Just For Fun

Were they makeup? Skin care? Hair products? Something else?

Mine were skin care, and side note — please don’t ask me why I keep these empty jars around, because allegedly I AM NOT A HOARDER (keep telling yourself that, Karen).

1. Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil: I’m on my third bottle of this! At night I layer it on top of Sunday Riley Good Genes.
2. Clinique Superdefense SPF 20 for Very Dry to Dry Combination Skin: This hella moisturizes my dry winter skin, and I love how well it layers underneath makeup. Next time I go to Sephora, I’m definitely grabbing another jar.
3. Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Multi-Correcting Cream: It’s pretty moisturizing, but I didn’t really notice a difference in my skin after using this day cream for wrinkles, pores and texture. It’s not bad… I’m just not really in love with it.

What were the last products you finished, and do you ever save your empties for nostalgia’s sake? 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I know that one should never say never…but as it pertains to super skinny brows, I’m 100% sure I’m never going there again.

Been there, done that, don’t need to do it again, LOL!

I had them from about my early-20s until my mid-30s, which is more than enough skinny brow action for this lifetime. For being as narrow as they were, they were surprisingly high maintenance. I was forever plucking those thin arches, man!

When I finally decided to grow them back out a few years ago, it took almost an entire year, and now that they’re big and bushy again, I plan to keep them that way.

Of course…now that I’ve said that, super skinny brows are sure to come back in style, haha! But even if/when they do, I’m going to pass next time.

How about you? What’s a beauty trend you tried but vow to never, ever do again?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

First of all, this is a legit thing. It’s a real trend. After stores close…under cover of darkness, resourceful beauty lovers are getting into their cars, driving out to stores like Sephora and Ulta, and going scavenging in dumpsters for beauty products.

Who knew?

I had no idea! — but it’s a big deal on YouTube, where people post videos of themselves going out to these dumpsters and dumpster diving for makeup. Then they share their hauls in videos.

Sometimes the products are brand new and completely untouched, but sometimes they aren’t. Companies discard products for a variety of reasons, from broken packaging to customer returns to expiration dates and inventory control.

Sometimes the items are sabotaged by employees before being thrown out to discourage dumpster diving. It’s called “souping,” and some dumpster divers go through a process to recover these destroyed products before they end up in landfills (props for resourcefulness). It’s fascinating!

I mean…I can see the appeal. It’s kind of like a treasure hunt worth potentially thousands of dollars in beauty products, and it’s also slightly dangerous and exciting.

But there are risks. Dumpsters are almost always on private property, so it could be trespassing. There could also be used syringes, old food and other health risks mixed in with the products (ugh!). The items might also be expired or subject to a recall. You can’t always tell.

I don’t think I’d do it at this point in my life…but I can’t say that I wouldn’t have considered it when I was 15 or 16 years old. If my friends had wanted to dig through the Sephora garbage on a Friday night to see if there were any unused Urban Decay palettes up in there, hmm… That would have been hard to resist. I don’t know.

Would you ever go beauty dumpster diving? Or have you done it before? Let me know!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

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 NINE (!) 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.

1. Can you wear white without getting it dirty?

Only if the baby isn’t around and I have Shout Wipes or a Tide Pen on me.

So I guess the answer’s no. ?

2. What are you wearing on your nails?

One of the Republic Nail Frida Kahlo polishes. I don’t the name of the shade (I think it might be called FKN.37). It’s a super pigmented sky blue cream with excellent wear time.

I wish it wasn’t LE.

Oh, and also OPI Topcoat.

3. Bath or shower?

Shower. But I’ll probably change my answer after I win the lottery and buy myself a claw-foot tub.

4. What foundation are you wearing at this very moment?

Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish in Beige set with MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder in Medium Golden. It’s just easy, natural and chill, which are what I’m in the mood for today.

5. How would you feel if your best friend started wearing your favorite perfume?

If my BFF started wearing Byredo Parfums Gypsy Water, which is my current favorite scent, I’d be a little weirded out by it, but I wouldn’t say anything beyond, “Hey, I know that scent.” At least I’d know what to get her for her birthday.

Happy Monday

Hi, sweatpea! Good morning. I hope you slept well. What are you up to this week? El Hub is starting a new job in a few days, so that’s the most exciting thing on my agenda.

I hope something extra nice happens to you this week, and I hope it happens at exactly the right moment. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy and paste…

1. Can you wear white without getting it dirty?
2. What are you wearing on your nails?
3. Bath or shower?
4. What foundation are you wearing at this very moment?
5. How would you feel if your best friend started wearing your favorite perfume?

A few years ago, I had an appointment to see a highly recommended dermatologist about some hormonal chin acne. I remember that when I called to book the appointment, the earliest one I could get was in a month, and even though the appointment was at an inconvenient time of day for me, and I didn’t want to wait that long, I still took the appointment because I was desperate to see someone.

Anyway, I’d forgotten that on the day of my appointment, the street in front of my house was going to be repaved. I realized it when I walked outside and saw huge construction vehicles everywhere. I couldn’t even pull my car out of the garage.

Uh, oh.

I remember calling the dermatologist’s office up and telling them, “I’m very sorry about this, and I know it’s last minute, but I’m having transportation issues. I won’t be able to make it today. Is there any chance I could get on the list to see the doctor within the next two weeks if someone happens to cancel?”

My chin acne situation had gotten terrible by that point, and I didn’t want to wait another month for a new appointment.

The receptionist just started straight-up laughing at me. Laughing at me. Geez, I thought, was I ever going to see this doctor?

Eventually, I did, but it took a very long time. Seriously, it was like three months before I actually got in, and when you have horrible hormonal chin acne, that’s an eternity.

This is why the idea of online dermatology services like YoDerm seem really appealing to me.

I didn’t know this until recently, but it’s a thing now. You can see a dermatologist online. You don’t even have to go to an office!

Take YoDerm, for instance. It’s an online dermatological service specializing in three issues — acne, wrinkles and lashes (Latisse). Instead of visiting their doctors in person in an office, you consult with them online.

You hop on their site, fill out your medical information, snap a few pictures of your face and pay $59 for a consultation. Then a board-certified dermatologist reviews everything, makes a diagnosis based on your pictures and info, and outlines a treatment plan. If it involves a prescription, they send it to a nearby pharmacy for you to pick up.

In most cases, they’re able to do this within 24 hours, so it’s fast. And convenient. You don’t even have to leave your couch.

If something like this had been available a few years ago when I was desperate to see a dermatologist for my acne, I might’ve considered it, at least for a first opinion.

Still, I have reservations… I mean, you only have one face, and I’m a little nervous about being diagnosed without seeing someone in person. I guess I’m old-school like that. When I go to a dermatologist’s office (and I’ve seen a few), I like to interact with them and ask lots of questions.

I’m curious, though. Plus, $59 for a dermatology consult ain’t bad.

Would you consider doing an online dermatology appointment, or have you had one before? What do you think?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Saturday, my friend. What are you up to?

1. This would be a good time to catch up on my reading. 🙂 I’ve been meaning to finally finish War and Peace, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Gone With the Wind. ?
2. Pff, what’s one more day gonna do?? They’re just going get dirty again anyway…
3. Maybe the Makeup Brush Cleaning Fairy will stop by while I’m sleeping and wash all my brushes. Then I’ll wake up tomorrow morning, and they’ll be all pristine and organized in my brush caddy. 🙂
4. I can’t do it right now! I have too many more pressing things on my to-do list. I still haven’t watched the last episode of ? Mariah’s World, and it’s been sitting on my DVR for weeks!!!
5. Eh, as long as there isn’t any glitter or creams on my MAC 224 or 217, I’ll be fine.
6. Ooh! I can’t think of a better time to use my last clean face brush on my ? cat’s cheeks!
7. I’ll just do my makeup with my fingers tomorrow. (Side note: yeah, right.)
8. If I do a look tomorrow with the same colors that are on this dirty eye brush, I should be totally fine… I mean, what are the odds that I’m going to suddenly feel compelled to do an electric neon purple and green look? (Side note: this never happens.)
9. I just won’t wear any makeup ? tomorrow. (Side note: again, this never happens.)
10. I mean, if something big happens tomorrow, like if Ryan Gosling ? finally calls, I’ve always got those tiny little sponge applicators… They should work in a pinch. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 🙂 Have a fantastic day.