Just For Fun

Answer This: What’s the Secret to Gorgeous Hair?

August 20th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Fearless, a deep bluish pink

Ah, the age-old questions…

What’s the meaning of life?

What’s my purpose in this world?

Who built the pyramids?

Why do cats barf so much?

What’s the secret to gorgeous hair?

To me, all of the above remain mysteries, but I do think there are some things you can do to gorgeous-ify your hair and make it worthy of a Pantene commercial, like, not washing it every day, which I know sounds really gross, but it totally helps retain your color, if your hair is color-treated like mine.

When it comes to hair, genetics plays a part, but I think its significance is often overstated. I’ve seen so many hair makeovers where the person upgraded their coif quality by leaps and bounds, and the before and after pics look like totally different people. Depending on your hair health, there’s usually a lot you can do with your hair.

Avoiding heat styling as much as possible, at least for me, is probably the biggest hair booster. I limit myself to once, maybe twice a week because it seems like the less I mess with blowdryers, flat irons and hot rollers, the better off my hair is in general. It’s not as dry, better behaved and less unruly, and I get fewer split ends.

I think it also really helps to scour the universe until you find a stylist who completely understands your hair and its texture. Somewhere out there is the perfect someone for your hair. It’s a question of tracking them down.

What do you think? What’s the secret to gorgeous hair?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What Are Your Three Biggest Tips for Faster Makeup Application?

August 19th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Here are my three…

1. It’s timer time

Use a timer, and place it right within your line of sight (where you can’t possibly ignore it).

I use the timer on my iPhone (and I disable the screen lock feature, so the display doesn’t go to sleep), but a good old-fashioned kitchen egg timer works, too. Anything with a countdown timer or an unmistakeable alarm… Just watching the clock doesn’t work for me. I guess it’s too easy to ignore, LOL!

2. As Spock would say, “Organization is logical.”

Keep all of your most important makeup essentials together, organized and accessible, in a way that makes sense to you.

I keep my most-used products in a clear tray with different compartments. That way I’m not wasting time rutting around in different bags and drawers trying to find my everyday essentials like primer, foundation, concealer, etc.

3. Let’s keep it clean, people

Clean your brushes after every use so they’re in good shape when you need them.

Seriously, I don’t even want to think about how much time I used to waste looking for clean brushes while getting ready. Now, whenever I’m done doing my makeup — if not right then, then later that night — I thoroughly clean my brushes (or at least give them a quick once-over with Wet Ones Wipes).

Your turn! What are your three biggest tips for faster makeup application? Time-strapped minds want to know…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What Was the Last DIY or Homemade Hair, Makeup or Beauty Product You Made and Used?

August 18th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Remember how I said my lips were painfully windburned and chapped from that four-hour marathon kayaking mis-adventure on Lake Tahoe a little over a week ago? Well, I made a homemade sugar and olive oil lip scrub for them last weekend, and yay! — now they’re almost back to normal.

I mixed a little olive oil and some granulated sugar into a thick paste. (I didn’t really pay attention to how much I used of each. I pretty much just eyeballed it.) Then I rubbed that on my lips.

Sometimes when I do this I use an old toothbrush to buff the paste on my lips like an exfoliator.

But this time I just used my fingers…

It works great! And it’s super cheap, too. Plus, if you want to, you can lick the leftovers off your lips instead of rinsing, LOL!

I’m just sayin… 🙂

How about you? What was the last DIY or homemade hair, makeup or beauty product you made and used? (I would not turn down any recipes if you have them.)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 334

August 18th, 2014 by Karen 37 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.

Spam (as in the canned “meat”): love it or leave it?
Ugh…as much as I hate to admit this, I kind of love it. 🙂 Not gonna lie. Even though I’m not a big meat eater anymore, sometimes I crave eggs over easy, fried Spam, rice and ketchup. I grew up eating that kind of thing for breakfast (it’s a Filipino thing), and occasionally I’ll still get a hankering for it.

Love smells like [FILL IN THE BLANK].
- Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies
- El Hub right after he gets out of the shower and gives me a big bear hug
- My parents’ house at Christmas
- Tabby’s stinky kitty breath first thing in the morning
Have you ever had really terrible bangs?
Well, I was a tween in the late ’80s, so yes, I have. And they were TERRIBLE! They looked like a Brillo pad that someone had just used to clean a BBQ, LOL!

No matter how hard I tried, I could never get them to look the way I wanted them to — like the big haired bangs all the cool girls had at my school.

Not my best hair years, that’s for sure.

When you take selfies, do you ever make those kissy/fish faces?
I’ve tried a few times, but I must be doing something wrong with my kissy fish face looks because, yeah, not cute.

Do you ever see wild animals where you live?
OOH! Wild animals… Sounds so primeval. No, no lions, tigers, bears and that sort of thing, but we do see coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, foxes, turkeys, deer and the occasional bunny rabbit.

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

1. Spam (as in the canned meat): love it or leave it?
2. Love smells like [FILL IN THE BLANK].
3. Have you ever had really terrible bangs?
4. When you take selfies, do you ever make those kissy/fish faces?
5. Do you ever see wild animals where you live?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. It’s back-to-school week, isn’t it? If you’re currently in school, what are you studying? I was sort of a confused academic soul. I studied two totally different things, English and Biology.

My folks wanted me to be a scientist or doctor, but I was more into artsy stuff… Go figure. 🙂

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 309

August 17th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Dear Diary,

I could really use a bowl of stress relief tea right now. This promises to be a hectic fall. Busy, busy, busy. Being an international kitty supermodel, fall is typically a really intense time for me, and this fall will be no exception.

I have a lot on my plate over the next few weeks — the VMAs on the 24th, the Emmys on the 25th, Fashion Week next month, the US Open (paws crossed!).

I’m booked to cover the awards shows for E! News this year as their exclusive kitty correspondent, which is a brand new gig for me. Am I excited? Absolutely, but I’m also a little nervous, as I have yet to figure out what bow tie to wear (or if I should wear one at all?).

Fashion-wise, I’m usually a Chanel cat, through and through. Always have been. Karl and I have an excellent relationship, but with the issues I’ve been having with Choupette lately, I’m not sure…

Dolce & Gabbana called, so I may go with something from them, but this is all off the record, of course. I’m even nervous writing it here.

Let’s see, what else… Oh! Fashion Week is coming up, and I’m booked for a slew of shows. For sure, I’ll be walking for Marc Jacobs, Badgley Mischka, Diane Von Furstenberg and Rebecca Minkoff, but I’m not sure as to what my final show schedule will look like, purr usual. My assistant is in charge of all that, and she hasn’t yet programmed it into my iPhone.

[Continue reading…]

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

August 16th, 2014 by Karen 303 Comments

You know that movie The Time Traveler’s Wife?

I watched it again… It was on TV last night.

That movie is just so incredibly sad, isn’t it? But neat. It’s like, here’s what happens when something that could be a gift is actually a curse.

Rachel McAdams sure knows how to pick those heart-wrenching love stories…

Speaking of gifts, happy caturday! Every day we share together, my friend, is a gift, and yes, that’s corny, but I do not care. Not one bit. 🙂

How’s it going this morning? Did you do anything interesting or fun last night? El Hub and I had dinner at a Japanese place here in town that we hadn’t been to before (eh, it was OK), and then walked down the street and got ice cream at Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, and that store is always fun. I’m serious, if Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory had a satellite corporate office, it would probably look just like that store. They have every kind of candy imaginable, from chocolate-covered bacon necklaces to giant rainbow lollipops to caramel peanut clusters the size of small watermelons.

And after that we watched that movie at home. Pretty quiet evening.

Your nephew seems to be in good spirits this morning. Right after I woke up I pet him for a while, so he met his quota for lurvies, and as you know, his moods are pretty much entirely dependent on food and love. Like mommy like tabby.

Well, that’s about it for me. I’m gonna go make my first cup of coffee now and something to eat (Eggo waffles, perhaps?). Good luck in this weekend’s 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:
- Would you want the ability to time travel if you couldn’t control when it happened, or to what time you went?
- What’s your favorite animated movie?
- Have you ever ridden a scooter?
- What’s the best smelling shampoo?
- Which do you wear more often: big dangly earrings or small studs?
- Have you ever been to a water park?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, August 18, 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

When It Comes to Makeup, Are You Professionally Trained or Self-Taught?

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

Other than a handful of makeup classes over the years at different Chanel and MAC counters, I’m completely self-taught.

I feel like I do OK now with my makeup, but there are still so many things I’d like to learn (and I’d love to be able to do everything faster).

If/when an eccentric billionaire ever takes an interest in me (WHERE ARE YOU!? DAMMIT! HURRY UP!) and decides to fund my cat lady/makeup-lovin’ lifestyle, I would definitely sign up for official makeup training. I think it would be fun and cool.

And if Tabs ever feels so gracious as to give me another day off, I might see about assisting a local makeup artist, just to pick up some new tricks on the job.

What about you? When it comes to makeup, are you professionally trained or self-taught?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 🙂

For Pictures, Do You Feel Like You Have a “Good Side”?

August 14th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

Oh, yes. Definitely.

I think I photograph better from the right — so the right side of my face.

From the left, I swear, I look like a linebacker! Like I could run you over in a hot second and chew you up afterwards. But from the right, I’m a normal girl. It’s the weirdest thing.

To me, in the pics where I’m facing left, something always looks wonky (for lack of a better word)…

I guess I should’ve paid closer attention to Tyra’s modeling advice on America’s Next Top Model…

But seriously, when I actually started thinking about where/how to position myself in front of the camera (like, by turning my body slightly so that I wasn’t facing directly at the lens, tilting my chin, that kinda thing), taking pictures that I liked got a whole lot easier.

How about you? For pictures, do you feel like you have a “good side”?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Since we’re on the topic of taking pics, here are some other posts you might like… 🙂