Welcome to the weekend, yay! ? I hope your caturday got off to a good start. 
Mine has been adequately relaxing so far. ?
Can we start by talking a little bit about makeup? Pretty please? — because I’ve been thinking about a comment Heather left on a post the other day about viewing makeup as an all-or-nothing thing…
What she said about being all-or-nothing when it comes to makeup *really* resonates with me! I’ve totally felt this way in the past. A few years ago, if I hadn’t been able to bang out an elaborate smokey eye containing fewer than five shades, I wouldn’t have even touched my brushes. I thought, why even go there unless you CAN GO ALL THE WAY THERE, ya know?
Oh, how the times have changed!
I’ve taken a more relaxed approach to makeup over the past few years, and ESPECIALLY since the pandemic started. I’ve gone days — in a couple cases, weeks! — without wearing any makeup at all.
Lately, though, I have been trying to motivate myself to wear a little more and go a little further with my makeup, because I really do feel better when I try a little, even if it’s just mascara and brow gel.
When I do, I get the same feeling I get when I make my bed in the morning. Like, when I don’t do my bed and it’s a disheveled mess, I feel a little…off balanced? Technically, I remain functional, but every time I walk by that unmade bed I grumble… ?
Mind you, I realize that I don’t “need” (airquotes) makeup to be functional, but wearing a little does seem to take the edge off, which is just to say that I did this look with four products in the span of time it takes to listen to Islands in the Stream, which was playing in the background, LOL! ?️
I used a red liquid lipstick called Stila Beso, a combo brow pen/pencil called Urban Decay Brow Blade, a mascara called Urban Decay Cannonball, and MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte sheer stick foundation around my mouth and my nose.
I would’ve totally skipped foundation, but I’ve been hyper-aware of my upper lip area lately. I have some pigmentation there that makes me look like I have what I affectionately refer to as a “mustache shadow,” and it’s there even after I wax. It’s so weird! Does anyone else have this? It’s kind of annoying, but hey, with a mask on, nobody knows what’s going on except me…and my mustache, HAHAHA!
This weekend’s Saturday surfing…
- Keep your paws crossed for Mittens the cat, a Turkish Angora who’s been nominated as New Zealander of the Year. He’s going up against Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield. Good luck, Mittens! I hope you win.
- Speaking of cats, do you know any cat ladies who would like a perfume called Kitten Fur? Or perhaps one of these cat carriers, which are supposed to be the best of the best for scared kitties?
- “There’s this really false idea that if you care about makeup ? or if your interests are in beauty and fashion, that that’s somehow frivolous. But I actually think these are some of the most substantive decisions that we make, and we make them every morning,” says AOC.
- The pandemic has supposedly ushered out the Instagram baddie trend and ushered in a more natural beauty aesthetic.
- Beauty brands are evolving! Many are trying to shed makeup’s gendered history as more men embrace wearing cosmetics.
- This Black beauty entrepreneur started her business in her dorm room as a junior at UCLA, and now her products are carried at Urban Outfitters.
- In order to survive the restrictions put on their craft because of the pandemic, many makeup artists are pivoting to position their businesses in creative ways.
I fell into a YouTube rabbit hole watching these twins hear classic songs for the first time.
Annie Lennox, by the way, is A LEGEND.
Speaking of legends
Teach me how to make magic, Lisa.
This may or may not have made me tear up a little.
Someone please make this for me.
This was SO good.
Even if you can’t/don’t feel like wearing a full face this weekend, why not try a little bit of makeup just for fun? It could make the good day you’re having even better. You just never know!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hi Karen. There’s been times where I was really tempted to not wear makeup, but I feel more put together when I have makeup on. Plus, it keeps me on a routine. Today trying a teal eye look. Hope you have a great weekend!
I totally get it, Marcia. I’m about to jump on a Facetime call with a friend and I am in the middle of throwing on some mascara. 🙂 Let me know how your teal look goes! Are you doing eyeliner, eyeshadow, the whole thing?
Hi Karen. Yes, I did eyeshadow, eye liner, the whole thing. Trying out a new eyeshadow palette I got from Ulta. It has a good mix of neutrals and colors. Sometimes working with color eyeshadows is tricky, so I play with color on the weekends.
Color can definitely be tricky especially when you’re trying out something new. Did you end up liking the palette?
Oh, and I just put on a little bit of liquid lipstick just for fun (one of the new MAC Powder Kiss lippies). 🙂
Yes, I’m enjoying the palette. I’m using it again today. Trying to use a lighter hand when applying the color shadows. Lot of times I end up with a smoky look, which was not what I was trying to do. Today I used a lighter hand and I think it came out better.
Finding that balance of just the right touch is definitely a skill! I always have to remind myself that it’s easier to add color than to take it away.
You know what I’ve noticed, too? That I push harder (and apply color more intensely) on my left eye. I’m right handed, and there’s something about the way I hold my brush when I’m doing makeup on my left lid that always ends up in it appearing darker, so I have to very aware of using a lighter hand when working with that eye.
I’ve been very inconsistent with wearing makeup, but I do find that even a little really does boost my mood. It feels great to put on a full face, but even just concealer, brows, mascara, and a tinted lip balm makes a big difference for how I feel. Even this morning, I was feeling a bit down and decided to do my makeup and get dressed (that was how I framed it in my mind, lol, makeup being the priority) and I feel way better.
I’m so glad you were able to do something to make you feel good, Lauren. I find that when I do push myself to take the step, it always pays off for the better!
I hope you’re having a nice weekend so far.
I guess I must be from a completely different generation. Waaaayyy back when, when I was in high school I was told makeup was not to change your looks but to enhance the beauty you already have. A way to emphasize eyes or improve contrast. For the longest time I only wore liner, mascara, a touch of powder and a lip color (probably Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey). It wasn’t until Dear Daughter was about 8 or 9 and I stumbled upon Makeup Alley that I got into MAC and all the colors they offered. So my go-to is still mascara, liner and a lip. I guess I’m just lazy and I save the elaborate makeup for when I go out. Not that I’ll be doing much of that any time soon.
About that upper lip situation. Same here. I’m not sure if it’s from hair follicles or in my case if it’s blue veins showing through my fair and thin skin. Many years ago I had a makeover at a Stila counter and the SA kept piling on foundation and concealer and she still couldn’t cover the darkness. I was so embarrassed that she saw it as such a huge flaw. I walked away in tears with caked on makeup on my upper lip.
I would buy perfume that smells like my old kitty’s fur, but not one that smells like Dear Daughter’s kitty fur. The two cats definitely smell differently. I also had the Sherpa cat carrier for Nora. Sometimes when I couldn’t find her in the house, she’d be hiding out in the carrier. Even though she associated it with going to the vet I guess she still found it a comforting place to hide out.
Makeup Alley was my jam back in the day too! 🙂 It was the main reason why my MAC eyeshadow collection exploded exponentially. Gotta give those ladies props for introducing me to the MAC classic greats.
Speaking of cat fur, I still remember how my tabby’s fur smelled, and I can sense it in my nostrils (but just barely). He smelled like yeasty dough. LOL!
You look great Karen 🙂 Love the white tee, blue jeans, red lip combo.
I used to wear a lot of makeup: corrector + concealer + 2 different eyeshadows + eyeliner + lipstick + full coverage foundation + blush.
A few years ago I started to realize it took too much time. So I’ve cut back a lot on my makeup. I wish I had the time to do eyeshadow again, at the very least. But I find that I still like how I look with half the makeup I used to wear.
I hope to get back to wearing eyeshadow again soon. I do miss it.
You know what I’ve realized only recently about eyeshadow, Fieran? It can be really easy! Is you do a cream or anything that you can apply with a finger it doesn’t take a lot of time.
When dark hair growth is not the issue, the grey-ish discoloration above the lip is, more often than not, melasma. Overzealous waxing, improper use of hydroquinone, hormonal imbalances, pregnancy, and sun, sun, and more sun can trigger it. I first started noticing darkness above my upper lip when I was about 15. Now that I’m post-menopausal, it has completely faded away but I never let my guard down because melasma is quick to resurface. A plethora of articles has been written about mitigating melasma with regular exfoliation, serums that contain ingredients to inhibit the formation of melanin, and sunscreen all day every day. Of course, you can have CO2 laser re-surfacing or (under a dermatologist’s supervision) use a product like Tri-Luma. But, here’s the deal: If you go out in the sun without a good sunscreen, the discoloration will just come back. Melasma is stubborn!
You’re the best, Eileen! 🙂
“wearing a little takes the edge off.” THIS. YES. that’s EXACTLY it for me. when quarantine started I went a week without makeup. But I’ve worn it almost every day since then. I’ve come to realize that I actually do wear makeup just for me. One thing I have let go though is shaving my legs. Seriously don’t give a f— anymore. Kind of funny what habits we keep v what we ditch, right?
And isn’t Beso by Stila AOC’s go to? ?
Yes, Beso is her color! 🙂
Before COVID I always wore foundation, concealer, powder, blush, highlighter, brow product, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara and a lip product to work five days per week. I always thought I did it for me, but for the first few weeks of working at home, I didn’t wear any makeup.
Then with Zoom meetings, I thought I’d better wear something so most days I wear foundation, blush, brow product and lip product, Still a lot less than before, though. I do miss wearing more makeup, so I’ll probably be adding more to my routine. The thing I miss most is lip products since I always wore something when I went out, but with masks, I only put it on for Zoom meetings at home.
You know what I miss? Gloss! I could always just do a swish of nude gloss and be happy with that!
Hi Karen,
The bed analogy is perfect… I wear makeup every day because I enjoy it. The few times at the beginning of stay at home orders here that I skipped wearing, I felt totally out of sorts, like my bed was unmade (which gets made every day!) I think this is definitely a “you do you” kind of thing.
BTW, thanks for posting the AOC video. I am not always a fan (sometimes I think she is too far left for me), but I totally admire her passion and willingness to serve. It’s great to see a woman with that kind of power acknowledge using makeup as not being frivolous.
You’re welcome! I really enjoyed the video and hoped that others would too. She’s part of the reason why I’m wearing Beso in these pics! 🙂
Wow Karen!! Your hair looks fantabulous in that first picture!! Very model like. And, I felt teary too when I saw that video of Kermit singing the “Rainbow Connection.” Lots of nostalgia from that one. My best friend and I went to see the Muppet Movie together, and then did a presentation on it, in English class. It was 1980, and we were in 7th grade. Oh the memories!!
Thanks Sherry for sharing that sweet story. I loved the Muppet Movie and when it came out I watched it over and over again. 🙂
How is Ash doing? I hope you guys are having a wonderful weekend so far.
Kitten Fur purchased! Plus a few of the foodie scents… sweet ones not pizza, or I would eat more pizza than I already do.
Eileen beat me to it with the melasma call. Many years ago I had the same thing (sun-stache) so I’ve been very conscious about slathering on the sunscreen on my upper lip. I was not careful under my jawline and it’s really bad there. I also get it really badly on my forearms.
I find that I’m pretty adaptable (trying to see the positive in that quality). When I was working from home, my routine was very different. I would shower at night and then just wash my face/brush my teeth in the morning. And no makeup. Now that I’m back to work, the only COVID thing I kept was not blow-drying my hair. It doesn’t look as nice but it’s healthier. 🙂 I focus a lot more on skincare than makeup now. Plus, as I get older, I find less is more. But I would have a hard time leaving the house without mascara and filling my brows.
I’ve always loved Kermit singing the Rainbow Connection, ever since I was in grade school.