November Monthly Favourites Black Friday Cyber Monday J Crew L'Occcitane and Deciem

Time for another Monthly Favourites!  Coincidentally, we've just come off Black Friday weekend and today is Cyber Monday.  Last weekend was even more manic as last Monday began a second full lockdown.  Noooo.....  Hands up if you are feeling extreme levels of mental and emotional fatigue.  Admittedly, I scuttled out to the local mall to pick up a few things.  One thing I did get was another tube of L'Occitane 20% Shea Butter hand lotion.

I am sure I have mentioned this classic many times but there is a reason why this hand and body creme is a holy grail product.  I wear gloves whenever I go out.  My hands get so sweaty and hot in those disposable gloves.  Far from being moisturized, the constant heat and humidity plus being slathered in sanitizer regularly, means that my hands are dry as the Sahara Desert.  L'Occitane runs a fabulous program where, if you bring a skincare container/packaging to be recycled, you get 10% off your purchase. They will take any brand! I figured that doing this would be impossible online so I made sure to bring in a container and get another tube before lockdown.  However, I needn't have worried as L'Occitane is doing a sitewide 20% off Cyber Monday sale.  

I also picked up another bottle of Hylamide's Pore Control from the Abnormal Beauty Company.  It helps to control sebum production.  Again, it is a must-have for me nowadays.  Let me know if you want me to write a blog post on dealing with maskne.  Truly, I thought I had left the bad old days of breakouts behind me but this business of wearing masks whenever I venture outside has my skin going crazy.

Most helpfully, The Abnormal Beauty Company or Deciem ran their Black Friday sale of 23% off for the entire month of November!  This is such a brilliant strategy and really takes the pressure off.

I also ordered a pair of leggings from J Crew at 40% off the already reduced sale price.  I didn't even bother looking at dressy clothes because what is the point?  I just want comfy, casual, at home, clothes nowadays.  Truth be told, somedays I spend all day in my pjs.  Let me know if this is you as well. I hope they arrive while we are still in 2020.  Delivery times have gone completely sideways with recurring lockdowns and everyone doing so much of their shopping online.

via jcrew.com

Can you believe that tomorrow is December 1st?  I am toying with doing an edited version of Blogmas.  Hmmm, we shall see.  I think we should give ourselves a pat on the back for having made it this far. 

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Black Friday Wishlist: Schmidt Home Depot Cole Haan

A sudden life change gave me the opportunity to begin to arrange my home in a way that suited my new circumstances.  As always, Black Friday is a great time to replace those things that are worn out and need replacing to getting those coveted must-haves that have been sitting on one's wishlist forever. So herewith is my wishlist.
I was given a knife block set years ago as a Christmas gift.  To be honest, I have always hated it.  It took up a huge amount of counterspace.  The knives have begun rusting and I just don't use many of the knives.  I am sure we all have gifts that we don't like and simply tolerate because they were gifts.

I picked up this set of Schmidt knives this past weekend.  This small curated set is all I need.  I find I reach for the 6" chef's knife over and over again.  The Schmidt knives aren't top of the range but they aren't Dollar Store knives either.  They are wicked sharp and have a balanced feel in the hand.  The wood handles are gorgeous and will look better and better over time.  They are available in Canada at Crate and Barrel.
My unitized washer and dryer is slowly dying on me.  The last time I was at Home Depot, there were no sales at all.  Black Friday sales seem to start earlier and earlier each year so hopefully I will be able to pick up a replacement very soon.

via Home Depot

I am in love with Cole Haan right now.  I ordered this pair of winter boots and the timing of their arrival was perfect as within days of said arrival, Toronto experienced its first snowfall of the season.

They have shearling cuffs and as with all of Cole Haan's Zerogrand line, serious take-no-prisoners treads.  In the middle of a Canadian winters, the sidewalks become perilously slippery and boots that grip onto snow and ice are a must.  There is lots of room for thick socks and, remarkably, were comfortably straight out of the box, no breaking in required.

via Cole Haan

I am definitely going to drop by Cole Haan again and see what else captures my eye.
So what's on your wish list?

This is not a sponsored post.

The Weekly Roundup: Black Friday Haul The Abnormal Beauty Company The Ordinary

Are you still alive after Black Friday?  Are you gearing up for Cyber Monday?  I can't believe I am even asking but, yes, the mayhem that is Black Friday is a "thing" now in Canada.  This past Friday was just another working day for me so, alas, I had to wait until the weekend to partake.  I was good and did my best to stick to my wishlist. I love The Ordinary.  I missed out on their Black Friday sale last year so this year checking out their Black Friday sale was a definite must on my wish list.  Luckily for me, a freestanding Abnormal Beauty Company store is just down the road from where I live so I didn't have to hover over my keyboard at midnight, waiting for deals to drop.

The Ordinary is known for their budget friendly pricepoints so you can imagine how much more affordable their Black Friday deals are.  My mother swears by the efficacy of the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion at keeping her wrinkles at bay (she is in her 70s) and at $4 each, I swooped up 2 for her.  At these prices, it is a good time to try out other products in their lineup.  I have been curious to try out a lactic acid peel and as the Lactic Acid was a crazy $2 I picked that up as well as the primer for $3 and Pore Control for $10.  I wish I had bought more now as the prices were jawdroppingly easy on the wallet.  Also, I don't think there is a limit on quantity in the store as there is on line.  

Did you score any amazing deals?  Let me know in the comments so that I can live vicariously through you!

Mindful Black Friday Sale Haul: Sephora, Tarte, Becca, Muji, J Crew, New Balance, Rockport Mary Jane Shoes

How did you make out with Black Friday?  I have never been one of those people who line up on the sidewalk at 2 am in the morning.  These days I usually utilize Black Friday to get my hands on Christmas pressies at a price that eases the strain on my wallet and to get replacements for things that have long since bid goodbye to their best before date.  I have a running list in my head of needs balanced with wants.  I hesitated on calling my buys a "haul" and settled on calling them a mindful or intentional haul (only slightly less cringeworthy!).  Did you stop in at Sephora?  I do love checking out the limited edition boxed sets that brands come out with specifically for Black Friday and the holidays.  I picked up this boxed set from Tarte.

You get a blush in Ornate which is a lovely coral that I know will suit me to a "T", a mini lipstick called Surf's Up which is a warm brown pink, and their Lights Camera Lashes mascara.  The set that I got last year had a full size lipstick and I do wish that this year's lipstick was also full size but for $13.00 it is a screaming deal so I can forgive the mini sized lipstick.

I picked up this set from Becca.  I have never tried anything from Becca so I am really looking forward to acquainting myself with the Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight in Moonstone.

Becca's highlighters are known to be holy grail products so I was really pleased to pick this up for $20.00.

Next up, I think every beauty vlogger on the planet has stacks of Muji's acrylic storage cases sitting on her/his vanity.  Well, I am no beauty vlogger but I was growing tired of the mess on my table.  I have noticed that Muji's sales are far from being doorcrashers.  They are usually very sedate affairs but for this Black Friday, their acrylic storage line was 30% off.  Woot!

The long wide 3 drawer case was completely sold out so I had to settle for the smaller, 2 drawer case.  Now I know why this line is so popular.  The clear acrylic is so sleek and minimal and you can see at a glance what is inside and in which drawer.  Honestly, I could spend hours opening and closing the drawers.

Next, I have had a long standing love affair with Mary Janes in all its incarnations whether as a high heel, flat or wedge.  My old pair of wedge heeled Mary Janes were in a dire condition.  I tend to wear shoes until the straps and buckles are hanging by a thread, the leather is splitting apart and the soles are disintegrating.  Unless you have no choice, do not take frugality to the extreme like me.  I am worried that I have permanently broken my feet as a result.  So I was thrilled as anything to pick a new pair from Rockport.

What, Rockport, you say?  Gone are the days when I would make a beeline for the stilettos whenever there was a sale.  These days, the question in my mind is "Can I walk in them?"  Rockport has a line called Cobb Hill which is slightly dressier but still prioritizing comfort.  Hopefully, I am not in granny, orthopedic shoe territory just yet and these Mary Janes ride that comfortable yet pretty line just right.  The fact that they are riffing off Chie Mihara shoes but at a much more affordable price point doesn't hurt either.

Last but by no means least, are a pair of sneakers by New Balance for J. Crew.  The soles of my last pair of sneakers literally separated away from the shoe so a replacement was most definitely in order.

To be honest, I am still on the fence about these.  I love the crisp contrast between the navy and the white and the slight retro vibe.  But now I am wondering whether they are a bit too retro?  What do you think?  Yay or nay?

And that's it!  Let me know of your Black Friday scores and adventures!

This is not a sponsored post.

LHeure Bleue At Home Etsy Shop Black Friday Sale

The L'Heure Bleue At Home Etsy Shop is having a Black Friday Sale!  Click on the link at the right and check out the deals on cool vintage treasures.

Vintage Dymo Labelmaker with Red Embossing Tape

See you there!