September edit
On fall wardrobe staples, mermaid eyeshadow and fancy hand cream.
September was a tough month for me and I almost didn’t send this out (so here I am quietly sliding into your inboxes almost halfway into October). That being said, I’m glad I decided to write this anyway because it was a comforting exercise. Here’s an edit of what I read, wore, watched and bought last month.
Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff
Loved Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You? Then you might also like Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff. The romance novella (this is for you, my fellow time-poor friends!) is about a political strategist who ends up working with her teenage boy band crush to help him stage his big comeback. What’s equally intriguing is the new entertainment company behind the book. 831 Stories was launched by friends and A Thing or Two podcast hosts, Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo. It wants to be the A24 or Marvel of Romance by building an engaged community and a clear brand identity for romance readers, even drawing in the romance-curious. I also love how they build out the world of the romance books beyond the page. Big Fan, for example, has Mischief merch, from Charlie’s former band, and they commissioned the song that Charlie sings. I’m excited to see what else they have coming down the pipeline. In the meantime, they also have really cute romance merch, like this Celebrity/Normal person trope hat.
Kulfi Zari Eyes Long-Lasting Crease-Proof Cream Eyeshadow
I love a good creamy eyeshadow pot. It’s not fussy and falls in the category of the kind of one-swipe-and-done makeup I like best. I also tend to like my cream shadows shimmery with lots of iridescence and more recently, with pigment that pops. In the past, I stuck to mostly neutral shades but these days, I’m a bit bolder (who knew I’d embrace more colour as I got older?!). I was inspired by a blue eyeshadow that a makeup artist used on me, and decided to re-create a version of it for a beauty event. I used the Kulfi Zari eyeshadow in the shade, Disco Dreams, which is a beautiful blue duo-chrome with flecks of green. It gave mermaid vibes and joy, and I also decided that next time, I’m not going to wait for a special occasion to wear it.
Uniqlo pleated long skirt and olive trench coat
I bought a few pieces from Clare Waight Keller's fall/winter UNIQLO : C collection, most notably this pleated long skirt and the olive trench coat. I sized up on the trench coat for a looser fit and so I can comfortably wear my cozier sweaters underneath. And having only ever owned a beige trench coat for years and years, the olive feels so fresh. As for the grey pleated skirt, it gives academia vibes, and is making me excited about all the styling possibilities—sweaters, vests, puffers, cardigans, loafers, boots and more.
L’Occitane Immortelle Shea Youth Hand Cream
A friend of mine recently sent a message in our Whatsapp group asking, “What’s the most you’d spend on a hand cream? My favourite fancy hand cream is from L’Occitane. It boasts a serum-in-cream formula that melts into your skin, but is still rich enough to properly moisturize. I also love the scent, which is nice, but not too overpowering. At $51 CAD, it’s not cheap although it’ll cost less than Chanel’s iconic pebble-shaped hand cream and Dior’s equally pricey version. Plus, you get 75 ml worth of product, which is more than what you get with the other two. Do you need this? Probably not! But if you’re willing to spend, it’s an excellent hand cream.
Culinary Class Wars
I’m a sucker for cooking shows and my latest obsession is the Korean reality TV show, Culinary Class Wars on Netflix. It’s like the food version of Physical: 100. 20 renowned chefs, known as “White Spoons,” compete against 80 “Black Spoons,” ranging from professional to self-taught chefs in a cook-off. The judges try the food in a blind taste test order to avoid any preferential treatment. I love how the Black Spoon chefs bring such diverse experiences. There’s a chef who’s inspired by his own comic book collection, a head chef for an elementary school, and a chef known for serving homemade meals in Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market. Fair warning: watching it will make you very hungry.
Bagis hangers
Who knew hangers could bring such joy? Especially these rainbow-bright ones. I was looking to get bigger children’s hangers for my son when I came across the Bagis ones from IKEA. They come in fun colours and are sturdy enough for toddler clothes, including the bulky stuff. A pack of eight costs $5 and you can double the fun by treating yourself to some soft-serve ice cream on your way out.
Loved listening to this podcast episode with Zaynab Issa about third culture life, style and her upcoming cookbook.
Hello, Manny Jacinto, profiled in Vogue Philippines.
Love the contrasting straps on this Matilda Goad x Margaux shoe collab.
I can't wait to see you in the Uniqlo:C trench coat 😍
Thank you for sharing Small Joys every month! I’m def getting that hand cream and keeping it at my desk at work! It’ll be a nice micro dose of self care during the day :)