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A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

What’s a Drugstore Beauty Product You Swear By?

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cetaphil gentle skin cleanser
An oldie but goodie!

Who doesn’t love a beauty bargain? Seriously: crazy people! I asked this recently in the Monday Poll, and I got so many good ideas from you that a followup post was necessary. ? Connor starts preschool in August, and hot dayum!

It’s expensive. So I’m game to save a little moola.

Anywho… I mentioned this one in the poll, but I’m a die-hard Cetaphil fan. It’s just a creamy face wash. No bells and whistles. But it never dries out my skin or gives me breakouts, and it’s only $7 at Target.

After washing my face with it and wiping it off with a wet washcloth, my skin’s clean but NOT dry or tight. Sometimes I use it to wash my hands and body, too!

For the record, it isn’t a superstar when it comes to removing makeup all by itself, though, so at night I remove my foundation and eye makeup before I do Cetaphil.

Other drugstore products I swear by…

What’s a drugstore beauty product you swear by? Feel free to list as many you can/want!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Customizable Complexion Booster

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charlotte tilbury hollywood flawless filter 5 tan
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless

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.

For some people, hairy spiders, public speaking, or accidentally farting loudly in tiny windowless rooms during important work meetings are the stuff of their worst nightmares.

My nightmare scenario? Life without ALL. THE. FOUNDATIONS.

Yes, I know, life will (probably) go on if we didn’t have hella options for glowing skin, but — and I ask mean this in all sincerity — what would be the point?? Where’s the fun in that? 🙂

My latest “Is she or isn’t she wearing makeup?” love is Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter Customizable Complexion Booster, and when I wear it I feel like I’m in a living, breathing, real-life version of Instagram, because sh*t blurs EVERYTHING. Seriously, WHAT PORES?

“Discover a brand new REVOLUTIONARY category in face makeup with the Hollywood Flawless Filter. This MUST-HAVE customisable complexion booster has the versatility of a face primer, with the mega-watt glow of a highlighter and the perfecting properties of your favourite digital filter. Choose your level of GLOW with filter makeup to illuminate your skin just where you want it for a radiant complexion.”

— charlottetilbury.com

The barely-there coverage is also — as the kids say — on point, and the glistening, opalescent glow looks literally LIT.

OK, I’ll stop…

It’s a dramatically dewy finish — even dewier than MAC Face & Body or L’Oreal True Match Lumi — and some may call it borderline sweaty.

But I like it.

Sometimes I will matte it down a tad with a light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural or MAC Mineralize Loose, and you can also matte it down even more by mixing it with your favorite matte liquid foundation or matte tinted moisturizer (’cause it’s good at that, too).

charlotte tilbury hollywood flawless filter 5 tan
I’m a MAC NC42 and wear shade 5 Tan.
charlotte tilbury hollywood flawless filter 5 tan flash
With a flash!

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Cat Ladies, HomeGoods Got Your Back

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are you kitten me mug

In case you were wondering if HomeGoods has been slacking on their affinity for the cat ladies (otherwise known as “my people”), I’m happy to report that they’re not. I was just at the one near my house, and even on a Sunday night (by which time everything has been picked over, and pretty much all that’s left are the dregs), there were plenty of things for feline enthusiasts.

I’m trying to chill on new cat lady purchases, because I’m borderline #hoarderstatus right meow, but I deeply regret not getting the “Are You Kitten Me?” mug (she has lashes!) and kitty tea towels…

curious cats tea towel

cat lady mugs homegoods

meow spoon rest

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Humpday!!!!!

Unsung (Hair) Heroes: Revlon Essentials Maximum Hold Extra-Thick Elastics

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revlon maximum hold extra thick elastics
If you have thick, heavy or otherwise wild, unruly hair, these will make you believe in unicorns (again).

My stylist buddy Alis likes to joke that I have enough hair on my head for three people (although, for the #officialmakeuprecord, I don’t have as much hair as I did pre-baby), but it’s not all kittens and rainbows, because having a decent amount of hair comes with its own challenges, like destroying every single hair elastic within striking distance.

When I’m putting my hair up in a ponytail, most elastics either break, or get stretched out so far that they look like the granny panties you should’ve thrown out THREE YEARS AGO (but still continue to wear when you’re on your period), and are thus rendered utterly and completely useless.

There’s also the whole “ponytail falling out while I’m merely existing” thing, which is a pain.

At HIIT class last week, I decided that enough was enough. I. Am. Done. Pulling up my ponytail every third burpee or switch lunge.

DUUUUUDE…Revlon has this little packet of miracles called the Maximum Hold Extra-Thick Elastics, which just changed everything in one fell swoop. It’s the strongest, thickest, sturdiest and most bass-@ass hair elastic I’ve ever worn.

Normally, I have to double-up elastics to keep my hair from falling all over the place, but in last night’s HIIT class, I used just one — ONE! — and my ponytail stayed perfectly in place through 60 minutes of intense jumps and sprints. Not once did I have to readjust.

When I took off the elastic before showering, I noticed two things. First, that my ponytail was in the exact same place it was when I first put it up. Second, that the elastic wasn’t stretched out at all. Not one teeny, tiny bit.

I also can’t get over how affordable they are. Three bucks for 15 of ’em!

So, so, good, you guys!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Co-Wash Chronicles: Joico Color Co+Wash Whipped Cleansing Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair, and Kristin Ess Frizz Management Cleansing Conditioner

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joico co wash
Co-washing my mop, one bottle at a time…

…because I’m on a mission to try all the conditioner washes!

DUUUUUDE. I’ve been co-washing since before it went mainstream, since I unraveled its secrets in a now-long-forgotten hair forum in a dusty corner on the Interwebz more than 10 ago.

Finding out about it was one of the best things to ever happen to my hair. Now I do it a few times a week between regular shampoo and conditioner sessions, and my hair’s the healthiest it’s ever been.

Needless to say, I’m a co-wash evangelist, and I love trying new ones and options.

Here are two I tried in June…

Joico Color Co+Wash Whipped Cleansing Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair ($23.99, 8.5 oz.)

Joico has three foaming Co+Washes in their line — one for dry hair, one for curly hair, and this one for color-treated hair, which I like. My hair and scalp feel clean after rinsing it out, and just like with R+Co Analog and Drybar Double Standard, my hair is full and lush and shiny the next day, not heavy.

If this were just a little more moisturizing, it would go from pretty good to totally great. Unfortunately, my ends do feel a little crun-chaaay afterwards if I don’t also use a leave-in conditioner. Also…it kinda smells like Downy fabric softener?

joico co wash
After co-washing my hair with Joico, letting it dry overnight, and spraying it with R+Co Sail the following morning.

So, depending on your feelings about Downy, that could be a good, or a bad thing (I don’t mind it).

Overall, I like this co-wash enough to finish the bottle, and when I’m done, I want to try the dry hair version.

❤️❤️❤️ 3 1/2 out of 5 hearts. (Side note: why is there no half a heart emoji?)

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The 5 Out of 5 Hearts Club: Mallywood Smoky Mama! Mascara

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mally smoky mama mascara
A hidden gem

The “5 Out of 5 Hearts Club” ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ is a new series where you’ll find out about limited edition beauty products that are all that and a bag of baked Cheetos! — a.k.a. perfection in every single way.

No shame moment: I’m one of those creepers who walks around unabashedly staring at strangers’ lashes without any qualms whatsoever. At times, it’s been so intense that people have stopped me to ask, “Do I know you?” and I’m like, “Nah, I’m just admiring your lashes like a weirdo. Don’t mind me!”

If I saw someone wearing this mascara, I’d pull them aside (after popping my eyes back into their sockets) and inquire about the magic happening on their fringe, because it’s good — like, “Gee, where did this dark horse come from, and why isn’t it a cult favorite yet?” good.

“Apply on the top lashline as usual (you can define every lash with this wand!). Then it gets fun! As you apply to your bottom lashes, gently press the wand softly from side to side and barely touch the skin beneath them! Voila! No walk of shame necessary!”

— mallybeauty.com

My lashes refuse to hold a lash curl (they’re rebellious that way, I guess), and they’re short, and I have a big ol’ gap in my right eye from an incident involving the overzealous removal of a pair of falsies, but with two coats of this mascara, I look like I’m wearing lash extensions.

mally smoky mama k
And that’s after just one coat!

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 532

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you had me at homegoods
‘Sup?

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Good question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll. 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 gazillion years (more than 10!). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a great start. ?

1. A drugstore beauty product you swear by?

Cetaphil, baby! It’s totally old school, I know, but it’s always worked for me, and I’ve been using it off and on for…gosh, almost 20 years now? It’s one of the longest relationships I’ve ever had!

2. When did you start shaving your legs?

Middle school. Seventh grade. So, 12. I was wearing my favorite olive green plaid shorts with a matching green vest, and the girl who had the locker below mine said, “Did you forget to shave today?”

I looked down at my shins and was suddenly and painfully aware that I had leg hair.

How did I never notice it before??

When I saw my mom that evening I asked if I could borrow a razor, and she said, “Why do you need to shave your legs? I don’t need to shave mine.” I’m pretty sure my response involved a very heavy and loud sigh…

Anyway, I sneaked one of my dad’s disposables, and shaved my legs for the first time in the shower that night.

3. Last beauty product you recommended to someone in person?

Biologique Recherche P50 1970!

4. Last time you washed your makeup brushes?

Um… A month ago? No, really, you don’t want to know… I have a whole box full of them that need to be deep-cleaned!

5. Something you have to do today?

Ugh, make an appointment with the dentist to get my teeth cleaned.

Best mug ever!

Please note that the mug I’m holding in the pic at the top says this:

you had me at homegoods mug
Never in the history of mugs has this ever been more apt.

HA HA HA HA HA!

If my cupboards weren’t bursting with cat lady mugs, I would’ve picked it up in a heartbeat.

Speaking o’ mugs, I’m going to refill mine right now with coffee made from my new coffee maker! Did I forget to tell you about the coffee maker incident from last week?! DUDE. I had a work call at the crack of dawn last Monday (or was it Tuesday? Anyway, it was REALLY early!), and when I went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee from the machine I’d programmed the night before to brew at 5:45, the coffee maker was KAPUT. Dead. Totally deceased!

It just so happens that we had an extra 2-cup coffee maker my in-laws gave to us before they moved back to Hawaii, which I ended up using that morning, so crisis averted, but it’s one of those mini ones that you get at hotels, and it doesn’t really work well.

Long story short, I got a new one, and I’m very excited about it, because, apparently it makes some excellent coffee! — as evidenced by my rambling in print. ☕?

Hope your caffeine has also kicked in!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions for you to copy and paste with your answers in a comment:

1. A drugstore beauty product you swear by?
2. When did you start shaving your legs?
3. Last beauty product you recommended to someone in person?
4. Last time you washed your makeup brushes?
5. Something you have to do today?

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