The past few months have been so busy and I’ve had to prioritize. The first thing to get pushed down the list is this blog. This is why there wasn’t an October 2016 Favorites. In November, I was equally as busy but I’ve sort of navigated my responsibilities better. But, then I haven’t actually felt like blogging. The past few weeks (December), I have so that’s why there’s a sudden 2-for-1: Belated Favorites.
I’ve been busy with school but I’m really enjoying the program. I no longer have much free time and I find myself doing research of some heavy topics at some odd hours, but that’s grad school. When I’m not doing work or school, I’m basically catching up on boring domestic tasks.
Over the past two months, I can’t really remember what fun stuff I’ve done. I’ve stayed around, no travel. Well, I was in Mexico for some of October, but I didn’t travel in November. I’ve had some friends visit over various weekends and it’s been nice to catch-up and show people around. The weekends are my time to fall back in love with NYC. My guests have reminded me of this.
Above is a picture from a perfume talk at the New School hosted by Daisy of CoolCookStyle. Maria of aroma M is speaking and yes, Carlos Huber, creative director of Arquiste, is just as handsome in person.
Anyway, nothing exciting event has taken place, but I’m doing well. I’m healthy and staying busy. I can’t really ask for more than that.
Wearing (fragrance) – My tastes have been leaning more decadent. I want chypres and I’ve been shopping my samples for those. At night, I wear my usual old favorites like Chanel Coco and Cartier Baiser du Dragon. I’ve been digging those bigger 80’s scents. During the week, I’ve been really into Phlur Moab because it’s warm and comforting. It’s the sort of perfume that goes with sweaters.
Summary – I’ve been all about the ambers and the moss.
Wearing (cosmetics) – Not that this is new news, but I have an issue buying makeup and frankly, hoarding it. Yeah, I should buy less, blah, blah. But, it brings me joy and I’ve cut out everything else fun in my life so I’m not quitting makeup. I’ll slow down but not quit. To enjoy what I have, I’ve decided to rotate my products weekly. This means that I’m living my life like a non-makeup addict. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! I use the same eyeshadow palette, blush, etc. all week. This has me using up products that I like, plus, it streamlines my routine when I travel and stuff. I’m also “shopping” my collection to achieve the looks I’m craving.
My cravings have been very 70’s magazine editorial. This has been mostly a combo of gray shadow/glossy red lips or a look of jewel tone metallic shadows/orange-red lipstick. My favorite products in rotation have been Chanel Rouge Allure Lip Gloss in Pirate, a shiny red, and Tom Ford Quad in Titanium Smoke, a quad of disco meets late 90’s runway grays. I love Colourpop‘s metallic shadows like Donna, an emerald green, and Game Face, a liquid bronze, because the formulas are so metallic and easy to apply. I pair these shadows with a terracotta lip like Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Mama or an orange red like NARS Velvet Matte in Red Square.
Summary – I’ve decided that I’m on a “Low Buy” which means that I can purchase only 2 beauty products a month, regardless of price (meaning that I won’t ignore a $5 lipstick purchase). This is how I’m going to deal with my hoarding.
Wearing (clothes) – Election stress made me make bad decisions. I bought an Armani coat in a sangria shade and a vintage Dior bar jacket. That’s fancy for someone that just wears black Uniqlo skinny jeans and black turtlenecks.
Summary – Stress is expensive.
Using (skincare) – Ever since I started using low pH cleansers, my skin has been cystic-acne free. I’m currently using Glyderm Gentle Face Cleanser. The texture is something you’ll love or hate (non-foaming liquid) but I like it. I’m also realizing how difficult it is to find a low pH cleanser since most brands don’t share this info and you don’t know until you buy and test yourself.
The weather change has made my skin so dry. So, I’m searching for comfort in Swiss brands since they seem to know a thing or two about moisture. Things like Valmont Regenera II, an extra thick cream, and La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil, an oil booster, have been good to me. Who knew my face would like fish eggs, liposomed RNA and patented triple DNA so much?
Summary – As soon as you figure out one thing, there’s another problem.
Eating/Drinking – This time of the year, what have I not been eating or drinking? I’ve been going out to eat as a social hobby. I’ve also been cooking more at home. We had a nice laid-back, Southern Thanksgiving using recipes of my grandmothers’ (like cornbread dressing, pinto bean pie and black cake).
Also, let’s take the time to appreciate how amazing citrus is this time of the year.
Summary – It’s officially overindulgence season!
Listening – If you told teenage me that someone openly identifying as a lesbian would have a Top 20 Billboard hit and that a reality TV star/businessman would be elected president I’d say you were the sort of liar that lies about weird things. But, that’s 2016. The current state of the world is such a mixed-bag. But, at least the music is good.
Summary – So, yeah, listening to Young M.A. And totally unrelated, I remember that I watched Big Freedia at Blue Note.
Watching – I have had no time to watch TV. I have squeezed in a few Adventure Time episodes between mind-numbing tasks.
Summary – Hurry, someone give me a show to binge watch over my break.
Reading – I read a lot but it’s not the sort of stuff that I feel anyone else would find exciting. It’s all manuals and reports.
Summary – Hurry, someone give me a book to read over the break. I sort of envy people that get degrees in stuff like poetry or literature because then they aren’t reading about remote sensing and algorithms.
Wanting – For the world to not implode.
Summary – We shall see.
What were your favorites from November? Did you do anything inspiring? Go anywhere inspiring? Eat anything inspiring?
I’m going to be taking it easy after the holidays. I have a break between this term and the next. I have a lot to catch up on and frankly, I feel like being lazy too. I may have some scheduled reviews, but otherwise I’m going to do whatever I feel like doing which may or may not be blogging. My brain is stressed/fatigued and I need a break. If I don’t see you before the 1st, I hope you have a great holiday/s!
Follow me on Instagram for more “Favorites”.
I love that term “low buy”. I will have to incorporate that into my vocabulary and my lifestyle as well. I wonder if I can do it. It never occurred to me to do anything other that shop a lot or not at all. Duh.
Kate Curry recently posted..wonderful winter perfumes (classics)
I’m so all/nothing. Which isn’t healthy with diet so why should I apply the same to my shopping? I hope this is something that works for me. My goal is that it will have me thinking about my purchases more and have me buying things that I will truly enjoy. I decided to do by pieces vs. price/allowance. I think if I went by price, I’d just end up with 10 cheaper things or something “on sale” that I didn’t really want. By piece, it’s like don’t buy that $5 lipstick unless it is truly something you desire. I think I make a lot of excuses with my purchases (“That’s cheap, it doesn’t count”) and that’s not good.
That piece not price thing sounds like a good idea too. You have inspired me!
I really need to get through stuff that I need to buy less 🙂 Wish me luck!
It’s been out for a couple months now, but if you’ve not seen it, Stranger Things on Netflix is very binge worthy. As for books, 10% Happier by Dan Harris was very motivating for me. I hope you have a nice and chilled out break! 🙂
YES! Thank you for the recommendations!
I just love that Baiser du Dragon is one of your favourites–it’s a very underappreciated perfume in my experience. And for something so strong and distinctive, it has also mixed remarkably well with other things in some of my layering experiments.
It’s gorgeous. And the bottle is so pretty. I can’t believe I’ve left my bottle neglected all these years!
For TV, I recommend the first season of Baskets, The Kroll Show, and Gravity Falls (Gravity Falls is a cartoon, but it looks like you already watch at least one cartoon 🙂 )
When it comes to books, I recommend “Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body.” It is an easy and fascinating read. I suggest that you read it (as opposed to getting an audiobook), because the diagrams are very helpful.
David Sedaris’s non-fiction is great, as well.
YES! Thank you. I’m loving all these recommendations.
Have you seen the newer “This Is Not Fine” comic by the original artist?
Yes! And it’s perfect.
Link, everyone: https://thenib.com/this-is-not-fine
That Dior jacket is utterly gorgeous! Oh my gosh <3
I don't know if either of these are your jam, but as far as binge-able watching, I just started The Magicians (I'm a little late to the party on this one) and it's relatively interesting if you're into bratty 20-somethings in a secret school for magic. And Kim Newman's new book, Angels of Music, is a lot fun. Basically Charlie's Angels with the Phantom of the Opera pulling the strings. Also, seconding Gravity Falls. It has some things that I consider a little problematic, but on the whole it has a lot of heart.
And not quite a favorite for November…but in early December I came to the conclusion that I have been suffering from rosacea (this is my own diagnosis, but I'm fairly certain I am right). Someone recommended ZenMed products to me, and it cleared it up almost overnight. Someone else also recommended that I cut out coffee…which I did…but I think this has more to do with the products I am using on my face than caffeine or acids from coffee. I can't be sure though…so I'm afraid to start back up with the habit again! Probably for the best.
mlleghoul recently posted..this, that, & the other thing {xxxi}
Thanks. The pic sucks and you can’t see how tailored it is and makes me look like a posh bug.
Yay! Recs!
I’m sorry. I hope the ZenMed can help. I thought at one time I may have rosacea but then I realized I was just burning the heck out of my skin with all of the crap I used. I stepped back and babied it and it cleared up. I haven’t had issues since.