Karen

MAC Unsung Heroes: Double Dare Cremesheen Lipglass

March 26th, 2012 by Karen 43 Comments

mac double dare

I usually have a pretty good memory. Like, I can normally recall the things you’ve told me about yourself — how many cats you assist or the name of your favorite perfume — even if you mentioned them months or years ago, but for some reason, today I can’t remember the last time I played Truth or Dare.

And it’s bugging me! — because I wanted to tie it into this post about MAC Cremesheen Glass in Double Dare ($19.50), today’s MAC Unsung Hero.

I’ve been sitting here racking my brain, but the best I’ve come up with is one hazy memory of my roommates back in sophomore year daring me to knock on the door of the guy who lived in the apartment across from ours to tell him that we thought he was hot (“Hi, uh… My name is Karen and I live across the way and my roommates and I just wanted you to know that we think you’re cute okay bye!”), but I don’t think that was the last time.

Maybe the last time was so traumatizing that I blanked it out. Or perhaps I’m just running out of free space in my mental storage area, so my brain is deleting some of the useless stuff to make room for more important things, like makeup. 🙂

Oh, well… I’m sure I get more value out of remembering to bring this creamy reddish coral lipgloss with me than I’m likely to get from any of the stupid stuff I did back in the day, LOL!

Now, coral glosses? I happily rock ’em all year round, but during spring and summer, when bright lips rule the school, I could wear them 24/7. Double Dare happens to be one of the glosses that rarely leaves my purse, and it’s the shade I usually recommend to friends who say they like the idea of wearing a bright coral gloss like MAC Lychee Luxe or Viva Glam Cyndi, but don’t want to deal with a sticky Lipglass.

It’s just so darn easy! I can wear it without a lip liner, and even apply it without a mirror, like when I’m walking through a parking lot, which I actually did last night when I stopped by Target.

mac double dare

mac double dare swatch

mac double dare
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 213

March 26th, 2012 by Karen 60 Comments

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Mood:

In a word, happy. 🙂 The birds are singing outside my office window right now, and that always puts a smile on my face.

Have you tried the Clinique 3-Step System?

I have! I used it religiously when I was 14 and stuck with it for about a year.

Now that I think about it, I can’t remember why I stopped, but it was probably boredom, or I just got distracted by something else and moved on… That happened a lot when I was that age.

I still know people who swear by it, though, and I might give it another try.

I have fallen in love with a few other Clinique skin care products over the years, like their Rinse-Off Foaming Cleaners (I loved this stuff back in college when my skin was epically oily!), Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and Mild Clarifying Lotion.

Something you do to soothe yourself when you start feeling stressed?

When the weather’s nice, and my allergies aren’t going ballistic, I like to take a walk outside. But if I can’t get outside, then I try to find a quiet place where I can sit by myself, close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing for a few minutes.

That always takes the edge off.

Do you know how to platform/springboard dive?

No, not unless cannon-balling counts. 🙂

I have tried it a couple times but never quite got the hang of it. I guess it’s just one of things… I’m a total water baby, but there’s something about diving head first into a body of water that makes me a wee bit nervous.

Sparkling water or still?

Most of the time, still. Sparkling when my tummy’s gurgling.

We’re meeting for brunch on Saturday! What makeup will you wear?

I’ll be wearing NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer on my cheeks and around my mouth to even out my skin tone, MAC Pro Longwear Concealer to hide my dark under-eye circles, Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara to open up my eyes, MAC Concrete Eyeshadow to fill in my brows, Rouge Bunny Rouge Blush Wand in Manet to give my cheeks some color, and bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Spark Plug to make my lips really shine.

Are you wearing sun screen today?

I sure am. I’m wearing Clarins HydraQuench SPF 15 on my face and neck.

Your favorite t-shirt?

An ancient oversized navy blue tee with the words “UC Davis” on it that I’ve had forever. It’s not particularly cute or anything. I just think it’s really comfy.

A pricey beauty indulgence you’d love to try?

I’ve been very curious about Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($79) ever since some gals raved about it in the comments.

I think I might have pick it up when the Sephora VIB sale kicks in on the 29th…

Weekly goals:

To make it to at least a couple of yoga classes, to remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day (I slacked last week), to finish my to-do list by 6 each day (dare to dream!), and to make an appointment to get my hair did.

Okay, Mad Men fans, can we dish about last night’s season premiere? 🙂

That was one groovy party, man! And did you catch Megan’s cool cat eye makeup?

I’ll meet you for more Don Draper and friends in the comments, but first — do you have a minute for today’s Monday Poll?

To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

1. Mood:
2. Have you tried the Clinique 3-Step System?
3. Something you do to soothe yourself when you start feeling stressed?
4. Do you know how to platform/springboard dive?
5. Sparkling water or still?
6. We’re meeting for brunch on Saturday! What makeup will you wear?
7. Are you wearing sun screen today?
8. Your favorite t-shirt?
9. A pricey beauty indulgence you’d love to try?
10. Weekly goals:

Breathe in, breathe out… Breathe in, breathe out…

I’m doing my best to stay calm this week. You in?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

China Glaze Ray-Diant

March 26th, 2012 by Karen 4 Comments

See the hint of green in China Glaze’s Ray-Diant ($8)? Love it.

The Red Balloon

March 25th, 2012 by Karen 12 Comments

When I opened up the curtains this morning, the first thing I saw was this red balloon in the middle of the road. It looked so striking in the rain (I actually walked outside in my pajamas to take this pic).

Chances are the kids who live on my street probably just left it there, but the former English major in me wonders if there’s something symbolic about the situation.

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 184

March 25th, 2012 by Karen 17 Comments

Tabs for Illamasqua Feline Fundamentalism

Someone left the house intending to go grocery shopping this afternoon, only that someone then got sidetracked on the road somewhere near the Novato movie theaters. Then, that someone — I’m not naming any names here; we don’t judge — went to go see The Hunger Games for the second time.

Wow, I like movies, don’t I? I see a lot of movies. Some of them even twice! 🙂

Actually, this was the first movie I’ve seen twice at the theaters in years. I can’t even remember the last one.

In other news, Mad Men! I did end up doing my grocery shopping after the movie, and as soon as I change into my jammies and whip up something quick to eat, I’m gonna watch the season premiere.

It’s weird. Mad Men has been on hiatus for 17 months. That’s what I read somewhere. Dang, that’s a long time. 17 months? The actors have to look a little different after that much time.

Tabs is in charge of the remote tonight, so I better go prepare his gravy. He had a pretty busy week of kitty modeling. He worked with China Glaze, Illamasqua, MAC, Rouge Bunny Rouge (actually, an affiliate of theirs) and Urban Decay.

Tabs for The Hungrier Games Collection by China Glaze

Tabs for MAC Eye Shadow in Cattail
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Clarins Summer 2012: So Hot Their Lip Balm Is Sweating

March 25th, 2012 by Karen 22 Comments

clarins extra firming day cream

It’s summer in Clarins-ville. Here’s a look at some of the lineup for summer 2012.

Since we’re on the topic of Clarins, do you have a favorite product from the brand? Is it just me, or does it seem like their prices are rising?

Bronzing Duo SPF 15 in 01

clarins bronzing duo 01 open
Bronzing Duo SPF 15 in 01, $34

clarins bronzing duo 01 closed

clarins bronzing duo 01 pouch

clarins bronzing duo 01 box
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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

March 25th, 2012 by Karen 11 Comments

Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Rise and shine, morning glory! 🙂 Yup, it’s that time again. Another Sunday. And because it’s raining here and has been for days, MBB’s resident feline ambassador is fussy. Right now he’s ignoring me at the top of his cat tower.

How are things going on your end? Have you done anything exciting this weekend? Any new movies perhaps? Like one featuring a girl named Katniss and a cat named Buttercup?

I’m actually thinking about seeing it a second time tonight! That’s how much I liked it. Of course, I love, love, LOVE the books, so there’s also that.

Not much going on out here today. The only thing I have to do is go grocery shopping, and I really should go to Trader Joe’s. Sometimes when I’m lazy I just cheese out and go to Safeway instead, because it’s closer and less crowded, but whenever I do I end up spending twice as much for half as much food, much of it less healthy than what I can get at Trader Joe’s. So I should go to Trader Joe’s. We’ll see.

Whatever you’re up to, I hope it’s something fun.

A few beauty posts that caught my eye…

Not ready to take my Hunger Games obsession this far…yet — BellaSugar
I wish my nails were on fire! — The Nailasaurus
The Ciate Caviar Manicure Kit is so bizarrely intriguing — British Beauty Blogger
I love this look with the Illamasqua Neutral Palette — My Weekend Ramblings
Yay! Mad Men is back, and so are the great style ideas — Keiko Lynn
5 very easy to ways to make food healthier — College Candy
Framed! Matching Your Makeup to Your Glasses – Vogue.com
Beautiful swatches of the China Glaze Capitol Colours collection (part 1, and here’s part 2)– Nails and Noms
How to try a range of natural cosmetics from Jane Iredale without breaking the bank — Jenn Staz
So bright and springy! A neon ombre/Skittle manicure — Swatch and Learn

They’re unrelenting! The makeup monsters are back, yet again, even though their fancy promotional poster is almost completely out of room, haha! Seriously, there’s no room left in that big poster down there. That, and I’m running out of monster ideas! Today, it was down to 1) a creature that eats makeup wipes and 2) one that devours lip plumpers.

But then at the last minute my eyes settled upon a lonely Chanel quad…

The Quad Swindler

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Makeup Monsters Description: Once upon a time, a goblin employed by a big cosmetics guild was arrested for thievery by the local guard and sentenced to work as the royal wizard’s assistant.

The wizard, wanting for power and an endless supply of eyeshadow, magically transformed the goblin into the first Quad Swindler, with the idea being that the Swindler would then go out and steal eyeshadow and return it to the wizard.

Of course, the idea backfired, and the goblin fled into the countryside, where he/it stops eyeshadow owners along secluded roads to swindle them out of their pans of eyeshadow, which he/it uses to keep his quad filled. It’s all very complicated… 🙂

Frequency: Very rare
Speed: Fast
Armor Class: 6
Special Attacks: Fast-talking swindle
Special Defenses: NA
Intelligence: Very
Alignment: Neutral, but obsessed about keeping his quad filled
Size: Medium (5′ tall)