My thoughtful purchases of 2024 so far…
The days of splurging and consumption are long gone. As I have aged (hopefully like fine wine) and entered the ‘parenting era’, I don’t compensate for it but acquire less.
99% of everything I own are thoughtful purchases. If life has taught me any lessons, I don’t need more than I already have. Yes, okay, we all get that ‘let’s go and treat yourself’ splurge, but I never impulse buy—maybe apart from when I think with my stomach.
I am not consuming to consume; I romanticise with my belongings. A sucker for being the ideal customer as I wait in the queue for all those items that entice you into buying however, I am that person who uses eyeliner to the very end until I purchase another, I call this the one in the one out method.
And for some reason, I have this habit of using a product for years, and they decide to discontinue it – I mean, why oh why Bobbi Brown salmon did you come off the shelves?
This is more of a sharing post, which complements my post about ‘Admiring things from afar’.
My seven faves I have been enjoying this year,
01. Violette_FR Yeux Paint in Ciel de nuit — One word obsessed. I stumbled across Violette_fr on YouTube; I instantly became an aficionado of her Parisian effortless make-up style and how she applied make-up. Violette and Lisa Eldridge have become some of my faves on you tube on how to be playful and apply Make-up; it is therapeutic to watch them amidst their craft. I was a little reluctant to try a product I couldn’t test first-hand, but her demonstration on you tubes ‘A twist to classic black’ instantly excited me to try out her Yeux paints; they looked fun and flirty, and guess what? they did not disappoint. To change things up every season, I like to spruce up my look; my ‘brown is a new black’ trend slowly became a little lacking lustre for me, so I decided to experiment; you can wear it daily and change it up for fun. I love how versatile and buildable the product is; the instant pop it gives to the eyes is exquisite – the applicator is a little tricky to use, being a thicker applicator brush, I tend to use a separate eyeliner brush. Violette demonstrates how to use it from the applicator, giving you a thick winged liner look, which, if you are skilled, makes for an instant wow factor look. I especially have an eye for metallic green. The simple, clean lines and simple font Branding, with a gold embossed lid, showcase the unique identity of Violette_fr, and it’s small, light and easy to pop in your make-up bag or clutch makes for a win.
02. Thalia Capo— A non-beauty or style fave. Long gone are when I used pencils and elastic bands as my capo, happy but sad times. I started my songwriting journey in the year 2022, we can say semi-seriously, and now, as it stands still one of my most loved hobbies slash, see where it goes, it was about time I invested in a beautifully engineered capo pronounced kkkk-aaa-po, not just aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The Thalia capo is substantially superb in all ways, it doesn’t make a guitar out of tune; it is super comfortable to move around. It sits at the top of the neck in idle mode without compromise, where other capos cannot; it fits on any electric or acoustic guitar, even smaller string instruments like ukuleles. There are no cons yet, it goes in harmony with the colour of my stunning APX 600 in oriental blue – I love it forever.
03. Recycled Hemp Jelly shoes – The word on the street is the jelly sandals are returning. Nostalgic to the jelly shoes I owned in the 90s, I am an 80s child by the way I purchased these in Paris two summers ago. I am always ahead of the trends; I always find myself trend-setting a year or two before they come out again. Unisex traditional flat beach shoe in translucent coffee colour with braided look front, open heel, and adjustable strap buckle-up closure. The most considerable praise for these particular jelly shoes is that they are indeed sustainable and made from recycled hemp, none of the toxic plastics most jelly shoes are still made from, which is the worlds biggest conundrum. With the nippy Spring weather we have been experiencing, I have been enjoying wearing them with coloured socks – yes, that ugly Grandad look we do embrace sometimes.
04. Mini Claudia Basket bag from Muun – Oldie but a goodie. I am not one for handbags. The ‘running around like a headless parent’ that stops me from embracing a pretty handbag – I have some tucked away in their fabric bags way down below my closet. I have been using my basket bag to add interest to my outfits. I lusted over the Jane Birkin basket for as much as I did a Chanel but was prepared to compromise, taking out what would feel like a mortgage to pay for one. Being a parent can mean being practical; although I’m not too fond of bags that don’t go over my shoulder or secure my body, I have been loving this one a little more lately.
05. Aerine Mediterranean HoneySuckle has been my’ go-to‘ scent since 2021-2022. For the longest time, I was a big Lime basil and mandarin Jo Malone mixed with Oud Jo Malone fan, but with age, your tastes tend to change. I desire scents that are not sickly and overpowering but uniquely fresh, clean subtle, an attractive linger— this is basically like Spring/Summer in a bottle for me, the smell is incredible. A perfume that actually imitates exactly what a flower smells like, hints of bergamot, floral and citrus undertones best describes Aerin’s Mediterranean Honeysuckle.
06. Jessica De Lotz Mood ring – Hands up who owned a mood ring many moons ago? I remember my Topshop one, which I loved for weeks until I lost it at a theme park. I adore my mood ring and the talented jewellers who crafted it. Jessica’s shop is the cutest store I have set foot in, tucked away at the end of a very quaint street in Kentish town, she sets up a shop and her magical workshop behind the shop – this piece of jewellery gives me so much joy and let’s anyone near to me what mood I am in. All of what she hand makes in her her magical place of shop are all unique and have memorable stories behind each piece.
07. Victoria Beckham Waterproof Mascara—Last but not least, for years the Make-up forever smoky lash has been my holy grail, and I was curious to try something new with big claims that the Victoria Beckham mascara was great. I love this product; it can hold my Asian straight lashes in a curl. It’s not entirely smudge-free, not ideal for entering the steam room or sauna you are better off with waterproof mascara, but it is a lovely alternative to what I know and love – the packaging feels substantial and long-lasting, even in the formula. There are no signs of drying out even after 2-3 months of use, so win for me. Victoria Beckham’s cute re-printed handwritten note and fabric pouch give for a nice touch.
