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Glow-Up MakeUp And Advent Check-In

Here’s a little breather for you, dear and cherished and possibly tired and blotchy colleagues! Let’s turn off CSPAN and the spectacle of our nation in the shitter and talk about MAKE-UP! Really. It will do you good. I also have loving things to say about your ministry, I promise.

Here are my product recommendations:

Jorah Radiant Beauty Balm (CVS, Target, etc.). I’m wearing Light.

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer (drugstore). I’m wearing Medium Peach.

Pixie Endless Silky Eye Pen (drugstore) in Bronze Beam

Nudestix Eye Pencil in Nudity (Target)

Smashbox L.A. Lights Lip & Cheek Color in a discontinued color (Ulta, Sephora)

Remember to take care of you, sweet people.

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Undereye Puffies And Bags

I was definitely unhappy with my baggy, tired eyes and did some product research. I found these cruelty-free products for me and for you, pigeons!

First thing, clean face! I apply my serum and moisturizer and used a new eye cream. I heard that caffeine was an effective de-puffing active ingredient.

While my skin care products settle in, I drink coffee and get dressed.

Then, to ze make-up!

After applying my foundation and blending, I apply concealer in dots. This is a very thick and creamy formula so use a light touch! Some of this is obviously for highlighting and not for undereye dark circles concealing! I blended with a small brush and Beauty Blender.

As the concealer settles in and dries, I apply blush and lipstick/gloss. I do my eyebrows. Then, using a small blush brush I PRESS setting powder into my undereye area. Because the eye cream and concealer have dried and the powder is very fine-milled, the powder does not settle into creases. Miracle.
When you’re done with your eyeshadow, whisk the undereye powder away with a small fan-shaped or an angled brush.

Final results. Car selfie on the way to church! A huge improvement.

Here’s what I used and where I got it:


Skin2Spirit Caffeine Eye Whip. Got it on Amazon, but I gave up Amazon for Lent. $26.


E.L.F. 16 Hr. Camo Concealer. Target. $5.


Beauty Bakerie Flour Setting Powder in Translucent. Got it at BeautyBakerie.com. $24. Keep in mind that powders last for literally years.

What are your favorite eye creams? I have tried so many over the years!

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At Least I Can Have Fun With Make-Up: Urban Decay BackTalk Palette

When the going gets tough, the tough buy make-up.
I adore Urban Decay. This is me playing around with their Backtalk Palette, a super fun collection of gorgeous eyeshadows, blushes and highlighter. I’m wearing several of the eyeshadows, plus Urban Decay eyeliner in Empire and lipstick in ZZ (creme formula, Vice line).

Please try to hang in there and show up with rage-fueled power and commitment. I am hanging out with the prophets right now, and the imprecatory psalms and it helps.

I am turning off devices and cutting off the news and commentary by 10PM, no excuses and no exceptions (except one night when there was a bizarre series of gas explosions 20 miles north of me).
I am getting to sleep earlier.
I am reading women theologians and authors.
I am checking out of conversations that stick their finger in the wound of misogyny.
I am triggered but not cowed. F*ck the patriarchy. God be our witness.

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Pink Eye, But In A Good Way

Pink and mauve eyeshadows can be really fresh and beautiful!

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The Urban Decay Naked 3 palette is one of my eternal favorites. I just have to make sure that my skin isn’t pink and blotchy if I’m going to use it because pink-gold eyeshadow on pink blotchy skin is just a PROBLEM. One must do a bit of corrective foundation and eyeshadow base.

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I hanker after this little palette by Tarte.

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All lovely.

But this is just tragique:

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Girl, SERIOUSLY?
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Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Undereye Concealer: PB Product Review

A girl doesn’t like to fight fascism with unbecoming circles under her eyes, so THIS girl stopped in to Sephora [heavenly angel choir singing] and begged a sales clerk to help her find an undereye concealer that could do miracles.

The clerk suggested a couple of things that I wound up not liking, but GOD HIS OWN VERY SELF LED ME to the Smashbox display where I spied with my little bloodshot eye a tube that had all kinds of writing on it that piqued my interest. The words said, “Fancy fancy blah blah blah big promises primer illuminating miraculous blah” and included the magic letters “SPF,” which sold me.

I took it home. I used it. I dotted it lightly under my eye and blended it all around the lid and outer corner of my eye where I also get shadows. It set beautifully and lasted through a very long day with no creasing, glomming or fading. It’s got some sort of illuminizer in it but nothing shimmery or glittery. It is just a fantastic product.

I’m not saying that my Tarte and Nyx concealers are bad. They’re not. They’re just no match for this fall’s eye bags and shadows.

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This stuff is a major splurge. But when you’re terrified for your nation and sick at heart and don’t want it to show quite so much on your face, you might want to bring in the miracle working products. For me, it’s worth it.

Hang in there, lovelies. Be of good cheer, be honest, be beautiful. Good luck giving the Word tomorrow morning, and enjoy the extra hour!