I hope everyone had a happy Christmas!
This one was especially rough for me without my mom so next year, I’m going to make major effort with proactive steps to get through the holidays easier.
Having all my usual traditions taken away, I felt completely lost and cried a good part of Christmas morning sitting on the sofa while D slept in. I was angry with him for not getting up early with me to open presents like a kid but honestly, I should’ve just stayed in bed late too and enjoyed the rare opportunity. Unfortunately, anxiety took over and I was a wreck and it took hours to get a grip. I kept getting these wild urges to throw the ham out the window, get dressed and just get in my car and drive, but I just paced like a caged animal. So much drama and enough of that.
In addition to the early dresser from IKEA, D surprised me with a much appreciated gift certificate to a spa I used to go to a lot when I worked at a nearby restaurant. It’s been 10 years since I’ve gotten any pro treatment! I’ve been perusing the menu and plan on a pedi and hot stone massage real soon, because my back is still killing me.
I’ve also been revisiting makeup blogs that I had given up on when I quit having the time in the morning to give a shit. But, I’ve been waking up earlier and earlier lately and putting more effort into my face before work. I could easily drop a few hundred bucks on my Sephora wish list now. It’s kinda ridiculous considering I have a makeup trunk and 3 bags – one for in the morning, one for my bag and one for touch-ups at work.
Here are some of the serious splurges that haunt me at the moment – from least to most painful:

OCC Lip Tars – I’m debating on Momento, Lydia and Marion
$16 – These need to be applied with a lip brush – so high maintenance – but I’m really curious about their texture, high pigment payoff and staying power.

Clinique Take the Day off eye makeup remover
$18 – Through some strange twist of sample receiving fate, I’ve managed to have a mini bottle of this in my medicine cabinet continuously for years. Now I’m out and nothing else takes off my waterproof eyes like this stuff does.

Lancome EFFACERNES – Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer
$30 concealer. Jesus. I hear nothing but amazing things about this. I would definitely need to go to the Lancome counter and find the right shade and only when they’re having some insane gift with purchase special going on.

LORAC Pro Pallette
$42 – Lord knows I don’t need anymore eyeshadows but there’s something about this one that tickles my fancy waaay more than the UD Naked palettes. (1/2 matte 1/2 shimmer, 4 more colors and $8 less dollars)

Givenchy – Photo’Perfexion Fluid Foundation SPF 20 PA+++ (in Perfect Vanilla)
$48 foundation. I’m straight losing my mind! I got a sample of this stuff and sweet christ it’s amazing. I’ve saved the last half of it for a special occasion.

Atelier Cologne – Vanille Insensée Cologne Absolue
Okay, so you can get 1 ounce for $65 or 6.7 ounces for $175. The math is so so painful. I have one drop of a sample left and it kills me. This is pure sex and I want to drench myself in it.
So instead of thinking about sad things… these are the things I choose to keep me up at night.
Tell me about your Christmas and anything Santa didn’t bring that’s tempting your credit card!
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been coveting those OCC lip tars for AGES! I need to bite the bullet. Also, that Clinique stuff will have you HOOKED. I used it for 6 years until I couldn’t justify the price anymore… Be careful! Haha. :)
Broke & Beautiful recently posted..Take The Day Off – Happy Holidays!
There’s a cheap dupe for the OCC lip tars called Sleek Pout Paint but they don’t have many colors and are truly truly made for mixing custom colors. I don’t know if I have time for all that! :)
I suuuuuper want to know what that perfume smells like now.
I shall hunt it down.
K recently posted..Theological studies plus chocolatey windows
Sephora should have it. It’s delicious! I like more masculine scents and this has been touted as unisex.
That Lorac pro palette looks ah-MAY-zing. I love eyeshadow palettes, even though I generally only use like, 3 shades of eyeshadow.
I was really really really hoping for an iPad Mini. The Mister even let me go to the Apple store like 3 times to play with the Mini & the regular iPad to decide what I wanted. And then he started balking. And then I started feeling guilty because he DID just buy me a car, so I really shouldn’t expect anything else. But I really really really wanted it. And I thought he might just surprise me with it after all. But then he bought me a Kate Spade wallet, which was sweet and very much a surprise. But I wanted the iPad. And I feel like a horrible spoiled child.
SkyGirl recently posted..Finally!
You don’t sound like a spoiled child! Ha! New car is pretty freakin awesome though! There’s always Valentine’s Day! ;)
oh girl. i am so sorry that christmas was so hard for you. i was a basket case this year — terrifying doctor appt on 12/21 that had me petrified for weeks, and so scared that i canceled plans to go visit family for the holidays because i didn’t know what the outcome would be (thankfully it turned out ok — phew). also, so many things to do and so little time. i hung out with the boyfriend’s family instead of mine. this removed one stress and replaced it with another. ultimately gathering with and spending xmas with him/his family left me feeling like i never REALLY fit in with any group — ever — not even my own family. i always just want to run and be on my own. the holidays are so freaking stressful. but i know it is much harder for many. and especially for those people that are in your situation. everything is so loaded with memories and stresses and financial pressures — both good and bad. ugh. i am making no sense, and i am a total holiday KILLJOY, but i am glad you made it through, and i hope next year the holidays will be easier for you.
ok, the UPSIDE to the holidays is when they are OVER! lol!
anywhoodle, happy new year. :)
p.s. thank you for the givenchy tip. i need a new foundation, and i will certainly get a sample of this one!
I can’t imagine how you must have felt Christmas morning as an only child I can only imagine. I didn’t have a “normal” mom it was dysfunctional I took care of her and I was disregarded most of the time. So when I think of such a wonderful mom like it sounds you had all I can say is I wish you didn’t have all that pain to go through. A spa gift that was thoughtful of D and I would totally do the pedi and massage too. You’re going to get addicted to those pedi’s.
Now you have me curious about that concealer and that perfume.
I think I mentioned before that we were ready to get past this holiday season so we only exchanged one big gift and Santa was was very good to me and gave me a Michael Kors purse I had so many other things on my wish list but I’m not complaining very happy with his choice of gift for me. (I’ll post a pic of it)
Xoxoxo
Marti
Oh thank you so much Marti. Next year should be a little easier. I just hadn’t made any plans at all and everything used to revolve around my mom so… I don’t know why I was so shocked at how weird Christmas morning was. I hadn’t considered what it would be like at all!
I haven’t tried the concealer yet but I’ve heard really good things about it.
I can’t wait to see your bag! You haven’t been blogging much lately!