Karen

Because perish the thought of using the very last spray, pump or drop of your most precious, essential beauty product and coming to the nightmarish, gut-wrenching realization that you have nothing on the premises remotely good enough with which to replace it!

I used to buy more backups, especially of limited edition products I really liked, but now I’m pickier. Now I usually wait until I finish, or almost finish, whatever it is, like a pan of eyeshadow, a bottle of nail polish or whatever.

Now my rule is that I can only buy backups of things that I KNOW I’m going to finish to the very last drop, and it has to be something that I feel the absence of would disrupt the world as I know it. 🙂 Then it’s worthy of having a backup.

I also try to buy backups on discount, like when Sephora has their VIB sale. Viva la discount!

So this was my longwinded way of saying that the last backup I bought was MAC Fix+, because I love it and use it all the time, and I’m sure I’m eventually going to need/want a new bottle. Before that, I got a backup tube of YSL Touche Éclat.

How about you? What was the last beauty backup you bought? And generally speaking, what kinds of things do you buy beauty backups of?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 seven 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. When you were a child, did you have an imaginary friend?
   Just my pink teddy bear, Ding-a-ling. She was kind of like an imaginary friend, and I took her everywhere! We’d have long conversations about cartoons, tell each other bedtime stories, and host parties for the other stuffed animals — you know, normal BFF stuff.

   I even took her with me when I “ran away.”

   I was five; I only made it as far as the front yard.

2. What’s the least amount of sleep on which you can function semi-normally?
   About six hours, and even then it’s dicey until I get something caffeinated in me.
3. What do you do with those little sponge applicators that come with some eyeshadows?
   When I discovered eye brushes, I started tossing those little sponge applicators, thinking that I no longer had any use for ’em, but now I take them out of their quads/singles/whatever and keep them in a drawer for future use, because they’re surprisingly handy, like you can wet them with MAC Fix+ and use them to apply shadow to your lids, because Fix+ (or even water) will intensify most colors, or use them dry for fine detailing in the inner corners of your eyes, the outer V or your lower lash lines.

   They’re also great for precise highlighting placement on the bridge of your nose and your Cupid’s bow.

4. Have you ever had a bikini wax?
   I have, but to be honest, they aren’t my favorite method of hair removal. My hair grows quickly, so I’m usually better off shaving.

   That, and they hurt like a mutha’!

5. Would you rather wear a denim jacket or a denim skirt?
   Well, I’m short-waisted, and I think that most skirts look kind of odd on me because the top of the skirt usually sits too high and ends up just beneath my boobs.

   So denim jackets all the way! Plus, I can wear a denim jacket with more outfits.

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

1. When you were a child, did you have an imaginary friend?
2. What’s the least amount of sleep on which you can function semi-normally?
3. What do you do with those little sponge applicators that come with some eyeshadows?
4. Have you ever had a bikini wax?
5. Would you rather wear a denim jacket or a denim skirt?

Hello and happy Monday to ya. 🙂 How goes it? As of right now, this very second, I’m doing OK; however, I’m feeling quite hormonal today, so if I start to talk about how a kitten video made me bawl my eyes out (kittens: they’re just so tiny and adorable, and I CAN’T TAKE IT!!), you’ll know why.

It’s weird, but when I get this way, it’s like everything around me is an extreme version of itself — bigger, more intense, louder, harder. Like, one minute, making a peanut butter and banana sandwich will seem utterly impossible, like it would be easier to scale Mt. Everest in a bikini using just my fingers and toes.

Then the next minute I’m fine.

Does that happen to you?? Does anything help with your hormonal mood swings if you get them?

Sometimes meditation will help (I use an app called Buddhify), or talking to El Hub (he’s usually even-keeled and rational, bless his heart), or drinking a calming tea. And running helps me too (which I plan to do later today).

Speaking of calming teas, I need another. I hope you have a minute to fill out the Monday Poll. See ya soon. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen