Tunnels Beach on the North Shore, Kauai, April 27, 2012.
Dreaming of the Ocean
Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 218
The clock on my laptop screen says Mon 8:58 AM, which is the time back home in Novato, but here in Hawaii, it’s three hours earlier, 5:58 AM, and the sun has yet to rise above the horizon.
Super quick Monday Poll this morning, friend, because El Hub has instructed me to “step away from the computer, NOW!” Today is the last full day of my vacation, and tomorrow I head back to the Bay.
- You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
- Mood:
Happy and sad. Happy because I’ve had a great time here on Kauai; sad because I can’t bring the island back home with me to California. - One thing you’d like to accomplish today?
Does getting pruny skin count as an accomplishment? Because today I’d like to stay in the water long enough to be able to say, “I’m getting pruny.”Oh, and I’d like a mai tai… I mean, later today. I’d prefer breakfast first.
- Do you like salsa or hot sauce with your eggs?
Mild salsa, yes. - What’s one beauty product you’ve been using a lot lately?
Becca Beach Lip and Cheek Tint in Watermelon. First, it smells like watermelon, which I love. Second, you can wear it as a blush or a lip stain (or both), and it applies just fine with fingers. Third, a little bit goes a long way. I barely have to use any to get a nice cheek flush. - Did you take any lessons when you were a kid?
I took piano lessons for … a long time, LOL! Years and years. It was kind of forced upon me, though, and I didn’t really enjoy it at the time. I think I was too young to really appreciate it.Ah, but one unintended side effect of those lessons was that my typing speed shot through the roof!
- Weekly goals:
I don’t want to think about the rest of the week right now. Today, I only want to think about today, and about enjoying my last day here.And then later, when I’m back at home, I would like to start planning another trip for late summer/fall, even if it’s just a one-day road trip or a long weekend. Having something to look forward to makes everything better.
- To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.
1. Mood:
2. One thing you’d like to get done today?
3. Salsa with your eggs: yay or nay?
4. One beauty product you’ve been using a lot lately?
5. Did you take any lessons when you were a kid?
6. Weekly goals:
I hope your week gets off to a good start. Talk to you soon. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Not a lot to report about my day here yesterday (Kauai, Day 4). Just a lot of nothing, which was fine by me.
We did drive out to the south shore of the island to a town called Poipu and a place called Shipwreck Beach, which I’d heard has great snorkeling, but the water was a little too choppy, so we drove back and spent the afternoon reading and eating playing by the hotel pool.
Tarte Achiote Amazonian Clay Blush
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Achiote. One of three pieces in the new Gifts From The Lipstick Tree Achiote Color Collection, $42. Available now at Sephora and online.
Sundays Without Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 189
Dear Tabs,
Hello from The Garden Isle. I trust you’re doing well and enjoying your time away from me at home with your pet sitter.
I hope you’re having fun, but please remember to keep the noise down when you invite your friends over for catnip cocktails. I really don’t need another nasty letter from the homeowner’s association.
Per your instructions regarding the new kitty modeling agency, I’ve been scouting for up-and-coming talent here on Kauai…
To be frank, the talent pool here is huge! — but not in the literal sense. I know you’d had your heart set on filling spots in our plus-size category, but the kitties here would probably be better suited to our petite kitty modeling division.
In fact, I’ve already interviewed three potentials models on the island — a tortie, a tabby and a tuxedo. All three of them are currently employed as entertainers here at the hotel and share a place next to the barbeque pit.
Employees of the hotel…
I was walking back to my room from the fitness center the other morning when the tabby stopped me to introduce himself.
At that very moment, a guest here at the hotel walked up to us holding a box of Friskies. The tabby’s eyes widened with anticipation. “Mrow,” he said.
The woman, a vet tech visiting from the mainland, said that she’d been feeding the hotel strays during her vacation over the past week, but that she was just about to fly home. She handed me the box of Friskies, looked deeply into my eyes, and said, “It’s up to you now.” A cat lady had passed her the box when she first arrived, and now it was up to me. I told her that I was a certified pet assistant/crazy cat lady, and I pledged to take my duties seriously.
So I’ve been feeding the kitties every morning right after I work out. The tortie girl is my favorite of the three. She’s always the friendliest and flashes her tum to show trust. She even lets me pet her cheeks! (Please don’t be jealous.)
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V Lipglass
Viva Glam V Lipglass ($14.50) is a great gateway gloss for makeup newcomers, and it’s probably the color I recommend the most to new/shy makeup wearers, especially teens and girls just getting into makeup for the first time.
I know that if I was a young girl looking for a mom-approved gloss, (my mom never liked me wearing crazy colors), neutral shimmery pink Viva Glam V definitely would have made the cut.
And I swear that it makes my lips look fuller, even though it’s technically not a plumping gloss.
Banana Joe’s Frosty
A delicious ice cream-like banana frosty from Banana Joe’s Fruit Stand on the North Shore. To make ’em, they put frozen bananas through a Champion Juicer, and the result’s a fluffy treat that tastes just like ice cream, except that it’s made from 100 percent bananas. YUM!
Kauai, Day 3: Bumble and Bumble and a Boat Called Sea Breeze
The boat day.
Kauai’s majestic NÄ Pali Coast beckoned El Hub and I, so we embarked upon a 4-hour tour!
Since I knew the trip called for high winds, I didn’t bring along my new hat (by the way, I found it at Target for $12!), but I still wanted something to protect my new highlights.
Enter the new Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Line. All three pieces here are TSA friendly (2 ounces apiece). You get a shampoo, conditioner and a UV Protective Styling Balm for $28. The products have a light floral scent that I like, and the shampoo and conditioner keep my knotty hair under control.
But most importantly, they’re keeping my highlights from getting brassy.
I’ve been bringing the UV Protective Styling Balm with me everywhere, including on the boat yesterday, and reapplying after each dip in the water.
Also picked up a bottle of Ocean Potion Aloe Gel to help soothe El Hub’s sunburned skin (NOTE: He’s not crazy about the Neutrogena spray sunscreen I mentioned the other day).
Ocean Potion is one of the few topical drugstore aloe gels I’ve found that doesn’t list alcohol, which can be quite drying, high up on the list of ingredients. Aloe is the third ingredient on the list; the first two are water and glycerin.
I discovered it a few trips back and just love the stuff.
Onward to the NÄ Pali Coast!
Our trusty ocean steed: the Sea Breeze.
Just look at those cliffs… Some are more than a thousand feet high, straight down to the ocean.
During the winter months, huge swells buffet the Hawaiian islands, and waves as high as 70 feet crash against those cliffs.
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LORAC Wild For Tantalizer Collection Bronzer Eye Shadow Palette
LORAC Wild For Tantalizer Collection Eye Shadow Palette from the new Wild For Tantalizer Collection, $39. Available now at Sephora and online.