So...I don't have a new outfit post this week. I was a generally lazy human being last weekend and I did things like sleep a lot, go to the movies, work out, bake - combined with the fact that my hair like crap, and no outfit pictures were even attempted.

Instead of leaving you hanging though, I thought it'd be interesting to see what I've tried on in Anthropologie lately. I rarely shop directly from the website, I feel like how it looks on the model is never how it translates on my curves. So, just in case you have the same problem, here are some really unflattering pictures of me in very bad lighting!

P.S. - I desperately tried to brighten and correct for the warm spotlight lighting in the dressing rooms, I feel to limited success. I'm sorry :-/.

Oh look, another inconsistently consistent series! Though this one is going to be inconsistent by intention, since I don't actually go through products *that* quickly. But just as I'm always strangely interested in people's haul videos, or holy grail product posts, I thought it'd be fun to share the bits and bobs that have lasted on my shelves long enough for me to finish them off. And repurchase!

Apparently February was Urban Fantasy month? So many books, so little time!

Read & Loved:

The Brimstone Deception by Lisa Shearin

The agents of Supernatural Protection & Investigations (SPI) know that fighting evil is a full-time job, especially when a new designer drug—with mind-blowing side effects—hits the streets...

It’s called Brimstone. And after the first few hits, you’ll see every supernatural beast sharing the sidewalk, train, or office with you. After that, you’ll start seeing the really scary stuff.

I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for the SPI. And the collateral damage caused by Brimstone is something I’d like to unsee: dead drug dealers missing their hearts—and souls. Because your local pusher doesn’t stand a chance against the new cartel muscling its way into New York. And since the drug can only be produced with magic and molten brimstone fresh from Hell, that means a rift to the underworld is open somewhere in the city.

And when—not if—the cartel loses control of it, well...

It’s going to be Hell on earth.

My Thoughts: I really love this series (at least so far). Three books in and we've got camaraderie and banter between the two main characters, a great supporting cast, and the lovely dismantling of any sort of love triangle. Plus each book does a fantastic job of building on the mythology and history from the one before without being redundant, which means I'm just as excited for the next book as I have been for the first three.

Cast in Honor by Michelle Sagara

In the aftermath of a vicious battle between darkness and light, the city of Elantra has emerged victorious. But Shadows continue to haunt every corner of its streets…

Elantra stands strong, but countless numbers of Hawks, the city's staunchest protectors, were lost in the brutal attack. Humans, Barrani, Aerians, Leontines—none of the races emerged unscathed from the defense of the city. Homes were lost, families were scattered…and the outcast Barrani Lord Nightshade is missing from his castle in the fiefs.

Yet as the chaos surrounding the battle begins to wane, Private Kaylin Neya's duties must resume, despite her grief. Called in to investigate a triple murder in a quiet part of town, Kaylin and her companions are soon embroiled in a case that is anything but routine. Evidence of the deadly Shadows that still threaten the city leads to hints of ancient, forgotten magics…and everything can be traced directly to Ravellon, the heart of the Shadows and the darkness they contain.

But it is there that Lord Nightshade will be found—if he still survives.

My Thoughts: I admit it, I had to go back and read Cast in Flame before picking up this book. For the life of me I couldn't remember exactly what had happened, which seems a little strange for a series I enjoy so much. I contribute part of that to the density of each novel, and the wide cast of characters, because while I definitely enjoy every book in the series, sometimes the specifics get lost along the way. Cast in Honor continues as an emotionally complicated addition to the series, with most of the main cast experiencing new revelations and loss while they work together to save the city from an initially undetermined threat. Sagara does an incredible job of making you care about characters even if they haven't been in the series/book very long, and she's at her best when she makes you both happy and sad about the things that have to happen.

Immune by Shannon Mayer

"My name is Rylee, and I am a Tracker."

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I'm the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

Underestimating demons is a bad idea, and it's a mistake that may cost not only my life, but the life of a missing child.

If I can swallow my pride, and allow Agent O'Shea to help me find a way to deal with the demon, we might be able to save the child.

With this salvage, it's a race against time, a test of trust, and a temptation that I'm doing my
damndest to ignore.

If only swallowing my pride and ignoring temptation was that easy.

My Thoughts: This is one of those series I'm trying to pace myself with, because so far I've finished one book and immediately bought the next - which is not budget friendly! I'm trying to keep my fingers crossed for a boxed set deal or something, but who has times for that?! Rylee is an interesting characters as an Immune, a person who's part of the supernatural community but also outside it. Not totally unique but I think the family that she's made for herself, and those who's she's taken under her wing since the series began, keep things fresh and fun to read. Immune had her forced to make some tough decisions about that family, and about the ramifications of her own actions, so I can't wait to find out what happens next.


I'm Look Forward To:

Is it a cop-out to say all the books I was looking forward to in my last Friday Book Club post? Probably, lol, but those are still my number ones. On my TBR pile I have Incriminating Evidence by Rachel Grant and Crucible Zero by Devon Monk, so I'll try to be more interesting next month!

For a brief shining moment last Sunday (and to be honest Monday/Tuesday) DC was a beautiful example of the wonderful weather to come.

Now if only I could convince it to stick around for a little while...

I like to call this particular wardrobe piece polarizing because among my friends it's inspired a lot feelings. Some good and some bad, lol, as few can decide what they think about it.

It's not a traditionally flattering piece, this dress doesn't hug my curves or showcase my waist, but I loved it from the moment I put it on anyway. I loved the colors and the pattern, the pockets (of course), and the way it was just kind of "there", as its own type of thing. I think it's good for my brain to have pieces where I don't feel beholden to the shrine of "thinner is better", and I'm glad to add this one to my closet.

// I'm more of a 2NE1 girl myself, but this video/song by 4 Minute is really good!


// There is never not a good time for Disney mash-ups.


// I have no real opinions about Amber Rose, but I loved this whole series of gifs about raising her son to be a feminist.


// Another article to add to my list of things I never knew I needed to know.


// I'm not ashamed to admit I'm just not cool enough for Korean spas. I may invest in one of those "Italian towels" though, we'll see.



Fun Posts & Random Finds: I remember watching this in theaters, and even tearing up a bit at the end. NO SHAME! //...Cordy? //The Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin // This really shows the heights of my lame, but I need A Color Story to be available on Android too! // Romance books with female billionaires (and some of my favorite authors!) //Spoiler alert! This is what my BFF's daughter is getting for her first birthday. // I have so many mixed feelings about this article. A Winkle in Time was/is my JAM and while I love and respect Ava Duvernay I'm not sure I event want there to be a movie at all. // "Also, your drinking is a type of witchery that can whip babies into existence out of nowhere."

Clothing & Jewelry: Every time I see these shoes I wonder if I'm cool enough to pull them off. // How can we justify me buying this skirt? // Or possibly this dress. // And maybe this dress too. // If you liked the Seychelles sandals I wore last summer, Anthropologie is carrying them this year! // Love these pants and top from BR. // Actually, I love this whole "ten pieces/ten outfits" article from BR. Thanks for the ideas! // I have mixed feelings about the pattern on this bikini from LOFT, but I'm gonna try it anyway.

As weird as it is to say it, or even really to think it, I kind of feel like this post is very "classic" Good Red Herring. It's got my favorite "not-looking-at-the-camera" poses and features some pieces that have been well loved over the years.

I also strangely want to call this the closest I've ever come to an Atlantic Pacific post, which is granting myself a LOT of airs I don't deserve, but this outfit was strongly influenced by things I've seen her wear on her blog. It's like she's in my brain!

Sometimes I feel like the quest for "good" skin is a never ending journey. I might be getting better at sticking to the products that work well for me (like this Murad cleanser I use in the morning, or this GLAMGLOW one I use at night) but a lot of the time I just end up feeling ok about something. If I'm not seeing an obvious bad reaction, it's probably not hurting my skin but is it the best thing out there? An often unanswerable question.

Lately though I've been dabbling my toes in the even higher department store brands and I have to say that a lot of the time they're worth the money for me. That La Prarie moisturizer I used for a year? Still the single most expensive product I've ever purchased but I don't think I've had one that worked better for my oily skin.

Due to a partnership with Nordstrom Pentagon City I've spent the last month testing what might become my new winter staple, La Mer's Moisturizing Soft Cream.


From the website:

The Moisturizing Soft Cream by La Mer is a luxurious cream that delivers the same radiance and renewal that made the original Crème de la Mer a legend but with a supple new texture. Infused with the nutrient-rich Miracle Broth™, the heart of La Mer’s profound powers of transformation, it penetrates deeply to replenish moisture and strengthen skin. Renewed and energized, your skin looks youthfully radiant.

My experience with the soft cream has been pretty wonderful. It's a nearly unscented gentle moisturizer that I incorporated into my existing skin routine without any signs of irritation. Because I have oily, acne-prone skin I use a combination of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide products to keep it in check which, without a nice hydrating moisturizer, can leave ones skin very dehydrated. Typically I've used a combination of rosehip oil and Keihl's Ultra Facial cream, and I do think this works better.

Using a cotton bud (my hands are clean but being a potted cream I didn't want to risk contamination of a product this expensive) I would scoop out an approximately pea sized amount of the cream each night, put it on the ball of my middle finger and rub the fingers of both hands together slightly. I would then press the cream into my face, making sure to get the areas around nose and cheeks, since that's where I can winter flakes the worst.

There are pros and cons to this routine. Pro, you're using a small amount of product and it's actually quite soothing to close your eyes and gently press the product into your face after you've applied your other skincare products. Con, since the cream is in a pot you have to use some sort of scooper to get it out germ free, and pressing the product into my skin meant that after a couple days I had to start paying particular attention to the area from the sides of my jaw down into my neck, since it was easier to miss them.

But the proof's in the pudding right? Well here's my makeup free face after a little over a month of using the cream.


I took these a couple hours after I'd woken up (to reduce the "puffy from sleep" face) and did my normal morning routine (which does not include the cream).  There's still some residual hyperpigmentation on my cheeks and chin that I'm working to get rid of, and despite a really effective - and consistent - routine, AND an almost full-on halt on alcohol, I still break out in the area slightly.

[[shakes fist at the sky in outrage]]

Final thoughts? It's a really beautiful, luxurious cream. I've genuinely enjoyed using it, and like how it's done a lot to reduce the little clogged pores/white heads I'd been getting on either side of my nose.

Is it worth the price?  That's a bit harder to answer. People find products that work for them at a variety of price points, but for me, I think this is probably the best hydrating cream I've ever tried. It doesn't irritate my skin, cause any breakouts, and has helped me ride the winter tide of freezing temperatures and heated homes/offices. I do consider it worth it. Call me crazy or a buyer of the hype if you want, but I've tried other La Mer products and this is definitely my favorite so far.

Possible Alternatives: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream, belief The True Cream, Tatcha Supple Moisture Rich Silk Cream, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè, Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream