Just For Fun

SkinCeuticals Vitamin C Serums and National Vitamin C Day, REN Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30 (and SHOTS!)

March 31st, 2021 by Karen 13 Comments

If lipstick can have a national day all to its won, then why can’t Vitamin C? Shoot, we’re living in crazy times; we need to celebrate everything!

Sooooo, in case you haven’t marked it on your calendar yet, April 4 is National Vitamin C Day. ? I plan to celebrate by eating a bunch of mandarin oranges (but only the kind with the leaves attached!) and contemplating one of my favorite skincare ingredients.

(Vitamin C)

My favorite Vitamin C serum for the longest time has been SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic. If you want a serum that does everything — helps with fine lines, firmness and dark patches — this is the stuff! When I use it consistently along with sunscreen, my face (especially my cheeks, which is where I have most of my hyperpigmentation), looks noticeably smoother and more even-toned.

Unfortunately…it’s hella crazy expensive at $166 for a 0.50-oz. bottle.

(Yes, OMG!)

But it really works well for me.

SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic isn’t the only Vitamin C serum in the SkinCeuticals line though. There’s also Phloretin CF, which is for helping to fade post-acne marks, and their new Silymarin CF, which is an oil-free version for blemish-prone skin.

Here’s a handy-dandy chart to help figure out which one should be best for you…

If you’re looking for a Vitamin C serum at a lower price point, Vichy’s is also good IMO, and it’s $28.50 for 0.34-oz. I went through two bottles and saw a subtle improvement on the uneven areas on my cheeks. It doesn’t pack the same punch as Skinceuticals CE Ferulic, but it still works (albeit more slowly), and — added bonus — you can find it at drugstores. I got mine on sale at Walgreens.

vichy liftactiv — Gimme all the vitamin C.

While we’re on the subject of skin schtuff, here’s a heads-up for my oily-skinned friends about a sunscreen I tried from REN. REN Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30 is a face sunscreen made with 22% zinc oxide SPF and a very flat, uber-matte finish.

Right now my skin is dry, so it’s not the best fit for me, but if I had super oily skin like I did in my teens and early 20s, I’d be totally into it. It cuts down ALL OF THE SHINE and then some.

FYI, zinc sunscreens typically leave a white cast, and this one does too, but it’s very subtle. I’d say that if you’re lighter than I am (I’m a MAC NC42), you’ll be fine, but if you’re darker, it could leave a purplish-gray tint behind.

Other than sunscreen, the only makeup I’m wearing in this pic is JOY (seriously, where are my eyebrows, haha). I took this pic right after I got my first COVID vaccine shot yesterday!

I got weirdly emotional right after it happened… It was a mix of relief and happiness. I kept thinking of this exact time last year, when I thought that “all of this” would only last two weeks.

Yeah, I was a bit off with my estimate there. ? It’s been a LONG year, am I right?

Anyway, I practically danced on the way out, and I kept thinking of that song where all the people yell, “Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, SHOTS!”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Latest Trader Joe’s Finds: Grapefruit Body Butter, Croissant Bread, Gluten-Free Treats and More

March 30th, 2021 by Karen 6 Comments

trader joes grapefruit body butter — YES

Girlfriend, I had to do it. Grapefruit. Body butter. FOUR NINETY-NINE! I no longer even pretend to have any self-restraint when it comes to a new Trader Joe’s body butter. Sampling their myriad of “flavors” over the past few years has taught me that TJ’s Body Butters generally do me right, and this new Grapefruit one is one of my favorites to date.

Coincidentally, I’ve been having grapefruit with my breakfast every morning lately, and this cream smells legit. It’s light and fresh and lingers for a few hours before fading away, so it’s not all up in my nostrils into the evening.

Like the other TJ’s Body Butters I’ve tried, this one’s thick and creamy, like an actual stick of room-temperature Salted Kerrygold (THE BEST); you can cut it with a butter knife, so it’s more balm-y and less fluffy whipped cream, and it’s moisturizing enough to get crusty heels to bow down.

FYI, it contains coconut oil and shea butter, so if your skin likes both or either of those, you have that to look forward to!

Also, I really like that the lid flips up because the jar is easy to open and close with slippery fingers.

I’m currently wearing Grapefruit underneath Chanel Paris-Riviera (otherwise known as “orange explosion!”), and I smell pretty darned good, if I do say so myself.

Warning: the following Trader Joe’s photos should’ve been taken, ya know…before I went to town on all the food, but hey, this is real life, and apparently we’re REALLY HUNGRY at my house.

Part of me really wants to not tell you about the following bread because I want more for me, because my addiction to it is that serious, but we’re friends, and friends don’t let friends sleep on hella good baked delights!

Grab thee a Joe’s Cinnamon Croissant Loaf ASAP. This hybrid of sliced cinnamon bread and flaky croissant is heavenly. I eat it every morning with the big ol’ grapefruit.

Here’s the deal: you need to toast it first in order for it to be all it can be. Warming it up seems to make the layers of croissant even more delicate and melty, and enhances the cinnamon flavor.

You could put some butter on it, I suppose, but I just keep it plain so I can shove it into my mouth with coffee that much faster.

Also, in gluten-free news, El Hub has celiac, and he LOVES the Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Muffins. He usually thinks that most store-bought gluten-free baked goods are either too grainy or crumbly or oily, but he says these are fan-friggin-tastic.

They’re made with sour cream, which I suspect is the magic ingredient responsible for their tender crumb. He says they taste exactly like a regular coffee cake. Highly recommended from the resident GF person in our house!

Connor and I have been snacking on the Mini Orange Cranberry Tea Scones. These are lovely when you need a little something to tide you over with your afternoon beverage…

Apparently, the theme for today day is CARBS. Ha!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 671

March 29th, 2021 by Karen 23 Comments

I hope beautiful things cross your path this week!

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. Last time you waxed?

I can’t even remember… It must’ve been at least six months ago. I was using the bad-@ss Bliss blue wax, but I finally ran out and have yet to replace it… It hasn’t exactly been the world’s highest priority though. Tweezers have been my best friend these days!

2. What’s your Fitzpatrick skin type?

I’m a Skin Type IV!

3. Do you limit your screen time?

Yeah, I have to. If I don’t, nobody else will, LOL! If I let myself go unchecked, I end up doomscrolling late at night, and then I can’t turn my brain off.

4. How often do you stretch?

I try to stretch every day, and throughout the day with little one-minute stretches here and there. (Hold up, give me a second to hit my hammies! Ah, much better.) And then in the evening before I go to bed, I stretch on my yoga mat in front of the TV for about 10 minutes, and that really helps me sleep better.

5. Silence is (fill in the blank).

Beautiful, underrated and sometimes incredibly necessary.

6. A beauty brand (or brands) you’d like to try?

Ooh, there are so many! Right now I’ve got my eye on some things by Ere Perez and Typology. I’d also love to try a tinted mineral sunscreen from Colorscience.

7. Midi or maxi?

Midi has been stressing me out, man… I can’t seem to figure it out! So please, fashion gods, give me a maxi!

8. Have you ever had a turtle for a pet?

I have not, but I knew someone in the ’90s who had pet turtles, and caring for those turtles was like a second job for them. I just remember the turtles requiring a lot of care and habitat maintenance.

9. Have you ever broken a window?

I have not, knock on wood!

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. Last time you waxed?
2. What’s your Fitzpatrick skin type?
3. Do you limit your screen time?
4. How often do you stretch?
5. Silence is (fill in the blank).
6. A beauty brand (or brands) you’d like to try?
7. Midi or maxi?
8. Have you ever had a turtle for a pet?
9. Have you ever broken a window?

P.P.S. Hello there, my friend! It’s a new week and a fresh start. A little reminder that you can handle whatever comes your way today, you hear me? You’re capable, strong and smart. Whatever it is you need to conquer, big or small, YOU CAN DO IT. ?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 652

March 28th, 2021 by Karen 3 Comments

Great horned owl, Tabs was a such a birder! He would sit for hours in his window nook watching the birds on the hill outside, cacking and chirping to himself. He was definitely all about the birds.

I’m sure I mentioned this before, but he actually managed to catch birds while on his leash — not once, but at least two times, and it was always a shock for me. He would just leap or dart into a shrub or up a tree and fly through the air, capturing his prey. I always tried to stop him, but sometimes I couldn’t move fast enough. He was that good at being a birder.

He just loved birds…

Rosie

Rosie likes birds too, but not entirely in the same way. I think she’s interested in them…but it’s perhaps out of scientific curiosity. As a scientist torbie, she appreciates their facility for flight. The physics is fascinating, after all.

In fact, she’s so intrigued by it that she upgraded her new spring collar this week to include a yellow and pink robin.

She’s quite proud of it. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, March 27, 2021

March 27th, 2021 by Karen 11 Comments

saturday mandarin oranges books tea — Just a little meow time!

Hiya, friend! Good morning to you! In random-but-pertinent-to-this-blog news…everyone at our house is currently obsessed with mandarin oranges, but only the kind with the leaves attached.

Yes, this is truly breaking news.

I don’t know why, but I think the ones with the leaves attached to them are juicier and sweeter than the ones without. I can’t get enough of ’em! Today I have grand plans to sit around, snack on mandarins, read books and drink tea. I like to call this “high-intensity relaxation.”

Today’s reading

If you happen to know someone who wants to smell like their favorite pub, now you know what scent to buy them for their next birthday.
Fuchsia is currently having a moment.
Here’s a dermatologist’s walkthrough of the spring skin care swaps you need to do right meow.
7 trendy ways to reinvent your hair this summer (side note: I love the square bob cut.)
Here’s your chance to own a lock of George Washington’s hair.
How to keep your active cat out of trouble!

10-minute makeup!

Well, now I want to drink tea!

Today’s vibe

A beautiful cover of one of my favorite songs

I love everything about this house, especially the floors!

It’s going to be 70-something degrees today, and I’m so excited about it! I can’t even! It’s shaping up to be the warmest weekend of the year so far. I’m thinking either a picnic, a hike, Marin French Cheese, or maybe Bon Tempe Lake.

What are you up to? Is the weather nice there? I hope it’s nice enough to go outside for a bit!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This or That: The Colorful Makeup Edition

March 25th, 2021 by Karen 8 Comments

nyx vivid brights — Because sometimes it’s fun to take a break from neutrals.

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 Colorful Makeup Edition

Orange cat eyes or violet cat eyes?

Sunshine yellow eyeshadow or baby blue eyeshadow?

Frosty pink eyeshadow or vampy burgundy lips?

Blue mascara or purple mascara?

Dark navy blue liquid lipstick or black liquid lipstick?

Orange cat eyes or violet cat eyes?

Violet! I like how purple looks with my brown eyes.

Sunshine yellow eyeshadow or baby blue eyeshadow?

Hmm… Sunshine yellow worn as a single color on the top lid with lots and lots of lengthening mascara (and maybe a strip of false lashes, if I’m in the mood). I think that could look almost wearable?!

I do love me some baby blue eyeshadow…but only when it’s strategically placed as part of a blue smokey eye. That’s where I am in life right now, ha!

Frosty pink eyeshadow or vampy burgundy lips?

Vampy burgundy lips in a budge-proof liquid lipstick formula, so I don’t have to deal with taking it off before I put my mask on. ?

Blue mascara or purple mascara?

Blue! It shows up more readily on my dark lashes.

Dark navy blue liquid lipstick or black liquid lipstick?

Black liquid lipstick. I think it looks edgy and cool! ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Toner Collections Should Be a Thing | A Quick and Easy Meal | Midi Skirts!

March 24th, 2021 by Karen 16 Comments

I suppose one could collect stamps or coins or Fabergé eggs or Banksy paintings…but why, when you could just collect toners?! HA HA HA!

Remember all the toner commercials in the ’90s and how you always had to apply toners with a cotton ball? I used to do that, but now? Forget about it. I pour a little in my palms and press and rub the liquid right into my skin. I think the liquid absorbs quicker that way and, bonus, I don’t feel like I’m wasting any of the product on the cotton ball!

There are currently five toners gracing my bathroom shelf. They’re mostly for exfoliation because I’m forever dealing with hyperpigmentation and acne, so I rotate among them, depending on how my skin’s doing. I usually apply them in the morning right after washing my face and before any serums. Sometimes, I’ll use just one; other days, I’ll layer two.

Lately, my skin’s been in the mood for extra moisture, so I’ve been using Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence or Paula’s Choice BHA. Sometimes both.

I’ve also been using and liking REN Ready Steady Glow AHA Tonic, which is a triple threat with three exfoliating ingredients — willow bark, lactic acid and azelaic acid. Side note: DUDE, azelaic acid! If you’re not on that train yet, get on it already.

Occasionally, I’ll dip into the Niacinamide Brightening Toner by Good Molecules (niacinamide, vitamin C, arbutin and licorice root extract) or Kate Somerville Liquid Exfolikate (glycolic, malic, and lactic acids), if I’m craving something different.

On a side note, you know what I miss? Clinique’s old-school BHA toner, Mild Clarifying Lotion. They reformulated it a while back, and it just isn’t the same now. I should’ve stockpiled the O.G. version while I could… Le sigh! #BeautyRegrets

Are toners a “thing” for you too? Maybe we can start a toner enthusiasts club, ha ha ha! ?

A quick-and-easy meal

Not related to toner at all, but this is my new favorite quick meal: a rice and edamame bowl. (Yes, you gotta have it in a bowl!)

I usually add a few shakes of Nori Komi Furikake Japanese Multi-Purpose Seasoning, but Coywolf prefers it plain.

edamame rice no furikake — Connor likes hers plain.

edamame rice furikake — I like mine with furikake (seaweed).

Speaking of TJs, you can get this meal in your belly in less than five minutes with a couple of Trader Joe’s-assisted shortcuts! First, we usually have leftover white rice in a tupperware in the fridge, but when we don’t, I reach for the microwavable white rice from the TJ’s frozen food section, which takes all but three minutes to make. Trader Joe’s also has shelled, salted edamame in the freezer section too. Just defrost in the microwave.

I think this could also be delish with a sunny-side-up egg on top, but I haven’t tried it yet.

Midi skirts!

I’m still slowly but surely chipping away at the wardrobe checklist recommendations (I’m on a mission to look and feel put-together) I found about a month ago and wanted to tell you about these pull-on midi skirts from Gap.

Both the black and white skirt have pockets (SAY WHAT!) and come in regular, tall and petite lengths.

FYI, it looks like they’re still on sale, in case you’re interested (I’m totally my mother’s daughter and hate to pay full price).

I haven’t seen either of these skirts in person yet, and I can see how they could potentially be 1) super cute and casual, or 2) make me look like I’m in a cult…so we shall see! I suppose that’s a major downside to not visiting a fitting room in months.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 670

March 22nd, 2021 by Karen 25 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 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. Have you ever been stuck in an elevator?

Thank god, no! The closest I’ve ever come to being stuck in one was about 15 years ago when my friend and I were on an elevator going up to the Nordstrom store in San Francisco. The elevators were slow and took a while, so when we got to our floor, there was a moment when the elevator seemed to be stuck. The doors just sat there, closed, a few beats too long.

I started to borderline panic and hyperventilate…which is when my friend calmly hit the “open” button and I ran out. ?

2. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “perm”?

“Oh, hell no!”

3. What is the best type of pasta shape and why?

I’m having a hard time choosing between bow tie and linguine. I like bow tie because they’re cute…and they fill with sauce well. Plus, they’re easy to eat.

Linguine, however, is so much fun to twirl…

Tough decision…

Bow tie, I guess. ?

4. How are you in a crisis?

I’m probably not the first person you want to call, hahaha! If push came to shove and I were the only person around, I’d be able to handle it eventually.

5. Would you rather be tiny like a fairy or massive like a T-rex?

I wanna be a T-rex! ?

6. Would you rather wear leg warmers or lace fingerless gloves?

Leg warmers, preferably rainbow striped ones like my friend Karrie had in elementary school. I was always terribly jealous of hers.

7. Carved out brows or faux freckles?

Faux freckles, why not?

8. Blazer or a trench coat?

Blazer, because trench coats remind me of flashers, haha.

9. Candy?

Yeah, man!

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. Have you ever been stuck in an elevator?
2. The first thing that come to mind when you hear the word “perm”?
3. What is the best type of pasta shape and why?
4. How are you in a crisis?
5. Would you rather be tiny like a fairy or massive like a T-rex?
6. Would you rather wear leg warmers or lace fingerless gloves?
7. Carved out brows or faux freckles?
8. Blazer or a trench coat?
9. Candy?

P.P.S. Hi there, beautiful girl! Chin up, it’s spring, and there’s a lot to be grateful for today. Just wanted to let you know that I think you’re wonderful. ?