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

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 621

August 23rd, 2020 by Karen 4 Comments

A lot of people thought Tabs was just this sweet, good-looking, easygoing cat, the proprietor of Novato’s largest cat cafe and an award-winning kitty modeling superstar.

And he was! He was all those things, but he was also a grizzly bear when it came to some things, like driving. Simply put, he was NOT a good car cat. He hated being in the passenger seat. He hated being chauffeured anywhere.

What he wanted was to be behind the wheel (because he was a control freak)…

He inspected all of his cars like a pilot inspects their plane. He checked the brakes, changed the oil and made sure every car in his collection was always in tip-top shape.

It didn’t just love to pose and travel, garden and eat gravy. He also loved life in the fast lane.

Most importantly, he liked being in control of his own destiny. He always wanted to be behind the wheel, and it bothered whenever he had to be a passenger, even if it was in the backseat of a limo.

He was a mover and a shaker, and a big deal maker. A real devil-may-care cat. ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, Aug. 22, 2020

August 22nd, 2020 by Karen 24 Comments

stila beso august 2020 — Hello, and happy Saturday!

Welcome to the weekend, yay! ? I hope your caturday got off to a good start. Mine has been adequately relaxing so far. ?

Can we start by talking a little bit about makeup? Pretty please? — because I’ve been thinking about a comment Heather left on a post the other day about viewing makeup as an all-or-nothing thing…

What she said about being all-or-nothing when it comes to makeup *really* resonates with me! I’ve totally felt this way in the past. A few years ago, if I hadn’t been able to bang out an elaborate smokey eye containing fewer than five shades, I wouldn’t have even touched my brushes. I thought, why even go there unless you CAN GO ALL THE WAY THERE, ya know?

Oh, how the times have changed!

I’ve taken a more relaxed approach to makeup over the past few years, and ESPECIALLY since the pandemic started. I’ve gone days — in a couple cases, weeks! — without wearing any makeup at all.

Lately, though, I have been trying to motivate myself to wear a little more and go a little further with my makeup, because I really do feel better when I try a little, even if it’s just mascara and brow gel.

When I do, I get the same feeling I get when I make my bed in the morning. Like, when I don’t do my bed and it’s a disheveled mess, I feel a little…off balanced? Technically, I remain functional, but every time I walk by that unmade bed I grumble… ?

Mind you, I realize that I don’t “need” (airquotes) makeup to be functional, but wearing a little does seem to take the edge off, which is just to say that I did this look with four products in the span of time it takes to listen to Islands in the Stream, which was playing in the background, LOL! ?️

MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick in NC42, Stila Beso Liquid Lipstick, Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara and Urban Decay Brow Blade

I used a red liquid lipstick called Stila Beso, a combo brow pen/pencil called Urban Decay Brow Blade, a mascara called Urban Decay Cannonball, and MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte sheer stick foundation around my mouth and my nose.

I would’ve totally skipped foundation, but I’ve been hyper-aware of my upper lip area lately. I have some pigmentation there that makes me look like I have what I affectionately refer to as a “mustache shadow,” and it’s there even after I wax. It’s so weird! Does anyone else have this? It’s kind of annoying, but hey, with a mask on, nobody knows what’s going on except me…and my mustache, HAHAHA!

This weekend’s Saturday surfing…

Keep your paws crossed for Mittens the cat, a Turkish Angora who’s been nominated as New Zealander of the Year. He’s going up against Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield. Good luck, Mittens! I hope you win.
Speaking of cats, do you know any cat ladies who would like a perfume called Kitten Fur? Or perhaps one of these cat carriers, which are supposed to be the best of the best for scared kitties?
“There’s this really false idea that if you care about makeup ? or if your interests are in beauty and fashion, that that’s somehow frivolous. But I actually think these are some of the most substantive decisions that we make, and we make them every morning,” says AOC.
The pandemic has supposedly ushered out the Instagram baddie trend and ushered in a more natural beauty aesthetic.
Beauty brands are evolving! Many are trying to shed makeup’s gendered history as more men embrace wearing cosmetics.
This Black beauty entrepreneur started her business in her dorm room as a junior at UCLA, and now her products are carried at Urban Outfitters.
In order to survive the restrictions put on their craft because of the pandemic, many makeup artists are pivoting to position their businesses in creative ways.

I fell into a YouTube rabbit hole watching these twins hear classic songs for the first time.

Annie Lennox, by the way, is A LEGEND.

Speaking of legends

Teach me how to make magic, Lisa.

This may or may not have made me tear up a little.

Someone please make this for me.

This was SO good.

Even if you can’t/don’t feel like wearing a full face this weekend, why not try a little bit of makeup just for fun? It could make the good day you’re having even better. You just never know!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Practical Stuff I Like: The New Baylis & Harding Goodness Natural Hand Washes at Target, a Budget Beauty’s Version of Molton Brown

August 21st, 2020 by Karen 8 Comments

baylis harding hand wash soap — Fancy (but totally affordable) hand washes at Target from across the pond

What song do you sing when you’re washing your hands? Normally, I sing “Happy Birthday” to Keanu Reeves two or three times to keep it simple (because Keanu ?), but sometimes I veer into Prince territory (“She wore a raspberry beret, the kind you get at a secondhand store. Raspberry beret, and if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more. Raspberry beret. I think I love her.”)

I would wear his blue suit with clouds in a heartbeat to Trader Joe’s.

’tis a sign of the (pandemic) times when one gets their thrills from testing different hand soaps… Seriously, the bar for my amusement is set so low now!

So…I like to try new hand soaps, and right now I’m into Baylis & Harding Goodness Natural Handwashes, a new line of vegan liquid hand soaps at Target.

They smell fancy! The scents have notes, base notes, middle notes — the whole shebang — and they lather up into big, luscious bubbles. Think Molton Brown, but at a drugstore price.

They’re made in the UK and don’t contain parabens, silicones and dyes. The suggested retail price for a huge 16.9-oz. bottle is $5.99 (although here in the Bay Area, apparently it’s $7.39).

From Target.com:

“Baylis & Harding Goodness Oud, Cedar & Amber hand wash is inspired by nature with carefully blended plant-based formulas. Using only the finest, natural and organic extracts and essential oils to deliver a 98% naturally derived formulation that is vegan, 95% biodegradable, packaged within a 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) bottle. Dermatologist approved (mild & gentle) and made in England with love, Baylis & Harding’s Goodness natural hand wash line is also dye free, paraben free, silicone free and uses a mild coconut-derived surfactant as an alternative to SLES, making it SLS/SLES/ales free.”

The different scents are surprisingly complex, like you’re having a perfume experience every times you wash your hands. For example, Oud Cedar and Amber, one of my faves, smells like an expensive, handsome man driving you to work in his new car with leather seats. And the Rose and Geranium instantly transports you to teatime in an English garden blooming at the height of spring. So nothing basic, scent wise, here.

Scent notes:

Oud, Cedar & Amber: Woody and aromatic with a blend of citrus fruits with herbal notes and strong woody undertone.
Lemongrass & Ginger: Top and heart notes of ginger and lemongrass blended with black pepper, citrus and bergamot. Nutmeg and cinnamon add a spicy undertone.
Rose & Geranium: A zesty top note of lemon blended with rose, geranium and rich amber.
Sea Kelp & Peppermint: Top notes of peppermint, green tea and sea salt, combined with sea kelp and grounded by base notes of cedar and amber.

The bevy of bubbles rinses quickly, leaving your paws squeaky clean and lightly scented. Good stuff, and super affordable, too.

Pack your bags (literally)

Thanks guys for sharing where you live and why you love it yesterday in the comments. I really enjoyed it! Apparently, I’ve been talking non-stop about leaving California enough that El Hub thinks I’m pretty serious about it. And ya know what? I think I am. I know it’s not going to happen RIGHT THIS SECOND, but I’d like to leave within the next few years. I don’t think I can endure many more fire seasons without turning into a walking ball of anxiety.

Not that anything right now is normal anywhere, but fire season here, on top of the pandemic, is working my already frayed nerves. Like today, I wanted to take Connor to play in the park, but there are two big fires within 20 miles of us (the LNU Complex Fire and the Point Reyes Wildfire), and the air quality is poor. It smells like a campfire outside.

Also, on my to-do list this weekend: packing our go-bags in case we have to evacuate. Super uncomfortable, but it has to be done, because you just never know living here.

I’ve been using these two lists I found online as guidelines:

Do you think it would be silly to set aside some camping gear? I keep thinking about where we’d go if we had to evacuate, because I just don’t know. Everyone we know has been isolating themselves with their families. I guess we could pitch our tent in my parent’s backyard? I have absolutely no idea.

With that…I really don’t want to leave you on a weird note, I swear! Things are currently not dire where I am (knocks on wood). We’re fine. I would just rather be prepared than get caught totally off guard.

I’m pretty happy all things considered. ? Just glad to be here, healthy with my family and a roof over my head.

Take care of yourself, k? And have a good Friday.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

FOTD: Glowing and Natural Makeup With Coppery Lids and Nude Lips

August 20th, 2020 by Karen 30 Comments

When the going gets tough, the tough wear MAC (at least they do in my world, ha!). MAC is my makeup comfort food… It’s like an In-n-Out Double Double with grilled onions, fries and a vanilla shake (of course). When I need a little TLC, Saddle and Soft Brown usually work for me. ?

I’m wearing both of them in this look here, along with some coppery action on my lids via two In Extra Dimension Eyeshadow faves — Amorous Alloy and Havana.

Girlfriend, have you gotten on the In Extra Dimension train yet? They’re a sub-family of eyeshadows in the permanent line, and they’re so, so good. They feel light and airy, almost like a cream, but blend like a powder, and all of them have a very distinct shiny finish, which is a little bit more intense than a satin but less intense than a frost. They’re also super long lasting, too, and incredibly easy to blend. Talk about unsung makeup heroes.

Back to the copper shades…Havana is a warm chocolate brown with that has a secret hidden coppery glint (grab it if you want a mostly brown with a touch of copper), and Amorous Alloy is a reddish orangey copper (it’s the one for you if you love how orangey or reddish browns look on your lids).

I blended both together because I was in the mood to experiment, but either looks fantastic with any number of the MAC classic neutrals, like Saddle and/or Soft Brown. You could also do Texture or Soba. I haven’t tried either with Groundwork Paint Pot, which is a cooler-toned brown that’s also a go-to neutral, but I’m curious to see if the contrast between the cool and warm colors would work well or clash (note to self, try this out).

By the way, the In Extra Dimension family also includes blushes and highlighters. I’m wearing one of the blushes here — Just a Pink layered on top of MAC Gingerly blush and Give Me Sun Mineralize Skin Finish Natural Powder (another underrated hero).

OH! — and if you’re into the whole wet/dry application thing, you can just as easily apply any of the In Extra Dimension products with a wet brush to amplify the shimmer.

I applied Havana and Amorous Alloy with a dry tapered brush here, but, as you can see in the pics, the shimmer is still there, and it does a pretty good job of not highlighting fine lines, so it’s very forgiving.

All in all, the In Extra Dimensions are one of MAC’s most blendable eyeshadows, so if you haven’t tried them yet, you must, ASAP.

Makeup worn in this look

EYES

NARS Tinted Eye Primer in Light
MAC Saddle, Soft Brown, Amorous Alloy and Havana eyeshadows
MAC Costa Riche
Urban Decay Brow Blade in Dark Drapes
MAC Clear Brow Set
Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara

LIPS

MAC Subculture Lip Pencil
The Lip Bar Baby Bellini Lipstick
MAC Myth Lipglass

CHEEKS

MAC Just a Pinch and Gingerly blushes
MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

BASE

Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Face oil
Wander Beauty Hidden Glow Brightening Cream
MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Sticks in NC42 and NC45
Kevyn Aucion Supernatural Concealer
Estee Lauder 24HR Concealer

Question for you

I took this pic last night as the sun set and just before the whole sky went red and purple. Marin County where I live in the North Bay Area is close to many of the fires burning around the Bay Area, and one of the…silver linings (?) has been that our sunsets and sunrises have been particularly beautiful and eerily apocalyptic lately.

When you walk outside, the air smells like a barbecue… ?
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Recipe: Summer Corn Tomato and Basil Salad

August 19th, 2020 by Karen 23 Comments

This is the crunchy corn salad, also known as the “Summer Party in Your Mouth!” I mentioned a few days ago.

It’s just a few simple ingredients. As you might expect, there’s corn…and there’s also tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

corn salad ingredients — So much deliciousness from so few ingredients!

I’ve been making it at least once a week for a month, and every time the fam-bam gobbles it all up. It’s good! Of course you can tweak it to your liking. The way I describe it here, it comes together in about 15 minutes.

So far, I’ve served it with hot dogs, with parmesan chicken, with basil parmesan salmon, with caprese salad, and lemon pasta, and…well, it rocks with just about any protein and side. I also HIGHLY recommend it on its own with a side of crusty, fresh bread. YUM!

Fresh corn is preferred, but I’m not above using frozen or canned corn if that’s all I have in the house.

If you’re using fresh corn, you’ll have to remove the kernels from the cobs first… So that’s something to consider. It probably takes the most time.

trader joes super sweet corn — I use this corn from Trader Joe’s.

I do it by taking two bowls — one big, one small — and start by inverting the smaller bowl inside the bigger one so that the edge of the smaller bowl sits flat inside the bigger bowl. If possible, you don’t want it to wiggle at all.

Now, take your shucked corn cob, and set the bottom of the cob on top of the smaller bowl. Next, hold the pointy tip of the cob with one hand, and, with your other hand, take a knife and slowly and carefully run it down the sides to remove the kernels.

Um…be very careful as you do this, OK? I know, I know, you’re always careful, but I feel like whenever knives are involved, it’s worth repeating.

Go slowly until you get the hang of it. Be careful because YOU NEED YOUR FINGERS!

corn salad tomatoes chopped — Tomatoes from my garden

Anywho, that’s the hardest part. The salad comes together quickly after that, so have the rest of your ingredients items prepped and ready to go!
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FOTD: A Clean and (Almost) Effortless Makeup Look Using Mostly MAC Classics

August 18th, 2020 by Karen 30 Comments

I PUT ON EARRINGS TODAY!

*And* a full-face of makeup.

Take that, pandemic blues! ?

I was going for clean and effortless with simple matte browns to define the lids and an elegant dark brown winged liner. And, yes, girlfriend, you read that correctly: Dark. Brown. Winged. Liner.

Back in the day (uh, two years ago?), winged liner was hallowed ground reserved solely for either black or jewel tones. I liked — and still like — the intense drama of the contrast of a solid black or a brightly colored line against my lids, but I’ve reached the point where I’ll try anything to get myself out of the makeup funk I’ve been experiencing over the last couple months, which currently involves playing with makeup in ways that aren’t overwhelming. Like, there’s no way homegirl is about to knock out a look with five colors in the crease right now, but I’m certainly down to try a dark chocolaty wing.

And, ya know, I really like it! It’s like the kinder, gentler version of winged liner without the stark black edges. I mean, you still see the crisp lines, but I think there’s something less severe about the brown.

For the liner, I used a mix of MAC Coffee and MAC Brushbrown (liquid liner), and the rest of the makeup is pretty heavy in MAC classics, because when I’m not feeling super great, those go-tos always hit the spot. MAC was my first love ❤️, and I could go on about old-school colors like Saddle eyeshadow and Melba blush for days.

Basically, if you like listening to me ramble about MAC permanent collection classics, let me know. ?? I’ll take any excuse to talk about those O.G. shades.

Speaking of O.G.s, I can’t find my MAC Spice liner, and I’m borderline panicking about it! I wanted to wear it in this look but ended up using Boldly Bare instead.

Makeup worn in this look

EYES

NARS Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Light (several shades lighter than my skin tone, but I used it to brighten up matte browns)
MAC Groundwork Paint Pot
MAC Saddle eyeshadow
MAC Coffee pencil liner
MAC Brushbrown liquid liner
Urban Decay Browblade in Dark Drapes
MAC Clear Brow Set
Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara

CHEEKS

MAC Melba Blush
MAC Coppertone Blush
BECCA Rose Gold highlighter

LIPS

MAC Boldly Bare lip liner
MAC C-Thru Lipglass

BASE

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC42 mixed with Pinklite Strobe cream (applied a thin layer buffed all over the face)
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter in 5 Tan mixed with Kevyn Aucoin Supernatural Concealer in Medium EC06 (applied on under eyes, cheeks, nose and around mouth)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden

Seriously, you can’t go wrong building up your makeup collection with some staples from MAC.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. HAPPY TUESDAY! We’ve made it past Monday, which is an accomplishment. It should get easier from here.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 639

August 17th, 2020 by Karen 32 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 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. Brush or Beauty Blender?

Hmm… Beauty Blenders are quite handy…but I’ll take the brush because I could do more with it.

2. Apples or oranges?

I like them both a lot, but I’ll go with apples BECAUSE APPLE PASTRY. And apple turnovers. And apple fritters! Plus, there are so many varieties of apples. (I’m a honeycrisp girl, myself.) This week at our house we’re enjoying the Granny Smith.

3. An old-school makeup product you’ve used for-ev-er?

MAC Powersurge eyeliner. Been using it for well over a decade!

4. A fancy beauty product you love?

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter is magic (albeit expensive magic, hahaha).

5. River, lake or ocean?

Frankly, any of the above. I wouldn’t mind a tranquil, warm lake right now, but I’m a beach baby at heart.

6. Do you wear makeup to the pool or beach?

There was a time when I would’ve answered this with an enthusiastic “YASSS,” but it’s a no now. My current idea of lookin’ fly when I’m in a body of water is wearing sunscreen.

7. Something on your to-do list today?

I promised to take Connor to the pool because we’ve been having Hawaii-Florida heat and humidity for the past week or so, but we’ve been having crazy intense lightning storms since Friday afternoon, which I can only remember happening once or twice since forever. I’m serious, the flashes will happen every couple seconds in bunches. And that’s supposed to last until noon-ish, supposedly, so pool time will be replaced by something else… Maybe we’ll find some puddles to splash in.

8. Do you trim your nose hairs?

Oh, totally. But it’s been a relatively recent development. I think I started two or three years ago? The way I found out that I had to do it was kinda funny though… I was brushing my teeth in front of the mirror and oh-so-excitedly observed that when I smiled, some nose hairs in my left nostril would poke out!

I use small safety scissors with rounded tips to trim those bits whenever they get too long.

9. You’ve got this!

I know it’s not a question, but I just wanted to remind you that you’ve got someone in your corner cheering you on. ? You’ve totally got this, lady!

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. Brush or Beauty Blender?
2. Apples or oranges?
3. An old-school makeup product you’ve used for-ev-er?
4. A fancy beauty product you love?
5. River, lake or ocean?
6. Do you wear makeup to the pool or beach?
7. Something on your to-do list today?
8. Do you trim your nose hairs?
9. You’ve got this!

P.P.S. Have a most spectacular day, friend. Things are tough, I know, but this won’t be forever, so hang in there. We’ve got this! ?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 620

August 16th, 2020 by Karen 5 Comments

Tabs was a big personality. He was like a movie star in his own life, and he was always surprising us. I swear, every single day he did something that made me shake my head in amazement. He was truly larger than life.

But, you know, that cat also had quirks. Like most cats do. I mean, he did some things that were just…unexplainable. For instance, he always — and I’m talking about years here — always hopped up on on the bed from the same side. It was always the right. Never the left.

I guess you could say he was many things, including incredibly consistent about his bedtime ritual.

Why?

You tell me… I have no idea. It was just one of the mysteries of the world, and I think once I tried to get him to climb up from the opposite side, and he nearly short circuited. He grumbled, hopped down and raced out of the room.

Some may say it was good old-fashioned cat neurosis, but I attribute it to his incredible discipline. After all, you can’t build a global kitty modeling empire without consistency, and he took his beauty sleep as seriously as he took posing.

Maybe he just wanted to stick to what worked. He knew how to sleep well and achieve his dreams. Can’t fault anyone for that.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen