I just finished The Scar, the second book in China Miéville’s Bas-Lag trilogy, which takes place in and around the diverse, sprawling, corrupt city of New Crobuzon. I love fiction about cities—not just set in them, but about them—and Miéville clearly shares my passion. The Scar centers on the linguist Bellis Coldwine, ex-girlfriend of the… Read More China Miéville Lipstick: NYX Velvet Matte in Midnight Muse
I’ve been in three different time zones in the past week, and I feel weird. I originally planned to write this post two evenings ago while my skin absorbed the dewy coolness of a Tony Moly aloe sheet mask. Instead I fell asleep with the light on and my face unwashed. The same thing happened… Read More Bunches of Swatches
Hello from the UK! I’ve spent the last two days recovering from jet lag, with the help of some delicious scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and herbs (imagine me pronouncing the H): Overview: This roundup is going to be brief, because I bought almost no new makeup in May. After several months on this low-buy,… Read More Low-Buy Progress Report #5: May
I own between fifty-five and sixty lipsticks, more than a few of them purple. It’s rare that a mainstream brand releases a lipstick unlike any I own, and even rarer that a mainstream brand releases a purple unlike any I own (yes, I’m using a lipstick junkie’s definition of “unlike,” but still). So when Bite… Read More Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Lavender Jam
At this time two months ago, I had no firsthand knowledge of Glossier. I’ve now tried seven different Glossier products, at no cost to myself and with no affiliation with the brand, because I’m lucky and people are nice. I’ve already reviewed two of those products, Generation G in Jam and Boy Brow in Brown;… Read More Glossier Grab Bag: Generation G in Cake, Balm Dotcom, Face Mask Duo, and Priming Moisturizer
Into the Gloss has been one of my daily reads for at least four years, but I’ve never loved it wholeheartedly. In fact, it’s probably that frisson of irritation that keeps me coming back day after day. Where else can you find an endless string of naturally stunning women claiming that they’re “super low-maintenance” and… Read More Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Jam
It’s the vernal equinox! It’s also the coldest day in about three weeks, and it’s snowing as I type this, just as it snowed on last year’s vernal equinox. But I still think the first day of spring is a fine day to review a bright coral lipstick, so meet my newest beauty purchase: Marc… Read More Coral Conundrum: Marc Jacobs So Sofia
Wow, it feels like it’s been forever since I last posted here. And indeed it has been forever—well, 11 days in Earth time, but forever in blog time. March has been a trying month so far, due to various academic stuff that I won’t get into here because this is a beauty blog and not… Read More The Great Lipstick Inventory of 2016
I had such a bad experience with Milani’s liquid matte lipstick last year that I…ordered another liquid matte lipstick earlier this month. Luckily, the universe sometimes rewards our lapses of logic, and I’m pleased to report that ColourPop’s Ultra Matte Lip in Trap surpassed my expectations by a little and Milani’s version by a lot.… Read More ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Trap
Now that a new semester is in full swing, I thought it would be fun to do a roundup of my favorite lipsticks to wear while teaching. Here are the basic criteria I have for a Teaching Lipstick: not too bright—no fuchsias, flaming reds, or white-based candy pinks not too dark—no blackened browns or gothtastic… Read More My Favorite Teaching Lipsticks
Auxiliary Beauty 