Friday Finds & Check-ins, Volume #642
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!
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Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries:
A full bottle of Slumberhouse Ore 2022 — another fragrance I fell in love with. Thankfully, given how many I have tested, I haven’t caved and bought THAT many of them in full-size.
Weekend plans:
Just hang out with hubby and Winnie, take a nap, and work on the blog.
What’s your favorite vegetable?
Probably carrots! I love the taste and the texture.
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 video games (or even Wordle, lol)!
Recent Purchases: My Oden’s Eye Hela palette and Ace Beaute Tropical Paradise palettes came in! I’m excited to dig into those; I also purchased the new Nars Radiant Reflecting foundation and have enjoyed using that this week. I’m interested to see how it mixes with my favorite Missha BB Cream.
Rediscoveries: I’ve had a lot of fun with my multichromes this week.
Weekend plans: Going to Warby Parker to pick out some glasses.
What’s your favorite vegetable? I love any veggie that has been roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. Carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, among them.
Is the foundation overly dewy or just a mild kind of shimmer Celesta?
I hope you find the glasses you are looking for too.
It’s actually not shimmery or dewy at all, Genevieve! It is more of a natural finish and a little less glowy than I prefer, but still really nice.
Whenever foundations have the words ‘illumination, dewy or reflecting’ I have to be careful that they are not too much so because I end up looking way too shiny. This might be a foundation I could work with then.
Hi Genevieve: I gave my sample of Nars reflecting radiant to a friend this past weekend because there were limited sample shades and I could definitely see Fiji was going to be far too yellow for me, but perfect for her. She wore it that night going out for dinner and it was gorgeous on her skin. I think natural is the right description. It’s not dewy, perhaps leaning to satin, but mostly impressed by how it does not look like foundation, but provides enough coverage and blur to make the skin look healthy and consistent . I was impressed, sadly Nars foundation shades are never quite right for me though. I imagine my friend will be picking up a full-sized as she loved it on her skin. For reference: She is in her 60’s with decent enough density not to have much by way of fine lines/wrinkles at this juncture, mostly normal skin perhaps a bit oilier in T-zone where she experiences a bit of hormonal breakout from time to time.
And a big ditto to roasted vegetables with olive oil s&p!!!! I make a meal of it frequently. Right now, I’m a bit obsessed with roasted beets and toasted cashews over quinoa. Have you ever tried fennel with your roasted Brussel sprouts? I use a mandolin slicer and blend in with the sliced b-sprouts. Add a bit of the frond like you would a fresh herb, toss in olive oil..etc.. TDF
Hermes Calèche Soie de parfum, spotted it at an amazing price and jumped at the last bottle. Nearly half price for 100mls was too good to miss. I did have a decant from some years back but never thought of a full bottle, but at nearly half price a no-brainer.
Recent Purchases: I’m glad I waited for stocking up on Paula’s Choice products, I got 20% off for President’s Day and extra 10% cashback.
I ordered items I really love and need: Daily Replenishing Body Cream, SKIN BALANCING Oil-Absorbing Mask, CLEAR Extra Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide (mini),
Smooth Finish Conditioner (finally back in stock), 1% Retinol Booster.
I got for free the CLINICAL Niacinamide 20% Treatment and Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm as gift.
Weekend plans: I just don’t have the brain energy to make plans… 2022 is getting worse and worse each week. Still, I filled almost all my Terracycle boxes so I might go to ship them.
What’s your favorite vegetable? Just one? I might also stick to carrots… since cucumbers and tomatoes are technically fruits. But I have discovered jicama and they’re pretty close to carrots in my favorite list.
That’s a really good deal for all of those Paula’s Choice products you ordered. It does pay to wait for major sales – that’s when I stock up too. Although I am not buying anymore skin care products until I finish what I have already in my big skincare bag.
Are you doing a declutter around your house? That would sap the energy from you for sure.
Well, they really DO make for great sniffers! 😅🐶🐱
Purchases/rediscoveries: Nothing purchased. After using two specific palettes non-stop for a few months, I pulled out your palettes with SG the other day and did a seriously gorgeous look using Parallax (Deep) blended up and out of my crease using MAC Kid as my transition, deepened and defined my crease and outer lower lashline with Midnight Courage, applied Phosphenes ALL over my mobile lid, put Heart Dog in my tearducts blended into Phosphenes, year Flying High to blend edge of Midnight Courage and Phosphenes seamlessly and also on inner half of lower lashline, finished up with my usual liners and mascara and WOW! Wish that I would have taken pics of the look, but unfortunately my day took a major nosedive and so I was just too depressed and angry to do so.
Weekend plans: Try not to lose my mind over a rough week? On Wednesday I was scheduled to have my pelvic CT scan, the Uber driver showed up super late, but even before he got here I got a call from Banner MC authorization department informing me that my Doc’s office had NEVER sent in the prior authorization for my insurance payment! Bad enough that I hardly slept the night before because of being nervous over yet more radiation to my body, along with another issue involving my son! Well, tomorrow I have my Zoom meeting. Hopefully, that will ground me and calm my nerves down. Also, I have to find someplace to get printed copies of my DL and a few other documents for a lawsuit I’m involved in against a residential school I spent 4 years in. Just so much stress and pressure these days.
What is your favorite vegetable? Broccoli! However, I actually love quite a few veggies, like butternut squash, asparagus, garlic and oddly, spinach, too. I would have added black beans and corn, but neither one counts as a “vegetable”. Tomatoes, either, as those are actually berries!
Oh Nancy – what a major disappointment not to have your scan because of documentation. I hope you let your doctor’s office know (nicely) about how much of an inconvience it all was/is. Now you have to wait for another appt. and another night of not sleeping.
No matter how old our children are – they still manage to worry, concern, confound, upset and thoroughly either bring joy or despair for you. I just hope that one day your son will come around and see how duped/conned he has been. It’s not fair that he is upsetting you like this when you have so many health issues to face.
Is your local library able to print off documents for you Nancy? I often see people at our library getting various documents printed at a very low cost. Perhaps they can help you.
Keep your chin up and I am still thinking and praying for you.
Well Genevieve, I’d love to be able to say that I handled myself in a nice way when I called them that day, but not really. I was very short and not my best self (they brought out the Northeast New Jersey girl in me!) when I called them that afternoon after I had just found out that it wouldn’t be covered. Literally fuming.
Confounded, disappointed and worried about sums up my feelings about my kiddo. You’re so right; they can seriously put us through the wringer, even at 35 years old!
A friend told me that she would assist me with the making copies sometime this weekend. Here’s hoping and praying. Because the people running that place need to be held accountable.
Why on earth wouldn’t a pelvic floor scan not be covered by medical insurance? That is so, so wrong.
I can hear the ‘restraint’ in your voice Nancy! At least your friend is helping you with the required documentation and it will be nice to get out of the place and visit her.
Re your son: at his age, he is old enough to make his own mistakes and for you to just worry about your own life Nancy, as hard as that is.
It’s the mess that our medical system has become, Genevieve. The requiring of “prior authorization” for most medical tests, the corporate ownership of most medical practices, and tons of red tape bullocks (to put it politely) everything up!
Yes to what you said concerning my son. I do believe that he is responsible for whatever comes his way due to his own mistakes and poor decisions. It’s the awful timing that makes it heartbreaking.
That stinks that your pcp dropped the ball!
Hi Sarah, not my PCP or my referring gynecologist’s fault, because the oncologist’s office didn’t even reach out to either one, nor did they inform me that I would need a second, separate referral. The office that I called and put on BLAST was the oncologist office for their utterly deplorable lack of communication with my other Docs and myself! Let’s just say that I now have trust issues with their office staff/medical assistant.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I told myself I was going to Marshalls/TJ Maxx to see if I could replace my silk pillowcases but came home with Touch in Sol No Poreblem primer and Boscia green tea moisturizer.
Weekend plans: Lunch at a friends’ house on Saturday.
What’s your favorite vegetable? Corn, if it’s summer. And those really skinny green beans from France. I love all vegetables except fennel.
RECENT PURCHASES/REDISCOVERIES – I bought the ColourPop Lush eyeshadow palette because it went on sale and I’ve been eyeing it for a while now. I rediscovered my KVD Beauty Spellbinding Eyeshadow palette after reading about someone using their Monarch palette here and so I dug out the Spellbinding one. I’ve had so much fun mixing the colors and trying different color combinations.
WEEKEND PLANS – No concrete plans. Just hoping the weather gets warm enough to take the kids outside.
FAVORITE VEGETABLE – I love broccoli. It’s such a versatile vegetable. I can eat it raw, steamed, sautéed, roasted, fried and in so many other different ways. Second place goes to baby bok choy, it’s so good in soups.
There is nothing like getting the kids outside when they have been cooped up because of the weather – here in Melbourne at the moment, it is the extreme heat. Kids really do get cabin fever after awhile and the house looks like a tornado has hit it.
I hope you enjoy your weekend and the CP Lush palette would look lovely on you. with all of those bright, vivid shades.
Recent Purchases: I’m on a no buy dang it!
Rediscoveries: Not really this week!
Weekend plans: Going to see my friend who I haven’t seen since the pandemic started!!!
What’s your favorite vegetable? Steamed broccoli. MMM.
Best wishes on catching up with your friend Cat, it will be wonderful for both of you.
RECENT PURCHASES: None
REDISCOVERIES: Shroud Cosmetics x BeautBean It’s Freakin’ Bats Palette
WEEKEND PLANS: Required online work training review. Finishing my junk journal project. If the weather remains nice, go to a park.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? Zucchini
I hope your online work training review doesn’t take too long Rachel so that you can visit the great outdoors. What kind of position are you going for?
Congratulations on finishing your junk journal too – I am sure it looks magnificient.
Sorry it took me so long to answer.. The online training is for my current job as Personal Support Worker for my younger son, who is on the autism spectrum. The state is is implementing new basic training/review this year. Each lesson module is short, but my back issues can make it tricky to sit at the computer for very long. I’m about 2/3 done.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries:
I rediscovered my creamy bullet lipsticks because MASK MANDATES ARE DROPPING ALL OVER WHEE! I’m triple vaxxed, so I gladly pulled my mask off and promptly applied every shade of lipstick. Right now in my purse is my Guerlain Rouge G in Rosewood, I believe? It’s No. 06. GORGEOUS shade, fantastic formula, ah, my heart.
I will happily pan this tube and purchase a new shade. But first I need to pan it. <3
Weekend plans:
I'm not sure. I'm feeling quite sad, so I might cheer myself up with concert DVDs. Stop Making Sense by The Talking Heads perhaps? Moody Blues Live at Red Rock? U2 Live in Sydney? So many choices.
What’s your favorite vegetable?
Oh. Man. I have so many. I love tubers, any tuber, all tubers in fact. Yams especially. Love green beans, love edamame, love broccoli – I recently found out I love roasted Brussels sprouts. I actually used to follow a vegan diet, so veggies and I are really good friends. And although I'm not strictly vegan anymore, I do love pretty much all veggies. Proper preparation makes delicious vegetables.
Yes, our mask mandates are being changed as well, but they are still a bit all over the place – strangely enough school kids still have to wear them whilst at a footy stadium you don’t. Most people are still unsure and are wearing them inside shopping centres just in case the rules change at a moment’s notice…
Anyway, it’s lovely to be wearing lipstick again. I tried one of my bright red numbers the other day, went out, put my mask on and came back home looking like Ronald McDonald’s wife…..
I hope you get to cheer yourself up by listening to some lovely music or reading a good book….
Winnie is a cutie. I remember how my Golden used to try to smell everything. He would try to smell bugs and I would be worried they would bite his nose, lol.
Recent purchase/Rediscoveries: Just got my Menagerie Cosmetics Indigo Ink palette it looks beautiful! I got some beautiful looks using my Lorac Fairytale palette it’s rivaling higher end palettes!
Weekend Plans: Catch up on phone calls to family members, I’m so behind on reaching out lately. Finish working on my closet. Read, watch movies and chill. Eat a couple good dinners.
Favorite vegetable: Collard greens, Kale, Broccoli and I love corn!
Adore my Fairytale Forest palette by Lorac – who is hitting the sweet spot with me in all of their recent offerings. I haven’t quite used it yet because, to me, it’s more of an autumn/winter kind of a colour story – and it suits all of my autumn wardrobe down to the ground. I just can’t wait for autumn to begin here because the summer is just never-ending heat…
I hope that your family are all well and I am sure they would appreciate a call from you.
I can see that Winnie is testing out the perfumes with you Christine, he is interested in all of these different scents. A good perfume doggie!
Recent Purchases: Nothing really – I just purchased some more of my favourite primer – Nude by Nature’s Airbrush Primer x 2 from an Australian online retailer at a ridiculously low price.
Recent Discoveries: Nothing really there either. I haven’t found the Naked 2 quite as versatile as Naked 1 because it is more of a winter kind of shades for me. I have used By Terry’s Bonjour Paris and PMG’s Sublime Mini a bit this week.
Weekend Plans: On Friday I went out with my two best girlfriends for lunch, as we haven’t seen each other in person for awhile. It was lovely to catch up with them.
Today, Saturday, I am taking Olivia out this afternoon for her to pick out her birthday present (she will be 8 next Friday) from Horseland – her favourite shop. She is looking for riding gloves for when she is riding the horses on other other grandparents’ property.
Olivia was elected by her grade level (6 grade 2’s at her large school) to be their representive on the Junior School Council. She had to make a speech to her classroom and then to the wider Grade 2 community on why she should be elected. We are very proud of her.
Sunday will be spent doing much needed housework……
Favourite vegetables: I love most vegetables and carrots are definitely a favourite: such a versatile veggie. We love roast vegetables: broccoli, brussel sprouts, pumpink, potatoes, parsnips, zucchinis, red capsicums etc all with a sprinkle of olive oil, sea salt and pepper in the oven.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Just bought the Colourpop Darth Vader palette, one for myself and another for my roommate. Also purchased one of the new Sephora Collection eyeliners
Weekend plans: I’m working both Friday and Saturday, and I’ve been working since Tuesday, so when I’m finally out on Sunday I’m going to collapse and maybe get some laundry done if I can find the energy
What’s your favorite vegetable? It’s technically a fungus but mushrooms!
You must be really exhausted Kimberly and I hope you can get some rest.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Most of my Sephora purchases arrived either yesterday or today-the Pineapple Express and Festival Lights #Lipstories are expected tomorrow. My ColourPop order is expected to arrive Tuesday-hopefully it’ll be a nice treat when I get home from work!
Weekend plans:
Ran to Lowe’s tonight for light bulbs and a new ladder (recently changed some smoke detector batteries and found out that the step ladder we had was really old and rickety!), work all day and weekly grocery run tomorrow, go to my aunt’s birthday party Sunday.
What’s your favorite vegetable?
Either corn (with butter) or green beans (especially if they’re cooked with little pieces of ham!).