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Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 353

December 21st, 2015 by Karen 51 Comments

My sentiments exactly! (Mug by Kate Spade)
My sentiments exactly! (Mug by Kate Spade)

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 seven 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. Other than a hair brush (or comb), the hair styling tools I use most often are…
    A hair dryer and a curling iron. I have an ancient t3 hairdryer I’ve had since 2007 that I still use and absolutely adore. I remember it costing an arm and a leg, but that thing is my ride or die, for sure! It dries my hair in less time than any hairdryer I’ve had before.

    As for curling irons, I have a few of them that I rotate between, depending on the kind of hairstyle I’m going for, but lately I’ve been using my t3 Bodywaver more often than the others because of how great it gets that blown-out look with a round brush, without, ya know, me having to do the actual work.

  2. If I could give myself some advice today, I’d say…
    Take it easy! — and don’t forget to take your breaks. I’ve been feeling a little anxious lately…I think because of hormones and just general pregnancy worry.
  3. What was the last thing you baked?
    I made some applesauce and almond butter pancakes yesterday to bring along as snacks when we visit my parents in the East Bay, and they’re super delish!

    They’re low in sugar and carbs (just a few grams from the applesauce and almond butter), so they’re an OK addition to ye olde gestational diabetes meal plan. You can have them for breakfast, like regular pancakes, but they’re one of my favorite afternoon and evening snacks. They’re yummy cold or warmed up in the microwave, and plain or topped with almond butter or peanut butter.

    Sometimes, if I have a little extra room in my carb count, I’ll top them with a small amount of fruit, like a few blueberries or half a sliced banana.

    And even if I wasn’t watching my carb count, they’re still delicious.

  4. What’s something you’d try doing if you knew you couldn’t fail?
    I’d try my hand at writing a young adult novel because I’d love for Baby Girl to be able to say, “My mommy writes books!”
  5. I absolutely live for…
    A great pair of shoes that also happen to be on sale. 🙂 Homegirl loves her footwear.

Le List

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

1. Other than a hair brush (or comb), the hair styling tools I use most often are…
2. If I could give myself a little advice today, I’d say…
3. What was the last thing you baked?
4. What’s something you’d try doing if you knew you couldn’t fail?
5. I absolutely live for…

Only two more Mondays till 2016! Seriously, how did that even happen? Where does the time go…?

What did you do this weekend? If it involved last-minute Christmas shopping or watching the new Star Wars movie, we’re twinsies.

Have a great week. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 51 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 377

December 20th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

Popup Tabbypointing-arrow-300wsleepy-tabby-sink

Some cats are comfortable resting on their laurels/haunches.

But not Tabs.

He’s always pushing boundaries and breaking new ground, even after 10 years at the top of the business, and that trend toward top kitty modeling greatness continues this week with Pop-Up Tabby, a brand new interactive explosion of pure modeling talent inspired by VH1 Pop-Up Video, which Tabs and I both love.
[Continue reading…]

There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Tabs

Leave a Comment for a Chance to Win a $50 Sephora E-GIFT CARD! (Ends Monday)

December 19th, 2015 by Karen Monterichard 345 Comments

** THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED **

This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, SHERRY!!!), but check back next Saturday for another giveaway.

$50 Sephora e-gift card giveaway

Star Wars.

Just gettin’ that out there. 🙂 I felt like I should start this with those words because — my gosh! — it’s Star Wars erryting right now. El Hub is so excited. The new movie is all he’s been talking about for days. He’s like a little kid. We have tickets to see it this afternoon, and I have to admit…I’m pretty excited about it too! I don’t really follow the whole Star Wars mythos, but I have watched all of the movies. I hope this one’s good.

Other that that, shopping. I still have a few things to get, so I’m heading to the mall in a little while this morning.

Tabs says “meow,” by the way. He just went outside for his morning walk, and it rained here last night, so he got to investigate some very interesting puddles, as well as wet grass, which made his tum damp, and he’s not sure how to feel about that… He’s still on the fence about it, but he’s leaning toward “not good.”

How are you doing, my friend? Good, I hope. Will you be getting any days off for the holiday? I’ve had to work on a few Christmases before. It can be a bummer, but I hope you have some people working with you for the camaraderie.

I hope you have a great weekend, whatever you’re doing. Thank you for stopping by…and may the force be with you (I couldn’t resist). 🙂

sephora-giveaway-prize-2015

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

sephora-gift-card-small-2015

sephora-giveaway-rules-2015

  • Enter by leaving a comment below.
  • Open to U.S. and international readers.
  • You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
  • Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
    sephora-giveaway-heart-2015

    • How would you like to spend your day today if you had no chores, deadlines or responsibilities?
    • Do you snore?
    • Is there a bar of soap in your shower, or is everything in a bottle?
    • Shh! You didn’t hear it from me, but __________.
    • What’s your favorite brown eyeshadow?
    • Which would you rather have: a bathroom remodel or a kitchen remodel?
  • One entry per person.
  • You must use a valid email address to win.
  • The giveaway ends on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 345 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Giveaways, Just For Fun

I Want These Boots…

December 18th, 2015 by Karen 22 Comments

hunter-tour-boots

My justification for these Packable Tour Boots in Military Red (they’re $150, OMG!) by Hunter is that El Niño is coming/almost here, and I’m not about to mess with El Niño, man.

If The Niño is going to unleash his wrath on my feet and the surrounding area, I need to be prepared. Plus, hello! — they’re red, so they’ll match MAC Velvetease Lip Pencil in Anything Goes, my new favorite red lipstick.

mac-just-add-romance

Having red rain boots to match your red lipstick is of the utmost importance! I know you feel me on this!

Also, they’d match the little red lipstick kisses on this sweater I got from A Pea in the Pod last month (on sale, haaay). 🙂

pea-in-the-pod-sweater

I can’t seem to find it on their website anymore, but if you’re moved by it, it might be on the rack in their stores (here’s a link to their store locator). It’s warm, comfy, isn’t scratchy (because NOBODY has time for scratchy sweaters), and I’d still want to wear it if I wasn’t pregnant.
[Continue reading…]

There are 22 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion, Just For Fun, MAC Makeup, Makeup

Have You Hit Pan Lately?

December 18th, 2015 by Karen 28 Comments

what-it-feels-like-to-hit-pan

This happened this morning to my pan of Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze (which is a total unsung hero, by the way), and all I have to say is VICTORY!

It felt glorious, in case you were wondering. 🙂

rimmel-sun-bronze-hit-pan

Have you hit pan lately? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. The lip is MAC Just My Type Velvetease Lip Pencil, by the way.

P.P.S. STAR WARS!!!!!!!!! We’ve got tickets for tomorrow. 🙂
TGIF!

There are 28 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Makeup, Rimmel

Pregnancy Update, 28 Weeks!

December 17th, 2015 by Karen 12 Comments

I just posted a baby bump post on the blog the other day, but I haven’t done a YouTube update in a while, so here we are at 28 weeks! Baby Girl, otherwise known as My Little Ninja because she kicks all day long, is doing fine.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Not baby related, but this might be of interest to you if you’re a Clinique fan and live in Southern California…

clinique pop lip colour

From Clinique PR:

“Clinique and Eden Passante, DIY Expert behind Sugar&Charm, celebrate the holiday season with complimentary custom gift-wrap services at Macy’s South Coast Plaza [in Costa Mesa].

“In the final few days before the holiday, Clinique has created the perfect one-stop holiday shop! This year, Clinique and Eden Passante, DIY expert and founder of the blog Sugar & Charm, are celebrating together with custom holiday gift-wrap, DIY present toppers and gift tags!

Macy’s South Coast Plaza
3333 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Friday, December 18th, 2015
5:00pm-7:00pm

On Friday, December 18th, 2015, Clinique will be providing complimentary custom gift-wrap services with the purchase of any Clinique holiday set. Eden Passante will be adding DIY gift touches to complete each present, making the recipient feel extra special before they even open their gift! We’re taking the stress out of holiday shopping — come pick up some last minute gifts with custom wrapping or buy yourself a little holiday gift for you to unwrap yourself, you deserve it!”

Hmm… I live a few hundred miles away, but I could always use another Cheek Pop Blush. 🙂

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Video

Bump Watch: 28 Weeks

December 16th, 2015 by Karen 43 Comments

bump watch 28 weeks

So. Very. Pregnant.

That’s how I feel all day long now, all the time. So awkward and pregnant.

Baby Girl is 28 weeks along now! Yup, my li’l sidekick and I have been together for seven months, which to me is kind of unreal because, 1), where did all that time go? — and, 2), this is almost the home stretch (she’s due in early March)!

So, at the doctor’s office this week for my checkup, my doc did this old-school trick with a paper measuring tape to measure how many weeks along I am, but it was more for fun than seriousness because she’d already taken measurements with the sonogram.

With the paper measuring tape, though, she placed one end at the bottom of le bump, right at my pelvis, then took the tape up over my belly button (which is less of a belly button these days and more of a smooth belly spot, but I’ll get to that in a sec) and over my tum to the top of le bump, just below my breasts. Amazingly enough, the tape measured 28 inches, corresponding to 28 weeks along, so sometimes those old-school techniques still work!

Cool, huh?

So…fascinating thing about belly buttons and pregnancy, and I don’t know why this never occurred to me before, but when your tum expands to otherworldly proportions, it can push your belly button from an “innie” to an “outie.”

Yeah, hello, Captain Obvious! But I had no idea. And it seems to have happened, seriously, overnight. WHOA!

Mine’s still borderline innie…but that innie isn’t going to be an innie much longer.

Aaand, you wanna know something gross? Of course you do. 🙂 Over the course of all of this belly button outing, I’ve found stuff in there…like lint and a tiny ball of what might have been cat hair. Not sure.

I KNOW! So gross, but on the positive side, this is now the cleanest my belly button has ever been.

bump watch 28 weeks 2
[Continue reading…]

There are 43 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion, Just For Fun

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 352

December 14th, 2015 by Karen 39 Comments

Happy Monday

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 seven 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 to plan your makeup looks beforehand, or do you just wing it?
    A bit of both. When I have a party or something to go to and an outfit already picked out, I’ll usually have an idea for the makeup I want to wear with it, so I’ll do a little planning…

    Or if I know that I want to try a new look or take a new palette out for a test run, I’ll plan around doing it on a certain day, and I’ll just have a general idea of my game plan.

    But on an average, random weekday when I don’t really have anything going on, I’ll wing it.

  2. Wide-legged trouser pants: a do or a don’t?
    Even though I’ve had skinny jeans practically plastered on my lower half for years now, I think wide-legged pants are super cute, so yeah, I think they’re a do, especially if you have cute shoes that peek out the front.

    But the thing is, you’ve gotta have a hem that falls juuuuuuust right; otherwise, it can look a little weird. And yes, I know this from personal experience…

    Girl, I could write VOLUMES about all of my fashion faux pas!

  3. When you text, do you use punctuation?
    Most of the time yeah I figure why would you skip it it’s even more confusing if you leave it out and if you’re going to take the time to text someone something you might as well add a few commas and a period or two so the person you’re texting doesn’t have to read the same sentence over and over again until they can understand what you’re trying to say although I do have to admit there are moments when speed trumps clarity like when you’re sending one-liners to your brother or correcting a mistake so I’ll skip a period here and there please don’t tell the grammar police 🙂

    LOL!

  4. How old were you when you discovered that Santa isn’t real?
    Aw, mom! Why you gotta be a party pooper?

    My mom told me when I was pretty young. I think I must have been in kindergarten…or maybe it was first grade.

    Whenever it was, I was young, but since I was also stubborn, I absolutely refused to accept Mom’s blasphemy, so when she told me, I told her that she was making the whole thing up and that I was still going to believe in Santa anyway. So I wrote him letters and left out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk every Christmas Eve until I was in the fourth grade.

    At that point, I guess I accepted it/figured it out…

  5. What’s a makeup tool in your arsenal that you currently need to replace?
    There are a couple currently on Ye Olde Wish List, like a lash curler (the Shu Uemura curler I’ve had for ages finally sailed off into the sunset) and a Beautyblender, because, WAH! — I lost the black one I recently bought. 🙁

    I suspect that Tabs had something to do with the disappearance…

Le List

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

1. Do you like to plan your makeup looks beforehand, or do you just wing it?
2. Wide-legged trouser pants: a do or a don’t?
3. When you text, do you use punctuation?
4. How old were you when you discovered that Santa isn’t real?
5. What’s a makeup tool in your arsenal that you currently need to replace?

Great Caesar’s ghost, I can’t even believe it’s December 14th already! I still have so much Christmas-sy stuff to do, but I’ve been hella distracted lately.

I just have to keep reminding myself to take one step at a time (baby steps!). I’m in one of those phases where the sheer size of my to-do list is completely overwhelming me. When I get like this, I basically have to accept that there’s no way I’m gonna finish everything, but that sort of frees me to focus on one task at a time.

Hopefully. LOL! We’ll see how it goes.

You have a great day today, my friend. I hope to see you in the comments.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 39 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

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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.

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