Yesterday looked like this… (yes, I wore Cherries in the Snow in the snow) …so I think it’s a good time for another winter story: Like many girls, I grew up reading Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series. One of the most memorable chapters in the first book, “Matthew Insists on Puffed Sleeves,”… Read More AB Insists on Antique Velvet
It occurs to me that I was a little unfair to the MakeupRehab subreddit in my resolutions post. Yes, there are a few things I dislike about that community. I don’t think people should force themselves to finish or pan products they detest; all that means is that they neglect the products they do like… Read More Pan That Palette 2016: Nude ‘Tude Revisited
I meant to post this earlier, but life (in the form of interview prep, followed by actual interviewing, followed by jetlag) got in the way, so here we are almost halfway through January and I still haven’t written about my favorite beauty purchases of 2015. But that’s about to change! A few notes before we… Read More My 15 Favorite Beauty Purchases of 2015
Today marks the end of my two-month beauty no-buy. The terms of the arrangement were fairly lenient: I was allowed to replace skincare, haircare, and “boring” products like mascara and concealer, and I could accept (and request) gifts, but I couldn’t buy any new makeup or nail polish. I’m proud to say that I never… Read More No-Buy Reflections and 2016 Beauty Resolutions
K-pop is a visual genre as much as it is a musical one, and makeup is a crucial part of its visual impact. In this post, I’ve rounded up my favorite looks from k-pop music videos released this year, as well as some quick honorable mentions. If you’re as tired as I am of hearing… Read More My Favorite K-Pop Beauty Moments of 2015
Despite my no-buy, I’ve managed to acquire a new lipstick. My boyfriend teaches in the UK and asked me if I wanted him to bring me anything when he came to visit this month. He was actually the one who suggested that he might surprise me with some makeup from Topshop, and who was I… Read More Topshop Mini Lip Bullet Pyramid in Motel
Odds are good that if you’re reading this, you fall into one of two categories: either you’ve already collected the 2015 Sephora birthday gift, or you don’t have access to Sephora and are annoyed to see the millionth review of the 2015 Sephora birthday gift pop up on your feed. In fact, I’m tempted to… Read More Because It’s Not 2016 Yet: NARS Mini Lip Pencils in Cruella and Rikugien
“A Journey Through Purge-atory” is my ongoing, if not exactly regular, destashing series; here are my first and second posts. Today, let’s get rid of some lipstick and polish! Lipsticks, left to right: YSL Glossy Stain in Rouge Gouache, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mauvy Night, Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Supermodel, Maybelline Colorsensational… Read More A Journey Through Purge-atory, Part 3: Lipsticks and Nail Polishes
When I first declared my no-buy three weeks ago, I predicted that my willpower would be tested severely. Instead, I immediately felt a sense of unaccustomed freedom. I’d grown used to thinking of my beauty purchases as stress relievers, but I hadn’t considered that they might actually be a source of stress. Every new purchase… Read More Thanksgiving Medley: No-Buy Update and 2016 Wishlist
Three weeks into my no-buy, I’m not feeling any great temptation to get something new, but I do find myself adding a worrisome number of items to my “buy in 2016” wishlist. In the interest of self-distraction, I think I’d better get back to reviewing the stuff I picked up during my stress-shopping phase in… Read More Stress-Fueled Impulse Purchase #5: Urban Decay Rapture Blush
Auxiliary Beauty 