The Daily: March 20th, 2023

In a season of yo yo weather, this weekend we had snow. Not a lot, just enough for people to step outside and marvel as the the tulips and late daffodils became frosted. I am not opposed to cold this deep into March. Mostly because of Easter. I remember every Easter I shivered and was freezing in my pretty summery Easter dress.

Admittedly so was every other little girl in church. Why do you do that? Everyone knows that Easter morning is going to be cold. And yet every year Easter dresses are made of thin summer weight cloth. Which you have to wear winter tights under and cover up with a coat. My Easter dress usually had a cardigan I would wear because they would take the coat off when you got to church so you could show off your pretty Easter dress. Unfortunately at our church they decided to stop running the heat because March was so warm and the building would be frigid on Easter morning.

Every Easter service I went to started off with a comment about the sudden cold snap that was so unexpected.

I think it might have been some sort of endurance test for little girls.

But I digress. Snow in March isn’t that unexpected. It only feels really strange because we had those 80 degree days in January and February. It feels like instead of progression from one season to another they decided to take all of the weather possible for the entire season and shove it into a blender before doling it out randomly.

We did get alerts for record lows all weekend so that made it feel extra strange. And all of the garden chores we had lined up were postponed. Soon my shallot and onion seedlings are going to have to go out though. They are getting to the point where the ground is necessary. They are strong enough to withstand a little cold, so I’m hoping when things warm up on Wednesday they will stay warm for long enough to let me get them out and established. I can cover them overnight after that, I just need them to have a little time before settling in.

This weekend we did start the Spring cleaning. As you might have guessed it did not include the opening of windows and airing out of the house. That, will wait for a weekend without snow. In between I ended up binge watching the Mayor of Kingston on Paramount+. It’s pretty good. I wasn’t sure I would like it but I needed a break from some of the other things I have been watching so I gave it a try. I didn’t get through the whole series but I got enough episodes watched that I am kind of hooked so I will watch the rest of the season at least. I know not terribly productive, but there was cleaning and snow. And now today is back to work.

Today’s Look

Pre Makeup Base: Embryolisse Lait Creme Sensitive

Primer: Tatcha The Silk Canvas Primer

Foundation: Yensa BC Skin on Skin Foundation

Yensa now has a Yen rewards program where every purchase earns you points that you acn use to spend on the site.

Bronzer: Trestique Refillable Bronzer stick

Blush: Jane Iredale Blush Stick

Setting Powder: Beseme Cosmetics Aurora Pink Blush

Eyeshadow: Dominique Cosmetics Unconditional Palette

Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Extreme Lengthening magnetic mascara

Brows: Grande Cosmetics Brow Fill Volumizing brow gel

Lips: RMS Lip Gloss in Darling Lane

Setting Spray: Ciate London Watermelon Burst setting spray

Today my skin was feeling a little bit dry. I think it is mostly due to the weather changes. So I went in with my Embryolisse first. It is just a great hit of extra hydration before the makeup goes on and I really love it. And yes I did lose the cap to this so I am using a pencil eraser as a stopper and will be working to finish this cream and pick up a new one. It is something I always have on hand.

The Tatcha is my favorite primer and to be honest I went for the primer, foundation and bronzer because I wanted quick easy and good. These three are among my favorites. Tatcha blend out the fine lines making my skin looks smooth, the Yensa is light weight and fabulous and the Trestique is a dream to blend. The Yensa is a bit glowy so I use a setting powder to tame it as well as to set it and I am fine with how it turns out every time.

The blush is the Jane Iredale. It is a cream blush stick. The white tube already has foundation stains on it. The product is nice though. It does need a little warming up to blend out properly but once it is warm it is really good. Warming it just takes holding it in your hand for a five to ten count, then it is fine.

Then there is this Beseme powder. You know I have been looking for a good pink powder since Becca went under and the Pink Haze was no more. This is it. It is a pressed powder instead of a loose one, but I don’t mind that. I picked up the slim line compact from Beseme. It is refillable and all of their powder pans fit inside. I went with the pink toned one from the 1950s and it was exactly what I have been looking for. It goes on well without looking powdery and the pink tone brightens winter sallow skin. It also set the foundation well. And I love that it is refillable and not terrible expensive. Plus this compact reminds me of something my grandmother carried in her purse so I love having it around. In general I love the styling of Beseme’s products as well as the products themselves. I am definitely going to be using and refilling this for a while.

I am so tickled to have finally found the powder I have been looking for.

This Dominique Cosmetics palette is a six pan palette. It is really well thought out for easy use. I used the lighter pink as a base, added the crimson to the outer edge and blended, then added the shimmer with the matte white to the inner corner. I did not use the glitter today as I wasn’t feeling the glitter (it also is the only shade with fall out) but I used everything else. It is a great quick palette that performs well. I need to remember to take it out more.

I love my benefit mascara. this and Bad Gal Bang are my favorites so I have no problem reaching for either. The lips today were a lip gloss that I vaguely remember trying out but couldn’t remember how I felt. So I decided to give it a try. the color is nice, It is more pigmented than I expected. It feels like a cross between a lip gloss and a lip balm on the lips. It was sticky slightly at first but that went away almost immediately. It doesn’t dry down at all and does leave lip prints everywhere. The color wears off but even after the color is gone my lips feel hydrated. I think this too is a product I am going to have to remember to reach for more often.

And that my darlings is me today. Personally I like how things turned out. And I am over the moon about the Beseme powder. But now it is back to earth and the continuation of the regularly scheduled work day. Hope you are having a good Monday my darlings.

The Daily: February 22nd, 2023

I have no idea when I am going to get to post this because the internet has gone down. I am hoping it is only a minor glitch, but for now I am working off line. I am also fielding emergency calls from people who are freaked out by a non-immediate e-mail reply.

It is amazing how used to nearly instant communication we are.

At the moment I am more freaked out by the large vehicles rolling past my house. It makes me think this isn’t a minor outage but something that may take a little time to deal with. But as there is literally nothing I can do about it, I am going to continue on my merry way and work offline until I can work back on line. Somedays is simply is what it is. And so…

Today’s Look:

Primer: The Butter Hydrosilk Primer from Beauty Bakerie

Foundation: Beauty Blender Bounce Foundation

Concealer: Dior Backstage Flash Perfector Concealer

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzing stick

Blush: NARS Blush in Orgasm

Powder: NARS Powder in Eden

Highlight: OFRA All the Lights

Eyes: Tinted Dew in Humble from Axiology and ELF No Budge Shadow Stick in Rose Gold

Mascara: Uoma Salute to the Sun Mascara

Lips: Ace Beaute Pout Perfect Liquid Lip

Setting Spray: Ciate London Watermelon Burst Setting Spray

I have to say I am starting to fall in love with this stick application. A few quick swipes over the face and then a blending in with the fingertips and done. I can see why it is named hydro silk as it is both moisturizing and makes my skin feel silky smooth. As I am having a good skin moment right now I don’t really need it to cover much and so this is perfect. It takes out a bit of the redness from my skin but it is a minor color correction. I do notice that everything else applies easier once this primer is used, which is always a good thing.

I have been trying this Bounce Foundation off and on for a while now. I like the formula. I have noticed that if I apply the foundation and let it sit for a moment and kind of settle in then I have less problems with it settling into fine lines later. The trick, for me is to not move my mouth too much while it is settling in. If I do then those lines tend to stay all day. If I keep still as it settles and then continue on with my makeup it is fine. I enjoy the foundation but I can see why they have gone with a new packaging. I have the older packaging and I find it a little irritating. But the product is nice and in the new packaging it will be better.

Still have the dark circles so still reaching for Dior. I really like this concealer. It works for me both in color and formula and very little is actually needed. I am also still trying to use up the Milk Makeup Sample. I love it and want to buy the full size so I am happy to reach for this anytime I don’t specifically have another product I want to use.

I went for the NARS for both blush and powder today. The blush I love. The shade orgasm is just a pretty shade. It is a soft blush to the cheeks that works really well. I know most people say that which is why it is a very popular shade. As for powder I am rotating through powders and found this NARS powder. I forgot all about it. I think it is because the packaging blends into the shadows. It is a really good light weight powder that blots oil and never looks too powdery. I am really happy I found it again.

I went with the new OFRA that came in my recent Cohorted box. I couldn’t help it. It was there all shiny and new and I just had to use it. I went for the bronzy shade and it gave me a nice glow. OFRA does make some really nice highlighters.

This Tinted Dew makes just such a fabulous simple eye look. I applied it with a finger tip. I know it is a multi stick (and when I used it on my lips I used a brush because I didn’t want to put something on my lips and eyes). This is more sheer than the Color Cream. For my skin tone and the shade I have, it sort of washed out as a cheek product. I think if my skin was a lighter tone then it would have been good for a no makeup look, but on me this shade didn’t work as a blush. I think this one for me is more for my eyes. I did pair it with the elf shadow stick today because I wanted to see how it worked with other products and I though the tones would blend. Because the shades blend so well I was able to get a light shimmer with the soft flushed shade. I think that might be the key to pairing this, find a shimmer that has the same tones so they blend well. You aren’t going to get overly dramatic with this shade, but it is a great everyday sort of look.

This Uoma mascara is dramatic. The more I use it though the clumpier it gets in the tube. I can keep the clumps off the lashes but I don’t think this is a long lasting mascara. It feels fab to wear and looks great, but this tube won’t be sticking around. It is a mascara I would consider buying just for an event though, I just wouldn’t open it until the event.

The Ace Beaute lip is really nice to wear. Creamy and comfortable. The packaging of course looks stunning. This is a good neutral shade for me but I am not entirely certain how I would like this in a darker shade. The want is long and longer wands are harder to control. With this shade it is fine, but I think I am going to have to try a deeper shade before I know how I feel about this product. I do like the formula though.

And then I finished with the Ciate setting spray. It is a good setting spray and I am happy to use it.

And so my darlings, that is me today. As soon as the internet returns I will be posting this. With luck the time difference will not be too bad. Fingers crossed.

The Daily: February 21st, 2023

I have to admit, I wasn’t originally planning to take Monday off. It whipped through my brain that Monday was president’s day but quite honestly last week I was so off kilter that it didn’t fully register until my babydoll came home and yelled, “Three Day Weekend!” and then collapsed on the couch.

He had a pretty stressful week last week too. There was some sort of snafu with contractors that he had to iron out. Mine was more trying to figure out why my computer was having spasms of ineptitude, but that is an entirely different thing.

I also discovered that I have been binging Criminal Minds a little too much. The whole series is on Paramount + which I love. They are putting up the current season now. The thing is that it had been a while since I saw the show so I decided to start at Season one and then work my way to the current season (season 16). I love that I can do that as I am really getting into the show, but last night I had a nightmare about being chased by a band of serial killers. It did sort of blend Criminal Minds and A Clockwork Orange into a dream scape which, while awake I find really interesting. But I think it also means I need to get something non murder-y in my watch list.

If anyone has any suggestions I will happily take them. I will be scrolling through trying to find something that doesn’t involve murder or dystopian futures. My watch list on every streaming site tends to lean in that direction. I wonder if there is a category of recommendations for things unlike what is on my watch list? That would be helpful. But something for another time. For now…

Today’s Look

Primer: Figs and Rouge Satin Soft Blurring Primer (from Use up box)

Foundation: Bite Beauty The Changemaker Foundation (discontinued – from use up box)

Concealer: Dior Backstage Concealer

Bronzer/Blush/Highlight: Marc Jacobs Omega X 3 Tantastic Glow Palette (discontinued)

Setting Powder: Puff Puff Pass Set and Bake Powder from Kimchi Chic Beauty

Eyes and Lips: Axiology Tinted Dew in Humble

Mascara: Anastasia Beverly Hills lash Brag Mascara

Setting Spray: Ciate London Watermelon Burst Setting Spray

Okay let’s take a deep dive. This month i put the Figs and Rouge Primer and the Bite Beauty Foundation in my Items to Use up Box. This was the last use for wither of them. Bite Beauty is no more so this was a fond farewell to a fabulous foundation and the Primer I was on the fence with. It is a good blurring primer and it hydrates. So if you have dry skin it is fine. I find the scent a little off putting, but that does fade fast. I find I can wear it if I am having a really good skin day, but if I have any red spots or blemishes it is just not going to help me. It works well but it isn’t something I feel I need to repurchase. it was fine while it lasted and I would use it again if it showed up in a subscription box, but I have other primers I prefer.

I like the Dior concealer. It has a brush rather than a doe foot which I find easier to use. I tend to use very little concealer and then only when allergies attack. Usually that is only a few times a year but with the weather bouncing up and down the thermometer sniffles and dark circles abound. I just need a little dot of this and then i blend it out and it works for me. It doesn’t crease and it lasts all day. I just need to use very little.

Even though this Marc Jacobs Trio is no longer in production I really enjoy it and will use it until all three pans are empty. And then I will use it as a travel compact. After two weeks of cream blush I did go a little heavy handed with the powder. That always happens when I switch back to powder from cream. Plus this is more of a summer time palette for me. I just saw it and though, I haven’t used that in a while. (Mostly because it is a summer time palette) and picked it up. It is worth using, even if it isn’t being made any more.

You know I love the Kimchi setting powder. A chunk of the love is the powder puff that comes with it. That is a fantastic powder puff. The powder is also good. Go light because two much can look a little powdery. But I love this slight tint to the powder that keeps it from looking super white. I use the puff to apply and just brush off the extra.

As I mentioned Axiology sent three products for me to try. This is the second of them. It is the Tinted Dew Multi Stick. It is less pigmented than the color cream. Today I used it on my eyes and lips. On the lips it feels like a lip balm. It gives a sheer-ish wash of color. I have the shade Humble. To be honest it is not my lip shade. However I did use it as a cream eyeshadow today and i love it. it was quick and simple and has not moved or faded all day. It took two seconds to apply and I think it looks really good for a very low key natural day kind of look. I especially love it paired with this mascara. I love the barely there eyeshadow looks pared with really thick and full lashes. And the Axiology mixed with the ABH Lash brag gave me that today. I am really happy with this.

To finish it off I did use the Ciate Setting Spray. I’m trying to remember setting sprays as i tend to forget the non-skincare based ones. The Ciate nozzle was clogged up because it sat for a while after my last use so I cleanse it with a cotton swab and it works perfectly now. I will be keeping it out and using it until it is gone. I have a stock pile of these because I do like setting sprays but tend to forget I have them. So i want to use up what I have and then only repurchase the skincare based ones. So you will see this one for a while a I work through it.

And that my darlings is me. I feel refreshed and revived after my three day weekend. It may be a short week and I may feel crunched towards the end of it, but I really needed that mental reset. It feels really good to have that. And I think that will make this week a pretty good one. Sometimes, you just need a breather.

The Daily: February 15th, 2023

Apparently my taking a chunk of the day off to get pampered caused a chain reaction. This morning my computer decided that it too needed to be pampered and called in all the updates it could possibly fine and then refused to do anything until the updates were given.

I spent a large chunk of this morning watching lights that circled and lines that filled in along with ever growing percentages. I think part of what happened is that I thought my babydoll was taking care of the updates and he thought I was doing them so they didn’t get done.

Until today.

Today was updates gone wild.

and now things are working well. Or better than before. it is a rather old computer I will need to get around to replacing but it is one of those things that is always such a pain. Even with things shifted to the cloud it is always a mess I generally spend an entire month going to click on things only to realize they aren’t there any more and it is a new system or I didn’t download the software or a million other things. So I have been putting it off. I am not entirely certain how long I am going to be able to to that for, but for now, things are fine. I am hoping to put it off until the summer when things slow down a bit. But we will see.

So slow start this morning and then catch up the rest of the day. Since I was already planning to work a little late to make up for yesterday, I think that today and possibly tomorrow will be long days.

but it was so worth it. My babydoll scheduled an appointment at the day spa for me. I really need to get massages more often. I know I say this after every one, which has honestly been a little over two years. But now that there is a place near me that I trust. I need to make it a routine thing again. I was going once a month as a treat to myself for staying on track for weight loss. then i got off track. And the day spa shut down for a while. But now I am back on track and the day spa has reopened.

I’m not sure when I will schedule it, but It is a good self care moment that isn’t that expensive. So maybe I will sit down with the calendar this weekend. But until then…

Today’s Look:

Primer: the Butter Hydra silk Primer from Beauty Bakerie

Foundation: NARS All day Luminous Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzer Stick (from the Use Up Box)

Blush and Lip: Axiology Color Cream in True

Setting Powder: Elf HD Setting Powder

Eyes: KVD Beauty single Shadow in Lolita (from the Use up box) and Almay Velvet Foil Cream Shadow in Out of the Woods (080)

Mascara: They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara from Benefit Cosmetics

Setting Spray: Ciate London Watermelon Burst Setting Spray

I am loving this Butter Primer from Beauty Bakerie. It is a stick formula and so easy to just glide over the skin an blend in. It does make my skin even toned and soft as silk. I wish it were a little more pore filling, but that is because I really love pore filling primers. This isn’t a pore filling prime but it is a really good one.

I haven’t used this NARS foundation in a while and the only reason is it is a little on the light shade. It is a beautiful foundation I just need a shade darker. At this time of year i can get away with it, but soon the spring gardening will begin and that will no longer be the case. I like it enough though that i may get one of my bronzers to help me out with the slight darkening of the foundation so i can keep using it.

Speaking of bronzers I am making headway on using up this Milk Sample. I don’t do a whole lot of bronzing. Just one swipe for cheek definition and that’s it so it is taking me a while to work through this. It may go into next month. I am making progress but it is slow. I don’t mind actually as the reason i want to use it up is because I want to order it in a full size.

Tomorrow I will have the full review of the Axiology Color cream up and will start to trade it out (I do have two other Axiology products to try so they will rotate in and out as well) but I really don’t want to. it is a really good cream blush and It just works so well. Today I went and used it as a lipstick as well. It is a multi use stick (I use a brush and take product from the side rather than the top when i use it on my lips. I use the top for cheeks) so that was fine. Mostly when I sat down to do my makeup I forgot lipstick (I know Shocking, no?) and so I rolled it in. it works well as a lip product. it is well pigmented and it feels like a lip balm. It isn’t my favorite lip product, but it is one of my favorite cream blushes so I am happy to just keep this for cheek use.

Today I opened a tinted Elf setting powder. I like elf setting powder but specifically picked this up because I want to replace the Becca Pink Haze Pink setting powder. This is good setting powder but it isn’t the same. there is a tint to it, but it isn’t quite what I wanted. So the Pink powder quest continues. It is good setting powder though.

The KVD single shadow is one from my singles box. I tend to forget about single shadows so I am trying to put one in the use up box every month and I am rolling them in and out. This is one of my favorites as I can easily just wear it alone. I did pair it with the Almay cream shadow today. This was my first try of it. The shadow came in a Chic Beauty Box. I realized when I got it that I have not tried any Almay products in a really long time.

And a copper shadow is not a bad way to get me to try.

I dispensed it on my hand and used a brush to apply it to my lids. This worked well. It went on smoothly and was blendable with a fingertip. It has stayed in place all day without budging or creasing so thus far i am happy with it. I also have a streak of it on my hand as when i wiped it off there was a stain. I am going to take it off with makeup remover later but it does make me wonder if it will stain the lids. It is really easy to work with though so I need to make a plan to play around with it.

I topped it with the magnet They’re Real from Benefit. The length on these lashes today! I love it. This is an always keep on hand product if you like lengthening.

I did use a setting spray today as well. I am trying to remember to use them as I have several I need to use up. i tend to go for the more skin care sorts of sprays and forget the setting ones completely. So I am making an effort to use them. I like this one. most of the spray is a fine mist but there is one straight shot of liquid that sprays out of the bottom. I think the spray is clogged. I’ll try to cotton swab it clean later and see if that helps. The one wonky bit sprayed down over my hand rather than on my face so it was fine and the scent of watermelon was nice especially on a cloudy, gloomy day like today. And so my darlings that is me today. Chugging along and trying to catch up. over all though now that my computer has been sorted, it hasn’t been a bad day.

The Daily: February 13th, 2023

Good afternoon my darlings. Today has been a frosty one. Over the weekend we got rain that was just one degree warmer than ice. While it was not pleasant to go out in, the going out was minimal actually. After last weekend, my babydoll and I needed just a quiet relaxing weekend at home. So the rain helped justify that. Last week I added on all of the house chores during the week so that nothing would actually have to be done. So it was actually a full weekend with nothing that had to be done.

It may make me sound like a boring lazy bones, but i have to say it was really nice to have nothing that needed to be done and to simply rest on the weekend. I think that we don’t actually do that enough. There always seems to be a list of things to do over the weekend. And while some are necessary chores (like laundry) and some are fun things, little adventurous rewards for being adult during the week, a lot of the last year was dealing with everything that went down over the year whenever we weren’t working. I know it is February and the time for any form of resolutions is past, but I think it might be a good idea to add at least one weekend a month where all the chores are done early and nothing is planned. I think as a mental break, that is just a good idea.

I certainly feel a lot better for having that quiet weekend.

I also feel far more refreshed than I have in a while. The start of the work week feels a lot less draggy, if that makes sense. Usually Monday i am dragging my feet getting started, but today, I woke up thinking, ‘okay, let’s get this work week going.’ I think it really is because I actually rested over the weekend.

I know, not rocket science, but sometimes I get so caught up in all the things that have to get done or that I want to get done that i forget to stop and just allow myself the recuperation time. For me this is a good reminder. I don’t know if you need that reminder too, but there it is. I have already been more productive today than i usually am on Mondays. so it is helpful in many ways other than just mind set. Just something to remember, for all of us.

Today’s Look:

Primer: The Butter Primer from Beauty Bakerie

Foundation: Yensa BC Full Coverage Foundation

Bronzer: Buxom Staycation Vibes Bronzer

Blush: Axiology Color Cream in True

Setting Powder: By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder (the Use up Box)

Eyeshadow: Ciate Royal Edit Palette

Mascara: Uoma Beauty Salute to the sun

Lips: Ace Beaute Pout Perfect in Manifest

This is the first Primer I have had that is in a stick form and I have to say I really like it. It is super easy to apply and blend out. It goes on a little white but then just blends out to no color very easily. And it feels fantastic on the skin. It doesn’t need any dry time because it isn’t a liquid. It settles in fast so it seems like a good product to use in the morning rush. I kind of want to try it with my favorite stick foundation to see how quick my morning application can be. This primer also really seems to hold product in place as well so smoothing and long lasting is it’s category. there is no tint to it so dims down slight redness but not by much. At the moment I am having a good skin moment so this works.

I went for one of my favorite foundations today. It is the Yensa BC Foundation. i like their other foundations, but this is hands down my favorite. And I have to admit, I finished the tube i was using and today was the first use of the new tube. It is one of the few foundations that I have a back up of in the makeup drawer. I tend to pick up the back up when I am down to a third of a tube so i don’t keep the back up around a long time, but I do repurchase when I get low. I like the glow I get from this foundation. It is enough of a glow for me without being too dewy. Which is why it is my favorite.

Today I realized I was going hard on the Milk Makeup bronzer in my Use up box so I decided to switch it up and reach into the drawer and use whichever product I picked up first. I came out with the Buxom Staycation. I like this bronzer, but this is usually my summer time bronzer. It is darker than I usually go for in the winter. I used a light hand and it worked well. it is a really good bronzer, just more my summer shade. I did realize that I have been reaching more for contour palettes lately than I have been reaching for individual bronzers. I think that might be because i received one in my advent calendar this year and I have one from January’s IPSY. I also just got one from the February IPSY. That came in yesterday. I will be testing it out soon. But for today I just wanted a single bronzer and this worked.

I am still testing out the Axiology Color Cream. And to be honest I don’t want this trial to end. I am really loving this formula and this shade. it just works well for me. It is a buildable formula so even though it looks good now, I think it will be usable all through the summer as well. I really like that it is a year round use shade for me. I also like that it is a fully recyclable paper packaging. Kind of in love with the brand at the moment actually.

Today i was a bit more restrained with the Ciate Palette. I know,. so many exciting shades. Today I started with the most neutral browns to avoid the multitude of fab shades and go “conservative office standard” Yup I went for the browns. And then I topped it with tiara. It was a bit crumbly but when i tapped off the brush it was fine during application. The shades blended well and I really like them. And now that I’ve tried the neutral zone, I will start playing with the other shades.

Okay we need to talk about this UOMA Mascara. First of all it looks amazing on the lashes. I love the look. I also love that it actually does make my lashes feel softer. It has been open a month at best, maybe three weeks. And it is starting to come out of the tube a little clumpy. It still applies well, but it is getting messy in the tube and a lot of excess product comes out. As it is a good formula I would like it to stay in the tube so i can use it. It is the one drawback of the mascara. I I like it, but I don’t think it will last long. I think it might be a mascara to pick up just before an event though because it just looks fantastic.

And then we go with the lips. I went Ace Beaute again today. it is a gorgeous packaging and a really creamy formula. It i slightly sticky and it doesn’t really dry all the way down so there are lip prints. But they aren’t major and the lipstick does last a long time on the lips even without drying all the way down.

The only item from my Use up box that I used today was the By Terry powder. And this is the last use of it. This was a sample size and it is now empty. This is a powder that you need to apply with a brush. If you apply it with a makeup sponge it will take forever to blend out the marks from the sponge circles. It was nice to use, but not my favorite. For me I will let it go. I love the pressed version of this powder, but i don’t think I would purchase a full size of the loose powder. I am thrilled that i did use up something in the Use up box. I don’t know why that feels like an achievement, but it does.

And that my darlings is me today. It is a pretty low key look and I am happy with how it turned out. And now, it is back to work to see if i can keep up this Monday productive streak. Have a great one my darlings.

The Daily: February 9th, 2023

Today my darlings is an interesting day. I know I usually talk about fitness, gardening and the general meyhem that is my life but today I am going to talk about Boxycharm.

My February box arrived. And while I decided to post the majority of my subscriptions on IG instead of here this year as i try to sort things out, I am going to talk about it here. Don’t worry it won’t be a product by p[product break down. So, yesterday my Boxycharm Premium came in. There were four fantastic , can’t wait to try items and two that hit my annoyance button. One of the products I was looking forward to trying is skincare and I will use it when I get to it, but the three makeup items in this month’s box I used today for my look. I actually really liked all three. However there are still the other two items.

Now I know subscriptions are always hit or miss. There are always going to be products you are more excited for and products you don’t particularly like. That is just the nature of subscription boxes. This particular box is listed at $39.99 on the site. When all is said and done with the taxes and fees I pay exactly $46.07 for each premium Boxycharm box.

Four of the items felt premium and the other two sent me through the roof. So let’s talk about those. The first of the annoyance items was a single shadow from Dose of Colors. I like Dose of Colors. They have great shadows. I however have this same single shadow from them already. Actually I have three of this single shadow. One came in a $13 IPSY bag, where a single shadow is an appropriate item to receive. The other came as an item in a previous boxy Charm Premium and annoyed me at the time as it felt like it shouldn’t be in a premium box. Perhaps I am wrong, but in the context of subscription boxes I tend to view single shadows as sample sized items. I know you can buy single shadows as single shadows but in a subscription box they feel like, ‘here is a sample shadow so you can get a feel for the formula and perhaps buy the full palette.’ So it felt out of place in the Boxycharm premium to me, and it was a repeat annoyance.

The second item in my box that just hit the annoyance button was the Refreshments Body Cream. It is certainly full sized. It is in fact quite large. IPSY started the refreshments line as a separate service. I tried the items when they were released and they are pretty basic formulas. They actually feel like something I would get my ten year old niece who is interested in beauty. She no longer wants the ‘little girl’ barbie and tinkerbell themed products beauty products, but she isn’t allowed to wear makeup yet and still has a few years before breakouts cause the need for skincare items. That is how that product line feels to me in general. Others seem to like it so more power to them, it isn’t for me.

In general you do get products that aren’t for you in subscription boxes so I would normally just have rolled my eyes, set it aside and given it to my niece. However for the past few months, Boxy has been sending me invitations to join Refreshments. It is usually a first month free thing and this same body cream was offered as a free incentive. And yet here it was counting as an item in my premium box. Somehow that just hit me as one annoyance too many.

And I realized how many little annoyances there had been.

One of the reasons that I stopped posting some of my long term subscriptions is that I wanted see which ones I would keep and which ones I would let go if I wasn’t posting about them. I also found several I want to try out and to do that I needed to let some go (both because they get expensive and because too many subscription boxes equals far more product than I need). I have had both Boxy and Ipsy for so long that to let either go was hard, but this box made it easier, so I have canceled my Boxycharm Box. Perhaps i will return, perhaps I won’t.

I do know that I felt really good when I did cancel it.

I know some of you aren’t into subscription boxes, personally I love them. And I know some of you do as well, so I just wanted to share my thoughts as to why I cancelled my Boxycharm. I will aslo start to post reviews of the newer subscriptions I am trying out. But for now we will move on to todays look, featuring three items from February’s box.

Today’s Look

Primer: Beauty Bakerie Butter Primer

Foundation: Bite Beauty Changemaker Foundation (discontinued – from the use up box)

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzing Stick (sample from the use up box)

Blush: Axiology Multi Use Color Cream in True

Powder: By Terry Hydra Powder (sample from the Use up box)

Eyeshadow: Ciate London Royal Edition

Mascara: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag Mascara

Lip stick: Ace Beaute Pout perfect liquid lipstick in the shade Manifest

Lip liner: Huda Beauty Lip Contour in trophy wife

Okay, first the Use up box. At the beginning of the month i choose products that I want to use up and clear out of my makeup collection. They aren’t bad products they are just products that are either close to being used up and i want to do a final push to use them up or they need to go for other reason. There are three today, the Bite Beauty Foundation is fabulous, but it is discontinued. I think I have three more uses tops before the tube is empty so I want to clear it out this month. The Milk Makeup Bronzer and the By Terry Powder are both sample sizes. The Milk I want to use up so i can justify purchasing the full size. the By Terry is not my favorite setting powder as it tends to leave white marks that it takes a bit of work to blend in, which I find a little strange since I adore By Terry’s Pressed powder. So I will be using up the last of this and not repurchasing, hopefully this month.

The Axiology Multi Use color Stick is a product I am currently testing out and absolutely adore as a cream blush. As a stick it is really easy to work with. I dot it on my cheeks and then blend out. It belds really well, but do one cheek at a time. Dot it on the cheek blend, switch to the other cheek and blend, then see if you want to build it up more. if you dot it on both cheeks and then go back to blend it blends less well. It will still beldn but you can feel it start to set up. So one cheek at a time. also go slowly because it is quite pigmented. it is very buildable though, so start light and then add to get the pigment you want.

The Beauty Bakery Butter primer was in my Boxycharm It was a choice item actually. You know I love primers and I love balm style primers. I haven’t tried one in a stick format though. This one glides on smoothly with the stick and then I used my hands to massage it in. it is white streaks when you apply it but the whit goes away as it blends. I was very impressed with application and thus far it is doing really well for a first wear. And like all Beauty Bakerie products it is adorable. It looks like a stick of butter with the tablespoons measured out on the side. I know I will be reaching for this often.

The Eyeshadow was also from Boxy Charm as well and it is the Ciate London Royal Edition. I say it and thought, oh it is going to just be blues and purples. Then i opened it and I got really excited to play with it. Too excited actually as i think I layered on a few too many colors. i started nice and soft with the everyday neutral shades and then I saw the bronze. And then i wondered about the blue shimmer and I perhaps did not do the palette justice as I layered shimmers on top of an everyday look, but I couldn’t help myself. And in the end it just ended up looking vaguely silvery and shimmery. It has actually been a while since i have been this excited to play around with a palette. I was like a three year old not knowing which toy to play with first. I’ll temper the excitement and test it out properly, but I did go a little shimmer crazy today.

I opened a new tube of the ABH Lash brag today as well. I used up he older tube and let it go. I opened it because I wanted to compare it with the Uoma beauty mascara actually. they both have similar fluffy wands and fabulous results. But I didn’t remember the ABH clumping quite like the UOMA beauty so I wanted to have them going at the same time since I marked down when I opened the UOMA and can do a timed comparison.

and then we get to the lips. The Ace Beaute lipstick came in the BoxyCharm and the packaging is stunning. It is very black and gold art deco. The wand is really long which was surprising although i should have expected it to be the length of the bottle. the shade did wash me out a little so I blended it with the Huda beauty lip contour (very creamy) and together they made a really nice everyday wearable shade for me.

Over all I am really happy with todays look. I did go a little crazy with the shadows because I just kept seeing ones I wanted to try. Luckily it is just me working at my desk today so no one will really notice. I am going to have fun with this palette though. I do want to mention that the three products I tried from Boxy today I really loved. And that has been what has kept me signed up to the subscription for so long. It is also what kept me ignoring, or trying to ignore, the little annoyances. They are small so it feels petty to complain about them, but like little splinters they get under your skin and cause major irritations. And I think this year, I am less inclined to put up with some of those minor irritations than i have been in the past. I have noticed that applies to a lot of things in my life right now, not just Boxycharm. It is causing some interesting changes to my world and I have to say it feels really good when those minor annoyances are cleared away. I suppose that is my thought for the day, if there is something minor annoying you, regardless of what it is, maybe it is time to stop telling yourself that it is a small thing you should ignore because it is too petty to address. There is a disproportionate amount of relief in clearing it away. At least that has been my experience.

And with that thought I will leave you, it is back to work I go. Have a great afternoon my darlings.

The Daily: January 24th, 2023

Good afternoon my darlings. Today is a chilly one. I have had fun with the computer for most of the day. The first issue is more fun.

At the bottom of my computer screen there is a section of the menu bar that tells me the temp and the basic weather conditions. It is basically the degree and a one word descriptor. The descriptor is sometimes a little less than helpful. From about May onwards it just says ‘Humid’ Occasionally Humid is replaced with Raining and then it goes back to humid. I have more of a descriptor selection from October through April, although Humid does still crop up. Today it tells me it is cloudy. The fun part is that every time I have glanced down at the menu bar the degree has dropped by one. We started out this morning at 34 and we are now at 22.

And no I don’t think that my looking at it cause it to drop, i just think it is funny that every time I look it has lost one degree.

The second computer issue has been a little less amusing.

I am starting to set up to record audio books. Prior to this I’ve worked with other people’s set ups and recorded other people’s books. No I want my own set up not only for other people’s books but for my own. Today, I wanted to test the system and the room, so someone loaned me a cheap microphone so I could test out everything to make sure it worked properly (noise canceling, recording all that stuff). That way I can adjust what I need to pick up when I order my microphone. This mic came with a USB connector and it took me far to long to realize that the reason I wasn’t getting anything to record is that my computer wanted me to use the mic jack instead of the USB port. which made the ‘I can do a quick test in five minutes’ plan go out the window. It disturbs me to know just how long it took me to realize that it was definitely an operator error.

I really don’t like when my technical failures produce head slapping moments from things I should have realized a lot quicker than I actually did. It does mean that I know what I need to check before ordering, but it it took up a larger chunk of my day than I planned to give. And I have no one to blame. It would be nice to have someone else to blame, but alas it is not to be. And now the mic and any additional necessities will be ordered separately. Because I need the microphone to test out what necessities I may need. I was hoping to get them all in one shot. But that to is not to be.

Today’s Look

Primer: AOA Studios Blurfection Face Primer

Foundation: Yensa BC Skin on Skin Foundation

Bronzer: Viseart Bronze Noix

Blush/Highlight: Beauty Bakerie Cotton Candy Champagne Blushlighter Palette

Setting Powder: Kim Chi Chic Beauty Puff Puff Pass Set and Bake Powder

Eyeshadow: Ciate London The Velvet Palette

Mascara: Milk Makeup Kush Mascara

Brows: Benefit Cosmetics Precisely My Brow

Lips: Laura Mercier Rouge Essentials Beige in Time (70)

I know I have been testing out the HIDE foundation. I planned to continue with it but this morning I noticed the expiration date on the bottom was January 8, 2023.And while I haven’t had a problem with it on my skin, I always get really timid with expired foundations. I’m actually quite annoyed with this as it was a really good foundation and I just got it in This month’s BoxyCharm Premium. It actually arrived after the 8th so it was expired when i received it which doesn’t make me happy at all. I think I wore it enough to form a review of it, but I don’t think I will be wearing it again. At least not this bottle.

So I fell back to one of my favorite foundations instead, the Yensa BC Foundation. I have no problems reaching for it. And actually since I wanted to test out a primer it was good that I was using a foundation I know and love. Today I wanted to try out the AOA priming Balm. It is a balm formula It is about the size of a single eyeshadow and like most things on the Shop Miss A site it was only $1. I figured it would be good to travel with, providing it was worth using.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by how well it has performed thus far. It is not as creamy as other balm primers. It is a little crumply, but it warms up and is less crumbly once on the skin. I think if I held it in my hand and warmed it up in the pan it might not be crumbly at all. As soon as it touched the skin that wasn’t an issue. It just needs a little warmth. It blended beautifully and the white faded to nothing. It smoothed my face down and helped fill in some of my fine lines. I was very impressed with it’s first use.

I went for the Viseart Bronzer today. It always performs beautifully. In general every product I have tried from Viseart performs beautifully.

I also reached for the Beauty Bakerie Blushlighter palette today. This always amuses me. I look at it and every time i think, wow that is a bright pink blush. Then I apply it and it is bright when I first apply it, then I blend and it just blends beautifully. I gives me a nice soft blush. I could build it brighter if I wanted (or had a darker skin tone, which for me would be mid summer so I an use this year round) but it just blends so beautifully for a soft glow. I really need to stop thinking of the bright pink and use this more.

Today I also went for the Kim Chi setting powder. While I would use this just because of the powder puff, it is also great setting powder. So it is sort of a win win. Very little is actually needed so the container will last a really long time.

I did go a little crazy with the shimmer from The Velvet Palette today. I accidentally grabbed the wrong brush. It was fluffier than I expected and so there was more shimmer than planned. But I still really like these shadows. Ciate shadow formulas can be a bit hit or miss for me, but this one is beautiful

I think this may be the last of the Milk Makeup Mascara. It is as sample tube and I think the sample is now ended. Which is sad, because it was a beautiful mascara. It is definately one I will purchase again.

And I went back for my OG brow fave today. The precisely my brow. This was once the only brow product I used and while I have expanded, I really liked going back for it today and will be using it more often.

And finally the lips. This is a bullet style lipstick so it never dries down and does leave lip prints on coffee mugs. It is a super creamy and comfortable formula though and I really enjoy wearing it. Plus the magnetic lid means I can put it in my purse with no worries of it coming open. And as this is a lipstick that will need a touch up, that is a very good thing.

And so my darlings that is me today. I rather like how things looked today and quite honestly it was really nice to have one thing turn out well today when I spent far to long babbling incoherently at a microphone that wouldn’t work. I know, having your makeup come out well is a small thing, but today it is a consolation prize. And now it is back to work for me. Have a great rest of the day.

The Daily: January 12th, 2023

You have to love the days when the weather icon switches from Rain to heavy rain and then as a break back to rain before returning to heavy rain. In case you missed it, today is a rainy day. And the temperatures continue to drop. (mostly because of the rain actually) which is kind of fun since there is snow expected tomorrow. I think that we will probably end up with todays rain creating a layer of ice and then have it topped off by snow if snow actually arrives.

Snow is not all that common where I live. It tends to stay in the mountains and only occasionally trouble lower elevations. We had snow the day after Christmas here this year and the number of car wrecks skyrocketed. which means I will be going out in the rain today to do the errands I would normally do on Friday afternoon just so I can avoid running around on a day when people get crazy. Luckily we are fully stocked on milk and bread so i won’t need to pick anything up from those aisles. I have never understood why, as soon as snow is announced people stock up on milk and bread. I always picture everyone deciding it is a French Toast day all at the same time.

I doubt snow equals French toast is a thing, but I’d kind of like it to be.

Growing up when we knew a storm was coming we stocked up on canned goods and fuel for the Colman Camp stove. we also lived in a place where the power lines tended to go down with winter storms so non-refrigerate-able items and a way to heat them was key. It is also what I pick up before a storm. We are well stocked though so no canned goods for today’s errands. I do still wonder about the milk and bread though.

Today’s Look

Pre Makeup Base: Embryolisse Lait Creame Sensitive

Primer: Tatcha The Silk Canvas Primer Balm

Foundation: KVD Good Apple Skin Perfecting Priming Balm

Bronzer/Highlight/eyeshadow: Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk R palette

Blush: Illamasqua Colour Veil Gel Blusher

Mascara: Milk Makeup Kush Mascara

Brows: Brow Bar By Reema

Lips: Revolution Pout Bomb Plumping Lip Gloss

Setting Spray: Ciate London Watermelon Burst Setting Spray

Yesterday I tried the KVD Good Apple for the first time. It felt a little dry on the skin and tended to settle into some of the fine lines around my mouth. So today, I made certain to start with my Embryolisse pre makeup base. I applied ten minutes before putting anything else on my face and it gave me an extra hit of hydration. I then turned to one of my favorite pore filling primers, the Tatcha silk canvas in an attempt to keep the foundation from sinking into fine lines. I love this primer and will often wear it alone just under a layer of powder if I don’t really feel like putting on makeup so it is never a hardship to reach for it. I will have to re order soon though, but that is another story.

Having both the Embryolisse and the Tatcha underneath the KVD foundation really helped. My skin was less dry so the foundation felt less dry. the primer smoothed out my fine lines a bit so there were less of them for the foundation to sink into. Towards the end of the day yesterday I did notice I was getting a bit shiny looking with this foundation so despite the fact that setting powder was not really good for this foundation because it made it extra dry looking, I will end up using a pressed powder compact to blot later in the day. After I’ve finished with the trial I’ll have to see if the foundation is worth keeping around, but at the moment I like the way it feels and looks on my skin.

I went for my gel blusher from Illamasqua today. The shade I have is more summertime skin for me, but I just love the way it blends. I di need to get a lighter more winter skin shade, but it is one blush I don’t mind keeping around in multiple shades. It also works really well to add a little bit of color to the eyelids. I didn’t go for that today because I wanted to try the Fenty palette, but I do like the multi use formula.

And now to the Fenty palette. Yesterday I tried it as a bronzer and highlight. The highlight wasn’t that great. I tried it again today and really, it wasn’t that great. It is a good bronzer palette and I also used it as eyeshadow today. I did try to layer the different bronzer shades and hen use the golden toned shimmer with it. I think moving forward though i will just pick one bronzer shade and a shimmer. The shades didn’t really want to blend too much. I might try it with a lid primer to see if that works better but when I used it, the first shade smoothed over the eyes well but the ones that followed weren’t good. I do like the shades so I am fine with the single shadow use. Plus the shimmers are stunning on the lid. One of these shades topped with a shimmer would be a great everyday look. And I do like it as a bronzer. I think it is something I will reach for to play with quite often, especially when I am in a hurry.

I pulled the Brow bar from my Use Up box. I really like the under brow highlight, but I think these brow products are just not my shade. My brows are just too dark with even the lightest powder. I like the idea of the kit more than I like the use. So I am not sure how long I will keep it around after a month in the Use up box.

I couldn’t resist opening the Milk Makeup Mascara sample from this month’s Glossy Box. I really like it. It volumizes well and gives a little extra length. it also feels really good on the lashes.

And finally we round out into the Pout Bomb. I do love a good clear gloss and this one makes my lips feel nourished from the Vitamin E. There is some minor plumping but it isn’t all that major. This is a really nice gloss though It is a little sticky when first applied but the stickiness fades. The gloss looks good on but even when it wears off you still feel the effects of the vitamin e. I really like this one. It also makes a great topper for regular lip stick, especially if the other lip stick is slightly drying.

And that is me today. this morning was spent at the desk but now that this post is through i am off to do Friday’s errands in the rain, before the rain turns to ice and snow. Sometimes schedules need a little adjustment, and if shifting things about keeps me off the roads when everyone else becomes accident prone, I am all for it. Have a great afternoon my darlings.

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Using the Ciate London Lip Oil in Mango Lime

This was an odd thing for me to use. Not Lip oil in general. I love lip oils. In fact I recently finished using up my Yensa Super 8 Lip oil which was my go to lip oil. The thing is, it was my go to for so long that i found several lip oils that I hadn’t actually opened. This one is from Ciate London and is the Mango and Lime Burst. There were also about three of the Watermelon Burst lip oils in the drawer I like watermelon but it isn’t my end all so I passed them on and kept the Mango and lime.

The scent from this is amazing. It is slightly fruity and a a little bit citrusy. which you would expect from a lime and mango scented product. The scent does deliver.

It is a decent lip oil but not my favorite. The scent will keep me coming back, but when applied, I found this lip ouil to be a little bit greasy. Oddly what i ended up doing was blotting it like I would a lip stick, By biting down on a tissues. I only tapped lightly and I fount that this took away the excess oil and the greasy feeling but still left enough oil on my lips for me to get the benefits of a lip il. The benefits being soft and not chapped lips. There was still a glossy shine to the lips after blotting.

I think the culprit here is the application. It is a squeeze tube with a hard plastic applicator that has a hole for the product to emerge. While the system works well (and is fantastically easy to clean, it does mean that often too much product is applied. If I could dispense just a little bit less, I would like this a whole lot more. As it is if I do a light blot to remove the excess, then I really like this lip oil a whole lot. I just have to remember to blot and all is good.

The Daily: January 9th, 2023

Good afternoon my darlings. I hope your Monday is going well. Mine has been interesting. we had rain all weekend so all sorts of mold rose into the air and in addition to cold and damp there were allergies. So my babydoll and I sort of ended up being couch potatoes for most of the weekend. we went out to restock on groceries but mostly just stayed in. We had a Criminal Minds marathon.

I think that is actually going to be a multi session marathon because there are sixteen seasons on Paramount+ and you just can not watch all in one sitting. Time wise it is simply impossible. The new season is currently being released (I think they start putting out new episodes on January 12th.) I really like the show actually. I forgot how much I liked it actually. And I should probably admit that I like the weird killers more than the regular ones. I think the episode where we stopped had a serial killer who was a cannibal with satanic leanings. So that is what we will be watching after dinner.

Is it strange that I am looking forward to that? Maybe it is because I don’t remember the episode. When the show initially aired I wasn’t always able to catch it so I only saw a few episodes here and there. Now, because they are all streaming I can actually watch them all. I know, strange thing to be excited about but I like having small things to look forward to each day. Especially since the flood gates opened and as everyone has now recovered from the holidays the e-mail is full and it seems like a never ending wave of work. Having something small to look forward to (like catching up on a show) makes me happy.

It sounds strange but with work and adding in the fitness elements, doing the meal planning and having my list of in house chores and out of house errands if feels like I am just thinking of things that have to be done. It is less about the show and more about something entertaining that I get to do rather than something i have to do. I also finished my stack of waiting books so once I refill the stack i will be looking forward to reading a new book before bed too. But at the moment the stack is gone.

To the Library, Batman.

Well later anyway. For now lets jump into the makeup.

Today’s look

Primer: Marc Jacobs Under (cover) primer (discontinued – from the Use Up box)

Foundation: Bite Beauty Changemaker Foundation (Discontinued – from the Use Up Box)

Blush/Bronzer/Highlight: Marc Jacobs Omega X three Tan Tastic Palette (discontinued)

Setting Powder: By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder

Eyeshadow: Ciate London The Velvet Palette

Mascara: Iconic London Triple Threat Mascara

Lips: Colourpop Liquid Lip in Tulle (from the use Up Box)

Setting Spray: Ciate London Watermelon Burst

Okay today I went hard on the list of discontinued products and items in my To Use Up box for January. I suspect that may be a Monday thing. On Mondays I go into my office and the box is the first thing I see as I turn on the computer. Which I placed it so that it is the first thing I see so I can’t really complain. During the week i slowly stop focusing on it but each Monday i am reminded first thing. So I suspect I will reach for it more on Mondays moving forward.

So let’s blaze through the discontinued. All of them are items I really like, but the items are no longer being made. Mostly because Bite Beauty as a brand has ended and Marc Jacobs is no longer making makeup. I love the primer as it creates a really smooth layer for the rest of the makeup to sit on. The foundation was one of my favorites, but again, Bite Beauty is no more. While the Marc Jacobs palette isn’t in my to be used up box it is Marc Jacobs and thus discontinued. It is just an easy palette to reach for and use when you are in a hurry. It also travels well.

In the Use up box is also the Colourpop lippie. It isn’t discontinued and I do like it. It is just on the older side and over halfway used up so I wanted to go ahead and use it up before it expires. I like the lippie. It dries down well and even with the deeper color it doesn’t leave li prints everywhere. It is a little drying but not uncomfortably so. Actually what has been interesting is the more I wear it again, the more I like it. It is the time of year where my lips are usually dry and I tend to reach for my lip balm to go over my lips on a regular basis anyway. My lip balm goes over this lippie well and I haven’t had any problems.

The Iconic Mascara is good at lengthening. It is a good everyday mascara but it probably isn’t going to be one I replace when it is finished.

This is the second time I have used the Velvet Palette from Ciate and for a quick soft look I am really liking it. It is the kind of soft look i can wear pretty much everyday, whether running to the grocery or jumping into a meeting. I’m rather impressed actually. I think because all of the shadows looked like shimmers I was just expecting to use it to brighten up an otherwise matte look. But I really like it. I think that the fact that the shades are more soft one instead of highly pigmented really helps for me. It is far more of an everyday palette than I expected. There are plenty of shimmers though, and I have focused on the more subtle shades. There are deeper tones and more shimmery shimmers in the palette so it will be interesting to see how I feel about them. I think that I am just surprised at how well this is working for a daily palette. Very unexpected.

Today I also used the By Terry Loose setting powder. It is a Hydra powder so it feels a bit wet. I have been using the pressed version as the small compact has been in my purse for a few weeks. Usually i dip a damp makeup sponge into the powder dot it on my face and then blend it with a brush. This powder doesn’t like that. I don’t know if it is the hydra part of the powder or if it is just too finely milled to use that application. When I applied it to my face with the makeup sponge it wanted to stay where I put it. I think tomorrow I may try a powder puff as an applicator to see if that works better.

And that my darlings is me. I actually went for quick and easy mostly today. I did lean heavily into the Use Up box because it’s Monday and I don’t have to think too hard about those products. I think it turned out pretty well. No muss, no fuss. And so Monday rolls on. Have a great day my darlings and I will see you bright and early tomorrow.