Makeup

What’s the Oldest Piece of Makeup in Your Collection That You Still Use?

February 24th, 2023 by Karen 9 Comments

I know, kinda gross, but let’s be real. Some of us don’t always stick very closely to expiration dates!

Last year I did a major makeup purge, so most of the ancient pieces from MBB Ye Olden Days are gone. However, one of the handful of items I kept was a NARS palette of single shadows and blushes from — wait for it — 2015.

Yup, I still use it. Eight years is a long time to hold onto makeup, but since I’m the only person who uses this palette and the powders don’t look or smell gross, I figure I should be fine.

How about you? What’s the oldest piece of makeup in your collection that you still use?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Checking In: A Beauty Bakerie Palette, Hourglass Eyeliners and Enthusiastic Empties

February 23rd, 2023 by Karen 6 Comments

Warm tones and shimmer from the Do It For the Graham Palette by Beauty Bakerie

Ever wonder why Graham crackers are called “Graham” crackers? I was wondering this the other day while swatching the Do It for the Graham Eyeshadow Palette by Beauty Bakerie.

I'm an NC42 in MAC, by the way — I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way

Turns out the crackers have an interesting history, and that the word “Graham” is always capitalized because Graham crackers are named after a real person.

I know. So many fun facts!

Between all the trees blooming and the crazy winds lately my allergies are officially on fire. Runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing every two seconds… Spring’s around the corner, and just when I start thinking it might be my new favorite season, pollen changes that in a hot second, LOL!

Just looking at this makes me want to sneeze

On that note, I’ve been searching for waterproof eyeliners that don’t budge. I know, I know, I could just skip wearing eye makeup on those days, but I’ve been on a beauty roll for the past few months and want to keep it up! Wearing face paint definitely helps with my mood, and on the days when I feel more put together, I’m just that much happier, ya know?

Lil’ liner haul

Speaking of eye makeup, remember the Hourglass Solstice pencil from last month? It’s a beautiful golden bronze from the Hourglass Waterproof Gel Eyeliner line. I finished it – yay!

You know how it goes though. Instead of replacing it like a sane person (ha) I wanted to try something new, so I grabbed these two Hourglass liners last week at Sephora: the shimmery bronze 1.5 MM Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in Bronze and the cool matte brown Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Cave.

Hourglass liners: Some initial thoughts

Bronze 1.5 MM Liner: The skinny tip in this is super cool. It’s so precise! If you have a hooded lid situation like I do and prefer your liner to take up minimal space, it’s absolutely lovely for a touch of definition on the lash and water lines. Long wearing, too. My only concern is that I’m going to go through it quickly! $
Cave Waterproof Gel Eyeliner: Hmm. Mixed feelings so far about this cool brown. On the positive side, I love the cool tone of the rich, brown color. It reminds me of well worn, wet smooth brown pebbles that you’d find in a stream. There’s very little red in it, which I think is especially great for adding depth to the lash line. On the not-so-great side, when I wear it on my water line, it transfers more compared to the Solstice shade. I think I’m going to keep wearing it until I finish it, then go back to Solstice.

Empties are my jam, man

RE: Solstice again. I was thrilled to finish a liner all the way through! What is it about emptying out and finishing a makeup that’s so satisfying? I’m at the point where it’s more exciting to finish something all the way down to the last bits and bobs instead of accumulating lots of things I only use on occasion.

Do you ever feel this way? Or is it just me?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: Tower 28 Gloss in Pistachio, Admin Assistant Duties and Teeny, Tiny Wrist Corsages

February 10th, 2023 by Karen 3 Comments

Happy Friday, my friend. We made it, and by we, I mean you, me and a tube of Tower 28 lipgloss, which I’ve been wearing all week long. More on this in a moment.

For me, this week has been heavy on the administrative assistant duties aka the things it takes to keep Connor’s life running smoothly, like arranging playdates and RSVP-ing to birthday parties and whatnot. LOL! Seriously, nobody tells you at the baby shower how you’ll be your child’s secretary for the next 18 years.

Parenting is a trip!

Anywho. Back to the gloss. This creamy tube of shiny heaven was a spur-of-the-moment purchase at Sephora a couple weeks ago from a line called Tower 28, a “clean” makeup brand based out of Southern California with a chill, laid back aesthetic.

The shade I’ve been wearing 24/7 is Pistachio, a semi-sheer nude pink that’s purr-fect for casual makeup days — think tinted moisturizer, mascara, cream blush and a swipe of gloss.

It’s plush and comfy on my lips, and I like that it’s not overly sticky.

So far I haven’t had any dryness or lip flakes, which are the make-or-break issues I have with most glosses. This one feels downright moisturizing, almost like a lip treatment.

Are you particular about how glosses smell and taste? If so, FYI, this one’s got a brown sugar vibe when I first put it on, but it’s not sickeningly sweet (I can’t stand it when glosses are too sweet).

I really like it a lot as an everyday lipgloss.

Oh, there’s a bunch of colors in the collection if pink isn’t your jam; I wanna try the mauve shade, Sesame, next!

Regarding admin duties, one of mine today was picking up a teeny, tiny wrist corsage I ordered on behalf of El Hub. He and Connor are going to the annual Valentine’s father-daughter dance at her school this evening. Insert my squishy heart tearing up a little *here.*

It’s during moments like these when I realize how truly fleeting childhood is, ya know? In ten years she’ll be 16 and going to a Valentine’s dance with her friends. It’s truly a crazy ride to raise a human being.

OK, I’m off to do more admin stuff. I hope your week went well and that you’re able to get some good rest over the weekend!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

January 27th, 2023 by Karen 16 Comments

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

Hourglass Solstice Gel Liner and Canvas Lip Gloss | Overheard at Sephora

January 18th, 2023 by Karen 13 Comments

Hiya! It’s just me, wearing some stuff I bought recently at Sephora — a bronze gel eyeliner (Hourglass Solstice) and a opaque pink gloss (Hourglass Canvas).

I loooove this liner! I think the bronze color adds a touch of definition to my lids and lash lines without my making eyes look more hooded (the struggle is real when you get into your 40s).

Still undecided on how I feel about the gloss, though. It did a lot for me back in the day and was a go-to purse gloss for a few years, but now I’m like, “Eh, it’s a’ight.” I still like how it feels (not too sticky) and how it doesn’t have an obnoxious flavor or scent (vaguely minty). My soul, however, is not shook-eth to the core, and I need that now from my makeup — especially gloss!

Forgot to mention yesterday that while I was shopping I overhead a mom and daughter team chatting about blush. The mom said, “According to my daughter I’m no longer allowed to wear blush that’s powder.” The daughter replied, “You can still wear it, but you have to layer it under cream blush first.” LOL!

I wonder if that’ll be me and Connor in the future… Something tells me maybe? Or maybe not. She had a dance performance a couple weeks ago and was totally firm on NOT wearing blush or eyeshadow. Red lipstick was fine (and it was part of their costume, so she had to wear it), but she absolutely refused to put anything on her cheeks or lids.

Too funny!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Sephora Haul | Thoughts on Beauty and Mental Health | Beauty Q&A | New Eyeliner Obsession

January 17th, 2023 by Karen 14 Comments

Yesterday, I went to Sephora because I’ve been feeling kinda “blah,” and I needed to do a little pick-me-up beauty shopping. Side note: I think it’s a combination of the dreary weather we’ve been having lately and hormones. More on this in a few.

Anywho, I went in with a very vague plan of picking up lipgloss and liner, but I didn’t have any specific brands or colors on my list, so it was an improv situation. While I was there, I found myself drawn to old favorites and things I remember loving back in the day passionately, which is why I ended up with an Hourglass lipgloss in the shade Canvas and a tube (pen?) of YSL Touche Eclat. (I also grabbed a new eyeliner.)

Which leads me to today’s Q&A question!

Have you ever changed your mind about your tried-and-true makeup favorites?

When I was doing MBB full time, exploring and testing new products was part of the territory, so I was always trying new things, but occasionally I’d fall in love with something so deeply that I’d come back to it over and over again. And that’s the memory I have connected to Canvas gloss.

It’s been a while since I’ve worn it, so I was eager to wear it again. I beelined it to my car so I could slip on a layer, and after a few swishes and a couple lip smacks, I found myself staring in my rearview mirror and thinking to myself, “Hmmm… That’s it?”

I still like how smooth it looks, the opacity and the weight of the gloss on my lips, but truth be told I expected to be wowed – but wasn’t.

I think a big part of it is that I’m so protective now of the space in my makeup bag; I really need to love something in order to keep it around. And if I don’t feel that rush of excitement, that thrill, then I’m not having it.

Canvas, you’re pretty enough, but I want to be swept off my Nike-wearing feet!

Same thing happened with the Touche Eclat. I tried it on and was like, “Dude… Why?” LOL! It certainly lays smoothly, which I remember, but I didn’t feel like my skin looked livelier or fresher or brighter. I guess 30-something me liked different things!

Oh, I did have a very inspiring moment with the eyeliner, though.

It’s Hourglass Voyuer Waterproof Gel Liner in Solstice, a metallic bronze. I’m very much into liner that defines my lash lines without looking too harsh (hello, you’re officially in your 40s when that happens), and this does just that. It just adds a little something-something – my upper lashes look thicker, and my eyes pop a little more. The formula is smooth and soft, and it stays on! I think I want the cool brown shade, Cave, next.

So, like I was saying earlier, I’ve been feeling a little “blah” lately.

I think it’s a combination of not seeing the sun for such a long stretch and lady hormones doing their thing. The good thing, though, is that I’m at a point where I’m better about recognizing it early on. It feels like a fog that’s creeping in, and now I can easily identify those first tendrils, whereas before I’d just suddenly be stuck in the thick of it and be so overwhelmed that I couldn’t find my way out. Part of “staying out of the fog” involves doing all the basic care I need to feel good, like getting enough sleep, changing out of my pajamas first thing in the morning, doing my hair, brushing my teeth and putting on makeup that makes me feel beautiful, inside and out.

Thank goodness for lipgloss and all the little beauty pleasures! They really do make my days a little brighter.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Shiny Lids With Tarte Quick Stick | Thoughts of Sunshine and Spring

January 13th, 2023 by Karen 1 Comment

I think the more makeup feels like you’re just foolin’ around in art class, the more fun it is! I definitely get that vibe from the Tarte Quick Sticks ($25 each).

The artsy girl gang of eyeshadow and pencils comes in six wearable neutral combinations. On my lids is Rose Gold Luster/Brown, which has a shimmery warm golden pink eyeshadow stick on one end and a creamy brown pencil liner on the other.

I like to line my lash and water lines first, smudge-smudge-smudge with a finger, then do a few dashes of the shadow on top. A quick swish of my blending brush and my lids shine bright like a diamond. Totally recommended if you’re like me and currently into looks that don’t require a heavy lift.

I want to try the Matte Tan/Brown and the Bronze Luster/Black combos next. I bet any of the combos would layer well with the Tartelette In Bloom Palette, too.

Happy Friday to you, my friend. How’s it going today out in your neck of the woods? If the sun is out, please do me a favor and bow down and worship it, LOL! It came out yesterday for the first time in weeks, and it was a truly dazzling sight. It’s raining again today, though, so for now I’ll enjoy the sound of raindrops on my window while I dream of the spring days that are coming…

Speaking of spring, this new Guerlain perfume is giving me warm weather vibes! It’s a Mattise collaboration, which I think is pretty cool.

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A post shared by Guerlain (@guerlain)

The colors make me feel like this scent could be sunshine in a bottle!

What do you think?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Hourglass Brilliant Nude Blush

January 10th, 2023 by Karen 3 Comments

This Hourglass Blush has been a staple in my makeup bag for years. I recently re-discovered it, and it truly is brilliant! And by the way, the pic at the top was taken before I grew my hair color out. 🙂

When some people think of brilliant nudes, they might think of Venus de Milo or the statue of David… I think of a blush from Hourglass, LOL! Brilliant Nude Strobe Lighting Blush by Hourglass, you guys, is so, SO good, especially if you love a fresh-faced look where your cheeks glow without looking overdone.

Can’t-miss fresh-faced color that isn’t obnoxiously obvious

It’s the same effect you get from NARS Madly Blush or the Kevyn Aucoin Neo-Trio, you know, where you have a hint of color, a whisper of shine, and your face and skin look livelier and peppier, like you just took a brisk walk or somebody sneaked up and started tickling your ribs.

Your cheeks will have that beautiful flush! That’s what you get from Brilliant Nude.

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

Peachy amber mixed with a shimmery highlighter

Brilliant Nude is a peachy amber blush mixed with a gorgeous golden shimmery highlighter. It’s one of the Ambient Strobe Lighting Blushes, which is the blush family in the Hourglass permanent collection that has a more obvious and visible highlight (there’s also the Ambient Lighting Blushes, like the shade Diffused Heat, which are great, too, but they have a quieter highlighting effect).

Not to say that the Ambient Strobe Blushes like Brilliant Nude have an obnoxious highlight. Ya know, it’s Hourglass, they handle their finishes with a very refined touch. It’s softly reflective and luminous, but it isn’t metallic or garish or harsh, so women of all ages (and pore sizes!) can wear it.

A healthy glow on all shades of skin

When you mix the highlighter and blush together you have that perfect combination of color and shine that’s just a little something but not too much. I’m a tan gal, an NC42 in MAC, but I’ve seen this on both lighter and darker ladies, and it’s beautiful across the board. On lighter skin, you get more of the blush effect. On darker skin, it functions more as a highlighter, but in either case cheeks have a healthy flush and glow.

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