Why are women so damn guilty is a topic that has been on my mind a lot lately. Because we really do feel guilty. Frequently. Often. Regularly.  It all started when my hairdresser, Becca, suggested that I write about women and guilt because she hears women express feelings of guilt almost every day.  It turns out Becca is right; research shows that we women feel guilty about pretty much everything! So, in my own very unscientific way. I conducted research. Ha. Ha. I asked. I questioned my women friends about feeling guilty and found that they would often respond with something like ..read more

Over age 50 makeup questions answered – every week I am asked similar questions about makeup by women over age 50. Visitors to the cosmetics store where I work part-time seem to have common concerns about their makeup. Let’s just say they are… Frustrated.  Very frustrated. My goal is always to focus on positive aging for myself and for you. Feeling confident is important and I’m a member of “the better I look the better I feel” club. Getting makeup right can help us to feel our best.  Today I’m answering the questions I am most often asked about makeup for our mature faces. Click o ..read more

Let’s have a casual chat today.  Meeting girlfriends for coffee and having a chat is one of life’s greatest pleasures.  Today I am sharing what’s been catching my eye on the internet and just have to share with you. Casual Coffee Chat Got your coffee?  Let’s chat. I’ve been indoors for a few weeks – fighting a terrible cold. The upside of my “confinement” is the time I have spent making plans for my garden. I am so ready to be outside! I love drooling over reading gardening books and magazines and found this crazy-wonderful article about trees that I just had to share…it turn ..read more

 Wow! Target gets pro-aging right– this store sent the most thought- provoking message with just a simple picture on the wall!  I just have to share.  On my most recent visit to Target – the store that seems to have it all – I was with my 5- year-old granddaughter. We were on the hunt for a box of confetti cake mix for the special rainbow cake she “just had to make.” (Of course, I couldn’t say no…I am her Gigi after all.) Pro-aging Marketing at Target I wheeled our red shopping cart by the newly remodeled and expanded cosmetic and skin care section – and there we saw it. Yes ..read more

Happy Valentine’s Day! Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. Mother Teresa Wishing you a lovely Valentine’s Day! Best, Karen The post Happy Valentine’s Day appeared first on Casual Karen ..read more

What’s hiding in our favorite foods is a topic that drives me CRAZY!  Why share? Being healthy is a motivator for all of us and what we eat has a huge impact on our health! Also, I may be casual, but my feelings about the value of honesty are resolute.  Knowing WHAT is actually in the food we are eating is becoming increasingly DIFFICULT. Of course, I don’t expect to understand all the chemicals in processed foods but I am incredibly upset that single- ingredient foods are often FAKE!  My little story begins with olive oil… What’s Hiding in Our Favorite Foods? Olive Oil – All ..read more

Getting rid of pesky milia has become an obsession for me.  What are milia you ask? Tiny groupings of white bumps that seemed to appear out of nowhere near my nose and eyes. These are NOT whiteheads…silly me, when they first appeared on my face I wondered why I suddenly had whiteheads. Has this happened to you? Milia are tiny cysts made out of keratin- you know, the protein of our outermost layer of skin which forms our nails, skin and hair. Tiny flakes become trapped under the skin and milia forms. Yuck. If you are prone to them, sadly, there is no certain way to prevent them from form ..read more

The surprising benefits of smiling -who knew that there is a life changing power in act of smiling?  In fact, it is so powerful that it can have a dramatic impact our over-all well-being. It is crazy- good for our health and relationships and best of all we can CHOOSE to make it habit.  I also think it makes us look younger – but the research is mixed about this. I’m hopeful….very hopeful. Ha. Smiling Benefits Our Minds and Bodies Who knew that smiling has such profound physical and psychological benefits? It is !&*#!*! AMAZING!! Here’s What a Smile Can Do: Improve Mood – You ..read more

Hello everyone.  Today I am sharing what I have been reading, watching and eating lately and… I feel like a rebel. The beginning of a new year and decade are filled with self- help books and nutritionally sound recipes. You won’t find those things here today. I’ve been indulging in some great fiction and binge watching the most addictive program.  Read On! Streaming movies and television have become so very popular and I am often asked about what I have “found” to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Acorn TV, Amazon Prime etc.  Do you find yourself having this discussion? Some of us find ..read more

Let’s have a casual coffee chat today.  Meeting girlfriends for coffee and having a chat is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Today I am sharing what’s been catching my eye on the internet and just have to share with you. Got your coffee?  Let’s chat. Ahhh January…the holiday décor has been taken down and I am loving my home feeling open and decluttered. It seems so peaceful. My January home is a blank canvas and I always do a bit of re-arranging and décor changing this time of year – I love change and new beginnings! Maybe that is why this article about our brains and declutterin ..read more