Karen

Bonjour From New Orleans

June 8th, 2015 by Karen 38 Comments

Just a quick hello from New Orleans! I made it here in one piece and 1) it’s hot and 2) very humid. I’m not even gonna try to fight my wavy hair because I know who’s going to win that battle. LOL!

My flight out of Oakland was delayed a few hours so I spent a little time wandering around the Oakland Airport.

Um, I might have freaked out a little when I saw this Essie kiosk!

It’s a vending machine with Essie nail polishes.

The polishes are $8.50 each, and if you buy three you get the fourth one free.

Because you never know when you’ll need an emergency top coat or an extra bottle of Flowerista…

(If you’re interested, it’s located at the top of the escalators in Terminal One right after you get through security.)

There’s also a Benefit kiosk, and of course I had to take a pic of their Big Easy tinted moisturizer.

I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to explore the city.

I’ll talk to you soon. I hope you had a marvelous Monday!

This is what I started reading on the plane. So far it’s pretty good

Time for sleeps now because I want to get an early start tomorrow. Sleep well, gorgeous. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll/Open Thread: The NOLA Edition

June 8th, 2015 by Karen 80 Comments

roxy ventura cheetah — …and that’s just what they’ll do! These Roxy Ventura Cheetah Slip-On Sneakers are gonna walk all over New (Orleans, that is). LOL!

Happy Monday, kitty cat. 🙂 I’m heading to the airport early this afternoon to catch my flight to New Orleans, and I thought, hey, let’s do a little something-something different for this week’s Monday Poll.

Like how about an open thread?

It’s a chit-chat free-for-all in the comments, haaay! Let me know what you’ve been loving lately or what’s been on your mind.

Or just come say hi.

I’ll tell you what’s currently on my mind right now…

These shoes!

I like to treat myself to a pair of shoes on my birthday (I’ve been doing it since my 20s), and I figured that I’d be doing a lot of walking in New Orleans this week, so I picked up this fun pair of Roxy Ventura Cheetah Slip-On Sneakers ($39.99) last Friday at DSW (looks like they’re also available online).

The cheetah print got me, obvs. This particular cat lady is incapable of resisting big cat prints.

I actually tried to resist them, but then I saw the hot pink soles…

Had to have ’em! They’re awfully comfy, too.

I’m looking forward to having action-packed adventures in them this summer.

What are you favorite pair of walking shoes? Inquiring, shoe-loving minds want to know.

Have a wonderful week, my friend! I hope to see you in the comments. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

On June 8, It’s All About You (and It Cosmetics), Thanks to QVC

June 7th, 2015 by Karen 10 Comments

it cosmetics its all about you — The four-piece It’s All About You Customer Favorites Collection, by It Cosmetics ($59.95, a $72.50 value)

Who is it all about? That’s the question.

It’s not about Kanye (although he’d probably beg to differ), and it’s not about ewes, either.

Right now, at this very moment, it’s all about you. And It Cosmetics. And QVC.

Fans of It Cosmetics and/or limited edition fiends, guide your mouse over to QVC.com because there’s a limited edition, limited time four-piece makeup collection available now with not one, but two brand new (!) It Cosmetics products and two additional fan faves.

The collection is available for one day only, June 8, 2015, starting at midnight Eastern Time (also known as 9 p.m. Pacific on June 7).

The $59.95 It’s All About You Customer Favorites Collection includes…

The new Celebration Foundation SPF 50 powder foundation. Medium to full coverage, with UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection. My two cents? It has a major matte finish, so if you like matte skin, this could be your jam.
The new Naturally Pretty Face Palette. This palette has a few customer faves, like Hello Light Creme highlighter, Vitality Matte Bronzer, Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder and the brand new Bye Bye Pores Pressed Blush.
I was pretty impressed by how long the blush and bronzer lasted when I wore them yesterday.
Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer. This is a crazy creamy full-coverage under-eye concealer, and it will cover dark circles…but it also really needs to be set with a powder.
Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush. I quite like this dual-ended face brush. It’s super soft and evenly lays down powder.

If you’re interested, the set is available now for $59.95, and you can find it exclusively one day only at QVC.com.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 349

June 7th, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

Dear Diary,

With my birthday coming up (I turn 10-ish on Tuesday!), I’ve been feeling particularly generous, and to share the love, I decided to grant both of my assistants a few days off for good behavior.

My motives weren’t entirely selfless, however. Truth is, I could really use some time to myself.

I know that my public persona is one of a jet-setting tabby who goes from party to party, hanging out with Bono one night and RyGos the next, but let’s be real. That’s totally true, but sometimes I just want to chill, and you know what they say — a cat’s home is his castle.

So I sent my people to NOLA while I celebrate turning 10 here, but I won’t be flying completely solo. After all, no cat is an island. My favorite petsitter will also be here to dote on me, and one of his responsibilities will be working the remotes so that I can catch up on Game of Thrones.

When I’m not napping, of course.
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Heads Up! The New MAC Website Debuts MONDAY!

June 7th, 2015 by Karen 5 Comments

mac cosmetics — Checking out a preview of the new MAC Cosmetics website

Prepare your eyes (which I’m sure are lined purr-fectly with Blacktrack) and your makeup-loving heart for a feast of Monday MAC marvelousness, my friend, because that’s when I hear the new MAC website will launch.

I gotta warm up my shopping muscles! — but let’s keep that between us. El Hub does not need to know that I’m eyeing MOAR LIPSTICKS. 🙂

Check out maccosmetics.com Monday morning to see the new and (I think) improved site.

mac cosmetics blush — The new blush section…

mac cosmetics lip gloss — Gimme dat gloss!

mac cosmetics artists — The new MAC Artists page…

Let the fun commence! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Confessions of a Chronic Packing Procrastinator: Part 1

June 5th, 2015 by Karen 25 Comments

It’s the final countdown to New Orleans and my birthday trip! We leave on Monday (we’ll be there through Thursday), which means I need to start packing NOW.

If I wait any longer, last-minute mayhem will ensue, and I’ll end up just randomly throwing sh*t into my bag — like, literally throwing bottles of hair spray and whatnot into my luggage all haphazardly shortly before we leave for the airport. Because that’s what I usually do. 🙂

But not this time! I started today by settings a few things aside…

A sample of Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Color, which my friend Alis gave me a while back when I saw her at the salon.
One Gillette Venus Snap Razor. Because body hair never takes a day off, LOL!
Mine certainly never does… I’m a freaking Sasquatch. 🙂

This travel razor has its own little case, so it’s easy to bring along on trips. $7.99 for a razor, razor blade and a carrying case.
Avene Ultra-Light Hydrating Sunscreen Lotion Spray SPF 50+. It’s supposed to be hot in New Orleans, and I’ll be doing a lot of walking around outside, so SPF is a must. This sheer, lightweight sunscreen by Avene is oil and alcohol free, and very moisturizing, too. $12 for a 1-oz. bottle.
Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk. Since I probably won’t be washing my hair every day (it’s vacation, after all!), I’ll use this dry shampoo to help soak up oil on my scalp and remove the funky scent of unwashed hair. $9 for a 1-oz. bottle.
Byredo Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum Travel Spray. One of my favorite scents in a travel-friendly bottle. $110 for three 0.4-oz. spray bottles.

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Aw, Sheet, Gurl! These Face Masks From The Face Shop Are Only $2 Each

June 5th, 2015 by Karen 16 Comments

Face masks!

Homegirl has a face mask addiction, it’s true.

Especially sheet masks, and not just ’cause they give me an excuse to do my best Friday the 13th Jason Voorhees imitation.

Last weekend after lunch with my brother in the city, we stopped by Japan Town to do some shopping and sightseeing, and while I was there I grabbed a few $2 face masks from a store called The Face Shop.

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REPLICA Beach Walk Perfume, by Maison Martin Margiela: The Scent of Salt Water and Sweet Freedom

June 5th, 2015 by Karen 20 Comments

I still got mad love for ya, Byredo Gypsy Water, but you’ve been temporarily usurped by REPLICA Beach Walk.

At least for summer.

If a walk along the beach could fit in a jar, the jar would smell like Maison Marin Margiela’s REPLICA Beach Walk.

OK, yeah…that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but you know what I mean. 🙂 It’s light, beachy and breezy, like Bobbi Brown’s Beach but slightly sweeter (and without the sunscreen notes, which I don’t really mind because it reminds me of the beach).

And don’t you just love the old-timey apothecary bottle with the textured label (it’s 100% cotton)?

Officially, REPLICA Beach Walk has notes of bergamot, pink pepper, lemon, ylang-ylang, coconut milk, heliotrope, musk, cedar and benzoin (which is compared to light camphor). It’s described as pure, deep and blissful.

Unofficially, it smells like your favorite cozy boyfriend sweater (the one missing a button), sand between your toes, stolen kisses under the boardwalk, salt water in your hair and teenage dreams of endless summer days and nights. 🙂

I usually do one spritz on my wrist and one on my neck first thing in the morning, and the scent lingers until the evening.
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