Karen

1. My eyes aren’t symmetrical; i.e., they’re completely different from each other.

I mean, it’s not like I have a reptilian eye or anything, so they aren’t THAT different on the scale of things that are “completely different.”

It’s probably not as noticeable to most people, but it’s noticeable to me. My right eye is a smidgen bigger than my left, and it sits slightly higher. My right eyebrow is also a bit shorter than the left.

Also, my left eye has a more pronounced hood, which is a relatively recent development that didn’t exist prior to my late 30s, but I’m not gonna get too stressed out about it. On the scale of things to worry about in life…it’s pretty low on the list.

2. I used to be the kind of person who’d apply concealer just to get the mail.

But I’m starting to embrace more of #thatbarefaced life. Now I’m much more likely to go to the grocery store without filling in my brows, which I never would have even thought of doing a few years ago.

I dunno… I still love makeup, and I still wear it daily, almost all the time, but I also like to just throw my hair up in a bun sometimes. I mean, it’s not like the paparazzi are stalking me or anything. I can leave the house without a stitch of makeup on, and the world will not fall apart. EVERYTHING WILL BE OK.

3. Sometimes I reuse my false lashes an OBSCENE number of times.

Seriously, it’s almost criminal. I’m very careful to keep them clean, though, so they’re not completely disgusting.

4. I prefer to take pictures with my right side facing the camera.

I’ve watched more hours of America’s Next Top Model than I care to admit. Too bad I wasn’t paying attention to Tyra’s advice on how to work your angles.

For the longest time I took a willy-nilly approach to my portrait pictures. I didn’t think about holding my head a certain way, or elongating my neck or any of that jazz.

But then I did, and I started to see how big of a difference those little things could make.

When I stand with my ride side facing the camera, oh! — much more forgiving. With my left side facing the camera, however, I look like a retired linebacker.

5. Sometimes I think I have a hard time doing winged liner in the morning because I drink too much coffee…

Coffee definitely helps me get going in the morning, and it makes the writing easier, for sure, but when I’m fully caffeinated and try to do winged liner, I can’t draw a straight cat eye flick to save my life. I get the shakes!

That’s when the Nexcare Gentle Paper Tape comes out. 🙂

So, babe! The Cosmetic Lover Confession lines are open. What are some makeup/beauty-related things your fellow beauty lovers may find unusual or surprising about you? What are your cosmetics confessions?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

Ooh! So I was rutting around in my makeup stash the other day, aka “organizing it,” (ah, the eternal struggle!) when I spotted what is hands down one of the best things (or at least my favorite things) available at the drugstore right now, a lovely pot of black gel liner by Maybelline.

A true black liner without any green or blue undertones, Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black is soft, smooth and easy to work with, and while I’ve never tried to wear it for 24 hours straight, I do believe it would be up to the task, because I have worn it for 12 hours at a time, and it has. Not. Moved.

The pot comes with a brush…but I’d just ditch it. Or give it another task (nail art perhaps?), because it’s kinda hard to control and pretty much useless. Instead, I like to use my favorite angled eyeliner brush in the world, the NARS #47, to apply it.

And have I mentioned that Blackest Black is only $10??

HOLLA. If you’re interested, you can find it at drugstores, Ulta stores and ulta.com.

How about you, babe? What’s a drugstore darling product you currently adore?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Guess who shook her groove thang with The Purple Ones last night! I’ll give you one guess. Here’s a hint: she’s currently making toast for breakfast and singing Let’s Go Crazy. 🙂 I hope you’re having a kick-@ss year so far!

1. The lob

So, pretty much the best haircut ever! I saw someone with it on Instagram one day last summer and knew I had to try it. It’s basically an a-line shape, slightly shorter in the back and longer in the front. Good way to go shorter with your ‘do without having to go full-on short, if that makes any sense. You get the sensation of having short hair without actually…you know, having to chop off most of your hair.

2. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

BAH! Perfection in a bottle, but why does it have to be so expensive ($21.50 for a small 2.2-oz. bottle)?

You can use it as a dry shampoo, to lift your roots, to add volume, or just as a light hold hairspray.

Really, the only thing it doesn’t do is address the meaning of life.

OK, well, I’m exaggerating…a little.

3. HomeGoods

Just take my money already. This store… It’s home decorating nirvana. Every time I go is a treasure hunt. I never know what I’m gonna find.

(A secret squirrel told me that you have to go on the certain days when they get their shipments in, so ask an associate at your local store.)

Anything and everything you can imagine for your house/apartment/igloo/condo — they probably carry it, at a steeply discounted price.

It is SO fun. Every time you go you’ll find cute stuff.

4. The MAC Brooke Shields Gravitas Palette

I can’t remember the last time I freaked out this completely over a MAC palette with so many amazing MAC neutrals, and it FLEW off the shelves. Even at $85, it was a major, epic MAC moment and well worth the price.

5. Laura Mercier Flawless Fluide Foundation

For me this is the. Best. Foundation out there right now. Basically a Hogwarts-caliber makeup miracle, and I love it so much that I would have a full-on breakdown if Laura discontinued it.

Please, Laura, don’t! I would immediately go into emergency stockpile mode and crawl to the ends of the earth for it. It’s THAT serious.

It covers everything, mellows out my pores, and it doesn’t feel heavy at all.

6. The Avocado Egg Rolls at the Cheesecake Factory

On the one hand, I’m glad I discovered these, because eating them is what I imagine strolling through the pearly gates to heaven would feel like… Sublime, ethereal, surreal.

But I almost wish I hadn’t discovered them because they’re also a billion calories! I’m serious. You probably just went up a dress size looking at this picture.

7. The Guerlain Night at the Opera Holiday Collection

There was so much glowing goodness in this collection that my eyes are rolling back in my head as I type this.

Ahh… Oh, yeah.

The Meteorites Perles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls and the Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks — both super expensive, but pure perfection on every level.

8. Chanel New Moon cream shadow

Sparkly! New Moon is one of those weirdly wonderful colors that only Chanel could do this good. It’s a glittery copper with colorful sparkles, and I should’ve grabbed a second one when I had the chance, sigh….

9. The Progressive Wedge & Pop apple slicer doohickey

One of the (many) things I got at HomeGoods this year. It’s just this thingamabob that cores your apples for you, all nice and neat.

Yeah, it’s kind of useless, because you could also use a knife, but I love it. And I use it daily.

10. Gamma Ray Computer Glasses!

Yet another thing I use daily. El Hub got me these one nice, random day to help my eyes, which ache sometimes from hours and hours of staring at the computer screen.

The only thing is that the lenses are always getting smudges on them, so I’m cleaning them literally all day long.

But they definitely help my eyes.

11. Kate Spade Studs

I will forever remember 2014 as The Year of My Kate Spade Studs ($38). I started wearing them earlier this year, and they’ve pretty much become the only earrings I want to wear.

I’ve always thought of myself as a big earrings gal, but right now I’m really into simple studs. And I totally blame Kate Spade and her comfortable, adorable studs that look a lot more expensive than they really are (these are only $38!).

They’re also available in different colors, go with practically everything, and when I wear them, I don’t have to worry about Tabs swatting at big ol’ dangly hoops.

12. The MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection

So, being a water baby and all…I was totally enthralled by this collection’s aquatic theme.

The release was all about the MAC In Extra Dimension formula, and the bronzers? SWOON.

Serious contender for my favorite MAC collection of 2014.

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I’m kinda wishing I hadn’t chopped off my hair because now I really want to learn how to do intricate braids… You know, like those fancy combinations with the fish tail and the french braids in the same look.

Funny how the grass is always greener on the other side…

I’d also love to learn how to do really good ’40s-style finger waves and Victory rolls.

For makeup, I want 2015 to be the year when I finally break out of my smokey eye comfort zone, so I want to be able to do more variations on different kinds of glam makeup looks, like daytime-friendly glam, BIG glam, softer and more natural glam…

If it’s glam, I want to be all up in that ish!

I also want to experiment with more ’60s makeup looks. Like last month I watched an Audrey Hepburn movie called Charade, and Audrey’s cut crease and black cat liner action in it was INSANE.

I think I could probably do something like that now if I had a whole day to just futz with my makeup, but since Tabs keeps me on such a short leash (haha), I want to be able to do things like that faster.

Talk to me, babe! What are the next hair or makeup looks, styles or techniques you’d like to learn?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy New Year’s Eve morning! 🙂

P.P.S. Let’s party like it’s 1999 with The Purple Ones at Fenix in San Rafael tonight! Be there!!