Here's a Post About June

I thought I'd be insanely bored without blogging this summer, since it's probably my current favorite hobby. However, I ended up being totally immersed in Stereotypical Summer Fun with my partner, and I had quite a few products on my to-test list that kept me busy. (Actually, I still have a big list of products to photograph and document...why does this take me so long?!)

First, let me run over a few of my MVPs from this summer. I managed to snag one of these Sephora Chic It Easy sets when it went on sale for $25, which is a crazy awesome deal:

I gave the nail polish to my cousin's daughter, since I already have that shade, and got rid of the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (not my shade and my mom still has half a tube) and Caudalie mist (contains alcohol). Everything else stayed with me. I was especially excited to have this small vial of Atelier Cologne's Orange Sanguine fragrance, which smells like a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice. I'm not usually big on citrus fragrances because they're so fleeting, and this Atelier offering is no different, but it's been perfect for carrying around in my purse this summer.

I've been continuing my use-stuff-up journey as well, and I managed to finish a deluxe sample of the Kat Von D Lock It Concealer Creme in L3. This is still the best color match I've found for my foundation-free face, and as I've gotten more and more in to the no foundation look, I decided it was worth purchasing a full tube. I'm also working through another sample of Clinique High Impact Mascara, a great choice for full but relatively natural volume and minimal flaking or smearing. And while I've been lazy about wearing highlighter when I'm sans foundation in the past, I've honestly been loving the glow I get from Glossier Haloscope in Quartz. (It helps that I've had my hair pulled up almost every day this summer because it's so humid.) Glossier recently posted something on their Instagram stories about wearing all 3 Haloscope shades at once, and I won't even lie, I've been tempted to try it.

Now for a few product-related downers I've experienced. Influenster sent me the new Maybelline Brow Drama Shaping Chalk to test, and the shade 120 Medium Brown was definitely Not Okay. It's a little too dark for me and way too warm; it's so red on my brows, in fact, that when I wore it, my partner couldn't look at my face without laughing. (I removed it as quickly as I could to avoid being banished to the couch for bad brows.)

I will note, though, that I actually like the formula of this product. The packaging is a bit fiddly--it's a loose powder in a tube, so you'll get a few flakes on your desk when you pull the doe foot out--but the actual chalk is super pigmented and gives you a soft, filled-in look in seconds. If I could find a lighter, ashier shade, I'd probably buy another tube and use it for my lazier days.

They also sent me the Brow Precise Micro Crayon in 265 Auburn, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why they sent that shade. Medium Brown in one product, Auburn in another? WTF? Auburn is even more red than Medium Brown, so clearly, I won't be wearing it out and about.

Things have been rough on the face sunscreen front, too. Most of the American and European options I've been testing have irritated my skin, dried out my face, or produced a swath of pimples across my cheeks, so I've ordered four alcohol-free Japanese sunscreens that should be arriving...um, some time this month. In the meantime, I've been using my La Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Sunscreen Lotion Spray SPF60 on my face. The lightweight formula is totally workable for the face if you spray it on to your hands, then rub it in. The only downside is that I have to keep it away from my eyes because it makes them water. Also, my bottle has maybe one spray left in it. $35 for a spray sunscreen galls me in my current financial state, so I've been trying a few others that ranked highly on the most recent Consumer Reports list.

I'M ON A BOAT!!! #boating #canoe #summerishere #sunday #sundayfunday

A post shared by Renee (@reneesanatomy) on Jun 25, 2017 at 4:33pm PDT

Speaking of sunscreen: did I mention that my partner convinced me to try canoeing? I was nervous that I would look like an idiot (because I'm not athletic in the least) or fall out of the boat (DID I MENTION THAT I'M REALLY NOT ATHLETIC), but I managed to keep my seat and really enjoy myself. I mean, I freaked out a little when Kirby shifted his weight and the canoe rocked, but beyond that, I think this could become my new favorite summer activity!

Pittsburgh's Wood Street Gallery has also had a couple of robots scribing religious texts and duplicating a photo of Mars for the past month. I'm a little offended that a freaking robot has better handwriting than me, but the fact that I can still read and understand some German is a fair consolation prize. The robots will be here until early September, so if you come to Pittsburgh, check them out! The Wood Street Gallery exhibits are always free.

Kirby's friends visited the city at the start of July, and we intended to take them to see the robots and a few other art galleries. Then they heard that Pittsburgh is home to the National Aviary, and it was all over. BEAUTIFUL BIRDS! GIANT FRUIT BATS! A SLOTH! Damn, I love the aviary. Here's our friend Krista feeding some Lorikeets, by the way, which is only $3 a person and totally worth it:

Last, but not least, my incredibly generous partner decided to take me to see In the Heights yesterday. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars: you can tell that Lin Manuel Miranda wrote this before Hamilton, since the latter is superior in most aspects, but it's still a damn fun musical. If you're curious, Amazon currently has a stream of the soundtrack available. I highly recommend "Breathe" and "Carnaval de Barrio."

We're pretending to be cultured today. #intheheights #musical #pittsburgh #theatre #linmanuelmiranda

A post shared by Renee (@reneesanatomy) on Jul 9, 2017 at 3:43pm PDT

Also, I want to take a moment to appreciate the navy blue jumpsuit I wore to the musical. It's the first jumpsuit I've ever found that actually flatters me. (Unfortunately, I didn't get a very clear, super-flattering photo of the actual outfit.) My aunt is a seamstress, and she shortened the pants for my little legs and raised the shoulders a bit so it fit me even better. Seriously, guys, if you want to look your best in your clothes, spend a couple extra bucks on some tailoring for your favorite pieces.

I'm usually in my pajamas when my niece comes over, so when I came home jumpsuit-ed and saw she was visiting, I made sure to snag a photo with my best girl. She'll be a year old this month!

Oh, and have I mentioned that I've managed to tan a bit? Because I have. I've gotten a hair darker on my face, but because I'm sunscreen-obsessed and usually wearing a hat on longer outings, the change is most noticeable on my shoulders. Hence, I currently have an NC5 neck, and NC15 face, and an NC25 set of shoulders. I will be a patchwork for the next few months, and I apologize in advance.

Art Interlude

A cricket enclosure with some super-stylized bug noms--I couldn't find the artist label for this one.

Here's a quick warning: I've found bugs infinitely fascinating since I was a little girl. That's not to say I'm cool with poisonous wasps floating around my head or that I'd love to wake up covered in roaches, but for the most part, I am the kind of person who tries to kidnap spiders, photograph them, then release them instead of smooshing them. If you are truly terrified of insects, this isn't the post for you.

While some of the pieces at the current Wood Street Galleries exhibit are true blue art, a lot of them are a mixture of visual spectacle and science. Take this little cockroach munching on a tomato: he's obviously not art in and of himself, but he and his buddies were shown alongside a three-legged robot. It was designed so that--get this--the cockroach itself would move the robot, with no outside help. Explicitly art? No. Explicitly cool? Totally.

There were still some "art for the sake of art" pieces, of course, like "Justified By Love" by Jennifer Angus. Yes, all of those bugs are real...and this is just one of several arrangements Angus created. Again, I really like bugs, so I'm hoping these guys were already dead before she pinned them to the boards. Regardless, it's an interesting piece that questions what we find beautiful and what we consider a wall-worthy trophy.

And the wallpaper selection (which includes phrases like "Remember Me," shown here) makes me wonder about how we value living creatures. Think about it: all of these bugs in this art piece are dead, as was the squirrel I noticed on the side of the ride a few days ago. But I admit that I felt a stronger emotional reaction when I saw the mammal. Why? That squirrel wasn't my pet, it wasn't inherently more valuable to the ecosystem than a cicada or a bee, and it probably would've bit the shit out of me just as quickly as any black widow spider.

Speaking of bees: OH MY GOD, THEY HAVE GIANT SEE-THROUGH BEEHIVES! I've been obsessed with bees for years now, and seeing them this up close and personal was a real treat. I could have watched them for hours if I'd had the chance. What's interesting is that this beehive includes a tunnel that pokes through the window and allows the bees to fly around outside of the gallery, and they come in go by the multitudes. Yet nobody down below notices. These two worlds are so fast-paced and busy, but we take no notice of each other. It makes you wonder how the world functions around you on so many different levels...and you never notice.

Also, nobody panic, the bees cannot get inside the gallery.

As I waited for the bus home, I noticed a dragonfly land on this man's hand and stay perfectly still for a full minute. When it flew off, he rolled up his sleeve and revealed two dragonfly tattoos. This was almost certainly coincidence--dragonflys are weirdly sedate, and tattoos of them abound--but it still felt very special and sweet. You know what they say: there's beauty in the mundane.

Wood Street's "All Around Us" exhibit will remain open until the 19th, so if you're in the city and you're not terrified of insects, definitely check it out. As always, the exhibitions are free, though donations are appreciated.

Art Interlude (with bonus blather)

Avinash Veeraraghavan, "In the Upper Room"

Downtown Pittsburgh's galleries are currently featuring Indian and Indian-American artists for fall's "INDIA in Focus" events. My graduate school studies focused primarily on Indian art and culture, so of course I was stupidly thrilled about this series. Every piece showcases the diversity of India's visual culture.

(The fabulous lady in the poncho, by the way, is my cousin Meg, AKA the best art buddy around.)

Hetain Patel and Eva Martinez-Patel, "The First Dance"

 Most of the work is comprised of solo shows. The Wood Street Galleries, for instance, are showing several video installations and photographs from Hetain Patel. Patel's work was not actually my favorite from this series, but I did find the installation "The First Dance" eerily beautiful. There's a smooth rhythm for most of the piece, and its sudden interruption at the end is well-played.

Several of my friends have said that this show is their favorite in the series, by the way, so I probably just have really bad taste.

Shilpa Gupta, "24:00:01"

My personal favorite piece was located in Space. Shilpa Gupta's 24:00:01 rolls different words and phrases across a flapboard for a full 20 minutes, and if the gallery hadn't suddenly been overrun by screaming children, I could've stayed for an hour just enjoying this piece. Yes, the actual movement and sound of the flipping tiles are weirdly hypnotic. But I was truly taken in by how much it made me question myself. What do we think about in a day? Are words innately meaningful, or do we endow them with more meaning than they deserve? How we categorize our moments--do we remember them with words, with images, with sounds?

Sarika Goulatia, "A Million Marks of Home"

The 707/709 Penn Galleries are featuring two more solo shows, including this piece by Sarika Goulatia. When I first entered the room, I was very "meh" about it, but it quickly grew on me. I became obsessed with looking for patterns in the wood, admiring the stark difference between a board with a few minuscule dots and another that was covered in drill holes. The smell was addictive as well: that mixture of dry wood and chili powder needs to be a perfume. I would be stunned if the smell wasn't as carefully designed as the visual elements.

All of these galleries are free and open to the public, and the shows should be running through the end of November.

And now, a moment of blather.

This past month, I accepted an offer for a second job. Without getting too in to detail, it was a temporary work-from-home position with good pay. I left the job early on due to personal reasons. At the time, I was concerned about the money I'd just given up. But I realized something: working this job transformed my work week from roughly 30-40 hours a week to 50-60. Yes, it was only temporary, and yes, the money would have been nice. But October is my favorite month. And because I was so bogged down with work, I spent 4 out of 5 beautiful fall days...in my room. It was 65 degrees outside and sunny, with the leaves changing colors and the houses covered in Halloween decorations, and I was inside!

I'm not saying people shouldn't work hard, because a strong work ethic is something I truly value; hard workers keep the world turning. But when I left that second job, I became almost eerily aware of how much time I'd forfeited just to make more money.

Shortly after leaving the position, I spent time with my parents and video chatted my partner. The day after that, I ate pizza and ice cream whilst critiquing the Democratic debate with my friends. I was able to give my students my full, undivided attention without feeling stressed about how I was going to get everything done.

I slept better.

I took my time when I ate.

I read books.

I enjoyed the knowledge that, even with my busy "regular job," I had pockets of free space to do as I pleased.

I say this now because beholding a piece of art takes time. But if you find pieces that move you, that make you question something or feel a strong emotion, then it may be time well-spent. Our time is finite, more finite than our savings account ever will be; we must choose how we spend it wisely. I want to continue my journey to experience more and overspend less, and I hope you'll continue that journey with me.

Art Interlude

Rebecca Lessner, "Hunter Gatherer"

Now that the weather is slowly but surely warming, I can spend more time checking out the sweet art exhibits in downtown Pittsburgh. I went with my cousin Meg this time, and we hit several shows on the block.

The 707 and 709 Penn Avenue galleries (which, unfortunately, don't seem to have a reliable web link) are one-room galleries that host a variety of shows. Hunter Gatherer was a particularly lovely collection of mixed media: sound, photography, and sculpture. Being Creepy Creepy Two By Fours, Meg and I were enamored with these modified animal skulls. But both galleries housed beautiful work, which should be there until the middle of the month.

Lauri Astala, "On Disappearance"

The Wood Street Galleries don't get a lot of press, but they contain some of my absolute favorite exhibitions. We managed to make it to the last few days of the Absence of Self collection of works. While my lovely readers will have missed this exhibit by the time I post, Wood Street always has some incredible work.

The above video piece--which was damn hard to photograph--actually makes you a part of the artwork. (You can see us standing in the mirrors.) It was incredible to listen to this person on screen monologue about the rooms of our life, and all the while, I felt that I was simultaneously part of the room he stood in and something separate. That's the purpose of art.

Ivana Franke, "Seeing With Eyes Closed"

Another one of my favorite pieces from the day was this interactive exhibit by Ivana Franke. You enter the room one at a time, sit on the pillow facing the lights, close your eyes, and press the button. The strobe lights flash and create patterns behind your eyes. The experience made Meg feel slightly sick, but I felt meditative, relaxed, and utterly impressed.

My one disappointment: the sign outside the exhibit clearly said that only one person should come in at a time. When it was my turn, I was quickly interrupted by a very young couple who refused to listen to the gallery attendant's instructions and acted like I wasn't waiting to try out the art. Dear readers, I hope none of you will ever be this rude at an art gallery.

Mel Chin, "Cross of the Unforgiven"

The Space Gallery currently has a curated collection of gun-related pieces called "Unloaded," which will be viewable until the end of April. Many of the pieces were beautiful, but I was particularly interested in the sculptures and installations. Meg referred to Chin's work as a "gun mandala"...very apt! The Space show is a great one to see if you like a wide variety of art forms.

We made sure we ate some lunch before we went gallery hopping. We gave Grit & Grace a try, and we were both reasonably impressed. We shared three servings of their take on "dim sum"--a quinoa with green curry, some carrot and cabbage kim chi, and pork belly bites--and I had a marinated carrot salad while Meg ate a pork belly BLT.

I would give the food a solid B grade: it was good, but not quite as remarkable as some of the dishes at other Pittsburgh restaurants. The cost of the alcohol was also pretty extreme, even by city standards. But the ambiance was beautiful and the service was fantastic. I might give them another lunch time visit in the future!

REVIEW: Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks

I cannot believe that I've ranted, raved, and gushed about these liquid lipsticks for nearly a year, but have never written a formal review. Maybe it's because I'm afraid that a formal review will turn people off: the current trend is for weightless, shiny lipsticks, and these babies are anything but. Still, one of my goals is to become the semi-official Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick spokesperson. That requires some writing.

The Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks are just what they say on the tin: "indestructible matte" liquid lipsticks with opaque pigmentation and an incredibly long wear time. A full-size tube will run you $28 for 0.10 ounces, which isn't bad for a high-end lipstick. There are several "mini tubes" available at $10 for 0.03 ounces, which is a good way to try the colors without making a major financial commitment. In case it isn't clear in the header image, I have two full-size tubes and two mini-tubes.

The packaging is a mixed bag for me. They come in these long, kinda flat tubes that are clear on the front and metallic on the back and lid. This means they can't stand up on a desk or a vanity, and they get covered in fingerprints, making them kind of unsightly in photographs. However, you can see the exact color of the product and how much you have left, and that's always a bonus. Color names and batch codes are on the back.

EXPAND FOR LARGER IMAGES -- from left to right: Riviera, Muse, Canvas, Icon

The liquid formulation feels slightly thick and very creamy. You apply the product with a doe-foot applicator, which I find relatively easy to control. It's easy to overdo it, so I always wipe the applicator off on the rim of the tube before I apply. Trust me: it's better to have too little than too much!

The lipstick will start to dry almost immediately, and will completely set in about 2-3 minutes, so be sure to fix any mistakes quickly. This product has to be removed with an oil-based remover, so just faffing around with a q-tip isn't going to help you. Also, try not to rub your lips together until the product has sat for a few minutes; this can cause lines and creases.

 I own 4 shades: Riviera, a bold orange, Muse, a bright coral, Canvas, a soft mid-tone pink, and Icon, a blue-based red. The pictures above demonstrate how pigmented and opaque the shades are. I will note that the more neutral/pale shades like Canvas can apply slightly streaky if you aren't careful; again, it's helpful to only use a little bit of product at a time.

Hourglass claims that these lipsticks will last for 14 hours. I think that's a little obscene for the average user, so I try to test products listed as "long-wearing" over a 6-8 hour period. After 3 hours and a light, dry meal, I noticed zero fading or flaking. After 8 hours, many glasses of water, and a big bowl of soup, I noticed some minor fading on the inner parts of my lips, but the majority of the color was still in place. Yes, these are definitely long-wearing! The only thing that might cause a problem is very oily food--the soup I ate was loaded with it, which I believe caused some of the patchiness in the 8-hour photo--but that's to be expected.

Hourglass also claims that these lipsticks are full of emollients, aka moisturizing ingredients. I'm sure this product contains them, because they're in the ingredients list, but be assured that it is not a weightless or moisturizing product. I can definitely feel this product on my mouth. I like that, because I think of lipstick as a kind of "armor" on my face, but if you're only in to super-lightweight balmy textures, this isn't the product for you.

And as the 8-hour image shows, these lipsticks will dry your lips a little and exaggerate fine lines after a long period of wear. The best way to combat this is to exfoliate and moisturize your lips before you apply the product; it helps the lipstick apply and stay better throughout the day. I personally don't find the dry-ness to be anything too terrible--it's easily fixed by a coat of balm after I've cleansed my face--but people with especially sensitive lips will have to give these a pass.

The Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick line has become one of my all-time favorites, and it's not hard to see why: the color range is great, the price is right, the formula is easy to use and incredibly long-wearing, and I don't have to worry about smearing or touch-ups. If you're okay with a lipstick that's tangible when you wear it, then definitely give the line a try!

RATING: 5 out of 5.

And now, some quick bonus images!

One of my recent obsessions has been Pittsburgh Popcorn, a local company that specializes in--you guessed it--gourmet, homemade popcorn. The chocolate caramel is a regular flavor and a definite favorite of mine, but their cheddar corn and most of their weekly flavors are also phenomenal. You can order online, so consider checking them out!

Here's a bonus picture of my beautiful kitty!

Art Interlude

Greer Lankton, "It's All About ME, Not You"

I've wanted to post about these great places since my boyfriend and I visited this past May. But as some of you may remember, my computer's power supply spontaneously combusted, leaving me without pictures and with a bad case of The Bitch. (Seriously, I was not a nice person for a few months there...) Now that I have everything back, I can write about two of the Pittsburgh art spots I LOVE to recommend: The Mattress Factory and the Warhol Museum, both nestled in the North Side. We squeezed both museums in to a 6-hour time frame, but you could easily spend a whole day in each.

The Silver Cloud Room in the Warhol...yes, I was bad.

Let's get this out of the way: you're not allowed to take pictures in the Warhol Museum. I was bad and I took this one in the Silver Cloud Room--you can tell that Kirby does not approve. In fact, he refuses to post the picture on Facebook, because "rules are rules." But I know I'm not the only person who has snuck a photo, because there are pictures all over TripAdvisor.

This is the only picture I've ever taken in the Warhol, and it's the only picture I ever WILL take. This picture alone should be enough to encourage any doubters and Warhol naysayers to consider taking the trip...I know I was a naysayer until I really took a look at more of his work in this  museum. I became a fan after walking through the Warhol. (I could've stayed in the Velvet Underground video space, for example, for well over an hour. Doesn't me saying that get you curious?!) So dear Warhol museum, please don't ban me--I did it for the greater good!

Fair warning: there are other relatively strict rules in this museum, the bathrooms are all located on one floor, and at $20 a head, it's not exactly cheap. But it's absolutely worth the Jackson, especially if you have a student ID or visit late on Friday for half-price admission. There are also demonstrations and special programs available from time to time, like time capsule openings.

Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller, "Diptyching"

Now for a place that DOES allow photos, and plenty of them: The Mattress Factory! It can be a bit tricky to find this place, seeing as it's tucked back in a residential area. But once you stumble on it, you can't miss it: there are some pretty interesting sculptures outside.

Scott Hocking, "Coronal Mass Ejection"

If you aren't in to modern art or installation pieces, the Mattress Factory might not be your thing. And to be totally honest, I don't think it's the best place to go if you want to change your mind about modern art; it might be better to go to MoMA in New York, which is much larger. But the new exhibitions are always interesting. I'm still bummed that I didn't get to see the Chiharu Shiota "Trace of Memory" exhibition. (It was located in a satellite gallery, and we couldn't walk over there because of a major storm.)

Yayoi Kusama, "Infinity Dots Mirrored Room"

The Mattress Factory is also home to two of my all-time favorite pieces of art: the late Greer Lankton's "It's All About ME, Not You," and Yayoi Kusama's "Infinity Dots Mirrored Room" (which was also a personal favorite of Kirby's). I could make a yearly pilgrimage to this museum and never tire of those incredible works. One day, I'm going to visit the Mattress Factory, sit in the corner at these exhibits, and write until my fingers hurt. They are that inspiring to me.

The Mattress Factory is quite affordable: $15 for adults seems a bit steep for a small gallery, but there are plenty of discounts, and Kirby and I got in for a steal on a half-priced day. (It might've been Tuesday?)

Art Interlude

I couldn't recommend Toby Atticus Fraley's "The Secret Life of Robots" more if I tried. Each piece is exquisitely crafted, the messages rang true to both me and my boyfriend Kirby (visiting from the midwest), and the robot at the donation box scared the snot out of me in a good way. Admission is free. The exhibit will be up until April 27. Check it out at Space in Pittsburgh on Liberty Avenue.

Kirby's favorite bot.

My favorite bot. I think this shows the differences in our personalities and worldviews...

While "The Secret Life of Robots" was my favorite exhibit this trip, Kirby's favorite was "Structures of Time and Space," by Erwin Redl. This exhibition is also free and is open until April 4. Check it out at the Wood Street Galleries in Pittsburgh above the Wood Street Subway Station.

Pittsburgh Pride, Unsung Heroes of Summer, and a Song of Longing

 You should totally click this collage and make it super-huge!

Before I go on to my frivolous rambles about makeup and skincare, I want to write a little about the 2013 Pittsburgh Pride celebration. I've only been to Pride once, and that was for a mere two hours. Getting to see the parade and experience some of the shows and booths was a major treat. But more importantly, it was a privilege and an honor to spend the day with thousands of beautiful people who support equal rights. I want to thank absolutely everyone who came to Pride and supported our thriving LGBTQ community. You give me hope for the future.

And since we're on a serious note about love...

Again, you should click this puppy.

...I feel like now is the perfect opportunity to express my bittersweet love for the city of Pittsburgh. Although I technically grew up in the suburbs, I spent countless hours of my high school career catching buses to the city and lousing about, enjoying its ambiance and acceptance. The delightfully cooky mix of old storefronts, polished skyscrapers, and renovated warehouses is so indicative of the surprisingly rich and diverse city I have always loved. This is a place where I feel loved and accepted, a place where I can always find something to do and someone to do it with. The streets are full of noise and activity. Nobody judges me for what I do or what I wear. All in all, it is the only place I have ever been and felt 100% "right" in, and I'm desperate to live there.

Sure, it's not a glamorous dream, like a move to New York City, or a poignant and romantic one, like a life in the country. But it's the dream I've harbored for a decade now, and the dream I am least likely to achieve, given the cost of living in the actual city. Still, it's a testament to my deeply-rooted love of Pittsburgh that the outrageous cost of a studio apartment isn't enough to scare me away. Pittsburgh: I love you and I want to be with you. Let's make that happen someday.

 

Now that I've spammed your screen with rainbows and whined piteously, here's some stuff you're probably more interested in! These are my (mostly) unsung heroes of the summer, products I've come to rely on during these hot, humid months. The first product is relatively new to my collection, but already super-loved: the Out of Africa Pure Shea Butter body lotion ($8, Drugstore.com). This lotion moisturizes and softens my skin without feeling sticky or heavy, and it soaks in immediately. It does smell of raw shea butter, which doesn't bother me in the slightest, but those who dislike that nutty scent will probably want to try the fragranced version.

I've also been thanking the Heavens for the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 60 ($39, Shiseido.com), which has kept my face and hands from burning without breaking me out or ruining my makeup. I don't think I've ever used a sunscreen that was this weightless yet effective!

The Charlotte Ronson Liquid Eyeshadow in Sky ($9, Sephora) is more like a light "gloss" for the eyelids; it makes them look dewy and fresh, but also manages to stay on for hours and hours. It's a shame that Sephora appears to be liquidating this line. :(

I've been using two bright, cool-toned pink blushes endlessly since I got them: the Becca Beach Tint in Lychee ($24, Sephora) and the Yves Saint Laurent Creme de Blush in #9 Babydoll ($34, Nordstrom). Both are airy, super-blendable, and incredibly comfortable. They're also completely void of brown tones, which makes them perfect natural flush shades for super-fair skin.

I've also been enjoying the MAC Blot pressed powder in Light ($24, MACCosmetics.com) for touch-ups and moderate oil control. There's nothing that can really stop my super-oily nose from getting shiny during a humid Pennsylvania summer, but this powder manages to old the shine at bay for a bit, and when I touch it up halfway through the day, it doesn't get cakey.

Finally, I want to give another shout-out to the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl ($41, Sephora). This product is so not-glittery and gorgeous that I sometimes forget how uber-glowy it is. Most highlighters require large amounts of shimmer to make your cheekbones so beautiful, but this product manages to make your cheeks outright glossed without the excessive glitter. I will love this product forever and ever.