Just For Fun

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. What are your most comfortable shoes? Jeans?
   If we’re talking, “ultimate comfort,” it would have to be my running shoes (the Brooks Ravenna 4; I have them in black and purple with the neon laces), because I can spend 10 miles in them, but for everyday tooling around town, I have a pair of Toms Classic Canvas flats I like a lot. And I also like my Reef’s flip-flops.

   For jeans, my AG Adriano Goldschmied super skinny ankle jeans. I walked into Nordie’s one day and said, “I need a pair of jeans that feel like pajama jeans,” and these are the pants I left with.

2. Have you ever been wine tasting?
   I have, and I enjoy it very much! We’re conveniently close to Napa out here. You can talk to the people around you, so it’s social, and I like the variety. You get to taste a bunch of different wines, and not just have a single glass. I also like wine tours, because you can learn some fun facts about the property you’re visiting or the wines you’re tasting.
3. Swedish massage or deep tissue?
   Swedish massage when I want TLC; deep tissue when I need tough love.

   But I should clarify — with Swedish massage, I need at least medium pressure. Anything less than that feels like my skin’s just being pushed around.

4. Are you a light sleeper?
   Nope. I’ve slept through thunderstorms, earthquakes and El Hub’s snoring (for years).
5. Are you good under pressure?
   I’d like to think so. I’m better at handling it when I’ve had enough sleep.

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

1. What are your most comfortable shoes? Jeans?
2. Have you ever been wine tasting?
3. Swedish massage or deep tissue?
4. Are you a light sleeper?
5. Are you good under pressure?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. It’s always good to feel a sense of accomplishment. Try to start your day with a really short to-do list of just two things (even if have you have many more things to do), and try to cross them off as soon as you can. Getting a couple things under your belt will help propel you through your day.

Have a great week, babe. 🙂

Right now? Not very well! LOL. Right now my makeup brush storage situation is kind of a hot mess.

I just underwent a major brush housecleaning where I washed a gajillion brushes, and when they were dry I put them all in a makeup bag — this old rectangular Sonia Kashuk bag with a zippered top. It’s very deep, so it holds a lot.

So there’s no rhyme or reason to it. The bag doesn’t have any compartments, so the brushes are all mixed together. Whenever I need one I have to rummage through it.

Kinda driving me nuts. (Note to self: organize brushes this weekend!)

Before I did that big brush cleaning, though, I though I had a good system. I kept all of my brushes in two separate Sonia Kashuk Roll-Up Valet bags — the face brushes in one bag and the eye brushes in the another.

Each of the bags has four compartments, into which I separated the brushes according to brush head shape.

Flat eye brushes went in one compartment, domed brushes in another — that kind of thing.

It really worked for me. I just have to get back in the habit and do the initial organizing again.

If you’re interested, Sonia’s Roll Up Valet is available now at Target stores and target.com. The black, white and green print in these pics is no longer available, but I’ve seen some other cute styles out there for spring.

So, because inquiring minds (like mine!) want to know…

How do you store and/or organize your makeup brushes?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

My answer: the whole kit and caboodle!

Because I am a foundation junkie, and I’m finicky (or persnickity, depending on your choice of phrase), I keep a variety of formulations around in different levels of coverage.

Like just about everything else makeup related for me, which one I wear depends on my mood and plans for the day…and whether my skin’s behaving.

Which reminds me, I have a red pimple on the tip of my nose right now and it hurts. 🙁 I’ve been using Becca’s Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation to cover it, and dang if I don’t love that stuff! It completely covers the pimple (I feel like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, not gonna lie) yet doesn’t look fake.

Good stuff, but I digress…

When I intend to take pics (which is almost every day), I usually reach for something full-coverage, or coverage that’s just shy of full if my skin’s in good shape.

But for regular errand-running day wear, I prefer sheer (ideally, sheer with a dewy finish).

Fresh, glistening “I spent the day at the spa” skin is my goal. 🙂

How about you? What kind of foundation coverage do you usually wear? Sheer, full-coverage or something in between?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I lean toward palettes — ideally, palettes where all of the colors are related in some way that make sense to me, like, all of the colors are warm-toned neutrals, or classic MAC shades that I wear all the time. Something thematic like that.

And I’m not a big fan of those Godzilla-sized palettes with quadrillions of eyeshadows, because as much as I like the idea of big blockbuster palettes, anything beyond 20 shades is stimulus overload for me.

How about you? Do you prefer eyeshadows in palettes or as single pans?

Inquiring minds want to know. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I can’t even tell you how happy I am to see the sun this morning! Yesterday my condo was like a 17-century schooner struck by a squall off the coast of New England. Rumbling thunder that you can feel in the floorboards, hail and rain that reaches out to strike the windows — I wasn’t sure we were gonna make it!

Right now we’re either in the eye of the storm, because it’s sunny but eerily still and quiet out there…or the storm has passed.

Either way, I’m taking it as a sign to get out of the house today. I’m thinking Sephora and Ulta runs are in order.

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. Do you stretch?
   Not nearly enough. I think I’d do it more often if I were naturally flexible, but I can’t even touch my toes.
2. Are you currently enrolled in any classes or training for anything?
   Nope, although I’d really like to take a martial arts class this summer.

   I’ve been saying that FOR YEARS, but I really want to make it happen this year.

3. Puppies or kittens?
   Yes, please. 🙂 Unfortunately, because of my employment contract with Tabs the Cat Industries LLC, I’m contractually obligated to say, “Kittens, all day, every day!”
4. Do you have any cat-themed makeup?
   Of course! When Paul & Joe did their cat collection, I went a little crazy…
5. Do you think you’d make a good ninja?
   I think I’d make an adequate ninja as long as I didn’t have to beat anybody up. If I were only required to slink around while wearing all-black outfits, then heck, yeah.
6. What’s your least used makeup brush?
   I don’t remember the name, but I can describe the shape (I have one by Sonia Kashuk and one from NARS). It’s an eyeshadow brush with an angled, wedge-shaped head. I only use it when all of my other eye brushes are dirty.
7. Are you more cute or sultry?
   Oh, gawd, definitely more cute. I’m so not sultry… My friend Jen’s the sultry one.
8. Have you ever worked a job where you received tips?
   I have, actually. I played flute in a handful of church performances back in high school that my band teacher arranged. He was a professional musician on the side and booked me for gigs he wasn’t able to make.
9. Who wants to run a cat cafe!?
   I do! I do!
10. Have you ever won a medal or trophy for something?
    Yes, but they were always, like, trophies for participating. I got some for band things and piano recitals.
11. BONUS: Do you have any stuffed animals or dolls from your childhood?
    Yup, Charmie the bunny still lives with me, but most of my stuffed animals live with my parents. My mom is always threatening to get rid of them, but she never has (thank you, Mom!).

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

1. Do you stretch?
2. Are you currently enrolled in any classes or training for anything?
3. Puppies or kittens?
4. Do you have any cat-themed makeup?
5. Do you think you’d make a good ninja?
6. What’s your least used makeup brush?
7. Are you more cute or sultry?
8. Have you ever worked a job where you received tips?
9. Who wants to run a cat cafe!?
10. Have you ever won a medal or trophy for something?
11. BONUS: Do you have any stuffed animals or dolls from your childhood?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. What’s the most important thing to you personally today? Whatever it is, do some of that. 🙂