Small Changes

In 2025, I changed my glasses frames. The ones I had before were similar, but not quite as large and not quite as cateyed. For the most part, no one said anything about them. I mean, I wasn't craving compliments so that was fine, but still. However, when I got these new ones, suddenly I had a lot of people talking about them. Pretty much everyone I encountered talked about how they liked the new frames. It felt good to know I picked out something that worked so well with my features.

The problem being, well, the glasses are rather large. I didn't want them damaged but it was difficult to find something to keep them safe because of their size. While they fit in a conventional glasses case, it was a snug fit. 

My solution? Well, Ipsy gives out these bags every month and one of them was perfect for holding my glasses. It was sleek and black with a little fake jewel on it. The inner lining was bright pink and very soft. I felt like it was appropriately fancy for my fancy glasses. 

Remember when we were all about sparking joy? This little setup of mine certainly sparks joy in me. Sometimes the little changes make all the difference. 


 

Ipsy Extra Choice February 2026 Spoilers: My Thoughts

I'm not getting the Ipsy Extra box this month, but I thought I'd go over the choices for those who do.

GLO GIRL Love Bomb Eyeshadow Palette
This seems like a pretty decent product. It's supposed to be highly pigmented and long-wearing. The shades are beautiful. They're very warm and range from neutrals to very sultry colors that suit its Valentine's Day theme. If you love romance and enjoy dramatic looks, this might be a great choice for you. I have a lot of palettes right now so this wouldn't be my first choice, but I certainly wouldn't mind if it ended up in my box.

HAUS LABS ColorFuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Hibiscus
This is Lady Gaga's makeup line and people really love it. This is supposed to leave a great glow to the skin, as it is formulated to both hydrate and plump. It's also reported to calm the skin and help deal with redness. Even though it's called a blush, it's usable for lips as well. The shade is rich, rosy mauve that would work on most skin types. It should last up to 8 hours and is buildable. Again, a selection I would be happy receiving.

BRIOGEO HAIR CARESuperfoods Passionfruit + Açaí Hydrating Mask
This would have been a tempting choice for me. I love hair masks and this one is supposed to be especially good for thin, fine hair. This is because it claims to be very lightweight and non-greasy. Now the scent seems to be somewhat polarizing. Described as something like fruity bubble gum, people either love this or hate it. It's something to really keep in mind about a product like this as you'll have it for quite a while and if you hate the scent, that could be a problem.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Smooth & Blur Undetectable Under Eye Concealer
I'm on the lookout for a good liquid concealer. I love my stick one, but liquids are better for the V method of foundation. This might be a selection I would give heavy consideration because it's supposed to defuse imperfections while not highlighting pores and creases like many concealers do. It's supposed to last a full 24 hours which would also make me seriously consider it.

ELEMIS Balancing LavenderToner
I love Elemis and I'm need of a good toner. It contains no alcohol or other harsh ingredients. It's supposed to refresh, soften, and purify the skin, all the while calming it. I know very well that Elemis products are quite good at calming the skin and as I've mentioned before, if there is one thing my skin needs, it's to be calm. The only thing that gives me pause here is the lavender scent. Lavender can be very overwhelming to me and the idea of swabbing it on my face every night doesn't exactly appeal.

I'm actually somewhat happy I'm not getting this box next month because I would probably put way too much time into figuring out which of these I would select. There is a lot of really good product here and that is a positive thing. There seems to be something for every need. I mean, even if you don't want anything else, you can always choose the Haus Labs product just for Lady Gaga vibes.

What will you choose?  

 

End of the Month Reviews: Ipsy Winter 2025 Icon

I received this box earlier this month but it is still technically an edit from last year, 2025. At the beginning of the month, it's always easy to get enchanted by all the pretty new things in the pretty boxes. Over time, this changes. As we're coming to the end of the month, I thought I would go back and see how well the products I received from the subscription boxes did. This is my criteria.

1. Did I use this?
2. Was it a good amount?

3. Did I enjoy it?
4. Did it live up to my expectations?
5. Would I repurchase?

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude lipstick 36NP Amorosa

1. Did I use this? Yes, although I find that I'm saving it for special occasions. I shouldn't do that. I should use it as often as I want because I deserve luscious lipsticks and I do own this.
2. Was it a good amount? It is a very standard bullet of lipstick, so yes.

3. Did I enjoy it? Ahhh, so much. I have never had a lipstick that felt better on my lips.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes and my expectations were pretty high too.
5. Would I repurchase? I would. I have never had a lipstick that felt so velvety on my mouth.

8 Faces Brilliance Serum
1. Did I use this? I use this morning and night. It's really helped to soften my skin.
2. Was it a good amount? It has a decent amount of product and given that you only need drops of it at a time, it will last for quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? I love this serum. I love the way it feels on my skin. I love the scent of it. I love the beautiful bottle. It very much pleases me. In fact, the bottle is so beautiful I plan to display it when I'm finished with the serum.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I really had no expectations for this before I started using it but as you can tell, I love it a lot.
5. Would I repurchase? I certainly would.

Rodial Glass Powder
1. Did I use this? I use this a lot. It's become my go to setting powder.
2. Was it a good amount? It's a standard amount of loose powder. I will say that the holes in the sifter insert are a bit too wide and allow more powder to escape at a time than I would like. I've wasted some of the product because I couldn't control the sifter well.

3. Did I enjoy it? I'm not the biggest fan of loose powder. I find pressed powders to be easier to control. Despite that, I'm using this as my regular powder because it's so good at blurring my skin.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I have very high expectations for Rodial. It's a company that I hold to a lofty standard and aside from the sifter issue, it's certainly lived up to what I expected.
5. Would I repurchase? No but I would purchase the pressed version of this. I know I could control it better.

Natasha Denona Retro Palette 15 Eyeshadow Palette
1. Did I use this? Some? Not a lot. Nothing wrong with the palette itself but a majority of the shades just don't appeal to me.
2. Was it a good amount? Yes, this is a large palette and really, maybe that's part of the problem for me. I tend to like palettes with fewer than nine pans because I think they tell a better color story and make more sense in my head.

3. Did I enjoy it? I would say I enjoy it more in theory than I do in application. I'm just not using this very much. Maybe that will change over time, but I find this just isn't quite working with my coloring.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? The quality of the product is certainly there. It's beautiful and heavy and very well made.
5. Would I repurchase? Not at this size and not these shades. Maybe one of her more neutral warmer palettes.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic SkinRenewal Mask
1. Did I use this? My skin gets irritated so quickly with masks that I have to use them sparingly. I did decide this would be my go-to mask for when I used one though.
2. Was it a good amount? Yeah, it's a very decent amount of product. It's going to last quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? Yes. It dries down quickly and comes off easily. It leaves my skin so very soft and what else could you really want in a mask?
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It did. I feel like it does what is required.
5. Would I repurchase? I think so. It's certainly been easy on my skin, and that isn't something I can say about a lot of skin mask-type products.

Persona Cosmetics Volumizing Tubing Mascara
1. Did I use this? I used it once to see if I liked it better than my other one. I didn't. I haven't used it since.
2. Was it a good amount? Yeah this is actually a pretty large tube of mascara.

3. Did I enjoy it? I was unmoved one way or the other.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It's okay. It's just not as good as my other one.
5. Would I repurchase? No. Not a bad product, but just not thrilling for me.

Lithe Beauty Soft Fill Lip Pencils
1. Did I use this? I used these more than I thought I would. Unlike a lot of lip pencils (that can be too dry and hard), these glide over the lips well and fill in your lips very smoothly. The soft aspect of them has been quite beneficial for me.
2. Was it a good amount? I think so. You don't need much of the product so it will last for quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? Again, I find that I enjoyed them quite a lot. They're really good about blending with other colors and blurring the edges of my lip line to help it look fuller, more even, and softer.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It exceeded them by a long shot.
5. Would I repurchase? I would. This product has really upped my lip shaping technique.

Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in Downtown Black and Uptown Brown
1. Did I use this? I tried for quite a while to make these work for me but they just never did. Eventually, I gave up and went back to other things.
2. Was it a good amount? It's a standard size.

3. Did I enjoy it? I found them frustrating. That probably has more to do with the way I react to liquid liners than it does with any fault of the product. If liquid liners work for you, these are probably great.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Given that I expected to not have any more luck with these than I ever have with this kind of pencil, I guess so.
5. Would I repurchase? No. Again, nothing against the product. It just doesn't work for me.  

End of the Month Reviews: Ipsy Original for January 2026

At the beginning of the month, it's always easy to get enchanted by all the pretty new things in the pretty boxes. Over time, this changes. As we're coming to the end of the month, I thought I would go back and see how well the products I received from the subscription boxes did. This is my criteria.

1. Did I use this?
2. Was it a good amount?

3. Did I enjoy it?
4. Did it live up to my expectations?
5. Would I repurchase?

ELEMIS Peptide4 Plumping PillowFacial

1. Did I use this? Oh certainly yes! I used this until I could no longer squeeze product out of it.
2. Was it a good amount? It was only a small sample, but there was a good amount of product in it.

3. Did I enjoy it? I enjoyed this so much. This was probably one of my favorite things I got all month.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? My expectations for Elemis are very high but this still lived up to them. I miss this already.
5. Would I repurchase? I would if I had the funds, yes. The way this calmed down my skin and relaxed me was so very nice.

LUNA MAGIC Strawberry Mojito lip pencil

1. Did I use this? This has been my go to lip pencil all month. A lot of the ones I have are too dark but this one is so complimentary to my coloring.
2. Was it a good amount? It was a full lip pencil so yes.

3. Did I enjoy it? I do enjoy it, yes. I think it works so well with my lips.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It did, yes.
5. Would I repurchase? Oh certainly yes.

MOONSLICE BEAUTY Cream Blush in Cutie Pie

1. Did I use this? Yes. I used it a lot.
2. Was it a good amount? Even though it's not the biggest container, it's still a lot of blush and because it's a cream, it isn't flaking off like a powder one would.

3. Did I enjoy it? I did. I'm really enjoying more orange blushes.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yeah. I wasn't sure where I stood with cream blushes but I am certainly a fan of them now.
5. Would I repurchase? I would.

SUGARSILK Ethereal Eyes Palette

1. Did I use this? I did. I used it more than I thought I would.
2. Was it a good amount? It's not a very big palette but it'll still last me a long time.

3. Did I enjoy it? Yes. I actually use some of the shades for color correction and others just for lighter eye looks.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yeah. I actually found it to be far more useful than I anticipated.
5. Would I repurchase? I would.

byrosiejane's Remi Perfume

1. Did I use this? Yes. I used it sparingly because there isn't much of it.
2. Was it a good amount? No it was just a small sample.

3. Did I enjoy it? I did. It isn't my favorite perfume, but I did like it.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yeah. It was a very nice scent.
5. Would I repurchase? Probably not because while I enjoyed it, it isn't exactly my scent profile.

The Monthly Bag
1. Did I use this? Yes. I decided to make it my purse bag.
2. Was it a good size? Yes. It holds a lot.

3. Did I enjoy it? I do enjoy it because of the side zip and the blue accent on it. Oh and the little zipper coin. Yeah, I really do like this bag. However, I have noticed my bag was different than a lot of other people's for this month.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes.
5. Would I repurchase? I normally just get black bags so no I probably wouldn't get a white one again, but that doesn't change the fact that I adore this.

End of the Month Reviews: Ipsy Extra Box January 2026

At the first of the month, it's always easy to get enchanted by all the pretty new things in the pretty boxes. Over time, this changes. As we're coming to the end of the month, I thought I would go back and see how well the products I received from the subscription boxes did. This is my criteria.

1. Did I use this?
2. Was it a good amount?

3. Did I enjoy it?
4. Did it live up to my expectations?
5. Would I repurchase?

Kulfi Beauty Badi Lash Smudge Proof Volumizing Tubing Mascara in Black
1. Did I use this? I did! I used this a lot. In fact, it's been the mascara I've been reaching for almost every time I do my eyes. My little sparse, short lashes respond really well to this mascara and I'm so very pleased with it.
2. Was it a good amount? Oh yes. You're not having to use much to really get a good amount on your lashes and this will last me quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? Deeply! I usually find mascaras frustrating and annoying because they get everywhere and smudge. Because this one is working for me, it's just so much fun to put on.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes. It exceeded them, really. It gave me hope that mascara can work for me.
5. Would I repurchase? I certainly will.

BYROE Sugar Plum Shimmer Lip Oil
1. Did I use this? I did. I figured out how to make it work for me. I really needed lip liner on first but once I did, everything worked well.
2. Was it a good amount? Yes. This will last for quite a while and I don't really need much of it.

3. Did I enjoy it? It's not really my style, but I'm pleased when I put it on.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes because they weren't very high. Glittery lip oil? I did not have that high up on my priority list. However, I find that I do like it quite a lot.
5. Would I repurchase? I think I would by another Byroe lip oil but I don't think I would get one with a shimmer.

WANDER BEAUTY On-the-Glow Blush & Illuminator in Dusk
1. Did I use this? Yes, I used this a lot. Both sides.
2. Was it a good amount? It is. It's a very decent size.

3. Did I enjoy it? I like both for different reasons. The blush side actually is dark enough to use for contouring and the shimmer side is a good blending shade to make concealer blend better.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I think so. It doesn't exactly do what I planned for it to do, but I've found it to be very useful.
5. Would I repurchase? I think so.

EVEREDEN'S Hair and Body Fragrance Mist in Darling
1. Did I use this? I use this daily. It blends wonderfully with my hair.
2. Was it a good amount? Yes. Lots of product in the bottle and you don't need much.

3. Did I enjoy it? I love this scent. I usually don't go for strawberry-scented things but I love the freshness and lightness.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I didn't realize how much I would really use this. I thought it would be just an occasional thing but it's become part of my daily scent profile.
5. Would I repurchase? Yes.

CHICA BEAUTY Mirame Liquid Liner
1. Did I use this? No. I have other eyeliners and this one doesn't work very well.
2. Was it a good amount? Yeah it was a fine amount. I just wish it worked better.

3. Did I enjoy it? No. It was basically useless to me.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Given that I just found it to be useless for me, then no.
5. Would I repurchase? No.

End of the Month Reviews: Allure Beauty Box January 2026

At the first of the month, it's always easy to get enchanted by all the pretty new things in the pretty boxes. Over time, this changes. As we're coming to the end of the month, I thought I would go back and see how well the products I received from the subscription boxes did. This is my criteria.

1. Did I use this?
2. Was it a good amount?

3. Did I enjoy it?
4. Did it live up to my expectations?
5. Would I repurchase?

Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer by Obagi Medical
1. Did I use this? Yes. I used this twice a day. The cream set well on my skin and absorbed nicely.
2. Was it a good amount? No. The bottle ran out pretty quickly and because the lid didn't come off, I couldn't access anything that was left inside. I think I had this about two weeks.

3. Did I enjoy it? I did, but honestly the fact that it didn't last as long as it looked like it should have marred my liking of it.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes and no. It did what it was supposed to, but there isn't as much product in the bottle as it seems.
5. Would I repurchase? Probably not. This is an expensive product for how much you actually get.

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum

1. Did I use this? Yes. I used this with every hair drying and sometimes just to add some shine to my hair.
2. Was it a good amount? For how little you use it, it actually is. You need very, very little of this product and it's going to last me a good while.

3. Did I enjoy it? Yes. The way it speeds up hair drying is pretty game-changing for me. I love that about this product.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I would say it exceeded my expectations. I really didn't believe the hype but it certainly did what it promised and that turned out to be a nice, fundamental change for me.
5. Would I repurchase? I certainly would. For one thing, it isn't that expensive. For another, it really does a great job on my hair.

Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream
1. Did I use this? I used this several times a day. I used this as often as I felt I could get away with using it. I used this because I found myself craving the scent and the softness.
2. Was it a good amount? Yes. The tube isn't that large but there is a decent amount in there and it's lasted at least through the month and then some.

3. Did I enjoy it? I really loved this. My skin is certainly smoother and softer after using it for a while and the scent is something I have come to dearly love.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Considering how I felt when I first smelled it, I would say this is the biggest turnaround I had on any of the Allure products this month. This is the product I will miss the most when it's gone.
5. Would I repurchase? I had to give this some pause because, admittedly, this is a more expensive product, but honestly if I had the money to spare, yes, I would certainly repurchase.

Blake Brown Beauty's Fundamental Nourishing Mask

1. Did I use this? Yes. I used this with every shower and looked forward to doing so.
2. Was it a good amount? This was a massive amount, given that people go through hair masks slowly. I'll have this for a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? I really did. This felt so lux. It did wonderful things to the feel of my hair and left it smelling wonderful.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes. I felt like this was a pretty divisive item, but I really felt it did what it needed to do.
5. Would I repurchase? I would, though honestly as slowly as one goes through this, repurchase wouldn't have to be that often.

Levitate Beauty's Hydrogel Under Eye Masks

1. Did I use this? I did, though I kind of had to remind myself to do so. It's cold and putting on eye masks right now isn't that fun.
2. Was it a good amount? I received three, which I feel was a pretty good amount. They had a generous amount of product in the packet as well, which could be smoothed over my skin.

3. Did I enjoy it? Aside from the cold, I did. I liked the fact that the masks were very thin and stayed in place well. I also appreciated that they had placement pads on them.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? My expectations for eye masks are very little so yes, they did. They certainly did what they were supposed to.
5. Would I repurchase? To be honest, I'm probably not going to buy eye masks as they have a way of just showing up in my life for free, but if I did happen to purchase some, I would certainly consider this brand because I felt the design was very practical.

Tarte Cosmetics' Sculpt Tape Contour

1. Did I use this? I did. Mostly because it's the only bronzer I own.
2. Was it a good amount? Yes. I feel this had a good amount of product in it.

3. Did I enjoy it? No. It blended down into my skin to the point that it was barely noticeable and what was there tended to read very muddy orange on my skin.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Not really. It just didn't work on me very well.
5. Would I repurchase? No. I don't think this liquidy of a bronzer works for me. Tarte is a good brand so this probably works for a lot of people, but it just wasn't suited for me.  

So yeah, end of the month, I'm mostly very satisfied with what I got and even happily surprised by some of it. Good month from Allure.

Ipsy Ultimate Spring 2026 Sneak Peek III and IV: My Thoughts

This is groups III and IV of the Ipsy Ultimate Spring collection. Of the four, I was most pleased with these.

• NARS COSMETICS Explicit Lipstick
  I am never upset by a new lipstick. I'm not sure what shade we'll be getting because two different pictures were shown. If this is a product we get to make a choice about, perhaps we can pick the color, but if not, hopefully they'll pay attention to my profile and give me a shade that actually works with my coloring. I also love the name. Very inspiring.

• SAINT JANE BEAUTY Rich Rescue Phyto Mucin Cream
  I've never had any Saint Jane Beauty products, but I am very excited about this one. Snail mucin has been all the rage for a while, but people are starting to move away from that and go to mucin found in plants. This is supposed to make your skin more youthful, plump, and glassy within three weeks. I'm always down for a product that does that.

• MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Hydra Glow Hydrating Foundation
  This foundation is supposed to give you a natural, hydrating finish that has a slight glowy cast to it. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but honestly,  that's based on my past history of being younger and having oily skin. Now that I'm older and matte finishes don't look good on me, this might be something I really need. It's also supposed to be good for uneven texture which is certainly something I have to deal with these days.

• GROWN ALCHEMIST Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser
  I am happy for a cleanser. This one is supposed to do a gentle exfoliating but at the same time not strip the skin of its moisture. I always love something that claims to really cleanse pores. My pores need all the help they can get. Am I a sucker for good packaging? Oh yes I am. And this bottle is beautiful.

• FABLE & MANE Sahascalp Wild Ginger Purifying Scrub
  When spoilers first came out, besides the Rodial and the Charlotte Tilberry, this was the thing that caught my eye. One of the main reasons I started this exploration of beauty was to figure out if there was some way to make my hair less . . . like my hair. Getting a good product for it always makes me happy. You can only use this once a week to replace your shampoo, which means it will last a good long time. It's supposed to remove any build-up, improve scalp health, and deal with any flakes you may have. A lot of people love the scent of this and many people with oily and fine hair (like mine) said that it actually added volume, which is such a win in my book.

• LIVING PROOF Perfect Hair Day Heat Styling Spray
  Even though I get a lot of hair products, I usually don't get hair sprays. This one is good because it's formulated to protect your hair from styling tools. Would that I had had something like that back in the day when I was using curling irons and hot rollers all the time! This is something I will certainly use and I really hope it's in my box. The scent is supposed to be wonderful as well.

• LITHE BEAUTY Gel Eyeliner Set
  Instead of the usual black, it looks like these are purple (Galaxy) and blue (Blueprint). I'm happy about that as I've gotten so many black liners recently. I also like the fact that these are cream as creams tend to work on my eyes at least a little bit better than the liquid ones do. I also like the fact that you get two of them instead of just one.

• KEVYN AUCOIN Indecent Mascara
  This is a product that everyone is getting. I'm sure it's a very good mascara but right now, I have three new mascaras so I can't say I'm that thrilled about this. Though I am intrigued by the claim that it curls the lashes. If it does that, I'll reverse my opinion so fast because that is an amazing idea. If my lashes need anything, it's certainly curling.
  
  Normally this is when I rank things, but honestly aside from the mascara, which is ironically the product that I KNOW I'm getting, I'm really excited about all of these. I'll be happy with any of them that shows up in my life. And even the mascara is pretty great so overall, very nice selections. 

Ipsy Ultimate Spring Sneak Peek I-II: My Thoughts

This is the IPSY part one and two sneak peek for the Ultimate Box for Spring. This is just the first two lists. I'll add the rest of them tomorrow.

• NARS COSMETICS Quad Eyeshadow in Kuala Lumpur
  I know NARS is considered a great brand but I'm not really that into this quad. The shades are more rosy/pinkish than I usually wear on my eyes. The quads from NARS are usually highly regarded, though, so I'm sure a lot of people will like this.

• CHARLOTTE TILBURY Beauty Wand Duo
  This is a hero product and one of the more expensive offerings for the season. I believe the colors are the classic Pinkgasm and Pillow Talk. Now this might not be a big deal for a lot of people because a lot of people already have these shades, but this is major for me and I hope this is an option given to me.

• TATCHA The Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm
  Okay, okay. It's TATCHA. And that means this is also a hero product for the box. However, it's also a lip balm and I have enough lip balms at the moment. I'm sure it's amazing and if I get it, I won't be mad at it, but given the finite number of products we'll be getting and knowing what two of them already are, I have to say if I'm given an option between this and certain other things, I'll choose those, brand name or no brand name.

• COMMODITY FRAGRANCES Ice(d) Fragrance
  Nope. I love getting fragrances, but this one is not for me. Not at all. It has spearmint and I'm basically allergic to that, mango, which I do not enjoy the smell of at all, and eucalyptus. This is kind of the thing I want the least out of everything on offering this season.

• BISHA Essential Rice Makeup Primer
  Can you really have too many primers? Probably not. I'm intrigued by the concept of it being a rice primer and given that my usual level of primers is e.l.f., I think this might be a nice change.

• RODIAL Collagen Booster Drops
  There is a little black notation on this that states everyone gets this. That is really awesome. This product is worth so much more than the price of the box and plus, it's RODIAL so what's not to be excited about? I really love body oils and the fact that I know I'm getting this fills me with joy.
  
  

• MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt® Transforming Skin Perfector

  This pressed powder works as a bronzer, a highlighter, and a way to set your makeup. It's supposed to be nice and lightweight, adding a subtle airbrushed effect to your skin and great for 'no makeup makeup' days. I wouldn't be upset about getting this. I just hope IPSY matches my skintone properly because I'm fairly pale and need quite a light product when it comes to these things.
  
  My list from most excited to least.
  1. RODIAL Collagen Booster Drops
  So excited for this.
  2. CHARLOTTE TILBURY Beauty Wand Duo
  Probably equally excited for this but not getting my hopes up that I'll get it.
  3. MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt® Transforming Skin Perfector
  Intrigued by the idea of this and hopeful they get my shade right.
  4. BISHA Essential Rice Makeup Primer
  Like with the one before, I just hope they get my shade right.
  5. TATCHA The Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm
  I mean, I could be proven wrong because it is TATCHA, but I'm just not really in need of another lip balm right now. 
  6. NARS COSMETICS Quad Eyeshadow in KualaLumpur
  The shades don't really work for me. 
  7.COMMODITY FRAGRANCES Ice(d) Fragrance
  Full of scents I do not enjoy. Could I be proven wrong? Perhaps, but I don't think so.

Ode to an Empty: Elemis Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial

Last night, I ran out of my ElemisPeptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial. I loved this cream! It was wonderful and soothing and calming for my skin. I need that because my skin tends to stay irritated most of the time. This is also supposed to reduce redness and fine lines. I have a lot of stuff going on my skin right now to reduce redness and fine lines so I can't say as to how much this contributed to that, but I can say that it certainly helped.

My two favorite things about this product were the scent and the texture. The scent contained Star Avensis, Indian Night Jasmine, bitter orange, orange, and coriander. I love all of these, though admittedly, while I love the smell of coriander, I am one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap. However, the combination of all of these left me relaxed and happily ready for a good night's sleep. The texture was was very gentle and lightweight. As soon as I put it on my skin, I could feel it not only absorbing but also helping to absorb the serum and eye cream I had on under it. After that, my skin felt soft without any kind of greasy or oily sensations.

When it comes to skincare, one of the things I make determinations on is just how it makes me feel afterward. Mind you, a lot of the time, that's just nothing at best or covered in textures at worst. But with this, I actually felt better about things. I felt serene, tranquil. That's a very good way to feel before bed and certainly an indication of a successful overnight mask.

As I finished the tube, clearly I loved this. In fact, found myself reaching for it as often as I could. Would I repurchase? I certainly would were it in my price range. This product is expensive, but if you have the funds, it would be worth the investment.

Allure Beauty Box Sneak Peek Feb 2026 I Have Some Thoughts

 Allure put out a pic of the spoilers for the Beauty Box for Feb 2026. Along with the SIDIA Solid Perfume, these are the expected items.

• Uzo Blaque Liquide Eyeliner
Sigh. Another black eyeliner. I think they should ban these for a while. This will be the third one I've gotten in two months. I do not need another black liner, especially not one that will eventually dry out. I read a lot of reviews over this and people seem to love it. They say it is really waterproof and doesn't smudge, that the line is very precise and pigmented. We'll see, I guess.

• CNP Propolis Lipcerin Honey LipButter
I also have quite a few lip products right now. However, given that it's winter, I'm going through them fairly fast. Korean Beauty products are very popular right now and I've not really gotten a chance to explore very much of them. Reviews are positive for this. People like the scent and the taste. They say it absorbs into the skin very well. It's intriguing, but I think with lip products, how high could the bar be?

• FAB Bronze Glow Drops
First Aid Beauty is a very beloved brand. People really enjoy their skincare and certainly it's something I wanted to try. Would I ever purchase bronzing glow drops for myself? No. Should I? Hmm. I guess we get the chance to find out. Besides just adding a nice, healthy glow to the skin, it's also supposed to help the skin barrier and hydrate. I find myself pretty excited about this as it isn't something I have any real experience with and find myself curious.

• Cuccio Naturale RevitalizingRoll-On Cuticle Oil
Okay. This is the one I'm most looking forward to. I NEED this. My cuticles are always a mess and I need all the help I can get with them. I honestly didn't even know this existed and I'm happy it does. This product isn't very expensive, but in this case I'm not upset about that because if this works to improve my nails, I'll be able to repurchase.

ORDER OF EXCITEMENT:

1. Cuccio Naturale Revitalizing Roll-On Cuticle Oil I NEED THIS.
2. SIDIA Solid Perfume, in Braless I love scents.
3. FAB Bronze GlowDrops Very curious about this.
4. CNP Propolis Lipcerin Honey LipButter Always need more lipcare.
5. Uzo Blaque Liquide Eyeliner Sigh. We'll see.

We'll see how the list changes once I have the box. More on that next month.  

Allure Customization for February 2026

When it comes to Allure's monthly Beauty Box, they select all the items for you but you get to customize one selection to your preference. This month, the item in question is a solid perfume, SIDIA Solid Perfume, to be exact, and your options are either Braless or Soaked.

So Braless has top notes of black pepper, Spanish rosemary, and coconut. The middle notes are violet, black tea, peony, cedar, and orris. The bottom notes are patchouli, papyrus, vanilla cream, musk, and leather. Now there are some issues. I'm concerned that the cedar might be powerful and that would be a problem. I don't want to smell like a tree. Normally, I hate patchouli, though admittedly, some of the other scents I have contain it as a bottom note and it doesn't bother me when mixed with everything else. What it has going for it is the peony, vanilla cream, and leather. These are scents I really do adore. I also do love the name of this one and it seems like something I would have.

Soaked, on the other hand, has top notes of Juniper, lemon, and olibanum. Its middle notes are oregano, cypress, and cedarwood. For base notes, it has amber, leather, and sensuous musk. This has a lot working against it. For one thing, there are two trees in the middle and the only thing there to balance it out is a spice that I like in food but not on me. I'm not sure the lemon and oregano wouldn't make this gourmand in a way I wouldn't enjoy. Speaking of trees, we also have that Juniper and olibanum (frankincense) as well and I suspect this might be way too woody for me. The bottom notes here appeal to me, but I don't know that they would balance the rest of it.

Given all of that, my selection for the month was Braless. It seemed to be the least risky option and I really love the name.  

Ipsy Original Choices for February 2026

Ipsy's Original Choice is happening on 1/26. It looks like these are the items to choose from.

• Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Contour
This is a full-sized product, but it's drugstore level and doesn't retail for much. It looks like a decent contour and the various colors to choose from seem nice. However, I recently got basically the same thing from Allure's January box, but from a more lux brand, tarte.

• Benefit The POREfessionalFoundation

This looks interesting. This foundation is very beloved and Benefit is a respected name. It's only a deluxe mini though and for a foundation, that doesn't give you many times to see if you will actually like it.

• ELEMIS PRO-COLLAGEN BLACK CHERRYCLEANSING Balm

I have two products from Elemis that I really adore, both of which are due to run out very soon. One of them is a cleanser and it will be dearly missed. The only thing I'm not sure about with this is the scent. I'm not sure how strong it will be and if it will clash with the other scents I use. This is also a deluxe mini.

• Kookie Professional Maxed OutMascara

This is a full-sized product, also at the drugstore level. I'm sure it's nice enough and does what it's supposed to do, but I already have enough mascara.

• Dr. Jart+ Cicapair IntensiveSoothing Repair Cream

This deluxe mini caught my attention because it is supposed to be really good at calming sensitive skin and helping to reduce redness. It's also supposed to hydrate the skin, which everyone needs this time of year, and absorb well.

My choices from what I want most to least.

1. ELEMIS PRO-COLLAGENBLACK CHERRY CLEANSING Balm: I need another cleanser and I love this brand.
2. Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Intensive Soothing Repair Cream: I don't know this brand, and one of the reasons I started subscription boxes was to educate myself about what is out there. I could certainly use something like this, though perhaps not as much as I could use a new cleanser.
3. Milani Liquid Contour: I think the fact that this is full-sized ranked it slightly higher than the foundation. Milani is a fairly respected drugstore brand and while I do have something a lot like this, the tubes run out quickly.
4. Benefit The POREfessional Foundation: A lot of people probably would have put this higher, but I just don't think I would get a lot of use/knowledge out of something that I would run through so quickly.

5. Kookie Professional Maxed Out Mascara: Nothing against the product, I just do not need another mascara. 

Which one would you choose?

Second Alterations

Okay, so the headband is on because it's very cold right now. I tried pics with it off but yeah that just wasn't working. Anyway, this is the V Foundation Method, using mostly blush in the places where I was using bronzer before.

The only exception is that I used bronzer under the layer of the mid-face just below the actual line of blush. I still used the same ELF concealer. For my blush, I used Wander Beauty On-the-Glow Blush & Illuminator in Dusk.

Overall, I think this is preferable to the last way I did the V. The tone is a lot more even and works better with my coloring. It's very much a 'no makeup makeup' look, and honestly, that's probably what is best for me these days. 

Fairly pleased with this iteration. If I change it again, I'll let you know.

Of Winter and Nerves

I am not doing well. This weekend the weather is supposed to be cold, snowy, and just overall bad. We might get over an inch of ice. We could lose power. We could lose water. We could have damage done to the house.

Honestly, I'm scared. I don't do well in summer, but aside from occasionally worrying that the AC might die, I am never terrified. I am now. I do not handle snow and ice, and their damage well. 

I will not be driving in this. I will not be going out in this. I'm not going to risk myself. No matter how safe I try to stay though, things could still go very, very bad over the weekend. 

Alterations

I tried the V Method for foundation again. I made some changes in how I did it this time. For one thing, I added a highlighter between the bronze and concealer layers as a kind of transition shade. I also used a CC cream as the lowest v layer on the cheeks. 

I think for the most part, this method served me well. I didn't look as dry from the concealer as I did before, and the contrasts weren't so sharp. It managed to do the thing this method does best, which was to give me a very thin layer of product that basically functioned as my skin but better.

Next time, I'm thinking I might use something different for my shadow contour/bronzer. I've noticed a lot of people with my skin tone using a deeper blush shade to serve that purpose, and I think I'll experiment with that. 

I don't have this method perfected by any means, but I'm getting closer.

Neglect

I grew up neglected. My father wasn't allowed to be around me very much and my mother didn't care. My mother was also a person who suffered from a substance abuse disorder, and she suffered from her own neglect. There is generational neglect, really.

That being said, as an adult, I find that I still fall into the pattern of neglecting myself. I got my first mammogram at 51. I allowed my feet to be in pain for months before dealing with them. I allowed my teeth to have issues for a decade before dealing with them. I allowed these things, because I didn't want to be a bother, because I was afraid, because I didn't want to make anyone mad.

One of the things I'm trying to do with my life is to break this pattern of neglect. I want to take care of myself in every way that is within my control. I want to go into challenging situations knowing that I am can make decisions to correct said situations. 

I know that when I don't neglect myself, things ARE better. My life is easier. I'm usually in less pain and have less stress. The patterns of a lifetime are difficult to break though. I just need to stay on top of it.

V Method

So I watched this short about V contouring. It looks like it would not work at all, but I was intrigued so I tried it. 

I used tarte cosmetics™ sculpt tape™ contour in Light Bronze for my darker shade. I used ELF's Hydrating Camo Concealer in Fair Rose for my concealer and for my blush I used MOONSLICE BEAUTY Cream Blush in Cutie Pie.

I didn't blend it as I applied like she recommended because I wanted to get the placement correct so I blended it the same way she did. 

Did it work? Honestly, I think it did. It's a lot more subtle than I thought it would be. It blends down to a 'your skin but better' finish that looks like you're basically wearing no makeup at all. It's fairly quick as well. 

There are some things I would do differently next time. I think I will try a different concealer because my Elf one is pretty old and it kind of caked things a bit. I might also try to blend product by product now that I know what I'm doing. Still, the technique works well. You might want to give it a try.

Writing Again

I keep a daily journal of various things going on in my life. It started out as just a log about what I would eat in the day, but then expanded to include my calories, my protein, how I felt that day, my plans for tomorrow, and three things I felt proud about. I added this last one most recently. I thought it would help promote my self-esteem.

For several days now, though not in a row, I've mentioned in that list of three that I enjoyed the blog post I wrote. I didn't do this for lack of anything else to jot down. I did it because I actually was really happy with those posts.

I realized it was the first time I'd actually mentioned my own writing in a while. I was writing quite a lot, I always have, but after my dad died, that got so much more difficult. There were things I stopped writing altogether, including, for a while, this blog. I think it was a needed break though. Though my sense of self is strong, I've been in a process of reinvention. I needed to keep what was going on in my head fairly private, mostly because it was a maelstrom of thought.

Even before the blog break, I wasn't happy with the content of the blog. I was basically just dialing it in, mostly because I just really didn't feel like I had much inside me that wasn't big, sad, orphan feelings. I mean, I still have those. I'm still in that place, but I'm not sleeping 16 hours a day and spending most of my awake time just staring off into space.

I've been doing this blog for a long time. So many, many things have changed for me over the years and yet in some ways, so many things haven't changed. But I have plans and goals right now for the first time in a long time and it's fun to explore them. 

Facing Challenges

When it comes to makeup, I have always had several challenges. Over the years, those challenges have grown and now I'm having to learn how to paint my face all over again.

To begin with, my skin, all of it, but especially my eyes, has a high level of sensitivity. I have to be so careful about what I wear so that I don't end up with watery eyes or a watery nose. Half the time, my eyes will tear up and just ruin whatever makeup I have on. I have to be careful about scents on my face and around anything on said face that can leak.

Speaking of my eyes, I have monolids. This means that most makeup tutorials don't work for me. It also means the ones for mono lids, for some reason, also do not work for me. Over the years, my skin has grown lax and thinner around my eyes (as skin does), which makes any application more of a situation.

I'm also having issues with my brows. They're not lonely thinning, but also graying. This means it's even more difficult to make them look vivid. Of course, with brows, there is also the problem with making them TOO vivid. You have to find the right balance there.

Under my eyes, I have creases and puffiness. There is some reddening around them in the corners. Oh, and lines. There are lots of fun little lines trying to make themselves visible. Plus, the crease from my mono lid wants to continue down over my face.

My nose is broad, crooked, and long. The sides of the nostrils tend to get very dry and red. My lips are downturned, and the upper lip is crooked and far less full than my bottom lip.

Oh, and I'm fat and old.

Don't get it twisted. This is not to say I hate my face. I love my face. It's my favorite canvas to work with. But I also acknowledge that it has a lot of ways that make painting that canvas more arduous. This is going to be a process to learn how to do this for someone my age.

There are things working in my favor. For one thing, a lot of cosmetic companies have started making very clean products that work well to handle sensitivity. That should make application easier. There are also a lot of makeup items that contain skincare aspects, like powders that also function as serums. There are also so many makeup tutorials now. Even if 30 techniques don't work for me, so long as one eventually does, it'll be golden.

So I'm pretty hopeful about this new adventure of mine. I'll keep you updated. 

Ipsy Icon Winter Box

 Ipsy Icon Winter Box

I didn't get to choose anything in this box, so everything was a big surprise. In some ways, that's actually more fun because nothing is expected. However, I think getting to choose a few of the products would have been better. I really didn't need another mascara or lip pencil or face mask. If I had options, I would have skipped those items. This somewhat puts them at a lower ranking just because I really didn't need them. Anyway, this is what I got.

I only got two skincare items. The first of these is the Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic SkinRenewal Mask. It's supposed to help with signs of aging and uneven skin textures. The cream is very thick and lux feeling. It smells vaguely of mint. You are supposed to put this on clean, dry skin and leave for 5-10 minutes to let it do its thing, then wash off with lukewarm water. My skin is pretty sensitive so this stung. It stung a lot. I didn't enjoy the sensation of having it on at all. After about the first five minutes, either the stinging settled down or I got used to it or my face was numb. My skin did feel nice and smooth afterward. It's a fine mask. We'll see if it helps with anti-aging over time.

My next skincare item was new to me as well. It was 8 Faces Brilliance Serum. I was completely drawn to this from the beginning. For one thing, the packaging is beautiful. The bottle is glass and so beautifully decorated. It also has a glass pipette with a rounded tip. It has rosehip and pomegranate oils, with lotus plant cells, Vitamin C, cica exosomes, and collagen peptides. It smells richly and warmly of citrus. I am discovering that I really love beauty oils. This one glides on gently and absorbs into the skin really well. I've been using it as part of my skin routine, and even after I use the bottle up, I'm keeping it because it's just so lovely.

My first makeup item was the Rodial Glass Powder in translucent. I love Rodial. I use some of their eye creams and they seem to be doing a good job. Even though it's translucent, it has some soft peach undertones that are supposed to help make your skin look poreless and flawless. I was pretty pleased with the results. The first time I used this, I'd made the mistake of using an older, thicker, matte foundation. My skin looked patchy and messy, but the powder made it work. I applied it with a large brush and it went on like a dream. The only issue I had with this powder at all was that the protective plastic cover over the holes inside was very difficult to remove.

Next, I received the Persona CosmeticsVolumizing Tubing Mascara in black. This is a pretty standard mascara. The wand is really nice. It has short bristles and a curve to it. Everything applies well. Is it the best mascara I own? No, but for day-to-day use, it's fine.

The next box actually had two items in it. Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in Downtown Black and UptownBrown. I was pretty excited about this to begin with because yay two items. I also really loved the packaging. Both were in sleek gold tubes. The black was very black and the brown was a darker chocolate brown. I find that they don't have much lasting power on my skin though. Not too long after application, both had faded and started to migrate. I'm still looking for eyeliner that won't do this to me.

I also received a double set with the Lithe Beauty Soft FillLip Pencils in Scarlet and Dusk. I have some questions. First of all, neither of these seem to be lip pencils. They're really thick. They're more like lip crayons. Second of all, neither color really seems to represent what they say it is. Maybe Dusk does, but the Scarlet one is really not scarlet colored. They glide on well though. I enjoy them.

The last two items were from the featured beauty icon for the season, Natasha Denona. First we got the RetroPalette 15 Eyeshadow Palette. The palette itself is a solid metal and a good size. It has a beautiful mirror. It contains one duo-chrome shade, one with a multi-color sparks topper, 4 metallic shades, and the rest are mattes. Five are cream powders. The colors are in the burgundy and mauve ranges, and are very passionate. Now, admittedly, these are not usually shades I wear. I tend to lean toward nudes or warm autumnal shades. However, I am giving this a chance. Everything is very pigmented and glides on well. I wore them for several hours and they seemed to hold up on my eyes very well.

The other Natasha Denona item that I received was the I Need a Nude lipstick in the shade 36NP Amorosa. It contains Gotu Kola and Orchid extracts that are supposed to heal and nourish your lips. It's described as one of those 'your lips but better' shades and I would say that's true. It looks really good on me. It's also supposed to be universally flattering and work with all skin types. Besides the shade (which I do love) there are two other things I adore about this lipstick. First of all is the packaging. As you can see from the pic above, it's a decadent, bright red metal container. It also has a magnet in it that snaps it back into place when you're done with it, which makes it feel so lux. The other thing I like about it is the feel on the lips. So often lipstick feels waxy and thick. This one feels so light and easy. It's something you could wear all day and not feel like you have something on your lips.

ORDER OF FAVORITES FROM MOST TO LEAST

1. Natasha Denona I Need a Nudelipstick 36NP Amorosa

2. 8 Faces Brilliance Serum

3. Rodial Glass Powder
4. NatashaDenona Retro Palette 15 Eyeshadow Palette
5. Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic SkinRenewal Mask
6. Persona Cosmetics Volumizing Tubing Mascara
7. Lithe Beauty Soft Fill Lip Pencils
8. Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in Downtown Black and Uptown Brown

Awkwardness

I found out that someone who is not talking to me, who has, in fact, disparaged me in the recent past, is possibly not doing well. 

On one hand, this is someone I've known all my life. They are a link to my childhood, one of the few remaining. I hate the idea of them suffering and would love to reach out.

On the other hand, they have made things basically impossible when it comes to us talking. They've made it complicated, and quite frankly, I should probably have nothing to do with them again.

I hate stuff like this. It all boils down to greed and denial. They want things that I'm in no position to give to them. They said horrible things about me in public. It just sucks that things ended up this way. 

Kind of Shocked

 Today is my last day of physical therapy. I had twenty sessions and I completed them. I am so very proud of myself for this, for a number of reasons.

I drove myself to the appointments. Since Covid, I have hated driving. HATED IT. I hate it so much and I never want to do it. But when it came to these appointments, I drove myself to every one of them. I think this helped me a lot. I still don't like driving, but I'm somewhat more confident(ish) about it now, so much so that I've started going to my counseling sessions in person.

I did the homework. I didn't blow off the stuff they taught me. I worked on the printouts they sent home with me and did everything required. This was one of my promises to myself when starting this. I did my best to add things when they would add them into my routine. I know this helped me to excel while I was there.

I worked out in front of others. This was difficult. When I realized I had to move my body in front of other people, I was so uncomfortable. I almost panicked about it. I did not want to do it. But I had made myself a promise that I would in no way be difficult or troublesome about this process. So I did it. I worked out in front of others. I just told myself that no one was watching. As it turns out, people were. People saw me moving and told me they were impressed. Instead of freaking me out, this actually encouraged me.

I rode a bike for the first time in over 30 years. This one was huge. I rode a stationary bike! It was such an amazing moment for me the first time I did this. I was so emotional about it. And I think that's something I need to really get through to you. I am so rarely proud of myself. I am so rarely in a position to actually find accomplishments that involve my body and my ability to do something with my body. This moment for me was huge.

I graduated. I accomplished this! I did all of the sessions and did them very well. I got the t-shirt. I fit into the t-shirt! I didn't flake out. I didn't quit halfway through. I didn't make excuses. I didn't end up regretting the whole thing.

I mean, wow.  

Ipsy Bag for January 2026

The Ipsy bag for this month is beautiful. It's a silvery white with a geometric pattern. The zipper is on one side at the upper top section and has a copper zipper and charm on a blue background. The charm says Ipsy on one side and has a mock coin design on the other.

One of the products I was most anticipating was the ELEMIS Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial. I didn't really have an overnight cream and I wanted to see how that would work for me. I had some questions about the concept. I wasn't sure how well this would work. I didn't know if there would be transfer to my pillows. However, a lot of my concerns were handled when I used this. The product itself is very hydrating, but still maintains a decent consistency. It glides on and then melts into the skin, meaning there would be no transfer to the pillows or sheets. It feels wonderful and the smell is very subtle and calming. It has night scented stock, Indian jasmine, ylang ylang, and orange. It's certainly something to look forward to before bedtime.

I also received the MOONSLICE BEAUTY Cream Blush in the shade Cutie Pie, which is a pinkish coral. When I saw that I would have this product in my bag, I wasn't sure how I felt about the color. Recently, I've started getting more accepting of orangey shades, but I didn't know how that would mix with the pinkness of it. When I opened it, I adored the packaging. It's heart-shaped and a good good-quality plastic. No mirror, though. It's very creamy and glides on well. It looked good on my skin and settled in a way that felt very natural.

One of the things I was pretty interested in was byrosiejane's Remi Perfume. As I've mentioned before, I'm very fascinated by scents lately. The top notes on this are bergamot and cardamom. The middle notes are petitgrain, verbena leaf, white gardenia, Indian jasmine, and green hemp. The base notes are milk musk, white amber, and cedar. I found the scent to be clean, fairly unisex, and inviting. The only problem I had with this was the sample size. I mean, I realize you get sample sizes with Ipsy bags, but this is so very small. Still, I enjoyed the scent a good deal.

Now, an item I wasn't too sure about was LUNA MAGIC's lip pencil. For one thing, I got a lip pencil last month. For another, the color, Strawberry Mojito, was described as a pinky-red. But when I opened it, I didn't actually find it to be pinky-red at all. It's more of a rich neutral color and it looked amazing on my lips. This pencil also glides very easily and I found it an effortless application. I a lot of the time I find I have difficulty controlling lip pencils because my lips are crooked, but this one handled quite well. Lip pencils have a tendency to feel really dry as well, but this one actually didn't. It felt smooth, and once on the lips, it felt like nothing. 

The item that I chose for myself was the SUGARSILK Ethereal Eyes Palette. Why did I choose this? Well, to be honest, it was my first time getting to choose an item from Ipsy and as the window for selection is narrow, I kind of panicked and just went with what seemed like the best thing for me. This was before I received two other palettes from some Allure boxes and before I realized my coloring was altering to the point that I'm looking better in warm than in cool tones. I did find these tones to work with me, though. The pans have a lot of pigment and the colors are quite nice. I think it has a lot of potential.

MY LIST FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST

1.ELEMIS Peptide4 Plumping PillowFacial

2.LUNA MAGIC Strawberry Mojito lippencil
3.MOONSLICE BEAUTY Cream Blush in Cutie Pie
4.SUGARSILKEthereal Eyes Palette
5.byrosiejane's Remi Perfume, but really only because it's such a small sample.

Picture This

When I was leaving physical therapy today, my therapist was walking with me and hesitated. I asked her what was wrong and she said that, if I wanted to, I could have a picture taken for them to put on their website. She said it wasn't a HAVE TO thing, but given that I would be completing my program, it was a step usually taken.

I said yes. Interestingly to me, I said yes without hesitation. 

On the ride home, I thought more about why I'd done this. It really comes down to representation. PT has been fundamentally helpful to me. I have learned the proper ways to exercise my body without harming myself in the process. I honestly had no idea how to do that before. I would work out, but often with injuries. 

I know I am by far not the only heavy (and heavy older) person out there who wants to find the right ways to move. I'm sure there are a lot of people in the same position I was in just a few months prior. So seeing a body that is clearly heavy and clearly older might encourage people to seek out instruction on the best ways to exercise. 

Is part of my brain freaking out about this? Of course. For so long, I have been a thrall to my conditioning, believing I was not worth seeing or being photographed. Or, worse, believing that photos of me would only expose me to ridicule. And . . . that might happen too. But I don't really care. If seeing a body like mine helps someone else find the instrution they need, then it's worth it.

Allure Box January 2026

The item we got to choose color options from this month was Tarte Cosmetics' Sculpt Tape Contour. I chose the cool bronze. This is an interesting product for me because it has a built-in sponge applicator. In theory, the applicator is a great idea, but it does make controlling the amount of product that comes out somewhat of a challenge. I'm not sure what I think of the color yet, but of the choices I had, it was the lightest and so probably the best for me. I'm not really a huge bronzer kind of person, but we'll see how it goes.

My next product was the one I was most excited about, Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer by Obagi Medical. Oh, I was seriously NOT disappointed. This product is amazing! It's scentless and comes out in a thick, slightly amberish color. It goes on very smoothly and makes my skin feel stunning. I have so many problems with dry skin during the winter months, especially because of my CPAP. With the Obagi, that has not been a problem at all. I would very much love to keep using this. 

The thing I was second most excited about was Blake Brown Beauty's Fundamental Nourishing Mask, admittedly partly because I find the packaging so beautiful. It looks more expensive than it even is. I enjoyed this product a lot. It really coats the hair well, and it smells wonderful. The scent notes are nerol and cardamom on the top, lily of the valley and nectar in the heart, with bottom notes of cedar wood and Madagascar vanilla. It worked well with my body chemistry. I was pleased with how soft my hair felt after my shower. 

On the subject of hair, the box also contained the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. I was pretty meh about this. It's not really an expensive product, and I have a lot of 'apply to your damp hair' leave-in stuff right now. However, one of its claims really intrigued me. It said it cut down drying time. I had no idea if that was even possible, but I slathered this stuff on my hair, hoping it was. You know what? It actually did cut down on drying time. My hair was dry within minutes, which is great because it's cold right now. Also, that meant there was less time for the hairdryer to mess things up. My hair is fine, thin, and wispy. When I blow dry it, I often look like Angelica's Cynthia doll. Because it dried so much faster this time, I was able to control the shape a lot better. 

I also received Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream. Okay, I have a lot of thoughts. This one has certainly been a process. The notes on it are English leaf, citruses, coriander leaves, basil, mint, and floral oils and grass.  I didn't like the scent at first. I let my roommate try it, and he really hated it. I loved the feel of the lotion though, and after a while, I enjoyed the way the scent settled on my skin. It contains honey, cocoa, and Vitamin B5, and all of that works well with my skin. Over time, I also began to enjoy the bold leafy/herby scents. It's funny how that can happen. In the end, I found myself really liking this product and will probably use it up completely. 

My bonus item was Levitate Beauty's Hydrogel Under Eye Masks (3 pairs) that contained collagen, ginseng, and pearl extract. I have to admit I was disappointed when I didn't get the other bonus item option, but actually, I enjoyed these masks quite a lot. They were bigger than most eye masks I usually use, but also thinner, which means they stayed in place better than eye masks often do. It also meant I could apply them to my upper lid after using them on the lower one, and they stayed put. They had a removable layer on them to help put them in place. There was a good amount of extra liquid in the packets, meaning you could basically coat your whole face while wearing the masks, a nice added benefit. 

MY LIST FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST. (Though I have to admit, I liked a lot of these and basically had several ties.)

1. Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer by Obagi Medical

2. Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum

2. Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream

2. Blake Brown Beauty's Fundamental Nourishing Mask

2. Levitate Beauty's Hydrogel Under Eye Masks 

6. Tarte Cosmetics' Sculpt Tape Contour

Illegitimi non carborundum

I basically just focused on another product review today and didn't let myself get too down. There are medications working against me on that front. I'm doing my best to just stay even but it isn't easy.

One of my favorite Youtubers has passed away. Her channel partner/best friend made the announcement yesterday. She wasn't very old and I will miss her a lot. She was very vibrant.

It seems like a lot of the light is going out in the world right now. Every day, things seem a little worse, like the powers that be are trying their best to grind us all down. I'm not sure what to do about that outside of just resisting. I wish we weren't still having to deal with these things. 

Ispy Box Jan 2026

Today I got my Ipsy box for January. It arrived rather quickly.

The first item I received was Kulfi Beauty Badi Lash Smudge Proof Volumizing Tubing Mascara in Black. I really loved this! I don't have very long or thick lashes, but this mascara really gave me some good volume on them. Because it's tubing, it stayed on until I decided to remove it. The wand was thin and long and the formula was really great.

Then I got the BYROE Sugar Plum Shimmer Lip Oil. The formula was good and I liked the way the oil felt on my lips. I even though the glitter aspect of it wasn't uncomfortable on my lips. HOWEVER, it did transfer a lot to my chin. This might not be a problem if I had on lip liner, but I didn't so it became an issue. 

Next up was WANDER BEAUTY On-the-Glow Blush & Illuminator in Dusk. This was a good size and had a liquid blush on one end and the illuminator on the other. Both colors worked well with my complexion. I think the illuminator works better on my eyelids than on my cheeks. I didn't try it on my forehead but it might work well there too. I found the blush to be very easy to blend and it was buildable enough.  It looked good on my lips, cheeks, and eyelids. 

Item four was EVEREDEN'S Hair and Body Fragrance Mist in Darling. It works with sensitive skin and has notes of rose, strawberries, and vanilla. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this because the brand skews young and I'd never used a hair mist before. However, I find that I really love the scent and enjoy the way it blends with my hair. 

Lastly, I received CHICA BEAUTY Mirame Liquid Liner. I'd gotten a palette from them before and liked it a lot so I had some high hopes for the liner. However, I found it to be pretty streaky and it didn't stay on my eyes very well. Within an hour or so it was already smudging and running. Of everything here, I liked this the least. It didn't help that they'd sent it in black. Since I've gotten older, I tend to wear brown or gray liners for my eyes. It's frustrating because Ipsy actually asks you what colors you want and I'd told them browns and grays. 

MY LIST FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST.

1. The Kulfi mascara-- beautiful on the lashes, very nice for the price.
2. Evereden hair mist--great scent, good for sensitive skin, blends well with my chemistry. 
3. The Wander stick-- good colors on me but a bit too pricy for what you get.
4. Byroe shimmer lip oil-- feels good on the lips but glitter transfers to the face.
5. Chica Beauty eyeliner--streaky and not the right color for me.