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

I’ve been thinking a lot about perfume lately because my migraines have eased up a bit (yay), so I’ve been slowly working my way into wearing scents again.

Anywho, fragrance notes. What are your favorites?

I’m a sucker for rose notes, especially when they’re sweet (but not too sweet) and fresh. Tuberose is my favorite.

I also love, LOVE violet and orange blossom notes, too. Oh, and anything with a gardenia and tiare flower? I’m totally there.

Bright citrus notes are my jam, too. Orange, lemon, grapefruit—delicious!

For richer base notes I usually gravitate towards musk or vanilla.

How about you?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Saturday, my sweet friend! I’m so glad to have a day to rest. I got to leave work early yesterday because it was slow, and I planned to take the time to tidy the house. After lunch, though, my body had other ideas. I plopped down on the couch thinking I’d just relax for a few minutes, and next thing I know, I’m waking up from a two-hour nap, LOL! Sometimes you just gotta listen to your limbs, I guess.

Today I’m going to catch up on some errands and clock in some time watching the Olympics! Hasn’t gymnastics been so exciting?

Enjoy the rest of your day, and if you feel like it, please share what you’re up to this weekend.

1. A freshly painted manicure or pedicure (or both)

Don’t you love it when you look down at your nails and they’re so glossy and shiny? It makes me absurdly happy.

2. When your roots feel squeaky clean

I can’t explain it, but there’s a moment in the shampooing process when it feels like all the oils and stuff on my scalp gets whisked away, and it’s absolutely glorious.

3. That feeling of freedom when you take down your hair after it’s been up for way too long

Whether it’s a pony or an updo or a bun, it doesn’t matter. The moment my hair comes down is such a relief!

4. This one’s a little gross

Yet here we go! If you’ve ever waxed your ‘stash, you probably already know about how it’s weirdly satisfying to inspect the wax piece and see all the tiny little hairs on it standing on end.

5. The relief that happens after you clip your nails (fingers or toes) after they get too long

I feel like a new person when this happens, I swear.

6. That feeling when you rediscover a solid product that you forgot about for whatever reason

I’m talking to you, Trish McEvoy Instant Eye Lift!

7. Finding bottles of a cherished fragrance that’s been discontinued

This has never happened to me before, but when it does, I know I’m gonna be so excited! Pardon me as I continue my journey to will the universe to send the following scents back into my life: Stella by Stella McCartney, the 1990s version of YSL Paris, Laura Mercier Eau de Lune and the 1999 version of J’Adore (I swear the current iteration has a completely different scent).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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. Painting or sketching?

I’m not particularly great at either, but if I had to choose one I’d go with painting because it’s the most similar to putting makeup on my face.

2. How do you feel about growing up?

It’s very overrated, LOL! I do like not having people around telling me what to do, though.

3. What would you like to be able to cook?

It sounds pretty lame, but I’m terrible at cooking chicken. Mine always seems to be either too dry or too tough. Oh, and I’d like to be able to bake scones, as they continue to elude me.

4. Do you believe dreams come true?

Yes. I do have to say I’ve been pretty lucky, though, which helps fuel the belief.

5. What’s your lip color today?

I’m doing the whole “cream blush as lipstick thing” with Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks blush in Poppet. It’s a bright pink!

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. Painting or sketching?
2. How do you feel about growing up?
3. What would you like to be able to cook?
4. Do you believe dreams come true?
5. What’s your lip color today?

I gotta say that I pretty much love EVERYTHING I have in my makeup bag at the moment. There is absolutely nothing in there that I have “meh” feelings about, which I’m just now realizing is kind of awesome.

All this to say that it’s really, really hard to pick just one thing, so here’s two things!

The first would be Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Mascara. It’s a beautiful, lightweight mascara that resists smudging and flaking, holds the curl and adds just the perfect amount of length and volume. It’s $20, which I feel is pretty reasonable considering a lot of drugstore mascaras are in the $14 price range and the ones at Sephora seem to hover at about $30.

The second item is the $26 mini version of Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Petal, a dusty nude rose cream blush. Goodness gracious, it’s so, so good. It blends like a dream, looks natural on my skin and unlike some cream blushes that disappear in an hour or so, this one lasts. I can put it on first thing in the morning before I leave for work, and it’s still on my cheeks in the afternoon. I like to wear it as a lipstick, too.

What’s one thing in your makeup bag right now that you’d enthusiastically recommend to anyone and everyone?

I can’t wait to hear your answer!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Caturday! I woke up this morning to a gloriously overcast sky and cool weather. It’s a relief to get a break from the heat. Did you have a good week? I hope so. I realized this week that summer break, at least for Connor’s school, will be over soon. I only have three full weeks with her before she starts third grade. It’s been a challenge balancing work, camps and childcare this summer, but now I’m already feeling that bittersweetness that comes ‘round in August. Anyway, have a good rest of your Saturday. What are your plans today?

Two years ago, in July of 2022, I wrote a note to myself on a Post-it and stuck it on the corner of my monitor after a particularly hard day.

It says, “Imagine yourself in July 2024, looking back at yourself now.”

At the time, I was several months into a writing job which I liked with a Bay Area beauty brand, but things on the horizon were looking grim.

A big chunk of the creative team whom I worked with closely were let go because of budget cuts, and people in key management positions were leaving left and right.

I started taking on responsibilities that I didn’t feel fully prepared for, and it felt like it was only a matter of time before I was let go, too.

(Spoiler alert, it happened just a couple short months later.)

The weight of worry

I began experiencing heightened anxiety quite frequently. I worried not just about my job but about everything in my orbit—Connor, finances, things breaking around the house, etc., on a daily basis. Even seemingly small things, like the changing of the layout at Trader Joe’s, would really, REALLY stress me out. I tried to put on a brave face for the outside world, but inside, it felt like there were threats coming at me from all angles. It was getting harder and harder to “keep on keepin’ on.”

What was it that prompted me to write this message to myself, I can’t remember exactly, but now, looking back, I’m guessing that something deep inside me, the part of me that has always helped keep me safe, knew that I needed a lifeline. My internal compass, offering up a small kernel of hope.

The note sat at the corner of my monitor for two years. Day in, day out, from that day until now.

In that chunk of time, I did a lot of hard things.

Rejection, I know thee well

I applied for and got rejected from so many jobs, OMG! I’d go through entire interview processes that would last months, and I’d make it to the very end to lose the position to someone else who was just a little bit more experienced than I was. This happened at least 5 or 6 times. It was heartbreaking.

I also navigated a scary illness while switching our family’s healthcare coverage to a new system. Side note, this was really very difficult. Ten out of ten DO NOT RECOMMEND. But after multiple frightening incidents, sifting through several doctors who passed me around like a hot potato, and oh so many scary tests, I’m still here, and hopefully I will be for a while, knock on wood.

I drew boundaries with unhealthy relationships, and while social media makes it sound like this is easy, it’s not. People get hurt from all sides. Sigh.

The sunny spots

Good things also happened during that time, too, though.

Eventually, I found the job I currently have now at the college, and while it’s not what I had planned at this point in my career, I’m happy that I work reasonable hours and have the time to spend with Connor while she’s young and still needs a lot from me.

Connor also sailed through first and second grade, and she’s learning how to better handle the challenges of elementary school. Side note: remember the playground drama from your childhood years? It’s still there, except the girls are sneakier and meaner.

El Hub started a new job that gives him more time to spend with us, and oh! We added another member to our fam bam, Miss Marnie the Aussie, who is a lot of high energy fun.

Anyway, it’s been a long two years and I feel like such a different person now. I mean, yes, I still carry some weight of the worry I felt that day when I wrote the Post-it, but it’s not as heavy as it used to feel.

I have mostly good days, and for the first time in a while, I’m pretty happy.

You know the old saying that this too shall pass?

I guess it does. And sometimes it takes a Post-it to help you out along the way to remind you that things will eventually get better.

Two years from now, it’ll be July 2026. My hope for us is that by then, we’re all feeling steady and strong, and that we’re in a good place.

If you can’t see it now, hang in there. You’ll get there in time.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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. Do you like your tinted sunscreen/tinted moisturizer with a glowy or a matte finish?

During the summer I prefer matte because eventually the sweat and oil will break through and turn it into a glowy finish, ha ha ha!

2. Eyeliner on your waterline: yes or no?

Although I love how it looks, currently for me it’s a no. My eyes seem to bother me less when I skip it, sigh.

3. Last thing you ate?

I had a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with a pat of butter. Yum!

4. What was the last movie you saw, and how did you like it?

We did a family movie night last Saturday and watched “Young Woman and the Sea,” which was about Trudy Ederle, the first woman to cross the English Channel.

5. If all your nail polishes had to be one color, which one would you pick?

Blue!

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. Do you like your tinted sunscreen/tinted moisturizer with a glowy or a matte finish?
2. Eyeliner on your waterline: yes or no?
3. Last thing you ate?
4. What was the last movie you saw, and how did you like it?
5. If all your nail polishes had to be one color, which one would you pick?