Archives for 2014

On Shelves Now: Beauty Books That Caught My Eye

December 27th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

I’m always on the market for new beauty books. I have a few of them at home now (’cause reading is fundamental!). These are currently on my radar screen as new contenders…

Eye Candy: 55 Easy Makeup Looks for Glam Lids and Luscious Lashes, by Linda Mason ($14.95)

Sometimes I get stuck in eye makeup ruts, and this book’s loaded with inspiration. There’s 55 eye looks. DUDE! That’s a lot.

Makeup Makeovers Beauty Bible: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations, by Robert Jones ($19.99)

This one is packed with lots of good, in-depth beauty information. Check out the section with makeup for different eye shapes.

Love, Lashes, and Lipstick: My Secrets for a Gorgeous, Happy Life, by Mally Roncal ($25)

Mally’s bubbly personality really comes across in the writing in this book, and I dig the cute illustrations.

Hello Kitty Nail Art, by Masako Kojima ($17.95)

Granted, I probably don’t have the skill to pull off most of these nail looks, but I want to! Because it’s Hello Kitty!

Beauty: The New Basics, by Rona Berg ($19.95)

I really like that the models in this book look like normal women of all ages and ethnicities.

Everything Eyes: Professional Techniques, Essential Tools, Gorgeous Makeup Looks, by Bobbi Brown ($14.95)

A whole chapter devoted to makeup for girls with glasses. Yes.

Do you have any beauty books at home? Which are your favorites (mine’s Makeup Makeovers in 5, 10, 15, and 20 Minutes: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations, by Robert Jones)?

7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

December 27th, 2014 by Karen 298 Comments

Rise and shine, morning glory! Happy caturday! 🙂 My phone has been blowing up with texts from your nephew at MBB headquarters. Apparently his temporary live-in assistant forgot to prepare the gravy last night, which of course led to a HUGE fight.

If there’s one thing Tabs will not accept from his employees, it’s a failure to adhere to the company’s strict gravy preparation standards. He’ll forgive minor, infrequent violations of the dress code, but gravy incompetence is simply unacceptable.

In other news…it’s been chilly up here in Redding, but at least we have sun. I hope you’ve been having a great week. Good luck in this weekend’s giveaway, and oh! — there are actually THREE other ongoing giveaways you could also enter while you’re here…

Comment to Win $86 in Awesomeness From the Sonia Kashuk Holiday 2014 Collection (deadline: Dec. 31, 2014)
[SPONSORED] Comment to Win $152 in Fragrances From i smell great and the Maker of CLEAN Perfume (deadline: Dec. 31, 2014)
SPONSORED: The Purina Pro Plan Cat Christmas Treats Giveaway (deadline: Dec. 31, 2014)

As for today’s giveaway…

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).

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Tortoise or hare?
- What are you doing for New Year’s?
- What’s your warmest jacket?
- What are you wearing on your nails?
- Favorite Starbucks beverage?
- What’s been your most annoying beauty dilemma this year?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, December 29, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Bright Lights, Food City

December 26th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

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There’s a street in the neighborhood where my parents live that goes crazy all-out with the lights (Vegas style), and everybody cruises up and down the street looking at them.

This was my favorite house…

Of course I’d love the over-the-top one. 🙂

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I know you’re honnngray looking at these pics, ’cause I’m hungry too (if you like crab and shrimp, and Filipino food, which I do). This time of the year is when I unshackle myself from the hater that is the My Fitness Pal app, aka calorie counting, and embrace my stretchy pants with arms (and mouth) wide open, which, in other words, means a second and third helping of crab.

Let the holiday gorging begin!

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Comment to Win $86 in Awesomeness From the Sonia Kashuk Holiday 2014 Collection

December 26th, 2014 by Karen 398 Comments

***The giveaway is officially closed.*** CONGRATULATIONS, ALESIA AND PRINCESS ANYAIBE! You’re the lucky girls! Check the email addresses you used in your comments, and reply to me with your full name, age and mailing address by Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015. Happy new year. 🙂

Hmm… That space beneath the tree is looking sadly empty now that Christmas is officially over.

We should totes fix that.

One of my favorite holiday collections this year has been Sonia Kashuk’s ( review right here). She did this luxurious gold and black Chanel-esque art deco theme, and the makeup was to die for, of course.

I got to thinking… You know what? This would be a great one for a giveaway!

The prize…

Four of my favorites from Sonia’s holiday 2014 collection (an $86 value).

The Sonia Kashuk Eye Palette in Deco Starlet ($19.99)

Sonia Kashuk Nude Lip Palette in Jazzed Up Nudes — The Nude Lip Palette in Jazzed Up Nudes ($19.99)

Sonia Kashuk All That Jazz 10-Piece Brush Set — All That Jazz 10-Piece Brush Set, $34.99

Sonia Kashuk Decadence Shimmering Body Souffle — Decadence Shimmering Body Souffle, $10.99

Get it, gurl!

Win the Sonia Kashuk Holiday 2014 collection

Two (2) lucky ladies and/or gents will win a prize package with the following…

The Eye Palette in Deco Starlet ($19.99): a very Chanel-esque palette with shimmery dark brown, black, gold and beige powder eyeshadows.
The Nude Lip Palette in Jazzed Up Nudes ($19.99): a lip palette with five satiny lipsticks in warm and cool nude shades.
The All That Jazz 10-Piece Brush Set ($34.99): a set of fabulously fluffy and luxurious full-size brushes that includes a domed powder brush, a flat-top multipurpose brush, an angled duo fiber multipurpose brush, a foundation brush, eyeshadow brush, blending brush, angled duo fiber crease brush, domed pencil brush, synthetic pointed eye liner brush, and a lash/brow groomer.
Decadence Shimmering Body Souffle ($10.99): a shimmery golden body lotion.

Le Rules…

They’re easy. Just leave a comment below. About anything.

Seriously, anything at all.

Like, what’s been the coolest conversation you’ve had over the holidays so far? Where are you at this exact moment? Have you seen any good movies lately? Did you receive any awesome beauty booty/loot for Christmas? Did you cook or bake anything you’re particularly proud of for the holidays? What’s been the highlight of the holidays for you so far?

That’s it!

Terms & Conditions
Enter by leaving a comment below about anything at all.

Deadline to enter is Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific). Entrants must enter using a valid email address to win.

The giveaway is open to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE who has 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 and, as always, referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select two (2) winners at random from the entries left in the comments at the bottom of this post.

Void where prohibited by law.

May the forces of fabulosity be with you (aka, good luck). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Have you already entered these other two giveaways? Because you should… I’m just sayin’.

Comment to Win $152 in Fragrances From i smell great and the Maker of CLEAN Perfume (deadline to enter is Dec. 31, 2014)
The Purina Pro Plan Cat Christmas Treats Giveaway (this one’s deadline is also Dec. 31, 2014)

The Mia Beauty Jumbo Braidie: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

December 26th, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

I know you’re probably all snuggly in your Christmas PJs right meow, but peel yourself off the couch for a second, and grab yo’ phone so you can tell Siri to remind you to swing by the drugstore to grab one of these Jumbo Braidies by Mia Beauty.

Seriously, if there’s one thing I learned over the holidays this year, it’s that this synthetic hair headband is the gift that keeps on giving. It has saved me so much time! I haven’t really wanted to deal with my hair lately because it’s been rainy and stormy outside and, well, let’s face it, I’m a freakin’ procrastinator. 🙂 I did all my Christmas-related schtuff at the last minute and hardly had any time to mess with the hair, man!

I love this doohickey because it helps me look 10,000% less frazzled and scruffy. I just throw my hair up into a high messy ponytail/bun hybrid, slip this elastic headband on, and then I’m d-to-the-o-to-the-n-to-the-e. DONE. And in less than a minute, BAM.

I feel like it’s also helping me toward my ultimate goal of channeling Holly Golightly’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s fashion sense. 🙂

And, big plus, when I’m on day three of third-day hair, putting my hair up and using a Bradie helps me skip one more day of hair washing.

I know, sounds gross, but my stylist/buddy Alis told me that one of the secrets to getting the most out of expensive salon color is to NOT wash your hair everyday, so I like to shampoo every few days instead of daily.

Anywho, the Mia Beauty Braidies are available in five shades — Dark Brown (which is the shade I’m wearing here), Medium Brown, Light Brown, Blonde and Black — which leads me to wonder… Where’s the red head love?!

Each Braidie is $9 and available now online and at drugstores.

This Year’s Christmas Mani: The Dance Music Duet by Deborah Lippmann

December 25th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

It’s been a minute since the last time I wore a Deborah Lippmann polish, and I forgot how sturdy these guys are!

On this most merriest of days, I’m showcasing a deep reddish brown with a cool-toned multi-colored accent nail via Deborah Lippmann’s two-piece Dance Music Duet set ($19, but it’s on sale right now at Sephora for $12).

I first applied both the glitter and the creamy darker shade in this duo about a week ago, and they lasted five days before two tiny chips appeared on my right paw/claw…but I liked the whole ensemble so much that I resurrected it with an extra coat of each last night.

Meowy Christmas! 🙂

How’s about you? Are you wearing a Christmas mani today?

Single Ladies (left), and Glitter and Be Gay (right)

Merry Christmas From Makeup and Beauty Blog

December 25th, 2014 by Karen 110 Comments

Every year through my teens and mid-20s, the drill on Christmas was more or less the same: sit around the table at my parents’ house for a couple hours and stuff myself silly. Then, bundle up, get in the car, and hit up my friends’ houses.

Both Jen’s and Cindy’s families lived less than five minutes away, so I’d swing by Cindy’s place first, say hi, and grab a bite to eat. Cindy’s grandma was an amazing cook, and she wouldn’t let me leave before feeding me. Even though I’d already be full by then, I always made room for her homemade Chinese food. 🙂

Next, I’d stop by Jen’s house, which was always so fun and full of life. Her mom and dad headed the church choir, and Christmas at their place was extra exciting. There was always music, lots of food, and all of the younger cousins — who are all grown up and married now! — would be somewhere underfoot, begging me to play with them.

After that, I’d make one final visit to my friend Mark’s house across town, for even more food (!) and family time.

Things are a little different now… I still go home to my parents’ house and gorge myself on Filipino food — that hasn’t changed — but Cindy’s family has since moved to another town, and after Jen’s parents passed away, and she and her brother sold the house, Jen now spends the holidays with her husband’s family in Florida. And my other good friend, Mark, his family now lives overseas.

I don’t know where I’m going with this… I guess what I’m trying to say is that for me, spending this time with you on MBB every Christmas is like one those old house visits. I stop by, you stop by, and we chat in our virtual living room, eating virtual Christmas cookies (COOKIES!), talking shop and wishing each other happy holidays.

It’s a good tradition, and it reminds me that I’m not all alone out here in front of the keyboard, typing the words, “Cats, cats, cats…eyeshadow!” into oblivion.

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Introducing the Tom Ford Lips & Boys Limited Edition Lipstick Collection: Gentlemen, Start My Engine!

December 24th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Ain’t nothing wrong with friendly male companionship! Don’t tell El Hub, but I’ve been spending a lot of time with some new worldly dudes. Meet six of the gentlemen from Tom Ford’s Lips & Boys limited edition lipstick collection. 🙂

Giacomo

Giacomo from Milan loves giving ladies late night tours of the city on his Vespa…

Cooper

Cooper from London enjoys long walks in the rain, reading literature aloud next to a cozy fire, and exchanging furtive kisses between the stacks at the bookstore…

Justin

Justin, the handsome honey from LA, acts like a party boy, but really, deep down inside, he just wants to get married and raise a family in The Valley.

He’ll invite you over to his midcentury modern mini-mansion nestled high in the hills above the city, and as you both sip wine and watch the sunset from the rooftop, he’ll woo you with his long lashes and hazel eyes…

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Justin Swatch — Justin, a pearly fuchsia

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