Beauty product reviews, makeup tips and news from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict.
October 21st, 2009 | Karen | Filed in: Hair, Just For Fun
With the craziness of my recent move and last week’s trip, I have *yet* to set up my TV, which means no Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler for me tonight, boo!
They star in one of my favorite guilty pleasures, Law and Order: SVU (SVU = Special Victims Unit; they investigate sex crimes and crimes against children). I’ve been watching the show for years. I adore the characters and the actors who play them, particularly Mariska Hargitay.
Mariska, born Mariska Magdolina Hargitay on January 23, 1964, comes from showbiz roots. The daughter of 1950s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield and former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay, the beauty queen (she was Miss Beverly Hills USA in 1982, and was a fourth runner up Miss California) appeared in several popular ’90s TV shows, ER and Seinfeld among them, before landing her career-defining role on SVU in 1999.
Playing the dedicated, empathetic Detective Olivia Benson also inspired her real life effort to start Joyful Heart, a foundation which provides support to women victims of sexual assault.
And, get this — homegirl speaks five languages (English, Hungarian, French, Spanish and Italian)! SO COOL!
Can ya tell I’ve got a girl crush? 
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
October 16th, 2009 | Karen | Filed in: Hair, Just For Fun
Jennifer Kate Hudson’s journey from American Idol finalist to Academy Award and Grammy Award winner shows that coming in first isn’t always best.
Born September 12, 1981, her early exit from Idol in 2004 didn’t slow her down at all. She subsequently broke into the worlds of acting, modeling and now parenthood.
After a tragic 2008, things are looking up. Last August she and fiance David Otunga (aka Punk from I Love New York Season 2) welcomed their son, David, into the world.
Congrats!
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. (Shhhh… I have to whisper because I’m in class right now. It’s a session on typography/fonts — an obsession of mine. Did you know that Arial is a Microsoft-created copy of Helvetica they commissioned in the 1980s to avoid having to pay a license to use Helvetica? Weird, huh?)
October 15th, 2009 | Karen | Filed in: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Hair, Makeup Tools
Good morning, girls. Hope you slept well. I wanted to touch base before running off to the Convention Center.
Each October (admittedly, more now than in past years), I get a few limited-edition breast cancer awareness (BCA) products for myself and to give as gifts to friends and family.
I’m amazed by how much Breast Cancer Awareness Month has changed over the past few years. Like almost everything else in our part of the world, the event’s been heavily commodified and commercialized, but I’m okay with that. If the sight of those little pink ribbons in every nook and cranny of our lives increases our awareness of the disease (even if we don’t always like the way some choose to use it), I think it benefits us all.
So here are four of my BCA favorites of the year. *LOVE* the Foot Petals heart-shaped pad…
How ’bout the print and dual zippers on this pretty pink makeup bag? It’s one of several items from Sonia Kashuk’s Shop Pink Do More collection from breast cancer survivor and beauty genius Sonia Kashuk.
Cute, right? It holds a ton of makeup, and 15% of the purchase price goes to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Where to buy: $12, check your local Target store
I first spied these cute blank notecards at Papyrus a few months ago.
The colors and designs always bring a smile to my face…
Each box comes with four different illustrations (20 cards total), with 10% of the price going toward The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and this is something they’re doing not just throughout October but year round.
Continue Reading…
October 14th, 2009 | Karen | Filed in: Hair, Just For Fun
I think Rachel McAdams (born Rachel Anne McAdams on November 17, 1978 in Ontario, Canada) pretty much rocks.
I mean, c’mon — what’s not to like? She gets points from me for having the guts to wear pink hair (you go, girl!). That, and she starred in The Notebook, one of my all-time favorite flicks.
Rachel’s been acting since 12 but didn’t get her big break until comedian Rob Schneider’s The Hot Chick. Then came Mean Girls (remember her in that?).
Her career’s been on an upswing lately, and Forbes magazine recently named her the third most Bankable Actress in Hollywood.
As for her hair, Rachel’s locks are as varied as the characters she plays, with styles in bunches of different colors and lengths.
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. I’m here at the airport in San Francisco waiting for my flight… If I don’t check back in for a few hours, have a great day.
October 11th, 2009 | Karen | Filed in: Hair, Just For Fun
I’m speeding through my chores (vacuuming and unpacking some boxes in the kitchen) so I can play hooky this afternoon and catch Whip It at the movies.
It’s Drew Barrymore’s (born Drew Blyth Barrymore on February 22, 1975) directorial debut.
Who knew Gertie (remember E.T.?) would come so far? It wasn’t easy, though (two stints in rehab before 15), but she’s carved out successful careers in acting, film producing, and, now, directing. Homegirl’s like the Jill of all Hollywood trades!
When it comes to her hair, Drew often changes the color, length and texture. It has a girl-next-door vibe and never looks overly lacquered or perfect. I like that it looks like the kinda hair I could do myself, ya know?
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
As a kid I loved watching Sesame Street.. Of all ten ideas, number six takes the...
