It's Nice to Know Someone Who Knows Someone
I spend next to nothing on beauty products. This might be a good time to make a pitch for Lansinoh, the multi-purpose high grade lanolin.  That's as close as I come to a beauty secret.

Bridget has a client who does something with photography with some newspaper.  And she is extremely generous with gifting Bridget with lovely things that she is allowed to bring home from these shoots.  Last week it was a Shiseido Cle de Peau Beaute something. I am not fluent in cosmetic speak.

When Bridget saw that it retails for $125 she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to use it.  (that's  right,  not $12.50, which would still be out of my price range or a more reasonable $1.25)  $125 for a beautiful compact with a sculpted mass of pearly beauty - fine quallity brush included.  But how often would she get to try this right?  And it was so nich to have her come in to my room on a Sunday night and press this into my hand and tell me it might make it a little more fun to get ready for work when I have to go in early on Monday morning.  She was right - it was fun.  An ultrafrivolous indulgence that I would never consider acquiring is now at my disposal.  All five shades of pearl.   Sort of like playing fairy princess.  It is indeed good to know someone who knows someone.  [and believe me, I put it way, way up where those hounds couldn't eat it.  I could only imagine the screams that would follow the destruction of the exquisite collectible complact.  Followed by pearlescent excretia.]

5 different kinds of pearls died to make us beautiful.