According to the International Association of Professional Pet Assistants (IAPPA), PAWS, or Pet Assistant Weariness Syndrome, afflicts 63% of pet assistants, myself included.
More often than not, it goes undiagnosed, and there’s also a stigma attached to it. Many people with PAWS live in fear, not wanting to be the targets of ridicule.
But admitting that you have PAWS is the first step to recovery…
When my PAWS flares up, and I’m feeling really run down, I like to take a small amount of concealer, usually in the same shade that I’ve been using lately to cover my dark circles (MAC Select Moisturecover in NW25), which is a few shades lighter than my natural skin color, and apply it along the base of my brows with a pencil brush like the MAC 219.
(SIDE NOTE: You could also use a concealer in crayon clothing, like the new Rouge Bunny Rouge Concealers, for this trick and apply it directly with the crayon.)
Applied along the base of the brow, the lighter concealer color appears to lift the arch, making the eye seem brighter and more alert.
As long as I’m careful to blend away any visible edges with a finger, the effect is so subtle that my boss rarely even realizes what I’ve done, and when I look more awake, I usually feel a little more awake, which is great for my PAWS. 🙂
But it’s not a cure. As long as my employer continues to regularly send me on midnight gravy runs, I’ll continue to suffer from PAWS…
I don’t remember saying that you could take a break.
And have you been to a grocery store at midnight lately?? Sh*t is really weird. Lots of odd characters roaming the frozen food aisles doing things you wish you could un-see…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the tip! Love it! I actually love your whole look in this post. Can i get a breakdown pretty please? If its ok with Tabs of course. He wooks sow gwumpy.
She’s right, you do look really good.
Thanks, guys!
Funny, but I was waiting to see if someone mentioned the makeup in this look…I’ll do a tutorial for it, how about that?
Oh, and here’s a quickie breakdown:
FACE
MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance Base
MAC Face and Body Foundation in C5
MAC Careblends Pressed in Medium/Dark
CHEEKS
Becca Mineralize Bronzing Highlighter Duo in Serrana (contour and highlight)
Becca Flowerchild Blush (apples)
EYES
MAC Paint in Sublime Nature (lids)
MAC Sable Eyeshadow (lash lines and outer V)
MAC Prunella Liner (lash lines, water lines)
LORAC Pro Mascara (upper and lower lashes)
LIPS
Concealer to blank out lips
Burberry Lip Mist in No. 202
You’re story ideas with Tabs are great.
Thank you, Molly!
Tabs sends his love…
Darn my typo… I meant Your not ‘you’re’…. 🙁
OMG too funny, I suffer from PAWS BIG TIME, double trouble with a seriously bossy Bengal cat Turbo (who looks almost identical to Tabs (except a shorter nose!) and an overly needy chihuahua Romeo! Love the look, love the post, thanks!!
Sounds like your fur kids keep you busy, Abbi! Do they get along well? Sometimes I think of getting Tabs a chihuahua…
This is the best post ever! PAWS! haha! I also love the makeup look- can’t wait for the tutorial
I have PAWS and I’m not ashamed to admit it!
HAHA you are hilarious!
I’d love to go midnight grocery store people watching!
I used to live across the street from a 24/7 grocery and would pop in there at odd times for chocolate or ice cream. You see some WEIRD people.
Even scarier than any grocery store in the middle of the night — Walmart in the middle of the night! Did that a couple of times and never again.
Thanks for the tip for dealing with the effects of PAWS. I’ve been majorly afflicted with it myself this week. I think it’s the full moon coming up soon. Missy gets whiney and demanding during that time (well, even more whiney and demanding than usual) and it’s exhausting.
I laughed out loud at Tabs’ comment about taking a break! My girls have mastered that look and unspoken snarkiness. BTW, you look great!
You look absolutely gorgeous. So fresh and natural, I love it. Tabs better be nice to you! 😉
Our older cat is actually named Paws. 🙂
I agree (with others), you do look fantastic in on the photos!
This is a great tip, I always have to use a separate product under my brows. I’m all for one item doing double duty!
You look so fresh and awake in your photos – so pretty Karen!
I do this – it helps w/ brow definition esp when mine are overgrown and in need of a threading!
Loved this post! Like others, I went to Wal-Mart once in the middle of the night and was actually scared.
That diva is a taskmaster! 🙂 This is a great look though. You may be suffering from PAWS but no one would ever know it from these pics.
I absolutely adore this look on you, would love a proper tutorial!
As for diva furbabies, I have to say mine has been behaving herself lately. Phew!
I do this with my stick concealers sometimes, really gives a lift to the brows! Love your lip color here!
That’s such a typical “Boss” look on Tabster’s face! One of the best cures for PAWS is actually soft-paws. Hope you get some from Tabs everyday :).
Neat tip, this one! Gotta’ try it!
Loved this, I’ll try it soon as I can use all the “eye-opening” help I can get! Great photo of you, love those bow earrings!
I’ll have to go and try this! I’m curious to see if it’ll work, since I wear glasses.
Also, going to a grocery store in the middle of the night is like watching “Maury” or “The Jerry Springer Show” — it horrifies you and makes you question the current state of humanity, but later you feel so much better about your own life.
I love love love this look you did–this is the kind of look I like to wear on a daily basis (except your version looks MUCH better than mine :P)
HAHAHA! As a fellow pet assistant I LOVE this post!