Daily Beauty

A Labor-Free Labor Day in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park

September 2nd, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

The Salmon Ochazuke at B Star Restaurant in San Francisco — The Salmon Ochazuke at B Star restaurant, 127 Clement St. in San Francisco

Yesterday I was in the mood to get out of dodge for a while, otherwise known as Novato, so we left Tabs in charge of the office and headed to the city.

We ended up in one of my favorite San Francisco neighborhoods, Clement Street in the Inner Richmond. I lived right around there when I worked in downtown SF, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the area (El Hub and I actually met for the very first time on the sidewalk in front of a great local bookstore on Clement St. called Green Apple). It’s a very old and diverse neighborhood, with lots of mom-and-pop stores and a big Asian population.

And a TON of great restaurants.

We were craving rice and turned to Yelp, which directed us to B Star restaurant’s Burmese-Asian fusion.

The Tuna Don from B Star Restaurant in San Francisco — El Hub had the Tuna Don.

Lychee Iced Tea at B Star — Lychee Iced Tea

After lunch and a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood, we zipped over to Golden Gate Park and Stow Lake, where we rented a paddle boat for an hour.

Incidentally, it was about a million times easier than the 4-hour kayaking adventure on Lake Tahoe last month, OMG!

If you’re ever in Golden Gate Park when the weather’s nice, oh! — you gotta try it. It’s easy enough for people of all ages (we even saw an older gentleman with a walker getting his paddle boat on), and they have boats for 2-6 people, as well as canoes (which are a little harder to maneuver).

A turtle chillin' on Stow Lake in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park — Turtle power! A hero in a half-shell…

Laura Mercier Verbena Infusion Gel Body Scrub and Dry Oil Body Mist: Fitting for a Fragrant Summer Sendoff

September 1st, 2014 by Karen 4 Comments

Laura Mercier Verbena Infusion Gel Body Scrub and Dry Oil Body Mist

When I first fell for Laura Mercier’s Lemon Verbena Infusion, summer was just beginning, so today, with Labor Day being the unofficial last weekend of summer, I gave the season its swan song with the same light, refreshing scent (via different products).

Laura’s new Gel Body Scrub ($40) and Dry Oil Body Mist ($45) are two great ways to spruce up your bath game. The Gel Body Scrub has an interesting bouncy texture that I like. When you squeeze it between your fingers, it almost feels like you’re squishing a gritty marshmallow.

But…I mean that in a good way. It’s weird but cool.

Then there’s the Dry Oil Body Mist, which absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave my skin feeling icky or greasy. Perfect for when I’m too lazy to bother with body lotion after a shower (read: often). I’ll just spray this all over my skin while it’s still wet, and let the lemon verbena scent take me away…

You can sniff both of them online now and at Laura Mercier counters.

Laura Mercier Verbena Infusion Dry Oil Body Mist — Dry Oil Body Mist ($45)

I’m Nuts About Chestnut, Giorgio Armani Beauty’s New Rouge d’Armani Sheer Lipstick in Chestnut

August 29th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheer Lipstick in Chestnut

This would be DOPE with a dark blackish brown smokey eye, methinks.

Giorgio Armani Beauty’s new $34 Rouge d’Armani Sheer Lipstick in Chestnut may not be the most original shade (ya know, it’s a nude peachy brown…), but it still looks slick and feels great.

It’s one of those lipsticks you forget you’re wearing, on account of how lightweight it feels (like a breathy tabby kiss at the witching hour…or really anytime of day).

Oh, and that almost luminescent sheen? Poifect.

I’ve had a little trouble tracking this one down online, so you might want to check with a Giorgio Armani Beauty counter if you’re so inclined.

These Fresh and Luminous Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Colors Don’t Have Time for Fine Lines

August 28th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Colors in YE216 Lemoncello and BL620 Esmaralda, $25 each

Creative trick.

To start this post, I gazed at Shiseido’s $25 Shimmering Cream Eye Colors and asked myself, “Self, what are the first two words you think of when you look at these?”

And I answered…myself. I said, “fresh and luminous!”

See, the trick is to ask yourself questions when you can’t think of something to say. 🙂

Anywho!

These potted cream eyeshadows come in a bunch of colors that, gloriously, do not settle into my fine lines, and since they aren’t fully opaque, some of my natural skin color peeks through when I wear ’em, which sort of gives them a casual effect like, “Yes, I did spend the day relaxing and reading on a sunny park bench.”

I like to wear Esmaralda (the teal one) or Lemoncello (the golden yellow) on top of NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. With Pro-Prime, I get 8-9 hours of wear.

You can find both of these shades, along with about a zillion others, now at Shiseido counters and online.

Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Color in BL620 Esmaralda — BL620 Esmaralda

Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Color in YE216 Lemoncello — YE216 Lemoncello

Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Colors in YE216 Lemoncello (left) and BL620 Esmaralda (right) — YE216 Lemoncello (left) and BL620 Esmaralda (right)

Any Time Is a Good Time for Bronzer With Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder in 05 Sun Brunettes

August 26th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

Guerlain Terracotta Light in 05 Sun Brunettes

Around my house, bronzer usually comes up as a topic of conversation every spring and summer.

Of course, most of those conversations take place between a cat and myself, but let’s not get sidetracked. 🙂

Bronzer. Usually a spring/summer thing, but my love for it has no seasonal bounds.

Like, if we were attending the world’s largest fall/winter makeup convention, I would have packed four bronzers for the two-day trip. “Yeah, yeah, full coverage and berry lips,” I’d whine. “I’m bored. Let’s talk about bronzer.”

This pan o’ bronzing prettiness here is Guerlain’s Terracotta Light 05 Sun Brunettes ($52), and it creates the most gorgeous peachy golden tan.

It also has a light sheen that, together with the color, makes it look like sun-dappled skin.

Very pretty lightly dusted all over for some warmth.

In addition to 05 Sun Brunettes, there are three other shades in the family — 02 Blondes (with soft suntan tones), 03 Brunettes (rich bronze tones) and 04 Sun Blondes (bronzed pink and tan tones) — and their names are basically weak suggestions. In other words, you don’t have to be blonde to wear the blonde shade or brunette to wear the brunette shade. If you’re interested, you could try them all, and pick the one you like best.

They’re available now at Guerlain counters, Sephora and also online, too.

Pre-Emmys Shenanigans and a Dress Poll

August 22nd, 2014 by Karen 58 Comments

It’s almost time! OMG. Two more sleeps ’til I leave for the Emmys with Dove in Los Angeles. I head down there on Sunday, and the show is Monday night.

Here are the two gowns I rented from Rent the Runway. It’s important that I see how they move and look in pics because, you know, the paparazzi from Crazy Cat Lady Weekly will be there, and I want to look my best. Obvs.

Yup, I said gowns. Plural. Because I also ordered a backup (hey, how many times does someone get to go to the Emmys?), a black mermaid silhouette dress by Monique Lhuillier, which I got in case the hot pink Badgley Mischka Fluorescent Chiffon Gown made me look like a rejected extra from Toddlers and Tiaras.

I’m barely five feet tall, so this is a legitimate concern.

Anywho, Tabs votes for the pink.

What do you think? (This is a non-binding poll. I can still wear whatever I want, and I’m leaning toward the pink.)

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“Cat Enthusiast”

August 21st, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

I got some basic business cards from Staples today just in case I run into Matthew McConaughey at the Emmys and he asks me for hair gel recommendations.

I’ll be all, “Matt, baby, here’s my card. Call me and we’ll talk.”