Just For Fun

About That Black-and-White Polka-Dot iPhone Case…

January 29th, 2011 by Karen 31 Comments

Isn’t it too cute!? It’s the iPhone 4 Hard Cover case by Kate Spade ($40), and it was a gift from El Hub for Christmas.

It consists of two separate pieces of stiff, rather slippery plastic that snap together to protect the phone. I think my previous soft silicone cover was a little easier to hold, but I’m getting used to this one now and remembering to grip it tighter.

If you’re sensitive to sound, the hard case amplifies the clickity-clack sound the phone makes when it’s set to vibrate and ringing on a hard surface, and it gives me a start every time a call comes in!
[Continue reading…]

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

January 29th, 2011 by Karen 744 Comments

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

“Who…”

“Who…” said the owl outside my bedroom window. 🙂 Rise and shine, morning glory. It’s another foggy Hundred-Acre Wood day out here in chilly Northern California, and there’s an owl outside who sounds like he loves it.

I swear, that owl only calls out early on foggy mornings, which tells me he’s got a real flair for the dramatic.

How did you sleep? I’m only just getting up now, so I’m not altogether awake yet.

Did you do anything fun last night? We did end up going to Chipotle for dinner and then to See’s Candy for desert, where I learned a charming little factoid about my favorite chocolatier. Apparently, to gain access to the company’s secret kitchen at its South San Francisco headquarters, one must be employed by the company for 25 years, which makes me wonder…what the heck is going on in that kitchen??

In other completely random news, have you seen this pic of the new Spider-Man? Andrew Garfield (of The Social Network and the Red Riding Trilogy: Part 1) is reprising Tobey’s role in a reboot of the franchise.

I like Andrew, but Tobey did such a great job. Those are some big tights to fill…

And now back to beauty! If you haven’t already guessed, it’s giveaway time.

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, where were you born? Did you play any sports in school? What’s your beauty Achilles’ heel? Do you color your hair? — 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/fvNftO

The deadline to enter is Sunday, January 30, 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 Zach! Congratulations, Zach! 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?

January 28th, 2011 by Karen 109 Comments

It being Friday, and with El Hub promising he’d take me out to dinner tonight, I’m trying to figure out what I want to wear tonight (still haven’t decided).

I also grabbed my current favorite purse, which — wouldn’t ya know it? — contains makeup. Big surprise, right? 🙂

Here’s what I have in mine right now (just the makeup)…

MAC Blot Pressed Powder ($22)
To cut down the shinies!
MAC Cream Colour Base in Hush ($16.50)
For a dewy glow, I apply this creamy peachy pink highlighter along the tops of my cheekbones, brow bones and down the bridge of my nose.
Urban Decay Afterglow Glide-On Cheek Tint in Crush ($24)
This creamy hot pink blush blends fast, and it doubles as a lip tint, too.
Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Imaginaire ($32)
Non-sticky and long-lasting, this shimmery pink is one of several go-to glosses I keep in my purse.
Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Stormy Grey ($18)
LOVE THIS! At certain angles, this shimmery deep grey liner (which works as a fantastic alternative to black), flashes subtle hints of green.
Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Pink Jewel ($20) and Lip Plumper in Ruby Glaze ($30)
Both from Laura’s new Silk Road Spring Collection, this duo of rosy pink perfection is one of my new favorite go-to lip combinations.
Diorskin Scupt Lifting Smoothing Concealer ($31)
My MAC Pro Longwear Concealer does a fantastic job of hiding my dark circles all day, but I’ve been keeping this light-as-a-feather concealer on hand for emergency touch ups (you never know).
Cargo Lip Gloss in Tokyo ($32)
One of five glosses from Cargo’s spring Voyages Gloss Collection, this sheer pink feels non-sticky and looks super shiny on my lips.

Whatcha got in yours?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, I almost forgot. 🙂 It’s Friday.

Two Ways to Win More Than $450 in MAC Wonder Woman Makeup

January 27th, 2011 by Karen 1,532 Comments

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

Two Ways to Win MAC Wonder Woman Makeup

Are you ready to release your inner Wonder Woman, put those makeup muscles to work, and show the world what you can really do? If you are, today’s super-sized giveaway could help.

The winner will take home more than $450 in makeup from the soon-to-be-released MAC Wonder Woman Collection! — a frickin’ sweet prize.

Get ready for greatness, gorgeous, in three, two, one…

Eye Quads in Defiance, Lady Justice and Valiant

mac wonder woman opulash wands
Opulash Mascaras from the left: Black, Army of Amazons, Themyscira and Victorious

mac wonder woman penultimate liner
Penultimate Liner in Rapidblack

mac wonder woman Lipglasses tubes
Lipglasses from the left to the right: Athena’s Kiss, Wonder Woman, Emancipation and Secret Identity

mac wonder woman
Lipsticks all
Lipsticks from the left to the right: Russian Red, Spitfire, Heroine and Marquise d’

mac wonder woman Powder Blush Duo open
Powder Blush Duo in Mighty Aphrodite on the left and Amazon Princess on the right

You know what time it is. 🙂

mac wonder woman msf both
Mineralize Skinfinish in Pink Power on left and Golden Lariat on the right

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Four (4) tubes of Lipstick in Marquise d’, Russian Red, Spitfire and Heroine
Four (4) tubes of Lipglass in Emancipation, Wonder Woman, Athena’s Kiss and Secret Identity
Four (4) tubes of Opulash in Victorious, Army of Amazons, Themyscira and Black
One (1) Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack
Three (3) Eye Quads in Defiance, Lady Justice and Valiant
Two (2) Powder Blush Duos in Mighty Aphrodite and Amazon Princess
Two (2) Mineralize Skinfinishes in Pink Power and Golden Lariat
Prize value: $456.50

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. Tell me about a real life superhero or the last time you felt unstoppable; or describe your favorite bracelet or other shiny bauble (because WW is all about the bracelets, LOL!) — 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 More Than $450 in MAC Wonder Woman Makeup http://bit.ly/e4ka4k

The deadline to enter is Saturday, January 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 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).
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 Janet! Congratulations, Janet! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Two Ways to Win an NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Casting Call

January 26th, 2011 by Karen 323 Comments

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

Happy hump day, friends. How’s your week coming along? I hope you’ve been having a good one.

Here’s a little something that just might make it even better — a cute palette of smokey shadows from NYX.

Today’s giveaway prize, the NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Casting Call, features 10 powder shadows, from matte to shimmer finishes, in nuanced shades of silver, gray and black.

Imagine all of the smoldering eye looks you could create with this sultry set. 🙂

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

One NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Casting Call (an $11 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. Tell me how you feel about smokey eyes, what you’re having for lunch today, or how you style your hair — 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 an NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Casting Call http://bit.ly/frLhac

The deadline to enter is Thursday, January 27, 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 ay country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 years of age or older 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 Tavi! Congratulations, Tavi! 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, Jan. 24

January 24th, 2011 by Karen 96 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. 154. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mood:

A bit overwhelmed by a couple of big projects (stay tuned!), but they’re almost ready. Just have to remember to breathe. 🙂

Are you a red lipstick kinda girl?

Most definitely. I love red lipstick in all its incarnations (blueish reds, brick reds, orangey reds, pinkish reds, I’ll take ’em all), but my favorites are deep, rich mattes, a la MAC Russian Red. Throw in thick, black cat eyeliner and a pretty blush, and I feel ready for (almost) anything.

Do you wear a watch?

Yup, but it sho’ ain’t fancy. It’s a gray/black Timex Ironman… I know, not exactly fashion forward, but it’s easy to read, waterproof, has a timer and glows in the dark!

What was the most cringe-worthy beauty moment of your teenage years?

Where do I begin? Well, perhaps at the peak of my big hair phase, circa 1989. My bangs were beyond high, and I had side wings so wide that I probably looked like I was about to take to the air, LOL! I must have looked like a lion…with braces and acid-washed overalls.

Have you ever purchased a beauty product from a vending machine?

I actually have! There’s a ProActive machine at the mall by my house. I’ve picked up bottles of their Repairing Lotion many a time.

Do you like where you live?

Yes. Truthfully, I didn’t think I’d end up in the suburbs (I’ve always been more of a city girl), but the burbs have perks. It’s so much easier to do “life” things out here, like go grocery shopping, visit the Target (always a struggle when I lived in San Francisco), and here I rarely have to deal with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Plus, I have a garage now, which is a luxury I would have never been able to afford living in the city.

Is there a movie you’ve been wanting to see?

Yup. That cheesy-looking romcom with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, No Strings Attached. Predictable? Yeah, probably, but sometimes I just don’t want to have to think too hard, ya know?

Where would you like to visit?

I would love to go back to Kauai for a solo vacation. I went once back in 1999 and hiked all over the island, but I felt like I didn’t have the chance to really see and do everything I wanted to. I would love to be able to spend half the trip doing outdoorsy things, and the other half doing nothing but hanging out at the beach/pool/spa. Ah, someday, someday…

What’s one thing you love about yourself?

When the chips are down, I think I’m able to get things done. Mind you, I’ll have a breakdown or two, and tears will be spilled along the way, but the important stuff still seems to work itself out.

Weekly goals:

Stay calm, focus, and remember to take breaks throughout the day. Do the 30 Day Shred at least four times, and try not to freak out! 🙂

Hey, cutie pie. I think I’m gonna need your help this week! Can you spare any words of encouragement? I know you’re really busy, too, but how about taking a moment to touch base in the Monday Poll? Maybe we can momentarily distract each other with some chit-chat.

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

1. Mood:
2. Are you a red lipstick kinda girl?
3. Do you wear a watch?
4. What was the most cringe-worthy beauty moment of your teenage years?
5. Have you ever purchased a beauty product from a vending machine?
6. Do you like where you live?
7. Is there a movie you’ve been wanting to see?
8. Where would you like to visit?
9. What’s one thing you love about yourself?
10. Weekly goals:

I’m gathering my strength and throwing in a little extra to send to you this week, just in case you need a boost. 🙂

We can do this if we stick together!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 123

January 23rd, 2011 by Karen 50 Comments

Tabs must’ve been up late last night on the computer, because when I got up this morning I noticed some new bookmarks of kitties with lion cuts.

Photos via anyjazz65, brenbot and gina pina

Have you heard about this? Apparently, it’s the hottest thing in the feline modeling community.

He mentioned a few days ago that he wanted to change his look… I dunno, I like his fur the way it is.

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

January 23rd, 2011 by Karen 32 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Rise and shine, morning glory. Say it with me: “It’s going to be a beautiful day. It’s going to be a beautiful day. It’s going to be a beautiful day.” Maybe if all of us pull together, our combined powers of positive thinking can make it so no matter how cold it is outside. 🙂

Worth a shot, right?

Did you do anything fun last night? El Hub and I went to Chipotle for din-din and then to see The Dilemma, with Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder and Kevin James.

Talk about dilemmas. Did I, or did I not, like The Dilemma? Hmm, that’s a toughie. I liked parts of it, like whenever they’d let Vince Vaughn cut loose (because that guy can TALK), but then it would get heavy for a while, and I’d sort of drift off into my popcorn…

Were there any highlights for you last week in the worlds of makeup and beauty? How about highlights of your week overall? Was it a good one? Mine wasn’t bad. No complaints over here.

I’m REALLY excited about MAC Wonder Woman. With the collection coming, I spent some time online surfing for info, but I actually got sidetracked by all of the great Wonder Woman comic art that’s out there.

I never collected any of the WW comics (I was more into the cartoons), but I can’t believe how much she’s changed over the years.

Wonder Woman circa 1942

Wonder Woman circa 2011

BAM! She looks so badass now…

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

DOLCE & GABBANA SECRET
GARDEN SWATCHES

Greetings, young lady. I wanted to show some swatches of the Dolce & Gabbana Secret Garden collection this afternoon (lip, eye and face shots are coming soon).

About the lippies, there are just two lipsticks and glosses in the release. The coral-ish lip gloss seemed very out of place to me at first (straight out of Mad Men), but, um, after I thought about it a little, I think I can see what Dolce & Gabbana was going for. I like the way it contrasts with the pale pastels. As for the other gloss, the pale pinkish violet, it has micro bits of silver glitter that you have to look closely at to see. Read more…

DOLCE & GABBANA NAIL
LACQUER IN PLATINUM

Besides its top-shelf pigmentation and oodles of micro-glitter, Dolce & Gabbana’s Nail Lacquer in Platinum ($20) has a nice surprise that makes it stand out from all the other gray polishes showing up at department store counters this spring (see Estee Lauder Wild Violets and Dior Montaigne).

The sole nail color in the new Secret Garden Collection might look like your typical shimmery silver polish in the bottle, but on my nails Platinum subtly flashes from silver to gray to green to taupe depending on the light. Very cool!

I haven’t yet tested Platinum for durability since the bottle just came in, but if it’s anything like the Dolce & Gabbana polishes from the last few seasons it should resist chipping with a good base coat.

I applied two coats of Dolce & Gabbana Nail Polish in Midnight on my toes before leaving for a trip last fall (it’s one of my “good luck” nail polishes; do you have any of those?), and being the lazy @ss that I am, I didn’t paint my nails again for a good three weeks after. By the end of the third week, my polish showed a few chips, but the color was almost as vibrant as the first day I put it on. Read more…

THE NYX 10 COLOR
PALETTE IN BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Any way the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me…because the NYX 10 Color Palette in Bohemian Rhapsody makes everything better. It comes with 10 of the line’s most wearable neutrals in shades of silver, taupe, brown, beige, gray, peach and black, all for an easily digestible $11 (and they even included a case!).

NYX tends to get a little repetitive with their 10-Color Palettes. I say, NYX tends to get a little repetitive with their 10-Color Palettes, but a variety of matte and shimmery finishes keeps this Bohemian Rhapsody from singing the same song twice.

Each and every time I open this thing I want to break into song! â€” like I’m a long lost Von Trapp child (who happens to be brown). Read more…

THE CLARINS NEO
PASTELS COLLECTION

I wonder what would Neo from The Matrix would think about the new Clarins Neo Pastels Collection. Would he consider ditching his black cloak and brooding persona for its uplifting makeup in pink, purple and peach?

I highly doubt it, but ya never know…

Available now on counters and online at clarinsusa.com, the new Neo Pastels Collection features 21 new and repromoted items consisting of an eye palette, six blushes, 12 lipsticks, one mascara and a wrinkle-smoothing primer in a palette of primarily soft pinks, purples, peaches, with a sprinkling of neutral brown, beige and black thrown in for safe measure. To me the colors seem like typical (in a good way) spring/Easter shades. Read more…

THE CARGO COSMETICS
COLLECTION FOR SPRING 2011

All aboard! The cosmetics captains at Cargo aimed to take us on a trip with their new spring 2011 collection, and I like the destination.

I took a long, leisurely look at the six piece collection today (aren’t the pouches cute?) and absolutely love the travel theme. Most of the color products lean warm, and I think they work well with my yellow undertones. If you like the way you look in warmer shades, you might like them too.

For what it’s worth, don’t miss the Voyages Safari collection/kit. I was surprised by how great the products looked on both darker and lighter skin tones.

Now I just need someplace to go! Read more…

WILL YOU WEAR PACO RABANNE
OR WILL IT WEAR YOU?

1 Million by Paco Rabanne is all about power.

Notes of chilled grapefruit, blood mandarin, smooth peppermint, sweaty musk, dry cinnamon bark, aged leather, tonka bean, subtle patchouli, and amber ketal don’t just call for attention; they demand it.

1 Million begins with airy peppermint and sparkling blood mandarin. These two notes are rather distinct for the first five minutes or so, creating a refreshing blend that lends a sort of brightness and glow akin to that which accompanies a night with a lover. However, these soon begin to fade and give leave to more smoothly blended Middle Notes.

The Middle Notes mostly consist of dry cinnamon and a general spiciness. Here is where the power enters. At this stage, this scent is like someone whose mere touch is enough to make others bend to their will. It’s the power behind the throne, subtly pulling strings and directing the entire operation.

Within 30 minutes, 1 Million settles down into its Base Notes of leather and amber ketal (a synthetic variant of the naturally occurring ambergris). A sophisticated air takes hold, demanding a part in the hair and a steam-pressed coat. But a certain accord that can only be described as sweatiness hangs close to the skin. Perhaps this higher being is not as perfectly coiffed and buffed as his appearance suggests. Remove his jacket and you may see that his shirt was not fully tucked in the back. And wasn’t that part in his hair neater a minute ago? Ask around, and no one will mention having seen him. It makes one wonder. Read more…

HAVE YOU SEEN THE HELLO KITTY
SEPHORA BEAUTY LINE?

Sephora is expanding into the kitty herding business, but I know at least one cat lady who isn’t furtastically impressed.

Their new Hello Kitty makeup line, called Hello Kitty Sephora Beauty, is available now in stores and online. Products range from $5-55, and the line covers makeup, fragrance, makeup brushes and accessories, too (there’s even a shower cap).

I caught a brief glimpse of two of the palettes and some of the fragrance items at my nearby Novato store the other day when the cute display caught my eye. Most of the makeup is packaged in white with silver accents. Read more…

THE LANCOME ULTRA LAVANDE
COLLECTION FOR SPRING 2011

It’s time to bust out your lighter and sway back and forth, because Lancome’s new spring makeup collection is a regular Prince!

As in Purple Rain. 🙂

Just how much purple are we talking about here? Well, if you crammed a thousand Prince impersonators, all of them wearing sparkling purple suits with matching ruffled shirts, into one HUGE room, that would be less purple than Ultra Lavande, Lancome’s spring release of new and repromoted items for eyes, lips and cheeks. Read more…

I FEEL GOOD ABOUT
NARS MULTI-PROTECT PRO PRIMER

Look out! It’s a primer triple threat! From the fertile mind of Francois Nars, the new NARS Pro-Prime Multi-Protect Primer SPF 30 ($32) creates a smooth canvas for your makeup while it supposedly nourishes skin with a bevy of plant-based ingredients.

This newest member of the permanent NARS Pro Prime line has a colorless, lotion-like texture that feels light and fluffy to the touch. Oil-free, it totally reminds of Urban Decay’s Complexion Primers, absorbing quickly without leaving a greasy residue or white cast on my skin. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Just For Fun

Here’s what I have in mine right now (just the makeup)…

Should Tabs get a lion cut?

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed