Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 754

November 7th, 2022 by Karen 13 Comments

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. Preppy or boho?

A little bit of both? I like a little touch of boho in interior design. For clothes, I feel best when I’m wearing clothes more on the preppy side.

2. Mashed potatoes or apple pie?

GIRL. Why must I choose? LOL! Um… apple pie, I guess? That way I can get vanilla ice cream, too. 😉 I must insist on a pie with a non-bullsh*t crust, however. If the crust is a tragedy, I will have nothing to do with it.

3. Accent nails: yes or no?

Although I loved an accent nail back in the day, right meow I prefer a single solid color. I like looking at my fingers and seeing visual continuity across all my nails.

4. One of your favorite holiday traditions?

Every Thanksgiving my family always has pecan pie. One year at my in-law’s house there was no pecan pie — actually there was NO pie, period — and I felt like I was on another planet. I gotta have pecan pie or I will lose it!

5. Matte nails: yes or no?

Nah. Every matte I’ve worn chips way too easily. I also just prefer seeing shiny nails!

6. Something that puts a pep in your step?

Honestly, a second cup of coffee before noon really helps. I’ll probably grab one after I finish the Monday Poll.

7. Something nice that happened to you recently?

On Saturday afternoon, my neighbor gave me a block of homemade butter made from a cow she knows, LOL! Then, she invited me and Connor over for impromptu tea and toast. It was an unexpected and lovely gesture.

8. A beauty product you’ve been using a lot?

YSL Faux Cils Mascara. I bought it for the first time in years a couple weeks ago and at first was like, “Eh, why did I used to love this so much?” But then I kept wearing it because I was too lazy to return it and I needed a mascara, and now I’m into it again. I know, so fickle. I’ve been really liking how it thickens my lashes and lengthens them without any clumps. It’s really easy to apply, and I like how my lashes look long and luscious.

9. Leave a nice note for the next person in the comments.

I believe in you. You’re beautiful inside and out, and so, so strong. Stay focused and determined and you will get where you need to go! You are amazing!

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. Preppy or boho?
2. Mashed potatoes or apple pie?
3. Accent nails: yes or no?
4. One of your favorite holiday traditions?
5. Matte nails: yes or no?
6. Something that puts a pep in your step?
7. Something nice that happened to you recently?
8. A beauty product you’ve been using a lot?
9. Leave a nice note for the next person in the comments.

P.P.S. Happy Monday, my beautiful friend. I hope that this week every day is a good hair day. May something wonderful happen to you soon! 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 735

November 6th, 2022 by Karen 2 Comments

I have been blessed to work amidst the greatness of two historically brilliant cat minds — Tabs and Rosie — but even among the caliber of cat intellect I’ve been privy to witnessing, there are some problems that, like an unsolved mathematics problem, there are no easy answers for.

One such conundrum? — chicken or turkey.

Tabs chose the latter.

And he was certain he chose correctly.

His absolute all-time favorite cat treats were turkey flavored Temptations.

Rosie

When Rosie was faced with the same difficult decision between chicken and turkey, she brought the full power of her many PhDs to bear and came to a different decision.

She chose chicken.

But just like Tabs, she loves Temptations! — as long as it’s chicken.

It was not a decision she came to lightly… In fact, it took her months of research and analysis. She spent many late nights at the science lab.

But she’s confident she made the right decision. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, November 5, 2022!

November 5th, 2022 by Karen 6 Comments

essie angora cardi — One of my favorite fall shades, Essie Angora Cardi.

Hey there, friend. Who’s up for a Caturday mani-pedi? I’m making it a priority from now until the end of the year to do a weekly polish session! Having nice nails does a lot for my mood, and when I’m diligent about painting them every week, I just feel so much better.

essie nail polish all you need is love and a cat — Paws need love, too.

I’m already fully stocked with a collection of fall nail shades, but you know, one can always make room for another one, like this gorgeous purple Gel Couture by Essie. 😍

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by essie (@essie)

This week’s reading

Underpainting is a thing.
Researchers have found that dudes wearing makeup are considered more attractive.
Makeup pros talk about diversity in Hollywood.
Advent calendars for grown ups! Side note — why do I find the one with the Bonne Maman jam jars exciting?
Vanilla scents that don’t smell like a bakery.
Next time you’re at Tar-ghay, consider picking up one of these beautiful and affordable scents — all less than $30.
“Scent can hold a lot of meaning for people, it’s transportive, storing memories and boosting mood. It really is a feel-good product, and one that people savour and truly enjoy when they use it.”
Skin care culture and how celebs are cashing in.

Talk to me!

In case you need recs.

And in case you need more.

Oui, oui.

Feeling villainous?

I still love this song.

Hope your weekend is off to a great start. What are you up to today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Thoughts on Changing Hair Texture as You Get Older

November 4th, 2022 by Karen 25 Comments

I have a section of my brain devoted solely to obsessing over beauty thoughts, and currently, it’s occupied by hair texture and how it changes as you get older.

In theory, I knew that as one ages and hair color changes that hair texture changes too, but I didn’t understand just how much I’d have to adapt to that particular element.

OK, let me go back a bit. Within this last year, my hair has gotten considerably more gray, and a lot of those grays have this funky, wiry texture with a tight, uneven wave pattern. They look like ramen noodles and stick out at weird angles.

These “ramen noodle hairs” used to be buried way in the back of my head, but now they’re starting to show up more and more around the visible areas closer to my face.

Before I could wear my hair down and not really have to do anything, but the presence of the wiry grays makes it difficult because they don’t flow with the rest of my hair. Unless I smooth everything down with a curling iron or a flat iron, my hair just looks messy, and not in a cute, casual and purposeful way.

And while having a unified and smooth texture looks nice to me, I then have to deal with the damage created from relying on heat tools. Sometimes it feels like a no win situation.

Anyway, I was chatting with a hairstylist a couple weeks ago, and she said from this point on there’s just going to be more and more of those wayward hairs! Oh, and apparently, the texture change also makes it harder for dye to stick, so if I decided to cover my grays again, they’d be that much more resistant to holding onto color.

In heavy rotation

Pureology Strength Cure Superfood Deep Treatment Mask

Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Ultra Rich Hyaluronic Treatment Lotion

Kristin Ess Ultra Hydrating Curl Co-Wash

Kristin Ess Fragrance Free Texturizing Paste

Wiry hair texture’s been my main beauty issue as of late, so I’ve been buying a lot of hair products for hydration, smoothness and building up strength. I’ve been having some luck with leave-ins and masks made for damaged or colored hair, especially. Even though I don’t have any dye in my hair at the moment, these types of products seem to help.

OH! Yet another issue I’m dealing with is that I have less hair than I used to compared to my 20s and 30s. Blame it on hormonal changes. SIGH. I can especially tell when I put my hair up or when I’m washing it in the shower. So now, I’m deeply obsessed with volume — especially at the roots. Don’t get me started on root lift. LOL!

Even though I knew that my hair was going to change, I didn’t understand the degree of how much it would, and what I’d have to do to adapt to those changes. It’s so crazy!

How has your hair texture evolved as you’ve gotten older? Have you changed your routine much?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! We made it. 🙂

What Makeup Are You Wearing Today?

November 2nd, 2022 by Karen 20 Comments

PROOF OF LIFE! Yes, I’m still alive. LOL! And I’m still around. I’ve been just taking time to process my new world order… On that note, if you know of anyone hiring a beauty copywriter, please send them my way.

OK, so makeup. I’m wearing lots of Chanel today, with a touch of NARS and Laura Mercier. I’ll list mine below if you list yours in the comments. 🙂

BASE: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in 50 Beige (foundation), Hourglass Retouching Fluid in Sand (under-eye concealer) set with MAC MSF in Medium Golden (powder)
CHEEKS: MAC MSF in Give Me Sun (bronzer) and NARS Luster (blush)
EYES: Chanel Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette (lids), NARS Fez (crease), Chanel Hyperblack Cream Eyeliner (lash line), YSL Faux Cils (mascara)
LIPS: Laura Mercier Jeanne (lipstick)

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. A few things I’ve had on my mind lately…

1. Taylor Swift’s “Midnights”

Anyone else listening to this on repeat? My favorite song is “Anti-hero.”

2. Officially a morning person

Ya know, I don’t know when it happened, but I’ve become a morning person. I realized it yesterday when I let myself sleep until 7 on a weekday for the first time in a long time; I felt like I lost an entire morning! Not waking up at 5:30 feels weird to me now, and when I don’t have that early block of time, the rest of my day feels off.

3. Repeating numbers

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of repeating numbers. I’ll glance at the clock or my phone and see 11:11, 1:11, 2:22 and 5:55 especially. I don’t know a lot about numerology and am not sure if I believe in it, but I certainly believe in heeding signs from the universe, and this feels like a big, flashing sign. What do you think? Am I reading too much into it? Anywho, I did some googling on repeating numbers and enjoyed this article quite a bit.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 753

October 31st, 2022 by Karen 10 Comments

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. Monster Mash or Ghostbusters?

We did the mash. We did the Monster Mash! It was a graveyard splash…

2. If you were in a horror film and went down into a dark basement with just a flashlight, would you survive?

Hell yeah, I would make it out of that basement! Granted, I’d be covered in blood (someone else’s, not mine) and would hold onto the trauma for waaaaay too long, but I’d make it out.

3. Removing the stringy guts from a pumpkin: fun or totally disgusting?

A little bit of both. Mostly fun!

4. Fruit-flavored candy or chocolate Halloween candy?

Unless it’s Albanese peach rings or gummy bears, I don’t want anything to do with fruit-flavored Halloween candy. Chocolate all the way! Fun-size Snickers, ideally.

5. Have you ever smashed (or stolen) someone else’s jack-o-lantern?

Nah, I was a square when I was a kid. If I did something like that, I’d be really remorseful and stressed out about the whole situation.

6. What’s something that’s surprised you about Halloween?

Honestly, how tipsy most of the parents are when you take a kid trick or treating, LOL! I don’t really drink because I’m terrible at handling my liquor (total lightweight); plus, and I know this is gonna sound crazy, but if I’m suddenly in a life-or-death situation amongst a big crowd of strangers, I’m gonna have ALL my facilities working at 100 percent.

7. Would you rather wear a sexy clown or a scary clown costume?

I think the scary clown costume would 1) be a lot more comfortable, and 2) warmer, so let’s go with that.

8. Roasted pumpkin seeds: yes or no?

No. I don’t dislike them, but I also don’t understand the hype.

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. Monster Mash or Ghostbusters?
2. If you were in a horror film and went down into a dark basement with just a flashlight, would you survive?
3. Removing the stringy guts from a pumpkin: fun or totally disgusting?
4. Fruit-flavored candy or chocolate Halloween candy?
5. Have you ever smashed (or stolen) someone else’s jack-o-lantern?
6. What’s something that’s surprised you about Halloween?
7. Would you rather wear a sexy clown or a scary clown costume?
8. Roasted pumpkin seeds: yes or no?

P.P.S. Happy Monday, and happy Halloween, friend. Whatever you’re up to today and tonight, stay safe and stay healthy! 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 734

October 30th, 2022 by Karen 4 Comments

Tabs never passed on an opportunity to get dressed up, and it’s funny…the more elaborate and more time consuming a Halloween costume was, the more he was into it.

He constantly made fun of my need to be comfortable. I think one year there was a costume that involved eight separate fittings, a special suit engineered by Spanx just for him, and 13 different types of bird feathers…

😮

I told him many times that dressing down can be chic. Did he ever listen?

No.

Case in point — the year he dressed up as The Queen of Hearts.

Yes, I said queen. He was forward thinking like that. 😊

Rosie

As you know, Rosie takes a more minimalist approach. She was content to wear a Halloween-inspired bow tie today during our weekly Sunday walk.

I offered to take her to Dolce or Dior, or any of the major houses that we still have connections with because of Tabs’s legacy, but she absolutely refused.

She said something akin to “I am a cat of the people” and left it at that.

It’s not like she didn’t participate in our Halloween adventures, though. She was surprisingly insistent upon doing the art direction for the pumpkins. I think she recently read an article in Scientific Cat Journal about expanding your neural capacity through creative activities, which is why she was so invested in the pumpkin projects here.

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻😄

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, October 29, 2022!

October 29th, 2022 by Karen 3 Comments

Hi, friend. Happy Caturday!

My new favorite thing lately has been making banana bread for my friends and neighbors. It’s one of the things I’ve been doing to keep my spirit up; there’s something about giving baked treats that makes my heart feel good.

I’ve been using this easy recipe. It also works great with gluten-free flour if you have a wheat allergy!

Anywho, I’ve been chugging along and wrapping up the last of my projects at work. My final day is Monday — Halloween! I’m half tempted to show up to my meetings dressed up in some crazy state.