Just For Fun

1. Prive Revaux Eyewear Reading Glasses

Got these at THE RACK because I’m tired of staring at my phone and having everything be hella blurry! Usually, these reading glasses are $40 at full price, but I found this lightweight pink pair for $13! I saw lots of blue-light blocking glasses in lots of cute frames, too.

2. Old Navy Eva Slides in the Big Leopard Print

Leopard print is a neutral! I saw one of Connor’s teachers wearing these cute leopard slides, and so when she told me to run-don’t-walk to Old Navy, I promptly heeded her advice. These are cute, and the arch support is decent, although I wouldn’t go walking around Disneyland all day in them or anything… They’re fine for errands and camping.

I suspect they’re only built to last one summer, though, because some of the print along the edges of the slides has already started peeling off. I’m not crabby about it, but I think I’ll eventually try to find a similar one that’s more durable.

3. The beauty section at the Old Navy cash wrap

Speaking of Old Navy, the beauty section located near the cash wrap is LIT. They don’t have a ton of brands, but the ones that are there (in the store in my town, at least) are stocked. I saw quite a few things from Pacifica, e.l.f., Burt’s Bees and a perfume brand that’s new to me called Kindred Goods.

4. Shirts with sun protection UPF50

Apparently, I’ve somehow ended up on a mission to have absolutely no rays of sun touch my skin over the next few months, LOL! I’ve been browsing and bookmarking long-sleeve shirts with UPF50 sun protection. I’m on the hunt for affordable, lightweight and cute shirts.

I like that these breezy, comfy-looking Under Armor shirts are only $35. It gets really hot where I live in Northern Marin County, and the sweat-wicking material would be helpful.

The curved hem and thumbholes in the Athleta Uptempto top are nice touches. Lots of colors to choose from, too.

They’re $69 each, which is out of my budget, but if I can find one on sale, I’ll pounce!

5. The Jetsetters, by Amanda Eyre Ward

Last night I started this book and had to force myself to put it down, so I could go to sleep! This fiction novel is about a woman in her 70s, Charlotte, and her three estranged adult children; Charlotte enters an essay contest and wins an international trip as a prize. She then invites her kids to join her, and shenanigans ensue.

What’ve you been loving lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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. What are your favorite summer foods?

Oh! — I love all the summer fruit, especially watermelon and strawberries! I look forward to the fruit that shows up in stores around this time all year long.

This I will also gobble down most anything found at an outdoor BBQ, with emphasis on all the sides — corn (with lots of butter and salt, of course), potato salad, chips and dip, what have you.

2. Does your family take seasonal trips?

Well…prior to 2020, we tried to take at least one or two trips out to Oahu to see El Hub’s family. Hopefully, we’ll be able to start doing that again soon! I know we technically can go out there, but we’re not quite there yet in terms of our family’s readiness. There are still too many family members who haven’t gotten their vaccine shot.

Last summer we started going car camping, and I hope we can continue doing that for as many summers as Connor will tolerate hanging out with us, LOL.

3. One of your current short-term personal goals?

Honestly, it’s to get through May in one piece with my sanity intact. We’ve got a lot of things going on in terms of home repairs and stuff.

4. What’s your OOTD today?

My Prince tee and a pair of denim shorts.

5. Best and worst thing about traveling?

Best thing? Exploring new places and feeding my brain with new memories and experiences. Worst thing — bathrooms. Enough said.

6. How often do you accidentally butt-dial people with your phone?

I really don’t do this! I don’t understand how it happens. (El Hub said “You’re kidding!? It happens to me all the time!” when I mentioned this to him.)

7. What do you think about reality TV?

It’s not my favorite way to pass time because I’d rather watch a scripted drama or comedy, but if I’m tapped out mentally and need to just sit and let my brain turn into mush, I’ll look for old MTV reality shows like Laguna Beach and The Hills.

8. What are some things in beauty that excite you at the moment?

I’m really into all things skin care at the moment, but especially sunscreen. Is that weird? I’m also excited about a couple of hair care lines, Pattern (at Ulta) and Function of Beauty.

9. Last emoji you texted to someone?

👍 👍 👍 The thumbs-up sign my catch-all symbol. It’s short for “will do,” “got it,” “great idea,” and “let’s do it,” for starters.

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. What are your favorite summer foods?
2. Does your family take seasonal trips?
3. One of your current short-term personal goals?
4. What’s your OOTD today?
5. Best and worst thing about traveling?
6. How often do you accidentally butt-dial people with your phone?
7. What do you think about reality TV?
8. What are some things in beauty that excite you at the moment?
9. Last emoji you texted to someone?

P.P.S. Hiya and hello, Monday! How are things on your end, beautiful girl? I’m feeling happy and excited about the week ahead. Here’s to this week being a great one for us all.

Hello, my friend! Welcome to the weekend. Whatever you’re up to, I hope you’re wearing your sunscreen.

I’ll be wearing it while do my “Cinderella chores.” 🙂

This week’s reading

• I’ve been researching UV blocking shirts this week…and here are five things that affect how well your clothes block UV rays.
• Speaking of sun protection, these skincare experts say that these are the 15 best sunscreens of 2021.
• ’90s-style brown makeup is having a moment (side note: YESSSS!).
• Waterproof brow products to keep your arches high all day
• Feeling like doing a little organizing? Here are some makeup storage ideas!
• I wonder if doves are crying (tears of joy, obviously) over this Urban Decay collaboration with Prince.
• Pretty spring makeup from Byredo… WANT.
• Speaking of Byredo, I would love to try this scent.
• Teens are worried about wrinkles, say what?!

Big hair, smokey eyes… I’m here for it.

Something I’m working on!

I love him.

Chemical versus mineral sunscreen

TBH, I’d wear this daily.

Awww!

I’m not exactly sure what’s going on here, but I really want to be a part of it.

Let it go.

That seems like a lot of sunscreen, but I’m down for it.

Shout-out to my current dermatological paramour, the Neutrogena retinol cream!

Because I’m obsessed with sunscreen…

Have a fantastic weekend! I hope you’re doing something fun, or at least not too terribly unpleasant. What are you up to? What did you have for breakfast, BTW? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. Embracing the straw visor

OK, I know, I know. A week ago I was solidly against the oversized packable straw visor, mostly because it reminded me of my glamorous grandma and all of her homies back in the day, but then I watched this favorites video by Dr. Dray (she’s a dermatologist, and she is all about sun protection). She mentions how much she loves her packable straw visor because she can put her hair up in a bun on the top of her head while she wears it! YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW MIND BLOWING THIS WAS TO ME.

Since my hair is past my shoulders, it’s always a struggle to figure out where to put my bun or ponytail when I’ve got a hat on. I end up wearing buns/ponytails low on the back of my head, but I don’t really love that because then my hair sits against the back of my neck, and I get really hot. Anyway, I ended up going back to Nordstrom rack and grabbing the visor for $15, and I LOVE IT. I wore it today to go hiking, and my hair was off my neck, and it felt really good.

2. Finding Rosie in the weirdest places

She’s been getting creative lately with her napping spots. Here’s her new favorite hiding place: Connor’s old play mat, where she keeps some of her stuffed animals (Connor, not Rosie).

3. The radio station Q-102.1

I try not to get too attached to any radio station here in the SF Bay area because the ones I love just seem to always disappear mysteriously! Seriously, one day you get in your car, turn up your favorite ’90s hip-hop throwback station expecting to hear Lil’ Kim, but then you hear the screech of guitars from a speed metal band instead.

Anyway, I was flipping through the channels in my car the other day, and this station is one of a handful I can actually tolerate. In the span of 10 minutes, I heard Wham’s Careless Whisper, Mariah’s Emotions and 2Pac’s California Love. GLORIOUS!

4. TJ’s Traditional French Brie with sliced Opal apples

THIS COMBO, OMG! After you try it, you’ll love me and hate me at the same time. Eating apples with brie is really nothing new, but the TJ’s Traditional French Brie will take your breath away. It’s what I like to call “a funkier brie,” so it’s got that pungent, smelly toes aspect to it (which I love), and it’s just so, so soft and creamy. When you eat it with sliced yellow Opal apples, goodness gracious, it’s a heavenly experience.

5. Keeping a small army of sunscreens on hand

I’m earnestly trying very hard to be diligently wearing sunscreen (that’s a lot of adverbs!). I’ve read that it helps to keep a variety of formulas and types on hand, and that’s what I’ve been doing lately.

I think it’s working for me! Previously, I would only keep one or two bottles around the house, but now that I have a bunch of them on hand, it’s been easier to remember to wear sunscreen, especially when I have different options available (spray, lotion, even stick sunscreen) to suit how lazy I’m feeling at any particular moment. Also, now I know I’ll always have some on hand! I used to always wait until I finished a bottle before getting a new one, but now I just always have sunscreen around. It’s kinda cool!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day. 🤗