Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 343

October 20th, 2014 by Karen 45 Comments

The Monday Poll for October 20, 2014 — Who’s that happy girl getting her picture taken with a fireman after the SF Nike Women’s Half Marathon yesterday? Hmm, I wonder…

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.

You’d think I was crazy if you saw my __________.
Office, because it looks like a giant makeup-filled piñata exploded in the middle of the room…but there’s a method to the madness, I swear!

Something you’re constantly forgetting to do?
Turn. Off. The. Front. Porch. Light. In. The. Morning.

Gah!

It’s not like I’m trying to remember complex chemistry equations, but you might think it based on how often I forget to do this one simple thing.

So, a few months ago there was an arsonist on the loose in our neighborhood. After a string of brush fires in residential areas and one fire right near someone’s front door, the local police and fire departments went door to door to educate residents and ask them to start leaving their porch lights on at night to discourage more criminal activity. It was a pretty scary time because we live in a high fire risk area with lots of open space with grassy fields and vegetation.

Anyway, I got really good about remembering to turn the light on before bed… Truth be told, El Hub usually does it. 🙂 But I always forget to turn the light off again in the morning, so sometimes it’ll be on for hours and hours during the day.

What have you been reading these days?
Book-wise, I’m reading Daughter of Smokey and Bone, by Laini Taylor, for the second time because I just love the writing.

I’ve also been reading lots of magazines, like Nylon, a beauty and fashion magazine with spunky, down-to-earth writing that isn’t super “magazine-y” or official. I think it’s written more for 20-somethings, which was a while ago for me, but I like the authenticity. They also devote a good chunk of each issue to beauty, which is a big plus!

I also like Entertainment Weekly for the movie, book, music and TV reviews. Gillian Flynn, the author of Gone Girl, also wrote for them for a while, and I remember really liking her articles.

A side of myself I never want to lose?
My playful side. 🙂
Generally, what’s your favorite makeup season (winter/holiday, spring, summer or fall?)?
I want to pick two! Please, please, please? I pick summer and holiday.

I like the extremes, I guess. Summer for easy and casual, and winter for its formal flair.

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

1. You’d think I was crazy if you saw my _____.
2. Something you’re constantly forgetting to do?
3. What have you been reading these days?
4. A side of myself I never want to lose?
5. Generally, what’s your favorite makeup season (winter/holiday, spring, summer or fall?)?

I firmly believe that within every person, even self-proclaimed dog people, resides a cat lady waiting to blossom. Case in point: my homeboy Karl Lagerfeld.

“I never thought I would like cats.”

— Karl Lagerfeld

On that note, Tabs and I would like to wish you a most purr-fect week. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 318

October 19th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

Hey, pretty kitties! This cool, crisp fall weather is getting me in the mood to wear autumnal colors like plums and golds. With the holidays approaching, I’ve been starting to wear a little more makeup.

The carpet of autumn leaves covering the hill outside inspired me to whip up this glamorous fall makeup look today as a practice run for Thanksgiving dinner and my other holiday parties. It’s one of those looks that seems like it would be complicated because of the false lashes, but it’s not. You can totally do it! It’s appropriate for all skill levels, even kittens experimenting with makeup for the first time. I hope you give it a try. -Tabs

TOOLS:

Plum eyeshadow — I chose a plum eyeshadow because it flatters so many different eye colors, including green eyes like mine.
Gold cream shadow — You can go as sparkly as you want with this, but I decided to go with a very subtle sheen, since the lashes already provide much of the drama.
Bronzy gold kohl pencil liner — A bronzy gold kohl pencil brightens the eyes and adds a subtle focal point that contrasts with the lashes.
False eyelashes — It’s the holidays! Go for big drama with long, lush lashes that kitties can see from a mile away.
Plum lipstick — Amplify your look with a dark plum lip. I prefer matte finishes myself, which are trendy at the moment and very ’90s.
Gold highlighter — To offset the bold eyes and lips, I skipped blush and went for a softly glowing golden cheek using a powder highlighter.
Flat eyeshadow brush
Domed blending brush
Angled eyeshadow brush
Lip brush
Blush brush

STEPS:

Start by applying the plum eyeshadow all over the lid and crease (if you have one).
Using an angled eyeshadow brush, sweep the same plum eyeshadow along the lower lash line.
With your domed shadow brush, stipple and press the gold cream shadow all over your lid to add dimension and texture to the look.
Apply a bronzy gold liner along your lower water line. This doesn’t have to be very intense. Just enough to open up the eyes.
Apply your false lashes! Do this with gusto and without fear.
Using your lip brush, apply a plum lipstick to your lips.
End with a light dusting of shimmery golden highlighter on your cheeks/whisker pads.

If you try this look, tag me on Instagram! #tabstutorials 🙂 I would love to see it on you!

(NOTE: I know you probably already know this, but please don’t put makeup on your kitty cat. This is just for amusement purposes. No real life cats wore any makeup for this tutorial.)

This post is sponsored by Purina Pro Plan #proplancatpartner. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

About Purina Pro Plan Cat food

Tabs is ravenous for his Purina Pro Plan Focus Indoor Care dry cat food (he actually likes it more than his old treats) and his Pro Plan Savory Bites snacks. Purina Pro Plan’s wide range of dry and wet cat foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in three unique nutritional platforms — Savor, Finesse, and Focus — with each formula designed to provide advanced nutrition to help bring out the best in your cat. For more information, visit www.proplan.com/cat.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addicts,

Karen and Tabs

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

October 18th, 2014 by Karen 296 Comments

Heh! Guess who got out of seeing Fury last night. 🙂

Not that I’m totally against seeing it, mind you. I like Mr. Pitt, but I wasn’t in the mood for a heavy movie with a bunch of dudes.

Instead, I experienced the glory that is The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Pie. Picture it: a pecan pie with a pumpkin cheesecake layered on top of it and two huge dollops of whipped cream on the side…

YES! YES!!

After that we just came home, and I took a really long shower and did a body scrub and a hair mask. Then we watched some TV before bed.

Today I have half-marathon final details to attend to, like I have to paint my nails and straighten my hair, because I’ve discovered that I like running with straight hair. And I have to finalize my music playlist. I know this: the last three miles will be powered by Bloc Party.

Have a great weekend, my friend, and good luck in the giveaway. Your nephew says “mroww!”

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:
- On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being hairless and 10 being full-on Sasquatch, how hairy are you right now?
- Who’s the tallest person you know?
- When was the last time you made a toast, and what was it for?
- What are your initials? (Mine are KTAM.)
- Do you prefer to blend in or stand out?
- What do you want? Like really want?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, October 20, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Nike Women’s Half Marathon Race-Day Essentials

October 17th, 2014 by Karen 43 Comments

Two more days.

TWO MORE DAYS! Roughly 39 hours (give or take) until I hit the ground running, literally, for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco with Team Neutrogena on Sunday.

I’ve been training for the past six weeks, and I’m actually feeling really good about this. By no means am I a hardcore athlete, but I tried to do everything I could to help myself make it through race day.

That’s in stark contrast to the last time I ran a half marathon about 10 years ago, when I did everything wrong. I was in tears when I crossed the finish line of that race because I was in so much pain (one word: chafing). Plus, I think I was just mentally unprepared for it.

This time, I feel ready! I was careful not to overtrain, which is something else that bit me in the @ss last time. Plus, I added cross-training (pushups and Jillian Michaels DVDs) and ate the food I was supposed to eat when I was supposed to eat it. I also took my rest and recovery days seriously.

So, yeah. I’m excited about Sunday, and not just because there will be San Francisco firemen in tuxedos handing out Tiffany necklaces at the finish line. 🙂

I’ve also been preparing/vetting all of my race-day essentials, which, of course include beauty products, because you know I couldn’t go 13.1 miles without doing a little something-something.

1. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

Also known as “my improv shower.” I’m putting a couple of these in a plastic bag and bringing them with me so I can wipe off some of the sweat immediately after the race. I’m also keeping a pack in the car for the drive home, just in case I still feel sticky. $8.99 for a reusable case with a pack of 25 towelettes. Available now at drugstores, Ulta and online.

2. Cle de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara

UGH! — so expensive, but so, so good… If there’s any mascara that can handle 13.1 miles and buckets of sweat, it’s this one. Waterproof, smudge-proof, budge-proof, and it delivers mad crazy length and separation. $50, and available now at Neiman Marcus and neimanmarcus.com.

3. Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in Espresso

Technically, Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in Espresso is not a waterproof product, but it may as well be. I’ve worn it in 105-degree heat, and it didn’t move, so I expect it to withstand the mileage. $44, available now at Tom Ford counters and online.

4. NARS Mini Satin Lip Pencil in Yu

I may live to regret this…but life is short! So what the hell! 🙂 I got it into my head to wear hot pink lipstick during the race because 1) it really does make everything better, and 2) because it matches my CW-X Bra.

Call me crazy.

NARS Mini Satin Lip Pencil in Yu is one of five lip pencils in the $49 NARS Digital World set, coming November 1 to Sephora and sephora.com.

[Continue reading…]

What’s Something You Do With Your Makeup When You Want It to Look Like You Put Serious Effort Into It?

October 15th, 2014 by Karen 51 Comments

Just add lashes! (BTW, that’s the Dolce & Gabbana Desert Quad on my eyes)

False lashes, definitely.

A pair of falsies turns everything else up a notch. In the time it takes to stick a pair of false lashes on your eyes, you can turn the most ho-hum makeup into faux fancy.

In my case, I think because I have naturally really uninspired lashes that are thin and not very long, when I wear falsies, the difference is pretty dramatic. It’s like, “Oh! At least she tried.”

But, you know, sometimes I’m just not in the mood to deal with all the glue and the lashes and the trimming them down to size, so I’ll bust out my tube of Cle de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara, which creates crazy good length. Unfortunately, it’s also crazy expensive. $50.

I swear, though, it makes my lashes look about nine miles long. The only problem is that it takes forever and a day to remove. The formula is freakishly waterproof, which might actually be a good thing for me today because it just started raining. 🙁

What’s something you do with your makeup when you want it to look like you put serious effort into it?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Fall Is Here…

October 14th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Wow. Overnight, we went from 80-something degrees, t-shirts and shorts to me noticing the leaves changing colors on the oak trees outside. How’d that happen?

I miss summer already. When it’s over, I always feel like I didn’t do enough outside while it was hot, like I didn’t take enough advantage of it, but I did… I’m just sad to see it go.

At least we have boots…fall boots and fall makeup and fall sweaters and fall snacks. I’m definitely gonna be going to DSW more often.

Tabs is none too pleased about the changing seasons either. His little deck garden is on its last legs. There’s just not enough sun to keep the plants happy. The cat grass and zinnia, which are probably his two favorite things to snack on whenever he goes outside, are withering and starting to yellow, and now he nibbles on them disdainfully, as if he’s forcing down a bad salad because he thinks it’s healthy, but it’s all he has.

It’s so weird, but two days ago, this is how it looked in San Francisco. El Hub and I took the ferry in from Larkspur to watch the Blue Angels, and it was hot! I was walking around holding a bottle of water, and now it’s 20 degrees cooler, cloudy and smells like rain. Go figure.

Time to shift gears to Halloween and Thanksgiving. To get myself in the right mindset, I like to look back through my folder of kitty modeling ad campaigns that Tabs worked on in previous falls… 🙂

[Continue reading…]

What Foundation Have You Been Wearing, and Are You Happy With It?

October 14th, 2014 by Karen 73 Comments

GURL, if someone took away my bottle of Laura Mercier’s Flawless Fluide Foundation, I would go full-on Walking Dead Ricksanity on that @ss, improv shiv and ALL. It is the business. It’s been my can’t-live-without-it foundation for months.

It’s my go-to foundation for pics because it covers everything and mellows out my pores (cue blessed makeup angels harmoniously singing). I also grab it whenever I’m in the mood for a matte finish (can even skip powder).

Lightweight? Yup. Comfortable? Uh-huh. Doesn’t break me out? Yes, yes, YES! And it comes in a ton of shades. I wear the one called Chai, as in “Oh, CHAI!” or, “I’ll have a venti pumpkin soy chai latte please, hold the foam.”

I’m still a MAC Face & Body fan/fiend 4-Life, but I like having another holy grail foundation I can turn to. Sometimes I’ll even layer both of them, applying MAC Face & Body all over my face with my fingers, then blending Flawless Fluide on my cheeks, nose and around my chin (where I like to have more coverage) with a Beauty Blender — which totally helps with Flawless Fluide, by the way, which can look super matte. The BB makes it look really natural.

What foundation have you been wearing, and are you happy with it? Tell me all about it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 342

October 13th, 2014 by Karen 20 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 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.

If I ever become rich and famous I’m going to __________.
- Ask Beyonce and Jay-Z over for tea.
- Yell at the paparazzi to “get the hell off my lawn!”
- Start a rescue cat sanctuary and adoption center (complete with hugely elaborate outdoor cat enclosure play space) for needy Northern California kitties.
- Buy a Volvo with fantastic side visibility and power locks. (My current car doesn’t have automatic locks, and I hate when I’m walking to my car someplace isolated or dark, like an indoor parking structure, and I have to get my keys out to open the door. Doesn’t feel safe.) I’m not a car person at all, but I’ve always wanted a Volvo. I hear they’re supposed to be very safe and reliable.
- Fly first class to Thailand for vacation on a whim.
- Build a fancy personal library.
What’s a mascara you find yourself buying over and over again?
Good, old reliable Chanel Le Volume de Chanel. I never get tired of the great volume and curl hold, and it has TONS of big drama.

Your biggest boy band crush (or any band, for that matter) growing up?
“You’ve got the right stuff…baby.” (Um, NKOTB, hello!)

Ponchos: yes or no?
OK, I like the idea of wearing something that resembles a blanket (you can sleep in it any ol’ time!), but I’m going to have to go with no. I’ve tried ’em, and they don’t work for me. I look like I belong in Middle Earth.
In general, is your daytime makeup routine very different from your going out/evening makeup routine?
Actually, not really. I don’t have any strict rules when it comes to colors or coverage for daytime versus night. As long as I feel good in what I’m wearing, I’m down for whatever.

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

1. If I ever become rich and famous I’m going to __________.
2. What’s a mascara you find yourself buying over and over again?
3. Your biggest boy band crush (or any band, for that matter) growing up?
4. Ponchos: yes or no?
5. Is your daytime makeup routine very different from your going out/evening makeup routine?

Hello, sweet friend!

Before I get to your Karl quote of the week, The Walking Dead season premiere last night. I haven’t seen it yet! We got in a little late last night, but I recorded it, so I’m going to watch it tonight. Please, no spoilers. I beg you.

And for your Karl-Lag quote for the week..

“What I love best in life is new starts.”

— Karl Lagerfeld

Me, too, Karl. Me too. On that note, I hope your Monday got off to a great start. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen