Just For Fun

Another day, another Trader Joe’s shout-out.

What-what!

Whatever, dude. I’m there a lot… What can I say?

Aren’t these petite pumpkins cuuuute? My first thought was, “Can I eat these bad boys??” But I don’t think so. I think they’re just for display.

My second thought was, “Ooh! Good colors for a makeup look.” 🙂 Maybe a creamy, satiny reddish orange lip with thick winged liner in a blackened greenish brown with a hint of greenish gold. Or maybe an ombre liner that goes from greenish gold in the inner corner to blackened greenish brown toward the outer wing?

And what about the cheeks? Maybe an orange blush? But that might be orange overkill… I don’t know. I’d have to see the lips and liner first.

Hmm, giving myself ideas…

The light orange on the left isn’t rich enough, obvs, but I could probably figure out a way to work it in. Maybe as a cream blush?

What do you think I should do for the lips? MAC Chili? Tom Ford Flame, Cristiano, Wild Ginger? NARS Lana?

While you ponder that, here are some of the beauty stories that got me thinkin’ this week.

• My favorite part of this story about cult face cream La Mer is when Max Huber, the guy who invented it, puts the cream in his eye.

  Not on his eyelid, but, like IN HIS EYE.

• Stock photography supplier Getty Images bans pictures that have been Photoshopped to make the models look thinner or better endowed, but really, they only go halfway, because they *still* accept pics with digital changes to hair color, skin (like with blemishes and wrinkles removed) and facial shape (like nose slimming, for example).
• How to decode a beauty/skin care product label
• I was moved by this blog post on change and have been thinking about this quote all week long: “The change today means a goodbye, but it also means a hello…”
• The global skin-lightening biz is booming…and that bums me out, man.
• What does hypoallergenic really mean?
• More evidence that Estée Lauder is basically running sh*t in the cosmetics industry: shares of the company have surged 27.4% in the last six months.
• This article is kinda dry and technical, but I think it’s well worth a read for the info on the Personal Care Products Safety Act and the Cosmetic Modernization Amendments of 2017, which could impact beauty product safety in the United States.
• The tech that went into the NYX app.
• A mom uses her kids as lookouts while she steals makeup…
• Wise words from Rose-Marie Swift, the founder of RMS Beauty: “My one advice is to not live in your ego. When you think you know everything you already have lost. I have been in the industry for over 30 some years if not more and I still am learning things every day. Never close off your thinking to new ideas, techniques and opportunities that may be given to you.”

OK, who’s ready to go to Starbucks with me? 🙂

I can also swing by Peet’s too. But I refuse to go to Blue Bottle. It’s so good, but the one time I went, I was up for three days.

Have a great weekend, my friend. Try to get in some rest if you can.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Introducing the new Karen Especial Taco Ensalada! — now with more homemade!

Ish. Homemade-ish. 😉

Who doesn’t like the taste of a good homemade dish? I love homemade, but I don’t necessarily always love to make it.

Sorry! It’s true though… I got a kid, I’m 42, and I’m tired.

Well, even before I had the kid I was tired, but one thing I do like to do and always have is take something pre-made, especially something from Trader Joe’s, and put my own homemade, fine-tuning spin on it. I like making pre-made meals taste the way I want them to, and it’s kinda fun to make something your own.

I got the idea for this DELISH salad from an Instagram post by vlogger Stephanie Nicole. She posted a taco salad, and the picture made me weak in the knees. I wanted that salad immediately, but I didn’t wanna do a bunch of chopping…

So it was time to hack that ish!

It all starts with a Trader Joe’s Southwest Salad. Then I make my own dressing (I also got the recipe from Stephanie Nicole), add some extra flair, mix it all up, and devour.

I’ve had it for lunch twice this week. I would say that it serves two…but, you know, I can happily eat all of it by myself. 🙂

If this sounds intriguingly delicious to you, here’s what you do!

First, open the Trader Joe’s Southwest Salad. There’s a whole bunch of tasty treats in it, like diced peppers, cheese and whatnot… I usually toss the sliced onion, though, because I’m not a fan of raw onions in my salad.

I usually also ditch the dressing that comes with it, because it’s not my fave, and I like to make my own.

Then, plop the salad into a big bowl.

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Normally the skull decoration thing isn’t my cup of tea. I dunno…. The eye sockets freak me out, but I saw these Dia de los Muertos-themed planters at Trader Joe’s yesterday and thought they looked kinda cute with their succulent hair…

Get it? Succulents??

Anyway, they’re $9.99 each.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

This is partially a reminder for you, but mostly a reminder for me, that sometimes — my goodness — you gotta press pause, because rest is so vital!

I know I’ve said this before, so I’m momentarily reverting to Karen’s Broken Record Mode, but I’m always forgetting these important things, ya know? Something erases important life lessons from my mind, but then I remember them — like how important it is to reserve blocks of time for yourself to recharge your body, your spirit and your mind.

Especially when you know you’re going to have a hard week, or if you have a lot of deadlines coming up, sneak in some time to rest when you can, or to do a little something that rejuvenates you, even if it’s just to make a plan to do something relaxing a week from now.

Yes, I know it’s easier said than done, but life is short. You deserve to enjoy it.

Like on Sunday, El Hub and I took the baby out for a long walk (we got lost). When we got home, I was dog tired, but I unconsciously started being productive again as soon as the door closed. Then El Hub stopped me and said, “Why don’t you just take some time to lay on the couch and watch Amelie? Maybe go get a frozen yogurt and take a nap.”

For some reason, that sounded really, really great. So I did it. I went to the fro-yo shop, got my favorite flavor (taro), put a boat load of berries on top and came home.

Classic!

El Hub took over baby duty for a few hours, and I just chilled and watched Amelie, ate my frozen yogurt and fell asleep on the couch during the part when Amelie’s love interest realizes that the guy who takes pictures of himself at all of the train station photo booths is the repair guy and not someone lost in an existential crisis.

I felt like a completely new person afterward, so yeah, in case no one has reminded you lately, try to schedule some time to rest soon. It’ll do your spirit a world of good.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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. Do you like trying new skin care products, or do you tend to stick to the same routine?

You know, it really depends on how my skin is doing. If I’m breaking out like I was last month — shout-out to Julian the pimple! — then I’ll go back to the routine that I know works to clear up my skin, and I’ll religiously stick to it. But when my skin is pretty clear and well behaved, you might think I’d stick to whatever it is I’m using, but no, I still get the itch to try new things, because I looooove trying new skin care.

It just really depends on how fussy my skin’s acting at any given time.

2. When was the last time you had a cat on you?

Girl. When do I not have a cat on me? Or, for that matter, when do I not have a little animal clinging to me in some form or fashion? There’s always a little animal on my lap, on my hip… That’s just where I am in life right now, LOL!

By the way, when Tabs was on me a little while ago, he was on my head, FYI. Picture that for a second.

3. Carrots or cucumbers?

Uh…pizza?!

But seriously, I guess I’ll go with carrots, because when you eat them with peanut butter, it’s a revelation. Try it sometime. Your mind will be SO blown.

4. How are you with keeping plants alive?

Depends on the plant! I’m pretty good if the plants are anything other than orchids and cacti, which is weird because they’re supposed to be some of the most low-maintenance plants around. Don’t ask me why I can’t keep them alive…

Everything else, though, I’m cool with!

5. Does it feel like fall right now where you live?

Yes, it does! It’s getting colder at night, and there’s a chill in the air in the mornings. The oak trees are also starting to drop their leaves.

I overheard some ladies at baby story time last week say that it’s supposed to get hot again this week, which I’m NOT looking forward to, but we’ll see.

I’m so over the heat, though… Gimme boots and scarves.

Have a good one, my friend. 🙂 Happy Monday, and have a wonderful week.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I really freaking love doing skin.

Is that boring?

It might be, but it’s true. I think my greatest makeup/beauty passions right now are foundation and concealer, which I’ve gotten VERY passionate about, and it’s mostly gotten to this point over the past two years, because for the longest time, foundation was more like an afterthought for me. Just something I did after doing the real work on my eyes, cheeks and lips, a.k.a. the color.

Now I’m obsessed with finding ALL. THE. WAYS. to get perfect-looking skin that don’t involve using 300 pounds of makeup.

It’s challenging, dude!

Maybe it happened after I had Connor at 41, but I swear to gawd, that first year of mom life was like a dog year. It felt like seven years passing over the course of 12 months. I’m not kidding!

But yeah, I’m really, REALLY passionate about foundation now, and this realization occurred to me the other day after someone asked me what my favorite foundation is, and I couldn’t give a one-word answer. Clackin’ away at the keyboard, I kept thinking, “I could talk about this for weeks.”

I want to learn everything there is to know about foundation. Like, if I had unlimited resources ($), girl, you know what I’d do? I’d review every single foundation in the world just to be able to try them. Then I’d arrange for personal makeup lessons with Sir John, Charlotte Tilbury and Pat McGrath. I think that would be so much fun!

Or am I just crazy? Does anyone else think that would be awesome?

Stew on that for a second, and if you have a moment between sips of coffee that I hope is hot and delicious, here are some articles that sparked my interest this week. I hope you find something interesting. 🙂

• After seeing this sweet photo series of things that preschoolers stash in their pockets, I wish I could go back in time and see what I used to keep in mine.
• The designs and creative nail art at Nailympia, one of the most prestigious nail competitions in the world, are BANANAS. It’s regarded as one of the fairest nail competitions because of its strict impartial judging guidelines.
• Tim Gunn (who, in my mind, is my mentor/style godfather) calls out the fashion industry and asks for designers to produce clothes that work for all body shapes and sizes, and not just extremely tall, thin women.
• What 10 people wore to their interviews with Anna Wintour (P.S. I would probably wear high-waisted stretch pants)
• Ever wonder why beauty brands do gift-with-purchases, but nobody else really does? Here’s why.
• Affordable drugstore skin care brand Simple has new hydrating cleansers for super dry skin.
• The story of Patrick Ta is what happens when It Girls discover you on Instagram and blow up your makeup career.
• A dad built an OTT two-story playhouse for his kid in the backyard, and all I have to say is, “Can I move in already?” That thing looks like a mini-mansion!
• Revlon has a funky new hair dryer that looks like something from The Fifth Element.
• A definitive timeline of Donatella Versace’s beauty evolution
• Allegedly, this is the work bag professional women everywhere have been looking for.
• Get to know one of West Africa’s most daring designers, Amaka Osakwe.

A post shared by Sephora (@sephora) on Sep 22, 2017 at 7:31am PDT

The Fenty Beauty Holiday (via Sephora’s Instagram) looks BOSS.

Sam Fine is a legend in the makeup world.

I’m headed out! Going to the East Bay to visit my family and some friends I haven’t seen in a while. Have a great rest of your day and a wonderful weekend. 🙂 Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. Nobody rocks bold lips to baby story time.

And all I have to say to that is WHY?! There’s a severe lack of bright red lips and hot pink lips on display at baby story time at the library, which bums me out, because moms needs a little fun sometimes (yes, I’m always checking out everyone’s makeup, even at baby story time).

Two weeks ago, one gal wore a medium pink gloss, and I wanted to high-five her!

I’m thinking about going with deep green lips next time, just to keep things interesting.

2. Speaking of lips, Urban Decay Rehab Makeup Prep lip balm is really, REALLY good.

It tastes and smells like coconut, fits in the pocket of my Kate Spade wristlet (which is basically a massive wallet with a strap), is hella moisturizing, and my hair doesn’t get stuck in it.

That’s a lot of good all around for $15 at UD counters.

3. There isn’t a single clean eye brush anywhere in this house at the moment.

Not one. I haven’t washed my eye brushes in WEEKS, and I don’t have a good reason. I’ve just been been putting it off, but I used the last clean one this morning (a flat shadow brush from NARS), so sh*t just got real.

In my defense, waiting as long as I have has forced me to get creative with my blending and to use my fingers more often.

As the saying goes, laziness is the mother of invention. 🙂

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