• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

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

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

Non-Makeup-Related Check-In: A New Book, Going to the Dentist, Weird Hair Experiments and Stuff I’ve Cooked

April 14th, 2017 by Karen 25 Comments

I’m having one of those days, babe. It’s been so hard to focus this morning, and I don’t know if it’s because I stayed up a little later than usual…

Well, later for me. 🙂 I was up till about 10:30 (night owl!) reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.

It’s such a great book! I have the itch to read a chapter now, but I shouldn’t…

It’s about three ladies who live in a beach town in Australia. Their lives intertwine when their kids all start kindergarten together. Then, gasp! — there’s a murder at the school! ?

It’s not fluffy, though. My brain doesn’t feel numb. It’s poignant, intriguing, funny and sad at the same time. The story grabbed me like a lasso and pulled me along.

Anyway, I’ve been staying up late reading, and I think that’s kinda messing with me.

Aaand, I’ve also been browsing the web on my phone more than usual, and I swear, that really does mess with my ability to concentrate. Note to self: quit falling into the Facebook/Instagram black hole before bed and early in the morning.

When I feel out of it like this, I try to have an easy day, but there’s always stuff to do, you know? Just gotta go with it.

We haven’t talked a lot lately about non-makeup things, have we? We should catch up! I’ll go first…

Let’s see… Well, I went to the dentist last week and found out that I have a cavity (yay!). I decided to get it sorted out quickly, because I knew that if I didn’t, I’d obsess over it. So I did. I went back a couple days ago for the filling.

Good fun…

Actually, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Gosh, I can’t even remember the last time I had a cavity. It’s been years and years. I mentioned it on Instagram, and someone said that getting cavities after having a baby or breastfeeding is pretty common because the baby leeches minerals from you (yes, like a parasite).

So, yeah. I went to the dentist, which is not my favorite thing to do, but it wasn’t bad this time. The hardest part was the dental mouth frame thingy they had to use to keep my mouth open during the procedure.

THAT was totally exhausting. My jaw still hurts.

Oh, and the sunglasses weren’t my idea. My dentist gives them to his patients to make the bright headlamp less blinding. I wish I’d taken a side picture of them because they said, “I ❤️ SF Symphony.” Haha!

And those Bose noise-cancelling headphones? OMG! They’re amazing! They don’t completely cancel out every sound, but they dampen the background noise. It’s weird! You can still hear someone talking in front of you, but if there’s music playing or other ambient sounds, it gets filtered out. It’s amazing. I plugged them into my iPhone and listened to music the whole time while they worked on my teeth.

Definitely made the experience less traumatic.

Oh, gosh! So, I read about this hair contraption thing called the PonyDry a few weeks ago. It’s basically something you wrap the ends of your hair in to keep them dry so you can wash your roots without having to commit to washing your entire head of hair.

I’ve been wanting to try it, but also not wanting to try it, because I think I can improvise a homemade version, and I tried last night with a shower cap and a headband I got from a Benefit press kit…

It kinda sorta worked, but not really. The ends of my hair stayed mostly dry. They were just a little damp, and I did shampoo and condition my roots, so my hair felt a little bit cleaner, but I don’t know if I rinsed everything out well because my scalp feels a little itchy today.

Gotta keep perfecting the design (haha).

In food-related news, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned my latest breakfast kick. So, I usually feel like crap in the mornings, and I’m practically useless and non-functional until I get some food in my stomach and a cup of tea of coffee, and when I find a breakfast food that I like, I’ll make the same thing until I get completely sick of it. For the past few months, that’s been frozen waffles with peanut butter and raisins, which was almost the only thing I ate while I was pregnant with Connor.

Anyway, I’m getting sick of it again, so I tried this smoothie that my friend Nicole posted on Instagram with avocado, zucchini, two tablespoons of peanut butter and half a thing of chocolate-flavored Premier Protein.

It’s tasty and keeps me full for a long time. We’ll see how long this kick lasts!

Also, on Tuesday I made this fish piccata using frozen tilapia filets and this recipe from skinnytaste.com.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for skinnytaste.com and TJs, I don’t know what I’d eat (probably just waffles). It was delicious and only took about 30 minutes to make.

If you’re still reading, hi! 🙂 I’ve got one more quick story. I just stopped Connor Claire from throwing a tantrum by distracting her with a poop-filled diaper (!). My hands were full, but I had the diaper in a garbage bag, and I started swinging it around like it was a pair of nunchucks. Needless to say, she stopped crying, LOL!

How are things going with you? TGIF, my friend.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Non-Makeup-Related Check-In: A New Book, Going to the Dentist, Weird Hair Experiments and Stuff I’ve Cooked / Originally published April 14th, 2017

Categories: Just For Fun

Previous Post: The New MAC Extra Dimension Blushes in Telling Glow and Faux Sure
Next Post: #MACxLarLarLee and #MACxGabrielZamora Lipsticks: Online Exclusives Coming April 20th

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristen says

    April 14th, 2017 at 10:15 am

    I read Big Little Lies a couple years ago and loved it! It’s definitely a good book.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 10:19 am

      Hi Kristen,

      Have you read any of her other books? I need to find another one!

      Reply
      • Bisbee says

        April 14th, 2017 at 7:43 pm

        Karen, all of her books are great! The Husband’s Secret, What Alice Forgot, Truly, Madly, Guilty. I recommend them all!

        Reply
        • Karen says

          April 14th, 2017 at 8:18 pm

          Hi Bisbee,

          Yipee! I’m so happy to hear that. Now I have a bunch of stories to look forward to. Thank you so much!

          Reply
  2. Rebecca says

    April 14th, 2017 at 10:26 am

    That is a good book! I read it last year. It was made into an HBO TV series starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman. Really good – I just finished binge-watching it on Amazon Prime. I’ve read a couple of her other books – they’re similar in tone and subject matter, but that’s a good thing. She’s honest but not bitchy or cynical in her portrayal of women.

    I’m glad you found a smoothie you like. I only like them when they’re so full of fruit (and therefore sugar) that I might as well have a Coke.

    Have a great weekend!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 11:00 am

      Hi Rebecca,

      What other books of hers have you read? I’m looking for a new one.

      Happy Friday!

      Reply
      • Shakun says

        April 16th, 2017 at 5:23 pm

        Hi Karen!
        I have a whole bunch of her books. Feel free to borrow anytime.

        Shakun

        Reply
  3. LindaLibraLoca says

    April 14th, 2017 at 11:08 am

    Yes, I had a big cavity as well after having my second child, which was not the right timing. I had switched insurances right before I got pregnant and was not a member long enough that they would cover the expenses completely. I ended up paying half of it myself, while six months later I wouldn´t have paid a thing. Oh well, now my teeth are fine again.
    LindaLibraLoca recently posted … Instytutum Anti-wrinkle Brightening Serum – Mountain streams

    Reply
  4. Tatiana says

    April 14th, 2017 at 11:25 am

    Where’s your dentist? I need to find a new one like that. That high pitched whine from the drill…ugh. I like my dentist enough, it’s his hygenists and assistants and his receptionist (especially his receptionist with her faux cheer and passive/aggressive attitude if you need to rebook an appointment) that I hate.
    Haven’t been able to focus on reading a book lately. Heck even short stories have been too long lately.
    I heard that the light from your cell phone or lap top screen just before bed time can mess with your sleep cycle. That hasn’t stopped me from Instagram though.
    Have a wonderful Easter weekend.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 1:09 pm

      He’s in Mill Valley so you’d have to make quite the trek! Do you still want his info? I’m happy to give it to you; he’s really great.

      Reply
      • Tatiana says

        April 14th, 2017 at 1:55 pm

        Thanks, but that’s too much of a trek for a dentist. I’d do it for a horse show or a girlfriend. But a dentist, nah.

        Reply
  5. Chris25 says

    April 14th, 2017 at 11:30 am

    I cracked up at the diaper story. OMG! Babies are very good at being easily distracted. I remember being able to do similar things with my nephew when he threw his tantrums.
    Chris25 recently posted … What’s In My Medicine Cabinet?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 1:08 pm

      Thank goodness for the whole easily distracted thing, right?! The crazy things we do!

      Reply
  6. Robin says

    April 14th, 2017 at 11:37 am

    Hi,can I get the smoothie recipe? I’m trying to increase my greens and if I can make them taste like peanut butter and chocolate, I’m in!!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 1:07 pm

      Hi Robin,

      Here’s the recipe from my friend’s Instagram: 51g avocado, 98g frozen zucchini (I used fresh zucchini and I keep it uncooked), 2TBSP peanut butter, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder and ice. I use half a thing of Chocolate Premier Protein and skip the ice.

      Reply
      • Robin says

        April 14th, 2017 at 2:56 pm

        Thank you!!!

        Reply
  7. Sakura says

    April 14th, 2017 at 12:17 pm

    I love Skinnytaste! I use it almost daily! Happy weekend!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      Hi Sakura,

      Seriously, me too. Have you ever made her picadillo? It’s a weekly staple in my house.

      Reply
      • Sakura says

        April 14th, 2017 at 1:24 pm

        No, not yet, but it looks delicious! I will try it soon!

        Reply
  8. Efrain says

    April 14th, 2017 at 4:41 pm

    I’m on vacation this week because of Easter but life has been a roller coaster with college and the research project I told you the other day.

    I haven’t read anything lately but I’ve binge watched a lot on Netflix, if you haven’t you need to watch The get down.

    Beauty related I bought MAC Dearly beloved and Strip me down and both do great nudes on me. I got a Strobe cream as a sample and now I understand why people love it. However I regret my purchase because now they’re giving you a Velvetease lip pencil for free with any purchase, so if I had waited I would have three new lippies.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 14th, 2017 at 8:23 pm

      Hi friend! Happy Easter. Will you be spending it at home or will you be traveling to see family?

      Glad you are liking the Strobe Cream. It’s a classic.

      Reply
      • Efrain says

        April 14th, 2017 at 9:45 pm

        We’re having a staycation, but tomorrow we’re going to a nearby town to visit a beer brewery.

        What are your plans for the weekend?

        Reply
  9. isabella says

    April 15th, 2017 at 4:51 am

    yep, my Dentist has little rolled up eyeshades that I used once and now have to have, the light was so bright that I kept my eyes closed so tight and added to the unpleasantness, def a good idea

    Reply
  10. Aenea says

    April 16th, 2017 at 6:01 am

    I watched the Big Little Lies series and it was set in Monterey. Now that you said that it was actually in Australia, I’m on the hunt for the book. I wonder which area in Australia that would be.

    Reply
  11. Erin says

    April 17th, 2017 at 1:58 pm

    You are the third person in 72 hours to mention either the book or the show and that we should watch/read it! I’ll have to do both!
    Erin recently posted … Pacifica Sugared Amber Dreams Perfume

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Primary Sidebar

About Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog
Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my two-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my cat (Tabs).

Featured Posts

New Spring 2018 Items for Cat Ladies and Makeup Lovers on connorclaire.com

New Spring 2018 Items for Cat Ladies and Makeup Lovers on connorclaire.com

A Glamorously Grungy Makeup Tutorial: Smoky Reddish Brown Eyes and Vampy Matte Lips [MODERATE SKILL LEVEL]

A Glamorously Grungy Makeup Tutorial: Smoky Reddish Brown Eyes and Vampy Matte Lips [MODERATE SKILL LEVEL]

A 10-Minute Minimalist Makeup Tutorial: Gleaming Rose Gold Wings With Glossy Cheeks and Lips

A 10-Minute Minimalist Makeup Tutorial: Gleaming Rose Gold Wings With Glossy Cheeks and Lips

A Rainy Day Minimalist Makeup Tutorial: Cheerful Pink Cheeks, Rosy Lips and Doe Eyes

A Rainy Day Minimalist Makeup Tutorial: Cheerful Pink Cheeks, Rosy Lips and Doe Eyes

10-Minute Work or Weekend Makeup With Red Blush, Red Lipstick and Smudgy Bronze-Black Cat Eyeliner

10-Minute Work or Weekend Makeup With Red Blush, Red Lipstick and Smudgy Bronze-Black Cat Eyeliner

Recent Posts

The NARS Erdem Strange Flowers Collection, and Familiar Flowers in My Neighborhood

The NARS Erdem Strange Flowers Collection, and Familiar Flowers in My Neighborhood

7 Messages Written in Lipstick I’d Leave for a Stranger on a Bathroom Mirror

7 Messages Written in Lipstick I’d Leave for a Stranger on a Bathroom Mirror

An Eye for Color

An Eye for Color

10 Things About Makeup and Beauty That Make You Go Hmmm…

10 Things About Makeup and Beauty That Make You Go Hmmm…

MAC Pink Hearts Glitter | Better Than Photoshop

MAC Pink Hearts Glitter | Better Than Photoshop

Social

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2018 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.