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Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 378

December 27th, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

Dear Diary,

And a merry Christmas was had by all, especially me! I got so spoiled this year… Well, I get spoiled every year, but this year I got gifts I’ve never even seen before, things that go way beyond the usual catnip and play toys.

I’m a little confused as to what many of the items are, to be honest, and there are no pictures of cats on any the packaging, which strikes me as unusual… There are, however, lots of pictures of babies, which I’m assuming was a technical oversight. Perhaps I was booked that day, as were my kitty modeling colleagues, so the photographers had to settle for babies.

So many cool clothes! I guess my coworkers must know how much I love fashion. I think I may have some trouble with the fit, and the color palette seems unusually…pink. I mean, I’m not afraid of pink, but there’s just a lot of it.

I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to button up or zip these things, but I’ll figure it out.

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A Walk Down to Electric Avenue

December 26th, 2015 by Karen 21 Comments

I kinda wish Christmas lights were a year round thing. Ya feel me?

Dad, Mom, sassy pregnant lady, and my brother Al at my parents’ house in Union City

Some of the folks go all out with the Christmas lights in Union City, California.

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Merry Christmas

December 25th, 2015 by Karen 98 Comments

Good morning, my sweet friend. Merry Christmas from Union City, California. I hope to get some food in my belly in a few minutes, but my hope for you, other than that you have food in your belly at the moment, is that you’re feeling loved, spoiled, safe, adored and all of those good things that come with a special holiday like this one. And I hope that you don’t have lipstick on your teeth, because that’s never any fun.

What are you doing? Have you opened presents yet? It’s still early morning here at my parents’ house, and I haven’t even left the bedroom, but I wanted to say hi before I get going. Tabs was kind enough to give me the day off.

I’m looking forward to sharing this next chapter of my life with you because you guys are like the sisters and aunties I never had. You always hold my hand and teach me and show me all the things I had no idea about, like being a mom to an infant who will soon grow into a baby, who will soon grow into a (hopefully) really nice child who never talks back and always says, “Yes, Mom. You’re so right, Mom,” but who am I fooling? I know that’s not gonna happen. 🙂

But just thank you for all of your knowledge, your kindness and your sweetness this year. I appreciate it every day.

Merry Christmas, or, as Tabs would say, “Meowy Christmas.” Love you to the moon and back.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen (and Tabs and Baby Girl)

Travel Tip Time: You Can Use Your Bronzer, Blush and Highlighter as Improv Eyeshadows

December 24th, 2015 by Karen 13 Comments

Raise your perfectly manicured paw! — which mine is definitely NOT at the moment because I’m long overdue for a manicure…

Anyways…raise your perfectly manicured paw if you’ll be heading out of town this weekend.

Hello? Bueller?

Well, I’m one of those people. Tabs and has crack team of pet stylists, professional pet sitters and Michelin star-rated gravy preparers will be holding down the fort while I go visit my parents and in-laws, and if history has taught me absolutely anything, it’s that I better finish my packing RIGHT NOW because if I don’t, I’ll end up running late and randomly throwing stuff into a bag, and trust me, this rarely works out the way I want it to, like the time I forgot all of my makeup brushes at home (NO, SERIOUSLY, ALL OF THEM) or the time I packed mismatched shoes…

To prevent this from happening, my plan calls for condensation.

Wait, no — not condensation. Condensing! My plan calls for condensing. I have to condense the contents of my makeup bag.

I mean, I wasn’t going to be bringing everything and the kitchen sink with me anyway because I’m still going through a minimalist makeup phase, and I already have all of my minimalist stuff in my MAC Mia Moretti bag right now.

Here, let me show ya…

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Happy Holidays! Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas From Target

December 23rd, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

Procrastinators, I feel you! If you’re doing any last-minute shopping for your mom or daughter, here are some beauty stocking stuffers I found today at Target. They’re open late on Christmas Eve this year… I’m just sayin’.

I hope you’re having a happy holiday season so far. Merry Christmas Eve Eve. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

When You Watch Movies, Do You Ever Check the Credits to See Who Did the Makeup?

December 23rd, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

I do this All. The. Time.

Maybe that’s because I’m watching movies all the time, LOL!

It’s easier with older movies that run the credits in the beginning of the movie because you kind of have to sit there anyway. I did it the other day with a movie on Netflix I’ve been meaning to watch called Valley of the Dolls.

I KNOW! So late to the party. I had an idea of what the makeup would be like — ya know, ’60s cut creases, all that good stuff — so when the credits were rolling in the beginning I looked for who did the makeup, and it was none other than Ben Nye. The same Ben Nye behind the famous Ben Nye Banana Powder.

If you haven’t seen this movie yet, watch it for the cut-crease action, if nothing else. It’s based on the bestselling book of the same name, and it follows three young women as they make their way through their 20s, and how each of them deals with fame, fortune, success and failure in a patriarchal world. Bottom line: there’s a lot of drugs.

The movie itself… I think it’s a little campy and OTT, but it was released in 1967, so it’s got that ’60s vibe. I love the styling and the fashion and the sets, and I LOVE the makeup, of course. Cut-crease action, winged liner, long lashes and orangey coral lips.

I dunno, but I think it just might inspire me to abandon my 15-minute minimal makeup phase… Who knows?

I’m curious, though. When you watch movies, do you ever check the credits to see who did the makeup? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Essie Retro Revival 2016 Swatches & Quick (but Sleepy) Thoughts

December 22nd, 2015 by Karen 17 Comments

It’s a revival of the fittest over at Essie!

OK, I thought that was very clever at first…but now I see that it doesn’t make a lick of sense.

Haha. I’m sorry, friend, but I barely got a wink of sleep last night. We had a scary storm with 45-mile-per-hour winds and nonstop rain, and it kept me up all night. I got through the day today, but now I’m passing out. Zzz…

I did, however, muster the energy to try on the new new Essie Retro Revival 2016 collection, which will go down in MBB history as “The Collection That Knocked Off My Red Dolce & Gabbana Christmas Mani of 2015 After About 2.5 Seconds.”

LOL!

The collection comes out next month with six $8.50 polishes, all of them throwbacks to colors that were previously released in limited edition Essie launches, so it’s sort of a glance back at the brand’s 35-year history.

In the comments, reader broantza left some dates for when these polishes first appeared in their respective limited edition launches (thank you, broantza!).

Cabana Boy – 2005; Birthday Suit – 1981; Bikini with a Martini – 2006; Sequin Sash – 2005; Life of the Party – 2002; Starry, Starry Night – 1997

It’s also limited edition, so if you see something you like, grab it (the collection’s on pre-sale now on the Essie website).

essie starry starry night swatch — Essie Starry Starry Night (two coats)

I’m excited about this one, especially Starry Starry Night, which is the dark glittery midnight blue, and Sequin Stash, the sheer glittery bronze with tiny flecks of glitter.

What can I say? Glitter — it moves me.

essie life of the party swatch — Essie Life of the Party (two coats)

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