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 more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
Cream blush, because it’s easier to control.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
Most of the time, no, but when I do wear it, it’s usually the outer corner.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
The Coywolf. 🙂
4. Lipstick today?
Yes, please! I’m wearing Ilia Rococco.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
You don’t even want to know, my friend. I really need to get in there and wash some brushes!
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
Yellow bell peppers, please. I love the sweetness and the crunch! Plus, they’re so good with peanut butter.
7. Walking or running?
Walking, all day, every day. I used to be a runner back in the day, but now my knees are like, “No, thanks, girl!”
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
Face powder. A light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural is magic.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
I would love to make a big dent in my living room decluttering project by the end of the week.
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. Liquid blush or cream blush?
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
4. Lipstick today?
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
7. Walking or running?
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
P.P.S. Happy Monday to you, friend. Please be sure to talk to yourself this week with gentle words and a sweet tone. You deserve kindness and courtesy. 🤗
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream blush, I love cream products, but especially cream blush.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? It’s always a no for me.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My best friend in life, we met on the first day of kindergarten and we’re still best friends, it’ll be 42 years this year. We have gone through everything together, every high every low. I’m so very lucky to have her.
4. Lipstick today? Not lately, I’m usually a tinted lip balm kind of girl.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? They need a wash, it’s not gross, but it’s almost gross.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Bell peppers, never cucumbers. I hadn’t thought about bells with peanut butter, but I’ll try it!
7. Walking or running? Walking. Walking the dogs, walking for exercise, it’s all good.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Face powder, but just a teeny tiny amount. I don’t like full coverage anything.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? I didn’t put a lot of Christmas decor up, but what I did put up, is still up. I need to pack it away.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream, I can do cream while driving without looking in the mirror!
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? Seeing as I only have like three itty bitty lower lashes on each eye, that’s a NO!
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? I would like to say my son but realistically the cat makes me a better person.
4. Lipstick today? no, I’m super dry. I’ve been balming all day. We’ve had a stretch of sub zero days here and it’s wreaking havoc.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? pretty badly
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Do I really have to choose? I guess I would have to say cucumbers because I grow bomb ass cucumbers in the summer. But I do adore sweet bell peppers too.
7. Walking or running? Walking. I’m double jointed and even when I was just a wee thing I had trouble running because my ankles would sort of collapse on me–the doctor said it was because I was double jointed.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? full coverage
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? OMG, thank you for reminding me that it’s the last week. I thought we were still mid-month. I need to celebrate my mother with a box of a really amazing chocolates. Her birthday is Feb. 20 but with shipping delays, I want to get something ordered stat. Any recommendations? Preferably artisan/hand-crafted/super luxe.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? Yes. I love dark pretty lashes. Mascara changes a look instantly.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My husband💖
4. Lipstick today? No. I was wearing MAC’s Glow Play Lip Balm this weekend. My little girl (she is 7) put some on and had an allergic reaction. She is highly allergic to cashews. This lip balm uses Mango Seed butter…and mangos have a cross-reactivity with cashew. I felt absolutely horrible. She has eaten the fruit without issue, but apparently the seeds are what causes the reaction😮. So just a heads up for any tree nut allergy sufferers.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? Oh man…way longer than I want to admit.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Sweet bell peppers – red or yellow…NO green
7. Walking or running? Walking
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Neither…Medium
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? Continue exercising – I love it, but I am bad at making time for myself
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream blush
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? no
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My son, Zack
4. Lipstick today? I did this morning but it has worn off
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? Not badly but they could use a cleaning.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Red sweet bell peppers
7. Walking or running? walking.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Neither
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? Get my nails done professionally.
Zack is back at school. One year after this semester. Time flies! Be well.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
Cream. I find it easy to over apply liquid.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
It’s a no for me.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
My best friend! We’ve been friends since we were in 7th grade.
4. Lipstick today?
Tinted lip balm situation today. Decently moisturizing but not much tint.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
I have about 4 brushes I use regularly and I cleaned them yesterday. Always a good feeling.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
I prefer cucumbers in salads, on sandwiches, etc. And I prefer sweet peppers when roasted or in a stir fry. Never thought about dipping in peanut butter! But when I think of Thai food, that makes sense.
7. Walking or running?
Walking. Never been a runner.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
I’d choose some strategically placed powder with a very light touch.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
I’d like to pot some plants for the house. Need some green to brighten up this winter!
Thanks for the sweet PPS reminder, Karen and the same for you!
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
Either!
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
Aesthetically, yes (my bottom lashes are invisible) but it’s definitely more irritating to the eyes that way.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
My Hettie Bear.
4. Lipstick today?
Nope! Not wearing any makeup actually.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
Pretty bad, but I only use two regularly. I’ll do it tonight.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
Cucumbers. Bell peppers give me awful reflux.
7. Walking or running?
Walking! I have a heart condition and terrible joints. I’ll occasionally run Hettie a few strides on our walks if she’s excited about something.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
Oof I don’t wear either of these! Face powder, I suppose.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
Go to pilates twice!
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream blush
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? Big No, at least for me.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? Dear Husband
4. Lipstick today? Not yet.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? Meh, so-so. Most of them are clean. I’ve been trying to wash3 to 6 of them at a time when I notice they’re particularly dirty. I find it easier to wash a few brushes more often than a ton of brushes, not very often.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Cucumbers. Bell peppers don’t agree with my digestive system. TMI?
7. Walking or running? Walking. Easier on the knees. And I’ve noticed that I walk faster than some joggers in my neighborhood.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Face powder. I don’t think I own a full coverage foundation.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? I’d like to continue editing my closet.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? cream blush
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? sometimes but usually no
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? my nephews N and Z
4. Lipstick today?nope.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? they are clean
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? sweet bell peppers
7. Walking or running? walking
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? full coverage
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? getting the rest of my books for school
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? No unless I’m dressing up for something big
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My husband. Animals- I always say I like animals better than people
4. Lipstick today? Nope – lipstick is the same category as mascara on the lower lashes
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? Very much
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Tough call but I’ll go with yellow or orange peppers
7. Walking or running? Running but I’ll take either. I just like to get outside and move. When I was laid off during the shutdowns in 2020 I was walking /running 4-8 miles a day just to have someplace to go. I could only clean my house so much
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Something in between but if I have to pick face powder
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? Clean and organize the bathroom drawers. We did a bedroom/closet remodel in November and there are just little bits and pieces to finish
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Definitely cream. I’ve never been a fan of liquid blush.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? For evening or special occasions, yes. For everyday casual wear, I usually skip it because my lashes are black anyway.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My sons.
4. Lipstick today? Yes. I’m wearing Lancôme Blush Classique with a bit of Dior gloss on top. The name escapes me at the moment, but it’s a pretty warm pink.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? I clean all my used brushes every single week. I can’t stand dirty brushes and it is beyond me how anyone can use a dirty, germ laden brush on their face.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Both, but because we’re Middle Eastern, we eat a ton of those little Persian cucumbers. They’re expensive in regular markets, but they’re dirt cheap in Middle Eastern grocery stores.
7. Walking or running? Running—sort of! Lol. I do a light jog for about 30-40 minutes every day and I love to chase my dog around the back yard.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Many days I just apply a light dusting of finishing powder over my physical sunscreen.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? I need to clean the fountain out by our front entry. It has a build up of calcium that I need to remove.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
Cream. Liquid just gets EVERYWHERE.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
Yes, except when it’s humid.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
My doggies!
4. Lipstick today?
Noooo, I went to the dentist and got 6 crowns!
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
Probably pretty badly. They haven’t really seen the light of day since October…
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
Green bell peppers!
7. Walking or running?
Walking, please! I can’t run to save my life. My lungs! My lungs!
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
Just concealer where I’m a bit red or to cover my undereye circles.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
Finish packing for my Caribbean cruise!
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
Cream blush.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
Yes; my lashes are invisible without it.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
My mom.
4. Lipstick today?
No, just some lip balm with sunscreen.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
Not at all. They might actually be dusty at this point, though. I’ve barely used them since the start of the pandemic, when I shifted to shadow crayons or liquids.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
Cucumbers! My gut will thank you.
7. Walking or running?
Walking, with some stops to smell the roses.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
Face powder — let’s take care of that T-zone.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
Finally complete the reorganization of my bedroom closet. It’s been a slog.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?: Liquid! I love the NARS version.
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?: Nope.
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?: My friend Susan.
4. Lipstick today?: Yes. Tom Ford Nicholas.
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?: Not badly. I washed them recently.
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?: Cucumbers! Here is my favorite cucumber soap: https://duchessofsoapshire.bigcartel.com/product/cucumber-yogurt-facial-soap
7. Walking or running?: Walking.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?: Foundation during the winter.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?: Exercise more.
Liquid blush or cream blush? Neither, powder all the way!
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? Yes!
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My new friend Zu Zu Petals (French bull dog)
4. Lipstick today? Everyday/hour. Revlon Blushing Mauve
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? I watched a tutorial by the late great Mel Thompson and she had the easiest and fastest way to clean brushes, now I do them every Sunday night! TY Mel♥️
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? Cold cucumbers
7. Walking or running? Walking
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Like you, a good dusting of MAC or my Mercier Candleglow #1.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? Boy oh boy I’ve got some papers eg old phone bills, electric that seriously need to be tossed.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush?
-I’ve only ever worn powder blush, which is absolutely an essential if I’m wearing makeup
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no?
Yes
3. Someone who brings out the best in you?
My husband!
4. Lipstick today?
No, just lipgloss
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning?
Just cleaned mine yesterday
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers?
Tough… I guess I’ll go with cucumber
7. Walking or running?
Walking… I worked on my feet for ten years plus a lot of commute walking. My feet and knees shouldn’t be running unless it’s necessary.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder?
I usually wear powder foundation (MAC) I’ve gone from using the sponge provided, to a brush and now I just lightly dust a bit on the oilier spots of my face. Something I never thought I’d do, not wear thick foundation. My skin looks much fresher with this method.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January?
Need to clean the house. Didn’t get to do what I wanted before going on our honeymoon and now I’m depressed to be back and more depressed because the house is a mess.
1. Liquid blush or cream blush? Cream
2. Mascara on the lower lashes: yes or no? no – it tends to smear since I like dewy moisturizer/foundation
3. Someone who brings out the best in you? My husband. He was literally my best friend for years before we ever went on a “date”.
4. Lipstick today? Yes, KVD Vegan Beauty Matte Lipstick in Lovecraft
5. How badly do your makeup brushes need cleaning? I clean them regularly
6. Sweet bell peppers or cucumbers? The peppers – I’ve been chopping up the yellow and orange ones and adding them to ground turkey for meatloaf with a teriyaki glaze.
7. Walking or running? Walking. I’m a D cup, short of one of those bras that make me look like I’m expecting an assassination attempt, running is just not comfortable.
8. Full-coverage foundation or face powder? Neither, I just do a dab of Ilia serum foundation with spf40 every day or go bare face with sunscreen.
9. Something you’d like to accomplish during this last week of January? Organize my kitchen spices.