Karen

This or That: The Face Powder Edition

April 21st, 2021 by Karen 2 Comments

How to play

Pick one or the other for each of the questions below, and copy/paste your answers in the comments. Can’t wait to see your picks! Mine are listed below. 💋

This or That: The High- or Low-End Beauty Edition, Part II

Loose or pressed?

Translucent or tinted?

Mineral or non-mineral powder?

Baking with powder — yes or no?

Sponge, puff or brush applicator?

High-end powder or budget-friendly powder?

Yellow “banana” powders — yes or no?

Glowing or matte finish?

More powder or less?

Loose or pressed?

Pressed, but only if it’s MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural; otherwise, loose…because I think they look more natural on my skin.

Translucent or tinted?

Li’l bit of tint please, but not full coverage, because I think it looks too heavy on my pores.

Mineral or non-mineral powder?

Hmm… Mineral powders tend to look thicker than non-mineral on my skin, so non-mineral.

Baking with powder — yes or no?

No thank you. I’m going to give this one a hard pass.

Sponge, puff or brush applicator?

Brush, baby!

High-end powder or budget-friendly powder?

There are so many great ones among both, but I’ll go with high-end because they just seem to have that little extra something-something. But I use and like both budget and pricey powders.

Yellow “banana” powders — yes or no?

Ya know, I feel like it’s just an extra step, so it’s a no for this gal!

Glowing or matte finish?

Glowing for real life and matte for pics.

More powder or less?

My “wizened” skin and face say less.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Wednesday! 😊

A Polished Daytime Makeup Look With Gunmetal Gray Liner, Lightly Defined Taupe-Brown Lids and a Whole Lotta Laura Mercier ❤️

April 20th, 2021 by Karen 3 Comments

laura mercier 2021 face of the day — Loving this vibe

Fun fact: makeup artist Laura Mercier spent her formative years in France. (Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to picture myself wearing her makeup while getting coffee and croissants?!)

If we were going to meet at a cafe today for a socially distanced lady date (I WANT!), I’d wear this Laura Mercier makeup look, and I’d get an iced latte and a plain croissant. What would you order?

marin coffee roasters — Incidentally, my favorite coffee drink as of late is an iced latte with a single shot from Marin Coffee Roasters.

Laura Mercier is one those lines I keep coming back to, over and over and over again. My love affair with all things LM began before I started MBB (so, we’re talking prehistoric time).

In teen romance terms, we’ve been going steady…for a good 14 years now (here’s Baby Karen mixing and wearing Laura Mercier foundation). I know I can count on the makeup, and whenever I wear it, I truly feel like myself.

I recently restocked on a few oldies but goodies (and a few new-to-me things as well)…

Caviar Volume Mascara: Epic curl, lift and volume. SO GOOD for wimpy lashes that need lots of help.
Eye Basics in Wheat: A beautiful satiny matte cream shadow that you can wear alone as a lid base or as a primer. Fun fact — this used to be called “Basic Color.”
Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Cobblestone and Moonlight: Cocoa is my favorite in this line of cream shadows, and these two are new to me. Cobblestone, I LOVE. It’s a mid-toned matte brown and adds just the right touch of light definition to lids. And Moonlight is a shimmery taupe… I like it, but don’t love it because it’s a little too frosty for my taste.
Inner Eye Definer in Stormy Grey: I hope LM never discontinues this gunmetal gray liner, which I’ve been wearing and loving for 10 years, at least.
Cheek Color in Ginger: The shade Rose is my jam, but I like this sheer matte peachy nude too.
Tinted Moisturizer: OLD SCHOOL, BABY! Lightweight feel with just a hint of tint to even everything out. I mixed Wheat with Tan and set it with Laura’s iconic loose setting powder in this look.
Vanille Gourmande Eau Gourmande: Did you know Laura Mercier makes some beautifully wearable scents too? This one has notes of vanilla, vanilla orchid, vanilla liqueur, bourbon vanilla and vanilla musk, mixed with heliotrope, lily, sandalwood and amber.

laura mercier 2021 flat lay — Current faves!

Do you have any Laura Mercier loves? I wish we could chat about them over croissants in real life!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 674

April 19th, 2021 by Karen 25 Comments

you have so much to look forward to — Stay strong, my friend. You’ve got this!

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. Soup, salad or a sandwich?

A lovely 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 most grateful. I sure do love those things, but I do not love them being $20.

2. A sound you sometimes hear in your neighborhood?

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

3. A piece of makeup you like?

I always end up going back to Clinique’s Pretty Easy Liner felt tip 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, since my life is too messy right now for silk.

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 enjoy 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 steady 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 assistance in all three categories, please. HAHAHA!

9. Hair mask or face mask?

A rich hair mask would be lovely!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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

1. Soup, salad or a sandwich?
2. A sound you sometimes 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. 🤗

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 655

April 18th, 2021 by Karen 6 Comments

Aloha nui loa, Mom and Dad! Today is my mother-in-law and father-in-law’s fiftieth anniversary!

5-0.

They met while working together at an Avis Rent-a-car in Waikiki. She was born and raised there on the island of Oahu, a 20-something young woman who loved to sing and surf. At the time, she was washing rental cars on Kalākaua Avenue to pay the rent. He was a California boy from the mainland who moved to Oahu from Reno, Nevada, where he was working as a keno writer when he hit a small jackpot on a keno ticket one night after work. The winnings were just enough to pay for two one-way tickets to Hawaii for him and a buddy. This was the 1960s, and when the money ran out, his buddy returned home, but my father-in-law still wanted to stay in Hawaii. Problem was, he needed a job, so he got one at the same Avis Rent-a-car in Waikiki.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

As you know, Tabs was a lover, not a fighter. He was such a romantic, and he loved anniversaries. We met when he was a few years old (we were never completely sure of his age), and we celebrated 13 wonderful years of together.

He was the cat love of my life…

Rosie

Rosie and I met when she was about 10, we think. She was a foster cat, and she was looking for a new career/forever home when she and I met. She doesn’t really discuss her former life, but I believe she’s also a romantic…

When you look at her, you can just tell.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing, April 17, 2021

April 17th, 2021 by Karen 4 Comments

Hiya, cutie pie. Welcome to the weekend! If you haven’t done your grocery shopping for the upcoming week yet, let me drop some MAJOR citrus knowledge on you: sumo citrus is THE STUFF. You need to try one of these if you haven’t already.

They taste like a sweet mix between a Mandarin orange and a Meyer lemon, but without any of the pucker-your-lips lemon tartness. The wrinkly peel is easy to remove too, and the wedges are so, so juicy! They’re just like eating fruity candy.

FYI, they’re on the pricey, at least around here, so they’re a special treat for us. I get mine at Trader Joe’s for $1.69 each (!), and I’ve also seen them at ~~Whole Paycheck~~ Whole Foods for between $2 and $3…each.