Just For Fun

As Forrest Gump famously said, life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get, and I feel that that is 100% the way it is in beauty, too — because I’ve been a makeup/hair/nail enthusiast now for, what, a billion years? — and I’m repeatedly utterly shocked by the things that happen.

A (shockingly) hairy situation

I cannot even BEGIN to describe how repeatedly surprised I’ve been by the hair-related changes on my person over the past 10 years. Unexpected hairs have thrown me for a loop many times.

Where to start…

OK, well, for the first time ever, I now have longer nose hairs, and I occasionally have to trim the wayward ones, which I never had to do when I was younger.

Oh, and the wiry texture of the grays I’m growing out on my head? I joke that every single time I see one of those witchy ramen noodle hairs, a naughty kitty enters a cat lady’s life, ha ha!

Also in the category of Surprising Hair Developments, there was the hair loss I experienced shortly after Connor was born. I mean, I expected to to lose some hair, because I’d heard a lot about that before Connor was born, but I was shocked by the amount and how it came out in clumps!

Also surprising: that the hairs at my temples never quite recovered. To this day that area is noticeably thinner.

Another pregnancy-related thing: splitting nails. Right before I found out I was pregs with the coywolf, I noticed that the nails on my fingers and toes were splitting, which had never happened to me before. It was one of the early signs that told me something was up!

Bronzer is bae

Makeup-wise, there have been SO MANY surprising developments, but one of the biggest surprises for me was discovering the power of bronzer.

I really didn’t start wearing bronzer until about 2013, before which time I thought it was a useless endeavor, because I’m already fairly tan, but I finally started to understood the big deal once I started wearing it.

Ahhhh! — like, I saw the light of why people love bronzer so much. It just adds this beautiful touch of color to your face that looks very natural if you don’t go crazy with it (which is what I did for a while there).
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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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start.

1. Navy or nude nails?

Navy! I’m ready for dark fall nails.

2. Things that make you happy?

Oh, where do I start?

• When people show up on time — not too early, not too late. Just on time.
• Perfectly executed thin crust margherita pizza (with a flavorful crust and sauce, of course)
• Cute, comfy shoes with good arch support that don’t hurt my feet
• Bras that don’t slip off my shoulders and that don’t have a weird gap in the cups!

3. Things that help you feel centered?

Working out. Writing lists. Reading (or listening to an audiobook) every day. Stretching.

4. Your latest and greatest find?

The Honest Beauty Liquid Lipsticks. They’re super pretty (the shade called Happiness is my fave), hydrating, and they don’t give me cat butt lips.

5. Matching lids and lips: thoughts?

DO IT, DO IT, DO IT! And while you’re at it, might as well add matching blush for a full-on monochromatic makeup look.

Flip it and reverse it

Hiya and happy Monday! ❤️

Can I show you something?

Aren’t these shoes the wackiest? They’re absolutely bonkers, and I LOVE THEM.

I found them at Nordstrom Rack last weekend while I was there looking for clothes to wear to a meeting I have with a beauty brand later this week (more on this soon).

I went clothes shopping because — kid you not — everything I own is hella old and has been “baby-ized,” meaning that it exhibits some combination of stains, rips and holes.

Funny thing is, even though the shoes spoke to me and they’re totally my style, I kept thinking of all the “professional lady work wear” (air quotes) outfits I looked up on Pinterest and Instagram beforehand, so I nixed them because I thought they might be too weird…even though I loved them.

I sent a quick text to my friend Jen from the store to see what she thought, and she thought the striped cuties were the best fit for my personality. Then she gently reminded me that I work in a creative profession in the Bay Area, so hopefully have a little leeway to dress somewhat casual, if not wacky.

That was the push I needed! So I got them. ?

Anyway, this incident with the shoes got me thinking about how we are so quick to compare ourselves to others, aren’t we? It’s so easy to do, especially with the time we spend seeing the curated, filtered versions of other people’s lives online. I catch myself going there more often than I care to admit…

So this week I’m going to practice *not* comparing myself to others, and as soon as I catch myself doing it, I’m going flip it and reverse it à la Missy Elliot, ha ha ha!

What are you working on this week to make you a better version of yourself? I constantly remind myself that, even if it’s something small, as long as you’re moving forward in some way, YOU’RE MOVING FORWARD.

Have a beautiful Monday. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Question time! Here they are to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon!

1. Navy or nude nails?
2. Things that make you happy?
3. Something that helps you feel centered?
4. Your latest and greatest find?
5. Matching lids and lips: thoughts?

P.P.S. Have an epic rest of your week! ?

Hiya, friend! I hope your coffee ☕ is strong and your spirit is light on this lovely Caturday. If you need me, I’ll be the cat lady in the plastic hair cap, which I’ll be wearing all day long so the Olaplex No. 3 at-home hair treatment I’m trying can work its alleged magic.

Speaking of that…

I walked into Sephora a couple days ago planning to get just one or two things from Olaplex and take advantage of the VIB discount, but then this ? happened.

I mean, I didn’t get all of their products. ? I didn’t buy the hair oil, even though I reeeeeeally wanted to, because Caitya, my favorite MUA there, hooked me up with generous samples. (Thanks, lady!) So I can still try it.

Everyone talks about the Olaplex at-home system of No. 3 (pre-shampoo treatment), No. 4 (shampoo), No. 5 (conditioner) and No. 6 (leave-in) as if they’re hair miracles sent from the beauty heavens above, and I’m very excited about trying them now because I’m at a turning point in the process of growing out my grays.

The biggest challenge right now (I’m about eight months in) is figuring out how to deal with the wiry, unruly texture. The wiry strands seem to be multiplying exponentially, especially at the top of my head, and I swear I look like a mad scientist! ?‍?

Olaplex is supposed to be life-changing for that.

If you’ve tried their products, please tell me about your experience! I’d love to hear what you think.

When my co-pilot and I were at Sephora, I treated her to a little beauty haul of her own to celebrate the start of preschool. ❤️ I let her pick out a clear $6 lip balm from the Sephora Collection, and Caitya (who’s been working at this same Sephora since I was pregnant with Connor and always says hi to us) made Connor feel extra special by wrapping the lip balm in tissue and giving her a tiny Sephora bag in which to carry it.

Now, my shower cap and I are off to go clean the closet that I refuse to be plagued by anymore. While I find the strength to let go of the things that no longer bring me joy, enjoy your weekend beauty reading… ?

• Would you buy secondhand makeup? In Japan, droves of makeup enthusiasts are purchasing pre-worn products.
• I’ve always thought of makeup as being kind of like armor, and apparently I’m not the only one, as this young woman would put on elaborate makeup every morning to help her deal with the grief of losing her younger brother.
• Apparently, Meghan Markle’s makeup artist, Daniel Martin (he’s responsible for her iconic wedding day look), didn’t realize just how big a deal her wedding was until he was driving behind her in the car and saw the crowds.
• Speaking of previously used makeup, do certain products that were used beforehand come with higher risks than others?
• If you’re willing to wait, Charlotte Tilbury’s Foundation has only (ha ha!) a 17,000-person waiting list.
• For my type nerds: Adieu Smalls is a font inspired by curvy cat tails!
• China’s first commercially cloned cat — a British shorthair named Dasuan, or “Garlic” in English, was recently unveiled in Beijing.
• Before there were cats on Instagram, there was photographer Walter Chandoha, who some consider to be the godfather of feline photography.
• 5 science-backed skin care products that are trending on Instagram right now…
• Here are many, many pictures of cats, including two wrapped up in sushi rolls (THE BEST).

Speaking of Olaplex, a jury ruled earlier this month that L’Oréal was guilty of trade-secret theft, patent infringement and breach of contract with Olaplex. L’Oréal was ordered to pay Olaplex — a startup based on the research of two University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) chemists — more than $22 million for each of the first two offenses, and close to $47 million for the third (!).

Why was this so amusing? LOL!

Heck, yeah, I’d watch it.

Next level your crayon game.

I would do this in a heartbeat with Coy-Coy.

Me and this cat in our plastic shower caps = twinsies.

Stay kind and cool today, my friend. ❤️

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I *really* didn’t think I would cry this time.

We’ve been doing preschool drop-off for, what, a full year now? A full year! All last year, all summer long, so this morning I thought, “We got this!”

Today was Connor’s first day of school in the Honeybee class (3-4 year olds), so I got her up a little early, and we had a fun breakfast (strawberries and a Trader Joe’s Pop Tart), did some coloring, got ready for school, and then did what I hope will be our annual first-day-of-school picture session in the front yard.

After that, we packed up her stuff and drove to the school. I took her to her new classroom, and at that point, I was still holding it together. I made it all through the “hellos” to her teachers and her classmates.

Then we put her stuff away in her cubby, and I took her to one of the activity stations she was interested in. (Side note: There was Play-Doh, by the way, which is forbidden fruit in our house because it contains gluten, and El Hub has celiac, so whenever Connor sees Play-Doh she’s like OOOOH!)

Once she was settled in, I gave her a hug, told her I’d see her soon, and blew her a kiss as I walked out the door.

It wasn’t until I had closed the door behind me and was walking to my car that I started to feel wobbly inside…

And boy, I let the tears fall. I sat in the car and bawled for a solid five minutes.

Overall…I thought this kind of thing would get easier over time, but I guess it doesn’t. Watching that tender part of your heart go out into the world probably doesn’t get a whole lot easier, and then there’s the reminder that time is passing, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. She’ll just pull further and further away from me every year…

It’s bittersweet.

Being so intensely needed by another creature is emotionally, physically and mentally taxing, but I wouldn’t change it for anything the world. I’m eternally grateful for having met Tabs, and I thank the universe and the stars for sending me Connor.

She’ll be going to preschool five days a week now. Did I mention that?

Last year it was only two days a week, so I still had a good amount of time with her at home, and I think that’s been the toughest part this time around — knowing that she’ll be out in the world, out with her friends, and I know it’ll be really good for her social development, but still… I keep telling myself that this is how it is. This is normal. One day she’ll be asking to borrow the car keys, and I’ll be watching her drive away without me.

I know that’s still a long ways from now, but I can see it in my mind clear as day, ya know? Pardon me while I go cry again… ? LOL.

Everyone says that being a parent is hard, and I think this is the hardest part — finding the strength to let them go.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. Coloring

With colored pencils, and using said pencils to draw false lashes, questionable eyeshadow and winged liner on cartoon horses. ?

2. Retinol

I have a pimple on my chin.

It’s one of those *painful* ones with roots like an old oak tree, but instead of doing what I usually do with a pimple like this one — bombarding it with benzoyl peroxide — this time I showered it in Kate Somerville’s +Retinol Vita C Power Serum Firming + Brightening Treatment instead.

Soooo I may have overdone it a little, though, because the peeling around the area was intense for a minute, but dang, the retinol worked some serious magic. It pushed that pimple through the various annoying pimple phases quicker than benzoyl peroxide ever could, and a healing process that usually takes a month took about a week and a half.

OK, #teamretinol, I totally get it now.

3. “When Will My Life Begin”

Connor is going through a Disney princess phase at the moment, and this song from Tangled sung by the adorable Mandy Moore (LOVE HER) sticks in my head for a loooong time every time I hear it.

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