Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
During the first prototype test of the new office Christmas lights at company HQ this weekend, catastrophe struck!
Harris, the former neighborhood cat nemesis of Tabs (and Rosie’s current feline foil), broke into the control room and sabotaged the WiFi router.
It caused crazy illuminated mayhem!
Rosie was not amused…
But she put her displeasure aside and fixed the WiFi in time for tonight’s test.
So far, it looks like a success. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Happy Caturday! Please note, if you’re looking for apple pie for breakfast this morning, feel free to grab a virtual slice at my house. 😀
Pie for breakfast is a post-Thanksgiving tradition at our house. Just for fun, this year Connor and I decided to put kitties on our crust…
I’ll be the first to admit the crust looks a little rough, but it tastes absolutely delicious! I used this delicious gluten-free pre-made dough from Target.
Would you like your slice with a cup of coffee or a cup of tea?
Lisa says this look is undetectable in daylight
Yes please
How to do liner on hooded eyes
Lip color fun
What are you up to today? We’re decorating our yard with Christmas lights and ornaments. So fun!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Happy Thanksgiving, my beautiful friend. I hope that you find some joy and a little time for yourself today. And if perhaps a slice of pie (or two) comes your way, I hope that it’s your most *favorite* flavor, as life is too short for bullsh*t pie!
Holidays like T-day are often painted in movies, marketing and social media as this perfect picture of being with family and friends. While my hope for all of us is to have that warm, cozy, unconditional love surrounding us, I know that’s not always the case.
Some may need to go to work because they don’t have any other choice. Others may be having a difficult time managing relationships with people in their lives or are feeling lonely. It might not always be the ideal picture we have in our minds.
I don’t know if you’ll find it helpful, but when I’m experiencing what Connor and I like to call “BIG FEELINGS,” something that I’ve found useful is to write a list of glimmers, which are small pockets of joy. I usually just do it on my phone.
Anyway, our celebration this year is going to be super mellow. Just me, El Hub and Connor, along with a bunch of cracked crab drowned in butter, salt and lemon. There will be a movie or two, more living room dancing, snuggling with Rosie-Pose and several walks up in the mix as well.
It’s gonna be a great day. 🙂
Sending you good thoughts and well-wishes for the holiday, and just in case you need it, here’s a big hug from across the keyboard.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
OK, in classic Karen fashion, I did makeup and hair for a job interview early yesterday morning only to realize at the last minute that it wasn’t going to be on video but over the phone, LOL! Oh well.
At least it gave me an excuse to try a new eyeliner, GXVE Line It Up Gel Pencil in Sapphire Skies, a beautiful dark navy blue matte shade. We’ll get to that in a second.
Thank you for sending your interview well-wishes. I think I did ok! If I make it through this round — pretty sure I did — then I have another three rounds to go.
I don’t know if you’ve searched for a job lately, but these days it’s a looooong process. Well, at least it is in the creative field that I’m in right now (writing).
You gotta make it through an online resume submission, which is shockingly difficult to do because of the sheer volume of people who apply. Then, an HR person does a screener interview, and if you get through that, then you do two or three more interviews with the creative team members. Sometimes it’s an individual interview and sometimes it’s a group. Then, there’s a writing test. If you pass the writing test, then there’s usually one more interview with a VP or someone in a C-suite position.
It’s a lot!
I was thinking as I was driving Connor to the dentist for a filling (baby’s first cavity) that it feels like I’m dating again, ha ha ha! On all these calls, you’ve gotta look your best and present the best version of yourself, and then hope that 1) the person on the other end likes you enough to move you forward and 2) that you don’t accidentally offend someone along the way. All the while you have no real idea how the other people truly feel about you.
Anyway, I know something good is coming. Just gotta be patient.
Now for the fun stuff… EYELINER. Specifically, the blue gel pencil liner from Gwen Stefani’s makeup line, GXVE. She has a bunch of colors and this one caught my attention because of the creaminess of the pencil and the intensity of the pigment. It’s supposed to be waterproof, too.
In these pics, I had the makeup on for a good six hours, and the liner did not budge from my lash or water line! What I love the most about it, though, is the color. It has depth and intensity, but it isn’t harsh. It’s perfect if you want definition but prefer a softer alternative to true black eyeliner.
At full price, each pencil is usually $20 for 0.04 ounces, but on the GXVE Beauty website right now, everything’s 50% off, so, dagnabbit, it looks like I need to buy another shade or two. I think the purple and the taupe look really beautiful.
One more day until Thanksgiving. We’re going to keep it mellow this year — just me, El Hub, Connor Claire and Rosie-Pose. We’re going to have crab with lots of butter and salt instead of turkey, french bread, some sides that we’ll pick up from a local gourmet deli and a pie or two. Connor and I are going to make an apple pie today (here’s the recipe); hopefully it won’t be hideous so I can take a decent picture of it.
I hope your T-day prep is going smoothly and that you’re feeling happy and healthy. Some nasty colds are going around these parts, so take care of yourself, OK?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
So…what is the Monday Poll?
Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).
Mashed potatoes with lots of butter and salt.
Turkey! I don’t really like it at all.
I’d much rather have a slice of pecan pie, but if I had to have pumpkin, sure, I’ll have a dollop of whipped cream.
Me, El Hub and Connor would take a trip to Japan, and then after a day of exploring and sightseeing, we’d have Thanksgiving dinner at a sushi restaurant.
“Little Women,” but it has to be the 1994 version with Winona Ryder and Christian Bale.
Best parts are hanging out with El Hub and Connor, and eating the leftover pie! The worst part is family drama. There’s always something, sigh!
It’s flying by because I’ve been at my desk all morning getting ready for a job interview I have tomorrow. Good stuff is on the horizon, I know it… It just takes a lot of prep to get there. 🙂
I hope everything with you is peaceful and calm, my friend. Have a great rest of your Monday, OK?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.
1. Mashed potatoes or stuffing?
2. Your least favorite Thanksgiving dish?
3. Pumpkin pie — with or without whipped cream?
4. What does your ideal Thanksgiving holiday look like?
5. The best holiday movie?
6. Best and worst parts about Thanksgiving?
7. How’s your Monday going?
Big week comin’ up, and I hope you have a good one. This year I’m thankful for many things, including you. Thank you for being you, and thank you for stopping by. I’m also thankful for having been lucky enough to know Tabs, the world’s first and greatest kitty supermodel. 😺 Here’s a look back at some of the things Tabs loved extra about Thanksgiving.
Tabs isn’t one of those cats who needs inspirational posters, holidays or memes to remind himself to be grateful for the blessings in his life. He just is grateful. He’s a cat from humble beginnings who rose to the pinnacle of the kitty modeling industry, and he’s never taken anything for granted.
We were talking the other day — yes, my cat talks to me — about what we’re grateful for this year. I expected him to say one or two things, but he rattled off a list of 10.
STEPS:
It was his ticket to fame and fortune.
Hey, friend. Welcome to Caturday! 😀
It’s a rainy one here in the Bay Area today. I’m going to keep it mellow with a manicure (it’s been too long) and a marathon on Netflix.
I’m thinking of doing Essie Not What It Seams…
By the way, in case you were unaware, the new season of “The Crown” is out.
It’s the purrfect day to get under a snuggly blanket and watch a few episodes with a kitty friend.
This is Rosie’s preferred method of cuddling!
Interesting
I kind of love this
Behind the scenes with Danessa Myricks
A hooded eyeshadow tutorial on hooded lids
Love it
What are your plans for the weekend? If you’re in the SF Bay Area, stay safe on the roads!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
These protein bars taste so good – kinda like a not-to-sweet mix of a Rice Krispie Treat and a Milky Way. Each bar has 20 grams of protein, 200 calories and no added sugar.
Plus, they don’t get stuck in your teeth, which I love! I can’t deal with bars that give your jaw a workout and leave you feeling like you’ve been chewing on a nasty old leather shoe for 20 minutes.
If I’m having major indecision first thing in the morning at breakfast (it happens to me a lot), I eat one of these and a banana and I’m good for the entire morning.
They’re kid friendly too, as Connor loves them. I now keep one in my purse for emergency snack-age!
I get ’em from Trader Joe’s, by the way.
He’s a London-based makeup artist, and his work is beautiful and approachable. Whenever I scroll his feed I feel so inspired! I especially love this “Pretty Grunge” look that he posted recently.
Now you wanna wear smoky eyes and gray gloss, right? LOVE IT.
On one hand, my fall allergies are, like, “Nope!” On the other hand, I cannot help but be in awe of the thick carpeting of leaves on the ground. It’s magical!
I think especially it’s cool how I can’t tell where my normal paths start and stop. And of course there’s the poetic beauty in the trees letting go of their leaves… Sigh, I love it so much.
This comedy stars Awkafina, Sandra Oh and Will Ferrell, and even though it’s totally predictable, it’s 100% enjoyable.
Two sisters, free-spirited Jenny and game show-obsessed Anne, team up to save their kidnapped dog from a loan shark. Of course, hilarity ensues!
If you’re in the mood for something light and fun, hit play.
(Side note, I thoroughly enjoyed Jenny’s crazy outfits. Sandra Oh goes all in with the character.)
The soundtrack is so, so fun. I’ve found lots of new songs and artists to listen to!
This song, “Guerilla” by Remi Wolf, is my favorite. Fun fact, she went to Palo Alto High School here in the Bay Area.
Oh, and I can’t sit still when I hear this song by Scissor Sisters. Put it on your workout/dance playlist ASAP.
I don’t understand half the lyrics in these songs, but I’m feeling them.
Happy, happy Friday to you, my friend!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen