Just For Fun

3 Lessons Learned During Year 35 (P.S. Today I Turn 36)

June 9th, 2011 by Karen 210 Comments

I’ll never forget the wise words of a Sephora associate just before my birthday last year. I was a little cranky about turning 35 until she said, “You should be happy because some people never make it that far.”

Yup, that put me in check RIGHT QUICK.

My year 35 had its ups and downs, but for the most part it was great. I learned a lot of valuable lessons, a few of which I tend to re-learn over and over again like…

1. Avoid uncomfortable shoes

NOTE TO SELF: If a pair of shoes hurt within the first minute of trying them on, chances are they’re not the right shoes for you (no matter how cute they are!).

Hurts so good!

2. Trust your instincts…

Because they’re rarely wrong. That inexplicable gut feeling deep down inside is there for a reason. It’s like an internal compass, sometimes guiding us away from danger, other times nudging us toward golden opportunities.
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5 More Packing Tips for the Perennially Over-Packed

June 8th, 2011 by Karen 41 Comments

“Oh…is this yours?”

I wish “carry on” referred to a passenger’s ability to actually carry their bags onto the plane, because if that were the case, I’d start lifting weights tomorrow.

Can I get a show of hands from my fellow packing-challenged girls (you are not alone!)? My flight to Vancouver doesn’t leave until tomorrow afternoon, but knowing how I am about packing, I should probably start now!

You know the saying, “everything but the kitchen sink”? Yeah, forget that. I’m not leaving without the sink. 🙂 But seriously, I tend to over-pack.

I think I’ve gotten a little better lately, though. Had one two many close calls with lost luggage, and out of principle I refuse to pay the extra check-in fees the airlines charge (what a racket!).

Things like e-packing lists have helped streamline the packing process, but I’m always on the market for new tips, like these, which I gleaned from a travel segment on the Today Show last week (which I originally recorded for the NKOTB/BSB live concert performance)…

1. If it won’t fit, wear it

With carry-on space at a premium, wear as many of your bulky items on the plane as you can, like heavy jackets, platform shoes, etc. Not only will you save space in your bag, but since planes tend to be a little chilly, the extra layers should help keep you warm.

2. The goal is containment

Don’t forget those nooks and crannies. Fill any spaces created by larger items with smaller things to save space. For instance, underwear can be rolled up and placed into the cup of a bra, or a bathing suit (or socks) can be rolled up and inserted in a tennis shoe.
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Two Ways to Win $143 in bareMinerals Makeup (5 Winners)

June 8th, 2011 by Karen 788 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners are Joanna, San D, Christina, Marian and Tammy! Congratulations, gals! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

bareMinerals Love & Happiness Collection

Woot, GEMINIS! Looks like I’m not the only one with a birthday this week. bareMinerals is officially turning 35, and they’re in the mood to party in a big way.

First with a giveaway — right here, right now (well, in a minute); second, with a gift with purchase. When you purchase $75 or more at one of their Bare Escentuals Boutiques from June 9-12, you’ll get a complimentary $20 gift card redeemable toward your next purchase (valid from June 20-July 5).

Now, on to the giveaway! 🙂

bareEscentuals has generously offered to host a kick @ss one here on MBB featuring some of their newest products (a few of which don’t even hit shelves until July). If you like bareMinenerals makeup but don’t like having to wait in line, today could be your lucky day.

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Five lucky ladies (or gents) will each win:

One (1) bareMinerals Love & Happiness Collection, a six-piece kit that includes Prime Time Brightening Sunlight Eyelid Primer, Queen Phyllis Matte Eyecolor, Big & Bright Eyeliner in Oz, Love Radiance All-OVer Face Color, Best Friend Lip Balm and an XOX charm (a $35 value)
One (1) bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer in Sundance, a metallic peach (an $18 value)
One (1) bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer in Urban Nature, a metallic taupe (an $18 value)
One (1) bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer in Gunmetal, a metallic bluish gray (an $18 value)
One (1) bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer in Racing Green, a metallic green (an $18 value)
One (1) bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer in Chroma Violet, a metallic purple (an $18 value)
One (1) bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer in Bronzed Twig, a metallic bronze (an $18 value)

bareminerals love happiness collection box

bareminerals love happiness collection box closeup with paws

bareminerals love happiness collection products open
Love & Happiness Collection clockwise from the beige jar on the lower left: Queen Phyllis Matte Eyecolor, XOX Charm, Love Radiance All-Over Face Color, Best Friend Lip Balm and Big & Bright Eyeliner in Oz

bareminerals love happiness collection products
Prime Time Brightening Sunlight Eyelid Primer, from the Love & Happiness Collection

Prime Time Eyelid Primers

Swatches of the Prime Time Eyelid Primers from the left: Sundance, Urban Nature, Gunmetal, Racing Green, Chroma Violet and Bronzed Twig

bareminerals love happiness collection swatches
Love & Happiness Collection swatches from the left: Big & Bright Eyeliner in Oz, Best Friend Lip Balm, Love Radiance All-Over Face Color and Queen Phyllis Matte Eyecolor

bareminerals love happiness collection swatches
Swatch of Prime Time Brightening Sunlight Eyelid Primer from the Love & Happiness Collection

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 — What was your most memorable birthday? What’s your favorite flavor of birthday cake? Is there a bareMinerals product you can’t live without? You get the picture. 🙂
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win $143 in bareMinerals Makeup http://bit.ly/l3ITDG

The deadline to enter is Thursday, June 9, 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 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). Sorry, international folks; don’t worry, I’ll have something soon that includes you guys, too.
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

P.S. Happy hump day! 🙂

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners are Joanna, San D, Christina, Marian and Tammy! Congratulations, gals! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, June 6

June 6th, 2011 by Karen 87 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. 172. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mood:

Pretty great. I just finished a run (I’m trying to turn myself into a morning exerciser), and the endorphins are doing their thang.

Do you ever apply your makeup on the train/bus/boat to work?

Totally! For years I took the BART train to work (short for Bay Area Rapid Transit), so whenever I was pressed for time (read: always) I’d do my makeup — just whatever I could get done on the 45-minute ride.

List three of your best attributes.

Hmm… Well, my friends think I have a good sense of humor, and I think I’m quite creative and sensitive.

Do you ever apply bright eyeliners?

Not daily, but sometimes, yes I do! Usually along either my upper or lower lash lines.

What’s your take on clogs?

I totally see the allure. I mean, they sure are comfortable, and I do think some gals look great in them, but they’re not really my thing. They make me feel like I have Smurf feet…and I always feel like they’re about to slip off.

If you could have lunch with any celebrity alive today, whom would it be and why?

Johnny Depp, fo’ sho’! I’ve heard he’s great around fans. They filmed the latest Pirates of the Caribbean very close to where my family lives on the eastern side of Oahu, and he was very well regarded by folks there — friendly, generous and always willing to give an autograph. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes.

Complete this sentence: Have you heard about _____?

Game of Thrones? on HBO? I’m hooked! If Tony Soprano had teleported to Camelot, his life there might resemble Game of Thrones. I think it got off to a slow start with the first two episodes (lots of convoluted character building), but I think it really took off once the stage was set.

If you were given one day this week to do anything you want, anywhere you want to do it, what would you do?

Whoa, too many possibilities and too much pressure to think of something epic, LOL! I think I’d enjoy just spending the day surfing somewhere warm and tropical.

What purse are you carrying today?

The black quilted Kate Spade purse with chain straps I found on deep discount at the sample sale a couple of weeks ago.

Weekly goals:

My birthday’s this Thursday, so I’d like to enjoy every last minute of being 35. I’d also like to help myself to as much birthday cake as I can possibly eat, finish re-reading For Whom the Bell Tolls (my gawd, it’s taking me FOREVER to re-read this book), and find the joy in everything (or at least look for it).

Question for ya, babe: have you ever been to Vancouver? I’m heading there later this week for a combination birthday trip/fifth wedding anniversary getaway with El Hub (only be gone a few days), but I know almost nothing about the city. If you have any suggestions or insights into the area, I would really appreciate them.

Okay, time to fire up the teapot and get this party started! 🙂 How are things on your side of the keyboard? Can you take a moment to check in with the Monday Poll?

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

1. Mood:
2. Do you ever apply your makeup on the train/bus/boat to work?
3. List three of your best attributes.
4. Do you do bright eyeliner?
5. How do you feel about clogs?
6. If you could have lunch with any celebrity alive today, whom would it be and why?
7. Complete this sentence: Have you heard about _____?
8. If you were magically given a free day, how would you spend it?
9. What purse are you carrying today?
10. Weekly goals:

T-minus 5 seconds to greatness in 5…4…3…2…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 142

June 5th, 2011 by Karen 47 Comments

Not only is Tabs a cat of many talents, but he’s also a cat of many names. I’ve always given my furry companions nicknames, but Tabs take the cake.

Honestly, it’s a miracle he even knows his name at all because half the time I’m calling him something other than Tabs. His many monikers include…

Gravy Crockett

Smokey Eyes

Coco Tabby

Grumble Bunny

Baby Cat

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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

June 5th, 2011 by Karen 9 Comments

Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

[BIG YAWN!] Rise and shine, morning glory! It’s going to be a beautiful (albeit cloudy here) day. Tabs and I just finished watching an episode of How Do I Look. Host Jeannie Mai is starting to grow on me. At first I missed Finola Hughes, who always seemed so empathetic and supportive of the guests. They’re often down on their luck and going through difficult times in their lives, but Jeannie has some of that same compassion, too. I’m officially re-hooked on the show again.

What are you up to today? Doing anything fun? I hope it’s sunny and warming up where you are. Picnic weather. We’re having pretty unusual weather out here in Northern California for this time of year. I can’t recall the last time the forecast called for rain heading into the second week of June (we even had some hail on Friday). It would normally be breaking the 90s by now, but one nice thing about this weather is it keeps the plants lush leading up to summer.

This was a memorable week for me with the MAC Bloggers’ Obsessions Collection, and I’m just glad I was able to share it with you. Outside of my life with the blog, very few of my friends and family are into makeup (or blogging, for that matter), so this experience would not have been anywhere near as much fun without you. 🙂

Before we begin a new week together, here’s one last look back at the things we talked about this week. Whatever you do today, I hope you have a wonderful day.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THE MAC BLOGGERS’ OBSESSIONS COLLECTION
MAC EVOLUTION REVOLUTION LIPGLASS

I suppose the very first spark that led to MAC Evolution Revolution Lipglass ($14.50) ignited one day in Mrs. Mannah’s second-grade class. The year was 1982, and I’d just met Jen, who would quickly become one of my lifelong BFFs.

Evolution Revolution is the shade I created for the upcoming MAC Bloggers’ Obsessions Collection, a nine-piece collection of MAC Eyeshadows and Lipglasses launching June 21, exclusively online. It’s also the real reason for the secret squirrel trip I took to Toronto last April.

Jen and I still recall with frightening accuracy all of the cute boys in our second-grade class. “Remember Lee, with the missing tooth?” Jen will ask. “Oh, yeah,” I’ll reply. “Total hottie.”

Sometimes I find it hard to believe, but we’ve been obsessing over boys for nearly 27 years. Jen’s having a baby boy in the fall, and I can already tell he’s going to be the new object of our affections.

The next piece of the EvRev puzzle fell into place the very next year in Mrs. Hartunian’s third-grade class, which is when I met Cindy. She had long black hair, a talent for drawing graceful pictures of glamorous girls, and a great Granny Goose potato chip hookup (her dad worked there, so she would always bring a huge box of assorted chips to every class party). Read more…

12 WAYS TO WEAR
MAC EVOLUTION REVOLUTION LIPGLASS

When I imagined MAC Evolution Revolution Lipglass ($14.50), I really wanted it to be flexible â€” something that wouldn’t only look pretty on its own, but would also work with as many other products as possible.

Here are 12 possible pairings to spark some ideas (featuring some of my favorite peach, pink and coral MAC Lip Pencils, Cremestick Liners and Lipsticks). Oh, and please let me know in the comments if you can think of any other cool combos to try. Read more…

ACCORDING TO BARE MINERALS
JULY IS PRIME TIME FOR THESE NEW TINTED EYELID PRIMERS

Are you a bareMinerals fan who fiendishly craves metallic finishes and vivid colors? If you are, July just got a little more exciting. That’s when the brand plans to expand their Prime Time Eyelid Primer line by adding six new shades ($18 each).

The new colors, which, like the brand’s three existing primers, can be worn alone or as bases for cream or powder eyeshadows, promise to increase the wear time of powder and cream products layered on top. They’re designed to postpone creases and fading and should be particularly great for gals with oily skin. The brand’s existing primers include their Prime Time Eyelid Primer (similar to Too Faced Shadow Insurance); a version with a sheer, golden sheen called Prime Time Brightening Eyelid Primer; and an even lighter version, Prime Time Brightening Eyelid Primer in Brightening Pearl, which has an iridescent, pearly sheen. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
MAC SUNBASQUE SHEERTONE SHIMMER BLUSH

At the top of the list of not-so-smart things I’ve done over the past few days: starting to watch a scary movie at 10:30 p.m. Yes, that’s when I cranked up Insidious the other night thinking I’d only watch “10 minutes of it” before going straight to bed.

Bad idea.

Of course I had to finish it, which was like watching Britney’s infamous breakdown (I couldn’t look away!), except with sudden loud noises, scary silhouettes seen through darkened windows, and creaky wooden floors. NOTE TO SELF: films featuring demon possession do not make for relaxing bedtime fare.

Luckily, I also managed to do something pretty smart this week, which almost balances things out. I remembered where I put my missing pan of MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Sunbasque ($19.50), one of my summer faves for sunkissed cheeks, and arguably one of MAC’s user-friendliest (I don’t think that’s a real word…) blushes. Read more…

TURN AROUND, BRIGHT EYES
TARTE EMPHASEYES INNER RIM BRIGHTENER

Between good old-fashioned insomnia, the fear of demon possession and Tabs sprinting up and down the stairs at midnight like a crazypants, I’ve been averaging about four hours of sleep a night this week.

Yeah, the dark circles are in the mutha’ truckin’ house, and neither my normally reliable MAC Pro Longwear Concealer nor my trusty Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener are cutting it. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

While it’s not a concealer, soft beige Tarte emphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener ($18) is designed to deliver wide-awake eyes. The matte finish looks natural to me, and the product’s easy enough to use. Just twist the bottom to expose the tip, and guide it along the lower inner rim and inner corner of the eyes. It can also be used to highlight the brow bone to further define the shape of the brows. Read more…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BARE MINERALS!
I WISH YOU LOVE & HAPPINESS

I thought it was April showers that brought May flowers, but yet it rained today. What’s up with that? I was getting a little down about it, too, until I saw the colors in the new bareMinerals Love & Happiness Collection ($35). There they were, like a break in the clouds, these shimmery pastels and brights.

The collection is, more accurately, a kit released to commemorate the company’s 35th birthday (happy b-day, BM!). I’ve played with a few other bareMinerals kits before but was never really moved. In some cases, it just seemed like there was either something missing or off about those colors. These, however, look like a garden party (complete with knee-length dresses, fine china and cucumber sandwiches) in a pretty pink box. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
MAC BOMBSHELL LIPSTICK

I’ve always loved the theatricality of makeup, and by that I mean more than just its ability to alter our appearance (the WHIZZ! BAM! POP!), but also how something as seemingly insignificant as a tube of lipstick can completely change the way we feel and how we see ourselves.

Take today’s Unsung Hero, the mighty MAC Lipstick in Bombshell ($14.50). One minute with it on, and I feel my inner Mary Ann turning into Ginger!

Sometimes this frosty golden pink gets typecast as a “Barbie pink,” and it’s not hard to see why. Like Barbs, she can be quite flirty and fun, but this Bombshell is also capable of playing other roles, like seductive siren/Bond girl. Read more…

ELIZABETH ARDEN HAS BEEN BUSY IN THE GARDEN MAKING BLACK VIOLET GROW
INTRODUCING THE SMOKY EYES POWDER PENCIL IN BLACK VIOLET

Ms. Elizabeth Arden has been busy in the garden again. Her Smoky Eyes Powder Pencil in Black Violet ($16), one of seven pieces in the new Bronze in Bloom Summer 2011 Collection, can’t wait to decorate your eyes.

It’s an easy-to-use, long-wearing cream pencil that dries to a soft, powdery finish in a pretty, purplish black. I have a feeling it’ll look lovely on lasses with lighter eyes, but I think brown-eyed beauties are really in luck.

It makes doing my eye makeup in the morning a blooming breeze â€” just line, smudge and go. Unfortunately, when I use it I do need a touch-up along my waterlines about half way through the day (it does last all day along my lash lines, though), but because I love the color, I really don’t mind. Read more…

5 WACKY BUT EXTREMELY
USEFUL BEAUTY TOOLS

Great things have been achieved with the simplest of inventions.

Like the wheel. And ink. And simple beauty tools that make life so much easier and happier. Imagine removing facial hair with a spring, pinning up your hair with Velcro, or using tape to reinforce or alter the shape of your eyelid.

If I were the manufacturer of our first tool, I’d have named it The EPICstick! â€” because the results I get from this little spring are nothing short of epic. Lodged between two rubber handles is a tightly coiled metal spring that works to remove those little hairs on your upper lip, cheeks, chins, and forehead. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

June 4th, 2011 by Karen 519 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Penelope! Congratulations, Penelope! 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

My mind is taking a bit of a beauty detour this morning. El Hub and I went to see X-Men: First Class last night, and so far today all I’ve been able to think about is how bad@ss Emma Frost was (diamond skin!), which superpower I would want to have and how I thought Jennifer Lawrence did as Mystique (good, but Rebecca Romijn = AWESOME!).

I wish I’d collected comic books when I was growing up because I think I really missed out. They’re just an amazing art form, and more complex than I think they get credit for a lot of the time. Beyond the beautiful ~~hot dudes in spandex~~ art, I love the conflicted characters, the kick-@ss ladies, the unrequited love, the ethical quandaries and the sociological significance of the issues some of them confront.

While I keep pondering which superpowers I’d like, let’s get the weekend off to a good start. 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 (or $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, if you were a superhero, what would be your name? Would you be a hero or a villain? Have you ever dyed your hair at home? What’s your biggest beauty pet peeve? What were you doing an hour ago? The New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys reunion: awesome, or awesomely ridiculous? — 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 $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/mtgq1z

The deadline to enter is Sunday, June 5, 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. The winner may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal.
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 Penelope! Congratulations, Penelope! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

What Makeup Do You Have in Your Purse Right Now?

June 1st, 2011 by Karen 116 Comments

I ask this question periodically because I get a weird thrill out of finding out what people lug around with them throughout their day.

Strange? Perhaps, but c’est la vie! 🙂

Lately I’ve been traveling surprisingly light, but I think that’s because I just switched purses and haven’t had time to recruit my usual army of random lip glosses, powders and cans of cat food (with gravy, of course).

I’m currently toting five things from the makeup department…

How about you? What makeup do you have in your purse right now?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen