Friday Finds & Check-ins, Volume #632
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: Still waiting to receive some orders!
- Weekend plans: Preparing for Christmas gatherings since both of our families live nearby now, so we’ll get to see them. We’re still debating on whether we’ll split Eve/Day or do something altogether.
- Do you have any new year’s resolutions?: I do not! I find I just set goals throughout the year, so I’m always more goal-oriented and don’t have anything I specifically do for the start of the year.
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/Rediscoveries: Tarte Iconic Palette Library (giving away 2 as gifts), Buxom Jennifer (giving away as gift) & Kanani glosses. I’m a sucker for any product with strawberry in the description lol
Weekend plans: My husband is finally coming home tonight!! He’s been away for 2 months and I am so ready to have help with the kids lol and prolly baking lots of cookies 🙂 water y’all’s favorite holiday cookies?
Do you have any new year’s resolutions?: No, not this year. I’m trying to go into 2022 with little expectations. Let’s be gentle with ourselves ❤️
Favourite cookie???? You’re talking my language, Joyce! One of my favourites isn’t the prettiest cooking but it’s so good – it’s Skor Shortbread from an Chatelaine magazine (I’ve checked and it is available online here: https://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/world-cuisine-2/skor-shortbread/ ). I double the recipe and baking in 2 8 by 8 inch pans or one larger jelly roll type pan. Like I say, they don’t look gorgeous but they are so toothsome and wonderful. I also like Laura Bush’s recipe for Cowboy Cookies but I make them smaller (her recipe calls for 1/4 cup scoops and they come out as big as my FACE; I figure no one really needs a cookie as big as her face, plus they are too hard to fit into cello cookie bags!)
I like your cookies Mariella. I had a look this afternoon and thought that they sounded yummy, although we don’t get skor’s chocolate bars here.
Do you get Heath Bars in Aus, Genevieve. Until I’d read Nancy’s post, I forgot that they’re basically the same thing. It’s just a toffee bar (hard, crackly toffee) coated in chocolate. I buy them in a bulk food place (“rejects” because they’re broken or otherwise not “pristine”) as they cost a fraction of the wrapped, regular ones sold in stores but if I had to pay full price for perfect ones, I’d still make these cookies because, while they wouldn’t win any beauty contests for looks, they are so delicious!
nice recipe!!
My Mom’s special cookies that she always made this time of year, plus whenever we’d come visit her before we moved here ourselves: oatmeal with dried cherries, Heath Bars smashed up, semisweet chocolate chips and walnuts or pecans. BEST cookies evah!
Hi Joyce. I love my moms iced sugar cookies the best.
Thank goodness your husband is finally coming home Joyce – with three little ones, you really do need the help and how you’ve managed on your own, I don’t know. You deserve a medal!
Ohh, favorite cookie for me – my grandmas recipe, Magic Cookie Bars: layer of Graham cracker crust, walnuts, flakes coconut, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. They’re amazing!
Oh gosh – Magic Cookie Bars (I think they’re the same as or very similar to Hello Dollies) – they are so delicious and rich.
Definitely feel this, let’s be gentle with ourselves.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Nothing. Staying strong!
Weekend plans: I am hoping to get together with friends now their their Covid tests were negative. Last week-end’s plans had to be postponed.
Do you have any new year’s resolutions?: No. I have given up on any organized self-improvement projects.
Thank goodness your friend’s tests were negative – what a relief for them and for you too. so close to Christmas. I hope you got to catch up with them and had a lovely time.
I love the idea of a “Ty” tag as an easy pet costume!
Purchases/rediscoveries: Nothing this week.
Weekend plans: Sticking close to home. Probably go downtown in our little town, there’s a “Festive Drink Bingo” event, so we’ll get a hot beverage, go to the bookstore, and then probably grab takeout to bring home, or maybe have dinner at a “streatery” if there’s one that looks cozy enough, given it’s supposed to be rainy and in the 40s. Neither our county nor our town require proof of vaccination for indoor dining and so far I’ve only found ONE downtown restaurant that opted to require it anyway (and we are there last weekend).
Do I make New Year’s Resolutions? NOPE! I did set goals for a few years, less about things I wanted to change and more about what I wanted to accomplish, but 2020 threw a wrench in that. I still set some small personal goals, like for 2021 I decided I want to read 100 books (I’m at 137, thanks insomnia!). Not sure what sort of goals I’ll set for 2022, but it’ll be the sort of stuff I can do even if I’m stuck at home due to new variants.
That all sounds like a good weekend plan to me – a few drinks, an eatery to go too and a bookstore to browse in.
*Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I said I wouldn’t do it again, but I did. I pre-ordered me some Terra Moons. Also Temptalia readers largely recommended Gucci bronzing powder. I bought two shades (#2 and #4) and I am ultra impressed by the pigmented, but lightweight formula. TY readers.
*Weekend plans: A month ago, prior to omicron, I purchased tickets for local ‘concert’.. I’m going dammit.
*Do you have any new year’s resolutions?: I do not. Goals are a fluid thing for me, not a once a year review. It’s an ongoing process.
What Terra Moons shades did you order? I think it would be hard to choose, they are so nice.
It’s fabulous when a recommendation works out and you are enjoying the Gucci bronzing powders. Their makeup is always really lovely.
I tend not to go for jewel tones, so I picked what I felt were the more unique shades which I tend to use as toppers:
Hyperion
Inertia
Mercury
Mirage
Phoenix (my fav of the swatches)
Sundazed
I hope you love Phoenix!! There’s a reason it’s on so many favorite lists!!
Makeup haul_ I placed a very small ColourPop order. I had intended to purchase some Jelly Much shadows quite a long time ago and just never did so I have never tried the formula. On their IG page a saw a couple in use and really liked the look so I ordered Ice Dream, Keep It Crisp and Give The Brut. I also purchased pencil eye shadow sticks in Pressed and Dancing Lady. I purchased two of every product so that I could share with my daughter. It hasn’t shipped and so I won’t receive it until after the holiday.
Weekend plans: Still getting things ready for Christmas. In a perfect world my plans would come to fruition just as I want but I am sure that the weather is going to play havoc with those plans, I plan to leave on Monday morning, headed to Seattle. I will arrive and spend two nights with my daughter and her roommate, On Thursday, immediately following my daughters shift at work, I will pick her up and with my grandbaby, Sophie the cat, we will head back to Montana. We will arrive in the wee hours of the morning and spend Friday and Saturday with our family. Then on Sunday I will drive her back to Seattle for her work. Our back up plan is that I stay in Seattle until the next weekend, which is New Years weekend and we will try the same plan. She has one extra day off over New Years so it seems like it would be better to just celebrate Christmas that weekend but we will see what Mother Nature has planned.
New Years Resolutions: Nope, never have. I know myself pretty well and why set myself up for failure. I would undoubtedly fail in the first week and then have 364 days to feel bad about it!
Sounds like fun, Deborah! Except for the fact that you guys are getting a mega ton of snow up there. And, I hear there’ll be even more. I know that you are very careful, but I’ll still be praying for you to have safe travels.
Thank you, Nancy. I swear the weather forecast has changed every hour for the coming week. I will feel badly if she has to spend Christmas alone but it will happen eventually so not worth putting my life or hers in danger. I definitely could use all the prayers not only for travel but that i make the right decision. It is a long drive to have to make it in snow all the way and I just won’t do that. I feel bad hoping it doesn’t snow since we could really use the precipitation. I hope you have a wonderful holiday, Nancy.
I am quite sure Deborah that the weather forecast for the pass and the roads would change hourly and it is such a long, long way to drive across the state and the mountains in between. I hope all works out for you and I echo Nancy’s thoughts and your reply to her.
Take care.
PS I do love the choices you’ve made on your CP order. Very, very nice.
Thank you, Genevieve. I have already changed plans as they are suppose to get a foot of snow on Monday so I am now aiming for Thursday and just staying in Seattle with her for Christmas. All prayers are welcome! Happy Holidays to you and your family, Genevieve.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Nothing new cosmetic wise.
Weekend plans: Trying to keep my mind busy I guess… I received a couple of bad news during the week, and the feeling of there’s nothing I can do is awful.
I was planning to visit the historic district of a town nearby, for some vintage Christmas vibes, I’ll see what will come of that. Although I don’t celebrate Christmas myself, I like to immerse myself in the Holiday mood for a little.
Do you have any new year’s resolutions?: I’m usually a person that starts things immediately, more like on a Friday afternoon that on Monday or January first.
My resolutions for 2022 are just the things I continuously want to improve on: focus more on rest / sleep (I put so much focus on activity and nutrition, but I always skip on sleep), getting back to travel (at least visit my family back in Europe), be more productive at work (I hope we’ll be more often working from the office than from home) and grow the expertise in my domain.
Ana Maria, sorry for your bad news. I pray all will turn out fine.
I’m sorry to read (at this late stage of the weekend) of your bad news Ana Maria. I hope it doesn’t involve your family and that they are all well.
Winnie’s quizzical facial expressions melt my heart! What a cutie! 💟
Purchases/rediscoveries: Nothing purchased, but I was very lovingly and generously gifted Menagerie Flight Club and PML Galactic Sun Cheek trio by a very close friend! And both are amazing! Galactic Sun does work on my NW30 Fenty 260 winter coloring, and I do believe that it will still work during summer, too. And Flight Club looks even more dazzling and deliciously rich in person! I am so grateful for both. 🤗💜🦇✨
Been using my new ND Retro palette a ton this week, and getting lots of compliments on the way it brightens up my eyes and that they look very green with it. If you have greenish-blue or bluish-green eyes, then you NEED this one!
Weekend plans: Tomorrow morning, my Zoom meeting. Laundry later today. Particularly my winter clothing, as it’s been pretty chilly out and I don’t drive, so I need to get ahead of it as we’re supposed to get another dip and more rain this week. Which I do love!
New year’s resolutions? Nope, never have and never will. If there’s anything I feel like I need to work on or change in my life, I simply research my options or how to get something accomplished, then go to getting it done. This is who I have always been, especiallly when push comes to shove.
The Menagerie shimmer formula is one of my favorites and the Flight Club shimmers in particular are lovely! I hope you love the palette.
Ohh, I bet the Retro palette and Flight Club palette would pair together beautifully!
I can see that!
Celesta, they totally do! Perfect together! I’m in purple paradise 💜🦇💜
Your close friend knows you only too well! I just looked up the Menagarie Flight Club palette and thought it looked beautiful – those shimmery foil numbers are gorgeous. It would suit you down to the ground. What a thoughtful gift. And Galatic Sun looks lovely too.
I hope you have a restful weekend Nancy.
Yes Genevieve, she sure does! I love purple and as peculiar as it may sound, I also love bats, especiallly your own Flying Fox Fruit Bats!
As for the weekend, I’m still going at the laundry at 9:30 p.m.! Had to rewash one load not once more, but TWICE. Thanks to Clarissa’s grieving Scunci last winter, and my being oblivious to the issue…it sat in a bag on the patio storage closet neglected until I heard that we are going to finally get a real cool down. Very stupid of me! 🤦🏻♀️
Recent Purchases: Nothing this week! Though I have been tempted several times to buy the Blend Bunny Surge palette… it’s on my Christmas wish list, so maybe I’ll get it as a gift!
Rediscoveries: I’ve used my Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream quite a bit this week. It’s so nice!
Weekend plans: Wrapping the rest of the Christmas gifts, playing with my son and watching lots of Christmas movies. I’m trying desperately to get into the Christmas spirit, but my family spent the weeks since Thanksgiving terribly sick, and now my mom and mother in law are also very sick, so it seems unlikely that we’ll be getting together for Christmas this year. We can always celebrate together at a later date, it’s just a bummer since 2020 holiday season was also horrible and I was hoping that this year would be better… it just doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards for us this year lol
Do you have any new year’s resolutions? I don’t make new years resolutions… they always feel trite to me and it’s better for me to set small, attainable goals throughout the year. I do find myself wanting/needing to move more once the new year rolls around, however, so I try to lean into that.
I am so sorry to hear that your Mom and MIL are both so sick, Celesta. That would certainly be a major bummer and very depressing at any time of the year, but I understand how hard this would be during your holiday season. Hopefully, things turn around for the better for both.
How absolutely awful that both your mum and mother in law are really sick – is it the same kind of flu/cold that you had? Now that your weather is turning chilly, it’s quite easy to pick up something nasty (besides Covid and its offspring Delta and Omicron). Just before Christmas too. I hope they are feeling better soon so at least you can catch up for Christmas Day. Your son would be looking forward to seeing his grandmothers too.
How cute Winston looks there, posing for the camera!
Recent Purchases: Just adding a couple of things to my daughter in law’s Christmas bonaza beauty bag – mascara, Amazing Grace perfume and a Maybelline Lifter lip gloss in Silk. Waiting for my Lorac Fairytale Forest palette to arrive….
Rediscoveries: It’s been getting hotter here lately, so more of one and done eye looks using my On the Horizon palette.
Weekend Plans: It’s our 45th wedding anniversary this Saturday and we are going out to celebrate it at an Italian winery in the Yarra Valley. It’s a little more expensive than most and we have always wanted to try it, so I booked it quite awhile ago.
Our brand new vacuum cleaner has arrived and every adult in the family has been ‘invited’ to have a turn at using it and clean a couple of rooms. So far, the verdict has been that it’s really good to use and much quieter than our old Dyson upright that sounded like an aeroplane landing. Harry is absolutely fascinated with vacuum cleaners and loved watching his Uncle David vacuum a few areas this morning.
Tomorrow is going to be quite hot so we are taking the kids to the pool. Harry has never been to a pool before, so it shall be interesting to see how he reacts to it. We think he will love it.
New Year Resolutions: To get through Christmas first! I have stretched a tendon in my right hand from lifting the groceries, Harry and the laundry baskets and am now wearing a hand brace. So surviving the cooking and everything needed for Christmas day is the challenge. We are going to aim for low key, but we know we’ll be up from dawn….
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you Wednesday. We had a lovely dinner out at the Winery and a beautiful meal. A perfect day all round.
Happy anniversary, Genevieve! I hope your dinner is really lovely. Our government has just announced capacity cuts – 50% as of today for restaurants, bars, malls, gyms, personal services – pretty much everything. It is so discouraging. We just got in from having our boosters (and we brought a neighbour with us – we called her when the bookings suddenly opened up so we had booked appointments) but even so, I am feeling vulnerable. This virus just won’t go away….
I truly hope that you and your husband had a wonderful anniversary! 45 years is fantastic, too. ❣️
Hope you have a lovely anniversary!
Haul: It’s no secret that MAC Craving is my “ride or die” (gosh, I hate that term) lipstick and in the recent MAC sale, I bought 2 more. But 3 days ago, I was at winners with hubs looking for stocking stuffers for their kids and their partners and what did I see but several tubes of Craving (and a few other shades but I can’t even remember what they were) for under $10!!!! I was tempted to grab all of them (4 or 5) but I know they can go rancid eventually and I’ve already got several backups (fearing it will be discontinued like all the best stuff they make) so I just grabbed one and gave it to hubs to put into my stocking. That’s all I bought for me.
Weekend plans: hair cut and colour tomorrow and maybe a quick trip to the gym (capacity in most places is once again being cut to 50% as of Sunday) and we’re getting our booster shots on Sunday morning (and driving a neighbour with us as well). Some more baking and maybe the final Xmas dinner shopping…
New Year’s Resolution??? Everything continues to be so up in the air because of Covid – now the Omicron variant!!! So there doesn’t seem to be much point in making a New Year’s Resolution, except maybe to get out into the fresh air to go for more walks.
I hope, for your sake that MAC Craving never get d/c, but you know how brands can do it in the flick of a switch, so it’s a good idea to get one or two/several backups.
A cut and colour always brightens your mood and lucky you getting a booster shot already. I have to wait until next Feb or so.
I haven’t begun the Christmas food shopping yet as the weather forecast for the day has been all over the map – very hot to moderate and now cool. I much prefer cool – easier to cook that way.
I think I’ve probably got 4 to 6 untouched tubes of Craving plus the 3 or 4 I have in use now (purse, bathroom, kitchen drawer and possibly in my school bag…) I’ve only ever had one of them go “off” and it was the smell and that was from leaving my purse (with my little makeup bag) locked in my car for security. It never melted or lost its shape in the heat of my car but that seems to have been what hastened it getting a rancid smell. It only ever happened to that one tube, though. I’m hoping the “supply” of backups I have will see me though for the rest of my life (oh, that sounds grim, doesn’t it?) but I know if MAC does d/c it, I’ll be mightily annoyed.
Mariella, I keep all my b/ups of lipstick and eye liners in the veggie drawer of my refrigerator, and nothing has ever turned or gone off!
That’s good to know, Nancy. I might give it a try. Mind you, as I say, I’ve only ever had one go off and that was from exposure to heat and it took quite a while. I have several backups of the “old” Sephora Cappuccino pencil liner, all still in their cellophane or plastic “over-wrap” and I really hope those don’t dry out before I can get to them because the “new” formula appears to be pretty disappointing from Christine’s review.
Purchases and Finds: I used a 20% coupon to buy my favorite perfume, Mon Paris. And I rediscovered just how nice Milani’s neutral palette from a few years ago is.
Weekend Plans: Christmas cookie baking.
New Years Resolutions: Nope. Im terrible at that, lol.
Merry Christmas everyone 🎄
Thank you Shari for your Christmas wishes. Mon Paris is beautiful and how handy is that 20% off coupon!
Good luck with the Christmas cookie baking. Anika, my daughter in law, did some last week and they barely lasted two days…
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I got an order from Terra Moons, I had forgotten I ordered from them, so it was a nice surprise. I bought four eyeshadows: Dirty Martini, Purple Clouds, Caesium and Star Sign. so far I’ve only used Dirty Martini and Caesium in one look with the Dirty Martini on about two thirds of the lid, from outer corner and Caesium on the inner third. I liked it and over primer at least it had great staying power, I fell asleep while watching TV and it was still going strong the next day.
I also got my order from Victoria Beckham, I now have my coveted eyeshadow quad in Tuxedo, Satin Kajal Liner in Sea Grey, Posh lipstick in Pop and Lip Definer (lip pencil) in Red. I’ve not used any of it yet, but did swatch the eyeliner that looks lovely and the lip products that looks very nice. I know I didn’t need more red lipsticks, but I like the brownish one I had from the brand, and there was a sale! 🙂
I also bought some stuff from Haus Laboratories: Tutti Gel-powder All Over Rouge in Rossini, Glam Attack Metallic Crème in Glamour Puss and The Edge Precision Brow Pencil in Ash Brown. I still haven’t used anything out of this. This was also on sale.
I’m trying to find a replacement for CT Brow Lift in Super Model, so I hope the pencil will work, if not the search continues.
Also, Black Friday made me do all of the above!
Weekend plans: Nothing fun. A radiator suddenly started leaking from a very small hole at the side facing the wall so I have to empty the container I put below the radiator and come Monday I’ll have to have someone over to remove the radiator and plug the pipes. It didn’t leak for a long time, my son discovered it, hearing a strange sound that wasn’t there before we walked the dog, but still, there was a lot of water on the floor and on the wall behind it. Very annoying, this!
Do you have any new year’s resolutions?: No, I know I would fail in less than a week. I find it a lot better to set small goals throughout the year.
Winston has such an adorable face. What a cut dog!
What an amazing collection of cosmetics you have purchased Helene! I really love the Caesium and Dirty Martini shades for myself – they would really suit me and the other shades are just gorgeous for your colouring as well.
I had to look up Victoria Beckham’s beauty site (never been to it before) and she has a lovely curated collection (very expensive in our currency but totally worth it I think). Tuxedo would be perfect everyday and night palette for you in those cool toned shades. Haus Labs is another one that I was quite unfamiliar with and Glamour Puss is such a vibrant shade. I think you’ll be very happy with your choices.
What a darn and perhaps expensive thing to happen to your radiator – and you will need it too. I hope it turns out to be something simple to fix and hopefully you can get someone in to fix it quickly too. Best of luck for this job Helene.
Dirty Martini is a gorgeous green, I like it so much, Caesium lifted it to unexpected heights, I think, as you like your greens I think both must be perfect for you.
Victoria Beckham, everything she does is expensive, she even looks expensive these days and have for many years now. I don’t think I would have bought as much unless it was for the sale.
I could have done without having to replace a radiator, but I guess that’s what I get for living in a house of my own. At least it’s not 10 ml/5minutes as it did when it’s started, so we can sleep.
Thanks Genevieve!
Recent Purchases: Nothing thank goodness!!
Rediscoveries: Elcie Cosmetics Pearl Jewels
Weekend plans: My brother came over and did BBQ ribs!!
Do you have any new year’s resolutions? No, I don’t do those. I just will continue to work on the goals I have been working on.