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I think it’s a do, but if you’re going go there, you have to be very thoughtful with the gift.

A long time ago in a galaxy far away, I read somewhere that if you’re going to give a gift, chances are, if it’s a gift you’d like to receive, then you’re on the right track.

I would absolutely LOVE a thoughtful skin care gift, so it’s one of the things I like giving to people!

But it’s not like I’m wrapping up bottles of Kate Somerville Anti-Bac acne treatment, though, LOL! I know that most people are particular about their skin care products, so I try to give skin care gifts that I think they’d like or at least want to try.

My go-to gift lately has been the Laneige Lip Mask. Not only do I love it and use it every day, I feel like dry lips are pretty much a universal issue, so it’s one of those nice little extras that everyone could appreciate. If I have a friend with a birthday or someone who I want to say thank you to, it’s one of my favorite gifts to give.

If I know the gift recipient has a very specific skin care regimen which limits what skin care they use on their face, then I’ll try to give them a indulgent body care gift, like a fancy hand or body cream they’d probably never buy for themselves.

Of course, I always include a gift receipt so they can return it, and I try to make it as easy for them by buying it from a store that I know they have easy access to.

How about you? How do you feel about giving skin care gifts?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Hope your Wednesday is going great so far!

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. A drink you absolutely love?

Coffee, coffee, coffee. Oh, and lately I’ve been all about iced tea (no sugar), but it has to be super cold.

2. It bugs me when _______.

You do an online order to pick up at Target for something like milk, and the milk you get is about to expire in a day.

3. I wish I could buy _______.

So many things. LOL! Furniture for the house, shorts that don’t annoy me, all the dance classes Connor would ever want to take. I’d also love another car; our second family car is 13 years old, and we’re spending more and more to keep it running.

4. What helps you get motivated to do stuff?

Lists help me a lot. If I can’t organize my thoughts and see them on paper, they just stay jumbled up in my brain, and I make no forward progress. Constantly thinking about staying busy also helps me, too. When I was in my 30s I had so much energy to do all the things; I just did them all without much thought. It was second nature. Now I’m just tired all the time, and all I wanna do is be a couch potato. I find, though, if I can focus on staying busy and on task, I can still get a good amount done.

Also… COFFEE!

5. I love it when _______.

My hair looks good. It makes me feel so much better.

6. What’s your least favorite color?

Ya know, I can pretty much find reasons to love most colors, but one color I am not a fan of is runny baby poo brown. You mamas know what I’m talking about.

7. When I’m driving I like to _______.

Listen to hip hop that I never play when Connor is around, LOL!

Oh my goodness, my friend. I did my nails yesterday and hoping that that small act gives me momentum to keep beauty-ing this week! I barely wore anything last week — just sunscreen and mascara. I’m thinking bright lipstick today! Who’s with me?

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. A drink you absolutely love?
2. It bugs me when _______.
3. I wish I could buy _______.
4. What helps you get motivated to do stuff?
5. I love it when _______.
6. What’s your least favorite color?
7. When I’m driving I like to _______.

Happy Saturday, my friend! I hope your weekend is off to a colorful start. A tiny moment of beauty for ya: I saw these pink cotton candy clouds at sunset the other night. Aren’t the colors perfection? Almost like a rainbow across the sky. Whenever fleeting moments of natural beauty come my way, I can’t help but think that it’s a sign from my sweet Tabby boy saying a quick hello. I really miss him around this time of year.

Anywho. We’re off to the East Bay to run errands which include stopping by the Pottery Barn Outlet in Alameda (oh gosh, I need lamps!) and then swinging by the Asian grocery store. I’d love to buy some veggies that I can’t easily get around here, like skinny eggplant, taro and daikon.

What are you up to today?

This week’s reading

• “Everyone around the world has one concern… whether they’re younger or more mature: hooded eyes.”
• Secrets from estheticians for glowing summer skin from head to toe.
• Sunscreens for acne-prone skin.
• Pros and cons of spray sunscreen.
• The best Korean sunscreens, according to derms.

Note to self: try puppy liner

Thanks to Tatiana for sending this video my way

Gimme all the skin care, please

Need cheesecake in my life ASAP

I can’t wait to watch this

Have a beautiful rest of your Saturday!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Here are mine, in a nutshell

• These days I rely more on a bright lip, blush and lots of mascara; it’s the easiest way for me to look polished without having to deal with eye makeup.
• Speaking of eye makeup, I wear thinner eyeliner because hello hooded lids.
• On that note, I rarely do dramatic wings or whatnot – too hard to make them even and to get them to work with the hooded sitch.
• Oh, if I wear eyeshadow, I stick to easy eyeshadow looks with one or two shades at the most, and they’re usually in lighter tones. I rarely ever wear dark eyeshadows because figuring out the placement is too stressful, OMG!
• I do very light bronzing and absolutely no contouring. I don’t have as much collagen in my cheeks as I did back in the day, so I don’t need any extra definition of my cheeks and what not. I also figure the shape of my face is what it is. *shrugs*
• In regards to foundation, I typically wear a very sheer tinted moisturizer base because 1) heavy powders and foundations look really obvs on me now, especially in full sunlight, and 2) a sheer base makes it easier to reapply sunscreen. Also, I don’t like the feeling of wearing a lot of layers on my skin!

This is what I’m thinking my makeup collection will look like going forward

• Lots and lots of beautiful, bright lipsticks with a handful of shimmery nude glosses! I mean, I will always make room for a nude lipstick, but there’s something to be said about a bright pink, red or coral, especially if I have to get dressed up. I stand up straighter and feel seen when I wear those colors.
• Plenty of mid-toned neutral shadows (cream and liquid, because they’re the easiest to blend) for my lids.
• ALL THE BLUSH.
• ALL THE SHEER TINTED MOISTURIZERS.
• A handful of eyeliners that draw the thinnest, most precise lines and don’t bother my water lines. (Side note: I can’t just seem to throw whatever I want on my water lines anymore. So many pencils make me itch now.)
• One or two bronzers that blend without effort. I’m thinking I’m going to go back to the Chanel cream one in a jar. Old school baby.
• Some basic brow stuff. Boring but necessary.
• Mascaras that I hopefully don’t hate. LOL! It’s been a struggle since I quit using lash serum and my lashes have reverted to their formerly wimpy selves.

How has your makeup style changed as you’ve gotten older? Oh, and bonus points if you want to list how you think your collection will look like going forward!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. I never really thought that deeply about how the month of May feels in the cadence of the entire year, but now that I have a child in school, I really *feel* May in the marrow of my bones. It’s bittersweet.
   
   The school year is almost ending; my heart swells when I think that Connor will never be a first grader ever again. All the activities are wrapping up, too. Yesterday was her last dance team practice. I watched the girls do their final dance together and then do one last group hug. I may have gotten a little teary!
   
   I’ll miss seeing their smiling faces, along with the other moms who I’ve gotten to know over the last few months.
   
   At the same time, I’m excited about summer being just around the corner and spending more family time together.
   
   I know that this sweet era in our lives is going to fly by in an instant, so I want to do lots of fun things with her while I have her at home for the summer.
2. This morning after running errands, I chilled in my new car for 15 minutes just SITTING there like a weirdo in the quiet comfort of my garage. Why am I like this, LOL? In my defense, the seats are super comfortable, and it’s quiet enough in there that one could take a legit nap.
3. Speaking of short and sweet windows, I got a message from a recruiter the other day asking if I’d be interested in writing for a major makeup brand.
   
   

   

   
   On paper, it sounds like an amazing opportunity to stretch my creative muscles, but I’d have to go full-time and commute to the city a few days a week. If I went for it and got it, it would come with major life adjustments. I’d see my family less, for sure, and Connor would probably need a nanny. Ultimately, all signs are pointing to it not being in the cards for me right now, but I told myself I’d just mull it over in my mind for the next couple days.
4. I’ve been thinking about getting a dog for a while now; I know that Rosie is fine with them because she lived with several canine friends at her previous foster home, and we recently had a dog come visit us and she was completely chill.
   
   Anywho, the other day I met the most adorable mini Aussie dog named Chief who was so handsome and friendly, and now I’m low-key obsessed with mini Aussies.
   
   The logical part of my brain keeps telling me that the last thing I need on my already overcrowded plate is another young creature to keep alive, but at the same time, I think it would be great for Connor to grow up with an active “sibling” that could go with us on hikes and camping trips and whatnot.
   
   
   Karen, you probably can’t handle this right meow
   
   I realize this is probably just another phase that I need to move through. But dang, if the universe sent me a sweet dog right now, I wouldn’t be mad about it.
5. I used to joke that having me for a roommate was like living in the musical you never auditioned for! I realized how much truth there is behind that statement when Connor came home with a book she made for me in which every other page mentions how we’re always singing and dancing together.

   

   Oh, and please note the disco ball above our heads.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen