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Just For Fun

Two Ways to Win the New Too Faced Primed & Poreless Bronze Tint Skin Smoothing Face Primer (a $30 Value)

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  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Allison! Congratulations, Allison! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

It’s a makeup triple threat! The new Too Faced Primed & Poreless Bronze Tint face primer doesn’t just sing, dance and act put pores and imperfections into stealth mode, it also gives the skin a warm, bronzy glow while keeping the sun’s damaging rays at bay with the power of SPF 20.

Too Faced developed it to work with as many different skin tones as possible (and it seems to deliver pretty well on that), so gals from every color of the rainbow could rock it.

Which brings us to the purpose of this morning’s post…

Are you ready for another giveaway? 🙂

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

  • There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, how often do you wear a face primer? What were your favorite TV shows when you were a kid? What’s your idea of a dream vacation? What do you have on your desk right now? — you get the picture!
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win Too Faced Primed & Poreless Bronze Tint Skin Smoothing Face Primer (a $30 Value) http://bit.ly/iM57VW

  • The deadline to enter is Friday, May 13, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
  • Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
  • A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
  • Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
  • The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
  • Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, and if you haven’t already entered to win yesterday’s giveaway for all four Urban Decay Primer Potions, you have until 11:59PM Pacific Time Thursday night (tonight). Pacific Time because that’s where Tabs and I live. 🙂

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Allison! Congratulations, Allison! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

What Scent Are You Wearing?

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Before I left home this morning I spritzed on some Burberry Summer for Women Eau de Toilette ($79), a limited edition fruity green floral available now at select department stores.

Isn’t the bottle gorgeous? There’s not much to it, but I love the way it looks in the light.

Officially, the fragrance profile includes…

  • Top notes: pomegranate, orange, mandarin and green leaf
  • Middle notes: rose, freesia and lily of the valley
  • Base notes: cedar wood, sandal wood and white musk

Because of the citrus and freesia notes in this, it totally remind me of another one of my Burberry faves, Brit Sheer. Both scents last all day on me, too.

What scent are you wearing today? When I asked him, El Hub’s answer was “I’m wearing Speed Stick in Ocean Surf.” 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I still have to tell you what happened with Urban Decay today, but right now I’m plum tuckered out. I’m going to try to catch some Z’s before they all get away… Sleep well, beautiful (you too, Tabs).

Two Ways to Win All Four Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potions (a $76 Value)

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  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Sol C.! Congratulations, Sol! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Sometimes the word “tube” refers to something bad, like that time years ago when you were in line at the grocery store. You were wearing a tube top and carrying your friend’s little girl, and the child reached up and pulled down your top (true story!).

And then sometime the word “tube” refers to something great, like the new packaging for Urban Decay’s four Primer Potions — Eden, Greed, Original and Sin. UD moved them into easy-to-squeeze tubes, making it that much easier to use every last drop.

A lot of gals love these primers, and I do too. They accentuate the richness of both powder and cream shadows and extend how long they last on the skin, keeping products in place from dawn till dusk. Or way past dusk, depending on your schedule. 🙂

I think Eden’s my fave. Which one’s yours?

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

  • One (1) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden (a $19 value)
  • One (1) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Greed (a $19 value)
  • One (1) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original (a $19 value)
  • One (1) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin (a $19 value)

  • There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what’s your favorite Urban Decay product of all time? Have you ever lived in a big city? Where would you live if you had all the money in the world? Do you have any regrets? Who inspires you? What shoes are you wearing today? — the sky’s the limit!
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Two Ways to Win All Four Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potions (a $76 Value) http://bit.ly/jXtokl

  • The deadline to enter is Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
  • Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
  • A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
  • Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
  • The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
  • Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day, young lady. 🙂 My flight must have just taken off about 20 minutes ago, so I’m probably about a third of the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I’ll touch base again soon. Have a good one today.

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Sol C.! Congratulations, Sol! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, May 9

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  • You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
    Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past three years, which I guess makes this somewhere around Vol. 169. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
  1. Mood:

    2. Peachy keen! I slept 10 hours last night and feel like a whole new girl.

  2. One great thing about getting older?

    3. After you experience a couple of life challenges, you start figuring sh*z out. Eventually, you’re not so green anymore. Like, when I was younger, I had a really hard time handling unexpected things (both in work and life), but now I feel like I can handle the curve balls much better than I could then.

  3. What color do you use most in your eye makeup and why?

    4. Warm orangey browns like MAC Soft Brown, for sure. I wear them practically every day in the crease to create depth and to add contrast.

  4. What’s one thing your mom was right about?

    5. Sometimes, it’s better to just keep it to yourself.

  5. What’s your favorite book series?

    6. The last one I really loved was The Hunger Games, but when I was a kid I was all about Sweet Valley High.

  6. Your last sweet treat?

    7. Yesterday at brunch I had a whole wheat pumpkin bar with cream cheese frosting, and MAN, it was so good!

  7. Do you collect anything?

    8. Besides makeup, shoes and the pounds of tabby cat hair on my clothes, not much. If I had more time and room, I’d like to collect vintage maps (love them) and old books.

  8. Seersucker clothing — yea or nay?

    9. A definite yea!

  9. Your go-to eye cream?

    10. Korres Quercetin & Oak Eye Cream. I’m already on my fourth bottle! It’s hydrating, absorbs quickly and layers well beneath makeup.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. To focus on ONE thing at a time (I’m trying not to multitask so much), eat a salad every day and run at least four times before Saturday.

Hey, cutie. Happy Monday! If you have a moment, will you stop by and let me know what’s going on in your neck of the woods in today’s Monday Poll?

  • To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.



1. Mood:
2. One great thing about getting older?
3. What color do you use most in your eye makeup and why?
4. What’s one thing your mom was right about?
5. What’s your favorite book series?
6. Your last sweet treat?
7. Do you collect anything?
8. Seersucker clothing — yea or nay?
9. Your go-to eye cream?
10. Weekly goals:

I hope your Monday’s treating you well. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 138

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While Tabs slept away the day (must be nice!), I spent the better part of this afternoon dealing with a text he sent me in the wee hours last night.

El Hub and I have been trying to make some progress on the home decorating/furniture front lately, and apparently Tabs isn’t happy with the direction we’re taking — something soothing, kinda beachy, in tones of tan, cream and blue.

“Quite frankly, I think this whole beach theme sucks. Since this is my home, too, I demand the inclusion of kitty-themed decor. I expect to review your ideas first thing Monday morning. Sharp.”

— Tabs

I looked around and found some ideas, but because Tabs prefers “the finer things” (his words), I could use your help with my proposal. Could you let me know which of these 10 kitty trappings you like best? 🙂

1. Tabby Cat Coffee Company Original Graphic Artwork

$79, available now online at the Geministudio Etsy shop.

2. Needle-Felted Sitting Kitty

$30, available now online at the BayColonyDesigns Etsy shop.

3. Custom Pet Portrait

$60, available now at the FuzzyMug Etsy shop.

4. Maine Coon Cat Print on Vintage Book Page

$9.99, available now at the glasslionstudio Etsy shop.

5. Tabby Cat Mini Journal

$8, available now online at the FuzzyMug Etsy shop.
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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to say a quick hi and to wish all the mom’s out there a happy Mother’s Day. 🙂 I would love to be able to say that Tabs made me a fancy breakfast in bed, but, yeah, not gonna happen. He is, however, snuggling with me as I write this in my chair.

How’s it going this weekend? What have you been up to? I’ve mostly just piddled around the house here, but I did sneak out to the mall for about an hour last night. I had to return a jacket to Nordstrom, which, incidentally turned into quite an adventure.

I lost the receipt, but all of the tags were attached. A nice salesgirl was helping me with the return when a breathy, impatient woman walked up behind me at the register. She was one of those toe-tappers, huffing and puffing about having to wait in line. “I just have a pick up,” she barked, shooting laser beams at the salesgirl with her eyes.

I felt awful for the girl at the register, but she took it all in stride. I haven’t worked retail in a long time, but I remember having to deal with fussy customers being one of the toughest parts of the job.

Well, I better run. I’m heading out to the East Bay to take my mom out to brunch. You have a great day today. I’ll be back soon.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in Diamond Black THIS DIAMOND IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA LINER IN DIAMOND BLACK

Freakin’ epic! I can’t remember ever getting this fired up about a black eyeliner before (maybe MAC Feline? — aka one of the most purrrfect black pencils evah), because, c’mon, it’s black eyeliner. Are they useful? Absolutely, but sometimes it’s hard to get stoked about a staple when there are so many fun, distracting colors around.

That is, unless that staple is Make Up For Ever’s new Aqua Liner in Diamond Multicolor Black ($23). When it reached out and grabbed my attention, it almost knocked me down! If you’re able to try just one thing from this new line of waterproof liquid eyeliners, please make it Multicolor Black. No kidding — this shade is the bidness in a glittery jet black.

So what are the Aqua Liners? They’re a new range recently added to the Make Up For Ever permanent line. Available in a mix of bright and neutral shades in matte, iridescent and diamond finishes, they’re a lot like the other pigmented, long-wearing, quick-drying waterproof liners that’ve been popping up over the past year. Like the MAC Superslick Liners and Stila Sparkle Waterproof Eyeliners, they sport long, skinny applicators with pointy tips, and they last a really long time, withstanding sweat, running water and occasional (hella weird) eyelid kisses from husky tabby cats (SIDE NOTE: Yes, it feels strange to have your eyelids licked by a cat). Read more…

Bobbi Brown Summer 2011 THE NEW BOBBI BROWN SUMMER 2011
ALMOST BARE COLLECTION SHOULD LOOK GREAT WITH A TAN

Bobbi B. is back with a new makeup collection for summer, and judging by the look of things, she’s been chillin’ at la playa.

The new Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Collection, available now in stores and online, looks just like a day at the beach. As she so often does, Bobbi kept things simple and clean, incorporating two dark matte bronzers, three glittery glosses and a repromoted scent (from where the collection gets its name). I think the products seem more Mexican Riviera than Jersey Shore, but the two bronzers, which are both quite dark, will probably thrill Snooks all the way from the top of her pouf down to her Uggs.

Am I the only gal who gets grumpy about tiny 0.14-oz. tubes of $20+ gloss? I bet I’m not. By comparison to 0.17-oz. MAC Lipglasses, these new 0.24-oz. limited edition High Shimmer Lip Glosses are practically huge! And they come with a doe-foot applicator, too. Read more…

Lush Tiny Hands Solid Moisturizing Bar LET’S GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE
FOR THE LUSH TINY HANDS MOISTURIZING BAR

Okay, so it kinda looks like an artifact from Raiders of the Lost Ark — a relic buried long ago in a booby trapped cave. But it’s not. The new Lush Tiny Hands Moisturizing Bar shouldn’t be hidden from prying eyes. No, it should be cautiously (more on that in a sec) brought forth from its little tin and given a big round of applause.

After doing some spring cleaning last weekend, my hands looked rough, cracked and felt sore (and don’t even get me started on my cuticles). My paws needed a hand, so I took it as an opportunity to test Lush’s solid moisturizing bar. Read more…

9 Things 9 THINGS THAT
MADE A DIFFERENCE

It never hurts to take stock of the things that’ve made a difference and influenced your life in positive ways. Here’s my list, in no particular order. Can’t wait to read yours.

(Oh, and because this is MBB, feel free to mix in both beauty related and non-beauty related things!)

1. More sleep

When I was in high school and college, I would pride myself on being able to whirl through my days on five or six hours of sleep, but when I hit my mid-20s, and it happened almost suddenly in fact, I started waking up cranky and feeling groggy all the time.

I figured out the problem after I went to bed early one night, hours before my usual bedtime. The next morning I felt like a new girl, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I could have been a superhero with all of the energy coursing through my veins.

Crap! I’d been sleep deprived for almost a decade.

My sweet spot seems to be about eight hours of sleep, and when I’m able to get it, not only do I mentally and physically function better, but I see the difference in the mirror. My dark circles look less dark and scary, and I don’t break out as much.

Now, every so often, I go through bouts of insomnia (so annoying), but I really try to get as much sleep as I can. Going to bed early at least once a week helps. Read more…

Stila Stunning in Sayulita Palette A STILA STUNNING IN SAYULITA
PALETTE HUMP DAY FACE OF THE DAY

Rise and shine, morning glory. I felt like wearing my green dress today, so I thought I’d incorporate some green in my eye look, too. A color called Palm Tree from Stila’s new Stunning in Sayulita Palette provided the green.

The $14 palette (BARGAIN ALERT!) comes with four powder shadows, a powder blush and a bronzing powder, which, hello, is so light that it probably performs better as a highlighter on my tan skin.

For this look, I followed the little tutorial that comes with the palette (I appreciate when companies include these things; they’re cheap to make and great for ideas and inspiration) and then wrapped it up with Bobbi Brown’s High Shimmer Lip Glosses in Bellini on my lips. Read more…

Tocca Laundry Delicate Fine Fiber Wash DOING LAUNDRY JUST GOT COOLER AT THIS LAUNDROMAT
NEW TOCCA LAUNDRY DELICATE FINE FIBER WASH

It seems so obvious now, but I think I just figured out the real reason why Tabs has always preferred to sleep on the floor instead of the bed. The second I put fresh sheets down washed with the new Tocca Laundry Delicate Fine Fiber Wash, he was like, “Wow, this bed is AWESOME!” He couldn’t wait to roll around on the duvet cover and brush his cheeks on the pillows. Apparently, he has a taste for the finer things, and drugstore laundry detergents just won’t do.

I should have known. I love Tocca, too. The brand is known for their Italian-styled perfumes and candles, but maybe that’s about to change. I started collecting their scents about a year ago, and now I’m hopelessly addicted to a few (I’m in love, love, LOVE with Bianca, in particular).

I can say with 100% certainty that I’ve never been this excited to do laundry in my life. Read more…

Essie Summer 2011 ESSIE SUMMER 2011

Yesterday I dug out my old surfing wetsuit and tried to put it on. No. Such. Luck. Not without a gallon of Crisco and a whole lot of prayer.

Le sigh…

I haven’t surfed up here in years, but I’m starting to get desperate. Since I don’t see a tropical trip on the horizon, either I brave these frigid waters again, or I dry up like a land-locked fish.

And the Essie Summer 2011 Color Me Braziliant Collection (six colors; $8 each) is only making things worse. It arrives in June, right around the time I’d love to be out galavanting on a beach vacation. Read more…

MAC Surf Baby My Paradise Cheek Powder MAC SURF BABY
CHEEK POWDER IN MY PARADISE: A DIVA IN DISGUISE

Don’t let the cute hibiscus fool you. Limited edition MAC Surf Baby Cheek Powder in My Paradise, the one and only blush in the upcoming Surf Baby collection, is a total diva in disguise.

The pretty packaging fooled me at first. It lulled me into expecting a run-of-the-mill peachy gold blush, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. My Paradise roars with pigment. It reminds me of NARS Orgasm, except three times as intense, with a lot more reddish orange inside. Yup, you better bring a fan brush to this makeup dance. Read more…

MAC Humid Eyeshadow MAC UNSUNG HEROES
HUMID EYESHADOW

“If you’re going to San Francisco,” the song goes, “be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” Flowers like the ones that bloom 365 days a year inside the gigantic 19th century greenhouse that is the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. It’s the oldest municipal wooden conservatory remaining in the United States and one of my favorite places in the city to visit with a camera.

From the steamy, lush jungles of the Lowland Tropics Room to the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies of the Aquatic Room, the structure must contain every conceivable shade of green (they practically drip from the walls!). Not only is it a very peaceful, beautiful place filled with exotic plants, but by virtue of it basically being a gargantuan greenhouse, it also reminds me of one of my favorite MAC shadows, the appropriately named Humid ($14.50).

A MAC artist introduced me to Humid a few years ago. I told her I was looking for one green to rule them all! “This is the only green you’ll ever need,” she said, as she handed me the pan. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora!

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  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is singrsling! Congratulations, singrsling! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Win a $50 Sephora eGift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog

Good morrow, gorgeous. 🙂 I hope you slept well. Did you do anything fun last night? Tabs guarded the house while I got my culture on at the ballet. I’m not quite awake yet, so I’ll share more about the evening a little later on. Suffice it say, it was fun. It was probably the best ballet I’ve ever seen (mind you, I haven’t seen that many).

It’s just past 7 o’clock in the morning here. Tabs came downstairs with me when I got up but then walked straight over to his cat tower, climbed to the top and fell back to sleep. Let’s think about this for a moment: he has all night to sleep and also naps throughout the day, yet the first thing he does after getting up in the morning is go back to sleep?

Cats. They’re too much.

Well, Tabs may not have pressing plans, but I do. I just need a little help from C8H10N4O2. While I figure out which caffeinated beverage I’m in the mood for today, you know what time it is, right?

It’s…

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Win a $50 eGift card from Sephora

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (or $50 sent by PayPal instead).

  • There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what’s your favorite morning beverage? What’s your favorite breed of cat (and why)? How many hours do you usually sleep? Do you shower in the evening, the morning or both? — you get the idea.
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/lhai72

  • The deadline to enter is Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
  • Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
  • A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
  • Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
  • Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. The winner may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal.
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
  • The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
  • Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is singrsling! Congratulations, singrsling! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

9 Things That Made a Difference

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It never hurts to take stock of the things that’ve made a difference and influenced your life in positive ways. Here’s my list, in no particular order. Can’t wait to read yours. 🙂

(Oh, and because this is MBB, feel free to mix in both beauty related and non-beauty related things!)

9 Things That Made a Difference

1. More sleep

When I was in high school and college, I would pride myself on being able to whirl through my days on five or six hours of sleep, but when I hit my mid-20s, and it happened almost suddenly in fact, I started waking up cranky and feeling groggy all the time.

I figured out the problem after I went to bed early one night, hours before my usual bedtime. The next morning I felt like a new girl, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I could have been a superhero with all of the energy coursing through my veins.

Crap! I’d been sleep deprived for almost a decade.

My sweet spot seems to be about eight hours of sleep, and when I’m able to get it, not only do I mentally and physically function better, but I see the difference in the mirror. My dark circles look less dark and scary, and I don’t break out as much.

Now, every so often, I go through bouts of insomnia (so annoying), but I really try to get as much sleep as I can. Going to bed early at least once a week helps.

2. Getting a pet

Rather, allowing myself to be adopted by a cat. 🙂 Tabs turned out to be one of the happiest accidents of my adult life. I always had pets growing up, but when I left home for college and moved in with roommates, furry companions weren’t allowed. And then five years ago Tabs entered my life hired me as his assistant, and now I laugh and love so much more with him in my life. ‘Nuff said.

3. Exercising regularly

I wasn’t athletic as a kid and barely ever exercised through high school and early college. Then, during my junior year, while I was going through a bad breakup, a friend invited me to her kickboxing class. I was filled with anger at the time, and when she said, “You can beat the living crap out of a heavy bag,” I said, “When do we leave?”

It was a great emotional release. Needless to say, I started going on a regular basis and soon added jogging, and then a membership to a gym. Within a few months, I was over the breakup, sleeping better at night and was a full dress size smaller.

Over the years, I’ve gone through phases where I haven’t exercised at all, but I always feel better when I resume. Nowadays, I mostly exercise on a treadmill, which I try to do at least four times a week.

4. Taking risks

Some things aren’t worth the risk, but other things are. Six years ago (gosh, has it been that long?), I left a steady corporate job in the legal field (I was a legal assistant) to make a run at writing full time.

I wrestled with the decision for years. I didn’t want to make a horrible mistake, and the corporate job was secure. I knew I’d miss the pay (damn those golden handcuffs), but I was also very unhappy and totally uninspired. I felt that if I stayed there for purely financial reasons, I’d grow more and more bitter over time.

So I resigned (scary!). First, I landed a gig working at a literary agency, where I started freelancing for magazines on the side.

Looking back now, I only wish I’d done it sooner. Taking that leap was one of the best decisions of my life because it led to Makeup and Beauty Blog, and it introduced me to you. 🙂

5. Learning to love my hair

It took some growing up and several bad haircuts, but now I love my wavy hair. It’s part of my identity, and now I can’t imagine NOT being a curly girl.
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