Two of the five new nail polishes from the new Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer Heavy Petals Collection ($20 each). Available January 2013.
Estée Lauder’s Heavy Petals
Archives for December 2012
Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 223
A RELAXING TIME
by Tabs the Cat
Tabs could not believe how loud the generator was. The sound reverberated off the walls of his tiny shelter, and probably also off the frigid floor, which except for the one hole cut in the middle of the room, was a 12-inch-thick slab of solid ice.
When his friend, Felix, told Tabs about this place, told him about how ice fishing up here in the Northern Territories was the most relaxing thing he’d ever done, Felix neglected to mention the generator.
Figures…
Tabs shivered, despite his heavy wool coat, thick fur and thermal kitty underwear, and watched his breath puff in the frosty air.
The one electric bulb hanging from the ceiling briefly dimmed as the generator momentarily sputtered.
Wouldn’t that be perfect, Tabs thought, if the generator conked out and stranded him out here on a frozen lake?
The generator resumed its steady, rhythmic roar, which sounded to Tabs like the loudest lawn mower he’d ever heard.
He wondered what he would do if it stalled. The darkness wouldn’t be a problem for him because he was able to see in the dark, but the cold… How cold would it get in the little shack without the heater? Probably very cold…
He had no transportation, either, thanks to Felix, who talked Tabs into hiring a local bush pilot to make the trip here. Until the pilot returned on the day after Christmas, Tabs was on his own.
With a jolt, he suddenly remembered having his iPhone and pulled it from a pocket inside his coat, thinking that if something happened to the generator, he could call his assistant for help.
He slid his paw across the phone’s screen, and the device sprung to life, displaying more than a dozen illuminated app icons. Instinctively, his eyes went to the upper lefthand corner.
“Meow!” he cursed. No bars. He wouldn’t be able to make a call.
He held up the phone and waved it around in the air, looking for a signal. Nothing until, wait! — he saw one bar for a second. Maybe he could get a stronger signal over there, he thought, looking at the one tiny window in the room.
He hopped down from the chair, a sturdy, old thing made of heavy wood, set the iPhone down on the ice, and wrapped the end of his fishing line around a leg of the chair five times.
That should hold it, he thought, and then the generator stopped.
When he turned to face it, the bottom of his coat brushed the iPhone, which slid directly into the hole in the ice.
Plop, was the sound it made when it splashed into the water.
Uh, oh, Tabs thought, as the now quiet room went dark…
— TO BE CONTINUED —
If you enjoyed this little tale and would like to see Tabs continue the story, let him know in the comments. 🙂 And now, here are some pics from Tabs’ every-growing kitty modeling portfolio.
12 Days of Giveaways: Two Ways to Win a Neutrogena Allure Best of Beauty Gift Basket (an $83 Value)!
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Kylie! Congratulations, Kylie! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
Two things I saw yesterday while doing last-minute Christmas shopping at the mall…
A woman with a “COEXIST” bumper sticker on her car completely losing her sh*t in the parking lot. That’s how bad it was out there. There were a TON of people out shopping, and I kid you not, it took us more than an hour just get out of the parking lot!
The woman who started road raging was trapped in the parking lot with us and thousands of other people. I felt for her, but no one could do anything about it. There were so many cars jamming up the rows, trying to either find parking or make it to the exits, that she couldn’t back her car out. We were in one of the cars stuck in the row next to her, and at one point, she started yelling at no one in particular and shaking her fists in the air while I watched her through our windows and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year played over the car radio… It was like some weird scene from a Judd Apatow movie.
El Hub getting props for his vehicular dance moves. Trapped in the mall parking lot, we started going a little stir crazy in the car after a while, singing off key and dancing in our seats. El Hub was doing the robot when a dude driving in the opposite direction made eye contact with him. The dude smiled awkwardly and gave us the “whassup” nod before cracking up. I laughed for a good five minutes after that…
What do either of these events have to do today’s giveaway? Nothing, really. But I hope one of them made you smile. 🙂 Even if it was only for a second.
That’s one of my favorite things about the holidays…finding joy in the littlest things.
Little things like the awesome skin care products that comprise the prize in today’s Neutrogena giveaway.
That’s right! It’s day 9 of 12 Days of Giveaways on Makeup and Beauty Blog (NOTE: click here and scroll down the page to enter any other ongoing giveaways).
One (1) Neutrogena Allure Best of Beauty gift basket valued at $83 and filled with the following goodies:
- Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunscreen Stick SPF 60 ($8.99)
- Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 ($10.99)
- Neutrogena Naturals Lip Balm ($2.99)
- Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night ($20.99)
- Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes ($6.99)
- Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash Pink Grapefruit ($7.49)
- $25 American Express Gift Card
- 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, what body products are in your shower right now? Do you have a favorite lip balm? What’s your nighttime skin care routine? Do you ever wear multicolored nails? Are you doing any last-minute shopping today? What does your Christmas stocking look like? What’s your go-to waterproof mascara? — 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 Neutrogena Allure Best of Beauty Gift Basket! http://bit.ly/UnkqBA
- The deadline to enter is Tuesday, December 25, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).
- 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 in the United States 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
P.S. There are two other ongoing giveaways you may want to enter while you’re here (if you haven’t already). Just click the following links, and they’ll take you right to ’em. 🙂
- Two Ways to Win a Neutrogena Holiday Survival Kit Gift Basket (an $81 Value) — Closes Sunday, 12/23/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
- Two Ways to Win a Neutrogena Winter Skin Rx Gift Basket (a $127 Value) — Closes Monday, 12/24/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Kylie! Congratulations, Kylie! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
Estee Lauder’s New Pretty Naughty Pure Color Sheer Matte Lipsticks
It’s starting to feel like spring (in the makeup world) with the new Estee Lauder Pure Color Sheer Matte Lipsticks ($25 each; from the new Pretty Naughty collection).
Estée Lauder’s New Pure Color Stay-On Shadow Paints
Just a quick peek at five of the nine new Estée Lauder Pure Color Stay-On Shadows ($24 each) that come out next month. 🙂
The New bareMinerals Remix Collection and Buxom Divine Goddess Luminizer: Club Kids, We’re Pressing Fast-Forward to Summer
Heck, YES! I’d love to go clubbing with you. Are you serious?? Because I’m totally down. We could even wear the new club-themed bareMinerals Remix collection.
But wait — I can only go if we leave the house by 9 and get home by 11:30, midnight at the latest, because that’s when my pumpkin turns back into a carriage.
I love to dance, but I do not need to be shaking my 30-something-year-old groove thing past midnight. Seriously, I don’t.
On second thought, we should leave the club by 11, because I want to be in bed, under the covers, with my mouthguard on (dude, I totally grind my teeth; it sucks!) by midnight.
LOL! Don’t laugh. 🙂 Last time I checked, there wasn’t a rule that says we can’t go out early and come home by midnight. It’s like clubbing 2.0, the remix. You get all the fun of clubbing while being fully functional the next day. Win, win!
Okay, now that we’re done making fun of my tired @ss, let’s get to the good stuff, the new bareMinerals spring Remix collection, which arrives next month (in the middle of winter).
12 Days of Giveaways: Two Ways to Win a Neutrogena Winter Skin Rx Gift Basket (a $127 Value)!
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Nicole Hunn! Congratulations, Nicole Hunn! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
One of my favorite holiday memories is from a trip El Hub and I took to visit his family on Oahu. It was a couple days after Christmas at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, the largest open-air shopping center in the world. Weather-wise, it was a typical December day in Hawai’i Nei, sunny, about 80 degrees with light trade winds, and the mall was packed!
I remember how lots of the local kids (and some of the adults) were all bundled up for winter. There were kids in hoodies, thick sweaters, ski hats (the kind with the flaps that go over your ears) and some even wearing Uggs.
LOL! I guess wherever you are, even in the tropics, winter will find you.
Heck, it always finds me, as do winter skin trubs. Even with our mild seasonal swings out here in the Bay Area, I still wrestle with winter skin challenges every year, like breakouts, dry skin, flaky skin — the whole shebang.
If your face needs some babying this winter, you’ll definitely want to enter today’s Neutrogena gift basket giveaway. The basket is brimming with products to soothe and repair fussy winter skin.
Yup, it’s day 8 of 12 Days of Giveaways on Makeup and Beauty Blog (NOTE: click here and scroll down the page to enter any other ongoing giveaways). 🙂
One (1) Neutrogena Holiday Survival Kit gift basket valued at $127 and filled with the following goodies:
- One (1) Neutrogena Microdermabrasion Kit ($19.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Night ($20.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum ($20.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream ($20.99)
- One (1 Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser ($8.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena All-in-1 Acne Control Facial Treatment ($10.49)
- One (1) $25 American Express Gift Card ($25)
- 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, do you struggle with seasonal skin changes in winter? What’s your favorite heavy duty moisturizer? Is there a cleanser you’re loving at the moment? When was the last time you got a haircut? What are you doing this weekend? Do you prefer colorful or clear/white Christmas lights on your tree? What’s your warmest pair of socks? How often do you wear primer? — 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 $127 Neutrogena Winter Skin Rx Gift Basket! http://bit.ly/Yyw0fQ
- The deadline to enter is Monday, December 24, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).
- 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 in the United States 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
P.S. There are two other ongoing giveaways you may want to enter while you’re here (if you haven’t already). Just click the following links, and they’ll take you right to ’em. 🙂
- Two Ways to Win a Glitterball Gia Cosmetics From Kate Spade — Closes Saturday, 12/22/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
- Two Ways to Win a Neutrogena Holiday Survival Kit Gift Basket (an $81 Value) — Closes Sunday, 12/23/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Nicole Hunn! Congratulations, Nicole Hunn! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
12 Days of Giveaways: Two Ways to Win a Neutrogena Holiday Survival Kit Gift Basket (an $81 Value)!
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Brooke! Congratulations, Brooke! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
The holidays were so much easier when I was a kid. Back then I had a totally different kind of to-do list…
- Gorge on candy canes, other sweets
- Sleep in every day over break
- Find “Santa’s” secret cache of presents in the house
- Pretend to be surprised about said presents on Christmas morning
Every year, to find the presents we knew were hidden somewhere in the house, my little brother and I systematically moved through all of the rooms and closets like trained Army rangers. Sometimes, we’d even reverse engineer the presents that were already under the tree, delicately removing the tiny strips of tape and unfolding the corners of the wrapping paper until we could confirm the contents, and then we’d return everything to its pristine condition without leaving behind so much as a trace (we were never caught).
Gosh, I miss that! Adults always tell kids to enjoy it while it lasts, but it usually falls on deaf ears…
Nowadays, the holidays are a high-traffic, high-stress whirlwind of errands and activities. I try to have as much fun as I can (and consume as many candy canes and TJ’s Dark Chocolate Stars as humanly possible), but still. When did we get so busy over the holidays?
If this is also a busy time for you, you’ll definitely want to enter today’s giveaway for a Holiday Survival Kit from Neutrogena.
Yup, it’s day 7 of 12 Days of Giveaways on Makeup and Beauty Blog (NOTE: click here and scroll down the page to enter any other ongoing giveaways). 🙂
One (1) Neutrogena Holiday Survival Kit gift basket (valued at $81) filled with the following:
- One (1) Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara ($7.49)
- One (1) Neutrogena Healthy Skin Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 ($12.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment ($5.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena Shine Control Pressed Powder ($11.99)
- One (1) Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes ($7.49)
- One (1) Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer SPF 35 ($9.99)
- One (1) $25 American Express Gift Card ($25)
Holiday stress and your skin
“Holiday stress always raises our cortisol (or ‘stress hormone’) levels. We often neglect our usual skincare routines during this busy time and indulge in high-glycemic index foods which can increase stress-related skin breakouts. Keeping your skin clean is key. If you are strapped for time and acne-prone, try Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes. They remove make-up and daily build-up and won’t aggravate acne-prone skin.”
— Dr. Erin Gilbert, Dermatologist and Skin Expert
- 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, what was the first Neutrogena product you can remember using? When was the last time you purchased a drugstore beauty product (and what did you get?)? Do you remember the make and model of the first car you ever drove? Do you have a powder in your purse right now? How long does it take you to get ready before a night on the town? How are your holidays coming along so far? What are you wearing on your cheeks? Do you prefer shimmery or matte bronzers? — 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 an $80 Neutrogena Holiday Survival Kit Gift Basket! http://bit.ly/UdIENs
- The deadline to enter is Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).
- 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 in the United States 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
P.S. While you’re here, take a moment to enter these other ongoing giveaways (if you haven’t already). You can’t win unless you try.
- Two Ways to Win a bareMinerals Light Show Palette for Your Eyes, Lips and Face [6 WINNERS] — Closes Friday, 12/21/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
- Two Ways to Win a Sweetshoppe Stripe Small Natalie Cosmetics Case From Kate Spade — Closes Friday, 12/21/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
- Two Ways to Win a Glitterball Gia Cosmetics From Kate Spade — Closes Saturday, 12/22/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST
Good luck! 🙂
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Brooke! Congratulations, Brooke! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂