Karen

1. Old Navy High-Rise Bike Shorts

These are high-rise bike shorts made out of soft jersey material.

I bought a few on a whim to wear underneath dresses in the spring and summer, and they’re fantastic! The material feels good against my skin, and the rise is high enough to keep my tum-tum feeling supported. They’re available in several neutral colors; I bought basic black and two shades of brown.

2. Appointed Notebooks

If you’re into paper goods, I think you’ll LOVE these notebooks. I received one as a gift from my friend Kelly and now I’m obsessed.

Both the cover and the paper inside feel thick and sturdy, so it’s built to last. Plus, you gotta love a monogram!

3. Juice Newton

I’m going through a phase and have been bumping her music for days.

I especially love the part in “Angel of the Morning” when she belts it! Also, her hair in this video is epic.

“Queen of Hearts” will always be my fave, though.

Side note: is it just me, or would “Queen of Hearts” be a fun song for a punk band to cover? I can totally hear it.

4. NARS Kalahari eyeshadow duo

Oldie but a goodie. I’ve been wearing it with MAC Teddy on my lash and water lines.

5. Using resistance bands in leg workouts

I throw a medium or a heavy band on while I do squats, and OH, MAMA. I feel the burn!

The bands make my leg days that much more efficient because they force me to work that much harder, and the next day my legs are sore (in a good way).

What’ve you been loving lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Who’s your Valentine?

I have the same three every year: El Hub, Connor and Rosie-Pose.

2. Chocolate or flowers?

See’s Candies, please!

3. Red or pink lipstick?

I love both, but today I’m feeling pink.

4. Clogs: yes or no?

Ya know, I used to be a hater, but after my brief stint working in the bakery, now I’m a fan.

5. A song you heard recently?

“Playin’ with the queen of hearts…”


6. Retinol?

Yup. I like the ones by Neutrogena and Avene.

7. Red or pink nail polish?

Flamingo pink!

8. Red or pink eyeshadow?

Red can look editorial and dramatic, but I haven’t been into that sort of makeup lately, so I’ll go with a soft wash of satiny pink.

9. Valentine’s Day: love it or leave it?

LOVE IT!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Who’s your Valentine?
2. Chocolate or flowers?
3. Red or pink lipstick?
4. Clogs: yes or no?
5. A song you heard recently?
6. Retinol?
7. Red or pink nail polish?
8. Red or pink eyeshadow?
9. Valentine’s Day: love it or leave it?

P.P.S. Happy Valentine’s day, my sweet friend. Sending you an extra squeeze-y hug today! 🤗

Happy Saturday, friend! 😊 Sending you lots of loving, joyful and gentle vibes today. OH, and sending a little bit of sweatiness, too! I just finished this fun workout for quads and core from Sydney, my favorite fitness friend (in my mind, I’m her workout bestie, LOL!). Not a ton of jumping in this workout, which my feet like. And, when I was done, my body had that wonderful loosey-goosey feeling.

Super fun!

I’m taking Connor on a playdate this morning. Then, when we get home, I’m going to clean out my closet in anticipation of buying some new clothes for spring. I’ve put shopping off long enough, (sigh), and I just need to get some new pieces. I’ve been wearing a lot of neutral colors for the past few months, and while it definitely makes it easier to get dressed in the morning, I’m a little tired of wearing white, black, gray and beige all the time…

Anywho, remember how I mentioned that I’m going to try adding some head-to-toe color in my life through jumpsuits a while back? I found a couple cute ones for Tar-ghay!

I love the color of this one, which is $34.99.

The puff sleeves on this mint green one are adorable. It’s also $34.99.

What are your plans for the day? After the playdate, I’m also going to watch a show I just started on HBO called “The Girl Before,” which stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw (LOVE HER).

Whatever you’re up to, I hope you get a chance to have some fun and maybe even relax a little.

Today’s reading

• Allegedly, here are the 13 best sunscreen makeup products that actually help protect your skin.
• For Makeup Artist Debi Young (she did the looks for a show I liked on HBO called For “Mare of Easttown”), authenticity is all about the details.
• In case you know a dude who needs help growing out his mane…
• Someone made a perfume that smells like French fries, FOR REAL.
• Could the future of clean, sustainable beauty come from a perfume made with air?
• Derms have a thing called the two-week rule.
• Donated coolers keep Colorado’s feral cats warm. 🐱
• A colorful history of kitties in the White House…
• Cool! These shoes from Cole Haan are made from dandelions.
• How to build friendships when you’re an adult.

Talk to me.

She plays a character from one of my favorite shows.

I’ve always wondered this…

Obsessed with Pat, always and forever!

FYI

So educational!

I kinda miss getting my hair colored

YES.

Take me back.

Because I can’t get enough of sunscreen…

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend! 😀

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Hello, and happy Wednesday! I just dropped Connor off at school and was about to paint on a 10-minute face on when I got to thinking about how some aspects of makeup are easier than others. I can usually fly through certain things, like blush and bronzer, but eyeshadow is a totally different story. Even when I do a relatively a simple look with just a couple shadows, I still have to think about where I place the color and how high up I can take it. If I don’t, my eye makeup ends up asymmetrical.

Anywho, I was wondering if you find certain things easier or harder to do, too. Here’s my quick list!

Stuff that’s relatively easy for me

• Mascara (Side note: I’ve got to have a good formula, though)
• Blush
• Bronzer
• Base (I like to keep it simple)
• Concealer
• Lipstick/Gloss in neutral colors

Stuff that’s hard

• Eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• Brows
• Dark or bright lipstick
• So, basically anything that involves intensely paying attention to symmetry!

How about you?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Lately, I’ve been listening to podcasts about financial literacy, and consequently, I’ve been thinking about how people handle their beauty budgets.

I read in an article recently that says on average, women spend $313 a month and men spend $244 on beauty products. I’m not really surprised at those amounts, though, seeing how it’s easy to go there if you’re shopping at places like Sephora.

Anywho, I’m trying to be more purposeful with the beauty products I buy, and so I’m taking stock of my spending habits. I’ve noticed that I tend to do one of three things:

1. Restock, then pick up extras

When I run out of something, I’ll go in to Sephora or Target for a restock, and while I’m there, I’ll usually pick up a few extra things that weren’t originally on my list because YOLO.

2. Stress shopping

If I’ve had a rough day, I’ll buy beauty products that usually aren’t on my wishlist for some instant gratification.

3. Sale shopping

OH, GOSH. This is my Achilles’ Heel. If I can get a bunch of products on sale, I have no problem splurging, even if it’s for things that I technically don’t need.

I’m thinking about creating a set beauty budget per month, but you know… There’s something about those impromptu beauty buys when I need a pick me up. Sigh.

I’m curious to know how you handle your beauty budget.

Like, do you prefer to buy makeup only when you run out of something? Or do you have a set monthly budget for beauty products, and you pick up whatever you’re fancying at the moment? Or are you the type of person who purchases products on a whim? Let me know in the comments.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen