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

Oh, my gosh, I’ve subscribed to so many… Vogue, Nylon, Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Shape, Popular Photography, Self, The New Yorker, The Economist, Runner’s World… You name it, and at one point in my life I probably had a subscription to it!

Back when I apparently had all the time in the world to read, one of my favorite things to do was tear into a new issue of a magazine on the couch. It still is, but I’ve whittled my way down to three subscriptions now (Allure, Glamour and Entertainment Weekly), and I’m thinking about dropping Glamour…because I can’t remember the last time I read something in there that I could relate to.

Mostly, when I do have blocks of time in which to read now, I’d rather make headway on a book than a magazine, because magazines are like snacks, ya know? And books are like an actual meal.

Are there any magazines you used to love but no longer read anymore? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Speaking of meals, I made a massive quantity of this Taco Chili from Iowa Girl Eats (she does gluten-free recipes) a few nights ago and wanted to jooj up the leftovers, so yesterday for lunch I plopped a little of Trader Joe’s Mac and Cheese and some sliced green onions on top…

OH, YEAH. It was SO good! You gotta try that mac and cheese thing with your chili if you haven’t already. It will change your life.

OK, so, Halloween is just around the corner, and as always holidays have a way of sneaking up on me (says the girl who’s shopped for Christmas presents on December 24th many, many times). I’d be overjoyed to be able to cross everything off my Halloween to-do list early, so I’ve been hunting for Halloween costumes for Connor (and Tabs and myself, too!) since last week.

Searching for “toddler girl costumes” on etsy has me thinking about kids costumes… Seriously, when did they get so intense? My first costume, which I wore one year in kindergarten, was Big Bird, and it was a plastic body sheath with a plastic mask that had holes in it for the eyes, nose and mouth (I have vivid memories of barely being able to breathe in it, but you do what you gotta do for free candy, ya know?). It was simple, cheap and effective. And memorable.

Now, though, there are kids costumes that look fit for a Broadway play, like this little girl in her Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffanys getup…

WOW! All that tulle… And the accessories! Wasn’t Holly Golightly a “lady of the night”?? Never mind — that’s a whole ‘nother post.

While I can’t deny that these costumes look super cute, I can’t help but wonder… When did kids costumes get so complicated? Oh! — and pricey? A lot of the cuter ones on etsy are upwards of $80.

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Hello, friend. Good morning! Only two more sleeps till October. That’s just crazy to me.

So I was outside watering the plants on my deck this morning, a.k.a. the Lady Sanctuary, and I’m trying to figure out what the heck I’m gonna do with that space later this fall and winter… The plants are still hanging on, but they won’t be much longer.

Every summer I plant a lush little cat-safe garden back there (it’s on the deck off my bedroom, which is above the deck that has the Tabby Command Center), and every year I just let the plants slowly wither through the winter, mostly because I don’t hang out much on the deck when it’s cold, not that it really gets THAT cold in the Bay Area, but still… Cold enough to not want to be out there.

But it’s kind of depressing when I open my bedroom curtains around Christmas and see a bunch of sad, dead foliage, so maybe if I jooj-ed it up with some fall and winter plants, I’d be motivated enough to take care of them? I dunno… I don’t know anything about gardening in winter. Maybe I should start with a winter test garden with just three or four plants? What do you think? I know there are a bunch of gals here on MBB who are kindred spirits with ‘ze plants. Please halp.

Hmm… While I contemplate botany and breakfast, here are some articles to get you going on this lovely Caturday.

• Makeup is a full-body, 360-degree thing when makeup artists prepare celebs for the stage or red carpet. Not only do artists have to consider their clients’ faces, but also their arms, necks and feet!
• Most American men don’t wear makeup, but that might be changing, as more and more men look at makeup and beauty as part of “self care.”
• Dust off your old pink velour tracksuit (the one you wore EVERYWHERE in 1999), because Juicy Couture’s coming out with a new makeup line.
• NYX just launched a library of beauty how-to videos called Masterclass, where you can learn from industry artists like Patrick Ta (he does makeup for Gigi Hadid; I’ve been following his career since forever!), as well as popular YouTube influencers.
• Why is dating app Bumble releasing a skin care line? Maybe their reasons are similar to 7-Eleven’s. Many large companies that previously didn’t have any ties to the fashion or cosmetics worlds are coming out with their own beauty products or collaborating with beauty brands.
• I’m totally not a nail art person (I’m so bad at it, unless it’s basic), but I think I have the skills to handle this Sharpie manicure.
• Photography stalwart Canon’s latest printer does a bunch of cool things, but most importantly, IT PRINTS OUT NAIL ART.
• A Swedish grocery chain just released a fragrance that smells like rotten milk… Eau du no thanks!
• Do you like surprises? If you do, you might love the new mystery kits Sephora is releasing for the holidays.
• —–> Favorite story of the week
• If you merged foundation with tinted moisturizer, you’d get this.
• Sephora and Ulta’s fight for the $48.3 billion makeup industry…

See ya later! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. Sending random cards to friends out of the blue

I’ve always liked getting a note or a card in the mail from a friend “just because,” so I’ve started sending cards to friends randomly just to say hello. If I’m at Target I’ll pick one up, since I’m there anyway. (Side note: They have a HUGE greeting card section, although to be honest I kind of miss Hallmark stores. There was something so soothing about going to one. Anywho!)

It only takes a minute to write a quick hello, and it makes me feel good knowing that the person on the other end will get a surprise.

2. Honey and Lemon in Trader Joe’s Fall Harvest Tea

At least one person in our family has had a cold at any given moment every single day since Connor stepped foot in preschool last August, and I’m totally over it… Everyone tells me it gets better after a few months? Is that true? I hope so… POWERS THAT BE, GIVE ME STRENGTH!

I’ve been guzzling hot tea lately (specifically TJ’s Fall Harvest) with honey and lemon because the combo is pure magic. It soothes my sore throats, calms my cough and tastes really good!

3. The special edition Allure Best of Beauty

I devoured this the other night in one sitting! Cracked it open when I got into bed and read it from cover to cover.

It’s been a long time since I’ve said that about this magazine. I almost cancelled Allure last year because it seemed to have gotten to be less about beauty and more about celebrity worship (there was a spell there when every other month had a Kardashian or a Jenner on the cover, and I was immediately tossing them into the recycling). This particular Best of Beauty issue is filled with product recommendations (which I totally appreciate), but it also has more in-depth stories than usual. I really enjoyed it!

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