Did you go shopping at midnight? Crack of dawn? Before the regular store openings? I was safely doing normal things, like reading the paper, having a Sunday breakfast out on Friday, napping with Charlie - all my usual luxuries. Now, in just a few minutes, I must leave for my annual physical exam. What fun.
The sun is shining. I'd much rather be taking photos of makeup outdoors. When I get back, if I want photos, I won't have much sun time left in the day. The photos may have to wait until tomorrow.
I'm bummed that UPS is not delivering today. Those hard-working guys (and gals) are getting a much-deserved day off, so I'm glad for them. They will more than make up for the day off over the next month when they work extra hard to deliver all those holiday orders.
Thanksgiving dinner yesterday was nice. Trader Joe's was responsible for most of the cooking, and they did an excellent job. I had to go to sleep very early. The turkey and Cakebread coma got the best of me.
How about you? If you celebrated Thanksgiving, what did you do? Were you out bargain shopping this morning? Let us know what's up in your life.
Let's talk about your week of beauty. It's time for the Friday Forum, our open chat. I love this part of our week. Have you selected your favorite holiday collection - and purchased a few new treasures? What new products did you discover this week? Did you find any deals you couldn't resist? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By early the next week, most (not all) readers will have moved on.
This week's giveaway contest is drawing lots of entries. It's a nice one: Sephora Favorites Super Stars Beauty Essentials. Make sure to put your name in the hat by commenting before midnight tomorrow, Sunday, November 24.
Photo courtesy of Forbes.com
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40 comments:
Happy post-Thanksgiving!
I woke up this morning to find a new tutorial video posted by Lisa Eldridge --such perfection! Here is Lisa's link and enjoy!!
~ALH
I went shopping today with the children! We in Canada now have Black Friday sales as well. It was worth fighting the crowds and rolling over their shoes with the stroller ;-) Hahahaa! I came armed!
I avoided the beauty counters, as much as I wanted to visit them. My no buy is excruciating but necessary. I'll just dream of those Chantecailles you've been reviewing and pray those lemmings will pass :-)
I hope you're having a wonderful day and recovering from last night's food fest.
Hey, looks like I'm the only one commenting today! Trader Joe's! They are the author of our T'Day dinner, too. We love to buy their already prepared deli entrees, so we had TJ's sirloin tip roast, haricort verts, and garlic mashed potatoes from TJ. The whole dinner took maybe 10 mins. in the microwave. Then today I drove up to Macy's in Okemos and bought 2 of the new eye quads from the Les Volume set. I bought Intuition and Variation (already have Eclosion). I am a bit disenchanted with the Variation bc it looks too much like Stupendous. What do you think? Macy's was busy, but not Holiday busy, as the SA told me. She is from the Estee Lauder counter; for months now this particular Macy's has had no one at its chanel counter. Can you believe it? I had a quick but safe trip and came home to snow. Ah, winter. God bless you, Cg.
Thanksgiving has had its ups and downs. The down being that my folks and I are all sick; the up is that I actually managed to cook up the duck my mom bought for Thanksgiving. It turned out better than I had hoped, not greasy at all.
I've been shopping from home. I needed some new clothes and I'm glad I shopped yesterday because the deals were better than today's, i.e. 50% off to today's 30%! I had forgotten about Sephora's $10 deals but I went to buy an overnight mask and stumbled on the deals so I picked up a few for coworkers (at least if they don't run out!). I took advantage of the Omorovicza sale and Eve Pearl (for some brushes); I don't know if I'll try anything else although that Armani 20% off is very, very tempting.
I'm happy to have bought this week the Hourglass Icon lip pencil to go along with the gloss, plus the Laura Mercier shadow in Gilded Bronze. I can't say it looks bronze, it's a taupe on me but looks gorgeous on with some black liner. I think I'd like the Platinum too if I can find it. I picked up the Too Faced Full Bloom lip & cheek color in Sweet Pea which is a super pretty raspberry pink color. I usually wouldn't buy this but it was cute. So that's the excitement of the week :)
I hope your exam went well and that the rest of your day and weekend are fun and relaxing! Have a great weekend everybody!
As lovethescents noted, Canada has joined the Black Friday craze. Canadian retailers were losing business to the U.S. market and now have super sales to keep the spending dollar in Canada.
My mother needed some new clothes and I hit an excellent sale. She now has four new outfits--12 pieces in total. My favourite lingerie store had a buy one get one at half price sale. Sold! Two came home with me. My husband even saved 30 percent on his workout clothes.
I bought the Estée Lauder Verite eye cream on Monday and the Lauder holiday makeup case. It's a great buy.
My IT cosmetics arrived this week and I hope to blog about them soon.
Happy Black Friday!
It's cold and rainy, so I was glad to find most of the sales I wanted online or a phone call away--Inglot, Armani, Nordstrom (Chanel/Burberry), Saks (Le Metier de Beaute brushes) and some of the new-to-me BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow Palettes. I am still considering some hair products and may still spring for the Chantecaille sets. At least half of my purchases were "Best Things in Beauty" inspired, so I can't wait for my packages!
Thankfully, the one thing I thought I would have to head out for (a combination coffee grinder/coffee maker) ended up being a no go when my husband did some additional research and decided to treat himself to some unpronounceable European model. This may be a double treat; he's so excited about it I may not have to make my own coffee until mid-Spring!
Maureen- where did you buy your IT Cosmetics from? The website's shipping is a bit.....hefty, no?
Thanksgivng was a relaxed and pleasurable day made all the more special by having both my sons in residence. I did all the cooking: turkey, gravy, and stuffing of course; mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and chunky apple sauce; green beans with shallots; sweet potatoes roasted with fresh thyme, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes; honey wheat rolls; apple crisp for dessert. My only concern was the wine pairing, but my son solved the problem by arriving armed with bottles of Veuve Clicquot :-)
No Black Friday for us. Everyone just wanted to sleep in--even the dogs. After a late light breakfast of butter pecan muffins and coffee, my husband, sons, special lady friends, and dogs all headed up into the hills for a walk. Now, my sons and their ladies are off at the mall, my husband and all the dogs are napping, and I'm just relaxing and savoring the moment. I did do a little bit of cyber shopping at SkinStore and LovelySkin via Ebates. There were some very good deals to be had. Tomorrow, my husband and I will be on our own again, so perhaps we'll venture out to the shops. I'm actually looking forward to Nordstrom 10X points for Cyber Monday. It's a good time to stock up on things like my Chanel SPF.
I hope everyone has a restful weekend. Monday, it's back to the grind--except for us retired folks :-)
Hi Charlestongirl, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I've tried to take a break from beauty related things for these past couple of days, which was nice :) I didn't take advantatge of too many Black Friday deals, but I did order some Yankee Candles I'd been wanting!
Happy (late) Thanksgiving, CG!! I'm glad to hear you had a good one. LOVE Trader Joes so I'm sure the food was deicious :)
I had a busy Thanksgiving--I baked 5 pies the day before (!!!) which took me from 4PM to midnight to complete! Then I woke up bright and early the next day and my sister and mom pitched in so make a turkey, cornbread and chestnut stuffing, green bean casserole, squash casserole, rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dijon carrots, and salad. It was a lot of fun but boy am I glad the cooking and cleaning is over!! :P
CG, I hope you don't mind me answering lovethescents questions. Hi love, I bought it from The Shopping Channel--shipping wasn't too badly priced.
Reading the comments makes me want to come and spend Thanksgiving Day and Following Black Friday with you all: it sounds happy, delicious, exciting ,full of wonderful sales....They try to copy the bargains here, but they need to try harder: no real ones before January whereas you have the opportunity to do your Christmas shopping, just fantastic!!!! you know what: I'm jealous!:-) Happy week-end to everyone:-)
Enjoy your video, ALH!
Lovethescents,
After I had my annual physical and learned that I have lost another 1+ inches in height, I drowned my sorrows and went over the Neiman Marcus. It's in a civilized mall, and I was able to park. The one across the street made the news for the fights in the parking lot. Such holiday spirit! :)
Nemo, that's interesting. I have a reader who took a job at another Chanel counter that was down a rep. I wonder what gives at Macy's some of the other stores that are like it.
Thanks, Evelyn,
My arm is sore - two immunizations - but I'm fine. My pride is hurt after losing another inch, but that's life. Surely too young to become a little "old" lady.
It sounds like you got some great beauty buys. I saw those Sephora sets, but none of them grabbed me.
Sorry you are still sick. Hope you feel better soon and are rocking those red lips.
LOL, Marta! Does he like to cook too?
I was also happy with all the online offers that came rolling into my inbox. I love a discount!
Lovethescents,
I tried to check the shipping costs, but had to fill out too much to see what came up. You can purchase from The Shopping Channel in Canada. Are their prices bad?
Oh Eileen,
The menu made me drool. I have eaten way too much over the last few days.
I think weekends are for naps, so I'm with the dogs and your husband. I have managed to "stroll into" a few online sites, though.
Today, it turned cold, so the idea of a walk isn't enticing. I went out to breakfast with a friend and then came home and napped with Charlie. I can't make myself do much of anything, and I need to clean!
Dovey,
I guess I am on a semi-blog vacation. I need to get some photos, and I expected sunshine today, but it's cloudy. I wish our weather forecasters could get it right - just once.
Hi Becca,
Yum! But five pies? How many people did that feed?
Hi Maureen,
I'm so glad you answered. I went to sleep very early yesterday (well, fell asleep would be a better term), and wasn't able to check back in. Thanks!
Hi Clarisse,
It is a nice holiday, but Black Friday is crazy. I know saving money is a nice thing, but when I see the hoards of people pouring out of stores carrying 40-inch televisions, I wonder what they watched before.
"carrying the televisions....":-))) actually it's not saving which attracts me it's the possibility to buy more with what I've saved, I love buying presents:-) But I hate crowds so I don't think I would enjoy Black Friday that much except online!!
Hi Clarisse,
I dislike the crowds as well which is why I prefer Cyber Monday. Like you, I love to give gifts and want to stretch my money as far as possible :-). You should see some of the crazies here, though. They plan all year for this one day. My friend's gentleman friend is a huge Black Friday shopper. He goes armed with a spreadsheet (yes, spreadsheet!) and a diagram of how he wants to cover the premium outlets. He's quite a character. He always gets his daughter for visitation on Black Friday and the two of them have a blast.
Hi Charlestongirl,
Yes, my husband is a world class napper which thrills the dogs to no end seeing as they love to curl up and nap, too. He'll probably live to be 100 because of it :-)
As for losing an inch, that's such a nuisance because it is enough that things no longer fit right--especially slacks. I've only lost 3/4 inch so far, but I had to adjust my car seat. Now I know why those little old ladies look lost behind the steering wheel! LOL
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and get caught up on some much needed rest.
I don't think you could ever be a "little old lady" even minus an inch. My mom's having the same problem as well, she swears I'm getting taller and, well, I haven't been a teen for a long time so it's not me.
I think Eileen needs to plan out all our holiday menus! Hers sounded better than mine although I have to say my first foray into roasting duck didn't turn out all too badly. Even sick I didn't mess it up. lol
Oh well, I'm waiting to get better because I think red lips would clash with my red nose, don't you think? :)
HI CG,
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving ! I am so jealous that you all have Black Friday for such amazing deals !And of course such amazing brands too !
I splurged this week on Dior and Shiseido. The Grand Bal collection just got released here, and I bought the Night Golds palette. Amazing quality and colors ! I also bought Shiseido lacquer rouge in RS 312 Sunstone, such beautiful texture for a liquid lipstick.
But I do have a question, quantity, value for money wise, which one makes sense, Shiseido lacquer rouge, Hourglass opaque rouge or YSL Glossy stains ?
Hi Swathi,
As to your question, if you are only concerned about cost per unit, that's easy enought to figure simply by dividing the cost by the amount of product. Some women use that as their sole criteria when purchasing and completely skip over the actual quality of the product--go figure!
As to the actual value to you, the person wearing it, that is highly subjective and is more than its cost. It is the color, formula, texture, longevity--and most important of all--how much pleasure it gives you in wearing it. The first time I purchased a La Prairie lipstick at $50, I thought I had taken leave of my senses, but for me Rose Bronze is absolutely perfect. I always feel elegant and beautiful when wearing it and have actually repurchased it three times! I'd rather have one perfect Bronze Rose than a dozen MAC's which I find drying and one dimensional. So, which is the better value for me? La Prairie, of course. If you find a gorgeous color in a formulation that suits your lips, then that is the best value.
By the way, based on your picture, I bet that Night Golds is stunning on you. Do you wear your new Sandstone with it? Such burnished colors are sure to be perfection with your coloring.
Thanksgiving was pretty low key at my house. I cooked for three, just Mom, me and a friend. I baked a sweet potato pie Wednesday night; roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, garlic haricot verts, and cornbread dressing on Thanksgiving Day. Except the eyebrow sculptor bought at the new Tom Ford counter at Tysons NM, I haven't been lured by Black Friday sales. I would also have purchased two lip glosses but, but NM's Black Friday giftcard couldn't be used in cosmetics. :( I may pick up a couple of things from Nordstrom on CyberMonday.
Height loss aside, CG, I'm glad to hear you're in good health.
Clarisse,
I went shopping today, and the sales were great. I bought some Levenger tablets - my favorites - and a pretty portfolio. With a 25% discount, it was a nice deal.
Hi Eileen,
Wait until you can't see through the peep hole in your front door - even on tip toes!
I was reading in the Times about all the shopping aps. Now, Wal-Mart knows when you are there and offers you new deals every five minutes. Good grief. I can't imagine Wal-Mart on Black Friday. Actually, I don't have one near me, so I seldom go.
At least I only have to fight a cat for my chair. I can't imagine having to nudge the husky babies out of the way. :)
Evelyn, red noses clash with everything - except concealer. Hope you feel better soon!
Hi Swathi (and Eileen),
I totally agree with Eileen. A lip product can be a better value than another, but if I like the other better, what kind of value is that? I'll think about the one I really wanted every time I wear the value buy. Actually, you named three premium brands, so I doubt there's much difference. YSL may be the priciest.
That Dior collection is gorgeous. Glad you were able to get a pretty piece!
Hi Ava!
I also shopped at the new Tom Ford counter, but bought nothing. I will go back. It was a little crazed there. However, I went for the gift card because I can use it anywhere else in the store. I could use $50 off a nice pair of boots or something in CUSP, which is becoming a fun place to shop.
Your dinner sounds fab! Glad your mom could come up!
CG: He does cook, but his efforts are directed exclusively to English food. His occasional Sunday roasts are epic- roasted meat, vegetables, homemade gravy/sauce, mashed potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. He puts so much effort in that I feel compelled to make dinner for the rest of the week!
Hi Charlestongirl,
Wow! That Walmart app sounds like something out of the Tom Cruise movie, "Minority Report". Whenever he would enter a retail area, his retina would be scanned, he'd be greeted by name and recommendations for new purchases would be made along with comments on previous purchases. Talk about someone looking over your shoulder while shopping :-P Nah, I think I'll skip the Walmart app. LOL. Have a wonderful week ahead.
What's even worse, Eileen, is that others are doing it. Individual stores, plus sites that aggregate deals. The wave of the future. When NM and Nordstrom start, I'll sign up. :)
Hi CG and Eileen,
Yes, I absolutely love both the palette and the lipstick I got !
I totally agree that value is subjective to the persons taste and preferences. I wanted to know, quantity wrt texture and money, because, for the shiseido lip colors, it is opaque but nt heavy on my lips, the ysl ones haven't yet released, but from what I read, a thin layer is enough as ysl lip colors stain, so would these tubes last longer since a thin layer is required ? And the hourglass colors seem matte, therefore a bit drying, and staining too.
I am generally not a gloss person at all. but the Shiseido colors/texture/shine just blew me away. I will be going back for more next week. :)
Thank you so much for your replies !
Hi Swathi,
Hourglass Opaque Rouge dries to a matte finish so if it's shine you're after, it's not a good choice. When I tried it, it held up beautifully until I ate; then it began to breakdown. Since I had not purchased it (I'm too old for matte lips), I removed it and reapplied my Rouge G. Hourglass does make nice glosses, but they don't have the longevity of the liquid lipsticks. Incidentally, Hourglass is actually the most expensive when you compare the amount of product with the cost.
As for the YSL, it's great so long as you're not a swipe and go kind of person. To get the look and longevity, you must apply two coats. The first coat lays down the stain. You let it set a minute and then apply a second coat to give it a more opaque color and a soft shine. Be sure you don't press your lips together until it dries completely (4-5 minutes). The finish of the YSL is more gloss than shine and is quite pretty. It does require reapplication after refreshments, but otherwise it wears fairly well. For a special occassion where you don't want to be thinking about your lipstick, the YSL would be very nice to have.
I haven't actually tried Shiseido yet, but since you have it, I don't need to comment. Of all three, it is the least expensive which is great if it's the look you want. We now seem to have so many choices when it comes to the finishes that liquid lipsticks provide which means we'll have as many opinions as there are women wearing them :-)
Hi Eileen,
Thank you for such a comprehensive comparison.
I am planning my next Zuneta order, but can only find two Hourglass rouge opaque lipsticks. I will wait for the shade 'Rose' to be back in stock. I love matte lipstick look but the texture matters a lot !
I am also eagerly waiting for the YSL glossy stains to launch where I live, I just love one of the shades, Corail Aquatique, since these colors are known to deepen the intensity after a few minutes of wear, I can't wait to see how this shade would look on me !
I have always loved Shiseido lip range, their pencils, lipsticks - the texture is just so smooth and moisturizing on me. I love rosy brown shades, and the shade rd 734, roseate is just perfection on me.
I am sure you didn't really want to listen to all that ! I ramble quite a bit ! Thank you so much ! :)
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