Where does the time go? November really flew by for me and Thanksgiving came and went in a snap. Being down with a nasty flu for two weeks took a big chunk of the month away from me; I spent most of that time convalescing on the couch and feeling like absolute garbage. I still managed to give a number of different things a try this month — clothing, perfume, and skincare — so let's talk about them.
Made the Cut
a new day Fleece Zip-Up Sweatshirt | Green
This is one of the coziest purchases I've made in a while. I spotted this on a Target run and snatched it up in my size (XS) and it's a good thing I did — this jacket sold out so fast that I never saw it in my size — or any other sizes — in-store again at any of my local Targets.
I'm surprised by how warm this jacket is; I actually found myself getting a little too warm while wearing it at times (though that's far from a complaint). It's not going to be as warm as a heavier coat, of course, but it's great for throwing on and warding off chills while adding a little chic checkerboard print to your outfit. I recommend wearing this over a graphic tee for a cool look. While this jacket is still, unfortunately, sold out online, here's the link for reference (and on the off chance they restock it again, though I think that may be unlikely at this point). It's so soft on the outside and has pockets and a waist drawstring in case you want a snugger fit at the waist.
Glossier You Look Good Mirror
First released back in 2018 as a limited edition item for the holidays, Glossier finally brought this back for people like me wondering annoyedly why it was only available for such a short amount of time. (It's especially stupid given they're a makeup company, yet they don't sell any other standalone mirrors and the only other one they have comes in the component for their eyeshadows.)
Apparently it's still a limited edition item — how long it'll be around this time is unclear — so jump on it now if you want one. It's only $10 and comes in a little cloth dust bag to keep it safe from scratches, since it doesn't close like a clam shell or have anything else to protect its face. The back of the mirror is Glossier pink and has their G logo in the middle. Very cute little mirror to carry in your purse and it's large enough to actually be useful, as opposed to some mirrors that are too small to be good for much beyond maybe a lipstick touch up.
D.S. & DURGA Radio Bombay Perfume
I bought this after taking a single sniff of it, while I was sick and couldn't taste or smell anything beyond some errant fumes. That's how good this smelled to me, even being unable to smell much of anything at all.
Stopped by a local plant shop, Crimson Horticultural Rarities on Piedmont Ave in Oakland, and didn't expect to see a small selection of perfumes for sale among their other home goods. They had a handful of D.S. & DURGA perfumes and while others smelled good, Radio Bombay ($190, 50 mL) really spoke to me. If you like sandalwood, you may like this scent; it reminds me of Santal 33 by Le Labo, but better and spicier. Just a warm, exotic, sultry scent that has a fair amount of lasting power (not as long as Le Labo's but still good) and fades beautifully on the skin. Top notes: radiant wood, copper, and cedar. Heart notes: sandalwood, radiant iris, boronia. Base notes: balsam fir absolute, coconut musc, ambergris.
Ferver Fermented Collagen Serum
I've been using collagen for the majority of this past year and have seen some minor results with the serum I was using, but wasn't super blown away. I spotted this serum ($22.99) on a Target run and was curious about the fermented aspect of it. I took a chance on it after reading that fermented collagen is supposed to penetrate the skin much better than if it's not fermented, thinking that I really didn't have much to lose given that I wasn't super happy with what I'd been using.
After two months of daily and nightly use, I'm happy with the results. My smile lines have slowly been developing over the last couple of years and this is the first product that's made a significant difference in softening them rather than just results that are ok but could be better. I actually started seeing positive changes within just a few days of using this, but knew that's still early to be calling a skincare product a success.
For really oily skinned people like myself, I'd recommend trying to isolate the serum to your problem areas during the day. While this product gives your skin a really pretty, healthy glow, it can actually get too greasy during the day if you apply too much. I didn't have to worry about this at night and just applied it all over for the added benefits to the rest of my face. This is a very nice product that I'll rebuy once I'm done with this first bottle.
Didn't Make the Cut
Nothing! This month wound up having a 100% success rate for the things I tried, which is always a good thing.
Be sure to check back next month for another round of products that made the cut and didn't, and thanks for reading my monthly series, The Cut.
Note: none of the hyperlinks in this post are affiliate links. They're included merely for your convenience.