Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 442

September 26th, 2016 by Karen 28 Comments

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 NINE (!) 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. 🙂

Lists within a list! Thought we’d try something a little different today…

List three pieces of makeup you used this morning

Urban Decay Naked Skin One and Done (no, seriously — SO obsessed)
MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colourstick in Tabby (um…best name EVER)
It Cosmetics Tightline Mascara (LOVE it for lower lashes)

List three things you’d do if you had three full days to yourself in Paris

Eat ALL OF THE CARBS with reckless abandon (and then burn them off walking all over the city)
I’d also wake up early to get a jump on my day wandering through shops and neighborhoods with my camera and my curiosity. 🙂
Buy a perfume (one I couldn’t by in the U.S.) to remind myself of the trip

Speaking of perfumes…list three perfumes that you currently wear (or wore at one time)

YSL Yves Saint Laurent Paris — My first “grownup” perfume. I wore it all through my senior year in high school.
Byredo Gypsy Water — Current go-to favorite for the last couple years
Clinique Happy — This one reminds me of my first job out of college tutoring 5-12 year olds in math and reading.

Three things that drive you absolutely nuts

By no means am I a grammar guru, because I know I make mistakes ALL THE TIME, but when I go on social media and see people who seemingly don’t care that there’s a difference between which/witch (OMG!), they’re/their and you’re/your, I want to bite down on my fist.
Grown-@ss adults who cut in line. Like, really?
Core exercises…but that’s mostly because I have no core muscles, LOL!

Three small joys for which you’re grateful

Moisturizer — My skin is hella dry, yo!
Water bottles — Otherwise, I’d just be walking around thirsty all day long.
This song by Charli XCX, which is currently stuck in my head…

Good morning, sunshine! Here, I brought you a treat, ’cause it’s Monday, and Mondays are good days for treats. *hands you a chocolate croissant* How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?

I stuck close to home because after the trip to Tahoe last week, I wanted to just chill in my cave in my PJs.

Isn’t that funny about vacation? When you get back from a trip, all you want to do is relax and recover from the trip? (I’ve found that this is doubly true when you travel with a baby.)

It’s gonna be a hot one here today, so I’m trying to get as much done as I can done before noon.

Here’s a funny thing about living in the Bay Area: It usually gets really, really hot here in early fall. Today is supposed to be one of the hottest days of the year (100 degrees, OMG!), and we don’t have air conditioning, so if you need me…I’ll be sitting a foot away from a very large fan with a Starbucks Pink Drink in my hand.

Have a good one, my friend. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 416

September 25th, 2016 by Karen 17 Comments

Patience is not now, nor has it ever been, one of Tabs’ virtues. Now that he’s a senior tabby, when he wants to go outside he practically kitty hugs my legs and “tug boats” me all the way to the door.

It usually starts with him staring at me like this for a while…

Then he’ll stand in front of the sliding glass door to the deck or the front door (sometimes carrying his cat harness in his mouth!) and meow.

And meow.

Until I eventually take him outside.

I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but lately it seems like he’s been more reflective and thoughtful…

I wonder what he’d write about if he really worked on his memoirs. I bet he’d write a lot about our old apartment in Mill Valley. That’s when he was an outdoor tabby and spent adventurous nights outside.

I remember so many things from that time, like the night of the big storm… It was pouring rain and the wind was gusting. The news said it was hurricane-caliber.

This was when we knew Tabs from the neighborhood, but he wasn’t officially our cat yet. He would come over sometimes and hang out, and I’d give him chin scritches and tuna, but then he’d meow to go back outside.

On the night of that bad storm, the power went out, and El Hub and I were in our apartment worrying.

The storm just kept getting worse. We tried to go to bed, but the windows were shaking from the wind, and it was too scary and noisy. At one point, El Hub said, “I’m gonna go look for Tabs!” And he jumped up and went outside in the storm.

“Tabs!” I heard him calling over and over. “Tabs! Tabs!” as he walked around the apartment building with a flashlight in the rain.

And then he heard a scared meow.

Tabs had crawled into a tree stump on the side of the building, but he was still soaked, cold and meowing. El Hub said that Tabs’ eyes lit up when he saw him, and he hopped out of the trunk and ran with him all the way to our front door.

That’s just one of many stories from that time. I bet Tabs would spend a lot of pages talking about those days in his memoirs…

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Makeup I Brought With Me to Tahoe (and What I Did and Didn’t End Up Using)

September 24th, 2016 by Karen 16 Comments

HELLO from back in the Bay Area! 🙂 Baby Love, El Hub and I got back yesterday afternoon.

Before heading out I meant to post a list of the products I was bringing with me, but I didn’t have a chance, so here goes now. Tracy, girl! — I know you also asked, so here’s the makeup I brought to Tahoe and also used for the look I’m wearing in the top pic.

Oh, and wouldn’t ya know it? The weather cleared up just as we were getting ready to leave… Don’tcha hate it when that happens?

Drawn to Lipstick Makeup Bag from Connor Claire — Here’s what I brought on the trip (the pink bag is the Drawn to Lipstick Makeup Bag from connorclaire.com)

Products I brought that I actually used on the trip…

Here are the products I actually ended up using, and I’ve listed them in the order they were used in the makeup I’m wearing in that pic at the top.

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Smoothing Primer — On my cheeks, nose and around my mouth and chin
Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector in Medium Dark — Applied all over my face to even out my skin tone (you guys know how much I love this stuff)
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Concealer in R40 — I use this orange-toned concealer as a color-corrector to cancel out the purple under my eyes.
NARS Translucent Crystal Light Reflecting Setting Powder — I use the tiniest bit to set the corrector.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Concealer Y33 — I apply this on top of the corrector as a concealer and to brighten my under-eye area. Then I use NARS Translucent Crystal again to set it.
Hourglass Vanish Foundation in Beige — I apply a tiny bit to my cheeks, nose and around my mouth.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden — To set my face makeup
Benefit Ready Set Brow — Applied to bare brows to wrangle them into place and give my brow powder something to hold onto
MAC The Monster’s Bride Palette — I only used Brun, which I used to fill in the spare spots in my brows with a stiff, flat eyeshadow brush.
NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base — An old fave for priming my lids
MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Stick in Lilacked — This wasn’t in the picture I posted of my Tahoe makeup the other day, but OMG! — SO TOTALLY OBSESSED WITH THIS.
It occurred to me on this trip that I need to give this the Unsung Makeup Heroes treatment ASAP, along with my other favorite colors from the MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Stick line.
MAC Nordstrom Naturals Palette — Using a MAC 217 brush, I mixed Woodwinked and Wedge, and then applied that on top of Lilacked Colour Stick, before applying Carbon with a flat eyeshadow brush along my upper lash line.
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in 929 — THE BEST warm, shimmery brown! The Stylo Yeux pencils are pricey, but they never irritate my eyes and stay put all day long.
Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara — Holds a curl like WHOA
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette — I’m wearing Incandescent Electra blush, which I applied to the apples of my cheeks.
NARS Apoline Lipstick — My neutral pink jam at the moment

Products I brought that I ended up not using…

I’d planned to do some looks with glitter and shiny liquid liner for going out to dinner, but that didn’t happen because of the rain (we didn’t want to deal).

In no particular order…

The MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Sticks in Cinder Black, Tabby, Tea Leaves and Bitter Clove
Benefit High Brow Glow Pencil
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in Eros
Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in Intense Ebony
MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge
Clinique Liquid Eyelining Pen
The Estée Edit The Edgiest Kohl in Iced
Urban Decay Razor Sharp Long-Wear Liquid Eyeliners in Goldrush and Snakebite
Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons in 03 Naturel-Bruenttes
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Constructivist
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Rouge Brule
Hourglass Panoramic Lip Liner in Eden
Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss in Sesso

By the way, random thing, but did you know that most hotels can send a baby crib up to your room if you ask them?!

The things you learn when you’re a first-time mom…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Brrr… It’s Fall in Tahoe

September 23rd, 2016 by Karen 15 Comments

Hmm… Maybe I should’ve brought some mittens. It’s chilly here in Tahoe. Paddle boarding and jet skiing are out.

Even though it’s been rainy and cloudy, the lake is still beautiful.

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Tahoe Fun: The Hunt for Kitty Glitter

September 22nd, 2016 by Karen 23 Comments

It's officially fall in Tahoe — It’s officially fall in Tahoe

Shoot! I still haven’t found Kitty Glitter, my favorite penny slot machine, but I haven’t given up the hunt yet.

We’ve been having a good time here so far. It’s chilly and looks like it’s about to rain, so we’ve been keeping it low key. Here are just some pics from our day so far. I hope you’re having a good one too. Friday’s right around the corner.

Hanging out at Heavenly Village. It's been a little chilly... — Hanging out at Heavenly Village. It’s been a little chilly…

Steampunk masks -- I want one of these for Tabs — Steampunk masks — I want one of these for Tabs

Earthbound Trading Co. is one of my favorite stores here in Tahoe. It's like Cost Plus World Market with more clothes and accessories. — Earthbound Trading Co. is one of my favorite stores here in Tahoe. It’s like Cost Plus World Market with more clothes and accessories.

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On the Road Again….

September 21st, 2016 by Karen 19 Comments

Good morning, glory! Happy hump day. We’re headed to Tahoe for a few days (apparently Tabs needed some time alone with his pet sitter ?). Connor Claire is my copilot. We’ll see you at the lake soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Kitty Glitter, here I come!

ASK MBB: Workouts and Crock-Pots (and Everything Else)

September 20th, 2016 by Karen 15 Comments

Got a question about makeup, relationships, careers, cats or anything else? If you do, ask MBB! I’ll try to help, for what it’s worth. I’m not an expert in anything, but sometimes it just helps to have another opinion. Hopefully someone else reading might have some insight, too.

Here’s a question Kellie asked in the comments a few days ago…

“What time of the day do you squeeze in workouts Karen? Still trying to figure that one out for myself! And that soup looks bomb! Would you mind sharing the recipe? ?”

Hey, Kellie!

I just started working out again regularly after a looong hiatus (my doc didn’t want me doing more anything more strenuous than brisk walking when I got pregnant with Connor), and to be completely honest…getting back in the saddle has been a struggle, but here are a few things that have helped.

1. What time of day do you have the most energy?

For me, it’s mornings. Not right when I roll out of bed, but after I’ve been awake for an hour or two.

I’ve actually tried working out immediately after getting out of bed, and my body straight refuses to do it, LOL!

2. Schedule your workouts on your calendar

Hook or crook, I need to be sweating for one hour at least 3-4 times per week, and for that to happen in the mornings, I have to get up early enough to have breakfast, tend to Connor, and write like a maniac for at two hours (because I also feel better when it comes to writing in the morning) before my workout.

That’s why I schedule my workouts on my calendar, because it’s like etching them in stone, and it forces me to act accordingly and efficiently.

Because if I’m not strict about it, something always seems to come up, and I end up putting off my workout ’til the afternoon, but by then I’m usually exhausted.

3. Join a class of some kind

Seriously, I think it’s the easiest way to commit to an exercise regimen, because then you have a block of time that’s sort of out of your hands, and you can’t push the deadline even if you want to. The class is going to happen with or without you, and I think it’s also much easier to exercise with other people.

If joining a class isn’t an option, try something where you have to follow along with someone else, like in a workout DVD or a Youtube video.

4. Establish a reward system

Let’s get real — if I don’t bribe myself to exercise, I’m just not gonna do it. 🙂 That’s why reward systems work me.

I use a small desk calendar and cute stickers. Whenever I finish a workout, I put a new sticker on the calendar, and after I fill a page with stickers, I can reward myself with a small treat, like a lipstick or earrings.

It’s simple and old-school, but it works for me!

As for your soup question… 🙂 I used this recipe from The Pioneer Woman, but I tweaked it a little by adding a can of drained corn.

It turned out great! — but next time I think I’ll add another can of beans, because I like A LOT of beans in my soup.

OK, Kellie, I hope there was something in there that was helpful.

Does anyone else have any questions for me? I’ll do my best to help.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 441

September 19th, 2016 by Karen 40 Comments

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 NINE (!) 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.

Recent junk food craving?
Yesterday it was a huge plate of fries and a veggie burger with cheese and avocado…and a tall vanilla milkshake to wash it down.

I didn’t get it, though, because, well, I had leftovers at home that I wanted to finish, but soon…

Right now I could go for a pancake breakfast from McDonald’s. 🙂 I haven’t had one of those in ages.

How do you think you’d do if you had to have long, pointy nails for a week?
I’ll never know how Ri-Ri pulls it off, because GIRL — I’d be a mess!

When my nails get even a millimeter beyond the tips of my fingers, I feel completely non-functional, so I can’t imagine… How would I change Connor’s diapers, or type, or pet Tabs, or wash dishes, or apply eyeliner, or chop fruit?

I’d probably end up in the hospital.

Has anything funny happened to you lately?
Well, I was taking out the garbage last week one night and accidentally dropped my keys into the bin.

Please note: never, EVER accidentally drop your keys into a large garbage bin, especially down at the curb at night, because getting them out is a comedy of errors.

Of course, my keys dropped all the way down to the bottom of the bin and, of course, our bin is unusually huge, so I couldn’t just reach down into the bin and get them out, so I had to take ALL OF THE GARBAGE BAGS out of the bin, one at a time, and stack them up around me, and then use a shovel to reach down into the bin and fish out my keys.

Also, I couldn’t see what I was doing because it was dark outside…

It was like a sitcom sketch.

How much spice and/or heat do you like in your food?
Just enough to flavor, I guess, without overtaking the dish.

Like, if I’m eating a plate of broccoli, I want it to actually taste like broccoli, ya know?

For heat, I’m a total wimp. I don’t mind a little because it keeps things interesting, but when a dish is hot for the sake of setting your mouth on fire, I can’t handle it.

What was your last major makeup fail?
LOL! I wore a red liquid lipstick to run errands a couple weeks ago and somehow ended up with lipstick smeared outside my lip line.

No kidding — I looked like the Joker, and I looked that way for hours because El Hub, who was with me the entire time, failed to say anything!

I honestly don’t know if he was secretly laughing at me on the inside (because that’s something I’d totally do), or if he thought I did it intentionally, or if he was just paying absolutely no attention whatsoever.

The Joker.

That’s how I looked.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. Recent junk food craving?
2. How do you think you’d do if you had to have long, pointy nails for a week?
3. Has anything funny happened to you lately?
4. How much spice and/or heat do you like in your food?
5. What was your last major makeup fail?

Here, sweets, let me get you some coffee. I think I’m gonna need the real stuff today.

Cream? Sugar? Jar of Nutella and a spoon? Here ya go…

How many times have we spent our Mondays together? If you’ve been visiting MBB since the start, that could be 494 Mondays!

Wow, that’s a lot of Mondays…

Today my main goal is to savor the little things, like this hot cup of coffee, the tapping sound of my fingers on the keyboard (it’s comforting), a cat on my lap and Connor’s smile.

Hi, friend. 🙂 What’s on your to-do list today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen