Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 674

April 19th, 2021 by Karen 25 Comments

you have so much to look forward to — Stay strong, my friend. You’ve got this!

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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

1. Soup, salad or a sandwich?

A lovely salad for lunch today would be great! If a mysterious lunch benefactor were to hook this lady up with a Tostada salad from Blue Barn, I’d be most grateful. I sure do love those things, but I do not love them being $20.

2. A sound you sometimes hear in your neighborhood?

“BRGL! BRGL! BRGL” Dozens of huge wild turkeys roam our neighborhood, and I hear them gobbling outside all day long. They’re so loud!

3. A piece of makeup you like?

I always end up going back to Clinique’s Pretty Easy Liner felt tip liquid liner. It really is the easiest black liquid liner to use.

4. Banana or grapefruit?

Grapefruit, but only if it’s juicy and cold (no room temperature grapefruit for this gal).

5. Cotton or silk?

Cotton, since my life is too messy right now for silk.

6. One of your hobbies?

Baking, although I haven’t had any grand ambitions to make anything too complicated over the last six months. I enjoy cookies and bars and that’s about it. But I think I’ll eventually get back to the place where doing a three-layer cake and frosting from scratch will feel good again… Maybe once life feels completely steady and even again. Hopefully soon.

7. Makeup setting spray or clear brow gel?

Clear brow gel, no question!

8. Would you rather have professional help with your hair, your skin or your makeup?

I’ll happily accept assistance in all three categories, please. HAHAHA!

9. Hair mask or face mask?

A rich hair mask would be lovely!

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. Soup, salad or a sandwich?
2. A sound you sometimes hear in your neighborhood?
3. A piece of makeup you like?
4. Banana or grapefruit?
5. Cotton or silk?
6. One of your hobbies?
7. Makeup setting spray or clear brow gel?
8. Would you rather have professional help with your hair, your skin or your makeup?
9. Hair mask or face mask?

P.P.S. Hello, sweet friend. Today ~~will be~~ is a good day, and, FYI, you’re cherished and you’re loved! Please take some time to celebrate your accomplishments this week, OK? Even the ones that seem teeny-tiny, because whenever you accomplish something it’s a big deal. YOU DID IT. ?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 655

April 18th, 2021 by Karen 6 Comments

Aloha nui loa, Mom and Dad! Today is my mother-in-law and father-in-law’s fiftieth anniversary!

5-0.

They met while working together at an Avis Rent-a-car in Waikiki. She was born and raised there on the island of Oahu, a 20-something young woman who loved to sing and surf. At the time, she was washing rental cars on Kalākaua Avenue to pay the rent. He was a California boy from the mainland who moved to Oahu from Reno, Nevada, where he was working as a keno writer when he hit a small jackpot on a keno ticket one night after work. The winnings were just enough to pay for two one-way tickets to Hawaii for him and a buddy. This was the 1960s, and when the money ran out, his buddy returned home, but my father-in-law still wanted to stay in Hawaii. Problem was, he needed a job, so he got one at the same Avis Rent-a-car in Waikiki.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

As you know, Tabs was a lover, not a fighter. He was such a romantic, and he loved anniversaries. We met when he was a few years old (we were never completely sure of his age), and we celebrated 13 wonderful years of together.

He was the cat love of my life…

Rosie

Rosie and I met when she was about 10, we think. She was a foster cat, and she was looking for a new career/forever home when she and I met. She doesn’t really discuss her former life, but I believe she’s also a romantic…

When you look at her, you can just tell.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, April 17, 2021

April 17th, 2021 by Karen 4 Comments

Hiya, cutie pie. Welcome to the weekend! If you haven’t done your grocery shopping for the upcoming week yet, let me drop some MAJOR citrus knowledge on you: sumo citrus is THE STUFF. You need to try one of these if you haven’t already.

They taste like a sweet mix between a Mandarin orange and a Meyer lemon, but without any of the pucker-your-lips lemon tartness. The wrinkly peel is easy to remove too, and the wedges are so, so juicy! They’re just like eating fruity candy.

FYI, they’re on the pricey, at least around here, so they’re a special treat for us. I get mine at Trader Joe’s for $1.69 each (!), and I’ve also seen them at ~~Whole Paycheck~~ Whole Foods for between $2 and $3…each.

sumo citrus in hand — Kinda $$ but so good!

Seriously, try one! Your life will be forever changed.

This weekend’s reading

Looking to spend some lunch money? Check out these 23 Asian-owned beauty brands.
A short history of hairstyling and makeup in movies.
Here’s how to make your eyes look brighter and well-rested.
Did you know that repurposed plant-based waste is used in upcycled beauty products? One person’s trash is another person’s beauty product.
Ever wonder why luxury perfumes cost so much?
Speaking of perfume, apparently, artfully designed perfumed bottles have been a thing throughout history.
A simpler plan for stressed-out skin
This is how long it takes your skin care to work.
According to veterinarians, here’s everything you need to take care of your BFF’s (best feline friend’s) teeth.
Why cats love small spaces
Have you heard of “hair Botox?”

For future reference…

Love it.

Because I need all the help I can get!

This is so not my style, but I love how the kitchen and living room open up to the backyard.

Can I live here please.

Why did this make me laugh so hard?

I’m ready to join the Command Hooks cult.

Have a great rest of your weekend, my friend. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This or That: The High/Low-End Beauty Edition, Part II

April 16th, 2021 by Karen 16 Comments

honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 5 — Time to play!

How to play

Pick one or the other for each of the questions below, and copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. ?

This or That: The High- or Low-End Beauty Edition, Part II

Drugstore brow pencil or drugstore liquid liner?

$5 or $45 sunscreen?

High-end or budget mascara?

Would you rather have a makeup bag full of Chanel or a makeup bag full of ColourPop?

Save or splurge — a manicure/pedicure?

Save or splurge — a hair cut?

Fancy setting powder or fancy eyeshadow primer?

Would you rather have one $$$ lipstick that you absolutely love in every possible, or 20 inexpensive lipsticks that look amazing on you but have a smell that makes your tummy churn?

Economical or extravagant blush?

Drugstore brow pencil or drugstore liquid liner?

I’ve found good ones in both categories, but I’ll go with the brow pencils, since they tend to work just touch better for me than drugstore liquid liners.

$10 or $40 sunscreen?

If it’s sunscreen for my face, I’ll go with the $40 option, since the pricier sunscreens tend to not give me as many breakouts and overall seem to do better under makeup.

If we’re taking body sunscreen, though…then give me the big $10 tube please.

High-end or budget mascara?

High-end, 100%.

Would you rather have a makeup bag full of Chanel or a makeup bag full of ColourPop?

I haven’t been into super trendy colors lately, so I’d go with the Chanel.

Save or splurge — a manicure and pedicure?

Save! I’m so picky when it comes to my nails that I might as well save the money and do it myself.

Save or splurge — a hair cut?

I’ve had too many bad discount haircuts to skimp in this department, so splurge baby, splurge! 🙂

Fancy setting powder or fancy eyeshadow primer?

Fancy setting powder, since I haven’t worn eyeshadow primer in forever and a day.

Would you rather have one $$$ lipstick that you absolutely love in every possible, or 20 inexpensive lipsticks that look amazing on you but have a smell that makes your tummy churn?

One $$$ lipstick! ?

A bunch of economical blushes or one extravagant blush?

Both categories have solid options, for sure. But I’d go with one extravagant blush that would work with most looks.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Friday! ?

Disney X House of Sillage

April 15th, 2021 by Karen 7 Comments

disney house of sillage — For Disney fans who love luxury: the new Disney X House of Sillage collection

Disneyland or bust, March 2022! I’m going to say it over and over again so I can manifest the sh*t out of that plan, LOL! For her next birthday, we’re going to take Connor to Disneyland and she’s going to have a super-mega-ultra princess blowout.

We’re going to eat HELLA churros while I’m there, but not so many that we spoil our lunch at Blue Bayou (I’ve always wanted to eat there!), and we’re going to meet ALL THE PRINCESSES. Oh, and we’ll have to meet Mickey and Minnie, of course. What’s Disneyland without visiting the ultimate power mouse duo?

Over the last few years, Disney has done quite a few makeup collabs, and one of the newest ones on the high end is a collection that just launched with House of Sillage.

A trip down memory lane with these Disney makeup collections…

The MAC Maleficent Collection Conjures Crimson Kisses and Chiseled Cheeks

The MAC Cinderella Collection: Light, Airy Formulas Combine With Glossy Finishes to Create Beauty Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

MAC Venomous Villains: 101 Things You Didn’t Know

MAC Aladdin Collection Swatches

Paul and Joe for Disney: American Debut Coming Soon!

Pixi Turned Target Into a Magic Kingdom With the New Disney Pixi PixiGlow Collection

Urban Decay Followed the Yellow Brick Road All the Way to Two New Limited Edition Palettes Inspired by Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful

They’re a luxury beauty brand out of Newport Beach in Southern California known for their perfumes, and now they’re venturing into color cosmetics. The limited edition Disney X House of Sillage is their first makeup collection.

For a launch based on cartoon characters, it feels surprisingly elegant. The black, silver and red packaging on the outside look like collector’s items you’d find in a Disney fanatic’s vault of precious items, and the wearable plums, bronzes, pinks, beiges and red shades inside look like something you’d find at Chantecaille or Cle de Peau.

I remember years ago chatting with someone in the makeup industry about how all the best powders are produced in Italy, and that’s where this collection’s made. There’s an eyeshadow palette ($68), a highlighter and blush duo ($58), two lipsticks ($58 each) and a Lipgloss ($36). There’s also a chic boxed set with all the items and a makeup bag for $240.

Super pricey, but that’s in line with the House of Sillage vibe. A typical bottle of their perfume is $360, so ya know, it’s #fancylady stuff.

A few quick thoughts on the items I’ve worn:

Eyeshadow Quint: The shades lean warm, and the finishes are shimmery like fine (Disney) fairy dust. Powder texture is on the softer, fluffier side and borderline delicate; I loaded a wet angled eye liner brush with the shimmery mid-toned bronze and gasped when I saw the big dent I left behind. They range from medium to full pigment. My lids are dry, and after a day’s wear on bare skin, I saw minimal creasing. I think they’re even prettier as the day goes on; the shimmer settles in nicely, and my eyes had a luminescent glow. So expensive at $68, but perhaps worth it if warm pinks and bronzes are your thing and your heart beats for the high-end schtuff.
Diamond Powder Lipstick in Playful Nude: Feels like a Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick (smooth, silky and comfortable) and tastes and smells like a MAC lipstick (vanilla). Impressively high pigment load. I think this would be a very generous gift for the Disney lover in your life who has everything. She (or he) would FREAK OUT. If there were one thing I’d get from the launch, it would either be this lippie or the eyeshadow quint.
Complexion Duo Blush & Highlighter: Cute mouse ears on the peach blush! The blush blends out beautifully, and the highlighter has a fine shimmer (always a plus); however, I wanted a little more pigment for the price. I like this, but I think you could find something similar for less.
Lip Gloss Luminizer in Something Sweet: Lightweight, not sticky, smells and tastes like vanilla. Sheer. I feel like I really need to dig in deep to get enough product on the wand?! Cute, but more like nice extra if you’ve got some extra lunch money.

I just might wear this collection with my Minnie Mouse ears when I finally make it back to Disneyland! ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: SkinFix Favorites | A Possible Solution to Crazy Baby Hairs | The Dinner Rage Chronicles, Continued

April 14th, 2021 by Karen 18 Comments

Oatmeal: good for cookies *and* good for your skin.

Side note, here is a recipe for oatmeal cookies. Make them ASAP. You’re welcome! ?

oatmeal choc chip raisin — Who wants a snack?

Colloidal oatmeal is a common moisturizing ingredient in skin care products, and my dry skin and I are definitely fans (hence my obsession with all things Aveeno). Its main jobs are to protect and soothe skin and to prevent water loss. It’s the active ingredient in a couple of things I love from this new-to-me line I’m trying called SkinFix.

This “clean” (airquotes) brand burst onto the beauty scene in 2019, and they’re known for uber-moisturizing products that focus on protecting and hydrating the skin barrier. You might recognize their Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream; it won an Allure Best Of Beauty Award in 2019.

If you continually fight the good fight against dry skin, firstly, welcome to my world. Secondly, I’ve found a couple things from the line you might like.

Yup, they both have colloidal oatmeal!

I’ve been LIVING for the Eczema+ Dermatitis Face Balm, which has 5% colloidal oatmeal as its active ingredient.

skinfix dermatitis face balm — Love this, and I’m putting some on my skin right now…

It’s a rich, soothing balm that you can use all over your face, even around your eyes and lids, to protect and relieve irritated skin, rashes and eczema. I don’t suffer from eczema; however, sometimes I do get dry, red patches at the corners of my eyes and on my lids, and this is the only balm that doesn’t cause me to break out in those areas. LOVE IT.

My hands love the Eczema+ Hand Repair Cream, which has 1% colloidal oatmeal as its active ingredient. This thick, non-greasy hand cream relieves eczema and soothes irritated, dry skin. A little dab goes a long way! Like most of us nowadays, I’m washing my hands a lot — all the time — and they get uncomfortably dry, and this cream really helps.

skinfix hand repair cream — A must for dry hands

OK, raise your hand if taming flyaway baby hairs takes up an inordinate amount of time in your day!

*RAISES HANDS* ?‍♀️

Mine are BANANAS! They stick up wildly every which way, and when I let them run amuck, I walk around lookin’ like I’ve been electrocuted.

A friend of mine has the same issue and recently clued me into this Amazon find called the Samnyte Hair Finishing Stick.

It’s a clear, super strong hair gel in a tube with what looks like a curved mascara wand, and, allegedly, when you brush it onto your flyaways, it smooths them down and keeps them in place without looking greasy.

The marketing kinda makes me laugh…

hair stick marketing — Clearly homegirl is bummed out!

What does dating have to do with “flyaway hair troubles”? LOL.

I just ordered a two-pack for seven bucks. DAGNABBIT, just when I think I’m done with Amazon (too many sketchy sellers and not enough protection for buyers, among other things), I get roped back in with this nonsense. My baby hairs and I are waiting with baited breath!

Last night Dinner Rage was averted thanks to a channel I recently found on YouTube called Yeung Man Cooking. The star of the show is Wil Yeung, and he cooks vegan and plant-based recipes that are simple and easy to follow. Our family eats everything under the sun, but I do like to cook plant-based meals whenever I can because I feel great when I eat a lot of veggies.

For dinner last night I made Wil’s 15-Minute Weeknight Noodle Stir Fry…

He has the recipe pasted in the description box, but here it is again in case you’re curious…

Yeung Man Cooking’s 15-Minute Weeknight Noodle Stir Fry

Ingredients:

60g broccolini

1/4lb thin rice noodles

150g mixed fresh mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, shimeji)

2 sticks green onion

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

Directions:

Boil some water in a kettle for the noodles

Chop down the broccolini into bite sized pieces

Place the noodles in a pan or bowl and soak in the hot water for 3-4min

Slice the cremini mushrooms and roughly chop the shiitake

Chop the green onion into bite sized pieces

Make the sauce and have it ready by combining the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and both soy sauces

Give the noodles a stir to get rid of some excess starch. Then, strain out the water

Heat up a nonstick pan to medium heat. Drizzle in some olive oil

Sauté the broccolini and green onions for 2-3min. Add in and sauté the mushrooms for another 2-3min. Then, add in the noodles and sauce. Sauté until the noodles are cooked (about 2min)

Plate and sprinkle over some white sesame seeds

This was really good, and the reason I didn’t snap any pics of it is because we ate it all, and we ate it fast! Next time I make it, I’ll try to remember to take a quick snap…

The beauty of this recipe is that you can tweak it with whatever you have on hand. I subbed the flat rice noodles for ramen rice noodles, and I only used shitake mushrooms rather than a mix. I also didn’t have any dark soy sauce on hand, so I added more hoisin sauce and regular soy sauce to taste. I also left out the sesame seeds because El Hub isn’t a fan.

If you don’t have hoisin sauce readily available, you could probably substitute it with barbeque sauce in a pinch.

Another plus is that you can also customize each person’s noodles, too! El Hub usually likes a little extra protein in his meals, so I added smoked salmon slices and an egg over easy to his bowl. I made a sunny side up egg for mine, because you know that runny egg yolks are life, man! I kept Connor’s noodles as-is, and I let her shake some pre-grated parmesan on top. I know it sounds crazy to put parm on top of an Asian-style noodle dish, but it works, and if it motivates the Coywolf to eat a few more bites, I’m 100% for it.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: Beauty Deals at Costco, a Truly Game-Changing Tip to Make Life Less Gross, and Missing My Girl

April 13th, 2021 by Karen 20 Comments

pretty purple flower bokeh — From me to you.

Hi there, my friend. This flower up top is for you!

Hopefully it brightens your day a little. 🙂

I went to Costco last week to buy an XXL bag of blueberries because El Hub is convinced that eating copious amounts makes his brain work better. Side note, I’m all for it, because maybe all those blueberries will help him realize that all I want for my birthday in June is expensive Jan Marini skin care, haha! Just for fun last night, I put everything and the kitchen sink from her line in my online cart, and OMG, you don’t even want to know the final price before checkout.

Anyway, Costco. While we were there, I saw some good beauty deals…

First up, this three-piece Essie Gel Couture Polish set for $19.99. It includes two different nail polishes and the awesome Gel Couture top coat. If you bought all three items separately at Ulta, you’d pay $35, so this is a steal.

I’ve got mad love for the Gel Coutures and think they’re among the best things Essie makes. The polishes dry quickly, last a long time, and they’re soooo easy to remove (no special gel-removing accoutrements or any complicated processes with foils). They also have high-shine finish, which I love.

FYI, at the Costco in Novato, the color selection’s pretty limited. There are two sets — one with a darker blue and navy (Brocade Crusade and Embossed Lady) in it, and another with a light taupe-pink and dark brown (High Sewciety and Pearls of Wisdom). Still a good deal though!

I also saw a three-pack of L’Oréal Magic Root Cover Up for $9.99. One bottle is usually $9.99 at Target, so this is another great deal. Lots of colors to choose from too.

Root sprays are basically like concealer, but for your hair, and they’re great for when you’re between coloring appointments. You pick a shade that matches your hair color, spray a little on your roots to hide them, et voila! MAGIC! The color comes out the next time you shampoo your hair, so FYI, they aren’t permanent.

I used to use root spray back in the day, and the L’Oréal one is pretty good (although the best one, hands down, is Rita Hazan’s). If I were still coloring my mane, I’d definitely be stockpiling.

As you know, we’re all fastidiously washing our hands these days, so, with that mind, when you get a moment, place the following items into the trunk of your car: a big bottle of water, hand soap and a towel. That way, you can always wash your hands — WITH SOAP AND WATER! — when you’re out and about and return to your car.

water bottle soap trunk car — From now until the end of time, I’ll have water, soap and a towel in my trunk.

I don’t know why I didn’t think to do this until now, but a friend of mine recently told me that she whenever she has to drive to the store or go out into the world now she always washes her hands when she gets back to her car with her portable water and soap, rather than just using a hand sanitizer.

I just started doing it too, and I don’t think I can ever go back to sanitizer alone now, because it feels so good to have my hands clean, truly clean, when I get back into my car. I pop a squat next to one of my tires, and I wash my hands right there in the parking lot. Sometimes people stare…but honestly I don’t even care. To each her own. I feel a little less gross, and that’s all that matters to me.

Connor’s back to preschool this week, and I miss her terribly. We didn’t have the most exciting spring break. There wasn’t any skiing or beaches involved, but it was so nice to do little things with her every day, like going to the pet store to visit the guinea pigs, and going to the park together. We went down so many slides!

Sometimes, I can’t believe that one day she’ll probably live far away from me. For now, at least while I can, I’ll keep sliding with her…

coycoy slide with mama — Best use of a phone camera: taking selfies while you slide down “the big slide” at the park.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 673

April 12th, 2021 by Karen 23 Comments

you deserve to be happy doughnuts — Happy Monday, friend!

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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

1. Have you ever done Clinique three-step?

GIRL, isn’t that a right of passage for every beauty lover? I totes did it when I was a teen! I had the little green plastic container for the special soap and everything. ?

2. Is colorful mascara a regular thing for you?

Nah, it’s a once-in-a-while thing, although I should probably do it more because I think bright blue lashes with a mask is cute and fun.

3. What’s one thing you find frustrating about makeup?

Hmm… Well, currently, I want to wear all of it, but I also don’t want to wear all of it. I still enjoy painting a full face, but I also really love the freedom of just throwing on some sunscreen, filling in my brows, putting on some mascara and going on my merry way. The last year has been liberating in that way.

4. Something you could use right now?

I would absolutely appreciate a substantial inheritance with no strings attached from a mysterious benefactor right now! LOL. If I couldn’t get that, I would love someone to help make the animals that I live with dinner every night.

5. String cheese or Babybel?

Babybel with a Honeycrisp apple. THE BEST SNACK!

6. What’s worse — pants that fall off your butt (so that you end up pulling them up all day), or pants that are too tight?

Too tight pants, ugh. I can’t deal!

7. Do you have spring allergies?

Yup, I’m pretty much allergic to all of nature from now until June.

8. Brows, lashes or lips?

Lashes!

9. What’s for lunch?

Spinach salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, dried chickpeas and crumbled up pita chips. It’s my new favorite thing in the whole world for lunchies.

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. Have you ever done Clinique three-step?
2. Is colorful mascara a regular thing for you?
3. What’s one thing you find frustrating about makeup?
4. Something you could use right now?
5. String cheese or Babybel?
6. What’s worse — pants that fall off your butt (so that you end up pulling them up all day), or pants that are too tight?
7. Do you have spring allergies?
8. Brows, lashes or lips?
9. What’s for lunch?

P.P.S. Hello, my friend, and welcome to a new week. I hope your day is treating you well so far. Please remind yourself today (and all week long) that you’re doing great. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come. Be proud of yourself, too! ?