Postponed Again

There is something that I have been anticipating happening for a while now. It's been, to say the least, a cursed process. People who were responsible have died. Other people have gotten involved. Other people have gotten selfish. Other people have declared everyone else enemies.

Now someone is threatening to postpone it once again. Mind you, this event is so close to happening now. Everything is ready. All the i's are dotted and all the t's crossed. But someone is threatening to derail the whole thing. They're going to gamble on having a greater portion of a good thing instead of just accepting the reasonable portion they were going to receive. It's just so infuriating. 

I don't even know what to do at this point. It's just too much. 

IPSY Extra February 2026: My Thoughts

I wasn't expecting IPSY to send the Extra box this month, which somewhat saddened me as I really liked the selections. Imagine my surprise when it showed up before any other February subscription. I'm glad because it's giving me some time to explore everything before the other ones get here. So let's look at what I received. As usual, we have some criteria.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE?

DO I FEEL CHEATED?

ICONIC LONDONHandbag Glam Face Brush Set
I had no idea this was even in offering but wow do I love it. The brushes are soft and gather product very well. They're lightweight, which I enjoy in a brush, and have a good handfeel. As this is Iconic London, they have a good deal of quality to them. And the little case they came in is very nice as well. I'm quite pleased.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will always use brushes. I'm very much a brush person when it comes to cosmetics and I know these will be utilized a good deal.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I wasn't expecting brushes but yes, I'm very excited to have them and excited to explore what Iconic London can offer.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE?
Yes. I used them to apply the face palette and they worked quite well. They even tickle a little. They hold a lot of product.

DO I FEEL CHEATED?
Not at all. I'm quite happy with the brushes.

LUCKY CHICK Mystic Halo FacePalette
This palette has pressed powders and has one highlighter in Aura, blushes in Rise and Soul, and a bronzer in Fate. The pans are a good size, which is important. I hate it when blushes are small because they're so hard to get out with the brushes.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do. I use a lot of face color stuff and I certainly think I will use these.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I really am. I'm still very much exploring the potential of blushes, highlighters, and bronzers so any that I have to experiment with are welcome.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? Very positive. I love the color story in this palette.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? I do not. This is a decent product size for Extra.

HAUS LABS Color Fuse Glassy Blush BalmStick

As I mentioned in a previous post, this is Lady Gaga's brand and I've been curious to see what she does with her cosmetics. When I opened it, I was very charmed by the packaging. I'm pleased with the size of this and while I wasn't sure about how the color would work on me at first, it's swatched out well.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do. Even if I don't use it as a blush, I'll probably use it on my lips.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Am I excited to own something from Haus Labs? I most certainly am.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? My first impression is even better than I thought it would be. I really find this color to be beautiful.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? Absolutely not.

ELEMIS Balancing Lavender Toner

I love Elemis as a brand but I wasn't sure how I would feel about this because of the lavender. I was still glad to receive it though because I needed a toner. One of the things I liked right away is that it has a spray top. That pleased me because it means I'm not trying to flip this down and try not to spill it everywhere.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will use this until it's gone. I've already used it several times.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am excited both to explore what a toner can do for me and also to see how well Elemis can produce one.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? I am shocked at how well this is working for me. Clearly, I needed a toner because my pores are getting cleared of things I didn't even know were still on my face. Instead of being overwhelmed by the scent, I find it relaxing and refreshing.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? No this is a good-sized product and it will last for quite a while. I'm very happy with this.

DOMINIQUE COSMETICS Moisture Grip SerumPrimer

I'm still on the hunt for a primer that really works for me. So far they've just not done what I needed them to do, despite the fact that I leave them alone for decent amount of minutes. This one intrigues me because it's not just a primer, it's also a serum. The fact that this is supposed to help keep your face hydrated and plumped while you wear it would be quite a bonus for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will. And if it does what it says it will do, I will use all of it.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am very hopeful for this. I hope it works.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? It's thick and it feels good on my skin. It pumps out well and gives me good coverage.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? No this is a good product that does double duty so I'm very happy to have it.

I find myself very pleased with this month's Extra box. It's actually my favorite-sized box of everything IPSY offers and I have a feeling it will tend to be the one I enjoy the most. Even though it has only one outright skincare item, the primer functions as a serum too. I also love that I received the brushes. This feels like a very balanced box.

Goodbye Beckett

Yesterday I lost my computer. He'd been with me for several years, but admittedly, he was always a little difficult. It was, to be certain, an expense I did not need. It threw me off for hours, possibly days, in terms of what I need to be doing. Now most of my time is spent in setup. 

Interestingly, certain things won't be traveling with me to the new computer. A game that I played for years won't be installed on this system because I'm at odds with said game's policies and practices. That's weird and kind of sad, given the history I've had with this game. I've been playing for over 20 years.

In a lot of ways this is a good thing. That game took up so much of my computer space, time, and energy. But I've moved on and now have other things to do with my free time. 

Yesterday was exhausting because we had to travel into the city to get the new computer. It was dark by the time we got home and neither one of us is very good in the dark these days. I'm so thankful to my roomie for helping me with this. He was the real hero of the day. 

As for now, I'm settling in with the new system. There are some quirks, there always are, but hopefully we'll be able to make things work. 

Allure Beauty Box March 2026 Customization Spoilers

Allure has put out sneak peeks for March. Customization opens 2/3—featuring four choices of Rose Inc Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color. Rose Inc's tagline is “clean beauty powered by science,” and they are very big into the clean beauty movement. As usual with Allure, they're giving you four options.  As far as the options go, I feel like this is kind of Goldilocks for me.

-Hydrangea (light cool pink)

Too light. It's a pretty color but I think it would just disappear on my face. I need something that's going to actually show up on my skin.

-Azalea (berry)

Too dark. In this case, I think this would make me look like someone slapped me. I really can't wear berry shades.

-Heliotrope (nude apricot)

Just right. I love the warmth and richness of this shade. It's truly beautiful and would complement my skin quite well.

-Foxglove (warm terracotta)

Probably too dark. This would read as a bronzer on me and may be too orange.

Given all of that, the choice I would make is the Heliotrope. The best match for me all the way around plus I really love the name.

Granted, they're all beautiful shades. I think any of them would work for the right person. Overall, this seems to be a good choice for the month. Which one would you choose?

Month in Reflection: Five Lessons Learned in January 2026

January is over and we're on to a new month of beauty subscriptions, but I thought it was a good idea to go back and look at the discoveries and standouts of last month. After all, learning how to be the architect of my own beauty is my goal for the year. It's worth assessing what I actually learned in the last 31 days and what aspects of the boxes helped me.

LESSON ONE: YOU HAVE TO LET SCENTS SETTLE
When I smelled Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream, I was not a fan. I thought it was too pungent, specifically basil. I did not like it at all and thought about giving it away to someone. But after a bit of having it on my skin, I found that I really loved it. I enjoyed the clean, natural notes of it and how they worked with my chemistry. Now it is a go-to product that I use as often as I can get away with it. Conclusion? Let scents sit on you for a while before you pass judgment.

LESSON TWO: OH WOW. MY LASHES CAN LOOK LONG!

When it comes to my eyelashes, I've always felt pretty hopeless. They're short, fine, and sparse. Whenever I would apply mascara, it would always smudge, run, and make my eyes watery. That was before I received my Kulfi Beauty Badi LashSmudge Proof Volumizing Tubing Mascara in Black. Tubing mascara coats your lashes and stays put until you're ready to remove it. It also forms, well, little tubes around the lashes and helps to make them look thicker and longer. For once, for once, this actually worked for me. I usually have to apply at least three coats, but once I have, my lashes look amazing. Conclusion? I actually have hope about finding other products/techniques to deal with my various issues.

LESSON THREE: HAIR MIST IS A MUST-HAVE FOR ME
Scent can do so many things for us. It can summon memories, it can boost our confidence, and it can also instantly improve our mood. This last one is what EVEREDEN'S Hair and Body Fragrance Mist in Darling does for me on a daily basis. Whenever I'm stressed or sad, spraying just a little bit on my hair actually helps to ground and center me. It gives me a bit of joy that is needed and well-deserved. Will I go through this bottle quickly? Probably so, but after it's finished, I'm going to buy another hair mist. Conclusion? Little moments of joy can make all the difference.

LESSON FOUR: LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOUR SKIN FEELS AMAZING

Last month, I put some amazing things on my skin, though nothing quite as wonderful as the ELEMIS Peptide4Plumping PillowFacial. I know I've blogged about this before, but wow, this was good. The thing I've figured out is that my skin can affect so much about what's going on with my day. If it's irritated, I'm irritated. If it feels rough, I'm not happy. If it's being sensitive, I'm not able to focus as well as I should. Listening to my skin and giving it what it needs has really helped improve things for me. Conclusion? Sometimes the issue is that you need to be moisturized.

LESSON FIVE: SERUMS ARE A VITAL PART OF A SKINCARE ROUTINE

Serum. It doesn't sound appealing. It sounds like something unpleasant on your skin. Oh how wrong I was about that. This probably started with my exploration of body and hair oil, but it's certainly moved on to the wonders of what face oils and face serums can do. I think 8 Faces Brilliance Serum was able to disarm my
apprehension with its beautiful packaging. When I saw that bottle, I WANTED to try it. I needed to try it. Once I did, I realized what an important step this was in taking care of my skin. I've discovered how skincare can be a luxurious process full of beautiful sensory moments. A good serum can really add to that.

As I transition into my elderly years, I want things to be as good for me as possible. I want my days to have intention. I want my time to be used in ways that truly improve my life. This year-long journey of discovery is supposed to help me with that. I think, overall, January was successful in that regard.  

Ipsy Feb 2026 Original Bag Reveals: My Thoughts

Yesterday was also reveal day for Ipsy Original. This is how my bag is going to look. These are the things picked for me. Thought I would do an assessment of each. This is my criteria. 

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?

BEAUTY CREATIONS COSMETICS Plump & Pout Lip Plumping Booster Gloss in Pink Lemonade
Okay. We're starting out well. I always enjoy lip products and I needed a new lip plumper. I'm wondering if the shade comes off as pink or if it's pink lemonade flavored.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Yeah I'll use it. I'll probably use it completely.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm certainly not mad about it.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? No, probably not. But again, not upset.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? I do not.

ERBORIAN CC Red Correct

At first I was a little concerned about this because I have a problem with green color correctors (Quote my roommate: Why are you green?), however, this one starts out green but fades to beige so possibly this won't be a problem. It's also supposed to be calming on the skin and we all know how angry my skin tends to be.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? It's going to depend on how well it actually beiges out.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm curious about it, to be sure. If this works, it will be wonderful.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? Possibly so. Once I knew it was color-changing, I might have picked it to see how well that works for me.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Nope.

PRADOS Start with the Slay Primer

Even though I'm getting another primer this month, I'm still okay with getting this mini because I'm still in the process of trying to find out what primers work best for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Yes. I plan to use all of this.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect primer.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? I would have, yes.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? I certainly do not.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Size Up VolumizingMascara

. . .okay, Ipsy knew everyone was getting a mascara in their other box. Why would they put one (and a generic Sephora one) in the glam bag? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I honestly don't. I'll probably find someone else to give this to.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm not excited for a cheap mini mascara, no.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? Not at all.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Yes, I actually do. This is the only one this month and the first time with Ipsy, but I'm really not happy about this at all.

This is the product I picked.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?

ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Black Cherry CleansingBalm
I've written a lot about this already (and Elemis in general) but I still stand by the opinion that this was the best choice I could have made for myself this month.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will use all of this.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am very excited about getting this.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? It was.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? No. I think this is a good-sized mini and it will not be wasted.  

Aside from the mascara, I'm pretty happy with the Original Bag for this month. The product of my choosing is one I really want to try out and if the CC color-correcting cream works for me that is such a bonus. Same with the primer. The lip product is just a mini so I'm sure I will use it completely and if it tastes like pink lemonade, all the better. I'll tell you more when I have the bag in my possession. 

Ipsy Feb 2026 Ultimate Choice Day Reveals: My Selections and Thoughts

It's choice day for Ipsy Ultimate! This is how my box is going to look.

These are the things picked for me. Thought I would do an assessment of each.


DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?

KEVYN AUCOIN Indecent Mascara
I knew already I was getting this so I've already processed the fact that I'm getting another mascara. I love the name of it and as I said before, I'm willing to give this a try because it's supposed to curl the lashes.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I plan on it but we'll see how much I find that I like it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Marginally. I have one I love already.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? No because I have one already that I love and several more besides.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? No it's still a good product.

RODIAL Collagen Booster Drops

YAY!!!!! I love Rodial and I can't wait to get this product. My skin needs all the help it can get and this will be a great way to help make things better.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will use this until I'm squeezing the last drops out of it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am very excited for this. I'm elated in fact.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? Yes. I trust this brand and would have always picked this.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Certainly not.

BISHA Essential Rice Water MakeupPrimer
While I wasn't happy with the Bisha products I got last time, that's probably more of a me problem than a them problem. It's just the way my eyes react to things. I'm looking forward to this and I really want to see what the rice water will do for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do. I'm curious about it, certainly, and finding good primers is always needed.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Yeah. Not elated like some of these, but still excited to get it.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? It would have depended on what the other choices were. Maybe?
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Not at all. This is a solid brand and a good size.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Beauty WandDuo

YAY!!!!!!!!!!! I was worried these would be put in the choice groupings and they would get selected before I could get to them. But they came with my standard box so I'm really excited. Now I've not had the greatest luck with want-with-built-in-sponges in the past, but CT's are supposed to be very good. Hopefully, these will work for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do, yes. The only issue may be the applicator. But overall, I do think I'll use these a lot.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm so very stoked that I'm getting these! Two CT wands!!! In full size!!!! Yeah, you could say I'm excited.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? I would have picked this in a heartbeat. It was a very high choice for me.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Absolutely not.

DR.JART+ Ceramidin™ Skin BarrierMoisturizing Eye Cream

I'm okay with this but I have an eye cream that I adore already. So right now it's not at the top of my list. I'll certainly use it when I run out of the eye cream that I adore.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do. I have plans to use it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Excited? Nah. I'm not upset but I'm not just over the moon about it.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? No. I have an eye cream that I love already.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? No. It's still a very good product.


These are the products I picked.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?


SAINT JANE BEAUTY RichRescue Phyto Mucin Cream
It was between this, a palette, and a eye concealer. I considered the eye concealer but I think I'm getting one from another box this month and the palette just wasn't to my taste. Plus, I've heard really good things about Saint Jane Beauty and I certainly support plant based products.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Oh yes. I will certainly use this.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. I'm still trying to sort out the best creams for my face and I know this will get used up.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? It was. While I would have considered one of the others, I think in the end I would have always selected this.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Not at all.

NARS COSMETICS Explicit Lipstick in 821 Liaison 
Okay there were three reasons for this choice. The first was the fact that I loved the color and thought it would look really good on me. The second was that I'm curious about how this feels on my lips because it's been nice to discover how glorious certain lipsticks can feel. Plus, I just really liked the idea of wearing Explicit lipstick with my Indecent mascara and my Pinkgasm blush.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I'm not sure. When it comes to lipsticks, you don't know until you know.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. I love the color and do anticipate it will work on me.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? Yes. There really wasn't anything else in this list that appealed to me.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? I do not.

GROWNALCHEMIST Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser
It was, by far, the easiest choice for me. I'm always going to choose a cleanser over the other options because I know it will get used and I go through cleansers quickly. And, okay, also I just really loved the packaging. It's a bottle I'll probably keep and refill.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Oh yes. It was selected because I knew I would use it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. My nightly skin ritual is one of my favorite parts of the day and I know I will enjoy having this be part of it.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? Yes.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Clearly I do not.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this box. I think I'll get a lot of use and wear out of everything. It feels like it's a good variety of products for me to try as well. When the box comes, of course, I'll tell you my reactions. Until then, it certainly gives me something to look forward to.