Cortado: September, 2020

When writing the first Cortado post in July, I had every intention of making it a weekly occurrence. I was going to buckle down every Sunday evening and write away about my favourite beauty products that week, what I was listening to, what I was reading, etc.

Sometimes, life gets in the way and has other plans.

During August, I navigated an emotional rollercoaster. I was settling into a new career, into a new home, and on the cusp of my twenty-third birthday. I was also experiencing the worst mood swings of my life, my skin was breaking out like never before, and on a few very bad days, I wasn’t able to get out of bed.

I started seeing a therapist a few weeks ago. Even after only a few sessions, I strongly believe that all of us can benefit from seeing a psychologist, especially in such a fast-paced environment. If there’s anything I learned over the past few months, it’s that investing time in your well-being will only take you further forward than what you previously perceived as your tipping point. And that is what I like to call improvement.

Sappy stories aside, I did still get to try out a lot of fun products and read lots of great books and source lots of staples for my fall wardrobe. I hope you enjoy.

What I’m reading

image from Flying Books

I finally started James Joyce’s Ulysses (let’s chat about that one in a few months) and yes, I have read Glennon Doyle’s Untamed (though she seems to speak words from the deepest part of my soul, I was saddened by her episode on Armchair Expert, where she seemed to regurgitate a lot of the stories already included in the book. I recommend the book still).

In the midst of mood swings, bouts of bad news, and my plans to move to New York postponed, I found pleasure indulging in Marlowe Granada’s first novel, Happy Hour. It’s a delicious and playful collection of what this summer should have been in New York, told from the perspective of Isa, who seems to have a Cher Horowitz type of cockiness and allure. It’s a delight, and launches September 8th with Flying Books!

What I’m listening to

I put together a playlist of my recently saved songs here. As usual, I’m all over the place in terms of genre.

What I’m eyeing

This month I’ve sourced the perfect tank, the perfect fall high boots, the perfect do-good loungewear, and more.

I hate bras. Most of the time. A friend of mine runs Sold Out NYC, a wonderful line of elevated basics. She took a classic white tank top and added a gorgeous seam detail on the back. It’s luxuriously made and thick enough so that yes, you can get away with wearing nothing underneath.

Speaking of bras, I did happen to find a bra that I really loved - Kit Undergarments is wonderfully soft and comfortable. It’s the only underwire bra I trust for daily wear.

I’ve been looking for the perfect boots for fall - I needed something with a little bit of heel, and could pair with any outfit. I found Dubié, an Argentinian line of beautifully crafted shoes, and they have the exact boot shape I was looking for. I believe they’ll be restocking soon, so I linked similar models. However, you’ll want to keep an eye on this brand.

In Montreal, Anjela Freyja is working to end food insecurity, and she does this through her brand Fermé, a line of nostalgia-evoking loungewear that caters to fans of Sporty & Rich, Aimé Léon Doré, Essentials, and the works. Fermé is a non-profit that, in its first drop, raised $20 000 to donate to Meals on Wheels America and the Red Cross Meals Program. Her designs are reminiscent of the Fermé (French for “closed”) signs she would see on restaurants in her home city, serving as a reminder of one of the hardest hit industries affected by COVID-19.

What I’m looking at

I made a fall moodboard of my latest inspiration here :) It’s filled with a lot of knit things.

On beauty

In terms of skin, it’s been the worst month of my life. I’ve had a patch of bumps on the right side of my face that just hasn’t seemed to go away. Luckily, this weekend I’ll be having my first medical facial since we went into isolation. Until then, I’ve rounded up some of my favourite beauty picks from this month that have helped me to cope with my raging hormonal acne.

I am loving Gucci Westman’s Atelier foundation sticks - they are so easy to apply and offer a medium-coverage foundation that is mess-free and fits easily in your purse for on-the-go touch ups.

Baume Essentiel is one of my favourite items from Chanel Beauty, and they just launched a gorgeous new shade in their fall collection. It’s a shimmery pink that evokes the idea that you may have actually summered in Europe, and a core component of my dewy makeup routine.

Also from Chanel is a beautiful new fragrance that will join the Coco Mademoiselle line, L’Eau Privée. It is an intimate, lighter version of the beloved Coco Mademoiselle perfume that is meant to be experienced in the evening. With notes of patchouli and citrus, a soft frosted glass version of the classic art deco bottle, and a playful pink evocative of a sparkling rosé, I am hooked on this addition to my perfume collection. A single spray in my room basically constitutes an act of self care. Coco Mademoiselle L’Eau Privé will be available on September 8th, and with Keira Knightly beckoning you in the campaign wearing her weight in pearls (see below), I know the temptation is real.

Goopgenes cream has launched. It’s my favourite night cream and contains all sorts of wonderful ingredients like ceramides, schisandra fruit (known for its calming and restorative capabilities), illipe butter (which supposedly contains vitamins A and E), squalane, and beneficial fatty alcohols such as Oleyl alcohol. It’s a smoothie of wonderful ingredients and feels so wonderful on my skin.

If you haven’t already seen it, Gwyneth and her mum Blythe chat about aging with grace in the video below. It’s wholesome content.

I experienced a weird imbalance of insomnia and the desire to sleep for 13+ hours - my eye bags tell all. I am excited about Youth to the People’s new Superberry Dream eye cream, which is meant for nighttime and focuses on brightening the eye area with antioxidant ingredients. I do think the packaging is a tad small for the price, but am excited to test this one out.

And that’s all for now! With the usual fashion month schedule usurped, I’ll be dreaming up another way to broadcast my thoughts and favourites. In the meantime, signing off. Let’s meet back in October, shall we?