Journaling

Some people don't often think to keep journals. Or, maybe, they're intrigued by the idea but never pursue any actual journaling for themselves, as they find the task too daunting or have no idea where to start. I admit I still have trouble keeping up with any sort of journal or diary, due to my perfectionist nature. If it doesn't look right, I tend to put it aside and hope it goes away forever.

Recently I've picked my old, unfinished journal back up and decided to have a go at it again. I bought this moleskine probably five years ago, started to use it as a sketchbook, then let it collect dust in a drawer for a few years. I finally brushed it off and decided to use it for sketches again, but also clippings, findings, tickets, odd thoughts, pictures, anything! And it's been teaching me how to not be so nitpicky about what I create. 

And, more than that, I love the feeling of completing something. I'm more than halfway through with filling this journal up, and I'm holding off on buying a new one until this one is done. 

I have trouble keeping up with things and have a sort of "routine," I suppose. I also don't believe I've ever finished a journal or sketchbook in my life! And yet, I get such satisfaction when I see photos of filled up journals and diaries, mounds of completed sketchbooks, and I longingly wish for a pile of my own. But, that won't happen unless I do it.

It's also a great place for me to try and get back into writing and drawing regularly. I've severely neglected both through the years I've been at college (despite my being an English major, which is the only writing practice I get any more). I long to do some writing for myself again, and to draw and actually feel proud of what I produced instead of cringe at the jagged lines.

It's also very, very relaxing. 

Do any of you keep journals or diaries or sketchbooks? Do you ever feel inspired to?

Fabulous Beasts

I have lived in this vast city for two months now. My home still does not feel like a home yet, something I am working on every day. I have not yet begun to truly explore, partly because I am afraid. Everything feels so new to me still; moving out for the first time, and so far away, has impacted me more greatly than I ever expected it to.

I have yet to find beauty here. The old brick surrounding me feels ugly and tired. It doesn't feel welcoming. When it does, I know I will be happier, but right now I am overwhelmed by the loneliness of these buildings. There is razor wire outside of my bedroom window. Rust trails descend from beneath them - clearly they haven't been bothered in quite some time. I can't access the back of our home, so it feels like a patch of destroyed earth.

I sit inside avoiding the black snow, reading the books I was able to take. Fabulous Beasts is full of creatures from every pocket of the world, creatures I could never dream of. I enjoy trying to imagine what a fuath would look like, and poring over the several pages dedicated to dragons. The illustrations feel old-world and the book smells like home. Real home.

I'm getting better every day.

Innisfree Sheet Masks | Review

Hello again! I have another little review for you, and this time I'm doing sheet masks. I bought a bulk packet of Innisfree sheet masks from Amazon in December, as I got a gift card for Christmas and decided to use it on these. Innisfree is a Korean beauty brand, and I'm actually dying to try some of their makeup products. But, for now, I've got some of their sheet masks! The set included 15 masks, all formulated for moisturizing and hydrating the skin, and it was about $20. Not bad at all, I'd say! As you can see, I also got a few sample packets of other products (the Liole product in the blue packet was like heaven for my skin!! I adore it!)

I only use about one a week, on my "pamper days" where I really treat my skin. Since moving to New York, my regular moisturizer just isn't cutting it in the dry, cold air, so it's really been suffering. After getting these masks (my mom had to mail them up to me), my skin has been feeling sooo much better. They are truly SO moisturizing, hydrating, and just generally amazing and everything you want in a sheet mask. 

They have masks such as 'blackberry,' 'aloe,' 'strawberry,' and many others, and I'm honestly so excited to try each one. I'm wearing one right now as I type up this review! 

I'm wearing the bamboo mask, which I brought with me for my Georgia visit: 

It's extremely cooling as well. I leave it on for ~20 minutes, and then take it off and just pat the remaining product into my skin. I don't even apply moisturizer after - there's no need, though you can if you like for some added hydration.

Basically, if you have dry & dull skin like me, give sheet masks a try. It doesn't necessarily have to be innisfree, but I am so impressed with them! Definitely buying them again when I run out.

Now for a silly picture of me wearing the mask.

A Short Life Update

Hello everyone! I'm terribly sorry about my short little absence here. I came back to a handful of new followers and some lovely and amazing comments which really made me smile. Thank you all for your time and decision to read what I put on my tiny little corner of the internet, it really makes my day!!

The reason I've been a little scarce, if you haven't loosely guessed already, is that my mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I spent some time worrying over her, talking to her, and last Saturday I flew back to Georgia to see them. I'm still with her, and she just had a bilateral mastectomy and is now home recovering from that. I'm so proud of how strong she's been for everyone, despite how scared and small she might be feeling. I'm so happy I was able to be with her for her surgery and see her through it. She's an amazing and strong woman and I'm so proud of her! 

Thank you all for sticking around, and I promise I'll be back and regularly posting soon. xx

Benefit's They're Real Mascara | Review

Yet another review! Sorry about that, I just really felt the need to put up some thoughts about this particular mascara.

So, I got this in a little mascara gift set from Sephora for Christmas, along with several other brands. I've been trying them off and on, but for the past few weeks I decided to stick to this one and see how I liked it.

I must say, I love it. I love it more than the They're Real eyeliner, which though initially amazing, I find that it dried up a little on me and is a lot harder to work with now. This stuff makes my lashes look amazing. I will say I don't particularly like the way my lashes feel with it on - they feel very slick and like they have a little casing over them. It can also be a little difficult to get off for this reason - this stuff sticks.

But, with that being said...this stuff sticks. I received some particularly upsetting news one day while wearing this, which caused me to cry often all day long. This stuff didn't budge. It didn't leave black streaks under my eyes or little black marks anywhere. In fact, it didn't move at all. It remained perfectly on my lashes. If my eyes hadn't been horribly red from crying, you wouldn't have been able to tell I'd ever been crying at all. This stuff is wonderful if you ever need some legit waterproof mascara. 

I love it! Whenever I need something heavy duty or even just for a nice look where I won't have to worry about the black rub-off under my eyes, I'll definitely be reaching for this little guy. I might even by the full size when I'm done with the sample.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain | Review

I posted about this product in a haul a little white back. It's the second YSL beauty product I've ever bought, and the beauty range from this brand continues to impress me with each new purchase I make.

I own a Volupte Shine already, but I was attracted to the formula of this particular product. The packaging is very sleek and lovely, and the cap clicks into place so it is never askew or comes loose (a personal peeve of mine). The formula itself is creamy and silky right out of the tube, and applies like a dream. The angled, wide applicator makes it very easy to apply to the lips, at least for me. Once applied, the formula quickly begins to dry into a semi-matte finish, and pretty much becomes the "stain" part of its name. Once dried, this stuff sticks to the lips and takes quite a bit to come off. Re-applying is a breeze, and doesn't over-dry the lips.

I'm so in love with this product, and I'm dying to buy more, as well as more products from YSL in general. It isn't cheap, but the quality and feel of the formula feels worth the $35 in my opinion. I'm not at all disappointed with this product. Even the color is so flattering and smooth, and I'm dying to try out a few other colors (looking at you #2).

For reference, I own the #9 Rouge Laque.

Snow Day

I woke up today to find mounds of snow all over the ground and covering people's cars in the street. It was a very quiet and empty moment, and suddenly I felt very ghost-like, looking out the window in thin clothing and studying the shapes of feet in the snow. It was what they call a profound moment. 

More than anything, I decided to actually relax today. I am used to a sort of pseudo-relaxation, where I am only hanging onto the surface and unable to feel any sort of comfort. I am used to lingering. Surfaces are all I am afforded, and rarely full immersion into something as lovely as a relaxing, nice day.

 I try to take a bath, get my mind off of things, but I only starkly feel the thin trails of sweat from the hot water on the back of my neck, and an acute awareness of my body. I cannot relax. I try to afford myself the nice things - a moisturizing face mask, some lotion, a really smooth cleanser that soaks into my skin. None of these feel good enough, because I expect too much of myself.

That is one of my many problems. I expect too much of myself. I try to play it off as a gentle horoscope excuse: Virgos are supposed to expect too much of ourselves, aren't we? But I know that's not all it is. I don't terribly like to talk about it.

And times like these, I remember why I wanted to become a writer. I cannot keep these things swept up inside of me to collect dust, to be found at a later date when I have collapsed from the weight. 

So, I write them out on a snow day, like this one.

(by the way, I got a haircut a few days ago - here it is!)