Question for ya: do you know what constitutes a really good time at night for me these days (please, for the love of cats, keep your mind out of the gutter, LOL!).
Answer: A double mask session, informally known around these parts as “a double mask sesh.”
The double mask sesh
Um…before you go thinking that I layered an N95 under my Caraa mask before hitting the club, allow me to clarify. When I say double masking, in this case….I’m referring to using two kinds of skin care face masks — the kind you slather onto your skin! — one after another.
DUDE. Only during post-pandemic times can you say something like that out loud, LOL!
I did this last Friday, and it was the TLC I didn’t realize I desperately needed.
Why do two face masks (again, not in reference to the pandemic)? I like to think of it as treating my skin to a double dose of whatever it wants or needs at any given moment, and last Friday I wanted exfoliation and moisture!
I started with Korres Triple Dose Resurfacing Mask, an exfoliating mask loaded with AHAs, BHAs and pomegranate enzymes, which has a slightly grainy texture for those who like a little bit of physical exfoliation action.
Leave it on for three to five minutes (on my combo skin it felt satisfyingly tingly), and then rinse off.
I like very gentle physical exfoliation, so I gently push the grains around with my fingers when I rise the product away with water.
As for the scent? DIVINE. Like a perfect marriage of fruit punch and roses.
After dabbing my skin with a soft towel, I applied a thick layer of Extended Stay Hydrating Mask by Wander Beauty for an extra mega dose of moisture.
Unfortunately, this particular moisturizing mask is no longer available from the line, and it seems they’ve replaced it with Staycation Hydrating Mask. Really, though, any decent hydrating mask will do.
Any time you can treat yourself to an exfoliating mask followed by a hydrating mask is a guaranteed good time, especially on a Friday night. And, of course, it’s totally even better if you’re hanging out with someone… My Friday night date was Rosie, and I did all of this double masking while we hung out on the couch, LOL!
Pressed powder power
This one’s for my people out there who love a pressed powder! I’ve been using this pressed translucent powder by bareMinerals on my oilier-than-normal forehead (summer skin, am I right?), and it really keeps the shine under wraps. It also doesn’t look heavy or powdery.
Added bonus? I can’t feel it sitting on my skin. Granted, I don’t mind a little dewiness on my face, but I draw the line at a hella greasy forehead, which is what happens when it’s hot outside like it has been lately.
(The powder also comes in a bunch of other colors if translucent isn’t your thing.)
One last thing before I jump into this two-part cardio workout with extra vigor…
Get ready to sweat
And sweat some more
I just booked a hair appointment for next month, my first one since last February! I’ve still got time before the appointment to decide how short I’m going to go, but I’m thinking I might do something that just grazes my shoulders…on the possibility that everything shuts down again this fall or winter (please no!!!).
Anybody else nervous about the new variants? All I can think of is how dire everything felt last January, when I was at my loneliest. Can’t think about it now…
Anywho, hair
I’m going back to the same gal who did my hair last time, Ariana Benoit, because, among other reasons, I really like how her cut from February has grown out.
Which leads me to an old tip a hairdresser friend passed onto me years ago — when booking a hair appointment, grab the first one of the day, if you can. That way your stylist buddy is fresh out the gate and ready to go! 👍
Alright. Going to go get my sweat on. Talk soon, yeah?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Karen,
I completely feel you on the hair dilemma. I just had my first haircut in over a year! I had trimmed the ends myself…but not a “real” haircut. I had my stylist cut it to right below my collarbone (it was previously well past the middle of my back). I love the look of long hair…but I hate the feel of long hair. My hair is thick and wavy and the extra weight chopped off feels great. I will probably grow it out again and do the same thing all over again next summer:)
Speaking of hair…Check out Jolt on Amazon Prime. Kate Beckinsale looks amazing and her hair was so edgy and awesome. Big change from her previous looks.
And yes…the covid variants are freaking me out. My husband and I got the shot…but I worry so much about my kids (7&8). My area is horrible with social distancing and mask wearing. I kept the kids at home and did online school last year and they just returned to a childcare program this summer when I went back to the office. They are not requiring masks…so nobody wears them. Our Governor is pushing for schools to continue with masks…and I am hoping that all districts will comply for the upcoming school year. I feel like masks are appropriate until all ages are eligible for a shot. I am so confused and angry by the outrage over masks. Why are people so against them?
Anyway…I LOVE your blog. I usually never comment…but I love your writing style and you seem like such a great person:) The world needs more kind people. You love your pets and family and you care about your readers…I always feel like I am reading something from a “friend”.
Hope you have a great day & stay safe!
Hi, Mandy! Thank you for your sweet comment. Believe it or not, you made me tear up a little. It’s so nice to hear kind words back from other people. I wonder sometimes if the energy I put out in the universe gets received, and so it makes my heart happy to hear that you can feel the energy on the other side of the keyboard! Oh my cats, am I really gonna cry right now?! I should change the subject so I don’t smear my mascara, LOL!
I just looked up pictures of Kate Beckinsale in Jolt, and WOW! I’m terribly tempted to cut my hair that short now. I’ve had similar haircuts with that very full bob/lob shape, but nothing as short in a really long time. I do love the look of short, wavy choppy hair, but dang, it’s hard work. I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but short hair for me is a chore. One of the reasons I like having longer hair is because I can throw it up into a ponytail, bun or a braid, and it looks somewhat decent (although this is questionable, ha). But when I’ve had short hair/bob-length hair, I would always have to do SO MUCH STUFF to it, otherwise it just ends up looking crazy.
I’m seriously thinking about a big chop like that though because who knows will happen come fall and winter. Sigh.
I totally understand what you mean about worrying intensely about your children. I found out my daughter‘s kindergarten class (which is supposed to be in-person instruction) has 26 kids. I don’t know if they’re going to do cohorts or whether or not they’re going to physically split the class into two different classrooms…It’s crazy the things we have to think about these days. I try to remind myself that in five years all these worries will be faded memories, hopefully.
Right now I’m just trying to enjoy the small sense of normalcy we have right now, because I can feel like it’s all going to change very soon, and that’s filling me with a sense of dread.
Thinking of you and hoping that everyone in your family stays safe and healthy, physically and mentally. HUGS!
Well…I got teary eyed reading your response. I am sure I am not the only one…but reading your blog makes my day:) There is so much negative energy out there and your website always makes me smile. You are so real and I love that about you. It’s nice to have someone to relate to. And your posts usually make me laugh out loud (like I said I love your witty writing style).
I’m so glad to have met you here, Mandy. Maybe someday we’ll even run into each other IRL. It’s happened with other readers and I hope it’ll happen with us!
Take care of yourself, and have a good Wednesday. I just got back from a HIIT class at the gym and I’m enjoying the post-exercise endorphins. 🙂
Good call on the hair length, I think.
I’m really nervous about the variants and possibly more shutdowns. I don’t know if I can take it again…or if any of us can. Our state just opened up a few weeks ago, and already our most populous county is recommending masks indoors again.
I think chopping it off is the right thing to do on paper, but dang, so much work!!! LOL. We’ll see how it goes.
I so feel you on the nervousness of the possible shutdowns. I was just starting to feel somewhat comfortable going to back to a few “normal” thing, and it’s been glorious.
Sending you a big hug.
Big hugs back, sweetie. We’ll all get through this together. ♥️
I need another haircut, I got a trim a couple of months ago, but already it’s about as long as I can cope with again. I used a new hairdresser last time so I always err on the side of caution when telling them how much to take off, because some hairdressers always end up taking more than you tell them, but this one did about right, and now I need another haircut LOL. I think I’ll wait a few months until our summer, my hair will be seriously annoying me by then, and I’ll get a decent amount chopped off.
I hear you on the lockdowns. I am going through a bit of a low patch myself right now. I moved from NZ to Australia in March. In NZ we had no internal restrictions, but we are now just coming out of our 3rd lockdown since I have been in Aus. Dang it’s been hard. Being in a new country, I don’t really know anyone except my husband, and the loneliness is starting to get to me. I asked just this morning about getting the vaccines but my age group isn’t eligible yet. I try to get out for walks every day I can, just to keep my spirits up, but I feel a bit trapped by the four walls. One of the things me and my husband connected over was our love of travel, and we haven’t been able to do much of that ever since we got married. Fortunately he’s been able to keep working through the lockdowns, being in essential services, and I haven’t worried too much about him because the numbers are quite low in our particular area. I just hope this is the last lockdown we have now that vaccination rates are coming up, I don’t know if I can handle another one 🙁
I feel you, Miss Kitty. I keep telling myself that “OK, we’ve already gone through it, we can do it again,” but I dread the thought of not interacting with people for weeks and months on end. Last December, January and February (which is winter here) were the longest months. I’m trying to enjoy the short respite with it being warmer weather right now. I hope that you’re able to find ways to cope and interact. I’m always here on the other side of the keyboard (along with all the friends on MBB) if you feel like talking!
Hey Miss Kitty (sorry to hijack the post), are you in Melbourne? Me too 🙂
Totally worried about the variants, especially as my kids aren‘t yet old enough to get vaccinated and I am constantly worrying about them catching COVID. It might be lighter for kids, but I don‘t want them to be sick or get Long Covid!
I’ve done a couple of new sheet masks this week because one of our suppliers sent some samples to try. My favorite part is how my family laughs and makes fun of me while I’m wearing them. HAHA! I’m much more worried about the damage that will be done by shutting things down again than I am about the virus itself. Remote schooling has been a disaster for 99% of kids and I can’t count the number of businesses that are still struggling to get people to come back to work – because they make more staying at home with stimulus and unemployment, not because they’re afraid of the virus. For those who are working long hours and taking on more just to keep our businesses open, it’s a very frustrating situation. 🙁