I got my roots done the other day at the salon I go to in my old neighborhood, the West Village, and afterward made a pilgrimage to the place I most miss living in close proximity to: C.O. Bigelow Apothecary, a.k.a. my happy place. My reasons for loving Bigelow’s are many, and chief among them is the fact that the ladies behind the beauty counter are so helpful and un-pushy, and one of them assisted me in choosing this Lipstick Queen lip color in Berry Wine. It’s a nice, matte formulation that goes on a hair brighter than it looks like here.

I’m always on a quest to find the perfect formulation for my tragic under-eye circles, and this balm may just be it: it brightens almost immediately upon application, and does a nice job of moisturizing, and you can apply it over your makeup for a late-afternoon pick-me-up.

I usually apply two mascaras every morning: one that lengthens and one that volumizes, and I’ve been looking for that miracle product that can do both of these things at the same time. According to word on the street, this stuff is it. It’s on its way to me as I type, so I’ll let you know how it works out after I try it.

For the first time ever, Liberty of London is shipping their fantabulous beauty advent calendar to the U.S., and—while I wouldn’t ever buy it for myself—I sure do find it tempting.

We’re coming up on chapped lip season, so I’ve been looking for a good tinted lip balm, and this one from Tata Harper looks like it delivers the perfect wash of color.

I prefer a gel blush—it just blends so much easier—and am thinking I might give Glossier’s Cloud Paint in Storm a try.

This is a dry brush, and you are supposed to use it on your body before showering for softer skin, improved circulation, and a host of other purported benefits. People who use one swear by it, and I’m thinking it’s worth giving it a shot.

I’m also thinking about giving eyeshadow a try again, not for every day but for parties and other occasions when I’m looking to add a dose of drama to my look: I’m really bad at applying it, but this Eye Polish by RMS (the color is called Myth) looks pretty idiot-proof.

The last time I went to see the woman who does my color, she told me my hair looks to be about 50% grey at this point, and I’d been suspecting as much, because lately when my roots grow in, they grow in bold. And this would explain why I’m going through my Color Wow Root Cover Up a whole lot faster than I used to. This stuff goes on easy, covers up roots beautifully, and stays put until you shampoo it out.

Canmake Cream Cheek blush is a Japanese drugstore product I order on Amazon and it always takes forever to arrive, but the wait is worth it: it provides the subtlest-but-brightest wash of color, and is good for midday touch-ups too.

I’ve been using Bobbie Brown BB Cream for longer than just about any product here, and like that it smooths out my complexion without looking at all fake or heavy.

I’ve raved about T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial before here, but I can’t think of another product that makes my skin glow like this does. In fact, I had a fancy facial at the spa, and afterward my skin looked pretty good, but no more so than when I use this stuff.

This Klorane makeup remover comes in a handy, super-sized container, and—more importantly—is as effective as it is gentle.

I went to the spa, and my brain all but melted away in a sea of forest hikes and swimming, lavender sea salt scrubs and crudité. It was very, very nice, and all a little too relaxing, and it has taken me a while to get back in the swing of things (and in truth, I’m not entirely certain I’m there yet). So please bear with me as I get back up to speed, and meanwhile, here are a couple of discoveries I made while I was away: first up is this Hourglass lipstick (the color is called I Can’t Live Without) and it is one of those your-lips-but-better shades, only maybe just a tiny bit darker, and now that I’m trying not to do a too-bold lip, which I’m told can be aging, I’m finding that it’s just the ticket.

The problem with deodorants, as opposed to antiperspirants, is that if they’re scented and you sweat even a little, that scent gets stronger, and unless you’re a really big fan of that scent, this can be a problem. This stuff, however, smells of nothing (well, as much like nothing as anything can) and it really works, too.