Archives October 2022

stay strong, my friend. You’ve got this!

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, in contrast to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five a lot more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

1. Soup, salad or a sandwich?

A charming salad for lunch today would be great! If a mysterious lunch benefactor were to hook this lady up with a Tostada salad from Blue Barn, I’d be a lot of grateful. I sure do love those things, but I do not love them being $20.

2. A sound you often hear in your neighborhood?

“BRGL! BRGL! BRGL” dozens of substantial wild turkeys roam our neighborhood, and I hear them gobbling outside all day long. They’re so loud!

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3. A piece of makeup you like?

I always end up going back to Clinique’s pretty easy liner felt idea liquid liner. It really is the easiest black liquid liner to use.

4. Banana or grapefruit?

Grapefruit, but only if it’s juicy and cold (no room temperature grapefruit for this gal).

5. Cotton or silk?

Cotton, considering that my life is too messy ideal now for silk.

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6. one of your hobbies?

Baking, although I haven’t had any grand ambitions to make anything too complicated over the last six months. I take pleasure in cookies and bars and that’s about it. but I think I’ll eventually get back to the place where doing a three-layer cake and frosting from scratch will feel good again… maybe once life feels completely consistent and even again. hopefully soon.

7. makeup setting spray or clear brow gel?

Clear brow gel, no question!

8. would you rather have professional help with your hair, your skin or your makeup?

I’ll happily accept help in all three categories, please. HAHAHA!

9. Hair mask or face mask?

A rich hair mask would be lovely!

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

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P.S. here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak to ya soon.

1. Soup, salad or a sandwich?
2. A sound you often hear in your neighborhood?
3. A piece of makeup you like?
4. Banana or grapefruit?
5. Cotton or silk?
6. one of your hobbies?
7. makeup setting spray or clear brow gel?
8. would you rather have professional help with your hair, your skin or your makeup?
9. Hair mask or face mask?

P.P.S. Hello, sweet friend. Today will be is a good day, and, FYI, you’re cherished and you’re loved! Please take some time to celebrate your accomplishments this week, OK? even the ones that seem teeny-tiny, because whenever you accomplish something it’s a big deal. YOU DID IT. ?

ZAP!
Ponder, if you would, how much fun it would be to have an electricity-themed dance party.

Question: how much fun would it be?

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Answer: Shockingly fun. ?

Of course, all of the song titles would have to include a reference to electricity. I suggest we start with the following…

Speaking of shocking developments (ha ha), I just realized that it’s a lot harder to draw a thunderbolt on your arm than you might think. Seriously.

Below are swatches of the new MAC electric wonder summer 2019 collection, errrrthing on my NC42 skin. overview pics first, followed by closeups.

As you might expect from such a highly charged topic…there’s lots of glimmer, shimmer and glitter!

The collection is available now in stores and on the MAC website.

Overview swatches

Eye shadow X 12 in natural Vice ($48)
Eye shadow X 12 in Desert Lightning ($48)
Ignite wonder face palette ($42.50)
Electric wonder Iridescent Powder ($36) and next to nothing Bronzing Powder
Lipsticks ($19.50 each)
Lipglasses ($18.50 each)
Closeup swatches

Eye shadow X 12 in Desert Lightning
Eye shadow X 12 in Desert Lightning

Eye shadow X 12 in natural Vice

Eye shadow X 12 in natural Vice

Ignite wonder face palette in wonder who and Some kind of Wonderful
Ignite wonder face palette in any Wonder, girl Wonder, seven Wonders and wonder Years
Electric wonder Iridescent Powder in Serenity Seeker and into Eternity
Next to nothing Bronzer in Canyon Dreaming and sun Soaked Strip
Lipglasses in Marble Faun and Coral of the Wild
Lipglasses in Nature Freak, rock Starz and Make Me Mercurial
Lipsticks in natural born Leader and Life in Sepia
Lipsticks in The Naturalist, Let’s Mesa around and Feelin’ Sedimental

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

A couple of my drugstore hair loves
I absolutely love this stuff! If you’re trying to find a budget-friendly, moisturizing shampoo as well as conditioner for smoothing frizzy hair, this drugstore duo is a star. the most tragic thing about Pantene Rosewater Shampoo as well as Conditioner is that they aren’t sold in white wine barrel-sized vats!

Yes, they’re both that good. I went to Target yesterday as well as picked up my fourth bottle of each!

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This sulfate-free drugstore shampoo as well as conditioner is made to moisturize dry strands as well as tame frizzy hair, as well as it’s been a minor miracle for my grays, which I’ve been growing out for over a year now. My grays, particularly the ones around my bangs as well as hairline, are absolutely as well as totally unruly, as well as this set helps to smooth down the noodle strands that stick up in any way kinds of odd angles.

Here’s the kicker: both the shampoo as well as conditioner tame the crazies without weighing my strands down.

I don’t like a lot of hair products created to defrizz as well as smooth since they normally leave a obvious residue, as well as I don’t like it when my hair looks as well as feels like it’s covered in “stuff.” Not a fan of flat helmet head, ya know?

Even though these work well, they don’t leave a thick residue behind. just smooth strands with great deals of volume, lift as well as movement.

And they smell great too! They have a amazing faint rose fragrance.

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FYI, if you’d like to get just the shampoo or the conditioner separately, they’re about $8-9 each at Target (8-oz. bottle). Pantene likewise sells a boxed set with both for $12.99.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, as opposed to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five much more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start.

1. Can you change a tire?

Probably not! I wish I could. It seems like one of those life skills everyone ought to learn in high school, but…ya know. I did not.

2. Liquid, pencil, gel or cake eyeliner?

Pencil, because smudgy lines and diffused edges 4 life, baby.

3. Summer, spring, winter season or fall?

Spring, assuming there are allergy meds around, because apparently I’m allergic to life as we know it.

And my second favorite season is fall.

4. how numerous TVs are there in your house?

Just the one in our living room. El Hub has been lobbying for a second TV in our bedroom for years, but I’m not having it, LOL!

Of course, every phone and tablet screen substitutes for a TV nowadays, so I don’t know how much it matters.

5. favorite color or colors?

I’ve always loved purple, but I’ve been drawn to pastel coral, pink, yellow and orange much more than ever lately.

Essie Expressie Update

Hiya! I’m off to work at the bakery in just a few, so before I remove my nail polish and say g’bye to my pink Essie Expressie weekend mani, here’s what the polish looked like after two days…

The nails on my left hand, which is my typical swatch hand, survived Saturday and Sunday with minimal chips at the tips.

Two layers of Expressie second Hand first Love
Essie Expressie in second Hand first love after two days…
There were a few good dents on my best hand, all of which showed up right away after I was futzing with some Legos (#MOMLIFE) on Saturday morning. To the polish’s credit, the chips didn’t get bigger over time.

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See the dent in my thumbnail?
All in all, it held up pretty well, considering that I didn’t use a separate base coat or top coat. If you need to rapidly paint your paws for an event, or if you’re like me and only need your nail polish to last a couple days at a time, these polishes do the trick quite nicely.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

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Karen

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P.S. here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak with ya soon.

1. Can you change a tire?
2. Liquid, pencil, gel or cake eyeliner?
3. Summer, spring, winter season or fall?
4. how numerous TVs are there in your house?
5. favorite color or colors?

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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

1. would you rather wear the same eye makeup each day for the rest of your life or the same lipstick?

Yeegh… I gotta change my eye makeup, so I’d go with same lipstick. Of course, neither choice seems particularly appetizing… It would definitely have to be a nude shade like MAC velvet Teddy, and even though I wear nude lippies a lot, I’m pretty sure I’d be over it after about a month, HA HA HA!

2. pick one for your brows: threading, waxing or tweezing?

Tweezing.

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3. messy bun or Chapstick?

Messy bun, please.

4. fake lashes or contour?

Sigh… Neither? but if I had to pick one, then I’ll take the fake lashes, but they’d have to look natural.

5. nail file, face mask or tweezers?

My pirate mustache and I will take the tweezers please!

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6. I like to put on my makeup with…brushes, sponges or fingers?

Brushes and fingers, because brushes are easier to wash than sponges, and fingers are just straight-up convenient! I rarely use sponges these days.

7. would you rather fill in your brows or do winged liner?

Tough choice, but I’ll go with winged liner. As long as my brows are plucked and trimmed, I can get away with not filling them in.

8. how typically do you wash your hair?

Every day when I exercise, because I don’t like feeling like my scalp is greasy when I go to sleep. Also, I have pretty bad allergies, so I like to wash all of the pollen out of my hair before I hit the haaaaaay!

9. Are you good at braiding other people’s hair?

I’m acceptable if I’m just doing a simple three-strand braid or a fish tail, but anything more complicated than that, like french braids, dutch braids or braid crowns, then nope.

10. have you been productive during the shelter-in-place?

I haven’t completed any big projects lately, and I’m in awe of people who’ve done things like learn another language, organize their garage, and Kon Mari their closets, because all I’ve been able to do is keep the ship from sinking. The day-to-day stuff has kept me busy, so in that way I think I’ve been productive… I juggle being Connor’s preschool teacher, with being our family’s full-time cook, part-time blogger, and I also provide janitorial services. I’m definitely not bored! It’s all I can do to keep the ship afloat.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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P.S. here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. talk to ya soon.

1. would you rather wear the same eye makeup everyday for the rest of your life or the same lipstick?
2. pick one for your brows: threading, waxing or tweezing?
3. messy bun or Chapstick?
4. fake lashes or contour?
5. nail file, face mask or tweezers?
6. I like to put on my makeup with…brushes, sponges or fingers?
7. would you rather fill in your brows or do winged liner?
8. how typically do you wash your hair?
9. Are you good at braiding other people’s hair?
10.Have you been productive during the shelter-in-place?

P.P.S. hope you’re having a nice day so far. ?

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with bit clicky buttons. It’s just a listing of five more or less random concerns I’ve been publishing on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I like reading your answers, as well as it assists me get my week off to a great start. ?

Hi, my friend. As I’m sure you’re aware, since you’re most likely living it as well as seeing it like I am, there’s a fantastic offer of uncertainty as well as unrest around us in the world right now. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, angry, saddened, off-kilter and/or concerned about the future, you are not alone.

Every day, I try to do something to brighten the world around me a little. sometimes it’s nothing. perhaps one additional smile or a compliment to a neighbor, however I feel like every gesture provides a bit nudge in a positive direction.

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I’ve always liked to believe that the silly concerns in the Monday Poll spread some positive energy, as well as I hope they brighten your day a little. This is installment #630, which is incredible!

Take care of yourself as well as your liked ones. Please remember, you’re doing great. Hang in there, OK?

1. hot rollers or a curling iron?

Curling iron — big barrel, preferably by GHD (they’re $$$ however so good).

2. Scrunchie or hand cream?

Hand cream. Hands down.

3. would you rather wear crop tops for the rest of your life, or wear capri pants for the rest of your life?

Crop tops, since capri pants as well as I don’t mix (lesson discovered the difficult way).

4. have you ever clogged the shower drain with your hair?

HECK YEAH. the worst was in the last apartment I lived in. It took permanently for the bad maintenance guy to get with the pipe, as well as when he was lastly able to, he pulled out a huge sphere of hair.

I was strongly motivated to purchase a hair trap after that…

5. Low, middle or high bun?

High bun. The messier, the better.

6. When you get your hair cut next (whenever that is!), what style are you going to do?

It’s been over a year… I requirement to serious choppity-chop-chop! I’ll most likely end up with a lob, as well as I understand I’ll regret it instantly afterward as well as begin growing my hair again, ha ha ha!

7. vibrant brows or eco-friendly lipstick?

Colorful brows.

8. High pony or smooth french twist?

High pony! (Fewer hair pins.)

9. would you rather have free lipstick or free nail polish for the rest of your life?

THIS IS TOUGH… Lipstick.

10. Bronzer or eyeshadow?

Eyeshadow

11. Lip discolor or eyeliner?

Eyeliner

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

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P.S. right here are the concerns to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. talk to ya soon.

1. hot rollers or a curling iron?
2. Scrunchie or hand cream?
3. would you rather wear crop tops for the rest of your life, or wear capri pants for the rest of your life?
4. have you ever clogged the shower drain with your hair?
5. Low, middle or high bun?
6. When you get your hair cut next (whenever that is!), what style are you going to do?
7. vibrant brows or eco-friendly lipstick?
8. High pony or smooth french twist?
9. would you rather have free lipstick or free nail polish for the rest of your life?
10. Bronzer or eyeshadow?
11. Lip discolor or eyeliner?

P.P.S. hope you’re having a nice day so far. ?

got 30 seconds?
The 10-Minute makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for quick (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Shake, shake, shake! Dot, dot, dot! Blend, blend, blend!

No, these are not the steps to the current dance craze ? all the kids are doing. They’re what I do whenever I use Kosas tinted face Oil ($42 for a 1-oz. bottle).

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I’m into quick makeup at the moment, and this tinted face oil, which has a thin, somewhat runny consistency, is a minimalist’s dream come true.

Have you ever used MAC face & Body? It feels just like that. Sorta slippery, sorta “melty.”

Left: no foundation. Middle: wearing the shade Tone 06. Right: With all the other bells and whistles.
I dab a few drops on my face, blend it with fingers, and 30 seconds later — BOOP! — my skin’s fresh and dewy-looking, my pores look smoother, and the pigmented patches on my cheeks, along with the red areas around my nose, have disappeared. My skin looks naturally even and juuust disguised enough — no fake-looking mannequin skin. If you’re into “skin that looks like skin,” you’ll be into it.

I wear Tone 6, which is the match for NC42 skin.

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At first, Tone 06, the shade I wear, seems too light for my NC42 skin, but it works once I blend it in. (Weird!)

A few things of note:

Skip silicon-based face primers, because I don’t think they work well with this product (it’ll ball up on top).

Proceed with caution if your skin’s excessively dry (like mine is immediately after an intense period of retinol). enjoy out! — because tinted face Oil can emphasize flakes.

Be mindful of this product’s limited flexibility, considering that it doesn’t layer well (so you can’t build it up if you’re longing for additional coverage).

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If sheer, natural-looking skin is what you seek, that’s what you’ll find with Kosas tinted face Oil.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

WOO-HOO! It’s the weekend, my friend. Greetings from a keyboard in Novato, California. It dips below 60 degrees here in Marin county now, which essentially implies that everyone is wearing 20 million layers of down, HA HA HA! welcome to California.

I hope you’re feeling well. I busted out my favorite comfortable down vest yesterday, and look what I found in the pocket…

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Apparently, I put one of Connor’s newborn socks in the pocket for some reason years ago, and it’s been there ever since. now I can’t bear to take it out, so I’ve actually washed it with the vest several times. ?

Anywho, you know what I realized recently? We’ve been asking a lot of our ears in 2020. between the masks and the glasses and the earrings, I feel like there’s just one too numerous things going on, and that’s in addition to, you know, using my ears for their intended purpose (i.e. listening).

Ears are the unsung heroes of 2020! ?

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On that note, here’s today’s reading…

Just in case you were on the market for a lipstick gun that was previously used by a spy… ?️‍

WHAT THE WHAT!? I’m shocked that Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing lotion didn’t make it onto this list of best skin care items on sale at Sephora best now.

Is virtual makeup the future? L’Oréal thinks so. They just released “Signature Faces,” a type of augmented reality in which your smartphone does a lot of the work of painting your face.

Speaking of your smartphones…a feline fan has worked fur-iously to build “MeowTalk,” an app that translates cat sounds into human language. Side note: do we really want to know what our cats are saying to us though? I’m pretty sure they’re talking trash all the time. ?

Dark lipsticks that look good on everyone…

The pink lipsticks that everyone ought to own (according to J.Lo and friends)…

Six winter season makeup trends to try best meow, according to celebrity makeup artists…

What makeup does one purchase on a $30 college budget?

Yes, I’m obsessed.

Peep Pat’s red lipstick!

The easy-listening ’80s cover you didn’t realize you needed until just best now

I’m special…SPECIAL!

Low-key obsessed with Michele

Has it gotten cold yet where you live?

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Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

P.S. Congratulations, President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. best of luck.

A few new goodies that I chosen up over the weekend. I can’t wait to play!

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, as opposed to its name, an actual poll, like with bit clicky buttons. It’s just a listing of five much more or less random concerns I’ve been publishing on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I like reading your answers, as well as it assists me get my week off to a great start. ?

1. one of your preferred makeup palettes?

MAC Nordstrom Naturals, for sure.

2. A lipstick shade that lights up your face?

There’s something about Stila Beso. I believe it’s just magical, however not only on me. On everyone.

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3. Something you’d like however don’t necessarily need?

Seriously, I would absolutely like a idea 2 rower! Or a Volvo SUV. If either shown up on my doorstep, I would not be mad about it.

4. have you ever won any type of money?

Small potatoes, however yeah, a unexpected number of times while gambling on slot machines. I’ve likewise occurred to be with people who insurance claim to never ever win anything, however they’ve won while I was around. I’ve been told that I’m a lucky charm, however I don’t know!

Now that I believe about it, I ought to most likely be purchasing lottery tickets.

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5. quick — name one of the very first pieces of makeup you ever fell in like with.

MAC Spite Lipglass got me with my early twenties. We had a great deal of fun together!

6. French manicure: indeed or no?

On other people, sure, however on me, no. I like my nails very short, as well as I feel like French manicures look much better on longer fingernails.

7. Sparkling or flat water?

I like flat water, however lately I’ve been all about sparkling since my tummy has been crazy anxious lately! Bubbly water seems to assist calm it down, as well as I’m deeply addicted to La Croix (once again).

8. timid or outgoing?

Mostly outgoing…but sometimes shy.

9. Pumpkin pie or apple pie?

Apple pie, served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream please. This, of course, is presuming that the pie has a bomb-@ss — did I truly just hyphenate that? — crust. It has to be flaky, buttery as well as tender; otherwise, I’ll have absolutely nothing to finish with it.

I’m picky about pie, man.

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

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P.S. right here are the concerns to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak with ya soon.

1. one of your preferred makeup palettes?
2. A lipstick shade that lights up your face?
3. Something you’d like however don’t necessarily need?
4. have you ever won any type of money?
5. quick — name one of the very first pieces of makeup you ever fell in like with.
6. French manicure: indeed or no?
7. Sparkling or flat water?
8. timid or outgoing?
9. Pumpkin pie or apple pie?

P.P.S. Hello, gorgeous lady! How’s it going? It’s a beautiful day, as well as it’s going to be a fantastic week. I hope delight discovers you in whatever you’re as much as this week, in whatever you do, huge as well as small!

MWHAHAHAHAHA
1. Black hair ties

I am forever purchasing new packs of black hair ties to replace the ones that disappear into the black hole of charm products. When I try really hard not to lose them, I might go five, maybe six months, without purchasing a new pack.

Typically, though, I’m grabbing a fresh one every three or four months. I’ve given in to the reality of not being able to keep them. In the words of the Mandolorian, “This is the way.”

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2. Hair Conditioner

OMG, so much conditioner! remember how in the ’80s and ’90s how the directions on conditioner bottles would say something along the lines of working a quarter-size dollop into your hair? I’ve always needed, like, five dollars worth of quarters in mine, LOL! I go through a lot of conditioner quickly. typically two or three bottles a month.

3. All the things related to moisturizing

Face cream (I’m currently loving Biossance Omega Repair), body lotion (Everyone Vanilla + Lavender is my jam), hand cream, lip balm… If and when the zombie apocalypse occurs, I will be hoarding moisturizer like nobody’s business.

4. Sunscreen

This has been a relatively recent uptick (like in the last year), as I’ve been trying to be diligent about daily sun protection. Body sunscreens and face sunscreens are a big chunk of my charm budget.

5. brown eyeliner

Anybody else blaze through these? I’m an avid tightliner, so brown liner never lasts long in my makeup bag.

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How about you? What charm products do you purchase the most?

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen