Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 422

May 9th, 2016 by Karen 67 Comments

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 eight (!) 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.

Is there currently anything missing from your makeup life?
Yes, ma’am! A creamy, comfortable white pencil liner that I could wear along my lower water line — one that would stay in place all day long.

Oh, and it can’t pick up any black or gray from my upper lash line when I blink (which, I know, is probably an impossible request, but I want it anyway).

Right now I’m using MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating, and it’s got the creamy, comfy part down (also doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes), but I still have to reapply it every few hours…

How well do you handle rejection?
I think I handle it OK… I mean, nobody’s ever super awesomely overjoyed when they get rejected for something, right? But I can usually get past it and focus on what needs to get done (usually).

What time did you get to bed last night?
Between 10:30 and 11. Connor Claire was having what I call a “high needs evening” (translation: she was very fussy and crying), and it took a couple hours of high-intensity soothing to get her to sleep.

She was pretty good, though, after that. I only got up once at 3:30 to feed her, and then she went back to sleep from 4:30 to 6.

What’s your favorite accessory?
Right now I’m (still) all about this branch necklace El Hub got me for Valentine’s Day.

I like that it’s a little unusual, and it goes with just about everything I ever wear. And I can layer it with longer necklaces, too, which is nice!

What was the last meal someone cooked for you?
My parents came over yesterday and brought enough food to feed a high school marching band! I’m not even kitten you; it was a TON of food. Among other things, my mom brought a huge tub of pancit, which is this yummy Filipino noodle dish.

I ended up giving most of it away to my neighbors, because there was just too much for us, and we still have leftovers.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. Is there currently anything missing in your makeup life?
2. How well do you handle rejection?
3. What time did you get to bed last night?
4. What’s your favorite accessory?
5. What was the last meal someone cooked for you?

Hey, hey! Happy Monday, friend. Did you have a good weekend? What are you doing right now?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 397

May 8th, 2016 by Karen 17 Comments

Weekend salutations to all my frenemies, friends, fans and health fiends. Oh! — and yeah, happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. I hope you’ve all been having a wonderful Sunday. Mine has been great so far. I’ve been hard at work all day long. To that, most people would probably say, “Well, shoot, Tabs, that sucks.” But not me. I’m a mover and a shaker, even on holidays, and I’m very excited about my latest business venture, a juice bar dedicated to health conscious cats.

Oh, sure, Marin County’s got plenty of juice bars. I’ve walked by several that charge a staggering $15 per juice, but we’re gonna undercut all of them by serving premium organic, locally sourced ingredients (i.e. grown on my back deck) and affordable juices that are the freshest imaginable.

I should know; I oversee all operations from top to bottom. Since the business is just getting started, my employees worked today as well.

To convey my authority, I wore my business casual outfit — you know, to show em who’s boss, while at the same time projecting an air of approachability. I’m a very paws-on employer with all of my business ventures. I’m not the type of cat who just sits behind a desk.

[Continue reading…]

Bare With Me: Do You Wear Makeup at the Gym?

May 6th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 18 Comments

Health is something that often gets lumped in with beauty, and for a while I’d been toying around with the idea of joining a gym. I’ve done a number of home workouts, the most recent being the Beachbody series, and I had some mild success with it, but at this point in my life, I really need to be at the gym. I need to get out of my head, and go back to the gym and enjoy working out for myself.

Today I wanted to talk about the idea of wearing makeup at the gym and ask what you do. I’m personally staunchly against it, mainly because my skin would stage a coup. I have a tendency to break out even when I just rub my face the wrong way (I’m not even kidding!), so rubbing my face when it’s hot, sweaty, and full of makeup is just not an option for me.

But I understand the appeal of wearing makeup to the gym. On a recent visit I didn’t see too many done-up ladies, but I did see someone with fully done eyebrows (I could not even handle that).

One of the things I find so frustrating is that women are often pressured to be 110% on all the time, even when we’re just trying to get in a workout.

I understand the convenience. If you’re working out early in the morning, you can easily put on a little makeup before an easy workout and just head to work afterward.

But many people feel that it’s awful for your skin, and that you shouldn’t wear cosmetics that could clog your pores while you’re working out. Your body can’t cleanse itself of toxins if your pores are clogged by your favorite foundation.

So why do we do it? Insecurities, convenience, because we want to, or because we just don’t think it’s bad for us.

I’m still figuring out what my skin likes and needs from day to day, and I can say that while I’d encourage a girlfriend to go bare at the gym with me, I wouldn’t discourage her from doing her thing if she wants to.

If I were to wear makeup at the gym, I’d have to take the route recommended by the makeup artist in this article. I’d go with some SPF (like the one I’m carrying in my gym bag), maybe a brow pencil, and some tinted lip balm, at the most.

What about you? Have you ever worn a full face to your favorite class, or do you always go bare? Are there any situations when you absolutely won’t wear any makeup at all? Let me know!

Marcella Yakalis

Marcella Yakalis is a freelance writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York, with two cats, one snake, and one very patient boyfriend. She writes about family, relationships, and oppressive retail culture. She can also be found on Twitter and Instagram.

Just Take Me With You

May 5th, 2016 by Karen 44 Comments

To quote The Purple One (aka Prince):

I don’t care where we go.
I don’t care what we do.
I don’t care, pretty baby.
Just take me with you.

Each day, Connor smiles more and more, and every time she does it, I swear, I hear music playing (even when there isn’t any!). 🙂

By the way, did you happen to notice how there’s not one, not two, but THREE giraffes up in the mix in these pics? The big one she’s holding is Sophie the Giraffe (a gift from her Nana), a toy that many little ones love, and apparently it’s been around forever.

I had no idea… Ya learn something new every day!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! ??

Where Do You Stand on “Matchy-Matchy”?

May 4th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 26 Comments

Nails Lips Color Combination — Wearing Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame on my lips and MAVALA Nail Color Cream in 103 Cobalt Blue

Having just completed my third decade on this planet is making all sorts of existential questions pop inside my head. Like…

Where am I going?

What am I doing?

What is the meaning of life?

Chicken or egg?

Jess or Dean?

To rent, or to buy?

To dream, or to earn?

To match nails and lips, or not to match nails and lips?

The list could go on and on, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this last question is the one that needs to be answered first. I mean, how am I supposed to figure out my place in the universe if I can’t even decide what lipstick to pair with my nail color, right? 😉

So, let’s see… In my earlier makeup-loving days, I had a phase when I would often wear red lipstick and red nail polish at the same time, but, now that I think of it, these days I definitely tend to avoid that. Instead, I prefer to use two different shades that go well together. For example, I like pairing orange and blue, like I did today.

I also tend to avoid wearing the same color on my fingers and toes. Something I do pretty often in the summer months is wear a bold shade on my fingers and a neutral on my toes, where my nail polish tends to last longer. This way, when the polish on my fingers chips, I can change it without having to worry about the new shade not matching well with the one on my toes.

Fingers Toes Nail Polish Combinations — L-R: Formula X Nail Color in Monumental, Essie Nail Lacquer in Fifth Avenue, Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer in Doe My Dear, OPI Nail Lacquer in Incognito in Sausalito, Collistar Gloss Nail Lacquer in 521 Caramello Golosa, KIKO Milano Power Pro Nail Lacquer in 07 Peach

Where do you guys stand on the whole “to match or not to match” conundrum? Do you have any favorite color combinations to share with me? Sandal season is just around the corner. I need inspiration! 😉

Carolina Braina

Hey, ladies (and gents), it’s Carolina here, reporting live from Bologna, Italy, to bring you the latest and greatest in beauty from the good ol’ continent! For an extra dose of that timeless Italian glam with a touch of humor and self-irony (because, you know, laughter is the best makeup), come say hi at carolinapage.eu and Instagram.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 421

May 2nd, 2016 by Karen 21 Comments

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 eight (!) 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.

What’s the most creative thing you’ve done lately?
I’ve really started getting into hand lettering! El Hub got me these cool watercolor brush pens by Tombow (they have a fine point tip on one end a bigger, softer brush-y tip on the other), and I’ve been doodling with them every day and thinking up little phrases. I like that it uses a different creative part of my brain!

The first beauty product I used today was _____.
Beauty-wise, the first thing I do every morning is wash my face, so it was Neogen Dermalogy Green Tea Real Fresh Foam Cleanser.

It’s been on my bathroom shelf since February, and I’m still into it (minor miracle)! It comes out of the bottle in a soft, soothing foam, and it leaves my skin feeling clean without stripping it bone dry. Two paws up.

If you could wish for one thing to happen today, it would be ______.
To win the lottery, LOL! But en lieu of that happening…I’d happily settle for being able to cross everything off of my to-do list in a timely manner.

Where do you find joy?
In my daughter’s smile and my tabby’s purrs. Every time I see or hear either one, happiness fills my heart.

If you could add one hour to your day today, what would you do?
Believe it or not, this time I wouldn’t sleep! 🙂 Connor’s been sleeping for longer stretches at night of 4-5 hours, so I’m starting to function somewhat more normally…somewhat…during the daylight waking hours, so I’d take that extra hour to exercise.

I’ve missed getting my sweat on!

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. What’s the most creative thing you’ve done recently?
2. The first beauty product I used today was ____.
3. If you could wish for one thing to happen today, it would be ______.
4. Where do you find joy?
5. If you could add one hour to your day today, what would you do?

Mmm…peanut butter on toast. Quickie breakfast today because I’m taking Connor to the pediatrician for her two-month visit. It’s supposed to be a warm one here in Northern California. I hope it’s nice where you are, too. If you need a little sunshine, I’ll send it to ya.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 396

May 1st, 2016 by Karen 10 Comments

My dearest fans and felines,

They say April showers bring May flowers, and ain’t that the truth. I’ve been enjoying the blooms in my neighborhood, along with the tall grasses and the leaves on the trees.

I hope that you were able to spend some time outside this weekend. I spent a good amount of time enjoying the great outdoors, trying to perfect my kitty skulking abilities; however, due to my assistant’s allergies and her constant sneezing, I haven’t been able to sneak up on anything.

It’s so hard to find good help these days.

[Continue reading…]