Archives July 2023

using the new metropolitan Decay Brow Tamer as well as Brow Beater in my brows
My brows as well as I don’t hold hands as well as sing tunes around the campfire.

My brows as well as I don’t “hug it out.”

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This is since my brows as well as I have dueling agendas. While they like the sparse areas that appear around their arches, I want brows that are fluffy as well as full.

While they like looking unfinished as well as being underwhelming, I want brows that provide out high fives as well as say, “Haaay, GURL, HAAY!” when they go into a room.

This epic, continuous battle for overall as well as total brow domination just recently led me to try two new brow products coming soon from metropolitan Decay — one, a new line of Brow Beater pencils ($20 each), as well as the other a new line of Brow Tamer brow gels (also $20 each).

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Both guarantee to bust out bad@ss submission holds on brows to wrestle them into place.

Urban Decay Brow Beater from the left in Dark, Neutral Brown, Taupe as well as warm Brown

Urban Decay Brow Tamer from the left in Clear, Dark, Neutral Brown, Taupe as well as warm Brown

Because my brows are so unruly that it takes a team to wrangle them, I’ve been utilizing both the new Brow Beater as well as Brow Tamer at the same time to fill as well as shape, however if the battle with your brows is much more of a testy skirmish than a mixed martial arts fight, you ought to be able to get great results from just one or the other.

If utilizing both, I’ll typically begin with Brow Beater, which includes a very skinny twist-up brow pencil on one end as well as a spoolie on the other.

I like brow pencils with thin suggestions such as this one since they make it simple to draw very fine hairs, resulting in a much more natural brow look. this likewise has a few other great things going for it, like a firm spoolie to skillfully corral unruly brow hairs, natural-looking colors as well as a difficult texture. I feel that harder pencils are typically simpler to wield as well as longer long lasting than creamy ones (Brow Beater lasts all day).

If you like Anastasia’s Brow Wiz, you’ll most likely likewise like this. They’re extremely similar.

Recommended for even the sparsest o’ brows. It’s $20 as well as coming soon in Taupe, Neutral Brown, warm brown as well as Dark. The shade I’m using right here is Dark.

From the left, that’s metropolitan Decay Brow Beater in Taupe, Neutral Brown, warm brown as well as Dark; as well as metropolitan Decay Brow Tamer in Clear, Taupe, Neutral Brown, warm brown as well as Dark
Then, after I’m done filling out my brows with Brow Beater, I’ll add some meaning as well as soften the impact of the pencil by running one of the Brow Tamer gels with my entire brow from suggestion to tail. These are medium-hold gels for adding subtle color as well as leaving brows looking as well as feeling soft, so they’re finest for women as well as gents who don’t want their brows to look as well severe.

If you want something with firm hold as well as intense color, Brow Tamer may not be ideal. It’s $20 as well as coming soon in Clear, Taupe, Neutral Brown, warm brown as well as Dark. I bounce back as well as forth between Dark as well as Clear.

Before

Before utilizing either Brow Beater or Brow Tamer
After

After utilizing Brow Beater in Dark as well as Brow Tamer in Dark

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Both Brow Beater as well as Brow Tamer are coming soon to metropolitan Decay counters, the UD website, Sephora, Ulta as well as choose Macy’s stores.

PRICE: $20 each
AVAILABILITY: Coming soon to metropolitan Decay counters, the UD website, Sephora, Ulta as well as choose Macy’s stores.
MAKEUP as well as charm blog RATING: Brow Beater gets a solid A, as well as Brow Tamer gets a borderline A-/B+

Your friendly community brow addict,

Karen

Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting foundation in Caramel, $80 (OMG!), one of 15 shades offered now at Tom Ford counters as well as online
Yeah, this foundation is $80. It’s Tom Ford, so it includes 10,000 volts of taser-like TF sticker shock.

Traceless Perfecting foundation is a new addition to Tom’s long-term line, liquid foundation formula, offered in 15 shades for $80, as well as that gets you a 1-ounce bottle.

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The medium-coverage formula has a incredibly subtle sheen as well as a velvety finish, so skin looks natural, genuine as well as not flat, as well as you can sheer it out even a lot more to improve that.

The formula doesn’t do much by method of controlling oil, so if you have oily skin, it may not assist you out there, however for typical or dry skin, this would be a good, lightweight, natural-looking foundation for daily wear.

With a relatively agonizing price.

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To be honest, the protection doesn’t dazzle me in pics, where I like my protection better to full as well as opaque, as well as my pores are absolutely unafraid of this stuff. I desire it blurred them into the background a bit better, however that’s me. If you already have best skin, you’ll be fine, however homegirl needs a lot more help. Seriously, it takes a village.

I’m usually an NC42 in MAC, however that varies a bit depending upon my tan. I’ve been using the shade called Caramel, however I believe it’s a bit dark for me now that I’m starting to lose my tan, so I mix it with NARS sheer glow in Stromboli to lighten it up a little.

That works, however is it worth the effort? For $80, I don’t know. survey says…probably not.

This is genuinely a medium-coverage foundation — excellent for undeniably gorgeous, natural-looking skin — if you don’t requirement a lot more coverage.

PRICE: $80 (GREAT CAESAR’S GHOST EGAD!)
AVAILABILITY: offered now in 15 shades in the long-term line at Tom Ford appeal counters as well as online
MAKEUP as well as appeal blog RATING: B

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Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

P.S. Humpity-hump-hump! delighted hump day, my friend.

super quick look at the new NARS Laser cut Eye, Cheek and Lip palette ($59), one of seven gift sets in the 2014 holiday collection, available November 1 online and at NARS boutiques, NARS counters and specialty stores.

Swatches from left to right of the eyeshadows, blush, bronzer and lipgloss…

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MAC laundry as well as dry collection High-Light Powder in freshen Up ($35.50)
In less time than it takes to throw a tons of delicates in the laundry (read: extremely bit time; i.e. super fast), you can “freshen up” your cheekbones with MAC freshen Up, the brand’s newest highlighting powder, coming soon as part of the laundry as well as dry collection.

So, what’s the 411 on freshen Up?

It’s a restricted edition warm-toned highlighter housing three satiny shades in one pan — a deep pinkish coral, a peachy coral as well as a yellow gold. Bust it out to add shimmer as well as radiate to your skin. Interestingly, the shimmery golden overspray that coats the entire pan sticks around for a surprisingly long time — this, compared to other oversprays that seem to vanish into thin air after a couple swipes. The shimmer dust right here settles into the bit holes as well as crevices in the pan’s design, so even after it appears like it’s all gone, my clean continues to pick up a few of the shimmer.

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MAC laundry as well as dry collection High-Light Powder in freshen Up, $35.50
How do you utilize it?

I sweep the powder on the high points of my deal with — my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, on my Cupid’s bow as well as just above my brow bone — where I want to catch the light. wear the shades individually, like by packing a little tapered eye clean (like the MAC 266), as well as then applying, or utilize a fluffier blush or a highlighting clean to swirl all three colors together. In this pic, I’m using all of them swirled together.

(Note: if you’re a lighter lovely, you’ll most likely likewise be able to utilize freshen Up as a blush, too.)

How well does it work?

Here’s the deal: with more of a satiny sheen than the high-shine surface that many traditional highlighters have, these powders remind me of the hourglass Ambients. It takes a second to realize, “Oh! Homegirl is using highlighter,” so they don’t reach out as well as slap ya silly, in other words.

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It’s more like a gentle tap. LOL!

That said, if you like that type of high-shine highlight, freshen Up’s soft shimmer most likely won’t do it for you. I occur to truly such as this level of shimmer, since I believe it’s easier for me to wear than highlighters with a high beam, metallic-type finish. Those can make my combo skin look additional dry, as well as make my fine lines come out to play (which is not good).

As for wear time as well as blending, neither are bad. No issues buffing out the edges, as well as the formula stays put for at least 6-7 hours.

MAC laundry as well as dry collection High-Light Powder in freshen Up from the left: the coral, peach as well as gold powders swatched individually; as well as on the far right, a swatch of all of the shades mixed together
Who’d most likely like it?

A enthusiast of nuanced sheens as well as subtlety. If you adore the hourglass Ambients, and/or prefer highlighters that aren’t strikingly shiny, you’ll most likely like freshen Up. If, on the other hand, you online for strong highlights, you may be left wanting more.

Before

Before I used MAC laundry as well as dry collection High-Light Powder in freshen Up
After

After I used MAC laundry as well as dry collection High-Light Powder in freshen Up

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Look for freshen as much as freshen up MAC stores as well as counters when it shows up with the rest of the MAC laundry as well as dry collection may 21 (May 14 online).

PRICE: $35.50
AVAILABILITY: restricted edition, part of the MAC laundry as well as dry collection; coming may 14 to the MAC website, as well as may 21 to MAC counters as well as stores
MAKEUP as well as beauty blog RATING: B+

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

*** The giveaway is closed now, and the winners have all been contacted (please check your email!). thank you for entering. ***

This post is sponsored by Purina pro plan #proplancatpartner. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

Tabs is such a fan of Purina pro plan Savory snacks that he made arrangements with a bigwig exec over there to give some away (seriously, he told the lady, “Mrow!”). five lucky winners will each receive a special prize pack of Purina pro plan cat snacks and other swag, paw-picked by Tabs. You can enter in up to five ways, and the giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10, 2014.

Scroll down for the full details… good luck!

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Prize

Tabs and I will randomly select five (5) lucky winners to each receive the following: 3 Purina pro plan Savory Bites snack bags in Tuna, Salmon and Chicken; 1 Purina pro plan tote bag; 1 plastic food bowl; easy-clean placemat; extra large refrigerator magnet; and a $5 discount coupon for Purina pro plan brand cat (or dog) snacks. BONUS: an 8×10″ glossy autographed picture of Tabs.

How to enter

Twitter (1 winner will be randomly selected)

Follow me on Twitter @karenmbb

Send me a tweet and finish the phrase, “My cat is great because…” and include the hashtag #winkittynoms and @ProPlanCat

Instagram (1 winner will be randomly selected)

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Be sure you’re following me on Instagram @karenmbb

Leave a comment there on the Instagram post finishing the phrase, “My cat is great because…”

Facebook (1 winner will be randomly selected)

Find the original giveaway post on my Facebook page (here’s a link to it)

Leave a comment there finishing the phrase, “My cat is great because…”

Pinterest (1 winner will be randomly selected)

Follow me on Pinterest @karenmbb

Create a new Pinterest board called, “Things My cat Loves”

Pin at least 5 pictures of things your cat loves into it

Re-pin the following image to your board

Leave a comment on this blog post (1 winner will be randomly selected)

Leave a comment here on this post finishing the phrase, “My cat is great because…”

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Fine Print
Giveaway is open to us residents only (sorry, international babes!). You may enter once per entry method (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and makeup and charm Blog). Giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, September 10. Winners will be announced here on this blog post.

Your friendly neighborhood charm addicts,

Karen and Tabs

Mmm…chai tea.

That’s precisely what the new Aveda Light the method candle ($12) smells like to me. I have one scent-ifying my office ideal now, as well as oh my gosh, it smells good! — like vanilla as well as cinnamon (but not like somebody discarded out two bottles of pure vanilla as well as cinnamon in the room).

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Happy earth Day Eve.

This restricted edition Aveda soy wax candle is made of soy as well as other plant waxes, as well as it burns for about 30 hours (!). all of the proceeds from it go toward supporting water-related jobs funded by the worldwide Greengrants Fund. According to Aveda, one Light the method candle purchase supplies a year’s worth of drinking water for a person.

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The glass it includes is made completely of recycled glass beverage bottles, too. Isn’t that cool? even the box is made of 90% post-consumer recycled paperboard, as well as the candle’s scented with licensed organic important oils, including organic vanilla, cinnamon as well as ylang-ylang from Madagascar. Aveda likewise states that kids living in the Manakara region of Madgascar drew the artwork for the packaging.

Established in 1993, the Colorado-based worldwide Greenrants Fund supplies grants to grassroots environmental triggers around the world. checked out a lot more about their work at greengrants.org.

Look for the Light the method candle now at Aveda salons, spas, stores as well as on the internet at aveda.com while supplies last.

By the way, if you purchase one online, the shipping is free.

1. Sephora Collection show curl XL lash curler ($17)

Sephora Collection show curl XL
I’m a dedicated Shu Uemura lash curler girl, and when mine went missing a few years back, I seriously lost my sh*t! Like, I had a full-on ballistic meltdown.

But I’m also a curious kitty who likes to meow new thangs.

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This one is designed, first and foremost, for deep-set eyes (which I don’t really have) and incorporates advanced Cyberdyne Systems-like technology, like an “extreme curved band shape” for dramatic lash curls. It’s also extra large and has a long manage to help you get as close as mathematically possible to your lash lines…

Or something like that. a lot more importantly, it comes in three colors (of course my favorite one is the one with the hot pink band), and each one includes two spare replacement pads.

The Sephora Collection show curl XL (bottom/front) with a Shu Uemura Lash Curler (top/back). See how show Curl’s band is curved?
“But does it work!?” she cried, clenching her fists by her sides and stomping her feet in a fresh storm puddle.

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Yeah…it actually does, but it takes a little getting used to. It’s quite large, and I kept pinching my lashes on my first few tries, which could be partly due to muscle memory, considering that I’ve spent 10 years using Shu’s curler.

This curler nicely lifts my lashes, though — especially the ones on the ends that are inherently harder to curl — and the effect is pretty dramatic and defined. It’s a good starting point for mascara.

Sephora Collection show curl XL (right) with a Shu Uemura Lash Curler (left)
I’m still hooked on Shu’s curler and don’t see myself ever giving it up, but the Sephora Collection show curl XL is a worthy contender. It might also be the cat’s meow if you have deep-set eyes.
MAKEUP and appeal blog RATING: B/B+

2. Sephora Collection long Lashing Contoured Eyelash Comb ($14)

Sephora Collection long Lashing Contoured Eyelash Comb
HOW scary IS THIS CONTRAPTION?

The first time I ran the comb through my lashes, I thought of that chant from the end of A Christmas Story. “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

Thankfully, I have not, yet.

Not as of 2:56 p.m. on February 9, 2015.

Um…so this one’s genuinely innovative. It’s a lash comb, but the teeth are set up vertically, so instead of holding the manage parallel to your lash line, you hold it perpendicular.

I think it’s about a million times much easier to use than conventional lash combs, like, I don’t have to hold it at odd angles. I just hold the brush above my lashes, and brush down a few times.

That’s it.

It’s way a lot more intuitive and, I guess, ergonomic than old-fashioned lash combs. absolutely much easier to manipulate and hold, and it separates lashes well.

Added bonus? The comb folds in half for travel-friendly convenience.

Bravo, Sephora!
MAKEUP and appeal blog RATING: A+

3. Sephora Collection pro Contour Blender brush #77 ($34)

Sephora Collection pro Contour Blender brush #77
I’m not a hardcore contouring fan all the time, but I’ll go there on occasion.

After I got beyond the intimidation aspect from this synthetic brush’s curved head, I realized that using it is, in fact, intuitive.

It fits snugly under my cheekbones and reaches ideal where I like to place contouring products — in this case, probably creams, as they play well with synthetic fibers — around the edges of my forehead.

I’ve started using it with the new cream BECCA Lowlight/Highlight Perfecting Palette, and I like the way it carves out my cheekbones.

The only thing is…its shape makes it a little challenging to evenly load with cream products that come in flat pans (read: a lot of of them). I end up pressing the brush head into the pan and wiggling it side to side. then I gently massage the brush head in the palm of my hand to saturate the soft, dense bristles.

Incidentally, I bet this will also be a good brush for applying and/or blending foundation.
MAKEUP and appeal blog RATING: B/B+

The lemming list…

On the one hand, I desperately want to tell you about the Nordstrom Instagram feed, but on the other, I’m terrified what could happen if I do.

Your lemming list could increase 10 fold! Gah!

I can’t stop thinking about this Mixed print fit and Flare dress by Taylor dresses ($148).

I love those stripes with that floral pattern. Plus, the colors! incredibly pretty.

It’s nowhere near warm enough to wear it yet, but oh! Soon…

Right now it’s patiently sitting in my cart, waiting for me to pull the trigger.

Also, these Valentino Rockstud T-Strap Pumps haunt my dreams…

No, really. I’ve actually dreamt about these shoes, and that’s where they’ll remain — in my dreams — because THEY ARE $995.

If I were making it rain on a daily basis, hells yeah, I’d find a way to get these out of my dreams, and into my car (Billy ocean ref!), but that is not the case, so for now, I need to lust.

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The Nordie’s feed also features yummy pictures of food from their cafes and restaurants, as well as men’s stuff, if you’re ever trying to find gifts for the dudes in yo’ life.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addict,

Karen

wearing the new A Passionate Quest Quad from the MAC A novel romance collection for fall 2014
MAC loves purple quads.

No, not those purple quads.

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I’m referring to purple quads like these…

The MAC A Passionate Quest Quad ($40 U.S., $48 CDN)
They’ve been a recurring theme over the years (see: MAC Kelly Osborne Bloody brilliant Quad, Archie’s girls Eye shadow X 4 in spoiled rich and the private viewing Quad from make-up Art Cosmetics, among many others), and with the new MAC A Passionate Quest Quad, their purple passion lives on. I think it’s one of their most interesting purple eyeshadow productions to date.

Those two shadows on the right side of the quad may look like pretty unassuming purples, but they each contain a surprising amount of blue.

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Serenade, the lighter shade, is a mid-tone purplish pink with blue duochrome, while stay Sultry is a dark navy violet.

The blue in both shadows advertises itself more clearly on my skin than it does in swatches, and it’s weird — layered on top of a black base, both shades look almost more like blue eyeshadows than purple.

See the blue on my lower lash lines? That’s Serenade layered on top of a black liner
A breakdown of the eyeshadows in this look: The wrong man (a light amazing dusty pink) on my brow bones and in the inner corners), Serenade (a mid tone pinkish purple with blue duochrome pearl) on my lids and lower lash lines, Brazenly (a rich eggplant) in the crease and stay Sultry (a deep violet navy) in the outer corners. Also, on my lash and water lines, I’m wearing MAC Fluidline Eye Pencil in Black Brilliance. Lashes are Ardell 105s.

It’s as if the quad has a split personality. If you were to split it right down the middle, you’d have a blue duo on the right, and a more traditional purplish pink duo on the left.

A Passionate Quest (limited edition) is one of three quads in the MAC A novel romance collection, and I’d say it’s probably the most dramatic — and that’s not just because of the blue surprise. MAC really swings for the fences with the darker shades in the bottom half of the palette.

I’m wearing Powder blush in fun Ending (a soft neutral peach) and Lipglass in Bared for You (a soft rose bold), both from A novel Romance

MAC’s been playing a lot with pigment over the past few seasons, especially with their limited edition quads, sometimes, I think, to the chagrin of their core fans. Deceptively dark shades in some of their quads turned out to apply surprisingly sheer, and depending on how rich and heavily pigmented you like your eyeshadows, these could have been hits or misses.

MAC A Passionate Quest
But this isn’t an issue for the two darkest shades in A Passionate Quest (the ones on the bottom half). Both are packed with pigment. It just takes a bit of Brazenly (the eggplant shade) or stay Sultry (the navy violet) to get a powerful punch, and neither shade suffers from bothersome fallout. also with these, I don’t have any major problems with blending, layering or wear time.

I can see the intensity of these shadows working well for dramatic smokey eyes in purple or blue tones, or for winged eyeliner looks.

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A Passionate Quest isn’t shy at all. It’s bold, and I like it! save it for a time when you feel like cutting loose, and don’t forget the false lashes.

PRICE: $40 U.S., $48 CDN
AVAILABILITY: coming to maccosmetics.com August 14, in stores August 21 – October 2, and internationally this September
MAKEUP and beauty blog RATING: A

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Acclaimed kitty supermodel and service mogul Tabs the cat sat down with me for a very special interview this morning (he was paid in treats), and we covered crucial topics like pet peeves, bucket lists and zodiac signs.

We didn’t have time to get to all of your questions this time, but keep ’em coming because Tabs absolutely wants to do it again.

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This post is sponsored by Purina pro plan #proplancatpartner. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

About Purina pro plan cat food

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Whenever I fill his bowl with Purina pro plan indoor care dry cat food, Tabs comes running from wherever he is in the house, even when he still has some food left. I guess he prefers it fresh…as in straight out of the bag! Purina pro Plan’s large range of dry and wet cat foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in three special nutritional platforms — Savor, Finesse, and focus — with each formula created to supply advanced nutrition to help bring out the best in your cat. For a lot more information about them, check out www.proplan.com, and follow Purina pro plan cat on Twitter @proplancat.

Your friendly neighborhood appeal addicts,

Karen and Tabs

flashback 2012: A bob, bangs as well as pink hair…
When it pertains to mah hurr, I believe I’m quite adventurous, available to a lot of styles, as well as I’m down to switch it up every 15 seconds or so (OK, well, like every three or four months).

And I never like to state “never,” since you can’t anticipate exactly how your tastes will change, however I am comfortable stating that there are specific hairstyles that I’m fairly positive I will never even attempt to try.

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Like a pixie cut.

I like it on other people! — don’t get me wrong — however I understand that I couldn’t manage the growing-out process. I had incredibly short chin-length hair when in the late ’90s, as well as I still shudder when I believe about it creeping down the back of my neck when I was trying to grow it out. I cut it at least four times since I just couldn’t manage the growing-out part.

I don’t believe I might do a mullet or a shag, either. Again, I’ve seen them on some extremely trendy women who can legitimate rock ’em, as well as they look extremely stylish as well as chic, however I don’t believe I’m almost bad-@ss sufficient to pull them off. perhaps if I had some tattoos…

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Any kind of serious blunt cut would most likely likewise be a poor idea. My hair needs layers in buy to function, LOL! When it’s all one length, it just looks flat as well as heavy…and extremely cousin It.

Let’s see, what else…? Oh! — I don’t believe I’d ever, ever get a reeeeallly tight perm. See: leftover youth trauma. When my granny went to appeal institution back in the day she utilized my hair to practice!!

Bless her heart… She indicated well, however what transpired was not in any way cute.

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Hmm… It appears like I’m less adventurous than I thought, LOL!

How about you, sweets? are there are hairstyles you’d absolutely never do?

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen