This September was unseasonably warm here, though, so I can't complain. The leaves have barely started to turn, which is both amazing (because it has fooled me into thinking that summer is not over!) and slightly disconcerting. I mean, it is pretty much October -- you would think that we would be seeing at least a little yellow and red!
But anyway, September favourites. I need to stop yammering on about the weather and, let's face it, crap that you guys could probably care less about ;)
My Stamp of Approval
Beauty:
Nars - Night Series Nail Polish in Night Rider
Admittedly, I did not get quite as much mileage out of this polish this month as I would have liked to. This is mostly because with my line of work, painting my nails seems rather futile (read: chippage galore, even with good quality, long-wearing polishes). I am sure that I will get plenty of use out of it in the coming months, though. Especially once I settle back into my student lifestyle come January ;)
Lush - Breath of Fresh Air (toner)
I originally got this product because I figured that it was high time that I purchased a toner. Traditionally, I have been a bit of a minimalist when it comes to my skincare routine -- one cleanser, one moisturizer, that's it. As of late, though, I have moved more towards the "skin product fiend" end of the spectrum. I blame Lush. Entirely.
That's not to say that this product is my be-end toner, though. I am actually trying to figure out if it is really doing what I want it to (help clear up my skin; I have been VERY breakout-prone this month). I realize that this particular toner isn't necessarily supposed to help clear your skin, but... you know what, I'm not going to try to explain myself. Haha.
Basically, I was torn between the Tea Tree Water toner and this one, and one of the girls at Lush recommended me this one. And I really like this one, don't get me wrong -- there is a reason why it is on my favourites list this month. With sea salt and aloe, it freshens up your skin by zapping oil without drying it out. The name is definitely apt; if you could bottle a breath of fresh air, this toner would be it!
I just... wish that it had more skin clearing properties. In fact, if my skin doesn't go back to its usual condition soon, I think I may invest in a bottle of the Tea Tree Water, too. And use both. Because I really do love this product, it just hasn't quite done what I bought it for! It does make my skin feel pretty good, though.
Bite Luminous Crème Lipstick in Zivoli
Ladies and gentlemen, I think that I may have found the perfect red lipstick for me! Putting this in my September favourites is actually kind of cheating, because I don't own this lipstick -- yet. I only borrowed it from one of my friends for a night out, and fell in love.
This shade is great in the fact that it is bold and red, but not overly so. I like the look of red lipstick a lot, but find that my usual shade of red (Rimmel's Alarm) is a bit too bold for everyday wear. And even though I wore this shade for a night out, I definitely think that this red is suitable for day as well. Again, it is a statement shade, but doesn't scream "RED LIPS!!!" It is far more muted. And the formula? Love it. Long wearing, moisturizing, ahhhh. I don't even care that it supposedly contains the same benefits as five glasses of red wine AND is free of parabens, sulfates, and blah blah blah (which it is). This lipstick is awesome!
Here, have a picture to give you a somewhat better idea of what this lipstick looks like. Yes, it's a shameless (horrible quality) self portrait, and yes, that is a bottle of wine. I was just, er... trying to drive the point RE: "five glasses of red wine" home. Yup.
(Let's conveniently ignore the fact that that is a bottle of white, not red...)
In any case, I am planning on purchasing this lipstick tomorrow, so I may update this post with a better quality swatch.
Food:
Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread
I realize that I just posted about this recipe yesterday, but seriously. It was that good that I had to post about it again here in my September favourites. Deal with it. Haha. And for god's sake, if you are domestically-inclined, bake some! You will see what I mean.
Television/Dramas:
Can't Lose (지고는 못살아)
What, you weren't expecting this post to go by without mention of a kdrama, were you?
The one (yes, only one) drama that I started this month is Can't Lose, a rom-com centering around a disfunctional lawyer couple and, well... their disfunctionality. Basically, the whole premise of the beginning of the drama = new love is blind. Horribly, horribly blind. New love makes you do silly things, like rush into marriage... something that you regret once you become one of those couples -- you know, the ones who argue about who does the cleaning, who needs to step it up in terms of finances, dealing with the in-laws, who forgot to register the marriage... you know, completely normal, inane things like that.
...Oh wait, I guess forgetting to register a marriage isn't along the lines of normal, is it? Haha.
In any case, despite the fact that I am not very far into this drama (only three episodes, actually...), so far I am really enjoying it. This is actress Choi Jiwoo's first rom-com role, and I must say that I DEFINITELY enjoy her in this one as compared to the weepy melodramas she usually chooses. And Yoon Sanghyun (better known as Oska in last year's smash hit drama Secret Garden)? Excellent in this role. I am excited to continue with this drama, and so far would recommend it.
Can't Lose is currently airing on Wednesdays and Thursdays on MBC. Or, for those of us outside of Korea, you can catch it streaming on the internet. Haha.
Music:
JYJ - In Heaven
You also weren't expecting my Korean entertainment babbling to end with Can't Lose, were you? Heh. I really couldn't let this post end without at least mentioning this album.
For those of you who are unaware, JYJ = three members of TVXQ. Or former members, depending on your level of optimism. It's a long story. Anyway. I am a longtime fan of TVXQ or DBSK, whichever name you prefer to call the group by. I guess you could say that I have been a die-hard fan of them for nearly seven years. It broke my heart when a lawsuit led to these three members going their separate ways from the other two, because the group had magic. Honestly, despite the Korean boyband/idol group label, these guys are all incredibly talented. Really. I'm not saying that as a delusional fangirl, I am saying it as someone who appreciates music. And when they split, it seemed as if the magic was lost, gone forever.
Well, I got the chance to see the JYJ portion of TVXQ perform in Vancouver this past May, and my opinion was changed. The magic is still there. And with the release of their album In Heaven, I was reminded of the good ol' days, despite the fact that there are two members missing (which I am still sad about, don't get me wrong). This album is a prime example of the artistry and talent that this group is capable of, what with the fact that they composed, arranged, and sang pretty much all of the songs on the album. Definitely not a disappointment. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea necessarily, but definitely good, honest music. I think that these guys have truly disproven the idol stereotype with this album.
The standout tracks for me are "Get Out," "In Heaven," and "Pierrot," though really? Each one has its own unique, enjoyable flavour.
Books:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Pretty sure everyone and their mother is reading/talking about this book since the release of the film version of it, so I will keep my comments short and sweet.
Worth the hype.
So, for the love of god, read the book before you see the film. Or if you have already seen the film, read the book. The book is always better than the movie version, anyway! (I admittedly haven't watched the film yet though, so maybe this is an incredibly rare exception? Haha)
And, as an extra-nerdy conclusion to my favourites...
My New Logitech Retractable Mouse!
I am one of those picky people who hates using the laptop trackpad. When possible and not on the go, I prefer to use an actual mouse, kthx. When I first got my laptop, I bought a teeny, tiny laptop mouse to use with it.
Needless to say, my laptop mouse recently sort of packed it in. I say "sort of" because even though the scrolly wheel stopped working, I could still use it. It just didn't move quite as smoothly nor predictably as it once did, resulting in me accidentally closing crap more often than I liked. It was infuriating.
I finally stopped being cheap and bought a new mouse today. AND IT IS AMAZING! I finally have a scrolly wheel again and haven't accidentally closed anything all night, whoo hoo! And the retractable cord, while not being very long, is actually quite nice. I have it plugged in to my USB ports on the right side and the cord doesn't get in the way! Yay!
...And that concludes my moment of nerdiness, as well as my September favourites, haha. What were your favourites this month? :)
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