The foundation of beautiful skin

using The Edgiest Kohl Shadowsticks in Iced as well as Grounded from The Estée edit ($22 each)
I don’t understand if I’d phone call these “The Edgiest,” since I don’t see Khal Drogo or Robert Smith, who are in my mind two of the edgiest makeup-wearing peeps around, rolling as much as a Sephora as well as making a beeline for The Edgiest Kohl Shadowsticks from The Estée edit (I see them a lot more as NARS guys), however I’d definitely phone call them “Edgier Than Most,” or “Somewhat fairly Edgy…”

I mean, they aren’t so edgy that I feel lured to utilize them to color in my adult coloring books, which, doesn’t that noise funny? As if you’d open a coloring book as well as see, like, “adult” (airquotes) things in there? Haha, nasty…

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FUN FACT: adult color books are really just routine coloring books, except they’re for adults, as well as they’re currently extremely trendy. as well as yes, often I’m lured to color mine in with makeup.

But I digress…

So, these aren’t your standard-issue chunky-monkey shadowsticks, since you can utilize them on your lids like an eyeshadow or along your water lines as well as lash lines like a liner (except for the purple shade, which states that it’s only for lids as well as lash lines), so they’re two-for-one products for $22.

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I’m hooked on three of the nine shades — Violet Taboo (a glittery, shimmery violet), Grounded (a pearly brown with a hint of grey) as well as Iced (a stark white).

All of them feel smooth against my skin, kinda like when you leave ice cream out on the counter for a while as well as it gets all soft as well as runny… say thanks to goodness they’re not like those difficult kohl pencils that feel like I’m poking my eyes out with a rough piece of plastic, since those are never fun.

I’ve been getting back into my makeup groove lately, however a lot of days I still only have time as well as energy to spend about 15 minutes on my looks, so these have been up in mah mix. since there’s an eyeliner as well as a shadow in each stick, they save me from having to dig with my makeup bag.

I used them the other day when I was rushing to get prepared to go to the dentist (pumped the boobs, slapped on some makeup as well as ran out the door!). I grabbed Grounded as well as used it in a half moon shape on my lids, then buffed out the edges before it set (these take about three minutes to dry). then I ran it along on my upper lash as well as water lines.

Then, I took Iced as well as dragged it along my lower water lines, as well as I was made with my eye makeup in less time than it takes to say, “Draymond Green’s game 5 suspension reeks of conspiracy. GO WARRIORS!”

Anyway…the Edgiest Eye Kohls are likewise meant to be incredibly long-lasting with a wear time of — state wha?! — 24 hours.

I’m not so sure about that, since I have to reapply them about every four hours on my water lines as well as every 10 hours when I utilize them as eyeshadow.

Now, considering that these are chubbier than a lot of skinny-minnie eyeliner pencils, I most likely won’t utilize them for fine, in-depth lines, however you could, considering that there’s a hidden sharpener tucked in the bottom of the pencil. It’s just that I believe the genuine appeal in these is in exactly how untidy you can be with your lines as well as smudging. It’s fast, fun, simple makeup.

Grounded on my lids as well as Iced on my lower water line
Of the three I like, my preferred is Iced, since it’s really, truly difficult to discover a white kohl that you can just pop on your water line as well as get a stark, opaque white liner look with just one layer. I plan to wear it on the daily.

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You can discover Iced as well as the other colors now for $22 each at Sephora.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

This is me pretty much every morning. I wake up feeling much more or less like a zombie. then I have that first cup of coffee, and it’s like, WHOO-HOO! WOW!!!

And that’s with decaf, girl. just imagine how I am with real coffee, LOL!

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What kind of coffee do you like, and when do you like to have it? first thing in the morning when you get up, or do you like to wait until you get to the office? Or do you stop on the way at your favorite Starbucks or Peet’s or, hey, if you’re here in SF, your favorite Blue Bottle?

I like my coffee first thing because, let’s get real, I wake up a grouchy, grumpy goat.

I also like my coffee mild (my favorite is Kona), so not too bitter, and I drown it in 2% milk with just a teaspoon of sugar.

If you don’t come to life in the morning until you have your first cup, the Coffee first Tee is for you.

I instinctively reach for it now when I’m particularly crabby. then I just quietly point to it if El Hub starts talking to me. I won’t say anything either. I just point to the cat on the front… It works though!

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The fabric is a soft poly/cotton/rayon blend, and the oatmeal color chooses everything — dark blue jeans, light blue jeans, stretchy pants, leather pants…not that I have a pair of leather pants, but I bet it would choose them, too.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

Shiny, textured hair by a brilliant new hair styling product, R+Co Trophy
I’ve been loving a bit structure lately.

“A bit texture,” she says, as her hair expands into the firmament, LOL!

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No, seriously! I’ve been into spraying a texturizing spray on my hair lately (mid-shaft) to type of rough it up as well as make it look much more voluminous (hopefully) as well as windswept, in that just-stepped-off the runway way.

But the thing about structure sprays is that many of them don’t do squat for shine. many are matte, so if you want shiny as well as tousled hair, you have to add a separate shiny product (usually an oil), however that can then evaluate down your hair, thereby defeating the whole function of utilizing a texturizing/volumizing spray in the very first place.

OH, THE HORROR!

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R+Co (pronounced “R as well as Co”) is a hair care line I’m completely consumed with at the moment (I blame my hairdresser buddy Alis, who lives, breathes as well as sleeps hair, for telling me that “This line is amazing, as well as their products will modification your life.”), as well as they figured out a method to add great structure as well as radiate in the exact same product with their new R+Co Trophy radiate + structure Spray.

First location winner!
You get lovely, tousled, windswept action, together with a healthy dose of radiate (that doesn’t look greasy). The product has clay in it for texture, as well as wonderful almond oil for shine, as well as it’s $29 for a bottle…which hurts so good, however like all of the R+Co products I’ve tried, it’s amazeballs.

You might state that I’m a bit enthusiastic about this spray (just a little)…
Use it on freshly washed hair (slightly damp) before air or warm drying, or apply it on dry hair before or after styling. I typically do a few sprays on my hair when it’s dry after curling with an iron. then I spray a bit on the mid-shaft section as well as go layer by layer. then I rough up the waves by scrunching them with my fingers.

Here’s a useful how-to video

Trophy has a fantastic “memory” (quote, unquote), too, as well as it’ll keep in mind where your hair bends as well as curls are, so, as you go about your day as well as your hair gets mussed up, it’ll keep in mind (in a matter of speaking) exactly how you styled it earlier as well as return to that shape.

Trophy lifts my waves, roughs up the strands for some cool-girl tousling, as well as keeps my hair looking healthy as well as shiny all the time long.

Ingredients
And did I mention that it smells like costly perfume (like all R+Co products)? this smells like coconut as well as roses to me — a weird-sounding combo, yeah, however I believe it works.

UGH! So obsessed.

Here’s what I’ve been marathoning lately

It’s a fantastic show on Netflix called The Last Kingdom, as well as it’s about Vikings…

Well, one specific Viking, however he doesn’t begin out as a Viking. He starts out as the child of an English nobleman, however then he gets caught by Vikings as well as made into their slave, however then he wins them over with his boyish, warrior appeal as well as joins the Viking clan.

Anyway, his name is Uhtred, as well as he rocks the half-up, half-down guy bun like you’ve never seen it rocked before.

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Seriously, though, the show is like game of Thrones without the dragons. fantastic action as well as character development. provide it a go next time you’re in the mood for Vikings and/or historical adventure.

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

After my last-minute, semi-emergency trip to the dentist last Saturday (turns out I have an incomplete fracture in a molar, which may or may not have been caused by grinding my teeth), I stopped by the Marin country Mart where there was a farmers’ market, and by the time I left, I was 1) ravenous for salad and 2) inspired to try some new makeup color combinations.

Vegetables and bunches of flowers do it to me every time. now I’m weirdly fired up to wear something radish-colored.

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It got that part of my brain going that sees colorful carrots and thinks, “YES! Yellow in the crease, orange in the inner corners, magenta in the middle of the lid, purple in the outer corners and a little light green on the lower lash line.”

You know, because…carrots.

I saw a pile of grapefruit (grapefruits?) and immediately wanted to paint my nails a pale yellow (which I may or may not be doing ideal meow).

Speaking of citrus, have you ever seen these before? They’re called Buddha’s Hands.

Aren’t they neat? I’ve never tasted them before, so I don’t know if they’re sweet or sour, but apparently they’re a type of citrus (they’re about the size of a massive lemon). I asked the person running the stall what people make with them, and he said that people use them for all kinds of things, but especially to make drinks, candy and jam.

I got lots of ideas at the farmers’ market for all kinds of things.

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Is there a good farmers’ market where you live?

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

The travel-friendly Maybelline City small Palettes, $9.99 each
I think I may have discovered a potentially life-changing charm packing hack this morning.

And here it is: instead of bringing the most significant makeup bag I own (which is what I typically do, big surprise!), I’ll bring a small one and only allow myself whatever will fit into it on the trip.

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:O

Yes, I know this is Captain Obvious, but hear me out.

Six of seven Maybelline City small Palettes
Clearly, someone out there has figured this out before, but it never occurred to me. Seriously, OMG! SHRINK THE BAG, KAREN!

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Graffiti Pop in the palm of my hand

That’s where these new Maybelline City small Palettes enter the picture?

Aren’t they cute? You get six powder eyeshadows in one small palette that fits in the palm of your hand.

There are seven versions available, and here are six. They’re only $9.99 each, which is a pretty great deal.

From the top: chill Brunch Neutrals, Concrete Runway, downtown Sunrise, Graffiti Pop, Rooftop Bronzes and urban Jungle
Wearing the downtown Sunrise palette on my eyes… (Please excuse the pajamas and cat ears. This was just a 10-minute look I did to go on a Starbucks run.)
Each palette has a combo of shimmery finishes (sorry, matte lovers!), so we’re talking frosts, glitters and satins. The textures are so soft that they’re practically creamy, and they’re all quite pigmented.

When you’re working with glitters and frosts, you have to be prepared to deal with some fallout, but overall, these are high quality shadows and a bargain, and the fallout isn’t bad.

And hopefully this never happens to you on a trip (or to me!), but if your makeup bag ever gets lost in transit, it won’t cost much to replace a City Mini.

I’m just sayin’…

Maybelline City small palette ingredients
Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Nylon-12, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Dimethicone, Talc, Diisostearyl Malate, Boron Nitride, Silica, Magnesium Stearate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Dimethicone / vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isostearyl Alcohol, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Paraffinum Liquidum / Mineral Oil / Huile Minerale, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Cera Microcristallina / Microcrystalline Wax / Cire Microcristalline, Paraffin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tin Oxide, Serica Powder / Silk Powder / Poudre De Soie, Tocopherol. may Contain: Mica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / Iron Oxides, CI 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, CI 77007 / Ultramarines, CI 77742 / Manganese Violet, CI 19140 / Yellow 5 Lake, CI 42090 / Blue 1 Lake, CI 77510 / Ferric Ferrocyanide, CI 75470 / Carmine

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Warm-toned downtown Sunrise is my favorite one. It has three satins (a bone, beige and a dark brown) and three frosts (a pale pink, champagne and a coral). The satins are the closest things in these palettes to mattes, and the brown and beige are fantastically helpful for transitioning the shimmers into the crease.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

The MAC shiny quite things holiday 2018 makeup collection
Pics, arm swatches as well as lip swatches of MAC shiny quite Things…as well as commentary/thoughts from the point of view of a 40-something-year-old lady who likes MAC as well as makeup. ? Please note, this is just the makeup collection, not the gift sets or kits. The whole collection is LE as well as offered now at MAC counters as well as online. If you’d like to see the makeup in action, inspect out this post, this publish as well as this post. For reference, I’m an NC42.

If you like shimmer, shine, frost, pearl and/or glitter, as well as you’re great with the truth that it’s already the holidays for makeup companies, this MAC holiday collection is both shiny as well as pretty. It radiaties megawatts of luminescence. Of the 21 pieces, all which are bedecked/bedazzled in restricted edition shiny silver packaging, only one has absolutely no radiate to it — a hot pink matte lipstick called Both Cheeks ($19.50), which is gorgeous, by the way. It’s like a matte version of show Orchid.

I mean you might likewise think about creamy beige-pink Babetown Lipstick ($19.50) as something other than shiny, since it isn’t as shiny as the other products in the release, however it is technically a Cremesheen, so it’s still kinda shiny… It’s likewise the thing I’ve been using a lot of from this entire collection.

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I know, SHOCKING. Karen’s preferred thing is the neutral lipstick?!

That’s sarcasm in print, by the way. ?

Note: Babetown isn’t one of those corpse-y pink beige colors. It’s light (but not pastel), as well as I believe it’s charming layered on top of the MAC Soar, edge to Edge, Spice, Boldly Bare — the normal MAC liner suspects. It’s smooth, opaque as well as doesn’t latch onto lip flakes, either.

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But yeah, you much better be into shine if you’re gonna go huge with this collection, since there’s SO much GLITTER. all of the shiny quite shadows ($21.50 each) are glittery (allegedly they’re a new formula, however I believe they may be re-branded pressed Pigments), the Dazzleliner liquid liners ($22 each) are glittery, as well as the additional dimension Skinfinish in Snowflushed ($35) is HELLA glittery — like, somebody might illuminate a disco celebration utilizing the reflection off your face.

I occur to like shine in controlled/small doses, as well as I’m extremely specific about the particulars of the shine I like to wear because, as a non-21-year-old, I have pores.

I likewise have experience lines.

And shine amplifies those things.

Yet I truly like the shiny quite things glitters. They’re — wait on it — wearable!

So what’s “wearable glitter”? Well, I believe the flecks are fine (but not necessarily microscopic), as well as not like the large Skittle-sized pieces of shine you utilize for deal with painting at a child’s birthday party.

Also, IMO the shine bits in “wearable glitter” aren’t all the precise exact same shape as well as size. They vary, owing to a higher degree of complexity as well as sophistication…

Yes, I understand that’s taking shine extremely seriously. ?

By far, the most fascinating glitters in this collection to me are the shiny quite Shadows. They’re moderately pigmented shine shadows with a pearly base, as well as the shine bits are all different shapes as well as sizes. When you press the shadows on your lids either wet or dry — because, let’s deal with it, utilizing a sweeping movement is just gonna send the stuff flying around the location — they nearly look like shattered glass sparkling in sunlight. Some flecks even look like they’re floating above your skin like pixie dust.

The long-wearing Dazzleliners (sparkly-er cousins of the MAC Liquidlast Liners) likewise have that shattered glass effect.

And then there’s Snowflushed, with its fairly incognito gold, bronze as well as pink flecks of shine (subtle shine is always a plus if you have a pore situation).

Also, none of the glosses feel gritty, by the way, if you were wondering.

The take-home house message is this: This is a *very* glittery collection, however a unusual amount of it is wearable, even for somebody older than 20. If you’re into that, inspect out the eyeshadows, the liner as well as the highlighters, which I believe are the standouts.

Shin quite Shadows, $21 each
Extra dimension Skinfinishes, $35 each

Lipglasses, $18.50 each
Dazzleliners, $22 each
Lipsticks, $19.50 each
Lipsticks, Lipglasses, shiny quite Shadows, additional dimension Skinfinishes as well as Dazzleliners
Lipsticks as well as Lipglasses on NC42 skin

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If you’d like a lot more information about any type of of the products in the collection, let me know. up until then…VIVA LA GLITTER!

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

long lasting, smudgy as well as smooth.
Eureka! discovered one more legendary liner for tightlining, as well as it’s almost — almost — as legendary as Chanel 88 Noir Intense.

Oh, as well as it costs 40% less ($19 vs. $33).

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It’s $19 Antonym Cosmetics Noir water resistant Eye Pencil, as well as the only reason I can’t totally turn my back on Chanel 88 Noir intense is since I still like 88’s skinny twist-up tip. I believe it’s much better at getting down there between the lash roots than Antonym’s tip, however it’s doable as long as I keep the tip sharp.

It’s coo’.

When your hair is cray however you just go with it anyway… I’m using Noir by Antonym on my water lines as well as upper lash lines, BTW.
Thankfully, the pencil includes its own sharpener, which is handy for that.

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Noir by Antonym is matte, water resistant as well as black — the blackest black — so there’s no blue, grey or eco-friendly in it. I believe it’s just about as dark as Chanel 88 Noir Intense. When it’s pressed up at the base of my lashes on my water line, my lash bed looks dense as well as super thick, like I’m sporting many more lashes I really am.

It’s likewise long lasting on my water lines. I get a great eight hours without any type of fading…after it sets. *AFTER IT SETS* is key here, though, since it does take a while to totally set.

So it kind of sets in two phases, too. It takes 2-3 minutes for it to at first dry (during which time it’s soft as well as smudgy like a MAC Eye Kohl, so you have time to play), as well as one more 20 minutes or so for it to totally dry down. Basically, when I apply it to my water line, I get a bit bit of transferring onto my lower lash line for about 20 minutes, however I just clean it up with a Q-tip.

But when that 20 minutes is over, this won’t move anymore. AT ALL.

I’ve likewise utilized it to line my bare upper lash lines, as well as as long as I provide it the time to set, it doesn’t creep into my crease.

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If black isn’t your thing, it likewise is available in brown (which I’m gonna ultimately try someday too, since I such as this pencil that much). You can discover it at Sephora as well as online.

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

FYI, Anthropologie is where it’s at if you requirement a $500 muumuu (or mu’umu’u)!

I desire I might state I was kidding, however I’m not. While I was there other day plundering the sale rack, I spotted this bright, silky eco-friendly caftan on sale for $300 (marked down from $500 though!).

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Needless to say, the present condition of Muumuu Quest at Tabs the feline markets LLC is still DSM (Desperately seeking Muumuu).

(Pause right here for OHEMGEE face.)

Doesn’t the print look like an abstract painting of peacock feathers? Or an abstract kelp forest in the ocean?

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I believe it’s lovely, as well as the silk felt wonderful (seriously, when does one get the possibility to try on a $500 muumuu?), however there’s no method in hell I’m costs that much for a gown to knock around the home in.

Mind you, the Mrs. Roper-ness levels on it were very, extremely high. Helen would be totally feeling it. It looked terrible on me, though, since the drawstring midsection hit at a weird spot, the sleeves were a bit as well drape-y, as well as the neckline was method as well wide.

It was a difficult no.

This muumuu-esque gown by Maeve has navy tassels, oh-la-la!

It’s like a 21st century updated version of a muumuu. I liked the method it flowed when I twirled in it (vitally important). Unfortch, it was $200 (and wasn’t on sale), however if it had been under $100, I would’ve seriously thought about it.

Too poor this next Mrs. Roper gown by Maeve wasn’t longer, since if it had been, I would’ve stated indeed TO THE DRESS! It was on sale for $99 (originally $168).

Oh, as well as even though this maxi gown by Lazybones looks nothing like a muumuu or a caftan, I provided it a go since of the print. on sale for $135 (originally $168).

It in shape OK, however I didn’t like it. Also…NOT A MUUMUU.

Wherefore art thou, muumuu? anywhere you are, you shall be mine!

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To be continued…

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen