Welcome To The Cabin

A collection of thoughts

[blackcatcabin]

I have always thought of Texas as this warm, sunny state that smells of brisket all the time. Rolling deserts and cactus in the background. I imagined I would just be watching the cattle roam. I couldn't have thought of a more disney-esq way to romanticize the state. But, I got a lot more than I bargained for when I moved to Houston. 
For one the food scene down here is more than just amazing brisket. You can find nearly anything your heart desires and then some. Pho at 3am? Mai’s in midtown has got your back. Girl dinner instead? No problem, Postinos bites and wine is perfect. All vegan in Texas? Well…the heights is your spot. Fancy some bomb seafood? Head down to the coast. There’s a little bit for everyone in this city.

Other than knowing it's the fourth largest city in the U.S. I had no idea what to expect. Shout out to my boss for nudging me to live in midtown. Post college, its a perfect spot to acclimate in. Montrose next door is one of my favorite spots in Houston that does not feature cactus and cattle, but has its own mosaic charm and southern cocktails to sip in the hundred degree heat. And as I moved from neighborhood to neighborhood, I got a full picture of the snapshots that Houston is made up of. Arts and culture to drag racing tracks and game days. The religion that is the Astros baseball team. Houston will always be a wonderful, coastal, and ever changing city. (Ever under construction too but that’s another topic!)

I've had way too many thoughts just collecting in a large void. This blog is to get them all out there. Make up, sports, food, cocktails, lifestyle, we got it all. For whoever is reading this. Hey.

If nothing else I'm hoping this brings a laugh or at least a smile to your day.

(P.s. I am not paying any attention to my grammar, as this is a word vomit blog to get it out of my brain, but I’ll do my best)

[spookyasmr]

[blackcatcabin]

Let’s talk aesthetics and color schemes. My duck friends are back! Something that inspires me is the aesthetic of a luxury hunting lodge. Think Deep warm colors (your reds, oranges, yellows) and muted cool colors (your greens, blues, purples) As ridiculous as that sounds, another way to put it is more Gordy and Sons upscale outfitter and less Bass Pro Shops. (Iykyk) It’s very much a muted color scheme with burgundy’s, dark neutrals, and soft blue grays to work with which is also what I look for in my make up choices. I used to love bright colors, and as much as I think I rocked it…I really didn’t. Even more natural colors looked to be too bright on me. Not too long ago I figured out I had to get rid of my wet n wild contour pallet and huda neutrals (while great, just washed me out entirely). And embraced that I am a full on evening ghostly cabin type of girly. I clung to contour too sharp for my face and purples so bright you’d think it’s 1982. Y2K makeup did get the chromes right though… I will NEVER rid myself of the chrome nail polish!

Side thought: a red lip is universal I highly recommend checking out poundcake their reds match your undertone and smell amazing. Like a cake! 10/10

I’ve seen the new trend being “wearing your colors” where some lady takes a bunch of color swatches and magically you can see someone go from dull to happy in a matter of seconds. Which I know this is also a total rouse, but I’m totally bought into it. Now no one can get me to ever stop wearing black, I am a millennial, black is flattering on everyone, and I will die on that hill. But since embracing the muted colored “soft autumn” that the style quiz told me I was, I am I find my choices to be very easy. A lot of guess work is taken out of how I shop now with a target goal in mind. Does this elevate/flatter my tone and does it stick within my color pallet I want to keep? If you listen to some fashion podcasts the most useful thing I’ve heard was “pick three words to describe your wardrobe.” It goes beyond the closet, 3 words to describe your career, your life, your self. It’s a good method of operation to move towards your goals.

After college it’s incredibly easy to just get lost. No routine in place except for the one you make. And if you’re any girly out there, being an admin for yourself is hard. So we’re doing the three word method when it comes to color choices and everything else. And if it doesn’t fall in that category it doesn’t help what I’m trying to build.

My 3: Elevated, Classic, Sexy

Elevated: great its a blue top but is it elevated? Am I just wasting 10$ to buy something in that color or should I invest in something that’s going to make me feel uplifted

Classic: will this stand the test of time? Fast fashion and busy prints will not do my wallet or my figure justice

Sexy: and I say this out of the MANY times I’ve heard this from friends and family - Do you look like a grandma? And not coastal cute grandma who doesn’t take shit from anyone and drinks her whiskey neat, I mean straight up doily’s covering every inch of the house, salmon wallpaper everywhere, seashell soap that doesn’t work and has dust on it, Karen across the street grandma. Which essentially reminds me to just dress my age.

[blackcatcabin]

Alright y’all. Let’s talk foundation. My entire life I have always been pink. I was not blessed with the gene that many of my friends have to not immediately fry when left out in the sun…for all of 3 minutes.

So number one for everyone living in hot weather - sunscreen, sunscreen, suncreeeeeen. Say it with me, sun-screen! Cannot emphasize how important this is for just even going to get your mail. Put it in your hair too, I had to remind my northern girlfriends when they came down, heat protectant in your hair is important so you don’t fry. End of my PSA - Back to our scheduled foundation talk: 
I have found myself always using matte everything, since I’m a millennial, natural moisturizing was my enemy. St Ives apricot face scrub terrorized us all, and I scrubbed my face off with it every day. That being said I love that product, I still use it sparingly now, I don’t care, it smells great and like nostalgia from when I didn’t have to pay taxes. 
My go to everyday is Estée Lauder’s double wear. The entire line is great honestly. I know a lot of people see it as “grandmas make up,” but realistically the foundation does not leave your face. (We’ll get into the double wear line and their color pallet in a later post) Now proper skin prep is always needed. Go through your skin care routine and use their pink bottle for primer it’s the dewy/glowy one. (Specific I know sorry. I’ll update this promise.) This lasts me all day in the heat, doesn’t oxidize, and comes in a lot of shades. Forewarned, it absolutely needs a translucent powder over it after. It can get tacky on your face. But, I think all foundations need a translucent powder if you’re using a liquid foundation. It just makes it more comfortable on your face and helps it last longer. 
My personal rule of thumb is to use primers and powders within the same brand. Ie: foundation is from NARS use their setting and primers. Normally products are formulated together which makes them work better. 
I say this with the urgency to use caution though you may find something that works amazingly and not in the same brand. Milks new primer is great under my Estée Lauder but not under my glossier foundation. Which is just the name of the game is trying everything out. And I drove myself crazy doing this so you don’t have to!

If you’re a natural finish type of person. Which I was not until I was a recently converted glossier girl. (Im so late to this being trendy but who cares.) If your skin is super dry, I highly recommend NARS, their foundation is hydrating, gives a light weight natural finish, and is more cool toned friendly than other brands. For cool toned people, some brands may lean in too much on the pink undertone, and it changed the shade. NARS has it figured out. Their foundation was a dead ringer for my skin tone, the color match was perfect but sadly, I am oily as all hell. It slipped right off my face and my cousin benefited from my purchase since we’re pretty close in skin tone. The natural finish product that did work for me though was glossier. The formula is light weight and if you use it with their primer, it absolutely lasts all day without the need for a touch up. I will say their setting powder doesn’t last too long so try a tried and true powder you love. For me that’s fenty the powder press, or mac. Macs powder is sweat proof and won’t fail you it’s a classic. 


Also recently tried Cover Fxs line since it was half off. And because I have what I lovingly call “fish brain” (shiney so we bought it) I purchased the whole foundation line. Honest opinions its a great dupe for the esteé lauder double wear. The coverage was insanely good, I almost thought it wasn’t a shade match due to how full coverage it was. All of the red in my face was just gone in seconds.