Just For Fun

Two Ways to Win a $100 Beauty Bonanza from Make Up For Ever and TRESemme

July 27th, 2011 by Karen 501 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is MimiG323. Congrats, Mimi! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Heya, babe! How about a super quick mid-week giveaway to help us get over the hump?

Today we have seven runway-tested beauty bits, some for face, eyes, lips and hair, from TRESemme and Make Up For Ever. They’re items that made big splashes recently at Miami Fashion Week Swim 2011 during the Mara Hoffman show, but I bet they’ll look even better on one of us as we cruise the frozen food aisle at Trader Joe’s.

(Don’t forget to try their mango bars.) 😀

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

One lucky lady (or gent) will win a $101.97 prize package featuring goodies from Make Up For Ever and TRESemme.

The prize package includes…

One (1) Make Up For Ever Mat Bronzer (a $30 value)
One (1) Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara ($22)
One (1) Make Up For Ever Glossy Full Couleur in #10 (an $18 value)
One (1) Make Up For Ever Kohl Eye Pencil in #1K (an $18 value)
One (1) TRESemme Thermal Creations Curl Activator Spray (a $4.49 value)
One (1) TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (a $4.99 value)
One (1) TRESemme Anti-Frizz Secret Smoothing Creme (a $4.49 value)

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, when was the last time you went swimming? How often do you wear a full face of makeup in summer? Have you ever walked down a runway for a fashion show? — you get the idea.
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $100 Beauty Bonanza from Make Up For Ever and TRESemme http://bit.ly/qdzvie

The deadline to enter is Friday, July 29, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
Contest is open to individuals of the United States (sorry, international gals; I promise to hold a giveaway that includes you soon) who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is MimiG323. Congrats, Mimi! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

9 Things: I Feel Like I’m Always…

July 26th, 2011 by Karen 58 Comments

I feel like I’m always writing lists. Like this morning, for example, I was writing in my journal, just jotting down my plans for the day, when I started thinking about things that I find myself doing all the time — ya know, stuff that happens over and over again. In my case, it’s opening cans of gravy, trying to find my iPhone (if I had a nickel for every time I asked El Hub to “call my phone for me…”), wanting another pair of shoes that I probably wouldn’t be able to walk in, and, of course, writing lists like these. 🙂

We probably all have things like that, right? — things we feel like we do over and over again. Well, here are nine of mine. I’d also love to read some of yours.

“I feel like I’m always…”

1. Buying Giant Pet Hair Rollers (that’s actually what they’re called) from Target

CRAZY CAT LADY MOMENT: Sometimes I like to think that Tabs inherited his thick, dark hair from his mother (aka me)… LOL! I know, I know.

When we first started “working” together, I’d originally thought Tabs’ short fur wouldn’t be a problem, but homeboy sheds like a mofo!

I stash lint rollers throughout the house, but they only help so much; his fur still gets everywhere — on my jeans, my shirts, and even my face.

Once, I actually used a lint roller on my face…

Whatever, it worked. 🙂

2. Recharging camera batteries

You may not know this about me, but I take a lot of pictures (kidding). There’s always at least one outlet around me recharging batteries for a camera or other electronic device.

SIDE NOTE: Every so often someone asks about my camera equipment. If you’re interested, here’s a post with the deets and a couple of hopefully helpful camera tips.

3. Washing the blender

I’ve been on a smoothie kick since early spring, so my blender’s been getting a lot of use. Sure, I’ve saved the money I would have spent on Jamba Juice, but my fruit bill has gone through the roof!

Smoothies are just so…irresistible. They’re easy to make and pack plenty of fiber and protein (I like to add plain, non-fat yogurt). I think they’re especially great after a run.

Mmm…mango lassi…

4. Spraying MAC Turquatic on my wrists

mac turquatic 2011

Back in late spring when it was raining every day and folks were wondering, “where’s summer?” — I finally figured out the answer to that. MAC had it, and they put it in every bottle of Turquatic.

I got an extra bottle earlier this year when it looked like the scent was being discontinued. Thankfully, it’s staging a comeback next month.

5. Starting from scratch

Wish I could say I was one of those kick-@ss robot people who never got tired and always knew exactly what they were doing, but alas, I’m not.

I feel like I’m constantly having to re-learn things I could have sworn I already knew, and making many of the same mistakes over and over again.

It’s downright exhausting, to tell you the truth, so I just try to take things one day at a time.
[Continue reading…]

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, July 25

July 25th, 2011 by Karen 51 Comments

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 three years, which I guess makes this somewhere around Vol. 178. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mood:

Not too shabby, tabby. I had a nice, relaxing weekend and slept well last night. Can’t ask for much more than that. 🙂

I would like to start…

…lifting weights again. I miss having upper body strength. I got out of the habit of resistance training a few years ago and have gotten progressively weaker ever since. I miss being able to change those big 5-gallon bottles of water myself and not having to ask El Hubs to open jars for me. Shoot, I remember being able to do a few pull-ups. Now I probably couldn’t even do one.

What’s one thing people may not know about you?

If it weren’t for braces, I’d have a gap between my two front teeth, like Lauren Hutton, who I think probably wears the look better than I did.

Biggest vice?

Trashy reality TV, for sure. I try not to think about all of the time I’ve wasted watching rich housewives act like fools on Bravo. Well, “wasted” may be too harsh a word. Watching reality TV is one of my favorite ways to unwind.

One of your most regrettable beauty decisions?

The dark purple lip liner and frosty beige lipstick look I wore for a while in the mid-’90s. I was woefully wrong, but I thought it looked fab with my short haircut (remember Dharma & Greg). Not one of my better beauty phases, let me tell ya.

Three things you almost always have in your purse?

At least one tube of lipgloss, a small pair of tweezers (damn those spontaneous chin hairs!) and my froyo frequent buyer card for Tuttimelon (buy eight and get the ninth one free!).

Which of your features do you like best?

I don’t know if it’s commonly considered a feature, but I like my hair most of the time. Right now it’s overdue for a cut and color, so it looks a little bit like a dime-store clown wig, but that’s what ponytails are for, right? 🙂 I finally made an appointment with my stylist, and when I did I think I heard my roots sigh with relief.

When did you first start wearing mascara?

Hmm…it was either high school senior year or my first year in college, and I’m pretty sure it was something for natural-looking lashes by Clinique, which is ironic now considering my current lash mantra, “go drag or go home.”

Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?

No, I never have, but I loved watching the Miss America Pageant on TV when I was a kid.

Weekly goals:

To go through the pile of mail I’ve been ignoring and to finish everything I want to get done this week (preferably with a smile). 🙂

Ya know, I’m consistently blown away by the talent out there in the MBB pet community, like the kitty, puppy and snake (!) models featured here posing with their tubes of MAC Evolution Revolution Lipglass. Now THAT’s the way the pros do it. Bravo!

Here’s Tigger, Instant Karma’s striped sweetheart, appearing to nap oh-so nonchalantly with his tube of EvRev…

Here’s Gia, Annessa’s puppy pal, showing off a pair of pretty brown eyes…

Samantha‘s kitty Cleo has this sultry look down pat…

And Iris’ baby boy CJ is a HUGE EvRev fan…

If you catch your cat (or dog/hamster/ferret/turtle/tiger or other furry friend) modeling with your tube of EvRev, send me a pic by e-mail to karen at makeupandbeautyblog dot com, or via Facebook or Twitter. They just might appear in a future MBB pet modeling job. 🙂

Now, are you ready to get down with this week’s Monday Poll?

To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

1. Mood:
2. I would like to start…
3. What’s one thing people may not know about you?
4. Biggest vice?
5. One of your most regrettable beauty decisions?
6. Three things you almost always have in your purse?
7. Which of your features do you like best?
8. When did you first start wearing mascara?
9. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
10. Weekly goals:

Every week has at least one highlight. Here’s to hoping for one of them today. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 149

July 24th, 2011 by Karen 21 Comments

Tabs for the new Benefit Eye Lovah Palette

It took Tabs a couple of years to settle on a major while at U.C. Davis, and he left school early to pursue his kitty modeling career, but before he left, he took a few classes in landscape architecture and women’s studies, both of which he put to good use today in the new deck garden here at the office, by watering, trimming back the catnip and checking the leaves for signs of insect damage — all things I was going to have to do if he hadn’t, so I appreciate that.

He was out of town earlier this week shooting a few modeling jobs (I pasted the most recent pics from his portfolio below), but he made it home in time for the weekend. Right now he’s on the couch watching his new favorite show on the Cat Style Network, Big Rich Kitty (it’s a spinoff of Big Rich Texas). Have you seen it yet? 🙂

Anywho, what are you up to tonight? Doing anything fun?

Tabs for Justin Bieber Some Other Day Fragrance

Tabs for the Dior Business Casual Kitty Tie
[Continue reading…]

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

July 24th, 2011 by Karen 11 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Rise and shine, morning glory! 🙂 I hope you’re having a great weekend so far.

I’m a little excited because yesterday, I got green! El Hub and I set our minds to doing some gardening with potted plants on our small deck at home. Nothing too ambitious because we couldn’t spend too much time or money on it, but still, something, ya know? Plants just make everything better.

So we stopped by Home Depot first and picked up a few plastic planters and potting soil and then got a selection of cat-friendly plants from a nursery down the street.

Here’s what it looks like now. Mind you, this is still a work in progress…

Cat friendly deck garden

Cat friendly deck garden
Plant varieties: catnip, basil, cilantro, echinacea, zinnia, cosmos and phlox

Tabs has been inspecting every single leaf of every single plant, and he seems particularly interested in the catnip and cilantro. He’s already taken a few bites of both, and I wish those plants the very best of luck, LOL!

In other news, how are things out yonder way? What about this week in the worlds of makeup and beauty? — did you find or try anything new or adventurous with your makeup? Which of your looks (including outfit, hair and makeup) was your favorite of the week?

Before we move on to new adventures, here’s one last look at some of the things we talked about this week on MBB. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
RICEPAPER EYESHADOW

I know I did not just hear you say that you don’t have MAC Ricepaper Eyeshadow ($14.50) yet because that, my love, would be a makeup travesty of epic proportions.

EPIC!

Okay, maybe not epic. But large. Let’s say, bigger than a breadbox?

Shoot, I can’t even remember when I first started wearing Ricepaper (I think it was around 1999), but I do remember that it changed my life (as only good makeup can).

This shimmery, pigmented peachy gold is one of those colors I find I’m able to wear every single day, and I almost do. I probably reach for it at least a few times a week and wear it most often as a wash over my lids, or along my brow bone as a highlighter (I think it lifts the arches), or at the inner corners of my eyes when I feel I look tired. Read more…

NEW HOURGLASS FILM NOIR LASH LACQUER NAILS THE COLOR
BUT THE FORMULA COULD USE SOME HELP

Hourglass Film Noir Lash Lacquer sure is interesting. I’ll give it that.

In my ceaseless pursuit of products to transform my mousy, stage-fright fringe into the lash equivalent of Cher on tour (complete with crazy wigs and pyrotechnics), I’ve tried a lot of different mascaras, but I can safely say I’ve never tried one quite like this.

Lash Lacquer comes in a single shade, inky black Kohl. Not quite a mascara, Hourglass says it does for lashes what top coat does for nails (at least one of the things), giving them an almost wet look that’s supposed to ramp up the intensity of bare lashes and other mascaras when layered on top. Ya know, the old false lash look. Read more…

MAKEUP IN AISLE 3
AN URBAN DECAY 15-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PALETTE FACE OF THE DAY

I’d forgotten I was out of contact lens solution when I got the urge to play with the new Urban Decay 15-Year Anniversary Palette last night, and I remembered just about the time I finished this look with blue, green, brown and gold.

So I went to Target, LOL! I felt a little crazy town cruising the store with gold glitter on my lower lash line â€” it’s probably a better look for da club than eye care on aisle three â€” and I’m pretty sure I startled the cashier, but whatcha gonna do? Sometimes you just need contact lens solution AND glitter. Read more…

9 THINGS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM
GOING AWAY TO COLLEGE

Growing up, I didn’t have an older friend, sibling or cousin I could talk to about life after high school, so when it came to figuring out certain kinds of things, like how to solve an argument with a roommate, I usually had to wing it, and most of the time that meant learning things the hard way.

Up until the time I moved away to college, I’d lived a very sheltered life that left me lacking in street smarts. I’d just assumed college would be like high school, except without the annoying curfew, but it turns out there was a little more to it than that…

Whether you’re going away to college or just moving in with friends, here are nine things I learned (most of them the hard way) about living away from home for the first time. Read more…

EYE WANNA! EYE GOTTA! HAVE BENEFIT’S
TWO NEW ANNIE AND MAGGIE COLLECTION KITS FOR FALL

Benefit’s two new fall eye palettes aren’t just relying on good looks. They’re also travel-sized and perfect for your purse.

Remember those Annie and Maggie Sunday Funday and Scene Queen kits Benefit released last fall? These two new limited edition Eye Wanna! and Eye Gotta! kits ($36 each) have that same kind of convenience in mind, except this time around, the kits keep everything focused on the eyes.

Each one comes with three Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows and two Creaseless Creams, and all of the colors are new to the line.

If you’re in the mood for cool colors or perhaps a bold look, take a peek at the cool-toned blues, taupes and pinks in the Eye Wanna! kit; if, however, you prefer warmer greens, browns and plums for everyday wear, the Eye Gotta! kit might be more your style. Read more…

ELIZABETH ARDEN ULTRA CERAMIDE LIPSTICK
IN WATERMELON IS A CASUALLY COOL SUMMERTIME TREAT

One of these days Tabs is going to walk downstairs and find a super sweet, 5-foot 1-inch-tall seedless watermelon sitting in my computer chair.

It’ll have skinny brown arms and hands with long fingers, and flat arches at the bottom of its high-heeled feet.

From behind it Tabs will ask, “Meow?” wondering what happened to his previous assistant, and the watermelon creature will slowly turn toward him in its chair and say, “Tabs, it’s me.”

SCARY!

I’ve eaten so much watermelon over the past month that I just might turn into one.

And if I do, where would that leave Tabs? How would he get his lurvies from a giant watermelon girl? It would be like an episode of The Twilight Zone â€” the old-school, black-and-white one with Rod Serling. Except with fruit. A cat. And makeup. Read more…

IT TAKES YOU TO MAKE THE NEW
GIVENCHY LES OMBRES DE LUNE PALETTE GO RIGHT

One thing Givenchy limited edition makeup releases have never been lacking is style. Whether it’s a pan of powder embossed with an intricate floral pattern or a palette with clean, understated lines, Givenchy understands the words “special” and “fancy.”

Whenever I see Givenchy on a counter or dressing table, I’m almost guaranteed to utter “oohs” and “aahs.” Just like when Alcide bares his chest on True Blood, the visuals are just too dang good.

Performance-wise, the products may hit or miss, but they are quite capable of knocking it out of the park. When it comes to their two new Les Ombres de Lune Shadow & Light Eyes palettes ($58 each) for fall, color my smokey eyes impressed. Read more…

TODAY MY EYES WANNA BE BLUE
AND THEY CAN WITH THE BENEFIT EYE WANNA! KIT

Some people keep their favorite book on their bed stand, others a bottle of holy water (My mom totally does! It’s in a bottle shaped like the Virgin Mary!). Me? â€” I have a space dedicated to whichever piece of makeup I’m currently crushing on. That way, it’s one of the first things I see when I get up in the morning. Nerdy, I know, but it’s also true.

Right now the space is reserved for the new Eye Wanna! kit from Benefit, which, last night, slept right beside my lamp. Perfect, because when my eyelids fluttered open this morning and my eyes adjusted to the light, the cute kit was there to greet me.

As I lay in bed contemplating the artwork on the packaging, I felt a familiar rustling under the covers and pulled them back to confirm my suspicions.

Tabs immediatlely grumbled a hello, raising his head. “Mrow.” Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora!

July 23rd, 2011 by Karen 605 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is @the_rainebeaux! Congratulations, @the_rainebeaux! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Win a $50 Sephora eGift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog
Good morning, young lady. 🙂 It’s the weekend, and wouldn’t ya know it? I feel a little out of it today, so please bear with me if you can. I’m not sure why, but it’s like everything’s moving in slow motion for me. I didn’t sleep poorly last night, so I don’t think that’s why. I just…don’t know, feel…slower…than…usual. And Tabs is really bothered about it, too, as you can tell from this very revealing pic:

I believe it accurately conveys how he feels about my mental struggles this morning: “Talk to the butt.”

See, when Tabs is having “one of those mornings,” he just flees to the safety of his cat tower and sleeps it off.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do that sometimes? — flee to our cat towers.

I’m serious. I wish I had a giant cat tower built to human scale. It would have to be about 42 feet tall, though, with better carpeting, and would probably require an elevator because I ain’t climbing up the side of no 42-foot-tall cat tower. I’m not THAT crazy, LOL!

While I research construction costs, why don’t we have a little fun this morning and get this weekend off to a good start? 🙂 I think you know what that means. It’s…

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

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).

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what do you do when you have “one of those mornings?” Have you ever worked on a ranch or a farm? — wait, I just asked that one last week. Seriously, how do I come up with these questions, LOL?! Have you ever worked on a farm? I mean come on, am I completely out of my mind? 🙂 I think you know how we do this by now. A comment about anything at all, but today, the wackier the better.
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/p3QSYA

The deadline to enter is Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. International winners may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is @the_rainebeaux! Congratulations, @the_rainebeaux! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Olivia Wilde: Her Best Hair?

July 22nd, 2011 by Karen 32 Comments

Olivia Wilde: Her Best Hair?

Olivia’s been Wilde about acting since the age of two. That’s how old Olivia Wilde was when she caught the acting bug.

The poor girl didn’t stand a chance. The bug spread, eventually turning Olivia into the butt-kicking artificially intelligent life form known as Quorra in 2010’s Tron: Legacy (in which she starred opposite Tabs).

Born Olivia Jane Cockburn on March 10, 1984 in New York City, she took Wilde as her stage name while in high school, borrowing it, she’s said, from Irish author Oscar Wilde to honor the many writers in her family. Journalists, really. Her mother, Leslie Cockburn, is a 60 Minutes producer and journalist. Her father, Andrew Cockburn, who was born in London, England, and raised in Ireland, is also a journalist, as are two of her uncles. From them, she’s said, she inherited a “strong journalistic streak” which made her “really critical and analytical.”

She landed her first major recurring acting role playing Alex Kelly on The O.C. from 2004-2005, and now has a recurring role on House as Dr. Remy “Thirteen” Hadley. Wilde told Star magazine how she sometimes takes cues from her character even when she’s not working, saying, “I’m now convinced that I’m a doctor. I mean, if someone says they have a pain, I’m like, ‘Well, that’s your spleen.'”

When she isn’t busy taking the No. 1 spot on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100, she’s busy acting. Very busy. She has four movies coming out this year — Cowboys & Aliens (YES!), The Change-Up (starring Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman), In Time (sounds pretty neat, sci-fi, starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried) and Butter.

Even though she’s seen sporting dark hair most of the time, Olivia’s actually a natural blonde. “I’m a natural blonde,” she’s said, “but I feel like a brunette.”

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Got any plans this weekend? I just found out that the baby shower I was supposed to go to tomorrow got postponed to a later date, so I’m probably just gonna do some cleaning, go grocery shopping and then head to the pool for a while to veg with some magazines. Whatever you’ve got going on, I hope you have some fun. 🙂

What’s the First Thing You Look for in a Mascara?

July 21st, 2011 by Karen 70 Comments

What's the first thing you look for in a mascara?

I was thinking about priorities yesterday while testing the new Cover Girl NatureLuxe Mascara ($9).

For the mascara’s mousse formula, CG says they used beeswax instead of the synthetic polymers they would have normally used. The wax is supposed to thicken lashes but keep them feeling light at the same time.

Sounds great, right? My lashes are naturally thin and mousy, so volume is my top priority when it comes to mascaras (with length coming in a close second).
[Continue reading…]

Just For Fun

1. Buying Giant Pet Hair Rollers (that’s actually what they’re called) from Target

2. Recharging camera batteries

3. Washing the blender

4. Spraying MAC Turquatic on my wrists

5. Starting from scratch

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

Which of Olivia's hairstyles do you like best?