Just For Fun

**RING! RING!**

KAREN: Gurl, why you call me on your banana phone? You know it’s only for emergencies.

KAREN’S IMAGINARY FRIEND: Emergencies!? This is an emergency! This is a makeup emergency! A triple 9-1-1 orange alert makeup emergency of the utmost importance!

KAREN: I feel you, dog… What’s up?

KAREN’S IMAGINARY FRIEND: It is hot in hurr!

KAREN: No sh*t. I’m in the pool right now… A pool of my own sweat!

It smells like roses, of course…

KAREN’S IMAGINARY FRIEND: Does not.

KAREN: Does too.

KAREN’S IMAGINARY FRIEND: Does not!

KAREN: Does too.

KAREN’S IMAGINARY FRIEND: Anyway, the emergency I called you about?

KAREN: Shoot.

KAREN’S IMAGINARY FRIEND: Well, like, everything I put on my face keeps sliding off because it’s so hot. I’m freakin’ out! What can I do to stop my makeup from melting?

KAREN: Ah, I get it. I can totally help you with that. I’m gonna text you a list of products…

Wait — can you get texts on that banana phone?

LOL! Imagine having a conversation like that with yourself on a banana phone in public. People will think you’re cray. 🙂

There was a point to this whole little story, though… I’m wondering about hot weather makeup product tips — hot as in shirtless Ryan Gosling in a chaise lounge. What are your top three?

Here are mine…

1. Primer: I use this to anchor my face makeup. MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance is my favorite for hot weather.

   I’ve also started really liking Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Primer.

   I’m a BIG believer in primer.

2. Foundation: In particular, MAC Face & Body. It evens out my skin tone, feels light, and, like a tired 20-pound tabby, it doesn’t move once it sets.
3. Highlighting Lotion: Sometimes, when I’m not in the mood to wear foundation, I’ll apply a layer of highlighting lotion, just to give my skin a little extra lift.

   Favorites includes MAC Strobe Cream and MAC Strobe Lotion in Golden Elixir (discontinued… OH, THE HORROR!).

Hot weather makeup product tips — what are your top three?

Talk to me! (Banana phone optional.)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Karen

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. Shower gel or bar soap?
   Brrrrr showwp.

   LOL! Sorry. My mouth is full of banana right now. I’m trying to be better about eating a little something right after I exercise so I don’t crash.

   Anyway! Lately, bar soap, because my skin’s been weirdly, unusually sensitive. I can’t even handle exfoliating gloves or washcloths or anything else that feels scratchy, so I’ve been using bar soaps a lot.

2. I’m currently a big fan of _____.
   Bright lips, bold lashes, soft brows, and otherwise very little on my skin.

   Why? Because it’s been hella hot the past few days here in Northern California, and to be honest, I haven’t been wanting to wear much makeup.

   I’ve been lovin’ on basic looks with super bright lips like I’m wearing in the pic at the top (I actually wore that on Saturday — creamy, orangey red Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Fire).

   That, with just a bit of MAC Strobe Liquid in Golden Elixir (OMG, they need to reissue that ASAP!), with my brows done, mascara and under-eye concealer.

3. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is ______.
   Keep your mouth shut, take a deep breath and walk away. Then try it (whatever it is) again in 10 minutes.
4. Are you the kind of gal/guy who can pull off wearing a white outfit and not get it dirty throughout the day?
   Hell to the no! I love wearing white, especially in summer (it’s so crisp and cool), as long as I have a Tide Pen with me.
5. What makeup are you wearing right now?
   • Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in Espresso (SO GOOD)
   • Make Up for Ever HD High Definition Concealer (just picked this up yesterday; taking it for a spin!)
   • Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in 940 Nahema Stack (a sheer orange from the summer 2014 collection)
   • That’s it for now, but that’s about to change. 🙂

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

1. Shower gel or bar soap?
2. I’m currently a big fan of _____.
3. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is ______.
4. Are you the kind of gal/guy who can pull off wearing a white outfit and not get it dirty throughout the day?
5. What makeup are you wearing right now?

Good morning, sweet girl! (Or sweet boy, if you’re one of the five dudes who reads MBB.)

It’s a new week, and you know how I like to get a little cheesy at the start of the week, right? Well, today I’m thinking about magic. 🙂

Like, I’m looking at my to-do list, and I’m already feeling on edge. But before I started to spiral, I reminded myself that life is kind of magical. Thing is, sometimes you have to look for it (the magic). That’s why I’m a big fan of the 5-minute walk.

It’s good to get up and walk around, maybe see a flower or two, put on a pretty lipstick or spritz some perfume — just as long as you get up from your computer, because as much as I love computers, they are not usually where the magic hides.

OK, that’s enough corniness for now (sorry). Have a great day, and may the magic find you (get up from that computer!).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Today I’m wearing two coats of MAC Studio Nail Lacquer in Rebel.

I painted my paws with it last night because I wanted to send a pic to my friend, who’s daughter is named Rebel. I told him that she would think he was the BEST DAD EVER if he got her a bottle of this polish. 🙂

How about you? What are you wearing on your nails?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

I’d like to say that I carry a cheat sheet with me everywhere I go with a laminated matrix of makeup cross-referenced and sorted, with ratings for finish, formula, wear time, pigment and perceived value…

Wait — no I don’t. I’m not that cray! 🙂 Most of the time I just go with my gut.

Assuming that I don’t barf a little or curse when I see the price, if I see a product and swatch it and get that fluttery feeling in my tum, nine times out of 10 I’ll make my way to the cashier (after first checking the store’s return policy).

I think I’m easy prey for savvy sales associates and makeup artists. When they see me, they’re probably thinking, “Oh, boy. Here’s another one. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel today!”

“Let me just try this on you,” they’ll say, and my gut will respond, “OK! Yeah! It looks gorgeous! Gotta have it!” 😀

So, yeah, when it comes to new makeup purchases, my gut usually drives the decision-making process.

Not exactly the scientific method, but it works for me.

How about you? How deliberate and thoughtful are you about new makeup purchases?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Well, besieging is maybe a tad overdramatic…

Naw, it’s fine. 🙂

Let’s see… Other than finding new ways to stuff even more lipsticks and glosses into my bag (#truth), the beauty issues currently besieging my mind are…

Finding skin care products that actually work on my fine lines and wrinkles

First, I’m totally cool with looking my age. I’ve been through a lot in my 39 years, and I like I’m OK that it shows on my face.

But I wouldn’t say no to a new kick-@ss anti-aging eye cream!

I’ve been using a non-acidic daily peel, Pericone MD’s Blue Plasma Orbital, at night for the past few months, and it does a good job on the tiny bumps on the skin around my eyes, but my fine lines are still just as fine as can be!

The stuff also dries out quickly in the jar once it’s opened, and it’s not cheap ($65 for 0.5 ounces).

Brows, brows, brows!

Ha! Sounds like a chant from a Dr. Seuss book.

Even though I’m satisfied with the current state of my brows (they’ve taken FOREVER to grow out) and have fully accepted that the bald spot in my left brow, aka Raul, will never leave me, I feel like I’m always looking for the next best way to get them looking full, yet natural.

It’s a never-ending story, but a great pair of brows sets the stage for your makeup.

Covering up dark circles, aka finding the ultimate under-eye concealer

I want one that does it all! — the One True Concealer. One that brightens, covers completely, lasts all day long, looks and feels lightweight and doesn’t crease or settle into my fine lines.

I’ve been using MAC Pro Longwear Concealer for years, and it gets the job done, but there’s always room for something better, ya know?

Witchy woman

Probably TMI, but I have these really annoying stiff hairs on my chin, and there’s like a whole gang of them, too. Not just one.

I would love to find a way to vanquish them permanently, because I am hella tired of plucking them.

How about you? What are your most important and/or urgent beauty issues? In other words, what beauty issues are currently besieging your mind?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. How’s it going this morning?
   Pretty good, but I’m still kinda sleepy, to be honest. Needless to say, it’s been slow going this morning!

   I’ve been running fine on about six hours of sleep a night for the past couple weeks, but I think I finally hit the wall. I need one of those 10-hours-of-sleep nights to catch up.

   Meanwhile, could someone please pass the coffee? Or I might need a mid-morning nap, zzzz…

2. OK, it’s tip sharing time! Let’s share the wealth of our collective beauty knowledge. What’s one of your all-time best beauty, skin or hair care tips?
   Hmm… Well, for skin, the whole water thing. Drink copious amounts.

   Like TONS! Whenever my skin starts acting cray or when my lips get so dry that they’re painful, chances are I haven’t been drinking enough water.

   I usually drink obscene amounts of it. I’m that annoying person in the group who always needs to find a loo, LOL! But I am absolutely convinced that drinking enough water helps my skin.

3. It’s OK if you don’t ______.
   It’s OK if you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up.

   I’m serious!

   Now, if you’re one of those people who always knew what you wanted to in your life, congrat-poo-lations. 🙂 You’re very lucky.

   For the rest of us who have no clue, that’s OK. Plans will always change anyway, and things still work out.

4. Are you adept at applying those individual little bundled false lashes?
   Oh, hell no! I can apply full and half strip lashes reasonably well now, but those little bundles are rough.

   Maybe I should make getting better at that my summer makeup project.

5. What was the last TV show you marathoned?
   Game of Thrones! And I’m still going through GoT withdrawals.

   I’m not ready to say goodbye to Westeros yet, but I’m all caught up.

   I tried binging on the second season of Orange is the New Black last weekend, but it’s just not the same.

   I mean, where are my dragons??

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

1. How’s it going this morning?
2. What’s one of your all-time best beauty, skin or hair care tips?
3. It’s OK if you don’t ______.
4. Are you adept at applying those individual little bundled false lashes?
5. What was the last TV show you marathoned?

Good morning, cutie pie. 🙂

Yup, it’s Monday.

I always like to start the week implementing some tip or technique to help things go smoothly, and this week that something will be walks.

This week, I’m going to be all about taking breaks to go walk.

Do you ever take little 5- or 10-minute walks during the day? You should try it sometime. I know it’s cliche, but it’s like the water thing with skin care. It really helps.

I find that when I do it consistently — usually one short walk in the morning around 10:30 and another one in the afternoon around 3 — I feel much better overall. Much less stressed out.

It helps to just get away from your workspace, move around and get some fresh air for a while.

I always bring my phone or a camera with me, too. That way I can snap some pics if I happen upon anything cool (like neighborhood cats).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen