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
Why scribble notes to yourself (“Don’t forget the gravy!”) on boring yellow Post-its when you could transcribe your awesome ideas on these!?
They’re a steno-loving beauty nerd’s dream come true. 🙂
I spotted them at Staples last weekend, where I was shopping for a big metal filing cabinet (don’t ask).
They’re only $3.40 for two packs of 50 3×3-inch sheets.
Also available in Ring, Shoe and Purse…
Why, yes, there is a reason why this bottle of MAC Pro Longwear Concealer looks like it’s wearing a straightjacket.
Earlier this week I accidentally dropped my previously brand-spakin’-new bottle of Pro Longwear on the floor and it, along with my heart, broke into a million little pieces.
I picked up a new one yesterday to replace it, but I figured that I should do something extra to protect it because, seriously, if I break another bottle (which is entirely possible), I will LOSE MY SH*T.
So I wrapped the new bottle with rubber bands to cushion any falls. 🙂
I feel so very MacGyver right now!
Uh…does anyone else remember MacGyver?
Have you partaken of the pinched, paper-thin goodness that is the Pretzel Slim?
I found these at Trader Joe’s last weekend, and they’re my latest “Best snack EVER!”
They’re thin, salty and crunchy like potato chips, but they’re much lower in calories and not greasy. One serving of 23 Slims is just 110 calories.
That’s pretty good.
Another good thing, the ingredient list is short and sweet — wheat flour, sugar, salt and barley maple syrup. No preservatives, and they’re fat free.
The shape makes ’em perfect for dipping. I had them for my afternoon snack today with a tablespoon of peanut butter.
That’s all kinds of yum, yo.
I had them with a delicious cup of sweet peachy Bonita Peach Rooibos Tea from the Spice and Tea Factory.
I didn’t even need to add sugar. Delicious!
Oh, and while I was eating, Tabs was staring up at the drapes. For a long time, which he’s been doing for the past couple of days, and El Hub and I cannot figure out why.
Is it a bug? Something else he sees up there? I don’t know, but we’ve looked, and there’s nothing there. He just stares and stares and stares…
It’s kind of freaking me out.
P.S. Note how extra rump-y his rump looks from this angle, LOL!
Call me easily amused (“Hello, easily amused.”), but I get a big kick out of taking pictures of shadows.
Just ask El Hub. He’ll be in the other room and hear me exclaim, “OOH! Now that’s a good one…”
Then he’ll shout back, “What? What’s a good one?”
And I’ll say, “The shadows!”
Like this picture here of leaves on the curtains from a tree outside.
Look at those soft edges and the crisper ones down below…
Something like this would take a long time in Photoshop, but Mother Nature did it instantly.
If you fiendishly covet the Chanel Le Blush Creme de Chanel cream blushes ($38 each), you just may love these new cream blushes by Clarins ($30 each).
They have a similarly satiny, natural-looking finish, comparably kick-@ss wear time (6-8 hours!), and I think they’re just as easy to apply and blend, whether atop bare skin or foundation.
I’ve been wearing them on top of NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation a lot lately for fresh-faced cheeks. 🙂
To apply them, I’ll use either a skunk brush or fingers, and both work well. But FYI — if you do use a brush, be prepared to bust out your heavy duty brush cleanser later, because these creams really cling to brush fibers.
For cleaning these and other brushes, I like Dr. Bronner’s All-One Magic Soap. It always gets my brushes squeaky clean.
All four of these shades are part of the new Clarins Opalescence spring collection, blooming now on Clarins counters and online for $30 each.
#truth: It’s not as easy to find real-deal Asian food up here in Marin County as it is in San Francisco or the East Bay.
For the most part, the prevailing word is bland. Not bad, necessarily, but not the stuff you dream about at night.
Every once in a while, though, I stumble on something really good.
Like this place I went to last weekend with El Hub, Yu Shang Pho in San Rafael. Ooooh, gurl! — I can’t stop thinking about that bowl of soup…
The broth, OMG! The broth… It was So. Damn. Good! I don’t have the most refined palette in the world, but with this soup (I ordered the chicken broth without the meat), even I could taste the layers.
I’ve been totally craving a bowl all week.
If you’re ever out this way and get a craving for a good bowl of pho, check out Yu Shang Pho in San Rafael. It’s triple F-caliber food: flavorful, fast and friendly service.
Because it’s always nice to get flowers. 🙂
Are you willing to try something potentially amazing with me right now?
It’ll only take a minute, but I really believe it’ll work.
Are you ready?
OK, first, I want you to quiet your mind and hold your body very still… For things like this, it helps if you sit as still and relaxed as possible. No tapping your feet, typing, clenching your shoulders or moving of any kind. Try to relax every muscle, all the way from your ears through your jaw to your shoulders and down through the tips of your toes.
Now…close your eyes and let a smile creep across your lips (the smile is very important). Lean forward a little closer to the monitor, and take a slow, deep breath…
It may take a few tries, but I think if you stick with it, something amazing will happen. I’m almost positive you’ll be able to smell these pretty roses no matter where you are right now.
Thank you for keeping an open mind. 🙂
Tabs trained all weekend long for his Major League debut with the Giants later this year.
His workout regimen was intense, too! — hours of posing, stretching and high-intensity napping in his new jersey.
Gotta get that low-hanging tum in tip-top shape for the big leagues.
