Just For Fun

What, you might be wondering, does this post have to do with Christmas OR Hawaii? Well, that’s an excellent question! I have no idea. 🙂 I came across this interview of actress Cate Blanchett on StyleList.com in which she says she went through “a big gothic phase” in her younger years.

“Back then,” she says, “I’d go to bed with my make-up on if I’d been out. And I went through a big gothic phase, so my pillow was always covered in black mascara and white pancake make-up.”

LOL! My brush with goth was back around 1994. I went through a phase in which I was outlining and filling in my lips with black eyeliner and then adding a dark matte red lipstick on top. No goth clothes or anything like that, though.

What about you? Have you ever had a goth phase, or are you in the midst of one now?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Also in the StyleList.com interview, Cate mentions liking SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Hmm… Has some promising reviews on MakeupAlley. Have you ever given it a try? I’m curious.

• UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂

Touchdown (we landed safely)!

Greetings from cloudy Kaneohe, ladies. 🙂 It’s a little after 6 p.m. on Monday. I’m sitting here in my in-law’s small townhouse at the foot of the jungly Ko’olau Mountains on the Eastern side of the Island of Oahu. Right now we’re just catching up, chatting about Christmas and watching Jay-Z on Oprah, LOL!

On the flight over here I got to thinking about options and how most girls like to have ’em, especially when it comes to lipgloss. At any given moment, I usually have three or four of them in my purse, ’cause you never know when you’ll feel the urge to coat your lips in sparkly purple gloss.

So in the spirit of options and how much we like having them, today’s giveaway features SIX sassy lipgloss shades by the babes at Benefit.

The prize

One lucky lady will win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss (a $26 value), a set of three dual-headed glosses (six total). Each gloss packs a healthy helping of sheer, delicious color and loads of shine.

How to enter…

Entering is easy. There are two different ways, 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 your plans for Christmas or the names of any lipglosses in your purse right now.

Hmm… in my purse? I packed for travel with MAC Soft Wave Lipglass, Clinique Bloomberry, NARS Sweet Revenge and Chanel Aqualumiere in Hirondelle.

Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

RT @karenmbb: RT to win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss (a $26 Value) http://bit.ly/7Cfnqi

Recap…

1. Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
2. Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:
   
   RT @karenmbb: RT to win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss (a $26 Value) http://bit.ly/7Cfnqi

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, December 22.

ўдачы!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. And there’s still a few hours left to enter yesterday’s giveaway for a MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo.

P.P.S. Yay! We made it through Monday, girls! Onward to Tuesday.

• UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂

1. Mood:

Bleary-eyed and sleepy because the alarm just went off. It’s 4:30 in the morning, but we’ve got an early flight to catch. Soon we’ll be somewhere over the Pacific, dreaming about tabby cats and MAC. Tabs is staying in California; he has a modeling gig lined up with Macy’s later this week.

2. Left or right handed?

I do almost everything with my right hand (writing, applying makeup, blowing kisses), 🙂 but I like to drive with my left hand on top of the steering wheel.

3. Where do you consider home?

My parents’ house in the East Bay, even though I haven’t lived there in years.

4. Three things you’re grateful for?

Apart from the usual (health, family, cat), I’m grateful for ponytail holders, washer/dryers and three-ply toilet paper.

5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

I’m in travel makeup mode right now, so just tinted moisturizer, cream blush, MAC Blot, concealer mascara and gloss.

6. Have you ever studied abroad?

No, but I really wish I had. I would’ve loved to have gone to at least a year of school in Europe.

7. Do you collect anything?

Makeup, teapots (a relatively new interest), random old books and earrings.

8. Last text you sent?

“Send me your Xmas list, dagnabbit!” (to my little brother).

9. Outfit:

Dark jeans, sweatshirt and brown tennies (pre-dawn travel style)…

10. Weekly goals:

Eat as many malasadas (Portuguese fried donuts; popular local snack in Hawaii) as humanly possible, find a little time to surf and just enjoy Christmas with the family.

Rise and shine, ladies. 🙂 Christmas is right around the corner, and I hope you’re in the holiday spirit. If you’re reading this between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, I’m somewhere above the clouds, wishing you all a great week and a beautiful day.

Take a minute to tell me and Tabs how you’re doing. You see, Tabs is holding down the MBB office while I’m airborne. You know what to do…

Le list

1. Mood:
2. Left or right handed?
3. Where do you consider home?
4. Three things you’re grateful for?
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
6. Have you ever studied abroad?
7. What do you collect?
8. Last text you sent?
9. Outfit:
10. Weekly goals:

I’ll touch base when I touch down on the other side of the Pacific! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

• UPDATE: Dec. 22, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winners will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂

WARNING: If your magic resistance is low, watch out for MAC’s Mineralize Eyeshadows. If you’re not careful, they’ll charm your heart while making your eyes sparkle with bling!

But if your magic is strong, and you’re not afraid, then keep reading. I’m about to conjure a quick Sunday giveaway. 🙂

The prize

One lucky lady will win a pan of MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Under Your Spell, a shimmery duo with peachy pink and copper eyeshadows ($20) from the Magic, Mirth and Mischief holiday collection.

How to enter…

Entering is easy. There are two different ways, 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. In it, tell me one of your favorite eyeshadow tips/tricks.

For shadows with a lot of glitter fallout, like the MAC Mineralize Eyeshadows, I like to wet my eyeshadow brush with water or MAC Fix+. The wet brush head seems to help the eyeshadow bind to my skin, decreasing the amount of glitter that ends up beneath my eyes. Applying shadows with a wet brush also makes the colors more intense!

Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

RT @karenmbb: RT to win MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow (a $20 Value) http://bit.ly/7TQCzA

Recap…

1. Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
2. Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:
   
   RT @karenmbb: RT to win MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow (a $20 Value) http://bit.ly/7TQCzA

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Monday, December 21.

Cо среќа!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

• UPDATE: Dec. 22, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winners will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂

MY BEST: I found a new concealer at Sephora that I really, really like. It’s called TimeBalm, and a couple of you had recommended it in the comments a while back (THANK YOU!). You were totally right. It’s the jam! I’d been using Dior Sculpt, but Time Balm’s cheaper, covers more, stays put longer, and I think it even requires less blending.

MY WORST: You remember how thrilled I was about my new bangs a few weeks ago, right? Well, I think the honeymoon’s over. They’ve been sticking up at odd angles, laying in the wrong directions and generally NOT doing what I want them to do. Why do I always I forget how high maintenance fringe can be when I’m sitting in the chair at a salon? Oh, well… I guess if I decide to grow ’em out, at least I’ll have something to do, LOL!

Time to spill them beauty beans, babes. 🙂 Dish your best and worst beauty experiences of the week.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Good almost-afternoon! Tabs and I stayed up practically all night long listening to drum and bass music (1.8.7’s Quality Rolls, HOLLA!) and fooling around with Photoshop. I haven’t quite woken up yet today, but it’s nothing a vat of coffee can’t fix. How’s your Sunday coming along?

I’m practicing avoidance right now. 🙂

I should be packing for my trip on Monday, but I’m browsing the web instead. Why? Because it’s more fun than packing, yay!

Okay, just a few more minutes… Then I’ll pack.

Question: What makeup do you like to bring when you travel?

• 4-step flawless foundation – Bella Sugar
• Been partying too much? Try these 10 post-party tips — Daily Makeover
• ALERT! ALERT! Christine has MAC Love Lace swatches! — Temptalia
• 5 fabulously inexpensive gifts for mom and baby — Raging Rouge
• Let’s go NARS Night Clubbing! — Cosmetosaur
• This lovely letter couldn’t have come at a better time 🙂 — Icing
• Is it time to go gray? — Times Online
• Everything but the harem pants… — A Cat of Impossible Colour
• 50 quotes on living a life of adventure — Abundance Blog
• Would you trust a friend to do your wedding makeup? — Sugar Social
• How to make a music player for your blog or site — Leg Blog de Sushi
• Smokey the Bear probably would not have approved of old school Christmas tree lighting — Old Christmas Lights
• Santa, please bring me these Moleskin Diaries for Christmas — Kitty’s Drawings
• I’m a little obsessed with Ragdolls — Of Cats

Sing it, Tom!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen