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| Bing in Ming by Patricia Hansen |
The thing with writing is that it becomes easier the more you do it. The opposite is also true. I'm up to my knees in drafts, lists, bullet points, and snippets. Completing them is another thing, especially since my intention is to change the blog somewhat and make it much (MUCH) less product-centric, but still informative and fun. I don't want to buy every highlighter on the market or swatch all the liquid lipsticks until my skin falls off. My intention has never been to tell you "go and buy (more) stuff" It's about sharing thoughts, opinions, experiences related to beauty and perfume. But just as one can get overwhelmed clicking the "What's "New" button on Ulta's website and getting twelves pages full of things you're supposed to covet and buy, the same can be said about beauty blogging (or blogging in general), especially when you refuse to be a pawn for anyone who's trying to sell something.
Book
After several books started and abandoned (the most annoying one was The Vintage Housekeeper Circle by Alison May. I thought it was going to be a meditating on vintage housekeeping practices as well as practical advice. Instead I got an unedited FlyLady in a Laura Ashley apron). I did enjoy a frilly summer reading of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy with its over-the-top descriptions of food, couture, and home decor. Now I've downloaded B.J. Novak's short stories collection, One More Thing, and that's what I'll be reading tonight.
Music
TV
After months of comfort-watching every Star Trek episode from all the series' incarnations, the husband and I moved to contemporary television. We binged on several favorites: Grace and Frankie, The Americans, and Master of None (probably the smartest comedy on TV. Maybe ever). But right now it's all about Orphan Black and Game of Thrones. I had butterflies in my stomach anticipating the latter's season premier.
Makeup
Edward Bess Black Sea Precious Pearl Perfector. It's a silicone primer for those looking for a luminous dewy finish that still has a strong grip on foundation. It's given new life to a couple of foundations I was about to abandon as too drying.
Perfume
Dryad by Papillon Artisan Perfumes. Liz Moores might have created the best modern green chypre. It's like a 70s jumpsuit made of Scarlett O'Hara's green velvet curtain dress.
Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
A striped silk short shirtdress I bought from Banana Republic at the start of the season.
Food
Cherries. And more cherries.
Bane
The combination of humidity and creepy crawlers that makes stepping out to feed the squirrels into an episode of Fear Factor.
Joy
Also, the "who's a good boy?" conversations I have with George as we settle for the night.
Link
Just in case you haven't read this interview with former British Vogue fashion director, Lucinda Chambers, caused a big brouhaha last month, to the point of letters from lawyers. As a result a few sentences relating to the way Ms. Chambers was fired got removed. I've read (and saved) the complete article as well as the amended one, and to me the important thing was not the HR kerfuffle, but the insight about fashion, magazines, and advertisers. The story behind the deflated and disappointing cover below, and the reason Ms. Chambers hasn't actually read Vogue in decades.
Quote
" I mean, movies are the worst, because the movie business is failing terribly and they think they have some amazing model that’s going to fix it all, and it all involves hiring a girl with 2 million Instagram followers. Hasn’t worked yet. And then in television it’s the same thing. Parts are offered to these YouTube sensations."
Jordan Gavaris (Felix on Orphan Black) in an interview with Vulture.
Random Thought
Eye shadow topper, lip topper (we used to call it lip gloss), blush topper- a second layer of makeup all over your face. There's a large Smashbox palette out right now that's all about toppers, which reminded of this. What's old is new again. They say that when you've lived through a trend once you should avoid it when it comes back. But what if I like an iridescent blue over my eye shadow?
Wishlist
To get my groove back.
How've you been? What's on your list of loves and banes? Any wishes and recommendations?
Things Have Changed is on my "top ten favorite songs of all time" list. I always hum it when I'm about to put the hammer down on something or someone...
ReplyDeleteI have missed reading your blog and glad you are back! Dryad sounds great. Looking forward to trying it soon too. Welcome back.
ReplyDeleteI love the first paragraph of this post. It's so easy to get caught up in the posts of what's new and you need this and that and then all of a sudden you're swimming in a sea of stuff you rarely ever touch. I've stopped reading so many bloggers because I just got tired of being inundated with stuff and temptation. Trying to go through my stashes and reducing them to what I really need and love.
ReplyDeleteBooks- My daughter loaned me the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. I just couldn't get into it. Then I realized I'm just having a hard time reading anything these days. I'm feeling anxious over the state of the world and that's not helping at all.
Makeup - Still searching for a foundation that looks like skin and not makeup. Chanel Sublimage is close, but a tad too glittery/glowy. And I hate the scent in it and that it's in a pot and that it costs an arm and a leg.
Perfume - Tried Dryad. Loved it until it got to the deep dry down and then something about made me want to scrub it off.
TV- GoT, Orphan Black, Parts Unknown. Some imports. From the UK, Line of Duty. From France, Witnesses.
Bane - Summer weather. Can't wait until fall and winter so I can snuggle in sweaters and wool and under down comforters.
Have you tried cc creams? I was one who rollecd ky eyes at the cc and bb and other alphabet soup bases, but the bourjpos cc cream is THE BEST base product of 30+ years I have been wearing foundations.
DeleteThanks for highlighting the EB Black Sea Precious Pearl Protector. As the grumpy possessor of very dry skin, I'm excited to learn about this!
ReplyDeleteI'm also very happy to hear that you're looking to make your blog work better for you in terms of what you want to share with the world. Your voice is unique and such a pleasure to read: whatever you care to chat about is quite welcome. (Plus, as a reader, I can testify that hearing about the millionth lip gloss gets almost as old as writing about it probably does! Not that you do that kind of exhaustive reviewing--but some do, and it's not that interesting after a while.) I look forward to reading whatever you share next...and am quite grateful that you're planning to write more. :)
Thanks for the post, Gaia. It's timely.
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday, I remarked to Michael about the vlogs, "Just how many brown eyeshadows can there be in one universe, and how many of them am I supposed to buy in one lifetime?"
The trivial does not amuse in the face of...well, let's call it "the zeitgeist."
Book: The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carré. (See https://www.overdrive.com/media/2670624/the-pigeon-tunnel) Recommended reading to make sense of the times. Not for the faint of heart. Focus on Chapter 19 - "Blood and treasure" - if you dare.
TV: Not much. We're working through Supergirl. It's good-hearted. That's a novelty these days.
Food: We've begun culturing yogurt at home again. It's a delight and a comfort.
Bane: See above.
Yep. Things have changed. Played it through 3 or 4 times already today.
Yours in hope and endurance,
Vicki
Have missed your "Currently" posts so much, love to read them!
ReplyDeleteBook
Helene by Rakel Liehu - a novel about Helene Schjerfbeck, one of my favourite (Finnish) artists by one of my favourite (Finnish) poets, am reading it for a second time.
Makeup
Lipstick and nail polish, the former in various kind of coral shades, orange or pink, the latter in violet, blue, shocking pink...
Perfume
Finally tested Homoelegans scents, fell in love with Quality of Flesh and Paloma y Raíces.
Frequently worn item
Zara Join Life shirt dress
Food
Rhubarb tart
Joy
Upcoming holiday in Stockholm
I love that article on Vestoj! Thanks for the referral.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is, I went back to reading fashion mags after almost a decade of blogs. Blogs now are so repetitive, and missing the intelligent editorial voice. Perhaps now I am at zen in term of makeups, so don't really seek the how and what, but rather the why, missing from most blogs.
This is the best sentence that's ever been written about perfume: "It's like a 70s jumpsuit made of Scarlett O'Hara's green velvet curtain dress." lolol my decant is in the mail...so excited to try it.
ReplyDelete