Friday Finds & Check-ins, Volume #625
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!
- Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: LORAC holiday palettes (hoping to swatch ASAP!)
- Weekend plans: Very curious to see how Winston does with all the doorbell ringing for Halloween. I don’t even know if Halloween is going to be much of a thing this year? I don’t feel like we get that many trick-or-treaters in general, though. Winston is VERY alert whenever the doorbell goes off, though.
- What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather?: Latte or apple cider!
P.S. — Want to chat with readers on the regular? Check out Temptalia’s Discord where you can chat about beauty, makeup, and more! 🙂
P.P.S. — Check our hubby’s new site for video gaming guides — good if you (or someone you know or your kids!) is into games like Roblox and Minecraft!
This week's doggo photo/video...
Share your pet photos to the Temptalia Pets flickr group!
Recent Purchases: CP Orchid You Not and Gather Round Sisters palette; Sugar Drizzle Polish Dill Pickle palette; Some Kevin Murphy Shampoo and Conditioner; also started Christmas shopping.
Rediscoveries: I’ve gravitated toward the ND Triochrome palette a lot lately.
Weekend plans: More Halloween! Boo Bash in our city Saturday and Trick or Treating Sunday evening.
What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather? Always coffee, but also hot cider or hot chocolate. Warm mulled wine is also good as well.
Recent Purchases: Pat McGrath palette, Lorac Frosted Sequoia palette, Shiseido Code Red Lipstick, nyx in love lipstick, face cleanser and moisturizer.
Weekend Plans: Birthday Party makeup planning!!! I have decided on my outfit and jewelry already.
Favorite colder weather drink: Peppermint mochas.
Happy birthday!! I am also a peppermint mocha fanatic 😊
Happy birthday Sarah and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: No new makeup purchases, but I ordered the beautiful Wise Dog Tarot deck to add to my collection.
Weekend plans: Visiting family, get-together with a couple of friends, watching Halloween Kills and other scary movies, relaxing, and laundry and other boring chores.
What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather? I’m not a big fan of hot drinks, but suppose it would be decaf cappuccino or latte.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: None.
Weekend plans: I still haven’t decided if I want to explore some redwoods or wild beaches this weekend, but most certainly I want to take advantage of a non-rainy weekend. On Sunday I think I’ll finally visit the Van Gogh interactive exhibit everyone has been raving all year. And I’ll try to find an area without houses for my Sunday evening walk. Halloween was a little bit interesting in my first years in US, but since I don’t celebrate it’s just a noisy evening. 😅
What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather?: Nothing special… I don’t actually like cold drink, so my black hot dark coffee is my favorite drink year round. I might drink sometimes hot cacao, I love the cacao powder I purchase from a ‘hypster’ spice shop.
Isn’t it cute when our fuzzy babies nibble/lick our fingertips? Penelope, my once feral kitten, nibbles gently (usually!) on mine, and I’ve never had any other cat do that before!
Purchases/rediscoveries: Nothing purchased this week. When I went for my ultrasound and biopsy on Tuesday, I pulled out two old favorite eyeshadow palettes. CP’s Ur A QT and Huda’s Emerald Palette for a mostly mauve/burgundy/plum eye with a super glowy green inner corner. Used Sephora T-Rex on my lower lashline because I couldn’t find Fairytale.
Weekend plans: Cleaning up for yet another inspection, their regular annual one. But I’m getting weary of this. Zoom meeting tomorrow.
Favorite drink in cooler weather? White Chocolate Mocha Latte or Caramel Macchiato if I manage to get to a Starbucks at all. Far less SB’s over here nearby. I also LOVE Peppermint Hot Cocoa!
Hello Winston! Sending you a belly rub!
RECENT PURCHASES/REDISCOVERIES: This week I shopped a bit… Got the Tarte In Bloom palette (very pleased with it so far), an Hourglass mascara, a rose hip gel and an oil, a few assorted minis (the Weleda cream for sensitive skin looks very promising), MAC Well Dressed and Studio Fix in powder (I was curious w/ so many positive comments here). This week I rediscovered my aloe vera gel.
WEEKEND PLANS: I’m surprising my niece with a “spider” costume! Taking the dog to the vet -again- to have an ear infection checked out (it doesn’t seem to want to go away). Cleaning the house & complaining about the unprofessional cleaner who keeps getting distracted by the tv! Trying the Tarte Shape concealer again but with a corrector underneath. Testing the Studio Fix powder with a primer and a brush (can I make it work? that’s the 30 euros question!). Digging the Christmas Tree out… It’s been raining like crazy so I’ll mostly be keeping myself entertained at home… probably indulging in Scandi noir and trying Rae Morris’s technique with the straight line and the dots (wonder how that’ll go! haha).
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO HAVE IN COOLER WEATHER?: Everyday favourite: a nice cup of Earl Grey (from Twinings and made for the British market – because they’re not the same elsewhere!) with milk, no sugar and at the right temp. For special occasions: they sell homemade fruit liqueurs in Christmas Markets and they let you try all the flavours before you buy. Some are heavenly and it would be wonderful if those markets made a comeback!
Purchases: I decided that I wanted Let’s Play (love a sparkly red lip!), so I put together a CP order with that, Songbird, and the High Tide palette. I was prompted to select a free item at check-out so I’m also getting the Ballad palette. Also, I ordered some lotion and scents from Little & Grim last night.
Weekend plans: Pretty tired after having my brother here for 4 days, so I think we’ll keep it low-key this weekend. Probably get some takeout since it’s Seattle Restaurant Week. And Sunday night is the kick-off for NaNoWriMo, if I can stay awake til midnight.
My favorite cool-weather drink: I love hot drinks and I drink hot tea year ’round! My favorite hot adult beverage, however, is the hot cider cocktail Apples and Oranges:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/apples-and-oranges-spiked-cider
I use whatever Amaro I have at hand and it turns out great. I was also putting way too much lemon in because I misread the recipe, and it was still delicious. I’ve used both Grand Marnier and Cointreau depending on which I had. So I’m pretty sure you can’t screw up this drink.
No purchases. I guess you could say I rediscovered MAC Satin Taupe. I needed a one and done look this week.
Weekend plans….resting, regrouping, grieving. My mom passed away and was buried this week. She had advanced dementia and hasn’t known me for a few years now, but her passing was peaceful and I couldn’t ask for more. My belief is she is whole again and one day I’ll see her again. But I am devastated.
Cold weather drink….hot tea, usually herbal orange spice.
I’m very sorry to hear about your mother. I’ve helped take care of somebody with dementia and it’s absolutely devastating on loved ones. It’s physically demanding but mentally it’s like it crushes you a little every day. I too take comfort in knowing they’re in a better place. Take your time to heal, it’ll feek better soon.
Thank you Andrea.
Shari, I lost my mom to dementia too….and, like you, the reality was that I “lost” her several years before her body died and it was a heart-breaking and long process. Similar with my dear MIL, though her time of dementia was shorter (and exacerbated, I’m sure, by the Pandemic and not being able to see her family or anyone except the carers in her seniors’ residence). It is so confusing to lose someone so close to you and yet to be relieved that their struggle is over and still to be heart-broken and yet to be relieved…. Condolences to you. Be kind to yourself in these days and weeks.
I haven’t used Satin Taupe in ages but it’s such a beauty and I think there would be a revolution of sorts of MAC discontinued it or messed with it with a “reformulation”. Reading your post, I think it’s time for me to put it back into the “regular rotation”.
Thank you, Mariella.
I’m so sorry to hear about your mother!
Thank you, Helene.
Hi Shari,
So sorry to read about your mum and even though she no longer recognised you, it is still awful when your mum passes on. At least she is now in peace and comfortable in the next world. My condolences to you and your family.
Genevieve.
Thank you, Genevieve.
Recent purchases: yet another tube of Kiehl’s Hand Salve (or whatever it’s called) and some holiday gift sets of 3 of the salves in different scents to give as gifts (the large tube is for me – with all the hand washing and hand sanitizing, I’m going though a lot of hand cream); some body butter and body scrub from Soap & Glory as a birthday gift for my former trainer and finally – while the last thing I need is another blush, I bought a new blush – Huda Beauty GloWish in Charming Cherry.
Weekend plans: the kids and their partners are coming for DH’s birthday on Sunday (we’ve been away for a week); younger son and his girl are coming tomorrow so there’s bedding to wash so everything is fresh for them and dinner to make tomorrow night as well as brunch Sunday (and all the grocery shopping involved). It’s been pouring rain all afternoon and evening and I’m in the middle of unpacking and doing laundry right now and we’ve just discovered a leak in our roof right onto my daughter’s bed! The mattress is soaked, the down comforter, bedding, etc. are soaked and we may have to put in a claim to our insurance. What a lovely thing to come home to.
Favourite drink in cold weather: It’s still the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I try to limit myself to one or two per season (a few years back, a friend and I would have them at least once a week!); also mulled wine – I love home made mulled wine and to me, it’s the cold weather version of sangria!
Oh Mariella – family to stay and a leaking roof in your daughter’s bedroom! You just can’t take a break can you? (Quite literally – I recall your linen closet? leaking a year or two ago near to Christimas).
I’m glad you had a good time away, but I guess that’s almost forgotton now in the rush to prepare the rooms, the feast and the laundry. It’s just lovely that your children can be with their dad for his birthday (Happy birthday to him too!).
And of course it is raining now that you have all that washing to do – one would think that the heavens planned this!
Have a good weekend Mariella and I hope your dinner and brunch go well.
What’s ironic is that we stayed a few days at the cottage of friends (calling it a “cottage” is downplaying the gorgeousness and space of this lakeside home). This place looks amazing but as they’ve discovered since buying it last year, the “underpinnings” were badly done and while we were there, a window in their greatroom starting running with water from the rain that was falling. Hubs rigged up a temporary fix for them so their floors and window trim wouldn’t be ruined by the rain leaking in (from the eaves and soffits, apparently) and then we arrive home to much the same sort of problem. Still, First World problems and easily sorted (we hope…we’ve already got calls in to the roofer and to my brother in law, who is a building contractor and has “guys” who can do the work for us). Thanks for the good wishes, G!!!
Oh, a leaking roof isn’t fun at all. I hope it won’t bee to much work, fixing it. And as if you didn’t have enough laundry to do!
I hope you’ll have a fun birthday party!
We seem to be cursed with water woes (for some folks, it’s electrical problems, for others, furnace or a/c or fires – that has to be the worst – but for us, it’s WATER; I’m actually amazed that I agreed to go on a cruise as I think water has it in for me….)
Oh Winston, you really aren’t that keen on Mama’s video chats are you?
Recent Purchases: Every single time I look on the dupe list for a shade that I like, up comes something from Lorac’s Soleil palette, so I decided to order it, through Temptalia. So I am waiting for that to arrive.
Recent Discoveries: Maybelline’s Burgundy Bar palette has had a good run this week.
Weekend Plans: It’s been a tough week in our household, with Lachlan, at last being able to go back to kinder and then coming down with croup. Not like the bad old days when he would end up in hospital, but enough to keep him home. The medication he is on for it turns him a bit feral, so that was tough.
The baby got sick too and his poor parents spent a few sleepless nights up and down with him, but he is better now. No-one has covid – we’ve all been tested. Just that a few have now a sniffle.
The retail shops are now open and I am going to go and have a good browse on Saturday.
All are getting better now in readiness for a big Halloween day on Sunday. The kids have their costumes and they are going to their cousin’s place for the day.
Favourite drink for cooler weather: I absolutely adore my coffee in the morning, whilst reading this blog and always enjoy a cup of tea.
You can’t go wrong with a cuppa!
Another way we’re the same….morning coffee (afternoon coffee for me too….I only had one coffee yesterday as we were “on the road” and I ended up with a major headache – something I rarely get – from not enough caffeine).
Sorry to hear about all the illness in your family. My older son had croup as a baby – the traditional kind that was “fixed” by putting him in a cold room (we bundled him up and bundled ourselves and stayed with him on our porch for a night…very weird). I always thought it was a “minor” disease of infants and didn’t realize it could affect older children or that it could be treated with medication.
For the first time in decades, we’re not doing Halloween here at my house. The combination of Covid and having been away for a week (so no time to decorate since I’ve also got birthday celebrations for my husband) just makes it a sensible option.
Thank you Mariella, all are well now except for the baby who can’t blow his nose!
Coup can affect a small percentage of older children and Lachlan is one of them. The medication the doctors have prescribed for him is the same one they use for asthma, to open up the airways. It’s just that it turns him feral and usually he is a sweet, quiet little boy.
There are mixed reviews about treating croup, one the cold air as you used and another for using steam from the bathroom. Neither really worked on him.
I hope your husband’s birthday celebrations went well.
Croup can be really bad, but most grow out of it, don’t they? My son had it once, scared me so much.
And poor baby (and parents).
I hope you all get well soon.
When my son had it, we rushed him to the local children’s hospital emergency, only to have it disappear. It was winter, it was cold outside and by the time we got there, that horrible barking cough was gone. The ER doctor said that it was croup and that the cold air reduces the inflammation and makes it go away, hence our having to sleep with him on the porch. I never knew that before about croup…
Thank you Helene. Yes croup can be scary and Lachlan used to end up in hospital with with paediatric cardiac team and others treating him. Once he even had a police escort with the mica ambulance. The local ambulance station had his name and address up on a board for emergency response. But as he has grown older and used Nasonex to open up his nasal passages, plus pregnisolone (I KNOW I am spelling this wrongly), he is much better.
Yep, it is hard being a parent.
I am late to the blog today! Home from Seattle and had a wonderful time.
Haul: Sisley Paris Le’Orchidee Powder. I purchased for the shade which is a light highlighter for me. I also love the embossing. The orchid embossing is really gorgeous but it won’t stop me from using it, LOL! I picked up MAC Fling Brow Powder which is a repurchase. Finally, I chose the Dior Quint House of Dreams. I am thinking about picking up Atelier Dore also. I had a hard time deciding on the shade of lipstick I wanted. I finally decided to go with the shade Winter Poppy. I know it is a warm shade of red which isn’t my favorite but I just loved it so buckled. I will be going back to Seattle for Thanksgiving so likely will pick up a few others.
Weekend plans: I am continuing on my origami journey. I really have enjoyed relaxing in the evening by folding paper. I have discovered the world of origami tessellations and as many origami folders say, once you start tessellations you have forever fallen down the rabbit hole! It satisfies a couple of passions which is pretty paper and creating art.
Favorite winter drink: I drink coffee but if I feel the need for something special, I like a particular tea which is a combination of ginger, chocolate and bourbon. It is a warm, cocooning type of tea. Just love it.
I think the Dior House of Dreams is just perfect for you, with its cool toned rosy nudes and that beautiful pop of silver. I love the Atelier Dore one too. It’s a bit more warm toned, but still beautiful.
I am glad you had a good time fossicking around Seattle and visiting the makeup shops there. And I think that origami is such a soothing thing to do and combined with tessellations (which I LOVE), it would be particularly pleasing. I used to teach fractions in shapes using tessellations and shiny coloured paper, the kids loved it.
Have a lovely weekend playing with your new goodies Deborah.
Thank you so much, Genevieve. Hope all is well with you, down under. Hopefully this summer will be better for all in Australia. The fires last year were so terrible. I watched video after video of animals being rescued. Watching the cute Koalas led me to a bat rescue and I started watching bat videos. Never really thought too much about bats. We had quite a lot of them when I lived in Sacramento and we have a lot here in Montana. They are really cute and the two channels that I watch are so committed to the little fella’s. Have a wonderful day.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: A couple Face Glaze shadows!
Weekend plans: See my friend on Halloween but not much else! I was invited to a party but I don’t feel comfortable with parties right now.
What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather?: Hot chocolate
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I was able to wear a pink-and-black witch costume to work today, and I used the Melt x Beetlejuice Waiting Room palette to coordinate my makeup to my costume: Sawed Girl on lid and transition, Juno on browbone, Char Man as liner, Dante’s Inferno on undereye. (Note: Sawed Girl and Dante’s Inferno both use that red pigment that’s untested in the US and can give some people problems with irritation and/or staining.) I finished the look with Charlotte Tilbury Amazing Amal lipstick.
Weekend plans: Worked all day today, weekly grocery run tomorrow, will dress up again and see if we get any trick-or-treaters Sunday night.
What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather?: I don’t necessarily match either my makeup or my drink temperatures to the weather. That said, my favorite hot drinks are from Starbucks: caramel macchiatos, white chocolate mochas, and cinnamon dolce lattes-and I prefer them all with whole milk.
Haul: Oh, way too much to list and I can’t actually remember it all (I had a rather large splurge to celebrate some excellent news) but the bPerfect Vortex highlighters are AMAZING and I’ve tested out a couple of the Scorched blushers as well. A replacement AHC Youth Perfect eye cream, Heimish rose satin cream & XX Revolution Hydra Slick moisturizers, ABH Primrose palette, Pat McGrath highlighter trio (the old one), Colourpop Plush Like Me palette, Catwalk shimmer powder (which I am ridiculously in love with), a bunch of the glossy lip stains/fresh kiss lip colours, including the 2x Tinkerbell ones, 3 Lux Blur lippies, P&C Sphynx eyeliner pencil, the Spectrum Ariel brush set & roll (super adorable!), more Embryolisse Lait Creme, Gruum oljy dry oils x2, Glamlite Pie palette and a Garnier papaya hair mask, among other things.
Weekend plans: Very little, my city is still in lockdown though we are allowed limited outdoor gatherings so we are having a socially distanced patio Sunday brunch at our place with my BFF, I’ve not seen her for months and I’m probably going to break the law and hug her (we are both vaxxed)…
I made my husband a coffee banoffee birthday cake last week and now I’m having a rush on baking inspirations so I might spend the afternoon in the kitchen making savoury scones.
Fave drink: Still always black coffee or mint tea.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: PMG Celestial something mega palette arrived yesterday.
From Smashbox, Minimalist and Punked eyeshadow palettes and Always On Liquid Liner.
From MAC, Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NW 13
Weekend plans: My dog isn’t feeling so well today. His stomach is acting up, He woke me up and we rushed out to do number two, a lot and very loose, the then needed to go out again after 5 minutes, and then threw up three times. We are having a calm, stress free day, letting him decide what to do, or rather when to go out. I’ll try to get him to eat a little later in the day.
What’s your favorite drink to have in cooler weather?: Pumpkin spice latte! But also flavoured teas, mulled wine and my usual coffee.
Helene…we’d get along just great in “real life” as Pumpkin Spice Lattes (with the whipped cream, thank you) and mulled wine are my favourite cold weather “libations” too and the 2 Smashbox palettes you got – Minimalist and Punked – are 2 I also have and love. Minimalist was what I took with me for a week away (along with the NARS Old Church Street duo) and I hardly felt like it was a struggle to get by with just that palette for my eyes for 8 days.
I’m using Minimalist today and I really do like it. I think it can be a great base good by itself but also great to use with something colourful added.
I’m absolutely certain we’d get along, we both like MAC Craving! 🙂 Now I crave a pumpkin latte, and of course there must be whipped cream on top!
If MAC ever discontinues Craving (heaven forbid), you and I could stage a major protest, clutching our pumpkin spice lattes as we picket the MAC counter and, of course, wearing Craving! I always laugh when, at Starbucks, they ask if I want whipped cream on it….I always say “What sort of sick individual actually says NO to the whipped cream?” (and it’s meant in jest – no offence to those with milk or lactose issues or those with sufficient self-discipline to decline the whipped cream!)
They wouldn’t dare DC-ing Craven! It’s such a good versatile lipstick.
Recent Purchases: Charlotte Tilbury Rock Chick Quad, Natasha Denona Midi Retro, Sydney Grace singles in Greatest Gift, Red Chameleon, Winter Garden
Weekend Plans: Going to a Pumpkin Patch. Haven’t had a chance this season and want to go before they close for the season
Favorite Cold Weather Drink: Caramel Macchiato or and Caramel Apple Latte