weeklyroundup

Now that we’re on the unofficial last legs of summer, have you given much thought to switching out your summer scents for fall fragrances? Or do you stay devoted to a single scent year round? I go through phases, some years sticking with one scent, others changing with the seasons.

Last night while I was parked in front of the TV numbing my mind with the new season of Jersey Shore (I dunno if I’m gonna to make it through this season… I’m so over Sam and Ron), I realized the new heights of beauty nerdiness I’ve recently reached. I’ve actually started planning my fragrances for the week.

Do you ever do that (please say yes)?

On my list so far…

Monday: Burberry The Body
Tuesday: Benefit Bella Ring My Bella
Wednesday: the new Elie Saab.

Other than finishing exciting lists like this one (haha!), I don’t have much planned for today. I would like to test the new Urban Decay Sparkling Lip Glosses, maybe eek in a workout, play around with my camera (we need some alone time together) and make Tabs give me lurvies whether he likes it or not.

Whatcha got going on out yonder way? Whatever you’re up to, I hope it involves equal parts beauty and fun. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

FANCIFUL FALL: WEARABLE COLORS CHARACTERIZE THE
CHANEL SOPHISTICATED EYE COLLECTION

Now that’s what I’m talking about, Coco. 🙂 Your new Sophisticated Eye Collection features some seriously easy-to-wear eye makeup, and it’s making me cuckoo for COCO puffs!

The sizable 17-piece release, a mix of limited edition and re-promoted items, is available now at Chanel counters, in stores and also online. With classic presentation and an understated palette of highly wearable blue, taupe, purple, brown, pink and beige, the release exudes class. Coco dresses lids in a simple, clean wash of light pink and beige, then blows a kiss of color along the upper lash line. Thick, defined fringe in black, brown or purple and a strong brow ties the look together nicely. Definition: understated, wearable, and totally up my alley. Read more…

DESPITE OUR DIFFERENCES (IN COLOR TEMP), I’M WARMING UP TO THE
MAC ME OVER COLLECTION’S LADY GREY QUAD

One of my favorite pieces from the new MAC Me Over collection (on counters now) turned out to be something I never expected to like.

“How cool!” I said the first time I spotted the Lady Grey quad’s greenish gray, and I meant it both in terms of wow factor, as I thought the shade was subtle, but interesting and different, and color temp, because like many of the other colors in Icelandic Cool, the sub-collection to which Lady Grey belongs, it leans cool.

Right away the color, and the other shades of green, gray, beige, white, taupe and purple that comprise Icelandic Cool, melted my heart, but I thought I’d have a difficult time getting the cool-toned shade to cooperate with my warm-toned skin. Read more…

LIVING PROOF STRAIGHT
SPRAY KEEPS MY WAVES ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

Ever since I asked my stylist to hack a few inches off my wavy hair earlier this month, I’ve been wearing it straight pretty much daily (it’s a Lloyd Christmas thing). I started looking for hair straightening products sans silicones, scoping beauty aisles and reading labels, and quickly realized that they’re few and far between.

Even though I’m not totally against using hair products that contain silicone, I find that with products where they appear way up high in the list of ingredients, they tend to weigh down my hair and eventually lead to even worse frizz down the road. Plus, I like to keep my hair guessing by switching up my routine. Read more…

FANCIFUL FALL: MARRAKESH BY WAY OF BOHEMIA WITH THE
BOBBI BROWN MARRAKESH CHIC COLLECTION FOR FALL 2011

Grab your passport, Boho babe, because Bobbi Brown is taking us to Marrakesh!

Available now on counters and very soon online, the new 17-piece Marrakesh Chic collection’s shades of pink, plum, taupe, beige, gray and peach suggest it’ll be a casual, comfy trip, so pack accordingly (might I suggest a flowy floral top, wide-leg flares, feather earrings, chunky heels and that turquoise ring I know you have?).

The limited edition release invokes exotic street markets, broken-in jeans and buttery soft leather saddlebags handed down from an adventurous great grandmother. I think it also has some of that whole “lady of the canyon” vibe that’s been a big trend in fashion for a while. Read more…

FANCIFUL FALL: THE DOLCE & GABBANA
SWEET TEMPTATIONS COLLECTION WOULD LIKE YOU TO SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT

Cocoa cravings got ya down? Why not save the See’s for later, and let the Dolce & Gabbana Sweet Temptations collection feed your need (and you won’t even have to undo the top button of your skinny jeans)?

Delectable neutrals in cocoas and creams (YUM!) headline the dessert cart in the 11-piece release for eyes, lips, cheeks, face and nails, but they aren’t the only treats on the menu this fall. Chef D&G was kind enough to add sprinkles of orange, berry, pink, green and gold.

Resistance is futile for me when it comes to chocolate cravings and Dolce & Gabbana’s smooth textures, but it’s utterly ridiculous when you combine them with delicious names like Cocoa, Almond, Cinnamon and Praline. Read more…

URBAN DECAY BOOK OF SHADOWS VOL. IV
A BIT OF GLAM TO BRIGHTEN A BLOATED DAY

I was up before the chickens this morning, thanks to 18 pounds of tabby cat making biscuits on my butt.

Don’t get me wrong — I usually like my early morning kitty massages (I find them kind of charming), but at 4 in the morning, a good two hours before my alarm was set to go off, today’s wasn’t exactly what I’d call a good time. 🙂

This is probably TMI, but I’m going there because we’re friends: I’ve been feeling decidedly un-glamourous this week, and not even makeup has been cheering me up.

Hard to believe, but it’s true. Read more…

BENEFIT KNOWS WATT’S UP: THEIR NEW HIGHLIGHTER
BRIGHTENS BROWS AND CHEEKS WITH AN INCANDESCENT GLOW

Team B describes the color of their new highlighter, a solid stick with a cream-to-powder finish, as a luminous, sheer champagne. I turned it on this afternoon, and I really did feel like I was glowing (on me it’s a shimmery, peachy glow).

I’m reminded of a NARS Multiple in how the product looks and feels — smooth, thin and slightly dry to the touch. The concept has been approached before, but here I like Benefit’s execution.

First, I’m glad they chose not to go the liquid route, a la Moonbeam/Highbeam, because it means not having to worry about accidental spills and getting the product all over the place. Second, with the highlighter on one end of the stick and a blending sponge on the other, I don’t need an extra brush. All I do is glide the creamy stick along my cheek and brow bones (it works on bare skin and atop makeup), and smooth out any edges with the sponge. Read more…

AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN WHEN YOU WEAR THE CHANEL SOPHISTICATED
COLLECTION’S LES 4 OMBRES QUADRA EYE SHADOW IN VANITES

When I wear the Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadows in Vanites ($57; part of the new Chanel Sophisticated Eye collection), unicorns shoot glittery rainbows from their horns, every cat within a 10-mile radius rolls on its back and flashes its tum, and Ryan Gosling materializes on my doorstep and offers to take me to Pinkberry for a salted caramel fro-yo.

Well, at least that’s how I feel when the colors in this divine eyeshadow quad are decorating my lids. I tried them on this afternoon, and the purple, pink and two duo chromes couldn’t have been much easier to blend; I barely had to flick my wrist. It was like swish, swish, DONE! Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Mornin’, glory. How’s it going today? I hope you’re staying dry out there, no thanks to Irene rather rudely dousing a big chunk of the Northeast (the least she could have done was wait until fall).

I hope you still had a pretty good week, though, even if you found yourself in the path of the storm.

What was the highlight of your week? Maybe a movie, a good hair day or some good news about school/work?

The best parts of my week were my movie date with El Hub (I really enjoyed Crazy, Stupid, Love.), this cool lipstick from Sula and the delicious grape tomatoes I got at the farmers’ market…

Whoa. I just pictured myself with a big bag of popcorn in a movie theater, except that instead of popcorn the bag was filled with grape tomatoes.

Yum. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

OUTFIT OF THE DAY, VOL. 5
BASICS WITH A TWIST FOR A CASUAL DATE

Last week for date night El Hub and I went to the market! — the farmers’ market, in the nearby town of San Rafael.

Now, style icons like Carrie Bradshaw can probably strut down pot-holed streets and weave between vegetable stands in five-inch Manolos and marabou feather coats without skipping a beat, but I opted for more casual comfort in a tank top and jeans.

And basics, of course, don’t have to be sloppy or boring, not with the help of a few easy accessories.

Spruce Up Jeans and a Tank Top with A tote bag in a fun print. This spacious blue and white one from Kate Spade is perfect for sightseeing because of how much it holds — everything from my wallet, to my camera, my makeup and all the late-summer produce I love (peaches, pluots and plums, yes please!). Plus, the colors match my jeans and top. Read more…

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA WITH THESE
NEW SMASHBOX PHOTO OP EYE SHADOW TRIOS

You don’t have to be a photography nerd to appreciate these new Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Trios ($28 each), but it wouldn’t hurt if you are. For gals familiar with the photographic arts, the 16 trios in the line, each with three coordinating powder eyeshadows, have fun photography-related names like Aperture and Telephoto (I’m surprised they left out ISO and Bokeh).

For the past couple of seasons, I’ve been a little unsure about Smashbox’s eyeshadows. I thought many of them were hit or miss, and I’ve had issues with texture, fallout, wear time, blending and pigment. These new ones, however, are restoring my faith in the line. Read more…

I’D GLADLY STAY AWAKE TILL SUNRISE FOR
THIS VIBRANT SULA BEAUTY LIPSTICK

Just how pigmented is vibrant orange Sula Beauty Lipstick in Awake Till Sunrise ($8)? Well, if I were ever going to scribble a note on a bathroom mirror with a tube of lipstick, I’d use it, because “YOU’RE MINE FOREVER!!” scrawled on a mirror in sheer baby pink just doesn’t have the same impact.

This — THIS! — is what I’ve been hoping for from the Sula Beauty line. Creamy reddish coral Awake Till Sunrise totally hits it out of the park (think MAC Hibiscus), and I wouldn’t be surprised if it and the other lipsticks in the line skipped right past “Go” on their way to the Drugstore Makeup Hall of Fame. Read more…

THE LORAC OOH LA LACE PALETTE
MAKES ME FEEL OOH LA LA

CAUTION: Seductive palette ahead.

LORAC’s lurvely Ooh La Lace palette ($36), the latest piece from the brand’s fall collection of lingerie-inspired delectables, has been wooing me with its smoldering selection of baked eyeshadows in neutral and smokey shades of beige, gray, black, peach, bronze and brown.

Want big, bedroom eyes? Lucky for you if you do, because LORAC chose the colors they put into the palette to create eyes just like that.

But that’s not all this palette has. I also see versatile, wearable colors here capable of going out for drinks with the girls after work. Read more…

MY DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN SAYS ‘OUI’ TO
LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE DERMO CLEANSER

Dude, I don’t know when it happened, but somehow, somewhere, I turned into a 30-something chick. In my teens and through my 20s, I thought I looked young for my age, but at some point over this past year, I started feeling like I look, well, my age. I decided to step up my anti-aging game with the help of Retin-A.

I’ve been using it for about a month so far, and overall I like the results, but in that time my face has been flakier, drier and moodier than it was when I was 14. Even skin care products I’ve known and loved for years have started giving me grief, like my usual go-to face wash, Philosophy Purity Made Simple. When it left my cheeks dry and tight one day, I knew something had to change. Read more…

BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH BURBERRY BEAUTY’S NEW NUDE CASHMERE
LIPSTICK LEFT ME FEELING UNDRESSED

It’s true — nude lipsticks might not drive makeup lovers into frenzies like a brilliant fuchsia lipstick or a cobalt blue nail polish can, but lip looks featuring nudes are still among my favorites, just the same.

Nude lips are always in style and look great with almost anything. Unfortunately, finding a good nude lipstick can be tougher than finding a good man.

If I had a nickle for every time I tried a new nude lipstick, only to look up at myself in the mirror at something totally and completely wrong, I’d probably have between 80 cents and $1. 🙂 But seriously, the truly great ones are few and very far between. Read more…

NUANCE SALMA HAYEK CUCUMBER & ROSEWATER (AND AGAVE)
DUAL PHASE MAKEUP REMOVER ISN’T AFRAID TO FACE ANYTHING

These days, the only resident of Casa de MBB who regularly parties like a rock star is Tabs, but back in the day, gurl, my middle name was margarita (on the rocks with salt, please!).

Kidding, of course (sort of).

Interestingly enough, the new Nuance Salma Hayek Cucumber & Rosewater Dual Phase Makeup Remover ($7.99) contains two ingredients that also appear in my former favorite drink.

No, not cucumber and rose water, although I bet those could make a tasty drink. I’m referring to aqua (water) and agave. Read more…

BARE ESCENTUALS BAREMINERALS
READY EYESHADOW: ARE YOU READY FOR THESE SWATCHES?

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals has something BIG lined up for fall, and the question is, are you ready?

The line is leaping into the thrilling world (it is to me) of pressed eyeshadow duos and quads with a brand new line of permanent collection products called Ready. The 19 pieces in the Ready Eyeshadow Collection, which arrives on counters this October (ready or not), consist of four quads ($30 each) and 15 duos ($20 each), and for a brand best known for their loose mineral eyeshadows, it signifies a brave shift in a bold new direction.

But what about the minerals…? Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I do declare, I’m not quite awake yet, young lady. It must be something in the air.

Rise and shine, morning glory! How did you sleep? I slept well enough, but it’s a little chilly here right now — not cold, but colder than it’s been in the mornings. I think I even see fog outside my window…

What the heck is up with that!? Mr. Fall, you can stay wherever you are, thank you very much, and just leave me and my cat alone. We prefer our oak trees more with leaves than without.

What a wonderful weekend so far, not that I’ve done a single productive thing, but I have been able to spend some time with El Hub. Yesterday we even had our dinner with Tabs on the deck. It was nothing fancy — just a lightly grilled tilapia with a side of steamed rice and a glass of white wine. Tabs, of course, being on a high-protein diet, skipped the rice and wine (and the froyo that followed for dessert). 🙂

How’s it going out yonder way? Is it still hot and summery there? I remember the hottest summers I ever spent were in Davis where I went to school. It would top 100 degrees (°F) for days on end there. Sometimes weeks. It’s a wonder any plants survived.

Here in northern Marin County, it averages about 80 during the summer months, which is just fine with me. Every once in a while we’ll get a hot day near 100, but they’re few and far between.

Isn’t it annoying how fast this summer’s flown by? I know we always say that, “My, how time flies,” but it’s true. And why is that? What makes time seem to go by quicker the older we get?

I don’t like it one bit…

As a matter of fact, I think I’ll stay right here in this week for at least the rest of the day. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

PET ASSISTANTS, IT’S IN THE BAG
THE ESSIE BRAND NEW BAG COLLECTION FOR FALL 2011

If you’re considering a career as an executive pet assistant, learn from my mistakes. Read your employment contract carefully before you sign (and maybe even enlist the help of an attorney); otherwise, you just might find yourself at the mercy of a demanding diva.

Apparently, my lawyer and I missed the clause in my contract that grants Tabs final wardrobe, nail color and accessories approval. Honestly, if I’d known all of the bullsh*t baggage that would come with this gig beforehand, I probably would’ve just gone to law school instead. Read more…

DON’T BE CAMERA SHY WITH
SMASHBOX GIRLS ON FILM

Does Duran Duran’s ode to celluloid sirens have anything to do with Smashbox’s new eight-piece Girls on Film collection for fall?

Perhaps, but either way, I’m just glad the references aren’t more obvious.

I remember being very, very confused by the Girls on Film video when it came out… My eight-year-old mind just couldn’t put the pieces together. I mean, why was that nurse giving that husky dude a massage? More importantly, why was she doing it in a boxing ring?

Hell, I’m 36 now, and I just have to assume that some questions are better left unanswered. Read more…

WE’RE TAKING A HIGHWAY TO THE NEUTRAL ZONE
WITH THE BECCA LOST WEEKEND COLLECTION

Becca fans, this fall we’re shifting into neutrals with the new Becca Lost Weekend Collection (products $23-49 each), and that means one thing…

Road trip! 🙂

Where are we headed? Nobody knows, but do we really care? Nope! Not with Becca’s new eight-piece release of earthy tan, caramel, chocolate, peach and pink shades to keep us company on the open road.

I briefly looked at three of the products from the collection this afternoon; I plan to test drive these and more of the products from the release over the next week, but for now I thought I’d share some pics. Read more…

THE BUZZ ON BURT’S BEES NEW
HONEY & SHEA SUGAR SCRUB IS GOOD

How sweet! Burt’s industrious bees made us a new scrub, and like his fabulous Cranberry & Pomegranate one, this one’s also 100% natural.

If there hadn’t been a warning on the side of Burt’s Bees Honey & Shea Sugar Scrub ($13 for an 8-oz. tub) stating that it’s “Not a food — do not consume,” I would have spread some on my toast.

Doesn’t it look delicious (a little like apple sauce)? And I think it smells yummy, too — fresh and light, like raw sugar and honey.

Following in the footsteps of its Cranberry & Pomegranate predecessor, which I first fell in love with a year ago this fall, Honey & Shea wasn’t tested on animals, and it doesn’t contain any parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals. I’d been turning to Burt’s rich, moisturizing Pomo-Cran scrub whenever I needed to get my exfoliation on, but as much as my dry skin loves the hydrating heavy oils it contains, I know it’s not for everyone. Read more…

BE A BLUSHING BEAUTY
WITH SULA BEAUTY LIP & CHEEK TINT

You know that light flush that sometimes reddens your cheeks after a quick sprint, an embarrassing introduction or, um, a particularly bootylicious make-out session with a certain strapping viking vampire stricken with amnesia? That’s how my cheeks and lips look when I’m wearing Sula Beauty’s Lip & Cheek Tint in It’s Not Me, It’s You ($8).

I’ve been waiting for a reason to upgrade my opinion of the cruelty free Sula Beauty line, and these chubby cheek and lip creams just might be it. I thought that the last couple of products I tried from the line skirted the border between hit/miss, but with their adorable packaging and natural ingredients, they were products I really wanted to like. Read more…

IN URBAN DECAY BOOK OF SHADOWS VOL. 4
TECHNOLOGY MEETS MAKEUP

The gorgeous gadgeteers at Urban Decay headquarters know that technology plus makeup equals fun, so they engineered a little something special for us with their latest limited edition Book of Shadows: Volume IV ($64).

This installment in the storied line comes with plenty of makeup, as well as five QR (Quick Response) codes that you can plug into your iPhone or Android phone to access five online video tutorials featuring products from the palette.

The palette’s a holiday release, so it won’t be available for a while (I’m trying to pin down the exact date), but here are a few pictures and swatches to wet your whistle. Read more…

HOW MANY KISSES DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF AN
ESTEE LAUDER PURE COLOUR SENSUOUS ROUGE?

Estée Lauder Pure Colour Sensuous Rouge…

A sensuous rouge? Is that like Zorro or Robin Hood?

Wait — oh, rooozh. I thought I read something else. I pictured a handsome roguish blush pan whispering into my ear (it had an accent like Antonio Banderas), “Hello, señorita. May I come over tonight, so I can make sweet love to your cheeks?”

Okay…chances are that’s not what Estée Lauder was going for when they developed this new line of 12 moisturizing lipsticks ($28 each). It doesn’t arrive on makeup counters till fall, but the colors are available for pre-sale online now. Read more…

NARS LARGER THAN LIFE EYELINER
DOESN’T STOP FOR BREAKDOWNS

Heavy traffic makes my inner crazy come out. I know it’s not helpful to get worked up over traffic jams, but it happens just the same.

Like last week, I had a mini-nervous breakdown in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Lombard Street in San Francisco. It had taken me 45 minutes to drive four blocks in the city, and all I wanted to do was get home. At one point I looked outside my window at a boy walking past my car on the sidewalk, and I just lost it. Tears, sobbing — the whole shebang.

It wasn’t just the traffic, though. I was also wearing uncomfortably tight skinny jeans and having a really, really rough writing day. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Rise and shine, pal o’ mine. 🙂 Happy Sunday. Tabs and I were just chilling out on the back deck with our Starbucks, me with my soy chai latte, and him with his favorite zinnia catnip tea (decaf).

Tabs is so hooked on zinnia right now that if I don’t pull him away from the plants, he’ll reduce one to stubs in about a minute. He’s not very good at gardening.

How’s your weekend coming along? This one’s flying by, isn’t it? I haven’t accomplished much of anything yet, but I did see a movie yesterday that I really liked, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I liked it more than the other remake (the one with Marky Mark) and even the original with Charlton Heston (“Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!”). This time the apes are digitally rendered but with their movements and expressions based on real actors and animals using motion capture tech (like Cameron did with the Na’vi in Avatar). Very cool stuff. The facial expressions and emotions for the apes seemed totally real to me. I forgot I was watching digital characters after the first few minutes. Seemed like a big step up from the bulky costumes and special effects makeup used in the earlier films.

So, what was the makeup/beauty highlight of this week for you? Was it a look you saw or tried, or was it a new product? Mine had to be the MAC Me Over stuff (it’s a huge release) and also getting more comfortable with Lloyd…

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

DR. SCHOLL’S HIGH HEEL INSERTS
ARE, QUITE LITERALLY, HOT

I trekked all over San Diego late last week and through the weekend in my current sandal crush, a pair of Franco Sarto black leather cork wedges I picked up last summer, and after the first day, my feet felt fine; by the end of the second day, however, my feet and I were beginning to feel a little ‘tow up.

I turned to a pair of Dr. Scholl’s High Heel Inserts (about $8) to restore the spring to my step. They’re basically an adhesive gel insert, like a cushioned sticker, that fit into high heels to hopefully make them more comfortable. Read more…

WHICH OF THESE MAC ME OVER LIPGLASSES
CAME WITH ME TO LUNCH?

“I wonder if I’m burning enough calories to get a cupcake.” That’s the thought that kept going through my head in San Francisco this afternoon as I shivered on my way to and from a late work lunch. It was freezing in the city! And all I had on was a dress, a light jacket and sandals.

Not good.

It’s my own dang fault for forgetting how chilly SF can get in August… On my way home, I stopped by Neiman Marcus to warm my heart with new fall makeup, specifically a yummy Le Métier eyeshadow kaleidoscope kit with pretty purples and bronzes (I’ll post a pic soon).

Before I headed into the city, I tried on some of the Lipglasses from the upcoming MAC Me Over collection. These are $14.50 each ($17.50 CDN) and arrive on counter a little later this month. Read more…

SHE BANGS, WITH THE CONAIR VELVET TOUCH
MEDIUM NYLON ROUND BRUSH

Greetings from Novato! Sorry I’ve been MIA today, holmes. My flight was delayed out of sunny San Diego, so I spent the better part of this afternoon sitting at my departure gate while a non-stop serenade of saxophone-heavy airport muzak did its best to drive me insane.

Too late! Needless to say, after three hours of relentless Kenny G., I was a tad grumpy, but I feel a million times better now that I’m back home with Tabs.

Shoot, I think he was even happy to see me…or maybe he just thinks he’s gonna get gravy tonight (he is). Read more…

MAC ME OVER COLLECTION LIPSTICK SWATCHES
STARRING MY SECRET LOVER (THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE)

Kiss me, you impetuous fool! But wait — let me apply my lipstick first.

Just some quick swatches of a few of the lipsticks from the upcoming MAC Me Over collection on NC42 lips/skin (arriving on North American counters Aug. 25; internationally this September).

I left Tabs with specific instructions to swatch and post anything MAC-related while I was gone, but because he’s a cat, he never listens to a word I say.

You know how it goes. Read more…

ALL EYES ON THE MAKE UP FOR EVER
SMOKY COULEUR COLLECTION

Hey, baby, what’s your sign?

No, I’m not throwing you a cheesy pickup line. I’m just curious. I’m a Gemini, by the way, and while I probably wouldn’t make major life decisions based entirely on the stars, I like to imagine that they play a role in our lives.

I actually feel very connected to my sign; Geminis are supposed to be good communicators and are said to have dual personalities. I’m still working on the communication part as far as expressing things like frustration and anger in constructive ways (gotta stop slamming doors when I get fussy), but the dual personality thing describes me to a tee! — especially when it comes to makeup.

Some days I prefer bolder eye looks; others, like today, I prefer to take it easier with something mellow, perhaps something using products from the new Make Up For Ever Smoky Couleur collection, for example. Read more…

BLOGHER 2011: VIDEO STORYBOARDING
AND SCRIPTING FOR THE WRITER

This class and that one on writing the other day were absolutely my favorites of BlogHer 2011, but I missed the first 30 or so minutes of this one, which, based on the part of the class I actually was present for, I’m assuming was the part that covered storyboarding and scripting.

LOL! I may have missed the titular topics, but I was present for a really fantastic discussion on video blogging.

The two speakers are very accomplished video bloggers/podcasters, and I think I might try to connect with them again.

Here’s a video from one of the speakers, Corrine. Isn’t it fantastic? Read more…

BE A GOOD STUDENT OF TRAVEL MAKEUP
WITH A CLEAR PENCIL CASE

Stop letting lost tubes of lipgloss languish at the bottom of your luggage on trips. Next time you travel, keep them and the rest of your makeup safe and sound (and organized) in a clear pencil case. With back-to-school season coming up, you might even be able to find them on sale.

I’d been using Urban Decay’s voluminous Quinceañera makeup bag to store my face paint on my last couple of trips because of how wonderfully cute and spacious it is (fits all of my foundation, eyeshadows, brushes AND the kitchen sink), but it was a little tricky locating specific products buried within the roomy bag.

I usually ended up just dumping the contents on the bed and sifting through the pile. Not a great system, and it was only matter of time before something rolled off the bed only to get accidentally left behind. Read more…

SMASHBOX BROW TECH WAX DISCIPLINES
BUT THE MOST UNRULY BROWS

I don’t know what I did to lose their support, but at some point over the past few weeks, my brows decided to stage a coup. A chunk of my left brow just didn’t come to work one day, like it decided, “That’s it! Game over.” Now I have a brow bald spot, and I’m really not sure how it happened.

Then a group of longish witch hairs rode into town one night, probably detecting an opportunity to seize power. I call them “Kool and the Gang.” There may be someone, somewhere out there who finds insubordinate, mutinous brows alluring, but I’m not crazy about the look.

I would have reached for my Benefit Instant Brow pencil to restore balance to my brows, but I used the last of it a few weeks ago.

Perfect excuse to visit Sephora to look for something new. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Guess who had 15 ounces of Pinkberry over the past two days. I’ll give you a hint — her name sounds like Sharon. 🙂

Okay, so you know how yesterday I said that if I was a good girl and went to class at BlogHer, even though a big part of me wanted to take advantage of the sunny San Diego weather instead, that I’d treat myself to Pinkberry again?

Well, AWW YEAH! Five more ounces of salted caramel, y’all!

Damn, I love that stuff…

The conference is over now, so I’m just taking it easy today. I might do a little sightseeing if I can.

Yesterday’s classes were hit and miss. One of them, a class on video blogging, was actually fantastic, and I’ll definitely share some tips from that. I got some really great, helpful stuff there about recording voiceovers and putting together inexpensive DIY lighting setups using things from Ikea.

How are things out yonder way? What was the highlight of your Saturday night?

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

WALLETS AND POCKETS WON’T PROTEST
THESE TWO NEW MINI LIPGLOSS SETS

When you find a man who’ll carry your lipgloss for you in his pocket without protest, you best hold on to that boy! I’m dead serious.

Most of the dudes I dated before El Hub were pretty rigid about what they’d put in their pockets. Keys went here, wallet and phone went there — there was a system at work, and they didn’t like it when things disrupted the system.

The keepers, though, won’t mind holding your gloss for you, even if it messes up their routine.

Which brings me to these two new Essence Mini Lipgloss Sets ($2.99 each). I wouldn’t be surprised if the peeps at Essence had male/female pocket politics in mind when they dreamed up these tiny tubes of sheer, long-wearing lipgloss. Dudes might even appreciate how streamlined (and pocket friendly) they are. Read more…

NEW SPECIES OF DRAGON DISCOVERED LIVING WITH AN E.L.F. AT THE DRUGSTORE
NEW $3 GLOSSY GLOSS IN DRAGON FRUIT

Three dollars? No way. I can’t believe this gloss is just $3.

E.L.F. Glossy Gloss in Dragon Fruit just might be my new favorite glitter-less pink gloss. Without a doubt, it’s my new favorite $3 one. I mean, you can’t even cross a bridge around here for $3 anymore (to cross the Golden Gate Bridge costs $6!).

Eight shades live in Glossy Gloss, E.L.F.’s line of hi-shine glosses with a creamy finish, and Dragon Fruit, a pinkish peach with medium pigment, is my first. The hint of peachy pink it bestows upon my lips is noticeable, but not high maintenance. Read more…

I FIND IT TOUGH TO LOOK AWAY FROM
SULA BEAUTY NATURAL LIP GLOSS IN MESMERIZING…

Tabs is 1) constantly getting up in my grill/personal space and 2) constantly getting on my case about finding him cruelty-free makeup lines.

When I introduced him to Sula Beauty the other day, a new line of cruelty-free makeup for eyes, cheeks and lips, he leaped onto my lap, looked deeply into my eyes and said, “Meow.” Bravo.

The line, which launched in early summer, is available now at Ulta stores and also online, but after catching a glimpse of the list of ingredients for one of the new lipglosses below (see below), I half expected to see it also sold at the Target Garden Center. Read more…

OH GOODY! MY FAVORITE HEADWRAP
IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN BLACK!

Remember that glorious Goody $5 tortoiseshell headband I gushed about a while back? — almost as good as stretchy pants, for real. Well, while cruising Targhay over the weekend (allegedly, I was there to get grapes and dental floss), I found it in black!

One word (in all caps, spelled phonetically for emphasis): YAY!

I still have mad love for the tortoiseshell one, but black is just so versatile, I couldn’t resist. I’ll be able to wear it with outfits like my black ’80s off-the-shoulder T-shirt (complete with giant Mr. T chain necklace).

This one totally hits the spot, and it’s just as soft, flexible and comfortable (doesn’t squeeze the living daylights out of my noggin) as the other one. Same thing except it’s black. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
SABLE EYESHADOW

MAC Sable Eyeshadow ($15) and I go way back. I think it was maybe the fourth or fifth eyeshadow I brought home from the line, and I remember the day we met because of the hot guy in drag who helped me pick it out.

He looked fierce working behind the MAC counter, like straight off a runway, and I asked him what he was wearing on his eyes.

He said it was Sable, a bronzy golden plum with a frosty finish, and he considered it one of the most flexible MAC shadows, saying it went with just about everything. I’d already decided to get it when he said he thought it would really pop on my skin. Read more…

IS THE E.L.F. STUDIO CONTOURING BLUSH AND BRONZING POWDER
A DUPE FOR THE NARS ORGASM-LAGUNA DUO?

E.L.F.’s bargain basement beauty comes up often in conversations about the fabulous $40 NARS Highlighting Bronzing Blush Duo in Orgasm/Laguna, a makeup masterpiece, if you ask me, and one of my favorite pieces of all time, because it’s seen by many as a major money-saving dupe.

What’s so special about the Orgasm/Laguna Duo, you might ask? Well, that depends. If you ask my cheeks, they’d say they love the way it brightens them up. I use the Laguna bronzer to contour my cheeks with a rich golden brown and the Orgasm blush to give the apples of my cheeks a golden, peachy pink flush.

I love the duo so much that I haven’t taken a trip without it in at least three years.

But at $40, it’s far from cheap, which leaves the door wide open for a drugstore dupe. Read more…

EYES SHIMMER WHILE LIPS
GO NUDE IN JOUER FALL 2011

Allow me to direct your attention to the picture above. See, that is why you don’t let your husband futz with a fresh tube of lipstick.

I sure do love that man, but sometimes he’s all elbows and thumbs. Seriously, watching him try to open something delicate is like watching a bear touch type (i.e., it’s not pretty).

The moral of this story? — if you’re super-stoked about a new lippie, especially one as smooth and moisturizing as this new one from Jouer, keep it safely tucked away in your purse.

That poor thing up there is Dusty ($22), one of six new Jouer products for fall (coming to counters and online this September). The focus is firmly on lips and eyes in this release, and Dusty, a full-coverage nude lippie, joins three Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners ($22 each; available in Fox, Sable and Mink), a Travel Eyelash Curler ($14), and two Everyday Classic Wear Mascaras ($20 each; available in Noir and Brun). Read more…

THESE TOKIDOKI ROYAL PRIDE SAFARI BOBBI PINS
ARE BRINGING BOBBIES BACK

I’m totally using my new Lloyd Christmas bangs as an excuse to go buck wild explore new developments in the hair accessories department, and this new mission of mine took me to Sephora.

I went under the guise of finding something to hold my bangs in place and bumped into these packs of (adorable) limited edition Tokidoki Royal Pride Safari Bobbi Pins and Heart & Cross Bones Bobbi Pins ($9 each).

So cute!

But when I stepped up to the register with them, what ensued was a lovely reminder of my age. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I can’t get over how big the babies were. Yesterday at my friend Jen’s baby shower, which was a lot of fun, by the way, the girls who were just little kids and babies back when Jen and I were kids are all grown up now. It’s weird… I haven’t seen some of them in years, and now the youngest one is 17. The last time I remember seeing her, she literally was a baby; now she’s a young lady!

It’s freakin’ me out.

Anywho, how are things out your way today? How are you doing this morning? I have a routine on Sundays that I follow, and it usually goes a little something like this: some time around 7, which is about an hour later than I get up during the week, I feel a husky tabby paw placed possessively on my chest or shoulder that tells me I’m supposed to get up. I usually roll over at that point and try to go back to sleep, but like most alarms, the tabby alarm clock has a snooze, and it keeps going off until I finally relent and get out of bed.

Which brings me to you and us to right now. 🙂

Can I interest you in some coffee? I just made a fresh pot. It’s a vanilla macadamia nut 10% Kona blend my mother-in-law sent over in a care package from Hawaii. What can I get you for breakfast? Some wheat toast, multi-grain waffles, Trader Joe’s frosted strawberry toaster pastries (TJ’s version of Pop-Tarts), or how about a bowl of cereal? We have Raisin Bran Crunch and Kashi Go Lean.

No? Nothing yet? Okay. I’ll check back a little later (but help yourself to the coffee). In the meantime, let’s take one final look back at some of the things we talked about this week on the blog. We’re kinda between big seasonal makeup releases now, but I like that because it means having more time for drugstore beauty shopping and remembering Unsung Heroes.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
FAST RESPONSE EYE CREAM

What good’s a fast-acting beauty product if it takes forever to find?

Not much, which is why I like to strategically place tubes of MAC Fast Response Eye Cream ($30) where I can reach them in a hurry. To that end, I keep one in my travel makeup bag, and another atop my dresser.

Oh, and then there’s the wayward one I found, with all of two drops remaining, in the passenger side door compartment of my car the other day. Poor thing probably thought I’d forgotten it was there (I did)…

Needless to say, I kindasorta love this cream. Read more…

AN OLIVIA WILDE-INSPIRED
CHANEL FACE OF THE DAY

I’ve been counting down the days ‘til the release of Cowboys & Aliens, and the invasion is almost here (July 29)! Just gimme a bucket of salty popcorn, a story about angry aliens and 90 uninterrupted minutes with hottie-bo-bottie Daniel Craig, and I’m good to go. 🙂

Sure, the movie looks cheesy (potentially very cheesy), but I’m keeping my fingers crossed because, after all, you never know, right? It’s high time someone pitted gunslingers against extra terrestrials, and maybe it’ll work out as well as other unusual pairings like chicken and waffles, salt and caramel, and Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav.

I’m also looking forward to seeing the lovely Olivia Wilde, whom I’m currently girl crushing on BIG TIME right now. Read more…

EVEN IF PRESSED, I’D HAVE TROUBLE FINDING FAULT WITH
MAC PREP + PRIME TRANSPARENT FINISHING POWDER

Sometimes I wonder whether MAC has my house bugged or if they’ve recruited Tabs as a spy. The company always seems to know my secret makeup desires, even when I haven’t shared them with on the blog.

It’s uncanny! Take MAC Prep + Prime Loose Powder, for instance, and how many times in reference to it I’ve said, “I wish MAC made a pressed powder version of this.”

Maybe I just watch too many cop shows, but when I heard that MAC planned to add a pressed version of Prep + Prime to their permanent line next month, the first thing I did was glance at Tabs.

“Are you spying on me?” I asked.

Of course he didn’t answer… Typical behavior for a spy. Read more…

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MAC TURQUATIC?
OH, GETTING A NEW OUTFIT, I SEE

You’re cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway on your way to meet friends for dinner. The sun just set, and the sky’s a mix of orange, pink and violet where it meets the sea on the horizon. Your swimsuit fits in all the right ways, and you’ve got the windows down to dry your hair. You don’t really know the hot boy who sits in dangerously low-hanging board shorts in the passenger seat, but he seems sweet. You’ll get to know him better soon.

That is MAC Turquatic. Light and watery, it’s like a cleaner, crisper, less sugary sweet version of Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue, and it’s my absolute favorite MAC scent, hands down.

When rumors surfaced earlier this year about it being discontinued, and it started disappearing from MAC counters, stores and the MAC website, I freaked! Read more…

TARGET’S LITTLE UP & UP COSMETIC APPLICATORS
ARE BIG HITS WITH ME

You know I’m all about cheap thrills…at the drugstore. 🙂

Like these neato mosquito Up & Up Cosmetic Applicators. I bumped into them at Target the other day, $1.99 for a pack of 75.

They’re basically custom, generic/Target-branded Q-tips made with makeup in mind. One side’s pointy, and the other is shaped like a flat paddle. Together, they’re designed to cover quite a few cosmetic tool needs, from applying and blending makeup, to fixing nail polish mistakes. Read more…

9 THINGS
I FEEL LIKE I’M ALWAYS…

I feel like I’m always writing lists. Like this morning, for example, I was writing in my journal, just jotting down my plans for the day, when I started thinking about things that I find myself doing all the time — ya know, stuff that happens over and over again. In my case, it’s opening cans of gravy, trying to find my iPhone (if I had a nickel for every time I asked El Hub to “call my phone for me…”), wanting another pair of shoes that I probably wouldn’t be able to walk in, and, of course, writing lists like these. 🙂

We probably all have things like that, right? — things we feel like we do over and over again. Well, here are nine of mine. I’d also love to read some of yours.

“I feel like I’m always…” Read more…

DEAR ESSENCE QUATTRO EYESHADOW
I’VE GOT NOTHING BUT XOXO’S FOR YOU

The Essence Quattro Eyeshadow palette in XOXO reminds me of Mariah Carey’s performance in Precious.

Why? Because it’s also shockingly good.

Let’s be honest — after Glitter, for which Mimi won a Razzie Award for Worst Actress despite basically playing herself in the film, I didn’t really expect much from her return to the big screen, but as a die-hard fan (I still have the Vision of Love single floating around here somewhere…on tape), I had to give her a second chance. Read more…

MAC OPULASH OPTIMUM BLACK MASCARA
MORE OF A GOOD THING WITH EVEN BETTER CURL HOLD

It looks like Prep + Prime Powder and Turquatic aren’t the only MAC products getting makeovers next month.

Last year’s totally tubular MAC Opulash mascara started out, like, totally rad, but now it’s getting even radder with a souped-up sibling called Opulash Optimum Black ($16).

It’s basically like the original, except in a darker, more intense shade of black.

I’ve used the original Opulash on and off since the first time I tried it last year, and I like the look. It’s very distinct, with uniform thickness from lash root to tip.

The original one’s also great with lifts — like Patrick Swazye was for Jennifer Gray in the last scene from Dirty Dancing (one of the BEST moments in movie history!) — and I reach for it sometimes when I want a lifted, even fringe with good volume. It delivers pumped up, noticeble lashes that are just shy of drag. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Rise and shine, morning glory! 🙂 I hope you’re having a great weekend so far.

I’m a little excited because yesterday, I got green! El Hub and I set our minds to doing some gardening with potted plants on our small deck at home. Nothing too ambitious because we couldn’t spend too much time or money on it, but still, something, ya know? Plants just make everything better.

So we stopped by Home Depot first and picked up a few plastic planters and potting soil and then got a selection of cat-friendly plants from a nursery down the street.

Here’s what it looks like now. Mind you, this is still a work in progress…

Plant varieties: catnip, basil, cilantro, echinacea, zinnia, cosmos and phlox

Tabs has been inspecting every single leaf of every single plant, and he seems particularly interested in the catnip and cilantro. He’s already taken a few bites of both, and I wish those plants the very best of luck, LOL!

In other news, how are things out yonder way? What about this week in the worlds of makeup and beauty? — did you find or try anything new or adventurous with your makeup? Which of your looks (including outfit, hair and makeup) was your favorite of the week?

Before we move on to new adventures, here’s one last look at some of the things we talked about this week on MBB. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
RICEPAPER EYESHADOW

I know I did not just hear you say that you don’t have MAC Ricepaper Eyeshadow ($14.50) yet because that, my love, would be a makeup travesty of epic proportions.

EPIC!

Okay, maybe not epic. But large. Let’s say, bigger than a breadbox?

Shoot, I can’t even remember when I first started wearing Ricepaper (I think it was around 1999), but I do remember that it changed my life (as only good makeup can).

This shimmery, pigmented peachy gold is one of those colors I find I’m able to wear every single day, and I almost do. I probably reach for it at least a few times a week and wear it most often as a wash over my lids, or along my brow bone as a highlighter (I think it lifts the arches), or at the inner corners of my eyes when I feel I look tired. Read more…

NEW HOURGLASS FILM NOIR LASH LACQUER NAILS THE COLOR
BUT THE FORMULA COULD USE SOME HELP

Hourglass Film Noir Lash Lacquer sure is interesting. I’ll give it that.

In my ceaseless pursuit of products to transform my mousy, stage-fright fringe into the lash equivalent of Cher on tour (complete with crazy wigs and pyrotechnics), I’ve tried a lot of different mascaras, but I can safely say I’ve never tried one quite like this.

Lash Lacquer comes in a single shade, inky black Kohl. Not quite a mascara, Hourglass says it does for lashes what top coat does for nails (at least one of the things), giving them an almost wet look that’s supposed to ramp up the intensity of bare lashes and other mascaras when layered on top. Ya know, the old false lash look. Read more…

MAKEUP IN AISLE 3
AN URBAN DECAY 15-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PALETTE FACE OF THE DAY

I’d forgotten I was out of contact lens solution when I got the urge to play with the new Urban Decay 15-Year Anniversary Palette last night, and I remembered just about the time I finished this look with blue, green, brown and gold.

So I went to Target, LOL! I felt a little crazy town cruising the store with gold glitter on my lower lash line — it’s probably a better look for da club than eye care on aisle three — and I’m pretty sure I startled the cashier, but whatcha gonna do? Sometimes you just need contact lens solution AND glitter. Read more…

9 THINGS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM
GOING AWAY TO COLLEGE

Growing up, I didn’t have an older friend, sibling or cousin I could talk to about life after high school, so when it came to figuring out certain kinds of things, like how to solve an argument with a roommate, I usually had to wing it, and most of the time that meant learning things the hard way.

Up until the time I moved away to college, I’d lived a very sheltered life that left me lacking in street smarts. I’d just assumed college would be like high school, except without the annoying curfew, but it turns out there was a little more to it than that…

Whether you’re going away to college or just moving in with friends, here are nine things I learned (most of them the hard way) about living away from home for the first time. Read more…

EYE WANNA! EYE GOTTA! HAVE BENEFIT’S
TWO NEW ANNIE AND MAGGIE COLLECTION KITS FOR FALL

Benefit’s two new fall eye palettes aren’t just relying on good looks. They’re also travel-sized and perfect for your purse.

Remember those Annie and Maggie Sunday Funday and Scene Queen kits Benefit released last fall? These two new limited edition Eye Wanna! and Eye Gotta! kits ($36 each) have that same kind of convenience in mind, except this time around, the kits keep everything focused on the eyes.

Each one comes with three Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows and two Creaseless Creams, and all of the colors are new to the line.

If you’re in the mood for cool colors or perhaps a bold look, take a peek at the cool-toned blues, taupes and pinks in the Eye Wanna! kit; if, however, you prefer warmer greens, browns and plums for everyday wear, the Eye Gotta! kit might be more your style. Read more…

ELIZABETH ARDEN ULTRA CERAMIDE LIPSTICK
IN WATERMELON IS A CASUALLY COOL SUMMERTIME TREAT

One of these days Tabs is going to walk downstairs and find a super sweet, 5-foot 1-inch-tall seedless watermelon sitting in my computer chair.

It’ll have skinny brown arms and hands with long fingers, and flat arches at the bottom of its high-heeled feet.

From behind it Tabs will ask, “Meow?” wondering what happened to his previous assistant, and the watermelon creature will slowly turn toward him in its chair and say, “Tabs, it’s me.”

SCARY!

I’ve eaten so much watermelon over the past month that I just might turn into one.

And if I do, where would that leave Tabs? How would he get his lurvies from a giant watermelon girl? It would be like an episode of The Twilight Zone — the old-school, black-and-white one with Rod Serling. Except with fruit. A cat. And makeup. Read more…

IT TAKES YOU TO MAKE THE NEW
GIVENCHY LES OMBRES DE LUNE PALETTE GO RIGHT

One thing Givenchy limited edition makeup releases have never been lacking is style. Whether it’s a pan of powder embossed with an intricate floral pattern or a palette with clean, understated lines, Givenchy understands the words “special” and “fancy.”

Whenever I see Givenchy on a counter or dressing table, I’m almost guaranteed to utter “oohs” and “aahs.” Just like when Alcide bares his chest on True Blood, the visuals are just too dang good.

Performance-wise, the products may hit or miss, but they are quite capable of knocking it out of the park. When it comes to their two new Les Ombres de Lune Shadow & Light Eyes palettes ($58 each) for fall, color my smokey eyes impressed. Read more…

TODAY MY EYES WANNA BE BLUE
AND THEY CAN WITH THE BENEFIT EYE WANNA! KIT

Some people keep their favorite book on their bed stand, others a bottle of holy water (My mom totally does! It’s in a bottle shaped like the Virgin Mary!). Me? — I have a space dedicated to whichever piece of makeup I’m currently crushing on. That way, it’s one of the first things I see when I get up in the morning. Nerdy, I know, but it’s also true.

Right now the space is reserved for the new Eye Wanna! kit from Benefit, which, last night, slept right beside my lamp. Perfect, because when my eyelids fluttered open this morning and my eyes adjusted to the light, the cute kit was there to greet me.

As I lay in bed contemplating the artwork on the packaging, I felt a familiar rustling under the covers and pulled them back to confirm my suspicions.

Tabs immediatlely grumbled a hello, raising his head. “Mrow.” Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Rise and shine, morning glory! No matter what, it’s going to be a beautiful day. And if by some cruel twist of fate it isn’t, well that just means tomorrow will be even better. 🙂

How’s it going this morning? Did you do anything fun last night? Like maybe see the new Harry Potter?

All I can say after catching a late afternoon show yesterday is WOW! What a spectacle. For me it was hard not to watch it with the other films in mind since they all sort of weave together, but I thought it was fantastic even on its own merits. And now it’s complete.

When you think about how often books are turned into poor movies and how often sequels deteriorate, it’s remarkable to have a series of eight films, all of which were not only box-office hits, but were also lauded by fans and critics alike. Things like this don’t happen very often, and to think — the primary actors, those kids are barely in their 20s, some of them headed for college, and they have eight hugely successful movies under their belts.

Filming ended long ago, but there have been premiers, parties and interviews all over the world over the past few weeks. When the frenzy dies down, I wonder if any of them will think, “Where do I go from here?” I’m 21, rich, and never have to work again. Do I still go to college? If I do, what do I study?

It must be a little frightening in its own way, ya know? I mean, is there such a thing as feeling like you’ve peaked too soon?

Hmm…let’s ask Tabs. 🙂

Anywho! I hope you have a great day today. No big plans for me. I’m probably just going to stay close to home and catch up on some reading.

Before we move on to a new week, here’s a quick look back at some of the things we talked about this week on the blog.

Talk to you soon.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
LIPGLASS IN SPITE

So, I totally had a Joey Lawrence-style “WHOA!” moment at the MAC store last weekend. I was there picking up my umpteenth tube of today’s Unsung Hero, MAC Lipglass in Spite ($14.50), when I realized, holy crap! — I’ve been wearing this Lipglass longer than some of the girls shopping in this store have been alive!

Seriously, I’ve been wearing Spite for roughly 12 years. Assuming an average of two tubes per year — yes, I like it that much — that’s 24 tubes.

I started wearing Spite shortly after I took a job as a legal assistant at a law firm in 1999. I was in my early 20s, but I probably looked a little younger than that at the time. People would stop me in the halls, assuming I was one of the high school interns, and ask things like, “Oh, are you someone’s daughter?”

“Um…yes?” I’d say, a little confused. “How about you?”

Or, “Is this your summer job?”

“Well…sort of, but I would really like to keep it through winter.”

Pretty soon I was trying to look older, which for me meant putting my hair up in a bun, wearing my glasses instead of contacts and slicking my lips with MAC Spite. Read more…

BEING BOLD WITH ONE EYESHADOW AT A TIME,
IN THIS CASE NARS OUTREMER

Going bold with your eye makeup by getting back to basics can be a lot of fun. Believe it or not, dramatic looks like this blue cat eye starring NARS Outremer Eyeshadow ($23), my new favorite blue, don’t necessarily need to involve boatloads of products.

This particular cat eye packs an edgy wallop, thanks in large part to Outremer, and only requires a single shadow, a few tools, a positive attitude and a good chunk of time (for me, from 20-30 minutes). I went with bold, blue Outremer here, but you could just as easily use another color you happen to have on hand, like a yellow, orange, pink or green. Read more…

URBAN DECAY FALL 2011
SWATCHES, PICS AND A FUN TUESDAY FACE OF THE DAY

YOWZA! I could not wait to meet the 15 new eyeshadow colors in the Urban Decay Fall 2011 collection.

Here are pics and swatches of them and the other products in the release, along with a quick breakdown of the look I wore this afternoon, which, I should say, was inspired by the teal and purple look worn by the model for UD’s Fall 2011 campaign, and NOT by that embarrassing incident with the hot fireman last year. Read more…

THESE MAC SEMI PRECIOUS
MINERALIZE BLUSHES ARE 100% GREAT

If you haven’t popped by a MAC counter to try the three new MAC Mineralize Blushes ($23) from the Semi Precious Collection, try to pencil in a trip if you can. I think they’re all kinds of awesome, especially if you like a natural-looking cheek flush and blushes that are easy to apply.

I’ve been reaching for Feeling Flush (a marbleized mix of pink, blue and brown), Pressed Amber (a mix of beige, nude and brown) and Warmth of Coral (a mix with a coral and a peach) regularly since last week. All three spread like warm butter on bread, applying smoothly on cheeks and giving them a gorgeous, just-pinched look with one or two layers. Read more…

9 THINGS…
I NEVER EXPECTED

Do you ever see something at work or at home, or realize something about yourself, and say, “I never expected…” — like, “I never expected to like Brussels sprouts” or “I never expected to have 23 cats”?

Some things make you go “Hmm…” Others, like the things on this list I started yesterday in my journal, make you go “Who’d a thunk it?”

Here are nine (beauty and otherwise) things I never expected to see or do in my life. If you feel like joining in, please share yours in the comments (and you don’t have to list nine). Read more…

URBAN DECAY FALL 2011
HITS A WIDE RANGE OF NOTES

Dance with me, ladies, to the Top 40 beats of Urban Decay’s Fall 2011 (come on, don’t be shy). Whether you’re a cutie who loves classic colors, a neutral loving-lass or a babe who can’t live without her big, bold brights, the DJ has a little something for everyone on the playlist tonight.

Like a radio station that plays pop during daylight hours and techno at night, UD’s latest collection of eye and lip products balances practical, everyday items, like a new lash curler, brow products, a mascara and neutral eyeshadows and liners, with the brand’s signature brights.

Wait — we’ll talk more in a minute. For now, put on your dancing shoes. Read more…

YES, I’LL TAKE A TICKET TO RIDE
THE CHINA GLAZE METRO COLLECTION THIS FALL

When I close my eyes and quiet my mind, I see my city self…

Even from all the way up here, 40 stories above the street below, I can hear the hustle and bustle of urban life. There’s a distant car alarm whirring like a warbler, its peal rising up through the concrete canyons to my ears. Closer, the throttle of a bus engine opens as it pulls away from a curb, and cars carry on conversations with beeps instead of words.

I’m sitting at my desk typing beneath a huge window that almost covers one entire wall of my high-rise apartment in the sky (thankfully, in a neighborhood beyond the reach of the fog). From my desk, the window looks like a large blue painting to my eye. When I get up from my chair, walk over to the window and look down… Read more…

TOO FACED SHADOW INSURANCE LEMON DROP
EYESHADOW PRIMER WANTS TO WIPE OUT RED

I’ve been on a culinary kick lately, ya know, cooking more than usual, because as much as I love the frozen food aisle at Trader Joe’s, I think I’ve hit my upper limit for microwaveable bean burritos this year. And all of the time I’ve been racking up at the stove has also led to a startling discovery: lemon zest — the scrapings you get from running a lemon against a grater — that stuff is the muthu truckin’ shiz!

It contains all of these aromatic, flavorful oils that make it a great seasoning for dishes like fish, pasta, salad, and pretty much anything and everything else I’ve been adding it to lately.

I bet if I’m not careful, what is still just a zesty infatuation could explode into a full-blown lemon zest addiction.

And then what? Where would I be?

Oh, I know — probably thinking about lemon zest while I play with the new Too Faced Shadow Insurance Lemon Drop Color Correcting Eye Shadow Primer ($18). Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen