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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 672

April 5th, 2021 by Karen 22 Comments

do more of what you love pink balloons
Note to self!

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. Essie Ballet Slippers — all that and a bag of chips, or just eh?

    Eh, it’s alright. I do recognize that it’s one of those classic neutrals that that works for a lot of occasions but I think there are other brands that do sheer pink polish just as well, or even better.

    2. Where do you prefer doing a pop of color — lips, lids or cheeks?

    Normally, my cheeks because I feel like I get the most bang for my buck there, since blush covers such a big chunk of face real estate.

    During the masked pandemic times though, I prefer a swish of colorful liner on my upper lash line.

    3. How much do you like taking quizzes in magazines?

    I loved them when I was a teenager! The sillier the better.

    4. Something you’d like to give away?

    Um…my anxiety? Any takers? LOL!

    Really, though, I have 15 pounds of russet potatoes sitting in my kitchen right now because my parents gave me two bags of them for Easter (yes, super weird), so if someone knocked on my door right now and asked for some potatoes, I’d say, “You’ve come to the right place! Knock yourself out.”

    5. Cheddar, Swiss or Brie?

    Brie, baby!

    6. Would you rather be a hippo or a shark?

    Hippo all the way, because they seem more relaxed than sharks (?), and, like, I can just see myself being as shark and being totally tense and stressed out all the time.

    No thank you!

    7. How quickly does it take for you to know that you click with someone?

    It really depends. I’ve made friends with people I’ve gotten along with from the get-go, and I’ve had other friendships that took a while to blossom, but normally I can tell within 20 minutes or so if I’m really connecting and getting along with someone.

    8. Are you (or have you ever been) a trendsetter?

    Hmm… I think so, sort of, back in the day. I’ve always loved pushing boundaries and trying new things with fashion and makeup, but seasons change in life as they do in nature, and these days I’m more comfortable with classic style. But maybe I’ll get back to that trendy space someday… You never know.

    9. Something inspiring you at the moment?

    I’ve been binging a French show about movie agents on Netflix called Call My Agent, and the makeup is very cool — super restrained and très chic. It’s refreshing to see brows, lashes and skin that aren’t completely over the top.

    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. Essie Ballet Slippers — all that and a bag of chips, or just eh?
    2. Where do you prefer doing a pop of color — lips, lids or cheeks?
    3. How much do you like taking quizzes in magazines?
    4. Something you’d like to give away?
    5. Cheddar, Swiss or Brie?
    6. Would you rather be a hippo or a shark?
    7. How quickly does it take for you to know that you click with someone?
    8. Are you (or have you ever been) a trendsetter?
    9. Something inspiring you at the moment?

    P.P.S. Good morning, beautiful girl! Happy Monday to you. Just in case you haven’t heard it lately, a gentle reminder: you should be so, so proud of where you are and all of your progress so far. Remember, it doesn’t have to happen all at once. You’re closer to whatever it is you’re working toward than you were yesterday, so keep at it, OK? You can do it. 🤗

    Oh, and this little lady says hi! All of us here at Casa de MBB hope you had a wonderful Easter.

There are 22 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 653

April 4th, 2021 by Karen 6 Comments

Over the years, when Tabs was actually home on an Easter and not out galivanting around the world at some exotic locale for a kitty modeling shoot, he hosted Easter egg hunts at home for the local kittens and children. Yup, despite his diva nature, he was all heart.

Wait — I take that back. He got a little touchy one year when the Easter Bunny tried to show him up. (You know how Tabs loved to hog the spotlight.)

It was the year Ryan Gosling dressed up as the Easter Bunny and performed skits and played songs on an accordion. Because Tabs was a consummate professional, he didn’t let on that he was jealous, but I could tell. There was something about his eyes and the way his whiskers moved… He was bothered.

Rosie says, “Hoppy Easter.”

Rosie was all business on her Easter egg hunt today. She used a grid and programmed some software to systematically plot out which areas of the circle would have the highest statistical chance of containing eggs.

It worked really well.

Now she’s thinking about turning it into an app for cats and children, because that’s where she sees dollar signs, and she’s currently learning Python to make this dream come true.

Yeah, she’s not the type of scientist who just sits somewhere and casually ponders. She’s definitely a go-getter. She borrowed one of Connor’s programming books and plans to have a prototype ready to test soon. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 6 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Rosie, Tabs

Saturday Surfing, April 3, 2021

April 3rd, 2021 by Karen 1 Comment

hello saturday easter 2021
Welcome to the weekend!

Hi, guys! Happy Easter weekend. 🐇💐 Good morning. First things first; I have a question for you. Does the pic at the top make you want to paint your paws? Because it did for me! Now I need creamy yellow, pink and blue claws ASAP. 😁

This week’s reading

  • Allegedly, these are the 21 best makeup organizers of 2021!
  • YouTuber Violette_FR just launched her own makeup line, so now we can all master French girl chic.
  • Byredo’s new spring makeup collection includes an eyeliner called “Practical Brown,” a name that speaks volumes to my current makeup aesthetic.
  • If you have psoriasis, here’s what a doc suggests doing to make your beauty routine more manageable.
  • Does your skin care routine need an oil cleanser?
  • This is what the experts recommend doing if you want your nail polish to dry faster.
  • These three fourth graders started a rescue organization for stray, homeless and abandoned felines in their community.
  • 14 orange lipsticks that are supposed to look good on everybody.
  • Meet China’s “Lipstick King,” Austin Li Jiaqi.


D-R-Y


Grace Kelly’s style


Love me some Mally Roncal


Yum

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There's 1 comment on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Final Word on the Urban Decay Naked Wild West Palette | A Pretty Pink Cheek and Lip Combo With Jane Iredale Clearly Pink Blush and Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick

April 2nd, 2021 by Karen 5 Comments

urban decay wild west april 2021
I say YAY to Urban Decay Naked Wild West!

After spending a month with the new Urban Decay Naked Wild West palette, I’m happy to say that I can totally recommend it. I enjoy its mix of practical neutrals (a mélange of matte brown, beige, taupe and gray) with colorful teals, bronzes and golds, and if you’re like me and love a wearable, easy eye look, you can get that look quite easily.

Here’s what you do: 1) mix one or two of your favorite mattes with a blending brush, and sweep that onto your lids. Then, 2) wet an angled eye brush, load it up with any of the shades from the palette, and use it to line your upper lash line.

I like to think of this palette as a neutral matte palette with a bunch of fun liner shades. 😊 And when you use Naked Wild West in this way, you’ll have an endless (and easy) array of wearable combinations to choose from!

One item of note for my ladies with hooded lids — Laredo, the matte gray taupe, is totally key! Since most of the Naked Wild West mattes are warm-toned browns, I like to mix in the cooler-toned Laredo to create the illusion of a deeper crease.

urban decay wild west laredo
Laredo is the key!
urban decay wild west april 2021 closeup
The teal here looks so effortless, methinks.
urban decay wild west april 2021 closeup
Laredo mixed with Nudie on the lids, with a pop of dark matte teal Tex on the upper lash lines

OH! — I stumbled on a new wearable pink lip and cheek combo I like with Jane Iredale PurePressed Blush in Clearly Pink and Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick.

jane iredale clearly pink blush origins dusky rose lipstick
A pretty pink lip and cheek combo!

Jane Iredale Clearly Pink is a powdered pinky beige blush that leans slightly cool, and it totally looks like something Chanel would do! I love how it looks like a matte pink when you sweep it on your cheeks, but you can see the tiniest little flecks of silvery glitter peek when you look closely. It’s sophisticated, and a little goes a long way.

If you like Chanel Pink Explosion or Clinique Cupid, you’ll probably be into Clearly pink.

As for Origins Dusky Rose Lipstick, like the blush, it packs a pigmented wallop. It’s a brownish rose with a cream finish… Have you ever worn MAC Cosmo Lipstick? Because if you have and you liked it, I’m betting Dusky Rose will work for you!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 🐇💐🐤

There are 5 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Jane Iredale, Just For Fun, Makeup, Origins, Urban Decay

Fresh, Fun Spring Trends to Try

April 1st, 2021 by Karen 12 Comments

easy fresh spring trends 2021

Which of these spring trends would you like to try?

Peach and plum layered blush

This trend combines two of my favorite shades of blush — peach and plum!

Start by sweeping a satin or matte peach blush on your cheekbones; then, dab a touch of a satin or matte plum just on the apples of your cheeks.

Gently blend the colors with a blush brush for fresh, glowing cheeks. 😊

easy fresh spring trends 2021 layered blush

Matching or complementary pastel nails and liner

This is an easy way to add some fun color to your look during these mask-wearing times.

First, if you want foolproof, choose a matching nail polish and liner. If, instead, you’re in the mood to play, then pair pastels together. Here I’m wearing a creamy pastel purple polish (Chanel Purple Ray; it isn’t available nowadays, but Chanel Mirage is similar) and shimmery pink liner on my upper lash lines.

easy fresh spring trends pastel nails and liner

The hottest trend in liquid liner

Introduce an unexpected element into your makeup with some unique, organic shapes. To make the most of this up-and-coming spring trend, I suggest incorporating your mask in some way.

easy fresh spring trends graphic liner

[Continue reading…]

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, MAC Makeup, Makeup, Makeup Tips/How To

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Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog
Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my four-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my torbie girl cat (Pretty Girl Rosie, a.k.a. PGR).

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