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Just For Fun

Just Checking In…

April 17th, 2010 by Karen 34 Comments


What is it with cats and laundry baskets?

I’m proud of myself, ladies. I stuck to my plan to be totally unproductive today, and DAMN it felt good.

How’s your weekend coming along? Anything exciting happen yet? I can safely say that nothing exciting has happened to me in days, not since the food drama last Thursday (I had some Japanese that didn’t sit quite well).

Speaking of unfortunate edibles and other randomness, have you ever had bacon on a stick? There’s a huge candy store here in Novato that has it on the counter… I’m curious, but I don’t think I’m ready “to go there” yet with bacon.

I guess if I combined it with these weird fried egg gummy candies, I’d have a full breakfast, ha! 🙂

Wait — I almost forgot. Something exciting DID happen today. My Sephora order arrived (used my VIB coupon for 15% off)! I restocked a few must-haves (got a HUMUNGO bottle of PMS, aka Philosophy Purity Made Simple) like…
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There are 34 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Saturday Surfing

April 17th, 2010 by Karen 18 Comments

Good mawnin’, home skillets. How was your night? 🙂 I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am right now because I actually have nothing I have to do today. That’s because my to-do list is blank, yay! It rarely works out this way, but somehow I managed to finish all of my weekend chores early, as in last week, which means there will be no cleaning of toilets, folding of clothes or brushing of tabby cats (a chore indeed) today, huzzah!

And THAT means I can just chill here with y’all, which makes everything, even the taste of this hot tea, so much better.

Oh, here’s something completely random that I know some of the other journalists and writers out there might appreciate. The AP finally caved!

Now, because I like to share the Web sites websites I surf early on Saturday mornings…

Random bright spots

  • What can orange concealer do for you? Check out this exploration of carrot-hued correctors — Bella Sugar
  • Hallelujar, praise ye gods! Flared pants are coming back this fall! — The Cut
  • Do Tokidoki’s Brillante Glitter Eyeliner deliver the goods? — Temptalia
  • Did you know Jamba Juice has a secret menu? — Divine Caroline
  • 15 photos you won’t believe aren’t Photoshopped — Oddee
  • Enter to win a Zac Posen for Target Dress before it hits stores — The Lancome Blog
  • The battle of the most AWESOME THING EVER! — Most Awesometthing Ever
  • Blondes have more fun… and earn more money, too (drat!) — Beaut.ie
  • Two words: pure genius — Kitteh Roulette
  • Do you feel lucky? Enter to win a New York City shopping spree, a guided tour of the Marie Claire offices and meet a Project Runway designer — Secrets of the Runway

New in beauty

  • With the NARS Jet Setter Eye Kit ($52), you get a lash curler, Nuits Blanches Stylo Liner and a Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara
  • I’m kinda loving the print on Sisley’s Pyto-Poudre Compact ($109)… There’s a moisturizing, mattifying powder inside
  • I wait ALL YEAR LONG for Fekkai Summer Hair!! Nordstrom.com already has some of the items listed: Marine Clean Detox Shampoo ($23), Beachcomber Leave-In Conditioner ($23) and Marine Summer Hair Beach Waves ($23)
  • Sephora now carries bronzers and self-tanners by St. Tropez ($30-40)
  • I love how industrial this jug of Supergoop! All-Over Everyday UV Pump ($68) looks

A girl can never have enough shoes…

Tetris and Pac Man invade New York!

Been listening to this song 24/7 for days…

What are you doing right now? I mean at this very instant! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, News

Two Ways to Win a TRIA Skin Clarifying System Valued at $473

April 15th, 2010 by Karen 378 Comments

  • The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Brenda! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

Afternoon, girls. Today’s giveaway ironically comes at a time in my life when I’m almost happy with my skin.

Like millions of young men and women, I went through some rough years with terrible acne back in my late teens and early twenties. I look back at old pictures now and remember some of the mean things people said… Still hurts my feelings to this day.

Coping with acne isn’t easy (I’m here if you need someone to talk to), but today there are options that didn’t exist even 10 or 15 years ago, options like the TRIA Skin Clarifying System.

The prize

One lucky lady (or gent) will win the new TRIA Skin Clarifying System, a three-piece set designed to clear, smooth and brighten acne-prone skin (a $473 value).

What is the TRIA Skin Clarifying System?
Are you familiar with blue light acne therapy? Previously only available with a prescription, it’s used to safely and gently eliminate P. acnes, the bacteria that causes mild to moderate blemishes.

TRIA’s nifty, at-home blue light device (no prescription necessary) is one of the three steps in their acne-clearing system.

  • STEP ONE: Cleanse. TRIA’s creamy Clarifying Foam Cleanser contains AHAs and BHAs to gently clean, exfoliate and prepare skin for blue light therapy
  • STEP TWO: Treat. TRIA recommends five minutes of blue light therapy per day to heal existing breakouts and eliminate the acne bacteria
  • STEP THREE: Nourish. This serum’s blend of anti-oxidants and nutrients accelerates renewal and improves the texture of skin

What can the TRIA Skin Clarifying System do for you?
TRIA says their system works gently over time to eliminate acne while preventing future breakouts. Participants in clinical trials, the company says, saw a significant reduction in breakouts after seven days; smoother, more even-toned skin after 10-14 days; and skin that looked healthier, clearer, brighter and more radiant after eight weeks.

How to enter…

2ways2enterEntering is easy. There are two different ways, 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 — what you had for lunch today, what your plans are for the weekend, or what you think of Burn Notice on USA (I love it!).

Follow me
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

Follow @karenmbb and RT to win a TRIA Skin Clarifying System valued at $473 http://bit.ly/bGDpoV

  • Sorry, international babes, the folks at TRIA requested that this giveaway be limited to Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico readers only, but I’ll hold more giveaways that include y’all very soon.

Recap…

  1. Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
  2. Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:

    Follow @karenmbb and RT to win a TRIA Skin Clarifying System valued at $473 http://bit.ly/bGDpoV

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, April 20.

Sretno!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, you still have a few hours left to enter to win that MAC Zinc Zone Greasepaint Stick if you haven’t already (it only takes a few seconds). Good luck, and have a great night!

  • The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Brenda! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.
There are 378 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sarah Jessica Parker: Her (Second) Best Hair?

April 15th, 2010 by Karen 24 Comments

To say I’m excited about Sex and the City 2 would be, like, the understatement of the year. I’m planning my schedule around May 28. Let’s just put it that way. 🙂

I think this is the second SJP hair poll we’ve done (here was the first; her long hair with a center part and loose waves won that round), but I’m getting carried (ha!) away again by the SATC spirit.

Which of SJP's hairstyles do you like best?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Remember 6 Minutes with Sarah Jessica Parker?

Gosh… that feels like a lifetime ago!

There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Hair, Just For Fun

Two Ways to Win MAC Zinc Zone Greasepaint Stick

April 13th, 2010 by Karen 329 Comments

  • The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Kelly! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

G’mawning, ladies. 🙂 The MAC Art Supplies collection’s been out for a couple of weeks now … which in MAC time’s like an ETERNITY. Have you gotten a chance to play with any of the Greasepaint Sticks from the release?

They’re the chubby, flexible pencils you’ve seen in the promo pics. I love ’em because they double as shadows AND eyeliners… I have a soft spot for products that multi-task.

For our first blog task here today, I thought we’d start with a giveaway, it being Tuesday and all.

Are you ready?

The prize

One lucky lady will win MAC’s Greasepaint Stick in Zinc Zone, a shimmery gunmetal eye crayon liner that doubles as an eyeshadow (an $18 value).

How to enter…

2ways2enterEntering is easy. There are two different ways, 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. In it, tell me about an eye product you’ve been loving lately, and share what makes it special.

Lately I’ve been practically sleeping with my MAC Technakohl liners… It’s true lurve! And they’re totally hooked on my waterline, meaning they stay put there all day long, and better still — they don’t even have to be sharpened. How cool is that!?

Follow me
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

Follow @karenmbb and RT to win MAC Zinc Zone Greasepaint Stick (an $18 Value) http://bit.ly/9Wo686

Recap…

  1. Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
  2. Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:

    Follow @karenmbb and RT to win MAC Zinc Zone Greasepaint Stick (an $18 Value) http://bit.ly/9Wo686

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Thursday, April 15.

Bona lluita!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

  • The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Kelly! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.
There are 329 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, MAC Makeup

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, April 12

April 12th, 2010 by Karen 83 Comments

  1. Mood:
  2. A resounding “a’ight.”

  3. What’s your date night fragrance?
  4. It’s usually Coco Mademoiselle, but I’ve been reaching for Chloe more often lately.

  5. Can you swim?
  6. I was always scared to death of the ocean until I took swim and surf lessons back in 2002; now I’m much more comfortable in the water.

  7. Your current favorite article of clothing?
  8. A blue, green, yellow and white button-down plaid shirt that hides my muffin top oh-so-skillfully 🙂

  9. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
  10. MAC Studio Fix Lash Mascara/MAC Lychee Luxe Lipglass/MAC Ombre Blush in Ripe Peach with MAC Cream Colour Base in Hush

  11. Name something good that’s happened to you recently:
  12. Two things: 1) going to the symphony last Friday night and 2) sleeping in on both Saturday *and* Sunday.

  13. Maxi dresses: yay or nay?
  14. Yay! — only if they’re in a sold color and I’m wearing platforms; otherwise, I look like a kid playing dress-up in grownup clothes.

  15. Have you ever painted a room?
  16. Twice. Once when I was in high school, when my brother and I painted my room but made the mistake of not cracking a window before we started. By the time we’d finished, we were both cuckoo for Coco Puffs on paint fumes! The second time was about 10 years ago in my first place in SF. The color? seafoam green.

  17. Outfit:
  18. Old Navy Diva jeans, a black t-shirt and zip-up hoodie.

  19. Weekly goals:
  20. Remember to live “in the moment,” make an appointment to get my roots done, refrain from eating junk food and work through 30 Day Shred at least twice this week

Wake up, buttercup! How you doin’? I’m still waiting for this tea to kick in, so ye olde mental cylinders aren’t quite up to 100% yet… I should be good in about a half an hour or so. 🙂

Drop in and let me know how your Monday’s coming along. I could use some friendly words (having a tough day today). Just copy the list below, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le list

1. Mood:
2. Your date night fragrance?
3. Can you swim?
4. Your current favorite article of clothing?
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
6. Name something good that’s happened to you recently:
7. Maxi dresses: yay or nay?
8. Have you ever painted a room?
9. Outfit:
10. Weekly goals:

Repeat after me: We are having a great day today. We are having a great day today. We are having a great day today.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 83 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 82

April 11th, 2010 by Karen 18 Comments

Hey there, good lookin’. 🙂 My today’s been a little on the dreary side because it hasn’t stopped raining all day long, and now it’s almost dark — already! I don’t mean to be a downer… but I feel a bit craptacular, if you’ll pardon the expression.

At least Tabs has been trying to cheer me up. What a good kitty. He brought out his portfolio and like a proud tabby showed pics of the new modeling projects he’s been working on. Cat sho’ keeps busy.


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There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun Keywords: tabs

This Week’s Top Posts

April 11th, 2010 by Karen 3 Comments

This was kind of a good week for color, yah? I wasn’t expecting so much from Clinique Brandied Bronze, but that palette alone has my summer basically covered. And then there was MAC’s brighter-than-bright Just Add Colour Lipglass… I could barely take my eyes off it long enough to write the post!

How about you? What was your favorite product this week, and what are you MOST looking forward to now? I feel like going MAC To The Beach…

MAC’s Calling, and They Want You to Just Add Colour

“Limited edition Just Add Colour shimmers by herself as the lone Lipglass in the approaching Prep For Colour collection… Perfect for spring/summer. The color begins with a bold, highly pigmented POP, but it wears down over the day into a surprisingly natural dark pink.”

Next Stop: Essie Resort 2010 and Nail Polish Paradise

“Not only did Essie’s new Resort 2010 collection knock my socks off, but then it picked them up and ran away. I mean, I usually like the things Essie comes out with, but I haven’t been this stoked about one of their releases since Neon 2008!”

MAC Studio Fix Lash, A Haiku Review

Somebody pinch me because I must be dreaming. A $13 mascara from MAC that works this well? What’s the secret? MAC says it’s the mousse! And short, stubby lashes don’t stand a chance. 🙂

Tokidoki Kabuki Brush, A Haiku Review

I don’t know if you’re into the Tokidoki style like I am, but I’ve been drooling all over the new makeup line at Sephora. The new Kabuki brush is more than just a masterpiece of cute! — its good looks belie a highly useful powder/bronzer brush with long, soft bristles that distribute product over a wide area.

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There are 3 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun Keywords: weeklyroundup

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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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