you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you

I successfully wrote approximately thirteen pages today, which was quite satisfying despite the general procrastination I engaged in through most of the afternoon. I dropped off my car at the Toyota dealer for its 30,000 mile checkup (commuting is putting way more miles on my RAV4 than I ever put on my beloved Sunfire), then walked down to Samovar for a couple of masala chais. I wrote in my notebook for awhile, which I find is a good technique for getting me back into the story -- I would much rather stare at a blank page than a blank screen, particularly since the blank page can't be turned into the dangerously addictive internet with a click of a mouse.

But you can read about my writing productivity on zee romance blog. Instead, this blog post is devoted to my trip to Sephora. Tammy made a request that I share more detail about my cosmetics purchases, and while it's a bit strange for me to share with you just how much I'm stimulating the economy, I shall oblige.

Sephora quite cunningly sent me a 15% off coupon, good for my entire purchase, and of course I could not pass up the opportunity to score some of my beauty supply staples at a discount. The staples are:

* Ojon Dry Rub-out Cleanser - a great dry shampoo that Katie introduced me to. It gets me through the days when I wake up so late that I can't wash my hair.

* Dior DiorShow Mascara - Sephora calls this a "cult favorite", and it's easy to see why -- it makes my lashes long and lush (although not as long and lush as my brother's) with only one coat.

* MakeUpForEver foundation (aka Face and Body Liquid Makeup) in Ivory 20 - this foundation is possibly the best match for my skin type and desired look that I've ever found, recommended to me last fall by one of the Sephora people. It's not too full-coverage, and keeps my face looking "dewy" while minimizing pores. I was almost out of my first bottle (shows how long it lasts, since I bought it in September, although I've been using some tinted moisturizer instead over the last few weeks), so this was v. necessary (or as necessary as you can consider makeup).

* Two eyeshadow brushes

* Tarte's Apple-a-Day lipgloss - this is one of my favorite lipglosses; I love the look, feel, taste, smell, and the application wand.

So that covers the staples, all of which I would have bought over the next couple of months anyway. But then, I couldn't walk out without trying something new:

* Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Hula Hula - this is a combo of a pink and a gold, which are the eyeshadow colors I've been preferencing recently. However, my first pink/gold combo was a cream eyeshadow that a) Sephora doesn't carry in the SF store anymore and b) always clumped in the creases of my eyelids by the end of the day, even if I loved how it looked initially. My second pink/gold combo was a Laura Mercier shimmer set I bought a few weeks ago, and I love that look too -- but slowly realized that I might be having problems with my contacts because the shadow is flaking into my eyes. I've never had problems with Nars eyeshadows, so I'm trying this one out and hoping for the best.

* Shiseido lipstick in SL15 - I already have SL14, which is a perfect pink; SL15 is more of a berry color. I love Shiseido lipsticks; they're like a lipstick/lipgloss combo, with a wash of color and the perfect amount of shine in a formula that moisturizes and doesn't feel sticky.

* Sephora by OPI nail polish in Skinny Jeans - another blue nail polish, but this one is brighter. I like the blue currently on my nails, but it's dark, and I'm looking for something a bit more summery.

I am now going on a Sephora moratorium until the end of May. I've no doubt that I will splurge again before Aunt Becky's wedding, since I like buying makeup for special occasions even though my already-stocked warchest could easily take care of any makeup need short of an attempt to disguise myself as a Hispanic janitor a la Zoolander. But, now that I'm stocked up on essentials, there is absolutely nothing I need, and so Sephora is just going to have to hope it can get through the next month of the recession without me.

Okay, after my shockingly vulgar recap of my shockingly vulgar lifestyle, it's time for bed! Please share any makeup tips/favorites you have, so that I can test my ability to resist temptation by reading your comments and *not* rushing back to Sephora to try them myself.