Makeup 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
Is it a slicked-back low-pony? A textured dutch braid? Or do you just throw that mane under a hat and call it a day?
My bad hair day hairstyle is a high, messy bun. The messier, the better.
And if I’m feeling fancy…I’ll smooth down the sides with hairspray and a toothbrush.
Your turn! What’s your default bad hair day hairstyle?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Ah, my makeup wish list/lust list is long and seemingly never-ending. Here’s what’s on my list and mind this week…
Exit the Void was the color that officially converted me into a Smith & Cult fan. One coat of that is like three coats of any other nail polish. We’re talking REAL DEAL pigment, and now I want to try Bitter Buddhist and The Bee Side.
I’d start the cream palette with Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Blossoming (because my pan of Sun Touched needs a friend) and the powder palette with Eye Shadow in Magnetic (because I gotta have ALL. THE. BROWNS.).
Get this: they have all of the in-between shades for medium girls. STOKED.
I haven’t purchased any of these yet, but I’d like to. I’m seriously considering one or two of them.
What’s on your lust list now?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’m a firm believer in treating yourself for…pretty much any accomplishment. Making it through another day, finishing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom, taking out the garbage — you name it.
No, seriously! Before last weekend was over, I was feeling the Sunday scaries — you know, that feeling you get you reeeeeeally aren’t ready for the week ahead — so I told myself, while I walked around downtown San Rafael with the coywolf and El Hub did a quick project at work, that I could treat myself to anything under 20 bucks.
There were quite a few contenders at Ulta and Copperfields Books…
Today was the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere — the first day of spring — and all I can say about that is WE MADE IT! 🙂
For a second there, it really seemed like this winter was never going to end, like it was the Energizer ? bunny of winters, and was going to keep going, and going and going…
I mean, it rained here again today…but at least the calendar proves that it’s still officially spring! It is!
If it’s currently cold and/or dreary on your end of the keyboard, here are some spring vibes. *sending you spring vibes via the Interwebs* ???? I hope that these 17 spring inspirations help your brain shift gears.
Hang in there, friend. Better weather awaits! ?
You guys, not only is this Christian Lacroix Papier (which is fancy lingo for “paper”) Notebook beyond beautiful (check out the psychedelic hydrangea action on the cover), but it comes with a pair of butterfly-shaped 3D glasses inside…WHICH TAKE YOU TO THE THIRD DIMENSION!
How could anyone say no to that?
I love this style of artwork. It’s just so cheery! It kinda reminds me of Matisse.
Can you find all of the animals ???? posing for March?
I want to live a more colorful life this spring.
Oh, look! — appropriately named colorful pencils. 🙂
Speaking of living a more colorful life, here are 18 cleverly packaged crayons!
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. ?
Damn my alarm to hell and stay in bed for 10 more minutes, LOL! I really, REALLY didn’t want to get out of my comfy bed this morning, but c’est la vie. I had to.
I set my alarm for 5:30 during the week, and sometimes it’s hard to get ye olde booty out of bed. The baby’s been waking up in the middle of the night lately. Sometimes she screams and then cries herself back to sleep (I think she has very vivid dreams). Other nights she’ll just be up talking happily to herself for hours in the dark.
If she’s upset and can’t soothe herself, I’ll rub her back for a few minutes and give give her her binky, and that usually works.
She got up a few times last night, so I’m kinda tired today.
It doesn’t really bother me though. Everything’s temporary, and someday I’m sure I’ll look back and really miss this time.
I’m pretty sure I’ve asked this question before, so if I have, sorry! It just occurred to me again. 🙂
My answer has gotta be my brother. We have a very similarly weird sense of humor, and I always know that if I throw a random observation or joke his way, he’ll totally get it. Always does.
El Hub always gets my jokes, too, as do my friends Jen and Cindy.
I like to think that Tabs gets my jokes, too, but he’s gotten much more official and serious in his senior tabby years.
Oh, boy, I have so many to choose from if you put any stock in beauty magazines and big Instagram beauty accounts. Seriously, how dare a woman have pores?! It’s like they aren’t allowed.
I actually love that my right eye is slightly bigger than my left eye. Most people can’t tell, but I can, especially when I take pics directly facing the camera, which is why you’ll see me taking pics at an angle a lot.
It makes doing symmetrical eye makeup more of a challenge, for sure, and I don’t mind a challenge. Plus, it makes me different.
And another reason I love it is because Connor Claire has it too. It’s genetics at work.
It was more noticeable when Connor was a teeny, tiny baby than it is now, but her left eye is slightly smaller than her right. She gets that from her mama. 🙂
Girl, the moves would be questionable. They’d all be from 1992-2002 and not executed very well at all, but I think I’d score extra points in the sass department.
Seriously, I would bring it in a dance battle. Watch out! Karen’s comin’ for you full force!
Everyone probably has a different answer for this, but makeup matters to me because it cheers me up, makes me feel better about myself and reminds me of good times. I think that anything that can make somebody feel better about themselves, no matter how frivolous it is, whether it’s putting on lipstick or a coat of mascara, is a potentially good thing, because positive energy like that can transfer to the people around us and infuse the work we do and the way we interact with each other. When I feel put together, it definitely changes the running dialogue in my head.
So even though lip gloss is a little thing in the bigger picture, it matters because of its power to change your perspective into something more positive.
The coffee is slowly but surely kicking in, AH! It’s taking longer than usual today…but I have faith that it’ll work. T-minus 10 minutes to full consciousness!
Hi there, friend. Happy Monday. 🙂 I’m sitting here with a fresh coat of a new shade by Smith & Cult on my nails called Exit the Void. I like.
I hope you have a wonderful week filled with encouragement and accomplishment. I also hope that your nails remain shiny and un-chipped.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are this week’s questions to copy and paste:
1. The first thing I did after I woke up this morning was…
2. Someone in your life who always laughs at your jokes?
3. Do you have any “imperfections” (quote, unquote) that you love?
4. If you were to battle it out on the dance floor like in those cheesy dance movies like Step Up and Honey, how do you think you’d do?
5. Why does makeup matter?
6. Three things that make you happy?
We’re gonna start a family game night, and because our family includes Tabs, we got a kitty-themed card game. It’s great! It’s called Rat-A-Tat-Cat, and it’s only $8.75 at Amazon.
So far the only real players are me and El Hub, because Tabs is more into coveting the cards than playing with them. Plus, I know that he counts cards… You can’t trust him. He’s famous for cheating and will do anything to win.
And Connor is still too young, although she does enjoy holding and waving the cards around.
The game is a lot of fun (it gets excellent reviews too) and a great deal for the price, but I have to admit that it’s a tad more complicated than I expected. But I guess if 6-year-olds are supposed to be able to figure it out, I should too, right?
I hope.
Honestly, though, I’m terrible at card games.
Good morning, glory! 🙂 I saw two signs of spring yesterday. First, my neighbor’s freesia started blooming.
Every year I tell myself, “Self, remember to plant freesia in time to have them for spring,” and every year I forget.
Gosh, they smell so good. I wish there was a way to send scratch and sniff to you through the computer, because there’s nothing in the world like fresh freesia.
The second sign was the state of my favorite tree in the neighborhood (everyone should have a favorite tree). It’s a cherry blossom tree, and it’s just on the cusp of full-on blooming. It’ll be covered in white flowers within a week.
Unfortunately, my allergies will probably also be a hot mess starting very soon, but I don’t care. Spring is here!
Right now I’m off to the salon to get my root situation worked out, but before I go, here are some things that caught my eye this week…
The science behind face oils
Brows 101 with Rae (I’ve met her in real life, and she’s a doll!)
A flawless-at-40 makeup tutorial by Jordan Liberty, one of my favorite artists on YouTube
Enjoy the rest of your day, my sweet. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
To the marvelous mastermind who thought up this print of plentiful pineapples with neon pink tops…HOW DID YOU GET IN MY MIND?!
There are so many cute printed cosmetic bags at Target right now! If ya don’t know, now ya know.
The pretty pineapple print, by the way, also comes in a makeup organizing tray.
So cute, right?! I came this close to picking it up, but it’s fabric, and I think it might be hard to clean, and I’ll probably need to clean it if I store makeup in it.
I dunno… I still might go back and get it if I’m still lusting after it in a few days. Maybe I can use it to store perfume.
Anywho! Like I was saying, lots of cute prints, and for a second there I thought I was kickin’ it at Kate Spade, like with these zebra print bags. I can totally picture these on a Kate Spade makeup bag or tote.
