LISTENING
Is there a way of saying that you think someone is brilliant without saying you are a fan? Fans are, to my mind, in the pigtails and pencil cases stage of life whereas I am more chin hairs and cynicism. Admirer sound downright creepy. Stans seem to be a subsection of pigtails and pencil cases who live in the Internet being horrid to one another. All I need is a way of saying that I have a higher than average level of appreciation for Lady Gaga. Because I true love her. Have just discovered the song Shallow, her duet with Bradley Cooper from the film A Star Is A Born. I haven’t seen A Star Is Born and don’t know anything about it other than, I think, it is a bit of a tear-jerker. Which I can well believe: when the chorus of this song kicks in all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I want to burst into tears. One day this week I listened to it on repeat upwards of 15 times because I thought my neighbour was out (she wasn’t) and the baby can’t judge me (aloud). Give her all the Oscars.
READING
This excerpt in The Guardian, from a new book by journalist Joel Golby, about losing both parents by age 25. Brilliant writing. Beautifully observed, intense and quietly devastating. Have been haunted by it ever since. The bit about the camera. Oof. Proper gut punch. Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant by Joel Golby, out 21st February.
SPOTTING
Look what I’ve found. It’s only the best liquid highlighter around, the one I thought had been discontinued, back in stock on the Topshop website. It’s got fancy new packaging but it’s definitely the same product, same shade options. I have all the liquid highlighters, Cover FX, Beauty Pie, Barry M, Revolution. The Topshop Glow Liquid Highlighter, £15, is the best. Full review here.
USING
Am on a use up mission as we have a one-in-one-out situation on the makeup front. Which is great, as I have made a couple of excellent concealer rediscoveries. The first is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, £24. I was a little underwhelmed with this when I first bought it, found it a little thick, a touch too drying. But am really enjoying it second time round. Have been using the shade Honey which is a couple of shades darker than my skin tone and quite orange in colour, but works perfectly as a colour corrector on dark circles.
The second is the Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer, £7.99. This is a great product, light but pigmented, I use the shade 02, a perfect match for my skin, over the top of the NARS to brighten.
Til next time,
Hayley
