Just For Fun

Merry Christmas, sweet friend. Come here and let me give you a hug…

I’m a hugger! You’re just gonna have to put up with it.

Ah… There we go. Merry ?? Christmas.

As I fell asleep last night (very, very late last night, so my under-eye circles are raging), I thought back to when I was a kid, and it was all about tearing into my presents and finding out what Santa brought me.

I remember a few times when my brother and I were still really little — before we were doing the stay-up-all-night thing, which we did later because my family celebrates on Christmas Eve — my mom tucking me into my bed, and then me listening for reindeer hooves on the roof, because I couldn’t wait for Santa to come.

Those were the kinds of things that made Christmastime then — presents and Santa — but it’s so different now. I mean, yeah, I still love seeing someone’s face light up when they open up a gift, but now the things that make me the happiest on Christmas are the time with friends and family and just feeling whole. Knowing that I can talk to the people who aren’t nearby and tell them that I love them, even though we aren’t physically in the same place, but I can still feel their spirit and their love. That fills me up and makes me feel like I’m tucked underneath the snuggliest blanket, safe and secure.

I know that everyone doesn’t have that feeling of whole-ness on Christmas, though, and if you don’t, please accept this token of virtual love from a stranger and her family. We may not be in the same room right now, but I just want you to know that part of that feeling of wholeness is you and I chatting here now.

Oh, my gosh, am I really getting teary right now…?

Wow, you know…we’ve been doing this for going on eleven years now, following each other’s exploits, challenges, changes and accomplishments, chatting about things on this blog. I feel like we’re part of the same tribe, and it’s better than eggnog and ginger snaps and candy canes combined. It’s the best thing to know you’re among people who care about you, and you will always have a friend in me and Tabs. And Connor, of course, although she was a later addition. And El Hub, even though he never says hi, but he’s also here.

Not just today, but every day, you’ve got a friend.

Sending you so much love.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Merry ??? Christmas Eve’s ??? eve. Two more sleeps till the big day. Well…one more sleep for me and my fam, because we celebrate on the 24th. We stay up till midnight, eat, hang out, open presents, then pass out around one or two, although last year I passed out at like 10:30, LOL! That may happen again, too. We’ll see.

Pretty soon we’re hitting the road and driving up to the colder clime of Redding, which is just south of the Oregon border, where some of El Hub’s side of the family lives. I’ve already double and triple checked my bag to make sure I packed my trusty Nuxe Rêve de Miel and Urban Decay lip balms (gotta roll with a backup in case one gets lost) and more than enough body lotion — the two big L’s, lip balm and lotion — because Redding, while beautiful with its lakes and breathtaking views of snow-capped Mt. Shasta in the distance, is SO DRY AND COLD NOW. My face hurts just thinking about it, so I’ll have thick layers of the two big L’s on my person at any given time.

Tabs’s favorite pet sitter will be over shortly, and I’ve heard rumors that Tabs plans to take over my side of the bed and claw my silk pillowcase while I’m gone… This could be purely conjecture, but it DOES sound like something he’d do ’cause sometimes he’s petty like that, even during the holidays! I’m not a fan when his Devil Wears Prada side comes out, but what are you gonna do?

Oh, I actually finished gift wrapping last night, which is good for me because I’m usually pushing it all the way down to the wire, literally taping up gifts just before midnight, so that’s an accomplishment. 🙂 Baby steps, right?

Saturday Surfing: some things that caught my eye this week

• The avid hand-washing enthusiast in me wonders if she should quit using antibacterial soap?
• You’re going to want to “glow for it” when you see Lancôme’s latest highlighting palette.
• When you want ALL THE ONE-SWIPE CREAM SHADOWS…
• Um…is anybody else counting down the seconds until all the holiday gift sets go on sale after Christmas? Because these ones from Caudalie and L’Occitane look divine!
• Which of these cult beauty products are worth the hype?
• Did you know that igari is a blush style where concentrated bright color is placed high on the cheekbones?
• Is that faux fur on your Jenny-from-the-block coat (shout-out to 2002) actually faux fake fur?
• Tasty-looking lipsticks from the Sephora collection line (there’s one called Brunch Date, how cute!)
• NYX has a new line of click matte lipsticks.
• …And so does Laura Mercier!
• Makeup for easy, sparkly holiday looks
• Robin Fenty’s (you might know her as Rihanna) new line of lipsticks includes a shade called PMS, which I’m obviously going to need in my life ASAP.
• Back in the day, getting dressed in the morning was dangerous, according to this history of women who burned to death in flammable dresses.

How’s your holiday weekend coming? Do you celebrate Christmas? If you do, does your family do it on Christmas Eve, or the day of? If you don’t celebrate Christmas, have a wonderful weekend too. I’d love to hear what you’re doing. Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

More and more eye palettes have taken the turn into Crazy Expensive Land lately. I remember back in the kinder, gentler times when an $85 Tom Ford quad would make my eyes bug out like a cartoon Karen, but now when I’m at Sephora or browsing their website, I see eyeshadow palettes by Natasha Denona for $129, $169 and $239, and her line isn’t the only one with a pricey premium. There’s also a 10-pan eyeshadow palette from Pat McGrath Labs that’s $125, among others that are getting up there in price.

I love high-end makeup as much as the next Chanel/Tom Ford/Hourglass enthusiast, but there HAS to be an upper limit, especially for a pre-populated palette with at least one or two colors I’ll never use (because #truth).

My upper limit is $100, and that’s just to even consider it. I might go as high as $125 if I have complete control over all of the colors, I love the finishes and formulas, and the palette has at least 12 shades.

What about you? Do you have an upper limit when it comes to eye palettes? How much is too much for a palette?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Ah… My hands smell like Christmas.

I love the Method hand soaps at Target. They get the gunk off my hands but don’t dry out my skin, and I wash my hands — seriously, I’m not kidding — maybe 20 times a day.

Anyway, I found this LE holiday “flavor” at Target called Frosted Fir that smells exactly like a ? Christmas tree. If you’re at Tar-ghay running last-minute holiday errands and you see this on the shelf, grab it, sniff it. It’ll be like you’re walking through a pine forest.

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 putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past 10 (!) years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. Have you ever cut your hair because of a boy?

I hate to admit this, but yeah, I have. Multiple times, too, which makes me even more angry, LOL.

One time was after getting over someone. I chopped off my hair (it was this whole symbolic thing).

So young, so silly.

And this other time was when someone I dated very briefly said that he liked it when girls have shorter hair, so I chopped mine into a bob and instantly regretted it.

Needless to say…the relationship didn’t last.

2. Fluffy pillows or flat pillows?

Flat pillows all the way. The fluffy ones hurt my neck.

3. Have you ever tooted in public?

Yeah, but I’m not gonna tell you where and when it happened! I’ll leave that to the universe’s knowledge, but let me tell you this: it’s happened multiple times, and a few of them may have been stinky. 🙂

4. Have you ever taken off your bra in the middle of a workday?

It would be a very Karen answer to say yes…and I’m gonna say yes because I have done it, but it’s not like I let them flap around in the wind or anything. I was wearing an uncomfortable bra one day, and it just got to the point where I could feel the wires poking me, so I took my gym bag into the ladies room and swapped my bra for my sports bra.

5. Do you trim your eyelashes?

Hell no, girl. I need all the help I can get.

I’ve heard of people who do this, and it’s fascinating. Like, your lashes are so long that you need to trim them? Lucky! That’s crazy to me.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy and paste:

1. Have you ever cut your hair because of a boy?
2. Fluffy pillows or flat pillows?
3. Have you ever tooted in public?
4. Have you ever taken off your bra in the middle of a workday?
5. Do you trim your eyelashes?

Happy Saturday, my friend. I’ve got glitter on my lids, a big box of Costco ? croissants in my arms, and one foot out the door because I’m on my way to a holiday party mixer with the mom’s club I joined in my town.

I’ve been to a few of the events before, but I haven’t really connected with anyone yet. But I’m going to keep trying and trying until I find my peeps. It hasn’t happened yet, but I hope it happens soon. I’m hoping that the glitter is a good conversation starter (it usually is).

Connor’s ? coming with me this time (sorry, Tabs), and I think she may have asked to wear some ? lipstick (it sounded a little bit like, “Madda-madda-madda-madda-mama?” LOL!).

Sorry, kid, you’ll have to wait a few years for that.

Although speaking of beauty…here are the stories that caught my eye this week (some makeup and some not).

• Dior’s Precious Rocks holiday collection…rocks!
• Because it’s knot an easy problem to solve: why your Christmas tree lights are always getting tangled (according to science).
• Dear, Beyoncé ? and Jay-Z. I’m still waiting on my invitation to visit your Bel Air ?️ mansion in Southern California, which looks amaze-balls, by the way.
• OH, EM GEE. I missed this online pop-up store with Prince ? tees! All of them are sold out (boo). Yes, I’m bitter.
• Lots of warm reds and browns in the toasty holiday Lustrous Shadow Palette by Make Up For Ever.
• In case you were wondering what this whole net neutrality hullabaloo is about.
• Moisturizing, mega-rich skin balms for dry-skinned ladies (and gents).
• YSL, Burberry, Dior — luxury makeup lines fight for relevance in today’s social-media age.
• The ultra wealthy pay big bucks for Mean Christine’s time. She’s a famous facialist in NYC, and “Mean Christine” is her nickname. REALLY? Because if I’m gonna drop big $$$ on a spa session, I want to be mollycoddled, yo.
• Sephora has a beauty theme ? park in Dubai, and it’s like the Disneyland of makeup. Kind of.
• Problem solving beauty products for fussy hair.
• I need Amethyst Noir from the Essie ?? holiday collection, like, yesterday.
• The best rose gold beauty gifts for the holidays.

Also…

For my MBB fellas (hi, Efrain!), this glowing makeup look by Andrew (love him!) works for men *and* women.

Are you doing any holiday shopping today? What are you up to?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen