Sephora

@Saradestin One of the reasons I haven't moved to Florida (despite certain relatives hint-asking me to) is the one-note weather. I'd have to travel each December or January to meet my snow quota. Heck, I get upset when we don't get much snow up here—and that's happening more and more often. 😞 (Resisting the urge to climate-change rant right now.) I grew up in Michigan. I literally walked to school through knee- to waist-deep snow in winter. I need to see stretches of snow. I love the crunch of fresh undisturbed snow under my feet. I love the delicateness of dry powdery snow, and the luxury of wet heavy snow—that good snowman/ball/fort building snow. I don't like to be chilled to my bones, but I need to feel crisp cold air on my skin once in a while, to breathe it in and let it sweep morning fog and anxiety-driven self loathing from my mind as I exhale. I need winter. I'm glad you do get some sort of seasonal shift where you live! I won't even tease you about "it gets quite cold" like I tease my relatives. 😉 Kinda related story: SpoilerA few years ago, a friend from Denver visited me during January and didn't bring a heavy winter coat. He expected the weather to be not much different from Denver's that time of year. After I took him shopping ("nope, you cannot survive this week without a real coat, let's go get you one and some gloves") and he quickly burrowed deep into his new coat, we stood on an el platform for a few minutes (under heat lamps, thank goodness) and he said "holy crap it's freezing, it must be 20 degrees out here!" I shook my head and laughed, so he guessed again: 10 degrees? 5? 0? "It's colder than zero?! Dang, just how bleeping cold is it right now?" I didn't have the heart to tell him it was -20ºF; he wasn't ready for the truth. 🤣 It's not that cold throughout January... not usually. But that's the month when we typically dive into subzero temps. Windchill off the lake doesn't help. Despite all that, folks who whine "I wish it was summer already" are often the same ones who whine "I wish it was winter already" during July's humid 100+ºF heatwave(s). A few years ago, a friend from Denver visited me during January and didn't bring a heavy winter coat. He expected the weather to be not much different from Denver's that time of year. After I took him shopping ("nope, you cannot survive this week without a real coat, let's go get you one and some gloves") and he quickly burrowed deep into his new coat, we stood on an el platform for a few minutes (under heat lamps, thank goodness) and he said "holy crap it's freezing, it must be 20 degrees out here!" I shook my head and laughed, so he guessed again: 10 degrees? 5? 0? "It's colder than zero?! Dang, just how bleeping cold is it right now?" I didn't have the heart to tell him it was -20ºF; he wasn't ready for the truth. It's not that cold throughout January... not usually. But that's the month when we typically dive into subzero temps. Windchill off the lake doesn't help. Despite all that, folks who whine "I wish it was summer already" are often the same ones who whine "I wish it was winter already" during July's humid 100+ºF heatwave(s). Whoever decided bright intense colors are over for everyone once fall rolls around should have their Beauty Standards Police license revoked. Same goes for whoever demands people are only allowed to wear bright colors in summer. Some people love muted colors year round and there's no reason they can't rock 'em whenever they want. (Well, aside from work related dress codes that enforce a specific clothing and cosmetics palette.) But when beauty brands try to convince me a collection of beiges, browns, greys, and creams represent fall, I can almost hear every oak, maple, etc. tree around me with their flaming orange and gold leaves shouting in unison, "are we a joke to you?!"

@eshoe I like a lot of brands...I like fresh sugar, I like laneige too, but I think that lanolips is also nice (I also have the coconutter tube one), I like my erbolario ones (italian brand), the dior lip glows, my carmex ones, the one from sol de janeiro.....it's a long list 🤣

Congratulations on receiving the Summer Gratis and on your unboxing, @CookieGirl1 ! 🌞 It really is fun, isn't it!

@CookieGirl1 Thank you

@Samtian we should switch houses for a month, you will try Italy (keep in mind that I live in the north east, so I don't have the sea. I'm near lake Garda) and I will try America for the first time 😘💕👍

@Kapolei Can't edit my comment for some reason, but I forgot to ask: Do you currently use a broad spectrum sunscreen each day your skin's exposed to sunlight, regardless of weather or season? There's no point using anything to fade dark spots if you don't also stop the sun from worsening them or creating new ones. 🙂

@Cissy63 but does it smell like banana?

@faeriegirl OK, I have to ask how you like the JVN mist. I also just picked it up and I've used it a couple of times but I've definitely decided that it just doesn't work for me.

@nuinui933 I've gotten a lot more comfortable wearing green and this palette just has a couple of shades that pair well with other palettes that I have too.

@Anna2BT matte bronzers just aren't my jam (I know that most people seem to prefer them, though) and I'm hoping that you love West Coast!