Archives for 2013

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Bobbi Brown Peach Corrector

May 20th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

I’ve been having one of those Mondays where everything’s been going…great!

Don’t you just love those?

They’re few and far between, let me tell ya, but I’ll take it. Some Mondays I don’t feel ready for the weekend to end or for the workweek to start, but I’ve been in in a pretty good groove so far today.

I don’t know, maybe it’s the heat… It’s almost 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Novato right now!

Seriously, I think it’s making me loopy because I’m smiling from ear to ear… 🙂

I was watching a mama bird feed one of her little ones in the oak tree by my window this morning as I applied under-eye concealer and randomly started singing, “The hills are aliiiiive, with the sound of musiiiiiic!”

The concealer was Bobbi Brown’s bad@ss Peach Corrector. My dark under-eye situation has been triple-rainbow intense lately. I’m officially in my (gulp) late thirties now, and the purplish, bluish dark circles under my eyes have become something of a mainstay of my looks, haha.

Shoot, last night I even got 10 hours of sleep — 10 GLORIOUS HOURS! — and I still woke up with dark circles.

Thank goodness for Bobbi’s $23 miracle working Peach Corrector…

A creamy, opaque color-correcting concealer designed to be layered beneath your go-to under-eye concealer, it’s great if you get those real deal, Uncle Fester-caliber dark circles like moi. I use Peach, one of 16 shades in the line.

SHAZAM! It’s like waving a magic wand over my face. When I add it to my mix, I think I definitely look refreshed and considerably less tired, and that whole under-eye sitch looks brighter.

Most of the time I just wear it on its own with powder dusted on top (versus underneath another concealer), and it neutralizes the purple action. Heck, when I use it I think I even look a little younger (says the girl turning 38 in a few weeks, le sigh!).

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 272

May 20th, 2013 by Karen 79 Comments

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mint green: love it or leave it?
Absolutely love it. Mint green clothes, makeup, accessories… Mint green for me, please.

What’s the one thing that you feel makes the biggest difference in your makeup look?
Filling in my brows, for sure. They sort of fade away at the halfway point on each side, and I feel like filling in the sparse parts strengthens my look and draws more attention to my eyes.

What was the last really sugary, brainless, cheesy book you read?
Sugar and Spice, the latest book in Lauren Conrad’s L.A. Candy series. Brainless, yes. Fun, absolutely!

Something you did last weekend?
Watched the new Star Trek with El Hub.

Eh…I liked it. Didn’t love it, but I liked it. It was loud! Full throttle, action-packed the whole time. I kind of felt like I was being yelled at by the screen and left the theater totally exhausted, but there’s always great styling and makeup in Star Trek. I’d go just for that.

Have you ever been lost in the woods?
Thankfully, NO! What a nightmare.

Favorite comic strip?
The Far Side! Always loved Gary Larson’s weird sense of humor…

Something currently missing from your summer wardrobe?
Sunglasses and shorts. I’m super picky about both!

High-waisted pants: yea or nay?
Nay! But thank you for asking.

What’s one beauty product every gal needs?
A fantastic black mascara. Right now for me that’s Chanel Le Volume de Chanel.

Do you have a favorite place to nap?
I’m not picky when it comes to napping. I can practically sleep standing up, but I’ve gotta go with the living room couch.

Sometimes on sunny Sunday afternoons I’ll also catch a few “Z’s” in my hanging patio chair on the back deck.

To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le List

1. Mint green: love it or leave it?
2. What’s the one thing that you feel makes the biggest difference in your makeup look?
3. What was the last really sugary, brainless, cheesy book you read?
4. Something you did last weekend?
5. Have you ever been lost in the woods?
6. Favorite comic strip?
7. Something currently missing from your summer wardrobe?
8. High-waisted pants: yea or nay?
9. What’s one beauty product every gal needs?
10. Do you have a favorite place to nap?

What time is it where you are? What are you up to now?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 244

May 19th, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

In this business, reputation is everything. Word of mouth is the best marketing. Being known as the cat who gets the job done is priceless.

That’s Tabs. He’s the cat who always gets the job done — the fixer of the kitty modeling community, if you will. When a big brand like Dolce & Gabbana comes out with a new cream blush that no one’s ever seen before and they have no idea how to sell it, whom do they call?

They call Tabs.

Why?

Because there are no excuses. No whining. No complaining (unless they run out of gravy on the set). Just stunning good looks, a powerful purr machine and a tum powered by gravy. In other words, the complete package.

This week Tabs modeled for a bunch of big beauty brands, and here’s a quick look at his portfolio. 🙂

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Dolce & Gabbana Lilac Nail Lacquer

May 19th, 2013 by Karen 10 Comments

Sunday Breakfast

May 19th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora!

May 18th, 2013 by Karen 425 Comments

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

G’morning, cutie, and happy weekend (FINALLY). 🙂

It’s Caturday, so you know what time it is…Sephora eCard giveaway time!

Take a second before you grab that next cup of coffee to enter with a comment on this post and/or a Twitter tweet (see details below).

Enjoy the rest of your day!

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)

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

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, how do you take your coffee? Are you wearing a fragrance today? Do you pet assist for a dog or cat? Do you make your bed daily? What’s your favorite sheer lipgloss? Bun or ponytail? Do you wear a different foundation in the warmer months than you do during winter? Have you ever painted someone else’s nails? — 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 $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/16G8YaY

The deadline to enter is Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 11:59PM (PT).
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 of any country 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).
Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. International winners may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
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

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

Because One Is the Loneliest Number, the LORAC Ready, Set, Splash Waterproof Eyeliner Set Comes With Four

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

To El Hub when he insists that there’s an upper limit on the number of liners I could possibly need on a trip, I say, “Pish-tosh!”

“We’re only gonna be two days!” he says. “Why would you need 10 liners?”

My response: to pack 20 eyeliners! And then to painstakingly describe every single one in great detail, and how my happiness — no, my very survival! — depends on having all of them with me. 🙂

Hey, you just never know when you’ll get the urge to do a two-color double-winged flick? YOU NEVER KNOW!

This is why I find LORAC’s new $28 Ready, Set, Splash kit appealing…

That, and the quick-drying, waterproof formula.

The set’s four twist-up pencils come in colors that work well with most of my favorite summer eye looks.

Ultra Black, Navy, Charcoal and Jade will take you from poolside to dinner party in the blink of a cat eye, and when I want a smudgy vibe, I can just flip one over, and use the sponge tip on the back side.

LORAC Ready Set Splash swatches — From the left: Ultra Black, Charcoal, Jade and Navy

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MAC Sun Dipped Bronzer Bakes Warm Tones Into Skin Like 20 Minutes on Waikiki Beach

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

Sure, I’ll take a dip! A MAC Sun Dipped Pro Longwear Bronzer ($30, from the new Temperature Rising collection).

The following is an excerpt from an actual email conversion between blogger and makeup/cat enthusiast Karen and her longtime friend and surf buddy Cindy that took place on the morning of Friday, May 17, 2013.

Immediately following this exchange, Karen swept MAC’s new Sun Dipped Pro Longwear Bronzer on her face…

KAREN: When was the last time we went surfing together?
CINDY: I don’t know. Hawaii in 2006?
KAREN: That can’t be right.
CINDY: Yeah, I think so. It was right before your wedding.
KAREN: Seriously? Why are we so lame? We have to fix that.
CINDY: You could always go with me to Ocean Beach. 🙂

[NOTE: Ocean Beach is cold. It runs along the Great Highway on the west/Pacific side of San Francisco, and it’s so cold that just thinking about it is making my fingers and toes numb.]

KAREN: That’s not happening unless we’re being chased by zombies and the only way we can escape is by surfboard.

You know that moment when the water drips down the back of your wetsuit? Yeah, I hate that.

Okay, now I’m freezing cold. BRB! Need to put on some bronzer.

These are days of my life…

Don’t you feel warmer after putting on bronzer? Or is that just me…?

A light dusting of MAC’s new $33 Sun Dipped won’t turn Ocean Beach into Waikiki, but I think it does make me look tanned and toasty and gives me a sunnier outlook, too.

It can’t only be the power of suggestion, either. Sun Dipped has a sunny secret weapon: red tones!

Of the four powder bronzers in the MAC Temperature Rising collection, it’s by far the reddest one, and the one that most naturally simulates 30 minutes of fun in the sun.

MAC Sun Dipped Bronzer swatch — A swatch on my NC 42 skin

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