Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 713

January 24th, 2022 by Karen 16 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Liquid blush or cream blush?

Cream blush, because it’s easier to control.

2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?

Most of the time, no, but when I do wear it, it’s usually the outer corner.

3. Someone who brings out the best in you?

The Coywolf. 🙂

4. Lipstick today?

Yes, please! I’m wearing Ilia Rococco.

5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?

You don’t even want to know, my friend. I really need to get in there and wash some brushes!

6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?

Yellow bell peppers, please. I love the sweetness and the crunch! Plus, they’re so good with peanut butter.

7. Walking or running?

Walking, all day, every day. I used to be a runner back in the day, but now my knees are like, “No, thanks, girl!”

8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?

Face powder. A light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural is magic.

9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?

I would love to make a big dent in my living room decluttering project by the end of the week.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
4. Lipstick today?
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
7. Walking or running?
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?

P.P.S. Happy Monday to you, friend. Please be sure to talk to yourself this week with gentle words and a sweet tone. You deserve kindness and courtesy. 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 694

January 23rd, 2022 by Karen 1 Comment

Like many cats, Tabs went through a Dungeons & Dragons phase, but even before that, he was always interested in fairytales and mythology. Of course he read Tolkien, tried LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) and joined a local feline rogue’s guild. He just loved the fantastical, loved magic and mythical creatures like fairies and trolls.

He was a magical soul, in more ways than one, and you could just tell how much he loved fantasy based on his choices in kitty modeling.

Rosie

Like Tabs, Rosie also enjoys fantasy literature and gaming. She has a huge collection of Magic cards, too.

This week she felt like crafting and designed this fairy-inspired ensemble. What do you think? 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, Jan. 22, 2022!

January 22nd, 2022 by Karen 16 Comments

Hello and happy Saturday from me, my breakfast and Janet Jackson on the cover of “Allure.”

This is my favorite Janet Jackson song, by the way. What’s yours?

Anywho…I’ve had the magazine sitting on my desk for a few days; I’ve been saving it to read on Saturday morning with my breakfast. 🙂 Because reading a magazine on the weekend feels that much more special for some reason! (Maybe because I can relax and savor the experience.) It’s one of my favorite things.

Another of my favorite things? My Nespresso machine!

It’s basically like a fancy Keurig. I got one for Christmas from El Hub. You buy the coffee pod cups, which come in different flavors and intensities, then insert the cup into the machine, and the machine just does its thang. It makes delicious, delicious coffee! I mean, it’s some of the best coffee I’ve ever had from anyplace on earth. Also, the cups are made from aluminum and recyclable, so you can drop them into a recycling bag when you’re done, and take them to a local recycling spot.

No joke, but I will talk to anyone and EVERYONE about the glory of a cup of Nespresso coffee… It’s so creamy and full of layers of rich flavor! AH! I don’t know if I’ve just been drinking terrible drip coffee for too many years or if Nespresso is really all that and a bag of chips, but I wake up in the morning salivating at the thought of that first cup.

This week’s reading

“I couldn’t stop buying perfume samples to make sure I didn’t have Covid.”
Just in case you ever wondered what a perfume named “Burning Bridges” smells like…
Does rosemary tea grow your hair?
IGK has a new line of at-home hair dye.
This artist created a portrait of Betty White (RIP, queen) with lipstick as her medium of choice.
Ah, Byredo. Always doing weird, cool stuff.

Also known as “The Mothership”

Yes, please.

I hope there’s bread and cafe au lait involved.

Someone make this for me ASAP.

YOU CAN BUY CAKE IN A CAN.

Messy bun 101

Build that muscle.

Oui, oui.

I can’t wait to watch this.

In case you’ve ever wondered…

Are they really at the DMV?

It’s sunny here in my neck of the woods today, so I’m going to go for a walk and listen to a podcast.

How’s it going on your end? Got anything fun lined up for the weekend?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Crazy Brow Days! (We All Have ‘Em)

January 20th, 2022 by Karen 11 Comments

Hey, friend! Happy Thursday. Is it just me, or has this felt like the longest short week ever?

Anyway, I’m officially having a crazy brow day. It started this morning as I was getting ready for a video call. I drew in my arches with my usual Chanel Boy Brow Pencil, but then, when I looked in the mirror, I swear my brows looked like I had barely filled them in at all. So I put a little bit more product in, then a little more and a little more.

Next thing I know, my brows look super dark and crazy!

Of course I had to make it more complicated by running a brow brush through so I could try again, this time instead with an eyeshadow (good ol’ MAC Brun). That, too, still looked kinda funky.

This was the best I could do. Some days you win the brow game, and some days, you gotta take what you can get. Hey, at least I tried, right?

Are you having a crazy brow day, too? Please tell me I’m not the only one.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Try Pairing Liquid Eyeshadow With Liquid Eyeliner for Lots of Bang For Your Makeup Buck, and More Chat About Hobbies!

January 19th, 2022 by Karen 12 Comments

rare beauty stay vulnerable nearly neutral — Hi there!

Good morning, friend! I’m still on my liquid eyeshadow kick. I’m wearing Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow in Nearly Neutral and Clinique Pretty Easy Liner in Brown. This is my new favorite way of getting of lots of bang for my makeup buck — a liquid eyeshadow and liquid liner combo. It’s not too fussy and at the end of it, I feel very put together, especially when I do a monochromatic makeup look like the one pictured above.

Makeup worn in this look

Eyes: Rare Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Nearly Natural, Clinique Pretty Easy Liner in Brown, Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara (side note: I’m not loving this as much as I used to), Chanel Boy Eyebrow Pencil in Deep Brown

Base: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Wheat, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden, Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid in Sand and Rare Beauty Blush in Nearly Apricot

Lip: MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in A Little Tamed

Remember a few weeks ago when we talked about hobbies? I’ve been thinking a lot about the conversations we had in the comments, and I’ve decided to start slow and take it easy. My natural inclination is to jump into a challenging hobby, like rock climbing or learning a new language, but since this is the year I’m going to treat myself with extra gentleness and TLC (that’s my plan and I’m sticking to it!), I’ve decided to do something different.

All the hobbies I explore have to be simple, easy and fun. Here’s what I got so far:

Reading fiction purely for pleasure.

I’ve always loved to read, but then somehow along the way I got the idea that if I read a book, I had to review it here on MBB or on social media to make it worth my time. I’m going to let that go. If I really love something and want to talk about, sure, I’ll do that. No pressure, though.

coycoy reading in lady sanctuary — Fun, fun, fun

Listening to podcasts.

I mean, is this even considered a hobby? I don’t know, but I like doing it, and I can listen while I’m walking, doing my hair or washing dishes. My current favorite podcast is NPR Life Kit. I like that the shows are 20 minutes or less and how I always learn something interesting or new. I recently just listened to one on what to do if your car ever gets caught in a flash flood!

Walking.

Sometimes I listen to a podcast, sometimes I just enjoy the sounds around me outside.

I’ve also recently bought an adult coloring book! I set an alarm to remind myself to do it every couple days, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.

I think eventually I’ll have more time and more energy to open myself up to hobbies that push me more. For now, I think this is a good start.

Have you picked up any new hobbies recently? Or would you like to talk about a hobby that you do and love? Please let me know in the comments. I think it’s interesting and also very important that we do things solely just for us, and I’m going to make that a priority this year.

I hope you’re having a super Wednesday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 Reasons to Love Bright Lipstick

January 18th, 2022 by Karen 5 Comments

1. It does so much makeup heavy lifting.

I swear, I can get away with wearing so much less makeup when I’m wearing a bright lip. I can feel completely put together with just a bright lipstick, mascara and concealer.

honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 1 — Honest Beauty Happiness Lipstick

2. Bright lipstick shouts however you’re feeling out loud to the world.

A smile is that much bigger and brighter with a bright lip.

mac billion dollar smile makeup uniform — MAC Billion Dollar Smile

3. It’s a classic.

Red lipstick never goes out of style!

chanel rouge allure rebelle — Rouge Allure in 172 Rouge Rebelle

4. The long-wearing matte formulas have improved so much.

They last through water, coffee, cat kisses…

mac quite the standout feels so grand mac smash — Time for some red!

5. They’re just so fun to collect!

You can never have enough. 🙂

mac lipsticks at union square store — Is there even such a thing as too many brights?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 712

January 17th, 2022 by Karen 23 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?

Passable if I need to convey an idea to someone, but otherwise pretty basic. Both are at the level of eighth grade art class, which was when I peaked artistically, LOL!

2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?

I took a few beginner classes in my 20s when I lived in San Francisco but never quite got into it. I preferred the high energy of hip-hop dance classes. Although, the people in my ballet class were so interesting! There were several high-level football players in the beginner class, and I was always so in awe of their body control.

3. Vegas or Hawaii?

Assuming this decision could be made during non-pandemic times, then Hawaii in a heartbeat, but I wouldn’t say no to Vegas if I only had to be there for 48 hours to eat delicious food and watch live shows.

4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?

Ya know, I don’t mind it if it’s body lotion because it’s that much faster for me to scoop it out of a jar than to use a tube or a pump.

5. Backpack or fanny pack?

Although I don’t own one, I wouldn’t mind a fanny pack.

6. Carrots or celery?

Baby carrots all the way!

7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?

Nah, not at all. I love bright reds, pinks and corals.

8. Yoga or spinning?

Spinning, because I need to sweat today.

9. Last book you finished?

“Klara and the Sun.” Loved it, although I have so many mixed feelings about the ending.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
6. Carrots or celery?
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
8. Yoga or spinning?
9. Last book you finished

P.P.S. Hello there, sweet girl! I hope you treat yourself with kindness and sweetness this week. Please enjoy this beautiful Monday! 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 693

January 16th, 2022 by Karen 6 Comments

Divas have a reputation for being difficult to work with. You know, in my experience, the divas I’ve crossed paths with have actually been pretty cool. Team players even.

Tabs, for example, loved to feed the gossip machine with stories of him being notoriously hard to work with. I think once he was even referred to as the Naomi Campbell of the cat modeling world, which thrilled him. But if you asked any of the top tier kitty models he worked with, or any of his business partners, they would tell you that he was 100% supportive, giving and the most easy-to-work-with cat you’d ever meet.

OK, sure, occasionally he was rude to me, and I’d be asked to do ridiculous things like, I don’t know, plan a party for 100 people at a Tuscan villa with only 24 hours to do so, but for the most part Tabs was a good employer to work for. He always had my back, and he always encouraged me to follow my dreams.

“Keep writing,” he said, “and when you finally pen that blockbuster, don’t forget who encouraged you.”

Rosie

Rosie-Pose has a penchant for withdrawing into solitude whenever she’s deep in scientific thought, and although she isn’t as socially active as Tabs was, she still gets along famously well with all the cats she runs into (except Harris). She also occasionally lets her maternal side surface when she sees cute tiny stuffed cats, like, she’s taken Stripey here under her wing. He’s one of Connor’s stuffies, and Rosie has big plans for him to be the next scientific cat mastermind. She’s identified that he has an aptitude for robotics and has taken him in as one of her interns. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen