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Checking In: Minestrone Soup | Signs It’s Time for a Haircut | ’80s Bangers at Trader Joe’s

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Soup is good food!

Girlfriend, I can’t believe I’m getting excited about soup, but apparently that’s where I am in life. HA HA HA!

I’ve been craving minestrone something serious lately, and the stuff at the store just won’t do. Side note: Is it just me, or does store-bought soup sometimes taste metallic? As much as I like it for convenience, I’m not as fond of it as I used to be.

Anywho, I finally got around to making a big ol’ pot of it yesterday (I used this recipe), and seriously, it was just what I needed. It was like a hug in a bowl!

This was my first time making minestrone from scratch, and I’m definitely going to do it again. Not only was it delicious, it seems like one of those recipes you can endlessly customize to whatever you like or happen to have on hand.

Oh my gosh, so much yum!

Case in point. The original recipe called for green beans, which I swapped out for zucchini. I’m glad I did because green beans don’t do much for me; zucchini, however, took it to the next level!

Bonus? It’s easy to make. Seriously, try it. You’ll get quite a few satisfying meals.

On a beauty-related note, this morning I realized I’ve hit that point where I absolutely need to get a haircut, and if I don’t do it soon, I’m going to chop it all off in the middle of the night with craft scissors.

This got me thinking about how one knows when they’ve reached their maximum hair threshold…

What are the signs for you? How do you know when you’re overdue for a cut?

For me, the tell-tale sign is weight. When I have my hair down and it feels just a touch too heavy to wear it comfortably, and I’m putting it up all the time, that’s when I know it’s time for a choppity-chop-chop.

Hello, I’m about to chop my hair off!

Oh, I can also tell when it’s too heavy by how I have to position the topknot on my head! At a certain point after my hair gets too long, I can only wear it comfortably up in a bun only if it’s at a very specific angle. LOL! Super weird, but true.

I’ve got a meeting in five, but here’s one last thing before I head out. I was at Trader Joe’s the other day (buying the zucchini for the soup, ha) and a song was playing that I haven’t heard in ages!


No money man, can win my love!

Do you remember this ’80s banger from Neneh Cherry? I used to think she was so cool! I gotta say, the song holds up, and so does her style.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What’s a Good Hair Day Like for You?

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I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately because the strays at the edge of my forehead no longer do my bidding. No matter what products or tools I use, I just can’t coax them into submission.

Part of me is trying to accept this reality of hair sticking out at odd angles ALL THE FREAKING TIME, but part of me is also like, “We live in modern times! This cannot be the reason why I decide to give up completely!” LOL.

Anyway, a good hair day for me means I’m wearing my hair down, and the following is happening:

  • Aforementioned bits and bobs of stray hair are flat and smooth and going in the direction of my choosing.
  • Some lift at the roots! Love me some root lift.
  • No renegade ramen noodle silvers sticking out at odd angles.
  • Having the long layers in the front curled away from my face (thank goodness for curling irons), so I don’t have to spend the day pushing hair out of my eyes.
  • Strands that feel soft and not crunchy. I can’t deal with crispy hair; I suspect it was because I spent my formative years dousing myself with extra hold hairspray and that trauma has stayed with me.

What’s a good hair day like for you?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Latest Hair Haul: Bumble and Bumble and Olaplex

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Yes to all the hydration and shine, please!

I’ve been all about hydrating hair products lately because the renegade silver ramen noodle hairs are taking over my life, LOL!

Here’s what I bought recently to give my thirsty strands some moisturizing TLC.

Bumble and Bumble Curl 3-in-1 Conditioner

Talk about a multitasking moisturizer! This creamy conditioner for curly hair works as a post-shampoo conditioner, a leave-in and a co-wash. I’ve only tried it as a leave-in on freshly washed hair, and so far, so good. It’s deeply hydrating yet lightweight, so my waves don’t get weighed down.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil

How cute is this travel-size bottle? I really don’t need much, just a few drops, for soft, shiny hair from this featherweight hair oil. Added bonuses: it protects hair from heat styling and UV damage from the sun. I apply it on my ends right after washing and before air drying, and my hair looks shiny and feels soft. I love it enough to invest in a full-size bottle.

Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask

Totally bought this on a whim. I’ve yet to bust out this bad boy, which is a 10-minute reparative moisture mask for treating damaged hair, so if you already have it in your arsenal, you’ll have to let me know if it’s any good. I have high hopes!

Have you found any hair gems lately? Let me know!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Interview Makeup and Hair | Latest Beauty Buys

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Well, at least I was having a good hair day!

Hiya, and happy Thursday!

Yesterday I had two interviews lined up. I spent the entire day prepping and studying, so I’d feel extra prepared. I did full makeup and hair early, so I wouldn’t feel rushed (I even took test shots to double check everything, which is why I ended up with these pics).

I searched for “what to wear in a video interview for a creative job,” and then I tried various options in front of the camera to see what looked best. Side note: most wardrobe experts do not recommend wearing a white shirt, and after seeing various options on screen, I’d have to agree.

AND THEN…

…Both interviews got cancelled at the last minute. (The second one in the late afternoon was cancelled 10 minutes before it was supposed to start.)

On the bright side, both interviews were also rescheduled, which means the positions are still open — and I still have a chance.

Eh, at least my makeup and hair looked ok!

Needless to say, I was jumpy at the end of the day because of all the built-up adrenaline, so me, my full face of makeup and bouncy hair went to Sephora for some stress (de-stress?) shopping.

Lately the Novato store in my town rarely seems to have anything I actually want in stock, though. I ended up with just a Bumble & Bumble conditioner and a Tower 28 gloss.

I also had to stop by Target, which is next door, to buy some oat milk, so skin care landed in my cart: Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion, good ol’ CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Naturium Purple Ginseng Cleansing Balm.

It’s been a long week. Oh, and poor Connor still has a cold, so none of us have slept in days. Her immune system is certainly getting a workout this school year! (And so is mine.)

Seriously, I cannot wait for the weekend.

Anywho, thank you for listening. Hope that everything on your end has been smooth sailing.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Thoughts on Changing Hair Texture as You Get Older

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How’s your hair doin’?

I have a section of my brain devoted solely to obsessing over beauty thoughts, and currently, it’s occupied by hair texture and how it changes as you get older.

In theory, I knew that as one ages and hair color changes that hair texture changes too, but I didn’t understand just how much I’d have to adapt to that particular element.

OK, let me go back a bit. Within this last year, my hair has gotten considerably more gray, and a lot of those grays have this funky, wiry texture with a tight, uneven wave pattern. They look like ramen noodles and stick out at weird angles.

These “ramen noodle hairs” used to be buried way in the back of my head, but now they’re starting to show up more and more around the visible areas closer to my face.

Before I could wear my hair down and not really have to do anything, but the presence of the wiry grays makes it difficult because they don’t flow with the rest of my hair. Unless I smooth everything down with a curling iron or a flat iron, my hair just looks messy, and not in a cute, casual and purposeful way.

And while having a unified and smooth texture looks nice to me, I then have to deal with the damage created from relying on heat tools. Sometimes it feels like a no win situation.

Anyway, I was chatting with a hairstylist a couple weeks ago, and she said from this point on there’s just going to be more and more of those wayward hairs! Oh, and apparently, the texture change also makes it harder for dye to stick, so if I decided to cover my grays again, they’d be that much more resistant to holding onto color.

In heavy rotation

  • Pureology Strength Cure Superfood Deep Treatment Mask
  • Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray
  • Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Ultra Rich Hyaluronic Treatment Lotion
  • Kristin Ess Ultra Hydrating Curl Co-Wash
  • Kristin Ess Fragrance Free Texturizing Paste

Wiry hair texture’s been my main beauty issue as of late, so I’ve been buying a lot of hair products for hydration, smoothness and building up strength. I’ve been having some luck with leave-ins and masks made for damaged or colored hair, especially. Even though I don’t have any dye in my hair at the moment, these types of products seem to help.

OH! Yet another issue I’m dealing with is that I have less hair than I used to compared to my 20s and 30s. Blame it on hormonal changes. SIGH. I can especially tell when I put my hair up or when I’m washing it in the shower. So now, I’m deeply obsessed with volume — especially at the roots. Don’t get me started on root lift. LOL!

Even though I knew that my hair was going to change, I didn’t understand the degree of how much it would, and what I’d have to do to adapt to those changes. It’s so crazy!

How has your hair texture evolved as you’ve gotten older? Have you changed your routine much?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! We made it. 🙂

Vacation Hair: Do You Bother Styling Your Hair When You’re on a Trip?

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It really depends on what kind of trip it is.

If it’s a trip involving outdoor adventures like camping, or visiting the beach or a pool on any given day, then chances are the styling will be minimal — after shampooing and conditioning (I wash my hair every day), I’ll work in some leave-in conditioner, let it air dry and then do a ponytail, bun or a french twist with a claw clip. Maybe if I’m feeling ambitious I’ll comb the cray-cray baby hairs down with some brow gel.

Funny thing is whenever we take these kind of outdoorsy trips, even though I know I’ll be doing the bare minimum with my hair, that doesn’t stop me from bringing a styling tool every single time. What can I say? There’s something about having the option to do my hair that’s kinda comforting to me!

Case in point: right now there’s a t3 curling iron sitting in my luggage, and even though I probably won’t touch it during the trip, I like knowing it’s there in case I change my mind.

Now, if the trip centers around sightseeing in a city, then I’ll usually try to style it, even if it’s just a few loose curls with my curling iron, so my hair doesn’t look too crazy in pictures.

Is your vacation hair routine the same as your non-vacation hair routine? Do you bother styling your mane when you’re on a trip?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Air Dry Adventures!

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There’s something so inspiring about a fresh chop! Now that my hair is shorter and has more shape, I’m excited to do stuff to it again. (It’s been a while!)

On that note, I’m trying some new things. I’m on a quest to find products that help my mane look presentable after air drying.

Building those happiness muscles, day 10

Welcome to hump day, friend. How is it Wednesday already?

OK, so the two things that I’m grateful for today:

  1. Watching my daughter dance. She’s been rond de jambe-ing since she was in my tummy! It’s so fun to watch her grow as she dances.
  2. Hair claw clips. Seriously, so great when it’s hot outside!

What are you grateful for today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

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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

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