The Daily: March 8th, 2023

It is amazing what a good night’s sleep can do. I fell asleep pretty early last night and slept like a stone until morning. You know that loggy overstuffed feeling you get when you slept really hard? that’s sort of what i woke up with this morning. It feels a little like being drugged, but is all natural.

Sleep is glorious. I just can’t say enough fabulous things about it.

Today has been interesting. My babydoll is back to work, having shuffled off the worst of the antibiotic take down of his systems. Meals are still pretty much dependent on what is actually more suitable for him. The sinus infection affected the back of his jaw and throat so instead of planning around my plans for healthy eating and weight loos it has been more about what he can eat that doesn’t hurt.

Not my favorite way to plan meals, but it was necessary. And it has thrown my internal systems a bit out of whack. Hopefully now we can start easing back into normal. While having him home sick did take a chunk of time out of my work days, me being so tired yesterday was probably the worst culprit. I thought I was actually sort of productive yesterday but this morning I started out going over everything I did yesterday and almost all of it had to be redone.

If I ever needed a clear picture of how important sleep is, I got it right there.

I can power through and keep working when I am exhausted, but the work will later have to be redone so it isn’t really being productive. It sounds like a simple thought but it is one that I seem to have to relearn a lot. Insomnia is a frequent companion in my life. I know once I reach a certain point of tiredness I should just call it a sick day and back away. I feel lazy if I do that though. I shouldn’t, because it never works out, but I do it anyway.

I suppose this is more a message to anyone else who has these sort of bouts of exhaustion or any situation that pulls focus I suppose. Sometimes it is more productive for everyone if you just step away. It isn’t laziness, it isn’t being irresponsible, it is an intelligent assessment of the situation and a logical course of action.

There is always a big gap between knowing what you should do and actually doing it. Hopefully next time I will take my own advice. Today however, I feel better, even if I have a heavy work load. I went with quick and easy for today’s makeup.

Today’s Look

Primer: Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer (hydrating)

Foundation: Yensa Super Serum Silk Foundation

Bronzer: Trestique Bronzing Stick

Blush: Axiology Cream Color Multi Use Stick

Setting Powder: Anastasia Beverly Hills Translucent Setting Powder

Brows: Grande Brow-Fill Volumizing Brow Gel

Eyes Axiology Lip to Lid Balmies in Rose

Mascara: Pur Fully Charged Mascara

Lips: Rimmel Stay Glossy Lip Gloss

I am currently going through my sample collection of Primers and this was the last use of the Laura Mercier sample. I do have a second sample, but I will hold off using it so I can work through some of the others in the sample box. It goes on wet and you really need to give it a minute to dry. I use a hand fan for a moment and practice the Long forgotten era language of fan movements and signals. I can’t help myself. My grandmother taught them to me when I was little and we played around with fans pretending to be Grand ladies greeting potential suiters at a magnificent ball. Now when I get a fan in my hand I can’t help but play around with them, even if I am only getting the primer to dry down. Luckily there is no one in the room to see me so it is fine. No actual suitors were slighted. Once the primer dries down though it is very sticky and really locks the makeup in place.

Today I used the Yensa Super Serum Silk Foundation. I will admit it took me a while to warm to this. I think it is because I love the BC formula Yensa makes. It is my favorite foundation actually. And when I pick this up my mind automatically goes to that. It is a good foundation though. it is more full coverage then I am used to so I make sure to go in very lightly. One pump sheered out over my face is enough to do what i want and it stays in place all day. Especially with a setting powder. It is one I always set as it is on the glowy side and the setting powder takes that down a notch. I am using the ABH Powder this month so I can finish it off. I have a second unopened one waiting. I like it, I just feel this jar has been opened long enough. It does tend to be a messy powder. There is no interior lock or regulator in the container it is just holes so there is almost always powder in the lid. Especially since I store my powders on their side in the drawer. I like being able to see which is which and that gives me the best view with the space I have. It does sometimes mean there is a mess. But it is a good powder

I love the Trestique bronzer. It is what got me started on cream face products actually. It is a creamy easy to blend formula. I can go light or I can go dark and it always works out for me. While not all of Trestique products have worked out for me, this and the lip crayons ae definite winners.

I went for the Axiology color cream as blush today because I am sort of testing out the Tarte Cream blush. Which sounds strange. I really love the blendability of the Color Cream as a blush and After a few days of kind of struggling with the tarte ne I wanted to refresh my memory in case I was making it something it wasn’t. But know, a few dots of color and a quick blend with the finger tips and this is fabulous. If you want more color, go a second or even third round. It is really easy to use (and the fact that it is fully recyclable doesn’t hurt any).. It is going to be really hard not to go ahead and lean into this often. Although I am already looking forward to testing it in the summertime heat. But that isn’t for a few more months yet.

I also went to Axiology with the eyes today, I am still playing with the balmies. I wanted something very light. I used the rose shade and it blended out really well. I went really light, mostly because this shade on me works better when it is really light. It is just a light flush to sort of make the look complete rather than something overly dramatic. The two shades I have to not really lend themselves to drama. There may be other more dramatic shades but I have other shadows for that. i like having something quick and low key I can reach for. And yeah, again, the zero waste production doesn’t hurt my love of these either.

The Pur mascara is not my favorite. it is fine but not fabulous. It worked today and luckily it is a sample size. I will use it until the sample is empty and then I will not repurchase it.

While I like the Rose shade from Axiology when I tried it on my lips it was just a shade too pink for me so I just grabbed the first thing I reached for which was the Rimmel Stay Glossy. I really like this lip gloss. I have no clue what the shade is as I can’t find it anywhere on the tube, but it has just enough color to perk up my lips and just enough gloss to make them shiny. It is a fabulous drug store find. I don’t know how many other shades I would pick up, but having this shade is something I really enjoy. It is a gloss so it doesn’t dry down at all and does wear off but the lip prints are light and the formula is more slick than sticky so I am happy with it.

And so my darlings this is me. I slept well and realized trying to be productive yesterday actually created more work for me today. Hopefully i have learned my lesson or at least served a a warning to those reading. And now it is back to work for me to fix all that I twisted yesterday. I think the second half of the week is going to be a long one. I hope it is also good.

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The Daily: March 6th, 2023

Oh my darlings it has been a weekend! On Friday we had a windstorm kick up that knocked down the internet around 10am. Friday is also trash day at our house and As soon as our bin we emptied by the garbagemen I went out to get it. I was not quick enough and ended up racing off down the hill to catch it. The bin was fine with nothing in it, but once empty there was no stopping it. We live in an area where there are smaller trucks so we don’t have the giant wheelie bins. We have the smaller older style trashcans. Think Oscar the Grouch only made of plastic instead of metal. Which actually that size is perfect for us. It fits three bags of trash and most weeks we only have two bags to go out, if that. I’ve been working on reducing our trash as much as possible.

Even with less trash, the trash is able to hold the bin in place. Empty it was just a play toy for the wind. My best consolation was that I was not the only one reviving their high school track skills.

I got back to the house just in time for the internet to go out. Which, while it did change my plans for the day, I didn’t mind too much. I am working on a large project that can be still worked on off line. So that was fine. Although there was no Face Mask Friday because about the time I was thinking about taking a break and putting on a face mask, we lost electricity.

Yeah Wind!

Oddly enough we got the electric back about the same time the rain storm came through. I say rain but it was filled with much hail. By Saturday afternoon things were more or less back to normal. At least weather wise.

Which is when my babydoll’s sinus issues became a little worse. We thought he was getting better. But bright and early Sunday Morning we ended up at Urgent Care. The sinus infection sent his blood pressure skyrocketing. He is currently knocked out by antibiotics in the bedroom. So hopefully that will be better soon.

I have to say this was the most stressful weekend I have had in a while. While I am keeping an ear out for him, it is actually a bit of a relief to get back to a work day. Thus far, things are kind of just chugging alone as a regular Monday. Normally this would not be something to celebrate, but right now a normal Monday feels really nice. It is a bit of a low key Monday thought so I went light with the makeup.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer (Hydrating)

Foundation: One Size Turn up the Base Powder Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzer Stick (Use Up Box)

Blush: Tarte Breezy Cream Blush (Use Up Box)

Eyeshadow and Lips: Axiology Lip to Lid Balmies Nude Plum

Eyeliner: Too Faced Smoke Show Kajal Eyeliner

Brows: Grande Brow-Fill Volumizing Brow Gel

Mascara: Thrive Causemetics Mascara

This Month I am going through many of my primer samples to decide which ones I want to try out in a full size. I actually in many ways this is the month of samples as I am doing the same with skincare, but that is another story. I started with the Laura Mercier. It is hydrating and it does need a little time to dry down and absorb. Once it does, the primer gets very sticky and really locks the foundation down.

Today I wanted to try the primer out with a powder foundation and I really love this One Size foundation. I usually reach for it in the summer as it is just super easy to apply and just a good low makeup product. I know that you can build it up, but I generally find that when I build it up it looks a little powdery on me. So I go with the more natural look. As I am trying out different primers I will be rotating through foundations to see how they perform. The Laura Mercier really works well with this powder formula.

I am still working through the Milk Makeup bronzer and am slowly making progress on using it up. I love it but it is a small sample and I want to use it up before I pick up the full sized version. I just know I won’t use the sample after I pick up the full size so I need to use the sample up before ordering the full size.

This Tarte Cream Blush came in a Boxycharm a while back and I never really got around to using it. I love the color. It works really well with my skin tone. The cream formula needs to be warmed up with the finger. It is easy enough to do I just run my finger over it in a circle until it starts to melt a bit. Then I can use a sponge but I really end up using my finger more. The reason is that it doesn’t bend all that well and you really need to move fast. If I use a sponge then I generally find more of the blush sticks to the sponge then gets applied. I still need to play with it some more. I love the color, but the blending isn’t my favorite.

I am also playing around with the Lip to Lid Balmies from Axiology. This is one of the products they sent me to try out. There were three items in the box and this set of Balmies is the third to try. I really like the way it can go very light on the lids. It can be built up but I decided to go very light today. I warmed the stick up in my hand so it spread super easily. It is fine without warming, but I find it a little easier to spread over the lid if it is a little warmer. That way there is almost no pressing on the lid. I did feel it needed a little something so I actually picked up an eyeliner. I know, I can’t remember when I last used eyeliner. which is why I went with a crayon style since I knew it wasn’t dried out. This Too Faced formula really went on easily. I like it. I have hooded eyes so I generally only use liner when I am not using much shadow. Mostly because I usually feel that the only thing you end up seeing is the eyeliner. This was a decent pairing though. I did realize how out of practice with eyeliner I was though. I might have to try to use it more just to get back into practice.

When I went looking for eyeliner I found this unopened Thrive Mascara. It was still sealed and so I unsealed it and use it today. It is a bit more pointed a wand than I usually prefer. I really love my fluffy wands. However i really like this formula. It is really good at lengthening the lashes and it feels good on the lashes. Also the metal tube just feels luxe. I just feel fancy when I use it. There is something about the heavy metal tube. It helps that it is a really nice mascara.

I went very simple with this Grande Brow Fill. I really like it for simple non-drama brows. This fills in the few little spaces I need filling and keeps everything in place. It is a very quick, very easy product to use when you want something nice but low key.

I went back to Axiology Balmies for the lips as well. I use a brush for the lips because I don’t like putting something on my eyes that i have put on my lips. That is just me. I also get eye infections pretty easily so I take extra precautions. It is the same color on lips and lids though. On the lips it feels like a lip balm. It is very comfortable. It doesn’t dry down at all though so you will leave lip prints. Also it doesn’t hide any rough patches on the lips. It really has the same consistency as a lip balm although it is far more pigmented. I like it for a low key lip look and I do like how I can double use the product.

And that my darlings is me. It was a very tense weekend and I am very happy to roll into a Monday where i just have to concentrate on the work in front of me, with occasional check ins to see if my sleeping babydoll is still okay. Periodically he asks for tea, otherwise the antibiotics have him knocked out. It is a somewhat quiet day. And now that he is on the mend, I feel a bit better myself. Here’s hoping for a nice quiet week.

The Daily: March 1st, 2023

Today feels like March. I know I normally start the month saying, Oh I can’t believe the month changed. But today felt like March. Winds are whipping through the trees, the temps were cooler in the morning but cautiously rose a little before noon only to decide it was a bad idea and drop a few degrees as the afternoon has worn on. The sky alternated between sunny and cloudy.

March always feels like it can’t make up it’s mind on weather and today was definitely a March Day. I always think if March as the in between month. You want to think of it as spring. The world is warm enough that it can’t properly be called winter any more. There are buds on the trees and the most of the bulbs are up. But there are still sudden ice storms and I have already hauled out the blankets we use to cover the flower beds during the cold snap to keep their optimistic little faces from freezing off.

March is the Month where the seasons seem to fight each other. Usually Spring wins. Last year it felt a bit like Winter and Spring fought it out, Winter beat spring but was exhausted so Summer came and punched it in the face. It was a KO and summer reigned as the champion for far too long. Remember I was still picking tomatoes in October last year. Even though my nose is already dripping from the pollen being tossed into the air like confetti, I am still cheering on Spring. I would love a nice long one this year instead of automatically being slapped around by a brutal summer.

which I suppose is the klong way round to say that today feels like March 1st.

And since it is the beginning of the month I chose all new products to try and use up this month. I decided to use them all and fill in where I could. I’m pretty sure the eyes were a mistake. But we’ll get to that.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer- hydrating

Foundation: No 7 Lift and Luminate Triple Action Serum Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzing Stick

Blush: Tarte Breezy Cream Blush

Setting Powder: Anastasia Beverly Hills Translucent setting powder

Eyes: Axiology Lip to Lid zero Waste Balmies and Almay velvet foil shadow

Mascara: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag Mascara

Lips: Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick in Dead Roses

This month I am going to try to work through as many of the priming sample sizes as I can. I had a couple of primers that I needed to use up so i set the samples to the side and now I have a bunch of them to go through and decide if they are worth picking up in the full size. Since this one was on top, it went first. It is a very hydrating primer. It is a white cream and has a fresh scent to it has a lot of skincare vibes as I apply it. It is very wet so use only a little. I also used a hand fan to dry it down a little. Once dried down a little it is very tacky and sticky. It very much grips the makeup placed over it.

I used it with my No 7 Foundation today partially because I like the foundation and partially because i know how it works which lets me assess the primer a bit more. I applied this with a brush but found myself reaching for the makeup sponge to smooth out brush lines more than i have ever had to do with this foundation. Usually I don’t have a problem with brush lines. My guess is that it was the stickiness of the primer. The lines were easily then care of, but it was more noticeable with this primer.

The Bronzer from Milk is still in my Use up box as i am trying to use up and get rid of the sample so I can buy the full size. It is a great product and I will be keeping it in the box until the sample is completely used up. which is no problem as i like it.

I also kept the blush from Tarte around as I really only used it once last month. I used it today and I really enjoyed it. I did have to run my finger over the pan a bit to warm up the product before it would apply well, but once it was softened by my finger it went on well and blended out fairly easily. The trick is that it seems to have to be blended pretty much immediately. Don’t let it sit and then blend.

I like the ABH setting powder. This particular one is more than halfway emptied and I have a second unopened powder in my makeup drawer to use when this is finished. It is in my box this month because I have had it opened a while and want to use it up. I think the one thing that I don’t like about this powder is that when i open it there is always powder in the top as there is no mechanism to block the holes inside. So I always get a puff of powder everywhere when i open it. There is some on my shirt in this photo so after I applied the makeup i did go change. I think that will be the thing to remember. I need a makeup shirt with this powder.

And now we come to the eyes. The mascara i loved, I went with ABH and the fluffy wand did everything I want in a mascara. I really like all of the products I use on my eyes but the two shadows I used didn’t go together. The Almay foil is in my use up box even though it is new mostly because I want to keep it out to give it a good try. I thought it needed a good matte shadow behind it so I reached for the balmies. I really like how these apply to the eyes. I put a little on the outer edge of my eye and blended in. It worked beautifully. It was just a low makeup look and didn’t pair well with the Almay. I think the copper foil needs a stronger base color to pair with. This was not a fabulous look. However once that foil is in place, it is in place. I would have to do a full makeup removal to get it off and then start again. I didn’t really had the time so I decided I could live with the bad shadow today. It is at least subtly bad. I have put on some glittery looks that went massively awry before and they were hard to life with for the day. This was fine. It was just a lesson with the two products. The balmies are subtle low makeup products and the foil is a bit dramatic. They don’t really play well, They both have tremendous staying power I have to give them that. Neither of them have budged all day. It is like a battle between low key and drama with neither giving way.

I blame March.

Finally I ended with the ABH Lipstick. It is a sample size from the Matte lipstick range. The lipstick has been worn down quite a bit because it is a great formula and a favorite color of mine. However it is a discontinued color as well as a sample size. It has been well loved and I just need to go ahead and try to use the last of it up so i can send it on it’s way. But it is one of my favorites.

And that my darlings is me today. I was happy with the face products but faltered with the eyes. And at least i have learned what not to pair this Almay foil shadow with. I’m going to call that today’s take away. So at least i learned something, right?

Seeing out the Use Up box of February and bringing in the March 2023 products

Each month i choose a selection of products to try to use repeatedly. For some of them they are products i love that are on the verge of expiring. Some are products that have been discontinued and i want to use up and clear out. A few are samples that I want to finish out and a few are items I’ve tried but want to give myself an opportunity to try out a bit more before I make a decision about how i feel about them.

The box I chose for February included:

Figs and Rouge Blurring Primer

Bite Beauty’s Changemaker Foundation

By Terry’s Hyaluronic Acid Hydro Powder

KVD Vegan Beauty Single shadow in Lolita

Tarte Breezy Cream Blush in pink sky

Milk Makeup Bronzing Stick

The Figs and Rouge Primer I used up. I found it a good hydrating primer, but it did nothing to help prevent foundation from sinking into fine lines and while it was pretty good at doing some blurring it was not my favorite formula. It was acceptable to use, but i am glad it is finished and going away.

I have been trying to finish out this Bite Beauty Foundation since the brand went Belly Up. With the push both in January and February to use it repeatedly, I have finally used it up and can send it away. It was an absolutely beautiful formula and I am sad it is no longer in production.

The By Terry loose powder was a sample size and I did use it up completely in this month’s box. While I adore the pressed version of this powder and in fact keep a compact in my bag at all times, I found the loose powder left white marks when I used it to set my makeup. They could be blended out, and i did blend them out but they were somewhat annoying and took extra time. While I would repurchase the pressed version, I am not a fan of the loose one. Now that it is empty, I will not repurchase in the full size.

I had no actual belief that i would be able to use up the KVD Shadow this month. I do have a box of single shadows and small quads that I tend to forget to use. Each month i am trying to rotate one in so that they do get used or so that in looking at them I can decide they no longer need to stay. I love this shade and will happily put it back to be used again.

The Milk Makeup Bronzer is a sample size. I put it in this box because I want to use it up. I like it enough that I want to purchase it in a full size but won’t do so until I have used up the sample. Mostly I know that I will stop using the sample once i have the full size and I don’t like wasting product. It isn’t used up yet but I did turn to the bronzer often. It will be staying in the box in March.

The final item in February’s Box was the Tart cream blush. I put it in the box because I wanted to get a feel for the product. When it came in I tried it and I did like it but I knew I needed to play around with it more. And then I forgot about it. This month I only reached for it once so I am going to keep it around another month and see if i reach for it any more. If I don’t that may tell me it doesn’t need to hang around.

And now for the new box.

March’s Use Up Box

Products:

Milk Makeup Bronzing Stick

Tarte Breezy Cream Blush in Pink Sky

Almay Velvet Cream Shadow in bronze

Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer

Anastasia Beverly hills Matte Lipstick in Dead Roses (sample size)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Translucent setting powder

The Milk Makeup Bronzer I want to continue using up and it will stay in the box until it is finished. The tarte too is sticking around. either i will use it more this month or I will realize it is not a product i want to reach for and let it go.

The Almay Cream shadow I have only gotten to use once and I am keeping it in the box because I want the chance to play around with it a bit more. I think having it out will encourage that.

I chose the Laura Mercier Primer because I have several primer samples. I tent to put them into a little box and then forget about the, This month I am going to start with the Laura Mercier primer and then when it is finish keep rolling in sample sized primers to use them up and determine whether or not I want to purchase any of them in a full size. I am starting with this one because it was on the top of the pile (It arrived in the February Cohorted box).

Thee are two Anastasia Beverly Hills products in here. the first is a matte Lipstick in the shade Dead Roses. I love the shade but it is discontinued. I love the formula as well. It is a sample size so I am going to work on finishing it up and sending it on it’s way. I really like the ABH lipstick formula so using it is not a hardship. The second ABH Product is the Setting powder. I like it. It is a good setting powder. It is a large setting powder and I am a little past the halfway point in this powder’s use. I don’t know if I can actually finish this powder this moth but I am going to try. I should also say that I do have a second unopened container in my powder drawer. I just think the opened one has been open for quite a while and want to use it up.

And so my darlings that is the Use up box, both the February recap and the products I will work towards using up for March. I know it isn’t exactly like the project pan that other people do and maybe at some point I will do that, but i really enjoy selecting products to focus on using. I won’t use each of them every day, but throughout the month i will try to use at least one item from the use up box each day so that i can keep them in constant use. It gives me enough wiggle room to create the look I want for that day, but also to feel like I am not letting products sit. to be honest, this month, I am most excited about focusing on using up the sample sized primers. Some of them I really wanted to try and hope they will be good to purchase in a full size, Others I know nothing about. But then I do love a good primer.

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The Daily: January 18th, 2023

Good afternoon my darlings. I hope you are having a fantastic day. Today, I can’t lie has been a bit on the busy side. I spent much of yesterday on the phone with my mother. She now has her prosthetic hand and was as thrilled as a toddler on christmas morning. You know when they talk to you and are so excited that they get out of breath and have an hour long run on sentence? Well that was my mother. Odd in a woman in her seventies, but still kind of adorable.

everything works and she is starting her lessons in control. When she tried to pick up a cup she crushed it so she has been warned not to try shaking anyone’s hand for a while. It was also suggested she avoid using her good china. I think she spent the day showing off her new arm. I think she also might be trying on clothes to see what works well with it because she has sent six pictures today all with her wearing different shirts. I find it adorable.

And after last year it is really nice to see her excited about something.

It does mean that I am running a little behind on things, but I consider that perfectly acceptable.

Yesterday I also received two separate subscription boxes. My Boxy Charm Premium arrived and the Chic Beauty Box from November/December arrived. I was trying it out to see if I liked it and with it being so late I put the membership on hold until I received the box. It is still on hold and I am definitely skipping the January/February Box. I’ll decide in February if I want to get the March/April box or just cancel. I couldn’t resist using several items from those boxes in todays look so you will see some of those below. The full boxes I have up on Instagram. There is a link in the side bar if you want to see them.

Speaking of subscription boxes, Smartass and Sass is having a 60% off sale through January 20th. I tend to get their t-shirts to use for workouts as they make me feel better. Sometimes I like their boxes and sometimes I don’t so I tend to pick up the items I like in their on-line store rather than subscribe to the boxes, mostly because I know I won’t use some of the items. But I do love certain items and I did place an order for a few things. As they arrive and I put them to use I’ll use them and share my thoughts. If you have a slightly sarcastic and bent sense of humor, you might want to check them out. They also have some discounted boxes in the sale so if you are thinking about a box, you could try one of those and see if you like it before committing to the subscription. I love their t-shirt subscription but prefer to pick and choose with the items. with the occasional box when things just appeal to me. I actually ended up getting some smartass gifts from them for friends this year as well. Anyway, big sale if you are interested and it runs through January 20th.

Today’s Look

Primer: Marc Jacobs Under (Cover) Blurfection Pimer (discontinued and from the Use Up Box)

Foundation: HIDE Invisible Oil Free Medium to Full Coverage Foundation

Bronzer: Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk R Bronzer and Highlight Palette

Blush: NARS Unwrapped Orgasm Blush Duo (I used Orgasm today)

Powder: By Terry Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Setting Powder

Eyeshadow: Dominique Cosmetics Unconditional Palette

Mascara: Milk Makeup Kush Mascara

Brows: GrandeBrow Fill

Lips: Laura Mercier Rouge Essentials Beige In Time (70) Lipstick

Okay we start with the Primer, love it, it is discontinued and I am so close to using it up. It actually worked well today. But since it is no longer in production, I will say no more about it.

As I mentioned above I am using a lot of Subscription box products today, starting with the foundation. I have never tried anything from HIDE before. It is a $30 foundation that has the word luxury all over the packaging and the website. The container is white plastic that looks a little on the cheap side. I haven’t looked into it and there may be a good reason for it, but the container feels kind of cheap. Also while the white boxy look with black lettering is nice and editorial in a photo, this is my first use and I already have streaks of foundation on the white. I suspect I will have to clean it after each use. That being said, I actually kind of love the foundation. It is a first wear, but it is wearing well. It blended beautifully and felt light. Thus far I am not having any settling issues. I’ll keep working but thus far it is performing impressively even if the container doesn’t look that Luxe.

The Fenty Beauty palette I like. It has a range of bronzers and while there is only one I can use now and one that I will probably transition to in the summer, they also make nice shadows. The two shimmer shades are good shadows but really poor highlights.

In the Chic Beauty Box was the NARS. I had the Orgasm Blush when it first came out and I used it down to pan. It is a beautiful shade that just works so well with my skin tone. The other shade in the duo I may be able to use in the summer but not now. I am fine with that. the pans are large and I adore the shade I am using. It also reminds me that I need to replace my NARS Bronzer. It too I used down to pan. NARS was one of those brands I turned to as a staple for the longest time and then slowly forgot about. For the last few months they have started edging back into my consciousness. I am actually quite happy to see them return. (And if you get a chance their reformulated lipsticks are well worth picking up).

I think I may now have a handle on the By Terry Powder. The trick is to one, apply it with a fluffy brush, and two tap it on your wrist before putting it to your face. if you go straight in then the brush leaves a powder mark you have to get off. Tapping it once just puts the mark on your wrist not your face. Makes application much easier.

Dominique Cosmetics has also been coming out with some winners. I adore their cream blush and reach for it quite frequently. This Shadow Palette came in my boxy and it is a first use. It does had a gold glitter shade that has already started leaving a trail across the table. I avoided it today but I used pretty much all of the other shades. They are quite pigmented and the brush does need to be tapped off before application, but they do blend beautifully. I think it is a really good selection and the mix works well. The shadows complement each other and it is a really well thought out palette. It is also a good selection to go into February and Valentines Day with so that is nice.

The Milk mascara performed beautifully. And I am kind of in love with the Grande Brow Fill. If goes on easily and not clumpy. It adds a slight tint to the brows as well a a little gel to hold them in place. They are staying in place without feeling crunchy which is also nice. In general I love Grande Cosmetics products so it isn’t a surprise but it is always good to find another product from the brand I like. (Their Lash regrowth serum is absolutely fantastic, I used it when I ripped out my lashes in an ill fated false lash glue accident and I recommend it highly.)

And finally the lip. I Like Laura Mercier and this is a nice neutral shade for me. It is a very creamy formula that does leave a trail of lip prints behind. It will also need to be reapplied around lunch time. But it isn’t sticky, just very creamy so if you are having dry lip issues, this might be one formula to look into.

And that is me my darlings. Over all I am pleased with how things turned out, and while I have no problems with why large sections of my day were lost yesterday, it does leave me playing catch up today. And so now I will leave you and return to the ever present paperwork. Have a great day.

The Daily: June 27th, 2022

Good afternoon my darlings. Today has been a day of waiting. Or at least it feels like it has been. It is my birthday today so I deliberately adjusted my workload so today would be a light one. Tonight will be a fabulous dinner from one of our favorite local restaurants (i.e. not one I have to cook) and there is an ice cream cake waiting in the freezer for after dinner.

we get it from the local ice cream place. It is a once a year thing and each year they always looked stunned that we don’t want a message written in caramel for the small child it is no doubt for. They always look shocked that it is a birthday cake for a grown woman.

Personally I think my babydoll likes going in there and watching their surprise. I told him the cake wasn’t necessary this year and he looked so crestfallen that I recanted and planned to just do a little extra working out this week to make up for the extra calories.

So now it is waiting for after dinner.

The truth is though, despite the birthday treats waiting for the end of the work day, it feels like a waiting day because of the weather. It is looming. The air is heavy, the wind is low and feels like something big is holding it’s breath. There are clouds massing, but still holding back. We are supposed to get rain, there is an 80% chance of it, but the rain is biding it’s own time.

I always find it vaguely amusing at this time of year. In Spring it always feels like I should be building an ark and I generally find myself wondering how many cubits my back yard can hold. Then the spring rains trickle off and all the moisture hangs in the air with rain a distant memory and the world withering to a crisp around me. So I am waiting for the rain to actually break, if it will, and I am waiting for my birthday celebration.

I went on a walk because the temps have dropped a smidge. I came back drenched from the 90% humidity though and ended up taking a cold shower. My hair always looks a little crazy after that and my bangs are just misbehaving. Nonetheless, I am relatively happy with the way I look today, and that is not a bad thing on a birthday.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Yensa Tone Up Primer

Foundation: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Foundation

Bronzer: Buxom Cosmetics Staycation Vibes Bronzer

Blush: Dominique Cosmetics Cream Blush

Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent powder

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Honey Palette

Mascara: Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir (discontinued, just using the last one up)

Lips: bareMinerals Mineralist Lip gloss

Today’s makeup was chose for a variety of reasons. I chose the primer because I love it, and know how it works with my skin. I’ve used this Yensa Primer for years (off and on) and will continue to repurchase it. I am going through my foundations one by one to see which i like, which shades work now and which I just need to use up and let go. I haven’t used the Charlotte Tilbury in a while so I figured I’d give it a go. It is a foundation that requires a bit of time. It isn’t a simple blend in and go operation. This takes a foundation brush to spread evenly, followed by a makeup sponge to get rid of the lines. I always have to take extra time around my nose as it tends to go streaky there. As much time as it takes though, it ends up looking really good when i am done. I like it and I think I will use this bottle up completely, mostly for days when i have the time to play with it, but takes time to play with so it isn’t an every morning kind of product.

By contrast, I raced through the rest of my makeup. With the nice looking foundation, it looked fine and actually I am really falling in love with this cream blush. It really blends beautifully and I am happy to use it. This shade works for me, but looking at the range I am not sure any of the other shades would work for me. I do like this one though. It is darker in the pan then on the cheeks so that is something to be aware of when shopping.

the Urban Decay I really like. I went super easy today. Mostly because I took so long with the foundation. One dip into the mattes and a tap off is all it takes then blend out and top with a shimmer. That’s what I went for today and then I called it good. The bare minerals lip gloss seemed like a good accompaniment. It is a light wash of color and a formula that not only looks good on but leaves my lips feeling nourished well after it has disappeared.

So that is me today. The shirt I am wearing actually came from my drape fit box. This has been a fantastic shirt for meetings. The material doesn’t wrinkle and it looks dressy but is super light weight and feels soft. it looks good on camera and in meetings. It may be the only thing I kept from my Drape Fit Box, but it has proven to be utterly fantastic. And now it is back to work for me. Have a great Monday everyone.

And if you are interested in Urban Decay, set your calendars as there is a sale coming up It starts on Thursday

Flash Sale! Enjoy 50% Off Heat / Reloaded palette + Lash Freak + Holiday Sets at Urban Decay Canada! No code needed. Valid 6/30 – 7/3

The Daily: June 21st, 2022

Today I am taking advantage of what may be the last cool day for a while. While It was raging hot last week, we had some cool weather over the weekend. It spilled over into the beginning of the week and From the weather reports it looks like today may be the last day we can expect it. So…To the walking trail we go.

I went on a long walk this morning and the weather was simply fabulous. Then just before lunch I snuck in a second walk. It was a bit more sweat inducing but it wasn’t pass out from heat exhaustion hot. I have watched the temps and the heat index rise since I returned so I suspect this may be my last post 9am walk for a while.

I enjoyed it though.

Even if i will end up working late this evening to make up for the time the second walk took out of my day. It was worth it.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Sephora Smooth and Blur Primer

Foundation: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation

Bronzer: Trestique Bronzing Stick

Blush: Dominique Cosmetics Silk Tone Cream Blush

Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Honey eyeshadow palette

Mascara: Patrick Ta Major Volume Mascara

Lips: Yensa Super 8 Lip oil in Pink Shine

Today as you might notice looks pretty much like yesterday did with the exception of the foundation. With my last Sephora order i received two foundation samples so I figured I would go ahead and use them this week to see if either was worth looking into for a full foundation test. This year I not only finished out several of my in process foundations but with Becca no longer in existence and now Kristofer Buckle gone I may have to start branching out in my products.

I used the last of the Sephora Primer today and my thoughts remain the same. It is a good basic primer. It isn’t something I would look for specifically but i wouldn’t mind using it again if it came my way.

The sample I have of the foundation was really small. I had to combine three shades to cover my face with product. The blend actually worked really well. And as annoying as it was to have to blend shades just to get enough product, I really like the way this feels on my kin. It blended well with no streaking and feels weightless. I’m actually quite impressed with it. It is holding up well today. I might be able to combine a few of the other shades for a second use, but I’m not entirely sure how well the remaining shades will blend for me. I do like it enough that I might consider picking up a full sized bottle and giving it a go. It really is performing well. The main issue is now figuring out which shade actually does work for me since i had to combine a few. But it seems like a good product.

Today I was also still impressed with the Dominique cosmetics blush. It really blends nicely. I layered a little more than yesterday on and am pleased with it’s buildability. I tend to go pretty light on blush, but it is nice to know i can go darker if I want. It is a good product and a beautiful packaging so I expect i will be reaching for it often.

The Naked Honey I still love as much as yesterday. I only needed one dip into the dark brown and it blended well over the eyes. It is highly pigmented though which is something to watch out for. I think to go lighter I would have to apply with one brush and blend with a second clean one. I am enjoying playing with the different gold tones though. this palette is so me though. I’m glad I finally picked it up.

The mascara is a bit of a let down. For something called major Volume I’d expect a little more volume. This is just basic. It does last all day without flaking and is light and comfortable to wear, but aside from being a good everyday mascara I’m not seeing much in the way of volume enhancement. I might try layering it on a bit more thickly tomorrow and see what I come up with.

So that my darlings is me today. I am pleased with the walk and pleased with the way this foundation performed. I can’t say i am pleased that I’ll have to work late tonight to make up the time I spent on the extra walk, but I regret nothing. The walk was fabulous and I am glad I took it, even if it does extend the work day. So now it is back to work for me. I will see you back here again tomorrow. Have a fantastic day.

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The Daily: June 20th, 2022

Happy Monday my darlings. Have you ever wanted something but put off purchasing it because you knew you really didn’t need it? And then you saw it go on sale for half price and picked it up anyway? I finally purchased the Urban Decay Naked Honey Palette. I know I have plenty of browns and golds and bronzes, but This palette simply appealed to me. I talked myself out of buying it so many times and then poof I got an e-mail saying it was fifty percent off. A few clicks later and it was purchased.

I have to say I am extremely surprised by how fast it reached me. I woke up Saturday Morning and it was by the front door. I ordered it Thursday afternoon.

How fab does that look? Okay, for those of you who aren’t into neutrals maybe it isn’t so fab, But I really like this palette and can’t wait to try it out. I had the original Naked palette and used every shadow down to pan before i let it go. It was the only palette from the Naked line that I purchased. And in those days I had a very small apartment and only three eyeshadow palettes. Which probably played into how much I used it. It was my go to work palette. I am thrilled to give a new Naked palette a try. I’m just sort of tickled in general.

Other than that it is a pretty quiet day. Nothing went crazy over the weekend it seems so today is just rolling along smoothly. I love Mondays like that.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Sephora Smooth and Blur Primer

Foundation: Kristopher Buckle Triplicity Foundation Stick

Bronzer: Trestique Bronzing Stick

Blush: Dominique Cosmetics Silk Tone Cream Blush

Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Honey eyeshadow palette

Mascara: Patrick Ta Major Volume Mascara

Lips: Yensa Super 8 Lip oil in Pink Shine

I know, it was mostly about the eyeshadow today. But there were several new products used. This was the second use of the Sephora Primer. It is a bit on the slippy side so you shouldn’t use too much. It is an okay primer. I wouldn’t go to Sephora specifically to purchase it, but I might cuck it into the cart while shopping.

The Kristopher Buckle Foundation is fantastic. I adore it. But as it is now no longer available anywhere but on Amazon (even Walmart ran out and the brand’s sites are all null) so I think it is safe to say that it is no more. I will keep this in rotation so that I can use it up and then let it go. It is sad because it is fabulous. And I am trying not to be tempted by Amazon.

As always love the trestique bronzing stick. They are now refillable so fabulous got een better. I like the formula and I love the ease of application for this product.

This was a first use for the Dominique Cosmetics Cream blush. One swirl of the finger in the pan was enough product. It went onto the cheeks easily and blended like a dream. It didn’t blend out and disappear like some cream blushes but it blended smoothly and easily. I was going for light today so I didn’t do a second swirl to see if it can be built up, but I will try that tomorrow. Today though it worked well.

The Laura Mercier setting powder is new to my line up. I heard so many rave reviews so when Sephora had the powder and a caviar shadow stick set (travel size) a a Birthday gift for this month, I picked it up with my order. (I know lots of people do look what I ordered from Sephora posts, but I tend to order one or two things at a time, rather than load up on lots at once. I know I’d probably save on shipping if I did that as well as have more dramatic purchasing unboxings, but that’s just not really how i shop. This time I was restocking my hand sanitizer – Touchland Power Mist, I’ve used it for a while now and will have a post up about it tomorrow actually. In case you were wondering about my big Sephora order. It was the Hand sanitizer and the birthday gift)

The powder worked well. It didn’t really want to come out of the little holes and kept blocking up, but when I did apply it it felt rather nice. I can see why it is well thought of. I may have to enlarge the holes to use it more effectively, but I did like it.

And yes, we have come to the eyeshadow. I loved this palette. The shadows needed to be tapped off of the brush, but after that I didn’t really have any powder fall out. The shadows I used layered beautifully without becoming muddy. In that past some UD shadows Have had blending issues. while I only had the Naked Palette, I had several single shadows and they tended to be used as one and done because they didn’t play well with others. This seems fine. I used the darkest gold as my shimmer and I absolutely adored it. Since I’m testing it I will be using it for the next week or so. we’ll see if all those neutral brown and gold shades get boring r if I like it just as much at the end of the trial as i do now, but at the moment I really like it.

The Patrick TA mascara was nice. It dried fast which is nice, but major volume it really isn’t. It is a nice mascara and it has worn well today, but it isn’t all that exciting. Perhaps it will get better with use, we shall see.

I rounded the look out with my favorite lip oil from Yensa and called it a day. Its fab, it always is. And now for me, there is work to be done. Yes, the paperwork is calling. well actually that may just be final edits on my latest manuscript. Soon another book will be out. Sooooooon. I am so ready to finish it and move on to a new cast of characters. And I am so close I can taste it. So it is back to work for me. Have a great rest of your day my darlings. And remember, if you put all of your commas in the right place the first time, your revisions won’t look like your editor bled all over the manuscript. Not seeing the red speckles everywhere make editing much more pleasant.