september favourites
hottest summer of my life
Disappeared for 3 months as I was trying to survive the hottest summer of my life. Heat and humidity like Iāve never experienced. Not a dry part of my body after going outside. I have never sweat so much in my life doing so little. Had to get a straight hair perm because I didnāt even know that my hair wasnāt straight and could frizz like that š„µ
What worked: Drysol, cooling wet wipes, staying indoors with air conditioning, these crosswalk shade umbrellas (we love some good urban infrastructure for heat mitigation/public health! there were also water stations that got set up in high foot traffic areas).
What didnāt really work but I still used it anyway: a mini electric hand fan (it just blows the hot air back at you, but itās good for after going indoors where the air is cool). Got steps in by wandering around malls. Bought a foot roller (similar to this but cuter) to keep the circulation going at home ā highly recommend in general if you sit for long periods of time! Itās starting to cool down, but that only means weāre no longer in a heatwave daily. Itās easier to breathe, but itās still hot and Iām still sweating.
Iāve consumed some beautiful things recently and am feeling inspired. I learned how to shuffle cards properly and now pull tarot cards more often for guidance. Weāve just gone through a tough eclipse season ā are you ok? Our systems and governments arenāt, but weāre due for a revolution. We shouldnāt have to be so resilient, but we are. We can do anything. We should do everything.
Happy October! I hope to be here often! āØ
currently on repeat š¶
š Alice Sparkly Kat October 2025 Horoscopes
Ready to fight for whatās right and win š«”
š©ø Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green
This book speaks to the me that is always standing in front of the board with all the red strings, screaming (but not loudly enough). TB is an infectious disease that has a cure, but isnāt accessible to everyone because of classism and racism. āWe know how to live in a world without tuberculosis. But we choose not to live in that world.ā Shocking and enraging, but how unsurprising. A disease that was romanticized until they realized the poor could get it too, and then it wasnāt very unique or beautiful anymore. The history is so interesting. If you need something brighter to read after, I always think about the whimsy of The Anthropocene Reviewed (based on the equally enjoyable podcast). I always like John Greenās non-fiction writing because I empathize a lot with the way he thinks and sees the world (loved his Wild Card episode while promoting EIT), and I feel the need to specify non-fiction because out of all his YA fiction novels I have only read The Fault in Our Stars at the time of the movie adaptation (two iconic pieces of culture, I loved both). I didnāt grow up with their vlogs but him and his brother, Hank, are my favourite white men ā I love their Dear Hank & John podcast together, so much. And they created Crash Course! Theyāre both so dad to me, like the dad and uncle I never had, though idk who would be which. And while weāre here, did anyone else watch and love The Art Assignment, specifically the Art Cooking series? Itās created by Sarah Urist Green, who is married to John. The podcast episodes where sheās a guest are also so fun š„°
šæ 60 Songs That Explain the ā90s Podcast
The nameā¦ well, it ended up being 120 songs from the ā90s and theyāve now moved onto the ā00s! Host Rob Harvillaās expertise, passion and wit is enjoyable, a really good blend of historical and cultural impact and personal connection. Since U Been Gone was the first episode I listened to. I was a Kelly Clarkson fan since her American Idol audition, and extra thrilled that my fav b-sides Just Missed the Train and Beautiful Disaster off her debut album were mentioned as favourites too. Additional memorable episodes are How To Save a Life & How You Remind Me. Really looking forward to new episodes and what other songs from the ā00s will be picked!
š¦ Summer makeup base for extreme heat & humidity
After some trial and error, my lightweight and sweatproof minimal makeup base after applying sunscreen and letting it set for ~20 mins:
Banila Co Prime Primer Classic - Apply thinly, and wait another ~20 mins for it to set
NYX Color Correcting Palette - Pink and a little yellow for the undereyes, peach for blemishes, additional concealer as needed
erborian CC Red Correct - Iām always a little skeptical about viral products but I waited for a sale and this really works! The formula is lightweight and the colour correction and coverage is impressive. Itās pricey but worth it for the quality of correction/coverage! I concentrate it around my nose and cheeks where it has the most redness.
Innisfree No Sebum Matte Mineral Setting Powder - This really helps to minimize the look of pores! It creates a very smooth and matte finish. I brush loose powder lightly in the undereye area first before using a fluffy triangle puff to set in the powder everywhere else
So Natural All Day Tight Make Up Setting Fixx Spray - The reviews are mixed but itās my go-to fixing spray because I like the dewy finish, itās good value for money, and I canāt be bothered to try anything else. The lasting power has always been good enough for me but definitely increased once I started using a primer!
Bonus #1: touch up with oil blotting sheets and more powder throughout the day as needed
Bonus #2: My holy grail sunscreen and available-in-Canada alternative both sit well under makeup ^_^
š©µ Hypochlorous Acid Face & Body Spray
Iāve used and like both Honeydew Labs and e11ement (cheaper than the Tower 28 one that went viral). If you havenāt caught onto the hype of hypochlorous acid, itās an antimicrobial disinfectant, helpful to use against sweat, acne and everything else (popped pimples, cuts, etc). The household disinfectant version, which is a different pH than whatās used for face/skin, is popular amongst preppers, which I think is very cool and a sign of its effectiveness. I now use a hypochlorous disinfectant at home, and it works really well especially for mopping/wiping the floors!
š Face shields for trimming bangs
I got front bangs spontaneously at the end of last year and have been loving it. It was quite easy to learn to trim my own bangs but little pieces of hair would fly into my eyes šµāš« When I got a straight perm this summer to counteract the humidity frizz, I realized the face shields used in hair salons that stick to the forehead are perfect to protect your eyes while trimming bangs. The trims are much more efficient now!
šŖ© Architectural Digest Open Door - Lenny Kravitzās Paris Home
One of the best.
A reminder that I shared all my fav podcast episodes and have an ongoing playlist of episodes Iāve listened to recently and enjoyed! š§
Let me know your thoughts and whatās got you carried away recently! ā”