It’s the hap-happiest season of all! Regardless of views on religion, capitalism, or some mixture of both, this is when make-up aficionados become their merriest, their brightest, their freakin’ holly jolliest. Why? GIFT SETS. The yuletide comes around and beauty companies go all out with medleys, deals, and trial sizes. And while the various offerings do make great gifts for most humans, what I’d like to focus on is sprucing up your make-up collection. I know the purse strings on Santa’s (AKA your) bag are probably tight, but if you plan on spending money on make-up anytime... Read More

As you read this I am most likely curled up in an introverted heap with a book, knitting, sudoku, or some combination of the three. And I am most likely loving it. We’re going on a hut trip this Thanksgiving. A hut trip? A hut trip. This means I’m going to be holed up in the wilderness with no running water nor electricity for four days. While I’m looking forward to justifiably wearing as many fleece based clothing items as humanly possible, I will not have internet. Thus, I’ve decided to leave you with the very capable advice and application techniques of some of my favorite Beauty Vloggers. Falling... Read More

A few weeks ago I found myself locked out of the house.  I’ll skip over the relevant details of my misguided faith in humanity, and my totally appropriately guided abhorrence for our odious HOA, and just say I was locked out. Thankfully the episode predated the absurd cold, but even so I realized how much I take for granted having a warm, safe, shelter to call home every day. I am very very lucky. So, having said that, please know that there are at least eight thousand things in life I’m thankful for that supersede what I’m about to write (such as learning the word “odious” from Gilmore... Read More

Okay. I get that the Earth has different climates and ecosystems and whatnot, but SWEET GOODNESS the arctic tundra needs to keep its weather to itself. These temperatures are a hard no. They’re the meteorological equivalent of your crazy Uncle Frank, who you’re actually not related to, who has issues with both hygiene and personal space, showing up unannounced and RUINING YOUR LIFE. The temps went from a high of 64 last Sunday to a high of 3 on Monday. That’s less than 24hrs. I mean, really. Slow down. Have some self respect, arctic air. So, as I’m sure my homies in the front range can... Read More

Once the skin of my hands start catching threads on my clothes I know winter has arrived. As a health professional I wash my hands eleventy times a day year round, but it’s not until the air withers and the temperatures drop that they become human Brillo pads. It’s gross. If sandpaper and steel wool spawned a love child, that offspring’s texture is my skin. Not only is it displeasing to the eye, it hurts in a subtle, ever-present, burning kind of way. Like how I imagine venereal disease must feel. So what’s the best mode of prevention? You guessed it: use protection. Stay with me here,... Read More

So… it’s the day after Halloween. It’s possible you partied a little too hearty last night. Particularly if you are reading this from the UC Boulder campus (no judgment, just reality). We’ve all been there in one way or another. Whether it’s too many cocktails, being on-call for 30 hours straight, or having an all night crying jag, sometimes your face is not looking so hot. And unfortunately, life happens. Often precisely when your face is not looking so hot. You might have to go to work or to class or to any public space where vindictive enemies lurk. Like Starbucks. (Yeah, I said EXTRA... Read More

  Last week I promised you last minute Halloween make-up tutorials. That’s out the window. Turns out I need more than a week to come up with lighting that doesn’t make me look like I’ve emerged from a nap beneath a highway offramp and truth be told, all I really wanted to tutorial was how to be a kitty cat. And we can still have that discussion. Basically, go grab some waterproof liquid black eyeliner and do this to your face.  BOOM. Halloween-ed. With tutorials and felines on the brain I decided instead we could look into how to create the perfect cat eye. I know. I too am a fraidy... Read More

Okay, so apparently my threshold for horror is pretty low. Too many rounds of googling “Halloween make-up” has left me disturbed by what lengths people go to for this holiday. The “make-up” wares these Halloween stores are peddling look like a who’s who of a South Bronx Emergency Room — gunshot wound, gunshot wound, stabbing scar, gunshot wound. Why would I want to look as though my face has been blown off? Who needs hypothetical catastrophic injuries to freak themselves out?Frankly, to deliver myself a scare, I can just sleep in my night-on-the-town eye make-up, wake up, FORGO COFFEE,... Read More

Awwww, yeah! I know you’ve been waiting with bated breath, so, without further ado: THE TOP 7 NO MAKE-UP, ALL DAY, EVERY SEASON, BEAUTY TIPS! 1) Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. It is a must. Any day you wake up you need sunscreen. Sunny or cloudy, altitude or sea level, put on sunscreen. Sunscreen protects your skin from the ultra violet radiation that induces wrinkles, age spots, and cancer. There is little more beautiful than not having cancer. 2) Exfoliate. Exfoliate any skin you anticipate putting make-up on and/or any skin you want to look decent in the light of day.... Read More

I only partially chose this for the Colors of The Wind reference. via freedigitalphotos.net When I was a kid I had a knack for yearning. I yearned for blue eyes, I yearned for blonde hair, I yearned to become a My Little Pony already. I would sit with eyes and fists held tightly shut, willing straight blonde tufts to spurt out of my head. I’ll spare you the angst I spent a childhood with and just cut to the chase: it didn’t work. I’ll also sidestep the fact that I refused to play with dolls that looked like me and only wanted the Aryan ones. I’m sure my parents were thrilled by my seemingly... Read More