I am very intelligent, with a very clever wit

Everything I know I learned from placemats

At least, that's what the placemats used to tell me (and everyone else born in the year of the Monkey). And the Year of the Monkey starts next week. Happy Lunar New Year!

What does this have to do with beauty? Well, I really try not to allow myself to be victimized by marketing. But I was born in the Year of the Monkey, so it's going to be my year again for the first time in 12 years. And I love monkeys. So I'm enjoying drooling over these products. In the interest of equal time, I sneaked in a couple of European monkeys. See if you can spot them.

Guerlain Limited Edition KissKiss Lipstick - Lunar New Year, $37.00, at Neiman Marcus

Estée Lauder powder compact, $150, available at Saks

Advanced Night Repair $92.00, image courtesy of Nordstrom

Connor hand-engraved Monkeys notecards, set of 12, $85.00, at Barney's

'Scimmie - Segretto' Large Candle $525.00, at Nordstrom

Yves St. Laurent "The Year of the Monkey" eye shadow palette, $60.00

Giorgio Armani 'Chinese New Year' Highlighting Palette, $88.00 

So there you go. You may shout "cultural appropriation!" and "marketing gimmick!" at me all you want. Because of my very clever wit, I am able to counter briefly, yet effectively, with "MONKEYS!"