Just For Fun

Hi, friend! Happy Saturday to ya.

About the pic up top, around these parts, back-to-school season is always marked by beautiful pink lilies that pop up alongside of the road. If you ever visit Marin county in August, you’ll see these flowers, otherwise known as the naked ladies.

It’s crazy to me that August is almost over. I got an email the other day from Connor’s second grade teachers with the schedule for the new school year, and thank goodness they did, because I totally forgot that school starts at 8:30 on the dot, ha ha ha! I seriously thought it was 9… I guess it’s been a good summer. 🙂

I think Rosie will be happy to have her quiet house back!

She spent a long time snuggling with me this morning while I drank my coffee because Connor and El Hub went fishing at the crack of dawn.

Connor recently graduated to a “big girl fishing pole” and caught her first fish! I think Rosie is very proud and not-so-secretly hoping that she’ll have some fresh nibbles to eat later when they get back. I keep telling her to lower her kitty expectations because I have a feeling Connor is a “catch and release” kind of fisherwoman.

I hope that Saturday is treating you nicely. How is life on your end?

This week’s reading

• Quiet luxury nail polish is a thing. Side note, is it me, or do the shades just look like classic colors?
• Fun fact, J’Adore is now 24 years old, which is CRAZY to me. I still remember walking into Sephora and sniffing it when it first came out! Anywho, there’s a new iteration of it made without alcohol.
• Just in case you’re in the market for a new paddle brush.
• Shark (as in the vacuum brand) just added new hair styling tools to their lineup.
• Your luxury guide to lipstick.

Every time I watch Hung do makeup, I feel so inspired

Have you tried the latte makeup trend?

These dudes are still around

Well, I know what I’m doing today

Girl, put your records on

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Pick a hairstyle – a shag or a bob?

Long bob for this girl. I had one once and it looked OK; it was hella high maintenance so I didn’t keep it up. Hard pass on the shag because it would definitely look like a mullet with my wavy outer layers and straight inner layers, LOL!

2. Did you go to any fairs this summer?

There were several county fairs in our neck of the woods, but we didn’t go to any of them this year because nowadays I don’t like to get hot or dusty unless I absolutely have to. We’ll take Connor to one eventually just so she can experience carnival rides, fair food, etc.

3. A product in your hair routine that you’ve been using and loving?

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil is so good! It softens and smooths rough ends and adds shine without feeling heavy or greasy, and a little goes a long way.

4. Have you started thinking about Halloween at all?

Oh my goodness, believe it or not, yes. I went to Michaels on the weekend and the place was already exploding with Halloween decor. Connor also asked if we could start looking for a costume. (Someone wants to be a cat this year.)

5. Spicy or mild?

Mild if we’re talking about heat levels in food. Spicy if we’’e talking about my cattitude, HA HA HA!

Good morning and welcome to the week, my friend! I’m feeling mellow this morning and savoring these last few bits of summer before school starts. Just around the corner are dance practices, school events, birthday parties, homework and driving Connor all over town to all the events.

It’ll be another busy and sweet season in our lives. Everyone tells me these years go by in the blink of an eye, so I’m going to enjoy it.

I hope this week brings you good things and plenty of joy.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Pick a hairstyle — a shag or a bob?
2. Did you go to any fairs this summer?
3. A product in your hair routine that you’ve been using and loving?
4. Have you started thinking about Halloween at all?
5. Spicy or mild?

Happy Saturday, beautiful friend. Well, I gotta pat myself on the back because I made a pact with myself on Monday to put on a little makeup every day, and I actually did it!

It was a small self-care act that did me some good, and in the process, I was reminded by my pan of Laura Mercier Chai blush just how lovely it is to wear some color on your cheeks.

Chai, by the way is a powder blush, but I’ve been turning it into a cream blush with a very simple tweak!

I run a blush brush across the pan, and then mix the blush powder on the back of my hand with MAC Strobe Cream to create a cream blush.

Try it sometime with your favorite blush and liquid highlighter, and let me know how it goes!

This weekend is the first weekend I’ve had since June when I haven’t felt like there was something urgent on the horizon to tend to. I mean, I do have a few items left over from camping last weekend to put away; seriously, why does that last camping trip of the summer take so much out of me?

Other than organizing Connor’s items for the new school year, which I ordered last month to avoid doing back-to-school stuff last minute, I don’t really have a lot to tend to today. The thought of a Saturday that’s open to possibility is making me almost short circuit. What even is free time? LOL!

What are you up to this weekend? I hope you’re enjoying the last bit of summer.

This week’s beauty reading

• I’m currently on a blush kick, which is why I’m taking note of Allure’s 13 best blush sticks for a lit-from-within glow.
• While we’re on the subject of blush, here are some liquid blushes to consider.
• Some blush for medium and deep skin tones.
• Of course Chanel would be on this list of best blushes of 2023!
• The best blushes for dry skin? I’m so there.
• Apparently I need to be manifesting a writing gig with Rare Beauty, because Selena Gomez has reportedly sold $70 million in blush.
• Stained glass blush is a thing.

OK, now I want all of ’em

A makeup look for those who like to keep it simple

Lots of steps which I probably wouldn’t do, but I enjoyed watching the process

I think I’m going to need that brown shadow

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Tie dye or acid wash?

Tie dye with lots of white space! Ideally with one or two soft pastels – pink and mint green, preferably.

2. Last time you felt inspired to do makeup?

Ooh, last night I stumbled onto an effortless summer glamor tutorial on Instagram by a model named Jessica Clements that I thought was lovely! Just enough makeup to make things interesting but not so much that the look was heavy or overworked.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jess Clements (@jessicaclements)

3. What are 3 products in your current makeup rotation?

Supergoop Sunset shimmer eyeshadow, Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum (seriously the best for sheer coverage and summery skin!) and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Blush in Corsica.

4. What did your high school backpack look like?

It looked exactly like this! It was a woven multi-colored backpack with thin black straps which dug into my shoulders every time I wore it because I overloaded it with books. I suffered for fashion. Why it never occurred to me to get a better fitting bag, I don’t know.

5. Ice coffee or iced tea today?

Iced tea, please, with ice and a splash of lemonade. It’s gonna be a hot 90 degrees out here today and I’m already melting.

Hiya and happy Monday! We’re back from camping on the Russian River. It was our last trip of the summer, and although I feel a little sad to see this sweet season of family time and outdoor adventures come to an end, I’m also very, very tired – from all the to-do lists, the packing and unpacking, the traveling back and forth, the meal planning… Do you feel this way or have you ever felt this way, too? It’s very bittersweet. And exhausting. LOL!

I hope the rest of your Monday treats you kindly. May something good happen to you today!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Tie dye or acid wash?
2. Last time you felt inspired to do makeup?
3. What are 3 products in your current makeup rotation?
4. What did your high school backpack look like?
5. Ice coffee or iced tea today?