Returned Car

I have my Santa Fe back! The door opens. It's great. I'm so happy.

The problem is that now the van is trying to mess up. We need to take it to the shop next week and hope that it won't cost us a lot of money. 


Ugh, the never-ending car drama. I'm so over it.

Sliding

I try to keep fairly meticulous notes about my life. What I eat, what I do, how I feel, weekly goals, monthly goals, etc. Today I realized I didn't set any weekly goals for myself. This worried me for a bit because I know I am better off having that as part of my routine and I don't want to lose it.

Then I remembered that last week was very stressful. My car is in the shop. I didn't feel well. Someone is threatening my future stability. It's just a lot. I mean, it's usually a lot but lately it just seems like my momentum is going but everything is still requiring so much from me, from my roommate, from everyone. 

So yeah, I was too overwhelmed on Sunday to set goals. I may be too overwhelmed this week as well. Hopefully not, but if I am, I just have to realize it's part of the process. 

Allure Beauty Box February 2026: My Thoughts

 

My Allure Beauty Box arrived somewhat battered. Everything was fine on the inside but the box had some damage. I took the time to assess everything and my thoughts are pretty mixed. Was I pleased? With some of it, but there was also one major dud. Anyway, as always, criteria.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE?

DO I FEEL CHEATED?

SIDIA Solid Perfume Braless (Customization product– $48 value)
The packaging is elegant and simple, a very weighty, solid black. I really like the look of it. The scent is delicate. The best way I could describe it is 'clean' and I like that. It seems pretty open to anyone in that regard. It doesn't feel greasy when applied.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will use this. I have been using this consistently since I got it.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. Honestly it was the element of the box I was most excited for.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? I was a little dismayed at how small it is, but the packaging is provocative in that it's metal and very heavy. It feels interesting in the hand.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? Not at all.

First Aid Beauty Bronze + Glow Dropswith Niacinimide ($28 value)

I've had trouble learning to control bronzers and make them work for me. When I read about this one and found out it was drops in a tube, I just really didn't know what to expect or how to handle it. It is tricky to apply and I'm going to have to practice a lot to get it right, but I do enjoy the way it looks on my skin. It blends well while still giving a nice bit of healthy color.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? When I used it earlier today, I liked the subtlety of it. So many bronzing items are just too dark for me but this works quite well.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I see a lot of potential here.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? They are, aside from the fact that there is a certain learning curve when it comes to application. This bottle wants to spit out a lot of product. You have to be careful when you open it.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? I really don't.

UZO Blaque Liquide Eyeliner ($24 value)

I love this product's look. It's a metal container and feels substantial. The liner is well-pigmented and glides on decently. It held up on me for about three hours before just fading out completely and that's unusual given how my body typically deals with liners. If this were black or gray or blue, I would have been a lot happier, but I can't fault it.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? It's a black eyeliner. I have to be careful with such things because they can come off as harsh against my coloring. But we'll see. Maybe I can smoke it out in a way that works for me.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? It's a black eyeliner so when I found out it was part of the box, I wasn't that happy. Now that I have it, though, it does have good coverage and doesn't run when my eyes water. That's pretty astounding given my history with eyeliners.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? When I saw the liner and held it in my hand, my impression was quite positive. The container is heavy and feels very lux. Once I tested the liner out, I found it actually held up pretty well. So yeah, good first impression.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? Even though I did not want another black eyeliner, I'm not that upset with this one. It's a good product and I think I can somewhat make it work for me.

CNP Propolis Jelly Lipcerin™ Honey Lip Butter ($17.90 value)

This comes in a stout little bright yellow container. You remove the lid and then click on it until the product comes out of a hole in the middle. Unless you're using a brush, at this point things are going to get sticky and messy. However, it does hydrate well and the scent is nice.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? As above, it's sticky and messy. And yet, I find myself reaching for it. I have no doubt I'll use this completely. It just hydrates that well.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Not really. I'm not mad at it either though.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? No. My first impression was that this was a lot of steps to get to a lip product. I mean, it was just a few steps, but that still seems like too many. My second impression was that it's just everywhere when you try to apply it. It wasn't until a while later that I noticed how great my lips felt that I decided to come around on it.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? No. It's a pretty decent little product and does what it's supposed to do.

Cuccio Milk & Honey Cuticle Oil Roll-On ($5.69 value)

I didn't even know cuticle oil was a thing but I'm glad I do now. This bottle is a decent size and the roll-on works well. You never want roll-ons to be too large because there is always the risk of them gunking up. I don't think this one will, though.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I certainly do. My cuticles are a disaster and any help I can get with them is welcome.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Yes. I have such high hopes for this product. I plan on being very diligent about using it so that I can actually get some kind of improvement happening on my nails.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? My main concern was over there being a faulty roll-on applicator but it seems to be fine. The oil feels nice. I'm sure it will take a while for me to actually get some kind of change going on.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? No. Even though this was a cheaper product, it still seems like an okay one to fill out a beauty box.

Sephora Collection Express WaterproofEye Makeup Remover($4 value)

I have so many questions. Why is a Sephora anything in an Allure box? Why would anything this cheap be in the box? Don't they realize we all have makeup remover wipes for this? I get that it's supposed to help remove more stubborn levels of eye makeup, but still. Could we not have thought of anything else to include? Maybe a nice hair product?
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? No.

AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? No.

ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS POSITIVE? No.

DO I FEEL CHEATED? Yes.

I'm not going to rank them this time because I think my thoughts on the matter are fairly clear. A few hits, a few misses, a few kind of in the middle. It certainly didn't blow me away. Allure could have done a lot better than this.

Ode to an Empty: ELEMIS Pro Collagen Energizing Marine Cleanser

Ahh, Elemis. How I love you. How I miss you when you are gone. This is the second product by this company that I have finished and again, I am left both bittersweet and satisfied. All I can do now is write this goodbye blog post and, of course, do my usual assessment.

1. Did I use this?

Clearly, as I'm writing about it after it has been completely emptied. And I do mean completely. I was squeezing the very last bits out of it to have as many days with it as possible. 

2. Was it a good amount?

Speaking of me getting product out of this tube, I must say it certainly lasted me quite a while. I was only using it as a nightly cleanse, but still, for a deluxe mini to last over two months is pretty great. Of the many things one must give Elemis, being generous with product is certainly one of them. 

3. Did I enjoy it?

I think one of the keys to sticking to a skin routine is finding products you look forward to using. Whenever I thought about starting my nightly face ritual, the idea of putting this product on my skin always made me happy. It has a mild, lovely scent that always leaves me feeling very fresh and calm. It went on gently. My skin felt good after each use.

4. Did it live up to my expectations?

Elemis is an expensive product, so I expect a lot from it. So far, it has not disappointed me. As I mentioned above, I always receive a good amount, even in the minis, and have a great experience. This was no exception. My skin is so much better after using this cleanser.

5. Would I repurchase?

If I had the money to shell out for it, I would purchase it in a heartbeat. 

Another great thing about this cleanser is that it lasted until it absolutely needed to. I have more cleanser arriving today so this worked out well. I mean, it's not like that was planned or anything, but it's a nice little touch.

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.