer.

Just dab a tiny amount of either one on your lips, and spread it all over for an impromptu lip primer.

2. Grab that lip liner

After outlining your lips, fill them in with the same liner (Because why would you use two different lip liners? Dude, it isn’t 1995 anymore.) to give your lipstick a smooth, waxy base coat (here’s how I do it).

Lastly…

3. Apply your lipstick

You can do it straight from the bullet (hello, lazy lady), or you can use a lip brush, but I think a brush does help my lipstick last a little longer.

There’s something about a lip brush that really gets the product in there as close as possible to the skin, and for whatever reason, my lipstick lasts longer.

But it’s not a huge difference… You definitely don’t have to do it.

Either way, apply your first layer, then blot it with a tissue, and then add a second layer.

By following these steps, you’ll help your lipstick last up to its potential, instead of just having one product on your bare lips clinging to them for dear life.

And for EXTRA wear time

Lightly dust a bit of loose translucent powder (or blush) on top of your lipstick using a tapered blending eye brush or your finger. Just pat the powder directly on top for superb wear time (note: this also gives your lipstick a matte finish).

Your friendly neighborhood lipstick addict,

Karen

My new dutch oven

Let’s not even go there about how late I am with my Christmas shopping this year.

*sigh*

Anyway, while I dueling with other shoppers at Target yesterday, I spied with my smoky eye this 6 quart Threshold Dutch Oven (WITH A LID! LOL). It was on sale for $39.99 (full price: $49.99).

I’ve been wanting a dutch oven for ages, so I splurged and got myself one. Merry Christmas to me!

The first thing I’m going to make with it is this coq au vin recipe I found on reciptetineats.com.

Oh, that website… Their food photography is out of this world! I made one thing from the website so far, a cashew chicken dish, and it was… I don’t even have the words to describe how good it was. It was that good.

That dutch oven better look out, woo hoo!

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The post, “How to Get Your Lipstick to Last Longer,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

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Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation Is a Sweet Drugstore Dream

New for spring 2017: Maybelline Dream Cushion

I can’t remember the last time I had a makeup-related dream.

Or a dream where I even realized I was wearing makeup.

Can you? Have you ever had a dream where you’re putting on your makeup? I wish I did. Dream makeup… I think I’d like that.

New Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation, which is coming in January in eight shades that are $16 each, has the word “dream” right in the name.

Maybelline Dream Cushion swatches (seven of eight shades): 10 Porcelain, 15 Ivory, 20 Classic Ivory, 30 Warm Nude, 45 Medium Beige, 55 Caramel, 60 Cocoa

I wear shade 45 Medium Beige

Cushion compacts like this one have been over the place lately! When you open the compact, instead of there being a pan of cream or powder, there’s a sponge pre-soaked with liquid foundation. You take a puff applicator, a Beauty Blender or a brush, dab it on the sponge, and then apply that to your face.

I haven’t tried many of them yet, but MAC Matchmaster Shade Intelligence Compact is my cushion compact holy grail at the moment. It’s $38 though. It’s lightweight, medium coverage, and it beautifully blurs my pores. And it doesn’t budge on my skin.

But I like Maybelline Dream Cushion as well.

Before (left) and after (right), wearing shade 45 Medium Beige

I definitely like the much lower price, but it doesn’t cover quite as well as the MAC one. It has a more satiny, uber-natural finish, through which I can still see my 40-ish pores and freckles.

If I were still in college or in my early 20s, I’d be all over this in a heartbeat. The coverage is sheerer than the MAC one, and it doesn’t blur my pores as well, but on the flip side…my skin still looks like real skin.

Seriously, for a drugstore face product, I think this is really, really good.

Oh — you’ll probably want to set it with a powder, because it tends to start scooting around and seeking out my fine lines after a few hours (especially around my mouth).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!!!

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The post, “Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation Is a Sweet Drugstore Dream,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

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The Urban Decay Spring 2017 Collection – First Impressions

My favorite Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray has a new outfit!

Yay! All Nighter is my favorite Urban Decay setting spray, and it got a new outfit.

FOR YEARS, I’ve been not-so-silently ranting about the white bottle because it gets so dirty so easily.

FINALLY! It has a practical outfit.

UD’s All Nighter, Chill and De-Slick settings sprays all get new packaging in the Urban Decay Spring 2017 Collection, which is all about skin.

The Urban Decay setting sprays got new outfits

Ready, set, spray!

For their spring collection, which is coming out soon, UD didn’t focus on makeup this time. They focused on skin. Along with the repackaged setting sprays, which are $31 each, they also gave their B6 prep spray a new outfit (also $31) and added some new skin perfecting items, namely a $31 prep spray called Quick Fix ($31) and five new $34 Complexion Primers.

The three $31 Urban Decay Setting Sprays with their new wardrobe

Make a prep-prime-set cocktail

You can use any of these sprays and products separately, of course, and I’ve used many of them before, but UD’s idea is to use some of them in tandem, like in a makeup prepping, priming, setting cocktail.

First, you prep your skin for makeup with either B6 or the Quick Fix spray (which are the sprays in the neon green bottles, then prime your skin with one of the five Complexion Primers (or, sometimes I’ll target different areas of my skin with different primers), and then set your makeup with one of the three setting sprays when you’re done.

The $31 B6 and Quick Fix Complexion Prep Priming Sprays

What do the two different prep sprays do — B6 and Quick Fix?

The B6 prep spray’s special power is oil absorption, and Quick Fix excels at moisturizing and brightening.

Quick Fix is noticeably more moisturizing than B6, by the way, so if you have dry winter skin like I do, I think it’s the one you’ll want to try first.

The $31 Prep Priming Sprays

The primers

Regarding the primers, if you want completely perfected skin — like, if you want the most Instagram-like skin — try Optical Illusion, whereas if you’re more concerned about reducing oil, try De-Slick.

Alternately, if firming and moisturizing are your priorities, there’s Bright and Tight. For blurring and color correcting, there’s the one called Self-Adjusting. And if you’re most concerned about protecting and smoothing your skin, the best one to try is Urban Defense, which is the only primer of the five that contains broad spectrum SPF (20).

Choose your own complexion cocktail

The setting sprays

Mainly, the setting sprays extend the wear time of your makeup, and each one has a different finish. For a matte skin look, there’s De-Slick. For dewy skin, there’s Chill. And if you just want your makeup to generally last longer without a focus on changing or enhancing the finish, try All Nighter.

I love the new boxes for the Complexion Primers

My overall first impressions

Yesterday I prepped my skin with the Quick Fix prep spray, which I used on my bare skin, then primed using the Optical Illusion Complexion Primer on my cheeks, nose and around my mouth. Then I applied the De-Slick Complexion Primer on my forehead, which is my main oily area.

After I finished doing my makeup, I set everything with All Nighter, and my goodness! — my makeup really did look fresh after eight hours.

I was wearing a full face of makeup, too, because I recorded the Too Faced video, so that means foundation, powder and blush, but there was no fading whatsoever at the end of the day.

I think that most of the heavy lifting was due to the Complexion Primers and Setting Spray… I’m actually not completely convinced that Quick Fix prep spray is necessary, though. I think I could have skipped it and gotten the same results.

But I will keep the idea of a skin prepping, priming and setting cocktail in mind for the next time I have something to go to like a long event.

Four of the five $34 face primers (not pictured: Bright & Tight

Like I mentioned a minute ago, you can totally use these products individually. I’ve been using All Nighter and Chill all by themselves for years, but when you need your makeup to not budge for a really long time, I think the extra steps are worth it.

Some closing thoughts

• The first thing I noticed about the B6 Prep Spray is that it’s been kind of drying for me. I’ll test it a few more times, but so far, I dunno…
• The Urban Defense Complexion Primer feels nice and light and has that smooth silicone-like consistency that reminds me a lot of Smashbox Photo Finish, if you’re familiar with that. I use it sometimes when I want intense pore-blurring.
• The Self-Adjusting Complexion Primer feels VERY thin and runny — similar to Hourglass Veil — so hopefully it works that well, too. I haven’t really used it yet.
• I LOVE the Chill Setting Spray and have been using it for years when I want my skin to look dewy. It really helps my makeup last longer.
• I’ve also used the De-Slick Setting Spray before, and I like how matte-fying effect, but I still prefer Chill’s dewy finish.

Four of the five Urban Decay Spring 2016 Complexion Primers ($34 each)

I’ll be using these to prep, prime and set my skin over the next few weeks, so I’ll let you know which ones end up really working well for me. I hope I find something that I don’t have a lot of experience with that ends up rocking my world.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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The post, “The Urban Decay Spring 2017 Collection – First Impressions,” first appeared on Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup.

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