Free for Haul Friday, Volume #436
Share your recent beauty purchases or rediscovered favorites in your stash (for those on low/no-buys!), chit chat about weekend plans, and learn a little more about each other!
Let's Chat!
Share your own answers in the comments!
- Haul: Pat McGrath Eyeshadow Palettes, Benefit Blush Bar
- Weekend plans: Definitely grocery shopping! I’d also like to tidy up my entry way (which gets taken over by beauty products).
- What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I’m not a fan of cooking, so something simple like fettuccine alfredo.
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Haul: the new Tarte lipsticks in Sea Goddess, Hibiscus, and Ocean Dive.
Weekend plans: having some people over Sunday evening, so need to do some cooking and straightening. Otherwise, not much planned. Hopefully hit the gym and/or my barre class.
Cooking: I love love love to cook, although between the kids and working I don’t have as much time as I;d like. My favorite thing is probably baking bread, kneading the dough by hand, because the whole process still seems magical to me.
Oh, and I got two lipsticks from the ColorPop release, Afterglow and Angel City. Not a good sign if I can’t remember everything I order in a week, oy.
I envy people who love to cook. I sometimes watch cooking shows and it seems like such a creative and relaxing thing to do, but for me it’s nothing but sheer torture. I love eating, though!!
ditto!
HAUL: Padma lipstick in Sunset Rose. It’s hard for me to find nude mauves because I’m so pale, everything looks “colorful” on me but I like this a lot. It’s pretty similar to NARS Dolce Vita sheer lipstick which I just bought, so I’m letting them duke it out. Or I may keep both and hopefully learn a lesson about buying too much lipstick at one time…. hopefully.
WEEKEND: shopping for work clothes and going out for st patty’s of course
COOKING: I like to cook but the easiest are one-pot meals where you just throw everything in and wait. Chili, black bean soup, etc. Usually involves less cleanup. This is of course different from my favorite meals to EAT, which are slightly more labor intensive like pot roast with potatoes or spaghetti and meatballs. I have to gear myself up for those.
Haul: My daughter liked my Smashbox Night Shoot trio so I got one for her. I think that (and maybe another bar of Avene cold cream soap, though that might have been a week earlier but I generally grab one when I see it) is my only beauty purchase this week.
Weekend plans: Gym tomorrow morning and beyond that, I’ve no idea.
Favourite meal to cook: either something involving flank steak, garlic and the bbq or else brunch – I love having family or friends come over for brunch and have a few recipes for “pleasing all the fussy eaters” breakfast casseroles.
I know what you mean Mariella re meals!
More like Cinnamon Bun Dog!
*Haul – MAC x Padma! My ’70s shadow palette is swatching better than Christine’s and other bloggers. The pigment is buildable -one swipe is good for soft look, 2 is enough, and 3 for more dramatic look. Very happy! The Melon Pink blush is swatching well, as are the lippies, Apricot Gold and Sunset Rose. All of the colors go really well together, and the packaging is simply stunning! Will be testing for wear. .
*Weekend – rest
*Spaghetti
Haul: Nothing, still on a no-buy.
Weekend plans: Just housework, I think. I want to do a lot of reading, too.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: Anything new! I enjoy cooking and nothing is more fun than trying out a new recipe.
Haul: Plane tickets to Miami! Really need to book those since I’m leaving in about 6 weeks lol
Weekend plans: going to brunch with my sisters
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I don’t really have a favorite. I usually just pick recipes based off over how they look and cravings.
Haul: Jeffree Star The Mini Velour Liquid Lipsticks Reds & Pinks and KvD’s Everlasting Glimmer Veil in Starflyer… she needs to make more shades like this. *_*
I’m not sure if I mentioned picking these up but the Annabelle Perfect Glow Highlighter in Topaz & Golden Topaz. Always on the hunt for good drugstore highlighters.
Weekend plans: Going fabric shopping on Saturday and Toronto Comic Con on Sunday as Merida again. lol
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: Pasta…. lol I just stir fry as well as it’s fast.
I love dogs. I love doughnuts. This photo of Mellan is perfectly delicious!
Haul: Wet ’n’ Wild Silent Treatment eyeshadow palette. The transition shade is a perfect crease color for days when I don’t want to waste expensive makeup, such as when I’m running a few errands on the weekend. It adds a little depth to my hooded eyes while keeping a natural look.
Weekend plans: Family, chores, relaxing
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: “Cook”? What does that word mean? Does reheating delicious restaurant leftovers in the microwave count? 😉 I seriously dislike cooking, so I don’t have a better answer!!!
Haul: NYX Biker Babe metallic suede lipstick. I’m also eyeing the UDxKL Daydream palette since it’s on sale and I don’t have any nice peach/coral shadows, and the Strobe creepy cute palette because those bright pastels are so nice! But how often would I wear them….
Weekend Plans: nothing really? We might go out with our neighbors for St. Patrick’s day tomorrow but I usually stay in to avoid drunk drivers so idk.
Favorite meal to cook: oh that’s a tough one because I cook from scratch (including making my own breads, pasta, and sauces) every day. Maybe butter chicken with garlic naan or pappardelle with tomato, eggplant, and bacon bolognese.
Homemade bread and pasta on the reg? Are you looking to adopt…
I don’t make my own bread as there is a beautiful artisan bakery near to us, but like you, I make all sauces, salads, soups and dishes from scratch. Butter chicken with garlic naan is a hot favourite with the chicken lovers in our place too.
Haul — not much, actually. Just waiting for my ABH quad eyeshadow order to arrive today.
Weekend — the usual pilates, errands. Am feeling a cold coming on so might end up mostly just curling up with ginger tea.
Cooking — I love to entertain, like game parties, holidays or really any excuse will do. Most of my cooking happens for such occasions, and what I cook depends on mood, event and season. When it’s just me in a work week, it’s hard to feel like cooking much by the time I get home so it will be mostly salads, veggie/hummus plates or veggie stir fry. I do want to learn how to cook Lebanese and Thai dishes.
What a little cutie pie! And can’t wait to see what you think of the Pat McGrath palettes!
Haul: nada
Weekend plans: I really need to finish the research project I’ve been putting off for weeks.
Favorite meal to cook: I prefer to bake, and my favorite things are gingerbread cake and cornbread. But I also really love to make/eat pasta!
Haul: Backtalk…don’t go there, folks. A host of gripes that I might air, when the review pops up. CT Sex on Fire blush…not sure what I was expecting. Neutral, brownish, darker than CP Aphrodisiac, but along that family tree on me. Frankly, don’t get the CT excitement, based on that one product. Nars Coucher HL palette: fun, good quality, easy app, one nicely varied color. The Nordie’s Nars set with fs Luster, fs Bettina, and mini Bound. Only have an e/s palette sized Luster; think it’s a good summer shimmer shade. Good value, if you need/want/like those colors. Fave was the Yes Style order, which was pretty prompt. Indulged in a five shade red l/s set and 2 red blushes. All on board, fan brushes! One was missing the inner tape seal, but only a ‘fallout’ amount of ‘damage.’ Pretty impressed. Always misremember the brand. Think it’s 3 color eyes. The storms and outages have wreaked havoc with orders and deliveries. W/e: grossly SSDW. Meal…simple: boil up a lobster. Drawn butter. Croissant. Bevies, if permitted. More Complex: the Indian Saag recipe that uses 17 different spices! Generally prefer to try Eastern Hemispere dishes, middle eastern and Asian. Big autumn fave: the eggplant dish with pomegranate, yoghurt, garlic. TDF. The Claudia Roden c.book Arabesque would inspire anyone.
KJH, you just reminded me of my all-time favorite dish I would make when I still had a household to cook for: from scratch shish kabobs using lamb instead of beef! OMG, that was out of this world! Miss cooking lobster, too. At least back there, I could buy it fresh as it gets ?.
I’m so sorry about all those stinking nor’easters you’ve been having back home. It’s been awful, I know.
Only lost power for 60 hours in 10 days….our ‘friends’ at the National Weather Service are predicting yet another one Mon-Tues. might miss two jobs then! Having a Lyft driver show up in the middle of a blizzard at the wrong house (easy here) was hysterical.
A 4th nor’easter blizzard?!?!? This has been one wild winter back there. No doubt, by now everyone must be snow weary because these are coming back to back. 60 hours is nuts! Hopefully, that didn’t affect your heat, KJH?
Haul: nothing again! Saving up for Ulta’s 21 days of beauty—specifically Persona Identity palette, Laura Gellar Pink Buttercream blush, Becca First Light primer.
Weekend plans: I work tomorrow afternoon. Other than that, hoping to have a nice quiet weekend with my husband. Hoping to grab an Instant Pot this weekend! Church picnic & family dinner on Sunday.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: Copycat of Carrabba’s Rigatoni Martino. Lots of ingredients and steps but super yum. I’m very extreme with cooking: I like to cook something either super involved or super simple. Anything in between seems annoying lol
Haul: ND Tropics, Jouer Citrine and 3 CT lipsticks…I think Very Victoria, Walk of Shame and The Queen.
Weekend plans: Some St Patricks Day fun and hopefully recovering from this darn cold already.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: Goodness, I don’t remember that last time I cooked a meal. My SO typically cooks, he is talented at it, so I let him have it. Sooo…ugh, I used to like making comfy cozy dishes…like roasted chicken and such.
Haul:
Alexandria Fragrances (30% off): Cacao Dreams
Andy Candy: Loose Pigment (Fizzle Pop Berry Twist, Popsicle, I’m Doing Grape, Andy)
Apocalyptic Beauty (15% off): Lip Gloss (Cover Ghoul, Candy Ghoul)
ColourPop: Super Shock Shadow (Ripple, Race You, Soul-cialize), Winging It Pressed Powder Face Duo
Darling Girl (10% off – with my Code BINXCAT4EVER8): Ethereal Filter Faker Perfecting Powder, The Perfect Foil Foiling Spray (backup – it’s fantastic!), Purr-ito Eye Candy Cream Pigment Pot
Darling Girl (Affiliate discount): Smudge Pots (Cauldron, Flourish, Icicle, Kiddie Pool, Notorious, Sanguine, Spicy), Wonder Wands (Bang Bang, Blissed, Lollipop, Kiddie Pool, Serpentine, Silver Surfer)
Devinah Cosmetics (15% off): Nirvana Iridescent Face and Body Highlighter (57mm), Compact Concierge Scrub Pad (Backup – OMG this thing is amazing!)
Devinah Cosmetics (35% off): Face and Body Highlighter 57 mm (Thetis, Wicked, Opal)
Kiss My Sass (15% off): March Sub Box – Crysta’s Adventure Lip Tint, Help It Grow Illuminator, Hexxus Eyeshadow, Magi Lune Eyeshadow, Rainforest Fairies Perfume Oil; Blush (Violetta), Cream Blush (Sweetness)
RealHer (10% off): Lip Gloss (I Am Awesome), Moisturizing Lipstick (Women Rule the World)
Sephora: NAILS INC. Nailpure Nail Polish (Regents Place)
Ulta ($5 off): The Body Shop – Mango and Coconut Body Yogurt (BOGO40), Too Cool for School Coconut Oil Serum Eye Patch
Ulta ($26.50 off): Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palette (Punked)
Weekend plans: Swatching, work on both blogs, nails. Go to Ulta and pick up my Diamond Welcome Kit.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I love cooking in general. Hard to pick one dish. It could be chili pot roast or it could be a salmon dish….so many!
Haul: Nothing in the past week, I’m trying to hold off until the Sephora VIB sale next month.
Weekend plans: Brunch with my in-laws – so excited to see my little niece!
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I love to eat but I hate to cook lol. I’d way rather order takeout, so it’s a good thing my boyfriend likes to cook! If I had to pick I’d say pizza because it’s relatively easy and one of my favourites!
Haul: UD Backtalk Palette, UD x Kristen Leanne Daydream Eyeshadow Palette ($3 after my $10 reward), LunaTick Cosmetics Labs Pro Contour Book Vol. II (30% off), Black Moon Cosmetics Black Metals liquid lipstick in Castle, Kylie Cosmetics The Purple Palette ($10 off), and Geek Fire Labs (etsy) Alice in Wonderland perfume oils set.
Weekend plans: Nothing special. Get my son’s cat her shots, do laundry, run errands. Tidy up my beauty room.
What’s your favorite meal to cook? I’m a good cook, but I don’t enjoy cooking. Something easy but tasty such as a roast or roasted whole chicken with veggies are delicious and take minimal effort.
I knew I was forgetting something! I also got the Strobe Cosmetics Creepy Cute Palette.
Roast anything is delicious – our family love roast beef, lamb, pork with lashings of roast potatoes and vegies. It really is easy. I bet your are a fabulous cook, but you do get worn down when providing the evening meal for everyone everyday, that’s for sure.
I’m fortunate in that my husband cooks a lot, too, and he’s really good. It’s the most fun when we can cook together, but that rarely happens. I love to bake, though. My back injury keeps me from doing it as often as I used to.
You are lucky that your husband can cook – my husband is HOPELESS at it. The only thing he can do is BBQ well…..
That is such a sweet doggy donut! ???
Haul: Pat McGrath MTHRSHP La Vie En Rose Palette, KVD Thunderstruck Metal Crush e/s, Sephora BD Glamglow duo. MAC x Padma Lakshmi Mittai Pink and Blue Blood lipsticks, plus, Nefertiti Lipglass. I love everything I bought! Only bizarre catch was when I swatched Blue Blood on the back of my hand, I was instantly reminded of MAC Damn Glamorous. So I swatched them side by side….same shade. Truly weird!
Weekend plans: Y’all know the drill; hair, nails, meeting. And probably a trip up to SFS just to get up and out of this apt. This past week has me shook, to borrow a dumb@$$ phrase, but it’s true. We had a shooting on the property in the wee hours of Saturday morning at a little before 3 a.m. No one killed, as far as any of us know, but we were *literally* scared ?less! Then, on Monday, a man crossing the street a block away was struck and killed by a motorist. This was all too close for comfort.
What do you enjoy cooking?: Anything that I used to make for my family! Homemade baked ziti or lasagna, whole roasted chicken with homemade gravy, oxtails with red beans and rice. Now it’s fettuccine Alfredo with spinach, roasted garlic and mushrooms, shrimp scampi, and gf brownies.
Oh, how scary!! So glad you’re ok. I live within 10 miles of Parkland, so I am very aware of that “too close for comfort” feeling.
OMG, Seraphine! That would have to have been absolutely horrible and scary for you, because in your instance, 17 innocent lives were lost. Here, we aren’t sure if anyone did, although there were police in the alley and parking lot all last weekend investigating. This is only an 8 unit apt. complex. We were all afraid that bullets would come through our windows facing the courtyard, because the shooter was right there outside. Everyone hit their respective floors, except *this* dodo bird who ran into her bathroom (yes, ran PAST her window) and forgot her phone! I was shaking so bad, but went back for my phone to call 911. I just wish all this gun nonsense would stop already!
Well, I’m very glad you’re ok. And very lucky it didn’t hit your window! I’ve never thought about this till now, but none of our bathrooms have outside walls, so that’s where I would hide.
On another note, how’s the Mittai Pink? I have my eye on it.
Seraphine, I’m still racking my brain as to what possessed me to get up and run instead of doing what the other tenants I spoke with did; dropping to the floor?!? You’re right, I’m very fortunate!
Wore Mittai Pink out yesterday to our major shopping hub here, I love it! It is my one and only true, clear, bright pink. It really lit up my face in a truly nice way. Plus, pretty comfy for a matte lipstick, too!
Oh my goodness, Seraphine, I cannot even imagine how you and your community are dealing with such an unspeakable tragedy. Or the individuals, families, and communities across the US similarly victimized by gun violence. Please take care of yourself.
Thanks. It’s horrifying.
Seraphine, that must have been awful for you and your community. Just shocking and it happens so quickly without any real warning too. Very scary for the kids, teachers and parents too.
There’s an incredible amount of love and support in our community in the wake of this horror. I visited the 17 memorials in the park a few days after it happened…utterly heart-wrenching.
I am sure there was lots of love and support in your community for all those involved. It’s a really terrible event to have happened and it must have been quite traumatic when you visited the memorials. Sending healing prayers your way Seraphine.
Nancy — what a frightening sequence of experiences! Take care of yourself this weekend — do things that give comfort, take it easy.
I’m definitely going to try to, AB. This was a VERY close call. Too close. My one neighbor has a severely disabled teenager who she had to lay on top of so that the girl wouldn’t get up and be visible in the window. The elderly lady next door couldn’t get back up until the response team arrived and helped her back up.
How very scary, Nancy. That is really too close to home. I can’t even imagine having to shelter in my home to avoid gun fire outside my door. Take care of yourself and do what you need to do to feel safe.
Tracey E., up until a week ago, neither could I, even though gunfire and gun violence are far more prevalent here than where I’m originally from. Sad to say, but this was far from the first time I’ve heard gunfire since moving to AZ. But it has never been THIS close before! I’m just so tired of all the violence going on everywhere. Kids aren’t safe in school, home or even on the street just walking and minding their own business. Going out to a concert or movie can even get one killed. This madness needs to end.
It really does, Nancy. It’s a shocking level of violence compounded by political paralysis (and cowardice) and absurd responses that perpetuate the dysfunction. Schools should be unhardened. Free-er. Gun-free zones should be the norm, not the exception. I hope we’re witnessing the beginning of a social movement that protects the welfare of citizens and has a different relationship to guns.
Terrifying. Also makes me think about those who live in an area where drive-bys are common, and kids get used to it. So horrifying that kids, who think what they experience is the norm, can become habituated to shootings in their neighborhoods. NOT acceptable.
Nope, there’s nothing normal or acceptable about all this gun violence, KJH. Saddest part? It’s what you brought out; that many children and even many younger adults, millennials, have become used to this. That is terrifying and very tragic. My son is 31. Nothing really shocks him anymore. My daughter is 29, and at 13 she lost a friend to a drive-by. My heart hurts inside for all of our young people!
Yikes! I didn’t know about the shooting. Super-scary. I’m glad no one got killed. It just takes one stray bullet. 🙁
Glad to hear that you are OK Nancy and that is what panic and fright can do to you – not make you think straight. And at 3 am too.
We have, in Melbourne, a lot of home invasions in the North/NorthWestern suburbs and it is truly frightening, as some of the gangs are armed with bats and weapons. But having gun shots brings it to a whole different level.
Hope your neighbours are OK too.
Haul: Pat McGrath small eyeshadow palette in Subliminal, 2 custom lipsticks made at the Bite Lip Lab (sooo worth it, highly recommend!), and Byredo Mojave Ghost. I’m in love with this scent.
Weekend plans: cleaning, making corned beef & cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day
Cooking: Breakfast is my favorite meal to cook, I’d make it for every meal if I could!
OMG, breakfast for dinner (or lunch) is the VERY BEST EVER.
When I am queen of the universe, everyone will eat breakfast 3 times a day 😉
Haul:
Lancome: Definicils, Grandiose, Color Design lipstick in Racy, and the matte version of Rose Lancome.
Clinique: Two Dramatically Different moisturizers (one for daughter, one for daughter in law), and decided to pick up Lash Power Mascara as I’ve heard it washes off with warm water and I thought it might help me lose fewer lashes. At age 52, those lashes aren’t growing back as vigorously as they once did. I have used it twice and it really does wash off with warm water. I wore it during a very sweaty workout and it didn’t get all over my face either.
Natasha Denona’s Aeris Palette: So glad I got this! I have debated ever since last December, lol. It was stunning and effortless, and I love the colors.
Pat McGrath Decadence: Warning, Just swatching these colors will make you want to throw away all your other make up and buy all the Mothership palettes. The only downside with this palette is that it has no mattes; however, I have plenty of those so it’s all good ?
Weekend plans: Dual birthday parties for my one year old grandson and my 34 year old son.
I am an avid cook and I’m constantly trying new recipes. I probably love thanksgiving dinner the most, as my children are home and in the kitchen cooking with me?
Thanks for sharing re Clinique Lash Power mascara — I’ve been on the hunt for a really good mascara and will give this a try.
OMG – don’t tell me that little Fox is one year old! I bet he is a darling little angel.
Happy birthday to both your son and grandson. I wonder who is going to get the most presents – hmmm.
Haul: received a bunch of orders: the Urban Decay Optical Illusion primer, Pat McGrath new small Subliminal palette, I got the Urban Decay Perversion mascara kit for 500 pts at Sephora (full-size mascara plus deluxe liner and eyeshadow primer), and Guerlain’s new Terracotta bronzer should be arriving today!
Weekend plans: a 5K St Patrick’s Day themed run!
Favorite meal to cook: we cook a lot from scratch at home but I like to vary and use seasonal produce so it’s hard to pick one. In the winter I really like to make soups and hearty stews. In the summer I’m all for salads and ratatouille.
Haul: Utterly nothing this week. I am expecting my very first Beautylish order to arrive on Monday though, so I’m excited about that!
Weekend plans: Inviting my sister-in-law and her new boyfriend over for dinner on Sunday – it’s his first time in New Zealand (he’s from Chile, they met in the USA) and he’s lovely, so hopefully we can get to know him a bit better before they go back overseas for work.
Fave meal to cook: Homemade pizza or my 10 layer lasagna… Basically anything with melted cheese!
Haul: Mostly house stuff like a security system, TV/sound system (I’ve never owned a tv), and a new Kitchenaid black stainless five french door refrigerator (half price due to a tiny ding that you can’t even see with the handles on). Needless to say my wallet has had a workout. I also did two things I never thought I’d do. I bought a bikini and a romper.
Weekend: Since I’ve moved and this is my first weekend here, I’m going to the Farmer’s market. I’m not sure what else besides unpacking.
Cooking: I love to cook, my favorite dishes to make are usually Italian or French. I’m not sure how Fettuccine Alfredo is easy, it takes flippin’ hours to make from scratch!
Wow – Erin, you have made it all the way down to Tuscon. Unpacking is so not fun… good deals on those household products – especially the fridge.
I hope you enjoy the Farmer’s Market.
Having a little snooze! Good on you Mellon!
Haul: Some EA lipsticks arrived this week – Goldmine, a soft berry shade, Honeysuckle (a pink shade for my daughter in law and Georgia Peach – a peachy shade. Very nice.
Weekend Plans – Friday – some clothes shopping and my grandchildren are coming over this afternoon for a little play whilst mum does the grocery shopping.
Saturday – my husband is camping with his mates this weekend (I waved a fond farewell to him on Thursday) and my eldest son David, my twin sister Allison and I are going up to Ballarat, a gorgeous country town and having lunch at a great hotel restaurant up there. Afterwards we are going to see my sister’s niece by marriage and her two children.
Sunday – just shopping.
Favourite meal to cook: I do huge amounts of cooking in our family (same as Mariella). My current favourites, voted by my family, is Roast lamb, BBQ meats and several salads. In winter I make up lots of different soups or prepare meals with a theme – eg Italian night, French night, Asian etc. I also have a lot of fussy eaters in the family so I offer lots of variety too.
I’m not sure I’ve ever done this, but I’m so excited about my haul, hehe
Haul: Pat McGrath MTHRSHP Eyeshadow Palette in La Vie en Rose (swoon!! I love it so much!)
Weekend plans: I have been on an intense work-grind for months – my hours definitely more legit litigator of late, but I hope to sneak out briefly to play soccer tomorrow, and have Sunday brunch with a friend’s mom.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: 4-5 dish elaborate Japanese homestyle meal to flex my chefin’ skills 🙂
Haul:
Ebay: MAC Silver Sun EDES, Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation in 6.5 (2)
Nordstrom: MAC Padma 70s quad, Apricot Gold and Sunset Rose lipsticks, Midnight Shine and Shine De-light Dazzleshadows
Weekend plans: The usual cooking, cleaning, laundry. Getting a facial on Saturday and doing my nails on Sunday. I might squeeze in a brunch after church on Sunday.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I am a darn fine cook, if I do say so myself. I’d say soups are probably my favorite to make (not necessarily to eat, though). I like how you start off with all of these separate piles of your ingredients and you can chop and drop or you can prep before hand, but you systematically add everything in (and clean up as you go) so when you walk away to let it finish doing it’s thing, you’ve got a clean kitchen and a nice pot of deliciousness burbling away on the stove or in the oven. It makes the house smell good, too. There’s something very cozy and comforting about walking by the kitchen and there’s a big pot of soup waiting for you.
Haul: I totally lucked out at the CCO at my closest outlets and got a ton of stuff for just over $50 (they had a buy $100 worth of product, knock $50 off which is insane on top of the 30-40% off they already had) so I picked up like 6 things. I got the Origins Warm Down Warming Lava Scrub to Detox and Smooth, Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, MAC Rubenesque (I got the last one they had and I’m SO BUMMED they’ve discontinued it!), BECCA Luminous Blush in Snapdragon and Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Pearl, and Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Stonestreet. I would have picked up MAC cream color base in Hush and the Bobbi Brown powder in Elvis Duran as well but I’d done enough damage already so I paused on those. Super lucky though!
Weekend plans: Not much.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I haven’t been about to physically cook in a while but I prefer baking over cooking. It’s been long enough I forget what my favorite meal was to cook though.
Haul: the Barney’s bag for sure, yay! Also arrived the same day as the new LookFantastic box. Pretty little things.
Weekend plans: Our house sold so we are moving: today packed up junk and items to donate. Barely made a dent in one room.
What’s your favorite meal to cook? I really enjoy soups and salads. Easy to make and no critical timing issues. Chicken tortilla soup is so simple and great year round. With salads I make lots of containers of the ingredients and then toss them as I feel like, sometimes going with Asian, Mexican, or chicken salad. Lots of nuts and beans and cheeses. Can’t miss.
I am a little late to the haul party tonight but I am in Spokane, Washington and spent a few hours at Sephora and a couple more at Nordstrom. On the way to my motel I stopped into Ulta so did a little damage although not as much as I anticipated doing since I hadn’t been to Spokane since before Christmas. Also got great news, they are putting a Sephora inside the J.C. Penny’s in Missoula so while I am sure they won’t have all the product it is exciting that I will have closer access and at a location I visit much more that Spokane, even though they are about the same distance from my home.
Haul:
Sephora- Drunk Elephant Sakura Baby Facial, C-Firma and a tester size of the
Sunday Riley CEO to compare to the Drunk Elephant. Laneige Sleeping Lip Mask (I really love my Nuxe Reve de Miel but everyone raves about the Laneige so decided to see what it was like), 2 packages of Take Me Away Travel Sets, Glamglow BubbleSheet Mask, Fenty Lip in Uncensored x 2 (one for my daughter and one for myself), UD Balktalk Palette for my daughter, Nars Lip Pencil in Never Say Never, Too Faced Lippies in Drunk Dial and Love Is A Battlefield. I repurchased Dr. Dennis Gross Retinol and Ferulic Eye Gel, Tatcha Rice Enzyme Powder and also picked up Pharmacia Melt Makeup and Honey Mask. I love my Tatcha Camelia First Step Cleansing Oil and have repurchased many times but the sales assistant told me that the Pharmacia one is just as good and a lot cheaper so I am giving it a try. I also picked up samples for my daughter of the Peach Foundation from Too Faced, Fenty Beauty and the Laura Mercier.
Nordstrom- MAC Dazzle Liner in Silver, MAC Fix Plus original scent. Not surprisingly, while I love the scent of coconut when I tested the MAC Fix Plus Coconut version, I didn’t love it but I love the original scent so had to pick another bottle. I try to keep at least 2 backups ahead!
Ulta: A lot of face masks and as I am typing this I have a Miss Spa Hot Chocolate Self Heating Clay Mask on. It has the consistency of brownie batter, smells like chocolate and gets a little bit warm. I would have liked a little more heat but otherwise feels good. I picked up the Black Sugar and Honey mask from Skinfood. I got the La Roche Posay Acne Treatment set for my daughter to try. I wanted to get the Stila Shimmer and Glow Eye in Into The Blue but they were out so going to have to order on line.
Weekend plans: More of today!
Favorite Meal to cook: Breakfast. It was always a special treat to have breakfast for dinner when I was little and it I still something that I and my daughter enjoy so when she is home I usually fix breakfast in the evening at least once for her.
Update Hanacure Mask: I tried to get pictures of before and after but cell phone camera is really terrible and getting a decent camera has been on my to do list for awhile. Anyway, I couldn’t get clear enough pictures to show the before and after so I will just give you all my thoughts. I purchased the four treatment set for two reasons and the first was that the single treatment was sold out but also I had heard that there is a cumulative effect so decided to be fair I would use it four time. They indicate that you can use it once or twice a week but not more than that. I figured I would see how the first treatment went and then determine whether I would do twice per week or once. I think I am going to go with once per week. The instructions say to cleanse your skin before applying so I used my usual cleansing routine. The product comes with a tub of something, a vial of lifting serum and a brush. You add the lifting serum to the tub, hold close and shake for at least 30 seconds and the two chemicals make a gel which you then apply over your face (avoid eyes and mouth), neck and backs of both hands. There was plenty of product to cover all of those areas and I could have saved enough for another treatment but instructions caution you against that. They tell you to leave it on for 30 minutes, to expect tingling, warming, and a strong drawing sensation. Videos that I had watched made the tightening and drawing seem way dramatic. Users were indicating that they could not talk because the gel had tightened so much. I did experience tightening but I certainly could move my mouth and other parts of my face. I did notice that the outer corners of my eyes were drawn down a little. They tell you not to move much as the drawing, tightening is what you want. I found that I mostly had an itching sensation that was pretty intense and caused me to almost remove the mask as I wasn’t sure if that intense of itching meant I was having an allergic reaction. I persevered and it decreased after the mask was completely dry. I fanned my face to speed the drying process but kept the mask on for the full 30 minutes. I removed with warm water. It came off easily. I knew that some people had seriously red skin after removal and that that is suppose to be normal. I did experience this and my redness lasted a few hours. Results: My skin definitely felt firmer and appeared firmer. My hyperpigmentation appeared slightly lighter. It has been three days since I used the first mask and I don’t see any lasting effects from it and feel like I have seen the same results for the same length of time from other cheaper masks. I will use the remainder over the next 3 weeks and see if I notice any long term changes. Right now I don’t feel like $29.99 per treatment is great value but then I haven’t had salon facials and many reviewers mentioned that they felt they got just as good results from this at-home mask as they got from very expensive salon facial treatments. I can’t speak to that. For anyone that is interested I will post a short blurb after I finish all four treatments.
Haul: The same one I had sitting in my Sephora online basket last week: Nars Highlighting Blush-Satellite of Love (I’m still totally geeking out about the shade name being borrowed from Mystery Science Theater 3000-OMG, does that shade name mean Francois Nars is a nerd, too?!), Louboutin mascara-Rouge Louboutin (the same red shade that’s on the bottom of the shoes-I’m once again indulging my weakness for colored mascaras), purchased after I had my accountant’s appointment to get my taxes done. I had enough willpower to stick to that promise-yay me!
Weekend plans: This afternoon I had that brunch burger at Applebee’s, the one with the hash browns and fried egg on it. They also sear bacon and onions into the patty, although I got mine without the onions. It was delicious and so filling I wasn’t hungry for 6 hours after! I have work all day tomorrow and no real Sunday plans.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: I don’t have the patience to cook. The closest I get to cooking is making chip dip with the recipe of the Lipton onion soup mix box-scoop a pound of sour cream (my preferred brand is Daisy) into a medium bowl, stir a packet of soup mix in (although I strain the soup mix so only the flavored powder goes in-I don’t like the crunchy onion pieces), refrigerate for about an hour, and creamy deliciousness is mine. I used to bake with my grandma when I was a kid, though.
Recipe OFF the Lipton soup mix box, not of-I tend to type fast and thought I’d hit the F key twice when I’d only hit it once.
Haul:
Boston Store (20% off): Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation in Warm Ivory, Naked Finish Illuminating Powder in Bare, Art Stick in Cassis; Chanel Road Movie Eyeshadow Quad and Rouge Allure Lipstick in Etonnante.
Sephora: Too Face Glitter Glue
I learned today that my Bobbi Brown counter in the Boston Store is converting to a “base only” counter, meaning no limited edition items will be sold there. I can’t help but think this has to do with the financial problems facing Bon Ton. Has anyone else heard of a similar change at their Bobbi Brown counter? The Chanel counter remains open but largely unstaffed, selling what remains of the inventory.
Weekend Plans: Finishing taxes and decluttering the livingroom and diningroom areas.
Favourite Meal to Cook: Anything from America’s Test Kitchen recipe book. Generally, pork tenderloin, root vegetable potatoes, rice pilaf, stew, salmon tortillas with mango salsa, and sesame noodles with shredded chicken. While my spouse is a natural cook, I prefer meal planning and ingredient sourcing.
Haul: Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream, Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Bath & Shower Gel, and also the lotion. Sample size of Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in Legendary (medium rant attached to this: I got an email saying Sephora was doing a deal where you could get up to 5 lipstick deluxe samples depending on how much you spent. I had a short list of “want” items that put me over the “get 5” amount, so I pulled the trigger **on the same day I got the email**. They were already out of one sample entirely, so I was forced to pick the “get 3” deal, then after my purchase I got an email saying that two of the others were unavailable and would be dropped from my order. The **1** remaining deluxe sample was the one I was least interested in. Sephora is getting on my last nerve.)
Weekend plans: Get better — caught a nasty cold on Wednesday and am still trying to clear my lungs.
What’s your favorite meal to cook?: Roast chicken with some simple veg. And mashed taters if I’m feeling over-the-top.
Alecto, Sephora’s samples and perks unavailability is maddening! They go too fast, or, as I’ve *heard*, get pilfered….hmmm. When I received my order from them this week, all my samples that I checked off were nowhere to be found in the box!
Amazing. Yet one more reason to add to the long list that inspires me to shop at Ulta every chance I get (or from indies, or directly from the cosmetic and skincare company websites).
A little late but my weekend was nuts.
Haul: Fenty Beauty foundation in my winter shade of 350N. I know winter is practically over but this is how long it took me to get my hands on the shade, lol. Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer, First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Blemish Patrol Pads, and Kat Von D’s white concealer which I needed to recreate a look from the Black Panther movie for my competition makeup.
Weekend Plans: this weekend was the Aerialympics, which is a lyra, silks, hammock, & pole dance competition. I competed for the very first time and placed 2nd in my division, which was amazing. I still can’t really believe it.
Favorite meal to cook: I really like making shrimp scampi b/c it’s pretty simple and quick.