The Daily: March 15th, 2023

Beware the Ides of March….Beware…especially if you think you might be betrayed by a friend. But who really plans for betrayal anyway? No betrayal for me today, Just a day at the desk. I am feeling significantly less stuffy and puffy today though which is nice.

I also had a fight with my bangs. They did not not want to behave. And in the end they won and I am resigned to them just looking slightly crazy. And yes I adjusted my position in the photo so you can’t see that a section of my bangs kept threatening to rise up like it is testifying in church.

Although I’m not sure me falling asleep with wet hair is testifiable material.

I did just get a package in today that I am super excited about. I’ve started ordering restocks of things because I realized not only did I need my spring orders but I was out of a lot of things. I think everything has been so chaotic that things slipped through the cracks. And while I was doing my restocking I popped on to the Beseme Cosmetics site. They do a lot of vintage style cosmetics. 1950s lipstick, cake mascara, that sort of thing. They also have collaborations that are just fabulous. A while back I picked up the Sleeping Beauty Collaboration for my Aunt who was over the moon about it and then I picked up the I love Lucy Collab for my godmother who is a HUGE I love Lucy fan.

I got to see a grown woman squeal when she opened that one which was nice. And very surprising.

The thing is that their collabs do not last long. Half the time they are sold out by the time I find out about it and go to the site to look. So I have started lurking. Or maybe stalking is a better term. I pop into the site routinely because they have great formulas and their collabs make such fabulous gifts. The makeup is long since used up but my aunt still uses the hand mirror I picked up with the collection. Which is something I love, they have items that outlast the makeup so it feels more gift like.

Anyway no new collabs but a I was there I saw the pressed powder compact. it is refillable and one of the refills was pink powder. So I scooped it up, along with a pot of their cream blush. It comes in a gorgeous metal container that is red and gold. Anyway the package arrived today. It arrived after I put on my makeup so i didn’t use it today. I thought about it, but decided adding it on top of what I was already wearing was not the greatest idea. If you have been following me for any length of time you might recall I have been searching for a pink powder to replace my no longer being products Becca Pink Haze setting powder. I have my fingers crossed that this is it. And even if it isn’t the compact is a slimline perfect for my purse and refillable. So it will be fabulous no matter what.

I will start playing with them tomorrow but I couldn’t help but gush as they came i before this post went up.

But on with today’s makeup, before I have to get back to work.

Today’s Look

Primer: Basic Beauty Smooth and Blur Primer

Foundation: Beauty Blender Bounce Liquid Whip Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzing Stick

Blush: Jane Iredale Blush Stick

Setting Powder: Anastasia Beverly Hills Translucent Setting powder

Eyeshadow: Too Faced Better than Chocolate Shadow Palette

Mascara: Pur Fully Charged Mascara

Brows Grande Brow-fill

Lips Seraphine Botanicals Long Lasting Vegan Lip in Cherimoya and Fig

Okay let’s jump in because today was interesting. This was the second use of the Basic beauty primer. I think if I had more texture to my skin then maybe I would like this. It does make my skin smooth and soft, but it doesn’t really do much of anything else. It isn’t gripping, It doesn’t really feel hydrating. It doesn’t color correct or really do much blurring. It is just smoothing. And as my skin is pretty good right now, that doesn’t really do much for me. I’ll use it tomorrow again which will empty out the small tube but I don’t think this will be a full sized purchase.

I did choose a foundation that works well on it’s own with this primer and the Beauty Blender foundation does work really well on it’s own. I can tell that I am not wearing a line filling primer underneath, but I think it still looks nice.

While I love my Milk Makeup bronzer, I think my sample is starting to dry out. I can actually feel it becoming more difficult to blend. It is nearing the end of the product so that does have something to do with it, but it does have me concerned about picking up the full size. I think this is a bronzer that you use when it is your only bronzer. While the sample is on the way out, I think I may have to use a few more products up before I am ready to purchase the full size. I think it is a product that just needs to be consistently used.

This was my first use of the Jane Iredale Blush stick. My thoughts are really positive about it. The blush blends well and is really creamy. I do have to blend one cheek at a time it feels like it wants to set if I apply it on both and then blend. But that isn’t unusual. It will be interesting to see how it wears. I only did a light application so I’ll have to play around and see how well it builds.

I like the ABH Setting powder, which is fortunate as I have an unopened backup in my drawer. I wish it had an inner lid to keep it from getting so messy, but otherwise it is fine. I think if i keep using this I might actually finish it by the end of the month. I like the powder but it is a big powder so it feels like an accomplishment. Plus it has been opened for a while now.

This was my first use of the Too faced Better Than Chocolate and I predictable went for the browns and bronze. They worked well. they applied smoothly and blended nicely with no real fall out to speak of. I think I may have to use a wet brush with the shimmers but thus far, I like the formula.

This Pur Mascara is done. This was the last of the product in the tube. It is a decent every day mascara. it isn’t spectacular but it is reliable in the lengthening department. I don’t think I am going to be purchasing the full size.

I am really loving the Grande Brow Fill as it covers in my patchy parts of my brows with no problem and holds everything in place all day.

And then we reach the lips. I like the color and I love the way this liquid lip applied. It is however the stickiest lip formula I have used in a while. Seriously the sticky doesn’t go away. Seraphine Botanicals is one of those brands that I really want to like. They always look good and I am always excited to try them but then some how there is always one element that makes me think no, this isn’t for me. This lippie has a great color and applies well and evenly. It smells good and has no taste to it. But that stickiness is hard to get over.

And that my darlings is me today. It was a bit hit or miss today, but in the end, it doesn’t look half bad. It was definitely a bit more up and down than my usual makeup,. But then i did try some new things. Which is kind of the fun of makeup. But now it is back to work for me. Have a great Wednesday.

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: Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

Good afternoon my darlings, the mail just arrived and I am so excited. Montrax just sent over their Heated Eye Mask for me to try out. It not only has a design that is supposed to provide total black out for sleep but it is heated and has a scent pod to go with it. Eye masks are one of the ways I fight my lifelong battle with insomnia, so I can’t wait to try this out and see how it performs. I will of course report back once I’ve tested out all of it’s functions, but i couldn’t help but show it to you now. Think of it as a spoiler alert for a future post.

Other than my excitement over the mail it has been a pretty quiet day. My babydoll is back to work, his sinus situation settled. This up and down weather has been hard on him. while I just get headaches and a stuffy nose from the change in weather, He is prone to full blown sinus attacks and while the spring and autumn are usually the difficult parts of the year for him, he is used to getting a break at other times of the year. this year it seems like there have been very few breaks. Only a few spots between one sinus issue and the next.

while they are bad, i think it is the antibiotics that really just throw him for a loop. They just do a number on his system. But he is recovering. Yesterday he was home and so today I am making up for the things i didn’t get done because he was home. As well as taking advantage of the sun and relatively warm temps today to air out the house. I have all of the windows open, the sheets in the washer and all of the blankets hanging out in the back yard. If nothing else, but the end of the day, the house will feel fresh. It took a little time out of my work schedule to do, but i think it will be worth it. I also might work a little later tonight to make up for it. But over all, I feel good about taking advantage of our rare day of sun. It has been a rainy winter.

But all this means that I went quick and easy on the makeup today. Hair in a ponytail and clothes that I don’t mind getting a bit dirty. Although I have to say, I am rather pleased with how the makeup came out.

Today’s look

Primer: Yensa Tone Up Essential Glow Primer

Foundation: KVD Vegan Beauty Good Apple Foundation Balm

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzing stick

Blush: NARS Orgasm blush

Setting Powder: Item Beauty Powder Hour (shade in the clear)

Eyeshadow: Revolution Beauty Mini Reloaded Palette in Velvet Rose

Mascara: Uoma Beauty Salute to the Sun Mascara

Lips: Ace Beaute Perfect Pout Liquid Lip

While I am still trying to decide how I feel about this good Apple foundation, I have found that it does really well with the Yensa primer. I love the primer so i don’t mind wearing it. I also thought there was more in the tube then there is. I will have to order more of the primer soon. Admittedly I am going to be spending most of March trying to use up and try out the collected sample size primers in my collection, so I may be able to postpone my shopping. I am a little mad at myself for not checking the primer earlier. I recently reordered the Yensa Foundation and if i had known the prime was so low i would have ordered it at the same time, but I did not check. Such is life.

I do love this Milk Makeup Bronzer and when this sample is finished it too will be ordered, in a full size this time, so that i can continue using it. I love the NARS blush formula and like millions have said before me, the shade Orgasm just works. It is a beautiful shade.

This mini Revolution palette is an amazingly quick everyday palette. I used the chocolate brown on the outer corners, the pink shimmer on the inner corners with a little bit of the matte pink on the very inner corners to make my eyes look a little wider and then i called it done. As well as being compact for travel, this is just a really good I have no time this morning eyeshadow palette. It is very low key but paired with a stunning mascara it pops.

And so I went for the UOMA. It is getting clumpier the longer it is open, but it is still usable. I think I have about a week or two left before I can no longer use it. So I am going to make the best of it and use it a lot until it is too clumpy to reach for.

And finally I rounded it out with the Ace Beaute liquid lip. It is a nice creamy formula and this is a good neutral shade for me. Plus it is so beautiful that the packaging makes me want to use it. I would like toi try the formula in a darker shade though because I wonder about the wand and how controlled I could be with a berry shade. It is a long wand and with this shade I am find but darker shades tend to show slight imperfections in application more, so i want to try it. I do like how this formula just glides over chapped lips and hides the bumps. Yet another reason to try out more shades.

But there is where I leave you my darlings. The wind is blowing through the house and freshening the air. The blankets are flapping in the wind and I need to transfer the sheets from the washer to the dryer before i get back to work. I hope the rest of your Tuesday is splendid.

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 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 14th, 2023

Happy Valentine’s Day my darlings. I hope you are having a fantastic one. I am afraid today is going to be a bit of a rushed post for me today. For Valentines day my babydoll booked a spa appointment for me. So I spent the morning adjusting my schedule so that I could take this afternoon off.

I love the fact that my babydoll thought of this as a gift and it is fantastic, but because it was a surprise I couldn’t plan any schedule shifts. To be honest I am not all that fond of surprises but he was so tickled that he thought of it, I just decided to enjoy it. Half of of gifting is accepting that giving you something brings other people joy when they see you are happy. And I do love the gift, that I am not complaining about at all.

I’m just not fond of surprises. I am pretty sure though his thought process was that all of the surprises last year were bad ones, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a good surprise. So I can’t fault him.

So compressed scheduling activated. The same applies to my makeup today. I went for products that I could use quickly and easily without having to think too much. Yup, it was five minute makeup time.

Today’s Look:

Primer: The Butter Primer from Beauty Balerie

Foundation: No. 7 Lift and Luminate Triple Action Serum Foundation

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

Blush: Axiology Color Cream in True

Setting Powder: Kim Chi Chic Beauty Puff Puff Pass Setting Powder

Eyeshadow: Charlotte Tilbury Diva Lights Quad eyeshadow palette

Mascara: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag Mascara

Lips: Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon in Live on the Edge (05)

I seriously chose things that just go on without any issues. This Butter primer is silky smooth and just requires a few swipes over the face and then a quick blending with the fingertips. You know I love my No. 7 Foundation. it looks so good without much effort or a lot of product. And really the key to getting this foundation to look fabulous is to apply lightly. It isn’t really a buildable formula, but it looks great with a light touch.

The Milk Makeup bronzer is one swipe across the cheeks and then a quick blend with the fingertips. The Axiology I used as blush and it took two dots per cheek and then it was blended with fingertips (I wiped my fingers off between bronzer and blush). With the Axiology though do one cheek fully before moving to the second cheek It doesn’t set up super fast, but it is easier to blend if you apply and then blend and then apply the other cheek and blend. Then go back and see if you need to build it up more.

This Quad from Charlotte Tilbury is well worth the money on days like this. There are four shadows and you just move around the quad clockwise to apply and you are done. i went light today so i only used three. If I add in the fourth it does take me a little longer to get it just right , because it is a darker shade that requires a little more work. The first three can be put on with very little effort.

The ABH Mascara is fantastic and makes it look like I actually put more of an effort in. Quick easy and fabulous. It always looks good. This is either my second or third tube and I will always replace it when it runs out.

Finally I went with the Maybelline Superstay. The point of the crayon makes a great lip liner and then I fill in with product so it looks as I intended. then I blot and it stays all day.

I know you might be wondering why i bothered with makeup today. It is because I had a short morning meeting where I needed to look presentable before I went on with my day. As far as looks go, I like this one. It also took me a total of seven minutes to apply. Which is not bad. However it is now back to work for me as I have a couple of things that really need to get done before I take off early for my surprise appointment. I have to admit while I was a bit more frantic this morning, now as I am wrapping up the last of my todo list, I am getting excited. It has been quite a while since I have had a spa visit. i am kind of looking forward to being pampered for a bit. Which is I know, part of the reason for the gift. I hope you have a fantastic Valentines Day my darlings, no matter what it is you plan to do or who you are doing it with.

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: February 8th, 2023

Welcome to Wednesday my darlings. Halfway through the work week already. That wasn’t so hard was it? Okay it felt a little difficult for me, I have to admit. Given that last weekend was less than relaxing I am very much looking forward to this upcoming one. None of the normal weekend chores were done and so I am not only feathering them in after work hours, but trying to get as many of the ones I would do this weekend knocked out early so that this weekend will be an oasis of rest and calm.

At least that is the plan.

I am also taking advantage of the slightly warmer temps to do some yard work. With the growing season not actually ending until October this past year, there were a few things that were missed. The one basil plant that got neglected in the final push to gather everything sent out seeds everywhere and I am betting this year if we have nothing else we will have basil galore. Which I will never complain about. I will happily eat it fresh and fill my freezer with frozen pesto. While I am okay with it taking over a larger space than planned, I am worried about the bulbs. They are already starting to come up and it is way too early for them. We normally get daffodils in late February, grape hyacinths in March and then my tulips are in their glory at Easter. with the recent warmth all of the bulbs have started to come up.

So much of the garden work is preparing to shield them from their early arrival since we now have temps dripping and snow as a possibility on Friday. that’s right, we are getting out the garden blankets and putting up the frames to keep the plants from being crushed and finding all the ties needed to keep the wind from stealing the blankets.

Somehow the ties have been the hard part. They seem to have disappeared and so my babydoll is picking up rope on his way home from work. If we get all of that set up by Friday then there will be no real chores for the weekend and we can recover.

Which is probably far more than you wanted to know, but it is February and my thoughts have turned towards the garden. which reminds me i still need to get my final seed order in so that I can start the seedlings. they need to be strong before they venture outside. but for now…

Today’s Look

Primer: Pink Lipps Soft Matte Primer

Foundation: No 7 Lift and Luminate Serum Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Bronzing stick (from the Use Up Box)

Blush: Axiology Multi Stick Color Cream in True

Eyeshadow: KVD Vegan Beauty single shadow (from the use up box) and Elf No Budge shadow stick in Rose Gold

Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Magnet Mascara

Lips: Axiology Multi stick Tinted Dew in Humble

From the use up box I chose the Milk Makeup Bronzer and the KVD Single Shadow. I love the milk Makeup bronzer and hope to use up this sample so i can purchase the full size. I have a personal rule about that actually. It is to keep me from wasting product. Because I know as soon as I get the full size I will stop using the sample. Plus if I can’t make it through an entire sample, chances are I won’t use up the full sized version and that would be a waste. So I am using up the Milk bronzer sample before I order a full size. I really like it actually. It is creamy and blends well without needing to be warmed up. The KVD is one of my single shadows. I tend to forget about my single shadows, most of which I have decluttered so someone else can use them. A few I have kept. I don’t expect i will use up this shadow this month, but I like having it in rotation.

I did pair the KVD shadow with the elf shadow stick. It is a shimmery rose gold and the combo just works for the coloration and it was a simple easy look that will stay all day. I really need to order more of these shadow sicks. The shimmers are fantastic and stay all day, but elf now has matte ones and if they work just as well that would be such a quick and easy go to for hurried mornings. For now, i love the shadow stick I have and I am glad using this single shadow means I reach for it more often.

To complete the eyes I did go for the Benefit mascara today. I love the formula and have purchased it a couple of times already. I will likely purchase it again. it is now a staple for me.

I know this was out of order but I did choose the No 7 foundation again partially because it was out and partially because I just love how it performs. It does work best with a primer under it. Today I went with the Pinklipps soft matte primer. It is soft, it is matte. It is also a little waxy and if you use too much it can get greasy. But if you lipit the use it is quite nice.

Today I went with Axiology for both cheeks and lips. The Color cream may be my go to cream blush. It blends beautifully for a soft flush and can be built up. I like a very light blush and this just works perfectly for me. i know it can be used as lipstick, whcih I did yesrday to great effect, but I really love it as blush.

The Tinted dew however is a fantastic barely there lip product. This shade is my lips but better. It feels like a lip balm but has a light tinted to it, hence tinted dew I suppose. For me it is a good low key lip look.

Personally i really like how things turned out today. Fairly low key, but it suits both me and the day so I am happy with it. And so back to work I go. Hve a great Wednesday my darlings and I will see you bright and early tomorrow.