Hey, my friend. How’s it going? ?❤️ Check this out…
This is called the “Lady Sanctuary” — a.k.a. the deck off my bedroom. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s quiet, soothing, has some plants, and it’s protected in the shade of a tall, old oak tree.
It’s a good place to have a cup of coffee or tea and read a book. It’s one of my favorite spots right now, and I’m happy to share it with you.
Even though it’s technically only for the ladies (hence the name), if you’re a makeup-and/or-cat-loving dude, you’re still welcome (I’m talking to you, Efrain!).
Connor and I were out there this morning. She read a stack of Disney princess books, and I willed myself into putting on 10-minute makeup.
Question for ya… Have you been wearing makeup regularly? If so, are you sticking to your pre-Corona makeup routine? It’s been touch-and-go for me. I’ll go for stretches where I’ll happily wear a full face, but then — BAM! No makeup for a week.
I’m cool with going bare-faced, but I definitely feel more mentally “on” when I wear at least mascara or gloss, which is why I put on some makeup today. I’ve been feeling kinda lonely this week, so I told myself, “Self, you have 10 minutes. That’s it. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Just do a little.”
I think this helps. —-> Give yourself permission to skip things, like today I didn’t want to fill in my brows (just used a clear brow gel), and I didn’t do pencil eyeliner. But I still had it in me to apply some eyeshadow, mascara, a little sheer foundation and a lipstick (which I also used as a cream blush).
Definitely felt more like myself when I finished. ? I even put on earrings and a necklace, too, and spritzed a body splash.
Makeup worn in this look
- Base: MAC Fix+, MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite and MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance (to prep skin), MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour in Medium Deep (buffed on with a flat foundation brush)
- Eyes: MAC Selena La Reina eyeshadow palette in the shades Me Siento Muy Excited (lids), Como Te Extrano mixed with Los Dinos (crease), Live In Concert (upper lash line); La Leyenda highlighter (inner corner); Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (lashes); MAC Brow Set in Clear (brows)
- Lips: Entre A Mi Mundo Lip Pencil (outer edge of lips), Selena Vive and La Reina Lipsticks (mixed together)
- Cheeks: La Reina Lipstick (worn as blush)
Take care of yourself, OK? Let me know what you’re up to, and have a great Thursday.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’m very jealous of your lady sanctuary! I guess the whole main floor of my house is my sanctuary, it’s filled with plants which drives my boyfriend nuts! So he has a little man cave in the basement.
Well that sounds lovely. Plants make everything better! We would have more in our house if I wasn’t so nervous about Rosie eating them. That cat will eat anything, it seems!
I wore a full face of make up on Sunday (Ukrainian Easter) and it felt nice. For work, however, I’ve been going barefaced lately because I can’t be bothered. The virus restrictions are bringing me down and I don’t enjoy my work or the people (nicest way to put it, lol) Feeling very meh. My makeup order finally came in. Maybe I’ll try the Alhambra duo tomorrow, or most likely over the weekend.
I hope your makeup order cheers you up a little. NARS Alhambra is one of my all-time faves; it’s such a work horse. You’ll get a ton of use out of it!
No makeup for 5? weeks now! Your coywolf is precious. My sanctuary is my Florida room – (yes, I live in Florida).
Thank you, Linda! 🙂
How long have you lived in Florida? Do you like it there? The last time I was there was for a wedding, years ago, in Miami. El Hub and I then drove down to the Florida Keys afterward, so fun. I remember being in awe of that long stretch of bridge over water.
I haven’t done makeup lately (emergency dental surgery on Tuesday, haven’t felt like touching my face!). Ironically, I totally hit the Sephora Spring sale multiple times this week. ?
The Lady Sanctuary is lovely and so is that look with the Selena collection. Most of it seems a little too warm for my skin tone, but it’s so pretty.
The cheesecake I made yesterday was a massive success. Stress baking FTW! ?
Hi Suzanne,
Could you please share me the recipe please?
I need to do more stress baking.
I would love this recipe too, Suzanne!
I was thinking about trying a Basque cheesecake:
https://www.tastecooking.com/spains-burnt-cheesecake-breaks-all-the-rules-and-lord-its-good/
How are your teeth, Suzanne? I hope you’re feeling better.
It’s the cheesecake recipe from the new Magnolia Table Volume 2. That Joanna Gaines knows her stuff.
I’m feeling better, thanks. My jaw is just so sore. Contrary to popular belief (my girls would argue with this), I do not have a very big mouth and I really had to stretch so the dentist could work.
OK, thank you! I’ll see if I can hunt it down (and perhaps make it gluten-free).
I’m glad you’re feeling better. And I bet the Sephora goodies will help you heal even faster! Did you end up getting the blush?
I didn’t. After taking a look at my makeup stash, I had a serious talk with myself about buying blush and lipstick. It was just ridiculous. I’ve got to use some things up before I’m allowed to buy anything new. (Sure. Okay. Right.) ?
I get it. I sorted my nail polishes the other day and after seeing all the blues and greens I had to tell myself to GET A GRIP!!!
It’s all about that semi-outdoor life! I love your lanai/Lady Sanctuary (it also sounds like code for That Time of the Month, my friend calls that “Lady Town” lol).
I am grateful for the cross-breeze with all our floor-to-ceiling jalousies opened up in both ends of our rabbit hutch by the sea (our tiny Waikiki apartment). In spite of us being adjacent to a rental car lot, there are plumeria trees, palm trees, and a TON of loud birds, which I love. We can also see Fort DeRussy Park from our window. I feel like I’m half outside half when I work from home.
And since I’ve been working from home for 35 days now, I’ve not worn a lick of makeup or even my contact lenses because…it’s comfy home mode when I don’t have to go into the office. I haven’t even bothered with a skin care regimen and I ran out of all of my The Ordinary products. I feel like I need the skin care only when I wear makeup!
Do you eat cookies out on your lanai, too? 🙂
LOL, now that I think about it, I’ve yet to eat any baked goods out there! I’m going to make another batch of oatmeal cookies today so I’ll be doing it soon.
BTW I know Fort Derussy. My mom-in-law used to work near there!
I figured I’d be able to drop place names and you’d know where they were. 😉
OMG more cookies! And on the lanai! I don’t normally allow myself to eat baked goods but I’m really jonesing for some now, especially after seeing all your yummy-looking treats. I bet your cookies rival Double Tree Inn’s famous chocolate chip cookies. Did you hear they finally released the recipe for them?? They must have gotten nervous that yours would outshine theirs.
I lost one of my most comfortable pair of slippers in the Fort De Russy parking lot. Le sigh. They were Reefs, with pink and black polka dot straps. (And yes, I still think about them, even though it’s been almost 20 years! HA HA HA.)
I saw the Double Tree cookie recipe. I’ve never had their cookies, believe it or not! Anyway, they bake them at a lower temp with a longer bake time, which is interesting to me… I might have to try it just for fun.
OK, so I know you don’t do baked goods, but how about trying some kind of raw food vegan dessert type recipe? I’ve seen a few and they look simple and yummy.
I wonder if the Double Tree Inn chocolate chip cookie lower baking temp is because they store them in a special HEATED DRAWER at the front desk? It’s like the heated tortilla chip drawer at Chipotle!
I used to make avocado chocolate mousse but I’m super sensitive to many raw and plant-based foods now and as soon as I bite into a delicious CCC I’ll get dizzy and bloat up from the oats and flour. I make do with frozen raspberries, bananas, and cinnamon/Truvia whipped heavy cream. 😉
That is amazing! There’s a hotel in Monterey that does something similar (they serve you a warm chocolate chip cookie when you check in) and it is glorious.
Your frozen treat sounds delightful.
UGH SO GORGEOUS ON YOU! I told myself I wouldn’t order from.this collex bcs I didn’t ***NEEEEED*** anything and I think people who are really into Selena should have it (like my friend Janella who didn’t get everything she wanted from the first MAC/Selena collex). But omg you’re making me rethink my restraint.
Also, howzit to Christine in Waikiki from Fern in Kaimuki. Now I want to go to Kona Coffee Purveyorsin International Marketplace for a coffee soda and a black sesame kouign amman.?
Thank you for letting me into the Lady sanctuary; it actually feels soothing when you see the pictures.
I haven’t been wearing make up unless I go outside and even then because of the face mask only concealer, mascara and brow pencil. It’s interesting because I’m used to it since I was staying most of the time at home before working, so it feels normal to be barefaced (and it’s easier to cleanse my face at night).
However as a way to feel feisty I’ve been painting my nails every 5-7 days (Mani included) and I decided with Alisson to go blonde. Well, I’ll go full blonde and she like Dua Lipa, if everything goes right I’ll plan to put my own hair salon (after going to beauty school).
So let’s see how quarantine goes, we’ll be staying home until May 30th.
You’re welcome! 🙂
I think we’re going to be in quarantine in the Bay Area at least until mid-May. And now we’re legally required to wear masks in public places.
If you guys go blonde be sure to keep a very rich conditioner on hand; it’s very hard on your hair and you’ll need to baby it.
I seriously thought about putting makeup on today!! I might actually do it tomorrow. 🙂 it would be nice to feel a little fancy, I think. I’d been going relatively barefaced before “the virus bug” (as my boyfriend’s daughter calls it) but it can feel nice to just like… be put together, y’know? I had to record a vocal part + video for a friend a few weeks ago, and I actually put on a little bit of coverup for that! Maybe I’ll do that again soon. ANYTHING to break out of the mundanity these days, haha!
Hi Shannon! Yay for putting on a little makeup. Even the tiniest bit can make a difference. 🙂
I hope you’re doing OK. Are you sheltering in place with anyone?
I am! I’m with my boyfriend and his daughter (in England!) which is wonderful. Very very glad to be with those I love, though I’m bummed I don’t realistically have the option to visit my family in the PNW right now. Just need to remind myself periodically that we won’t be sheltering in place forever!
Oh, I’m glad you’re with people you love, too. Makes it a little more bearable. 🙂 You’ll be able to see your family in the PNW soon. Thank goodness for the technology that connects us, right?
Yes – so very grateful!
I love the Lady Sanctuary!
The last week I have not worn makeup. I worked the 5 weeks prior, and ended up resigning. The workplace was great, but I ended up hating the work. I wore my usual makeup routine to work.
Hi Rachel,
I bet this job will lead you to something even better. Keeping my fingers crossed for you, as always!
Thanks! My prayers are always out for you and your fam, and your readers, that all get through this OK.
Love the Lady Sanctuary!! And it looks like Connor is a little jewelry lover. Love how she has a necklace, ring, and bracelet on. So cute!!
Hi Sherry,
Yes, she loves the bling! Although yesterday I asked her if she wanted to wear a tiara to dance class (her teacher hosts it through Zoom), and for once she said, “No! Too much jewelry.” LOL
I’ve scrupulously maintained my skincare regimen but I’ve not been particularly interested in wearing makeup. Between the stay-at-home order and having to wear a mask on the very rare occasion that I venture out in public, it seems rather pointless. Actually, not wearing makeup, but focusing on skincare instead has had its reward—a smooth, translucent, even-toned complexion. My eyebrows and eyelashes are also looking healthier. I love makeup, but it’s been nice to take a break. The few times I’ve worn it this past month, it’s been minimal.
Seeing that I still need to go to the office (I work in Public Health), I still wear makeup every day and even had it in me to change it up once the weather got warmer.
You inspired me to create something similar for the balcony in front of my daughters bedroom, I bet she would love it.
what a beautiful sanctuary Karen!
i love that Connor Clair is using it to read as well! I wish I had a little sanctuary to see outside right about now. Our building has a shared courtyard but it can only hold about 4 people to properly distance at 6ft lol. so I just stay in, open my windows and look out when I need to 🙂