Karen

Why Do You Think You First Got Interested in Makeup?

June 19th, 2014 by Karen 46 Comments

I remember being aware of my mom’s pretty eyeshadow trios on the bathroom shelf when I was just a wee lass of four or five, even though I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with them…

I just remember them being off limits to me at the time, but I knew they were somehow special and important. At first I think I just wanted to play, and makeup looked like so much fun.

And it was on TV! The older girls on the TV shows I watched were always doing their makeup and their hair and getting dressed and putting on accessories.

Cross body purse and ruffles… Not much has changed, really.

I wanted to do that, too. Even though I was really young, I had a feeling I’d be able to rock that ish, LOL!

I wasn’t always a girly-girl, though. A couple years later I went through a tomboy phase, and I didn’t want anything to do with makeup again until about 12.

Then I got re-interested because 1) so many of the girls around me were wearing it to school, and 2) it was (still) off limits to me.

Yeah, makeup was totally off limits (but didn’t stop me from sneaking in a little liner here and there). My parents were super strict, so I wasn’t allowed to wear anything at all, not even Lip Smackers!

Ooh, forbidden fruit… Purple eyeshadow, pink lipstick, blue liner. 🙂 I’d spend hours cruising the Thrifty by my house, dreaming of the day when I’d have some Covergirl Lipslicks and Coty Airspun powder to wear.

What’s your story, friend? Why do you think you first got interested in makeup?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock ‘N’ Roll

June 18th, 2014 by Karen 27 Comments

Too Faced Rock N Roll Rock Candy Eye Shadow Collection on the left and Country Nashville Nudes Eye Shadow Collection on the right ($36 each)

All I want to do is eat junk food, watch Bravo and play with makeup all day long. #truth

I’d start with these cute pieces from the new Too Faced Smitten Kitten fall 2014 collection and a big bowl of popcorn (and, lately, Million Dollar Listing New York).

They’re available now at Too Faced counters and toofaced.com.

The makeup. Not the popcorn.

MEOW!

Too Faced La Creme Lip Balms — The brand-spankin’ new Too Faced La Creme Lip Balm line ($22, in the pink tubes), and Country Star ($22, in the gold tube), a new La Creme Lipstick shade

The new Too Faced Smitten Kitten fall 2014 collection

Currently Rocking the Bathroom Shelf: Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion Treatment Toner, Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask and Osmia Organics Honey Myrrh Lip Repair

June 18th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Fresh, Sisley and Osmia Organics — Some current skin care faves on my bathroom shelf…

Have you ever noticed that when you run out of a product, it’s like you run out of everything at the same time?

Like they’re all in cahoots, Toy Story-style.

“Hey, Benetint! It’s a go for tomorrow! We’re all running out at the same time!”

For me it seems to happen a lot with skin care. A few weeks ago everything I’d been using pretty consistently ran out at the same time, so I took it as a sign to get some new things. 🙂

These are three I took with me on my trip to Redding last weekend.

Redding… That place is dry and hot! It’s like a little slice of Death Valley, and it always does a number on my combo skin.

1. Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion Treatment Toner

The hefty glass bottle isn’t travel friendly, but I had to bring this toner with me to Redding.

Stuff is great! It’s supposed to even out your skin tone and texture, and it’s hella moisturizing.

Plant extracts are all up near the top of the ingredient list, which is usually a good sign, and there are some interesting ingredients, too, like tea, blackberry leaf and lychee seed extracts, and hyaluronic acid to seal in moisture, along with the ubiquitous Vitamins C and E.

Morning and night, after I wash my face, I put a few drops on a cotton pad, and gently sweep it all over my mug.

I’ve been using it for about three weeks now, and I’m a fan. No breakouts so far (knock on wood!), and my skin just laps up the moisture.

I don’t have a ton of experience with the Fresh brand, but I really like the few things I’ve tried. Unfortunately they are pretty expensive.

A 4-ounce bottle of the Black Tea Toner is $48 and available now at Fresh boutiques and online.

2. Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask

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Lake Shasta Dinner Cruise

June 18th, 2014 by Karen 6 Comments

Lake Shasta is a huge lake up near the Oregon border and Redding, where some of my family lives, and on this last trip there we went on a dinner cruise.

If you’re ever out that way and want something easy and fun to do with the folks, check out the Lake Shasta Dinner Cruises. Good food (they even had vegetarian options, including a delish barbecue kabob with bell peppers and pineapple), great service, and being out on the water is super low-key and relaxing.

I took a ton of pictures, of course, including a few shots of the sky and the water when the sun was hiding behind some clouds.

I love that silhouetted effect with the mountains and the sky in the background…

Don’t the clouds look like they’re glowing?

Unsung Hair Heroes: $6 Tresemme Fresh Start Renewing Dry Shampoo

June 18th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Second-day hair don’t care!

Err…make that third-day hair don’t care.

OK, fourth-day hair. 🙂

Yes, fourth-day hair. Last week I ran three days in a row without washing my hair (no judgment) and, dude! — by the last day my roots were janky to the Nth degree.

I was only able to tolerate myself thanks to Tresemme’s new Fresh Start Renewing Dry Shampoo. I was actually kind of shocked by how well it worked.

Now I’m thinking I might’ve even been able to make it to five-day hair…

Maybe.

Since I got my hair chopped a couple weeks ago, I’ve actually had to — gasp! — style it in the mornings (because I can’t just put it up in a ponytail anymore and forget about it), so to save a little time between shampoos, I’ve been spraying Fresh Start on my roots after my morning shower.

It contains oil-absorbing mineral clay and sucks up sweat and funk like a root-sucking hair vacuum!

After using it, my scalp definitely feels less greasy, but doesn’t feel thick or packed with powder, which happens sometimes when I use other dry shampoos. My roots actually feel less dirrrrty when I use this stuff — not as clean as real shampoo, obvs, but all things considered, it’s pretty great for two- or three-day hair.

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What Are the 3 Most Helpful Beauty-Related Things You Do (or Don’t Do) When You’re Totally Pressed for Time?

June 18th, 2014 by Karen 52 Comments

Here at Tabs the Cat Industries LLC, the work day starts promptly at 8 a.m. sharp — on the dot, because Tabs has a very low tolerance for tardiness…unless it’s his own.

This morning, as is often the case, I was running behind. Even though I only have a 30-second commute to the office (it’s, uh, right down the hall), it’s amazing how often I’m late. 🙂

Just kidding… That’s actually sort of a morbid joke because I usually start doing something work related for Tabs in the mornings well before 8.

Today I’m running way behind.

You know how it goes… The CFO (Chief Feline Officer) expects you to be at his/her beck and call, so you start your days early and finish hella late.

This, of course, means having to rush to get ready in the morning, yet the boss still expects me to arrive at the office looking sharp (like I’m supposed to be able to go from busted to bewitching in 3 minutes, sheesh!).

Oh, well… Whatcha gonna do? The only real option is to adapt.

It got me thinking, though. What are the three most helpful beauty-related things I do (or don’t do) when I’m totally pressed for time?

1. Letting my mane go unwashed

I won’t skip my post-workout shower (I can’t stand it when my skin is sticky, especially on the back of my neck and knees, ugh!), but I can begrudgingly tolerate not washing my hair.

My roots get sweaty and oily and overall pretty gnarly, but at least there’s dry shampoo. By skipping shampoo and conditioner, that saves me at least 10 minutes (I’ve got a lot of hair), and then another 15-20 minutes for not having to do my hair.

That’s like 30 minutes saved right there.

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What Are You Wearing on Your Nails?

June 17th, 2014 by Karen 31 Comments

Chanel Atmosphere Swatch — 629 Atmosphere Le Vernis Nail Color from the new Chanel Collection États Poétiques fall 2014 collection, available now online ($27)

Chanel me! 🙂

Yes, I think it’s a Chanel day for me.

At least for the time being.

But you know how it is… One minute you’re rocking an opalescent golden pinkish grey; the next it’s a creamy bright yellow.

You know what, though? I’d rather have too many nail polish whims than too few ideas.

Ooh! This one here, 629 Atmosphere, is super cool — like MAC Vex Eye Shadow (without the flash of green) in a bottle of nail polish.

It’s a color chameleon of sorts. Sometimes it’s a golden pink, but then the light will hit it just right, and it’ll turn grayish gold.

Very neat, almost like having opals on your nails…

It’s available now online for $27 as part of the Chanel États Poétiques collection for fall 2014.

How about you, babe? What’s on your claws today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Sorry about being incommunicado in the comments yesterday. I’m finishing up a project (yes, for Tabs), but I should be done with everything by the end of the day.

What are you up to? Do you have a busy day?

Crazy About Kate Spade? There’s a HUGE New Kate Spade Outlet Store at the Vacaville Premium Outlets Now

June 16th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

If there were something like Batman’s bat signal for bargain hunters, it would be up in the sky over the Kate Spade outlet store in Vacaville, California, right now.

There’s a HUGE outlet mall in Vacaville, which is about an hour north of the Bay Area, and it’s like an oasis of awesomeness in the Central Valley (between San Francisco and Sacramento).

Vacaville Premium Outlets: List of Stores

We stopped by on our way home yesterday from Redding, and I kid you not — it took us 30 minutes to actually find the Kate Spade store. That’s how big the mall is. We just kept driving around the giant parking lots.

But we did eventually find it. It’s a big one, too, with a wide selection of bags, purses, clothes, jewelry and accessories like belts, iPhone and iPad cases and scarves — no shoes, though (boo!).

Last weekend was the store’s grand opening, and everything was 40% off. On top of that, the sales associates were giving out coupons for an additional 20% off, so yeah.

I saw so many things I’ve recently drooled over on the Kate Spade website, which was a good sign, but the prices weren’t earth-shatteringly lower than the sale prices I’ve seen on katespade.com.

But I get the feeling they’ll have some great sales at the outlet store from time to time.

I tried on a few dresses and cardigans but didn’t leave with any clothing.

Well, I mean… I didn’t leave with any NEW clothing.

You know what I meant. 🙂

Incidentally, every piece of Kate Spade clothing I’ve tried on in the past has always fit like a glove, but everything I tried on at the outlet store was a little off. Either the fit was wonky in certain places, or the clothing had details that didn’t seem quite right, like plastic zippers that looked less-than-luxe.

I’ve read that some outlet stores carry things that are specifically made for the outlets, and sometimes those pieces aren’t of the same construction as the things carried in the regular stores.

I don’t know if that was the case here, but I’m just saying… If you go, try everything on first, and give it a good once-over before you buy.

Even though I didn’t flip for the clothes, I didn’t walk away empty-handed. I did pick up some jewelry, which seemed up to par with the quality I’ve seen at my local Kate Spade store.

With the 60% discount (or thereabouts), it was a pretty good deal. The round Gumdrop Stud earrings pictured here usually go for $28, but I got ’em for $13. Not bad!

Do you live near an outlet mall? What do you think about them? Are there usually good deals?