Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 765

January 23rd, 2023 by Karen 20 Comments

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. Your current face wash?

REN Gentle Cleansing Gel. Ya know, it does the job just fine, but I feel like it’s overpriced for $37.

2. What’s something you’d like to conquer this week?

I’d like to finish all the planning for Connor’s birthday celebrations in March.

3. How often do you use a lash curler?

Almost every day. Lately I’ve been using the one by Shu Uemura, and it’s good! I also like the ones by Surratt and Shiseido.

4. Something beautiful (anything at all)?

The sound of birds singing outside my window. Seeing the freesia leaves in my neighbor’s yard grow a little bit every day. Spending time with Connor in the morning before she goes to school. Drinking warm water with a little squeeze of lemon. Getting a hug from Rosie-Pose first thing in the morning.

5. One thing you did last weekend?

I made Leche Flan, a Filipino dessert. Not sure if it was successful, but the people who ate it said it tasted good.

6. What kind of sandwich would you like today?

Panera makes a Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich with hummus and a mix of crunchy and soft veggies that’s SO GOOD. I’m currently craving one right meow!

7. Can you French braid your own hair?

Yes, and I can do a decent job, but it’s not Pinterest worthy or anything. I think the various textures of my grays make it harder for any hairstyle to look neat. It’s the occasional wiry ramen noodle hair, man! It messes up the vibe.

8. Bracelet or necklace?

Necklace because 1) I’m more likely to keep it on all day and 2) less likely to lose it. Bracelets always get in my way when I’m typing so I end up taking them off.

9. The color of eyeliner you wear the most?

Lately I’ve been all about bronze or brown liners!

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. Your current face wash?
2. What’s something you’d like to conquer this week?
3. How often do you use a lash curler?
4. Something beautiful (anything at all)?
5. One thing you did last weekend?
6. What kind of sandwich would you like today?
7. Can you French braid your own hair?
8. Bracelet or necklace?
9. The color of eyeliner you wear the most?

P.P.S. Good morning and happy Monday, my sweet friend! The universe is going to bring you so many good things this week. I just know it! Keep your chin up and stay positive. 🙂

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 745

January 22nd, 2023 by Karen 4 Comments

Xīnnián hǎo (新年好)

Gong hei fat choy (恭喜发财)

Happy Lunar New Year! Wishing you a wonderful, healthy and prosperous year. 😊

Rosie

Today, Rosie Pose spent her morning walk looking for the source of an annoyance — a scent she picked up and didn’t like. She didn’t feel like divulging the details, but I’m pretty sure she caught a whiff of Harris, the local cat lothario who frequently infringes upon her territory.

Rosie does not like it.

Not at all!

We looked everywhere for him, to no avail…

Rosie wants to start the Year of the Rabbit off on a good paw, but Harris is the type of cat who likes to start sh*t.

Rosie isn’t having none of that.

Apparently, Harris got the memo because he was nowhere to be found.

Luckily for him!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, January 21, 2023!

January 21st, 2023 by Karen 8 Comments

Happy Saturday, friend. I hope your weekend is off to a great start.

I usually prefer making cookies from scratch (it’s tastier and more fun), but I couldn’t resist these premade Lisa Frank unicorn sugar cookies I saw at Tar-ghay. A buddy from my bakery days sent me a message saying these reminded her of me, so of course I had to grab a box!

Question for ya. Do you know your unicorn name? If you don’t, here’s a handy dandy chart for your edification!

Mine is Diamond Shimmer. Yup, that math checks out. Ha ha ha!

This week’s reading

Derms say there’s pitfalls to a more-is-more skin care approach.
I’ve used the Curél Makeup Cleansing Oil and liked it a lot; apparently they have a whole Japanese skin care line!
A list for those who love spicy scents.
I’m more of a citrus note kinda person.
Scientists warn that UV-emitting nail polish dryers damage DNA.
Red light therapy might help with hair loss.
Speaking of hair, apparently Istanbul is the global capital of hair transplants.

Re: Red light therapy.

Note to self.

How long does it take before skin care actually works?

Saturday morning music.

I’m going to grab that Versed Retinol ASAP!

Flashback!

OK, now it’s time to dance…

What are your plans for the weekend? Besides the usual working out, tidying my house and hanging with my fam-bam, I’m going to prepare for two interviews I have next Wednesday. I’m also making a Filipino custard dessert called leche flan.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leah Cohen 🇺🇸🇵🇭 (@leahscohen)

I bought these individual ramekins so I could steam them on the stove. Aren’t they cute?

Here’s my improv steam setup is going to look like!

I don’t what it is about bowls that can fit in the palm of your hand, but I just love ’em.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and have a wonderful weekend!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

January 19th, 2023 by Karen 13 Comments

1. Walking in my neighborhood

What is it about not seeing the sun for weeks that makes you see everything outside in a new light? I went for a walk the other day, and each and every view I’ve seen a million times looked fresh and new. Oh, and the flowers! They were so beautiful that I may have even teared up a little.

2. Sequins

I’ve been trying for a couple years now to be dressed chic in neutral tones, but really, I just wanna wear sequins Every. Damn. Day.

3. The waterfall hike in my town

Because of all the rain lately, the waterfalls in this hike have been amazing!

4. Easy meatless snacks and meals that require no effort

These two have been in rotation all week long.

For a snack, I like Trader Joe’s Eggplant with Tomatoes & Onions with Simple Mills Gluten-Free Almost Crackers. I realize the eggplant looks kinda gross, but it’s actually REALLY good…

For lunch, I’ve been loving rice ramen noodles (I use Lotus Foods) in veggie broth with spinach and edamame. Sometimes I add a little soy sauce or a drizzle of sesame oil for extra flavor.

Side note: Do you have any go-to meatless lunches? Let me know!

5. All the gloss!

I’m definitely going through a lipgloss phase and determined to find a gloss that makes my heart sing.

new nars lip gloss spring 2 18 — Yay for shine and sparkle!

What’ve you been loving lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Hourglass Solstice Gel Liner and Canvas Lip Gloss | Overheard at Sephora

January 18th, 2023 by Karen 13 Comments

Hiya! It’s just me, wearing some stuff I bought recently at Sephora — a bronze gel eyeliner (Hourglass Solstice) and a opaque pink gloss (Hourglass Canvas).

I loooove this liner! I think the bronze color adds a touch of definition to my lids and lash lines without my making eyes look more hooded (the struggle is real when you get into your 40s).

Still undecided on how I feel about the gloss, though. It did a lot for me back in the day and was a go-to purse gloss for a few years, but now I’m like, “Eh, it’s a’ight.” I still like how it feels (not too sticky) and how it doesn’t have an obnoxious flavor or scent (vaguely minty). My soul, however, is not shook-eth to the core, and I need that now from my makeup — especially gloss!

Forgot to mention yesterday that while I was shopping I overhead a mom and daughter team chatting about blush. The mom said, “According to my daughter I’m no longer allowed to wear blush that’s powder.” The daughter replied, “You can still wear it, but you have to layer it under cream blush first.” LOL!

I wonder if that’ll be me and Connor in the future… Something tells me maybe? Or maybe not. She had a dance performance a couple weeks ago and was totally firm on NOT wearing blush or eyeshadow. Red lipstick was fine (and it was part of their costume, so she had to wear it), but she absolutely refused to put anything on her cheeks or lids.

Too funny!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Sephora Haul | Thoughts on Beauty and Mental Health | Beauty Q&A | New Eyeliner Obsession

January 17th, 2023 by Karen 14 Comments

Yesterday, I went to Sephora because I’ve been feeling kinda “blah,” and I needed to do a little pick-me-up beauty shopping. Side note: I think it’s a combination of the dreary weather we’ve been having lately and hormones. More on this in a few.

Anywho, I went in with a very vague plan of picking up lipgloss and liner, but I didn’t have any specific brands or colors on my list, so it was an improv situation. While I was there, I found myself drawn to old favorites and things I remember loving back in the day passionately, which is why I ended up with an Hourglass lipgloss in the shade Canvas and a tube (pen?) of YSL Touche Eclat. (I also grabbed a new eyeliner.)

Which leads me to today’s Q&A question!

Have you ever changed your mind about your tried-and-true makeup favorites?

When I was doing MBB full time, exploring and testing new products was part of the territory, so I was always trying new things, but occasionally I’d fall in love with something so deeply that I’d come back to it over and over again. And that’s the memory I have connected to Canvas gloss.

It’s been a while since I’ve worn it, so I was eager to wear it again. I beelined it to my car so I could slip on a layer, and after a few swishes and a couple lip smacks, I found myself staring in my rearview mirror and thinking to myself, “Hmmm… That’s it?”

I still like how smooth it looks, the opacity and the weight of the gloss on my lips, but truth be told I expected to be wowed – but wasn’t.

I think a big part of it is that I’m so protective now of the space in my makeup bag; I really need to love something in order to keep it around. And if I don’t feel that rush of excitement, that thrill, then I’m not having it.

Canvas, you’re pretty enough, but I want to be swept off my Nike-wearing feet!

Same thing happened with the Touche Eclat. I tried it on and was like, “Dude… Why?” LOL! It certainly lays smoothly, which I remember, but I didn’t feel like my skin looked livelier or fresher or brighter. I guess 30-something me liked different things!

Oh, I did have a very inspiring moment with the eyeliner, though.

It’s Hourglass Voyuer Waterproof Gel Liner in Solstice, a metallic bronze. I’m very much into liner that defines my lash lines without looking too harsh (hello, you’re officially in your 40s when that happens), and this does just that. It just adds a little something-something – my upper lashes look thicker, and my eyes pop a little more. The formula is smooth and soft, and it stays on! I think I want the cool brown shade, Cave, next.

So, like I was saying earlier, I’ve been feeling a little “blah” lately.

I think it’s a combination of not seeing the sun for such a long stretch and lady hormones doing their thing. The good thing, though, is that I’m at a point where I’m better about recognizing it early on. It feels like a fog that’s creeping in, and now I can easily identify those first tendrils, whereas before I’d just suddenly be stuck in the thick of it and be so overwhelmed that I couldn’t find my way out. Part of “staying out of the fog” involves doing all the basic care I need to feel good, like getting enough sleep, changing out of my pajamas first thing in the morning, doing my hair, brushing my teeth and putting on makeup that makes me feel beautiful, inside and out.

Thank goodness for lipgloss and all the little beauty pleasures! They really do make my days a little brighter.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 764

January 16th, 2023 by Karen 15 Comments

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. Pudding or jello?

Um, pudding, I guess. I never crave jello, but once in a blue moon I’ll want tapioca or rice pudding.

2. What’s the newest skin care product in your lineup?

I just started using the bliss Pro Liquid Exfoliant about a week ago.

3. What’s one item from childhood that you still have around?

I have a cardboard box filled with random things I’ve kept since I was a kid; there’s a drawing of a white cat wearing a blue collar in there somewhere.

4. Something you need to buy at the grocery store?

Parsley. I want to make quinoa patties, and TJ’s didn’t have fresh parsley last time when I popped in over the weekend.

5. How good are you at building stuff?

If there’s a clear set of plans and I have all the tools I need, then I do pretty well. A couple years ago when Connor got a play kitchen and a doll house for Christmas (so many toys had to be put together from tiny little pieces), I was the one who built it all.

6. A makeup artist whom you’d love to paint your face?

There are so many! I’ll always have nothing but love for Hung Vanngo, Daniel Martin and Lucky Bromhead.

7. Last time you washed your hair?

Saturday night. I was exhausted but my hair smelled like food after I made dinner. I can’t deal with meat-scented strands at bedtime. LOL!

8. Something you’d like to do less of?

Scrolling my phone before bed. I gotta get out of that habit!

9. Something you’d like to do more of?

Dancing. 💃

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. Pudding or jello?
2. What’s the newest skin care product in your lineup?
3. What’s one item from childhood that you still have around?
4. Something you need to buy at the grocery store?
5. How good are you at building stuff?
6. A makeup artist whom you’d love to paint your face?
7. Last time you washed your hair?
8. Something you’d like to do less of?
9. Something you’d like to do more of?

P.P.S. Happy Monday, beautiful! I hope you get all the kitty kisses this week and then some. 🙂

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 363 (Again)

January 15th, 2023 by Karen 9 Comments

Hi, friend. I hope all is well. How’s it going where you are? Dry, I hope. Or are you also reveling beneath the watery joy of an atmospheric river?

Oh, yes, we’re still dealing with the rain out here in once-sunny California. I think we’ve only had two clear days since mid-December.

It’s raining here again, and I was looking back through the blog archives today with a cup of coffee when I came upon the following installment of Sundays With Tabs from September 13, 2015.

I got a little verklempt, not gonna lie…

Here’s a reposting of that entry.

To my tabby boy out there across the Rainbow Bridge, I miss you, buddy. Love you so much. See you again someday. 🌈

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 363

I know that you know a lot about Tabs through his modeling, philanthropy and other endeavors — his fabulous life — but here’s a look behind the glam at what it’s really like to live with Tabs on a day-to-day basis.

I worry sometimes that he’s older than I always thought he was

I mentally prepare myself — scratch that. I keep trying to mentally prepare myself for the day when I wake up, and I don’t have Tabs there to greet me.

I can’t even handle the thought… It makes me so sad. 🙁

A few months ago, we took him to the vet for his regular checkup, and the vet said, “I think he may be a little older than we initially thought he was…” His eyes aren’t as bright as they once were, and he’s starting to slow down. He’s also getting ornerier, and he sleeps more during the day.

I worry that I might not have the time I thought I’d have with him, and I know that seems very greedy of me and self-centered, but I can’t help it. I just want my companion to live forever.

I think about collecting his whiskers…

A couple weeks ago I found one of his little whiskers — I call ’em little whiskees — while cleaning the living room, and his whiskees are interesting in that they aren’t all white. Some of them are black, and some of them are black with little sections of white.

I picked it up, and I walked up to El Hub and asked, “Do you think it would be too crazy cat lady if I saved all of Tabs’s whiskees?” because I’d been thinking about how when he finally goes to cross the rainbow bridge, I won’t have anything of his with me, and El Hub said, “Yes, that would be very crazy cat lady of you.”

So I threw it out…but you know what? I’m gonna start collecting his whiskees anyway, and then when he finally goes away, I’m probably going to spread his ashes on the hill behind us, because he loves being outside.

I feel guilty sometimes when I see outdoor kitties lounging around

Oh, Tabby, I wish you could be the outside cat that I know you see yourself as, always running around, chasing things and lounging about.

When I see kitties outside, especially at the end of the day enjoying the sunset or napping, I wish Tabs could have that same luxury, but I know that it’s probably safer for him to spend the evenings indoors. Where we live here in Novato, there are wide open spaces with coyotes (we see them a lot) and other predators around.

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