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What Are Your Go-To Winter Beauty Products?

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cold weather makeup
Brrr!

Skin care, hair, makeup, perfume… What are your go-to winter beauty products?

Well, in terms of skin care, where do I even start? Dry skin is my big issue when it gets cold, and it feels like I’m dry from head to toe. Lately I’ve had a tube of CeraVe Healing Ointment nearby at all times (it truly is a lifesaver) because my lips have been dry, dry, dry. I also put it on my cuticles when they start feeling rough!

Other skin care things that help with the dryness at this time —

I’ve also been thinking about scents a lot lately, because when it gets cold I love slightly heavier perfumes (well, heavy for me, at least). For the past couple winters I’ve enjoyed Lancôme La Vie Est Belle!

How about you? What are your go-to winter beauty products?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Shimmery Green Pick Me Up

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Have you ever, after the end of a long day, just put on makeup on top of the makeup you’ve been wearing all day just for the heck of it fun? No? Yes? Maybe?

(Please say yes.)

That’s what happened here with a bunch of things from Revlon!

revlon ashley graham holiday 2021

Sometimes you’ve just gotta swipe on some shiny green eyeshadow, ya know? The one in the Revlon Fully Loaded palette is on the frostier side, so if you like a high beam gleam, you might just love it.

Speaking of shimmer, the Twilight Gleam Highlighter has glow for days. I like my beams o’ light on the subtle side, so it’s not something I’d wear regularly on my upper cheekbones, but as an inner corner highlight, yeah, I’m into it.

I really like the ’90s vibes I get from this lip liner (Nude) and lipstick (Bare It All) combo. Out of habit, I blended in the lip liner, but the next time I plan to leave it unblended to get that ’90s-style supermodel lip with very defined edges.

I’m also wearing Revlon Big Bad Lash Mascara, which has lots of curl and lift, but not a ton of volume, and the ColorStay Eyeliner in Brown, too.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I hope you’re having a great Wednesday so far.

Because I Can’t Be the Only One! Biossance and Avene Skin Care Goodies…

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biossance unstoppable glow
Skincare goodies from Biossance

DUDE. Is it just me, or is the temptation to smooth and slather on all the things strong when new skincare arrives?

The beauty products I ordered on Black Friday hit my doorstep yesterday, and I’m trying really hard to slow my roll and not put everything on my face all at the same time!

I think I mentioned this a couple weeks ago, but I grabbed the Biossance Unstoppable Glow Kit because 1) it includes a full-size jar of Squalane + Omega Repair Cream, my current go-to face moisturizer, 2) it was on sale and 3) I’ve been wanting to try the Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil, and the kit includes a travel-size bottle.

I also picked up a full-size bottle of the Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil, too, which I used last night to take off my makeup, and I have mixed feelings. It’s great for removing face and lip makeup, and my skin didn’t feel tight or uncomfortable after I rinsed off, but oh, my eyes! They stung a little when I rubbed the oil on my lashes and lash lines. I’ll still keep using it to take off foundation and lipstick but will stick to Curel Makeup Cleansing Oil to remove eye makeup.

Anywho! My order also came with this awesome GWP kit, which has a ton of things from the Biossance line…

The awesome GWP kit!

Oh! I also ordered some things from Avene, too. I restocked a couple favorites: another bottle — my third one, it’s that good! — of Solaire UV Mineral Sunscreen and a tube of XeraCalm AD, which saves my skin whenever it feels so dry that it hurts. I’ve been wanting to try their RetrinAl Intensive Cream for a while, so I grabbed that too.

A couple tried-and-true items from Avene, along with something new

So that’s what’s new on this end. I’m actually kinda surprised I didn’t pick up any makeup, but with my new job and all, I haven’t been feeling super adventurous with makeup lately. I end up using the same stuff. Sigh! I know.

I was this close on Black Friday to pulling the trigger on a Chantecaille order, but then I realized at that point I really needed to start buying gifts for other people on my Christmas list so I had calm the eff down, LOL!

If you have any q’s about any of the items listed here, hit me up in the comments. I’m happy to give you my thoughts or first impressions. Site note: I’m really liking this Biossance Lip Balm! It’s thick, but not sticky, and my lips feel good.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 706

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Happy Monday from me, Connor Claire and Angel the goat!

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. Sheet masks: love them or leave them?

    Leave ‘em, because for some reason I just can’t get them to stay on my face without holding my head at a weird angle. They always end up sliding right off. Give me a good old fashioned face mask that you squeeze out of a tube and apply with your fingers any old day!

    2. How’s your holiday shopping going?

    It’s actually going great. I’m almost done!

    3. Cheesecake or Jell-O?

    Oh gosh, cheesecake, 100%. I like Jell-O but it’s not like I’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night craving it. Cheesecake, though, is another story.

    4. Do you wear sunscreen in the winter?

    Heck ya, girl! I’m on that sunscreen train 365 day of the year now (it’s a hyperpigmentation thing).

    5. Fiction or nonfiction?

    Fiction, if it’s for reading solely for pleasure.

    6. How did you do your hair today?

    Messy dutch braid on one side that leads into a low pony. I couldn’t deal with my hair in my face today, ugh.

    7. A show you started watching recently that you like?

    The Nevers on HBO. It’s pretty good.

    8. What’s one of winter skincare go-to products?

    Avene XeraCalm A.D. Replenishing Balm. I totally recommend this cream for super dry spots on your face and body! Great for dry hands, too.

    9. Something you’d like to do this week?

    Wrap a few Christmas presents and pop ‘em underneath the tree.

    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. Sheet masks: love them or leave them?
    2. How’s your holiday shopping going?
    3. Cheesecake or Jell-O
    4. Do you wear sunscreen in the winter?
    5. Fiction or nonfiction?
    6. How did you do your hair today?
    7. A show you started watching recently that you like?
    8. What’s one of winter skincare go-to products?
    9. Something you’d like to do this week?

    P.P.S. Good morning, sweet girl! I hope your spirit feels light and your heart feels full today. 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 688

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For the humans, today was the day to get our Christmas tree, but for the cats, today was when the machinations started for how to take down the tree. Rosie concluded that the most effective way is to swat at the ornaments or destroy the lower branch ornaments.

I caught Rosie in one of the rooms with a chalkboard with all kinds of equations on it. There was a tree in the middle and something about the trajectory of a tree falling?

Tabs’s style was completely different. He’d just go in there and knock the dang tree down. Very different cats. Same agenda though.

Rosie

My fellow cat ladies, you know how it is with the Christmas tree. The lower branches are completely bare, and you know better than to risk your best ornaments on the bottom layer because cats will figure out how to shatter even the shatterproof ones.

Truth.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, December 4, 2021

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latest-ipsy box december 2021
Happy Saturday! This is the latest Ispy box, btw.

Good morning! Happy Caturday! Hope you’re having a great morning so far. ’round these parts, today is a Christmas shopping day, but ya know…if a purple nail polish hitches a ride home with me (I’ve got my eye on this one from OPI called Boys Be Thistle-ing at Me), I will not protest, nor will I be mad at it. 😹

This week’s reading


Anyone else have mixed feelings about this reboot?


Who’s doing this with me?


Yes, please. 😊


I’m totally watching this.


Talk to me.


This is cool.

What are you up to today? Whatever you’re doing, I hope it involves fun and/or hardcore relaxing. 😊

We might actually get our Christmas tree today… 🎄

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What Beauty Products Do You Always Have With You When You Walk Out the Door?

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nudestix eyebrow stylus pencil gel ash brown natural light
Headed on out, see ya in a few!

I’ve been trying (trying being the key word here) to lighten my load when I leave the house so I try to bring only what’s allegedly necessary, ha ha!

One thing I’m never without, though, is hand sanitizer. I like using this one because it doesn’t sting my hands, and I can also spritz it on cart handles and baskets when I’m shopping. Plus, for me a spray is much less messy compared to sanitizing gels, which always end up on my clothes or on my purse.

I used to bring hand cream, but lately, in the effort to streamline, I just put it on before I leave the house and when I get back home.

Some sort of lip product always comes, whether it be a lipstick, or a lip oil or some sort of healing balm. CeraVe’s Healing Ointment in the blue tube is a fave! Ulta has a twin pack with two mini tubes that are travel size, and FYI, it works as a hand cream in a pinch.

I don’t know if this necessarily counts, but I always bring a Cocofloss with me whenever I go, because I loathe the feeling of food stuck in between my teeth. Plus the package is lightweight and small, so it doesn’t take up too much space in my purse.

Again, this might not technically be a beauty product, but I always have one with me because of Connor — oversized, disposable toilet seat covers. If you have a small child and they like to hold onto the sides of the toilet seat when they use the restroom, you need one of these in your life when you’re out and about.

OK, babe. Time to spill the beans! What beauty products do you always have with you when you walk out the door?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

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chanel purple ray swatch day 1
Chanel Purple Ray!

1. Purple nails

opi leonardos model color swatch
OPI Leonardo’s Model

Not very holiday-esque, I know, but I’ve been really into purple nails lately. 🤷

2. Love Life on HBO

I stumbled onto this romantic comedy purely on accident, and guess what? It’s really good. 😁 It’s funny, earnest, sweet, heartbreaking — all the good stuff! I had to force myself to slow down while watching the first season, which stars Anna Kendrick, because otherwise I would never have gone to bed! It’s that good.

3. Not asking for people to give me Christmas wish lists.

I used to ask people to give me lists of what they wanted for Christmas because I always like to give gifts they actually want…but this year I’ve decided to skip that.

Ya know, I always end up hounding them for their list, which just stresses me out and puts me behind on my holiday shopping, so I’ve let it go this year. And you know what?

I’m totally cool with that. 😁

4. Edamame and rice bowl

I had this for lunch today and remembered why it’s such a great, easy meal.

It’s quick to make, filling and tastes delish. Just heat some rice and frozen edamame, and you’re done!

Wasn’t that easy?

When I need more protein, I add a sunny-side-up egg on top.

edamame rice no furikake
Simple but delicious

5. Mattloveshair on Instagram

His feed is fun and he has great tips!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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