Thursday, October 23, 2014

the update | where i am

Hello, folks!

If you're wondering where I've been, let me reassure you that all is well: I've just been especially caught up in work and coursework.

I've never been fantastic at time management, but I am a perfectionist, so this semester has been quite the lesson in learning how to let it go.

I want to give this blog the dedication it deserves, so over the next couple of weeks I will attempt to get ahead in my writing. I have a LORAC and Urban Decay smackdown on board as well as some of my top picks for autumn, so stay tuned for those.

As always, feel free to let me know what you want to see on the blog. I want this to be a place of self-expression and conversation about beautiful things of all forms.

Friday, October 10, 2014

the forum | changing seasons + halloween

Welcome back to another monthly forum! I realize that I skipped last month, so this time, I'm asking you about two topics.

First of all, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing the fading of summer, while our friends in the Southern Hemisphere are gearing up for warmer temperatures. How are you planning to celebrate the changing seasons? I, for one, am brewing more tea than ever and relishing every chance to break out the slouchy sweaters and ankle boots!

Second, how are you planning to celebrate Halloween this year? Have you picked out a costume? I have both a Dead Authors Party and Halloween night in mind. For the former, I'm going as Joan Green as my beloved John Green frequently advocates the death of the author—it's a stretch, mind you, but I'm ecstatic for it! For Halloween itself, I'm going as Lorde, the queen of cool. Never will my eyeliner skills be so tested as October 31.

Let's get talking in the comments below!

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

the favorites | september 2014



Hello, beautiful people! Long time, no blog!

I'm a bit late this time for favorites, but I thought I'd kick off October with a collection of things that I've enjoyed using for the past month.

makeup


I made a rediscovery this month in the Naked Basics palette from Urban Decay. This is exactly what it sounds like, a perfectly neutral palette with five matte shades and one satin highlight. Walk of Shame and Naked2 are my personal favorites; I'd be perfectly happy if Urban Decay released a duo of just those shades.

Another rediscovery has been my Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer in Pink Porcelain. I use it primarily as a spot concealer, and it works brilliantly for that. Plus, on days when I want the lightest base possible, it blends out beautifully.

I've played with brows more this month after a triumphant location of my Anastasia Brow Wiz in Taupe, which I thought I'd lost in May. I don't fill in my brows all that often as they're pretty full as is, but this helps me out when I do.

Finally, new in this month are the LORAC Pro palette and Darling Girl Glitter Glue. The former I got to treat myself after a particularly thorough destash when a 20% off code was available; the latter I got to help my indie shadows stay on my lids. Both have been quality investments so far: the LORAC shadows are richly pigmented and blend very nicely, and the Glitter Glue has actually convinced Mother of Dragons to stick around for longer than an hour. I'm very impressed with both of these items and expect to get plenty of use out of them.

fashion


I don't know the brand of my adorable bunny watch, but I wanted to share it anyway. My roommate got it for me over the summer as I love bunnies and am notorious for my tardiness. This little guy hops around on my wrist about every other day, and I love it!

tea


My lovely roommate introduced me to Zhena's Red Lavender tisane at the beginning of the month, and I am so grateful for that. As the name suggests, it's a blend of rooibos and lavender, which when combined provide a cup of relaxing antioxidants. It's lightly sweet on its own, but it also goes well with a tiny bit of raw sugar. I can't recommend this enough and will buy my own canister when I see it in stores.

What were your favorites during September?