Friday Finds & Check-ins, Volume #651
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: I don’t think I made any purchases this week. There’s been so much going on personally that I have had to take a bit of a step back professionally to manage everything (more on a mental level).
Weekend plans: I hope to see my parents this weekend for sure, either for lunch or when I bring Winston over to swim in their pool. I’m also hoping to relax a little and try to reassess what I need to get back on track mentally and dive back into things I wasn’t able to get done this week.
Do you have any plans for May? Work, work, and work. That’s what we do around these parts, lol! It’ll be too hot outdoors soon enough to do much other than stay inside. I think we’re going to split Mother’s Day and see hubby’s mom for brunch and my mom for dinner.
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 gaming, including crosswords and Wordle. Plus, I worked with hubby to develop our own games, Concludle and Adoptle.
This week's doggo photo/video...
Share your pet photos to the Temptalia Pets flickr group!
Recent Purchases: I was able to get my hands on the Clionadh Dragonfruit palette!
Rediscoveries: my Blend Bunny palettes and Terra Moons singles; I paired them together a lot this week.
Weekend plans: getting things squared away for the week, as I’m going in to the office all next week, and also meeting my dear friend for breakfast on Sunday.
Do you have any plans for May? A family reunion! And we’ll see what else the month brings.
I think you are going to like the Clionadh Dragonfruite palette – they seem to be your kind of shades to wear.
It will be quite interesting to find yourself back at the workplace for the whole week – my younger son who has also been back at the office full time for awhile now, said that on the first day everyone just chatted for the whole morning….catching up with each other.
It’s always lovely to catch up with a friend for breakie/brunch. One of my very favourite things to do on a Sunday.
The Dragonfruit palette should be in tomorrow; I’m very excited about it!
I think you’re right, Genevieve – the first day will be everyone catching up with each other. I work with a great group of people and have missed seeing them at times, as much as I enjoy working from home.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I’m rediscovering my eyeshadow palettes after not using them for a couple of years. I’ve pulled a few to use this coming week, including Tartelette, UD Naked Ultimate Basics, and UD Naked 3.
Weekend Plans: Taking care of our elderly dog, reading, laundry, writing/recording music.
Do you have any plans for May? Trying not to get sick from the constant stress of rush projects that my boss keeps throwing at me.
I’ve been dragging out some of my older eyeshadow palettes lately – especially Naked 1. It reminds me of how well the brand use to do their eyeshadows and Naked 3 is really lovely too.
It’s always a bittersweet thing when our pets need a little or a lot of extra care and I hope your doggie is going well. Bad news about your boss Seraphine. Some people just have no idea about timelines and how long it takes to get something done well.
Hopefully next week he/she will rely on someone else and give you a break.
The bad news is that everyone in my department has been going through the same thing with our boss for the past couple years. Too much work, not enough staff, and a boss who apparently doesn’t understand the concept of time.
I never bought Naked 1, unfortunately. I wish i had it, but then again, I already have a ridiculous amount of palettes, most of which I will rarely ever use! The pandemic changed my attitude about eyeshadow, and now I’m just into very natural neutrals. So my bright, colorful palettes are just gathering dust.
And thank you for the well wishes for the dog. He can barely see, his hearing is going, and he stumbles a lot when he walks, but he has a voracious appetite and a cheerful disposition. We just try to keep him happy and as healthy as possible.
Yes, unfortunately I have worked for someone like that too. The turnover of staff in our place was legendary and when she started picking on me, I left and found another very happy position elsewhere.
I find I am using a lot more natural neutrals as well, but will use my more colourful shades as the pop of colour. I did a major declutter a little while ago and got rid of a lot of palettes that I just wasn’t really using. It was sad to see some of them go, but it just made my stash more manageable.
What a wonderful doggie you have and no wonder you cherish him so much.
Oh, poor Winnie. He just wants a friend!
Haul: Okay, so I am going to say right now that I am blaming this haul on Michelle, @binxcat4ever. I follow her on IG and she use to be here on the blog on a daily basis but her Friday hauls were legendary as she purchased a lot of products to test and review on her other social media. She recently posted photos of makeup she had purchased from a brand that I had never heard of and so I went to check them out. I am a big lover of embossed makeup and this company has some of the most beautiful embossing. So, I went a little crazy. They do not have a ton of products so I was limited by what they actually make, so thank heavens for that! The brand is Florasis. It is a Chinese makeup brand. I am going to link the products I purchased so that you can all see the folly I participated in, LOL!
The lipstick I picked up. The name is “Love Remains”
https://florasis.com/products/blooming-rouge-love-lock-lipstick?variant=41365652078791
Eyeshadow palette:
https://florasis.com/products/floral-engraving-phoenix-makeup-palette?variant=41365650768071
Setting powder:
https://florasis.com/products/fairy-peach-blossom-pressed-powder-impression-of-dai?variant=41253837897927
Cushion Foundation: I love a good cushion foundation and I don’t know if this will be one or not but since I was ordering I decided to try it out. In general, most Asian makeup has a warmer undertone and yet, I haven’t had a lot of trouble getting a good matching shade. I think if you are any darker than a light medium, you will have trouble finding a shade match. The most shades I have ever seen were 4 and this particular company only has three.
https://florasis.com/products/yurong-water-lily-fresh-forever-cushion-foundation?variant=41365646442695
So that is my haul for this week and for the next two years as I am going back on a “no buy”. Seriously, I am headed to Seattle and I am sure I will purchase more but then I am back on my self imposed restrictions!
Weekend plans: Nothing special. Everyday my stiffness, bruising and scabbing from my recent fall, is getting better. I have been taking it easy and I really want to get my house cleaned up before I leave for Seattle as I will be bringing my grand-kittie back with me. I am curious how she is going to respond to being back here with me. She has been being a little pill with my daughter and we want to find out if it is a change in her kittie personality, a sign she is ill, bored or just being a brat. I think it might have something to do with her being in a much smaller space than what she was use to with me. Plus, my daughter’s roommate keeps her door closed at night and Sophie just wants in the room so she sits at the door and meows and scratches. Their whole apartment is about 600 square feet and my house is roughly 2500 with lots of places to hide and play. It is just more fun having the zoomies on stairs than in a constricted space!
Special plans for May:
This is the longest amount of time I have gone without seeing my daughter. I last saw her in early January. So, we are both super excited to see each other and I am headed over there for the Mother’s Day holiday here in the USA, which is coming up next weekend. So I am headed to Seattle on Thursday and will return the following week. We are going to find the ocean while I am there. We are both missing the ocean and you have to drive quite a ways south to see the actual ocean in Washington. The entire Seattle area is an inlet and while it is all beautiful, there aren’t any waves. So, that is my big plan for May.
The makeup items look absolutely beautiful, although the foundation doesn’t give any info regarding undertones – they just have to be pink for me. I love the embossing on the lipsticks too. I think I have seen this brand before, but have never purchased from them myself. I am relying on you to give us a review!
It will be so lovely to see your daughter again and I hope the weather is good enough for you to visit the ocean. I’m a fan of waves myself and it does take us awhile to get to any good oceanic spots from where I live.
Best wishes for Sophie and I am sure she misses you (and your house).
I will be sure to update everyone. I have no idea how long it will take coming from China. Michelle said she gets her products in about 3-4 weeks. The postage alone is outrages but that is the cost these days. I ordered some lite chipboard pieces from England and I was willing to pay the shipping as I needed the pieces badly. The postage was more than the products. I contacted the lady, we have conversed online before, and she told me she would reimburse me for any overages. The products cost $24 and the shipping was $29. When she contacted me it was only off by $1.49 and that is shipping from somewhere that is relatively close, has a good postal system and yet it cost an arm and a leg. I was expecting a lot more from Australia but it was better as I purchased more products.
Yes, it will be nice having Sophie home for a little while. She is my weapon against my family staying with me over a local festival that everyone comes to during the summer. In particular, my sister. I love her dearly but she could drive you to drink in 5 minutes. She is also the only family member whose politics is diametrically opposed to everything the rest of us believe. She stayed with my brother last time so it was suppose to be my turn this time but she is highly allergic to cats so she won’t be able to stay. Full disclosure, I had already made arrangements for Sophie to come home before I knew my sister was coming!
Recent Purchases: Dior Addict Shine Lipstick in 744 which is a reddish orange. Otherwise, I was low buy this month.
Weekend Plans: One of our pastors is being ordained so I am going to the ordination and then her first sermon on Sunday as a ‘Reverend’.
May Plans: I am having a medical procedure in early May and, after 2.5 years, finishing up physical therapy this month! Also I am buying an eyeshadow palette but I haven’t decided if I am buying the Patrick Ta one or an ABH one. Plus lots of baseball to watch!!!!
Best wishes for the upcoming medical procedure and good news regarding the ending of physical therapy – that will be a relief, I am sure.
How beautiful it is to witness an ordination and the beginning of a new spiritual pathway and then to hear her first sermon? Best wishes to your pastor as well on her big day.
Which ABH palette are you thinking of to purchase? She hasn’t really had one out in awhile. The Patrick Ta one is quite popular and Christine has reviewed one of htem I believe.
Enjoy your weekend Sarah.
I’ve been eyeing the Primrose palette for a very long time bc all my palettes are neutrals but the new Patrick Ta covers the same ground so I would only buy one of them.
Recent purchases: nothing; Rediscoveries – also nothing
Weekend plans: my new daughter in law has encountered every problem imaginable (and some not even imaginable) in her effort to get to Japan. Because of the running time of her COVID PCR test and a missed connection, she may be denied entry into Japan (which requires a special COVID form signed by a doctor so not something available “just like that”). So the stress of that entire has been through the roof. We’re hoping she’s on her way to Narita now and they will allow her entry! This has all made me that much more content not to leave Canada for travel. On top of that, I’m hosting a baby shower for my daughter so tomorrow and Sunday morning will be the final food preparation (don’t want to have soggy sandwiches because they were made the night before!)
What I’m looking forward to in May: it’s our 42nd wedding anniversary and maybe we’ll go away for the weekend to celebrate but beyond that, with the shower and daughter in law’s trials and tribulations behind us, I mostly want to take it easy. I do want to get to work on cleaning up our garden a bit more though with my knee issues, it’s not that easy.
I know absolutely what you mean about soggy sandwiches! Whenever I am asked to do some of my infamous (in my family) ribbon sandwiches, I always get up ridiculously early to make them because I have a horror of them either turning soggy or the bread becoming ‘staleish’. I cut off all the crusts….
I am sure it’s going to be a wonderful day for all of you and best wishes to your daughter and son in law as well.
Re Japan – Well, I was talking to that teacher friend of mine (the one I think I told you about whose son, DIL and family live in Japan), she hasn’t been able to see them for 2 years and cannot even go and see them NOW because the country is not letting in international visitors – even if they have been vaccinated to high heaven. So I am not surprised when you have written about all the hassles your new DIL has recently experienced. Hopefully, crossing fingers and toes, all her forms and protocols are approved and that she can be with her husband, your son. What a nightmare for you both to undergo the same week as you are preparing for a joyous event.
I think I would need a little holiday getaway after all of this and your 42nd Anniversary is coming up at the right time.
Congratulations on your 42nd Wedding Anniversary! I hope you and your spouse can get away for an enjoyable weekend.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: MAC order: Brule & Shroom shadow pans, Fairly Precious blush (from a fellow Temptalia reader’s rec!!), and Soar lip pencil
Weekend plans: My husband may have to work Saturday so we’re not counting on anything else lol
Do you have any plans for May? The 17th is the Baby’s birthday and the 18th is our 12th wedding anniversary. We don’t have any plans for them though because his work is so unpredictable.
I hope things get better for you, Christine ❤️
Happy birthday to your little one Joyce. A small family birthday party is often all that little ones need. We had Harry’s during lockdown and he was zonked by the end of the day. It can still be a lovely day. And congratulations on your wedding anniversary too. I hope that your husband’s work plans become clearer so that you are able to celebrate.
Hi Genevieve!! I love that we both have a Harry in our families lol
Congratulations on your 12th Wedding Anniversary! I hope you and your spouse are able to have a nice dinner.
Thank you, Cristiana!!
Poor Winnie, he just wants to be friends!
Purchases: Nothing recently, but I just got a $10 coupon from Ulta because I haven’t shopped there in forever, and it’s good on prestige brands, so I can get the foundation I forgot to buy during Sephora’s sale.
Rediscoveries: The other week I wore my Maybelline Smoked Silver lipstick and I always forget how much I love that weird color until I put it on.
Weekend plans: Whoosh, it’s a big one! I am turning 4-0 on Sunday! And it’s Independent Bookstore Day tomorrow, and to celebrate a bunch of local bookstores have a challenge where if you go to 24 specific stores in 10 days, you get a coupon that will get you a 25% discount at each store 1x for the next year! So we are going to hit a bunch of the stores this weekend. And go to a craft fair. And go out for dinner and drinks to celebrate my b-day. And I’m in an online dance film show. Honestly I’m tired just thinking about all of it, but I also took yesterday and today off of work so I could have a couple restful days, too 😉
Plans for May: Besides turning 40? LOL. My father-in-law and his wife are visiting later in the month but we don’t get on so I’m going to mostly avoid them. But I have to do a lot of spring cleaning and spring yardwork to get the place company-ready (especially since the stepMIL is judgmental AF and made some backhanded comments about our yard at the old place). Using this as an excuse to declutter a bunch of stuff that I’ve dragged around from home to home and don’t wanna have with me the next time we move, too.
I know! He is desperate to make friends, lol!
Happy birthday, AJ! Hubby turns 40 this year, too. Not sure what to do…
The most interesting 40th birthday party I ever went to Christine, was our old neighbour’s one. Everyone had to dress up as something starting with ‘F’. The birthday boy, quite a heavyset man, came as the sugar plum fairy – complete with pink tutu and fairy wings – totally unselfconscous. My husband, who loathes dressups with a passiion went as a farmer – plaid shirt and jeans. Whilst I had a long floral dress and denoted myself as the flower garden….
In all honesty, a BBQ dinner, with family and friends, is quite a nice, chill way to celebrate the occasion. I did that for my husband’s 40th.
Happy birthday AJ – it sounds as if you are going to have a wonderful time this weekend and I hope you and your spouse have a truly amazing time. I hope the online dance film show goes really well too.
Getting rid of all the excess stuff around your house (which is something we have to do too) will make you not only feel better, but will stop your step MIL making snide commnets too. Mind you, that kind of person will always find something to criticise you about and to get under your collar. What a joyous person she must be to have around! I think I would clear out of the place too.
Anyway, this weekend is for you – so have fun and enjoy it!
Happy 40th!!!
Happy 40th!
MIL’s can be horrid, just don’t let her get to you. I know, easier said than done.
Your weekend sounds like so much fun. I hope you’ll have a wonderful time!
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great weekend!
Happy birthday!
Saw that adorable little stalemate going on when I was on IG the other day! Our fur-babies really have more personality than non-pet owners could imagine, don’t they?
Purchases/rediscoveries: The day is still young, but to be honest, I’m not feeling all that drawn in by anything new at this time. At least not color cosmetics. I may push pay on the Saie powder in my Sephora cart, though.
A semi “rediscovery” happened the other day when I took my tube of UD Catfight Lipstick out for my visit to the oncologist office. It just feels good to be back to wearing regular tube lipsticks again! And that color is still a true HG favorite shade of mine, especially now thru summer.
Weekend plans: I really need to get some food/household shopping done. So mundane, but also necessary. Also reaching the point where I will have to get some help with doing my laundry, as I’m not supposed to lift anything over 10 lbs and my apartment is half basement with stairs going up. This really does suck! What also sucks? Doc said NO swimming, dancing, exercise beyond walking for another 2 MONTHS!!! 😭
What are you looking forward to in May? LOL. Nothing written in stone. Will likely buy a new phone this weekend and switch over to Consumer Cellular. Gonna be one very long, boring month.
Is the doctor worried about your wound/scar getting infected in a pool Nancy? Otherwise it would be nice to just sit in the pool and cool down on your long hot days.
I see what you mean about the laundry situation and your residence too. Maybe it would be possible to get a friend to help you or just take very small amounts with you….it’s a tricky situation isn’t it?
Good news about finding an oldie, but goodie lipstick. Such joy to be able to wear lipstick again.
That’s one part of the issue, Genevieve. Also, my incision was closed with surgical glue instead of staples or sutures, plus she doesn’t want any water traveling upwards, either.
Yeah, I’m racking my brain trying to figure out who I could ask for assistance with my laundry. Most of my friends work full-time and their weekends are all they get for themselves.
Oh, and a bit “heck, yes!” to wearing tube lipsticks again! The KN95 masks don’t touch my mouth area, and that allows for wearing whatever I want underneath whenever I have to put one on.
Follow your doctor’s orders, Nancy, as frustrating as that may feel. And walking is a great way to get exercise and help your body regain stamina!
Interestingly, Catfight (I think I got the old, wonderful “Revolution” formula) was the only UD lipstick I ever returned. I thought it would be perfect for me but it was anything but and I also found it didn’t wear as well as the other Revolution lipsticks I had (F-Bomb, Manic and Jilted).
True enough, Mariella. Only catch is that swimming and dancing release endorphins for me, but walking? Not so much!
I’m so sorry that Catfight didn’t work out for you like it did for me, because what a beautiful, bright shade for this time of year! Makes me think of my Mom’s Azalea bushes blooming in the front of our house each year 😊
What a lovely memory to have – no wonder you love Catfight so much!
Doctor’s orders are such a pain but I hope the two months passes for you quickly. Are you allowed to soak in a tub? Sometimes that helped me when I wasn’t able to swim!
Sarah, sadly no tub soaks, either. And for the same reason swimming isn’t allowed quite yet. #SadNarwhal
Christine, I do hope you get to relax this weekend and manage to take some time off for yourself over the coming week too. I hope that you be kind to yourself, allow your hand/arm to heal and sleep well. I feel that the pain of losing Mellon, plus the very long hours you worked to get your SG Temptalia palettes up and running have taken a long term toll on you. Take care, we are all thinking of you.
Yes, not all play dates work out well – even for the little humans too!
Winnie will love the pool and it’s always good to see your parents.
Recent Purchases: I am trying to find The Ordinary’s Argon oil – but they have sold out in the one set of shops that have them here. So hopefully I can find some today (Saturday morning)
Rediscoveries: Pixi Beauty Reflex Light palette – so, so good and vibrant.
Weekend Plans: On Friday I caught up with a large group of former teachers I worked with many years ago. We meet every couple of months and it was lovely to catch up on all their family news and what they have been up to.
Saturday – just the usual grocery shopping and housework
Sunday – hmmm – hoping for a drive and a Sunday lunch out in the mountains.
Looking forward to in May: May is another favourite month of mine as the autumn effect is still in full swing. We are going away for a week up to Bendigo (a large country city in central Victoria) for a week and this is our first holiday in a couple of years. It should be really lovely to just get away.
I look forward to Mothe’s Day – not quite sure what is happening yet – but I am definitely not cooking!
Hope you’ll have an wonderful time in the mountains!
Lucky you, heading into autumn (my favourite season); we’re heading into spring but it only lasts a few weeks at best before it gets blisteringly hot and all my nicest flowers (the spring bulbs, Japanese tree peonies and regular peonies) basically cook in the sun after being bashed by a rainfall or two! Your lunch in the mountains sounds lovely….wish we had some mountains here to drive to for lunch!
Two of my 3 children are too far away to do anything for me for Mothers’ Day (my youngest is now in Japan and, as I type, I am praying that his new wife – they’ve been together 3 years but only married recently so she could join him and get a “dependent visa” – she hates that term – is able to clear for entry into the country as a flight delay may nullify her PCR Covid test results). I sure hope my husband spoils the daylights out of me since I can’t be with my kids (well, daughter is here but she’s really limiting things like going out to restaurants, etc).
I get argan oil at the health food store. That stuff from Josie Maran is nice but just too pricey (ditto marula oil from Drunk Elephant – the stuff I got from the health food store is just the same and the price was so reasonable I can afford to be “liberal” with it, unlike the DE stuff).
Sometimes our autumn only lasts for a few weeks before it rips into winter, but this year it has been glorious. We are fortunate where we live that we have the local hills about 10 min. drive away and the larger mountains about half an hour or so drive away – so we are spoilt for choices here.
Josie Maran’s argon oil is ridiculously expensive here – so I either use The Ordinary’s or Swisse. I think it’s just our local Priceline shop that doesn’t have what I am after. I am a slatherer – I use it quite liberally too, so I go through it quite regularly.
Best wishes for your DIL gaining entry to Japan and that all her results are recognised by the authorities there.
I am sure your husband will spoil you, just print out a big, long list of things you want to do, places you want to see, specific perfumes/makeup items and pin to the bathroom door for some ‘positive and helpful’ suggestions…….
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I was running low on so many items that I had to make an emergency Paula’s Choice order: All Over Hair & Body Shampoo (although it goes in and out of stock so often I should have ordered multiple), HYDRALIGHT Shine-Free Mineral Complex SPF 30, Extra Care Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF 50, CLEAR Purifying Clay Mask. I got for free a set of minis (CLINICAL 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment, Omega+ Complex Serum, Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA, Water-Infusing Electrolyte).
Weekend plans: Absolutely nothing… last week I made no plans and ended up doing a wonderful hike. 😀
Do you have any plans for May? Hike more. Try to finish some things for work. I have plans for June… so I plan not to jinx them by doing nothing in May.
I am glad that you are feeling so much better that you can go hiking again. That’s a pretty good deal on the skin care products and it’s really nice that the brand threw in a free set of minis for you to try. Take care Ana Maria and stay well.
Not the dream play date for a young lab. The little one is cute, though.
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: Purchase, Clinique Take the Day Off Balm and Black Honey Almost Lipstick lipstick. It’s a replacement my old one is going off, it smells a bit strange. I don’t use Black Honey all that often, but always like it when I use it and I didn’t want to be without it.
Waiting for my latest CP order.
Weekend plans: Gardening maybe or cleaning the house, I had better start now as my friend all the way back from school will visit in July.
Do you have any plans for May? Gardening. I know! And cleaning the house, rinse and repeat.
May however is generally a nice month, but mid May, the 14th will be a year since my darling Miniature Schnauzer Maserati passed away so May is a sad month. Today, April 30th marks a year since his gallbladder surgery, and the last time he and I spoke, after that he was unconscious when i visited him.
So sorry for being such a downer!
And Christine, please take care of yourself. I’m certain that we can do wit a lot less content so you can rest up and find the fun in what you do again.
That’s a very sad anniversary for you Helene. Pets mean so much to us and it’s awful when they pass away. There is a big, big hole in your heart for them.
There is nothing like friends visiting to motivate you into cleaning and clearing up the house. I hope the weather is kind to you and lets you get outside to do those jobs.
Take care Helene.
Thank you, Genevieve!
Recent Purchases/Rediscoveries: I bought another shade of the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Blush at Ulta today in Provence.
Weekend Plans: I have surgery next week, so I need to get the house cleaned up and meals prepped for after I am home.
Plans for May? Surgery, then post-op. I have a feeling most of May will be spent on the couch.