Archives February 2023

Merry Christmas, everyone! ???

Sending you a huge, heartfelt hug. I hope you’re having a joyous holiday best now. I can barely believe that one more year is concerning a close as well as we’re celebrating one more Christmas together. I believe this is our tenth!

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You guys…this was a huge year in my corner of the world, as well as you were my sisters from one more mister. Honestly…I didn’t understand sh*t! I had no concept what I was doing during Ms. Connor Claire’s huge debut as well as the months best after it (still don’t).

Like the Fisher cost rocking Chair?? would have never understood about it if it weren’t for you. I would have been crawling around in the dark in tears the entire nine months without your help. The eight weeks before Connor was born as well as the three months after were a few of the most interesting as well as frightening of my life, as well as I say thanks to my lucky stars for you, since I would have been… I’m gettin’ teary… I would have been a freaking mess.

All of you, say thanks to you from the bottom of my heart. ?

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Like Tatiana — you practically held my hand as well as reassured me that, yes, it was gonna be hard, however things would be alright. as well as my buddy snoopysteph from Chicago, who I satisfied years back with the blog, she’s a mother of two, as well as she inspected up on me every few weeks to see exactly how things were going during my pregnancy. I’d say, “I’m fine,” however then I’d typically begin crying.

So numerous of you…

Thank you, Jen, Adia, Anna, Marcella, Carolina, Jessica as well as Nicole — say thanks to you, girls, for your kindness, your business as well as your fantastic charm messages after Connor was born. I hope you got something useful as well as gratifying out of the internship, as well as I hope we stay in touch.

My charm priorities have altered over the past year. I mean, I still appreciate eyes on fleek, several colors in the crease as well as blending that just knocks your socks off, however it’s just that…baby’s gotta eat every three hours. ? I don’t have as much time as I utilized to, as well as I’m in a minimalist makeup phase now. I’ll still do a smoky eye, however perhaps it’s not a 15-step smoky eye. perhaps it’s a three-step smoky eye now.

That’s one of the things I like about makeup: it evolves, as well as we develop with it. Like…not to get as well deep on you.

As I sit here, I cannot believe I’ve done this (blogging) for 10 years. Honestly, I don’t understand if I’m gonna be doing it for 10 more, however we’ll see what happens. I just want you to understand that over the next year as well as the years after, I hope that we’re friends, that we stay in touch, as well as that we get to talk to every other, whether it be every day, like I finish with a few of you, or perhaps when a week or when a month. I hope that I get to be one of the lucky people who gets to hear about the great things that occur to you. say thanks to you for being a part of my life.

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Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas from the bottom of my painted heart, as well as have an amazing 2017. This is going to be our year to shine. ?

Your friendly community charm addicts,

Karen, Connor Claire as well as Tabs

new fave foundation for a natural, skin-like look.
Antonym Cosmetics is the new wet n Wild, YAY!

Wait…what?

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Well, they are called Antonym, a word that means opposites, so they actually remind me of Hourglass.

They’re a five-year-old Miami-based cruelty free organic/eco-luxury makeup line (read: expensive), and their beautiful bamboo packaging and marbled powders instantly caught my eye on the Sephora website.

Unfortunately, eco-luxury usually means expensive, and it does in this case. Their Skin Esteem liquid foundation is $52 (!), but it delivers awesomeness for that price.

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Wearing Tan set with Antonym Baked foundation in medium Dark
I’ve been wearing Tan for about a week now, and I’m into it, even if it is a tad too warm and too dark for my winter coloring (I just sheer it out). Tan is one of six satiny, mousse-y medium-coverage shades. There’s also a Nude, beige Light, beige medium Light, beige medium and Dark, and Tan is the second from the darkest one, so the shade selection is limited.

If you like NARS velvet Matte Skin Tint, but you’ve always wanted an organic version, hello! —–> pointing right here. give Skin Esteem a try. It has a similarly satiny, natural-looking, pore-blurring finish that elegantly evens out your skin tone all day long.

The shade I wear is Tan (I built it up in this swatch).

Amazingly, the formula, which layers well underneath powder, blush and bronzer, feels smooth and slippery like it contains silicone, but that’s due to jojoba oil instead.

The thing is, it’s still tricky to apply. If I swipe or rub, it streaks and pills up, but when I blot my skin first with a paper towel to remove any excess oil, pump a little of the product on the back of my hand, then gently pat (the patting is key here!) it on my face with a wet beauty Blender, that works well. So pat, pat, pat to blend, blend, blend. Don’t swipe! Do a thin layer, then let it dry, and assess whether you need more. If you do, repeat with another thin layer.

Tan set with MAC Mineralize Skin finish natural in medium golden (this is my preferred setting powder to use with this foundation). And, OMG, someday I will comb my hair! Someday…

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If you follow this method, your skin will look naturally flawless, both in person and in those beautiful selfies you take of yourself and your cat.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Antonym Cosmetics Esteem foundation ingredients:
Water, Isoamyl Laurate, Prunus, Amygdalus DulcisOil/Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Cetearyl Olivate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil/ Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba) Seed Oil*, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water/Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water*, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Lauryl Olivate, Butyrosperum Parkii Butter/Butyrospernum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palminate, Sorbitan Palminate, Magnesium Aluminium Silicate, Mica, Xanthan Gum, Galactoarabinan, Fragrance, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/ Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Alcohol, Geraniol, Limonene. may contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492, Ci 77491, Ci 77499).

I’ll meet you at the Snow ball at midnight
Excuse me, miss, I’ve got an RSQ (Really severe Question) for you: are you ready to party like it’s 1997? If you are, get hold of your glow sticks and look out! — because it’s MAC Snow ball time. You have just been teleported straight into a Christmas rave circa 1997.

Party time, excellent!
The forgotten era of mid-’90s frost

I’d be ideal there with you, hanging out in all my skinny-brow’d and Adidas-shell-toed glory, as would Gwen Stefani, because what’s a late-’90s festive fantasy rave without Gwen?

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It would have to be Gwen from the early No doubt days, of course, with space bun hair and jewels glued all over her face… We’d all be wearing frosty shadows from our lash lines to our brow bones, and shimmer and glitter for days.

See, I think that often people forget that ’90s makeup wasn’t just about the mattes, because in the late ’90s, frost had a major moment. Lids and lips were fabulously frosty, and MAC Snow ball grabs that vibe, but have no concern — MAC updated it, so it’s fun, festive and current — not dated at all.

Fancy

A two-part holiday collection

MAC holiday collections are normally big, and so is Snow Ball, which is organized two parts. There are the kits and sets, with the bags, palettes, brushes and whatnot, and then there’s the main makeup collection with the eyeshadows, lipsticks, face powders and false lashes.

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OH! There’s even a set of ’90s-style sparkly stickers for your face in the makeup collection! Gwen would absolutely approve.

In this post we’re chatting about the eyeshadows and face powders from the makeup collection. stay tuned for swatches of the lipsticks. I’ll have those soon.

Snow ball extra dimension Eyeshadows

OK, let’s start with the limited edition shadows, or, must I say the LE eye glosses? because these eyeshadows look like wet eye gloss, and IT’S AWESOME…

Oy, sloooow down, K. You’re getting ahead of yourself.

Alright, so, there are five of them, $20 each, and they’re in the MAC extra dimension formula. Being $20, they’re the same price as the extra dimensions in the permanent line. on that note, did any individual else notice that MAC hasn’t been tacking on extra $$$ for LE packaging lately? YES, MAC FAM. cheers for doing the ideal thing.

I wanna go to the extra Dimension, like ideal meow.
The stunning limited edition gold packaging looks like someone was having way too much fun and shattered a golden disco ball in the middle of the party…and then put all of the pieces back together haphazardly, which — big surprise — I absolutely love, because I wanna be the person smashing sh*t.

Let it snow
Getting back to the formula, the extra dimensions are a different formula than the regular MAC eyeshadows. They’re incredibly soft, nearly like a gel-powder hybrid, and remarkably creamy and easy to blend. The Snow ball shadows are like the party girl/party person versions of the extra Dimensions. They have the signature extra dimension creaminess, along with a whole lotta holiday extras, like glossy finishes (OBSESSED), multiple color shifts (which is when the color changes depending on the light), and “good” (air quotes) glitter.

Yes, it sounds like it could take a perilous turn at any moment — like the makeup that gets marked 50% off on an end cap at Claire’s — but don’t exit this rave early, because everything is tastefully done.

NO, SERIOUSLY!

Extra dimension Eye shadows in It’s Snowing, Frostwinked, delicate Drift, stylishly Merry, Starry Starry Nights
Don’t miss stylishly Merry

I’m all about stylishly Merry. Where do I start? I can’t even tell what color it is half the time because often it’s pink, other times it’s copper, then, like, I’ll blink see gold. It’s complex.

On top of the color shift, it’s packed with plenty of golden glitter, which you’d think would catapult it straight into tacky territory, but it doesn’t, because it’s delicate YSL/Dolce/Chanel-style flecks. So foine! and very expensive-looking.

I’m wearing stylishly Merry on my lids, Frostwinked in the center of my lids and Starry Starry nights on my lash line. In the crease is good ol’ MAC Texture.
If you saw it on my lids from an arm’s length away, you’d ask me what possessed me to smear lipgloss on my eyes, because these shadows have the glossy, wet finish of a thick eye gloss, but they don’t have the stickiness or movement (which is a good thing).

Picture something from a high fashion spread in Vogue. It looks incredibly cool.

On my lips, I’m wearing Shimmer spice Lipstick from the Snow ball collection (lip swatches coming soon).
Yes, stylishly Merry has All. Of. The. Things, but they’re all balanced perfectly, and I love it. absolutely worth at least a dance a swatch.

Face Powders

Onto the two face Powders, which are $34 each. compared tothe eyeshadows, they’re relatively tame.

Face Powder in delighted Go Dazzlingly
There’s a gold and a warm peach, both with mid-level pearl and pigment. You can wear them as blushes and/or as highlighters.

I like an understated cheek highlight, so I like to use them as highlighters. As blushes, all I have to say is “pores, pores, pores.”

Face Powder in here Comes Joy
Oh, I think you might be able to even use these face Powders on your lids, too, because the face Powder from the Fruity Juicy collection was eye-safe.

I’ve used the Snow ball face Powders to do an inner corner highlight and as a brow bone highlight (which is so ’90s), and they seem to work fine on my eyes.

Wearing the face Powder in here Comes happiness on my cheeks. On the bridge of my nose and on my brow bone, I’m wearing the other powder, delighted Go Dazzlingly.
Face Powders in here Comes happiness and delighted Go Dazzlingly
GLITTER!

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So far, I’m having a ball with Snow Ball! (Yes, that was a bad pun… I’m sorry.)

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

Today was one of those days when I sat down to get ready, as well as I wished to switch things up however still keep it casual.

Enter: navy blue.

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I’ve got a red-orange earthy combination happening naturally, as well as I truly like exactly how navy blue brings out the brightness in my eyes.

Maybe my jumper influenced it; perhaps I just like to be two-toned. We may never know!

So ideal now we requirement to talk about the new foundations in the Tarte double task appeal collection at Ulta. I just recently tried the Empowered hybrid Gel foundation ($39), a medium-to-full protection foundation that promises to smooth, plump, blur, and moisturize for as much as 12 hours. suggested application is with this double task appeal foundation clean & Spatula ($30).

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Tarte double task appeal Empowered hybrid Gel foundation (available in 10 shades) with the double task appeal foundation clean & Spatula

Tarte Empowered hybrid Gel foundation in Fair-Light Neutral, Nars sheer glow in Siberia, comprise For ever Ultra HD in Y205

I tried the lightest shade (fair-light neutral), as well as it’s much as well dark for me… I look tan! other than that, my experience has been a quite positive one. I don’t like foundations that are available in a pot, however the spatula absolutely helps. The foundation clean applies an proper amount of product as well as blends it out to a perfect finish.

During my testing, I was able to develop up the protection in specific areas as well as still preserve that perfect finish, too, however I have normal-combo skin that’s general extremely simple to offer with. Thankfully, the foundation didn’t break up on me or clear up into whatever fine lines I have.

Before setting it with a powder, I did notice that my pores were quite accentuated, however utilizing a powder nipped that ideal in the bud.

Tarte double task appeal confidence Creamy Powder foundation (available in 10 shades)
I likewise provided the Double task appeal confidence Creamy Powder Foundation ($35) a go, however considering that the foundation verified to be as well dark, I tried light beige around the perimeters of my deal with as a bronzer. I can’t attest to its strengths and/or weaknesses as a foundation, however I like it for nose contouring! It’s subtle however effective.

Tarte double task appeal confidence Creamy Powder foundation as well as Powder foundation clean & Removable Sponge
I truly like the clean its paired with! It’s fantastic for all-over powder application as well as for bronzer. The sponge on the other end comes off, as well as I’m not truly sure why. It’s not the nicest sponge, however it does apply the product evenly as well as with the most coverage, I’d say.

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Overall, I believe this is a solid collection, however I feel shorted by brands that offer things individually that are indicated to go together. For instance, if I didn’t have the foundation clean as well as spatula, I’m not sure I would have had the exact same experience or took pleasure in utilizing double task appeal Empowered hybrid Gel foundation as much. The two just seem like they belong together.

If you’re interested, the Tarte double task collection is an Ulta exclusive, as well as it’s offered now.

Here are the products I’m using in this look…

Diorskin nude Tan healthy glow improving Powder Tye dye edition ($57) — I truly didn’t believe much of this the very first time I opened it. It doesn’t look life-changing in the pan, however my mommy always told me to just try things on since you never understand what you may find!
So, I put it on my face, as well as right here we are a month later! We’re quite dedicated now.

It looks natural on my complexion, which is rare. It’s got a subtle glow to it, however when used to the deal with it reads as a glow from within. It provides a healthy flush, as well as it’s simple keep sheer, or develop up for a lot more drama.

Velvet 59 Matte to the Max liquid Lipstick in Kai-Lea ($20) — I believe all of us understand who this is influenced by, however I’m not hating. I really truly take pleasure in this formula as well as shade. I like rosey-mauve shades since they’re so versatile. They can provide you a kick of color without the commitment of a deeper tone like a red or berry.
On my lips, this formula feels light. It is matte as well as does dry my lips out throughout the day, but c’est la vie when you’re using a matte formula. It’s simple to apply as well as doesn’t dry my lips out any type of a lot more than they already were. Sold.

100% Pure Cosmetics Luminating Créme in Starlight ($25) — I’m a damaged record, I know. however this stuff is so good. It’s not glittery, as well as it has a doe-foot applicator, which is truly practical. Starlight is a white gold as well as must fit a ton of skin tones out there.

Makeup transformation important Day to night Redemption Eye shadow combination ($7) — Today I used the navy blue shade (second from the right) as a liner!
I like checking out this palette, however it’s always difficult for me to figure out what to make with a combination that has zero matte shades. I’m not sure why that’s a thing…

Most of these shadows are tough to do total looks with, as their blendability is restricted (in my experience, anyway). normally when I have a shadow, as well as I like the color however don’t feel like I can pull it off in a mixed look, I’ll just utilize it as liner utilizing some MAC Fix+, which assists the shadows stick, ups the pigmentation, as well as in this situation makes it even a lot more metallic. That’s what I did with the navy blue here.

PÜR Cosmetics Browder in Blonde ($22) — Brows. They can truly make or break a look you know?
I’ve always had a difficult time with my brows since they aren’t the exact same color as my hair. I have dark brown eyebrow hairs, however if I utilize a matching pencil, they’re method as well dark for my general complexion. as well as if I fill them in with something a lot more auburn in tone, my deal with just looks…off.

When I very first opened Browder I was…intrigued. It looks untidy as well as like it may be tough to apply precisely, however I was wrong! It’s so simple to use. With Browder I seldom feel like I’ve overfilled my brows. The product is simple to utilize as well as lasts all day. My only gripe is the shade range… I have quite dark brows for my complexion, as well as the lightest shade is what fits me best.

There are only three shades! That’s not fair. I don’t like that.

Tarte double task appeal Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara & water resistant bottom Lash Mascara ($21) — A quite essential mascara, now with a bottom lash version on the other end! I particularly like the bottom lash version for when I’m not using much (if any) eyeshadow on the lower lash line as well as want to define my lashes.
I likewise truly like as well dealt with much better Than Sex, however that stuff gets everywhere! I still like it to pieces however don’t reach for it on days when I want my eye makeup to be truly clean as well as fresh.

Do you have a look you choose that’s quite close to your go-to however a little…spicier? ?

must ya provide these designs own lip products a huge kiss?
If I might suggest anything to assist you get the most out of your very first experience with the designs own makeup brand, which just recently crossed the pond from Britain as well as is offered now at Ulta, it would be to stay with the powder products (like the eyeshadows as well as highlighters), however to believe twice about the creams.

IMO, the cream products — the creamy eye palette, the lipsticks, lip pencil, liquid lipstick as well as lip sealer — might utilize a bit refinement.

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They’re affordable, which is one thing they have going for them. The cream products all variety from $6.99 to $8.99 each, which indicates a lot more money for CATS!!! however for me, the greatest hurdle with a few of the lip products has been their flavor as well as scent. a lot of of the designs own lip products I’ve tried have a cloying artificial brown sugar/plastic scent that turns my stomach as well as brings back memories of old-school NYX lippies.

Anyway, I don’t normally get worked up about exactly how products taste as well as smell, however if something smells like plastic or fake sugar, I just can’t hang (also, the Lip Finale Lip Sealer doesn’t have a flavor or scent, however the liquid lipstick smells like strong peppermint toothpaste to me).

Jumbo Stick Matte Lipstick in Titan Teaberry
Even beyond that, though, all of the cream products I’ve tried have left me wanting more. like the Jumbo Stick Matte Lipstick in Titan Teaberry ($6.99 as well as offered in five other shades). It’s smooth, pigmented, as well as I believe it’s gorgeous in pics, however the formula is SO drying as well as uncomfortable.

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Lix Matte liquid Lipstick in Eucalyptus Pink

And then there’s the Lix Matte liquid Lipstick in Eucalyptus Pink ($7.99 as well as offered in five other shades). The lightweight mousse-y structure is awesome as well as unusual, however for the life of me I can’t get it to apply evenly on me. It always looks patchy!

Luxestick Lipstick in velvet Whisper
Luxestick Lipstick velvet in Deep Berry
As for the Luxestick Lipstick velvets ($8.99 as well as offered in six shades), the pink shade, Whisper, catches every single lip flake. Oddly, the dark berry shade, Deep Berry, doesn’t, however it wanders outside my natural lip line.

Oh, as well as girl, the lip sealant? I truly desired the Lip Finale Lip Sealer ($8.99) to work well for me since I don’t have anything like it in my collection. It’s a thin liquid that you clean directly on top of lipstick to lock it down for hours.

Cool in theory, right?

Well, I barely had it on for 30 seconds before I had to take it off, since it stung my lips! — as well as I’m not speaking about the pleasurable type of tingle you get from lip-plumping products. No, it felt like hot pins as well as needles.

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So, yeah. I believe I’ll steer remove of the designs own lip products for now as well as stay with the bodacious barely There combination as well as the highlighters.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s a lot more of a regularly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past 10 (!) years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always took pleasure in reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you take pleasure in reading mine. ?

1. If you could get a phone call from any individual today, who would it be?

Future me. Like, me in about 10 years, and I would ask her if there’s anything she’d do differently in life, work, with raising Connor…

Geez, why am I getting teary ideal now? Karen, get a grip, LOL!

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OK, if we’re only talking about non sci-fi reality, then I would like to speak to brother, because he always makes me laugh.

2. What’s something you have in your makeup collection that you absolutely love and think everyone needs to have in their life ASAP?

Let’s see… I’m checking out my Mia Moretti makeup bag ideal now, which is a mess, by the way. It was only meant to be for my makeup necessities, but I just keep throwing stuff in there, and now I can’t even zip it shut, LOL!

Anyway, I think that everyone needs NARS Translucent Crystal setting powder. Granted, it’s not very sexy, but it’s beyond terrific for setting under-eye concealer, especially if you don’t want your concealer to look heavy or powdery or cake-y. I have three of them because I’m freaked out by the thought of them going away someday.

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3. What was the last book you read?

Instant mommy by Nia Vardalos. She’s the lady who wrote and starred in My big Fat Greek Wedding, and the book is about her journey through the process of adopting her daughter. I thought it was very interesting.

Before I got pregnant with Connor, El Hub and I had been trying for a long time (years), but we just couldn’t get pregnant, so we were like, “You know what? We’re going to adopt,” and ideal when we started seriously looking into it and weighing our options, lo and behold, I got pregnant.

4. Eyeshadow is…

Unnecessarily complicated sometimes, especially on YouTube. It’s lovely, though, and it’s my makeup weakness.

5. What’s one big life lesson you’ve learned?

That learning new things can be tough at the beginning, and you might suck at them, but you just have to get through that phase and over those horrible feelings of self-doubt. Then, as you start to figure things out, they get easier. The beginning is always the hardest part.

It took me a while to learn that one.

Good morning and delighted Monday!

See that cute hot pink stroller in the top pic? Yeah, it isn’t Connor’s. It’s a pet stroller for cats! Dogs can go in it too, but you know… #crazycatlady. I saw it at HomeGoods last weekend.

I would’ve loved it for Tabs, but something tells me he would *not* be into it at all… but I’m still going to keep holding on to my hot pink kitty stroller dreams.

OK, I’m off to take a quick walk. It’s fantastic how a walk can just absolutely make me feel so much better. Lately I’ve been taking walks around the circle throughout the day; I go out, hold the baby, we do a turn or two and then come back inside. It’s just so great to get some fresh air, change my view, listen to birds and look out for the neighborhood kitty cats. It’s such a small thing, but it’s a great thing, and I think it’s extra great to have those great things on a Monday.

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Maybe try taking one or two today if you can.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

The first one of 2018!

1. “The future has an ancient heart.”

The first time I read this quote by painter, writer and activist Dr. Carlo Levi, it was in a book called Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed. (She’s the woman who wrote Wild.)

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Like a lot of quotes, it indicates different things to different people. I like to think it indicates that someday in the future, if I’m lucky, my heart will brim with knowledge and love gleaned from a rich life of experiences and time with pals and family.

2. babies in raincoats

Can I still call her a baby? I know she’s officially a toddler. She turns 2 in March (!). I can’t even believe that.

Please note how she turned her rattle into a charm bracelet.

3. Cocktail-ing skin care products

The new year has me thinking about skin care, like ACID TONERS. I just bought the popular Biologique Recherche P50 1970 toner last week, so I’ve been doing this intense multi-step process in the morning and at night, and ya know what?

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I’m already over it.

Even when I’m multitasking and doing other things, I get antsy and want to get on with my life as I’m waiting for two separate layers of toners dry, followed by three separate serums that take a couple a lot more minutes each…

My routine at the moment is up to 10 steps, and that’s just the morning.

It might be overkill, I know, but I don’t want to give up yet. I have started mixing products to save a little time, though. I blend two of the serums together in my palm, then pat the concoction on my face and neck. same with my moisturizers. I used to apply a layer of face oil, wait, then do a separate face balm, but now I just mix the oil and balm together and plop them on.

In my best skin care scenario, I would only do three or four steps max. Dunno if I’ll ever get there, but I keep trying.

4. label makers

I’ve been labeling everything with mine lately, and I indicate EVERYTHING.

Yeah, it looks absolutely geeky, but who cares? My life is way less chaotic when I have a label telling me exactly where something goes after I use it.

Thank you, Epson label Printer!

I tend to put things in the most random places, BTW… Which is probably why I lost my glasses, haha!

I got these organizers at HomeGoods about a year ago.
5. Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile Tea

This stuff is so delicious! The honey and vanilla are strong and sweet, but they don’t overpower the chamomile.

I got this to sip at night before bed, but I love it so much that I have a cup during the workday, too.

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What have you been loving lately? Your car’s butt warmers (shout-out to Ruchita)? wearing red lipstick as a stain (KIM!)? Cats who give their assistants Sephora gift cards (Kitty Face)? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

metropolitan Decay pink lipsticks from the long-term line, $17 each
Among numerous other things I’ve been doing this morning (endless laundry; chillin’ with Connor, Tabs, El Hub as well as Sesame Street; as well as getting prepared to plant half a lots basil as well as tomato plants), I’ve been ooh-ing as well as ah-ing over that gorgeous photo up above of design Ruby increased on the metropolitan Decay website. She’s using a monochromatic pink makeup look with pink lids, pink cheeks as well as pink lips.

I’ve never tried a top-to-bottom pink look before, however now I want to… I’m a bit scared I’ll end up looking cray, however whatevs. now I just have to select the best lip color…

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What about deep, creamy fuchsia UD Firebrid??

Weekend plans

What are you as much as this weekend? I’m gettin’ terminated up since I’m heading to satisfy my cat-and-makeup-loving bud Stephanie (she has six cats!) for Lunch at cafe Zazzle in Petaluma. I’ve never been there before, as well as I was just taking a look at the menu, since when I go out to eat, homegirl likes to be prepared, since I’m the worst at ordering food at the last minute. Invariably, feeling the pressure to make a decision, I’ll pick something I don’t want, as well as then when the server walks away, I’m like, “Shoot… Why did I purchase that?”

So it’s a thing, as well as I don’t want to have food envy this time…

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I’m likewise looking ahead to getting my roots done after that (YAY!), as well as then tomorrow I have a infant shower to go to. My buddy Mary Anne is going to be a mom soon, as well as all I can believe about is holding that newborn in my arms! Aaah!!!

Oh, yeah, in charm news, here’s some stuff that caught my eye this week…

The #makeuphoarder in me wishes to get all up on these Clé de Peau Beauté cream blushes. GORGISSIMO!

Jouer’s skinny Dip collection is all about the mad sparkle.

How to quickly laundry your clothes when traveling

Speaking of skincare, right here are 5 things to try from Kate Somerville

Beauty tricks from Mathilde Thomas, creator of Caudalie skincare

Seriously, I might spend all the time taking a look at people’s handwriting.

All you wanna-be unicorns ? available (and I understand you’re out there) may delight in Jessica’s huge roundup of unicorn- as well as mermaid-themed charm tools.

I’m always searching for methods to keep my pics fresh, as well as one of the simplest methods is with props. right here are 48 locations to discover them (and numerous of them are affordable!).

There are some fantastic Memorial Day sales at Ulta this weekend… I’m just sayin’.

Wait — what? Someone’s trying to make sunscreen in the shape of pearls? as well as by golly, they look very cool!

Latest on the listing of mascaras I want to hoard — Trish McEvoy’s High volume Mascara.

I’ve been reading as well as scouring the Interwebs for cutting edge information about skin care lately, as well as this brand (Derma E) looks great!

AHAs versus BHAs

In my mind, Caroline Hirons as well as I are BFFS. consumed WITH HER!

Samantha is the cutest. I wanna hang with her as well as her feline Roux.

Lorde’s brows look amazing in this video. Been listening to this tune on repeat…

I such as this Sam Smith tune too.

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Hope you have a hella fabulous Memorial Day weekend. let me understand what you’re up to. ideally you get some meow time to relax.

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

Rainbow-ing it!
I’m staring out a window right now, a.k.a. writing, and it’s really dark outside! It’s the late afternoon, it’s cloudy, and it looks like it’s gonna rain. I don’t see any rainbows…yet.

I’m thinking that when I go out to go run some errands, I should probably wear layers, because when you live in California, that’s what you do. You wear layers. You kind of expect it. but with some things, like urban Decay eyeshadows, I don’t expect to have to wear layers. Their shadows are usually super pigmented. Yeah, there’s a lot of fallout, too, and I expect that. but I also expect potent pigments and a formula that’s easy to blend.

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That’s why I like them, and that’s also why I didn’t expect to have to do a lot of layering with the new $55 urban Decay full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette.

Alas, that was not the case.

I ended up doing lots of layers with this color blocked rainbow eye look — many more than I expected to. sometimes it took me four or five layers to get really punchy color. With the bright orange spotlight on that one lid, I even ended up having to wet my brush to intensify it.

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I got the idea for this look from the bejeweled, sparkly UD logo on the front of the palette, with the colors moving into each other like a gradient. I thought, “Oh, that’s some neat color blocking. Why don’t I try that on my eyes?”

Plus, it’s a rainbow eyeshadow palette. I mean, come on. My first inclination was to use a shimmery olive and put some browns in the crease, but that would have been a missed opportunity, right? I had to taste the rainbow.

Urban Decay full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette
$55, limited edition and available now
21 shades (18 new shades, three exclusives from past palettes)
Includes a dual-ended eyeshadow brush
It’s a followup to 2015’s urban Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette.

“We organized the shadows by color family, creating a rainbow of ombré trios: pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, and even a wildcard row that goes from white to black. The end result? A palette that not only looks stunning, but also delivers tons of options. create dimensional ombré looks by working within the color-coordinated trios or experiment with multiple shade groups at once. With 18 new shades, three exclusives from past palettes, and a wide range of finishes, you’ll never run out of options.”

— urbandecay.com

Shades:

Alchemy (deep fuchsia satin)
Gossip (bright metallic pink w/subtle floating pearl)
Paranoia (soft metallic blue-pink)
Warning (deep metallic copper)
Seize (bright metallic coral w/subtle floating pearl)
Jones (metallic orange w/subtle floating pearl)
Midnight Blaze (black matte w/yellow-gold pearl)
Calavera (bright yellow matte w/subtle floating pearl)
Goldmine (metallic yellow-gold)
Hundred (deep metallic forest green)
Hatter (vibrant green w/tonal micro-sparkle)
Mean (bright metallic lime green)
Minx (deep navy matte w/floating tonal pearl)
Blindsided (bright teal blue matte w/floating pearl)
Metamorphosis (vibrant periwinkle blue w/micro-sparkle)
Delirious (deep plum matte w/subtle floating pearl)
Sketch (metallic medium purple)
Faded (lavender w/gold shimmer)
Platonic (black matte w/iridescent glitter)
Iced (oyster silver w/shimmer)
Bump (white matte)

Fill Weight: 21 x 1.2 g POIDS NET/NET WT. 21 x 0.04 oz

It’s starting to look like a triple rainbow…
Oooh, rainbow!

It’s a good size palette…
I look CRA-ZAY-ZAY, and I’m totally ok with that
From the left: Alchemy, Warning, Midnight Blaze, Hundred, Minx, Delirious and Platonic
Gossip, Seize, Calavera, Hatter, Blindsided, Sketch, Iced
Gossip, Seize, Calavera, Hatter, Blindsided, Sketch, Iced
You may notice that the purple family is significantly underrepresented in this look. I wanted to there to be more purple with the blue eyeshadows, but I had a hard time with the purples in this palette.

Urban Decay is known for their purples, but I feel like these are skippier and patchier than usual. I ended up having to remove my makeup and restart that blue eye a couple of times. Ultimately, I ended up just sticking purple in the outer corner.

One of the colors I do like in this palette is the bright orange color called Seize.

No, not Lil’ Cease from Junior M.A.F.I.A.. but Seize. It’s a bright orange with some shimmer in it. I thought, “Hey, this’ll be fun as a spotlight.”

I was going to only use it as a spotlight shade in the center of the lid, but then I also put it into my crease. I think it’s a really lovely transition shade. next time I feel colorful, I’m going to use it instead of my usual browns.

Rainbows

Where are they? here in Novato, which is about 30 miles north of San Francisco, there are usually lots of rainbows. I’ve lived in different parts of the Bay area but never somewhere with quite as many rainbows. I can usually look off my deck on arainy day and catch a rainbow. sometimes even a double rainbow.

Not lately, though… It’s weird.

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Are there rainbows where you live? I hope there are because rainbows are awesome.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Oh, snap! MAC at Ulta!? Yup, pretty soon you’ll be able to stroll into an Ulta store and snag a stick of Costa Riche. MAC is going to be carried on the Ulta site and in 25 Ulta stores starting in June.
Dear Ulta: now please add a restaurant so I can get a grilled cheese and a latte while I’m there. Thx.

In this piece about why women need their girlfriends even much more as we get older, author Kari Kampakis gets some terrific guidance from a group of older gals, and I’m taking it to heart. “Don’t ever lose touch with your girlfriends, sweetheart. The older you get, the much more you’ll need them.”

Did you ever wear Love’s baby Soft? Here’s the fascinating (and in some cases full-on creepy) backstory of one of our many renowned fragrances.

Two words: magnetic lashes. Who’s the marvelous genius who created these potentially life-changing doohickeys, and can I shake her hand?!
I really want to try these ASAP, and I’m desperately hoping they won’t weigh down my lids.

Some makeup-minded thieves recently stole $4.5 million in eyeshadow palettes… holy cosmetics criminality, Batman!

Apparently, foundation is really gross. I wanted to look away when I saw the title of this post (“Here’s how much Bacteria Is actually On Your makeup Products”), but you know how it is… curious kitty and all.

I printed out this short article and put it into a file I have of suggestions on raising Connor Claire (I’m nerdy that way, and I like to be prepared): “Want to raise Empowered Women? start in middle School.”

The best places to do a little retail therapy in NYC.

The brilliant, bad-@ss and stunning Rae from the notice explores a budget charm line that looks completely on point.

What’s it really like to get a customized makeup makeover at Sephora?

POP goes the Easel! These new NARS Nordstrom exclusives look like a lot of fun.

Will your skin lurve new It Cosmetics confidence in a Compact Foundation?

5 ways to save, even if you occasionally splurge.

Ever heard of a skincare brand called Scaf?Whoever did their packaging gets a high-five from me!

If you follow the charm biz, you might find this roundup of 2017 charm & Social trends interesting.

And from earlier this week on MBB…here’s a little look at a neat indie luxury brand called Kosas Cosmetics.
I also played with a few new things from too Faced, namely the natural love Palette, the love Light Prismatic Highlighters and the Peanut Butter & Honey Palette.

In other news, benefit has some new contouring products and a spiffy pink highlighter, and here’s what it’s like to wear urban Decay’s HBIC lash trios.

Wow… THIS IS BREATHTAKING! one of these days — I promise — I’m going to learn how to ride a horse!

The many reasonable makeup tutorial to ever hit YouTube! My favorite part? “My everyday makeup routine typically starts with a primer. I use this MAC primer that a lady sold me against my will. She was really attractive, and I was threatened by her, so I was just like, ‘I’ll just purchase it because I’m intimidated by you.’”

Ooh, I’m going to try this combo with MAC Swiss chocolate and Heroine Lipstick!

I keep trying to convince my body that’s it’s ok to sleep in a little on Caturdays, but it’s like, “Nope! Not gonna do it. WAKE THE EFF UP ALREADY.”

So I’m up early…but on the #glasshalffull side, maybe I can get my chores done early. That way I can finish marathon-ing the second season of love on Netflix. I’ve got a box of Pop secret and a couch ready for my butt, LOL!

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I may or may not also run a few miles on the treadmill…but we’ll see about that.

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I hope your coffee is already on its way to your tum, my friend. may adventure find you.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

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Karen