Friday Finds & Check-ins, Volume #567
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!
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Share your own answers in the comments!
- Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Glow Highlighter, Marc Jacobs Cherrific Palette, Hourglass Holiday palettes/lipstick duo, Urban Decay Perversion eyeliner (x2)
- Weekend plans: The sit-stand desk frame I added to my photo table (I just kept the table top and attached it to the frame, which is what goes up and down) is working out really well! I love it, and it makes things more comfortable for me re: my back but also in general (for my neck!). Lately, I’ve been doing more swatching during the week and the bulk of review-writing and dupe-entering on the weekend, so probably those things!
- What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: Evening shower (I normally shower in the morning), face mask (or two, to be REALLY fancy!), full-body moisturizing, and then tucking myself into bed earlier than usual.
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This week's doggo photo/video...
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Your baby is PRECIOUS!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I just bought the Marc Jacobs Merry Cherry palette and am wearing it today…I love it! The packaging sucked me right in and the colors remind me of Christmas. Bought the Friends x Revolution mini palette (so bad) and a lipstick (very nice). I also bought the Profusion palettes in Violets and Emerald to try…the Emerald came shattered and Wal-Mart is resending.
Weekend plans: Football with the husband…college football is starting. I watch because he watches. And I hope to drive to Houston to make returns to Nordstrom/Loft/Sephora on Sunday.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I love shower bombs and ice cream…not at the same time!
Don’t worry Mellan I’m not very good at golf neither! I’m glad the sit-stand frame is helping your back, mine has been acting up lately so any relief is nice!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream lIpstick in Heroic, RB Positive LIght Luminizer in Mesmerize, RB Dewy Lip Balm in Compliment.
Weekend plans: Just tidying up the house preparing for my daughter and her hubby to start bringing boxes etc for their three week stay in our house. I feel bad for them having to move twice but I’m glad they sold their house.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I love it when I have time to put my feet up and catch an afternoon show like Rachel Ray or The Social or something like that and have a something sweet to snack on.
Mellan appears uninterested in a round of golf 😉
Recent purchases/rediscoveries: Nothing this week! At some point I got a 20% off coupon from Sephora in my email because I hadn’t purchased anything in a while, and I didn’t even bother to look and see if there was anything I wanted.
Weekend plans: Not really sure. It will depend a lot on whether the smoke finally clears (first they said Tuesday, then they said Thursday, now they’re saying maybe over the weekend). My spouse was supposed to set up reservations for us to try “curbside dining” at a nearby town (where they reserve parking spots in front of the restaurant and bring your meal to you carhop style), but I don’t know if they actually did. I’m feeling pretty tired and run-down from 1.5+ weeks of grey, gloomy, smoky skies and air, so whatever we do it’ll probably be pretty low-key.
One way I like to treat myself: Besides buying makeup? LOL. I like to brew a pot of really good tea and relax on the couch with a book. My spouse and our dog are welcome to join me, but I’m also happy just relaxing by myself.
Hope the air clears out soon in your area. In the Bay Area the air was rather fine this week, but we got warnings it might go back bad again during the weekend.
I hope they are wrong and things don’t get bad again — I feel like you all have had it worse than us (and Oregon has had it worse than both of us).
My heart goes out to you guys I hope there is some relief soon. Our sun was a ball of orange this morning the smoke is coming up here to Alberta but nothing like what you guys are dealing with.
Even the sun in Boston has been made achingly, fiery red from the fires, and that’s all the way across the country. Add the fires and the Gulf Coast flooding to Covid…some of the countries the US always helps out should be returning the favor. Big thanks to any who have.
AJ, I hope your air improves. Ours finally started clearing Friday, and we had a huge amount of rain. Take care.
It started raining around 3-3:30 yesterday and kept up for most of the evening and when I checked this morning our air quality was GOOD! I’m looking forward to doing an online dance class this morning since I don’t have to worry about shortness of breath 🙂 Hope things stay clean down your way, Rachel!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I just bought BH Cosmetics Vanilla Truffle blush palette from Ulta and it is lovely. I have so many nudes, pinks, corals, peaches, etc for blush, but few mauves, so this seemed like a heck of a bargain. I adore blush palettes, and this one smells like sweet tarts (the candy.) Otherwise, I have just been procuring ingredients for stuff to sell in my etsy shop.
Weekend plans: Getting everything in the kitchen set up to start making soap, etc, and figuring out a photo setup. It’s starting to cool off a little here too, so my husband and I are going to go to the fancy new park that has a food truck hub this evening as well. We have a couple of things to plant outside too, and Halloween lights to hang on our tree.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I like to lay down on the bed and have my husband cover me up with blankets fresh out of the dryer. It doesn’t even matter how warm it is in the house, I want to snuggle as much as possible. I’ve also been wearing a silky, warm, sweet perfume to bed, and that’s been a nice little treat as well.
I am always interested in new scents! What do you like to wear to bed?
La Perla La Mia Perla. It is absolutely scrumptious, but it doesn’t really last well to wear as a daytime frag. I’ve worn Burberry Body to bed a couple of times as well, and it’s nice too. I guess something kinda sweet & kinda woody is what I am into for sleep time.
Recent Purchases: Colourpop Lil’ Ray of Sunshine, Lilac You A Lot palettes and Coastin’ SS Highlighter, Juvia’s Place Tribe Palette (I will give Juvia’s Place ONE MORE CHANCE. If this palette is a dud, I’m out), and two Rephr brushes that were in their concept store.
Rediscoveries: All my single shadows. I’ve paired them down and added a lot of really special singles and I’ve had so much fun playing with them lately. I LOVE duochromes/multichromes especially this time of year.
Weekend plans: It’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend here, so hopefully a lot of outside time with my son.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: Uninterrupted alone time. I love my husband and son the most, but I have found for my peace of mind and sanity I need at least an hour to myself, completely, every day, whether it is in the morning or in the evening. I’m much more patient and present with my family when I get that alone time. It’s restorative for me.
I can really understand why you need to have an hour to yourself per day – especially as you are managing working and caring for your family. It’s called a sanity saver. When I was in the same situation as yourself, I relished the peaceful time after the children went to bed and I could sit down and have an hour to myself in silence with a good book.
Exactly, Genevieve!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I hit pan on my face powder last week, so I decided it’s time to buy I back-up. I ordered from MAC the Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation (they had an offer to get it at $25 or something similar). I redeemed my MAC Lover Devoted Birthday Gift, which was an eye kit with the False Lashes Maximizer (which I won’t probably use ?), the In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash mascara (always great to have a stash of free back-up mascaras) and a hair tie.
Weekend plans: If the air quality doesn’t go really bad again, I do hope to go hiking in one of the open regional parks, preferably something with redwoods. Otherwise, cleaning, groceries, meal prep, finishing my current read (one more book in the Discworld series).
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I previously always considered travel my treat myself moments. A vacation exploring an European city (museums, parks, city centers, landmarks), a road trip along natural park and reservation (with small cities in between), staying always in a nice comfortable hotel (after a long day of visiting and exploring, taking a long warm shower and having a big comfy bead is a treat), trying local foods and experiences.
Sometimes, even a day trip to nearby big cities was the treat.
The biggest treat was the British vacation I always take after visiting my family back in Europe.
But with that not being possible… I rely on small treats nowadays; splurging on skincare and great quality food, allowing myself to sleep in during weekends (since the shelter in place I had the worse sleep ever, even if theoretically I have more time to sleep).
It sounds as though your back is better, Christine. I hope that is so.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: No new makeup purchases but I did buy a silk mask and for the first time my skin does not feel irritated when I am out and about.
Weekend plans: Nothing special.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I buy some books at my local independent bookstore and then cross the street for some locally made ice cream.
That is my kind of self-treating! I love local indie bookshops and locally made treats.
I don’t purchase books because I don’t like to own many things… but being able to explore bookstores and old libraries is such a treat… I love the smell of printed books, and of old books as well.
But that’s not a treat I’ll enjoy soon.
Cannot wait to be able to browse in my local library again and I do love bookshops too.
Combined with locally made ice cream is a treat. When I was up in Port Douglas last year, there was a flavour called Burnt Toffee, which was not sweet at all – more like a slightly bitter coffee flavour. Cannot get it here in Melbourne. It was delicious.
I’m utterly SHOCKED that Mellan didn’t pick up the golfball!
Purchases/rediscoveries: only thing I’ve purchased all this week and last has been various high calorie, easy to lap up cat supplements for Scunci. Hard to wrap my head around, but his oral surgery is just one week from today. Trying to bulk him up a bit pre-surgery, as he did lose some weight from this whole ordeal.
Rediscovered, used and fell in love all over again with my Chanel Empriente du Desert quad yesterday! I felt like a gloriously beaming desert goddess wearing it out cat supply shopping.
Weekend Plans: Tomorrow morning, my Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Nothing else beyond that but savoring every moment I get with Scunci. Also trying to figure out how to get his GFM page to get moving again. We are 2/3 of the way to the goal, but it has stalled. And I don’t know why.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself? Going for a swim! Here in the pool, but I much prefer the ocean. That’s one treat I miss so much: visiting the shore and breathing in the ocean mist! Another treat I truly enjoy is eating a just right cheeseburger. Lettuce, tomato, onion, catsup and mayo, mmmmmm!
Hoping your kitty bounces back from his surgery and is healthy and happy!
Thank you, Arena! That’s what I’m hoping for, too. It’s the waiting that’s killing me here. Scheduled his surgery about 3 or 4 weeks back, it takes place next Friday morning.
Sending warm kitty thoughts your way.
Thank you so much Brendacr1! ?
I still smile every time someone mentions the E du D quad. What a beauty that one is. Sending get well wishes to Scunci!
I feel so bad that I neglected it ever since I moved, Mariella. Too beautiful to just leave it unused for so long!
As for Le Scunch, I can almost hardly wait for his surgery to be over and done with. The wait is exhausting. Yet, I’m also feeling some internal trepidation over the whole thing, too.
Best wishes for Scunci’s surgery Nancy – I hope it all goes well.
Thanks so much, Genevieve! The wait is maddening. Yet, I’m also feeling some deep apprehension over it as the days count down. He has to be okay is all I keep thinking.
Just left a little something for you and Scunci. Hope all goes well. I don’t comment much here but I read regularly.
That was so sweet and kind of you, Shelley! Thank you! I truly appreciate it. ?
Sending good thoughts for Scunci’s appointment next week, Nancy!
Can you believe it’s just 5 days from now, Tracey? I’m just soaking up every moment with him as we wait.
The wait is almost over, after all this time. Hard to believe.
Finds: NARS eye shadow duos in Alhambra and Old Church Street (what amazing “scores”) and a bottle of neroli essential oil.
Weekend plans: gym, maybe going to The Bay to get one of the Dior quints; making a sort of “tool belt” for my daughter to carry hand sanitizer, pencils, etc. (she’s an elementary school teacher and travels from class to class because of what she teaches). Hubs is golfing tomorrow so I plan to have me a nice “me” day.
One way I treat myself – going for a walk (a longish one) to my favourite coffee place in the neighbourhood. The walk is great (and I listen to my audio books as I walk – another “treat”) and the coffee is really great. The other day, though, I went to another place in the neighbourhood and came home with 2 donuts – a rhubarb strawberry filled one and a Bellini peach cheesecake filled one (it was HEAVEN and I don’t even like donuts!). Hubs and I shared each of them. It was a nice treat!
Wow that cheesecake-filled donut sounds yummy. I also don’t like donuts, plus I gave up sugar, but still…
Those donuts sound soo good even though I wouldn’t be able to eat them lol!
They were both good and sharing made it better (2 tastes for the calories of 1). I feel fortunate that I can eat anything and have no issues or allergies.
Mmmm! Now I want some donuts! Especially that strawberry-rhubarb one!
They were both good but I do have to say that the Peach Bellini cheesecake one was better – it has that wonderful slightly “sour” taste that cream cheese has and it was just different; the rhubarb one was awesome too – I love rhubarb so much – but it wasn’t all that very different from your standard jelly donut. But these are treats I indulge in rarely (for obvious reasons) so I really enjoyed them both.
That sounds like an amazing treat! All of it.
Glad your back is feeling better, or at least is on the mend Christine! Your pooch is awesome!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Nothing makeup related. I did go to the dermatologist to get a burst vein lasered.
Weekend plans: Celebrating my husband being free of cancer for 6 months! Beyond that, surviving horrific air quality. And praying for rain. We still have significant fire concern.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: Tuck myself on the sofa with a good book, good tea and a cozy blanket. Dogs and dear hubby are welcome to join; usually they nap. ?
Congratulations to your husband for remaing cancer free for 6 months – what a relief for you both. And I will definitely pray for rain for all affected areas of the extended bushfire regions of the West Coast of the US. I can easily recall the debilitating smoke haze we had for a number of days as a result of our devastating bushfires late last year and early this year. Our fire seasons are starting to overlap – yours in late autumn and ours are coming into view in spring.
I also like to tuck myself in with a good book, a cup of tea and my cosy blanket. Put my husband in front of a TV at the end of the day and he is away with the fairies pretty quickly. I remember when Olivia was a baby and I was coaxing her to sleep, saying ‘ there , there bubby, you know you want to sleep, close your eyes etc’ when I heard my husband softly snoring beside me. I nudged him and said ‘Not you! I’m taking to the baby!”……
Woohoo for 6 months BigC free! May he have many more years C-free!
Such awesome news for you and your husband.
Looking forward to your review of the Marc Jacobs Cherrific Palette, although, heaven knows I don’t need anymore red/pink shades. If it is as nice as some of my other Eye-Con palettes, I might be really interested.
Haul: The only thing I purchased this week was a shampoo for thinning hair. I have Minoxidil but have never used it because it makes my hair look dirty and greasy so not something for everyday use, I don’t love all the chemicals and once you start using it you have to continue for the remainder of your life or all the effects go away. So, I googled “best shampoo for thinning hair” and found three selections with reasonable results and decided to try the #1 product, Hair Therapy Shampoo. Most people see some results within 6 weeks so I will try and remember to keep anyone who is interested, informed.
Weekend plans: I am headed to Kalispell on Saturday to spend a few days with my daughter but mostly it is to pick up my grand-baby, Sophie the cat, to take her to the vet next week. Then my daughter will be home the following week to take her back. My daughter’s plan has fallen through as her friends that she was going to share on apartment with in Seattle, were forced due to cost, to sign a one year lease so they won’t be able to get a three bedroom apartment until this time next year. She was pretty disappointed as she signed a shorter lease, at a higher rate, so that she would be able to move with them in the spring and then they sign the lease. Now she is left with some hard feelings and trying to decide whether to make an issue out of it or just let it go. Both of the other girls work in Software Development and make a lot of money so their decision felt a little personal to her. I cautioned her to take some time and not address it when she is upset. Personally, I think my daughter should get her own apartment because she is pretty set in her ways and she is not a particularly forgiving if you cross her more than once. She gives you one or two times and then she is done with you. Expensive as Seattle is, she can find a studio for something in the $1,000-1500 range which is crazy but it is what the market bears. That is three times my house payment. So, new plan is moving home in the spring and then to Seattle in the fall with her friends or work three jobs to make ends meet in Seattle. She is working two jobs now so feels like she could add a third!! I guess you do what you have to. I always had it so easy as nurses make a decent salary and I never had to worry about finding a job. I could work anywhere and anytime.
One way to treat myself: There are not a lot of options for treating yourself in rural Montana. When I go to the city I like to get mani/pedi’s. While I was working as an RN, I avoided nail polish as it was verboten and that with washing your hands a million times a day with antibacterial soaps really does a number on your nails and cuticles. So, that is something I enjoy. When home a real treat is something decadent to eat. There is a local baker who makes the world’s best doughnuts. One will last you a week although I force myself to eat it all in one day!
“Expensive as Seattle is, she can find a studio for something in the $1,000-1500 range which is crazy but it is what the market bears.”
*cries in living in the Bay Area* ?
I lived one year in university in an apartment with two other girls. Living on my own, although at a higher cost, would have been better. But to each their own. Good luck to your daughter!
I agree. She has been living on her own now for almost a year. She has enjoyed it and even more so from having lived in the dorm her freshman year in college, living in work areas as she worked for the housing department for two years of her college career and then shared an apartment with one friend for her senior year. She had a good year her senior year and she and her friend still maintain a friendship but she use to call me every once in awhile to complain about her roommate not keeping the place clean, leaving dirty dishes in the sink, etc.
Her first year after college she and three friends rented two apartments in the same complex and two lived in each apartment. Unfortunately, the two pairs didn’t end up getting along and should have divided themselves differently but it did teach her a lesson. I just know her and she is use to being “in charge” and as she is an only child, she has pretty much gotten the running of her life. She is trying to work on her interpersonal skills and be more forgiving but she isn’t there yet, LOL!!
Reading about your daughter made my heart break a little for her, because this is something she was so looking forward to and had planned for. I would have felt betrayed, too. She actually sounds a lot like me! Set in her ways, not exactly forgiving, and probably does better living alone. Therefore, I agree, she would be much happier if she can find something that’s all her own, no roommates. The one other plus; she’ll get to keep her cat! They seriously make for better roomies!
I personally think it is better for your daughter to have her own place. I think you get to a certain age and your routines and lifestyle are unique to you and living with others can be a bugbear – especially if one person is tidy and the other’s aren’t.
Seattle sounds like Melbourne – really expensive to rent or even purchase a home. It can be quite difficult to find what you like.
You have advised your daughter well to wait until the emotion is passed before she decides to comment to her former flatmates and it will all probably turn out well in the end. It is difficult as she has worked her plans and options around sharing with them and I can understand how hurt she must feel.
Enjoy your time with your daughter Deborah.
Thank you, Genevieve. I agree with you and I feel like she won’t be happy living with anyone else. Then if she does live with them and by the end of the first year, she isn’t happy, it is a lot harder to find your own place, pay all the fees to move, change power, etc and actually be able to maintain a friendship with those you are leaving behind. Even as I am considering where I want to move and should I decide to go in that direction, I still think she should live on her own. I have noticed real growth in her over this past year as she has been on her own. She has had issues at work and has worked through them on her own. Other than my paying her car insurance, she has managed to support herself and save enough to move. She is 26 and it is time.
I graduated from college in May so I see a lot of people I know having similar lease/roommate debacles, especially since everyone in my major wants to live/work in Manhattan. If she can afford it, living on her own would be great, if she’s the kind of roommate who does more of the chores than not, she’s better equipped for living on her own compared to the alternative.
Of course though getting left out of a lease really stings, even if it’s not personal. My closest friends from college who I thought I would be moving to Manhattan with are probably going to sign a lease without me because my parents don’t want me moving yet due to COVID. The circumstances are completely out of my control but it still hurts, I’ll probably end up living on my own too because by the time my parents feel I’m ready, everyone else will have already moved. It takes a special kind of friend to truly not take these kinds of things at least a little personally, so if she decided to distance herself from these girls after the incident, I wouldn’t blame her
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I’m getting the Jackie Aina palette BNIB for $25 and I’m so excited!!!
Weekend plans: Uhhhhhh I have no plans. Again. lol.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: Goodness. What a question since getting all dolled up with my HG makeup items is my most obvious answer lol.
RECENT PURCHASES: The new Fenty Glossy Posse set, the Nordstrom Hourglass palette, and Lethal Cosmetics After Dark gel liner bundle.
WEEKEND PLANS: We weren’t able to take our vacation trip due to smoke, but we were able to get my older son to my BIL’s house in Eugene. We’ll be picking him up this weekend. Other than that, home projects, which is how we have been spending the week.
WHAT’S ONE WAY YOU LIKE TO TREAT YOURSELF?: Manicures, but those are on hold until COVID numbers in my county stop rising.
I’m so sorry that the cruddy air quality and smoke derailed your vacation, Rachel. These fires are wreaking so much havoc on all of you up in the PNW and California. Hope the rainstorms help with getting them under control!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: it was a month ago for my birthday but Etude House Hershey bar mini palette, Fenty Wine palette, Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy travel spray, Shiseido eyelash curler pad
Weekend plans: sleep in, clean the house, see my mom for a bit 🙂
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I don’t think I do lol I don’t know how to effectively!
I love to see Mellon checking out your beautiful backyard – always looking for something new and interesting.
Recent Purchases: Through the Temptalia website, I purchased the ND Glam palette, hopefully it will arrive in time for my November birthday. I am looking forward to seeing and trying ND’s eyeshadows for myself. It will be my first purchase from this brand.
Rediscoveries: I have used the Wet n’ Wild original Comfort palette a couple of times this week and I love the peachy shade as well as the cool tone shade on the top right hand column.
I have also been using some of the Naked 1 shades that I don’t normally use: Sin – very pretty and Toasted – what great shades and formulas they are.
Weekend Plans: I am aiming to sort out the absolute deluge of childrens’ toys we have around our place – no wonder our grandchildren call our home ‘the playrooms’! So I am going to put away some of those that they don’t play with much at the moment.
Under the ‘care and compassion’ lockdown ruling, we had the children over during the week, so their exhausted parents could nap when the baby sleeps and we bought out the enormous Lego tub for them to play with. They had a lot of fun and built some interesting things with it.
A couple of weeks to go before our Stage 4 lockdown ends and our numbers are looking good.
Treating myself: Treating myself to me means my daily cup of coffee, reading this blog, reading a good book and watching the Tour De France….
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: My Sephora order came in today: Fenty 110 foundation and concealer backups, NARS Torrid powder blush, YSL Libre mini perfume as a 100-point reward, Dior lip balm and tinted lip plumper samples, and Dior Joy Intense perfume sample.
Weekend plans: Work today, SVU marathon tomorrow, errands probably both tomorrow and Sunday.
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: I actually consider doing my makeup (an everyday indulgence) and/or buying new makeup to be a form of treating myself, although wearing perfume feels more indulgent!
Purchases: Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose I palette, Pat McGrath Rose Venus single eyeshadow, and 2 Laneige lip mask.
Plans: I need to work since I have a conference all week next week, but I’d like to take my husband out for a drive. He’s feeling a bit of cabin fever since he can’t get out on his own.
Treat myself?: Depending on finances, maybe a nice long bath and then read in bed for a couple hours. Reading in bed is my ultimate guilty pleasure. Or maybe an iced mocha….Love them. If finances are good then I’ll splurge on something from my wishlist. This week was the Divine Rose palette.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: No purchases, I got the 20% coupon for my first foundation from Sephora but I’m not really in a buying mood. Rediscovery this week is the Colourpop It’s My Pleasure palette, specifically the shade Chick Lit (not sure if it’s available as a single, some of the shades in It’s My Pleasure are but I can never remember which ones). It’s the darkest shimmer in the palette, so I’d been avoiding it during the spring and summer seasons but I smoked it out in the outer part of my lower lash line and it looked great
Weekend plans: Spending a lot of time with family. My grandfather passed away yesterday morning and it’s affecting everyone differently. My family’s already been delivering food to my grandmother but we’re visiting her all together on Sunday
What’s one way you like to treat yourself?: It used to be going out to eat at restaurants. Indoor dining opened up in my city last Monday and while my Dad’s happy for the businesses my Mom’s a germaphobe so no way my family’s going any time soon. Now it’s going on walks but with the wildfires/smoke that’s also been difficult. We thought we were in the clear but we might get some more smoke over the weekend