Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

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 10 (!) 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. Last time you shampooed your hair?

Last night! I’ve been washing my hair pretty much daily this summer because I’ve been trying (“trying” being the key word here) to exercise more, and it’s been hot, so my hair, and especially my scalp, feel…extra sweaty and gross by the end of the day. I haven’t been in the mood for dry shampoo, either, so I’ve gotten back into the habit of washing my hair daily.

Well, I wash with shampoo and conditioner, then alternate with a “conditioner wash” on the days in between, but that’s a big departure from my routine a couple years ago, when I was using dry shampoo much more and only shampooing my hair once or twice a week.

I still use dry shampoo sometimes, depending on how tired I am, but my scalp feels much better now that I’ve been washing it almost daily.

2. Last time you went to the beach?

It was this past June in Hawaii, but now I can’t bring myself to go to the beach here in NorCal, sigh… The water is so much colder.

I should try to go at least once before the summer is over, though. There’s a beach about 30 minutes away called Heart’s Desire near Point Reyes that’s supposed to be fun for the kiddos. I’ve been wanting to check it out.

3. Last really delicious meal you had?

El Hub and I stumbled on a really yummy sushi place in San Rafael last month when we were looking for a restaurant to go to on our anniversary. We didn’t make reservations because we thought we’d just go to one of our two favorite Japanese spots, but they were both closed!

The place is called Iko Sushi, and everything is delish! — the rolls, the sashimi, the bento boxes (El Hub says that their BBQ chicken is top-notch), and don’t miss out on the tempura!

4. Last person you spoke to before falling asleep last night?

El Hub, purr usual. Sometimes, though, I’ll text my mom or my brother, because they’re always up late.

5. Last awesome thing that happened to you?

A few week ago Jane Ford, one of Benefit’s co-founders, left a comment on a post I wrote about Tiburon, the town she lives in, and she invited me over to her house one of these days (!). It was both random and absolutely thrilling!

Happy Monday!

Oh, Monday… You know I ain’t got nothin’ but love ? for ya.

I’m actually really excited about today, not that I have anything big or exciting to do, but I’m a little bit ahead in my work, and that always feels good. That, and I’m really looking forward to making another egg sandwich for lunch.

LOL! 🙂

I’ve also been thinking a lot about that whole “making your own happiness” thing, because if we don’t do it (make our own happiness), who else will? I might not have control over everything in my life, because none of us does, but I can control how I react to things.

Anywho…just some food for thought. I hope you have a wonderful week, my friend. Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste:

1. Last time you shampooed your hair?
2. Last time you went to the beach?
3. Last really delicious meal you had?
4. Last person you spoke to before falling asleep last night?
5. Last awesome thing that happened to you?

Good morning, glory! How’s it going this morning? I’m pretty excited right now because 1. it’s Saturday, which means that El Hub doesn’t have to go to work, so we can spend more time together, the whole family, and 2. because I’m going to a new salon today.

Well…I’m going to a new salon, but I’ll be seeing my same long-term hair tamer/friend, Alis. She moved from Fox + Stone Salon in Corte Madera to a new place up the street from there called Plum.

I can’t wait to see her new space, and I’m stoked because my roots are a hot mess right now.

Seriously, thank goodness for Rita Hazan…

Plum is also closer to this pizza joint I like that sells de-lish thin-crust slices, so Mr. Cheese Pizza With Pepperoni and Olives, HERE I COME! ?

In other news, I just realized that Halloween is 12 weeks away, which is kinda freaking me out because that means that Christmas is right around the corner.

OK…maybe not right around the corner, but you know what I mean. It’s sneaking up fast.

I like the holidays, but I long for the days when they were easy, and all I had to do was show up and O.D. on mashed potatoes and gravy and then fall asleep on the couch.

Alright, I’m getting ahead of myself… It’s still summer, I know. Good day to go to the pool.

Speaking of that, does anyone else get excited about using sunscreen?? Have you tried Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunscreen? I got it before our trip to Hawaii in June on the recommendation of a friend who has a daughter around Connor’s age, but El Hub and I liked it so much that we started using it on ourselves!

They also have a Wet Skin spray version, which I’m thinking will be good for today. I vaguely remember using it once before, but I can’t remember if I liked it.

I don’t usually start with spray sunscreens, but I like to use them to touch up between applying lotion sunscreens… If that makes any sense.

If you’re headed to the pool or the beach this weekend, have fun! 🙂 If you’re in the mood for more reading before you go, here are some beauty (and non-beauty) stories that caught my eye this week…

• Kiehl’s is now available at Sephora!
• Something I’ve always wondered: How the heck do goths handle summer?
• I spent SO MANY hours playing Super Mario Bros. when I was a kid, so the Shu Uemura x Super Mario Holiday Collection is making me SQUEEEEEE!
• Can brands like MAC and NARS claim that they don’t test on animals if they sell their products in countries that require animal testing for beauty products?
• At a press conference, actress and L’Oréal Brand Ambassador Helen Mirren admits that their moisturizer “probably does f— all.”
• Princess Awesome sells cute girls’ clothes with unconventional prints that promote math, science and space exploration, which is SO COOL! I’m gonna get the Coywolf a Rockets Dress, which just might be her first official uniform in her quest to reach Mars.

  (BTW, Princess Awesome also makes accessories for adults, too.)

• How to travel for a month with only carry-on luggage (and still look cute!)
• What does $1,200 in rent get you in these 10 U.S. cities?
• I read a lot about bacteria this week (long story), and this video on cellphones was both fascinating and gross.
• The 19 best foods for health and happiness
• Medical care is often disjointed or difficult to access for post-partum mothers, and the baby is the focus of attention.
• Someone invented a hammock for boobs.
• The Sweet Valley High series was my fave in my tween years, and it’s getting a movie adaptation.
• If you’re looking for a new gig, NASA is hiring someone to defend Earth from aliens…and it pays a 6-figure salary, so MOAR money for makeup, obvs.
• And just in case you missed it, the MAC Girls collection launched this week! I feel like Rockin’ Rebel, Mischief Minx, and Fashion Fanatic deliver the goods (but I’m not too crazy about Power Hungry).

  Also, the Summer of Skincare is in full swing. This week I took a look at probiotics in skincare products and the Tula line, as well as 5 bodacious botanicals from Space NK.

  And if you’re going to any beauty conferences soon, here are three ways to make the most of them.

  Lastly, keep your eyes peeled for these three up-and-coming beauty brands.

Try to get some rest this weekend if you can. (I know, easier said than done.) I’m partially saying that to also remind myself, because downtime is necessary for mental health. It really is. So chill for a second, OK? It’s important.

Have a good weekend. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Over the course of the past 48 hours, I have made and eaten a particular type of sandwich THREE TIMES.

It’s so good!

And it’s easy to make too.

It’s been hotter than a tabby on a hot tin roof this week in Novato, and surprisingly muggy and humid, ugh. The last thing I want to do is stand in front of a hot stove, which is where the sandwich comes in, although it does require 2-3 minutes of cooking…so not much.

It’s a quick and easy riff on this egg sandwich recipe I found on Skinny Taste, which I lovingly think of as the website that basically taught me how to cook.

Step #1: The mayo. Spread as much or as little mayo as you want on two slices bread.

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