Lil Nas X dropped his latest music video for “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” Thursday night and phew, is there a lot to talk about. The rapper strums his guitar in a reimagined Garden of Eden with voiceovers to tell fans he’s not hiding anymore, himself or his sexuality. At one point, Lil Nas X’s video features him in multiple makeup  looks, while two denim-clad Lil Nas Xs drag a pink fur-wearing Lil Nas X to get chained up.

“Montero” is unapologetically queer, from the lyrics to the sweet note Lil Nas X wrote to his younger self, which he posted on Instagram. He doesn’t hold back with wardrobe, either. Makeup artist and KVD Beauty Global Veritas Artistry Ambassador Anthony Nguyen was responsible for the makeup. Two looks stand out: pink and blue makeup.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

YouTube.

For both looks, Nguyen used the TikTok viral Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm ($38 at Ulta). For the blue look, he mixed Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigment ($20 at Ulta) shades White Out and Satellite to match the denim. He used the shade Graphite for Lil Nas X’s brows.

Source: Instagram

Dying over the pink eyeshadow? Us, too. Nguyen used Dazzle Vegan Eyeshadow Stick in Force Field ($22 at Ulta).

Source: Instagram

Of course, these aren’t the only swoon-worthy looks in the video. Wait until you see the red braids he rocks while on the stripper pole and giving Satan a lap dance. (Yes. It’s everything.)

Lil Nas X is a national treasure. When was the last time we got a video this artistic filled with symbolism, while the artist is also serving makeup looks and has a powerful message? Beyoncé is one of the only other artists to truly do the same. It’s worth watching the entire video, above.

Lil Nas X dropped his latest music video for “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” Thursday night and phew, is there a lot to talk about. The rapper strums his guitar in a reimagined Garden of Eden with voiceovers to tell fans he’s not hiding anymore, himself or his sexuality. At one point, Lil Nas X’s video features him in multiple makeup  looks, while two denim-clad Lil Nas Xs drag a pink fur-wearing Lil Nas X to get chained up.

“Montero” is unapologetically queer, from the lyrics to the sweet note Lil Nas X wrote to his younger self, which he posted on Instagram. He doesn’t hold back with wardrobe, either. Makeup artist and KVD Beauty Global Veritas Artistry Ambassador Anthony Nguyen was responsible for the makeup. Two looks stand out: pink and blue makeup.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

YouTube.

For both looks, Nguyen used the TikTok viral Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm ($38 at Ulta). For the blue look, he mixed Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigment ($20 at Ulta) shades White Out and Satellite to match the denim. He used the shade Graphite for Lil Nas X’s brows.

Source: Instagram

Dying over the pink eyeshadow? Us, too. Nguyen used Dazzle Vegan Eyeshadow Stick in Force Field ($22 at Ulta).

Source: Instagram

Of course, these aren’t the only swoon-worthy looks in the video. Wait until you see the red braids he rocks while on the stripper pole and giving Satan a lap dance. (Yes. It’s everything.)

Lil Nas X is a national treasure. When was the last time we got a video this artistic filled with symbolism, while the artist is also serving makeup looks and has a powerful message? Beyoncé is one of the only other artists to truly do the same. It’s worth watching the entire video, above.

It’s not like Nordstrom doesn’t have sales all the time. But there’s something about Nordstrom’s spring sale for 2021 that seems better than the rest. Maybe it’s the half-off beauty deals or the exclusive Nordstrom goodies that have us adding to cart faster than you can say steal. We’re talking luxe candles, makeup, skincare and haircare all up to 50 percent off.

This beauty sale has a great mix of essentials like foundation and shampoo, as well as hairdryers and tools. But there are also giftable sets (hello, Mother’s Day is around the corner!) and fun items you might never have tried before. Well, now is the time to grab them at way less than the rest of the year. When else can you get Stila eyeshadow and ultra-shine lipstick for $12?

There are tons of deals to shop but if you’re not sure where to start, shop some favorites, below. Warning: they go fast.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Nordstrom.

Laura Mercier Kisses From the Balcony Lip Glacé Lip Gloss Set

Get four gorge shades of Lip Glacé at just $7.25 each.

Nordstrom.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade Waterproof Brow Color

Choose from eight shades of this fan-fave pomade.

Nordstrom.

Illume Mojave Coconut Milk Mango Medium Glass Candle

Juicy papaya and coconut milk are infused with sugarcane and Tahitian vanilla.

Nordstrom.

Aveda Clove Shampoo

This huge bottle of detoxifying shampoo will last you forever.

Nordstrom.

Stila Suede Shade Eyeshadow

You’ll wear this velvety-matte eye color all the time.

T3.

T3 Cura Luxe Professional Ionic Hair Dryer with Auto Pause Sensor

This luxe dryer features negative ions that smooth the hair cuticle.

All Saints.

All Saints Sunset Riot Eau de Parfum

This gender-neutral eau de parfum has a yummy floral-woodsy scent.

We are heading into travel season, but sometimes a vacation is not in the cards. A great way to take a minivacation from the comfort of your home is to read books that have a strong sense of place.

Each of the authors I share below uses vivid descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of a place and time. As you get wrapped up in the story, you will find yourself transported to foreign countries, or to days gone by.

These authors have written multiple books or series of books which will keep you happily reading for a day, a week or a season.

This is not a definitive list, but I hope that you will find new favorite authors to explore.

Jacqueline Winspear

Winspear is most known for the 13 books in the Maisie Dobbs series. We first meet Maisie Dobbs as a young girl and follow her as she transforms from maid to nurse to psychologist and investigator.

The books are largely set in England and France in the time between the world wars, but as the series evolves, Maisie finds herself in other locations as well. Maisie is a strong and fascinating character, and her stories are full of intrigue and the flavor of the places she lives and visits.

Barbara Kingsolver

Kingsolver’s books are worthy reads on many levels, but I especially appreciate her attention to detail in the descriptions of setting.

Try Flight Behavior for gorgeous descriptions of the Appalachia. The Bean Trees and Animal Behavior are books that bring the deserts of the Southwest U.S. to life. Or, try my favorite, The Poisonwood Bible, which is set in Belgian Congo in the 1960s.

Louise Erdrich

Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, is a highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning author. She shines brightest when she takes us into her ancestral tribal lands of Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.

Try my recent favorites, The Round House and La Rose, for a look into the culture of modern day reservations, or The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse for a historical perspective on life with native people.

Frances Mayes

Frances Mayes started a Tuscan revolution with her book Under the Tuscan Sun. The book is rich with descriptions of a small village in Tuscany, the crumbling house that Frances transforms, and the food and wine of the region.

Italy became all the rage, and those who couldn’t afford to visit Tuscany satisfied their desire for all things Italian by decorating their homes with Tuscan inspired décor or cooking some of the Tuscan recipes in her book.

Mayes followed her blockbuster with several more books which explore the landscape, food and wine of the Italian countryside.

Louise Penny

Louise Penny has written a series of detective novels featuring a homicide detective named Inspector Armand Gamache. Penny’s turf is a small fictional town named Three Pines in Quebec, Canada.

The town is a character in itself; as you weave your way through the series, you become well acquainted with Three Pines and its people. Penny has won the Agatha Award for best mystery book five times for books in this series.

Elin Hilderbrand

If you are craving a trip to the beach or looking for a book to read at the beach, Hilderbrand is your girl. Her books are set in and around modern-day Nantucket island, Massachusetts. Expect romance, beach parties, dune buggies and clashes between the summer people and the locals.

Light and readable, these are good choices for days when you don’t want to think too much but want to be swept away to an island.

Geraldine Brooks

If you would like an island setting with a little more complexity, Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks is a great choice. The story is set in the 1660s on Martha’s Vineyard island and in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The book is loosely based on the real story of three young native boys who are educated by Puritans and find themselves at Harvard. Brooks brilliantly makes time and place come alive in this and other books such as Year of Wonders, in which she tackles the 17^th century plague.

Maeve Binchey

Ireland lost a treasure with the death of Maeve Binchey whose life’s works focused on Irish culture in the last 50 years. In her books, Ireland is depicted both as an island with stunning natural beauty and as a culture of people with human strengths and weaknesses.

The characters in Binchey’s stories are sometimes funny and sometimes gritty, but always full of the struggles of real life. Grab a cuppa tea when you read Binchey. Wherever you are, you will soon be in Ireland.

Diana Gabaldon

If Binchey transports you to Ireland, then Gabaldon will transport you to Scotland. Gabaldon is the author of the Outlander series, which was also made into a STARZ network television series.

It is difficult to nail down a genre for these books which involve historical detail, fantasy, romance and mystery along with plenty of adventure.

Claire Randall is a time-traveling nurse who finds her way through a circle of stones into 18^th century Scotland where she meets and falls in love with Highlander Jamie Fraser.

The author has Ph.D.’s in Biology, Zoology and Ecology. She most certainly knows how to describe the land she writes about. But be warned: the books are lengthy and there are many of them. Prepare to get lost.

Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout is a masterful writer, and never better than when she is writing about small town America. She transports you to towns in Maine or Illinois that you have probably never been to and where you probably do not want to go.

You meet characters that are very much a product of their time and place. Change is a recurring theme and Strout often shows us how the changing nature of towns changes people. Take a look at Olive Kitteridge, Amy and Isabel, or The Burgess Boys.

This is far from a complete list of authors who transport you to another time and place. Who are the authors who have managed to carry you away? Let’s start a discussion and use it to build our reading lists!

I must confess that I do love mornings – now that I’m retired. I cherish the slow arousing of my mind as it shakes the remnants of sleep off its back.

I veg in muddied nothingness that fogs my thoughts until dawn burns through to clarity. I indulge in the luxury of laziness that continues to feel sinful, despite the number of days post retirement, when life became mine again.

Most of all, I love my cup of coffee…

I stumble to the machine, pop in the pod and watch the brown aromatic liquid drip slowly into my favorite cup. My mouth is watering as my brain screams impatiently for its fix. Seconds seem to pass like hours until, at last, the cup is full. Ahhhh…

I’m up. I’m ready. I’ve got my cup of joe. My sleepy eyes are open. My hair’s a mess, and I’m in my PJ’s. I’m sitting at the kitchen table, laptop in front of me, hubby across from me, dogs at my feet. I’m ready for coffee hour with my friends.

I open my laptop and go to my Facebook page and there they are – my friends are waiting. They range from people with whom I went to grade school, high school and college, to colleagues, co-workers, family and acquaintances.

They are spread over multiple states and inhabit different time zones with varying degrees of FB interaction. But they are there. In all of their varying degrees of friendship, posting and commenting away, around my breakfast table each morning. I love it.

If you envision Facebook, or other forms of social media, as a method of ‘keeping in touch’, like I do, then the enjoyment you get far outweighs the negativity and frustration that sometimes come with it.

I know several people who got affected by that negativity. They protest. They block. They deactivate. They leave. They come back. I know. Because I’ve done it.

There are no official Facebook rules or a handbook designed for online etiquette, but I’ve made rules for myself that have helped curb my own frustration.

Also, I’ve figured out ways to keep it a positive part of my day, connecting me to people that I care about. These are just a few of the rules that have helped me stay happy about social media. I’ve made the good outweigh the bad.

Monitor Your Privacy Settings

Unless you want your photos to be public, make sure your settings reflect your intentions. The privacy factor is huge with me. I even privatize my friends list, limiting it to only myself who can view my list of friends. I routinely check in, because if an update occurs, it might affect your settings.

Organize Your Groups

Create groups for your posts and default to the one where you wish most of your posts to go to. I have created a group for close friends, one for close friends and family and a separate one for ‘all,’ which includes acquaintances.

If there is someone who never likes or comments on my posts, then I move them to the acquaintances group, and they don’t see my regular posts.

You may want to keep friends posts separate from family posts. Thus – the reason for the family category. Go through your friend list, occasionally, and make sure your posts are going to who you want them to go to. You can also customize at the time of the post.

Don’t Overdo It

I don’t use FB like a diary because I really don’t think any of my friends want to know what I’m doing or where I’m at, every part of the day. Don’t overuse FB or post excessively. When you post something that you really want your friends to see, it may get skimmed over unintentionally.

Accept Marketing Is a Big Component of Social Media

You can reach thousands of people through mass marketing. I get it. It’s smart. It makes business sense. But, if you have multiple friends selling the same products, it can get frustrating to scroll through the same ads daily.

It’s easy to ‘unfollow’ those friends and then go to their site, at will, to look for the personal photos or posts that matter to you.

Be Careful with Friend Requests

I don’t accept friendship or request it of people that I haven’t met in person. It’s just my own personal rule. If I am going to share my life, in words or photos, then I want to make sure that I know the people who will view my posts. I value and cherish the word ‘friend’.

Don’t Become an Addict

I give myself an hour on Facebook, and most of the time, it’s less than that. I don’t check it routinely during the day. I don’t look at it in the presence of others. I don’t grab my phone at a stop sign to see what’s new. I can’t say that I have never done that, but I’ve learned to limit myself to my socializing time.

Facebook, and any social media, can be time-consuming and time-wasting if not controlled. When my dog paws at my hands to put the phone down, it’s time to put the phone down. My time in the morning is my coffee hour with friends, and it’s a sweet way to start my day.

Don’t Play Games with Your Friends On Facebook

Don’t count how many ‘likes’ you get. Don’t brag or judge or use it for a political stage. Or try to make someone feel bad. Or post negative comments. That’s just not cool.

Be respectful of life circumstances and situations. You are friends with people for a reason. Be their friend. Saying nothing is better than saying something that can ruin a friendship.

I think of Facebook as a large gathering place, where we can sit, in the comfort of our homes, and share our lives in ways that we’ve never been able to before. It is truly amazing, isn’t it, that we can now reach across the country – and continents – and converse with friends, all at the same time?

Many of us moved away from home and friendships long ago, making it very difficult to keep in touch. Snail mail and expensive long distance calling were our only options for communicating. Friendships were cut off and many were lost. It was a very isolated and lonely time, personally for me.

Now, with the invention of Social Media, we have reconnected and affirmed our old friendships. We no longer have to say “Good-bye” to our co-workers when we leave or retire. We can see their faces, share our life stories and stay in touch every day, if we want.

I now can know, really know, what is going on in my friends’ lives, and we can share our experiences as much or as little as we want. Yes, sometimes it may be too much information, more than we really want to know, but Facebook may be their only method of sharing with someone. It might be their own lifeline to hold on to.

So, cherish your time with your friends. Use it wisely. Don’t let it consume or frustrate you. Set your limits and use your common sense. Envision all of their faces sitting around the morning table with you, sharing their stories, recipes and beautiful pictures in the fellowship that only good friendships can give.

We are meant to have friends sit at our table to bring us all joy. Take a sip of that early morning coffee, open your computer and invite them in.

What forms of Social Media do you use, and how much time do you spend daily online? What are your pet peeves regarding Facebook posts? What are your own rules for yourself? Please share in the comments below!