Category: Category

Kiko “The Artist” Collection Face. (I made a download available of a full face chart below.)

Kiko Milano is one of my favorite beauty brands because they create such superb products at nominal prices. I first heard about them through a friend who had traveled to Italy, and I’m excited to see their stores popping up stateside! now I don’t see a Kiko store coming to my neck of the woods in Atlanta anytime soon, but ordering online makes it just as easy.

For spring 2016, Kiko presents “The Artist” — a limited edition collection to inspire you to become a canvas of your own. The packaging is minimal and clean and was inspired by an artists’s tools. I’m pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail.

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The artist foundation brush ($15)
Kiko artist Glacial Light Soft Sifter foundation ($15)

Kiko artist Stroke Mineral Eyeshadow 03 ($8)
Kiko Colour Click Lipstick ($8); the bullet is released by clicking it in!
Fine Art Eye Pencil 03 ($7) and the signature Eyemarker Black ($8)
Starting on base makeup, the Glacial Light Soft Sifter foundation ($15) is a lightweight water-based liquid foundation. The coverage is sheer, and it’s available in six shades, with the one pictured being the darkest. 06 (Neutral 80) is a little dark for me, but according to the back of my hand, the foundation blends very nicely. great for minimal makeup days.

I love how quickly the slightly oversized artist foundation brush ($15), which Kiko recommends for this kind of formula, spreads the product. Conveniently, the brush is also very pretty to look at!

There’s also a Powder face brush ($15) that looks heavenly.

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Priced at just $8, the Colour Click Lipstick gives you full-on color from a single swipe. The click packaging is pretty addicting as well! Can’t find any complaints with this lipstick, other than how there needs to be more shades!

The next two eye lining products are the most obviously artist inspired. starting with the signature Eye Marker ($8), which is spatula-shaped and has a very thick and rounded tip. If you turn it on its side, you can draw a thinner line. It drew on really easily for me, but it can’t top some of my other favorite eyeliners.

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Now, the fine Art Pencil ($7) may just be the longest lasting kajal-type eyeliner I’ve ever tried, and the color of 03 is really unique and pretty for the under-eye area.

Swatches (T-B) of the Kiko signature Eye Marker in Black, fine Art Eye Pencil 03, artist Stroke Eyeshadow 03, and Colour Click Lipstick 04
Wearing the Kiko signature Eye Marker, fine Art Eye Pencil 03, and artist Stroke Mineral loose Eyeshadow 03
Print and create your own face chart! (You can also click and get it here.)
Since I’ve been playing around with the idea of a printable face chart, I decided to create a blank version for you guys to color and customize! happy drawing…and see you in the next!

Anna

The benefit Cheek Parade blush set is a parade of blushes! It includes 5 full-size blushes as well as costs $58.
Band Geek Karen understands that the sassy majorettes on the new benefit Cheek Parade blush set are doing high mark time. indeed they are!

Oh…I marched across a lotta football fields back in the day with my flute, however these chicks look a great deal cooler than I ever did.

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Filed under “Things Band Geeks Know”
Five full-size pans

A new LE blush as well as bronzer kit, benefit Cheek Parade is $58 as well as includes five — FIVE! — full-size products from the benefit long-term line, including Hoola Bronzer as well as the new Hoola Light; old-school blush faves Rockateur as well as Dandelion, in addition to the new Galifornia; as well as a full-size deal with brushy-brush.

Just as fabulous as B’s long-term line blushes as well as bronzers

Limited edition kits with perm products in them have let me down so many times before, particularly lately. For whatever reasons, many of them have products that just don’t perform as much as par compared to the exact same products in the long-term collection. To paraphrase the Interwebz, “Y THO?!”

Thank ye makeup gods, however the blushes as well as bronzers in Cheek Parade DO perform as much as par! exact same look, exact same texture, exact same smell…

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OH, MY THE GOSH, THE SMELL.

Eau de peach gummy

For me, it’s a bit much. I mean, I normally don’t mind scented deal with products at all, however when I open this palette, I feel like I’m surfing a tsunami of peach gummy rings. It’s cloying as well as borderline synthetic.

It doesn’t make my stomach turn, however I desire it wasn’t so…in my face.

The verdict

Doing the makeup math, Cheek Parade is a flat-out great offer if you’re a pale princess or a medium-toned temptress, since two of the products, Dandelion blush as well as Hoola Light Bronzer, are most noticeable on lighter skin.

I’m quite tan (NC42), as well as they barely show up on me.

Where to discover it

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Cheek Parade is supposed to be offered now on the benefit website, however as I’m composing this post, it’s listed as out of stock. It’s likewise slated to show up soon on the Sephora website as well as will be offered in Sephora stores starting April 7th.

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

using the khaki-ish eco-friendly from the Covergirl TruNaked jewels combination on my lids as well as MAC Cork in my crease
I started this look meaning for it to be springy, however now that I look as well as truly believe about it…with the blues as well as eco-friendlies on my eyes as well as the warm cheeks…it’s most likely a lot more summertime than spring. however hey, that’s OK! I’m absolutely down with a summer time vibe ideal now.

I wished to wear eco-friendlies since of the new $12.99 Covergirl TruNaked jewels Eyeshadow Palette.

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That khaki green? I couldn’t get it on my lids quick enough.

Clockwise from the upper left: 1) MAC Pearlglide intense Eye liner in Petrol Blue, 2) MAC Technakohl liner in Take The Plunge, 3) MAC Eye Kohl in Minted, 4) MAC Matte blush in Coppertone, 5) benefit Hoola Bronzer, 6) Covergirl TruNaked Jewels, 7) MAC Satin Eye shadow in Cork, 8) metropolitan Decay naked Skin One & performed in medium Dark, 9) Covergirl So Lashy Blast pro Mascara, 10) Covergirl Outlast All-Day intense in 160 profound Peach, 11) benefit High Brow Glow

MAC Pearlglide intense Eye liner in Petrol Blue

MAC Technakohl liner in Take The Plunge

MAC Eye Kohl in Minted

MAC Matte blush in Coppertone

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Covergirl TruNaked Jewels

MAC Satin Eye shadow in Cork

Urban Decay naked Skin One & performed in medium Dark

Covergirl So Lashy Blast pro Mascara

Covergirl Outlast All-Day intense in 160 profound Peach

Benefit High Brow Glow

I did this method where I layered different tones to make my own custom-made eye color, as well as I started by taking a bright shimmery emerald eco-friendly liner (MAC Minted) as well as utilizing it as an eyeshadow base by blending it on my lids as well as just barely into my crease. as well as I likewise lined my upper lash line as well as water lines with it.

Lots o’ liner! I’m using Minted on my upper lash as well as water lines, as well as likewise as a base for the khaki eco-friendly eyeshadow. as well as I’m using Take the Plunge on my lower water line as well as Petrol Blue on my lower lash line.
Next, I mixed the khaki eco-friendly from Covergirl TruNaked jewels directly on top of Minted for a bright khaki with a hint of emerald eco-friendly peeking through. then I swept satiny brown MAC Cork into my crease.

Covergril TruNaked Jewels, by the way…it’s a’ight. If you’re believing about getting a new drugstore palette, I’d most likely opt for Maybelline 24K instead. TruNaked jewels is a lot more sparkly as well as sheerer than I believed it would be, however you can bump up the pigment by wetting your brush very first with something like MAC Fix+ or comprise For ever mist & repair (which is what I utilized before I patted it on top of the emerald eco-friendly liner).

Also, the flecks of shine in TruNaked jewels are quite big. They’re likewise nomadic, indicating that they like to go around the place, so if you plan to utilize this palette, do your eyes first.

Even though I did for this look, I STILL ended up having to do a considerable amount of cleanup under my eyes as well as on my cheeks.

Cheeks are MAC Coppertone Blush, as well as lips are Covergirl profound Peach
I’ve truly been into blue lower lash lines lately. Like, I did it last Wednesday, as well as I was in the mood to do it once again today with a gradient of blue liners.

I used a few layers of bright teal blue MAC Take the Plunge on my water line, then sketched a untidy line with MAC Petrol Blue Pearlglide on my lower lash line before promptly smudging it out.

Petrol Blue is a sparkly dark navy blue shine liner, as well as the a lot more you blend it out, the a lot more glittery (glitterier?) it gets. Also, it sets quickly, so keep your blending brush on standby if you plan to blend it out.

Because my eyes were so sparkly, I kept my cheeks as well as lips glitter-free zones. That’s great old MAC Coppertone blush (a best peachy brown blush when you’ve got a tan) as well as benefit Hoola Bronzer on my cheeks. Lips are a long-wearing Covergirl Outlast All-Day intense in profound Peach.

Oh, my skin? metropolitan Decay naked Skin One & Done. I believe it’s seriously the very best tinted moisturizer out ideal now. It blurs pores, evens whatever out without looking fake or heavy, as well as you can quickly blend it with your fingers. If you haven’t tried it, you must!

Cauliflower crust pizza is a thing

OK, I like cauliflower, however dagnabbit! — it’s around the place.

So, like, I’m trying to eat fewer carbs, as well as it’s been so hard… The struggle is real! I’ve been trying different things, like at Trader Joe’s I discovered this cauliflower rice, which is generally a finely chopped cauliflower that you saute in olive oil or whatever, as well as it’s meant to be… Allegedly, it’s a substitute for rice.

GIRL. It is noteven close to rice. I would rather eat a thimble full of genuine rice than a container of cauliflower rice.

I grew up eating rice everyday for the very first 18 years of my life, as well as this cauliflower rice just isn’t doing it for me…

Anyway, I’ve been craving pizza lately, as well as obviously you can make pizza crust from cauliflower as well.

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I’m cautiously intrigued…and likewise type of grossed out. I’ll try it, though. Fingers crossed!

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

I spent an inordinate amount of time this week in stinky workout pants as well as tee shirts covered in infant food. Or, I dunno…sometimes it’s been my food, to be honest.

No reason in particular. It’s just been one of those weeks.

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But, ya know, at least I’ve had stylish eye makeup. I’ve been doing this thing where I utilize eyeshadow as well as an angled clean instead of pencil liner to line my upper lash lines, as well as I’ve been doing it since I haven’t been sleeping well, which implies Dark Circle City.

When my dark circles are darker than usual, I’ll avoid lining my lower lash lines, even though I typically like a bit smoke or even a pop of color down there, since man! — when I look tired, if I add anything to that lower lash line area, it just looks worse.

But I will line my upper lash line, as well as I like doing it with an angled clean as well as an eyeshadow for a few different reasons.

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First, since I like that somewhat diffused look, which is simpler for me to finish with an eyeshadow as well as a clean than a pencil eyeliner all by itself.

Second, as well as I don’t understand if this is just me, however there’s a process when I utilize a pencil. It isn’t just get as well as go. many of the time, the one I want to utilize is boring from the day before, so I have to sharpen it.

Then, I have to truly thoroughly draw a thin line along my upper lash lines with it, since I like those nice, thin liner lines. however then I have to diffuse the edges of the lines with a brush, so…it still includes utilizing a brush, even when I’m utilizing a pencil.

Instead, with an angled clean as well as an eyeshadow, all I have to do is dip my clean into the shadow, provide it a spritz with MAC Fix+, as well as kind of tap it along my lash lines.

It’s simpler to get the type of look I typically like, as well as I believe it’s even quicker than utilizing a pencil.

Plus, you know, with makeup, it’s all about the fine details, like the subtlety of your gradients as well as the values as well as colors moving from dark to light, as well as I believe that when you have gradients in subtle places, like in the edge along your lash line, it can truly make your general look much more elegant.

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Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!!!!!!

prepared for the beach with Essie’s spring nail polishes
The palm Beach-themed nail polishes in the Essie spring 2016 nail polish collection have all the ideal moves for a tropical vacation, as well as I’m loving every shade! When I believe of springtime colors, pastel shades come to mind, so I like that there are some super-saturated, unforeseen colors in this six-piece release.

Love the variety of colors
High class Affair, the peachy nude, is my preferred of the collection. I like that it’s neutral however has juuust sufficient blush to be interesting.

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Essie High class Affair
I truly believe bright pink Lounge enthusiast would likewise be gorgeous as a blush or a lipstick (Essie, are you listening?).

Essie Lounge Lover

I’ve seen great deals of reddish orange nail polishes, however I don’t see lots of that are straight-up orange like Sunshine specify of Mind. It’s such a fun color, as well as it’ll be so adorable on toes!

Essie Sunshine specify of Mind
Pool Side service is such a special blue. It’s bright, however it isn’t neon bright, as well as I believe it’s a great counterpoint to all of the warm colors in the collection.

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Essie pool Side Service.
Shades On, an amped up cool-toned purple, is one more truly special color. I normally see great deals of pale lavenders as well as deep, vampy purples around, however shades On is neither. I like that it’s, you know, different.

Essie shades On
And Off Tropic seems totally unforeseen for a spring collection, however I am all the method right here for it! It’s best for a tropical, palm beach theme, as well as it’s a great modification from the softer colors we normally see for spring.

Essie Off Tropic

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In terms of high quality as well as wear time, these do like Essie polishes normally do for me, which is about three days without chipping (I’m extremely difficult on my nails). All of them apply opaque with one coat, however High class affair as well as Lounge enthusiast are streaky up until I add a second coat. then they’re totally smooth. 

High class affair is my preferred one right here since I’d get the most wear out of it, however pool Side service wins for “Most fascinating Color.”

What do you think? Do you like a lot more standard pastels this time around of year, or will you try different shades?

1. This top and base coat combo

I just started using it two weeks ago, but it’s difficult as nails! The base coat is Essie grow stronger ($9), and the top coat is Dior Gel coat ($28, yes, it’s kinda fancy schmancy).

I wore it last week with Smith & Cult Bitter Buddhist. Side note: This is my favorite green polish of all time (even much more than Chanel Jade), and I have a lot of greens. It’s a sensational sea-foamy jade that looks baby blue sometimes. I wear it all the time. I love it!

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I didn’t have a single chip for seven full days, but then a big chunk came off in the shower on the eighth day. but that’s terrific for me (I’m difficult on my nails). Whenever I can get a full week from a mani/pedi without any chipping, I feel like I ought to throw a parade, LOL.

Even though I actually only want to wear Bitter Buddhist because the obsession is real and ongoing, I’m gonna try this base/top coat combo with different polishes over the next few week to see if other polishes hold up as well.

2. Bread recipes

I’ve been stockpiling them for days because I want to try baking bread this weekend for the very first time.

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As of best now, I’ve tentatively chose on this artisan bread recipe from Laura in the Kitchen. It looks easy enough (famous last words)… I think I can deal with it.

Obvs, this has all been brought about by The terrific British baking Show, which I still view every night before bed.

Right before I start making the dough this weekend, I want El Hub to say, “On your mark, get set…BAKE!”

3. hourglass Arch Brow Gel

WHAT!? This stuff is good! (Here’s the review, BTW). I love filling in my brows with it, and I want to shout it from the rafters. “I love hourglass Arch Brow Gel!!!” In the three weeks I’ve been using it, I haven’t touched the brow pencil/clear brow gel combo I had been using and wearing daily in some form or fashion for three YEARS (most recently it was MAC Brow Sculpt brow pencil and the benefit clear Brow Gel).

It’s that serious. love it for bushy, natural-looking brows, especially.

4. Senita’s new dance-inspired spring collection

I used to be one of those people who believed that workout wear ought to stay in the gym.

No more.

Now that 99% of the outfits I wear on a daily basis 1) include Lycra and 2) can deal with burpies or squats at any given moment (I kneel about 3,647 times a day to pick up Connor because she wants to be carried 24/7. I’m like, “Kid, you’ve got legs! You ought to use them!”), I no longer subscribe to that belief system.

Senita is an indie workout line from Arizona, and their clothes are well made, good deals, and I think they’re CUTE. I have quite a few of their pieces, and I love everything. Their capris are in the $37 range, so that’s compared to lululemons at $89 and Zellas at $49. and they’re just as good as Zella IMO.

Their new collection was inspired by dance and yoga, and I want IT ALL. SO much pink and black. and they have dresses…WITH POCKETS!

5. Foam rolling

My HIIT teacher got me hooked on this, and now I “foam roll” every night (well, I try to!), because it’s like getting a deep-tissue massage before bed. For free. My muscles feel loose and unwinded afterwards, and when I do it consistently, I promise I sleep better, too.

Here are a couple of foam rolling workouts I like to do…

That’s it for me! Those are my five at the moment. how about you? What are some things you’ve been loving lately?

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Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF.

My thyme plant in the lady sanctuary’s doing well!
I’ve got thyme on my hands, and I plan to spend some of it with my thyme plant today, which, by the way, is having the thyme of its life best now on my deck!

LOL. Thyme. get it…? Buh-dum-bump! I’ll be here all day, folks! ?

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I’m growing three herbs in the lady sanctuary at the moment — dill, cilantro and thyme! The dill and thyme are starting to get big, so I ought to trim them down a little (the cilantro’s being a bit of a diva, so no haircut for her today), and although I have some idea how to work the dill, I’m not so sure about the thyme.

Last time (thyme? haha) I used it was Easter in a roast potato and chicken dish, but other than that I don’t really know what chooses it, so I bookmarked a few recipes that look yummy (they’re noted below in case you’re curious). If you have any ideas, I’d love to hear about them. tell me all your thyme secrets, please.

It’s good and sunny today, so I’m going to take Connor to a new playground we found in town. It has a huge play structure, a sandbox, a separate play area for the toddlers, and I’ve heard that there’s also a creek somewhere nearby… I just really wish there was a way to bring Tabs ? because I can see him unwinding in the sun next to Connor while she plays in the sandbox.

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He’s fantastic and cooperative on a leash, but I think all the kids would make him too jumpy. I’m scared he’d get frightened and make a run for it.

Now, if I had a cat stroller… (HEY, EL HUB, MY BIRTHDAY’S COMING SOON!) That would be a completely different story. I’m just sayin’… If a cat stroller comes my way, I won’t be mad about it! ?

In other news, here are the stories that caught my eye this week… hope you’re having a great weekend so far.

All the thyme recipes I want to try: Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies, One pan Lemon Thyme chicken Asparagus, Lemon Thyme Tea Bread and Broiled Catfish With Fresh Thyme, Garlic, and Lemon.

So numerous fun facts about lipstick in this BBC video! Did you know that the world’s first commercially available lipstick was created by Pierre-François Guerlain, and that the first peeps to embrace it in the us were the suffragettes, because lipstick symbolized their defiance?

Ah…take me back to the ’90s, where butterfly clips, claw clips, comb headbands and scrunchies ruled!

Actually, I still wear claw clips. and scrunchies. (Whatever, don’t judge.)

This post is all about ’90s hair accessories, but what I really got a kick out of was the makeup and hair on the celeb pics, especially the Drew Barrymore picture from 1995. I had that exact hair style and brows, and for the record, I looked terrible!

According to this Racked piece, it costs $2.50 to make a tube of lipstick.

So, how do companies get away with charging so much much more for it? follow the $$$.

“In general, when a seller wants to sell a company’s products, the seller purchases those products from brands at 50 to 65 percent less than the retail price, then marks them back up to sell, taking that profit. That implies the brand needs to sell a lot much more to make a profit, which discusses why makeup prices can in some cases be 10 times higher in a store than what they cost to make. Both the store and the brand needs to see a profit. selling products to sellers implies giving up a lot of potential income and control; the upside is that you can make that up in volume as well as get amazing exposure. Of course, if a brand chooses to stay direct to consumer, that comes with its own costs, like paying much more staff and maintaining a website. shipping and dealing with can also be a big financial hit. it all contributes to the final price you the consumer pay.”

Yes, this is real life, not the most recent summer spy ?️ novel. A makeup artist used makeup and pigs blood (oh, my) to help this Russian journalist stage his own murder as part of an fancy plot to catch an alleged assassin…

As a bonafide foundation junkie, I’m stoked about the new launch of Dior Backstage face and Body Foundation. The rest of the products in Backstage look pretty cool, too.

Is this the future of shampoo? A new line called OWA Haircare (an acronym for “out of this world amazing”) will be launching powdered shampoo this fall…but it’s *not* a dry shampoo.

You take it with you in the shower, sprinkle it on your hair, add water, and lather up.

So it’s practically like a solid bar shampoo, except powdered…

I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this before, so I’m curious. putting it on my radar to try.

I liked this piece on actress Viola Davis, who says that she lives by these four easy rules:

I’m doing the best I can

I will allow myself to be seen

I apply the guidance an acting trainer gave me to all aspects of my life: Go further. Don’t be afraid. put it all out there. Don’t leave anything on the floor.

Iwill not be a mystery to my daughter. She will know me and I will share my stories with her — the stories of failure, shame, and accomplishment. She will know she’s not alone in that wilderness.

This video made me crack up so hard. He looks like he just rolled out of bed, threw on a sweatshirt, then walked down the street to film this song’s video at a random spot at the mall…in the ’90s!

Aaand this next song is currently stuck in my head. Also, the closeups of her makeup are pretty.

Oh, I finally finished Faithful place by Tana French, the book I’ve been chipping away at for the last two weeks. now I’m gonna try to find crazy rich Asians at one last local bookstore, but if I can’t find it there, le sigh… Amazon Prime it is.

Kim, a fried of mine from the comments, brought up an interesting point the other day. She said that I ought to view the film first, and then read the book, because that way I won’t be disappointed by the movie, which makes sense to me.

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What do you think? ought to I still read the book first? Or ought to I just wait for the movie?

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

The Clinique Chubby Stick shadow Tints ($17 each)
The long-running Unsung Heroes series here on makeup and charm blog features some of our all-time favorite permanent collection products.

My cat… He’s kind of a chubby cat, but he prefers that we call him “husky” or “big-boned.” He is the boss, so I gotta do what I gotta do, but I won’t be calling the Clinique Chubby Stick shadow Tints for Eyes the “Big-Boned Stick shadow Tints,” because that would be weird.

I freaking lurve these things! They’ve been part of the Clinique permanent line for a while, and I love ’em so much that I’ve amassed a small army. I use them all the time.

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True to form, these are tints, and they’re sheerer than a lot of the shadow sticks out there, like the MAC pro Longwears and the Bobbi brown and Laura Mercier sticks. They deposit a good amount of color, but they rapidly sheer down when you blend them out.

I know that some people aren’t going to be into that, but if you’re a 10-minute-makeup gal (or dude) who just wants a little somethin’-somethin’, but you’re not about to spend hella years blending in your outer V, these are terrific for that. They’re wonderful for easy, colorful eye looks.

There’s a mess of neutrals in the line that I wear all the time, like Bountiful Beige, Ample Amber, lots O’ Latte (which is a gorgeous, beautiful taupe) and warm brown Fuller Fudge, which I just wore the other day. and we’ll throw Curvaceous Coal in with the neutrals, too, because it’s a shimmery gray.

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If you love BBNs (browns, beige and nudes) like I do, these are outstanding everyday colors.

Swatches from the top in 01 Bountiful Beige, 04 Ample Amber, 03 lots O’ Latte, 03 Fuller Fudge and 08 Curvaceous Cora
There are also some fantastic other colors. among the greens, I like Mighty Moss and Whopping Willow. In the blues, there’s big Blue and enormous Midnight. and oh! — the purples and pinks? You gotta give ’em a try.

All of the shades are pigmented, but they aren’t so pigmented that they take forever and a day to blend. They always seem to look elegant, refined and natural.

Well…as natural as a green or blue eyeshadow ever looks.

From the top: 05 Whopping Willow, 06 Mighty Moss, 10 big Blue, 12 enormous Midnight, 09 luxurious Lilac, 11 Portly Plum and 07 Pink & Pretty

I imply really, when was the last time you did a green eyeshadow look in less than five minutes? You can do it with these, though. That’s a big plus when you’re living that #timecrunchedlife.

Mighty Moss on my lids
When I wear the Chubby Stick Eye Tints, I’m typically all about saving time, so I don’t use them with primer, yet they still last on my lids all day long with zero (to very little) creasing.

I have also worn them on top of NARS Pro-Prime at different times, and it makes the wear time even better.

Oh! practically forgot, but they also work well for layering! You can wear them with powder shadow on top, or put them on top of powder shadows.

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I hope you give them a try if you haven’t already. If you’re a busy makeup lover, they’re a marvelous find.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

Tabs the Cat: inspiring cats, kittens and pet assistants everywhere
One of Tabs’s ongoing endeavors — one that he feels very passionate about — is his work mentoring talented kittens. He strongly believes that the kittens are our future. teach them well, and let them lead the way. So he strives to inspire them and help them be the best they can be.

Ultimately, his goal is to lift the kitten community up, but I also find his words inspiring.

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Sure, you could live your life as a sad kitten, but you don’t have to. You can achieve all of your goals, whatever they are.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

“What’s that, Mommy? It’s pretty!”

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past 10 (!) years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. someone you’d like to pinch?

If we’re living in reality, then Connor Claire, on her cheeks. If we’re not living reality, then Zac Efron.

Don’t ask me where I’d pinch him, HAHAHA!

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2. how many kittens would you like today?

Three would be great, thanks! I’ll take one ragdoll, one gray tabby and a tortie to go, please.

3. Those cold-shoulder tops that are seriously freaking everywhere — yes or no?

Sure, why not? Some are pretty cute.

4. Cream, liquid, gel or powder blush — which is your favorite formula and why?

Ooh! That’s tough. I love how extra special cream blushes look on skin, like the color is part of your cheeks and not just sitting on top of it, but I also love powder blushes because they’re so much fun to blend.

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OK, if I have to pick one…I’ll go with cream.

Or powder.

Oh, I don’t know!

5. What’s the punchline to an inside joke that always makes you laugh?

Psycho cake is the best! Psycho cake is the best!

Aloha nui loa

Good morning from Oahu! It’s 4:26 a.m. Hawaii time right now, and I’m click-clacking away in the dark because of le time difference, which I am quite clearly not used to yet.

Boy, oh, boy — your niece? She took her baby-ness to the next level on the flight out here. She was NOT babying at 100% on the plane, let me tell you. She fussed almost the entire time, I think because of the excitement and not having her routines. I tried a bottle at takeoff, a few new toys, snacks…and that was just for me, haha! but seriously, she was in rare form!

Today, not much of a plan for the day. just take it easy, eat some fresh papaya and King’s Hawaiian sweet Bread for breakfast, and find a nice, quiet lagoon to explore… and I want to check out Honolua surf Co. for cute tees and other things because I haven’t been there in a while.

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Have a terrific week. Be extra kind to yourself today, OK? I’ll still be posting here and there, but probably not as much as usual.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen