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Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 645

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OMG, it’s halftime in the Super Bowl! I bet Tabs is watching from his palace on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge because that cat loved football. As you know, he played tight end for the world champion Mill Valley Wildcats before becoming a kitty supermodel.

He loved it too. Played for a couple years until that career-ending tail injury…

Rosie also likes football, but for different reasons. She loves it for the data analysis. She likes to track different statistics, like which players have the most cats.

Rosie


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Saturday Surfing, Feb. 6, 2021

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hello saturday pink heart and roses
We made it!

Happy Caturday, guys! Rosie would like to officially welcome you to the weekend.

rosie in a blanket
Wearing Connor’s baby blanket, BTW.

I’m about to relax with a book (still reading Bulletproof) and sip this cup of tea… Well, technically it’s a glass of tea. I’ve been drinking my daily Earl Grey in these big glasses from Crate & Barrel since I got them last month, and, call me crazy, but I swear the tea tastes better in a glass.

tea in a cup
Exhibit A

As far as my plans go for this weekend, sometime today or tomorrow I plan to take a walk up to the waterfall, and then there’s the Super Bowl tomorrow, which isn’t particularly my thing, but I am looking forward to making a pot of chili, or some burgers, and baking some chocolate-chip cookies to devour during the game.

We’ll see what happens! ???

fairway waterfall hike january 2021
So peaceful!


You’re welcome.


If you know, then you know.


Your kiss is on my list.


I love this style of makeup.


Seriously so good.


The world needs more sousaphones.


Yes please.


You know I love a pink lip.


Ooh, want!


The 411 on niacinamide.

Hope you have a restful weekend. Have fun. Go Chiefs!!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Try This Hack for Bold, Bushy, Bangin’ Brows

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brow tips top
A hack for bold but natural-looking brows

Do you ever feel like your brows are out to get you? Like they have an agenda? Like they have ulterior motives?

I do. ? Sometimes they absolutely refuse all orders, totally ignoring my requests, whether I come at them with a brow gel and/or an eyebrow brush.

Do you want fuller, (somewhat) natural-looking brows, but don’t want to have to spend an hour on it and use a ton of product?

If you answered “yes,” then this brow hack is for you! ?

I just started doing this and have gotten some good feedback on my brows lately, so of course I have to share this hack with you, because I’m guessing you’re probably as obsessed with brows as I am. 🙂

First, you’ll need a clear brow gel, your favorite brow filler (pen, pencil, powder, whatevs) and — drumroll please — YOUR FINGERS!

Yes, fingers are the key to this party. ✌️ ?

Start by applying the clear brow gel to your naked brows. There are so many good brow gels out there, BTW (see: Benefit, NUDESTIX, Anastasia), but I’m using the one by MAC now because I like the hold. It gets the job done, but it doesn’t make my brows too stiff.

Don’t be shy, either. Pile that ish on!

brow tips 1
Naked brows and bare skin, ’cause that’s how we roll around these parts
brow tips 2
Load up the clear brow gel.

Now, instead of grabbing a brow spoolie or a brush comb and running that through the gel, push your brow hairs into place with your fingers.

Yup, that’s right! Simply press and maneuver the hairs exactly where you want them.

The secret is the power of fingertip pressure. ? I think it just works better than a spoolie or a brow brush.

brow tips 3
Press those hairs!
brow tips 4
Goofy face completely unnecessary but highly encouraged (ya need to be able to laugh at yourself, ya know?)

My strategery is to push the brow hairs in the inner half of my brow upward, and the hairs in the outer tail slightly up and out. I think that makes the brows look full, fluffy and thick.

At this point, you can proceed with the rest of your makeup while the gel sets, and then when it’s dry fill in any sparse spots in your brows with a pencil, pen or powder.

brow tips 5
Fill them in, finish the rest of your makeup, and you’re done!

It’s weird, but when I do this with my fingers, I’m able to get away with using less brow pencil, and I think my brows generally look more natural and less…I dunno…heavy-handed than when I use a brush or another tool?

Please note that most brow gels get stickier after setting for a minute or two, so if you’re there pushing your hairs around, and you feel the gel getting stuck here and stickier, that’s totally normal!

brow tips 6
Off to pre-school pickup!

I hope you give this a try. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

Elegant and Polished Makeup for All Occasions With Playful Pink Cheeks and Lips, and Cool-Toned Matte Grays to Contour Lids

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mac cozy grey honest beauty forever
10-minute makeup with cool toned lids and lips

I always say, “I threw this look on,” but I really did! This took about 10 minutes, not including the few minutes it took to gather my arsenal of supplies, which in this case was not very much. Those are cool-toned grayish-brown lids and rosy beige lips, and I did it right before going to get Connor from school the other day. The highlight was showing it off to a couple of my neighbors when we got home and practiced Connor’s bike riding and did some sidewalk chalk.

I’m telling you, these days, the highlight of my day is often those socially distanced chats with my neighbors. That’s where it’s at!

Anywho, I really like this look. I feel so polished in it and, dare I say, almost cute?!

I like the slight definition on the lids and lashes, the pink blush on my cheeks, the lipstick and the somewhat bushy brows, which are defined but not overly bold.

Here it is in action…

I’ll definitely wear this again, maybe even on a date night (if one of those ever happens again). Ooh! — or on a girl’s night out, or a Saturday at a museum, whenever we can do those things again. I think you could wear pretty much anything with it.

The full breakdown is below, but I think the eyeshadows are the key. I’m wearing two matte cool-toned shadows — a light taupe-gray called MAC Cozy Grey all over my lids. It’s a workhorse from the permanent collection. And a darker gray-brown called MAC Brun.

I have hooded eyes, and I chose the matte taupe-gray because I wanted to contour my lids. The cooler gray along with the matte finish creates the illusion of a shadow, which I think makes my lids look like they’re more deeply set.

mac cozy grey honest beauty forever
Somebody cut my hair please!

If you’re over 40, or if you have naturally hooded eye, definitely consider adding a matte cool-toned grayish taupe eyeshadow to your collection. I would go with a shade slightly darker than your skin tone — maybe one or two shades — because you want to be able to see the shadow and get that contoured effect, but you don’t want anything too dark; otherwise, you’ll be sitting there blending for days!

duri forever beautiful swatch
Here’s a closer look at my nails. I’m wearing Duri Forever Beautiful, an opaque creamy cool pale pink.

In my outer corners, I buffed a tiny touch of matte gray-brown MAC Brun. This shade… SO GOOD. You can also wear it in your brows to fill ’em out, or you can smoke it out over a dark chocolate brown or black base, or even use it as a simple upper or lower lash liner. It’s a staple I turn to over and over again… I’m never without a pan of Brun, it’s that serious!

One last thing I’d like to point out about the eyes, and it might seem subtle at first, but if you look closely at my lash and water lines, there’s a hint of shimmer, which I think really makes the eyes pop. I’m wearing a pencil liner called MAC Prunella, which is a shimmery warm dark purplish bronze. I happen to like how it contrasts with the cooler tones on the lids.

mac cozy grey honest beauty forever
Same look, different lighting

Makeup in this look

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I hope you’re having a great day so far! 🙂

Romantic Rose Tones With Brilliant Bronzed Browns

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mac chatterbox lmac chatterbox laura mercier roseaura mercier rose
I like this palette of luscious golden browns and dainty, rosy pinks. ?

OK, so, I wore this look yesterday, and doggone it — I felt good about my makeup. The pink blush and lipstick spoke to my soul… You can’t go wrong with springy, romantic rosy pinks. Methinks they’re downright therapeutic. Wearing pink in winter reminds me that we will see the sun again.

mac chatterbox laura mercier rose
Just a little makeup!

I’ve been doing the bare minimum in terms of base for months, but I put a little more polish into this look, and I really like how it turned out.

For starters, I mixed a dab of pearly lotion into a matte, medium-coverage foundation, then applied a thin layer with a skunk brush all over my face. Then, for slightly more coverage, I loaded a tiny, pointy-tipped concealer brush with the most minimal amount of concealer and strategically dabbed it where I have a little extra pigmentation (spots on my cheeks and around my mouth). And those couple extra things took my base makeup to the next level! Dare I say it? — an elegant level. 🙂

mac chatterbox k down havana
Swatches of the key products on NC42 skin

I felt like myself again for the first time in a while.

Yeah…I was wearing lipstick around the house again, LOL! MAC Chatterbox is an awfully pretty, playful reddish pink, and it can be quite bold if you apply a layer straight from the tube. I was in the mood for something more mellow, so I blotted it down, then used my finger to push in whatever lipstick remained to create a beautiful rosy pink stain… I think it’s springy and cheerful, and I love it. MAC Chatterbox, man! Don’t sleep on it.

Speaking of MAC, Powersurge eyeliner with Havana eyeshadow = magic. Layer Havana on top of Powersurge the next time you’re wearing warm browns or bronzes on your lids, and don’t forget to send me a thank you note when you’re done. ?

mac chatterbox laura mercier rose 1
MAC Havana eyeshadow + Powersurge liner = magic!

Makeup in this look

  • Base: It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare in Tan 41, Kevyn Aucoin Concealer in Medium 06, MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite
  • Eyes:Urban Decay Brow Blade in Dark Drapes, MAC Saddle and Havana eyeshadows, MAC Powersurge pencil liner, Bite Beauty Upswing Mascara, MAC Clear Brow Gel
  • Cheeks and lips: Laura Mercier Soleil 1 Bronzer, Laura Mercier Rose Blush, MAC Chatterbox lipstick

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How Would You Describe Your Current Makeup Style?

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k and coco sonoma
Five-minute face of the day!

I know we’ve discussed it before, but uh…mine has changed over the past few months.

SHOCKER, I know.

I’m definitely wearing fewer products than I was pre-pandemic; that’s for sure. I wear less base in general, and now I’ve gotten to the point where it feels like I’m wearing too much when I use concealer and foundation at the same time. Now I actually prefer only using foundation, and I’ll use it for everything, too — under my eyes for dark circles, and/or to do some “spot correcting” on the uneven areas on my cheeks.

(Side note: I like using a buildable medium-to-full-coverage foundation for this, and It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation is great for this.)

Overall, I’m also wearing less eye makeup than I used to, which has been a double-edged sword, because on one hand, I have so much extra time to spend on important life things like rewatching Schitt’s Creek, but on the the other hand, my blending skills have reeeeeally deteriorated. I haven’t done a complicated smokey eye in FOREVER, and even now when I see myself in pics wearing just one or two colors, I see mistakes I probably wouldn’t have made a few months ago when I was regularly wearing more eye makeup and pushing my skills (LOL).

Even though I’ve been wearing lipstick and gloss around the house, I miss going out in public and being able to rock a bright lippie. I also miss seeing other women wearing bold reds and whatnot and being able to compliment them. Is that crazy? I was that stranger, BTW, the one who would walk up to you in Sephora on the day you were rocking a bright red and say things like, “You look amazing in that red lip, like AH-MAY-ZING,” and see their face light up. That always makes me so happy. ? I haven’t done that in person in over a year… I miss sending that kind of energy out into the world, you know?

So how has your makeup style changed lately? How would you describe it now?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 663

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happy monday waterfall pond
Have a peaceful day, my friend!

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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

    1. Black or white nail polish?

    Opaque white on short nails.

    2. Bagels or cinnamon buns?

    Team #allthecarbs, so both?! But if I haaaaave to choose one…I’ll go with a freshly baked cinnamon bun made from scratch, because nobody has time for bullsh*t cinnamon buns. ?

    3. How good are you at parking vehicles?

    Pretty good, I think, considering that I don’t drive as much as I used to. Also, for the record, I’m decent at parallel parking (even on hills!).

    However, one parking skill I’ve yet to master is being able to back into parking spots, which I’d love to be able to do so I could just drive straight out. It’s great for fairground parking lots and stadiums.

    Hmm… Maybe that will be my next thing to learn!

    4. Eyeliner or mascara?

    Mascara.

    5. Foundation or concealer?

    Foundation.

    6. Have you ever had a snake as a pet?

    Nope. I’ve been lucky enough to care for many different animals in my time, but I’ve never had a pet snake. I’ve just never made a strong connection with a reptile… Plus, I can’t see myself feeding a snake without low-key freaking out every time!

    7. Hair perfume or body spray?

    Body spray.

    8. Bralettes — love ’em or leave ’em?

    LOVE THEM. What’s a real bra, anyway?

    9. The next holiday you’re looking forward to?

    Valentine’s Day, because 1) I don’t have to make a meal, and 2) obscene amounts of chocolate!

    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. Black or white nail polish?
    2. Bagels or cinnamon buns?
    3. How good are you at parking vehicles?
    4. Eyeliner or mascara?
    5. Foundation or concealer?
    6. Have you ever had a snake as a pet?
    7. Hair perfume or body spray?
    8. Bralettes — love ’em or leave ’em?
    9. The next holiday you’re looking forward to?

    P.P.S. Hello and happy Monday, sweet friend. Here’s to hoping for a calm, peaceful day. I also hope you get to spend some time outdoors with nature, but just in case you can’t, the following video is for you.?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 644

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As a kitty supermodel, purrfessional athlete, philanthropist and fashion icon, Tabs flourished in the fierce ferocity of fabulousness. He dominated in almost every endeavor, save one — the sciences. Academia was not his forte.

However, looking fabulous was.

Boom.

He also acted on the side, earning the first of many Cat Academy Awards for his riveting purrformance in “The Tabby of Wall Street.”

Of course, it was modeling that really put him on the map.

And then once he achieved superstardom, he strove to share his knowledge with up-and-coming humans and cats.

Dr. Rosie has been an employee of Tabs the Cat Industries LLC for slightly more than a year now, and while she may not be as passionate about kitty modeling as Tabs was, she certainly has her own sense of style.

Dr. Rosie, PhD

As the company’s Sr. Quantum Physicist, she spends her days working in the lab. Her attire isn’t typically flamboyant, but here she is wearing her new security clearance badge. This is what gets her into the top secret gravy research level in the company headquarters.

She never goes anywhere without her security badge. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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