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Saturday Surfing, March 23, 2019

March 23rd, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

wander beauty skin care
When you wanna self-care skin care at 4 in the morning, yo.

Good morning from the DAWN OF TIME!

Really though, happy Saturday…from someone who’s been up since before the crack of dawn, LOL! I wish I could say that I got up at 3:30 because I was up to no good doing something interesting, like, I dunno…going to a sunrise rave, but no. It was just good old-fashioned insomnia. *shrugs shoulders*

On one hand, I wish I got more sleep because — HELLO. BODY. TIRED. — but on the other hand, I got HELLA stuff done early, and that makes me feel great. I’m still definitely NOT a morning person, but waking up shortly before 4 today allowed me to conquer most of the tasks on my to-do list, including finishing a pilates workout *and* doing a comprehensive moisturizing skin care regimen using the Wander Beauty goodies above.

wander beauty baggage claim
#truth

It’s been a Wander Beauty-ful morning…

  • Drift Away Cleanser ($32): This gel-to-foam cleanser is great for oily skin, and it whooshed away all of the oily gunk from my t-zone, lickety-split.
  • Extended Stay Hydrating Mask ($38): This super soothing mask smells delectably 🍓🍑 fruity.
  • Baggage Claim Eye Masks ($25): Tightening, and — dare I say it — even a little brightening?
  • Glow Ahead Face Oil ($48): Richer than a rapper’s gold chain collection
  • Dive In Moisturizer ($36): I like the featherweight formula, but I’d hoped for more…

The gold under-eye masks certainly do a good job of hiding my dark circles, ha! They have a slightly tightening effect while you wear them, which woke me up a little.

As for right now…I’m about to pass out, but that’s OK ’cause Caturdays are good for cat naps. 🐱

Enjoy your coffee. Here are some interesting tidbits I found for your morning beauty reading. Talk to you soon.

  • On my to-do list this weekend: adopt a fern. I have a couple in my front yard now, but I want another one for inside the house after reading this lovely New York Times story on the history of ferns and our relationship to them. (Apparently, the Victorians were mad about ferns. Who knew?) I think that Lucy Hunter of the Flower Hunter in North Wales nails it when she calls ferns “tough yet delicate.”
  • By the way, if you have furry friends and you’re looking to add a fern to your plant family, Boston Ferns are supposed to be non-toxic to cats and dogs.
  • Just in case you were wondering what goes down in a day care center for pandas. Hint: There’s a lot of cuteness.
  • Scientists played music to cheese as it aged, and in a shock to absolutely no one, hip-hop produced the funkiest flavor.
  • Looking to add a little mystery to your (makeup) life? Many beauty brands now sell product goodie bags filled with a number of undisclosed “mystery” products. Inspired by a traditional Japanese custom, brands like Colourpop, Tatcha and Charlotte Tilbury now offer these mysterious “lucky bags” filled with products, but are shoppers getting a good deal or a bad deal with these? I’ve often wondered if some bags are just filled with overstocked or about-to-expire items the brands want to get rid of…but then again, I’m so picky about makeup these days that I’m probably not the target customer. I wanna know exactly what I’m getting into, ya know?
  • Speaking of Colourpop, they’re releasing a Disney Villains collection, and all I have to say to that is MAC did it first. *hair toss*
  • 15 affordable beauty products that look more expensive than they really are, according to Who What Wear.
  • A brief history of the most successful celebrity scents
  • A day in the life of Tata Harper, founder and CEO of Tata Harper Skincare
  • Be on the lookout for this new skin care trend: ‘Needle’ face creams and patches. No, there are no actual metal needles in the cream, so you won’t end up looking like that dude from Hellraiser! Rather, there are ingredients in the creams that mimic the mechanism and role of microneedling.
  • Young girls — as young as 8 — are a new growing market for laser hair removal and waxing, and all I have to say to that is WHAT THE WHAT. When I was that age, all I cared about were my Hello Kitty lunchbox and whether I’d be able to stay out and play after dinner.


Stop the presses! Jonathan Van Ness is a total cat lady.


In case you were hoping that Reese Witherspoon would teach you Southern Slang today.


The pilates routine I did this morning!

You have a great day, ‘kay?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Categories: Just For Fun

Mascara Is My Medieval Chain Mail

March 22nd, 2019 by Karen 35 Comments

mac extended play perm me up lash mascara
Remember when perms were cool?

To anyone who says that makeup is meaningless, or who dismisses makeup as something shallow or frivolous, all I have to say is, “Kiss my wannabe J.Lo booty,” because that sh*t is powerful.

Those tiny tubes of mascara and lipstick can change worlds.

I’ve worn makeup practically daily for decades, and sometimes I just go through the motions and take it for granted as part of my habitual routine, but there are those other days, like yesterday, when I really realize just how potent it is.

I was having a sh*tty day yesterday, as was Connor Claire, because poor thing is sick again. She got croup, again, so I’ve been tending to her needs, which has made it more difficult to balance my other responsibilities.

I don’t want to whine but…I’m going to! LOL! 😀 Basically, I haven’t been sleeping well because I’ve been staying up to comfort Connor, and it all kind of came to a head yesterday afternoon. I felt super grumpy and defeated, but I still wanted to go to my HIIT class at night, because I knew that if I continued to sit around the house, I’d feel progressively worse.

Normally, I don’t wear makeup to work out, and that’s mostly because I usually don’t have time to put any on. It’s not that I don’t want to, because I used to back in the day, but these days I look at the clock, and it’s like “OH, SNAP!” It’s all I can do to don stretchy pants and go.

But yesterday, even though I was running behind as usual, I said to myself, “Self, you need to do something.” I needed to put on my proverbial armor, lest I burst into tears in the middle of class mid-burpie.”

This cat gets it.

So I curled my lashes, put on the new MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash curling mascara (It’s smudge-proof!), a little Urban Decay Naked Lipstick and, the piece de resistance, I combed my hair! I actually applied some hair paste, strong-hold hairspray on my cray-cray wiry witch hairs, combed my hair, and put it in a high pony.

Someone needs to invent flattering gym lighting…

Then I went to the gym, and ya know what? Even though I wanted to cry for the first 20 minutes, I swear to you, there was something about that little bit of makeup “armor” I was wearing — like the mascara was a suit of Medieval chain mail — that slowly but surely made me feel a little tougher. I said, “Ya know, I can get through this. I don’t have to be the toughest I’ve ever been, but I can make it through this workout without bursting into tears,” and I did. At the end of the class, I actually felt like pushing a bit. I felt really, really good.

mac extended play perm me up lash brush
I like a mascara brush with a curve.

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There are 35 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, MAC Makeup, Makeup, Product Reviews

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Clinique Chubby Stick in Amp’d Up Apple

March 21st, 2019 by Karen 14 Comments

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick
TBH, this was more like 5-minute makeup! Concealer on cheeks and under the eyes: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Golden; eyeshadow: Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint in Ample Amber; mascara: MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash; liner: MAC Coffee Eye Pencil; lipgloss: NARS No Regrets; AND BARE BROWS, AHHH!

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

This is gonna sound so cheesy, but this is my feel-good blush. 😊 I just feel really good when I wear it. It’s Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm in Amp’d Up Apple, and it’s $24. When I put a bit of this beautiful matte pinkish brown on my cheeks, I look like I just finished a round of crossover jumping jacks (which are surprisingly difficult)!

Wearing this blush is like working out…without having to actually work out. Cheeks look lovely and healthy with Amp’d Up Apple’s wash of pink color, so you look like you *did* show up, and you’re ready to bring it. When you want a little more than basic contrast, it’s a great way to go. Methinks there’s something very chic French girl about it.

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick swatch
I’m an NC42, but Amp’d Up Apple should work well on most skin tones.

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Categories: Clinique, Face, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: 10-minute makeup must-haves

Pondering Pastel Polish and Painting Nails After Coffee: Talk to Me!

March 21st, 2019 by Karen 31 Comments

sally hansen mega strength boss gloss swatch
This is the *good* hand.

Unsolicited life tip #546: If you’re going to paint your own nails, DoNt dO iT rIgHT aFeTer yOUvE haD A MaSsIVe AmOUNt oF CoFfeE. ☕☕☕☕☕ Like, if the cup was as big as your head, refrain! — because sure, one hand may turn out OK, but the other one? Wonky-wonk.

I did it the other day, LOL! I was telling my friend Tatiana about it in the comments like, “Yeah…I just painted my nails high on coffee.” My left hand looked great because I’m right-handed, but my right hand? Whole ‘nother story.

That pic at the top are the good nails, HA HA HA! On the other hand, the middle nail is all patchy, and there’s a big lump in it.

I don’t even know how it got there. 🙄

Trust me — you don’t wanna see the other hand!

But you know, I was just happy to have my nails painted, because, believe it or not, once upon a time, I was the person who always had her nails and her toes done. If I were going out, I wouldn’t have dared to go without having my toes painted. Bare toenails used to be MORTIFYING for me, but time flies, life happens, things change… You pop out a kid, things happen. Now I’m overjoyed whenever I actually sit down and paint my nails, so I was absolutely thrilled (despite the wonky right hand) to have my nails did.

sally hansen mega strength shades
From the front to back: Top Coat, Boss Gloss, Her-Oine, She-Ro and Strengthener

The shade I’m wearing here is called Boss Gloss, from Sally Hansen’s new Mega Strength line. Side note: Did you know that Sally Hansen was actually a real person?! For the longest time, I just thought it was a name someone made up, but no. She was a businesswoman and led a *very* colorful life.

Anywho, nails… I did two coats of Boss Gloss with layers of the Mega Strength Base Coat and Top Coat.

About that, there are three Mega Strength colors on my desk right now — Boss Gloss, Her-Oine and She-Ro.

sally hansen she ro
Sally Hansen Mega Strength in She-Ro, along with the Mega Strength base and top coat

I wore She-Ro last week, and I loved the wear time (more on that in a sec), but the color didn’t really do anything for my soul (because that’s important). It’s a mid-toned purplish mauve… I like it just fine, but generally speaking, if I’m gonna wear purple on my nails, I prefer either an Easter-egg pastel purple, or something super intensely bold.

There’s no in-between when it comes to purples with me. Are you like that too with any colors?

Back to She-Ro again — the wear time was awesome! I had it on for a full seven days, during which time I only saw the smallest of chips at the tips until the evening of the seventh day…

Wow, that sounded like the start of a very foreboding tale! 😨

And so it began… She was in the shower washing her hair when the edge of the polish at the base of one of her nails kept lifting up and catching on her wet hair…

GIRL, it was all downhill from there. I stood there under the water for gosh knows how long, peeling my nails off. (YOU KNOW YOU DO IT, TOO.)

sally hansen mega strength boss gloss her oine she ro
$5.99 each

Anyway, I’ve got those three colors on my mind right now, and if Boss Gloss and Her-Oine do well, then I’m gonna go back to get some more colors, because they also have some dark colors that look really pretty.

Other things nail polish related… I painted the Boss Gloss mani in the morning before going to my HIIT class later that night, which I think is one of the biggest tests for nails. If a polish can survive a workout with weights, that nail polish is LEGIT. I walked into the class that night thinking, “Aw, man, I just did my nails,” because, on any given day, there are barbells, dumbbells or kettle bells (ALL THE BELLS) involved, and handling weights will chip your nails quicker than you can say, “No way, lady, Keanu is MY BOYFRIEND.”

That evening, we used sandbags, which are the worst for chipping. We did this funky move called “the sandbag clean and press,” where you take a heavy sandbag, flip it over, and do a squat. So now I’m bruised all up and down my arms.


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Categories: Just For Fun, Nails, Sally Hansen

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: NARS Multi-Use Gloss

March 20th, 2019 by Karen 10 Comments

nars multi use glosses
The lightest and loveliest non-sticky gloss for your lids, cheeks and lips

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

Oh, how do I love 10-minute makeup? Let me count the ways… LOL.

I’ll spare you the lengthy soliloquy, but here’s the gist of it: I like putting on a full face without spending HELLA YEARS applying and blending. Sometimes it’s just nice to do a quick makeup look that doesn’t look like a rush job. That said, even *I* get a little tired 😴 of doing the same brown smoky eye with peachy coral cheeks and a nude lip every day… I mean, I LOVE THAT LOOK, but sometimes you need to switch things up when you’re feeling “makeup restless,” ya know?

That’s where these new NARS Multi-Use Glosses come into play…

nars multi use gloss

nars multi use gloss

These glittery glosses are limited edition and available now on the NARS website for $24 each, so if you see something you like, you better grab it sooner than later because they won’t be around forever.

They feel like lip gloss and look like lip gloss, but you can wear them on your lips (of course), your eyes and your face (as a highlighter!).

nars multi use gloss swatches
My favorite shade is Relentless, the rose-gold with tiny flecks of glitter.
nars multi use gloss applicator
The applicator is a thin, flexible paddle.

All five of have the daintiest flecks of graceful glitter, so they sparkle and shine, which kicks them up a level.
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There are 10 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, NARS, Product Reviews Keywords: 10-minute makeup must-haves

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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, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my three-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my kitty supermodel cat (Tabs).

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Recent Posts

wander beauty baggage claim

Saturday Surfing, March 23, 2019

mac extended play perm me up lash mascara

Mascara Is My Medieval Chain Mail

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Clinique Chubby Stick in Amp’d Up Apple

sally hansen mega strength shades

Pondering Pastel Polish and Painting Nails After Coffee: Talk to Me!

nars multi use gloss swatches

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: NARS Multi-Use Gloss

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