painting paws keeps me sane. I’m using Essie Spool Me Over (left) as well as At the Barre (right).
List the things that are avoiding you from standing in your front lawn as well as screaming up into the sky for hours on end while sheltering-in-place!

My sanity savers, in no specific order:

ADVERTISEMENT

Painting my nails (I’m all about #MismatchedMani life best now)

Honestly… Carbs. I was eating “lower carb-ish” before the pandemic hit however now I just don’t have the bandwidth for it. provide me all the carbs, please.

Speaking of carbs, baking ALL THE THINGS, particularly cookies. funny thing is I bake much more now than I did when I worked at a bakery, ha!

Cocooning myself into stretchy pants 24/7! My body repels jeans now.

A routine during the weekdays.

Working out very first thing in the morning.

Hanging out with quite woman Rosie, the Torbiest Torbie of the Torbie Girls.

Predictably cheesy rom-coms like Bridget Jones’ Diary, as well as historical period pieces

Lists upon lists upon lists.

ADVERTISEMENT

How about you?

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

The MAC Loud as well as remove Collection as well as glow Play Blushes, both offered now at choose MAC places as well as the MAC website
Man, I couldn’t get this on my arm as well as deal with quick enough. very first of all, NEUTRALS. Second, MAC.

Seriously, as well good.

ADVERTISEMENT

Technically, you are checking out two LE MAC collections. One is Loud as well as Clear, which consists of single Eyeshadows ($18 each), Lipsticks ($20), Lipglasses ($18.50) as well as additional dimension Skinfinishes ($37 each), as well as the other is a collection of glow Play Blushes ($30 cheek colors extraordinaire).

A few high-level observations:

The blushes are not in the standard-issue powder formula. They have a creamy, bouncy formula as well as feels gel-like. They’re silky. They’re soft, as well as they work finest when used with my fingers. I believe they’ll be fabulous buddies to five-minute makeup.

As for the eyeshadows, they feel softer than usual, like they have a lot more “give” than normal for MAC powder shadows. I have high really hopes for them, particularly since they appear to be a lot more intense than usual, too.

If you like monochromatic looks, this is the collection for you. There are a number of coordinating eye/cheek/lip products (this becomes a lot more evident when you separate the products into color families). I like matchy-matchy makeup since I believe it’s simple sophisticated, so I’m all about that life.

THE PACKAGING! It’s kinda Shu Uemura, yah? I’m into the remove cases, not just since they look cool, however they’re likewise practical, since it’s simple to tell what shade they are from the front as well as the back.

I like the remove packaging… So unlike the basic MAC black.
Lipsticks ($20 each) as well as Lipglasses ($18.50 each)

Eyeshadows ($18 each) as well as additional dimension Skinfinishes ($37)

More glow Play Blushes ($30 each)

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

Glow Play Blushes ($30 each)
My heart beat double time when I took these out, as well as I inadvertently said, “HOT DAMN!” in front of Connor (she’s in that phase where she repeats whatever I say, so I try to limit the vibrant curse words).

ADVERTISEMENT

What do you think?! ecstatic as I am? ? Or do the neutrals make you wanna hit the snooze button? ?

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

HOMEGIRL. There are so lots of new hair care lines at Tar-ghey! I’m speaking about stuff beyond the normal suspects, a la Pantene, Garnier, L’Oréal. I was there yesterday browsing shampoos, as well as I nearly short circuited in the “clean hair” aisle.

There are so lots of new up-and-coming brands!

ADVERTISEMENT

I swear, I stood there for 20 minutes trying to choose whether to stay with the Odele Shampoo, Conditioner as well as Leave-In I’ve been utilizing as well as loving for months, or whether I must try something new… That’s the eternal conundrum for appeal lovers, isn’t it? Do you stay with what works for you, or do you succumb to temptation to try something new??

This time, I ended up staying with my Odele staples, however I’m grabbing the function of appeal Wavy Hair Shampoo as well as Conditioner next time I’m there.

First of all, look exactly how adorable the packaging is! I’m such a sucker for quite pastels.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

Now, look carefully at the bottles… See the different lines as well as exactly how some are curlier than others? The lines correspond with the hair type each bottle is made for. incredibly adorable as well as absolutely GENIUS.

Feel complimentary to geek out. ?

Apparently, the method this brand works is that you determine the shampoo as well as conditioner ($9.99 each) for your hair type very first — straight, wavy, curly or coily — as well as then choose on an add-on called a “booster” ($2.99) to mix into your shampoo as well as conditioner. Each booster has a certain job, like to add volume or warm protection, as well as you can add as lots of or as few boosters as you want to produce a custom-made hair brew.

I don’t believe I’ve seen anything such as this before. seems extremely innovative!

After inspecting that out, I headed over to the clothes section since I needed a new camisole to wear with a white button-up tee shirt I just recently got.

Actually, let me back up a bit first…

I haven’t had a functional white, long-sleeve button-up tee shirt (or button-down shirt, nevertheless you like to state it) in a very, extremely long time. long story short, I’ve been putting off getting new clothes for years, as well as my body totally altered when I had Connor. I held onto the belief that I’d ultimately get back into my pre-pregnancy wardrobe, however ya know…it’s just not gonna happen. It only took me five years to accept this, however hey, much better late than never!

I’m having to rebuild my wardrobe from scratch, however I had no concept where to start, so I googled a checklist of wardrobe basics, as well as I discovered this by a wardrobe stylist/Youtuber named Erin Busbee. She particularly caters to fashion for women over 40, as well as I’ve discovered a great deal from her videos.

One of the things on her listing of fundamentals is a white button-up shirt, so I gotten this since of the fantastic reviews, as well as I’ve been trying to find a camisole to wear beneath it, since I’m not about to show my DNKY bra to all the parents at preschool pickup, LOL!

At Target, they have a camisole, that’s likewise a bodysuit, by a brand called Auden. It’s $16.99 as well as is available in beige, white as well as black.

Seriously, where has this been all my life? I usually don’t like to wear camis since I can’t stand when the material bunches up around my waist, so I like the concept of having a body-hugging storage tank that I don’t have to keep readjusting as well as pushing down.

One last thing — Target brings my preferred floss now, Cocofloss.

I ran into it in the section I lovingly phone call “THE death TRAP,” which is the screen in the makeup department with all the small sampler bottles of lotions as well as potions as well as whatnot.

ADVERTISEMENT

I recognize this floss is hella expensive, however let me tell you — your teeth will be the cleanest they’ve ever been in your entire life! just DO IT, as well as say thanks to me later. ?

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

may Day (May 1st) is likewise understood as Lei Day in Hawaii, as well as it’s a statewide event of the aloha spirit as well as the providing of the flower lei. No matter which day of the week may 1st falls on, the Lei Day event takes location at Queen Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. The annual event features online music, a sensational lei contest exhibit, hula performances, demonstrations, craft as well as food vendors, as well as so much more!

Tabs liked Lei Day (obvs), as well as he was a significant horticulturalist. directly up, he was a fiend for flowers, particularly of the edible variety.

ADVERTISEMENT

No matter what he was doing or where he was, Tabs used a lei every may 1st. He liked holidays that enabled him to flex his innovative muscles.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tabs was likewise a skilled lei kumu, or teacher. He taught all of the community kitties exactly how to string their own, as well as then of program exactly how to work them on the runway.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

fancy (but totally affordable) hand washes at Target from across the pond
What song do you sing when you’re washing your hands? Normally, I sing “Happy Birthday” to Keanu Reeves two or three times to keep it simple (because Keanu ?), but sometimes I veer into prince territory (“She wore a raspberry beret, the kind you get at a secondhand store. Raspberry beret, and if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more. Raspberry beret. I think I love her.”)

I would wear his blue suit with clouds in a heartbeat to Trader Joe’s.

’tis a sign of the (pandemic) times when one gets their thrills from testing different hand soaps… Seriously, the bar for my amusement is set so low now!

ADVERTISEMENT

So…I like to try new hand soaps, and right now I’m into Baylis & Harding Goodness natural Handwashes, a new line of vegan liquid hand soaps at Target.

They smell fancy! The scents have notes, base notes, middle notes — the whole shebang — and they lather up into big, luscious bubbles. think Molton Brown, but at a drugstore price.

They’re made in the UK and don’t contain parabens, silicones and dyes. The suggested retail price for a huge 16.9-oz. bottle is $5.99 (although here in the Bay Area, apparently it’s $7.39).

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

From Target.com:

“Baylis & Harding Goodness Oud, Cedar & Amber hand wash is inspired by nature with carefully blended plant-based formulas. using only the finest, natural and organic extracts and essential oils to deliver a 98% naturally derived formulation that is vegan, 95% biodegradable, packaged within a 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) bottle. Dermatologist approved (mild & gentle) and made in England with love, Baylis & Harding’s Goodness natural hand wash line is also dye free, paraben free, silicone free and uses a mild coconut-derived surfactant as an alternative to SLES, making it SLS/SLES/ales free.”

The different scents are surprisingly complex, like you’re having a perfume experience every times you wash your hands. For example, Oud Cedar and Amber, one of my faves, smells like an expensive, handsome man driving you to work in his new car with leather seats. and the rose and Geranium instantly transports you to teatime in an English garden blooming at the height of spring. So nothing basic, scent wise, here.

Scent notes:

Oud, Cedar & Amber: Woody and aromatic with a blend of citrus fruits with herbal notes and strong woody undertone.

Lemongrass & Ginger: top and heart notes of ginger and lemongrass blended with black pepper, citrus and bergamot. Nutmeg and cinnamon add a spicy undertone.

Rose & Geranium: A zesty top note of lemon blended with rose, geranium and rich amber.

Sea Kelp & Peppermint: top notes of peppermint, green tea and sea salt, combined with sea kelp and grounded by base notes of cedar and amber.

The bevy of bubbles rinses quickly, leaving your paws squeaky clean and lightly scented. good stuff, and super affordable, too.

Pack your bags (literally)

Thanks guys for sharing where you live and why you love it yesterday in the comments. I really enjoyed it! Apparently, I’ve been talking non-stop about leaving California enough that El Hub thinks I’m pretty serious about it. and ya know what? I think I am. I know it’s not going to happen right THIS SECOND, but I’d like to leave within the next few years. I don’t think I can endure many more fire seasons without turning into a walking ball of anxiety.

Not that anything right now is normal anywhere, but fire season here, on top of the pandemic, is working my already frayed nerves. like today, I wanted to take Connor to play in the park, but there are two big fires within 20 miles of us (the LNU complex fire and the point Reyes Wildfire), and the air quality is poor. It smells like a campfire outside.

Also, on my to-do list this weekend: packing our go-bags in case we have to evacuate. super uncomfortable, but it has to be done, because you just never know living here.

I’ve been using these two lists I found online as guidelines:

Do you think it would be silly to set aside some camping gear? I keep thinking about where we’d go if we had to evacuate, because I just don’t know. everyone we know has been isolating themselves with their families. I guess we could pitch our tent in my parent’s backyard? I have absolutely no idea.

With that…I really don’t want to leave you on a weird note, I swear! things are currently not dire where I am (knocks on wood). We’re fine. I would just rather be prepared than get caught totally off guard.

I’m pretty happy all things considered. ? just happy to be here, healthy with my family and a roof over my head.

Take care of yourself, k? and have a good Friday.

ADVERTISEMENT

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

When Ryan Seacrest phone calls you at noon on new Year’s Eve as well as pleads you to fly to nyc before the sphere drops so you can fill in for a last-minute cancellation by Justin Timberlake in the huge show, if you’re the incomparable, indefatigable Tabs the cat, you make it happen, even if it means chartering a personal jet.

In the enjoyment business, Tabs had a track record as a fixer. He was the feline you called when the stakes were high as well as there was a crisis, as well as you needed somebody of skill as well as integrity to repair it — somebody who might dazzle a crowd at a moment’s notice without any type of practice.

ADVERTISEMENT

Most years, Tabs favored to sound in the new year by staying regional as well as celebrating with his Marin region friends…

But there were a few years, like 2014, when he was needed elsewhere.

It’s difficult to believe that last year was his last new Year’s with us… It’ll be different celebrating the begin of a new decade without him. ?

ADVERTISEMENT

Miss you, buddy. like you forever. delighted new Year. ?

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

A beret is always a good idea.
1. They camouflage cray-cray hair

A beret instantly hides unruly baby hair so you don’t walk around looking like a mad scientists who hasn’t slept in days.

Added bonus: If the thought of brushing your mane sounds exhausting, a beret is your best friend! just tuck those unruly strands underneath a chic beret.

ADVERTISEMENT

2. They make great pop songs

Prince wrote a song about a raspberry beret found at a secondhand store. Can you imagine Raspberry Beret being something like Raspberry bucket Hat or Raspberry Newsboy Cap or Raspberry Beanie? I don’t think so!

I would completely wear that cloud suit.

3. Cats love them!

Whether they’re wearing them, sleeping on them or attempting to tear them apart with their claws (ahem, *Rosie*), cats certainly love berets.

Goodness gracious, he certainly was a beautiful beast!
4. Berets effortlessly work with your favorite bold lip

Berets and bold lips are purrfection. this one is Chanel Eclosion, by the way, from the Spring-Summer 2021 collection.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

Not a Raspberry Beret, but still a beret nonetheless!
5. No ears required!

Unlike earrings, glasses or a face mask, berets doesn’t rely on your ears for support (really, our ears are doing so much these days), so rejoice in your ear freedom as you jauntily place a beret atop your head.

6. An equal-opportunity hat

Both ladies and gents wear berets, so if your significant other has one you’re fond up, take note — it’s completely up for grabs!

7. A hat with history

The beret has long graced the heads of numerous renowned individuals throughout history, and they’ve often been symbols of revolution.

A few beautiful berets to consider…

Halogen wool blend Beret, $29 — There’s a red one that’s always sold out, but mark my words, one day it shall be mine.

Brixton Lennon Beret, $21.97 — I love the blush color and the gold trim

Eugenia Kim Catarina, $227.50 (!) — cat ears and pearls, what much more could one want in a beret?

8. well-known people wear them…

Which may or may not be a plus, ha ha ha! fun fact: Ernest Hemingway, cat fancier and novelist, liked berets.

9. You can have a beret for every mood

ADVERTISEMENT

Depending on the material and size of said beret, you can either go chic and minimalist; or big, floppy and bold. There’s a beret for every occasion.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, in contrast to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five a lot more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

Welcome to the Quarantine edition of the Monday Poll!

1. Are you an vital worker?

In the larger scheme of the pandemic, no. but here at home I’m essential, considering that someone needs to remember to feed all the coworkers! I’m also the main person stopping the youngest human child from going absolutely and completely feral.

2. how lots of drinks have you had considering that the quarantine started?

I’ve had a couple of hard apple ciders with dinner, but I may or may not be *this close* to day-drinking on the daily now.

3. If you have pets/children/other dependents, are they driving you bonkers?

Not quite yet (but close!). Rosie has taken to shredding the painted kitchen doorjamb with her claws, but that’s about it. Connor has been pretty easygoing as long as we stick to our daily schedule. If we deviate from it, though, all bets are off!

4. have you picked up any new hobbies?

Does trying to contact a real live human being at the unemployment office count?

5. any special occasions you’ve missed (or will miss) during the quarantine?

A couple trips and events have been postponed. My daddy also turned 70 this past weekend, so we packed up the 4Runner with our camping chairs, camp table, snacks and drinks, and a portable 5-gallon toilet bucket, and celebrated by driving out to their house in the east Bay for a social distancing backyard birthday party. There were no hugs exchanged, unfortunately, but we got to chat, sing delighted Birthday, and explore their stunning backyard (they have so lots of fruit trees!).

6. What’s your quarantine meal?

All the baked things… It’s funny, I bake a lot more now than I did when I was working at the bakery.

Sunday funday

We’ve been going a little stir crazy lately, so we took to the terrific outdoors yesterday to get some of our wiggles out at one of our favorite hiking spots in Novato, Mt. Burdell. It borders miles and miles of open space, and it’s pretty remote as far as local hiking goes.

We came across a handful of other people, and when we did, everyone was good about staying at least six feet apart, unlike at Target the other day, which was generally a sh*t-show. When I left the store, I was shaking from the anxiety and shock at the rudeness I saw in the store. another pandemic adventure in the books!

ADVERTISEMENT

Needless to say, I really needed to clear my head and get out of the house for a while, so we hiked, sat in some trees and enjoyed some local wildlife, which included enjoying a group of cows shading themselves near a creek, passing a couple of horses on the trail, enjoying a jackrabbit dashing down the hillside and a pair of deer bounding across a field of tall grass. also a turkey vulture took flight nearly directly over our heads, and IT WAS HUGE.

And the colors! The wildflowers are blooming ideal now, and the lawn is still green from the wintertime and spring rains, so the hills are dotted with bright orange, yellow and purple. It looks like a scene from the opening credit scores of The sound of Music.

If it weren’t for my allergies (achoo!) and ticks and snakes, I’d spin around the hillside every morning.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

Have a great Monday, friend. I hope something good happens to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

ADVERTISEMENT

Karen

P.S. here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak to ya soon.

1. Are you an vital worker?
2. how lots of drinks have you had considering that the quarantine started?
3. If you have pets/children/other dependents, are they driving you bonkers?
4. have you picked up any new hobbies?
5. any special occasions you’ve missed (or will miss) during the quarantine?
6. What’s your quarantine meal?

A hack for bold but natural-looking brows
Do you ever feel like your brows are out to get you? like they have an agenda? like they have ulterior motives?

I do. ? in some cases they absolutely refuse all orders, completely ignoring my requests, whether I come at them with a brow gel and/or an eyebrow brush.

ADVERTISEMENT

Do you want fuller, (somewhat) natural-looking brows, but don’t want to have to spend an hour on it and use a ton of product?

If you answered “yes,” then this brow hack is for you! ?

I just started doing this and have gotten some good feedback on my brows lately, so of course I have to share this hack with you, because I’m guessing you’re probably as obsessed with brows as I am.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

First, you’ll need a clear brow gel, your favorite brow filler (pen, pencil, powder, whatevs) and — drumroll please — YOUR FINGERS!

Yes, fingers are the essential to this party. ?

Start by applying the clear brow gel to your naked brows. There are so numerous good brow gels out there, BTW (see: Benefit, NUDESTIX, Anastasia), but I’m using the one by MAC now because I like the hold. It gets the job done, but it doesn’t make my brows too stiff.

Don’t be shy, either. pile that ish on!

Naked brows and bare skin, ’cause that’s how we roll around these parts
Load up the clear brow gel.
Now, instead of grabbing a brow spoolie or a brush comb and running that through the gel, push your brow hairs into place with your fingers.

Yup, that’s right! simply press and maneuver the hairs exactly where you want them.

The secret is the power of fingertip pressure. ? I think it just works better than a spoolie or a brow brush.

Press those hairs!
Goofy face completely unnecessary but highly encouraged (ya need to be able to laugh at yourself, ya know?)
My strategery is to push the brow hairs in the inner half of my brow upward, and the hairs in the outer tail slightly up and out. I think that makes the brows look full, fluffy and thick.

At this point, you can proceed with the rest of your makeup while the gel sets, and then when it’s dry fill in any sparse spots in your brows with a pencil, pen or powder.

Fill them in, finish the rest of your makeup, and you’re done!
It’s weird, but when I do this with my fingers, I’m able to get away with using less brow pencil, and I think my brows typically look much more natural and less…I dunno…heavy-handed than when I use a brush or another tool?

Please note that many brow gels get stickier after setting for a minute or two, so if you’re there pushing your hairs around, and you feel the gel getting stuck here and stickier, that’s completely normal!

Off to pre-school pickup!
I hope you give this a try.

ADVERTISEMENT

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

delighted birthday, MBB!

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, in contrast to its name, an actual poll, like with bit clicky buttons. It’s just a listing of a lot more or less random concerns I’ve been publishing on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Spiky lashes: your thoughts?

Super great in magazines, however on me as I’m going about my day? Not so much. I end up appearing like I misplaced my lash comb, LOL!

2. have you ever had a pair of cargo pants?

Yes I have, as well as I liked mine back in the day since POCKETS. I had a full-length tan pair as well as cropped pair in camo print (OMG), as well as I used them all the time.

ADVERTISEMENT

3. Earrings: hoops or studs?

Small hoops that don’t need a separate latch/earring back.

4. carry bag or crossbody purse?

Crossbody that’s not as well big, not as well small, with a zipper (so all my crap doesn’t autumn out).

5. exactly how are you doing today?

I feel the very best I’ve felt in days! I have a horrible migraine all weekend as well as it’s subsided, for now.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

Shop Now

6. Something great you can do for yourself today?

Go to bed early! The a lot more sleep I can slip in, the much better off I am the next day.

7. stretchy pants today?

Yes, please. as well as a comfy sweatshirt, too, since it’s freezing today.

8. Something you’re looking ahead to in the spring?

Seeing all the cherry blossoms in bloom!

9. Maroon mascara: indeed or no?

Hard pass. I’ve tried it before with a few different brands, as well as it never shows up on my dark lashes.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

P.S. right here are the concerns to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak to ya soon.

ADVERTISEMENT

1. Spiky lashes: your thoughts?
2. have you ever had a pair of cargo pants?
3. Earrings: hoops or studs?
4. carry bag or crossbody purse?
5. exactly how are you doing today?
6. Something great you can do for yourself today?
7. stretchy pants today?
8. Something you’re looking ahead to in the spring?
9. Maroon mascara: indeed or no?

P.P.S. delighted Monday, my lovely friend! I hope your day has been mellow so far. Let’s have a excellent week ahead, OK?

P.P.P.S. random fun fact, however MBB turned 15 yesterday. say thanks to you for coming together with me for the ride!