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June 14, 2025 | xtzhev

Blink and You’ll Miss BeyoncĂ©’s Ultra-Delicate French Manicure—See the Photos

Beyonc appears at a campaign rally with her hair in soft waves.Getty ImagesSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

ICYMI, BeyoncĂ© is back to posting on Instagram, which means we're back to poring over every photo in her signature carousels for all the best beauty details. (Oh, and she got a bob!) One such nail-related detail in her latest photo drop, however, was so delicate that I almost missed it while flipping through her pics—but I'm so glad I didn't!

Though Bey didn't join her husband and daughters on the field at the Super Bowl, she did watch the game (and the Halftime Show) and gave us a peek at her Game Day look, complete with an enchantingly dainty take on the French manicure.

Her manicure was the work of Miho Okawara, who is responsible for many of her most recognizable (and copy-able) manicures. Okawara sculpted Beyoncé's nails into a long almond shape with a neutral base color, then detailed each nail with its own minuscule design. Instead of a bright or creamy white nail, though, Okawara outlined the tip with a fine line and rhinestone design on the pointer finger and a series of teeny-tiny golden dots on the middle finger. Beyoncé's ring finger tiptoed into accent nail territory with a gold and silver metallic texture applied to the tip. A few of her fingers were entirely French-less; her pinky fingers were almost completely bare, save for a cluster of sparkle at the base of the nail, and her thumbs sported a delicate design in the center of the nail. (Scroll through a few pics to see a close-up.)

Instagram content

The French manicure is a mainstay in BeyoncĂ©'s manicure routine, and we've seen so many iterations of the look on her famous fingertips in the past. She's gone classic, of course, but we've also seen her turquoise-studded “Texas French” for her Cowboy Carter album, a chrome metallic silver set befitting the Renaissance era, and even a hidden Santa Claus French during the holidays! Could her latest manicure be a clue about a new project? Fans are buzzing about an Act III album release date, every potential hint will be fully examined—and that includes her nails!

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June 5, 2025 | xtzhev

UZO Blaque Liquide Eyeliner Makes the Sharpest Cat Eye—Review

Image may contain Pen$24 at Uzo BeautySave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

TL;DR:

  • What it is: Liquid eyeliner
  • What it does: Creates sharp lines on (or around) eyelids to add definition to any eye look
  • Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a crisp, waterproof liner that goes on smooth and doesn’t budge

I’m not going to lie: I don’t wear eyeliner. But my best friend does, so I phoned a friend for this review. Her liner preference is of the liquid variety, which, in my opinion, makes for the sharpest of cat eyes. You know, the ones sharp enough to k— a man
 (Any Taylor Swift fans out there?)

The UZO Blaque Liquide Eyeliner is definitely one of those liners that helps create the fiercest of flicks. In fact, it makes mastering the skill a little easier. Its satin finish and ultrafine tip foster a smooth and precise glide across lids, while the waterproof formula ensures your work of art doesn’t budge, no matter the forecast.

To use, give the pen a quick shake to activate the ink, then draw a quick flick off the outer corner of your eye. Move to the middle of your lid and sweep the felt tip outward until the lines connect. Fill in to build up to your desired shape and thickness.

You can find the UZO Blaque Liquide Eyeliner, along with other editor-loved products, in the February Allure Beauty Box.

Get The BoxUZO Blaque Liquide Eyeliner

UZO Blaque Liquide Eyeliner

$24 at Uzo Beauty$24 at Uzo Beauty

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June 2, 2025 | xtzhev

Allure Readers’ Choice Awards: Methodology & How Winners Are Determined

image of woman curled into herself in front of white backgroundVanessa GrandaSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

The Allure Readers’ Choice Awards are determined through an annual reader-voted poll on Allure.com. This page explains how nominees are selected, how votes are collected and verified, and how final winners are determined.

Allure magazine has been bringing reliable product recommendations to readers for 30 years. And for 20 of those years, readers have been telling Allure editors the hair, skin-care, and makeup products they recommend (and can’t live without) in the Readers’ Choice Awards poll. They vote, we listen.

Here’s a closer look at how that process works.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long does the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards voting period last?
  • Who is eligible to vote in the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards?
  • How are votes counted in the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards poll?

What Are the Readers’ Choice Awards?

Every February, Allure editors ask our discerning readers to share which hair, skin, nail, and makeup products they’re loving via the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards poll.

The poll features over 500 products for readers to vote on, across all categories: Skin, Hair, Body, and Makeup, along with a few other specialties, like Clean Beauty, Breakthroughs, Steals, and Splurges.

In recent years, several new categories have been added to the poll, like New Brand, Most Viral Product, Favorite Indie Brand, and Favorite Creator. This year, a K-beauty category was added to the list.

How Readers’ Choice Awards Voting Works

How Products Are Nominated for the Poll

In every category of the Allure Readers' Choice Awards, readers are invited to weigh in, selecting their favorites from a short list of 5 to 15 beauty products.

We curate each list from:

  • The Readers' Choice and Best of Beauty Award winners in that category for the last three years
  • The products nominated by 15 to 20 of Allure's favorite beauty experts (dermatologists, hairstylists, makeup artists, nail artists, and cosmetic chemists)
  • The best-selling products at Ulta Beauty, Sephora, and Credo Beauty
  • The top-selling products from Allure's commerce stories (across all retailers)
  • Allure staff picks: new launches and cult classics
  • New products that we have featured in our social series “This Just In”

Beauty products aren’t the only nominees in the Readers’ Choice Award poll; content creators are now also included. Every year, the Allure social team hand-picks top beauty, style, and lifestyle creators to participate in the poll. They are selected based on a handful of metrics, such as follower count, engagement rate, and our editors’ views on the quality of their beauty content, and more.

The Readers’ Choice Awards poll nominee list is crafted between the months of November and January, and typically goes live in early February. This year, the Readers’ Choice Awards poll goes live on Tuesday, February 17, at 8 a.m. ET.

How to Vote in the Readers’ Choice Awards Poll

Head to allure.com/vote, where the Readers’ Choice Awards poll lives. From this page, you can jump between categories or follow the order in which categories are listed on the page: Skin, Splurges, Breakthroughs, Makeup, Survey, Body, Steals, Clean, and Hair.

By clicking on the name of each category, for example, Skin, you’re directed to the Skin poll, which features 10 subcategories, with eight products in each. Once you’ve selected your product picks for all 10 questions (only one product can be chosen per question), the page will automatically direct you to the next category, e.g., Splurges.

You should continue this process until you’ve reached the end of the poll, which is after the Hair category.

Note: While there is no fixed limit on participation, Allure monitors voting activity and reserves the right to review and remove suspicious or automated submissions. However, you must complete the poll in its entirety in order to be counted.

How Live Voting Leaderboards Work

During the voting period, we display a live leaderboard for the Best New Brand category. This leaderboard reflects how nominees are pacing based on votes received to date. It is updated periodically and is intended to provide a snapshot of voting trends—not final results. Official winners are determined only after voting closes and all eligible votes have been fully tallied and reviewed.

How Votes Are Verified & Tallied

Each vote cast in the Readers’ Choice Awards poll is counted and collected via a third-party program called Typeform. On this platform, the Allure staff has full viewing access to results during the voting period; votes are securely recorded through the platform and reviewed before final tallies are confirmed. They are counted at the end of the voting period, which ends on Tuesday, March 24, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

How Allure Readers’ Choice Winners Are Determined

Readers’ Choice Award winners are determined by the number of votes a product has in its category. The product with the highest number of votes is deemed the winner.

Allure Readers’ Choice Awards vs. Best of Beauty Awards Methodology Comparison

Unlike the submission process for the Allure Best of Beauty Awards, brands do not submit products to be considered for the annual Readers’ Choice Awards poll. Instead, Allure editors craft a 500-plus product list—across hair, skin, makeup, body, Clean, and Breakthrough categories—for readers to vote on.

For the Best of Beauty Awards, winners are selected based on editors’ testing experiences; for the Readers’ Choice Awards, winners are determined by readers’ votes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards voting period last?

The voting period for the Readers’ Choice Awards Poll is five weeks long. This year, it opens on Tuesday, February 17, at 8 a.m. ET and closes on Tuesday, March 24, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Who is eligible to vote in the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards?

Anyone over the age of 18 can vote in the Readers’ Choice Awards poll.

How are votes counted in the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards poll?

In the poll, you can expect to find a mix of open-ended and multiple-choice questions, where you can select from 5 to 15 nominees or submit a product that’s not listed. Every product selected or submitted is counted as one vote. You must complete each individual category before moving on to the next.

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June 1, 2025 | xtzhev

Blink, and You’ll Miss Ulta’s National Lash Day Sale

collage of mascarasCollage: Jem Davison; Source images: Courtesy of brandsSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

Whether you’re restocking your everyday staples or finally trying that viral hit (hi, Too Faced and Tarte), now is the perfect opportunity to level up your lash game for less. In honor of National Lash Day (a.k.a. February 19—who knew?), Ulta Beauty is stretching the celebration into a full week, with 30% off mascaras, lashes, lash kits, and accessories. That means, from February 15 through February 21, you can lock in some serious savings on everything you need for longer, fuller, lashes—from editor-loved mascaras to falsies. And, Allure editors have tried tons of these best-selling formulas, so you can trust that these deals are ones we'd add to our carts.

Our Top Ulta National Lash Day Deals

Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang! Volumizing Mascara in Wild Plum in branded component on a light gray backgroundVa-Va-Voom VolumeBenefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing MascaraJump to review$29 $15 (48% off)

Ulta Beauty

Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara pink tube of mascara on a light gray background with white Allure Readers' Choice Award seal in the top right cornerLush and LiftedMaybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High MascaraJump to review$14 $10 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

Tarte Maneater Mascara in Brown brown and gold tube of mascara on light gray backgroundDrama Queen Tarte Maneater MascaraJump to review$28 $20 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

Va-Va-Voom Volume: Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara

Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang! Volumizing Mascara in Wild Plum in branded component on a light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Benefit Cosmetics

BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara

$29 $15 (48% off)

Ulta Beauty

Former Allure content director Kara McGrath applying the Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara

Kara McGrath

If your lashes feel more “weighed down” than “wow,” try Benefit’s BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara. It’s formulated with aero-particles, a material used to create lightweight volume, so you get all the drama without any heavy clumping. Plus, it’s packed with vitamin B5 to keep lashes looking thicker and stronger the more you wear it. And, the wand is just as genius as the formula, with a super-slim, flexible design that hugs every single lash from corner to corner. While we’ll always love classic black and brown, we’re currently obsessed with bolder shades like Wild Plum (a deep wine) and Power Blue (an electric cobalt) that are practically begging to be worn to a music festival or a night out on the town. No matter which shade you opt for, it won’t smudge or flake for up to 36 hours (although we highly recommend washing it off before then!). Add it to your cart for 30% off while you can.

Selfie of Kara McGrath before applying the Benefit Cosmetics Badgal Bang Volumizing Mascara in Wild Plum

McGrath before applying the Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara

Kara McGrathSelfie of Kara McGrath after applying the Benefit Cosmetics Badgal Bang Volumizing Mascara in Wild Plum

McGrath after applying the Benefit Cosmetics BadGal Bang Volumizing Mascara

Kara McGrath

Tester feedback from former content director Kara McGrath

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"BadGal Bang is one of my favorite mascara formulas of all time, so it wasn't exactly shocking that I love the burgundy version, too. I know wearing purple makeup to contrast green eyes is the oldest trick in the book, but this plum-y brown really does make mine ‘pop’ without it being super obvious that I'm wearing a colorful mascara." —Kara McGrath, former content director

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: vitamin B5
  • Benefits: volumizing, long-wearing, buildable
  • Shades: 4 (Wild Plum, Power Blue, Rebel Brown, Intense Pitch Black)
  • Waterproof: no

Lush and Lifted: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara pink tube of mascara on a light gray background with white Allure Readers' Choice Award seal in the top right cornerSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Maybelline New York

Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

$14 $10 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

Allure contributor Jailynn Taylor applying the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Jailynn Taylor

Maybelline New York’s Sky High Mascara is all about options, with nine shades to choose from. The lineup includes three blacks with different intensity levels, a true brown, and eye-catching hues like hunter green and deep plum—one of our favorites because it tends to make all eye colors pop. The flexible brush bends to catch every lash from root to tip, and the formula’s lightweight fibers add lift and length, for wispy, defined, and feathery-light lashes. It also features bamboo extract, which is high in silica and promotes longer, healthier lashes.

Taylor before applying the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Taylor before applying the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Jailynn TaylorTaylor after applying the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Taylor after applying the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

Jailynn Taylor

Tester feedback from contributor Jailynn Taylor

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“I’m usually loyal to my lash clusters, but on lazy days, I reach for Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in Classic Black. Lately, however, I’ve been craving something different, so I swapped my standby black for Burgundy Haze, and it’s quickly become a new favorite in my rotation. The subtle tint warms up my brown eyes and complements the pink tones in my blush, adding just enough color without feeling over the top. It also delivers on performance lifting, lengthening, and separating without flaking or weighing my lashes down.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: bamboo extract
  • Benefits: volumizing, lengthening
  • Shades: 9 (including Burgundy Haze, Plum Twilight, Space Diamond, Blue Mist, and Green Altitude)
  • Waterproof: no

Drama Queen: Tarte Maneater Mascara

Tarte Maneater Mascara in Brown brown and gold tube of mascara on light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Tarte

Maneater Mascara

$28 $20 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

Tarte’s Maneater Mascara is made with plant-derived carnauba wax and jojoba oil, which help the formula glide on smoothly without clumping. They’re also conditioning ingredients that make lashes look longer and fuller with continued use. And, as any mascara devotee knows, the brush matters just as much as the formula. This one really delivers: The flexible wand is packed with over 500 tiny bristles that grab and coat every lash—even those barely there ones in the inner corners. The result is long, fluttery lashes that hold their curl all day, until you’re ready to wash it off (which is easy as pie, as the formula isn’t waterproof).

Tester feedback from features director Dianna Singh

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“This mascara offers a fanned-out, lengthened look with just enough curl. A single coat makes it look like I naturally have really great lashes (if I do say so myself!), while adding a second turns up the drama without getting clumpy. The formula isn’t waterproof (so removal is a breeze), but it can go toe to toe with the best of them when it comes to longevity. And thank goodness for that—because when your lashes look this good, you want to show ’em off all day long.” —Dianna Singh, features director

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: carnauba wax, jojoba oil
  • Benefits: volumizing, lengthening, curling
  • Shades: 2 (including Black and Brown)
  • Waterproof: no

Limitless Lashes: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara in branded component on a light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Lash Sculpt Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara

$26 $18 (31% off)

Ulta Beauty

There’s a lot to love about Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Lash Sculpt Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara. Let’s start with the conditioning and lash growth-enhancing blend of biotin, collagen, and peptides. Then, there’s the buildable formula, the flake- and smudge-proof finish, the voluminous effect, and the wand, which offers a fanned-out look. It layers beautifully, so you get all the drama without the fallout halfway through the day.

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: biotin, collagen, peptides
  • Benefits: volumizing, lengthening
  • Shades: 1 (Black)
  • Waterproof: no

A Perfect Pair: Dibs Beauty Double Standard Primer & Mascara Duo

Dibs Double Standard Primer & Mascara Duo in branded component on a light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

DIBS Beauty

Double Standard Primer & Mascara Duo

$31 $22 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

A mascara with a lash primer built in? Now that’s the ticket. DIBS’ Double Standard Primer & Mascara Duo comes in a double-ended tube that features a brown-tinted, lash-lengthening primer on one side, with a slim, plastic brush that grabs every lash. It’s formulated with moisturizing shea butter, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and vitamin B5 to condition lashes as it preps them for the next step. Flip the tube over, and you’ve got a rich, black mascara with a wavy-bristled wand that thickens and amps up the volume. Be prepared for compliments (you’ve been warned). At 30% off, you’re getting two products for even less than the regular price of one—that’s some major girl math.

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: shea butter, hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5
  • Benefits: volumizing, lengthening, conditioning
  • Shades: 2 (Brown (primer) and Black (mascara))
  • Waterproof: no

Eye Opener: Live Tinted Legacy Lash Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara

Live Tinted Legacy Lash Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara bronze tube of mascara on light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Live Tinted

Legacy Lash Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara

$28 $20 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

For short, stubborn lashes, Live Tinted’s Legacy Lash Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara delivers instant volume. But, the real magic is that it doubles as a treatment—think serum and mascara in one. The formula is powered by carnauba wax for definition, plus olive and green coffee extracts to help support growth. Meanwhile, a botanical blend of hibiscus flower, safflower, and sunflower oils helps make lashes look longer and denser over time. And applying it couldn’t be easier: The brush has a spiky tip that reaches all the way into those tricky inner corners, separating every lash, for a fanned-out finish.

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: caranuba wax, olive extract, green coffee extract, hibiscus flower, safflower, sunflower oil
  • Benefits: volumizing, lengthening, conditioning
  • Shades: 1 (black)
  • Waterproof: no

Icon Status: Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in branded component on a light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Too Faced

Better Than Sex Mascara

$29 $20 (31% off)

Ulta Beauty

Too Faced’s Better Than Sex Mascara might just live up to its name, if you ask us. One coat delivers instant volume, thanks to its iconic, hourglass-shaped brush, which hugs the lash line, lifts, and separates for a curled, clump-free finish. It comes in three shades: rich burgundy, chocolate brown, and deep black—trust us, you’ll want more than one in your rotation (yes, a lash wardrobe is a thing!). The formula is also infused with peptides to help condition lashes, so they stay soft and healthy-looking, with no crunchy flakiness in sight. Want an even longer lasting version? It also comes in Waterproof.

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: peptides
  • Benefits: volumizing, lengthening, conditioning
  • Shades: 3 (Black, brown, burgundy)
  • Waterproof: no (however, it does come in a waterproof version)

Super Serum: Grande Cosmetics GrandeLash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum

Grande Cosmetics GrandeLash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum gold tube of lash serum on light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Grande Cosmetics

GrandeLash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum

$68 $48 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

Grande Cosmetics’ Lash Enhancing Serum is packed with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and amino acids to help condition and strengthen lashes, so they look longer and healthier over time. It’s also made with isopropyl cloprostenate, a synthetic prostaglandin that boosts your lashes’ active growth phase to make them look longer, thicker, and even darker. All it takes is one swipe of the brush along your upper lash line each night for three months to kickstart the process. Once you’ve reached your ideal length, switch to every other night to maintain those fluttery results.

More to know

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  • Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, amino acids, isopropyl cloprostenate
  • Who it’s for: all skin types with short and pale lashes

No Glue Needed: Kiss ImPress Multipack Pre-Glued Lash Clusters Kit

Kiss ImPress Multipack Pre-Glued Lash Clusters Kit purple box of lash clusters on light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Kiss

ImPress Multipack Pre-Glued Lash Clusters Kit

$17 $12 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

With Kiss’s imPRESS Pre-Glued Lash Clusters, you get a mix of lengths—from 8 millimeters to 16 millimeters—so you can fully customize your look. (Pro tip: We love using the shorter pieces on the inner corners and longer ones on the outer edges for that lifted effect.) Whether you apply two clusters or five, they’re so lightweight, you’ll barely feel them. Even better, they come pre-glued, so there’s no messy adhesive required—just press them on underneath your natural lashes using your fingers or tweezers for a more seamless, natural finish. Once they’re on, they should stay put for up to 24 hours.

More to know

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  • Material: synthetic
  • Reusable: no

Subtle Showstopper: Ardell Naked False Lashes #420 Multipack

Ardell Naked False Lashes #420 Multipack peach box of false lashes on light gray backgroundSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Ardell

Naked False Lashes #420 Multipack

$14 $10 (29% off)

Ulta Beauty

When you’re going for “your lashes, but better,” reach for Ardell’s Naked Lashes 420, which are discounted at 30% off this week. The staggered lengths blend effortlessly with your natural lashes, and you only need a thin swipe of adhesive to keep them looking wispy all day long. The fibers are ultra-lightweight, so they won’t drag down your lash line or lids, and the barely-there band disappears once applied. Prepare for longer, fuller-looking lashes that’ll get people talking—without realizing they’re faux. A true win-win, in our book.

More to know

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  • Material: mink
  • Reusable: no
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