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Well, besieging is maybe a tad overdramatic…

Naw, it’s fine. 🙂

Let’s see… Other than finding new ways to stuff even more lipsticks and glosses into my bag (#truth), the beauty issues currently besieging my mind are…

Finding skin care products that actually work on my fine lines and wrinkles

First, I’m totally cool with looking my age. I’ve been through a lot in my 39 years, and I like I’m OK that it shows on my face.

But I wouldn’t say no to a new kick-@ss anti-aging eye cream!

I’ve been using a non-acidic daily peel, Pericone MD’s Blue Plasma Orbital, at night for the past few months, and it does a good job on the tiny bumps on the skin around my eyes, but my fine lines are still just as fine as can be!

The stuff also dries out quickly in the jar once it’s opened, and it’s not cheap ($65 for 0.5 ounces).

Brows, brows, brows!

Ha! Sounds like a chant from a Dr. Seuss book.

Even though I’m satisfied with the current state of my brows (they’ve taken FOREVER to grow out) and have fully accepted that the bald spot in my left brow, aka Raul, will never leave me, I feel like I’m always looking for the next best way to get them looking full, yet natural.

It’s a never-ending story, but a great pair of brows sets the stage for your makeup.

Covering up dark circles, aka finding the ultimate under-eye concealer

I want one that does it all! — the One True Concealer. One that brightens, covers completely, lasts all day long, looks and feels lightweight and doesn’t crease or settle into my fine lines.

I’ve been using MAC Pro Longwear Concealer for years, and it gets the job done, but there’s always room for something better, ya know?

Witchy woman

Probably TMI, but I have these really annoying stiff hairs on my chin, and there’s like a whole gang of them, too. Not just one.

I would love to find a way to vanquish them permanently, because I am hella tired of plucking them.

How about you? What are your most important and/or urgent beauty issues? In other words, what beauty issues are currently besieging your mind?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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 seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. How’s it going this morning?
   Pretty good, but I’m still kinda sleepy, to be honest. Needless to say, it’s been slow going this morning!

   I’ve been running fine on about six hours of sleep a night for the past couple weeks, but I think I finally hit the wall. I need one of those 10-hours-of-sleep nights to catch up.

   Meanwhile, could someone please pass the coffee? Or I might need a mid-morning nap, zzzz…

2. OK, it’s tip sharing time! Let’s share the wealth of our collective beauty knowledge. What’s one of your all-time best beauty, skin or hair care tips?
   Hmm… Well, for skin, the whole water thing. Drink copious amounts.

   Like TONS! Whenever my skin starts acting cray or when my lips get so dry that they’re painful, chances are I haven’t been drinking enough water.

   I usually drink obscene amounts of it. I’m that annoying person in the group who always needs to find a loo, LOL! But I am absolutely convinced that drinking enough water helps my skin.

3. It’s OK if you don’t ______.
   It’s OK if you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up.

   I’m serious!

   Now, if you’re one of those people who always knew what you wanted to in your life, congrat-poo-lations. 🙂 You’re very lucky.

   For the rest of us who have no clue, that’s OK. Plans will always change anyway, and things still work out.

4. Are you adept at applying those individual little bundled false lashes?
   Oh, hell no! I can apply full and half strip lashes reasonably well now, but those little bundles are rough.

   Maybe I should make getting better at that my summer makeup project.

5. What was the last TV show you marathoned?
   Game of Thrones! And I’m still going through GoT withdrawals.

   I’m not ready to say goodbye to Westeros yet, but I’m all caught up.

   I tried binging on the second season of Orange is the New Black last weekend, but it’s just not the same.

   I mean, where are my dragons??

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

1. How’s it going this morning?
2. What’s one of your all-time best beauty, skin or hair care tips?
3. It’s OK if you don’t ______.
4. Are you adept at applying those individual little bundled false lashes?
5. What was the last TV show you marathoned?

Good morning, cutie pie. 🙂

Yup, it’s Monday.

I always like to start the week implementing some tip or technique to help things go smoothly, and this week that something will be walks.

This week, I’m going to be all about taking breaks to go walk.

Do you ever take little 5- or 10-minute walks during the day? You should try it sometime. I know it’s cliche, but it’s like the water thing with skin care. It really helps.

I find that when I do it consistently — usually one short walk in the morning around 10:30 and another one in the afternoon around 3 — I feel much better overall. Much less stressed out.

It helps to just get away from your workspace, move around and get some fresh air for a while.

I always bring my phone or a camera with me, too. That way I can snap some pics if I happen upon anything cool (like neighborhood cats).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen