Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
Zzz… Sleepy sheepy over here. Time for a quick nap. Labor is still underway, but it slowed down in the night, so BG leaped right over leap day without making her appearance.
All is still well, though. Mom is tired but hanging in there… Eye on the prize.
Whatever you’re doing today, I hope it involves unicorns, kittens, makeup and/or rainbows. Have a terrific Tuesday, my friend. Talk to you soon.
Your friendly (but tired) neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Time to get the show on the road. 🙂
You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”
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 seven 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.
But when I’m not “with child,” it’s my gold and black cat dress. It has pockets and, more importantly, silhouettes of BIG CATS.
I mean, that’s the one I overuse: “gurl.”
I also perennially abuse the word “holla,” pronounced haw-la.
Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!
1. What’s your favorite article of clothing?
2. What expression do you overuse?
3. If you had to move to a new city, where would you move?
4. What are five words that describe your day today so far?
5. Messy or neat?
Hey love,
If you have a second, could you please send some good vibes my way? I’m trying really hard to pay attention to the flowers and trees, fruit and vegetables in my metaphorical garden…but I’m on the brink of having a moment.
They say that when you get to this stage of being massively pregnant, you are just totally and completely over it. And they’re right!
Anyway, I’ve reached that point.
I’m trying to hold it together, but I’m not doing very well. I know that every day she’s in there, she gets stronger, yadda-yadda-yadda, but I can’t hold back the tears. I just don’t feel good, in every meaning of the word.
So, if you could please send kind words, rainbows and/or kittens my way, that would be really nice.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict who’s been seriously ready to pop for DAYS,
Karen
Dear Diary,
Something happened today. I don’t…
My favorite assistant didn’t come to work. She stayed upstairs in bed. I came downstairs expecting to find my morning gravy, and it wasn’t there. My litterbox hadn’t even been changed.
This is the first time in 10 years that anything like this has happened before, and I’m a little confused.
My assistant had been talking about needing to take some time off, but I just… I guess I didn’t take her seriously.
I thought she was happy working for me, and I honestly didn’t think she needed a break.
I’m not sure if this has something to do with the new hire starting soon, because she’s been talking about her a lot, but it’s weird. You know that saying about how you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone? Well, I understand what it means now.
I miss her. She’s the best assistant I’ve ever had. I mean, she’s more than just an assistant to me. I’ve known her most of my life, and she’s always been there, opening cans of gravy, scratching my chin and giving me my thrice daily massage. She has the best lap and the most beautiful eyes in the whole world.
You know what it is? I…love her. I hope she decides to come back to work soon.
-tabs
** THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED **
This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, STEPHANIE!!!), but check back next Saturday for another giveaway.
Rise and shine, pal ‘o mine! I’m actually writing this on Friday afternoon because I have no idea if I’m going to be here, or at the hospital tomorrow morning. I had another appointment with my doctor today (Friday), and she said that I’m ready to pop! Of course, she’s been saying that for the past two weeks, so who knows? I am convinced that I will be pregnant until forever.
I hope you have a wonderful, fun-filled weekend, and I will hopefully talk to you on the flip side soon.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
If there were such a thing as an eyebrow genie that would grant three eyebrow-related wishes, first of all, that would be AWESOME, and second, I’d wish for the following…
1. For the super-skinny brow trend of the ‘90s to have never happened, even if it risked messing with the space-time continuum, because it would save literally millions of brow hairs from being plucked away into oblivion… I’d be like the John Connor of eyebrows.
2. To just wake up one morning and have my brows look exactly like Kiera Knightly’s in this Chanel ad, without having to do any of the, you know, actual work.
Sooo much brow envy right at this moment. You don’t even know. These are pretty much my dream brows, le sigh…
3) A stack of banana pancakes and a large vanilla shake, because I can’t think of a third brow-related wish, and I am SO HUNGRY RIGHT MEOW.
Now, can we take a moment to redirect our eyes away from Kiera’s amazing brows to focus on these nail polishes for a second? — because they deserve some sweet, sweet, lovin’.
These cuties are five of the 15 recently relaunched Chanel Le Vernis nail polishes ($28 each)?
All I have to say is wow!
Chanel completely revamped the formula, which is now billed as long-wearing and 5-free (no dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or camphor), and the new brilliantly shiny, glossy, gel-like finish reminds me of Seche Vite top coat.
The new line of 15 shades includes old favorites like Vamp and Particuliere, alongside some new colors.
Here’s a quick swatchy-poo of the five shades I have…
I asked Tabs for his professional opinion on which one I should wear for a mani, and he picked creamy reddish hot pink Camelia, a decision he relayed to me telepathically, sending his kitty thoughts into my mind.
Yes, we’ve reached that point in our relationship. Cat ladies, I know that you know what I’m talking about (at least I think you do…or I’ve lost my damn mind, which is also a strong possibility).
In today’s not-so-pressing issue of the day — when faced with two choices:
a) Writing notes to myself on basic, boring yellow Post-its, or…
b) Writing notes to myself on a sticky note with a picture of a pensive cat in a pink polka-dot head scarf.
Obviously, the only right choice to make here is the second one, because why bother to write things like “RE: Nausea. Remember to put trash bag in the car in case need to vomit on the way to hospital,” or “Find 24-hour diner in SF that delivers banana pancakes” if it isn’t going to look cute when you stick the note on your computer screen?
To quote ‘80s English dynamic duo Wham!, “If you’re going to do it, do it right.”
And doing it right, sticky note-style, means that I’m gonna write reminders on these adorable memo pads from Jetoy USA ($5 each).
About the quote on this particular note…
I don’t really have a literal garden at the moment, because my deck garden is looking pretty tow-up these days, and nothing’s growing out there other than a seemingly invincible parsley plant from last spring that absolutely refuses to die. The note is more a food-for-thought thing.
Like, if I’m feeling blue, I re-read it and try to remember that in the metaphorical garden that is my life, there’s a lot of great stuff to look at. It’s tempting sometimes to get caught up on all the weeds, but it’s the fruit, vegetables, trees and flowers in the garden that bring me joy.
Admittedly…that was weird, I know, but it works for me, especially when I’m in a crabby mood, or when I’m feeling aggro and want to pick a fight with El Hub (according to the interwebz, mood swings are pretty common in the third trimester).
This note has been front and center on my computer screen for the past two weeks, and it actually helps.
This Medieval contraption has absolutely nothing to do with gardening…although it kind of looks like a gardening (or punishment) implement, doesn’t it? When El Hub saw me walking around with it, he recoiled, then asked if I was going to beat him with it.
Um, no, babes. Not today. As long as you keep your pregnant wife happy. 🙂
[Continue reading…]
Um…no, I did not have an extra big breakfast today.
As you may have just guessed, based on what looks like the watermelon I’m hiding under my dress, it’s only a matter of days (possibly minutes!) before Baby Girl officially arrives and I have another employer to boss me around. My hospital go-bag is packed and waiting by the door.
I’ll still be around during my maternity-ish leave, but while BG and I get to know each other over the next few months, these six talented, lovely makeup-loving ladies will also be helping me (and you) get my (your) MBB beauty fix.
Please make them feel at home, and give ’em a warm welcome. 🙂
Adia is a lawyer by day and a beauty blogger by night. She believes that makeup should be fun and simple, but she also likes multi-step skincare routines (she’s complicated!). Adia loves the sight of a brand new highlighter, and she’s constantly looking for the perfect concealer. Follow her beauty adventures at Adia Adores (formerly beautyluxelife) and on Instagram.
Anna is an illustrator and designer from Atlanta, GA. Her work focuses on fashion, beauty, and awesome women. A former tomboy, Anna now happily embraces all things pink, glittery, and floral scented. See her illustration work at helloannaoh.com and on Instagram.
Hey, ladies (and gents), it’s Carolina here, reporting live from Bologna, Italy, to bring you the latest and greatest in beauty from the good ol’ continent! For an extra dose of that timeless Italian glam with a touch of humor and self-irony (because, you know, laughter is the best makeup), come say hi at carolinapage.eu and Instagram.
Hi, beautiful! I’m Jen from Jen Leigh Beauty. Now, rather than just talking to myself about makeup, I write it down in a blog. Besides being madly in love with anything I can smear on my face (and sharing pics on Instagram), I’m more in love with my hunky husband, my sweet 2-year-old, and my fluffy fur baby. Thankfully, they put up with the madness.
Marcella Yakalis is a freelance writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York, with two cats, one snake, and one very patient boyfriend. She writes about family, relationships, and oppressive retail culture. See what she’s been up to on Twitter and Instagram.
Nicole was born a red-headed fairy child and nothing has changed. Ditching the mountains tucked away in East LA for the mountains in Oakland, she became a photographer with a flair for too much glitter. You can check out her work and follow her adventures at nicolefraser-herron.com and at @elephantinfantry on Instagram.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addicts,
Adia, Anna, Carolina, Jen, Marcella, Nicole and Karen
