Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 474

May 8th, 2017 by Karen 34 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past 10 (!) years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine. ?

1. What’s one new thing you’d like to try this week?

Opening a coconut. I would like to open a coconut this week.

I’ve never opened one before! But this is the week, because I want to use it for some pics… Of course, I’ll probably eat it, too, if things go well and I don’t end up having to drive myself to the emergency room.

2. Fog, sunshine or rain?

Sunshine…on my shoulders…makes me happy. 🙂

3. What are a few things that help you fall asleep?

A shower before bed always relaxes me.
A cup of herbal teal (can’t go wrong with Sleepytime)
Not playing with my phone when I’m trying to get sleepy
Oh! — and not watching anything too stressful or scary right before bed (Midsomer Murders FTW!).

4. What’s one of your greatest hopes?

That I live long enough to guide Connor through her early 30s, because you know how it is in your 20s… Those can be some rough years, and I want to be around to help her navigate through them.

On that note, now I’m going to eat something with antioxidants and take a vitamin.

5. What are the chances of you ever getting the cartilage on your ear tattooed (yes, it’s a thing)?

Preeetty low.

Like, so low that there’s no chance. Zero percent. Mind you, I like how some of them look (and how I could probably hide one behind my hair if I wanted to), but I’m just not hip enough to pull it off. Plus, I’m not into unnecessary pain, man.

6. Have you tried the Starbucks unicorn drink yet?

Nah! I’ve seen it all over Instagram, and yeah, it’s awfully pretty in pics, but I don’t have any desire to try it. It looks too sweet for me. I’d rather have a pink drink or a green tea latte, ya know?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste.

1. What’s one new thing you’d like to try this week?
2. Fog, sunshine or rain?
3. What are a few things that help you fall asleep?
4. What’s one of your greatest hopes?
5. What are the chances of you ever getting the cartilage on your ear tattooed
6. Have you tried the Starbucks unicorn drink yet?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 448

May 7th, 2017 by Karen 8 Comments

A study in whiskers

As a fellow feline aficionado, I’m sure you’ll appreciate this. Tabs takes great pride in his whiskers and his whisker maintenance regimen.

Every night after dinner he oils his whiskers and smooths down any flyaways. It’s one of the things he always, always does.

He may skip his personal grooming session/giving himself a cat bath sometimes after a really long, tough kitty modeling day, but he never neglects whisker maintenance.

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Hope You Had Fun at the SpaceNK MBB Meetup

May 7th, 2017 by Karen 14 Comments

This was the first time I wore heels in over a year, yikes!

The time went by so fast yesterday! I had such a great time talking with you gals at the SpaceNK meetup (today’s the last day of the $20 off $100 online sale), and I may or may not have gotten a little verklempt, Pav, when you handed me that Wayne Goss eyeshadow brush as a gift before you left. I put it in my pocket and kept it there all afternoon.

Kelly, it was nice to finally meet you after chatting with you online for almost 10 years! I can’t believe you live literally up the road from me. And, Genesis, I really do hope we get those beignets together soon, and I hope you love that Kevyn Aucoin liquid highlighter as much as I do.

I wish I’d gotten a picture with you, Ian! You have to tell me if you like that Artis face brush.

Ailyn, Sarah, Stephanie, Christie, Jessica, Rosanna and all the rest of you gals, thanks for making it a great afternoon.

Jessica, we’ll have to talk typography shop soon.

spacenk mbb meetup genesis — You won the raffle, Genesis! That’s so cool. Enjoy those Oribe products.

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Saturday Surfing: May 6th, 2017

May 6th, 2017 by Karen 24 Comments

Yes, I know it’s CAT-urday, but here’s a pic of Detective Stabler with a very sad-looking Golden Retriever puppy…just because. 🙂

Speaking of fantabulous shows, I needed a brief Midsomer Murder marathon break, so I started watching The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Dude. This show? Incredible! It’s haunting and beautiful and disturbing and thought-provoking and knocks my socks off on the regular!

The 20-second summary: a militaristic religious fundamentalist group rises to power in a dystopian United States where a mysterious calamity has made most of the men and women sterile, except for these so-called “handmaids,” who are basically people who exists solely to produce babies.

It’s based on a book by Margaret Atwood of the same name, and Elisabeth Moss from Mad Men plays the main character, Offred.

I mean…once upon a time I thought that zombies were the scariest things about the apocalypse, but NOPE! I was wrong.

They’re only up to four episodes so far, and new ones come out weekly on Hulu, so you could catch up fast.

PLEASE watch it if you get a chance, and let me know! I want to talk about it.

The show also uses music in really cool, interesting ways. Like, I’ve had Don’t You Forget About Me by Simple Minds stuck in my head all week.

Sooo much ’80s realness right there. 🙂 Talk about the soundtrack of my childhood.

Moving on now… Here are some beauty articles that grabbed my attention this week.

The ultimate lazy girl’s guide to 2017 summer makeup collections
Some remarkable women in history that you may (or may not) have known about, like Constanza Ceruti, the only female high-altitude archaeologist in the world, and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who was the first African-American newspaper editor in North America.
I kind of love how this sheet makes makes you look like ? Batman. Oh, yeah — it’s supposed to help with wrinkles, too.
In case you hadn’t noticed, Estée Lauder is kicking butt right now.
Take a peek inside Laura Mercier’s (yes, *the* Laura Mercier) makeup bag.
In this week’s thrilling installment of Crazy Things Seen on Instagram…people are using their iPhones to blend products.
Birkenstock (as in the shoe brand) has a new skin care line.
I mean, if Christian Louboutin can do it…
13 matte foundations for peeps with oily skin
Raul (a.k.a. the bald spot in my eyebrow) is very intrigued by these two-toned brow pencils by Stroke of Beauty.
Learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about tote bags! Fun fact: tote bags were first introduced in the 1940s to carry ice.
I’m thinking that my next career should be red carpet celebrity beard wrangler…
Yes, this is a real job.
Clarins has new Lip Oils, including a mint green one. Want!
The cutest margarita mani tutorial that I ever did see.
Ooh! Here are some of Rae’s favorite drugstore beauty tool gems.
5 products you need for the easiest beauty routine.
I have to admit that I can’t understand a word on MAC Karrie’s Blog, but her pictures of Acqua Di Parma Arancia di Capri perfume need no translation. Breathtaking!
I’m so inspired by this extensive list of SO MUCH makeup inspiration from K-Pop Beauty. (Lots of inspiring going on there.)
Six simple habits of lucky people.
How L’Oréal is turning itself into a sustainability leader
Pat McGrath’s Ultraviolet Blue was MADE for smoky looks.

Have a great rest of your day and a wonderful weekend if I don’t see you at the SpaceNK Larkspur meetup this afternoon.

Do something fun, and I’ll talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

#FragranceFriday: CLEAN Reserve and Atelier Cologne

May 5th, 2017 by Karen 8 Comments

This is probably going to sound weird, but because we’re friends, I’m just going to say it… I’m getting set in my ways, you know? I’m not as adventurous as I used to be, and it’s kinda scaring me a little.

I mean, I think it’s a natural part of getting older, and a lot has happened over the past few years. I turned 40, got pregnant (and that took a while), had the baby, got thrown into motherhood, and maybe all of that weakened my adventurous resolve. Now I get intimidated by big changes more often.

On a trivial level, I really haven’t changed my hair in years…whereas before that, I would seriously, like, change it every five seconds! I was always growing it out, chopping it off or coloring it, but I haven’t done much with it in a long time.

I think it’s a reflection of where I’m at in life… I haven’t been able to handle too many little changes on top of the big ones.

But I think it’s getting better… I’m starting to want to try new things again.

I’m taking baby steps, though, like with perfume. 🙂

I’ve basically been wearing Byredo Gypsy Water and CLEAN Vevlet Flora for two or three years. Sure, I’ve dabbled with other scents here and there, but nine out of 10 times (OK, 10 out of 10), when I’ve gone out and wanted to wear perfume, I’ve picked one of those two.

Then, about a month ago, I was about to spritz some perfume before going out to dinner with a friend, and I thought, “Why am I wearing these two scents over and over when there’s a whole wide world of perfumes out there to explore?”

That was my long-winded way of saying that I’ve been trying new perfumes again, and I’m excited about it.

CLEAN Reserve Sel Santal and CLEAN Reserve Citron Fig

CLEAN Reserve makes one of the two scents I’ve been wearing for these two years. They have something of a unisex vibe, so their scents (and the bottles) aren’t overly frilly, but they aren’t super masculine, either. I think they really do smell clean.

Both Sel Santal and Citron Fig have forward-facing citrus notes, but they aren’t sharp, you know what I mean? Like, how sometimes you’ll be opening an orange and the peel will smell almost sour? These don’t have those sharp citrus notes.

I like that I put either one on in the morning and smell them all day long.

CLEAN Reserve Citron Fig official fragrance notes
Fig, Ginger, Lemon Oil, Cardamom, Mandarin, Mint, Copaiba, Sandalwood, Cedar Wood, Musk.

Unofficial fragrance notes
Snuggling with your little one on a lazy Sunday with the windows open. You’re the big spoon, and she’s the little spoon. As you breathe in the scent of your baby’s hair, you catch a whiff of clean sheets, and of flowers from the orange tree outside.

CLEAN Reserve Sel Santal official fragrance notes
Mandarin Leaves, Bergamot, Nutmeg Tonic, Iris, Salted Fig, Violet, Hazelnut Cream, Sandalwood, Decadent Amber, Styrax, Rose Musk.

Unofficial fragrance notes
An Italian adventure in Positano on a moped with a handsome stranger (a game of Truth or Dare was involved).

Both Sel Santal and Citron Fig are available now at Sephora for $95 for a 3.4-oz. bottle.

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Get $20 Off $100 at SpaceNK Online May 5-7

May 5th, 2017 by Karen 5 Comments

I didn’t want any gals/guys who can’t make the SpaceNK Larkspur meetup tomorrow to feel left out (but please do make it if you can!), so I got SpaceNK to hook us up. 🙂 Get $20 off your purchase of $100 or more May 5-7 at spacenk.com with code MBB17.

Terms and conditions (i.e. the small print)
This offer comprises $20 to spend on any product on the website at www.spacenk.com/us. Your order must total $100 on full price products before delivery has been added. Sale items, gift card purchases and promotional items are excluded from this promotion. The promotional code (MBB17) must be entered in the promo code box on the Shopping Bag page before checkout for the offer to apply online. This offer is only available online between Friday, May 5 and 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, May 7, 2017. Shipping promotion spend thresholds are calculated after discount. The offer is restricted to one per customer, and promotional codes cannot be applied retrospectively. This offer cannot be transferred to any future orders and cannot be applied to any products that are exchanged for another in-store or online. The offer is not refundable, and there is no cash value/alternative. SpaceNK reserves the right to end it early or extend it without notice.

I hope to see you tomorrow at the store! I’ll be there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at noon. 🙂

MBB Meetup at the SpaceNK Larkspur store
Saturday, May 6th
noon – 2 p.m.
Marin Country Mart
2011 Larkspur Landing Circle
Larkspur, CA 94939
(415) 419-5904

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!!!!!!!

Drugstore Needs and Nopes, Vol. 1

May 4th, 2017 by Karen 15 Comments

I don’t go to regular drugstores as much as I used to, mostly because of Ulta and Target, which is basically a drugstore, only a million times bigger, but ever since I was a kid cruising the makeup aisles at Thrifty (of course, I had to get a Thrifty ice cream cone while I did this), I’ve been a drugstore beauty addict.

And over the past few years, drugstore makeup has gotten MUCH better — like next level sh*t. You can be a woman of color now and find a foundation that actually matches your skin tone, and within those foundation families, you’ve got dewy finishes, matte finishes and satins. Nowadays you can also find good drugstore cream shadows, where once you could only get those at department stores.

As for drugstores colors, you aren’t just limited to a narrow neutral range anymore. Now you can find all sorts of drugstore color craziness. It’s an exciting time for affordable makeup! That’s for sure.

Here are five drugstore products I tried this week, and whether I think they’re “needs” or “nopes.”

1. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Royal Blue

maybelline great lash royal blue — Maybelline Great Lash in Royal Blue

If you were a fan of Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Royal Blue back in the day, it’s back for a limited time exclusively at Walmart for $6.40. It had been discontinued some time ago.

Honestly, I’ve never quite understood the Great Lash Mascara love out there. For me…it’s just OK. Decent lift and separation, but with regard to Royal Blue, I can barely see the blue color on my lashes. I have to pile it on and look in a magnifying mirror.

If you have lighter lashes than I do, I’m sure the blue will pop more.

THE VERDICT: Nope! For me, this is a nope, but I know there are lots of Great Lash fans out there.

maybelline great lash royal blue ingredients — Maybelline Great Lash Royal Blue ingredients

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A Look at a Few Pieces From the Chanel Ombre Premiere Eyes Collection

May 4th, 2017 by Karen 34 Comments

I swear, nobody does subtle fancy finishes like Chanel. It’s their makeup super power. I love the way they handle satin and shimmer — love it deep down in the marrow of my bones! — and if you also get a thrill from subtle flashes of glossy shine here or shimmer there, I think you’ll love what Chanel is doing with their new Ombre Premier Eyes collection.

It’s a massive collection! It just launched at chanel.com and is coming soon to Chanel counters with a new line of cream eyeshadows (eight shades, $36 each), a new line of powder eyeshadow singles (16 shades, $30 each), a couple of dual-ended retractable eye brushes ($42 each), some eyeliners ($30 each) and two brow gels ($32 each).

The bulk of the pieces are also permanent, so yay! 🙂 If you fall in love with something (and you just might), you don’t have to decide right away. You have time to ruminate.

Don’t miss the Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadows

I tried three of them and was hooked. They’re the things I was most looking forward to when I heard about the collection, so I had high expectations already, but even with that Chanel didn’t disappoint.

I’m already a super fan when it comes to the Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadows, and the new Ombre Premiere line has a similar, spongy, soft formula. When you press your finger into one of the pans and work it around, you can feel them give and sort of…bounce. They aren’t dense like a MAC Paint Pot.

chanel ombre premier swatches — From the top: Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadows in Scintillance, Pourpre Profond and Noir Petrole; Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows in Talpa, Desert Rouge and Noir Satin

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