See, this is where I would normally do my spheel about the days getting warmer and spring finally coming in. But it’s going to be 5 degrees this weekend. So while I’m thoroughly done with winter, winter isn’t done with me just yet. In any case, it is still the end of August. Which means it’s time to chat favourites. And I have an interesting assortment for this round. I feel like you might sense a theme of warmth and coziness. Two things I was desperately craving during winter. Let’s get into the faves!
Q+A SKINCARE VITAMIN C BODY CREAM – $19.99*
Q+A was kind enough to send me a few goodies from their Vitamin C range a little while ago. And the body cream has by and large been the stand out. First of all, this smells incredible. It’s precisely what I want in a citrus scent. Zesty and fresh without it being woody, if that makes sense. The formula contains a ton of amazing hydrating ingredients to help nourish my dry skin. But the big one is Ascorbic Acid, which is proven to help brighten skin with repeat use. I have a lot of scarring on my arms from scratches over the years. And a month and a half of using this body cream on a nightly basis has helped significantly in their reduction. It’s been a while since a bodycare product has impressed me this much.
SETSUNA PERFUMES DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT EDP – $120.00
NOTES: Vanilla, Caramel, Cake, Marshmallow, Ice Cream, White Chocolate, and Musk
I just gave this a huge write up in my last post, so I’ll keep this brief. If you want to smell like the sweetest, stickiest dessert on earth, you need this in your life. A little bit goes a long way and it lasts pretty much all day on the skin. A true win for the gourmand girlies and I’m already drooling over their next launch.
MAC COSMETICS EYESHADOW in SOFT BROWN – $35.00
I picked up this shadow on a whim back in July off the recommendation of Elizabeth Cee (the reigning Queen of Aussie Beauty). This is actually my first experience with a matte MAC eyeshadow in quite some time and I’m kicking myself for not getting into them sooner. The formula is very much iconic for a reason. And there is definitely a reason why Soft Brown is a longtime favourite amongst the community. It has quickly become my go to eyeshadow shade for my day to day makeup. It blends out so easily. And I especially love that the hint of warmth this shadow has really makes the blue in my eyes pop. I can’t in good conscious advise you to pay full price for it. But if you spot it on sale, it’s worth having for sure.
TOO FACED RIBBON WRAPPED LASH MASCARA – $51.00 (review here)
As it stands right now, this is my mascara of the year. Is it pricey? Yes. But for the effect it gives to my lashes, I will pay that $50 again and again. The length and definition speaks for itself. I will scrape this tube clean, I love it that much. The only reason why I’m not saying more is because I have a 700 word review that says everything I want to say.
LANEIGE BOUNCY & FIRM LIP TREATMENT – $39.00
So, fun fact, I took this with me to Melbourne knowing that I would probably need a heavy duty lip mask for the cold, windy weather. I ended up needing it more here in the Isa (we were that cold this winter). In all seriousness, this is the first lip mask style treatment that I’ve tried where you can apply it before bed and still feel it on your lips the next morning. It’s so deeply nourishing. If I feel even a tingle of dryness or wind burn beginning to happen on my lips, this stuff is getting slathered on. Next morning, wind burn is basically gone. My lips are hydrated, plump, and healthy. And I 100% credit the Bouncy & Firm Lip Treatment for that. Worth the splurge for sure.
And that’s a wrap on the beauty faves. Let’s get into the random faves!
SUPERMAN (2025) – Available to rent on streaming
It was a pretty mid season for the blockbuster movies, I won’t lie. A lot of the big movies I was looking forward to ended up being let downs for one reason or another. The movie that didn’t let me down though was James Gunn’s Superman. I’ve been a fan of Gunn since his Troma days. And to see him go from strength to strength in his career has been awesome. This was everything I could have wanted out of a superhero movie. A great cast, excellent writing, gripping action, and so many little fun winks and nods to the DC fanbase (I say that as someone who tends to lean more Marvel). But most importantly, this movie was fun and full of heart. While I do recommend seeing this on the biggest screen possible, it is now available to rent. And I strong suggest you do because Peacemaker season 2 started last week. And I fear this won’t be the only DC thing making it into my favourites.
KING OF THE HILL – Disney +
I was something of a latecomer to King Of The Hill. A lot of the show’s humour went right over my head during it’s original run (it started in 1997 when I was 8). I would finally get around to binging all 13 seasons last year and was eagerly excited for the reboot that came out earlier this month. Set around 12-13 years after the original series wrapped, the 14th season see’s Hank and Peggy returning to Arlen after Hank took a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia. They return to an Arlen that has changed considerably in their time away. And we get all of the fun of seeing how Hank and Peggy adapt to their old but new surroundings. Y’all, this cooked. With propane, no less! I had a ton of fun with this. The show did such a great job of finding the right balance of groundedness and humour. The highlight for me personally was seeing Bobby all grown up and seeing how adulthood is treating him. Ther first 10 episodes are available now. With another 10 coming out next year sometime.
TURTLE TIME – Spotify
I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned it here, but I am lowkey a Bravo fangirl. I was a little late to the Housewives, but I am a VPR/Valley loyalist. And I’ve been on a hunt to find a podcast to listen to to scratch my Bravo itch while The Valley is off the air. I can’t remember how I discovered Turtle Time, but I’ve quickly become obsessed and have been binging their episodes whenever I’m out and about. Riley and Megan are long time Bravoheads and twice a week, they discuss everything going on in the world of the Housewives. I’ve just finished listening to all of the episodes they had on Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules (fun fact, these two were at TomTom the night THAT happened). The episodes are super long and detailed. And it’s fun to listen to someone else’s perspective. Even if I don’t 100% agree with their stances on certain things.
And that is a wrap, officially! Here’s hoping we actually get a Spring here in The Isa. And that I make even more fun beauty discoveries. Let me know what products you were loving during Winter in the comments.
Cheers and love
Emily xo