
MAC Aztec Brick Large Eye Shadow ($21), one of four Large Eye Shadows from the Year of the Snake collection available exclusively online now at maccosmetics.com.

by Karen 8 Comments

MAC Aztec Brick Large Eye Shadow ($21), one of four Large Eye Shadows from the Year of the Snake collection available exclusively online now at maccosmetics.com.

by Karen 17 Comments



His Blue Steel pose.
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Dunya! Congratulations, Dunya! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂


Betcha didn’t know that Tabs spends his downtime training as a ninja for an undisclosed employer. There are so many facets to this cat! I can’t believe I’ve been assisting him since 2007, and I only found this out today.
Yeah, he keeps secrets…
Anywho, good morning and happy Caturday!

Can I get an amen for 1) those rare, sweet Tabs pics (please see above) and 2) last-minute plans that actually work out?
Yesterday afternoon, I was thinking that I haven’t gone out on a Friday night in so long with a girlfriend, so I emailed one of my high school BFFs, Cindy, and asked her if she wanted to catch dinner and a movie. She didn’t have any plans either, so we decided to have a last-minute girls’ night out.
We met at a restaurant in Corte Madera, which is in Southern Marin, called Brick & Bottle. A few of the noms…

Ahi tartare

Fried brie with honey and grapes (whoever invented fried cheese deserves a national holiday, for reals)

My main dish: sole with dungeness crab mashed potatoes
After dinner, we watched Warm Bodies, the teenage zombie love story I’ve been “dying” to see ever since I read the book last year. I don’t want to spoil it for you in case you plan to watch it, but I think it was very true to the original work.
As for today, not much planned. El Hub’s visiting his parents, so Tabs and I are holding down the fort here at home. I should probably do some cleaning, but really, all I want to do is nap and relax. Maybe go to the mall and look at some makeup if I can get out of these stretchy pants. We’ll see how it pans out.
What’s on your agenda? Whatever it is, I hope you manage to clear some time in your schedule to treat yourself to something nice, even if it’s just 10 minutes of “me time” at Starbucks with a cup of coffee.
Before you head on out, though, it’s time for the weekend giveaway. 🙂
What folks are saying…
“Hi Karen!!! Wow, that news definitely gets a hoo ray ray and an elephant!!! (I’ve maybe been watching too much Boardwalk Empire.) Thank you so much!!!”
-Shana“What a lovely surprise it was to see your announcement (after completing one of many exams/papers/projects I have this crazy week)! The eCard will definitely ease expenses for this broke, beauty-obsessed college student. Thank you, Karen and Tabs!!”
-Katie“Thanks so much, Karen. Just in case you were wondering what I got with it, I decided to go with the Clarisonic Mia–I’ve been wanting it for years now, but have never purchased it because of the price. Your eCard helped me finally buy it! I look forward to using it. Thanks again!”
-Jane“Shut the front door! OMG Karen, you have made my day. 🙂 I’m sick in bed with the flu and this has just cheered me up immensely!!!!!!!! BTW, I’m the one that sent you that pic of my pug in a wig a few weeks back LOL! Thanks again, honestly, I’m beyond giddy right now.”
-Angel“Thank you SO much Karen! OMG! Wishes really do come true! I can’t believe I won! You have no idea how much this will help me through the holidays. I’ve been an avid fan of your blog for the past two years. Your witty and creative entries, informative makeup information, and beautiful photos have kept me hooked. I look forward to more of it. Goodness, you’ve
seriously just made my week and it’s only Tuesday night!”
-Zharlynne“Oh my goodness! Thank you so much Karen (and Tabs, of course)! I really appreciate this! I’d been eyeing the Anastasia brow pencil in Strawburn to match my red hair!”
-Chelsea (and Jiji the kitten and Quincy the bunny)

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Dunya! Congratulations, Dunya! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
by Karen 17 Comments




A closeup of the detailing on the side of MAC’s Year of the Snake Cockney Lipstick ($15), a yellowish red available now at MAC counters, stores and maccosmetics.com.

by Karen 20 Comments




Guerlain Météorites Perles du Paradis ($70), available now at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom and online at nordstrom.com.
Gorgeous, isn’t she? 🙂

by Karen 18 Comments

Milani’s making one heck of a statement with their new Bold Color Statement Lipsticks, and that statement reads, “Get a great deal on pigment!”
Wow, this much pigment for $5.49? Quite a deal, but I’ll kindly pass on the cloying bubblegum scent…



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by Karen 55 Comments

Truth be told, I’m totally over this blonde Betty wig because I feel completely insane when I have it on. Plus, when the UPS guy came to my door last week, he said I looked like Lil’ Kim. Um, thanks?
But I felt like swatching the new MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick and Lipglass today, so I threw it on for just one Barbz pic because it seemed like the right thing to do.

As members of the MAC Viva Glam family, 100 percent of the proceeds from the sales of Nicki 2 Lipstick and Lipglass go to support the MAC AIDS Fund, which helps women, children and men living with HIV/AIDS.
Once again, MAC teamed up with Nicki Minaj, and this year, they’re serving up a pale pastel lavender pink.
It’s a very distinct type of lip look with lots of drama.





by Karen 43 Comments

Wow, it’s been a while since we chatted about skin care. Heck, I think the last time might’ve been last summer? After that trip to the Bliss Spa in SF, when those helpful aestheticians gave me those great product recs.
Anywho, last weekend I noticed I was running low on a couple of things I’ve come to adore, so on Saturday night I stopped by Sephora to restock, and I figured that while I was there, I could use one of my Christmas gift certificates to find something new. 🙂
Two of the products I picked up, Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39) and Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème ($39), I’ve loved for a while.
Absolute gold!

I’ve been breaking out, off and on, around my chin and mouth (hormonal acne…UGH!) this past year, and Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion, when I use it consistently, has helped clear up my skin.
An acne treatment lotion with 5% benzoyl peroxide, it layers well beneath makeup and doesn’t have that funky, tell-tale benzoyl peroxide scent found in so many other BP products.
Now, I get a tight, panicky feeling in my chest when I think about running out and not having a spare bottle around…
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Second item: Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème. I love it so much, I’m now on my third bottle.
The lightweight, mousse-like lotion absorbs instantly into my skin, and it’s moisturizing enough to handle the driest patches on my face. And WOO HOO! — it doesn’t seem to make my breakouts worse.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
After I re-stocked on the must-have skin care supplies, my basket still felt a little light, so with that gift certificate burning in my pocked, I also picked up…


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