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Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 672

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As you know, today was International Cat Day. 😺 If Tabs were around, I’m sure he would have set up a Zoom call with all of his international cat friends, and he wouldn’t have even needed my help. He was pretty proficient when it came to using technology. In fact, he used the assumption that people and other cats had about his good looks to his advantage… Well, you know, they would see him and assume he was just another pretty face with no substance, and while he wasn’t exactly a mathematical genius, a la Rosie, he was still smart and managed to, not only run an international business empire, but he also accrued multiple collegiate degrees along the way, just for fun.

Did you know he had a PhD in paleobiology? Yeah, me neither! I found out one day while I was opening the mail and a package had arrived from Harvard. It was a degree! In a frame!

Rosie

Speaking of Ivy League schools, Rosie’s alma mater is MIT (the Meow-ssachusetts Institute of Technology). They had their yearly alumni lunch today, and she wanted to get a little dressed up, which is why she looks fancier than usual in these pics.

I was all set to drive her to SF for the luncheon (she was the keynote speaker), but it was touch and go for a moment because Harris the neighborhood cat ruffian stopped by. Yeah, I guess he was in the mood to rumble in the jungle.

Thankfully, Rosie hissed and growled and scared him away, so we were able to leave and make it to the luncheon on time. 😂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, Aug. 7, 2021!

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Hello there and good morning to ya, beautiful girl! I hope thou feelest calm and centered on this lovely Saturday. If you’ve got grand designs on wearing a little makeup this weekend (perhaps a lipstick or some gloss?), hurray! Good makeup tidings to you! I’ll be trying a few new lipsticks from Urban Decay this weekend, so I’ve got high hopes for those. I’ll let you know how it goes. UD recently redid their formula and packaging… What do you think of the square tubes?

This week’s reading


Drop that knowledge, docs!


Totes trying this.


How to choose the right cleanser for your skin


So, I know this is about the makeup but, WOW, her hair!


If you love shoes like I do…


A super catchy tune, and the colorful sets and clothes in this video are gorgeous.

What do you have going on this weekend? I’m really trying to enjoy these last few weekends of summer before my not-so-little girl goes off to kinder… I took her to get her haircut last week, and I still can’t get over how much she’s grown over the last year.

Have a great rest of your day. Talk to ya soon. 😸

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This or That: The Bold Lip Edition

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mac quite the standout feels so grand mac smash
Let’s go bold lips!

How to play

Pick one or the other for each of the questions below, and copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. ?

This or That: The Bold Lip Edition

  • A neon hot pink matte lipstick or a richly pigmented red gloss?
  • Bold lips with bold eyes: yes or no?
  • To go with your bold lips: a lip liner with a soft texture or a hard texture?
  • Black lipstick or navy lipstick?
  • Matte orange or metallic green lipstick?
  • What’s easier for you to use, a bright lipstick in a liquid formula, or a bold lipstick in a bullet?
  • Would you like bold gloss with or without glitter?
  • Your favorite red lipstick: apply straight from the tube or with a brush?
  • Would you rather have a budget bold lip color that you absolutely love and wear all the time or an expensive bold lip color that you feel “meh” about and only wear once every few months?
  • What happens to you more: your lip color smearing outside your lips or your lipstick ending up on your teeth?
  • Spend or splurge on your bold lip color?
  • Spend or splurge on your bold lip liner?

A neon hot pink matte lipstick or a richly pigmented red gloss?

Neon hot pink matte lipstick, which I’d wear with a flat matte black winged liner and lots of mascara. 😉

Bold lips with bold eyes: yes or no?

YES, QUEEN! 🤩

To go with your bold lips: a lip liner with a smooth texture or a hard texture?

Smooooooove… I don’t need to fight my liner, ya know?

Black lipstick or navy lipstick?

Black, so I can relive my wanna-be goth days circa 1991, ha ha ha.

Matte orange or metallic green lipstick?

OK, so yeah, a metallic green is tempting because of the fun factor, but I’m going with the matte orange, because it’s got more of that classic vibe, and that’s how I’m leaning these days.

What’s easier for you to use, a bright lipstick in a liquid formula, or a bold lipstick in a bullet?

Hmm… Lipstick in a bullet, I guess, because it’s easier to control? Not sure about this one. 🤔

Would you like bold gloss with or without glitter?

I would like it with glitter! — because might as well go all the way.

Your favorite red lipstick: apply straight from the tube or with a brush?

Straight from the tube, baby.

Would you rather have a budget bold lip color that you absolutely love and wear all the time or an expensive bold lip color that you feel “meh” about and only wear once every few months?

Sigh… I mean, I don’t want any dead weight taking up space in my collection anymore, so I choose the budget bold color. 100%

What happens to you more: your lip color smearing outside your lips or your lipstick ending up on your teeth?

Yargh, if I had a dollar for every time my red or pink lipstick unintentionally ended up on my cheeks or my chin…

Skimp or splurge on your bold lip color?

Splurge!

Spend or splurge on your bold lip liner?

Skimp, because there are so many affordable ones out there.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF, my sweet friend! 🤗❤️😸

Tell Me About Your Current Beauty Loves…

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honest beauty get it together eyeshadow palette
The Honest Beauty Get It Together Eyeshadow Palette, $19.99

Inquiring minds want to know! What shampoo, zit medicine, exfoliating face scrub, mask, liquid liner or eyeshadow has been making you swoon? Hair, makeup, skin care, perfume, you name it — please share. I want to hear the deets.

I’m always curious about the things my beauty buddies adore and recommend, so please don’t hoard this critical information! Share it with me! I want to know everything you’ve been into lately and why you love it.

Truth bomb — I’m partly motivated to ask this because I’ve got a Nordstrom birthday gift card burning a hole in my Kate Spade purse. 😁

Here are some of my beauty loves as of late, and if it feels like I talk about these things nonstop here…it’s almost certainly because I do, ha! (Sorry, not sorry.)

Things have changed a bit as I’ve scaled down my beauty collection over the past few months. Like, I’ve discovered that I’m straight-up happier with a smaller number of products I absolutely adore than I am with a larger collection of items I hardly ever wear. This has also changed the focus of my coverage here on MBB, for sure, so before I get into the lurvable products themselves, I just want to say thank you for sticking around. 😊

Anywho, my current (as of right at this precise moment) beauty loves! (Note: Subject to change in about 10 minutes.)

Honest Beauty Get It Together Palette

For now at least, this feels like the only palette I need! There’s a good variety of colors and finishes in it (mostly mattes and satins, with a few non-disco shimmers). It also includes all of the practical-slash-useful shades one needs to put the fine-tuned finishing touches on an eye look, like a matte bone (which I use as an all-over lid base in lieu of a separate primer) and a matte black (handy for lining or smoking out any of the colors). Quality-wise, the shadows blend well and don’t crease, so this is a winner, winner chicken dinner. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

honest beauty get it together eye palette swatches

Chantecaille Cheek Gelee and Radiance Gel Bronzer

So, it’s hot here right now, like it is throughout huge swaths of the Western United States, and the thought of wearing anything remotely powder based on my face…is very unappealing to me. I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing five pounds of product on my skin. Consequently, this gel blush and bronzer add casual, lightweight color and life to my cheeks while simultaneously not spotlighting ye olde pores, and they stay put even when I’m glistening with nature’s highlighter, a.k.a. when I’m sweating buckets. LOL!

When you wanna wear blush and bronzer but can’t be bothered with foundation, there’s Chantecaille gel blush and bronzer.
chantecaille blush bronzer swatches
Cheek Gelee Blush in Happy (cute name, yeah?) and Radiance Gel Bronzer. I’m 100% sure you’re gonna ask me about the polish. It’s Chanel Purple Ray. 😊

Chanel Boy de Chanel Brow Pencil

This brow pencil is sold in Chanel’s makeup line marketed for guys, but don’t let that stop ya! It’s sweat-proof (YES) and perfectly pigmented. Yes, you can see it, but ooh — it looks so natural!

mac crossfade april 22
That’s Chanel Boy Brow Pencil in my brows! I’m also wearing Laura Mercier Wheat Eye Basics, NARS Isolde Duo, NARS Coconut Grove (worn wet as liner) and NARS Bengali eyeshadow singles, Chanel Espresso Liner and Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara

I rarely swoon over brow pencils, but this one will sweep even the most seasoned makeup lover off her feet, because it works so darn quickly. Figuratively, I can do my brows with a snap of my fingers! If El Hub ever asked me to buy him a brow pencil…I’d buy him this one, and then I’d keep it for myself. 😁

Can’t wait to hear about yours!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 689

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This week’s mantra. Repeat it as many times as necessary!

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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

    1. On a scale of one (minimal) to 10 (maxed out), how feisty are you feeling today?

    I’m a solid 5.8 on the feisty scale. 😼

    2. Pick one: orange creamsicle or a vanilla ice cream popsicle dipped in chocolate?

    Orange creamsicle, and make that two please. One for me and one for me! 😁 I just love those things.

    3. An instrument that speaks to your soul?

    Oh, for sure the cello. I can’t play it (YET), but one of these days I’m gonna make that dream a reality.

    4. Pizza with or without crushed red pepper?

    WITHOUT. Hard pass on the red pepper!

    5. Swimming at night: are you in, or are you out?

    Depends. Totes yes if it’s in a heated pool and we’ve got plenty of towels and warm drinks on standby for when we get out. As for night swimming in the ocean, ya know, as much as I love the ocean, I’m not in love with the idea of swimming in the ocean at night (too many jellyfish!), so I’ll say no to that. It just seems like the beginning of an episode of Unsolved Mysteries that I would prefer not to star in.

    6. Are you into grilling/barbecuing?

    Sooooo in love with eating grilled food, but I’m not actually into standing at the grill, as outdoor fire makes me nervous!

    7. Elevator or stairs?

    Stairs, baby! Race you to the top.

    8. A beauty product you finished recently?

    I just finished a huge bottle of CeraVe face wash, so, note to self: gotta stop by Ulta to get a fresh bottle.

    9. What’s your hair style today?

    It’s on the unruly side today, so I have it up in a messy bun. It’s getting too long, and I need to get it cut ASAP.

    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. On a scale of one (minimal) to 10 (maxed out), how feisty are you feeling today?
    2. Pick one: orange creamsicle or a vanilla ice cream popsicle dipped in chocolate?
    3. An instrument that speaks to your soul?
    4. Pizza with or without crushed red pepper?
    5. Swimming at night: are you in, or are you out?
    6. Are you into grilling/barbecuing?
    7. Elevator or stairs?
    8. A beauty product you finished recently?
    9. How’s your hair today?

    P.P.S. It’s a beautiful day, and you and I are going to make the most of it. I just know it. Sending a big squeeze-y hug your way. 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 671

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Rosie tried her paw at another regal, royal inspired bejeweled ensemble for her walk today, taking inspiration from her handsome predecessor, the always fabulous Tabs.

She highlighted these five kitty modeling campaigns from Tabs for ideas and then used her 3D printer to create a replica of the collar she wore today, the original of which is on permanent display in the Louvre (coincidentally, the original was designed by Tabs).

As you’re aware, Tabs was, among his many other talents, a world-renowned kitty jeweler and designed most of the jewelry worn by the feline members of the British royal family.

Rosie rockin’ August 1st

Rosie continues to impress with her newfound feline fashion sense, and now that she’s branching out into jewelry design, we expect many more big things from her. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, July 31, 2021!

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laura mercier national lipstick day
Big kiss to start the weekend!

Well, hello there, beautiful! 🤗 Happy Caturday to ya. It’s a bit overcast and cool here in North Marin County (for now), which is good news because the fam-bam and I are headed going blueberry picking!

It’s this place called Duckworth Farms up in Sebastapol. We did it last year and had so much fun. I’ve been looking forward to going back all year long.

duckworth farms road
A view of the farm

My favorite blueberries are the really big ones!

duckworth farms blueberries on vine
Fresh blueberries on the vine. YUM!

If you happen to have a good blueberry anything recipe, please share it.

Also, on a somewhat related note…I’m trying to decide what to wear today from the crop of Laura Mercier lipsticks up above. The bright hot coral-pink at the bottom is seriously tempting me!

This week’s reading…


I’m feelin
I’m feelin’ Gwen’s look here. Please stop me from plucking my brows away into oblivion, thanks!


In case you’re traveling and want to be stylish


Fall makeup vibes


Yes, please.


Getting to know Lorde


Just in case you’re tired of your stretchy pants

What?! I can’t believe it’s already the end of July. What are your plans this weekend?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This or That: The Spa Day Edition

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The relaxation room…

How to play

Good morning! Select from one or the other for each of the questions below. Then, copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. 😃

This or That: The Spa Day Edition 😊

  • Massage or facial?
  • Deep tissue or Swedish?
  • Peel or microdermabrasion?
  • Scalp massage or foot massage?
  • Mud bath or milk bath?
  • Body wrap or body scrub?
  • Wax or mani/pedi?
  • Choose your treatment length: 30, 60 or 90 minutes?

Massage or facial?

As much as my pores and I would LOVE a facial, I need a massage even more. These knots in my back aren’t gonna undo themselves! 😂

Deep tissue or Swedish?

I had a Swedish massage once, and I swear it felt like someone was just rubbing lotion on me for an hour. That said, I’ll take a deep tissue… Yes, tenderize me like a side of beef!

Peel or microdermabrasion?

Um, peel? But a gentle one.

Scalp massage or foot massage?

I’ll take the scalp massage, because my feet are too ticklish.

Mud bath or milk bath?

Milk bath, because mud baths are the stuff of nightmares. 😱

Body wrap or body scrub?

I’ll take a moisturizing sugar scrub, please.

Wax or mani/pedi?

Mani/pedi for the win! 😺

Pick your treatment length: 30, 60 or 90 minutes?

90 minutes, baby. I might even fall asleep!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 🤗

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