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Chanel

Small Things That Bring Me Joy (Makeup and Otherwise)

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Chanel Summer 2023

1.The travel-size Chanel summer collection

I’m excited about this launch! I feel like this is the collection Chanel fans (especially the ones like me, who adore the summer launches) always wanted but didn’t know they needed. It’s chic and portable, with just enough coverage and color for beautiful summer skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

It launches in June, and includes cute travel versions of the Bronzing Cream (Tan, Tan Medium and Tan Deep Bronze), Water-Fresh Tint (in 8 shades from Light to Deep Plus) and Illuminating Oil.

There’s also two Rouge Coco Flash lipsticks (pink beige Destination and sienna red Escapade), two metallic liquid shadows (ivory beige Rayon and peachy pink Quartz Rose) and two Rouge Coco Baume sheer lip balms ( Pink Delight and brownish mauve Sweet Treat). These appear to all be in the regular size, not minis, by the way.

YES!!!

I’m especially excited about the cream bronzer because it was a go-to staple for me back in the day! A smaller version sounds purr-fect.

2. When exercise feels fun

I stumbled upon this fun walking workout with ’80s music this morning!

I was feeling tired and not in the mood at all to do burpees or mountain climbers, and it was exactly what I needed to get my body moving.

I have this idea in my head from years of running and doing HIIT that exercise always means one has be a little miserable in order to get the endorphins at the end, but I know now that that’s simply not true. Not all exercise needs to feel like punishment, LOL! Sometimes it’s just fun to get moving.

So, lately, I’ve been trying to incorporate more joyful movement (aka exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise) throughout my day.

One thing I love – short 8-minute walks. Why 8 minutes? Well, 10 minutes sometimes feel like too much of a commitment, and 5 minutes doesn’t feel like it’s enough. For some reason 8 is a good number for me, and if I do it three times before noon, that’s 24 extra minutes of movement.

3. These tiny lil’ lemon bars from Trader Joe’s

I bought a box of these years ago and for whatever reason wasn’t into them, but I recently picked one up on a whim, and it certainly hit the spot.

I totally just ate this. BTW, the nail polish is Chanel 141 Oiseu De Nuit!

Maybe they tweaked the recipe? Who knows. Whatever they did, they’re now perfection.

The custard is tangy, not overly sweet, with a chewy (but not too chewy) texture. The shortbread on the bottom is also present but doesn’t take over. If you’re in the mood for a lemon bar but don’t want to make them, these hit the spot. You can find them in the frozen section by the ice cream. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Chanel Kind of Friday

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If you’re going to do your hair and put on makeup and perfume to sit and work at your desk for hours upon hours upon hours on a Friday, then the makeup and perfume might as well be Chanel. 🙂

I’ve got loads of writing to do, but I just wanted to pop in and wish you a very happy and joyful Friday!

Chanel all up in this mix…

When in Doubt, Chanel It Out | Makeup of the Day

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My new favorite makeup philosophy is the following: “When in doubt, Chanel it out.”

I haven’t worn any face paint in weeks (!), but this morning, I promised myself that I would give it a try. When I’m feeling like everything is too hard, Chanel was the *only* answer, ya know?

I’m wearing a handful of Chanel favorites in this look!

One thing I’ve relearned recently is that subtle makeup in real life doesn’t translate as well when you’re dealing with the camera. Apparently this is a lesson that I have to learn over and over again, LOL!

Hope your Tuesday has been terrific. It’s a rainy and cold one here in Nor Cal, but I’m focusing on all the blessings.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: NARS Dragon Girl | Caboodles | Chanel at Ulta | Vogue Magazine

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NARS Dragon Girl!

Today I really wanted to wear NARS Dragon Girl lipstick but couldn’t find it, but I guess that makes sense seeing how The Great Makeup Purge happened around these parts in the last couple years, LOL!

This pic of me wearing it is from 2017, and ya know what? I’m actually relieved I made myself get rid of it because chances are I probably would’ve kept it and worn it still, and even I have to admit that’s pretty gross.

I’m going to pop by Ulta today because 1) I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without Dragon Girl (it’s a must-have red) and 2) I need to buy Connor a last-minute birthday present. She’s turning seven tomorrow, can you believe it?

Throwback to this coy face from 2017!

Time really does fly when you’re having fun — and raising a tiny human!

During the last few trips to Ulta, she’s admired the Caboodles, so she’s going to finally get one this year for her birthday.

Lil’ birthday gift

I doubt that she’ll want to put makeup in it, though, because during her last dance performance, she absolutely refused to wear any makeup beyond the dance team bare minimum requirement of red lipstick. No blush, no eyeshadow, no glitter. Just red lipstick. I KNOW. I was shocked, too.

Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe I’ll get her a stick of Dragon Girl, too.

Her Caboodle will probably hold play jewelry or art supplies (or both), no doubt!

While we’re on the subject of Ulta, GIRL… Did you know Ulta sells Chanel makeup now? Yes! It looks like they carry a lot of the line, too, including my favorite Chanel foundation, Vitalumiere Aqua. I have quite a few points saved up, so I might be doing a lil’ Chanel shopping there soon.

Question for you. Were you an “Allure” subscriber like I was before they shut down their print magazine? I still really miss it. Sigh! Anywho, they sent me the latest copy of “Vogue” as a replacement, and you know what? I’m really enjoying it! Maybe it’s because I’m starved for a beauty magazine I can hold in my hand, but I’ve been devouring the latest issue with Erykah Badu on the cover.


This is my favorite Erykah Badu song, by the way

I’m going to try to finish work early today, so I can do all the pre-birthday prep that needs to happen before tomorrow (including Connor’s annual birthday lasagna). Time to shred some mozzarella!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Checking In: TGIF | Leche Flan Adventures | A Most Excellent Foundation by Chanel

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Connor made this note, which is supposed to say, “When you’re feeling sad and blue, find a friend to help you through.”

Hi, friend! Thank goodness it’s Friday. No seriously. TGIF! Been a long week.

I just finished a video interview with a beauty brand which I use and love… I think it went OK! I should be finding out more next Monday, so until then, please keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Anywho, all this preparation for video calls lately has reminded me of just how stellar Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation truly is.

Most days I typically wear a sheer tinted moisturizer (Urban Decay Hydromaniac), but if I’m going to be on camera, then Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is it!

Not only can I barely feel it on, ’cause lightweight is totally key, but it smoothes out my pores and evens out patchy-looking parts without appearing obvious. I’m wearing 50 Beige in this pic, which I set with a light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden. A *chef’s kiss* worthy combo!

I think I mentioned earlier in the week that I’m learning how to make a Filipino dessert called leche flan. It’s like a creme brulee, but without the crunchy top, and it’s typically served at Filipino parties and celebrations.

Leche flan has two parts. First, you make a caramel on the stovetop.

Don’t ask me why, but for some reason, this part is completely terrifying to me! I think it’s the fact that you don’t have a lot of wiggle room with making caramel, so you have to heavily rely on your instincts to know when it’s time to take it off the heat. Otherwise it’ll burn, baby, burn.

Plus, that ish gets hella hot! I can see myself burning a hand or a wrist quite easily in a caramel-related incident.

OK, so the caramel goes into the bottom of your ramekin. Ideally neater than I did here.

The second part involves making custard out of egg yolks, evaporated milk, condensed milk and a little vanilla. Then you strain it at least two times…

The custard goes into the ramekins, and then you steam them on the stove or in an oven. When a knife goes into the middle and comes out clean, they’re done.

After cooling down, you loosen the edges and then flip the ramekin onto a plate. You’ve gotta get all the juicy bits, too!

The result is a creamy, silky caramel custard. YUM.

Let’s see, what else has been going on? One of my New Year’s resolutions was to learn how to cook a few vegan dishes, and this was one I made for lunch early on in the week.

It’s garlic fried rice with stir fried potatoes, zucchini and edamame in a homemade teriyaki sauce — which is just equal parts sugar, soy sauce and water, sprinkled with ground ginger powder. It was pretty good, but next time I make it, I’m going to add cashews to bump up the protein.

I’m finally calming down from the excitement of my earlier interview and now ready to get the weekend started, like, right meow. LOL!

What are your plans? Doing anything fun?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Some Days You’ve Gotta Flip Your Hair

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Quick five minute makeup today!

I followed this tutorial by one of my faves, makeup artist Hung Vanngo.

The key makeup products I used are MAC Date Maker lipstick (so good), Laura Mercier Corsica liquid blush, Chanel Espresso eyeliner (THE BEST), Chanel Rosy light Drops liquid highlighter and YSL Faux Cils mascara. I also tried a new-to-me concealer — Revlon Colorstay Skin Awaken in 050.

If you’re in the Bay Area… How did you fare during the storm last night? I was a little freaked out when I drove Connor to dance because the rain was coming down in sheets and the roads were starting to flood. Our power stayed on, though. (Knock on wood.)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Malice

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Chanel Malice Blush
Cheeks, courtesy of Chanel Malice Blush

Throwing it waaaaay back today with an oldie but goodie, Chanel Malice Blush. I first wrote about it in 2014! This peachy pink blush is still a classic, and I wear it all the time. Oh, and the good great news? Chanel still carries it in their permanent collection. Shockingly, unlike other brands that have raised their prices steadily over the last few years, Malice’s $45 price tag is still the same as it was in 2014. If there was a handful of makeup from Chanel that I’d recommend as must-haves products, Malice would certainly be on that list.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why this blush is called Malice because it doesn’t have a malicious bone in its sweet, blushy body. There’s nothing malicious, cagey or wicked about it at all…unless you count how wicked cute you look with yo’ fresh cheeks when you wear it.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Malice
Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Malice, $45

Peachy pink Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Malice ($45) has been not-so-maliciously sweetening my makeup bag for about two weeks, and in that time I’ve literally not wanted to wear anything else. I think it just might be the most flattering blush in Chanel’s entire permanent line, and it’s all about versatility.

Vehemently versatile

Malice is like NARS Orgasm…only not. Like, if glittery golden NARS Orgasm was a wild child sent to finishing school for a year, she’d come back wearing pearls instead of a leather jacket and be calling herself Malice.

Malice and Orgasm have a similar peachy pink vibe, but Malice’s shimmer, which is more like a barely-there, soft-focus sheen, is much less outrageous and flamboyant.

And it’s that finish that makes Malice one of the greats for me.

I thought it was a matte the first time I swatched it, but then I saw the light reflecting on my skin, almost like the dreamy haze of candlelight, and I realized its greatness.

Effortless and flattering, it just always seems to look natural and good — never like clown cheeks — whether I wear it sheer, or layered to increase its intensity.

Chanel Joues Contrasts Powder Blush in Malice

It should really sing on a wide range skin tones, and because its sheen is so forgiving (unlike many glittery and/or shiny blushes), that includes the skin of more mature makeup lovers.

On top of everything, it’s just as easy to dress up as it is to dress down. I wore it to run some errands yesterday with the LORAC Pro Palette 2…

OK, I went to Anthropologie to look around, LOL! (Not my fault. There was a sale!)

So anyway, I wore it to run “errands,” also known as “go to the mall.”

Anthropologie white and yellow striped top
Um…does this top make me look crazy?

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