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Anastasia

A Mother’s Day Shopping Trip: Self-Care at Ulta

May 12th, 2022 by Karen 7 Comments

Good morning, my friend. I’m raising my cup of coffee to you in a *toast.* Here’s to another beautiful day (it’s a sunny one here in Marin county this morning), and to being tender and gentle with yourself.

I’ve been needing TLC, so last Sunday, I took a Mother’s Day self-care trip to Ulta.

My brows and lashes have been driving me crazy, so I decided to restock some old school favorites in the hopes they’d help.

For my brows, I grabbed the OG of brow fillers, Anastasia Brow Wiz (my shade is Medium Brown) and Clear Brow Gel.

As for mascara, I turned to an old friend, MAC Extended Play Gigablack, which I’ve been wearing on and off since 2013 (!). If you want curl hold, length and separation, this mascara is great.

I’m trying to get back into the habit of painting my nails! Right now I’m using the three-step OPI Infinite Shine system, which combines lacquer and gel technology. I already have a couple of colors and the top coat, so during this trip I bought the base coat and a nude pale pink, Bubble Bath.

Oh, and since Connor was with me, I let her pick out a polish. She close Turn It Up by Orly, a glittery beauty!

My hair… I can’t even. It desperately needs some TLC! I’m scheduled for a cut next Tuesday, thank goodness. I just gotta make it to next week without chopping it all off in the middle of the night.

To tide me over until then, I thought it might be nice to try some new things: a claw clip by Kitsch (I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from them so far), a minty scalp conditioner by Not Your Mother’s Naturals (I’m hoping it will make a good co-wash) and a leave-in by Verb (ended up returning it because the scent was too strong).

You know what? I’ve decided to fully embrace the fact that I’m a lady who loves fancy body lotion. With that in mind, I bought this gorgeous, heavy glass jar of Body Cream by KEYS Soulcare, which is the skin care line by Alicia Keys (yup, the singer).

It’s a shea and cocoa butter body cream, so it’s rich and thick, and it’s scented with a gorgeous warm, herbal mix that smells like sandalwood and sage to my nose. The scent is present enough to notice, but it doesn’t overwhelm my senses. I really love it.

Oh, and random, while I was reading the copy on the box, I noticed that e.l.f. is mentioned as the distributer. Neat!

Last but not least, I bought some cotton pads and a nail polish remover. All in all, a very satisfying self-care trip.

Building those happiness muscles, day two

For the next fourteen days, I’m noting a couple things that I’m grateful for. If you care to join me, please share in the comments.

Anywho, today it’s sliced fruit in my water (strawberries are especially yummy) and mechanical pencils. Both are simple pleasures which make my life so much better.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 7 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Anastasia, Hair, Just For Fun, Kitsch Pro, MAC Makeup, Makeup, Nails, OPI

Use Double-Duty Products to Get Your Busy Booty out the Door Faster

April 14th, 2016 by Jen Clark 16 Comments

makeup-multiple-uses-top

If you’re at all like me, most days you don’t even have time to find matching socks and brush your hair, let alone put on makeup, before rushing out the door. Luckily, I have a trick that may help out a little. Several of the products that you probably use when you DO have time to wear makeup can be used for more than one purpose, so they can help you cut down on the time it takes to get ready. Let me show ya!

Concealer/Eye Primer

Concealer is one of those magic products that I always keep close by because it can be used for so many different things. In this case, I’m using it to conceal underneath my eyes and to prime my eyelids for eyeshadow. To cut down on time even further, you can even use it to conceal problem areas instead of using foundation.

One of my favorites at the moment is Revlon Colorstay Concealer.

use your concealer as eye primer

When using concealer as an eye primer, make sure you only use a tiny amount, and blend it in really well. If you glob it on, that’ll make your shadows crease and move around, and that’s not what you want! Not only is the concealer going to make your shadows look more vibrant and last longer, but it will help to even out any little veins that you have peeking through your lids.

use your concealer as eye primer

Contour Kit/Eyeshadow

This is a trick I like to use even when I’m not in a hurry, and it’s also great for travel.

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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Anastasia, Guest Post, MAC Makeup, Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To, Revlon

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

January 22nd, 2016 by Karen 23 Comments

There should be a video right up here in this post, but if it isn’t appearing for any reason, you can click here to watch it on YouTube.

You wouldn’t think that hair ties would be something to be particular about, but I’m so particular about my hair ties. They can’t give me a headache; I don’t want them to leave a weird bend in my hair; I don’t want them to snag my hair, and these Tony Ties by Mia don’t do any of those things. They’re my new favorite hair ties, and I love them so much that I packed them away to bring with me to the hospital on B-day (birth day).

That’s when you know your love for something is real deal — when you’re willing to go into labor for an unspecified amount of time with it…

Here are five things (one of them’s a combo) I’ve been loving lately. How about you? What are some things you’ve been loving too?

  1. Mia Beauty Tony Ties ($5 for a pack of three)
    • Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper & Hair Touch Up in Brunette ($24)
    • Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel ($22)
    • MAC Eye Shadow in Brun ($16)
  2. T3 BodyWaver 1.75 Professional Curling Iron ($149)
  3. Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder ($38)
  4. Jackie Aina (lilpumpkinpie05 on YouTube)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Anastasia, Hair, Hourglass, MAC Makeup, Video

This Bargain Holiday Kit Will Have You Singing Songs of Savings: The New Anastasia Kisses on My List Volume 2 Hydrafull Gloss Set

September 13th, 2012 by Karen 31 Comments

anastasia kisses on my list sharona
Wearing the New Anastasia Kisses on My List Volume 2 Hydrafull Gloss in Sharona

Um…like I really needed another excuse to randomly bust out in song today.

Sun’s up? That’s a good reason. Cup of coffee? That’s a good reason. Tabs hasn’t scratched my ankles yet? That’s a good reason. Waiting in line at Trader Joe’s, taking Tabs for a walk, indoor plumbing, having ice cream for dinner, sitting in front of the computer like I am right now? All good enough reasons.

But lately, I’ve been singing aloud with even more gusto than usual, like I’m stuck in an a very special episode of Glee (guest starring Tabs the Cat and Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog), and I MUST EMOTE! 🙂

I wonder if it has something to do with Anastasia…

I’ve been wearing the new glosses in her latest set a lot this week, and not just because they shine like my tubby tabby’s eyes.

Most of the glosses in the limited edition $30 holiday Kisses on My List Volume 2 Hydrafull Gloss Set of six full-size tubes are named after a different old-school jam.

There’s Lola, a shimmery, cool pink that changes to a deeper hue after a few minutes on the lips (Anastasia calls these Hypercolor glosses); Maggie May, a sheer and creamy nude; Jolene, a shimmery rose (another one of the Hypercolors); Roxanne, a shimmery gold (also a Hypercolor); and Sharona, a sheer and shimmery peach.

The only one I don’t recognize from a song is Moi, a sheer and creamy pink (got any ideas about the name?).

The other day I took out Roxanne and applied a single layer.

No, it did not sting. 🙂 Nor did the police arrive (ba-dum bum!).

But I did feel inspired to pretend the tube was a microphone and belted out, “Rrrrrox-anne! You don’t have to put on the red light!” in the middle of my living room.

anastasia kisses on my list
From the left: Moi, Maggie May, Sharona, Lola, Jolene and Roxanne

anastasia kisses on my list swatches
Swatches from the left: Jolene, Lola, Maggie May, Moi, Roxanne and Sharona

You might be thinking, “K, you so crazy! I love good glosses too, but there’s no way one would make me sing in public or my living room.”

You never know, my friend. Even if you’re the silent type, this set is one heck of a deal. In the set, the glosses work out to just $5 per tube, versus the $18 they usually sell for individually.

anastasia kisses on my list jolene
Jolene

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There are 31 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Anastasia, Kits and Sets, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

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