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What Was the Last Product You Hit the Pan On?

June 3rd, 2014 by Karen 50 Comments

From the left: Tabs the Cat, MAC Eye Shadow in Cork and MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul
From the left: Tabs the Cat, MAC Eye Shadow in Cork and MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul

‘Twas MAC Cork Eye Shadow. That was the last product I hit the pan on.

Not really a huge surprise, though, because I use it all the time to fill the inner part of my brows (ombre brows 4-life!) and as a transition color in my crease.

And then there was my almost new pan of MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul, which I also “hit the pan on,” but that was under dubious, heartbreaking circumstances…

I actually have no idea what happened to it — how it cracked so badly — because I can’t remember dropping it, and I usually can remember dropping products because they normally fall on my foot (I’m talking to you, Tom Ford Cognac Sable), and then my foot hurts like hell, but my feet don’t hurt right now, so I’m stumped. 🙂

I literally opened it one morning and BOOM! — it was broken (the pan, not my foot).

My working theory is that Tabs pounced on it, crushing it with the brute force of his 20-pound body.

I have no hard evidence to back it up, though, so for now the suspect remains free to roam about the condo…

How about you? What was the last product you hit the pan on? Makeup-loving minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday. 🙂

There are 50 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Better Together: Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset and Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light

June 2nd, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset + Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light
Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset + Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light
Wearing the Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset with Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light, both by Hourglass Cosmetics, on my cheeks

This cheek combo saw a lot of action last weekend. So easy, fresh and summery.

What I do is sweep the rosy side from the Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset on the apples of my cheeks (it layers so easily on bare skin, foundation and/or powder), then dust the Mood Light Ambient Powder on the tops of my cheekbones using a Louise Young LY20 Super Fan Brush.

One word: OBSESSED!

Try it sometime, and if you do send me a pic.

Ideally with your cat.

A cat selfie. 🙂

Both products are available now at Hourglass counters and online (hourglasscosmetics.com, sephora.com).

Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset
Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset, a sheer bronze and a sheer rose
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood, a sheer, subtle lavender pink
From the left: Mood Ambient Powder, the rosy shade from the Sunset Duo and the bronze shade from Sunset
Hourglass Illume Creme to Powder Duo in Sunset + Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light
I’m wearing the Smashbox Full Exposure Palette on my eyes and Maybelline Blushing Bride Lipstick topped with MAC Evolution Revolution Lipglass on my lips
There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty

Things That Make Me Happy: Strawberry Paletas

June 2nd, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments







Please forgive my wackadoo chipped thumbnail (the remnants of last week’s mani with Nicole By OPI Yoga Then Yogurt), but I was way too excited to not share this pic of the strawberry paleta, which is like a Mexican fruit popsicle, I had yesterday.

Normally I would have creatively positioned my fingers so as to hide that but…

Anywho! I wanted to get that sweet treat in my belly ASAP!!!

It was my first paleta ever, and I think it’s safe to say that it won’t be my last.

It was SO FRICKIN’ GOOD! This one was strawberry, which was more like strawberries and cream.

Oh, the chunks of fresh strawberries, the sweet cream…

Oops! I just drooled a little, LOL!

I got it at a local ice cream shop in downtown Novato called La Michoacana. They have dozens of flavors of paletas and different ice creams (things like tequila, spicy pineapple, pine nut, and more traditional flavors too).

If you ever make it out this way and your sweet tooth says, “Woman! FEED ME SWEETS!” check it out.

There are 19 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Photo

Food for Thought: 7 Lip Combos With the New MAC Sharon and Kelly Osbourne Collection

June 2nd, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

MAC Satin Lipstick in Kelly Yum-Yum and Lipglass in Bijou
Wearing a combination of MAC Satin Lipstick in Kelly Yum-Yum and Lipglass in Bijou from the new MAC Sharon & Kelly Osbourne collection

The Osbournes are in the hizz-ouse!

The online hizz-ouse, because the MAC Sharon & Kelly Osbourne collection debuted online today (Sharon’s products + Kelly’s products). Are you going to (or have you already) grabbed any of the Patentpolish Lip Pencils, Lipglasses, Lipsticks or regular Lip Pencils from this mighty mother/daughter collab?

If you have (but even if you haven’t), maybe some of these seven lip combos will give you ideas.

Hmm… What else should I try?

1. Satin Lipstick in Kelly Yum-Yum + Lipglass in Bijou

MAC Satin Lipstick in Kelly Yum-Yum and Lipglass in Bijou
Satin Lipstick in Kelly Yum-Yum and Lipglass in Bijou

OK, this is random, but that word, “Bijou”? It’s my latest nickname for Tabs.

I’ve been calling him Bijou for days. 🙂 “Bijou! What are doing, Bijou!? Come here, Bijou! Does Bijou want to go for a walk?”

Yes, I know. You even don’t need to say it. I already know.

2. Matte Lipstick in Dodgy Girl + Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Patentpink

MAC Matte Lipstick in Dodgy Girl + Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Patentpink
Matte Lipstick in Dodgy Girl + Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Patentpink

3. Lip Pencil in In Synch + Patent Polish Lip Pencil in Innocent

MAC Lip Pencil in In Synch + Patent Polish Lip Pencil in Innocent
Lip Pencil in In Synch + Patent Polish Lip Pencil in Innocent

4. Lip Pencil in Cranberry + Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Ruby

MAC Lip Pencil in Cranberry + Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Ruby
Lip Pencil in Cranberry + Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Ruby

5. Patentpolish Lip Pencil in French Kiss + Lipglass in Pussywillow

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in French Kiss + Lipglass in Pussywillow
Patentpolish Lip Pencil in French Kiss + Lipglass in Pussywillow

6. Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Patentpink + Lipglass in Bijou

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Patentpink + Lipglass in Bijou
Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Patentpink + Lipglass in Bijou

[Continue reading…]

There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Lips, MAC Makeup, Makeup Keywords: mac-sharon-kelly-osbourne

The New Smashbox Full Exposure Palette, Also Known as the Mullet of the Neutral Palette World

June 2nd, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette
Wearing the new Smashbox Full Exposure Palette on my eyes

I know what you’re probably thinking… Cats are the most incredible animals to have ever walked the earth.

Wait — that’s not what you were thinking? Oops! Sorry, my bad. 🙂

After seeing my eye look in the top pic, you might be thinking, “Good grief! Another neutral eye palette, Karen?”

OK, fair enough, but before you leave to pet your cat, who for unknown reasons decided to grace you with his presence today (SHOCKER), hold on a sec.

This new Smashbox Full Exposure palette is like the mullet of neutral eyeshadow palettes! — and I mean that in the best possible way — except that instead of being all party in the front and business in the back, it’s party on the top and business on the bottom. Equal parts play and work.

We’re talking major possibilities.

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette
Shimmers on the top row and mattes on the bottom
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette Box
The palette also includes a dual-ended brush and a mini mascara
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette Packaging
The front of the palette’s packaging

Full Exposure and I spent last weekend together. Just the two of us (and El Hub). On Friday night, we did a cool-toned smokey eye (like what I’m wearing in these pics) and went out to dinner. Then on Saturday we did a nude shimmery lid with a little liner, stayed home, did laundry and watched Game of Thrones (the palette is not a fan of House Lannister). I whipped up this warm brown cat eye while unsuccessfully trying to stop Tabs from jumping into a pile of clean shirts and jeans that needed to be folded…

On Sunday I just kept things simple with a nude matte lid and a smidgen of brown liner along my upper and lower lash lines.

So many possibilities!

And with all of the looks I tried, I still always felt like me, and not like “me with a sh*t-ton of eye makeup on,” if that makes any sense.

Full Exposure is one of those palettes that packs just enough pigment to define and call attention to my lids, but not so much that I feel like a rodeo clown…

Hahaha! I just totally made myself laugh. 🙂

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette
That’s NARS Lustre Blush and BECCA Opal highlighter on my cheeks, and MAC Boldly Bare Lip Pencil and MAC Evolution Revolution Lipglass (LOVE) on my lips

[Continue reading…]

There are 26 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Palettes, Product Reviews, Smashbox

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 325

June 2nd, 2014 by Karen 40 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for June 2, 2014
Tabs…hard at work on the Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for June 2, 2014

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

  1. Cool- or warm-toned eyeshadows?
    Yes, please!

    But seriously, warm most of the time, in particular warm-toned golden and reddish browns, yum!

    I mean, I won’t say no to a sparkly cool-toned taupe, though. Not ever.

  2. So we’re going for a bike ride down to the beach. What’s in your bicycle basket?
    Food and kittens. Of course. 🙂

    A baguette, a wedge of brie, sunscreen, water and a trio of well-behaved kittens wearing Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses (because this is my answer we’re talking about here, and crazy cat lady talk is totally acceptable).

  3. Mint or pink?
    Why do I keep coming up with these “or” questions? They’re just so cruel…

    Mint, I guess. I’m mad about mint at the moment. Mint shoes, clothes, accessories, nail polish…

  4. One thing that makes you happy?
    The green Zella sweatshirt up there at the top of this post.

    OK, so, one of the many Liz Lemon-esque things I do (shout-out to the 30 Rock fans!) is fall asleep with that sweatshirt next to me on the bed, because that way if I’m cold when I wake up the next morning — and I’m always cold in the mornings — the sweatshirt is already warm from my body heat, and I don’t have to venture beyond the covers to grab it.

    I just roll over, slip my arms into it, zip it up and bam! — instant warmth.

    Tabs likes it, too. It’s one of his favorite places to sleep (on top of the sweatshirt) during the day…so I guess it’s our sweatshirt now.

  5. Good things come to those who ______.
    Push through the uncomfortable bits.

Le List

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!


1. Cool- or warm-toned eyeshadows?
2. We’re going for a bike ride down to the beach. What’s in your bike basket?
3. Mint or pink?
4. One thing that makes you happy?
5. Good things come to those who ______.

Hey, friend!

It’s back to the grind again today. You know what, though? I feel pretty good, despite the technical difficulties we experienced this morning (the blog had bad gas).

I think it’s because of how much I’m enjoying that 100 Happy Days challenge I started doing last week.

I mean, I realize that over the course of 100 days (here’s more info about it on their website), chances are good that I won’t be giddy with joyous happiness every single day, but even when I wake up feeling kind of blah — like I did yesterday, when I got up tired and anxious about the coming week — the minute it takes to snap a quick pic of something fun/uplifting with my phone and sharing it helps. And then when you do it over and over for days and see a record of those fun/uplifting moments, it helps even more.

Try it! Snap a pic, share it on Instagram or something, or perhaps write it down on a Post-it, and add that same hashtag to it, #100happydays. I think it’s just the act of doing something fun and frivolous like this over and over that works like a powerful mood booster.

Have a wonderful week, ‘k? And I’ll try to do the same.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 40 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 298

June 1st, 2014 by Karen 8 Comments

5 Cat-Safe Plants for Your Garden

Gardening can be a very effective team-building exercise for feline-run small businesses. Here at Makeup and Beauty Blog, a subsidiary of Tabs the Cat Industries LLC, all employees are required to spend at least 15 minutes per day fraternizing outside with the feline management in the employee lounge/deck garden.

Above is a copy of a brochure that outlines some of the plants we have. 🙂

The policy was instituted two years ago, and at that time the garden was small — mostly catnip and zinnia flowers in large planters — but it has steadily expanded. Today there are some plants for the company cats AND some plants for their human assistants. It’s one of my favorite things about working here.

Tabs is such a demanding kitty employer that I probably would have lost my sh*t by now and quit if it hadn’t been for our quality bonding time in the garden, where we can both just let our hair down and have fun.

Farmer Tabby in the cat garden

[Continue reading…]

There are 8 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Tabs

7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

May 31st, 2014 by Karen 312 Comments

A Makeup and Beauty Blog giveaway

7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)
7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

Dude, I’m so hooked on Petaluma right now!

So. Last night. El Hub and I were trying to figure out what to do — stay in and catch up on Game of Thrones (a viable option), go grab a bite to eat, catch a movie — but neither one of us could make a decision (it was one of those nights).

From where we live here in Novato, we’re at the northern tip of our county near Highway 101, and the other towns around us, like Sausalito, Tiburon, San Rafael, Mill Valley and Fairfax, are south of us, all the way down to the Golden Gate Bridge, so that’s usually the direction we go. South.

But not last night. Last night we drove north, and it was like heading into a different land! There are lots of big farms and huge tracts of open space, with trees and horses and cows and those tall water towers teenagers are always climbing on TV shows like Friday Night Lights. It’s weird to me that we’ve lived here three years and have only been to Petaluma twice, and it’s right next door! Twice in the same week, LOL!

Anyway, people are weird. 🙂

We had another good time up there, though. Japanese food followed by ice cream cones at Baskin-Robbins, and then a quick tour of the Dick’s Sporting Goods store, which was actually kind of neat. I’ve never seen so many neon-colored kayaks, canoes, fishing poles and women’s athletic wear under one roof.

And that was about it for me. I hope you did something equally fun.

Now I’m just enjoying my coffee and trying to psych myself up for a good run. I’m going to attempt my first 5-mile run in a while… I’ve slacked a little on my cardio lately, and I’ve had to work my way back up, so wish me luck.

Have a great day and a fun weekend. Talk to you soon.

Win a $50 gift card from Sephora

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

  • Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
  • Open to U.S. and international readers.
  • You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
  • Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
    • Have you ever been kayaking, canoeing or stand-up paddle boarding?
    • Current nail polish crush?
    • What was the highlight of your week?
    • Have you ever been on a cruise?
    • Have you ever gone without electricity for more than a week?
    • What’s the biggest party you’ve ever been to (including concerts and weddings)?
  • You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
  • The giveaway ends on Monday, June 2, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time).
  • Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 312 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Giveaways, Just For Fun

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

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