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Summer Glam on the Go! Coral Lips and Peachy Bronzed Lids

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honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 2
Today’s summery glam on the go!

The other day, when I was wearing this makeup, I ran into my neighbor, and she asked if I was going anywhere special, to which I replied, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, “I’M GOING TO SPORTS BASEMENT!”

You know the bar for your entertainment is set reeeeeeeally low when you dress up like you’re going to fancy brunch on vacation, but in reality you’re going to a sporting goods store to look for weights…

Oh, the pandemic stories we’ll have to tell! ?

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A summery color palette

This summery look has a few of my favorite warm-weather shades — coral and bronze! — and looks fancy, but it’s very easy to do. It also feels light and weightless, which are must-haves when the temperature’s rising.

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This look has three distinguishing features — long, lifted, lush lashes; warm, peachy bronze lids; and luminous skin.

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Streamlined and summery makeup

1. Primer on the outer lashes

To make your lashes look longer and more dramatique, coat your outer lashes with a lengthening lash primer before loading them up with mascara. This creates a lush lash effect without the time and effort of falsies.

2. Bronzer is your buddy for glam-on-the-go eyes

Bronzed eyes are a summer staple, and while you could always search your makeup collection for that perfect shade, why not save yourself a little time and swish your favorite bronzer on your lids instead?

Here, I layered a warm golden tan bronzer atop a satiny peach cream shadow…

3. Define your lash line with brown and black eyeliner

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: gradients are your friend.

This brown-into-black eyeliner gradient on the upper lash line is subtle, but I think that’s the beauty of it.

Start by lining your upper and lower waterlines with a matte brown pencil. Then, draw a thin line on your upper lash line, and smudge the outer edge of that ever so slightly.

Add depth to the gradient by etching a very thin line of black liquid liner along the top lash line.

Added bonus: the black liner also creates the illusion of a thicker lash base!

Flexible face oil

You probably already know I’m a fan of customizing foundation — mixing in a few drops of concealer for added coverage, or adding a few drops of liquid highlighter for a luminous effect. Well, here’s another one to try: blend a drop or two of face oil into your foundation to dial down the opacity of your base. This trick is handy for applying base to sections of the face where you want more of your natural skin to peek through, and it’s what I did here for my forehead and the outer edges.

Fastest updo

If your hair is crazy from quarantine, and you’re tired of rockin’ your fun bun, gather it into a high pony, and secure it into small sections with tiny hair ties (I like these. Three bucks at Ulta!). You can keep the hair ties bare, like I did here (I think the shiny effect looks like jewelry), but if you want to boost the sophistication factor, cover up the ties by wrapping a small piece of hair around each one and securing it with a bobby pin.

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See the shine from the hair ties?

Makeup worn in this look

I listed everything on my visage below, so please feel free to ask about any of these products in the comments. ?
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At What Age Did You Start Having a Skin Care Routine?

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High school, 1993, when I was an avid Clinique 3-stepper

It wasn’t really anything I thought about when I was younger. I would just wash my face with whatever soap was around, and then I’d remove all the suds with a washcloth… Pretty standard stuff for an elementary and middle school-aged girl. I don’t think I even used face lotion (GASP). And sunscreen? What the heck was that?

But when I was 12, I started breaking out, and that’s when I started a skin care routine.

Granted, it wasn’t great! I remember going to the dermatologist and the doctor giving me a really drying benzoyl peroxide soap called PanOxyl bar, which was so stinky and drying, and it bleached all of my t-shirts and towels… That was pretty much the extent of my first skin care routine. ?

My routine finally got “official” in high school when I started doing the Clinique 3-step process.

Do you remember the light green plastic soap case that came with the bar soap? I remember taking that thing everywhere — on band trips, to sleepovers. That soap was my jam back in the day. I wonder if it still comes with the soap. Hmm…

Anyway, I continued that routine through college, which was when I *finally* started using a sunscreen. It was one by Oil of Olay. I used it because that’s what my mom used, and it was affordable for my student budget.

How about you? At what age did you start having a skin care routine?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: Camping at Clear Lake, a New Book, and a Shrimp Pesto Salad Recipe

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Major snack action while camping at Clear Lake

It’s been about a week since we got home from camping at Clear Lake, and I think I’ve *finally* recovered. HA HA HA HA! I know. You would think that sitting outside, like, making s’mores, playing Go Fish, parking your butt in a chair and reading for two hours straight (DREAMY) would be totally relaxing, but…no, not really. I learned a lot from this trip, including that camping can be kind of exhausting, especially if you have to plan the trip and parent a young person at the same time. I mommed SO HARD, you don’t even know!

Why is eating a hot dog outside so fun?!
The path to the swimming area at Clear Lake
Relaxing after a couple hours at the beach

Camping as a parent is waaaaay harder

Honestly, I did not realize how tiring parenting while camping was until now. Most of my previous experiences with camping were trips where I just showed up with a sleeping bag and a box of Frosted Flakes, because every summer in high school, my best friend Jen’s extended family would pack up all the gear and the kids and the food and drive out to a lake somewhere in the middle of nowhere, where we’d spend a few days camping. I didn’t appreciate all of the work involved in the planning and the food prep and the packing.

I was crazy exhausted when we got home, but happy because we left with lots of good memories that I hope get tucked away into Connor’s memories like those trips with Jen’s family are tucked away in mine (like the time my friend Cindy and I unknowingly pitched our tent on a slight downhill grade, so we spent the entire night slowly sliding down the hill in our sleeping bags, HA HA HA!).

Yes, I’m on a cot.

Thumbs up to Clear Lake

By the way, Clear Lake State Park is lovely. 100% recommended. It’s about two hours north of Marin County, and it’s a beautiful place to camp because there’s a lot of trees and life surrounding the like, so there’s lots of animals and plants and places to hike, fish and swim.

There are three campgrounds within the park, and we stayed at the Kelsey Creek one in site 88, which was perfect for us because it was a little further from the main strip of campsites and consequently quieter. It also had lots of trees for shade. The only downside was that it’s a bit far from the swimming and fishing areas, about a 15-20 minute walk, so if you have little ones, you might want to ride bikes or drive your car out to those places. Yes, you can totally walk there (and there are beautiful, easy trails), but it takes some time.

The creek next to our campsite
Fishing in a tutu, because that’s the way to do it
Baby’s first camp s’mores!

Now, how clear was Clear Lake? Well, it was a little murky, to be honest! In the swimming area, the lake itself is nice and warm for swimming, which was nice, but there were a ton of plants floating on the surface near the water’s edge, so you won’t be able to look down and see your feet like you can in Lake Tahoe. Connor was a little bothered by the plants at first, but after I told her that they were “mermaid jewelry” and made some lake grass into bracelets, she got into it.

Also, there’s an outdoor shower close to the swimming area, so you can easily rinse off before returning to your camp.

A view of the lake!

A new book!

When we weren’t swimming, sitting around or snacking (THERE WERE A LOT OF SNACKS), I was reading. I started a book I’ve had on Audible for ages, The Silent Patient, a New York Times Best Seller.

Super scary, man

It’s a fictional thriller about a woman who allegedly murders her husband and then refuses to speak. She gets a new therapist who starts playing detective to get to the root of the murder, and chaos ensues. It’s suspenseful and scary, so I wouldn’t call it relaxing, but if you like a story that doesn’t let up, you’ll probably enjoy it. I am so far.

Speaking of reading, don’t laugh, but I just added Mariah Carey’s memoir to my reading list. Her book is coming out in September, and I think I’m going to pre-order it as I love me some Mimi.

I hope she talks about the making of her Butterfly album, which is my favorite MC album because it has a lot of her best songs, most of which are underrated, IMHO — The Roof and Breakdown (with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony) are easily in my top 5.


Mimi’s makeup!


Yet another eternal source of ’90s makeup inspiration

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 634

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Have a sweet week, 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. ?

The Perfume Edition!

    1. Scent (or scents) you’ve been wearing the longest?

    MAC Turquatic (13 years!), Clinique Happy (almost 20), Chanel Mademoiselle (10), Byredo Gypsy Water (6 years)

    2. A perfume or scent you associate with fond memories?

    All the scents from The Body Shop remind me of my early 20s, the phase in my life when I had just graduated from college and moved back to the Bay Area. It full of lots of highs and lows — big adjustments and lot of bumps in the road, but at the same time, I had so much fun. I wore pretty much anything you could find at The Body Shop, but my favorites were Moonflower, Dewberry, Ananya and Indian Gardenia. I wish I kept those old bottles, just so I could smell them again!

    3. A scent that reminds you of summer?

    Bobby Brown Beach or Coppertone Waterbabies Sunscreen (they pretty much have the same scent notes, ha!)

    4. What does your youth smell like?

    The Body Shop Moonflower, YSL Paris, Gucci Envy, Gucci Rush, CK One (I didn’t wear this, but everyone around me did), Dior J’Adore ?

    5. Did you ever go through a body splash phase?

    For sure! I wore a lot of Bath & Body Works Green Clover and Aloe back in the day.

    6. A perfume you like (or liked) that suddenly everyone seemed to be wearing?

    Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue ❤️

    7. A scent you’ve been wearing a lot lately?

    Victoria’s Secret Amber Romance…mostly because it’s alleged to also work as a mosquito repellent! And ya know what…? All of those old fishermen are right. It totally works! ?

    8. Your old-school Bath & Body Works signature scent?

    Oh! Lots and lots of Green Clover and Aloe, and before that it was Juniper Breeze. I wasn’t really into the fruity fragrances, although everyone else around me seemed to LOVE them. Every girl I knew in college wore Country Apple. ?

    9. Have you ever unexpectedly received perfume as a gift, and did you like the scent?

    I have! My friend Elizabeth gave me a bottle of J’Adore, and I wore it off and on for about a year.

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. Scent (or scents) you’ve been wearing the longest?
2. A perfume or scent you associate with fond memories?
3. A scent that reminds you of summer?
4. What does your youth smell like?
5. Did you ever go through a body splash phase?
6. A perfume you like (or liked) that suddenly everyone seemed to be wearing?
7. A scent you’ve been wearing a lot lately?
8. Your old-school Bath & Body Works signature scent?
9. Have you ever unexpectedly received perfume as a gift, and did you like the scent?

P.P.S. Hope you’re having a nice day so far. ?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 615

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Total pool weather today. It was 91! This was the type of day Tabs would have spent by a body of water of some kind, and of course he would have been fashionable.

I’m sure there also would have been toys…

Tabs loved lounging by the pool. It was his favorite way to recharge after a rough week of jet setting and kitty modeling, and he also thought it brought out the orange tones in his fur.

He didn’t just rely on the sun for that though. He was also a huge proponent of bronzer. ?

Rosie likes to lounge in the sun too, but not as much as Tabs did. Tabs would sleep in a sunny spot on the carpet and follow it as the sun moved across the sky. He would get up, scoot over, and plop back down over and over until the set went down, and he did that almost every day. He also got kind of fussy when it was overcast. He was definitely a solar powered tabby.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, July 11, 2020

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Hiya and good morning. 🙂 Welcome to the weekend! I’ve got chores up the wazoo early on in the day today, starting with SO much laundry and cleaning, so a short and sweet check-in on this beautiful Saturday!

What are you up to?


I really want to make biscotti.


So colorful…


Not all shoes are made the same.


In case you’re equally obsessed with type…

Sending good vibes your way. Whatever you’re doing today, stay safe, and WASH THOSE HANDS!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summer Faves and Raves: Neutrogena Skin Care

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neutrogena skin care summer 2020

Good mornin’! Happy Friday to you. ? I hope your day is getting off to a good start.

Simply for discussion purposes, here are a few drugstore Neutrogena faves I’ve been loving lately…

Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

This paraben-, phthalate- and sulfate-free bad boy’s made for all skin types, but it works extra well for sensitive skin (including acne-prone peeps like moi). This oil-free face wash whisks away oil, sweat, makeup and anything else on your face without stripping your skin. I’ve loved this cleanser for years, and I typically return to using the Foaming Formula in the summer because of how quickly it removes leftover sunscreen and makeup from the day. Great stuff!

$9.99 for a 12-oz. bottle with a pump.

Neutrogena Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula

This basically brings my hair back from the dead! ?‍♀️ If you lean on smoothing hair products to control frizz AND remove leftover residue from shampoo, conditioner and styling products, this gentle but effective clarifying shampoo is SO money. It’s made for all hair types, including color-treated manes, and I use it once or twice a week in place of my regular shampoo to deep clean my roots and strands. Afterwards, my hair looks and feels more voluminous.

$6.99 for a 6-oz bottle.

Ultra Sheer Face Mist Sunscreen 55

I literally — literally — never leave home without this because I always have a bottle in my little black backpack. I usually do a mineral sunscreen before I leave the house (Elta MD), but I like to touch up with this physical sunscreen when I’m out and about. It’s a sheer, non-sticky liquid sunscreen that feels lightweight and comfortable. I mist a few few pumps in my hands, and then work the liquid onto my neck, arms, face and wherever else I want/need sun protection.

$17.49 for a 3.5-oz. bottle with a pump.
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FOTD: Real-Life Minimal Makeup Look for Zoom/Video Calls With Other People Who Don’t Wear a Lot of Makeup

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Zoomin’!

I realize this is a very specific type of “Zoom” makeup, buuuuuuut I recently did this look for a live video visit with my family, and then my buddy and MBB reader Jan mentioned that she was looking for a basic look to wear when you’re Zoom-ing with people who don’t wear a lot of makeup, so I figured that if at least two people had the same idea, someone else out there might find it helpful, too.

(Hopefully that someone is you!)

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You could easily do this look as everyday makeup, too.

I typically like to adjust the level of makeup I wear according to who I’m chatting with (both for video calls and for real life); this look is an idea of what you could wear when you want to get some stuff on your face so you don’t look like a zombie on camera.

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10 minutes, from start to finish

The step-by-step

  1. BEGIN WITH BROWS AND LASHES: First, fill in your brows (I used a brow pencil first, then brushed a clear brow gel through to mellow it out). Next, curl your lashes, and apply a thin coat of mascara to lock the curl. Allow this thin layer to dry as you work on the rest of your face.
  2. ACE THAT BASE: Blend a medium-coverage matte or semi-matte tinted moisturizer all over your face with your fingers, and then buff your base lightly with a skunk brush to blur any harsh lines or edges. Dot concealer under your eyes and/or wherever you want extra coverage, and blend with fingers or a tapered eye brush. If your skin is oily, then set your base with a sheer dusting of powder.
  3. BRONZE AND DEFINE: Dust a powdered bronzer on your cheekbones, around the perimeter of your forehead, and on your cheeks and chin, and then across the bridge of your nose with a big, fluffy powder brush. Next, load your favorite eye brush with the same bronzer, and sweep it into your crease and along your lower lash lines to softly define your eyes.
  4. CHEEKS AND LIPS: Tap a cream blush (ideally, one that also doubles as a lipstick) on the apples of your cheeks with your fingers, and feather out the edges. Line and fill in your lips with a nude lip pencil, and blend a bit of the cream you used as a blush on top.
  5. HELLO, HIGHLIGHTS: Use your fingers to blend a cream blush onto your upper cheekbones and down the bridge of your nose. Then, blend a little on your lids from the lash line to your crease.
  6. LINE AND LIFT: Draw a thin line with a pencil or a liquid liner along your upper lash line, and then smudge the edge with a pencil brush. If you want, tightline your upper lash line, too. (I usually like to do this because it makes my lashes look thicker.) Finish by coating your lashes with mascara that lifts and curls your lashes.

From start to finish, this usually takes me from 10-20 minutes (usually about 10 because I fly through it!).

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All the makeup I’m wearing in these pics

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