The Time to Be Lovely is--Always

Tish Jett just informed the internet that this summer, the Musée des Arts Decoratifs (a branch of the Louvre, I'll have you know) is launching an exhibit on Barbie.

Well, I'm here to add even more joy to my European and otherwise well-traveled readers' lives. The Weston Gallery at the University of Nottingham is launching an exhibit on Boots No. 7, which celebrates its 80th birthday this year.

I'm a sucker for retro beauty images.

To make things even better, there will be free lunchtime talks. If I weren't doing my best to send two children to college and putting a new roof on my shack in Newtopia, I'd be on Travelocity pricing flights.

A Cultural History of Makeup? BRING. IT. ON.

I hear a lot of sad trombone noises about American products and how it takes them forever to get to Europe and Australia. Well, let me tell you, when I'm in England, I spend hours at Boots. Literally hours. I love it 11/10, as our dear Faux Fuchsia says. I've discovered some amazing products--in particular Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden's Therapist's Secret Facial Oil, which I've raved about before and which I can now get on Amazon, thank goodness.

I'm very intrigued by this final image, though:

Her eyebrows are on FLEEK.

I realize these are patches. I mean, I have read my Georgette Heyer. But I'm dying to know ... are these merely part of the cultural history of makeup, or has Boots No. 7 started selling them?