I really shouldn’t be writing this. I have three other posts in the works: my long-postponed review of Illamasqua Zygomatic blush, my even longer-postponed musings on British vs. American beauty practices, and a contribution to the wave of introspection that has been sweeping the beauty blogosphere in recent weeks. I was all set to write… Read More A Creamsicle for the Summer Solstice: Revlon Matte Balm in Mischievous
Namely, two nail lacquers–Clique, a chartreuse creme (£5) and Brazil, a rainbow glitter topcoat (£6)–and the new Chameleon Glow in Wax + Wane (£8). Are ampersands no longer cool, Topshop? First up is the Chameleon Glow, which Topshop describes as an “[a]mazing dual pigmented, multi-use powder; can be used as an eyeshadow or a facial… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 8: A Taste of Topshop
I’m back in the land of decent coffee and 97% humidity! No, that figure isn’t an exaggeration. The summer humidity in this part of the Mid-Atlantic is out of control. Early June isn’t all that hot, but I can’t spend five minutes outside without feeling moisture pool in my scalp and eyebrows and the space… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 7: Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeshadow Stick in Blamed Blue
Or, more properly: Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 16 (£6.90) and Infinity Eyeshadows in 270 and 251 (£5.90 each). The fact that the number 251 is attached to lavender is playing havoc with my synesthesia, but 6 is purple and 7 is green in my mental bouquet of numbers, so 16 and 270 are… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 5: Intro to Kiko (Eyeshadow Swatches and First Impressions)
Since I photographed Flushed two days ago, think of this post as an addendum, with swatches and a couple of looks. And more than a couple of goslings. In the States, it’s almost impossible to find a high-quality matte blush in the drugstore. Most decent American drugstore blushes have some degree of shimmer or frost,… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 4.5: Sleek Blush in Flushed (Plus Baby Birds)
As a result of moving to San Francisco at the age of seven and feeling deprived of “real seasons” for the next decade, I’m very faithful to the idea of seasonal colors. So long as there’s snow on the ground, I’m going to cling to my burgundy lipsticks and plum nail polishes. And when I… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 4: Back to Burgundy with Sleek and Rimmel
Sorry for the infrequent posting recently! No sooner had I recovered from jet lag and returned from my conference in York than I was felled by a bad cold. It’s now been six days; the fever is long gone, but the hacking cough and general malaise remain. We went to Oxford yesterday, my first time… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 2: Barry M Nail Paints in Sugar Apple and Shocking Pink
(Yes, I’ve been rewatching Arrested Development.) I bought theBalm’s Nude ‘Tude eyeshadow palette, a mostly cool-toned mix of neutrals, back in August 2012. It was my first eyeshadow palette, and still the only one I own. I’d spent all summer vacillating between Nude ‘Tude and Urban Decay’s recently released Naked 2, and I might never… Read More Not Quite Never-Nude: Experiments with theBalm’s Nude ‘Tude Palette (Part 1: Review and Swatches)
(Fewer words than usual because ugh, the jetlag, and because I need to finish my conference paper.) It turns out that my boyfriend lives half a block away from a Superdrug and a Boots. This will be bad, I thought, before discovering that this particular Boots has a limited beauty selection, while the Superdrug has… Read More Beauty Abroad, Part 1: Sleek Blush in Life’s a Peach
I rely on drugstore beauty brands for colors I feel ambivalent about, which means that I’ve amassed quite a few orange and warm red lipsticks from Revlon, Milani, and Maybelline. And, surprise, I’m still ambivalent about oranges and warm reds on my complexion. Is this because they really don’t suit me, or because I never… Read More Mandarin Lips and Mannequin Hands
Auxiliary Beauty 