Product Reviews

Channel Your Inner Paddington Bear, and Stay Dry During a Deluge in the Eddie Bauer Charly Jacket

December 12th, 2019 by Karen 9 Comments

eddie bauer charly marigold — Autumnal camouflage

Question for you: who wore this yellow coat better — me or Paddington Bear? 🤣

OK, so, the fact that I‘d be able to channel Paddington’s vibe wasn’t the only reason I got this bright yellow waterproof raincoat from Eddie Bauer! (It was one of the main reasons, though. Ha ha ha!). It was also (and still is) marked down 50%, from $189 to $89.50.

It’s been pouring off and on for a few days here, and this coat has kept me dry, even without an umbrella. The rain practically rolls off the material (it’s 62% cotton and 38% nylon), which is warm, but sill breathable enough to be comfortable, and it moves just enough to feel structured but not stiff.

The hood is wide and has a subtle brim — apparently, this is *totally key*!

The brim prevents raindrops from hitting my face and my glasses so much more effectively than the raincoat I bought at Target a couple years back. I still love that coat, but last winter I got caught in a few downpours and was soaked through, which is why I wanted a new one.

This coat, though, won’t let water in for nothing!

Other reasons I love it…

Zippered pockets! Oh, gosh, there are so many zippered pockets, and it’s glorious — two on the sides of the front pockets and one on the inner lining. I carry my phone with me everywhere, and the zippers on the pockets give me a little extra peace of mind.
Subtle branding. It’s there, but it’s not splashed across the chest like on a lot of Eddie Bauer coats. There’s a small logo embroidered on the wrists of both sleeves, but you can’t really see it unless you look closely.
So many sizes available. The coats come in your standard-issue XS, S, M, L and XL, and in a bunch of height options including Regular, Petite, Tall and Plus. I ended up getting a Regular in XS. It fits, but it does run a little big, so it’s roomy on me. I don’t mind, though, because I can layer a sweater or a thick sweatshirt underneath.
It’s cute! I like the J. Crew-ishness of this coat. Plus, the yellow color is so fun.

It also comes in beige, a dark brown and navy (which is super cute too), if the Paddington Bear stoplight yellow color is too bright for you.

I’m into it… Now all I need is a red hat to go with my coat. 🙂

Bring on the rain and the rainbows!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Spotlight: Hawaii Edition

November 29th, 2019 by Karen 9 Comments

A few things (aloha and TGIF, BTW):

1. Running in 85-degree weather with 67% humidity is like hauling your limbs slow-motion through corn chowder.

Wait — now that I think about it, merely existing in humid weather is like that. I am SWEAT-TAY in Hawaii, man.

2. If you’re staying with your in-laws in their one-bedroom condo with one bathroom and your child is a toddler, it’s probably a good idea to lock the bathroom door while you’re in there; otherwise, said child *will* open up that door, and she’ll only do it when your booty is hanging out for all your relations to see. #truth

3. Here are a few beauty products I’ve been using and loving on this trip.

1. Honua Hawaiian Skin Care Aloha Youth Serum

This lightweight skin serum contains a mix of plant oils and extracts that ancient Hawaiians used to protect their skin from the sun and environment, like the noni plant, which contains vitamin C and antioxidants. I’ve been using it for over a month now for brightening and moisture and have definitely noticed an improvement in my skin tone. I didn’t hesitate for a second to include it in my carry-on quart of liquid items. I’m that hooked. A 1-oz. glass bottle with a dropper is $58.

2. Gillette Simply Venus Disposable Razors

I’ve used disposable razors before, and they’re almost always never as good at getting as close to your skin as razors with refillable cartridges are, but this is the exception. The slight curve in the handle easily allows me to maneuver it into all of the nooks and crannies I’d like to de-fuzz, and when I’m done, I’m smoother than smooooove. It’s a drugstore gem! 💎 $6.99 for a pack of four razors.

3. EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Specture SPF 46

OH, MAN… SO GOOD. This is the best face sunscreen around, hands down. It’s a physical sunscreen, so it’s great for acne-prone and sensitive skin, but it’s levels above the rest of ‘em because it truly is invisible on skin. Absolutely no white cast whatsoever. To top it all off, it’s lightweight and absorbs easily (so you aren’t sitting there for ages rubbing it in), layers well underneath makeup, and it packs plenty of skin-loving punch, with bells and whistles like lactic acid and sodium hyaluronate. $35 for a 1.7-oz. bottle with a pump.

4. Aveeno Baby Sensitive Skin Continuous Protection SPF 50 Sunscreen Stick

Because it’s a solid, there’s no danger of spilling, and because it’s compact, I can haul it around with me easily, along with the rest of the crap toddlers need in my “mom purse” (you know, the purse with a sh*t-ton of pockets and a leash for your keys). I can quickly run the smooth stick across Connor’s skin with minimal protesting, and I also use this as a touch-up sunscreen throughout the day.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I’m Super Obsessed With Athleta Workout Leggings

November 21st, 2019 by Karen 20 Comments

Altheta tights — These stretchy pants take it to the next level.

Why didn’t I heed their advice sooner? I should’ve known the ladies in my HIIT class — the women who lift heavy, run fast and push me every time I step into the gym — would steer me in the right direction. For years I heard them rave about Athleta workout leggings, but I never considered buying a pair for myself because they’re like $100 a pop!

Super. Crazy. Expensive.

However…when something is good, and I mean really, REALLY good, the calculus may prompt me to go there. And I totally went there.

What ultimately pushed me over the edge was a secondhand pair of Athleta tights my friend Nicol gave me. She teaches the HIIT class I take, and she happened to have an extra pair that didn’t fit her, and she passed ’em to me.

First time I tried them on — and immediately after I stuffed everything I could into the pockets, of which there are SO MANY — I started to wonder if I’d ever wear another pair of pants again, because daaaaang… They were so soft.

Then, of course, I bent over in the mirror to see if they passed the squat test…

They totally did. 🙂 No underwear peeking through!

Next, I wore them to class and could not stop staring at my booty in the mirror, because the pants somehow transformed it into J. Lo’s (#GOALS), LOL!

I didn’t have to pull up my pants once, not once, during the entire class. Also, the waistband stayed up and held in my tum-tum the entire time, and the material stayed intact and didn’t stretch out at all, either, so no baggy knees.

When that class was done, I knew it… I’d be drinkin’ the Athleta Kool-Aid with the other girls soon.

Later that week, I ended up going to the Athleta store in Corte Madera to buy my first pair, because someone in class mentioned there was a sale happening. I left with the camo ones up top (yup, they’re still on sale!).

When I told the sales associate that it was my first Athleta purchase, she told me all about their generous return policy (if you work out in your clothes and don’t love them, you can still return them with a receipt), then gave me a discount on top of the sale for being a new customer.

SWEET!

If you’re into working out, or otherwise particular about your stretchy pants (as am I), I think you’re going to love these. I’m officially saving up for my next pair.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Cat Eye Flicks and Bright Lips (The Purple Edition): A Wednesday Makeup Formula

November 20th, 2019 by Karen 17 Comments

mac tailored to tease lipstick k — Purple power!

Question for you… How do you feel about formula dressing?

LOL! Pardon me for a moment, but I had to laugh there, because “formula dressing”? Sounds like something you put on a salad.

But I digress…

If you’ve flipped through the pages of a fashion magazine in the past decade, you may have read talk of having an “outfit formula,” something you can always turn to when you want to look sharp. Maybe it’s a white t-shirt, high-waisted jeans and a black blazer, or maybe it’s something else.

Once you figure out a formula that works for you, then you can tweak it ever-so-slightly (perhaps by replacing the black blazer with a black motorcycle jacket), but essentially, you go back to the same formula over and over because it works.

I’m a HUGE fan of translating this idea for the realm of makeup, and I do “makeup formulas” all the time.

I’m wearing one of mine in these pics — cat eye flicks and bright lips.

It’s quick and easy and gives you a lot of bang for your makeup buck, IMO. Also, crucially, it doesn’t make me think too hard, and I’m not reinventing any wheels, because I know that both of the main elements in the look work for me. Still, there’s plenty of room within the look to jooj it up in different ways.

Basically, I was in the mood to wear purple, so I started with a smudgy purple cat flick (which I did with a matte dark purple eyeshadow and an angled brush).

I like the whole smudgy/diffused effect because the imperfect edge leaves lots of room for error. I can fudge it a little (or a lot), and even though it might not look perfect, it’s usually passable, which is good enough when I’m in a hurry.

Next, I matched it with a bright matte purple lipstick, and side note: I just thought of another version of this I could do… How about layering a shiny purple gloss on top of this lippie? I think that would be super cool too!

This is just one of the makeup formulas I use often. Apply, lather, rinse and repeat! 🙂

mac tailored to tease lipstick — You think I’d be smiling more since I’m having a surprisingly OK hair day!

mac art library nude model — It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Makeup worn in this look

Eyes: MAC Art Library Nude Model Palette (Sugar Plum and Dance in the Dark as liner, Nude Model and L.E.S. Artiste on lids, and Outre in crease), ESUM Dual Eye Pencil in Rose and Aubergine (tightline), MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Mascara (lashes) ESUM Brow Defining Pencil and MAC Brow Set (brows)

Cheeks: Charlotte Tilbury Ecstasy Blush

Base: Make Up For Ever HD Concealers in Y41 and Y31 mixed with MAC Strobe Cream (foundation), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Golden Tan, Estee Lauder 24H Concealer in Medium Deep (under eyes), Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Lips: MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Tailored to Tease

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Bay Area Beauty Love: ESUM

November 19th, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

Shout-out to San Francisco, my former home, and the current home of ESUM Cosmetics, an as-yet under-the-radar Bay Area beauty brand.

ESUM has been around for about 10 years, but I just recently discovered them. They have a line of brushes and makeup pencils made for industry pros and makeup enthusiasts.

I really like their specialty eye brushes, which range in price from $18-58.

They have these precision eye brushes with small, unusually shaped (but useful!) brush heads, so, for instance, if you only have a little lid space, or you don’t have a deep crease (like, if you’ve got slightly hooded eyes like I do), they’re fab for blending and applying eyeshadow, and for fine detail work.

I’ve been all about the W36 and T37, both of which have a smaller-than-usual angled brush head, so they’re awfully handy when I have to blend in a small space, like in the outer or inner v, or when I want to keep my eyeshadow low and tight on the crease.

esum brushes — It’s all about the details.

I’ve also tried a couple of their workhorse tapered blending brushes, namely the medium size G34 (which is slightly smaller than a MAC 224) and the small S33, which excel at placing and blending shadow exactly where you want it to go.

Along with their brushes, ESUM also sells a small selection of makeup pencil — a few dual-ended lip liners and eyeliners (silky and long-wearing, they feel a lot like the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-Ons), and a handful of skinny twist-up brow pencils (they’re similar to the awesome NARS ones).
[Continue reading…]