Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 314

September 21st, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Oh, sweet relief. Finally, a weekend to myself — except for Greg, my favorite petsitter. He lets me have all the gravy I can handle…and I can handle a lot of gravy.

My assistants are out of town visiting kin up north, so I spent a relaxing weekend lounging, watching birds and consuming large quantities of food.

I needed this…

The humans will be home soon, so I’m just trying to enjoy these last few hours with Greg and his magical hands (he gives the best deep-tissue kitty massages).

Out of curiosity, have you read the new issue of Vogue Cat? Did you happen to notice the dashing superkitty model on page 23? Yup, ’tis I. Just one of my many recent kitty modeling jobs. Here are pics of the others.

Enjoy.

I’m sure you will. 🙂

XOXO,

Tabs

This post is sponsored by Purina Pro Plan #proplancatpartner. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

Tabs for the new Hungry Eyes Eye Shadow Palette

Tabs for new Quick Getaway Exhilarating Scented Nose Tint

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7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

September 20th, 2014 by Karen 319 Comments

Rise and shine, morning glory. It’s the crack of dawn!

El Hub and I sneaked away for a couple days up to Redding to visit family, so greetings from Redding! — the second sunniest city in the United States, and the home of the Sundial Bridge.

Tabs is holding down the fort back at MBB headquarters and (of course) ordering his petsitter around.

In other news, coffee. Have you had yours yet today? We’re here at my in-laws house, and I’m the only one awake (it’s only 7 a.m.), so I’m wondering…do I want to make the coffee myself, or should I wait for someone else?

Hmm…

Yes, these are the decisions of great importance that I make on a daily basis, LOL! 🙂

Have a great day today, my friend, whatever you’re doing, and good luck in the giveaway. Talk to you soon.

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Have you ever been to Africa?
- If you could only have one non-eyeshadow palette for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- Best shopping center/mall you’ve ever seen?
- Finish the sentence, “I should never have attempted to ______.”
- If you were to dress your partner/significant other, what would you have them wear?
- What’s been the best makeup purchase you’ve made so far this year?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, September 22, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Deep Matte Red Milani Lipstick in Enchanted Ruby

September 19th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

There’s something kind of vintage ’40s glam about Milani’s new deep matte red limited edition Enchanted Ruby Lipstick in ($6.49). I sure love how the matte finish looks in pics! If your lip sitch isn’t as dry as mine, you’ll probably be able to pull this off, no problem, but I find the texture a tad powdery and dry for me by itself…so I usually end up popping a gloss on top.

Enraptured by Enchanted Ruby? You can find it (and its enchanting cousin Enchanted Topaz) casting spells now at CVS and Walgreens stores.

How Kohl! It’s Topshop Kohl Pencil in Sable

September 19th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Because sometimes you just need a soft, smokey brown kohl to wear on your lash and water lines, you know? — one that isn’t too red or gray and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Kohl Pencil in Sable by Topshop is just $8! It’s a kohl, so it’s not that long lasting. I do have to reapply every 4-5 hours or so, but it’s gloriously smooth and smudgy.

It’s available now online and at Topshop and Nordstrom stores.

In a Galaxy Not Far Away (CVS and Walgreens Stores), You’ll Find The Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liners

September 19th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Wearing the new Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liners in Enchanted Emerald and Enchanted Lapis ($6.99 each)

It’s only a matter of time before Ryan and Eva call and ask me to babysit this “alleged” fruit of their loins, and when they do (Guys, seriously, call me. Ryan, I mean you. Please call me.), I could show up dressed like a responsible citizen, perhaps wearing one of these Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liners ($6.99 each and available in three shades) in a thin, tasteful cat eye with a dainty flick at the end…but why would I do that?

The three Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liners, $6.99 each

I don’t want to look responsible… I want to strike fear into Eva’s heart! Girlfriend needs to know that we, as in all of womankind, are on to her.

Gurl, we know that baby isn’t his! Stop playin’ already. 🙂

But seriously, word on the street is that these limited edition liners are flying off the shelves at CVS and Walgreens stores (I haven’t seen them on the Milani website), and I can see why. They exude personality. Technically gel eyeliners, they have a glittery overspray on top, and they sure are eye-catching, aren’t they?

So sparkly! Like gazing at a newly formed galaxy…but, like, in a pot.

Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liner in Enchanted Emerald — Enchanted Emerald

Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liner in Black Opal — Black Opal

Milani Constellation Gel Eye Liner in Enchanted Lapis — Enchanted Lapis

When you get through the overspray, you’re greeted by complex, interesting colors. Take the Enchanted Emerald shade, which from some angles looks like a deep, glossy black, and from others, a peacock blue with an undercurrent of tropical teal…

Super pretty!

I’m into all three of these, but not just because of their dynamic colors. I also like the creamy, almost wet texture and the astronomically shiny finish. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it before.

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The New Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette: Chic Cheeks Are Just a Couple Swipes Away

September 19th, 2014 by Karen 36 Comments

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette blushes from the left: Luminous Flush, Incandescent Electra and Mood Exposure — Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

Hello, gorgeous. Good afternoon. I don’t want to keep you from the fun I hope you’re having (it is Friday, after all), but do you have time for a 2-minute review? I hope so, because this is one I think you’ll like. 🙂

Are you ready? OK, I’m turning over the hourglass now…

The new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette: 2-minute review

A limited edition palette containing three Hourglass blushes, two of them re-promotes and one brand new blush shade.
Price: $58 US, $67 CDN
Coming October 2014 to Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Sephora and Space NK stores, as well as online to hourglasscosmetics.com.
The two re-promoted blush shades are Luminous Flush (a champagne rose blush fused with Ambient Powder in Luminous Light) and Mood Exposure (a soft plum blush fused with Ambient Powder in Mood Light).
The single new shade, exclusive to the Ambient Lighting Blush Palette, is called Incandescent Electra, a cool peach blush blended with Ambient Powder in Incandescent Light.
Handle with care! Even the packaging indicates that the palette is fragile, so this beauty may not be fit for whirlwind travel.
Incandescent Electra, the new peach shade, is much more pigmented than I thought it would be at first blush/glance. One layer is enough for a natural-looking flush.
Go really easy on Luminous Flush and Mood Exposure, because you’ll probably only need a bit of either one.
All three of these are, unsurprisingly for Hourglass, a breeze to blend, and the powders don’t appear heavy at all on the skin.
I think they also look great in pics. Skin doesn’t look oily, and pores don’t look extra-large.
Wear time clocks in around 8-9 hours.
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A (an A+ if the packaging felt more fit for travel, but I’m nervous about the blushes breaking!)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette Luminous Flush — Luminous Flush

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette Incandescent Electra — Incandescent Electra

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette Mood Exposure — Mood Exposure

Hourglass Blush Palette Swatches — From the left: Luminous Flush, Incandescent Electra and Mood Exposure

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What’s a Hairstyle You Haven’t Tried Yet But Would Like To?

September 19th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

I’ll take one of those elaborately braided Katniss Everdeen hairdos. Either that, or an effortless, messy boho fishtail braid.

I’m kind of regretting not trying something like that when my hair was longer a few months ago, but I didn’t have the patience to attempt it myself… When it comes to intricate or complicated braiding, my hair patience usually ends around the 5-minute braided bun mark.

What’s a hairstyle you haven’t tried yet but would like to?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

P.P.S. Speaking of The Hunger Games, and no, I’m not referring to Tabs, guess what’s coming out soon? 🙂

Is Rosy Beige Nude Milani Lipstick in Enchanted Topaz a Gem?

September 18th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

I am captivated by the thought of an enchanted topaz — this Enchanted Topaz, Milani’s new $6.49 matte nude lipstick for fall because, hello, I’m the girl with five or six nude lippies in her purse at any given time. 🙂

I like how this rosy beige nude looks on my lips, especially when I wear it with a dramatic smokey eye, but I have a hard time with the texture… A dry, powdery matte, it’s unforgiving on any flaky areas of my lips (not a problem if I apply a layer of moisturizing gloss on top).

Topaz is one of three matte lipsticks in the new Milani fall Bedazzled collection. There’s also a purple shade called Enchanted Amethyst and a deep wine called Enchanted Ruby, and all of them are available now for a limited time at CVS and Walgreens stores.