Karen

Saturday Night San Francisco Streets

October 9th, 2019 by Karen 6 Comments

I snapped a few pics in the city last weekend. El Hub and I went to meet some old friends who were visiting the city and stopped by a couple of bars for a few hours on Saturday night, mostly in the Union Square/Nob Hill area.

I used to live in San Francisco and walked all around this neighborhood when I worked in one of the tall buildings near Union Square. Just when I think I’ve seen ever corner and there’s nothing new to see, hello! — I’m wrong, and I stumble upon something I’ve never seen before. Every time I visit, I see the city with fresh eyes all over again. There’s always something fascinating and interesting to see in San Francisco.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: e.l.f. Solid Sponge Cleanser

October 9th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

What’s an unsung hero in beauty-speak? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup (or polish!) morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. My long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

If you’ve been visiting MBB for a while now, you might already know that my ride-or-die makeup brush cleanser has been good ol’ Dr. Bronner’s solid soap for years; however, one thing that drives me crazy and has always driven me crazy about Dr. B’s is that once you use that white bar, it never looks anywhere near as pristine as it did when you first opened it, and it ends up looking dirty and gross in the soap dish…

The part of me that’s morphing into a lady who only wears muumuus and yells at kids on her lawn does not like this, which is why I bought the e.l.f. Solid Sponge Cleanser. It’s black, so you can’t see any dirt on it, which I adore. Plus, it works crazy well. Even your jankiest brushes will sparkle quicker than you can say, “GET OFF MY LAWN.”

elf solid sponge cleanser review — Ahhh!

This soap is made to clean makeup sponges like Beautyblenders and whatnot, but you can also use it on natural and synthetic fiber makeup brushes. It foams up in a hummingbird’s heartbeat, and then BAM! — cuts through whatever’s in your bristles. Then it rinses out with just a few splashes of water. When I leave my brushes out to air dry, the next time I use them, they feel soft, not crunchy, and they smell kinda minty… I wonder if that has something to do with the charcoal they added to the soap, which is supposed to have anti-bacterial properties).

Hmm…

Dare I say that it works faster Dr. B’s?! 🤗

Oh, and P.S., it’s only $4, bargain hunters. I get mine at Target.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow

October 8th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

To quote the great Lizzo (Lizzo for president!), it ain’t my fault if I’m out here getting loose. And I say that because I’ve been wearing Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow ($39), so, ya know…I’m getting loose with it, ha ha ha!

(I don’t blame it on the goose or my juice, in case you were wondering.)

This face setting powder is a rare gem. It has a subtle pearly finish (I know, blowing your mind right now!), which sets makeup without making pores look like moon craters (an issue with any sort of powder with shimmer or sheen).

Yes, you can wear it all over your face! It adds a hint of dewiness, so your face doesn’t look flat or too matte, and it does this without showing off your fine lines or smile lines, a.k.a your experience lines.

You can also wear it like a traditional highlighter as well, if all-over glow is a little too much for ya.

Oh, and did I mention that it feels weightless and doesn’t look cake-y? It’s so good, you guys. So, so good.

laura mercier traslucent loose setting powder glow swatch — I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way.

You know, if you like that dewy skin look, but you don’t want to look greasy or a shiny metallic robot, this is it.

A big 1-oz. jar is $39 (comes with a sifter, but it doesn’t come with a brush or powder puff though), and there are two shade options — one lighter and one darker. I wear the lighter option, and it works fine with my NC42 skin.
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 595

October 7th, 2019 by Karen 43 Comments

she took a deep breath and let it o — Gentle reminder for today and the rest of the week.

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. Liquid or cream eyeshadow?

Cream eyeshadow, please!

2. Your greatest beauty achievement?

Figuring out how to do a smoky eye on my slightly hooded lids. MAN, that was challenging!

3. What’s your current makeup philosophy?

Don’t worry so much. 🤷‍♀️

4. Would you rather wear a perfume that smells like pizza, like hamburgers or like clam chowder?

A margherita pizza…with fresh tomato and basil.

5. Mascara on your lower lashes? Yay or nay?

Lately, it’s been a nay. I’ve been trying to wear less underneath my eyes because it seems like the less I wear in that area, the less tired I look.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Question time! Here they are to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon!

1. Liquid or cream eyeshadow?
2. Your greatest beauty achievement?
3. What’s your current makeup philosophy?
4. Would you rather wear a perfume that smells like pizza, like hamburgers or like clam chowder?
5. Mascara on your lower lashes? Yay or nay?

P.P.S. I hope your spirit feels light this morning and your foundation feels strong. Sending you positive vibes for a fantastic week. 😺❤️🍷

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 574

October 6th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

Tabs’s relationship with birds was complicated. On one hand, he deeply believed, to the core of his being, that he was a birder.

Not a mouser, but a birder 100%.

This, of course, was all fine and good till he actually had to work with birds. I can’t imagine how challenging it must have been to pose alongside a coworker, while also wanting to gobble them up.

But Tabs was a consummate professional. He never actually ate a bird on set…that we know of.

I’ve been thinking about him a little more than usual today because we have a woodpecker issue. The exterior walls of our condo are being pecked into Swiss cheese by a gang of angry woodpeckers!

OK…I don’t actually know if they’re angry, but I think they are.

I don’t think Tabs would have viewed them as his enemy though. During his golden years, he was kind of like the cat equivalent of the Dalai Lama, and he was all about zen and living peacefully with other creatures, including ones you want to eat.

Oh, how I wish I could evolve to that state of enlightenment with these woodpeckers…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen