Meet Kat Von D's Monarch Eyeshadow Palette, The Baddest B Of The Year (Millennium?)

I know, I know. I've been talking about a buttload of eyeshadow palettes lately. BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT. Okay, so I clearly needed this like I need more fibers of laziness in my being, but I just couldn't help myself. I fell in love with this mofo. And we found love in a hopeless place -- the Sephora inside a horribly crowded JC Penney, riddled with back-to-school shoppers.

Let's take a strong look at what reeled my ass in:

Meet the Kat Von D Monarch Palette ($46). It's clearly based on the coloration of that orange-y butterfly, but when I think of Monarch, I think of Monarchy, then I think of Bizz Markie. I probably need to see a psychologist.

The packaging on this bad boy is equal parts beautiful/reminds me of my tramp stamp from 1999. Yay? Either way, it spoke to me. But when I peeped the inside contents, I really fell the eff in love. THERE ARE THREE HIGHLIGHTING/BASE SHADOWS. And they're hella big, like twice the size of normal. This is a big thing for me because I always use up my base-color shadows first.

I was SOLD sold after I started swatching the palette all over my body in the store. Here's the thing about Kat Von D eyeshadows: the pigmentation and texture are LE-MFing-GIT. Did I mention that this is my third (? fourth? fifth? I can't remember, and I've dropped and broken a couple because I'm a monster.) KVD palette? They are my absolute favorite eyeshadows.

Needless to say (or you wouldn't be reading this shit right now, doy), I bought the Monarch Palette. I know, I'm beginning to be an outright ridiculous person. But I did it, so let's at least get some use out of my overspending issues.

I wanted to create a couple different looks so you could see the versatility of the shadows and really get a feel for this b. So this first eyeball fashion plate is a little on the bolder side of the cosmetics tracks. (The Arbor Mist is free-flowing over on this side, you should come hang some time.)

I really felt the need to use the orange eyeshadow (it's called Wrath) to see how wearable it was, and whether or not it made me look like I had a severe eye infection. Spoiler alert: it did not. It actually made me feel kind of cool and post-Apocalyptic, like I could fashion weapons from debris and lizard skeletons, or something.

The second eye deal is more the kind of thing I would wear on the daily -- it's normal, it's basic (without being TOO basic bitch-like), and it's sportin' a touch of sheen, old sport. Between these two looks I actually ended up using all of the eyeshadows at least once, except for one of the base/highlight colors. High fiving a million angels for my mild productivity!

Here's the main point of all of my nonsensical ramblings on: I LOVE THIS FRIGGIN' PALETTE. So much so that I wrote a short poem as an ode to it. Please enjoy.

I love this palette,
more than a salad.
The shadows are bangin',
they won't leave you hangin'.
I love it so much that we might wed,
and sleep in the same bed.

FIN

I don't blame you if you never, ever come back to this blog ever again. Good day.



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The "Apparently" Kid And Other Best Bits O' The Day

Have you seen this video of the "apparently" kid? Because apparently I love him more than at least 78% of all other humans. Apparently.
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Apparently (sorry, I can't stop), bears are just like us, and hate Justin Bieber. Yay! According to this story from The Daily Mail, a Russian fisherman-type dude was getting full-on mauled by a brown bear until THE BEAR WAS SCARED OFF BY HIS BABY BIEBS RINGTONE that went off just as the bear was getting down to business.

A few things: a) remind to never move to Russia because it sounds scary as shit, b) HAHAHAHAHA, Biebs, even bears put you in the "Oh, eff no" category. The poor, unfortunate, bear-mauled soul is recovering from severe cuts and bruises from the bear, but homie is going to be okay. As far as having JB's "Baby" as a damn default ringtone, the guy claimed that his "granddaughter loaded it onto my phone for a joke."

Okay, sir, stick to that story. Get well soon and stuff.

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Is Chris Pratt trying to make us all want to kiss him on the mouth? Because if that's what he's campaigning for, it's totally working.

Here he is on a Sirius/XM show rapping Eminem's part from "Forgot About Dre." This really makes me love him 3984230985 times more since I bump to this song on the daily, because it's on my workout playlist. (JK, I'm really horrible about my fitness, so I hear it like thrice a month.) Whatever, Chris, we get it. You're adorable and funny and the best. Just be all of our boyfriends.

P.S. What raps do you guys have memorized? I have a couple of early-ish Snoop Dogg songs, Salt 'n' Pepa's "Shoop" and Biggie's "Juicy" down. Yet, I can't remember to take a damn daily vitamin.



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Allure Insiders Get The Look: Megan Fox's April O'Neil In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tutorial

It's almost time for the re-vamped version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (ugh, I'm such a Michelangelo), so I decided a tutorial on Megan Fox's April O'Neil look for this week's Allure Insiders video. Heroes in a half shell, TURTLE POWER, and whatnot.



Check it out, and you can find all of my Allure Insiders videos here, if you just really can't get enough of my melodic voice and dreamy ass mug.




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How To Make Your Foundation Work To Its Fullest On Non-Perfect Skin

Hey, have you heard? I have nightmarish-to-night terrorish skin. I know, I know -- my life is a dream. The upswing of my face having a permanent residence on Shitty Skin Avenue? I have learned many a tip on how to camouflage (as much as possible) a plethora of skin issues including: enlarged pores, acne scars, live-action (even cystic) acne, and discoloration of every type.

When it comes to covering not-so-great skin, you pretty much have to take mad extra steps and go balls to the wall when it comes to coverage. This ain't your best friend's sister's perfect-skinned cousin's "throw on some BB Cream and call it a day" foundation routine. This mess is INVOLVED. So maybe this is more of a "going out" type deal for you. Maybe it's an "everyday" type deal for you (ahem, me). Hey, I don't know your life.

Sit back, grab some snacks and let's delve into this novel that I call my foundation routine.

Choose Your Primer Adventure

I know that a lot of you out there aren't priming your mug pre-foundation, but I promise your ass that it makes a difference in both the smoothness of application and staying power of your face paints. There are a dumpster-load of options when it comes to the type of primer you can choose, but I've found the best kind for each skin-type because MY SKIN HAS BEEN ALL THINGS. This is my real and actual life.

Oily Skin: I have used this primer method on and off for years and years, although it's a smidge unconventional. I'm talking using a powder as primer for oily skin. I know this sounds weird as eff, but when I lived in so-humid-you-want-to-cry-then-die Florida, this worked really well for me because my skin was BEYOND CRAZY OILY. I've also found it to work way better than f'real primers for oily skin, which usual end up giving you splotchy and unfortunate foundation situations.

Here's what you do -- apply a powder (translucent if you want less coverage, powder with actual color if you want more) to your face with a fluffy brush before you apply your liquid foundation. That's it. If you have places on your face that have heavy discoloration/need a ton of covering, use a sponge to add more product to those specific areas. This method can have a tendency for more cake-faced instances if you get like Goldie Hawn and go overboard, so just don't get too, too crazy with it.

Normal Skin: Normal skin can really get away with just about anything, but I have really been enamored as eff with the easiness and lightness of Skindinavia's Primer Spray ($35). I've already reviewed this, so I'll keep this shit short. It still does a great jobby job of priming, but feels zero percent gross on your mug. But instead of spritzing it directly on my face, I've taken to doing two sprays into my palm and applying it to my face with my hands. That way I'm in control, like Janet Jackson in this b.

Dry Skin: If you have dry skin, primer is a great way to give your face extra smoothness and to seal in moisture. I wanted to tell you about how much I love the Victoria's Secret Primer above, but they discontinued it, so bump that, I guess. Whatever, use a damn primer. You'll love your foundation way more, I promise.

Bonus Tip: If large pores are an issue for you, use a pore-minimizing balm like Benefit POREfessional ($31) to minimize those mofos after applying your primer of choice. (Unless you're doing the powder primer method. In that case, do it before.)

Cover All The Bases

So this shit ain't rocket science -- if you want more coverage on your problematic skin, choose a fuller coverage foundation. My foundation trial portfolio is strong-to-quite strong, so I can help you narrow down the craziness.

Oily skin should choose a liquid foundation with a matte finish. My favorites are Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse ($5.49-ish) for drugstore brands, and Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation ($34) for higher-end stuffs. They both stay on forever ever (especially the KVD) and will help tell your oil glands to calm their tits for once.

Drier-skinned peeps can lean more toward the likes of Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation ($45), which I LOVE, and DERMABLEND Smooth Indulgence Foundation ($32). You really can't miss with any of these foundations. They all fall into the dope to bomb categories.

The Application Game

Picking a bangin' foundation isn't the only key to the flawless-ish faced kingdom. How you apply said foundation is also très important.

I love the damn Beauty Blender ($19.95). I've probably talked about this baby before, but I just can't be held responsible for my repetitions. It's great for blending (doy) foundation, and leaves your skin with a great finish. But for times when I want more foundation with my foundation, I prefer using my IT Cosmetics Flat Top Buffing Foundation Brush ($48). This thing is expensive, but it's a bad b. It allows for fuller, yet super-even coverage.

Conceal Your Deal

After foundation times have come upon your face it's time to conceal. You might have to work on that under-eye area, or maybe you still have some blemishes and whatnot to cover. My favorites for these jobs are Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette ($10.49) for drugstore, and Amazing Cosmetics Concealer ($42) for that spendy spendy. I like to apply either with a fingertip, because the body heat from skin really blends the concealer. (That was an overtly sexual-sounding sentence. Avert your eyes, minors.)

Stop...Powder Time!

The time has come to powder your nose (and everything else). Once again, you have a few different paths you can choose, depending on the level of coverage you require. If you don't need any more, just brush on a translucent powder. NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder ($35) is my favorite, but do your thang with whatever. 

If you want a touch more coverage, go for a lighter mineral powder like Everyday Minerals Semi-Matte Base ($14). It's not completely matte, so you won't have a crazy plastic android face.

I, on the other hand, want coverage that rivals the Phantom of the Opera's mask, so I'm obsessed with Kat Von D Lock-It Powder Foundation ($34) for topping off my foundation. Just make sure to apply it with a fluffy brush and not a sponge, or your mug will definitely be filed under "too friggin' much, dude."

Bonus Tip: If you suffer from uneven skin texture (that's me to the extreme, baby), avoid overly sparkly face stuffs. It draws more attention to imperfections. Trust.

Spray To Stay

Pshew, we're almost done. If you're still here, you're a ride-or-die homie. The very final step is to keep your shit in check with a setting spray. This helps your makeup last all day (especially in gross heat/humidity), and will also eliminate any George Washington's wig-like powdery look to your face.

My oily-skinned sisters, when it comes to picking a setting spray you're best off picking either Urban Decay's De-Slick ($30) or Model in a Bottle OG formula ($18), which is my favoritest favorite. If you're more on the dry side, Model in a Bottle also makes a Sensitive Skin Formula ($21) that won't leave you completely parched.

Okay, okay, I'm done with my foundation yammering. I can't take any more of this.

I need to take several seats followed by twenty-nine naps. At least all of your faces will look like MF-ing perfection. I can rest easy in that.



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The Only Cooking Video You'll Ever Need In Life

WARNING: Copious amounts of NSFW language, but you should know that by now. (Unless this is your first time here. Welcome! I like to say shit.)



I. LOVE. THIS. WOMAN. From what I can gather from her skimpy/brand new YouTube channel, her name is Auntie Fee, and she's the foul-mouthed angel I've always wanted to find on this planet. I also want a "little punk-ass cinnamon roll," like, yesterday.

But Fee isn't just a bomb cook, she also doles out some great general life advice, like: "I don't let them know too much about me, because then they'll be ready to come do something and shit." And don't bother her about names for her recipes. Just enjoy your "something for the kids," and have a tall glass of shut the hell up.

If you're like me, and just can't get enough Fee in your life, check out the rest of her videos here. Auntie Fee for President of the universe!

P.S. After posting this, I got this text from my mom:

Now you why #iwokeuplikethis since birth.



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10 Times When We Were All A Miranda Hobbes

Remember when everyone and their Aunt Susan were wearing MF-ing "I'm a Carrie" baby tees during the height of Sex and the City's popularity? That was annoying in itself, but I always felt like it was some straight bullshit that I never saw ONE PERSON repping Miranda's clique via t-shirt. I'm not even sure that shit was ever in production.

I could never understand why Miranda was so reviled by pretty much every human on Earth. Some people say she was a pessimistic rude ass, I say homegirl was realistic. But even if you fancied yourself a "Samantha" or even a "Charlotte," there were times that we all had a little Miranda in us. Like it or not (and I love it), we've all been about that Miranda Hobbes life at some point.

#1 -- When, in life, this was an actual outfit choice.

It's just one of them days that we all go through. Yet, Miranda looks jaunty as shit.

#2 -- When confronted with this:

And her only valid option was to do this: 

NOPENOPENOPENOPENOPE. Eat your feelings and hide the evidence.

#3 -- When "exciting" stuff wasn't that exciting.

#4 -- When she just wanted eat her friggin' I'm-in-a-rut food without a Judgy McJudgesalot on her jock.

Can't a bitch just eat some cold noodles in peace?

#5 -- When she didn't feel the need to see any of her exes, like, EVER ever again.

Somebody's got to move out of town. I don't want to see you buying TylenolPM and clearance Herbal Essence shampoo at CVS.

#6 -- When she was compelled to eat trash cake.

Seriously, if you haven't eaten cake from the garbage, I don't even know you.

#7 -- When the father of her unborn child proposed to her with a second-hand ring, and she responded appropriately.

Which is with a solid, "What are you, fucking crazy?" obviously.

#8 -- Baby showers.

Nobody wants to guess candy bar poop.

#9 -- When hiding was easier that facing an awkward ass situation.

#10 -- When she was over it, and just had zero effs left to rub together.

We feel you, sister. Hardcore.

Deal with it, guys, we're a Miranda. Even though sometimes we're all pretty Stanford-y.

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Rihanna Wears A Sexed-Up Version Of Our Favorite 90s Outfit

Linda Perry shows homies "What's Up?" by wearing boxers shorts in the 4 Non Blondes video

I can quite vividly remember the hot ass mess fashions of the early 90s. Almost in a traumatizing flashback-y (flashwhacky?) kind of way. So when I peeped this picture of Rihanna wearing dudes' boxers as shorts on Huffington Post, my heart died a little, in a way I wasn't sure if it would go on. (Hurry, someone get me the Heart of the Ocean and see if it's true or not.)


WE CAN'T START WEARING BOXER SHORTS SHORTS AGAIN, MAN. I just can't go back there. I have really accepted a plethora of 90s garb...again. But the cost of this trend is (emotionally) too damn high. I won't go back to 1993, with me begging my mom to buy me packs of boys' plaid flannel boxers to wear with my Equate-brand soccer sandals and tube socks. IT'S TOO MUCH.

Don't let this happen, humans. I'm too old for this shit.




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