Just For Fun

Because perish the thought of using the very last spray, pump or drop of your most precious, essential beauty product and coming to the nightmarish, gut-wrenching realization that you have nothing on the premises remotely good enough with which to replace it!

I used to buy more backups, especially of limited edition products I really liked, but now I’m pickier. Now I usually wait until I finish, or almost finish, whatever it is, like a pan of eyeshadow, a bottle of nail polish or whatever.

Now my rule is that I can only buy backups of things that I KNOW I’m going to finish to the very last drop, and it has to be something that I feel the absence of would disrupt the world as I know it. 🙂 Then it’s worthy of having a backup.

I also try to buy backups on discount, like when Sephora has their VIB sale. Viva la discount!

So this was my longwinded way of saying that the last backup I bought was MAC Fix+, because I love it and use it all the time, and I’m sure I’m eventually going to need/want a new bottle. Before that, I got a backup tube of YSL Touche Éclat.

How about you? What was the last beauty backup you bought? And generally speaking, what kinds of things do you buy beauty backups of?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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.

1. When you were a child, did you have an imaginary friend?
   Just my pink teddy bear, Ding-a-ling. She was kind of like an imaginary friend, and I took her everywhere! We’d have long conversations about cartoons, tell each other bedtime stories, and host parties for the other stuffed animals — you know, normal BFF stuff.

   I even took her with me when I “ran away.”

   I was five; I only made it as far as the front yard.

2. What’s the least amount of sleep on which you can function semi-normally?
   About six hours, and even then it’s dicey until I get something caffeinated in me.
3. What do you do with those little sponge applicators that come with some eyeshadows?
   When I discovered eye brushes, I started tossing those little sponge applicators, thinking that I no longer had any use for ’em, but now I take them out of their quads/singles/whatever and keep them in a drawer for future use, because they’re surprisingly handy, like you can wet them with MAC Fix+ and use them to apply shadow to your lids, because Fix+ (or even water) will intensify most colors, or use them dry for fine detailing in the inner corners of your eyes, the outer V or your lower lash lines.

   They’re also great for precise highlighting placement on the bridge of your nose and your Cupid’s bow.

4. Have you ever had a bikini wax?
   I have, but to be honest, they aren’t my favorite method of hair removal. My hair grows quickly, so I’m usually better off shaving.

   That, and they hurt like a mutha’!

5. Would you rather wear a denim jacket or a denim skirt?
   Well, I’m short-waisted, and I think that most skirts look kind of odd on me because the top of the skirt usually sits too high and ends up just beneath my boobs.

   So denim jackets all the way! Plus, I can wear a denim jacket with more outfits.

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

1. When you were a child, did you have an imaginary friend?
2. What’s the least amount of sleep on which you can function semi-normally?
3. What do you do with those little sponge applicators that come with some eyeshadows?
4. Have you ever had a bikini wax?
5. Would you rather wear a denim jacket or a denim skirt?

Hello and happy Monday to ya. 🙂 How goes it? As of right now, this very second, I’m doing OK; however, I’m feeling quite hormonal today, so if I start to talk about how a kitten video made me bawl my eyes out (kittens: they’re just so tiny and adorable, and I CAN’T TAKE IT!!), you’ll know why.

It’s weird, but when I get this way, it’s like everything around me is an extreme version of itself — bigger, more intense, louder, harder. Like, one minute, making a peanut butter and banana sandwich will seem utterly impossible, like it would be easier to scale Mt. Everest in a bikini using just my fingers and toes.

Then the next minute I’m fine.

Does that happen to you?? Does anything help with your hormonal mood swings if you get them?

Sometimes meditation will help (I use an app called Buddhify), or talking to El Hub (he’s usually even-keeled and rational, bless his heart), or drinking a calming tea. And running helps me too (which I plan to do later today).

Speaking of calming teas, I need another. I hope you have a minute to fill out the Monday Poll. See ya soon. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Matte lips in summer: a do or a don’t?

For me, they’re an ALL-CAPS DO! — but if you’d asked me a couple years ago, I probably would have said “don’t,” because I’m also a sucker for the classics, which for summer usually means glossy lips, dewy skin, and — gah! ALL OF THE BRIGHTS!

My heart swells with makeup joy when I think about it…

But now with so many matte lipsticks on the lip scene, I can’t help myself. I love the way they look in person and in pics, especially when a brand gives the matte treatment to classic summer colors like coral.
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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.

1. Walk me through your everyday concealer process.
   My concealer process changes a lot because the state of my skin is different from one day to the next, and honestly, if I went through every little detail this would be a three-volume version of The Monday Poll (NO JOKE!). Buuuuut, here’s the gist of it to give you an idea…

   After I apply primer and some type product to even out the tone of my skin (BB cream, tinted moisturizer or foundation), I grab a full-coverage concealer (usually something with a thicker consistency, like a cream, stick or something creamy in a pan) for the areas of my face that don’t involve my under-eyes. (Does that make sense?) I typically grab two shades so I can mix them to match whatever color my skin is at the time. Then I conceal the specific areas where I want more coverage — around my nose, my mouth, my chin and my cheeks. I try to apply as little product as possible because I don’t want it to look heavy.

   I’ll then move onto concealing my dark circles. I grab a different concealer — one that’s thinner with a liquid consistency, and usually a shade or two lighter than my natural skin tone — to disguise the dark parts (otherwise known as “my zombie zones”) underneath my eyes.

   With both the face and under-eye concealing, there’s a ton of buffing and blending so that I can get the concealer to look as skin-like as I can.

   Aaaaaaand when all of that business is done, I set everything with a bit of powder.

   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it takes a village.

   If you have specific questions about the process, please feel free to ask in the comments below (after you answer the poll, of course!). 😉

2. Would you rather carry a designer bag or wear a pair of designer shoes?
   This is tough. I’m less likely to lose a pair of designer shoes, and because I’ve tried on uber pricey heels before just for kicks, I know that my feet like how they look and feel in those fancy-schmancy shoes, not gonna lie.

   But the thought of rocking a classic black Chanel bag is oh-so-tempting.

   Yeah…I’d go with the bag, but only if I could have one that I could wear every single day and can dress up or down. Practicality, ya know.

3. What are your five favorite stores right now?
   Trader Joe’s (because hello, food), LOFT (otherwise known as the “TMMN” store or “Take My Money Now” store due to the fact that they have sales every five seconds), Ann Taylor (again, great sales, and I like that they have a petite section), Homegoods (but you already knew this of course!) and Nordstrom (because they have a little of everything).
4. What was your favorite movie when you were a kid?
   “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

   I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched Dirty Dancing, but I’m guessing that it’s in the mid-thousands. OMG, I KNOW! It was my favorite movie to watch when I was a kid, even though I had absolutely no idea what was going on with the more adult story lines. All I knew was that I loved the music, and I loved the dancing (still do), and I especially loved the scene where Patrick Swayze takes Jennifer Grey’s character out to the lake and tries to teach her lifts. SWOON!

5. Do you think you’re more book smart or people smart?
   
   Neither — I’m cat smart. Haha! Um, well, I got decent grades in school, so I guess you could say I’m more book smart.

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

1. Walk me through your everyday concealer process.
2. Would you rather carry a designer bag or wear a pair of designer shoes?
3. What are your five favorite stores right now?
4. What was your favorite movie when you were a kid?
5. Do you think you’re more book smart or people smart?

Hey, hey, happy Monday! I’m off to a late start because I decided to switch things up and go for an early morning walk. Actually, the truth is, I heard through the grapevine (otherwise known as El Hub) that there was a cute white kitty hanging out on the hill, so I wanted to see if I could find her and make friends.

I didn’t find her, but I did see some turkeys…

Not as exciting as a cuddly cat, but I’ll take whatever suburban wildlife I can get.

This day’s starting to look like I’m going to need a third cup of tea, so I’m off to fire up the kettle. Have fun filling out the poll, and don’t forget to smile today. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen