Archives January 2023

got a new preferred lunchies! It’s quick, easy, nutritious as well as quite dang tasty, if I do state so myself.

I can’t take all the credit, though. I liberated a recipe that I saw on eatyourselfskinny.com, which I originally wished to try since it had kale in it, as well as I’m still trying to like kale….but I ended up tweaking it, LOL! My version doesn’t have kale in it.

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Yeah, the whole me trying to like kale thing? It’s not going well, however that leads me to one of the joys of cooking –substitutions.

This serves one person, by the way, as well as cooks up in a flash, so you’ll want to begin by gathering your components as well as having them prepped as well as ready.

Here’s what you’ll need…

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1 tbsp olive oil (or you can utilize an olive oil spray, however I like to add a bit healthy fat to ensure that the meal sustains me for longer than 10 minutes)

2-3 minced cloves

4 cups of fresh spinach

1 cup of cooked brown rice (or a 1/2 cup, depending upon exactly how hungry you are; I utilize Trader Joe’s organic brown Rice, which is in the frozen section)

1 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1 tbsp grated Parmesan

1 egg

Start by warming the tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet, then add your garlic. cook up until the garlic turns fragrantly golden… On my electric stove, this takes about three minutes. view it carefully, though, since you don’t want to shed the garlic (it’ll get bitter).

In a separate pot, cook the brown rice.

Next, toss in the cooked brown rice, as well as stir to mix it in with the olive oil as well as garlic.

Then mix in the spinach, as well as cook up until it’s about halfway wilted.

Next, mix in the grated Parmesan as well as breadcrumbs, as well as cook up until the cheese gets melty as well as the spinach completely wilts.

Be cautious not to overcook the spinach, since that’s no fun, as well as location in your serving bowl.

You might can have it best like that, however I like to top it off with an egg over simple that’s been lightly dusted with a pinch of salt. Not as well much salt since Parmesan is already quite salty.

If the egg doesn’t noise like your thing, you might substitute it with tofu, tempeh, chicken, fish, beef, whatever you’re in the mood for.

Last, however definitely not least, dig in! It’s nom time.

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Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

P.S. have you occurred upon any type of healthy new recipes lately? Inquiring/hungry minds want to know.

** THE GIVEAWAY IS closed **
This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, LISA!!!), but check back next Saturday for another giveaway.

Baby barking — it’s the most recent craze sweeping the nation, you know. Connor Claire has figured out how to bark out orders and shout to announce her displeasure throughout the day. “Eh!” That’s what she does now. When she wants to be picked up or just wants to stare at me and I walk out of her view for a few seconds, that’s what I hear. “Eh!” Over and over. “Eh! Eh!” like she’s a baby crow, haha.

Good morning, friend! how are you? What did you do last night? because I’m stuck in baby jail, I need you to help me out. Did you go out to dinner this week? have you seen any movies? have you been to the beach? Or the mall? Or Target? Old Navy? Downtown? In other words, have you done anything whatsoever outside of your house? Because, you know, if you have…chances are you’ve been leaving the house a lot much more typically than I have.

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Heck, I don’t think I’ve opened the front door because Thursday. (The struggle is real!)

I gotta get out of the house. maybe a stroll around the mall in Corte Madera… I’m still mastering the art of loading and unloading the stroller from the car, though. My little Mazda is…little. So now I see what the big deal is about minivans. Yup, now I get it.

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Good luck in the giveaway, and have a terrific weekend. speak with you soon.

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One (1) Sephora eGift card including $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter by leaving a comment below.

Open to U.S. and international readers.

You should be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).

Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:

Your current favorite kicks?

What’s your favorite picture of yourself?

How typically do you use a hair dryer?

Dinner theater: yes or no?

Have you ever played soccer (aka real football)?

What do you have set as your Internet homepage?

One entry per person.

You should use a valid email address to win.

The giveaway ends on Monday, may 23, 2016 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time).

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Good question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll. It’s just a list of five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past gazillion years (more than 10!). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a great start. ?

1. Emoji you use the most?

I use ? way more than any person with good sense should. I also abuse the sweets-related ones, like ?, ? and ?.

2. Skeleton prints on clothes — cool or creepy?

(Side note: I’m mostly asking this because I saw a girl at the beach on Saturday wearing a one-piece with an x-ray of a skeleton on it.)

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Creepy, man! I don’t need be reminded of what’s in your inside on the outside.

3. walk me through what needs to happen in order for you to have a good hair day?

OK, starting the night before, I either have to shampoo and condition, or do a conditioner wash, because if I don’t, and my roots are greasy in the morning, I’ll feel unkempt the entire day.

While I’m still standing in the shower after the shampoo or conditioner wash, I’ll twist my hair and wring out as much water as I can. Then, I’ll wrap a towel around the ends, and wring out even more, as much as I can.

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(Incidentally, I never, ever vigorously rub my hair with a towel because it always makes my hair frizzy.)

Afterwards, I’ll work a leave-in conditioner into my hair from the mid-shaft through the ends with my fingers, comb it through using a wide-toothed comb, and let my hair dry overnight.

Assuming Tabs doesn’t sleep on my head (as he’s wont to do!), that process sets me up with loose waves the next day. In the morning, I’ll take either a large-barrel curling iron or a flat iron to add some loose waves around my face, then spray everything with a beach wave spray.

4. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully not as tired and sleep-deprived? just kidding! Kind of… Not really.

Let’s see… Connor will be 12, so I’d like to still be working in the beauty industry in some capacity, hopefully still 1) writing and 2) still able to be home around the time she gets home from school, especially during her middle school years. Hopefully. because I remember those years being particularly awkward and hard, and even though she’ll probably want nothing to do with Mom, I’d still like her to have that as a safety net if she needs it.

5. One thing inspiring you at the moment?

Dude. This is so my power song right now!

Mid-week holidays

This year July 4th is on Wednesday, and while I’m not one to say no to a national holiday, I think it would’ve been even better if we had the couple days leading up to it off, too, amIright? OK, OK… I might just be looking for another excuse to sleep in.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

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Karen

P.S. here are the questions for you to copy and paste with your answers in a comment:

1. Emoji you use the most?
2. Skeleton prints on clothes — cool or creepy?
3. walk me through what needs to happen in order for you to have a good hair day?
4. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
5. One thing inspiring you at the moment?

It keeps going and going and going and going…
You men know that for the past few years (it feels like the past FOREVER) I’ve been a hardcore devotee of NARS Pro-Prime Smudge proof Eyeshadow Base. I’ve gone through numerous tubes because I started using it in 2011, and I haven’t found anything better…until now.

MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour extend Eye Base is just as good IMO, if not better in some ways. Yes, I still think Pro-Prime is extraordinary when it concerns extending the longevity of your eyeshadow, enriching the colors and making everything on your lids look flat-out better, but MAC Prep + primer 24-Hour does those same things, too, and it hangs onto glitters and creams even better than NARS Pro-Prime.

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What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an often underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of numerous makeup lovers but frequently rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

If you’re searching for an all-around primer that you can use for everyday looks (say, using your favorite workweek palette) and for evenings out (say, when you want to do it up pals and some loose pigments, glitters or creams), MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour extend Eye Base is the way to go.

The colorless formula doesn’t work out into creases or fine lines, and it right away mattes down your lids when you apply a layer. use the thinnest layer you can, BTW. The less I use, the better off I am. thank goodness, because a 0.40-oz. bottle is $23, and it even looks small when you hold it in your hand.

But really, you only need a little dab for both lids.

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Since it’s transparent, it doesn’t shift or change the colors you wear on top of it in any way. If anything, it enriches the colors and makes them look much more intense.

I haven’t had the chance to see if it really does last 24 hours yet, but I’ve worn it for 12 hours, and it was a champ. No creasing or fading. My eyeshadow still looked as fresh as it did in the morning.

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If you like NARS Pro-Prime, you’ll loooooove this!

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

IT Cosmetics naturally quite Vol 1 Matte Luxe transforming Eyeshadow combination ($42 as well as offered meow)
I feel the exact same method about matte palettes as a I feel about mascara.

Both are flat-out necessities, as well as any type of makeup enthusiast worth her weight in cotton spheres ought to have at least one or two in her (or his) bag.

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Well…I don’t understand exactly how you feel about that, however that’s my handle it.

There are so numerous excellent ones out there, too, as well as I’m always discovering new ones to love, like my latest, the $42 IT Cosmetics naturally quite Vol 1 Matte Luxe transforming Eyeshadow Palette, which has been offered for a while, however it’s new to me, as well as I’m completely into it. I used it a lot of times last week.

Do you like matte shadows? since I sure do. I mean, mattes are your friends. They truly are. They’re just so useful. I wear at least one matte shadow a day, typically in the crease to kind of contour my eyes to make my sockets look deeper (mine are somewhat hooded as well as seem to be getting much more hooded as I get up there in years).

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Sometimes I do a single sweep of matte shadow around the lid (often a matte brown or taupe) for a bit definition, and, as opposed to the large majority of YouTube makeup tutorials, you *can* utilize just one or two shadows if you want. You don’t requirement to utilize 12. You will be OK!

And if I’m still feeling additional sassafras after that, I’ll add a vibrant liner — perhaps a purple, eco-friendly or teal — along my lash lines.

Yup, I like shimmer as well as glitter, for sure, however mattes are always there for me, ya know?

The naturally quite combination has 14 useful, wearable matte powder shadows as well as an additional pan of “transforming pearl,” which you can tap on top of the matte shades to provide them a pearly shimmer.

The mattes are a mix of warm as well as great shades that I understand I can wear over as well as over in great deals of different looks — like matte beiges, matte browns as well as matte taupes. There are likewise some deeper shades in the palette, too, like a couple of dark purples, a navy as well as an off-black, that you can utilize as liners or in smoky looks.

Basically, this is a workhorse combination (also cruelty free) for elegant, simple daily looks, as well as you won’t have to fight after effects or blend up until your wrist falls off.

Wearing Sunset from the combination on my lids as well as lower lash lines together with the BECCA Sunchaser Palette, as well as hourglass developer woman Lip Stylo on my lips

I swear, this combination has special sauce in it since my lids look smoother and, attempt I state it, younger when I wear it. IT Cosmetics highlights the truth that the powders don’t include talc, so perhaps that’s why. I don’t rightly know, however either way, I’m feelin’ it.

Another win from IT Cosmetics. It’s turning into one of my preferred lines.

Ingredients — transforming Pearl
Mica, Dimethicone, Magnesium Stearate, Methicone, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aqua (Water, Eau), Cholesteryl Oleyl Carbonate, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, Cholesteryl Chloride, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glycerin, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis leaf Extract, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide – 7, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea (Olive) leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita flower Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Perfluorodecalin, Iron Oxides (CI 77499).

Ingredients — Matte Shadow
Mica, Dimethicone, Magnesium Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aqua (Water, Eau), Cholesteryl Oleyl Carbonate, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, Cholesteryl Chloride, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glycerin, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis leaf Extract, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide – 7, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea (Olive) leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita flower Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Perfluorodecalin. may Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Manganese Violet (CI 77942), Ultramarines (CI 77007).

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Play with this if you get a chance.

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

There is a considerable possibility that I may never leave this place…
1. Like, was there ever expected to be an apostrophe on this sign?

I wonder… since some business with names that end in ‘s’ have or had at one time apostrophes in their name. in some cases they go with a re-branding somewhere along the method as well as lose the apostrophe.

Hmm…

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2. will Tabs attempt to fight this Halloween black feline if I put it in the front yard? (Probably.) possibly the pumpkin would seem less confrontational? Cats are weird, man…

3. wait — is this location a trick risk-free haven for feline ladies, just like HomeGoods? OHEMGEE, I believe IT IS!

4. should touch all the yarns…

5. Um…didn’t I already walk down this aisle? I swear, I just saw these pens a minute ago.

6. Why do I want all of these shoddy stylish indications for my kitchen? — since my kitchen area doesn’t look anything like a pumpkin patch or a farmers’ market. Also, I don’t own any type of antiques, so why do I want an large indication that states “ANTIQUES” on it?

7. speaking of signs, somebody at business is clearly as consumed with #PSLs as I am, apparently.

8. I mean, really? Why are the cutest baskets always on the top shelf?

9. note to self: Cover every surface at house with glittery autumn garland!

10. Ooh, this is adorable as well as 50% off. SCORE!

11. I believe I requirement these scarecrows as well as all of these white pumpkins…

12. Um…do I work right here now?

I wish.

13. Oh, gawd, I’m never going to leave this place!

Your friendly community charm addict,

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Karen

P.S. In associated news, this occurred at the HomeGoods by my home last week.

Whoa!

shine during the daytime hours? WHY NOT!
Friends, please raise your coffee mugs as well as join me in congratulating my dayum self!

Now, you may be asking, “Um…Karen, what the heck are we toasting to?” as well as if so, fair enough. ? See, I’ve come to the life-changing final thought that utilizing a fluffy clean to apply shine modifications lives.

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Why a fluffy brush?

Correction: It has to be a particular type of fluffy brush. What you want is a fluffy flat or angled eyeshadow clean — something like the MAC 275S or my fave, the Sephora pro angled shadow clean #13, which, sadly, is discontinued.

Basically, though, a fluffy flat (or angled) clean deposits the ideal amount of shine onto lids while at the same time reducing fallout.

I’ve only just started doing this since I typically just utilize a finger to press the shine on my lids to pack that ish in place, however the thing is, when I wanna wear shine during the daytime, since WHY NOT, this method can be a bit as well disco.

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Pretty subtle as far as shine goes. I’m using the NARS Ignited Palette, by the way. It has great deals of pink as well as purple as well as warm reddish browns, as well as methinks it looks *good* with rose-colored tops as well as dresses.
Sheer, however precise

Fluffy brush, though? Yes, life-changing! The essential is the low density of the clean head. The fluffiness sheers out the shine just sufficient to leave you with a dusting of stylish shimmer on your eyes, instead of full-on rave shine (err, do people still phone call those celebrations raves? #datingmyself). The shape of the clean head is likewise a may-jah player. because flat or angled eye brushes are precise, as well as much much more accurate than, say, domed or tapered eye blending brushes like the MAC 217 or 224, so you can put your shine precisely where you want it.

I mean, of program you’ll have to tap off your clean first, as well as then pat, rather than sweep, the shine on your lids to decrease as much after effects as you can (obvi), however utilizing a fluffy clean results in a sheerer, much more stylish as well as subtle application that *totally* works for daytime makeup.

Fix that fallout

And if you do end up with fallout, no worries. just utilize a bit Scotch tape or the sticky part on the back of a Post-it, as well as carefully press it onto any type of wayward shine flecks to lift them away!

What I’m using in these pics

I utilized the Sephora #13 clean to apply some shine from the new NARS Ignited combination ($59, restricted edition, offered at Sephora) that I used last week, as well as it was a look I likewise occurred to be using when I chosen up Connor Claire at preschool.

The NARS Ignited Palette
I like the packaging, too.

Side note: I’ve been trying to wear a larger variety of colors than neutral brown lately as well as to play with different finishes, so I went with warm pinks as well as purples as well as reddish browns on my lids, glimmering eco-friendly as well as gold on the lower lash line, as well as a sprinkling of pink as well as purple glitter.

I desire I were innovative sufficient to dream up this color combo, however I didn’t. The motivation came from one of my new preferred makeup artists, Piminova, an MUA from Russia. You ought to inspect out her stuff when you get a chance. It’s extremely cool.

Now, back to the subject at hand: sparkling. Normally, I believe of shine as a “going out” accessory, as well as not something I normally wear on a random Tuesday, however when — not one — however two of the mothers stopped me to ask about my makeup, as well as I realized I may be onto something with the whole fluffy clean thing.

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Subtle daytime glitter. It’s life-changing, man!

Sparkles!
Other things to keep mind when you’re selecting your glitter…

1. look for something with the finest shine pieces you can find.

Unofficially, the guideline is that the smaller the shine pieces, the much more stylish as well as wearable the general effect. Tom Ford makes some excellent glitters in his palettes, as well as metropolitan Decay makes killer single pan glitters (Diamond canine is a favorite). For this look, I used a mix of fine pink as well as purple shine from NARS Ignited.

2. be mindful of your lid placement (or, don’t go from lash line to brow bone with the glitter).

The last thing you want to do is dump a whole mess of shine from your lash line all the method as much as your brow bone. It would just be method as well much, particularly if you’re going to wear the look during the daytime. For many eye shapes, you’ll want to keep the greatest concentration on your mobile lid (the part that moves when you blink), as well as then have it fade as you go up toward your brows. as well as if you have hooded lids like I do, you can take the greatest concentration of shine somewhat higher up than your mobile lid to make it much more visible, as well as then fade it out as you go up, up as well as upward!

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

Calling all appeal ?? enthusiasts as well as academic ? ? enthusiasts!

Have you ever been to a great convention or seminar where you discovered a ton of beneficial stuff? (Photoshop world ? in Las vegas was one for me. extremely suggested if you’re into digital photography.) If you go buck wild for beauty, as I’m guessing you most likely do (*ahem*, like moi), mark your calendar for March 21-23 since The makeup Show, which takes location in different U.S. cities every year, is holding a new three-day appeal pro/peep/lover (it’s available to everyone, however the tickets are pricey) academic program there called I, artist — The makeup show Forum.

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You might raise your makeup artistry skills, discover about the appeal biz, as well as marketing, as well as photography. Also, of course, you might network, satisfy with others appeal lovers, as well as people who work in the biz.

Each day focuses on different topics, like the artistry side, photography or brand building, as well as the classes will be taught by appeal professionals.

(You can inspect out the full routine with all the class descriptions here.)

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Space is limited, so if you’re interested as well as will be out right here in the Bay Area, you can get tickets as well as get a lot more deets on the website.

FYI, the tickets are expensive (the early-bird cost for someday is $650!), however that likewise includes gain access to to The makeup show makeup shop on March 24-25, where there are other workshops as well as a significant display hall, as well as you can get discount rates on appeal products from comprise For Ever, NYX, Viseart as well as more.

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I’ve heard so much about The makeup show over the years, as well as I’ve never been to one before, however this may be the year. It seems like it would be silly of me to not go on a year when it’s in the Bay Area.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

CHANEL
‘Cause if you liked it then you ought to have put a feline on it.

If you liked it, then you shoulda put a feline in it.

Don’t be mad when you see the tabby’s paw on it.

‘Cause if you liked it, then you shoulda put a feline on it.

Oh, oh, oh (oh, oh, oh) oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

Oh, oh, oh (oh, oh, oh) oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

When you as well as I lastly find the mythical doorway to the alternating world ruled by feline women as well as cross the threshold together, you’ll see. There will be cats on everything. Every piece of makeup. EVERYTHING! since cats on makeup is the essential to life!

Well, perhaps not the essential to life…but it makes things better. ?

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Paul as well as Joe does it, Chantecaille did it with huge cats, as well as now Chanel went there with ? lions. They put leonine heads on their holiday eyeshadows as well as holiday highlighter.

I’ve been wanting to utilize these shadows, however I couldn’t bring myself to sully the kitty feline styles on them. I’ve been surgically eliminating small amounts of the shadows from the sides of the pan (right next to the lion’s bushy mane) with the diminutive NARS 45 smudge brush, so as to safeguard the meow-velous design.

Wearing Chanel Cuivre Lamé as well as Noir Lamé eyeshadows on my lids
Just a few things from the Chanel holiday 2018 Collection (available now)

As much as it will pain me to do so, one of these days I’m going to have go all the method in there, since these shadows… UGH. as well good. earlier today I smudged them along my lower lash line as well as on my outer third, then believed what the heck! as well as put them around my lids.

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As I was blending, I kept wondering, “Where’s the fallout? Why isn’t this much more stressful?”

They’re just so smooth. I don’t want to phone call them “buttery” since everybody states “buttery,” however they’re truly buttery!

They’re extremely similar to the MAC In additional dimension Eyeshadows — certainly powders, however they’re practically as soft as creams. as well as the shimmer? SO RIGHT. The satin surface is flecked with a whisper of bronze glitter, like trick shimmer.

It’s juuuust sufficient to be completely friendly to 40-plus lids.

If you’re into bronze, Cuivre Lamé is the method to go (oh, as well as please try not to picture me stating that out loud since I muck up the French fabulously).

Lots of Chanel in the mix right here — Le Beiges bronzer in 40, Le Rouge Crayon in 257 Discretion topped with Rouge Coco Gloss in 166, as well as Malice Blush
By the way, I mixed out the edges of that bronze with the like of my life, Chanel Clair Obscur. I mixed the two medium browns as well as buffed out the edge with a MAC 217 (the old one, not the new synthetic version).

Cuivre Lamé as well as Noir Lamé
And then there’s black Noir Lamé. This morning as I smudged it along my upper lash line, I had my voice recorder on (I like to have it recording in the background so I can spit out verbal notes). I presumed Noir Lamé would be a fundamental black, however nooooo. It’s really a dark gunmental with a taupe undertone — like Noir Pétrole’s cousin, as well as it’s gorgeous.

Using it, my inner monologue went a bit something like this:

“Is this the genuine life? WOW. Why is this so creamy…? OK, Karen, please don’t do that. You truly don’t have to smudge that around your lids best now since you have to pick up Connor from preschool in a couple hours. however I want to! Let’s see what occurs when I push it into my lashes with my smudge brush… YES! No fallout. absolutely none! FRACK. now I’m gonna want to get the other shades… I bet the khaki one will be ?. Ah, FRACK!”

Haha! #truestory I speak with myself A LOT.

The moral of this story is that Coco as well as team understand exactly how to get sh*t done.

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And did I mention they put a feline on it?!

Your friendly community charm addict,

Karen

Did homegirl just quote Frozen? She sure did. Can you blame her (me), though? My primary source of social interaction is a toddler, LOL!

“Let it go” isn’t just a song lyric. It’s also a gentle pointer for both you and me to just let the little things go, a.k.a. not sweating the small stuff.

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That’s hard for me — not getting too frustrated about all of the little annoyances that happen throughout the day. I’ve been diligently working on it for a month, and it’s been…a challenge, to say the least. I have to keep working on it, but so far, at least, the effort has done a lot for my spirit. I just want to take much more things in stride, ya know? — but it’s hard to remember that there are numerous things I don’t have control over (like people, and some circumstances).

You know how it is… The only thing we really have control over is how we react. ?‍

Case in point, last night I was on hold on the phone for — I kid you not — a full hour trying to sort out a situation with Connor’s school pictures. There was a snafu with the ordering, and what I thought was going to save me time ultimately ended up taking A lot much more time to straighten out.

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While I was on hold, my shoulders grew increasingly much more tense, and my jaw clenched tighter. I started to run through a mental checklist of questions and answers that went a little something like this…

What about this situation is bugging me so much? Answer: That I’m wasting so much time, and also a good amount of money.

Do I have control over how long I’m having to wait on hold? Answer: I don’t. I just have to keep waiting until I can speak to someone who can hopefully help me sort things out.

Does being angry best now make my life better in any way? Answer: No. It just makes me even much more stressed.

Will being crabby toward the person on the other end of the phone make me feel any better in the long run or help me get back my lost time? Answer: No.

Do I have control over how I react in this situation? Answer: I do. I can either let this destroy my evening, or I can take it in stride, do what I have to do, and relocation on.

You get the picture.

It’s fascinating to me that there are people out there who just do this naturally, because I have to really work at it.

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It’s such a cliche, but it’s also true. We really don’t have control over numerous of life’s annoyances, just like we don’t have control over how other people treat us throughout the day, and for me, it is a struggle to be chill, because I’m so not chill, but I’m working on it… I find that the much more I closely I view my breathing, and the much more attention I pay to how I’m feeling, like when I ask myself questions in situations I’m bothered by, the better and less stressed I feel.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen