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. Plum or lychee?
Lychee, preferably cold and juicy.
2. How are your hot roller skills?
They are…not great! I’ve tried using them before, multiple times, but I can never get the rollers to sit quite right. There’s something super awards about it for me. Also, because I have a great deal of hair, there usually aren’t enough rollers in those sets. I’d rather just use a curling iron instead.
3. Something you loved as a child?
The Care Bears. I was crazy about ’em, even though I never owned one of the plushies.
I really, really wanted one, though.
4. Biking or roller blading?
Biking, and if it’s outdoors, we’re going at a slooooow and lazy pace because — hey, man, when I’m outside, I don’t want to be working too hard on bike, ya know? Now, if, instead, we’re indoors on a stationary bike, then BRING IT!
5. What’s your go-to serum?
SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic is my jam right now.
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
Oh, so many! Clinique 3-step with the bar soap in the green plastic tray, Noxzema Face Wash and Noxzema Pads, St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Nivea Lotion takes me way baaaaaack. Oh, and all the toners! Ten-O-Six lotion, Sea Breeze, Witch Hazel… If a toner were able to practically melt your face off in the ’90s, it’s safe to assume I used it.
7. Do you sweat a lot?
Yeah, when I’m working out, I sweat like a mofo’! During the course of my everyday life, I would say that I’m moderately sweaty, but more so when it’s hot out.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
Getting a good night’s sleep, meditating first thing in the morning, drinking lots of water… Oh, and wearing an outfit that makes me feel good.
9. Jump rope or dancing?
Dancing! 💃🏽
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. Plum or lychee?
2. How are your hot roller skills?
3. Something you loved as a child?
4. Biking or roller blading?
5. What’s your go-to serum?
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
7. Do you sweat a lot?
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
9. Jump rope or dancing?
P.P.S. Hello, my sweet friend! I’m so grateful to see you here today, and I hope the week ahead is filled with so much joy. You are important and so, so loved. Have a good one, OK? 🤗
Happy Monday! I hope you had a lovely weekend. 🙂
1. Plum or lychee? Plum
2. How are your hot roller skills? Oh, boy. I’ll bet they’re bad. I remember using old fashioned curlers when I was a kid but I don’t think I ever used hot rollers. My hair has natural curl and I was a spiral permer back in the day.
3. Something you loved as a child? Shmoo. I’ll let you google that. 🙂 And my stuffed dog Cream Puff.
4. Biking or roller blading? Roller blading.
5. What’s your go-to serum? I really only use SkinMedica Retinol (but I don’t believe it’s technically a serum).
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? Also the Clinique 3 step.
7. Do you sweat a lot? Like you, when I’m working out and when it’s hot/humid. It doesn’t take long to work up and sustain a sweat. But, in general, I’m cold more often than hot, so I don’t sweat at room temperature without activity.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? Sleep and (usually) deadlines.
9. Jump rope or dancing? Dancing. Though I still have my Grand Champion ribbon from the time we did a jump rope contest for heart disease at work. I was obnoxiously committed to winning. HAHA!
I can see you being dedicated to winning that ribbon, LOL!
I was on a mission. It still comes up in the office occasionally. HAHA! Is Connor getting excited for Kindergarten? Will it be full days? Tuesday is the big day for us/Jack. I’m hoping he loves it but am still dying inside. 🙂
She is! She has a classroom visit next week and then her first official day is Thursday. The good thing is she’s going to the same school where her preschool was, and the kinder classroom is right across the way from her previous preschool classroom. It’ll be new but familiar at the same time. I’m gonna be a mess, LOL.
That is going to be awesome (the location). She’s sure to feel right at home, but also kind of like a big girl. 🙂 I hear you. Kindergarten is hugely emotional for parents. I don’t think there is anything quite like it. Of course, it’s tough when the kids move to a new school (for middle or high school) and merge into larger groups, but it’s not heartbreaking like K (at least for me and my friends, it wasn’t). The upside is you’ll feel better quickly when Connor comes home and chats excitedly about her day. By quickly, I mean in several weeks. 🙂
1. Plum or lychee? Plum
2. How are your hot roller skills? My hair is so baby-fine that they fall out, so I gave up many years ago
3. Something you loved as a child? coloring books, colorforms, plastic Breyer horse figurines. Also Barbies!
4. Biking or roller blading? biking – because I don’t need a ton of protective gear
5. What’s your go-to serum? The Inkey List Q10 serum
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? Hard to remember, but I do know that I also used the Clinique three step program. I still love the bar soap!
7. Do you sweat a lot? just the average amount
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? shower and wash my hair every morning; makeup ( of course!) being organized.
9. Jump rope or dancing? Dancing
I haven’t used the Clinique bar soap in years, Daphne! I had no idea it was still around!
1. Plum or lychee?
Right now, plum.
2. How are your hot roller skills?
Non-existent?
3. Something you loved as a child?
Stickers
4. Biking or roller blading?
Biking
5. What’s your go-to serum?
A Bareminerals one
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
The apricot scrub that came in a tub
7. Do you sweat a lot?
The short answer would be… yes.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
Good face+body grooming
9. Jump rope or dancing?
Dancing
Thanks for filling out the poll today, Tisha! Have a great rest of your week!
😉🙃 1 more week till school opens… ARE YOU READY!!!! Lol… Lately I feel like I’ve been overdoing the caffeine. To offer some wise words: This Too Shall Pass. Take care and be safe!
1. Plum or lychee?
Lychee (which I pronounce LIH-chee).
2. How are your hot roller skills?
omg I haven’t thought of hot rollers in a minute but I loved my Conair sets (I had multiples throughout the years). Pretty good, once I attended cosmetology school and really learned how to roll those things (hint: for volume, it’s all about over-direction).
3. Something you loved as a child?
Stuffed animals and, ah, at 50 yo, I still love them. I currently have two soft mascots that never leave my bedside.
4. Biking or roller blading?
Biking. Had an attempt-at-in-line-skating phase but that was short-lived once I realized how hard and uncomfortable they are.
5. What’s your go-to serum?
The Ordinary’s Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F (mouthful!)
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
*thinking hard to remember the ’90s* fails.
7. Do you sweat a lot?
Only during yoga practice after I’ve generated sufficient internal heat; esp. when tackling the harder asanas I’m dripping!
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
Cold a.m. shower and some makeup.
9. Jump rope or dancing?
Dancing FTW!
Have a Happy Monday, Karen!
Now that you mention it, yeah, roller blading is SUPER uncomfortable. Especially if you’re wearing all the protective gear (which I had to back in the day, ha). Funny thing is, I never felt that way about roller skating. I looooved roller skating! Remember roller rinks? I used to believe the roller rink (it was in the next town over) was the most magical place ever when I was a kid, but now that I really think about it, that place was pretty dark and dingy and borderline sketchy, LOL! Ahh, good times!
Same for me, Karen! I needed the gear, too, because I was not coordinated in in-line skates; those boots felt so restrictive, like ski bindings.
But I could maneuver so easily in those four-wheel, pom-pommed babies (rented –gross– or my own)! It could be done anywhere, too, a small square of driveway, or the creepy, sketchy roller rink (“GIRLS ASK GUYS!” “REVERSE DIRECTION!”) Haha, yes, those sparkly, Xanadu memories are the best!
One of my favorite things about the roller rink was partner skating! At the time (childhood) we didn’t worry too much about who we partnered with. I would hold hands with my friends as we skated under the disco lights, and when I look back and really think about it, it’s such a pure and sweet memory.
BRING BACK THE SKETCHY ROLLER RINK!
P.S. Was it just me, or was the food there super gross? I mean, we ate it anyway…
1. Plum or lychee?
Lychee.
2. How are your hot roller skills?
I’ve never tried them, even on somebody else, so I’d say average, for someone who has never tried them!
3. Something you loved as a child?
Toys: Plastic Breyer horses (still have them in a box somewhere), Madame Alexander dolls (dolls representing various countries stirred an interest in travel). TV: I was so into Battle of the Planets I’d rush off the school bus and make a mad dash for the telly. I liked the theme song enough to record it on a cassette tape, now lost or long since taped over.
4. Biking or roller blading?
Biking.
5. What’s your go-to serum?
Lately I’ve been using Olay Regenerist, which hasn’t visibly regenerated anything (certainly not my wallet).
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
Nothing comes to mind, but I remember loving the Garden Botanika stores in the mall. The spa body wash in the big green pump bottle was my jam, along with various brown-toned lip crayons.
7. Do you sweat a lot?
Thankfully, no.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
A good nights’ rest, a high protein breakfast, and clothes that I feel good in.
9. Jump rope or dancing?
Dancing, always.
Hi Susan,
I remember Garden Botanika! It wasn’t super popular here and was only at one mall that was far away from me, so naturally I was intrigued, LOL! I haven’t thought about that line in years. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, and happy Monday to you!
Karen, I don’t think it was popular anywhere…probably why it went out of business. The body wash was delicious though, and I received tons of compliments when wearing the lip crayons. The company did at least two things right!
There may have been only one Garden Botanika store in the area, and it was located in the chi-chi mall that had a Williams-Sonoma, a vaguely upscale food court and a movie theater.
When they went out of business, I kept the last inch or so of that body wash for waaaaay too long.
Happy Monday to you too!
I looked them up and apparently they still sell their “Heart” fragrance (which I don’t remember) on Amazon! I remember going into the store and having a good old time smelling all the scents, but I don’t remember that one. I can recall them doing makeup too?! Especially foundations and eyeshadows.
1. Plum or lychee? Plum. My grandparents used to have plum trees and a pool, and when we were kids, we practically lived off plums all Summer.
2. How are your hot roller skills? I don’t know, I’ve never used them! Just the Richard Caruso steam ones, I’m okay with them.
3. Something you loved as a child? Unicorns. Still love them.
4. Biking or roller blading? Biking. On a beach cruiser. With a basket on the front.
5. What’s your go-to serum? I don’t use any serums right now. I’ve pared down my skin routine to just what is absolutely necessary, it’s easier and my skin is so much happier.
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? Noxema, Sea Breeze, zit cream. Lol!
7. Do you sweat a lot? No, but if I don’t layer antiperspirant and deodorant, I smell like a goat.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? Coffee, alone time, petting my pugs and cats, doing my nails.
9. Jump rope or dancing? Dancing.
1. Plum or lychee?
I haven’t had either!
2. How are your hot roller skills?
I don’t have them. I use foam rollers (really squishy ones), damp hair and basically let it set over night if I actually want my hair to curl. Even then, I’ve been known to either not set a curler right or miss a piece completely. 🥲 (Baby fine hair woes.)
3. Something you loved as a child?
Paper dolls! I actually still love them and still love to look for them, but I had tons more when I was a child. I inherited my grams’ Tom Tierney paper doll collection and would love to expand on it as his books were so well-researched.
4. Biking or roller blading?
Biking, especially here where there is no real smooth surface.
5. What’s your go-to serum?
I really love the Lumene Valo Glow Boost Essence Serum which you can get as a beauty mini at Target in a really generous size. Really brings down my inflammation when my face gets super inflamed.
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
Let’s see, I was rather little in the 90s (like 1-11) so I was into the glitter sticks.
7. Do you sweat a lot?
Not very much unless I’m exercising a lot. Hence, why I usually get away with my lack of deodorant ways. (Too much trouble.)
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
Caffeine (preferably a dr. pepper), a good cuddle with my dogs, barn time, me time and finding just the right outfit for me.
9. Jump rope or dancing?
Jump rope is really fun when you can get multiple people in it but dancing Is a lot of fun too.
1. Plum or lychee?lychee in cocktails and plum as a regular fruit to eat
2. How are your hot roller skills? bad.
3. Something you loved as a child? books
4. Biking or roller blading? biking
5. What’s your go-to serum? resveratrol and ferulic by the ordinary
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? i didnt . i used lukewarm water. i didnt break out in the 90’s to the 2000’s
7. Do you sweat a lot? i feel i do .
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? for an event, interview party a cute outfit , perfume and good makeup and my hair done . just going to the store.. a nice clean shirt and sweat pants and chic fila
9. Jump rope or dancing? jump rope
1. Plum or lychee? I love plums; especially the little hybrid cherry plums I get from Trader Joe’s. I wish they had a longer season.
2. How are your hot roller skills? I haven’t used hot rollers in a million years so I’d say my skills are pretty rusty.
3. Something you loved as a child? Multicolored origami papers. I loved making all kinds of things out of them. I also loved modeling clay.
4. Biking or roller blading? Biking. They didn’t have rollerblades when I was I kid.
5. What’s your go-to serum? Jack Black Protein Booster Skin Serum.
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? Hmmm . . . Skin care in the 90’s. Probably something by Estée Lauder.
7. Do you sweat a lot? No, I only sweat if it’s hot and humid and even then, I don’t sweat very much.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? Definitely a good night’s sleep.
9. Jump rope or dancing? Dancing.
Sorry, I missed this yesterday. Manic Monday!
1. Plum or lychee? i love a good plum in the summertime. Or do you mean eyeshadow shade?
2. How are your hot roller skills? I don’t bother. Anything that involves hair tools, I save for a professional. I don’t even bother with a hair dryer most of the time.
3. Something you loved as a child? My Barbie dolls.
4. Biking or roller blading? Biking, my balance is not the greatest.
5. What’s your go-to serum? The Ordinary Buffet. I go through it like water!
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? Bobbi Brown Hydrating face and eye creams.
7. Do you sweat a lot? No.
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? I try not to sweat the little stuff and drink at least one full turbo coffee in the morning. Then I’m good.
9. Jump rope or dancing? Dancing, especially to good ’70’s R & B.
Happy Tuesday!
1. Plum or lychee?
Cold sweet plums and warm lychees.
2. How are your hot roller skills?
Hot rollers never really properly curl my hair, as it is heavy. I like to pull it all up in a high ponytail, then curl that tail with my Beach Waver curling iron. When I take down the ponytail, the curls are very mermaid!
3. Something you loved as a child:
Lying on the hot sunny sidewalk in front of our house, then playing with my Barbies and Sunshine Family dolls on the cool porch with my friend Steph.
4. Biking or roller blading?
Biking and quad skating, baby!
5. What’s your go-to serum?
Hyaluronic acid.
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s?
At the end of the day, I still gently wash my face with a Dove beauty bar for sensitive skin.
7. Do you sweat a lot?
When I raise my heart rate by dancing, biking, skating, hiking, etc., yes!
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward?
Sleep, meditation, balancing my chakras, taking the focus off myself, and listening. And mascara!
9. Jump rope or dancing?
*DANCING!!*
1. Plum or lychee? Plum
2. How are your hot roller skills? I didn’t know they still made those. I used them every day when I had the Farrah Fawcett hair going.
3. Something you loved as a child? Making Chocolate Chip cookies with Mom. I swore I couldn’t wait to grow up so I could buy a whole bag and eat it. Me now “yes, it’s Dr. Johnson, I’ll be taking 43 bags of those chocolate chips to go. . .”
4. Biking or roller blading? Biking
5. What’s your go-to serum? Honula Youth Serum
6. A skin care item (or items) you used in ’90s? Clinique moisturizer (the yellow one in the glass bottle).
7. Do you sweat a lot? I need more coffee. I read that as “do you swear a lot” and I was well “&@%# yes!”
8. Things that help you put your best foot forward? Caffeinated is good.
9. Jump rope or dancing? Dancing.