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3 Shocking Revelations (One of Them Makeup Brush-Related)

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Why, yes, I do have a toothpaste ? collection.

1. It’s not a good idea to put your foot cream on the same shelf as your toothpaste.

You’d think this would be one of those self-preservation things most people would already know, like “Don’t touch a hot stove!” or “Do sniff the communal office carton of milk before you pour some in your coffee,” but noooooo. A few nights ago, as I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth before bed, I thought, “Hmm… This toothpaste tastes kinda funny…and why isn’t it foaming up?”

At which point I realized, “HOLY FREAKING CRAP, I’m brushing my teeth with foot cream.” ?

Following this, and after rinsing out my mouth for like 20 years, I moved my three tubes of toothpaste to another shelf…

2. If you put your robe on backwards, you can turn it into a slanket.

And by “backwards,” I don’t mean inside out.

OK, how the heck do I explain this…? More accurately, how do I explain how I figured it out? HA HA HA!

Alright, here it is: Instead of wearing your robe in the normal fashion, with the part that opens facing the front, put it on so that the open part is in the back, like a hospital gown.

Does that make ANY sense at all?

Here’s a picture of a slanket, BTW, in the event that you’ve been living on another planet for the past few years and have no idea what I’m talking about…

Me 24/7

Don’t ask me why this seems warmer to me than wearing a robe the usual way. Maybe it’s because more material is covering the legs…? I don’t know, but I definitely haven’t been as cold as I usually am since I started doing it. To wit, I’m doing it right now.

PRO TIP: Cut off the tag on your robe to avoid itchiness!

3. The revamped MAC synthetic brushes are not built to last.

Earlier this year, MAC revamped their entire brush line, replacing the natural fibers with synthetic bristles, and you know what? Homegirl is NOT impressed. I’ve been using the new 224S since last May (the “S” stands for synthetic, I believe), and look…

mac 224s and 224 final
224s throughout the years

It’s not like I was using it to clean motorcycle engines. I’ve only used it a handful of times, and it’s clearly falling apart. The quality just isn’t comparable to MAC’s older brushes. I have an ancient 20-year-old MAC 224, and it’s still going strong. Side note: Have I really been wearing MAC for more than 20 years? WOWZA!

I would be more crabby about this, but a part of me thinks that this is the universe’s way of telling me to get into Chanel brushes now… I have a few of their dual-ended eye brushes (the Retractable Dual Tip Eye-Contouring Brush and the Retractable Dual-Tip Eyeshadow Brush, and they are kind of amaze-balls).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Yesterday I managed to clean the house for company *and* avoid a nervous breakdown. Now it’s time to figure out what to feed everyone for 14 days.

Got any one-pot meal ideas? PLZ HALP.

P.P.S. You know how we were just talking about Lisa Eldridge? Well, on November 19 girlfriend is releasing her own small (for now) makeup line containing three lipsticks, and all I have to say is WANT!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Food ideas: egg bake, French toast bake, tuna casserole. Probably not good for your gluten free husband, but he might have to fend for himself for a few meals. Good job on cleaning the house! I bet you all will go out for some meals so don’t worry too much about it, easy for me to say, ha! My 2 revelations today: went to my first spin class today! Spin class is hard! And Target has some amazing beauty boxes right now! There’s one with the best of Dermstore and one of the products alone is worth $50 and the whole box is only $25!

    Reply

    • Hi Rachel,

      Thanks, lady!

      The hubs and I talked about it last night and he said that I should just make food without having to consider the gluten-free option. I’m going to Costco to get some pre-made things.

      And yes, spin class is hard but so, so good. I love that you sweat so much and it’s easy on your joints. Did you instructor play good music? That’s key!

      Reply

      • Costco is a great idea! My spin instructor played awesome music and she’s good at keeping everyone pumped up! I think I will sign up for the Tuesday class!

        Reply

        • You should totally go again if you’re not too sore. (It takes me about a day before the muscle soreness really kicks in!)

          Soon you’ll be one of those people wearing bike clips. 🙂

          Reply

  2. I’ve got this long fleece hoodie cardigan that i’ve worn backwards on roadtrips for years, if you’re going to sleep, you put the hood over your face, and it’s like a snuggly blanket. But then to walk into a gas station I turn it around so no one thinks I escaped from a hospital.

    I’m not happy with the new mac brushes either, I bought a synthetic 217 last fall, that was in a collection and had yellow hair with a pink and silver handle. It is dead already, my 217 from college almost ten years ago is fine. I’m glad I had gotten most of the mac brushes I wanted most but I hate that I won’t be buying backups anymore. And it’s a little more work to figure out what brushes from other brands are as great as the old mac ones we all trusted.

    Reply

    • I am so bummed that I wasn’t able to buy any backups. I would’ve liked at least another 217 and 224; those were my trusty go-to, le sigh! The NARS ones are pretty good too, by the way. Their version of the 224 is a little less tapered and fluffier; it’s good for overall blending but a little challenging for fine detail blending if you have small lids. You might want to check them out! The Chanel ones I’ve tried are really good too (you can get them at Nordstrom, and they have an excellent return policy).

      Reply

  3. Agree on the Mac brushes. I got 2 of the new sintetic ones and they do not blend as nice as the others, plus I find them to be very stiff in comparison. Best part? They cost just the SAME, they’re not cheaper (at least here in Italy), same price for plastic brushes! Get some Chanel, they’re really well done, I got the blush brush and the powder one back in March and they’re beautiful!

    Reply

  4. Chicken breasts, jar of favorite salsa, any veggies like zucchini or bell pepper, dump into crockpot, cook, serve on tortilla with cheese. Or if you have an instant pot, use ingredients above & add 1 cup of rice & water. Eat as is when cooked or top off with cheese & scallions. The little ones love simple recipes.

    Also, I just realized I won’t miss out if I don’t buy everything during the Sephora sales.

    Reply

  5. Light meal option is my fake wonton soup. Chicken broth, garlic and ginger slices. Boil a bit then add frozen wontons. Later on add frozen green beans and edamame and let cook. Add boiled egg. Soy sauce, hoisin or Siracha sauce to taste. You can get everything at Trader Joe’s, although it’ll prob be more economical if you get your wontons at Costco.

    Reply

  7. Rotisserie chickens to the rescue. Get a handful. After you think they’ve been destroyed, there should be enough meat left on them when combined with salsa and cheese and maybe a few chopped veggies if you’re feeling energetic, to turn into quesadillas.
    Does everyone like spice? Make super quick Cajun fish sandwiches. I usually use cod but buy whatever mild white fish you can get in the bay area, sprinkle a little cajun seasoning on either side of the filets, saute for maybe 3 to 5 minutes a side depending on thickness and serve on buns with lettuce or maybe in tortilla wraps with lettuce.
    Can you tell I’m a big fan of the tortilla? Maria and Ricardo’s are the very best.

    Also, so many points of discussion in this post:
    You’re such a good girl for cleaning!
    I can’t believe the synthetic MAC brushes are so short lived!
    You don’t look like you’ve been wearing MAC for 20 years!
    I’ve been slanketing off and on for a while. You’re not imagining things. It really is warmer that way.
    Sephora is killing me. I thought the temptation was over until skincare January but they’re extending the 20 percent off sale into a third weekend! Not good for my wallet.
    Also the blogger in me wants to know if you had your handwriting turned into a font or if you’re getting all fancy with an ipad pen?
    Jennfer Osborn recently posted … Unlock Your Mind: How to Start a Meditation Practice

    Reply

    • I’ve never thought to take the raggedy leftovers of Rotisserie chicken and turn them into quesadillas. Great idea!

      And oh my gosh, I just got my Sephora loot today! I’m sitting here enjoying my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream on my skin, although I’m not sure if it’s gonna be hydrating enough for winter. Sigh.

      So what are you thinking of getting now?!

      Reply

  8. Hi Karen ,
    The crockpot is your friend . Anything like chicken , ground beef , ground turkey w most any veggies : peas , zucchini , beans . You got the idea . Add salsa or tomato sauce . Spices . Serve over rice .
    A funny story : do you remember Brylcream ? Like from Grease ? Well men really used that stuff . My friend and I in our way to school heard her grandmother cursing in Italian. She was using brylcream instead of toothpaste !

    Reply

    • Hi Michele,

      Thank you for reminding me about the crock pot. Good idea!

      And yes, I remember Brylcream. I think my dad had a tube of it around the house!

      Reply

  9. They don’t make things like they used to. My Merle Norman brushes from 20 yrs ago are going strong, while the cute Taste brushes I bought a few months ago gather dust in a drawer after a couple of disappointing uses.

    Look on Pinterest for sheet pan dinners. Simple with easy cleanup.

    Reply

    • I have one recipe for a sheet pan dinner in my lineup! I need more, so thanks for mentioning Pinterest. If you have any that you happen to really love please pass them along.

      Hope you’re having a nice Friday so far. The air quality here in the Bay Area is currently unhealthy so all the schools are closed today and everyone is inside!

      Reply

      • Oh, because of the fires! Are they near you? Are you safe? (I still only have limited Wi-Fi, so I’m not exactly sure which parts of Cali they’re in.)

        Sheet pan fajitas: seasoned boneless, skinless chicken breast and sliced onions and peppers. Warm up tortillas and your done.

        Reply

        • Yeah, it’s quite a ways. I’m in the Bay Area and the fires are way up north. The smoke has traveled down here though and it’s just not moving.

          AND YUM to the fajitas (my stomach just rumbled). What’s happening on your end of the keyboard?

          Reply

          • Sttttiiiillll waiting on the insurance company before we can start on house repairs. And getting re-acquainted with a lot of old favorite movies on DVD, since we still have no internet or cable, which is kind of fun. My girls discovered Sweet Home Alabama last night; there was quite the discussion about whether Jake or Andrew was cuter and which one Melanie should end up with. When did boys happen? Why aren’t we still watching Dora the Explorer? So disturbing!

  10. I would laugh about the foot cream/toothpaste mix up, except that I’ve had other things on my toothbrush besides toothpaste. Luckily, I noticed the odd texture before sticking it in my mouth.
    I’m just annoyed as heck that MAC has cheapened their product to the point it’s at now. I’ve been buying Japanese made brushes now. Expensive but so worth it. I do like the new Chanel brushes, too. They too are made in Japan. I have small eyes and my favorites are the eyeshadow blending brush, $38 and the rounded eyeshadow brush also $38. I’m trying to figure out which of the powder/face/blush brushes to spring for next.

    Reply

    • Hi Tatiana,

      That’s one thing I like about the Chanel brushes, too. The size is juuuuust right for smaller eyes. A friend on my on Instagram mentioned Hakuhodo, and I’m going to look into them!

      Reply

      • I love Hakuhodo, but they have so many different brushes I never know what to pick. I visited their showroom in Tokyo once and it wasn’t any less overwhelming. Well, except for passing up the brushes that were over 20000 Japanese yen (about 180 USD).
        They make yachiyo brushes like the ones from NARS, except much, much softer. Still kicking myself for not getting one when I was there.

        Reply

  11. Oh no at the foot cream incident!! And shame about the brushes! That’s awful at how bad your new one is!

    I can’t cook to save my life so I have no advice for you on feeding 14 people. Godspeed.

    Reply

    • Oh gosh, if it was 14 people I would just crawl into a cave and never come out. Thankfully it’s only just two additional people, but it’s for 14 days.

      Reply

        • LOL! I would be certified CRAY if we had to host that many people. And Tabs of course would be mad as hell! He’s spent most of the last couple days hiding, poor guy, so I’ve made it a point to give him extra special tuna juice and tuna.

          Reply

          • That’s being a good assistant! We only have my parents, my brother, and my brother’s wife coming for the big day next week. Jiji will probably hide, but Hettie will be very excited.

    • So the funny thing is it actually didn’t taste that bad! I was brushing my teeth for a good 30 seconds or so before I noticed something was off, LOL!

      Reply

  13. Karen, I think I have you beat with the foot cream! I was not feeling well 1 morning you know just like a bad cold and I was really congested (this is important because I have to explain exactly how it got past my nose.) So I actually put Bengay on my toothbrush and into my mouth…it was not a good experience! It burned so bad that my eyes were watering and instead of being congested it cleared my sinuses and then I had a runny nose. BTW the whole time I’m running around burning up and trying to get it out of my mouth good ole hubby was laughing his butt off, so no help there.
    Onto the Mac makeup brushes it really is sad that they are so shoddily made now. I purchased one and it didn’t even last a month. I have an elf brush that I have had forever that is still just fine and it was a cheap brush!
    Food is my thing (along with makeup) I would suggest either a pork roast done in the crockpot with potatoes and carrots (or beef) that way you can turn it into either BBQ pork sanwiches or if using beef a beef and pepper sandwich. I would make food that was pretty hands off and could double for other recipes. If it’s chilly and rainy and just kinda of nasty out both of the above could also be used for a big pot of chili (crockpot once again) and serve it with either cornbread or tortilla chips and cheese.

    Reply

    • Paula, that must’ve been all kinds of awful. I bet now the Bengay is on a completely different shelf though! #lifelessons

      Thank you for mentioning the crockpot; a bunch of gals here said the same thing, so I’m gonna do a beef stew (or stews). I also picked up a few pre-made things from Costco to get me through the next few days.

      Hope you’re having a nice weekend so far. What are you up to?

      Reply

      • I don’t even keep the Bengay in my bathroom any more it’s in hubby’s!
        I actually had to go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. I should have gone sooner because the stores were atrocious. Of course, hub’s was along with his suggestions…like why don’t you get this it’s 10 cents cheaper, or why do we have to go to a different store for the ham they had them right next to the turkey and you got the turkey from that store and all hams are the same! Then there were the olives, him: You are actually spending $9 a pound for olives they have them over there for a couple dollars a can. Me: Well sweetie if you want those canned olives then please put them in the buggy and you can eat them while all the rest of us eat these olives. Needless to say it’s so interesting to shop with him.
        I did manage to lose him for a while and went over to look at makeup. The holiday sets get me every single year.
        I am so not ready for the holidays.
        I hope you are having a great weekend!

        Reply

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