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. Walk me through your everyday concealer process.
   My concealer process changes a lot because the state of my skin is different from one day to the next, and honestly, if I went through every little detail this would be a three-volume version of The Monday Poll (NO JOKE!). Buuuuut, here’s the gist of it to give you an idea…

   After I apply primer and some type product to even out the tone of my skin (BB cream, tinted moisturizer or foundation), I grab a full-coverage concealer (usually something with a thicker consistency, like a cream, stick or something creamy in a pan) for the areas of my face that don’t involve my under-eyes. (Does that make sense?) I typically grab two shades so I can mix them to match whatever color my skin is at the time. Then I conceal the specific areas where I want more coverage — around my nose, my mouth, my chin and my cheeks. I try to apply as little product as possible because I don’t want it to look heavy.

   I’ll then move onto concealing my dark circles. I grab a different concealer — one that’s thinner with a liquid consistency, and usually a shade or two lighter than my natural skin tone — to disguise the dark parts (otherwise known as “my zombie zones”) underneath my eyes.

   With both the face and under-eye concealing, there’s a ton of buffing and blending so that I can get the concealer to look as skin-like as I can.

   Aaaaaaand when all of that business is done, I set everything with a bit of powder.

   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it takes a village.

   If you have specific questions about the process, please feel free to ask in the comments below (after you answer the poll, of course!). 😉

2. Would you rather carry a designer bag or wear a pair of designer shoes?
   This is tough. I’m less likely to lose a pair of designer shoes, and because I’ve tried on uber pricey heels before just for kicks, I know that my feet like how they look and feel in those fancy-schmancy shoes, not gonna lie.

   But the thought of rocking a classic black Chanel bag is oh-so-tempting.

   Yeah…I’d go with the bag, but only if I could have one that I could wear every single day and can dress up or down. Practicality, ya know.

3. What are your five favorite stores right now?
   Trader Joe’s (because hello, food), LOFT (otherwise known as the “TMMN” store or “Take My Money Now” store due to the fact that they have sales every five seconds), Ann Taylor (again, great sales, and I like that they have a petite section), Homegoods (but you already knew this of course!) and Nordstrom (because they have a little of everything).
4. What was your favorite movie when you were a kid?
   “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

   I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched Dirty Dancing, but I’m guessing that it’s in the mid-thousands. OMG, I KNOW! It was my favorite movie to watch when I was a kid, even though I had absolutely no idea what was going on with the more adult story lines. All I knew was that I loved the music, and I loved the dancing (still do), and I especially loved the scene where Patrick Swayze takes Jennifer Grey’s character out to the lake and tries to teach her lifts. SWOON!

5. Do you think you’re more book smart or people smart?
   
   Neither — I’m cat smart. Haha! Um, well, I got decent grades in school, so I guess you could say I’m more book smart.

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

1. Walk me through your everyday concealer process.
2. Would you rather carry a designer bag or wear a pair of designer shoes?
3. What are your five favorite stores right now?
4. What was your favorite movie when you were a kid?
5. Do you think you’re more book smart or people smart?

Hey, hey, happy Monday! I’m off to a late start because I decided to switch things up and go for an early morning walk. Actually, the truth is, I heard through the grapevine (otherwise known as El Hub) that there was a cute white kitty hanging out on the hill, so I wanted to see if I could find her and make friends.

I didn’t find her, but I did see some turkeys…

Not as exciting as a cuddly cat, but I’ll take whatever suburban wildlife I can get.

This day’s starting to look like I’m going to need a third cup of tea, so I’m off to fire up the kettle. Have fun filling out the poll, and don’t forget to smile today. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen