Posted on

Week Ender | 18Feb17

Well, that happened…
I’ve spent most of the last week sick and voiceless.  While trying to fight whatever I’ve got, I started watching Suits.  Clicked on the first couple eps of S6 on Sling.  Started watching from the beginning on Amazon Prime.  Now, I’m midway through S2.  Hello, Hooked.  Honestly, they had me at Devlin-MacGregor.

Not quite sure why I’ve not seen any of it until now.  I was cable-free when it premiered, and I’m not sure if it was easy to see without opening up a vein to Time Warner or Comcast.  And, I guess, I didn’t see a reason to “find” a way to watch it.  Now that I’m here, I’m all in.  I really like the entire cast, but, you know, I LOVE Gina Torres and Rick Hoffman.  After years of L&O, I want more than the case.  I want the inter-office interpersonal relationships that are more interesting onscreen than the annoying ones in real life.  I love these characters and the way they play off of each other.  Plus, I get to see all my Toronto acting faves!

Yes, I know Gina left midway through season six.  That means I’ve got five and a half seasons of great acting in a killer wardrobe and aspirational low-key super sophisticated makeup.  Starting next month, with the return of The Catch, Gina will be a part of the Shondaland Lady Gang, on another show with a talented cast, great makeup and fab costume design.

I bought some stuff and it got delivert… I know the war is coming.  Sometimes, though, I just want to play on my face with colors.

Green Beauty – Late into the night I placed a Detox Market order.  Caroline Hirons made me do it.  I live in LA and could have just done the brick and mortar, but the internet and late nights were made for shopping.  SuperCool thing is sample pack you can create to try out coveted+expensive potions like the Vintners Daughter serum! More on the order later.

Charlotte Tilbury – Last week’s order came with samples, even ones I didn’t request. Perks for ordering directly from CT.  Big NO for Kim K.W. and Bitch Perfect lipsticks. Waaay too pale. Like major whiteness on my lips.  I, mean, okay, I guess for So Marilyn.  It’s bight red on me.  Wearable bright red.  I’m just not wearing red right now.  Very Victoria breaks my rule from last week.  I’ll have to put it on the list for when the moratorium lifts or when I stop lying to myself about there being a moratorium on nude-y/neutral pinky/mauve-y/peachy lipsticks.  Magic Foundation in 10 is a bit dark and red.  I’ll try a bit of the 9.5 or 9 when I order the Very Victoria.  Someday. Oh and the thing I actually ordered, the Pillow Talk lipstick is cute.  It does need a hint of MAC Chestnut liner.

Sephora – You know, the one from last week with the powder and ABH palette. I think I love the ABH palette.  The shadows are rich and pigmented and not the same bronze, brown and green that I always buy.  Playtime, people.  Time to PLAY!

Nars – I went into Sephora three different times to look at this limited edition palette.  The first time, I walked away sure that I didn’t need it.  The second time was a swatch only trip, but I knew.  The third time, I had to have it.  But, I waited.  I wanted to make sure I was paying cash and not just charging another haul.  Now, it’s mine.  I’m good on blush.  Well, there is that Hourglass one.  (I have a problem. I just said it out loud.)

Screw Winter…
It feels like winter somewhere not here.  It’s cold and rainy.  Where is my sunshine?  Why am I wearing something resembling a coat, a lot?  Why am I thinking about buying, like, sweaters?  Not cardigans, but comfy crewneck pullovers.  It’s like I’m dreaming in Fair Isle or something.

I’m watching that…
The Good Fight… On Sunday, Christine Baranski is back as Diane Lockhart in The Good Wife spinoff.  I’m excited for the character’s return and more Cush Jumbo. The thing is, the premiere is going to be on CBS and then, the show moves exclusively to the CBS streaming platform.  I just don’t know if I’m going to shell out more money for another streaming service. Yes, it’s only $6.99 a month. Just thinking about it, though, is making me wonder if I pay too much for what I already have and don’t really watch.  Showtime might be put on pause until Lena Waithe’s Chi gets a premiere date.  That does not mean an automatic pickup for CBS.  I just don’t know.  If I do it, it may be only for the duration of The Good Fight season one.  We’ll see.

Cause it was supposed to rain lots… 
I got drenched on my Friday afternoon commute.  What am I going to do on the long holiday weekend? I plan to be productive.  If that happens, though, I’ll be surprised.

But, maybe, I’ll be…
+ listening to bon iver playlists on spotify.
+ making and burning the incense.
+ sleeping. i shouldn’t but, really.
+ getting back to my freaking bullet journal.
+ taking pictures of pretty things in my apartment.

Save

Posted on

Week Ender | 11Feb17

TWK | Credentials

Well, that happened…
Saw I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO the other night.  I thought I would be even more upset at the state of the current world, looking back.  The doc was powerful and moving.  For me, it was a reminder of our resilience in the face of hatred, oppression and death.  Instead of being emotionally triggered, I’m more focused on the life I need to lead and the world we need to not recreate.  Def check it out.

Shopping Carts, now emptied.
The new Laura Mercier Medium Deep Translucent Setting Powder. Yes, I’m late getting the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette. Charlotte Tilbury limited edition Pillow Talk lipstick.

Moratorium on pinky/mauve-y nude/neutral lip purchases is now in FULL EFFECT!  There needs to be a shopping ban, in general, but, you know, I’m not sure I see it happening.  Must visualize.  Si Se Pu… Okay. Okay.

The Binge
Girls. With the sixth and final season kicking off on Sunday, I am heading down that rabbit hole, willfully.  Watching all of It, again.  I’ve got plenty of feelings when it comes to Hannah Horvath and her crew.  Like, lots.  I’ve loved and hated the show, viscerally.  And with that, toss in a mix of pursed lip, hard side-eyeing white privilege and NYC in-my-20s nostalgia and it just gets complicated.  I’m really interested to see if I react differently to the earlier seasons. I’ll let you know next week.

My internet obsession, NYT’s Jenna Wortham, talked to Lena, Allison, Zosia and Jemima.  Part of the conversation is on my fave podcast, Still Processing. (more about my weekly appt with Wesley and Jenna, later.)

 
And the WINNER is…
The NAACP Image Awards are Saturday. The Grammys are Sunday.

I haven’t worked a red carpet or one-on-one room in YEARS.  I don’t even think I’ve watched The Grammys that much in the last 10, but I do know that I really, really, need AMAZEBALLS tributes to Prince and George Michael. Like, srsly.

And I’m going to need black folks to give Moonlight lots of things. Like, SRSLY.

Things I’m trying this weekend: rain come down edition.
+ spend time with wayne shorter. a friend thought i would dig native dancer.
+ re-reading baldwin.
+ yoga. with solange or bon iver
+ incense. make some or burn some or both.

How are you spending your weekend?

Posted on

On Beauty | July Favorites

When it’s hot, my hairline is a raging waterfall.  The likes no hand or forearm can master.  Attempt to put on makeup? No, Ma’am.  On a cool day and when I needed to cool down, there were a few things in July that brought a smile to my mostly sweaty face.

COLD WATER – I’m a room temp fan.  Hardcore stan.  I order water with no ice.  Always. This heat, though.  It feels like for the last month my body has demanded the most. Super COLD, pls+thx.  All the time.  And with the exception of a weird heat/rash attack, I’ve seen the benefits of all that water.  My skin is looking hydrated as fuck.

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint in Deep/Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz – There were a few days I was actually able to wear a hint of product.  After a disastrous attempt at bonding with a couple of drugstore cushion foundations, I wanted to play with my Glossier skin tint again.  The skin tint is minimal coverage. They call it a wash of color.  If I’m going to do minimal coverage, I just don’t cover.  Until now, I hadn’t really found a reason to use it regularly.  It just sat on the vanity looking ‘cool girl’ cute.  When I mixed a pump of the Becca with a bunch of drops of the skin tint, the sky cried.  The Becca added a bit of depth and warmth, while maintaining a look that is still sheer, lo-fi and understated.

Estée Edit Edgiest Kohl Shadowstick in Black Viper – I wandered into an Estée Edit event at Sephora and got got. I, even, said that I was on punishment when it came to black liner/shadow stick things.  Like, HOW MANY BLACK LINERS DO I NEED?  Well, I have another one.  Black Viper is already well-used and well-loved.  Could be on that grail that’s holy.  It goes on and doesn’t move.  When the waterfall is being wiped and they eyes aren’t spared, the waterline is still smoked out.  Let’s just say I’ve fallen asleep with it on and it’s been there the next day.  I’m just saying it’s possible.

Estée Edit Barest Lip Color in In The Buff – Call luck or fate, the first lipstick the makeup artist put on me was out of stock.  It was a good nude. Even great, until… In The Buff.  Hello, Everything.  Hello, Meant To Be.  The almost perfect, perfect nude-y mauve.  It’s sheer, buildable, with a subtle sheen and the ease of a no-look application.  Like, completely, perfect color.  There is one thing, though.  You know, the faint rose smell that you can’t stand? Yeah, that.  Ugh.  If this color married the Burberry Full Kisses formula and lost the scent, I would be beyond happy.

Acts/Ideas/Revelations to habit:

Straw, please.  When the temperature drops to reasonable and the desperation dries, I’ll have to remember that drinking water with a straw makes it a little easier to drink LOTS.  My dearly, newly, beloved can be an easily ignorable bore.  But, my aging face can no longer handle just mainlining coffee, even if it’s decaf.  That, and I know better.  Water, it is.  With a straw.

So, wait. I have to set it with powder? I missed that step.  I like to say I’m reflective, not greasy.  I’ve used powder before, years ago, on bare skin to finish off a simple no/low makeup look.  It was polished fire for, like, 15 minutes.  Then, before I got where I was going, it was gone.  Earlier this year, I fell in love with putting Guerlain bronzer where it wasn’t “supposed” to go, but felt it was a tad dark to do every day.  Cut to a couple of weeks ago, I pulled out a powder closer to my skin tone from the back of the drawer and set the Glossier/Becca.  Hours later, epiphany central.  I could still see the look I intended to create that morning.  This is definitely happening all the time, you know, when the sweating stops.  I just have to wash my face at night.  That or the MAC MSF is breaking me out.

Mix it.  Mix it good.  I hate the ashy/obvi sunscreen cast that sits on my face until it doesn’t.  Instead of putting on my moisturizer, waiting for that to sink in and then, putting on my sunscreen, I’ve started adding a squirt of sunscreen to a dollop of my moisturizer.  I just work it in all at once, and I’m done.  Fine.  Skin, further protected.  Glorious melanin, you’ve got back-up.

It’s August.  Stay hydrated and smile.  Cause the water will fall.

n♥

Save