Beauty & Fashion

5 Beauty Products (& 1 Pair of Earrings) I’m Absolutely Loving Right Now

Kate Sloan

Hi friends! Normally at this time of year, I’d be writing my 12 Days of Girly Juice series – but I just don’t have it in me this year. I’m burned out, I need a vacation, and so I’m taking one. Hooray!

That being said, talking about femme stuff like makeup and clothing (almost) never feels like work to me – so I want to tell you about some products that are making me feel a lot prettier lately.

 

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral One Daily Cream SPF50+

My sweetheart picked this out for me when we were in Montreal together recently, because I’d forgotten to bring any sun protection, and I ended up really liking it, even though it’s not the kind of thing I normally use.

This is what you might call a tinted moisturizer with SPF, or a BB/CC cream – it moisturizes the skin, and offers some sun protection, but is also tinted like a foundation. I never used to see the point of this type of product, because if I was going to bother to put foundation on, I wanted full coverage or nothin’. But makeup trends have shifted substantially since I first learned to do my face circa 2013, and a fresher, more authentically skin-like finish is more in vogue now. That’s exactly what I get with this product.

Sometimes I apply it with a damp Beautyblender, sometimes with a flat kabuki brush, and sometimes just with my (clean) fingers, depending on my mood. I’ll usually do concealer and powder too, for a slightly more pulled-together look, but this product also looks pretty nice as-is once it’s blended into your skin. It feels a lot lighter than most foundations and doesn’t seem to bother my skin as much. Yay!

 

Selfmade Secure Attachment Comfort Serum

This was sent to me as part of a press package because Selfmade also makes an oil-based lube they wanted me to try (which I also enjoy, for external genital massage), but I ended up loving this face serum more.

I’ve been applying it as the last step of my skincare routine (when I have the energy to do a full routine), after my cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and eye cream. It contains ingredients that calm redness and irritation, and it significantly boosts my skin’s hydration, leaving my face feeling soft. It also doubles as a primer for foundation (or tinted moisturizer; see above), creating a smooth surface for makeup to adhere to. It has a lovely smell, too – like aloe, cucumber, and lavender. It’s like a spa experience in a bottle!

 

Maybelline SuperStay Vinyl Ink in “Royal”

This was a recommendation from a beauty YouTuber I follow but I can’t remember who! The formula is fantastic – it’s really hard to take this off without an oil-based makeup remover, so it lasts easily through meals, drinks, and assorted adventures.

I own a lot of red lipsticks, but not many that are on the darker side. It can be intimidating to wear a lipstick this much darker than your typical shade(s), but “Royal” really caught my eye, and I’ve been loving it. It feels very winter-appropriate and has a lot of… gravitas? Is that a weird thing to say about a lipstick?!

 

Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in “Pink For Me”

I recently had a bizarre urge to revisit a seriously dated makeup trend – the brownish-pinkish-nude lip that Kylie Jenner loved to rock, about a decade ago. In many ways it’s an even older look; it has a very ’90s feel to it.

I already have MAC lip liner in “Whirl,” famously one of Kylie’s favorite shades, but don’t own many lipsticks that go with it, because, well – usually if I’m gonna wear lipstick, I want it BRIGHT. But I picked up a few subtler shades this year for when I want a more minimalistic look, and this one might be my fave of the bunch.

It’s just a really flattering shade (which makes sense – Maybelline claims to have tested this lipstick with 50 different skin tones to make sure it would look good on everyone), and the formula is matte but not drying at all. Maybelline does the best matte drugstore lipsticks, IMO, and this one is a prime example.

 

Tom Ford “Tobacco Vanille” eau de parfum

This was an anniversary gift from my spouse, who knows me very well. I’ve had a few sample vials of this scent over the years, and always liked the androgynous sexiness of it. It’s warm, bold, spicy, sweet, and comforting, all at once. An ideal wintertime scent, if you ask me – I think it would feel oppressively heavy in summer, but it’s the perfect fragrance to spritz onto your throat before wrapping it in a cozy scarf and heading out into the cold.

I really am a bit of a perfume hound at this point… Right now there are 3 full-size bottles on my dresser (this one, Paradise Edition, and Aimanté), plus about a zillion little sample vials strewn about. Some of my other favorite wintry ones are John Varvatos and Noël au Balcon. Funnily enough, despite owning so many perfumes and loving them so much, I mostly just wear them around the house. I don’t want to bother people in the outside world who might be fragrance-sensitive, and few things feel as glamorous to me as swanning around the house in nothing but a silk robe and a spritz of something, anyway.

 

Magic Wand earrings by FUELifestyle

Not a beauty product, but they sure are beautiful! I’ve been wanting a pair of Magic Wand earrings for a while, but a lot of the handmade ones available on Etsy have cutesy cartoonish proportions. That’s all well and good for people who dig that, but I wanted earrings that looked as much like an actual Magic Wand as possible, from the color to the shape to the little blue buttons. These are 3D-printed, and are pretty damn accurate!

As a socially anxious person, I don’t always want to wear such a lewd conversation piece on my person, but I’ve rocked these on a few dates (and even while interviewing a few people about the Magic Wand, lol!) and they always get a good reaction. They make me feel like I’m flagging my sex-nerdery to the world.

 

Any beauty products you’re loving lately? Let me know in the comments!

Behind the Seams: Beautiful Bags & a Cat Costume

Kate Sloan

August 10th, 2023

After spending the whole day at home working on an article about eco-friendly sex toys, I decided to take myself out for dinner at a fave local pub. Sometimes a long work day can make me want to curl up alone in my bed, shutting off my brain with video games or YouTube videos for hours at a time, but sometimes it makes me want go out instead, as a sort of reward.

At the pub, I drank a grapefruit radler and a Manhattan, and read a good chunk of The Candy House by Jennifer Egan, a novel which I’ve since finished. It’s a really interesting story about a Facebook-esque company that develops technology for offloading your entire memory onto a hard drive and viewing other people’s memories; the novel follows the development and fallout of these technologies, and poses some fascinating ethical questions. Would recommend!

What I’m wearing:

• Pale blue T-shirt – a gift from my friend Sarah (this is suuuuper soft and comfy so I have been wearing it a lot)
• Black high-waisted A-line skirt – ASOS
• Black leather Chucks
• Prescription sunglasses – Zenni (after getting a new prescription at the optometrist recently, I promptly bought an updated version of the exact same sunglasses I had before… I just love the shape of these!)
• Blue/black/grey Coach Willis bag
• Rainbow earrings – 3DelightfulShop on Etsy (these go with every outfit, it’s kind of amazing)
• Apple Watch with red leather band

August 22nd, 2023

I was wary of wearing pink and red together until somewhat recently. Doing research on the lovecore aesthetic has opened my eyes to how cute these colors can look together. Who says you’re only allowed to wear them on Valentine’s Day?!

This is what I wore on a jaunt across the city to pick up my new glasses from the aforementioned optometrist. I had just recently bought this vintage red Coach Willis bag from an Etsy seller and was eager to show it off, so I built an outfit around it. Isn’t it stunning?! I love the shape of the Willis bag (as evidenced by the fact that you’ve seen two different ones already in this post) and have been lusting over the red ones for years, but they’re pretty rare and usually quite expensive on eBay etc. so I was surprised to get such a good deal on this one. I’ve been wearing it a LOT!

What I’m wearing:

• Pale pink T-shirt with a dominatrix on it – the gift shop at the Leather Archive in Chicago
• Red polka-dotted midi skirt – Forever 21 years ago
• Custom-color Nike Air Force 1 sneakers
• Red leather Coach Willis bag – vintage via TransientCreatures on Etsy
• Apple Watch
• Prescription sunglasses

August 30th, 2023

I wore this for a fun date uptown – we talked for hours over drinks and dinner on the starlit patio of a bar, and then drunkenly stumbled down the street into another, worse bar when the first one closed. I got a truly terrible Jungle Bird – should’ve known better than to order a complex, classic tiki drink from a chain establishment, tbh! Ah well, live and learn.

After we settled up, we walked over to the subway station and ended up making out pretty intensely against a tree for a while, giggling in the darkness. It was cute.

What I’m wearing:

• Blue cashmere cardigan – J. Crew (a findom gift from my love)
• Red tank top – the Gap
• Black A-line skirt – ASOS (I swear I wear this at least once in almost every Behind the Seams post; it’s just a really good, versatile item)
• Black leather Chucks
• Red leather Coach Willis bag
• Black beanie with a ghost stitched on it – bought at a Vaultboy show

September 22nd, 2023

On this day, I had to go see a doctor for a medical examination that was required as part of my U.S. immigration application. I don’t know exactly why this is required, nor do I know why there’s only one doctor in the entire city of Toronto who is approved to do these exams, but that’s where I had to go.

After that ordeal – which involved blood tests and a chest X-ray – I wanted to go on a nice solo date to shake off the stress of the day. My local steakhouse is always great, so I took my Kindle there and had a lovely night.

What I’m wearing:

• Leopard-print skater dress – American Apparel
• Red cropped cardigan – Urban CoCo via Amazon
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Red leather Coach Willis bag
• Red heart earrings of unknown origin
• Apple Watch

September 29th, 2023

My uncle was recently inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame for his work in the 1970s rock band Rough Trade, which he co-founded along with the legendary Carole Pope. (I’d suggest starting with “High School Confidential” if you’ve never heard their music before; it’s their biggest hit and is a delightfully horny, gay rock song.)

The band had a show at a local music venue the day after getting inducted, and it felt like a celebration of their entire oeuvre. Kevan put me and a bunch of other family members on the guest list, and it was such a fun night out!

I put together this all-black ensemble because it seemed appropriate, and indeed, when I showed up, almost everyone in our group was also in all black. It’s just part of the Rough Trade aesthetic!

What I’m wearing:

• Black cropped tank top – Forever 21
• Black velvet skirt – probably also Forever 21
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Black and rainbow leather satchel – from the Zatchels Pride collection

October 12th, 2023

Another all-black look… I went with my mom to a local screening of Hitchcock’s classic horror flick The Birds, and wanted to wear something gothy-looking that would also keep me cozy in the movie theatre. (They always crank up the AC so high, and cold is one of my fibro triggers!)

The black lip, incase you’re wondering, is a MAC liquid lipstick in the shade “Caviar.” I’ve only owned a few black lipsticks in my life but this is definitely the best one I’ve tried – it’s opaque in one swipe, lasts a decently long time, and makes me feel like a badass.

What I’m wearing:

• Black merino wool men’s sweater – was randomly included in an order I placed from the Gap years ago; they didn’t charge me for it and I was just like, guess this is mine now!
• Black modal slip (underneath) – Calvin Klein
• Black leggings – the Gap
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Red leather Coach Willis bag

October 19th, 2023

Another date outfit (for a date with a different person this time)! We had drinks at a pub, laughed a lot, and then he walked me home and we fell into bed together for some shenanigans.

This bag gets compliments wherever I go. It’s really kind of perfect.

What I’m wearing:

• Blue cashmere cardigan – J. Crew
• White men’s Hanes T-shirt (I bought a 4-pack of these recently and have been loving their androgynous flavor and how comfy they are)
• Black pleated skirt – Uniqlo
• Black leggings – the Gap
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Red heart-shaped bag – Kate Spade
• Rainbow earrings – 3DelightfulShop

October 21st, 2023

A cozy look for cocktails and good conversation with a cutie who was visiting my city. We went to Civil Liberties, my absolute favorite. It was recently named the best bar in Canada by the 50 Best Bars list, and while I obviously haven’t been to every bar in Canada, I believe it!

I bought these high-heeled Blundstones recently after much deliberation. I’ve been wanting a black leather boot with a bit of a heel, for days when I feel like being a little fancier or more femme. I like the shape of these a lot and they’re decently comfortable; I wouldn’t want to wear them for a really long walk or anything, but they’re great for little jaunts around the city.

What I’m wearing:

• Blue cashmere cardigan – J. Crew (I wear this soooo much, as evidenced by this post)
• Turquoise ribbed tank top – the Gap (I like that it lets you set your own cleavage level, lol)
• Black A-line skirt – ASOS
• Black tights
• Black high-heeled Blundstones
• Red heart-shaped bag – Kate Spade
• Green knit beanie – Only
• Blue rhinestoned Tarina Tarantino heart necklace
• Apple Watch

October 28th, 2023

This was my “costume” (barely a costume) for my friend Samantha‘s Halloween party this past weekend. I went with my friends Dan and Sarah (pictured – aren’t their costumes adorable?!) and had a great time. Got to see some people I hadn’t seen in ages.

I was dressed, ostensibly, as a black cat. I’d been having a pretty rough fibro flare-up in the week leading up to Halloween and hadn’t had the brainspace to figure out a proper costume, but this worked just fine, and I felt pretty cute in it, so who cares.

What I’m wearing:

• Black velvet dress – H&M
• Black lace cat ears headband – Forever 21
• Black leggings – the Gap
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Black vintage Coach Station bag – bought on eBay in 2012 and worn approximately one zillion times since then

 

What’s your favorite outfit you’ve worn recently?

West-Coast Cities & What I’d Wear

Kate Sloan

This morning, I received some great news in my inbox: my U.S. immigration interview has been scheduled for early November!

I haven’t mentioned it much here (or possibly at all?), but my spouse and I have been working with immigration lawyers for quite some time, putting together my application to move to the U.S. You would think it would be a simpler process, since my partner is an American citizen and we got married nearly 3 years ago (!!), but it’s been a bureaucratic labyrinth. I’m very glad (and very, very lucky) that we have professionals helping us through it.

Anyway, because my application is still pending, I’m not currently supposed to enter the States – so, naturally, I have been daydreaming about a lot of American cities that I want to return to, or visit for the first time, as the case may be. *wistful sigh*

I’m an east-coast gal – born and raised in Toronto, trying to move to New York – and, while I generally gel better with east-coasters culturally, west-coast cities nonetheless intrigue me. Here are a few I’d like to visit when I’m allowed to again, and some dreamy outfits I’d wear…

Portland

Undoubtedly my favorite west-coast city, Portland is full of impassioned weirdos, cool bookstores, and great coffee. (Also, incidentally, one of the best-stocked sex shops I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting, Spartacus Leathers.)

You’d look right at home in Portland wearing a plaid flannel shirt, skinny jeans, and boots (god, remember that odd-looking collaboration collection Dr. Martens did with Pendleton?! How very Portlandia), but I usually want to dress more femme than that. In a patterned dress, colorful cashmere cardigan, lace tights, and a pair of ever-ubiquitous Docs, I’d feel comfy enough for an hours-long jaunt betwixt the shelves at Powell’s, but would still be dressed-up enough for a drinks date at the Multnomah Whiskey Library afterward.

Since Portland is famously the “city of roses,” naturally I would incorporate a rose motif into my ensemble: a red rose hair clip, and earrings to match. Add a cozy scarf, a cute little crossbody bag, and a poppin’ red lip, and I’m ready to stroll through the rose garden with my sweetheart, even if it gets chilly.

Los Angeles

L.A. culture and New York culture are often regarded as opposites, but I think people from both cities have a flair for the dramatic, just in different ways. And since I love a themed outfit (which is one of the ways I have a flair for the dramatic), I’d have to dress up in a caricature of Californian glamor if I went there.

Pink and blue feel like very Cali colors to me. A blue silky tank top tucked into a Barbie-pink high-waisted skirt would be the ideal foundation for my outfit. I’d pair that with pink lips, pink heart-shaped sunglasses (very Lolita), and a pink heart necklace from my favorite L.A.-based designer, Tarina Tarantino. Sunscreen is a must-have for sunny California days, natch, as is an adorable Instax camera that matches my outfit. I’d bring along a blue moto jacket incase it got colder at night.

I wonder if Los Angeles escorts and strippers would have the best recommendations for where to get sexy high heels locally. These blue ones are by Manolo Blahnik, and while I could likely handle wearing them for the duration of a cab ride, dinner, and an improv show at the Upright Citizens Brigade, I’m sure I wouldn’t want to traverse the whole Hollywood Walk of Fame in them!

San Francisco

My main reason for wanting to go to San Francisco is that it’s a major hub for queer folks, so of course I’d want to dress in a loudly gay manner there. If ever there was a good reason to buy rainbow boots…!

I’d make sure to wear bike shorts under this flowy yellow dress, so I wouldn’t flash anyone if the breeze picked up as I walked along the Golden Gate Bridge. A shiny red jacket would keep me cozy in the event of wind or rain. And of course, gotta have coquettish red sunglasses and a red lip to match.

My look would be rather different if I was attending the Folsom Street Fair – think black leather and dominatrix vibes – but I think this would be the ideal outfit for daytime touristy shenanigans in the “city by the bay.”

 

What are your favorite west-coast cities, and what do you regard as the best things to do there? (Asking for a friend… The friend is me, when I’m allowed back in the USA!)

 

This post was sponsored by my pals at Slixa. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Behind the Seams: Solo Dinners, Writing Adventures, & Barbie

Kate Sloan

June 17, 2023

After recording my song video for the week, I changed into this for the rest of the day. (Not really sure why I almost always pick an outfit/”costume” for my weekly song videos; it’s just become part of the process for me at this point. That week’s song was a sardonic post-breakup anthem so I wore all black with a big red heart necklace.)

I wore this outfit to go to the park and write fanfiction while sitting on a bench. This has been one of my favorite pastimes these past few months – not just writing fanfic but specifically doing it while sitting outside, surrounded by people and birds and grass. The bustle of it seems to help with my creative flow, kind of like sitting in a café, only more summery. (Incase you’re wondering, the chapter I wrote on this day was a CBT-infused BJ scene.)

What I’m wearing:

• Dark green cropped T-shirt – Calvin Klein (it’s surprised me how often I’ve worn this since buying it – it’s just sooo comfy because it’s made of a modal blend)
• Dark blue plaid schoolgirl skirt – H&M; bought a size up from my usual size because I wanted it to sit at my hips and not my waist, so it wouldn’t be obscenely short on me (and honestly it’s still pretty obscenely short)
• Black leather Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers
• Tiffany & Co. dog collar
• Blue leather briefcase – Coach Outlet (it’s exactly the right size for me to slip my laptop, wallet, keys, phone, and headphones into it for jaunts to the park to write)

July 15, 2023

I wore this to go see a one-person show, starring and written by one of the kids who was on the high school improv team I coached in 2011-2012. I say “kid” but that was actually so long ago that they’re all adults now, doing amazing stuff out in the world.

I pretty much always have a great time when I go see theatre by myself. This particular theatre was enforcing a mask requirement so I didn’t feel too nervous about it COVID-wise. I laughed and cried and marvelled and it was a lovely night.

What I’m wearing:

• Hippo Campus T-shirt – a gift from my brother
• Navy A-line skirt – Old Navy like a decade ago
• Black leather Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers
• Coach Rambler crossbody bag
• Custom-engraved “Daddy’s” heart-shaped lock from L’Amour-Propre worn on a chain

July 21, 2023

All the Barbie fever had me feeling hype about the color pink, so here’s what I wore a couple days before going to see the movie.

My partner and I have developed a protocol for my current ~secret project~ where, when I hit certain milestones, they pay for me to have a nice solo dinner out somewhere. So on this night I got dressed up and went for a luxuriant meal at my local fancy steakhouse. I was reading a long Sherlock fanfic on my Kindle, and sipped cocktails while eating scallops, steak, and mashed potatoes. Perfect self-date, if you ask me!

What I’m wearing:

• Black dress – Grace Karin (bought when I dressed up as Bettie Page for Halloween a couple years back)
• Pink metallic cowboy boots – Jeffrey Campbell, a findom gift from my love
• Pink and blue silk headscarf – a gift from my friend Sarah
• Tiffany & Co. dog collar
• Coach Rambler crossbody bag
• Prescription sunglasses – Zenni

July 23, 2023

My outfit to go see Barbie with some pals!

Dressing to a theme is so much fun. Some people on my Twitter timeline observed that we should all dress up for movies more often (those of us who like doing that, anyway) and I agree. Sometimes choosing a theme or goal aesthetic is the best way for me to motivate myself to get dressed and get out of the house, because I relish the femme challenge of it.

The movie was great! I only wished there was more Michael Cera, but, y’know. We can’t always get what we want.

What I’m wearing:

• Pink sequinned dress – Grace Karin
• Pink metallic cowboy boots – Jeffrey Campbell
• Coach Rambler crossbody bag
• Pink sparkly heart necklace – Tarina Tarantino
• Pink KN95 mask – MaskC (I’m not wearing it in these photos but you can see it in my hand, and it was an important part of the overall look)

July 31, 2023

Another outfit for a cute solo date, this one a little more low-key – I went to my local British pub and had a delicious and indulgent meal while, again, reading Sherlock fic on my Kindle. I am a creature of habit.

The tote bag was a gift from the folks at Vibratex, the current makers and distributors of the legendary Magic Wand, and I love it. I’ve been putting various enamel pins on it, most of them Magic Wand-themed, to liven it up a little. I like that the message written on it is subtle enough that people don’t stare at me weirdly in public, but is a bit of a wink-wink-nudge-nudge to anyone who happens to know about the Magic Wand.

What I’m wearing:

• Navy T-shirt – Wythe Hotel (worn about a zillion times since I acquired it shortly after having my very meaningful 3rd date with my partner at said hotel)
• Black ruffly skirt – thrifted in 2007-ish; it’s been a loyal fave for many years
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• “I make magic happen” tote bag – gift from Vibratex
• My sub’s chastity key on a chain

August 1, 2023

A little androgynous flavor for ya!

I wore this to go have drinks with an old friend/FWB who I met when we both worked at the same sex shop. We had a lively discussion over dinner and drinks, and then drunkenly made out in front of a subway station for a while. Ideal.

Then I wandered over to my parents’ house and hung out with my mama for a bit, catching up on what’s going on with her.

What I’m wearing:

• White V-neck men’s T-shirt – Hanes
• Black high-waisted straight-leg jeans – Madewell
• Black leather Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers
• Hair styled in a way I’ve been doing it a lot lately, which involves applying pomade when it’s wet, combing it all back so it dries perfectly straight/flat, and then flat-ironing it to give it some extra polish

5 Summery Fashion & Beauty Products I’m Loving Lately

Kate Sloan

Yay, summertime! Here are some hot-weather-appropriate fashion & beauty items I’ve been enjoying recently.

 

 

Image via Amazon

American Crew pomade

I bought this because I’ve been stylistically very influenced by the character Roman Roy of Succession lately (more on that in the recent Dildorks episode about my evolving gender presentation), and his hair is one of the most striking elements of his signature look – it’s usually slicked back or combed to the side and very shiny with product, in a cool 1950s-throwback sort of way. I have this great asymmetrical short haircut now that I can do a bunch of different things with (shout-out to my long-time hairdresser Paul Taylor of Avalon Hair Design!), so I thought it would be fun to experiment with pomade, since I’d never really tried it before – I’ve used, at most, some gel or hairspray for certain elaborate styles, but more often just stick with a curl cream.

There are basically infinite ways to use this pomade, but my favorite lately is to smooth some through my towel-dried hair after a shower and neatly comb it all back with a tail comb. Sometimes I’ll add a little height in the front by pinning it into a pompadour shape with a bobby pin while it dries. This feels like a very summery look to me because it keeps my hair off my face (ideal in the heat) and the shine makes my hair look slightly wet, as if I perpetually just stepped out of a swimming pool. I also love the gender-weirdness of incorporating elements traditionally associated with men’s hairstyling into my otherwise femme-leaning look.

 

 

Image via Amazon

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in “Mightiest Maraschino”

This is an old-school favorite of mine – I think I first bought it around 2015 and wore it a lot when I was in journalism school (largely because I was so busy and stressed all the time and often wanted to wear low-maintenance makeup, if any), and then in 2021 I remembered this lipstick existed, bought a new tube, and hopped wholeheartedly back onto the Mightiest Maraschino train.

I love red lipsticks of basically any kind, but in the summer, I tend to gravitate more toward reds that are glossy, sheer, and/or very quick and easy to apply – as opposed to the heavier, fussier, matte reds I’ll carefully paint onto my lips in the fall and winter. This Clinique lipstick feels as light and moisturizing as a tinted lip balm, but it’s a nearly-opaque bright red that looks good with pretty much everything. It doesn’t have the greatest staying power, but applying it takes so little time and effort that I don’t mind reapplying after drinks or meals as needed.

 

 

Image via Amazon

Coola face sunscreen in cucumber scent

I know this won’t be to everyone’s taste because a lot of people are sensitive to fragranced products, but I recently bought this solely because the standard non-scented version was sold out, and I’ve been surprised by how much I’m enjoying it.

Coola’s face sunscreen is the best formula I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried a bunch. Way too many sunscreens are heavy, oily, and/or shiny, necessitating that I pat a lot of setting powder on top if I want to feel presentable. But this one dries to a reasonable level of dewiness, doesn’t make me feel oily and gross, and is a good consistency to apply quickly on my way out the door.

The cucumber scent is calming and cooling – ideal for summer – but it also only lasts maybe a minute or two, after which I can’t smell it anymore. Probably a good thing.

 

Image via MeUndies

MeUndies eggplant-print modal shorts (use this link to get 20% off)

MeUndies had a sale a little while ago, and I basically live in modal loungewear when I’m at home, so I had to at least take a look. Imagine my delight when I saw that they are currently making their super-comfy modal shorts in a print emblazoned with the most notoriously phallic emoji.

I haven’t worn these out of the house, and probably won’t – they’re a bit of a statement, to say the least – but I’ve adored lounging around in them at home, writing in them, sleeping in them, etc. They’re as comfy as boxers, but they have POCKETS, so I can keep my phone with me while I walk around, or whatever. Plus, naturally, I love what the print represents (that being: dicks).

 

 

Image via 3Delightfulshop

3Delightfulshop rainbow earrings

I’ve bought stuff from this Etsy store before and was happy with it, so I decided to get some gay-ass earrings to rock at Pride events. I’ve ended up wearing them a lot – they’re huge, and loud, and they seem to encourage people to see me as the queer weirdo that I am, which is always great.

 

What fashion/beauty stuff are you loving lately?