Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 637

December 13th, 2020 by Karen 10 Comments

Tabs liked his Christmas trees full and lush…and now that I think about it, they were often shaped like him, with a very round, robust bottom.

He always insisted on being the one to pick out the tree for the house, and I think his list of criteria for acceptable trees included making sure the branches were low enough for him to hide under so that he could launch a sneak attack and swat at your ankles.

It’s been a year and half since Tabs crossed the rainbow bridge, and I’ve held on to his stocking. I put it up again this year, and even though he physically can’t be with me on Christmas, he still gets a sprig of fresh catnip.

Rosie’s been excited about the upcoming holiday too. Cats are funny… She also likes to hide under the tree, but I think it’s more of a relaxing experience for her than it was for Tabs. She’ll stare up at the branches dreamily, rather than vengefully swatting at your legs as you walk by.

I’m surprised she has yet to try climbing the actual tree, since all she wants to do when we go outside is climb trees.

Now that I’ve said that out loud, though, I think I may end up regretting it. How much do you wanna bet that tree is getting tipped over soon?

It’s a very Rosie Christmas

She went outside today wearing a very festive silver collar with matching silver hat. Her style is usually a little bit lower key than Tabs’ was. I think she’s enjoying her time in the limelight, and yes, while we were out there she climbed a tree. ?

She’s sitting on my lap right now, rubbing her cheeks against my shoulder and looking up at me oh-so sweetly… I think it’s because she wants Temptations treats for Christmas, and this is her way of letting Santa know that she’s been a very good cat this year. ?

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Saturday Surfing, Dec. 12, 2020

December 12th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

urban decay boogie palette k lots glitter — Glittering my way into the weekend!

Hello and happy Saturday, beautiful girl! And just so we’re totally clear, I think you’re lovely inside and out.

We’re in full-on lockdown mode here again, as are many millions of my compatriots across the country, and the only place I’m going with this glittery makeup (via the Urban Decay Boogie palette) is the parking lot of a Walgreens for a curbside pickup to get some last-minute picture Christmas cards.

Seriously, when will I ever learn? Around September every year I say to myself, “Self, you’re going to order your Christmas cards early this year,” and yet here we are again… Le sigh!

Speaking of glitter, I just discovered the magic of makeup artist Hannah Martin. She’s very good at breaking down the “whys” and “hows” of her technique, and I’m deeply in love with this green glittery look I plan to try ASAP.

So pretty!

On that note, I hope you have a tasty morning beverage with you, because it’s time for some reading.

A furtunate group of cats living in the basement of a Russian museum just inherited money from a French philanthropist…
Somebody please adopt this beautiful one-eyed calico kitty! She’s a doll.
Here, makeup artists walk you through what to do when your winged liner goes wonky.
A look back at 2020’s biggest beauty trends…
13 Black-owned nail polish brands to shop ASAP!
Things to think about when you’re shopping for moisturizer
Dolly Parton is releasing her own fragrance line!

I’m listening to this right now.

When I was a kid, I thought this was the saddest Christmas song ever, LOL!

Speaking of childhood

What are you up to today? Are you sticking close to home, too?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Easy Cheesy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (GLUTEN-FREE!)

December 11th, 2020 by Karen 19 Comments

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe — You’ll love these tender gluten-free cheddar garlic biscuits!

To ensure that this post is kindasorta makeup related…here I am wearing the new Urban Decay Boogie palette and eating a gluten-free cheddar garlic biscuit! ?

I made these biscuits for Thanksgiving, and they were the best — THE BEST — thing on the menu. Sliced ’em open and served them with maple glazed ham slices (BOOM!), but they’re just as delicious with a salad, soup, chili, clam chowder, etc.

In other words, all the things. ?

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe 1 — YUM!

First off, they’re easy to make, and there isn’t any complicated rolling out or chilling of dough. Even though this particular batch is gluten-free, you could just as easily make them with gluten-full all-purpose flour.

The full recipe is below, but here’s a quick rundown…

Before we start, you gotta gather the ingredients. The list is short and sweet, just like my Coycoy!

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe ingredients — Start your prep!

First, measure out your dry ingredients, and whisk them in a bowl.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe dry ingredients — Whisk away…

Next, shred the cheddar cheese. THIS IS KEY! The pre-shredded stuff in a bag won’t melt as well.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe shredded cheese dry ingredients — Aw, you’re so cheesy!

While you’re at it, prep the wet ingredients.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe cheese and wet ingredients — The start of something good!

Now, it’s time to make the dough! Begin by adding the cheese to the dry ingredient bowl; toss the shreds in the flour to coat them thoroughly.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe coated cheese — All up in the mix

Then, add the wet ingredients.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe add wet — Like I said, it ain’t diet food…

Mix the dough until it barely comes together, and try your best to avoid over-mixing; otherwise, you’ll end up with a tough biscuit. It’ll look and feel a little dry, which is totally OK.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe dough — Don’t stress if your dough looks a little crumbly!

Form the dough into 12 biscuits, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper into an oven that’s been preheated to 425F. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits look golden.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe biscuits on baking sheet — About to do the damn thing…

While the biscuits are baking, make your butter topping.

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe melted butter topping — TOPPING!

When the biscuits are done, right after you take them out of the oven, immediately spoon the melted butter on the tops of the biscuits.

Devour heartily! ?

gluten free cheddar garlic biscuit recipe final biscuit — And you’re done! Let’s eat!

Easy Cheesy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (GLUTEN-FREE!)

DESCRIPTION
These cheesy garlic biscuits melt in your mouth, and, full disclosure, you’ll have a hard time eating just one! The dough quickly comes together and doesn’t require any complicated kneading, so you can easily mix a batch to serve for lunch, dinner or even breakfast. They’re delicious as is, or served with sliced ham (YUM), chili or clam chowder.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Bake time: 12 minutes

Total time: 37

Yield: 12 biscuits

BISCUIT DRY INGREDIENTS:

10 ounces (2 cups) gluten-free 1-to-1 flour (I like Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
6 ounces (1 ½ cups) freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (don’t use bagged and pre-shredded cheese; it doesn’t melt as well)

BISCUIT WET INGREDIENTS:

½ cup full-fat sour cream
½ cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter

TOPPING:

3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
¼ teaspoon crushed, dried parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder

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Urban Decay Decades Collection Swatches and Impressions

December 10th, 2020 by Karen 10 Comments

urban decay mini eyeshadow palettes — Takin’ a trip through the decades with Urban Decay’s latest

Watch out, Elon Musk! ? Urban Decay just took the lead in the race to develop a time machine, but no, science fiction nerds, I’m not referring to a hot tub time machine (although I secretly wish I was). I’m talking about their $25 LE Decades eyeshadow palettes, which are up on the UD website now.

Each one is themed around a different decade from the ’70s through the early 2000s, and they’re cute! They fit in the palm of your hand with colors and finishes reminiscent of that decade’s style of makeup.

No surprise here, but my favorite is 1993, and not just because of the great plaid packaging. The colors are also wearable. I was really surprised when I put them on the other day by how non-scary my eyes looked, because that did not line up with my first impression when I opened the palette and immediately thought, “Oh, boy…”

“Flattering” wasn’t the first word that came to mind, but then I put them on. ?

When I did my makeup the first time with these shadows, I did my eyes first, and I vividly remember that there wasn’t any fallout. I didn’t have to clean up any eyeshadow on my cheeks afterwards, which was great.

I think the standout’s gotta be Collect Call, a dark brown that looks intimidating in the pan but turns out to be a surprisingly wearable matte brownish purple on my skin. I blended it into my outer corner and was pleasantly surprised. It feathered out quite easily.

Grunge is another surprise. It looks like a baby threw up all over Oscar the Grouch’s fur in the pan, but no! — it’s actually a lovely satiny golden olive.

Overall, the colors in the 1993 palette are totally, and surprisingly, wearable. Who’d a thunk it?

I put the shadows on bare lids and wasn’t wearing any primer with them at all, because that’s how I roll these days, and even after five hours, I didn’t see any creasing. The shades looked just as vibrant as they did when I put them on in the morning.
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Do You Currently Have (or Have You Ever Had) Hyperpigmentation?

December 9th, 2020 by Karen 7 Comments

bare skin big smile baby wing — Baby winged liner, bare skin and big smiles. Sweatshirt: Thank You for Being a Friend.

I do, mainly through slightly darker patches on my cheeks, and I also have freckles. My upper lip can also get dark, and when it’s in full force, I look like I have a mustache!

Overall, my hyperpigmentation has actually been a little better than usual. It’s been better since I got back on track with a skin care routine last month that includes a Vitamin C serum, retinol cream and sunscreen (YES).

For a while there I wasn’t doing much skin care for my face — just pimple cream and moisturizer. It was just, ya know…2020. The whole…all of it. I didn’t have enough energy left over to take care of myself. Seriously, there were a few weeks there when I had to set reminders to brush my hair! ?

I’m a little better about things now, like doing something about hyperpigmentation, and it sure feels good to be taking care of my skin again.

How about you? Do you have hyperpigmentation, or have you ever? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Unsung Heroes: Chicory Lip Pencil

December 8th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

mac chicory — MAC Chicory Lip Pencil. Shirt: Mascara & Kitties

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

I know, I know — we’re all wearing masks. So, what’s the point of wearing lipstick or lip liner, or any other lip products at all?

Listen, just because my face is covered doesn’t mean I don’t get the urge to wear something on my lips. I still LOVE wearing lip color, and I’ll wear it around the house, just because. I don’t need a logical reason. ?

A few days ago I just happened to come across a lip pencil from MAC that made my heart flutter like a hummingbird, and I thought you might like it as well. It’s a warm matte peachy brown called MAC Chicory, and I think it’s lurvely.

mac chicory swatch nc42 — NC42 right here

It’s a little reminiscent of ’90s-style brown lipsticks like MAC Paramount, which is totally bad-@ss — but Chicory is a little less aggressive due to the presence of the peach, so it’s more wearable and down to earth. It’s a kinder, gentler version of the girl who loves wearing combat boots, Levis and button-down flannel.

The shade lives in MAC’s permanent line, and it’s $18. It should last a while, too. Some people aren’t fans of MAC’s pencil liners because of their harder texture, but I don’t mind it at all. I like the stiffer consistency. It helps with longevity, especially if you’re using them as a lipstick, which in this case just entails lining and filling in your lips with Chicory and layering your favorite lip balm on top. (Lately, that’s been CeraVe Hydrating Balm for me.)

If you’re a fan of warm brown eyeshadows, and you lean heavily on Soft Brown, Saddle, Sable or, if you love and wear Costa Riche or Teddy liner often (which I do!), Chicory is a fantastic complement to any of those colors.

Give it a try. I think you’ll love it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 655

December 7th, 2020 by Karen 39 Comments

happy monday christmas wreath monday poll — Have a festive 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. Would you rather wear the same lipstick for a year or the same foundation?

Gah! This question is surprisingly difficult because I’m a foundation junkie. I like to switch up my base game a lot!

Hmm… I guess if I were using MAC Studio Fix Fluid for a year, I could stick it out, because at least I’d be able to sheer it out as much as I wanted to with Strobe Cream…

So, I’ll go with the foundation, because I CANNOT IMAGINE only being able to wear the same lipstick for an entire year!

2. Highlight of your weekend?

Getting our Christmas tree and decorating the house with ALL THE HOLIDAY SPARKLE. It was so much fun! Connor and Rosie were very helpful with hanging up the ornaments and whatnot, but this was the first year I left like Connor truly interacted with me and was excited about the process. To see her get so excited about lights and tinsel was such a treat!

3. Red lipstick or red eyeshadow?

Easy. Red lipstick!

4. Rain or snow?

Rain, and ideally a refreshing tropical rain in Hawaii!

5. Snowboarding or skiing?

Neither? I don’t really get excited about snow, but if I have to pick one…I’ll pick snowboarding because I think there’s less equipment to deal with.

6. A skin care product you like a lot?

Seriously, I wish CeraVe sold their Skin Renewing Night Cream in an industrial-sized tub!

7. The Sound of Music or A Charlie Brown Christmas?

“The hills are alive with the sound of music…”

8. Essie or OPI?

Essie! Gel Couture all the way.

9. Hot chocolate: with or without whipped cream?

With whipped cream *and* sprinkles because it’s 2020, and anything goes.

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. Would you rather wear the same lipstick for a year or the same foundation?
2. Highlight of your weekend?
3. Red lipstick or red eyeshadow?
4. Rain or snow?
5. Snowboarding or skiing?
6. A skin care product you like a lot?
7. The Sound of Music or A Charlie Brown Christmas?
8. Essie or OPI?
9. Hot chocolate: with or without whipped cream?

P.P.S. Happy Monday to you, sweet friend! ? I hope you’re feeling good and having a nice day so far. Remember, you’re strong, smart and capable. Whatever it is you have to conquer today, big or small, you’ve got this. Hang in there!

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 636

December 6th, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

We put up our Christmas tree today, and every time I string the lights around the tree, I always have to tell the story of how, one year, Tabs tipped the Christmas tree over, and he did it with ninja-like silence, because I was actually in the same room with my back turned to him and didn’t even realize it happened.

One minute I looked over my shoulder, and there he was — bam! — with the Christmas tree tipped over.

He fancied himself as the king of Christmas, and he especially loved a festive, sparkly collar.

Every year, he would gather presents for kittens in need for his foundation, and through his foundation he would donate much-needed Christmas cans of tuna to kittens all over Marin County.

Rosie Girl Christmas

I felt a little nostalgic when I took out his favorite Christmas collar… I asked Rosie if she wanted to try it on, and being the easy-going gal that she is, she said, “Meow-wow [sure, why not?].”

I think the antlers that were originally attached to this collar were auctioned off for charity, which is why Rosie doesn’t have them on.

I think she could feel the spirit of Tabs when she walked around “her property” this morning, because I caught her striking a pose or two when I least expected it.

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