• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To MakeupMakeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 521

April 23rd, 2018 by Karen 38 Comments

life is either a great adventure or nothing

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll… It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been doing every Monday morning for the past 11 (!) years. (It’s like a kick start for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments and getting my week off to a good start, and I hope you do, too.

1. Are you and your siblings a lot alike?

It’s just my younger brother Al and I, and we have the same strange sense of humor and the same, like, zeal for life? On the big things, like politics and religion, I think we’re on a similar page.

But we’re also different in a lot of mostly small ways, too. For instance, I like pop music, and he likes music that’s too experimental and cerebral for me. 🙂

One of the bigger differences between us is how we approach our roles in the family, and this is probably because of birth order. I’m the older one, and I feel like it’s on me a lot of the time to plan things and steer the ship, whereas Al just gets to be a passenger on the ship…

2. When was the last time you spent a whole day in your pajamas?

I think for me the question is more, “When was the last time I didn’t spend the whole day in my pajamas?” Haha! See, the thing is, my pajamas spill over into my workout wear, which spills over into my regular clothes, so, technically, what I can go to sleep in, I could also wear to the grocery store, and then also to my exercise class.

Like the tank top from Old Navy that I wore to bed the other night, I also wore to work out in the following morning, and if I wanted to I could have also run errands in that tank top and nobody would have been the wiser.

3. Among your current circle of friends and family, who wears the most makeup?

In the biggest plot twist of the year… Just kidding, it’s still me. 🙂 I’m still the one who wears the most makeup. It’s always been that way, and I suspect that it’s going to continue being that way until we’re living in Miami as the nouveau Golden Girls. I’m happy with that.

4. Last time you gave a stranger a hug?

Yesterday afternoon at a mom’s luncheon for the mother’s group I belong to. A woman came in, and she was in tears. She had a 7-month-old at home, and I guess she hadn’t gotten out in a while. I just remember that feeling being so raw and so real that I had to get up and give her a hug.

5. What’s the furthest you’ve ever moved?

Mile-wise, I don’t know, but it was about a two-hour drive north of where I grew up in the Bay Area, up to Davis, California, for school, so I’ve really never moved very far.

I still think about picking up and moving someplace cheaper to live than the Bay Area, because it’s so expensive here now, but my parents are here, and they’re getting older; and my brother is here; and El Hub’s job is here; and this is where most of my friends are… It gets harder when you have ties.

“Smile and the whole world smiles with you”

This is something my mom always said to me growing up, and even though I used to think it was kinda cheesy when I was younger I really appreciate it now, especially on Monday mornings. Hopefully you can find a reason to smile this morning, even if it’s a small thing, like the short walk you’re going to take on your break, or your yummy lunch!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy and paste with your answers in a comment:

1. Are you and your siblings a lot alike?
2. When was the last time you spent a whole day in your pajamas?
3. Among your current circle of friends and family, who wears the most makeup?
4. Last time you gave a stranger a hug?
5. What’s the furthest you’ve ever moved?

There are 38 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 498

April 22nd, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

Who’s the suavest, most debonair, most sophisticated security cat in Novato?

Tabs, that’s who. 🙂

He likes to send a message to any would-be cat or canine intruders that there’s a together cat with impeccable style holding down the fort.

Overall, things were uneventful on this morning’s patrol. There were a couple of unruly turkeys and one suspicious cat, but all of them kept their distance when they saw Tabs.

[Continue reading…]

There are 10 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Tabs

Saturday Surfing, April 21st, 2018

April 21st, 2018 by Karen 12 Comments

saturday surfing tabs escaping front yard
Saturday is Caturday, after all.

I was really hoping to serve some face this morning and show the world a girl who made the effort to get up 30 minutes earlier than usual (for a Saturday) to finish her run before 9…but that girl’s cat figured out how to open the front door this week…

tabs peace out
“Bye, Felicia!”

I have no idea how he’s doing it because — bless his heart — Tabs is not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. But somehow he’s opening a closed door!

I dunno… Maybe he’s been saving up all of his kitty brain power for this one historic moment in time. Who knows?

If only I were able harness that same kind of laser-like focus in my life, haha! GO, TABS.

Nevertheless, I still got up early because I’ve been thinking about a concept I saw in a TED Talk recently. Basically, it was about getting out of your own way (linked it down below), and it touched on a concept in chemistry called activation energy, which is the minimum quantity of energy that something must possess in order to undergo a specified reaction.

Anyway, listen to the talk. It’s great, but quick summary: if you want to accomplish something, like if you want to get in shape or change careers, first, you have to take that initial step to create a spark of energy and get the ball rolling.

Whatever it is, it’s not going to just accomplish itself.

Darn. 🙂 Because it would be easier for me to lie in bed and look at kitten pictures on Instagram for 45 minutes, which is what I usually do on Saturday mornings, but today I actually got up when the alarm went off.

Maybe Tabs listened to that Ted Talk, too! He was all about the activation energy, LOL!

Speaking of that, one of these stories down below might spark something in you…

  • This is how many professional makeup artists wash the hundreds of brushes they use. It’s probably exactly what you’d think… I mean, it’s brush washing, not rocket science. But I thought it was interesting how so many artists prefer to use solid cleansers for synthetic bristles and liquids for natural bristles. I had no idea! And I didn’t know that so many makeup artists prefer Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Dish Soap. Who knew?

  • Points to this bride for thinking outside the beauty box. Instead of hiring a makeup artist for her wedding in Italy, Laurie Huff, a real estate broker from Jackson, Wyoming, flew out an L.A.-based aesthetician who brought 70 skin care products with her and a bag of “facial tools” so Laurie could walk down the aisle without a stitch of makeup.

    Instead of foundation, there were daily facials, oxygen treatments, collagen, placenta, and antioxidants serums and masks.

  • I see a couple of my go-tos on this list of 13 drugstore beauty products that makeup artists swear by.
  • Expect to see a new makeup line from shoe savant Jimmy Choo in the next few years.

    I wonder if the pieces will be so expensive that I’ll have to take out a second mortgage.

  • DUDE. SERIOUSLY. Don’t ever buy knockoff makeup, ever. I’m sure you already know this, but just in case you need a reminder, a whole bunch of fake makeup was just seized in L.A., and it had animal poop in it.
  • In Brazil, blind women are learning the art of makeup application to boost their self-esteem.
  • As if I needed another reason to lurk at Target, they’re getting a whole slew of new makeup brands for ladies and gents with darker skin tones pretty soon!
  • Ever wonder what makes gel manis or chrome nails look and work the way they do? My favorite read of the week is this piece on the chemistry behind gel manicures, chrome nails and the latest nail art trends. Polymer snippets and free radical reactions are music ? to my ears.
  • I wanna try this indie nail polish line because of the cute bottles. Is that so wrong?
  • Can this robot build an IKEA chair faster than you? In my case, yes it can.

Here’s that TED Talk…


One of my favorite things in this talk for me was the part about throwing the covers off yourself when you wake up and getting out of bed immediately. It sounds silly, but dagnabbit, it sets a great tone and helps me GET STUFF DONE.


I watched a Netflix documentary on pastry chef Christina Tosi this week, and now I wanna make “Crack Pie.”


My current superhero theme…


AWWW! Adorable newborns getting massaged and pampered…


This 28-minute HIIT workout is NO JOKE.

Feeling a little inspired? I hope you do. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend, babe.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

What Are Your Go-To Face/Base Makeup Products Now?

April 20th, 2018 by Karen 35 Comments

mac 190 foundation brush
Let us paint…

Tell me everything! And please also mention your skin type and skin shade.

I’m partially writing this post because I’m trying to talk myself out of ALL. THE. FOUNDATIONS. on my Sephora VIB sale wish list right now. Overall, though, I’m happy with my current base makeup sitch, but you know how it is when you’re a makeup junkie… I’m always hoping to find something new to love right around the corner.

I’m also partially writing this post because I’m hella nosy, haha. 🙂 And this is the closest I can get to actually peeking inside your makeup bag. #truth

Here are my current go-to face/base makeup products. I have combo skin, and my shade in MAC-speak is NC42.

Foundation

  • MAC Face & Body in C4 and C5 (I mix the two)
  • NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz and Cuba (mixed)
  • MAC Studio Fix Fluid (NC42; I usually mix this with a few drops of MAC Strobe Cream)
  • Neutrogena Hydro Boost (super sheer coverage; I wear Honey 85)
  • Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick (Beige)

Concealer

[Continue reading…]

There are 35 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup

7 Messages Written in Lipstick I’d Leave for a Stranger on a Bathroom Mirror

April 19th, 2018 by Karen 24 Comments

thank you for your bootyshake
Because somebody had to say it.
  1. Thank you for your ? bootyshake
  2. Call mom. She misses you.
  3. Tight jeans are bullsh*t
  4. You survived puberty — you can tackle ANYTHING.
  5. Dump his (or her) a$$. *You deserve better.
  6. Beautiful girl, you’re so brave!
  7. The fourth cat is the gateway ? cat
tight jeans are bullshit
You know it’s true. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

An Eye for Color

April 18th, 2018 by Karen 26 Comments

connor hello kitty backpack 2

I let her pick out her outfit today, and this is what she came up with. The bows, the Hello Kitty backpack, the flower-print hoodie — everything, all her.

connor hello kitty backpack 2

connor hello kitty backpack

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 26 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

10 Things About Makeup and Beauty That Make You Go Hmmm…

April 18th, 2018 by Karen 41 Comments

 things that make you go hmmm
Deep thoughts?!

  1. How did baby poop-colored nail polish 1) come to be so frighteningly accurate, and 2) so coveted by the masses?
  2. Why are dudes who have no clue/don’t care always blessed with the longest, curliest, lushest eyelashes?
  3. Why do tweens with porcelain skin and no dark circles wear enough foundation to cover a rump roast and go to Target in full-beat glam?
  4. Why are Instagram brow tails SO sharp?
  5. Why do I remember to bring that 14th tube of pinkish nude lipstick but forget my phone at home?
  6. Why do I feel the need to keep three sticks of half-used MAC Teddy Eye Kohl in my makeup bag?
  7. Why does one feel compelled to buy — not one, not two — but FIVE (*rolls eyes*) ? different bougie foundations/face tints at the Sephora VIB sale, even though one knows they will just end up wearing MAC Face & Body half the time anyway?
  8. Why do the makeup powers that be do lame sh*t like discontinue the world’s best brown pencil liner (I’m talking to you, person who took MAC Coffee away from me!)?
  9. Has the “influencer”/brand collaboration trend hit its peak?
  10. Is there anything out there like liquid SPANX for under-eye bags, and if there is, where can I get it, and do they ship overnight?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day, babe! ?

There are 41 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup

Sephora VIB Recommendations: It’s Time!

April 16th, 2018 by Karen 34 Comments

Good luck to you (and good luck to me) exercising self-restraint at the Sephora VIB sale, which we’re in the midst of now. If you’re in the mood to treat yo’self, here are some skin care, makeup and hair products I love and can wholeheartedly recommend.

  • Sephora’s Spring Bonus sale starts on April 13 for members of its Beauty Insider rewards program.
  • VIB Rouge members will get 15% off their entire purchase on April 13 – April 16 and April 20 – April 23.
  • VIB members will get 15% off on April 20 – April 23, when Insiders will get 10% as well.
  • Gift sets are a great way to get the most bang for your buck during the sale, since they are already good value before they are discounted.
  • Customers are limited to one Dyson product and three Drunk Elephant products per purchase; products from the online-exclusive brand The Ordinary are not available as part of the sale.

Skin care

  • Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes & Lips — takes E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G off
  • Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion — LOVE ? OF MY LIFE
  • Caudalie Vine Body Butter and Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream — for the driest of the dry skinned
  • AMOREPACIFIC Treatment Enzyme Peel — helped clear up a bad breakout a few years back
  • All the stuff from Clarins that I love — the Toning Lotion with Chamomile, Cleansing Milk with Alpine Herbs, Instant Eye Makeup Remover and Tonic Body Treatment Oil
Just in time for the VIB sale

Makeup

  • Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara — I’ve been wearing this off and on for six years (!) and still love it for the length, separation and curl
  • Awesome neutral palettes — Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette and Viseart Neutral Palette
  • Hourglass Arch Brow — all that and a bag of salt and vinegar chips!
  • Hourglass Brilliant Nude Blush — natural-looking cheeks
  • Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer — fantastic for covering dark circles and skin imperfections, and the coverage looks legit natural
  • Make Up For Ever Mist + Fix — an underrated, IMO, and awesome setting spray
  • NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder –set the MUFE concealer with this
  • Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Color Paint Shadow in L-54 — gorgeous on its own for 10-minute makeup, but it also layers really well with Tartelette In Bloom and the Viseart Neutral Palette
  • Sephora Collection Colorful Shadow & Liner in Violet — an unsung hero of the purple liner world
  • NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base — best of the best!
  • Liquid liner loves — Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen and Clinique Pretty Easy Pen

[Continue reading…]

There are 34 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup, Sephora

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 230
  • Go to page 231
  • Go to page 232
  • Go to page 233
  • Go to page 234
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 651
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

Recent Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 878

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 894

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 892

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 891

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 771

Lady Unicorn

Weird Things I Like to Do

brows fill out beforehand

Before You Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

current bare skin status

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.