Mini Treat: Things I consumed last month
From a glorified crimper to a novel about the cult of skincare
After years of nearly bankrupting myself with frequent trips to Sephora, I've developed a much more frugal approach to purchasing beauty products. Having said that….there’s something about the darkness and profound misery of a London February that makes impulse buying little treats a bit more excusable (dare I say necessary?) in order to get through it. I was relatively tame last month, but I did genuinely need to re-up on a few products and yes, I confess, also may or may not have been entranced by a big, shiny sale.
I didn't want to limit this list solely to products, so I've decided to include a selection of other bits like books I read and recently Pinterested beauty inspiration in the hopes that you’ll find some of these things interesting too.
Books
Rouge- If you like skincare, which I’m assuming you do if you’re reading this newsletter, you’ll probably enjoy this spooky and unsettling gothic novel by Mona Awad about grief, mother-daughter relationships, and the obsessive, cult-like nature of the beauty industry. It can be a little repetitive at times, but it’s a fun, bizarre, and thoroughly entertaining ride with a lot of funny skincare references.
If I Had Your Face- I admittedly read this years ago, but I lent a friend my copy and we’ve been talking about it a lot so it’s at the top of my mind. Frances Cha’s novel follows the lives of four women living in Seoul, Korea, weaving together their experiences confronting cultural hurdles like wealth disparity, sexism, unattainable beauty ideals, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. It’s sharply written, at times quite moving, and a super quick read. I just absolutely devoured this book when I read it. I found the bits about plastic surgery to be especially interesting and unsettling.
Products I’ve purchased
Muji Fig & Vetiver Candle- A very chic English friend of mine once told me these are her favorite affordable candles, but I hadn’t actually tried them until I came to London, because Muji’s candle selection isn’t nearly as good in the states. They have a lot of different elegant scents like Water & Bergamot, Sea Salt & Sage, and my favorite, Fig & Vetiver. As soon as you light one of these candles, your whole apartment instantly smells like a dream.
Mermaid Hair Styler- I love giving my hair waves with a flat iron—it’s the best way to create undone and slightly messy looking curls— but I hate how it sometimes leaves behind an unflattering band in the shape of the iron. This mermaid hair styler (which is essentially just a modernized crimper) is basically like a way easier, more refined way of achieving those same kinds of curls, without having to meticulously style your hair.
Sol de Janeiro Body Wash- This is a very strong and slightly specific scent, it’s almondy-y, and vanilla-y, with sandalwood and heliotrope notes. If you don’t like gourmand smells you probably won’t like this at all. However, if you do like that sort of sweet and fruity, tropical-vacation smell or if you’re already a fan of this brand’s Bum Bum Cream, their shower gel is incredible, and the scent really lingers on the skin way after you step out of the shower.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Kohl Eyeliner- I bought this pencil liner after watching a very convincing TikTok, and I’m glad I did! It lasts all day without immediately rubbing off, but perhaps more importantly, it doesn’t irritate or sting my super sensitive eyes, which is an issue I have with a lot of other pencil liners.
Most saved
Britt Ekland is a Swedish actress, model, and one of the most photographed it-girls of the 1970’s, who starred in movies like the horror classic "The Wicker Man" and as a Bond girl in "The Man with the Golden Gun”. I’ve always been obsessed with her signature bombshell hair (I always have to remind myself bangs do not look like that on me), soft cat-eye, and perfect style.
Emulating 60’s and 70’s makeup can sometimes look a bit costume-y—I once tried to pull off that iconic, graphic cut-crease liner and looked frankly insane. But what I love about Britt Ekland’s makeup is it still feels vintage and special, but it’s a bit more subdued. Her lashes are a bit spikey, but not spider-like, and her cat eye is totally wearable soft flick that she occasionally outlines in a thin white liner. There are also elements of it that feel really modern—like the glowy skin and peachy, sunkissed blush (kinda looks like Saie’s Dew Blush.) With Spring just around the corner, I’ve been thinking about her makeup a lot.
