Karen

Late-Night Callers and the New NARS Unlawful Blush

July 7th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

**RING! RING!**

KAREN: Hello?

MYSTERY CALLER: Hey, girl.

KAREN: Hey… (?)

MYSTERY CALLER: What are you doing?

KAREN: Um…well, I have a wicked bout of insomnia right now, but what else is new?

MYSTERY CALLER: Damn, that sucks.

KAREN: And despite the fact that it’s closer to dawn than dusk, I’m playing with some new fall makeup from NARS.

MYSTERY CALLER: Fun!

KAREN: I know! I actually just applied a new blush of theirs called Unlawful — wait, who is this, and why are you calling me in the middle of the night?

MYSTERY CALLER: Well, that’s for me to know and for you to find out.

KAREN: OK, that was creepy…

MYSTERY CALLER: Wait, don’t hang up on me. Trust me, you’re a fan.

KAREN: Alright… OK, well, this is totally weird, though, but what the heck. It’s the middle of the night, and I’ve obviously got insomnia, so I might as well just go with it.

MYSTERY CALLER: Yes! Now, about that blush… I want to hear all about it.

KAREN: Uh, huh… Have I mentioned how TOTALLY WEIRD this is?

MYSTERY CALLER: You have.

KAREN: Right… But I’m not one to pass up an opportunity to talk about makeup, even if it is with a mystery caller in the middle of the night.

So, Unlawful. It’s a real showstopper — a warm-toned opalescent bronzed amber pink packed with tiny flecks of silver glitter, and it’s very pigmented, too.

That NARS decided to add silver glitter to it seems kind of unusual, because as warm as it is, I would have expected NARS to go with gold instead.

But the silver works. There’s just a lot of it.

OK, a ton.

You can’t really tell in pics, but you get up close and it’s a total glitter-fest.

I mean, the flecks are almost microscopic. They’re really tiny, which keeps the shade from delving into tacky territory, but it’s great. With this, you really don’t even need a highlighter.

Ultimately, it depends on how you feel about glitter. It’s all really subtle in pics, but it’s like, “Hey, how YOU doin’?” in real life.

MYSTERY CALLER: A friend of mine told me that Unlawful is from the new fall Night Caller collection? Is that right?

KAREN: It is. I always look forward to the NARS fall — wait, can you hold on a second? My cat just walked into the room, and if I don’t pick him up and show him some attention he’ll throw a fit.

Come here, Tabs.

MYSTERY CALLER: Take your time…

KAREN: Anyway, the fall collection is dope! Ten pieces. Along with the blush, there are a couple of eyeshadow duos, two Satin Lip Pencils, a new multiple and, oh! — a new line of glittery eyeliners based on the NARS Night Series eyeshadows.

Do you know those?

MYSTERY CALLER: Actually, no. Frankly, I know more about acting than I know about eyeshadow.

NARS Unlawful Blush Swatch — Unlawful Blush

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 328

July 7th, 2014 by Karen 35 Comments

Yesterday I went to Rodeo Beach at the Marin Headlands

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 seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust all the way, baby! And please pass the ranch and chili pepper flakes while you’re at it.

Who does your brows?
Me, myself and I.

I have weird control issues when it comes to my brows…

Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Nope, usually not a drop from June through mid-October. We live in a high risk fire zone so the trees and grasses get bone dry.

I wish it did rain in summer, though, because I love warm places when it rains, like when it rains in the tropics.

Surround yourself with _____.
Kitties. Lots and lots of kitties!

Or, just one cat, if your main kitty is a diva alpha kitty who refuses to share the spotlight with other cats (*cough* Tabs *cough*).

Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting your hair blown out?
I actually prefer them both. 🙂 But I like doing them myself because I’m super picky (I’ve gotten some bad blowouts).

Buuuuuut, if I had to choose one over the other, I’d opt for the blowout, because they’re always faster when somebody else does them for me.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
2. Who does your brows?
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
4. Surround yourself with _____.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?

Hi there, friend.

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine ended up being downright lovely and super chill. I felt like I had a lot of time to just relax and breathe.

I watched a couple movies, put my toes in the sand at the beach, had lunch with my brother, and spent some quality time with El Hub.

I was also moderately productive in a stress management kind of way and thought of some new things to try in July.

First, I’m going to sign up for a few yoga classes. Yoga always helps me chill out, but I just fell off the yoga wagon for some reason.

A local studio, Front Street Yoga, has a special this month — $5 classes, whoo-hoo!

That’s some affordable relaxation right there.

Second, I’m going to start forecasting and planning around the hormonal craziness in my cycle, because that’s when the sh*t usually hits the fan and writing/functioning/avoiding the urge to stab strangers with blunt objects becomes a struggle.

I’m going to prep more things while I feel sane and good, just in case I have trouble, and I’m also going to consciously avoid my emotional triggers.

No, seriously. I blocked off a section on my calendar that actually says, “Avoid emotional triggers.”

Sounds silly, but whatever works, right? I hope it helps.

Lastly, I’m going to try a few of these free 30-minute meditation podcasts by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. (Thank you, April, for sharing that link!)

I hope you’re having a great Monday so far. Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 303

July 6th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

A Tabs the Cat Comic, Surely You Jest, Part 2

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

Whew! Tabs is exhausted.

He’s out like a light on the living room floor because he had a really busy weekend. First, there was the Fourth of July, and of course he partied all night. Then, on Saturday, he had to make a couple of promotional stops at local comic book stores for his new graphic novel. Then he ran a 5K today.

You know, just because he could.

Our favorite kitty overachiever hopes you enjoy this latest installment of the worldwide #1 blockbuster graphic novel, Surely You Jest.

P.S. He’s in talks right now with Marvel Studios about turning it into a movie (he’d play the leading role, of course). 🙂

Surely You Jest, Parts 1 & 2: A Tabs the Cat Graphic Novel

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

July 5th, 2014 by Karen 323 Comments

World's tallest cat tower — The Dubai Cat Tower, by designer and architect Tabs the Cat, holds the current record for the world’s tallest cat tower at 2,723′

I think most driven cats think about their legacy.

They want to leave their mark on the world; they want to be remembered. In fact, I think it’s one of the main reasons they scratch things…

It’s tough nowadays, though, because cats aren’t as easily impressed as they once were. There was a time when a cat could just scratch an oak tree, and other cats would walk by and say, “That scratch there? Your great, great, great grandcat made that scratch,” but no more. Now cats have to think bigger.

Bigger like the recently completed Dubai Cat Tower, which at 2,723′ is the tallest freestanding cat tower in the world.

Tabs just wants to leave his mark on the world… 🙂

In other news, good morning! Rise and shine, pal o’ mine. Happy caturday!

I really enjoyed yesterday’s open thread (thank you for stopping by), and I’ll still be hanging out in the comments there if you want to chat.

So…tell me about fireworks. Did you see any last night? We saw a few sparkles in the sky from our house, but that’s about it. We did, however, see one of the coolest movies I’ve seen in a long time. If you like thought-provoking sci-fi — oh! — you have to see Snowpiercer.

WOW! What a fan-friggin’-tastic sci-fi movie. I’m going to be seeing scenes from that movie in my head for the rest of my life.

It stars Chris Evans (Captain America), Jamie Bell (Billy Elliott, Jumper), Tilda Swinton (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Deep End) and quite a few other good actors.

It’s kind of a weird premise, but that’s a recipe for good sci-fi. It’s about a train. The whole thing takes place on a train, but it doesn’t really feel claustrophobic, because the train is their entire world. For reasons explained in the movie, the people on the train can’t leave. Can’t ever step foot off the train. Ever.

There’s a struggle for leadership to control the limited resources on the train, and intense mayhem ensues.

Warning: It’s shocking and gruesome and twisted at times.

Seriously, if you consider yourself a fan of sci-fi, you gotta see Snowpiercer.

In other news…it’s giveaway time!

Are you ready for this? I hope you are.

Good luck. 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:
- Do you have any phobias?
- Sushi: yes or no?
- What and where is your favorite hair salon?
- Have you ever practiced a martial art?
- Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?
- Nail stickers: yes or no?
You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
The giveaway ends on Monday, July 7, 2014 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time), which is, incidentally, someone’s birthday. 🙂
Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Let’s Chat About Makeup, Cats, Blogging, Photography and Wicked Mood Swings in Today’s Open Thread

July 4th, 2014 by Karen 157 Comments

I’m back from the parade and feeling much better. It helped to walk around outside, get some sun and see happy people and kids, and oh! — animals.

Yeah, seeing animals always does wonders for my soul. Any day you see a pet pig wearing Mardi Gras beads in a stroller can’t be too bad, you know?

(It made me feel like less of a crazy cat lady for wanting to get Tabs a stroller so we can cruise the mall.)

Team Canine was definitely in the house! There were lots of dogs, and many of them were dressed up for the occasion.

This girl was my favorite.

See the crossed paws action? 🙂

FLAWLESS. She has “International Doggy Supermodel” written all over her.

Quite a few horses out and about, too. They were dressed for the occasion in glitter, bows, body paint and stars.

Yup, it’s official. If I ever have a horse, I’m dressing her up in sparkles and bows on the regular.

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Outfit of the Day: The Fourth of July Edition

July 4th, 2014 by Karen 33 Comments

Fourth of July Outfit — Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July, friend. 🙂

I know it’s been a hot minute. I haven’t really been feeling myself this week. You know how it is… Just one of those times, I guess. Today is a holiday, though, and there’s a big parade here in Novato, so I’m pulling myself together best I can and heading downtown. It starts in a few.

Here’s my Fourth of July outfit, camera included, so I can take some pics.

That’s my big girl camera, the Canon 70d, with the 18-135mm STM lens (a very good walk-around lens, BTW).

The necklace and earrings are on sale right now at katespade.com, if you’re so inclined. Links down in the photo captions below.

I hope you’re doing something fun today, no matter where you are. Anyone having a big family Fourth of July barbecue? If so, have some corn of the cob for me.

Kate Spade Riviera Garden Triple Strand Necklace

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Malice

July 3rd, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why this blush is called Malice because it doesn’t have a malicious bone in its sweet, blushy body. There’s nothing malicious, cagey or wicked about it at all…unless you count how wicked cute you look with yo’ fresh cheeks when you wear it.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Malice, $45

Peachy pink Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Malice ($45) has been not-so-maliciously sweetening my makeup bag for about two weeks, and in that time I’ve literally not wanted to wear anything else. I think it just might be the most flattering blush in Chanel’s entire permanent line, and it’s all about versatility.

Vehemently versatile

Malice is like NARS Orgasm…only not. Like, if glittery golden NARS Orgasm was a wild child sent to finishing school for a year, she’d come back wearing pearls instead of a leather jacket and be calling herself Malice.

Malice and Orgasm have a similar peachy pink vibe, but Malice’s shimmer, which is more like a barely-there, soft-focus sheen, is much less outrageous and flamboyant.

And it’s that finish that makes Malice one of the greats for me.

I thought it was a matte the first time I swatched it, but then I saw the light reflecting on my skin, almost like the dreamy haze of candlelight, and I realized its greatness.

Effortless and flattering, it just always seems to look natural and good — never like clown cheeks — whether I wear it sheer, or layered to increase its intensity.

It should really sing on a wide range skin tones, and because its sheen is so forgiving (unlike many glittery and/or shiny blushes), that includes the skin of more mature makeup lovers.

On top of everything, it’s just as easy to dress up as it is to dress down. I wore it to run some errands yesterday with the LORAC Pro Palette 2…

OK, I went to Anthropologie to look around, LOL! (Not my fault. There was a sale!)

So anyway, I wore it to run “errands,” also known as “go to the mall.”

Anthropologie white and yellow striped top — Um…does this top make me look crazy?

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How Often Do You Wear Colorful Eyeliner?

July 3rd, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

All. The. Time.

I love classic liner colors — black, brown, gray — and seriously, you can never go wrong with a black classic cat eye, but I also think it’s fun to switch things up from time to time

If you haven’t tried colorful liners before, summer is a great time to start. 🙂 Metallics, glitters, teals, greens, blue.

It doesn’t have to be over the top, either. A thin line along your upper lash line is all it takes for a quick flash of color.

Or…you could go all-in with a fatty-bo-batty line!

How about you? How often do you wear colorful eyeliner?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. What’s shakin’, bacon? What did I miss? I took the afternoon off yesterday because I wasn’t feeling very well, but I feel much better today. Got any plans for the Fourth?