Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 325

Tabs puts a lot of time and effort into his kitty modeling shoots, but he doesn’t usually get into the mechanics of them in public very often (he likes to think of himself as modest). Still, it’s interesting to see what really goes on behind the scenes. Some of these shoots can be quite complicated.

Earlier this week he and I sat down briefly to discuss some of his favorite kitty modeling shoots of the year.

Here are his 10 favorite kitty modeling shoots of 2014, complete with the behind-the-scenes commentary.

TABS: “We had to go through dozens of hairpieces to settle on the caramel brown I wore for this shot. The costume department had me try on ? I think it was more than a 100 ? 70s-style wigs. Eventually, we narrowed it down to a rich obsidian black, a strawberry blonde and this caramel brown, which made the final cut because of how the color played off the gold glints in my eyes. I think it was the right choice.”

TABS: “Betcha thought this was me for a second, didn’t you? Nope, this is actually my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather cat, Franklin, one of the original trendsetters in the first feline print ads for cosmetics in the 1930s and ’40s. I must admit ? the resemblance is uncanny. Even I’m surprised sometimes by the depth of kitty modeling talent in my family.”

TABS: “I trained with Cirque du Soleil for two months in preparation for this shoot, which required precise timing and a keen sense of body awareness. If I’d been off a single inch, the entire shot would have been ruined. The photographer anticipated that we’d need at least 50 frames to get a usable amount of material, but I nailed it on the first shot.”

TABS: “I mean, really, who doesn’t want to wake up in the morning and ride a wild polar bear? I’m totally joking. This guy ? Edward the Polar Bear ? is a consummate professional and total Hollywood royalty. Edward and I became close friends on this shoot. You bond quickly with your coworkers when temperatures dip into minus double-digits.”

TABS: “I’d been in Paris on business when I got a call from Kate Spade’s camp to do a quick shoot in the city for their new line of accessories. That day happened to be my first day off in two weeks. I was at Chanel doing a little shopping (OK, a lot of shopping) when my assistant texted about the gig. I had Karl put my shopping list on hold while I went to do the job. Such is the life of a kitty supermodel… You never really get any time off.”

TABS: “A classic and straightforward beauty shot. I love campaigns like this because they allow me to really connect with the camera using my eyes.”

Tabs for Oh, Dear! Edible Cheek Tint in Fresh Zinnia

TABS: “The photographer wanted an untamed feel for this campaign, so the whole crew trekked several hours out into the middle of nowhere in rural Montana before sunrise to set everything up. I remember hiking through tall grasses in the dark and thinking about my kitten-hood as a stray cat in Mill Valley, and how I’d spend hours in the dark looking for something to eat.”

TABS: “This headdress was incredibly heavy and hot. Several of the young cats assisting the photographer on the shoot kept pawing at the feathers.”

TABS: “Yup, another vintage ad by Franklin, my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather cat. After I tracked down this print I contacted Ray Ban’s historical society and was able to procure the exact same pair of glasses grandpa Franklin wore for the shot. They’re prominently displayed next to my Oscar in my office.”

Tabs for the new Fall Favorites Cat Eyeshadow Duos in Turkey and Chicken

TABS: “I had a lot of fun on this shoot. I remember Steve [the turkey] and I having a good old time running back and forth repeatedly to get the shot. It wasn’t just fun and games though… It was a technical challenge because of my ears, and getting them to convey the proper sense of fear. I practiced for hours with my mentor, Tim Gunn, to hit the right angles.”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addicts,

Karen and Tabs

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Oh, Hello, Cutie! The Hello Kitty “The Red Bow Beauty Diaries” Holiday Set Is a Hello Kitty Fangirl’s Dream

Hello Kitty “The Red Bow Beauty Diaries” $25 holiday set

Dear Diary,

I have a confession to make…

I don’t know if the limited edition $25 Hello Kitty “Red Bow Beauty Diaries” holiday kit was made for kids or grownups.

But, uh, I don’t really care.

Is that wrong…?

I love this damned thing! And I don’t give a crap if I’m wearing the same makeup that little Susie is rocking to Brianna’s ninth birthday sleepover because ? and here’s the kicker ? there’s a bonafide letter from Hello Kitty inside the set!

Yeah, the actual kitty HERSELF.

For real though, I get the feels every time I read it, and I actually think it was written directly to me ? Karen from Union City, California.

Or not.

Diary, I think this set was made special for people who grew up loving Hello Kitty, because, truth be told, the makeup isn’t great. I’d say it’s just a step up from the pieces in a little girl’s toy makeup set.

While pigmented, the glitter liners rub off easily, and the lipsticks, gloss and cream eyeshadows are woefully sheer.

As for the pink hair mascara, it feels smooth when I put it on but turns crusty when it dries.

Weird.

Nostalgia is the best thing about this set, which I can get behind, because I’ve been a fiend for Hello Kitty since the ripe old age of 7.

The adorableness is strong in this one… It comes with lots of extras for fans, like a tiny plastic coin purse and nail stickers and a little HK charm and hair tie.

Something tells me that Pat McGrath probably won’t be using these products to create cutting edge runway looks backstage in Milan, but so what, right? Not everything has to be runway ready.

As a sweet, simple trip down memory lane to a time when I kept a journal with a unicorn on the front (it was my first diary ever!) and proudly carried my red Hello Kitty lunchbox to school, this is pure great.

The set contains…

Milk Money coin purseCharmmy hair tie1974 figurine 16 x All Better bandages 2 x All Eyes on Hello Kitty eyeliner appliques 1 pair Supercute accent nail appliques 2 x 0.10 oz XOXO lip glosses in Strawberry Pink, Toffee Nude 2 x 0.14 oz Pretty in Pearl Eyeshadow Sticks in Hot Cocoa, Champagne Rose 2 x 0.14 oz Electric Slide liquid liners in Violet, Royal Blue 2 x 0.12 oz Plush Pout lip balm in Cherry Red, Coral Crush 0.30 oz Pink Streak hair mascara

Swatches from the left: Hair Mascara, Cream eyeshadows, glitter liners, lipglosses and lipsticks

Regularly $49, according to the Sephora website (which seems like too much to me), it’s on sale now for $25.

What do you think, Diary? A fab gift for a Hello Kitty fangirl like me?

Speaking of kitties, in case you glance up and notice a somewhat robust-looking tabby cat in a window wearing a statement necklace and serving some SERIOUS FACE, you’ll know who it is.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 349

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for December 1, 2014

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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

What’s one keepsake you absolutely treasure?
I have this groovy dress that my mom used to wear back in the ’70s. It’s an a-line mini in a beige lace material with an oversized ’70s-style collar, pearl buttons and sheer sleeves.

She gave it to me when I was in high school, and I’ve kept it with me all these years, through 10+ moves.

I’m not normally very sentimental about my clothes, like it’s easy for me to say goodbye to clothes and pass them along to others to love, but I love this dress. My mom designed it for herself and took the design to a seamstress to have it made when she still lived in the Philippines.

I can see her now, my mom, a newly married young woman in the ’70s, tooling about town in her groovy mini dress. Maybe in some wedge heels!

Who’s the most generous person you know?
El Hub. That man would give you the shirt off his back, even if it meant he would freeze to death. We’re having PB&J sandwiches for lunch! What kind of jelly would you like?
Raspberry for me! ? or strawberry, if we’re out of raspberry, and if we don’t have either one, marmalade will do.

Just please, no grape jelly. I’m NOT feelin’ that with my PB&J.

Which would you rather do ? spend an afternoon putting together a complicated piece of Ikea furniture with 500 screws, or spend an afternoon cleaning out boxes in a dirty, dusty garage filled with cobwebs, spiders and lizards?
Uh…both sound pretty miserable to me, but I guess cleaning out the garage? It would be dirtier, yes, but less mentally taxing. Something you feel passionate about?
Writing about makeup (obvs), and talking about it, and wearing it, and shopping for it, and taking pictures of it. After almost eight years of talking about makeup on a daily basis, I still enjoy it.

I’m also passionate about adopting strays and shelter animals. Every one of the animals I’ve been lucky enough to assist over the years has been a former stray.

There are so many great cats and dogs out there waiting to be loved!

Your turn. Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ‘em!

1. What’s one keepsake you absolutely treasure?
2. Who’s the most generous person you know?
3. We’re having PB&J sandwiches for lunch. What kind of jelly would you like?
4. Which would you rather do ? spend an afternoon putting together a piece of complicated Ikea furniture with 500 screws, or spend an afternoon cleaning out boxes in a dirty, dusty garage filled with cobwebs, spiders and lizards?
5. Something you’re passionate about?

December…

I KNOW! It’s like it silently moonwalked into the room when I was looking the other way.

Have you put your tree up yet? I did go to Target last weekend and got some new ornaments, stockings and lights, but no tree yet. Hopefully, tonight or tomorrow. That’s what we’ve been talking about.

The new Christmas tree balls I got are allegedly shatter-resistant, but we’ll see about that… Tabs is the ultimate durability test.

He always swats at the ornaments and also LOVES to drink water from the tree stand, even though he knows it’s strictly forbidden.

Cats…

Have a good one today, whatever you’re up to. Try to stay warm out there!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 348

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for November 24, 2014

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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

Ponytail, braid or bun?
Ponytail if I’m working out, braid if I’m chilling around the house, sock bun if I’m out and about.

You knew I couldn’t just pick one.

Tell me about the worst date you ever went on.
Ew! Eighth grade, when my first boyfriend ? let’s just call him “Bob” ? showed up at my house with a posse of friends, and they were all on bikes.

I guess they didn’t believe that he actually got a girl to say, “Yes, Bob, I will go out on a date with you.”

I think we went to Taco Bell after that… Just me, Bob and his homeboys.

Pretty dumb.

Shimmery shadows in the crease ? your thoughts?
I’m more into mattes in the crease, but I won’t say no to a good shimmer…even though they get a little harder to wear as I get older.

While we’re at it, let’s just throw some glitter in there too, ya know? Why not?

I like to put mattes in my crease because my crease isn’t naturally very deep, and so mattes, which you can use to make parts of your face look more recessed, makes my crease appear deeper.

Cool toned or warm toned?
Warm toned. I’m an NC42 in MAC (lately I’ve been loving LM’s Flawless Fluide in Chai), but I also wear cool-toned shadows a lot. My skin tone is warm, but I wear both warm and cool-toned colors, which I think goes back to the whole “mattes in the crease” thing. Cool-toned browns, especially those grayish browns, really make my crease look deeper. A place you’d like to visit again and why?
Oahu in Hawaii, because when El Hub’s parents lived there (he was born and raised in Hawaii), we were going at least once or twice a year to visit, but now that they live on the mainland, we rarely go back.

I miss my old haunts, like Matsumoto’s Shave Ice, which I hear they’ve completely changed, and Haleiwa on the North Shore, and Turtle Bay Resort, which is where we got married.

Your turn. Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ‘em!

1. Ponytail, braid or bun?
2. Tell me about the worst date you ever went on.
3. Shimmery shadows in the crease ? your thoughts?
4. Cool toned or warm toned?
5. A place you’d like to visit again and why?

Let’s just hurry these first three days of the week along so we can get to the food quicker on Thursday.

I’m not really into the turkey, though… I’m more about the sides, and the dessert. I gotta have my pecan pie, man. It’s my thang!

El Hub and I were thinking about skipping turkey this year and having a crab-fest instead, because it’s crab season out here, which leads me to this question: how would crab taste dipped in gravy? Something tells me it might taste good.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 323

Dear friends, fans and felines,

Yes! I think I finally figured out what makeup to wear to Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday.

What do you think?

I was sure you’d like it, so I put together this quick tabby tutorial.

There’s glitter, which you know I love ? you can never go wrong with a little spark and funky style ? but it’s also themed and holiday appropriate.

After last weekend’s giant Thanksgiving to-do, this week’s actual Thanksgiving dinner will just be a small fete for the employees here at the office…mostly just my assistant and her man servant/significant other.

I’ve met him before. Nice enough chap… Strong hands.

I just couldn’t handle another big party, ya know? Not with everyone saying, “Tabs! Tabs! Tabs! Look over here! Look at this!” And there’s always that one person scratching at the floor to get my attention or waving something around. I can’t help but look, of course, even when I don’t want to. It’s exhausting.

Oh! And then someone always has to bust out the laser toy or my feather stick, and then I end up running around and jumping at the walls like a fool.

I just have to be smarter than that and not put myself into those kinds of situations…

Anywho, I really hope you give this look a try. I think you’ll look great.

xoxo,

Tabs

STEPS:

Apply a metallic bronze loose pigment to the inner half of your lids with a flat eyeshadow brush (I wet my brush first to really amp up the color). Clean the remaining eyeshadow on your flat eyeshadow brush with a paper towel. Then, rewet the brush head, and apply the copper loose pigment to the outer half of your lid. Now wait for both eyeshadows to dry…Seamlessly blend the bronze and copper eyeshadows together with a tapered crease brush. Trace your upper lash line with black liquid liner, and flick out the edge, going up and out.Draw a little autumn leaves flourish just above the bronze and copper eyeshadow with a brown, and yellow (or gold), liquid liner.Finish with your most flirty, fabulous pair of false lashes.

P.S. Really though, please do not try this at home on cats. I know you already know this, but Tabs does not advocate putting actual makeup on cats.

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

Tabs may appear loving and playful and funny and adorably fluffy and chubby and more squeezable than a bunny! ? but he’s also a ravenous monster. Purina Pro Plan fuels him through his busy kitty modeling schedule.

If your feline friend also aspires to kitty modeling greatness, try Purina Pro Plan. Their wide range of dry and wet cat foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, comes in three unique nutritional platforms ? Savor, Finesse, and Focus ? with each designed to provide advanced nutrition to help bring out the superstar in your cat. For more information, visit www.proplan.com, and follow Purina Pro Plan Cat on Twitter @proplancat.

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Sheila Moeschen: Beauty Pageants Are Bad for Everyone

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Beauty pageants are bad for everyone, a fact underscored by Miss Utah's Marissa Powell in this week's Miss USA pageant. Powell's clumsy handling of a question about the cultural significance of wage disparity between men and women produced a moment of juicy schaudenfraude becoming increasingly commonplace and even hoped for on the pageant circuit. Her verbal fumbling, reminiscent of Caitlin Upton's garbled response during her Miss Teen USA appearance, swiftly branded her a pageant disaster while similarly unkind cyber headlines burned up the web: "Miss Utah Bombs During Pageant Q&A," "Miss Utah Dumbest Pageant Answer Ever!" "Miss Utah Marissa Powell Facepalm Moment During the Miss USA Pageant." Cue the carny music.

Pageants are a sanitized and sanctioned outgrowth of nineteenth-century carnival sideshows. In the context of this popular, antebellum entertainment, individuals with physical or racial differences were theatrically exploited to seem exotic, dangerous or supernatural. Patrons paid small sums to gawk at the living "wonders," staged, costumed and put on display for no other purpose than to entertain and excite. Pageantry operates on the same kind of visual and representational politics except that contestants are made to appear desirable rather than estranged. Beauty pageants create an aggrandized spectacle of idealized beauty presented in a Busby Berkley-esque display of fearful symmetry: the parade of flawless bodies, the repetitive flash of white teeth, the blinding shine of luxurious hair. With the ostensible focus on show coupled with the shallow and seemingly arbitrary physical standards that determine a contestant's eligibility, is it any wonder that intellectualism awkwardly crammed into the pageant becomes the equivalent of a "wink-wink-nudge-nudge" inside joke levied at the expense of these young women?

Because if we really cared about what Miss Powell had to say about wage gap, it would not be a beauty pageant, it would be a Brain Bowl, a Nerd-Off or a Charlie Rose Interview Competition For Fame and Prizes. Now THAT'S a show I could get behind. Pageantry is an offensive business, made even more so when it masquerades as a pseudo-intellectual enterprise. Despite the fact that most of these women are smart, accomplished individuals with diverse talents and expertise, no one expects those elements to outshine the dress, the hair or the bikini body. In a sense, these contestants are already set up to fail due to the narrow political and representational parameters of the pageant and the public's insatiable thirst for vapid exhibition. Marissa Powell is not a walking "gaffe," she's a casualty of an outmoded, outdated cultural enterprise that celebrates femininity in its most limiting and one-dimensional form.

Post-pageant Powell made the rounds to various media outlets and morning shows eager to give her a shot at redemption, only too willing to invite her on to relive her humiliation in the name of second chances. On The Today Show, Powell gave a cogent answer to her pageant question, proving to the world that she was not a class-A moron and earning her validating applause from everyone's favorite morning show "Dad," Matt Lauer. It was a moment that came too late to earn her the crown, but just in time to make sure the sideshow stayed interesting.

Follow Sheila Moeschen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/HerSelf1ST

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