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Updated: Jul 6, 2022 95 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Afterglow Lip Balm

Coffee Break | ·

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Oooh: these my-lips-but-better tints are some of the reader favorites (and my own!) — and you can get three of the most popular colors in the upcoming Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, all for $49. Nice.

(If you'd prefer to buy just one color in the full size (and now), they're $28 each.)

Other reader favorites of note in the upcoming sale include Dior Addict (another MLBB tint), the Pillow Talk lip kit, the NARS orgasm cheek kit (both are also longstanding favorites of mine), the Le Labo discovery set with three of their most popular perfumes, and the Too Faced mascara. (One of my favorite shampoos is also in the sale at a discount!) I'm also intrigued by the Gimme Brow set…

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 9.30.24

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Along the lines of the question asked this morning, would I feel out of place as a single woman in Vienna or West Falls Church? I’d likely consider a TH not a SFH. I’m not sure if I’m still hoping to meet anyone but I’m Arab, and I feel like a lot of the Arab population is in Va. rather than in the city. But I also don’t want to be somewhere and be thought of as the weird woman on the block without children; I’d at least like to be someplace with DINKs. Location wise I like both of those areas as they remind me of where I grew up and they are both easy commutes to my work, moreso than being in the city or Shirlington, but I worry about constantly being reminded I don’t have a husband or family in my face all the time.

    • Anon

      I know a lot of people who live walkable to the Vienna metro who are DINKs or singles. And also in the townhouses that are nearby and off of 50. And closer to Merrifield. I feel like my childed friends feel like it’s too expensive to live inside the beltway so it more and more people with no kids.

    • Anonymous

      My experience is dated (five years ago), but I lived in Tysons as a DINK/DC Metro transplant. I made friends with singles and DINKS in McLean, Vienna and Falls Church. A lot of them lived in townhouses, but a few were in SFH. I met most of them through work and Fairfax County adult education classes (art, writing). I’ve lived in a bunch of different places, and I found it to be one of the easiest places to make new friends.

    • Anon

      I can’t speak to the single aspect, but I can attest to my Arab friend living out in Vienna because she says that’s where all her people are :) (And I rarely go to Tysons mall, but I feel like I see so many women in headscarves when I do!)

  2. anon

    Just want to send hugs to other ret.tes from Highland Park or the North Shore. What a nightmare.

    • Anon

      I’m so upset. I have friends’ families who were there and while they’re ok, we’ve been discussing that this is getting NO coverage. I’m horrified and sad and angry.

      • Anonymous

        No coverage? I watched practically all day yesterday on the 24 hour news networks, turned on coverage for a bit today and one of the networks has a reporter running her show from there, and even the financial news networks today showed clips from today’s police press conference – re the shooter wearing womens clothes and escaping with everyone else. And I’m on the east coast, I imagine the midwest is wall to wall coverage on local stations too.

        • Anon

          I guess I meant more social media “reaction” than coverage—- I didn’t see a single post about it except for from a friend who was literally there, when after the TX shooting, etc the internet/ my social media was ablaze in outrage. It makes me worried people are burnt out on caring about gun control as an issue.

      • Anon

        It’s wall to wall coverage, which is actually a bad idea because it encourages other actors. But your friends are wrong that there’s no coverage.

      • Anon

        It’s above the scroll on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, NYT, WSJ, and WaPo. It’s a major story on radio news and local tv news. It’s everywhere.

      • anon

        +3, I’m on the west coast and this is getting a lot of coverage, as it should. As a sidenote, I attended this parade 20 years ago when I was in Chicago as a high schooler for a summer program. It breaks my heart to see this.

  3. Anonymous

    Have you ever been through a phase where you just feel no happiness whatsoever and just feel like you do not care about ANYTHING? Thing is I don’t feel classically depressed in that I’m not crying or upset or anything. But I literally care about nothing except the bills getting paid, so I guess I care about holding onto my job though I’m making minimal efforts there as it is such a boring job.

    I noticed it again last night when watching fireworks as I was thinking I’m not enjoying this even a little. I know some are saying it’s due to the state of the world or country, but I don’t even feel like it’s that for me; though I will say the pandemic has played a part as I’m still living very cautiously which no one else is and not traveling as much as I want to. There are health reasons for that. FWIW DH thinks I need a new challenge in the form of a new better job. I probably do but DH’s solution to everything is work harder as that’s how he copes with life. I’d like a new job but would really not want to start interviewing with an I don’t care attitude, as you burn bridges. I have a doctors appt coming up in a month so I’ll discuss with her, but does this sound like depression? Just needing a vacation and new job?

    • Emma

      Anahedonia is a symptom of depression!

      I’d say go to therapy. It might be that you’re cut off from your negative feelings and therefore can’t experience any at all (including positive). Things are scary right now and it makes sense to be processing.

    • Anon

      You just said it’s not classic depression, and then went on to describe classic depression.

      Get some help for yourself. It doesn’t have to be this way!

    • Anonymous

      This is probably at least in part depression. I have been classically depressed in the past several times, so the last time I was depressed, it was really hard for me to recognize. I was basically like you.. no motivation to do anything besides keeping my job, and I was barely exerting any effort at that. Wasn’t sad, wasn’t randomly crying, life didn’t feel totally hopeless, so it took a really long time for me to recognize.. oh, I’m depressed.

      I would recommend getting some bloodwork done at your doctor’s appointment (to rule out any vitamin deficiencies or what not). I started taking some vitamins and upped my antidepressants, and I’m doing much better. Hope you feel better soon.

    • Anon

      You’re depressed. A vacation and new job will probably not be enough to help.

    • Anon

      It’s a real misconception that depression means you’re sad. In most people, this is exactly what depression looks like. Some people are just irritable and others don’t really have emotional symptoms at all, just fatigue or other issues like pain. Definitely talk to your doctor.

    • BeenThatGuy

      I have felt this way since February of this year after a series of major unfortunate events in my personal life and work life. I’d describe it as I feel hollow. Not much brings me joy but not much makes me sad. Almost like if there was a feelings switch in my body that has been turned off. I’ve had periods of depression in my life that I was treated for but this is a different feeling. I’m not saying to the OP that it’s not depression for her, but maybe depression adjacent?

      • Anon

        Why would you think this isn’t also depression? It doesn’t have to feel the same as you’ve felt previously. I don’t think there’s any need to gatekeep depression.

  4. Anon

    I feel like my closet is full of the ghosts of my prior life (suits! sheath dresses! heels! clothes one size smaller than my current size, NBD but some items I love and don’t want to give up on) and some hope of my future life (party clothes! festive attire!). It’s hard to get excited about the life I have now (devoting a summer to WFH to help a family member recover from surgery that was supposed to be this week but got postponed until August).

    • Anon

      Box up the clothing that is really special to you, donate the rest, and buy some pieces in your current size that fit your current lifestyle that make you happy to get dressed in the morning.

      The ghosts are not making you happy. They’re actively making you unhappy, so banish them!!

      • Anon

        +1 this
        Also you don’t need a ton of clothes in your current size and lifestyle as long as you love the ones you have — depending on how often you can do laundry, I find 3-4 outfits to be sufficient to get me through a season. If your lifestyle is still similar in the fall you can build on that by adding a few more so you don’t get bored, etc. But don’t feel like you need to spend thousands of dollars and hours of your life shopping.

  5. Clementine

    Paging the poster looking to remove stains from their countertops!

    Tell me more. What are you looking to remove? Organic materials (coffee, red wine, blood) vs discoloration from oil versus general grime? Are the counters sealed?

    Trying to figure out if you need something to bleach the stain (oxyclean/peroxide/bleach) vs. something to remove oil or tar (goo gone or orange oil) vs, an abrasive (mr clean magic eraser aka a melamine sponge which is basically like a super fine sandpaper).

    This is my magic skill set – stain removal.

    • Anon

      Ha, this kind of thing is the best part of our community :)

      (Also, my mom’s magic skill set is laundry stain removal. The woman is an honest-to-goodness laundry fairy. Everything comes out looking newer than when it went in. I don’t know how she does it.)

      • Anon

        Ha — just when I’m about to abandon ship for the wanton mean-ness, I factor in the Hints from Heloise angle and reconsider.

        The answer is often: ammonia, vinegar, original blue Dawn, borax, soaking in hot water overnight, or all of the above.

        • Clementine

          I would add fels naptha soap and a paste of oxyclean and water.

          Also, don’t discount the power of a quick iron or steam. Often, that’s the key to making them look really great out of the wash,

      • Vicky Austin

        Oh hi, sister!

        On a different note, hi Clementine! Feels like you’ve been gone awhile? Happy to see you back!

        • Clementine

          Hi!!! I’m around, just… accidentally had to do 4 jobs for a while (not exaggerating, also had to do hiring and training for those 4 jobs… and ran out of hours in the day.

          I hope everyone is doing well!

      • Aunt Jamesina

        I should hang with your mom, stain removal is my magic skill set! I actually (mostly) enjoy doing laundry.

    • countertop OP

      Thank you! I don’t know if the counters are sealed, we moved in within the last year and haven’t sealed them- I understand we need to do that periodically so should anyway.

      There’s definitely some organic materials- coffee, food, red wine, dirt (from plants we keep there, sometimes the water runs off). But also there was some staining around the sink from before we moved in, which I would assume is organic matter + general grime.

      I am the complete opposite of you on this dimension so am a little clueless.

    • Anon

      I’m not that person but can you help me? I live in an old apartment building and I’m guessing the countertops are from the 80s when it was last renovated. They’re white Formica and they stain SO easily. I can put a mug of tea on the counter and it will leave a ring that’s impossible to take off. They don’t seem to be sealed. I’ve already tried cleaners and magic eraser and they didn’t work. They look so grimy even when they’re clean!

    • countertop OP

      Post is in mod so trying again- nothing controversial here!

      Thank you! I don’t know if the counters are sealed, we moved in within the last year and haven’t sealed them- I understand we need to do that periodically so should anyway.

      There’s definitely some organic materials- coffee, food, red wine, dirt (from plants we keep there, sometimes the water runs off). But also there was some staining around the sink from before we moved in, which I would assume is organic matter + general grime.

  6. anon

    Can anyone speak to beach towns in Southwestern Michigan? We are looking to buy a second home and would go as far north as Saugatuck, as we are coming from Chicago. (We are still processing a lot of heartache and second-hand trauma from yesterday’s events as we are local and I really really want to think about good things today.)

    We have spent some time in New Buffalo and Saugatuck but would love to hear insight from anyone who knows the areas really well. (We don’t know much about Union Pier, South Haven, Grand Haven, etc.) Is there an up-and-coming area you are excited about? One area that you would avoid? Do you prefer Saugatuck hands-down over all the others? If you were buying a second home, do you know exactly which area or town you would target? Would love to hear from you! We have a local agent, but would appreciate some crowdsourcing too. We are heading to MI in a couple of weeks and will be looking at some places with him, but would like to hear more from people here!

    We have a toddler now and are hoping for a second baby soon. Our jobs are extremely flexible, so we we are lucky to be in a position that we could spend a lot of time there as we don’t have a school schedule to think about yet. We don’t need to be *on* the beach, but proximity to the beach. We do not care for the casino and are not huge wine tour people, we just want proximity to a nice beach and a good town that has restaurants, etc. but would also choose a place that is about to be booming, if it doesn’t yet have a lot in town. Thanks to a variety of factors, budget is very generous (up to 2.5m)

    • Anon

      How do you feel about adopting a child? An older child? A MUCH older child who is already through college so you wouldn’t have to fund that and I could watch the littles?

      • Vicky Austin

        This reply made no sense to me for a minute haha, but I am also available for consideration, OP! Lake house in Michigan sounds like the dream.

      • Anon

        Do I understand correctly that you would like OP to “adopt” an indentured servant to watch her kids?

          • Anon

            I’m just wanting clarification as to whether the job is open for 57 year olds.

        • Anon

          Anon at 3:12 was tongue-in-cheek asking to be “adopted” so she can hang out in the $2.5M beach house in exchange for watching the kids.

      • anon - OP

        Haha, this is so off the rails that it gave me a chuckle, and that was very much what I needed. Thank you.

    • Sasha

      My extended family shares a house in St Joseph/Benton Harbor and it is my happy place. Since Whirlpool is headquartered there, it is more of a town in its own right vs only coming alive in the summer and there’s strict rules on short term rentals so most of the second homes are owner-occupied. Lots of public beach access with houses in walking distance. The downtown is darling–ice cream shops, bakeries/coffee shops, an escape room, 3-4 fun sit down places with decent food. There’s a 6:30pm Amtrak to St. Joe out of Union Station and a 9am train back into the city, which is super convenient for visitors or staying up there long term and commuting back into the city when needed. The houses along the private beach strip south of Jean Klock Park are stunning with plenty of beach still left, though last I checked those are going closer to 4-5m. My friend had a childhood lake house in Grand Haven and it seems like it was a similar vibe.

      Michigan City/Long Beach is fun but almost exclusively made up of second homes of people from Chicago + a LOT of short term rentals. You inevitably end up running into people you know every 10 minutes, and the restaurant scene is not great with long wait times in the summer.

      Also you may know this already but Saugatuck is a big vacation spot for older gay couples, so there are less kids there than some of the other towns further south by virtue of many of the summer regulars being childless. That might not matter to you, but something to think about if you’re hoping to form friendships with other young parents who are there regularly in the summer.

      • anon - OP

        Thank you! Helpful insight into “harbor country!” We like the idea of a place that has lot of year-round folks, too, as it would be nice to go around Thanksgiving or two weeks after Christmas, etc. Like I said, we don’t have school-aged kids yet and never in a million years thought we would have flexibility with our jobs to do something like this and since we now do, want to take advantage of it. We do not mind that Saugatuck may not have lots of local kids, either, but it’s a helpful reminder to think about! It would be nice to see other young parents but definitely not necessary.

    • Girlonawireless

      That’s the part of the world where I grew up. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the towns along the lakeshore. I’ve always been partial to South Haven (spent many summer weekends in high school partying and relaxing there) but really came to appreciate Saugatuck/Douglass because some friends have a place there.

      A friend of mine concentrates her real estate practice in Michigan lake homes — Kate Henley at Adrian Real Estate. Kate grew up in South Haven and knows the lakeshore (and inland lakes) well. She’s be a great resource.

  7. Emma

    Ughhh.. Just got accidentally cc’ed on an email kind of demeaning me. I work in an all-men industry and am supposed to fill in for my boss while he’s on medical leave. Sent my contact information for a site visit to a client while I’m traveling. The guy I sent it to forwarded it the info to my boss to send to the client with the note (Can choose if we need to send her info in… ;) ). He didn’t realize I am forwarded all of my boss’s emails while he’s out.

    I feel like I’m competent but that there’s just a lack of trust because I’m a woman and 20 years younger than everyone else. Feel frustrated that I’m boxed out of things / not taken seriously and like it’s an impossible hurdle to overcome. UGH.

  8. Anon

    This is for Clementine, the magic stain remover.

    I have a light blue linen shell that is my absolute favorite. It has some sort of spot on it that may be blood or tomato sauce or chocolate. I don’t know. I’ve tried using Dawn which is usually my magic potion but it didn’t budge. I’ve tried this twice. The top has been washed on gentle and line dried, not ironed, so hopefully I haven’t set the stain. What should I try next?

    • Clementine

      I would start with a paste of oxyclean and water. Let it sit on there for a bit and then soak and then re-wash.

      Good news is that linen is usually pretty willing to release stains. Dawn is great for grease or oil, but I think you need something to remove the red food (possibly iron based) stain.

      If it’s ink though – rubbing alcohol.

    • Anon

      I use Dawn for oil stains and boiling water for berries, but after that I use the Oxiclean stain removal spray for most other clothing stains. It seems like I’ve needed to use it weekly recently, but it always works and is easy to use

    • Aunt Jamesina

      I agree with Clementine about starting with an Oxyclean soak. If it doesn’t come out, then I’d move on to hydrogen peroxide, which works great on blood stains (and red wine).

    • Anonymous

      If it’s dried blood in natural fiber, Fels Naptha soap is a miracle worker. I’ve had success with REALLY working it into the fibers of a cotton bath mat and scrubbing (rubbing the material against itself and with an old toothbrush)

    • Cat

      Missed the earlier thread, but the StainDevils line of stain removers is witchcraft. Aka – chemistry. They are amazing!

  9. Anon

    I am attending a wedding in September and purchased a dress to attend (I’m a new size from the pandemic and do not have current formal wear). The wedding is at 3pm but the attire is formal, the ceremony may be outside. I purchased a dress that looks like this (link to follow) but am a bit worried that being tea length, it doesn’t fit the formal dress code. This dress is fine, right?

  10. Higher Net Worth Dating

    Can we talk about how you date as a higher-earning woman? I have spent most of the last decade single. I am a high-ish earner, a big saver, and not fixated on a potential partner’s finances. I say yes to almost every man that asks me out. Historically my dates make between 25-50% of what I do. This has not been an issue for me. But it becomes an issue, as they look to move into my (nicer) home, suggest expensive experiences that they expect me to pay for (but that I would not desire myself), etc. In 15 years of dating 80% of my “boyfriends” have asked me to lend them money, sometimes after 1-2 years of dating. I break up with all these guys because financial compatibility is important to me.

    I’d happily partner up with a teacher who could live within his means. Either such men do not exist or they are not into me.

    Does anybody have strategies to avoid being used? Or to find self-sufficient men? Again I am not a big spender, but it feels like my profession kind of “marks” me as a higher earner, and/or eventually I have to disclose that I own rental properties (for example, I have to take a phone call about a property in his presence after 6 months of dating) and then everything starts to go downhill…

    I am child-free and too old to become a mom, btw. So no guy is going to earn his keep by caring for my children.

    • Anonymous

      I think this posted quite late yesterday. Please consider reposting today as it is something of interest to me, too.

    • Anon

      I’m sorry. This sounds very frustrating. I am a high earner but have by luck I imagine, not encountered this in dating yet. I’d start asking about what their future/financial goals are as early on as possible and paying super close attention to the red flags you have learned over the years. I’m older and I have no qualms about being very up front about things in dating and cutting my losses asap when things are not lining up.

  11. Anom

    Anyone familiar with the appropriate gift for a Navjote celebration? We are invited to family friends’ celebration for their two children. Is cash appropriate? Do people still do savings bonds (as was done for my bat mitzvah 30+ years ago…)?

    I’m very much honored to be invited.

    • More Sleep Would Be Nice

      Wow! As a non-Parsi South Asian I must say – that is so cool that you were invited. My family grew up among Parsis and I don’t think anyone has been invited.

      I’d say cash is king here – nice envelope or card with what you’re comfortable giving. Hindus love giving (like $51), but not sure if it’s the same with Zoroastrians. Enjoy!

    • A

      It’s the Parsi equivalent of a bar mitzvah. Cash is absolutely appropriate.
      Do dress up. All the women will be in lovely embroidered Parsi sarees.

  12. Career question

    What careers or work environments are genuinely open and accepting to working moms (3 kids in Kindergarten and elementary) ? I am in a very male dominated field, and cannot keep up with the pace. I have childcare but am home every day 5.30 ish through to 8pm (then back online either that night or for a super early shift). How do people make this work? In finance, director level at a large regional corporation. Experience in big tech, not a qualified CPA or mba if that matters. Don’t network much thanks to COVID (mostly other peoples caution not mine).

    • Anon

      I’m in-house at a large defense contractor and our department is absolutely working mom friendly. This is really company/office in-industry specific to some extent. You just have to find that magic combo unfortunately

  13. anon

    Over the past few months, I’ve realized that I’m out of sync with my friends, and it’s maki g it very hard for me to engage how I normally would. TBH, there is a real lack of other professional women in my social group. I’ve never thought that mattered much, because my friends are all intelligent and educated women, but our lifestyles and choices aren’t similar enough for me to really feel noticed and heard when I’m struggling or just need to bounce ideas off someone. With work/life balance issues in particular. It’s affecting me to feel like I don’t have many people in my life who get it on a deeper level, and it’s also affecting how I feel about them. My husband doesn’t have this issue with his friends. Perhaps it’s a stage in life: we’re all early 40s and I’m the only woman who hasn’t leaned out at work and/or stopped working entirely to volunteer and run my kids’ lives. I’m just really lonely! And maybe it speaks to a broader issue of not feeling fulfilled. I just don’t know what to do with these feelings. Spend less time with these friends? Find new ones? Both easier said than done.

    • Vicky Austin

      “Friends” is an extremely general term for relationships that can hold a vast number of different places in your life. I’d do your best to accept that these friends are not your Career Inspiration and Commiseration friends anymore, lean out for a couple months, and see where that takes you, what rises up in its place. What kind of friends are they instead? Known-you-forever friends? Flexible-schedule-so-are-easy-to-spend-time-with friends? Political-commiseration friends? Or not people you can be friends with on any level anymore? Then decide.

      And I know how hard it is to find new friends, but it really does sound like you might need some who can be your Career Inspiration and Commiseration friends. Any coworkers you like? Any networking you can do or groups you can join? Lean on us in the meantime? ;)

      • Anne-on

        Also to this point I have 2 mentors from previous jobs, both with kids, and both absolutely inspiring in terms of balancing work/family/life stuff. I value their input SO much but these are my call once or twice a year/text/catch up at industry events mentors, not go to dinner once a month and catch up over wine people. That scrathes my ‘career inspiration’ friends itch but you might look into a local community group if you want more frequent/in-person mentoring.

    • Anne-on

      I don’t have advice but I do commiserate. I feel like it is shockingly hard to find women who worked all through their children’s lives in ‘big’ jobs without taking a break or stepping out altogether. I adore my SAHM friends but yes, they just don’t get it in the same way. I lean on my working moms community and the mom’s page (to an extent). Please feel free to post more there – imho we could use more moms of older kids talking about bigger kid stuff as well as just what the ‘next phase’ of your career looks like – I have grand hopes of leaning in more once my kid is in high school/college which is coming quickly!!

    • anon

      Oh I hear you. From an internet stranger, have you tried making friends with women on the other side of it? Sometimes having a few friends that are half way between you and your mom helps with the sage advice component. I also wouldn’t give up on those friendship because you never know what’s going to happen 5, 10, 20 years from now.

    • Anon

      My kids are older now, but I was lonely as you describe when they were younger. I decidedly did not lean out – my husband did, because my career was the lead career. So I was facing lots of work struggles and work/life issues and didn’t have anyone to commiserate with. One mom told me that I should let my husband shoulder all of this because it wasn’t really “for” women to be the head of household…um what?

      So honestly, my tight circle of girlfriends were all childfree, and fortunately none of them were of the “I hate children” variety ala last week’s posts, so my kids got a bunch of really cool, fun aunties, and I got to be friends with some pretty kickass women.

      I finally developed friendships with other moms again when my kids were high school age and involved in sports – the moms were fun again, less competitive about being the world’s most perfect mothers, and we had some hilarious times at weekend tournaments.

  14. Dress code

    I will be starting a new job in Fall in a corporate environment, some of the work will be remote but there will be times I need to go the office. I have been in academia for over 15 years working in lab environments where I mostly wore tshirts, jeans etc. I am starting to think about how to dress in this new environment, the field is consulting specifically data analytics so expecting that the dress code will lean towards business casual. I have a good number of blazers, dress shirts, and tops that can work in an office environment. For pants I have dark wash jeans and some dress pants. But I would like some ideas on what kinds of shoes to wear, most boards on Pinterest depict women in heels whether they are in pants or skirts. I would prefer to avoid heels in cooler weather, my feet get very cold easily plus I will be commuting by bus and train so it would be tiring. I know many people keep a pair of heels or flats in the office but I will be working in a consulting company where you get sent out to client sites at times. I know from interacting with people in IT/analytics in meetups that some people dress very casual but personally I would like to step it up abit because I never really felt all that good even when I wore tshirts, jeans and hoodies daily. I just did it because anything nicer would get stained or ripped in a lab environment. Thanks in advance.

  15. Paging this weekends poster with the menopause tummy

    I posted a recommendation and only after realized it was an older post – to the person looking for tips to handle a changed silhouette after menopause with more tummy – I’ve been binging youtube videos, and this one might be something for you:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFigLE1RiKg

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