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Weird Things I Like to Do

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I mean…there are so just many things, and most of them are silly like…

1. Using two mugs to drink coffee

When the automatic warmer in my coffee maker shuts off and the coffee isn’t as hot as I’d like it to be, I grab two mugs — one mug that I use in the microwave to warm up the coffee, and a second “fancy mug,” which I pour the hot coffee into and drink from.

Now, I could save a step and just drink directly from the first mug…but it’s too hot to hold when it comes out of the microwave, LOL!

2. Pretending I’m the cat paw-parazzi

Why do I derive so much joy out of taking covert pictures of Tabs?? I like to hide behind the couch or peek around corners to catch him in the act of…doing something. These days, it’s usually just him napping (because he’s old), but it’s still weirdly fun.

3. Posting weirdo face pics that have absolutely no context

Me: Stop posting weird pictures of yourself on the Interwebz without any context!

Also me:

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Before Your Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

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brows fill out beforehand
Oh, hai, brows!

Before you pluck or wax your brows, fill them out first so you can clearly see the shape you’re going for. Then, just remove the hairs that *aren’t* in that shape.

Makes total sense, right? — yet peeps (myself included) repeatedly fall into the trap of tweezing willy-nilly without keeping in mind the final brow look.

Whenever I do it (tweeze without planning ahead), I miscalculate my brow arch and end up over-plucking the wrong place.

DOH!

Apparently, this has been a lesson I’ve needed to relearn over and over again…

Brow fillers that won’t let you down

Here are my faves at the moment!

  • MAC Eye Brows Styler — This easy-to-use tool has a super thin tip that makes it easy to draw in those tiny brow hairs, and the formula lasts a long time.
  • Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel — THE BEST for speed. It’s great for quickly filling in and fluffing up your brows. And did I mention it’s super fast!? You gotta get a tinted one, though, because the clear one is pretty much useless.
  • Tom Ford Brow Sculptor — Pricey, but the best of the best IMO.
  • MAC Brow Sculpt — This is MAC’s version of the Tom Ford Brow Sculptor, and I think it’s pretty good (although no match for Tom’s).

So, yeah, next time you notice things looking kinda jungly up there, grab your brow pencil, brow powder, gel or whatever you’re using at the moment, “fill out” and “fluff up” those fuzzy little caterpillars, and then go to town with your removal method o’ choice!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday! ?

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

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current bare skin status
Wearing: nothing

Was it a new laundry detergent? Cutting out chocolate from your diet? Drinking more water? Wearing less makeup? Trimming your bangs? Going to bed earlier? Finding a new product? A procedure? A new dermatologist whose knowledge parted the clouds and let the sun shine through?

There are a few things that really helped me, but one immediately springs to mind: Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion, which I’ve been using and loving for years. Finding it straight-up drastically changed my skin for the better. Without it, I will break out, no question.

For a little bac story (get it? haha, bad pun), I started struggling with acne at around 11 or 12 and dealt with it off and on (mostly on) for most of my life.

For years, I (thought I) tried everything — every OTC paste, pad and cream; antibiotics (which many dermatologists prescribed for acne back in the day), facials — seriously, everything. Then in college I ended up doing a round of prescription Accutane.

I don’t remember the potency, but I remember my skin (even my lips) being painfully dry while I was using it, and every pimple going crazy and coming to a head at once. It was very uncomfortable, but it worked. My skin stayed clear for several years afterward, but then in my 30s I started getting hormonal breakouts along my chin and around my mouth, and that was rough.

Again, I tried everything I could get my hands on — every new ingredient and product I could find. Good old salicylic acid products helped a little, like Clinique’s Mild Clarifying Lotion, but they didn’t clear up my skin completely.

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A Glamorously Grungy Makeup Tutorial: Smoky Reddish Brown Eyes and Vampy Matte Lips [MODERATE SKILL LEVEL]

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reddish brown smoky eye tutorial top pic 1

I’m warning you now — ONLY wear this makeup when you want to feel like a total bad-@ss capable of capturing, and then breaking, all of the hearts ? in a room within the span of 5 minutes.

This beauty buddy movie pairs two bold focal points together — a messy reddish brown smoky eye and a crisp blackened red matte lip — to create a jammin’ juxtaposition of grungy and glam, and you know I’m all about the contrasts in makeup. 🙂

To keep the overall look approachable and well out of Insta-glam territory, I paired the eyes and lips with moderately matte skin (there’s a semblance of a sheen), casual, messy brows and a warm bronzed mauve cheek.

red brown smoky eye tutorial top pic 2

red brown smoky eye tutorial top pic 3

Are you ready to rock? ???

What you’ll need

Le breakdown…

FACE PRODUCTS

EYE MAKEUP

TOOLS

  • Smudge brush (MAC 219S)
  • Fluffy angled eyeshadow brush (MAC 275S)
  • Blush brush (MAC 127S)
  • Flat eyeshadow brush (or, you can just use a finger)
  • Something to blend your foundation (BeautyBlender)

red brown smoky eye tutorial products

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A Rainy Day Minimalist Makeup Tutorial: Cheerful Pink Cheeks, Rosy Lips and Doe Eyes

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rainy day makeup tutorial
Y tho?!

For the record, it’s hard to look cute in a raincoat. (In case you were wondering.)

It’s rainy and gloomy here in NorCal today, but I’m not complaining, because the rain makes me feel alive! The world around me is thirsty, and it’s taking a much-needed shower and a big gulp of refreshing H2O. And when it’s done, the oak trees and the grass on the hill and the sidewalks and my car (haha) are all going to look fresh and new. 🙂

Or…maybe that’s just California Karen romanticizing the rain, since we haven’t had much of it this winter. I’m sure that if I lived someplace where it’s been pouring 24/7, I’d be like FRICKIN’ RAIN RUINING EVERY MINUTE AND EVERY SECOND OF MAH LIFE!!!

Weather like this calls for a dose of cheerful pink cheeks and bright rosy lips (it couldn’t hurt). Thanks to an illuminating primer, the skin is ever-so-dewy, and the dark blue liner plays off the pink. It’s strategically placed on the middle of the lower lash line for a doe-eyed effect, so you can give strangers a come-hither stare while you sashay by them in your raincoat.

Side note: #teamraincoat ALL THE WAY. Raincoats are the way to go (even if they are hard to look cute in), because they let you keep your hands free, and if there’s a kitten huddling in an rainy alley and you need to save her, you can carry her and comfort her with both hands.

See? Always looking ahead. ?????

When it’s raining, I like to keep my makeup on the minimal side, because you never know if you and your raincoat will get caught in a downpour, and I figure that if my face gets drenched in the rain, better for it to happen while I’m wearing minimal makeup than a full face of war paint… You know, less to clean up when I get wherever I need to go. *shrugs shoulders*

Here’s a breakdown of this look…

rainy day makeup tutorial 2

rainy day makeup tutorial 1

TOOLS (products I used are in italic):

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