A lot of beauty bloggers do these cool “Favorites” videos/posts. I think they talk about what they bought that month. If I did that, it would be boring. “Hey, LOOK at all this stuff that I didn’t buy!” or “Hey, you like this linen duvet and kilim that I bought?” Instead, I want to talk about the things that I craved this month (which may cover a few things that I bought).
It’s also a good way to communicate. I like to talk about what is inspiring me and what I’ve been in the “mood” for…which does relate back to my reviews and perfume posts.
In June, we got back from Turkey and immediately moved. Moving is really annoying. I like for things to have a place and be organized and here we are a month later and I’m still not sure where stuff is. I was also sick and unable to sniff a thing for two weeks. Frink and Moxi were both sick with allergies, they were pitiful and also not adjusting to the move. They were losing fur and their eyes were extra puggy-buggy. I got rid of a lot of stuff (read more about that in my June Empties).
Summary – June wasn’t that fun and it was a rainy Pride.
In June I was craving:
Wearing (fragrance) – My summer perfume choices are so boring but I find living and working without a/c (and taking mass transit) that I like boring, fresh scents. This is the time of the year when I wear Jean Naté, Mugler Cologne, Balmain Monsieur Balmain and 4711.
Summary – For a person that claims to dislike citrus perfumes, I sure do own and wear a lot of citrus perfumes…
Wearing (cosmetics, etc) – It’s been a weird one for me because I’ve been channeling some of that 90’s Calvin Klein-ish/Helmut Lang-ish minimalism. I’ve been wearing minimal no shadow/no liner with volumizing mascara, nude cream blush and brown lipstick. AND slicking my hair back like Christy Turlington in a Calvin Klein ad (and sadly looking like Michael Myers from the Halloween series). Some of my most used products: Essence I Heart Extreme Volume Mascara, NARS Matte Multiple in Altai, Avon Beyond Color Lipstick in Cocoa (um, I’ve been wearing this shade since the 90’s) and Aveda Confixor Liquid Gel. I wouldn’t say it’s a glamorous look for me but I will say it’s an easy one and I value that right now.
Summary – I’m trying to have a cool look while growing out my hair which is at an awkward, non-stylish length.
Wearing (clothes) – I purged a ton of stuff and realize that I hate summer clothes in general. And I don’t want to buy any. I did buy two things to replace worn out items – Sou Sou Flying Squirrel Capelet in black (seriously, how do I resist a name like that) and a pair of Eileen Fisher Slouchy Silk Pants in black (that I wear too much). Nothing exciting, just my same ‘ole boring baggy comfy clothes in boring ‘ole black.
Summary – At least Man Repellers dress for other women.I swear I really dress for myself which just so happens to look like I dress for ninjas, cult leaders and Berkeley politicians.
Using (skincare) – Same ‘ole skincare but I did buy some Korean sheet masks (pre-made and just the plain sheets so I can DIY).I’m also loving the blog, Skin & Tonics since we have the same skin type and her skin is perfect.
Summary – I’ve decided to add more to my skincare routine because that shows my dedication, right? 9 products in the morning and 8 at night weren’t enough. MORE!
Eating/drinking – The produce has reminded me why I like summer – cherries, raspberries, blueberries, green plums and zucchini. The new place has room for a grill so we’ve been enjoying grilled tomatoes and eggplant every evening. I’ve been drinking doogh (mint yogurt drink). We’ve been buying it by the gallon.
Summary – Life is good.
Listening: Disco. When the going gets tough, the tough listen to Sylvester and Donna Summer.
Summary – I sang these at karaoke and had a cocktail that seemed like it was created by a 6 year old. It was named after Sanrio characters. The floors in the private karaoke room were sticky. Eww.
Watching: Orange is the New Black Season 2. And now I have to wait another year. Ugh.
Summary – I watched an entire season of a rad TV show in a week.
Reading: Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch”. I saw her read from this last year in Seattle before she won the Pulitzer Prize. She has amazing hair and little suits. I’m just now getting to reading it, sad huh?
Summary – I don’t read enough. Donna Tartt is hot.
Wanting: A place that is completely “moved in” and organized.
Summary – Moving sucks.
What were your favorites of June? Did you do anything inspiring? Go anywhere inspiring?
I’m glad you protect yourself from sun damage. I’ll have to try those masks. I finally broke down and spent too much money on Botox, but my crows feet and forehead lines were too much. Its been 9 months since my last Botox and I was way over due. I’ve been coloring my hair on my own which I feel justifies the cost of Botox. For our vacation, we are visiting various colleges with my son. Not very exciting. I found a Library of Flowers fragrance which I love (it’s a 100 degrees here), so I needed a green, watered down jasmine.
These masks, I don’t know if they do much since they are single use but geez, when it’s hot outside I’ve been putting them in the fridge and they feel so good on.
I need to get some sort of laser done for dark spots but I need to do some research and find someone with a good rep in the area. Stuff like Botox is expensive but when you look at how it actually has results vs. spending money on useless creams, I think it adds up. There are people buying La Mer which quickly adds up to Botox.
Good luck! I hope it’s not too stressful.
Green, watery sounds good to me. It’s not that hot here but it’s been in the upper 80’s and we have no a/c which is miserable.
Your use of the description ” Berkeley politicians.” killed me, Bay Area native here, and still in the Bay Area and that basically summed up that I have a very good idea of how you dress :-). On the other hand no one ever said Berkeley politicians are not very comfortable. I would have to say style-wise the older I get the more I appreciate well done loose, flowy, and slightly slouchy. It is just so comfortable. I mean I still think tailored is amazing but you cannot bend in tailored.
Well, at least Bay Area Politician 10-20 years ago…no clue what’s it like now 🙂 (Keep reading about how the area is changing). It’s my love of natural textiles…
Same here, but I do the extremes. Cooler months everything is structured and tailored. The summers and spring, it’s all about the slouchy, comfortable natural fibers.
Berkeley I think will always be Berzekely, although the gentrification of Oakland and Alameda is most definitely happening big time. And SF is as much the battleground that it is being made out to be. What is interesting though is that all of the Bay Area is in the thrall of the insane prices of real estate. It is very interesting seeing areas that were once considered podunk (I grew in one of those areas, Livermore) suddenly getting a lot of creative talent because the cities are no longer a viable option.
The Bay Area has been in the news because of prices/tech so I imagine what I see is different-ish from living there. It’s my impression that SF itself has lost some character (because of prices) and has pushed creative types into the surrounding areas (just like what you explained). I wonder if we’ll start seeing a similar thing in Seattle as well. Here once less desirable neighborhoods are now desirable but we really haven’t gotten to the stage of pushing people out into the ‘burbs…yet.
‘…which just so happens to look like I dress for ninjas, cult leaders and Berkeley politicians.’
ahhhhh, nothing like starting the morning with a good belly laugh! seriously, i think you are probably waaay more fashionable than all that. and if you’re what a cult leader is like, then pass the koolaid!
i always fancy it would be a sensory delight to sit next to you on public transport- but this jean nate thing has me thinking twice. you’re more of a game of russian roulette then i think, huh?
june was tornadoes, keith haring tshirts, the entire series of Portlandia, and the vague concept that i might try to tan this summer. (yes, and ants will keep trying to move that rubber tree plant.)
scents ran the gambit from Robert Piguet to petitgrain essential oil… but nothing that seems to be becoming a habit.
clothes? i live in rural wyoming. no one cares. no one can see me. so you know, those keith haring tshirts and cut offs.
the fig Wen is actually really nice. the scent is not too strong or too synthetic, and i find it to be one of the most moisturizing of the ones i have tried.
my face is dreading the end of the Intelligent Nutrients products and fickle enough to be wondering what’s next.
reading The Bond by Lynn McTaggart / listening to Unrepentant Geraldines by Tori Amos.
cheers!
It’s been described as “ninja cowboy cult” and “reject Disney villain”. That’s the problem with wearing black flowy stuff and cowboy boots.
Jean Nate today – the shower gel, lotion, spray and vintage perfume.
Ugh, tornadoes. One more reason I’m happy that I moved. (says the person that has never experienced an earthquake but has tornadoes).
Oh, Uniqlo has some really awesome Keith Haring stuff. Got Moxi and Frink the bandanas.
I live in Seattle. Nobody cares 🙂
All else sounds good! I need to use up Carol’s Daughter before venturing to Wen. I’m pretty set on my current skincare (rotating through a few oils at night).
Your bathroom is beautiful! I have serious bathroom envy. Is that weird?
Also, flying squirrel capes…why don’t I have one? That is marvelous.
Not weird. This bathroom is my motivator to get the rest of my life together, lol. It has 2 shower heads though which is well, sort of prison-ish when I think about it.
I sort of feel like a kid in it because I want to act like I’m “gliding” like a sugarglider. I only do that in the privacy of my own home 😉
Hey Hey!
I just ordered The Goldfinch on Sunday. I’m glad someone else is talking about it, I am a reader alone in my friend group. Currently bolting my way through John Grisham’s Street Lawyer, and finished Quantum Demonology last week: that was incredibly enjoyable, after the third chapter I basically couldn’t do anything else till I was finished, total immersion.
Also, which Korean Facial Sheets did you buy? We were just there and the choice and array is absolutely baffling. We would go into Etude House or Skin Food and come out laden with nail polish because the beauty stuff was just too other. I did grab a hand cream and though it’s nice the L’Occitane ones are nicer on my skin.
Thanks for the faves list, you have inspired me to do likewise. Is that cool?
Portia xx
🙂 Impromptu book club!
I bought each of the Innisfree It’s Real ones. I have used Skin Food’s in the past. It’s so overwhelming! I can’t imagine actually being in the stores. I get overwhelmed just looking at the online sboutiques. I also use Skin Food’s Banana mask because I have this weird affinity for “fake” banana smells (hey, nobody is perfect!). I’m working in tech and to make a long story short, we have an office in Korea…I have skincare mules.
You know, it would be cool to get a few fragrance bloggers to do this if they want to. And we could do a link roundup at the end. I think it gives good insight on what is currently “moving” us, plus many of our interests overlap and I love getting new food, book, music suggestions!
“I swear I really dress for myself which just so happens to look like I dress for ninjas, cult leaders and Berkeley politicians.”
😀 You’re so funny, Victoria. I loved hearing your favorites and being reassured that when the going gets tough, the tough listen to Donna Summer. And sing karaoke.
June favorites for me … the most reliable favorites were food items: shrimp, kalamata olives, Roquefort cheese and honest-to-goodness farm-stand tomatoes. Most of these items heaped on salad, but also a lot of tomato sandwiches. Best part of summer!
I’ve only done the karaoke thing a few times and it was actually fun!
Oh, shrimp, oh, all these foods! And isn’t that right?! Tomatoes that actually have a flavor! We’re eating them raw, grilling them, making salsas…this is why I’ll put up with heat.
Dood, that bathroom is amazing. Holy cow. I am experiencing just a tiny bit of envy. Wow. Beautiful.
*notice* rest of my mess, not pictured 🙂
Black is good. And basic. And easy to dress up or down. I love black! Most of my wardrobe is black and most of the cats in the household (ours and our fosters) are black. Go Black! Like the cape-but just not for me.
Perfumes have been SpeakEasy (Frapin), Azemour les Orangers and Iskander (both PdE) some florals from Hove Perfumers and Covet. That last one is something I haven’t liked much in the past-lavender and chocolate. Don’t really like either one in a perfume. But this summer Covet has hit the spot. And cheap, boy is this baby cheap!
No TV really. Game of Thrones is over for the season.
Skin care is either Pure skin Formulations or Cellbone. Both are on-line companies and I have been using them for a while now. My DH pinches my stuff and I usually wait for a sale to restock. C- Serum and moisturizer/ sun screen in the morning. Retinol serum and moisturizer at night. Lighter versions for summer. Very little make-up. Some eye shadow, a little blush, mascara. Lately it seems to be just melting off my face.
Books have either been total trash mysteries, a Coco Chanel biography-Sleeping with the Enemy or the Piketty book-Capital in the 21st Century. Just depends on what my work day was like. Sometimes I can handle heavy. Other times I just want total brain rot stuff.
Food has been a lot of fruits and vegetables. Grain salads, salmon, shrimp. I want fresh, light and tasty. My tomatoes are growing nicely. As is the basil and I look forward to tomato and basil salad with mozzarella or ricotta.
Most of everything I have is black..which doesn’t agree with frugs even though Moxi is black and Frink is brindle. Always manage to find their light stuff on me…
Oh, I remember that I have Covet. It does hit the spot, need to bring it out.
Skincare is becoming this new obsession right now. There are so many brands out there (99% new-to-me) and I like taking the time to use skincare. One of the few “quiet” moments in my life. It’s relaxing.
Makeup is waste this week. Nothing will stay on, oh well.
I read Sleeping with the Enemy! I get like this with all media. Sometimes I’m so tired, I want entertainment…just entertaining and easy. Nothing wrong with that.
Oh, we have a little herb garden now, basil, yeah!
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