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 five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
I’ll always and forever be inspired by the late, great Kevyn Aucoin.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
When I was wearing lots of makeup, I think I was able to pull off smoky eyes and nude lips pretty well, but now as I go through a more streamlined phase of my makeup life, winged liner and bold lips seem to work alright!
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
OK, Rosie-Pose, I know you’re reading this because you’re a low-key feline genius. 😹 I also know that you already know I’d love to receive a Jo Malone perfume or a Chanel nail polish. 😉However, because you’re a cat, I realize how difficult it is for you to put someone else’s wants before your own, so I’m assuming you’d probably get me a science book, like “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking, instead. Or, you’d buy “me” — air quotes — an extra large bag of your favorite chicken Temptations cat treats.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
Yeah, a few months after I gave birth to Coywolf, my hair started falling out. It came out in clumps in the shower, which was absolutely terrifying! I remember standing underneath the water, looking down into the hair trap and being shocked by amount that had falling out.
Five years have passed since then, and my hair still hasn’t fully recovered to it’s pre-baby thickness. I suspect it never will. I can especially see the change along my hairline by my temples.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
“Something happens, and I’m head over heels. I never find out, until I’m head over heels!”
If you know, you know. 😉
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Neutral eyeshadow palette! 🙌
7. Grunge or glam?
Grunge today! I’m in the mood to scare some kids on the playground.
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Purple eyeshadow.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
If we’re talking raw, I’ll take some Persian cucumbers please.
If we’re talking baked into a cake, I’ll take carrots instead, but only if said cake is covered in cream cheese frosting!
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. One of your favorite makeup artists?
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
7. Grunge or glam?
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
P.P.S. Fresh start to another week, my friend! Happy Labor Day. 😸 If you have the day off, I hope you’re recharging your batteries. If you’re at work, though, I hope you have a great day. We’re all going to have a wonderful week ahead! Be extra kind to yourself, OK?
Happy Labor Day!
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
Kevyn Aucoin was the ultimate. I really like Lisa Eldridge, too.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
Fifties pin-up
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
Jack would get me a tablet or laptop to sit on top of while I tried to use it. Spike would get me a catnip filled toy to relax me and make me feel happy.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
No
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
Save a Prayer
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Red lipstick
7. Grunge or glam?
Grungy glam!
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Both, at the same time. If I must choose one, then eyeshadow.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
Carrots
Happy Monday to you, Rachel! I hope all is well with you and your family.
1. One of your favorite makeup artists? Lisa Eldridge. She seems like such a kind person. She can do anything from the simplest no fuss looks to the most stunning editorial looks. I also like that she uses models of different ethnicities and ages. The only thing I don’t like is her focus on covering “spots” and “imperfections”. I think it fosters insecurity. We’re people after all; not mannequins.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you? It would be a softer version of the mid-sixties neutral, sculptural eye look with a subtle cheek and soft lip. It was all about the eyes back then and, for me, it still is.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you? I can’t speak about a cat, but my dogs would undoubtedly buy me a year’s worth of doggie treats and chewy toys.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss? Yes. I experienced an unusual amount of hair loss after my sons were born. Pregnancy can significantly slow normal hair loss and so over the course of the pregnancy a woman’s hair does become more abundant. But, after the body returns to its normal non-pregnant state, all that extra hair falls out. It can be distressing because so much hair is shed all at once, but it is perfectly normal and is very seldom permanent. Although my child bearing years are ancient history, I do have to take an immunosuppressant medication once a week. It causes a depletion of folate which leads to extreme hair loss. My doctor has me take 1000 mcg of folic acid on the days that I don’t take my medication and that prevents the hair loss.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head. “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”.
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette? Based on my answer to #2, you know I’m going to say a neutral eyeshadow palette. Of course, it has to be excellent in terms of quality and it must contain shades that suit my coloring.
7. Grunge or glam? Glam, darling!
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow? My eyes are a dark, warm green so I adore purple eye shadows and liners—applied subtly nowadays.
9. Cucumbers or carrots? Both! We’re Middle Eastern and eat tons of cucumbers but we also have horses and are always munching on raw carrots.
Do you have a favorite horse, Eileen?
I love them all, but my sweet Jasmine has a special place in my heart. We’re both getting on in years so she has a leisurely pampered life.
She has a beautiful name! I’m vicariously living through you, because in my dreams I live in a place where I can have horses. 🙂
Happy Labor Day
1. One of your favorite makeup artists? pat mcgrath
2. A classic makeup look that suits you? red lipstick , eyeliner and falsies
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you? A mouse purse
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss? no thank God
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head. our house
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette? red lipstick
7. Grunge or glam? glam
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow? purple lipstick
9. Cucumbers or carrots? carrots
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
Gregory Arlt with MAC – he is one of the most entertaining and multi talented artists I’ve ever watched or seen the works of. His Nordstrom Anniversary collection this year had so many beautiful wearable lipsticks – such a fun treat.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
Easy peachy cream eyeshadow one colour only and beautiful long separated lashes from a lengthening mascara with a nude lipstick.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
Oh jeepers. I don’t know cats very well – my friends toddler ages cats might get me a grab-it stick to teach their toys that always end up in the most hard to reach areas!!
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
Yeah unfortunately twice in my life so far, once as I was doing an extreme high protein, no carbs diet and once when I was going through extreme workplace stress – the funniest phase was the growing back as I had little tuft sticking up at the top of my head where my bangs started. Kinda wild looking for a bit. Luckily I have a ton of fine hair so I was lucky.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
True colours by Cindy Lauper
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Oh tough one …. Neutral eyeshadow palette but a beautiful red lip is sooo gorgeous on video meetings etc these days.
7. Grunge or glam?
Glam
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Purple Eyeshadow – I’m not as brave with my lipsticks.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
Carrots for sure. I love the crunch
PS I hope Connor-Claire is having a great start to her school year so far and that she has loads of “what I did today at school” stories for you and El Hub.
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
I love Lisa Eldridge. Also love someone I used to work with named Ashante. She gave me a compliment and I died.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
Winged liner and red lips. I can’t do smoky eyes and nude lips, it makes me look ill.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
More blankets, he loves sitting on my lap when I have a blanket on.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
Unfortunately, yes. I had anorexia when I was younger.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
Whitesnake Here I Go Again. I had a car in 2011 that only had a cassette deck so I prowled around thrift stores for cassettes and whitesnake was one of the ones I bought LMAO. I also had the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing, which I’ve never actually seen.
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Red lipstick. Eyeshadow hates my eyes lately.
7. Grunge or glam?
Grunge
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Purple lipstick!
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
I had both with my lunch (an almond butter and jam sandwich and string cheese served on a bunny plate because I’m an adult). But carrots!
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
I wouldn’t necessarily want to copy any of his looks, but I always thought Max Factor was the Boss of Bosses in movie makeup artistry. The things he came up with!!
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
Simple makeup with a bold lip.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
Probably nothing, since he/she would be able to sense my hearty dislike of cats. #dogpersonforever
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
I’m actually dealing with some pretty heavy hair loss right now. I’ve been sick for several months and it seems to be one of the symptoms of whatever mysterious thing I have.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
I Can’t Go For That (possibly my favorite Hall & Oates song)
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Neutral eyeshadow palette- can you ever have enough of those? I think not.
7. Grunge or glam?
Grunge. It’s my current mood and glam is just too much work these days.
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Purple eyeshadow.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
Carrots. (Having an Anne of Green Gables moment right now!)
Hope you had a great Monday!
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
David Razzano, Sephora Beauty Director. His portfolio is stunning. I would describe his work as intense, minimalist beauty. I also like his online persona.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
Monochrome neutral lid with dark, smoked upper lashline, nothing under the eye, darkish nudey lip, fluffed and structured brow, structured cheek with hint of color.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
Dead crickets. I don’t have a cat but if I did, I imagine this is what Richard, my cat, would bring to me.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
Kinda happening slowly as a result of peri-menopause and since the start of the pandemic (so maybe some stress related, too). Working to increase my protein intake and gonna experiment with The Ordinary Caffeine solution as that’s what the fellows at Doctorly recommended, and as an unorthodox way to use an eye product.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
“Please please tell me now…”
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
I have too much neutral eyeshadow and I resist wearing red lipstick; but let’s try something different and go with a blue-based red lipstick!
7. Grunge or glam?
Grunge!
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Purple lipstick.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
Cucumbers. Love all that water content.
Been missing your blog, Karen! I started a new job and my co-worker sits just behind me and can see EVERYTHING that’s on my screens, so I dare not visit anything that’s not related to federal court. But it’s making me hella productive, lol. So I catch you towards the end of my day or, like today, on holidays (thankfully we still get all the great Hawaii state holidays off, too). Have a great rest of the week!
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
Sir John. Very understated yet polished.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
1940’s France?! Light eye makeup, bold lips, simple.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
No cat, but my dog would get me gift cards and a family vacation to de-stress (he always comforts me when I’m stressed and is very concerned) and of course, a year’s supply of extra delicious peanut butter treats.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
No, gratefully.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
Her name is Rio and she dances in the sand…
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Red lipstick today. Neutral palette tomorrow!
7. Grunge or glam?
Neither really, but understated glam would be a little closer!
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
Purple eyeshadow.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
This is tough! Cukes in green gazpacho and salads. Carrot sticks to snack on.
🙂
1. One of your favorite makeup artists? Probably Kevyn Aucoin, too. I have both of his how-to books. I’m still looking for the perfect makeup artist for a pale-skinned brunette.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you? “No make-up look.” Light everything, avoiding much in the way of contrast.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you? Well, in my case it would be a dog. My late, great dog would have bought me a book, if he could have.
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss? Yes, almost total hair loss due to chemotherapy. When it grew back in it was about 50% as thick as before, and much straighter. The permanent loss was probably half caused by chemo, and half caused by aging. I guess I’ll never know for sure.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head. “Time Passages.”
By the great Al Stewart. He was still doing great music years after radio seemed to drop him in the US. He still tours occasionally.
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette? Neutral shadow.
7. Grunge or glam? Grunge is a lot easier for me. I haven’t mastered looking “glam” without looking rather absurd.
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow? Eyeshadow.
9. Cucumbers or carrots? Carrots. I can’t even stand the smell of cucumbers.
I just realized “Time Passages” is technically a 1970s song (released 1978), but I never heard it on the radio until 1980, so to me it is a 1980s song. If I had to list another song, it would be “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins.
1. One of your favorite makeup artists?
Kevyn Aucoin as well. He was a groundbreaker in many ways.
2. A classic makeup look that suits you?
Red lip and strong eyeliner, yet I wear this look almost never. It’s just too fussy to maintain (wandering eyeliner, scary clown mouth due to migrating lipstick).
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you?
A dead mouse (or six). So far the mousetrap I’ve set out isn’t cutting it. (Bonus? They’re free!)
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss?
Yes. One of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is hair loss.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head.
Ah-Ha’s Take on Me.
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette?
Neutral eyeshadow palette…again.
7. Grunge or glam?
Let’s go with grunge. It seems to suit the zombie apocalypse we’re in.
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow?
PURPLE RAIN, PU-U-URPLE RAIN! Oh sorry, got distracted. Purple eyeshadow plays surprisingly well with my blue eyes, so eyeshadow it is.
9. Cucumbers or carrots?
Carrots — Vitamin A is Vitamin Yay!
1. One of your favorite makeup artists? Do you count? I’m picking you. I don’t follow anyone else who’s makeup related. 🙂
2. A classic makeup look that suits you? Minimalist me-but-better.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you? A clone that would just sit around and pet them all day. HAHA!
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss? My hair is fine and I lose a ton of it on a daily basis but have not had to deal with anything visible or dramatic.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head. It could have been worse but it was Tainted Love. But I’m in the know with Tears for Fears. 😉
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette? Neutral eyeshadow palette.
7. Grunge or glam? Glam. I think it would be a nice contrast to my “is she going to play soccer or go for a run?” wardrobe.
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow? Eyeshadow.
9. Cucumbers or carrots? English cucumbers, but definitely not in a cake. I had to look up Persian; they’re called mini seedless here, which I thought was kind of funny until I realized our stores call English cucumbers “Seedless Cucumbers”. I guess people here are just more literal. HAHA! I do love the Persian cukes as well.
1. One of your favorite makeup artists? Mikayla And Glamzilla on TikTok. Both of those ladies are talented and entertaining!
2. A classic makeup look that suits you? Natural no-makeup makeup. Clear skin, defined brows and lashes, a bit of a lip. Easy peasy.
3. If your cat could buy you a present, what would he or she get you? 100% all 8, yes 8, of our cats would buy me Temptations Treats. Because I run out of them sometimes and this way I’d never run out. Isn’t that nice of them!
4. Have you ever had to deal with hair loss? After both babies. I’ve never gotten my thickness back, and that bothers me.
5. Quick, name the first ’80s song that pops into your head. “Girls just want to have fun”
6. Red lipstick or neutral eyeshadow palette? Red lips. I wear glasses so I’m not a big eyeshadow wearer.
7. Grunge or glam? Grunge
8. Purple lipstick or purple eyeshadow? Lips
9. Cucumbers or carrots? Carrots, with ranch.