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Lisa Frank Obsession

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Were you ever obsessed with Lisa Frank stickers when you were a kid?

Me: *Raises hand enthusiastically!*

Lisa Frank ruled the hallways of my elementary school back in the day, and if you were a girl and into collecting stickers, then you absolutely had to collect rainbows, unicorns and all things Lisa Frank.

Lately I’ve been seeing Lisa Frank stuff EVERYWHERE, from the baked good section at Target to the nail polish aisle at Ulta!

My inner Little Karen is thrilled to pieces about this.

Drop a 🌈 or a 🦄 if you love Lisa Frank.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Naturium Purple Ginseng Cleansing Balm | 100th Day of School

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Hi and happy Tuesday, friend. How’s your day going?

Mine has been pretty great so far… I got some promising news on the job front this morning, but I’m not going to get too excited until the ink has dried.

I guess that’s something that comes with age?

In my 20s and even my 30s, I probably would’ve already entered celebration mode, but as I move into my 40s, sometimes I approach joy with a measured caution – something I definitely didn’t do before. Dunno if it’s a good or bad thing. Hmmm.

All I know is that I’ve been telling the universe (and myself) that I wanted to write for a beauty brand that I use and love, and so far the universe has sent me lots of good signs. We’ll see!

On another beauty note, last week during a de-stress shopping trip, I randomly bought a jar of Naturium Purple Ginseng Cleansing Balm. Naturium’s a “clean” (air quotes) skin care line by Susan Yara of YouTube fame, and you can find it at Target.

Is it weird that I wanted it partly because the pretty purple jar caught my eye? I also like that it has linoleic-rich oils (aka vitamin F).

I’ve been using it as a first cleanse to remove makeup and sunscreen, and I’m loving it. It’s super creamy, takes off everything, even the long-wearing Hourglass gel liner I’ve been rockin’ lately, and doesn’t dry my skin out. It’s $19 for three ounces, and a little goes a long way.

This morning, Connor was very excited because today is the 100th day of school! Yes, this is a thing now.

The kids do special projects to celebrate, and this year, she created a “spring is coming” poster with a flower with 100 items glued to the petals.

The kids also dressed up as 100-year-old senior citizens. Connor wore a granny-inspired dress, pearls and a scarf, and I used a white eyeshadow to turn her brown hair gray. LOL!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 766

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I hope you have an amazing Monday!

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. Are ya wearing blush or bronzer today?

I just finished working out, so none yet. Later on after a quick shower I have plans for both, though!

2. Something you need?

Man… So many things. I need someone to cook the tofu and roast the vegetables in my fridge. LOL! I want to eat it all, but I’m just too lazy to do it right now. I also need to buy a new pillow! I sleep on my back and the one I have is just not doing anything for me these days.

3. How often do you do face masks?

Not as often as I’d like. I kinda forget to do them even though I know they’re a great way to get actives onto your skin. Note to self: do more face masks.

4. Something that makes you feel better (anything at all)?

Sleep. Eating enough protein. Seeing the sun regularly. Working out. Consistently doing positive affirmations (thanks, Louise Hay). Coffee! Hugs from my people. Having a list when I’m feeling disorganized.

5. Asparagus: yum or yuck?

Yum as long as it’s not overcooked. I swear all the green vegetables that my mom cooked to the point of turning gray scarred me for life, HA HA HA!

6. Pick one: all over color, highlights or a hair gloss?

Ooh, GIRL. Why is this so hard? I’m getting tired of the gray (so over it), but at the same time, I don’t want to be committed to getting my roots done every month again because it’s such a pain. I guess I’d go with a clear hair gloss and contemplate coloring my hair while getting said gloss.

7. A piece of clothing you wore in high school that you remember fondly?

Oh my gosh, my freshman year, I wore a pastel-colored tapestry vest with gold buttons every week. I wish I would’ve kept that vest! I really loved it.

8. List some makeup you’ve been wearing a lot lately.

Urban Decay Hydromaniac tinted moisturizer, Laura Mercier Corisca cream blush, Hourglass Canvas lipgloss (ended up keeping it).

9. How many glasses of water have you had so far today? Side note: don’t forget to hydrate!

Not nearly enough. I’ve only had two so far!

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. Are ya wearing blush or bronzer today?
2. Something you need?
3. How often do you do face masks?
4. Something that makes you feel better (anything at all)?
5. Asparagus: yum or yuck?
6. Pick one: all over color, highlights or a hair gloss?
7. A piece of clothing you wore in high school that you remember fondly?
8. List some makeup you’ve been wearing a lot lately.
9. How many glasses of water have you had so far today? Side note: don’t forget to hydrate!

P.P.S. Hi there, my friend! Sending you a TON of good vibes from across the keyboard in the hopes that they’ll make your Monday better in some way. We’re going to have a stellar week. Got it? GOOD!

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 746

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Girl, what a weekend!

This was Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC’s annual Ski Week Team Building Retreat up in Tahoe, and wow! — I don’t even know where to begin.

Obviously, Tabs was one heck of a CFO. Best Chief Feline Officer in the business, no doubt.

That said, Rosie in no slouch. This year’s retreat was simultaneously fantastic and frightening at the same time!

Rosie

It started well. Lots of teambuilding exercises like the egg drop, office trivia and a scavenger hunt. Everyone was having a great time.

After we wrapped for the day, some of us decided to hit the slopes.

Rosie, of course, having done her research into the kinesiology of feline skiing, headed directly for the toughest course.

Everyone was having a good old time until a freak snowstorm hit the area, and Rosie got separated from the group.

Search and rescue looked everywhere for her. They had three helicopters going, but as day turned to night, they couldn’t find her.

She spent the whole night alone outside, in the snow, in the mountains!

When we found her the next morning, she was fine. We discovered that she had fallen on a run the day before and injured her paw. She wasn’t able to walk to safety, so she set up camp in the forest, started a fire and cooked a trout that she caught herself from a nearby stream.

Isn’t that so totally Rosie? What an amazing boss! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, January 28, 2023!

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hello saturday

Good morning, sweet girl. Guess who’s already finished her second cup of coffee and is about to dive into her third?

rosie-polipstick swatch a thon mug coffeese-lipstick-swatch-a-thon-mug
Rosie wants a cup! Lipstick Swatch-a-thon Mug.

I usually only do one or two cups max on a daily basis, but I can feel a migraine coming on and coffee always works WONDERS. So, a third cup it is.

Speaking of coffee, today’s mission is to go furniture shopping to find a coffee table. We’ve been using Connor’s craft table for months, LOL!

She has no problem with it, but I think it’s time to remedy that situation.

This week’s reading


I’m intrigued.


Let’s dance!


No makeup makeup in nine minutes? Yes, please.

I hope your weekend is off to a wonderful start. I know you’ve probably got a million things to do, but please take some time today to rest. It’s important.

Take care and talk soon!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: TGIF | Leche Flan Adventures | A Most Excellent Foundation by Chanel

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Connor made this note, which is supposed to say, “When you’re feeling sad and blue, find a friend to help you through.”

Hi, friend! Thank goodness it’s Friday. No seriously. TGIF! Been a long week.

I just finished a video interview with a beauty brand which I use and love… I think it went OK! I should be finding out more next Monday, so until then, please keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Anywho, all this preparation for video calls lately has reminded me of just how stellar Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation truly is.

Most days I typically wear a sheer tinted moisturizer (Urban Decay Hydromaniac), but if I’m going to be on camera, then Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is it!

Not only can I barely feel it on, ’cause lightweight is totally key, but it smoothes out my pores and evens out patchy-looking parts without appearing obvious. I’m wearing 50 Beige in this pic, which I set with a light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden. A *chef’s kiss* worthy combo!

I think I mentioned earlier in the week that I’m learning how to make a Filipino dessert called leche flan. It’s like a creme brulee, but without the crunchy top, and it’s typically served at Filipino parties and celebrations.

Leche flan has two parts. First, you make a caramel on the stovetop.

Don’t ask me why, but for some reason, this part is completely terrifying to me! I think it’s the fact that you don’t have a lot of wiggle room with making caramel, so you have to heavily rely on your instincts to know when it’s time to take it off the heat. Otherwise it’ll burn, baby, burn.

Plus, that ish gets hella hot! I can see myself burning a hand or a wrist quite easily in a caramel-related incident.

OK, so the caramel goes into the bottom of your ramekin. Ideally neater than I did here.

The second part involves making custard out of egg yolks, evaporated milk, condensed milk and a little vanilla. Then you strain it at least two times…

The custard goes into the ramekins, and then you steam them on the stove or in an oven. When a knife goes into the middle and comes out clean, they’re done.

After cooling down, you loosen the edges and then flip the ramekin onto a plate. You’ve gotta get all the juicy bits, too!

The result is a creamy, silky caramel custard. YUM.

Let’s see, what else has been going on? One of my New Year’s resolutions was to learn how to cook a few vegan dishes, and this was one I made for lunch early on in the week.

It’s garlic fried rice with stir fried potatoes, zucchini and edamame in a homemade teriyaki sauce — which is just equal parts sugar, soy sauce and water, sprinkled with ground ginger powder. It was pretty good, but next time I make it, I’m going to add cashews to bump up the protein.

I’m finally calming down from the excitement of my earlier interview and now ready to get the weekend started, like, right meow. LOL!

What are your plans? Doing anything fun?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Interview Makeup and Hair | Latest Beauty Buys

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Well, at least I was having a good hair day!

Hiya, and happy Thursday!

Yesterday I had two interviews lined up. I spent the entire day prepping and studying, so I’d feel extra prepared. I did full makeup and hair early, so I wouldn’t feel rushed (I even took test shots to double check everything, which is why I ended up with these pics).

I searched for “what to wear in a video interview for a creative job,” and then I tried various options in front of the camera to see what looked best. Side note: most wardrobe experts do not recommend wearing a white shirt, and after seeing various options on screen, I’d have to agree.

AND THEN…

…Both interviews got cancelled at the last minute. (The second one in the late afternoon was cancelled 10 minutes before it was supposed to start.)

On the bright side, both interviews were also rescheduled, which means the positions are still open — and I still have a chance.

Eh, at least my makeup and hair looked ok!

Needless to say, I was jumpy at the end of the day because of all the built-up adrenaline, so me, my full face of makeup and bouncy hair went to Sephora for some stress (de-stress?) shopping.

Lately the Novato store in my town rarely seems to have anything I actually want in stock, though. I ended up with just a Bumble & Bumble conditioner and a Tower 28 gloss.

I also had to stop by Target, which is next door, to buy some oat milk, so skin care landed in my cart: Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion, good ol’ CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Naturium Purple Ginseng Cleansing Balm.

It’s been a long week. Oh, and poor Connor still has a cold, so none of us have slept in days. Her immune system is certainly getting a workout this school year! (And so is mine.)

Seriously, I cannot wait for the weekend.

Anywho, thank you for listening. Hope that everything on your end has been smooth sailing.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

17 Beautiful Things

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do more of what you love pink balloons
Note to self!

1. All the good things the universe is sending to us.

2. Seeing the first cherry blossoms blooming all around town.

3. The milky foam on top of my Nespresso drink.

YUM.

4. Hearing the song “Deja Vu” by Olivia Rodrigo.

I heard it for the first time in months while I was in the car yesterday, and I blasted it with the windows rolled down!

5. Five-minute makeup.

Side note, it’s all I’ve been doing lately, and it makes a world of difference in my mood!

6. Socks that don’t slip down in your shoes while you’re traipsing about and living your best life.

Rosie living her best life.

7. When Connor and I are driving and she says out of nowhere, “Love you, mama.”

8. Getting a hug from Connor’s bestie when she comes over to play.

9. Painted nails!

Yay!

10. Seeing all the birds hanging out in the full, lush ponds in our town.

The other day I was driving back from HomeGoods (why do I keep going back there when everything smells so chemical and all the furniture wobbles?), and I saw a beautiful egret by the side of the road.

11. Getting a hello and a good morning wave back from the gardeners and construction workers in our neighborhood.

12. All the nice pediatricians at the San Rafael Park Kaiser.

Connor woke up at the witching hour last night in tears with an earache, so I brought her in for an appointment early this morning. Every single time we’ve gone there, all the doctors have been sweet, patient and so, so kind.

13. On that note, having decent health care when my child is sick is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

I am so grateful for having access to it.

14. Gouda cheese.

My favorite lately.

15. Silly memes with cats that make me laugh so hard!

16. Random chats with other moms…

Especially the chats about things like oily scalps, drop offs and husbands buying WACK SH*T at the grocery store.

Side note, someone please explain why when El Hub goes to the grocery, he always buys the smallest four-pack of toilet paper or the toy-sized mayonnaise bottle when he knows damn well that we’re going to need to replace it anyway?

It drives me crazy!

toilet paper target shelter in place
Me when I need to refresh the toilet paper stash.

17. Hearing Rosie talk to us first thing in the morning.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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