Just For Fun

1. Painting my nails with Duri polish

This week’s color is Burgundy Charade — which I pronounce “Sha-RHAD,” emphasis on “RHAD,” because lately the only voice I hear in my head is Moira’s on Schitt’s Creek. HAHAHA!

BEBE!

This under-the-radar family-run brand out of Brooklyn is a low-key beast in the best possible way. The polishes are pigmented, smooth, long-lasting and affordable (just $8 a bottle). I’ve also been using their top coat and drying drops, and they work great too.

SUPER IMPRESSED!

2. Caroline Girvan’s workouts on YouTube

Caroline Girvan’s YouTube workouts are challenging, and she offers very little verbal instruction, so you kinda have to know what you’re doing already, but I sure do love the variety of her exercises.

I’m constantly trying moves I’ve never done before, which I love! Challenges ye olde muscles in different ways, ya know?

Also, on days when I can’t handle someone on the other side of a screen yelling at me to dig deep or do one more pushup or whatever, Caroline’s my go-to. Her videos have a short intro where she talks about the workout, but then during the video, all you hear is music and a series of beeps to let you know that a new exercise or a break is coming up while you see her working out on the screen with you.

It’s just me and my breathing, and some days, I prefer that.

Right now I’m really into her ab and core videos.

3. Placing all of my mugs with the handles to the right…

I recently came across this tip in a how-to-organize video, and even though it’s the smallest little tweak, it works wonders! When I do this…my mug shelf looks less chaotic and better organized.

4. Speaking of organization videos…

They’re my new favorite how-tos on Youtube. I have a hard time letting go of things and hold onto items longer than I should, and I desperately don’t want to be that person anymore. No more cluttered shelves, baby! Those are my first goals. After that, I’ll do the closets next.

When I watch these organizational how-to vids, it feels like I having a personal coach by my side talking sense into me and telling me that I have the strength to pass on that pair of pants that 1) no longer fit me, and 2) I haven’t worn in five years.

Here are few of my favorites so far.

5. Having an electric kettle with hot/warm water always around

Don’t ask me why I’ve always assumed one water had to be cold in order to be consumed, but it never occurred to me until recently that I could drink water warm whenever I wanted to all throughout the day.

I have an electric kettle on the counter and now just keep it out so that I can grab a cup of warm water whenever I want!

Yes, I could easily heat up the water in the microwave, but I swear it tastes different when I warm it up in the kettle.

Speaking of kettles, how cute is this one?

What have you been loving lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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. Ramen or sushi?

Hmm… Well, this is surprisingly hard for me to answer because I love both, but seeing as it’s been cold and drizzly lately…I’ll go with ramen.

2. How do you feel about Vitamin C serums?

I’m a fan. A few years ago when my skin was badly breaking out, Skinceuticals CE Ferulic really helped clear things up, and also helped to fade the post-acne marks! Helped to even out my skin tone.

It’s VERY pricey though…so I’ve been trying a slightly more affordable version by Vichy, and so far it’s OK. I haven’t noticed a super significant improvement since starting it, but it has only been a couple months.

Someday, just because of how good it was, I’ll probably end up going back to the Skinceuticals product.

3. Thin or thick eyeliner?

Thin!

4. Something you’ve wanted for a very long time?

Oh, my goodness! Honestly, new floors, because the cats (plural) have been unkind to ye olde carpet up in here. Tabs (RIP, my boy) ripped it to shreds over the decade he lived here, and Rosie is proudly carrying on that tradition.

I would LOVE some light-colored hardwood or laminate floors, and that’s one of our top family priorities for this year, post-pandemic. I hear that laminate floors are supposed to be lower maintenance, so that’s a consideration.

5. Do you wear any waterproof makeup?

Oh, sure. I like waterproof mascara on occasion, but I don’t wear it daily.

6. Have you ever had a bird as a pet?

I vaguely recall living with a cockatiel when I was in elementary school…but I don’t know what happened to it. My dad was always bringing home random animals, and I suspect it just flew away one day!

7. Last new beauty product you tried?

The Briogeo Curl Charimsa Rice Amino Leave-In Defining Creme. My waves are in the house today!

8. What clothes are you wearing today?

Gray sweatshirt and black Zella leggings, ’cause you know…work from home FASHUN.

9. Setting sprays: — love ’em or leave ’em?

Love ’em!

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. Ramen or sushi?
2. How do you feel about Vitamin C serum?
3. Thin or thick eyeliner?
4. Something you’ve wanted for a very long time?
5. Do you wear any waterproof makeup?
6. Have you ever had a bird as a pet?
7. Last new beauty product you tried?
8. What clothes are you wearing today?
9. Setting sprays — love ’em or leave ’em?

P.P.S. Hello and happy Monday, sweet friend. Indulge me for a second… Take a few deep breaths in and out.

OK, now do it one more time.

Try pulling and stretching your shoulders down and away from your ears when you do it…

Ahhh! Doesn’t that feel good? Do you feel a little calmer? I hope so. I do when I do it.

Remember, you’re stronger than you think! Have a good one today. 🤗

Goooood morning, my dear! 🤗 How are you?

Here’s a not-so-pressing question for you on this lovely Caturday morning: Is grapefruit great or gross?

Inquiring minds want to know…

See, I grew up in a family in which everyone loved grapefruit, so it didn’t occur to me until adulthood that the grapefruit would be such a polarizing snack. 🤔

El Hub and Connor are not fans, and they make a point of telling me this whenever I eat one. So I’m the lone wolf grapefruit lover in our family.

I’ve been eating a ton of grapefruit lately. I’ve been in a grapefruit craving mode, and it’s been my favorite breakfast snack as of late…along with a chocolate croissant from Trader Joe’s! (Oh, my goodness, have you tried those?)

Obvs, a freshly baked chocolate bakery croissant is ideal, but if you can’t get ahold of one, the packaged ones in the bread section at TJ’s are pretty good. They’re so good, in fact, that sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and think to myself, “I wish I were eating a Trader Joe’s chocolate croissant right now…” #TruthBomb

OK, before I get too distracted, quick shout-out to this silicone-free Pantene conditioner I grabbed on a whim recently! I use it as a co-wash, but if you have fine hair, I think you might like it as a traditional conditioner too. It’s moisturizing, not heavy at all, and dang if my hair doesn’t smell like sweet cut grass and aloe afterward. I like it.

Well, my tummy is rumbling, and I need to get this chocolate croissant into my belly ASAP, so onward to this weekend’s reading!

This week’s links and videos

• “Hanbang,” a K-beauty skincare trend, is going mainstream.
• This is why you’ll often find hyaluronic acid in vitamin C products.
• The 11 best Black-owned skincare products for winter.
• Allegedly, you can use toothpaste to remove nail polish…
• Why cats are crazy for catnip…

Current favorite song

Affordable skincare? Yes please.

If you’re a parent and/or Disney fan, you’ll probably appreciate this.

I’m trying everything I can to avoid chopping off my hair in the middle of the night, y’all.

“I’m every woman!”

Love this.

Dear Mariah, can I please live in your closet?

I’m working on this right now.

Working on this too…

Aw, sweet baby
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We’ve been sticking pretty close to home for a while, as you can probably imagine (because you’re in the same boat!). We haven’t ventured out of town much at all, but yesterday we drove up to the cute town of Sonoma about 20 miles north.

I have a friend who lives up there (hi, Marisol!), and after a quick socially distanced visit, during which I dropped off one of the aloe plants I repotted over the weekend, we stopped at Sonoma Plaza to do some exploring.

Sonoma Plaza is a large outdoor square with playgrounds, trees, paths, duck ponds and plenty of picnic tables. It’s surrounded by wine tasting rooms, restaurants, shops and the last of the 21 Spanish missions built in California. Most of the stores and restaurants are currently closed, of course, but the walk around the area is beautiful.

Before I go on, to ensure that this post is at least marginally makeup related, here’s the five-minute makeup look I wore. It’s been my go-to look as of late.

• Brows: Urban Decay Brow Blade (super long lasting, and so easy to use)
• Lashes: Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara (waterproof, doesn’t flake)
• Liquid liner: MAC Brushblack Brushstroke Liner (ultra black and draws sharp edges with ease)
• Eyeshadow: MAC Cork (the best for carving out a soft crease)
• Under-eye concealer: Estee Lauder Instant Fix Concealer in Medium Deep
• Face Powder: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden (used this alone as a base, no foundation)
• Blush: MAC Warm Soul Mineralize Blush

We walked all over the plaza, exploring the paths and different areas of the park, and doing some hardcore socially distanced people watching. It’s been an unusually warm January here, so there were people about, but everyone was wearing masks and social distancing.

The trees! There are so many of them!

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