When a big shopping holiday rolls around, like President’s Day, it can be hard to figure out what you actually need vs what you want just because it’s discounted. Like, do you need a puffer if you live in LA? Or another coffee machine when you usually go to Starbucks? But Tarte’s sale is different. These are the products you’re likely to buy anyway so it’s a great time to stock up on foundation, concealer, blush, skincare and more.

From now until February 25, take 20 percent off the QVC price of Tarte goodies. It’s basically like a sale-on-sale because the QVC price is always less than retail or part of a great value set. Plus, you can pay off your purchase in installments as part of the “Easy Pay” system, which makes this sale a no-brainer. The entire Shape Tape family is included in this event, which doesn’t always happen. We’re calling concealer, foundation, setting spray, powder and more from the iconic line.

No idea where to start? Shop some of our favorites below—until they sell out.

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. QVC is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Blush Authority Amazonian Clay Cheek Wardrobe and Brush

Not only do you get three clay blushes and a perfect brush, but if you purchased each separately it would be $67!

Foundcealer Multi-Tasking Foundation with Brush

This medium coverage foundation has a radiant finish—in 30 shades.

Image: Tarte.

100% Pure Cold Pressed Maracuja Oil

This iconic oil contains essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate and brighten the face.

Party Mascara and Liner Set

A smokey eye has never been easier with Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara and Double Take Eyeliner (a gel and liquid!).

Tarte.

Shape Tape Glow Wand

Look like you slept a full eight hours with this liquid brightener available in seven shades.

Tarte.

Shape Tape Contour Concealer

The iconic, full-coverage concealer rarely goes on sale, so stock up on your concealer, highlight and contour shades while you can.

Lippie Lingerie Matte Tint

These hydrating matte lip tints—in five natural shades—are great for under a face mask.

If you’ve been dreaming of a Brother Vellies accessory since the luxury brand launched in 2013, well, do I have good news for you. With its $600+ shoes and $1,000+ bags, founder Aurora James’ sustainable line might not be in your usual budget. But with the Brother Vellies x Sephora Collection line, the brand is officially in reach—until it sells out, at least.

The limited-edition collection of designer makeup bags is part of a new partnership between James and Sephora. It’s also part of Sephora’s promise to commit 15 percent of its shelf space to Black-owned brands. In fact, The 15 Percent Pledge was started by James herself, and called on retailers, specifically Sephora, Target and Whole Foods. Sephora is using its Accelerate program, which helps cultivate female founders, to now focus on women of color.

“Over two years in the making, we are thrilled to finally share these bags with the world,” said Aurora James, founder and creative director of Brother Vellies, in a statement. “We could not imagine partnering with any brand but Sephora on this collaboration. We are so proud of their efforts to bring more diversity to their shelves. This coupled with Brother Vellies’ goal of keeping artisan design practices and techniques alive, is the type of energy that we continue to support.”

There are three makeup bags ranging in price from $30 to $48 that will help you organize your loot in the chicest way possible. Plus, these are now officially collector’s items. When we’re able to travel safely, you’ll be glad to have these on hand.

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.

Sephora.

Brother Vellies x Sephora- Train Case

Pink, faux-alligator and cheetah-print canvas make this train case so fun for storage.

Sephora.

Brother Vellies x Sephora – Doodle Bag

Inspired by Brother Vellies’ Mexican-made Doodle Boots, this pouch was made in Mexico and is truly unique.

Sephora.

Brother Vellies x Sephora – Large Cosmetics Bag

This three-in-one set includes a large clear bag and two chic pouches: one in a faux-alligator finish and the other in cheetah-print canvas.

When a big shopping holiday rolls around, like President’s Day, it can be hard to figure out what you actually need vs what you want just because it’s discounted. Like, do you need a puffer if you live in LA? Or another coffee machine when you usually go to Starbucks? But Tarte’s sale is different. These are the products you’re likely to buy anyway so it’s a great time to stock up on foundation, concealer, blush, skincare and more.

From now until February 25, take 20 percent off the QVC price of Tarte goodies. It’s basically like a sale-on-sale because the QVC price is always less than retail or part of a great value set. Plus, you can pay off your purchase in installments as part of the “Easy Pay” system, which makes this sale a no-brainer. The entire Shape Tape family is included in this event, which doesn’t always happen. We’re calling concealer, foundation, setting spray, powder and more from the iconic line.

No idea where to start? Shop some of our favorites below—until they sell out.

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. QVC is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Blush Authority Amazonian Clay Cheek Wardrobe and Brush

Not only do you get three clay blushes and a perfect brush, but if you purchased each separately it would be $67!

Foundcealer Multi-Tasking Foundation with Brush

This medium coverage foundation has a radiant finish—in 30 shades.

Image: Tarte.

100% Pure Cold Pressed Maracuja Oil

This iconic oil contains essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate and brighten the face.

Party Mascara and Liner Set

A smokey eye has never been easier with Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara and Double Take Eyeliner (a gel and liquid!).

Tarte.

Shape Tape Glow Wand

Look like you slept a full eight hours with this liquid brightener available in seven shades.

Tarte.

Shape Tape Contour Concealer

The iconic, full-coverage concealer rarely goes on sale, so stock up on your concealer, highlight and contour shades while you can.

Lippie Lingerie Matte Tint

These hydrating matte lip tints—in five natural shades—are great for under a face mask.

Has it been a while since you felt happy? Perhaps you think happiness is a “pie in the sky” kind of feeling that others have. The pandemic, health issues, job concerns, money, loss of loved ones, and so much more in life can bring times where you feel the future is gray and bleak. Many life experiences can leave us feeling utterly broken.

I remember when my first thought of the day was, “I hate my life.” I had been through a traumatic divorce late in life. Now what? I slipped into thoughts and feelings that life was too hard and always would be too hard for me.

As I look back, I was way stronger than I knew. I found ways to have courage, start again, snap out of it, and love life.

To clarify, happiness doesn’t mean we live without hardships! Tim Hague Sr. sums it up in the article “Let Go of the Happiness Myth,” in which he discusses the hardships athletes go through in training. Life brings hardships, yet we can and need to get through them to get to a happier state of being.

Here are a few steps to guide you to simple everyday happiness, no matter what your circumstances are right now.

First Things First

Start by checking in with your health professional. You may need more help than what’s suggested below. They can refer you to counseling or prescribe medication to begin a new journey.

How to Start Your Day

We all have heard about the benefit of exercise for depression and a myriad of other things that bother us. What would it take for you to start your day with a few minutes of stretching, gentle yoga, or some form of exercise? It’s a strong start, wouldn’t you agree?

I admit that in the morning hours, I feel lazy. But in those days when I do get up and stretch with a few yoga poses, I have a stronger beginning to my day.

For inspiration, I checked into Silver Sneakers, which provides easy and FREE exercise videos on demand or even a class you can sign up to attend with others by Web ex (you don’t have to be on camera!).

Stop Looking in the Rearview Mirror

One day, I realized that for me to keep crying throughout a day, I had to focus and bring to my attention the overwhelming situation – again and again. When I consciously clung to my misery, I cried!

This simple realization was a breakthrough for me. It showed me that I had some sort of control over my emotions. If I kept checking the rearview mirror – in other words, looking at the event of the past – it would perpetuate my pain.

Please don’t misunderstand me here. When a tragedy or upsetting event takes place, you will need to allow yourself time to feel those crappy feelings. But as time passes, try to stop looking back. When experiencing the past over and over holds you from going forward, it also keeps you from happiness.

This doesn’t mean you have to try to forget your pain completely or fool yourself that your tragedy didn’t happen. But letting go of the intense pain, instead of rethinking or reliving it, will free you from the feelings that keep you crying. (Sometimes a skilled therapist is needed to help you with this part.)

Try a Good Laugh

Pamela Gerloff wrote an article for Psychology Today called You’re not Laughing Enough, and That’s no Joke.  She talks about the benefits of laughter on your everyday happiness.

Smiling and laughing do a body good. Sometimes, when something makes me chuckle, I just expound on that thought and let myself have a good old belly laugh over it. Give it a try by allowing yourself to laugh more deeply today.

Make a List

Right now, take a minute to rate your state of being on a scale of 1-10. Ten, you feel content, happy, and peaceful and One, feeling the opposite.

Now write a list of the things that you like. This can be anything from popcorn, to warm socks, to petting your dog or cat… anything! Make this list as long as you can, adding small things, or bigger things as you think of them. Try to fill up a page.

Choose one thing on your list every day to try. Then rate yourself on that same scale of 1-10 mentioned above. You will have moved up a notch or two!

Be Present

Allow yourself to truly be present to enjoy the moment. As an example, if I choose from my list drinking a steaming hot cup of mocha, then for the entire cup, I allow myself to consciously enjoy it, thinking about how wonderful it is. This brings my rating up, just a little bit.

You can use mindfulness to enjoy your grandchild’s laugh, or petting your cat, you get to choose. Zero in on what brings you joy in the present moment.

Slow Down

One day I decided that I didn’t need to speed while driving. I used to be in a semi-frantic state every time I got behind the wheel, where I had to get to my destination fast. This happened especially when I was late for work, a meeting, or even just joining a friend for coffee.

Now, not only do I try to start out earlier, I tell myself, just slow down. Who knows, this could save your life, as it’s probably saved mine a few times.

Put the Brakes on Worry

You know what? Worry affects me, not the person I’m worried about. When my sons call and relate something that’s scary about their life, I spend the next few days shaking that off. By the time they call again, guess what, they can’t remember what was bothering them when we talked last.

Sometimes the whole situation has turned around for them, they just didn’t update me. The worry affected me and certainly didn’t help them! This could be true for most things we worry needlessly about.

Courage Quotes

There’s something about uplifting quotes that builds me up. I know that’s not true for everyone, but for me, it really works!

A great resource for Wisdom Quotes of all types is Tiny Buddha at https://tinybuddha.com/ or try the free flip book, Courage Quotes for Life Challenges, found at CourageDaily.com.

Try to allow yourself a small slice of happiness, every day. It seems simplistic and a bit unrealistic doesn’t it? But trust me. Start small with a few of these baby steps to change your world from what it is, to just a bit happier. One step at a time.

As you practice, you’ll notice more things that bring you that grounded happy feeling. And you are worth it.

What small things would you put on your happy list? Have you been looking in the rearview mirror too often? Has this stopped you from moving forward? Do you have any other suggestions to find simple everyday happiness?

Olalex is without a doubt the gold standard when it comes to damage-reversing haircare products, used for years in salons by professional colorists to repair and prevent chemical breakage. While Olaplex is now available to the public and reasonably priced, it’s certainly not the only product in its class. Whether you’re looking for a cheaper Olaplex dupe to align with your budget or have given the line (there are now several products ranging from No. 1 to No. 7 in the range) a try with no visible results (but do be patient, because yes, bond-building treatments do take some time to work), there are plenty of other protein-rich formulas on the market to help you get your compromised strands back to a better place.

So who should be using bond builder, anyway? Well, quite frankly, if you’re reading this, you probably do. If you’ve ever wanted to go lighter (or god forbid, platinum blonde), you probably already know that failing to protect your strands can lead to spongy, cotton-candy like locks, “chemical bangs,” or falling out altogether. Whether from bleach or abusing the heat tools a little too often, if you’re suffering from major breakage, using a protein-rich bond builder can be a game-changer in the journey to repairing the damage — and well, keeping the hair you have left on your head.

And trust me, I do feel your pain — after a trip to an inexperienced colorist left me with an ombre’ job gone horribly wrong, I tried to “correct” that mishap myself with a bleach and toner kit from Sally’s. You can imagine how that turned out, and if you can’t, spoiler alert: it wasn’t good, and I lost half of my hair in the process trying to attempt a DIY color correction. With the help of a ton of TLC and patience, my hair finally came back to life.

Naturally, I’ve tried quite a few conditioners, leave-ins and bond builders (it’s all about that moisture/protein balance, y’all) during my long road to recovery, but after I recently attempted to bleach my own hair again (hey, the salons have been closed in LA and I had no choice!), I decided to do some extra research to track down the best Olaplex alternatives according to in-the-know Redditors who’ve also tried it all. Scroll through below to find the best miracle-worker bond builders similar to Olapex products to help heal your compromised hair.

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.

Courtesy of pH Plex.

pH Plex Protect & Repair Set

Comparable to Olaplex’s No.1 and No.2, this two-pack contains step one (a patented damage-prevention lightener mix-in) and step 2 (a damage repairing post-bleach treatment that combats breakage at the molecular level). “I found the salon exclusivity of some products tiresome and personally switched to pH Plex, which was developed explicitly for home use with a professional attitude,” according to one Redditor.

Buy: pH Plex Protect & Repair Set $8.99

Courtesy of OGX.

OGX Restoring + Bonding Plex Bonding Cream Leave-in Treatment

This under $10 dupe for Olaplex’s No.3 and No.4 treatments has an impressive almost-five-star rating and is backed by a whopping 2,400+ glowing reviews. Of course, it’s also gotten some love on Reddit, too. “My hair was very dry and straw-like after over-processing it and after a shower, I ran about two pumps of this through my hair and made it feel a million times better. The next shower, my hair didn’t even need conditioner!,” says one enthusiastic fan of the brand.

Buy: OGX Bonding Plex $8.99

Courtesy of Ion.

Ion Absolute Perfection Color Sealer

Similar to Olaplex’s No.2 and No.3, this preventative powder bond protector can be mixed into bleach to help neutralize its damaging effects and used after to help repair. According to one Redditor,”I’ll never bleach without it again honestly, because it prevents damage unbelievably for the price. I figured for the price it was too good to be true so I almost didn’t give it a chance, but I’m glad I did.”

Buy: Ion Color Sealer $4.69

Schwarzkopf Blonde Me Keratin Restore Bonding Mask

This affordable keratin-infused mask is a great hydrating treatment to leave on for an hour or so because it delivers protein to rebuild weak bonds, but also replenishes moisture levels to avoid over-drying from too much protein (most of the Olaplex line does either one or the other). “It works! Results most noticeable once [the] hair is dry,” says one fan of this mask.

Buy: Blonde Me Bonding Mask $14.99

Courtesy of K18.

K18 Molecular Repair Hair Masque

This recco actually comes from my boss — a bright icy blonde with long, (somehow) extremely healthy-looking hair. “This product actually works better than Olaplex, and it’s cheaper,” she says.