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. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
A single scoop of Baskin-Robbins pistachio in a sugar cone, please.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
Depends on what I’m doing and how hot it is on any given day. If I’m puttering around the house or doing low-key errands, then typically I’ll do just a tinted sunscreen (both Avene and Bliss make good ones). If I’m meeting someone for lunch or have to go in to work, then something like Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is what I’ll grab.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
It was a tube of sunscreen – shocking, I know! LOL. Anywho, I’ve been wanting to try a watery sunscreen to reapply over my makeup during the day, so I grabbed ISNTREE Hyaluronic Watery Sun Gel SPF 50.
4. How are your makeup skills?
Sufficient when it comes to quick looks. Anything too complicated… Eh, I could handle it, but it would take a good amount of time. A couple hours at the very least.
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
Both! Right this second, though, Chanel.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
Honestly, I want to say something fun, like a cruiser bike. Really, though, I could use a rug for my office. I’m thinking of getting a washable one from Ruggable. If you have any of their rugs, please spill the tea!
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
I would rather ride a bike, but only if it’s a cruiser bike that comes with a basket full of well-behaved kittens.
8. How’s your summer garden going?
Eh, not so great. I’m not doing a deck garden this year because of all the stuff I have to deal with inside the house. The closest thing I’ve come to a summer garden is a basil plant that I bought at Trader Joe’s, which I bought specifically to eat!
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
I mean, they’re great if you’re willing to put in the work. At this stage in my makeup journey, I will say leave ‘em. It’s just one more thing, ya know?
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. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
3. Last skin care product you bought?
4. How are your makeup skills?
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
8. How’s your summer garden going?
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
P.P.S. Hi, there my friend! It’s a beautiful morning and a beautiful start to a new week. Take good care of yourself this week, please. Stay hydrated, put your sunscreen on and be kind to yourself. You’re doing great! 🤗
happy Monday afternoon!
1.Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? I love ice cream in a sugar cone.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? I generally wear a face tint in the summer over SPF.
3. Last skin care product you bought? Lumene Vitamin C serum.
4. How are your makeup skills? Ok for me. I don’t do anything special.
5. Chanel or Shiseido? Chanel, when I can afford it.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? My fantasy is a Chanel hand bag, but in reality there is a Coach bag I have my eyes on, still expensive but no where near as expensive as a Chanel bag.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? Ride a bike, but mostly I like to walk.
8. How’s your summer garden going? It’s not.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? I never bother. I am interested in trying a las serum, however.
Hope all is well.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? In a cone – cake or sugar.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? I barely wear it at all, and even less often in the summer.
3. Last skin care product you bought? Not sure, but probably The Ordinary Buffet serum on a restock.
4. How are your makeup skills? Pretty bad – get outside tightlining, mascara, and lips and things are not great. I don’t have a lot of brow space, so complex eye shadow basically gets lost.
5. Chanel or Shiseido? Chanel for makeup, Shiseido for skin care.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? Not sure, but we need to look back into a cleaning service. We were about to pull the trigger right before the pandemic kicked off.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? Bike 100% but only on a dedicated trail/isolated bike lane. Roads are too narrow and drivers are too crazy here otherwise. I don’t have nearly enough life insurance to ride on the roads.
8. How’s your summer garden going? Waiting for the overhaul. Was supposed to start in late May, but was pushed to July.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? Leave it. I still haven’t found a good volumizing one that doesn’t result in a clumpy, droopy mess.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
A cone, with chocolate custard from Culvers.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
Yes. I’m having a mid-life skin crisis, so I need to cover that mess up.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
Some very expensive prescription cream for the above-mentioned skin crisis.
4. How are your makeup skills?
Decent.
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
Shiseido, especially their tinted lip balm.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
I had to buy a new air conditioner last week (our old one died in the middle of this heat wave!!), so no spending for a while.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
Ride a bike.
8. How’s your summer garden going?
There was too much going on for a garden this year. I miss it!
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
I’ve never tried them.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? Sugar cone.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? a tiny bit of Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter blended with a sponge.
3. Last skin care product you bought? Honua Pa’akai Cleansing Cream with Hawaiian salt and Hibiscus – my go-to for summer cleansing.
4. How are your makeup skills? Average.
5. Chanel or Shiseido? Chanel, though my husband gets me original Shiseido Zen perfume when he’s in Japan on business (the US reformulated Zen does NOT smell the same at all).
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? New baking pans, every time I pull my beat-up ones out I expect Martha Stewart to show up and slap me.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? Roller Skate provided there are no cars, trees, dogs, or brick walls anywhere near me.
8. How’s your summer garden going? I just have a flower bed out front, the rest of the property has ancient spruce trees.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? Never used one.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
Cone
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
Initially, when I started getting into makeup during which time I lived in a tropical climate, I only wore foundation in the evenings and very sparingly. These days I wear Mac Face and Body if I’m going to be in the daylight (on top of sunscreen) and Studio Fix for evening. My answer would be Yes.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
Clarins toner
4. How are your makeup skills?
Average to below average
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
Don’t own any Chanel makeup at the moment, so Shiseido
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
Pants that fit
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
Ride a bike
8. How’s your summer garden going?
Not
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
Love em, though not for everyday
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? ice cream in a cone
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? no .
3. Last skin care product you bought? a shower oil
4. How are your makeup skills? well after two years of not wearing makeup. girl, amateur at best
5. Chanel or Shiseido? shiseido
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? a car – honda fit
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? i wish i could roller skate
8. How’s your summer garden going? i have propagated an indoor plant i love.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? love them . i actually never used them but hey a good primer is supposed to help.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? Either. I’ll take ice cream any way I can get it.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? Generally not. Just sunscreen. Unless like last night we’re going out to dinner. So I wore Chantecaille Future Skin.
3. Last skin care product you bought? CeraVe Night Cream. Hate that it spreads and feels like school paste glue on my skin. But it does dampen the irritation of retinol.
4. How are your makeup skills? Crummy. Slowly throwing out the whole lot of it.
5. Chanel or Shiseido? Both. Love Chanel eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks. Love my Shiseido Synchro Skin Foundation.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? Some cool summer clothes.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? Neither, but if I had to choose I’d roller skate because it’s closer to ice skating, which I love.
8. How’s your summer garden going? Let’s just say I do NOT have a green thumb. My kabocha squash plants are still just two or three leaves and less than 3 inches big. Sigh.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? I still love the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer, but can’t always be bothered.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
Ice cream in a waffle cone.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
Typically I wear tinted moisturizer with SPF.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
A moisturizer from Tula. Don’t remember the name.
4. How are your makeup skills?
So-so. I am out of practice!
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
Shiseido.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
A beautiful ring.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
Ride a bike, for sure. That used to be a daily activity when I was in high school.
8. How’s your summer garden going?
Ah, gardening has alas fallen by the wayside.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
Leave ‘em.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
In a bowl? I’m a slow eater, so this is best for me.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
Depends what I’m doing and where I’m going. If I’m shopping, going to someone’s place, then I’ll wear my usual. If it’s a walk or swim then obviously not.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
Facial cleanser
4. How are your makeup skills?
Good enough. I can only do “pretty” makeup well. Anything requiring fake lashes and winged liner and cut creases and facial contouring, then forget it.
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
Chanel but I’d like to try some shiseido skin care and a skin tint.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
Probably jewelry. Or that pink lipstick from Chanel. Or these nice shoes from Remonte that I don’t really need but are perfectly my style.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
Bike
8. How’s your summer garden going?
Good so far! Only a few things died and had to be replaced.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
Ya know, I used to like one from Estée Lauder but I think their quality control was bad. Sometimes I’d buy it and it would be perfect, other times it would just make a sticky clumpy mess. I gave up on them because half of my purchases were returns.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
Cone all the way. Sugar, wafer…I don’t care. The bottom bite is the best part.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
I’ve taken to wearing tinted sunscreen year round, spot conceal if I need to.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
Hero Mighty Patches and Rescue Balm to deal with hormonal breakouts.
4. How are your makeup skills?
They’re good, but I’m impatient and unwilling to spend more than 10 minutes on it.
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
Hmmm…I don’t *love* either, but I own more Chanel products, so I guess Chanel it is. I think the only Shiseido product I use regularly is a red eyeliner, which is fine. I do reach for my Chanel blush stick quite a bit.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
A pair of Tecovas ankle cowboy booties. I don’t really “need” them, but if I were to have a little splurge…
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
I love bike riding, plus roller skating is too scary.
8. How’s your summer garden going?
I don’t have one, sadly, but I did move some plants to a new shelf near a window and they’re so happy, two even started new offshoots!
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
Nah, too much effort.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? A single scoop of ice cream in a cone is a rare summertime treat.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? If I’m going out, I’ll wear a bit of sheer coverage foundation. If I’m going to be staying at home, I don’t bother.
3. Last skin care product you bought? Tatcha Dewy Serum and Dewy Mist. Their sale is going on right now.
4. How are your makeup skills? They’re pretty good seeing as I’ve had over sixty years of experience 🙂
5. Chanel or Shiseido? That’s difficult. I’ll say Shiseido, though, since I wear a lot of Clé de Peau which is owned by Shiseido.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? I need to buy some new summer tops.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? I’d rather hop on a bike and go for a spin.
8. How’s your summer garden going? It’s becoming more and more beautiful by the day as things bloom.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? Leave them. They just aren’t necessary for my lashes.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? In a cone, a scoop of Baskin Robbins pralines and cream in a sugar cone. Heaven.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? No I do not! Lol! I like the natural skin look. If I have to dress up, I’ll wear a CC cream, IT cosmetics or the Elf Camo one.
3. Last skin care product you bought? Sunscreen! I love the Isntree one, it’s so good, it doesn’t burn your eyelids! But I bought Purito this time. It takes forever to ship, so I need to order a new one as soon as I get one in.
4. How are your makeup skills? I rock a natural look, and it’s great. Anything that needs to be a little heavier, I doubt myself and feel like I’m wearing too much.
5. Chanel or Shiseido? Chanel I suppose.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? I want a beach cruiser too! With saddle baskets and a front basket. When I was 8, my twin brother and I got bikes, and I wanted a basket so bad. A little white basket on the handlebars. My Grandpa pulled down these ugly huge awful saddle baskets and asked if that’s what I wanted, and me, being the shy 8 year old that I was, said yes. I was devastated. But man, I grew to love those baskets. I used them so much! So now I want them. And either a little blue, yellow, or pink bike. With a name like “Blanche” or “Clementine”.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? Bike.
8. How’s your summer garden going? I just moved into a new house in a new state, I’ve been working on weeding the flower beds. And getting used to a huge yard. And trees that need trimming. So no garden this year.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? They’re cool, but like you said, it’s an extra step that isn’t necessary.
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich? Ice cream in a cone (something coffee flavored)
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer? Yes. I have been loving Mac Studio Sculpt this summer (Gel based – medium coverage)
3. Last skin care product you bought? DHC Olive Oil and Sun Bum Glow SPF
4. How are your makeup skills? I am good at doing my own make-up – I take longer than I should sometimes – And I wish I felt more comfortable wearing less (I’m working on it)
5. Chanel or Shiseido? Neither
6. Something you want to buy for yourself? ?
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike? Bike
8. How’s your summer garden going? No garden…but we got all new landscaping that I have been taking care of
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em? I like mascara primers…but it’s another step that takes too long
1. Ice cream in a cone or an ice cream sandwich?
Always in a cone, the sandwich just feels weird to me.
2. Do you usually wear base/foundation during the summer?
No. I don’t even wear it much in winter anymore either.
3. Last skin care product you bought?
Handcream. I had left mine at home when we went camping, and I can’t be without one for a whole week.
4. How are your makeup skills?
Decent for my features, but not good enough to do it on others.
5. Chanel or Shiseido?
I don’t have much experienve with either, but I would be more interested in Shiseido.
6. Something you want to buy for yourself?
The missing furniture for my bureau.
7. Would you rather roller skate or ride a bike?
Ride a bike. I do that every day for my commute.
8. How’s your summer garden going?
Hopeless. I missed the point to get it in shape and now everything is just growing wild.
9. Mascara primers: love ‘em or leave ‘em?
Leave them. Too much effort.