Just For Fun

Comment (Yup, Just Comment) to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

February 21st, 2015 by Karen 718 Comments

** THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED **
This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, LORRAINE!!!), but check back next Saturday for another Sephora giveaway.

Win a $50 Sephora e-gift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog

Right now I’m being assaulted by your nephew tabby — assaulted with kitty love. I’m sitting in an awkward position on the couch that is not conducive to tabby lap-sitting. He’s kind of draped over my left hip, making do with what’s available to him. In his eyes, he’s probably claiming what is his, because everything clearly exists for the happiness of the tabby. 🙂

So my new favorite thing to do on weekend mornings is drink chai tea. I use the pre-made mix by Big Train, and it’s SO GOOD. I like to have it while watching Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo, which they seem to have changed. It’s no longer ordinary millionaire Joes looking for love. Now it’s like Chilli from TLC looking for love. She’s a bonafide celebrity in my book, but some of them are more “celebrities,” as in celebrities in “air quotes.”

Spencer and Heidi were on there to set up Spencer’s sister, Stephanie.

I hate that I know this…

I do have to say that Stephanie Pratt did a good job on the group date, though.

This is so dumb… Why am I talking about this?

Anywho! Trying something a little different with the weekly giveaway today. I’m trying to keep it simple, ’cause in these complicated times, simplicity is always a welcome thing. To enter, check the full details down below, but in a nutshell, just leave a comment.

Good luck, and have a great Oscar weekend. Talk to you soon.

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter by leaving a comment below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Of all the different styles of smoky eyes, what’s your current personal fave?
- Would you wear a color-blocked liner look like this one here.
- What’s your favorite picture/painting on your walls?
- Do you have any birthmarks or moles?
- Somewhere you’re trying to travel this year?
- Is there something important on your mind?
One entry per person.
You must use a valid email address to win.
The giveaway ends on Monday, February 23, 2015 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

17 Ways to Think Pink

February 17th, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, and something tells me it had to do with the constant presence of tabby fur on my person, but somewhere along the way, my closet became the Novato version of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Literally. Like almost everything in there is a shade of gray or black.

There are a few occasional bursts of color here and there, but I’d say that 80% of the clothes in my closet are gray…

I walk around dressed like a storm cloud of doom.

So when I opened my closet this morning and looked through all the gray shirts and pants, that was it! Something snapped. I decided I’m done wearing so much gray.

But why all the gray in the first place? Well, it’s not that I’m afraid to wear colorful clothing. Not at all. I love colorful clothes! The problem is…so does the cat hair! But my tabby’s fur doesn’t stand out on gray.

One day, hopefully soon, I’ll be able to open my closet doors and see a bright explosion of happy, fun colors that reflect how I feel on the inside — like a turquoise pegasus with a rainbow mane flying across a cloudless blue sky. 🙂

Or something like that.

I’m starting by gathering inspiration, and I found a ton of it today in the form of pink while I was cruising the Nordstrom website. Pink is one of my favorite colors to wear. Vibrant hot pinks, soft baby pinks, sultry coral pinks — if it’s pink, chances are I’ll want to wear it.

I put a bunch of things in my cart today that I ~~desperately want~~ have no intention of getting (yeah, you don’t even want to see the total, LOL!), but ya know how it is… Window shopping. And thinking.

Maybe there’s something here I could get… Maybe just one thing??

Haha!

Tildon Racerback Shift Dress, $38

Mural Slouchy Boyfriend Blazer, $74

Kate Spade Metro Heart Dial Leather Strap Watch, $175

Ellen Tracy Belted Herringbone Stretch Fit & Flare Dress, $128

Kate Spade Kiss and Make Up Lipstick Stud Earrings, $48

Stem Perfect Slub Tee, $25

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5 Things I’m Loving About February (So Far)

February 17th, 2015 by Karen 50 Comments

1. Valentine’s Day

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick and Julep Nail Color in Myriam

Do I think that love should be celebrated 365 days a year? Heck, sure, why not? But I’m still glad it gets its own day. The chocolate and baby cherubs deserve their time in the sun.

Plus…it’s a textbook, absolutely perfect excuse to wear red lipstick, which someone I know did last weekend when he/she went to the symphony.

2. The cherry blossoms

They’re officially coming along, to which my allergies protest, “HELL TO THE NO, WOMAN!”

You want to know something weird??

Of course you do. 🙂 You’re reading MBB, LOL!

OK, here it is: every time I go for a walk around the neighborhood, I check to see if any of the cherry trees are bearing real cherry fruit.

I know, most are strictly ornamental, but when I was a teenager, my friend Jen’s family had a bad-@ss cherry blossom tree in their front yard that was grafted from two different plants, and one side had white flowers, and the other side had pink flowers and actual edible cherries that YOU COULD EAT!

I used to pick some to eat on the way to school in the morning, so now whenever I see a cherry tree in bloom, I take a close look at it to see if any fruit type action is going on.

Because you never know…

3. Having dinner outside (even if it’s just once before the cold weather returns)

Chez Maman Baked Camembert — The baked camembert at Chez Maman in San Francisco, NOM!

Here in Northern California, it is entirely possible to enjoy a meal outside in February.

Just not every February.

Some years, though, when we hit a mysterious stretch of early spring-like weather, you can do amazing things like eat wine and cheese outside at a French Bistro in San Francisco on a Saturday afternoon, which will make you temporarily forget that the Bay Area is one of the MOST EXPENSIVE PLACES ON THE PLANET TO LIVE.
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 360

February 16th, 2015 by Karen 25 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for February 16, 2015

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 seven 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.

Talking animals in commercials: yes or no?
Oh, hell no. They freak me out! Please back to the days when — gosh, what was that movie called? The Incredible Journey? There was also Homeward Bound, the one where the animals have to cross the wilderness, and they talk along the way, but their lips don’t actually move.

Maybe I’m just a throwback to the days of yore, but for me, that’s how I picture animals communicating.

Best fashion/beauty first aid tools to bring with you and keep in your purse wherever you go?
Band-Aids, yo! Or, if you’re feeling really super fancy, Moleskin, which you can get at Walgreens. Either way, they serve the same function.

Basically, if you have a sore spot on your feet — and with me being a shoe person, this happens often, especially with a new pair of shoes — you just stick the Band-Aid on your heel or wherever that spot is to protect it from rubbing and chaffing against the shoe.

Oh! — and Tide pens. Those are great because you never know when pizza or spaghetti sauce will go a little cray-cray. Very handy when you’re wearing white.

Also, that double-sided fashion tape to keep your bra straps stuck to your clothes and hidden from view, and mini-lint/pet hair rollers, and good old-fashioned safety pins (the tiny ones are great for wardrobe malfunctions), and a little case of Advil/ibuprofen, because it sucks to have a headache ruin an evening.

If you could totally redecorate your house, what would you do?
I would rip out all of the carpet and put in hardwood floors. I would fix the stairs, because Tabs treats them like his own personal cat tower, so the carpet covering the stairs has been torn to shreds.

I’d redo the windows to make them more energy efficient. I would paint each and every room in the house a different color, and I would completely revamp my kitchen and get new countertops, new cupboards and a new, larger sink, because my tiny sink drives me bonkers.

And that’s just for starters.

What’s been your favorite accessory to wear lately?
These Kate Spade gumdrop small square studs.

I love those things! They go with everything, and I also have a necklace from a designer, whose name I can’t remember now. It’s a delicate gold necklace with a letter “K” pendant.

What’s your favorite way to play or experiment with color when it comes to beauty (nail polish, hair, lipstick, blush, eyeshadow, etc.)?
Hair. Definitely. I love to change the color of my hair, and I’m currently going through a dark hair phase.

I love hair because you can see it every day, and it’s easy to change.

(Well…I’m not changing it. My friend Alis is changing it.)

You can make a super dramatic change in your look by changing your hair color, and it can completely change what colors you wear on your face and how you dress. I feel like a different person when I change my hair color.

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

1. Talking animals in commercials: yes or no?
2. Best fashion/beauty first aid tools to bring with you and keep in your purse wherever you go?
3. If you could totally redecorate your house, what would you do?
4. What’s been your favorite accessory to wear lately?
5. What’s your favorite way to play or experiment with color when it comes to beauty (nail polish, hair, lipstick, blush, eyeshadow, etc.)?

First of all, happy President’s Day! Second, I think I figured out the key to Valentine’s gift-giving, and I think it might be power tools.

Apparently nothing says “I love you” like power tools. 🙂

I gave El Hub this thing called a jig saw, and his eyes lit up! Power tools: who knew?

I hope you had a nice weekend. What did you do? Did you do anything fun, and did it involve cats?

What’s the plan for this week?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 334

February 15th, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

Charlie (Prince's favorite cat) — Charlie (Prince’s favorite cat)

Tabs has been trying to trace his lineage lately, so we’ve been doing some research into his kitty family tree. We found out that he’s closely tied to some very famous feline entertainers, which isn’t a big surprise… After all, he’s an entertainer himself. Celebrity runs in his veins. It’s literally in his DNA.

Pleased with the initial results of his genealogical investigation, Tabs commissioned the following art portraits.

I have no idea where we’re going to hang these… 🙂

Peanut (Joan Jett's guitar instructor) — Peanut (Joan Jett’s guitar instructor)

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7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

February 14th, 2015 by Karen 309 Comments

Today is going to be so bomb. 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day, my love! Tabby hugs and kisses for you. And nose taps. And cute mrows. And purr-chirps.

We made it through another week, which means we’re another week closer to the cherry blossoms and earlier sunrises and longer days and warm nights where you can sleep with the windows open and tubing down the river and barbecues and shorts and flip-flops! Just gotta hang in there a little longer…

Here’s your fun feat of the day, as assigned by Tabs: bring your camera with you wherever you go, and have it at the ready. Look for beauty in all things, all around you, and be quick on the draw. Take pictures of pretty things wherever you find them, and don’t be stingy! With digital cameras and camera phones, the film is free.

Today, while the world of consumer products works to shove love down our gullets and make us purchase all things chocolate, heart-shaped and red/pink, I hope you feel loved, my friend, no matter what, especially if you’re flying solo.

I’ve flown many solo V-Days over my 39 years, and while some have been good, some have also been tough. I hope you never forget how much you’re loved, irrespective of your current romantic situation. I love you very much, and Tabs does too (but he’s easy, haha).

May you have a wonderful day. Sending you virtual hugs, candy hearts and nose kisses.

Best of luck in the giveaway. Talk to you soon.

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Will you be my Valentine?
- How many times did you paint your nails this week?
- What’s your favorite opera?
- Nail polish for men?
- Best celebrity makeup? Who rocks the raddest looks?
- Recurring pimples in the same place? Do you get ’em?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, February 16, 2015 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 359

February 9th, 2015 by Karen 37 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for February 9, 2015

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 seven 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.

Stripes, plaid or polka dots?
All three at once!

Just kidding.

Kind of. 🙂 But if I had to pick one…I would definitely pick plaid.

I LOVE plaid shirts, and I won’t say no to a really well-fitting pair of plaid pants.

Do your brows match your hair color?
Uh…not really. My brows are my natural hair color, which is a dark, dark brown — almost black — but my current hair color is some kind of chocolatey thing. They haven’t matched in a really long time, and I also — oh, I also always go one shade lighter when I fill in my brows because I feel like it makes them look less harsh.

So the long answer to a short question is “no.”

This week I’m really looking forward to…
I’m really looking forward to Saturday, because El Hub got us tickets to the symphony!

Should be a lot of fun. It’s been a few years since we’ve gone, and I get to dress up a little.

What advice would you give to a friend who wants to get into your line of work?
Hmm…

For blogging, get really handy with a camera. Not only is it empowering to not have to depend on other people to take your pics, but it makes everything easier. And when you sit down at the keyboard, try to approach your projects from a place of joy and love. Leave all of your other baggage out of the mix.

Try to, at least. It’s very hard sometimes, but try.

If you were a song today, what song would you be?
Charli XCX’s Boom Clap.

‘Nuff said.

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

1. Stripes, plaid or polka dots?
2. Do your brows match your hair color?
3. This week I’m really looking forward to…
4. What advice would you give to a friend who wants to get into your line of work?
5. If you were a song today, what song would you be?

I would raise my cup of coffee to you, but I’m not drinking coffee today… I’m drinking tea.

It’s good green tea, though. 🙂 So I raise my cup of tea to you, my friend! I hope you have an easy week highlighted by bouts of honest laughter.

In other news…I’m kind of heartbroken about what happened on The Walking Dead last night, because first Bob, then Beth, and now this? It feels like all of the loving, gentle characters who had hoped for a better world are being picked off, one by one.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 333

February 8th, 2015 by Karen 11 Comments

Dear Tabby is written by Tabs the cat, commonly regarded as “the world’s first plus-size kitty supermodel.” Founded in mid 2012, it has quickly become the most widely syndicated cat advice column on earth — known for its fresh, feline perspective on lifestyle, fashion and style issues affecting cats and humans.

An unconventional office romance

DEAR TABBY: I’ve had a crush on the same cat since we were kittens, but I don’t think she even knows I exist. You see, I work late a lot. I’m a certified kitty accountant (you know how it is, Tabby, married to my job), and I think she must also work in the area, because I watch her through the windows of my office late at night.

Sometimes I’ll see her chatting with other cats under the street lamps and, yeah, it makes me jealous, but I’m also very introverted and shy.

I rarely, if ever, go outside, whereas she, on the other paw, is a free spirit who stays out all night. It’s a classic case of when opposites attract.

My question is this: how do I let her know I’m interested without coming on too strong, and should I even bother? We work in the same area, but it’s as if we’re worlds apart.
— Interested Introvert

Just let the rhythm move you — Let the rhythm move you

DEAR INTERESTED: I’ve counseled many cats in situations similar to yours, where one of the interested parties works indoors and the other one works outside, and here’s what I tell them: yes, I think you should absolutely let her know how you feel, and don’t worry about coming on too strong. Romance is all about taking risks.

I suggest interpretive dance. Express your feelings through dance one night, and try to get her attention through the glass. You’ll never know what might be unless you try.

A cat who wants to be more than friends

DEAR TABBY: This week, completely out of nowhere, my best guy friend cat brought me a mouse, then started nuzzling me and purring.

I was like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?!” and he looked terribly hurt.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s a very cute tom cat, but he’s also seeing one of my friends.

What should I do, Tabby? I’m not against purr-suing a relationship with him, but not while he’s seeing another cat.
— Friendly Tension

You have to be very upfront with some cats

DEAR FRIENDLY: Your reaction was completely understandable. He’s putting the moves on you while he’s seeing someone else!

In this case, I think you just have to be crystal clear with him. Spell everything out.

Let him know that you would never consider dating him while he’s seeing someone else, and proceed with caution. Take it slowly when dealing with friendships and matters of the heart.
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