Just For Fun

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Pick one — expensive purse or expensive shoes?

Although I feel like I’d get more use out of an expensive purse, I’d worry too much about losing it or it getting stolen, so shoes it is. Ideally, they’d be comfortable and make my heart sing!

Side note, I saw these sequin boots the other day and thought, “Oooooooh!” They’ve got a four-inch heel, though, so it’s not happening.

2. What’s more important to you in a foundation/base — a long wear time or a natural finish?

Natural finish, please. If it looks heavy at all, I can’t do it.

3. A perfume or a scent that you tried and didn’t like?

Really, there are so many. I like to try scents because you never know if one will work with your body chemistry, so I’m always hopeful, but ugh. There have been many times when I’ve spritzed stuff on and spent the day with a headache or feeling nauseous.

Lemme think. I know a ton of people who love Angel by Thierry Mugler, but it’s a little too sweet and heavy on me. Also back in the day, I tried the Liz Claiborne perfume in the triangle bottle, and it made my head pound for days.

4. Something related to skincare you’d like to try -– a product, procedure, anything!

There’s a new prescription retinoid I’m really interested in that I read about on allure.com that’s supposed to have hydrating ingredients in addition to the tretinoin. Looks promising!

5. Lavender or roses?

Roses. I’d love a few for a vase in my office.

Hello and how’s it going, my friend? I hope Monday has been treating you well.

When I walked Connor to school this morning, I looked up at the clear, blue sky and felt really good – like the week ahead has so much potential.

Small and gentle reminder to make your lists, drink your water and take care of your boundaries. Here’s a *hug* in case you need it, too.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Pick one -– expensive purse or expensive shoes?
2. What’s more important to you in a foundation/base — a long wear time or a natural finish?
3. A perfume or a scent that you tried and didn’t like?
4. Something related to skincare you’d like to try — a product, procedure, anything!
5. Lavender or roses?

Hello, friend! Happy Saturday.

I’m desperately trying to avoid falling into an internet rabbit hole of researching easy marinara sauce recipes with fresh tomatoes. My back deck tomato plant is having a moment, and I have a bumper crop of tomatoes I need to do something with ASAP!

I was contemplating bruschetta or panzanella, but I’m craving pasta. If you have a simple sauce that you like send it this way, please. My future delicious pasta dish and I thank you!

On that note, it’s been a very quiet morning. El Hub and Connor left early to go fishing, so I drank coffee, ate some toast and finished the second season of “And Just Like That,” aka the spin-off to “Sex and the City.”

Have you watched the show? What did you think? I’m dying to talk to someone about it!

Anywho, it was a peaceful and lovely way to start the day. Rosie didn’t mind it, either.

What’s going on with you on this beautiful Caturday? I hope you are doing something nice for yourself today.

This week’s reading

• Here’s a fragrance fun fact for ya! Chypre is a French word that means Cyprus, and it’s pronounced “sheep-r.”
• I’m currently training my mind to focus on glimmers (which are the opposite of triggers) that happen throughout the day.
• This story on art to hang in a college freshman dorm room got me thinking about the posters that one saw on the walls back in the day. In my dorm, there were plenty of “Pulp Fiction” movie posters, moody photos by Ansel Adams and those weird 3D images that were suppose to pop out at you if you squinted at them long enough.
• A new vending machine called the Beauty Genie which dispenses hair care products is the first of its kind in the rural town college campus of the University of Olivet.
• How to find the right hair oil for your hair type.
• Anyone else looking forward to fall? I’m already planning to try a few of the recipes on this list of fall dinner ideas, yum!

Tips and tricks for hooded lids

This song makes my heart feel good

I feel like I’m here right now

Adding a few to my grocery list this week

I really want to try this

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. All the purses at Clare V

Last June, I bought the black Gosee Clutch as a birthday present for myself and I love it!

It’s super soft and big enough to fit the necessities, but it’s not so big that I’m tempted to throw ALL THE THINGS into it. Anywho, I’m now thinking I “need” (air quotes) one of their smaller purses for fall adventures. I like this one and this one!

2. Matte claw clips

“Why are all my claw clips so shiny?”

I found myself wondering this terribly deep thought (ha ha) when I was wandering around Ulta yesterday and ran into a display of matte claw clips.

Anywho, I ended up buying a pair of the matte black ones! Sure, they’re standard issue claw clips, but I feel like the matte finish updates them a little.

3. Kimbap from Trader Joe’s

I feel like everyone and their mama has been talking it up!

TJ’s kimbap is a veggie Korean dish you can find in the frozen section. Think tofu, veggies and rice rolled up in seaweed and cut into pieces — kinda like sushi!

I bought a couple rolls and found that if I’m not in the mood to cook and want something filling but not too heavy, kimbap hits the spot!

Side note, if you’re like me and forever trying to eat enough protein, eat some cottage cheese on the side. It fills out the meal nicely.

Apparently the TJ’s kimbap is sold out in a lot of stores, so if you’re lucky enough to have it in stock at your store, grab a few.

4. Planning stuff way with friends far ahead

For the last few years I haven’t been great about planning timely outings with my friends. Last-minute stuff rarely seems to work out, so I’m actively planning fall excursions with my people far in advance so I have lots to look forward to!

5. The scent of tomato vines

Our deck tomatoes are in full swing right meow!

I love smelling the vines and leaves when I go out there to pick tomatoes. It’s such a small thing, but it brings me so much joy.

What’ve you been loving lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF. Thank you for sweet comments on the “First Day” post from yesterday. Sending you a warm hug on this fabulous Friday!

Oh my goodness! I don’t know why I continue to be shocked by the big feelings on the first day of school, but here I am once again, sitting at my desk with dried tears on my cheeks and a swirl of emotions in my chest.

For the last two weeks, I’ve been solely focused on supporting and building Connor up to get her ready for second grade. In between chaperoning playdates and adventures with her girl gang, there’ve been a few “I don’t want to go back to school” moments, with lots of tears and hugs.

The past few days have been spent preparing, planning and trying to get her braced for the first day. We’ve packed bags, talked about things to look forward to, planned outfits — I’ve always believed that if you’re anxious about a transition that it always helps to prepare as much as you can, so that’s what we did.

When El Hub and I walked her to her classroom this morning, she was in good spirits — a little nervous but still cheerful. After she dropped off her backpack and said hi to her teacher, she walked into the classroom without looking back. No tears at all, which was great!

Once we walked away from the classroom, though, I cried, which I did not expect at all. You know that friend you have who is fine until she’s not? That’s me, LOL!

It’s the intensity of the feelings that shock me. What I know deep down is that one day she really won’t need me; she’ll walk through a door and won’t look back, and even though logically I know that’ll be a good thing, part of me is having a hard time accepting it.

So, I try to joyfully be present for the brief time I have with her. One of the strange blessings that comes with having a child in your 40s is that you become so acutely aware of the passing of time. I know how quickly these years will pass. In the blink of an eye 10 years will fly by and she’ll be going into her senior year of high school. Craziness!

Anyway, before I start crying again, on a somewhat random beauty-related note, this was the first year El Hub has been able to be home for the first day of school, so I had all these plans to put makeup on this morning so he could take a “proof of mom” picture of me and Connor.

I ended up only having time to do my hair and put on tinted sunscreen, so my dreams of looking at least semi-decent did not happen, LOL!

I’m going to Ulta and Sephora to buy a present for a friend and to do some browsing to cheer myself up. If there’s anything you’ve found lately that you’ve been really into, let me know. I could use the distraction.

Send a virtual hug this way, will ya?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I must’ve been 10 or 11 and in middle school

It was when I started breaking out on my forehead, and my mom was more concerned about it than I was.

I wasn’t really a girly-girl and didn’t really think about how I looked; I think I was still very much a child and way too busy being a kid!

The only reason why I even thought about it was because my mom, who genetically isn’t prone to acne, would make me sit still so she could hold my face and stare intensely at it. Then she’d mumble all sorts of things about pimples and I would just get annoyed and run away, ha ha ha.

Eventually she brought me to a dermatologist, who told me to use a benzoyl peroxide bar soap that dried out my skin. She also prescribed an antibiotic which didn’t really help at all.

In high school I eventually started a steady routine of face wash, toner (remember Sea Breeze?) and Oil of Olay sunscreen. I think it was SPF 15 or something! I remember the light pink bottle with the black cap.

Anyway, I was thinking about timelines for skincare the other day when Connor and I were getting her ready for bedtime. She still uses Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo for washing her skin and hair, and it’s still working for her.

We chatted briefly about when it might be a good time to start doing a skincare routine because she gets an occasional small pimple, so I’m thinking that maybe 8 or 9 would be a good time to introduce a daily gentle face wash, moisturizer and sunscreen. I don’t know if that’s too early, though. I want her to stay an oblivious kid for as long as she can, you know? I also want her to have good skincare habits though.

How old were you when you started thinking about skincare?

Were you relatively young? Did you wait until your teens? Or is it a recent thing? Let me know in the comments.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh my gosh, friend. First day of school for my not-so-little one is Thursday! We’re all going a little crazy, LOL!

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. Pick a type of eyeliner to wear today — sharp and crisp or smokey and smudged?

I like both, but I’ll go with smokey and smudged on the upper lash line today. It’s easier for me to do and I can layer some cream shadow on top!

2. How often do you do meal prep at the start of the week?

Rarely! In theory I like it, but I tried it once or twice and found it isn’t my style. I like having the freedom to make whatever I’m craving on a given day. Plus, I get tired of eating the same thing over and over again.

3. Have you ever been picked for jury duty?

I did jury duty once for a trial when I was in my 30s . I don’t remember much other than waiting around for long periods of time for things to start. I think we were paid like $8 a day for our service at the end of it? There was a lot of sitting and I’d get very antsy.

4. What’s your secret to velvety soft skin?

Hmm, for me two things help a lot. The first is choosing a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip my skin. Oil-based and creamy cleansers are my BFFs! The second is applying whatever hydrator I’m using on damp skin shortly after I step out of the shower.

5. What makeup brands were popular when you were in high school?

I remember Clinique was *the* brand all the girls wanted to wear. I also remember Revlon, Covergirl, Maybelline, Max Factor and Wet ‘n’ Wild being a big deal, too. Oh, and I can’t forget Corn Silk and Coty for face powder!

Well hello there and happy, happy Monday. How’s your day going? I feel a little disorganized right now, but you know, once I make a short list, everything’s gonna be OK.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that you’re feeling rested and ready for what’s ahead. I have a feeling that good things are waiting around the corner for us all!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Pick a type of eyeliner to wear today – sharp and crisp or smokey and smudged?
2. How often do you do meal prep at the start of the week?
3. Have you ever been picked for jury duty?
4. What’s your secret to velvety soft skin?
5. What makeup brands were popular when you were in high school?