Retail Gifts, Affiliate Links Last week, I went to the mall to pick up my birthday gifts from Ulta and Sephora. I like the fact that you get a choice among a few options these days instead of the one gift, take it or leave it! I don’t know if Ulta still changes up the options with each quarter, or whether they have a new scheme. Same with Sephora, unsure if the gifts will change. Nevertheless, here’s what I chose. Ulta Gift I wish I could remember what the other options were at Ulta, but I forgot. I know it was an easy choice for me because I am already using the product in one of its full si ..read more

I Bought This, Affiliate Links I’ve been on the hunt for what I thought was a clear, mineral sunscreen from Dr. Brandt. I wanted to try it before I bought it. I tried Ulta, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Sephora. Macy’s carries Dr. Brandt’s products online but not in the store. Not helpful. In the meantime, I learned that the dropper used in Dr. Brandt’s Liquid Mineral Shield is terrible, inadequate for the thick liquid. Also, the thick-ish white liquid doesn’t sound very appealing after all. Like with foundation (although I am very happy with Cover FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation), I am constantl ..read more

I Bought This, Affiliate Links A Little History Founded in 1999 by Lee Graf, medical and beauty strategist, Toronto-based Cover FX started as a clinic for sensitive skin and other skincare issues. A while later, it expanded and began selling its own makeup line. I knew Cover FX as a manufacturer of innovative drops that could be used to treat skin issues, as a skin tint, to add or change the color of liquid foundations. Cover FX was sold at Sephora for a number of years, but the brand disappeared from Sephora over the past couple of years. In February 2022, Cover FX was acquired by AS Beauty ..read more

I Bought This, Affiliate Links, Informational Links A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the solid perfume I bought at a shop called Solid Cologne UK (SCUK) when Jeff and I visited Camden town market in October (here). As I mentioned, the salesman easily talked me into buying a purse size tin container of a women’s fragrance identified as Duaa Collection #6. It is described as having the scent characteristics: warm, rich, woody. “Opening with luminous green top notes, the heart of rich and exotic tiger orchid. Sensual base notes of sweet toffee and patchouli.”  Because I hadn’t tried it ..read more

This weekend, Beauty Spotlight Team has a full house! It’s great to have everyone participating. Hope you’ll have a chance to take a look! Our weekly roundup leans a little more toward fashion and apparel this time. How nice to have a different emphasis just for a change! Angie at Your True Self Blog is always looking for ways to wear her clothes in different ways for more variety. From her Style Tips Series, she’s sharing a quick and easy way to get a new look with your trench coat. Age doesn’t matter when you’ve got style! MAYA No. 1 Perfume Oil has a warm, creamy and m ..read more

I Bought This, PR Samples, Affiliate Links Like all things for spring like spring flowers, spring cleaning etc., City Beauty’s spring 30% off everything on their website starts today! A great time to stock up on your City Beauty faves Think Barrier Cream, Advanced Action Sculpting Cream, Concentrated Youth Serum, Lid Lifting Eye Treatment. And of course, City Lips. Oh wait, those are my favorites! Oops. What are yours? The 30% off Sale starts today, Friday April 19, and goes through Tuesday April 23, 2024. To get the discount, click here, put your items in your basket, and don’t forget to u ..read more

I Bought These, Informational Links, Affiliate Links Sorry, I disappeared for a couple of days. Luckily, I had a lot of fun things going on for my birthday, and I literally didn’t have time. Bar25 Newburyport MA Jeff and I went to a new to us restaurant in seaside Newburyport MA called Bar25. The restaurant offered drinks, of course, since it’s called Bar25. And they specialized in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. I skipped the cocktails and ordered a glass of Malbec, but Jeff had a perfectly prepared, very smooth Old-Fashioned. We ordered Fried Artichoke Hearts with Meyer Lemon Aioli. I ..read more

Gift, Affiliate Links Jeff’s older daughter sent me an early birthday gift last weekend. It’s the perfect gift for me, and I thought you might like to hear about it as a possible gift idea or for yourself! Bonne Maman is the brand known for French jam, jellies, marmalade and other spreads as well as for its well-known red gingham jar covers and handwritten-style name. It was founded by the Gervoson family in 1971 in Biars-sur-Cère, a small town in southwest France. The privately held company, Andros, is still owned by members of the family, and Bonne Maman is their largest brand. The French ..read more

Actually, I couldn’t think of another name for this weekend’s BST other than Income Tax Day, lol, so hopefully this will do. Fortunately for me this year, two of my very good friends are taking me out to celebrate on Monday, and Jeff is taking me out on Tuesday night. I am very lucky! <3 Beauty Spotlight Team Weekly Roundup CHANEL Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in Noir Intense is just what you are looking for, if you need transfer-proof liner. Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog is a big fan of this formula, and it is available in many gorgeous shades. Looking for sk ..read more

I Bought This, Informational Links If you’ve been consumed by the cosmetic world for as long as I have then it’s very possible that your Facebook feed is filled with posts and ads about that world. At least mine is. I’ve been seeing ads about Perbelle for a long time and even went as far as looking it up and considering buying it. A few months ago a good friend of mine gave me her almost empty tube of Perbelle and told me how much she likes it. I took it home and wondered how this product could work for both of us considering I’m super fair and she tans and has always had a darker skin tone ..read more