Hey, baby, you’re a ChocStar!
Yes, you read that correctly — a ChocStar, which is somewhat different than a rock star.
How funny are these chocolate bars, though? (Please note the tabbies.) I found them at a fun candy store called SweetE Organic in my old stomping grounds in Mill Valley. It’s just a little shop, but they have every square inch filled with interesting speciality candies — like organic chocolates, gluten-free gummies, vegan candy, sugar-free candies, dairy-free candies, SO MANY CANDIES!
Add it to your list of dessert-related things to do in Southern Marin before or after hiking Mt. Tam, sightseeing in Sausalito or shopping in Corte Madera or Mill Valley. You could have lunch at Pizza Antica (OOH! Try one of their chopped salads with a piadini.), and then swing by SweetE Organic for dessert.
It’s right next to a wonderful store called The Spanish Table, where I could literally spend hours looking at olives, wine, recipe books, maps and bars of Spanish chocolate.
I walked in yesterday while El Hub and I were out and about. With Baby Girl coming very, very soon, we’ve been trying to stay close to home and be ready to hop on the freeway to the hospital in San Francisco, buuut I was starting to go a little stir crazy, so I had to get out of the house.
Can’t help it. I’m antsy!
MAC Zac Posen
And the shopping yesterday was exactly what I needed. It was also a perfect excuse to wear makeup. 🙂 I busted out the new MAC Zac Posen collection (available now online and coming to stores and counters Feb. 25 through March 24) and did a look similar to what I’m wearing today — matte black winged liner; soft purple, plum and taupe lids; warm bronzed cheeks; and hot pink matte lips.
I was secretly hoping the collection would allow me to achieve Zac’s signature eye roll from Project Runway, but alas…it did not.
It’s really, really hard to look as tired and completely over it as Zac does when he’s sitting in the judge’s chair, LOL!
Along with the provocative packaging, which reminds me a little of MAC Brook Shields part deux, with all the matte gray, I like the mix of warm and cool shades. With its plums and taupes, the eye palette is quite cool toned, while the bronzer and some of the lip colors (like the orange and the nude) are surprisingly warm.
As for skin, it gets the matte treatement, and the eyes get the extra oomph of black liner.
For the record, there are quite a few re-promotes in the collection (the liner, the mascara, the face powder and Phloof eyeshadow), and even though I like this kind of classic, refined look with black liner and vintage orange and hot pink lipsticks, I don’t know if I’d kick down doors for these particular products… Nothing is really standing out to me. I dig the bronzer and lipsticks, but they remind me of things I’ve seen over at MAC.
Happy belated birthday!!!
In other news, guess which makeup blog quietly turned nine years old last Saturday. 🙂
Sometimes I can’t even believe it. Who knew that writing this little review of the Barbie Love’s MAC haul I got at Nordstrom all those years ago would lead to nine years and 11,000 beauty posts? I can’t believe I’m still at it nine years later…
The blog has been BY FAR the longest project I’ve ever worked on, and it’s been an amazing ride. Thank you for hanging out with me. Who knows? Maybe next year we’ll make it to 10. Fingers and toes crossed!
How’s your Monday coming along?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Happy birthday, MBB!
Thank you, Lauren! 🙂
Happy birthday MBB! I can’t believe how long I’ve been reading this! You were excited about my trip to Cannes and that was in 2011!
Thanks for all the entries and fun, lots of love to you, BG, and Tabs (and el Hub too!)
I still remember that trip. Seems like it was just yesterday! Thank you for all the fun chats, especially the ones about bunnies and cats, and Chanel. 🙂
Happy Birthday to your blog 🙂
Thanks, E. Jones!
Happy blogniversary! I would be really sad if you stopped writing this blog. I have read this since I was I college, and now I have 2 kids…
Amazing how time flies, Lilly! How old are your kids?
Would you believe it, I had a baby just last week, and a 3 year old. I can’t wait to hear about your baby 🙂 I was in the same pregnancy stage as you, so it was really fun to hear how you’re doing.
Happy Birthday MBB!
Thanks, Kalli! I hope you had a nice Monday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!
I liked the eyeshadows, I wish they’d been a bit better for the price though.
Thank you!
Ooh 9 years is a long time! Congrats for this achievement, and happy anniversary to MBB!
Thanks, Lulle! The time has flown by; I can’t believe it’s been nine years.
I hope that your week is off to a great start. 🙂
Oh, Zac Posen, how do you make me yawn? #sorrynotsorry Yeah, I’m not excited about this launch & I’m not the biggest Zac Posen fan, though I think he’s cute *insert prepubescent giggle*. I agree that the packaging is quite classic & reminds me of the Brooke Shields collection (which I’m kicking myself for missing) but nothing speaks to me. In other news, happy birthday, MBB! This is my little slice of heaven on the interwebs. Here’s to wishing you nine more+ years.
Love,
me ?
Brooke Shields was a beauty. So was Elie Goulding. (Did you manage to grab any of that?)
How’s the half marathon training going, friend? I’m living vicariously through you. I can’t wait to run again!
I didn’t grab anything from the Elie Goulding collection either, but I noted the other day that MAC still has some items from that collection that are last chance things to get. You’ve now piqued my interest. As for the training, I fell off my training because someone rear-ended me & totaled my car about 3 weeks ago so I feel like I’m back at square one. But on the positive side, I got a new-to-me car that is a nice upgrade from my totaled car. The early morning gym workouts are still going, coupled with my yoga. Thankfully, no one was hurt, aside from my totaled car, and yoga has kept the post-crash aches away. Think I’ve earned some new makeup to go with my new-to-me car, no? 🙂
Oh, no, are you injured??? If not, I can give you tips on getting back into the running training! PS…how are those Wayne Goss brushes holding up?? I moved, and can’t find mine! :-/
WHAT?!!!!! Your WAYNE GOSS MAKEUP BRUSHES ARE MISSING??!!! Did you call 911???!! I’m not even kidding, dude! That’s an emergency. I hope they turn up soon. I might shed a tear or two for you. Hurts my heart. 🙁 And, yes, send ALL the running tips you have. I’m in desperate need. And, nope, I wasn’t injured but it’s super sweet of you to ask. My brushes are holding up well. And I have a confession: I use them sparingly because they cost me my birthright & I want them to last forever. Kinda like an expensive/luxury car that you drive only on the weekends, lol 🙂
Omg, you’re hilarious. I think you’re related to Karen! I’m so happy you are ok!! And I’m soo happy to find a makeup lover that is a fellow worker outer! Yes, that’s my wording for fitness friends! Yes…GONE or heavily misplaced. I moved to the UK though, so I’m convinced I’m going to bump into Mr. Goss, and he’ll have extra brushes in his bag, and happily give me a whole set. Then he’ll do his notorious wink. Right, he’d probably smack me for losing them!! Am I able to blow up a beauty blog wit running tips, or should I give you my email? Xoxo
Yes, Karen & I are related. It’s been scientifically proven here in the blog. And I’m sure Mr. Gross will give you a complementary set of brushes. Sure, he’s prolly never done that before. But, you know how the saying goes, there’s a first time for everything. And how’s about I give you my email: kishiawatkins@yahoo.com. Feel free to send as many tips as you’d like. I need all the help I can get ☺️
Happy Birthday Blog!:)
I’m really liking how the bronzer looks! That’s the only product that really is drawing me in. The lipstick looks lovely on you!
Thank you!
Cheers to MBB!!! And hugs to all my friends 🙂
Well, it’s amazing how fast time passes by I think I become a regular reader, two years ago?
I’m really happy with what you have made with MBB, and I really hope this is one of many other Blog birthdays; so HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.
It’d have been pretty interesting if Baby girl arrives today, because two of your most important parts of your life would have arrived the same day.
Happy Blog-iversary! I started reading MBB in high school. 7 years later, I have a 2-year-old and will be getting married this year, and still read MBB every day. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Happy Birthday MBB!
This collection’s packaging is pretty and so different from usual MAC collections.
Love that Dangerous Red lipstick 😀
Wow, nine years of amazing content. That really is impressive! Congrats MBB
While the packaging is lovely, I don’t know if anything in the collection calls out to me enough to make my way to the counter, something that gets more and more cumbersome these days.
You are just like Kim Kardashian, I cannot tell if you are really pregnant by just lookin’ at your face. Okay. I think I’ve had too much fun watching KUWTK episodes lately. lolz.
Happy birthday to your blog! 9 years is not joke! More to come!
Happy belated Blog-iversary, Karen! <3 Here's to another nine years.
Also, I'm glad you were able to get out of the house and have some fun with El Hub. Goodness knows you deserve a treat with all the work you've been putting in lately.
Yay, happy blog birthday, Karen! Nine years, wowza! The new Zac Posen collection looks good, can’t wait to see more.
Happy Belated Birthday! It seems like you just had your 8th, so this past year has really flown. 🙂
I like the packaging on this line and just realized that I always, always cross my “z”s (and my “7”s). It’s weird how you do something when you’re young and it just stays with you forever, out of habit.
Anyway, I’m glad you had a nice day yesterday! My parents headed out your way yesterday for a bit of a western tour. I talked them into driving the coast from SF to (possibly) San Diego while they were visiting, so I could live vicariously through them. HAHA! Hopefully they’ll incentivize BG into taking her first solo trip, too. 🙂
Happy Birthday to MBB! I can’t believe your blog is NINE. Time flies. Thank you for creating this wonderful little space for makeup- and cat-lovers alike! Lots of love being sent your way.
Congratulations and Happy Blog Birthday. Sometimes I go back and look at your older posts and it’s amazing to see the progress and I think it’s a great lesson to all bloggers to see how far you can come if you put your work and heart into something!
Hsppy, happy, happy Birthday MBB!!! Such hard work you’ve put into your blog. I selfishly get sad knowing you’ll be away for a bit, but unselfishly so darn happy for you!! I’ll have some cake for MBB tonight!
This lip color is gorgeous on you, Mama!
Happy blog birthday, and many more to come! I know BG’s arrival (come on, now, girl) will change things a lot, but mommies need some life that’s not baby, believe me. Who knows, with all these new interns, maybe you’ll become more of a manager and the blog will continue to grow 🙂
Happy Birthday, MBB!! Please don’t ever stop writing this blog. I would miss it sooo much! Excitedly awaiting the news that BG has arrived!
Happy Birthday to MBB! I certainly hope to be reading this blog several years down the road. It is one of my favorites to read every day.
That red lipstick and contoured cheeks look amazinggg!!
Happy blog birthday. .incredibly long journey and hoping that my morning sunshine everyday blog posts never cease!! 🙂
Happy Blog-anniversary! I love your blog and you are so amazing and hard working. That picture of all the cats is hilarious!
Happy blog birthday!
I like the red lipstick and the eyeshadow palette from the Zac Posen collection. On the fence about getting them, even more so with your saying nothing stands out, as I have so, so many others.
Happy birthday to your blog, Karen! I’ve been reading your posts since five years. This is one of my very favorite blogs 🙂 I wish you all success!
P.S: Dangerously red looks adorable! Such a hot shade!
happy late birthday to your blog, i loved reading your blog, i also like the eyeshadow palette from the zac posen collection. Just got it the other day and absolutly fell in love keep up the great blog!!!!