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Just For Fun

The Epic Hourglass Retouching Fluid | More on Hobbies | Stuff I’ve Cooked

March 4th, 2022 by Karen 12 Comments

hourglass veil retouching fluid sand
Love it.

This is one of those face products that you have to be in a certain phase and mindset to appreciate. With that said, if full coverage is your jam, keep on walkin’ Miss Lady. However, if you’re searching for a concealer that doesn’t look heavy and stays out of fine lines, add Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid to your wishlist ASAP!

For skin that looks like skin

It’s a semi-sheer liquid concealer with a doe foot applicator, and it’s available in six shades in the Hourglass permanent collection. Since it’s Hourglass (which means pricey), it’s not exactly budget, so a tube is $36. You do get a formula that’s free of a lot of things, including…

  • Parabens
  • Fragrance
  • Gluten
  • Sulfates
  • Nanoparticles
  • Phthalates
  • Synthetic Dyes
  • GMOs
  • Animal testing

I’m trying to reduce the amount of products with phthalates in my makeup collection (here’s why), which is one of the main reasons why I use it. I also love how it’s a beast at covering stuff while still looking natural.

I wear the shade Sand underneath my eyes, around my nose and at the corners of my mouth (I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way). Sometimes I set it with a little MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder, and sometimes I don’t. Either way, my skin looks like real skin, which is my aesthetic nowadays since I have very little tolerance for anything opaque or heavy.

hourglass veil retouching fluid sand

Have you ever tried YSL’s famous Touche Eclat? This product is similar, but so much easier to blend, and I think it looks more natural. It’s worth your time to swatch during your next Hourglass counter visit. I usually restock at Sephora, but Ulta carries the line, too.

Some more thoughts on hobbies

Well, we’re three months into 2022, and I’m still in pursuit of new hobbies.

I’ve kept up reading solely for pleasure, and wow! It’s amazing how reading just a few minutes for fun can change how you feel. I find myself craving books now. Like, I physically feel off if I skip my reading-for-fun time. It makes me happy, so I’m going to keep it up.

Oh! I tried something new last week. I picked up a puzzle at a local bookstore in town, Copperfield’s, and enjoyed it so much. There’s something very meditative about searching for pieces. Connor helped me when she was in the mood, too.

I can’t wait to do another one, although I do wish there was some sort of library-like service with puzzles. I can see myself getting into it, but the last thing I need is more stuff in my house, ya know?

Last thing. I’ve been cooking my way through a cookbook!

A little backstory: I used to like baking and cooking, but last year, it bummed me out.

For most of 2021, I hated — like full-on despised — making food. I was stoked at first to be at home and cook when everything shut down in 2020, but after a while I started feeling like I took on a full-time kitchen job without realizing it. Last year, I was completely over it, and I’d get angry every time I had to cook, especially at dinner (I call it “dinner rage”).

Anyway, I recently started cooking new dishes, and it’s helped me to feel less rage-y. LOL. Here’s a couple things I made from “The Easy Filipino Cookbook” by Roline Casper.

Beef Picadillo (Giniliang Na Baka) with ground beef, tomato sauce and raisins
Easy Sauteed Shrimp (Ginisang Hipon) with shrimp, bok choy and seasame oil.

Happy Friday to you, and I hope you had a great week!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Hourglass, Just For Fun, Makeup

Six Years Old

March 2nd, 2022 by Karen 22 Comments

Happy birthday, little one!

This Coywolf turned six today! What a trip it is to help guide a little person through their early years. Each day really is an adventure.

Right now she loves dancing (and will probably join the dance team at her studio next year), and anything and everything related to animals. Her favorite school activities are art, P.E. and STEM lab. And when it’s playtime, she loves building with Legos and playing with her stuffies and dolls.

Last night I prepped her annual birthday lasagna!

She gets one every year, and I bake it in her special birthday pan. It’s our fun family tradition — because nothing says I love you like cheese and carbs, LOL!

Connor’s birthday lasagna pan

Oh, and she truly is her father’s daughter, because when it came to picking out a cake, she specifically requested chocolate.

We’ll be throwing a birthday party with her friends at her dance studio on Saturday, which should be fun! It’s her first real birthday party with a bunch of kids, and so she’s excited. I’ve been super busy doing prep for everything… I swear, none of these kids will probably care about the details, but it’s important to me that she has a good time, so when this memory tucks itself deep into her mind, she’ll remember how much fun she had and how loved she felt.

If it’s your birthday today, too, then happy birthday! Yay for March babies.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 22 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Nails of the Week, Smith & Cult Bitter Buddhist | Your Thoughts on Lash Serum?

March 1st, 2022 by Karen 13 Comments

smith cult bitter buddhist 2022
Smith & Cult Bitter Buddhist

Hi, guys! This is an OG fave shade that I’ve had and loved for years, Smith & Cult Bitter Buddhist. It’s a pale spring green with gray undertones and a fun alternative to the typical pastel mint greens that so often pop up in the spring.

I love it because it’s one of those colors that can look completely different depending on the light. Sometimes it’s more green, other times it’s more blue!

I was poking around the Smith & Cult website recently, and noticed there’s a similar shade with a different name — Bitter Cashmere Daydream. If you love complex pale greens, this is definitely one to consider.

Your thoughts on lash serum?

spirit rainbow mane
Why yes, I added big lashes to this pony.

I’ve been trying to figure out why every mascara I’ve worn in the last few months has been sorely disappointing, and I think I might’ve found the reason. After years of using lash serum to bump up my fringe, I quit last fall. There was really no rhyme or reason to the decision; I was mostly too tired to remember to put it on before bed! Days turned into weeks, then weeks turned into months, then next thing ya know, every mascara bums me out.

I think my lashes have slowly returned to their natural state, which is in the grand scheme of things is no big deal. But still.

On one hand, it’s one less thing for me to do in my routine (YES), but on the other hand, my hella basic lashes are back. LOL.

What are your thoughts on lash serums? Do you use them? Don’t use them? If you’ve used them in the past and quit, what happened to your lashes? I’d love to hear your story.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Nails, Smith & Cult

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 718

February 28th, 2022 by Karen 18 Comments

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

    1. Sheer, medium or full coverage?

    Oh, man. Karen from 2014 would be shaking in her Fergie boots to hear me say this now, but sheer, mostly. Occasionally I’ll venture into medium coverage, but even that feels heavy to me now. Amazing how a few years (and a global pandemic) can change your beauty habits completely!

    2. Are you allergic to anything?

    Yeah, pollen and everything that grows in the spring; when it gets really bad, not only am I sniffly and sneezy, hives erupt on my face, and my hands and feet get super itchy. Thank goodness for allergy meds! I would be completely unless without them.

    3. How do you like your oatmeal?

    With a splash of evaporated milk, berries (either blueberries or strawberries) and a spoonful of maple syrup. YUM!

    4. Things that bug you most about clothes?

    UGH, so many things, but itchy things (tags, lace, etc.) are the worst! Also, if anything is too tight or bulky, I will have nothing to do with it. Oh, and I am so annoyed that it took me this long to figure it out, but if I don’t buy petite-size anything, I’ll be constantly tugging or rolling stuff up.

    5. Brow products you use most/least?

    Most: brow pencil, clear brow gel, and if it counts, tweezers and brow scissors. Least: brow wax, brow powder, tinted brow gel, brow markers, brow pencil highlighters that carve out your arches…

    6. Are you a gal who prefers one tube of mascara, or would you rather have multiple mascaras around to choose from?

    I used to enjoy a small army of mascaras in my makeup bag, but now I’m a one-and-done kind of girl. I’m currently on the hunt for a new mascara, and I’m actually thinking of going back to an old favorite, YSL Faux Cils.

    7. Skin care that reminds you of your teenage years?

    Hella scratchy Buff Puffs, Clinique 3-step, Neutrogena soap bars, all the alcohol-based astringent toners like Sea Breeze (OMG!).

    8. Nail polish today?

    Yup, Smith & Cult Bitter Buddhist.

    9. A goal for this week?

    Eat 5 cups of veggies every day!

    Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

    Karen

    P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

    1. Sheer, medium or full coverage?
    2. Are you allergic to anything?
    3. How do you like your oatmeal?
    4. Things that bug you most about clothes?
    5. Brow products you use most/least?
    6. Are you a gal who prefers one tube of mascara, or would you rather have multiple mascaras around to choose from?
    7. Skin care that reminds you of your teenage years?
    8. Nail polish today?
    9. A goal for this week?

    P.P.S. Happy Monday, sweet friend! Please take some time to recognize how well you’ve been doing lately. Keep up the great work! 🤗

There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 699

February 27th, 2022 by Karen 3 Comments

Spring was always Tabs’s thing. He loved the idea of the world coming back to life again.

Now I know it isn’t spring yet, but it’s just around the corner, and this time of year always makes me think of him because every year he’d tell me, “Beware the Ides of March,” and I was never sure if he was quoting literature or if he was indeed planning my demise for the Ides of March.

But that’s beside the point.

Cherry blossom season was his jam. There’s something about the fleeting beauty of the tiny pink flowers that touched his heart and his tum-tum.

He looked good in pink, but you know who also looks good in pink? Rosie pose. She finally took the plunge and wore her cherry blossom collar. It took me a while to convince her to wear it. Today she had me count how many pollinators were attracted to her collar (there were five including a small child).

Rosie now wants to start a beehive on our back deck for scientific research purposes, of course.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 3 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Rosie, Tabs

Saturday Surfing, Feb. 26, 2022!

February 26th, 2022 by Karen 5 Comments

Good morning to ya. How’s your Caturday going so far? Good, I hope. With everything unfolding in the world this week, I’m grateful to simply have shelter and feel safe at this moment, because a lot of people don’t have that right now…

I hope your tummy is full wherever you are. I hope you feel safe, warm and content, and I hope you’re surrounded by people who care for you and love you.

I try my best to keep MBB light and bright because, as I get further into adulthood (*ahem*), all of the real-world problems feel heavier and heavier, and my hope is that MBB can always be a temporary shelter from the big scaries — a place that feels safe to just prattle on about things that bring us joy, whether it be makeup, cats or pop culture. I hope you always feel good when you visit.

But, as you very well know, sometimes the real world intervenes.

On that note, hello again. Oh, guess what? This girl is going back to Sephora today because I just tried on a few of the new things I bought yesterday, and they looked funky…and not funky in a good way.

The Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint looked heavy and grayish green on my skin (the color I chose was Morgat), the Ilia Concealer seemed just a touch too thick, and the Caliray Mascara refused to hold a lash curl.

Hmm… Maybe I’m pickier than I used to be. All I know is I’m still searching for a mascara, concealer and skin tint that sings to my soul.

This week’s reading

  • The OG beauty influencers? Ancient Egyptian royalty!
  • Gwen Stefani has a new makeup line.
  • For my friends with fair skin tones, these are allegedly the best bronzers for lighter lasses, according to makeup artists.
  • Hair and makeup artists working at The Atlanta Opera are at the center of a labor dispute that could have widespread implications across all industries.
  • Euphoria-style makeup is still a thing.
  • How Thierry Mugler forever changed the perfume world.


Love me some Florence.


Oui.


I need some of this style.


Love, love, love.


The tap dancing intro!


Anyone else love these videos?

Please have a great rest of your weekend!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 5 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Friday Fun Beauty Buys!

February 25th, 2022 by Karen 4 Comments

I celebrated Fri-yay with a long-overdue trip to Sephora. Here’s what I grabbed…

  • Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint in ST11.5 Morgat: I’ve been wanting to try this forever! I’ve been wearing sheerer coverage in the past year, and so I hope this has just enough to even out my skin without appearing too “done.”
  • Ilia Skin Serum Concealer in SC3 Kava: I’ve been needing a new concealer. When I swatched this one in the store, it seemed to have a smooth texture and medium coverage. Fingers crossed!
  • Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara: Please let this tubing mascara with argan oil be the one. I have high hopes for curl and length.
  • Hourglass Scattered Light in Ray: A deep champagne glitter shadow, because all I want to do is sparkle. 🙂
  • Ilia Clean Gel Liner in Dusk: This is my second tube of this dark brown twist-up gel liner. It stays on my waterlines and lashlines all day.
  • Sephora Face Masks: I bought two! One for me, and one for Connor so that we can do an at-home girls’ spa day afternoon.

I hope your Friday has been fun and full of makeup!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Caliray, Hourglass, Ilia, Just For Fun

Beauty Products: What Things Do You Buy the Most?

February 24th, 2022 by Karen 10 Comments

black hair ties tin cvs
MWHAHAHAHAHA

1. Black hair ties

I am forever buying new packs of black hair ties to replace the ones that disappear into the black hole of beauty products. When I try really hard not to lose them, I might go five, maybe six months, without buying a new pack.

Typically, though, I’m grabbing a fresh one every three or four months. I’ve given in to the reality of not being able to keep them. In the words of the Mandolorian, “This is the way.”

2. Hair Conditioner

OMG, so much conditioner! Remember how in the ’80s and ’90s how the directions on conditioner bottles would say something along the lines of working a quarter-size dollop into your hair? I’ve always needed, like, five dollars worth of quarters in mine, LOL! I go through a lot of conditioner quickly. Usually two or three bottles a month.

3. All the things related to moisturizing

Face cream (I’m currently loving Biossance Omega Repair), body lotion (Everyone Vanilla + Lavender is my jam), hand cream, lip balm… If and when the zombie apocalypse occurs, I will be hoarding moisturizer like nobody’s business.

4. Sunscreen

This has been a relatively recent uptick (like in the last year), as I’ve been trying to be diligent about daily sun protection. Body sunscreens and face sunscreens are a big chunk of my beauty budget.

5. Brown eyeliner

Anybody else blaze through these? I’m an avid tightliner, so brown liner never lasts long in my makeup bag.

How about you? What beauty products do you buy the most?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 10 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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