introducing: the wandering i
a creative reincarnation of sorts — plus, a scent tour!
i am constantly seeking delight. i also have adult adhd, which means i have the attention span of a goldfish; shiny things equally distract me. this has meant that i’ve started and stopped too many projects to count, however, the desire to share my thoughts/feelings/findings never leaves me. i could muse about my mental health’s need for an ongoing creative outlet, how being productive makes me feel, and — relatedly, i swear — what it was like to pivot from tumblr influencer to a 15-year career leading social media for beauty brands large and small, but this is a fresh start. think of it like a whiff of coffee beans after spending too long sniffing perfume samples.
the wandering i was inspired by the love i felt flipping through the pages of lucky magazine. the excitement of discovering a new store to visit, a designer to admire, or an etsy shop to support from afar. the “i” could be me, it could be you, or it could be a stylish friend. “i” might be home in nyc, across the country, or anywhere in the world. while the recommendations are curated, this is less a platform for my personal style and more an outlet for you to explore your own. with that said, i’m full of contradictions, so…
🛒 what a beauty pro bought
credo just concluded its friends & family sale, sephora’s pre-holiday vib promotions are in full swing, ulta has teased black friday deals for weeks, and the us govt continues to provide enough tricks to last decades of halloweens. in short, we deserve treats.
i succumbed by taking advantage of credo’s 20% off to pick up westman atelier lit up highlight stick in brûlée, a glassy gold bronzer, and my sephora shopping cart is prepped for a purchase of huda beauty #fauxfilter under eye color corrector in cherry light, haus labs color fuse lip + cheek blush balm stick in glassy hibiscus (can you tell i’m vibing on a shiny cheek?) and m.ph lip ciggy in first base to experience that sexy packaging in person.
all purchases aside, my biggest tip to getting the best deal is to sign up for emails directly from the brands you love. brand sites are not only competing with retailers like sephora but their own annual goals, which typically results in the biggest savings being direct-to-consumer in the form of flash sales or bundle deals.
💭 i can’t stop thinking about
after a recent gutting of my closet to make space for more professional pieces to fit a hopeful future (🤞), i realized my headgear is now lacking; this is unacceptable given how hot air rises and i’m 4’10” and can use as much of it during the wintertime as possible. with that in mind, handmade fisherman beanies in cheery shades of cobalt are living rent-free.
option 1: cotton, $28.63 + 5.73, ships from brooklyn
option 2: lambswool, $57.54 + 18.50, ships from uk
option 3: merino wool, $46, ships from canada
option 4: mohair, $52.47 + 15, ships from ukraine
i love the idea of a little rolled brim but the mohair version feels like a fun way to add texture to an otherwise simple option.
⚱💨 a mini fragrance tour of the ues
think nyc only smells like trash? shame.
one of my now-favorite activities is to literally take in the smells of madison avenue. jenika and i inadvertently created this unofficial mini tour of scent boutiques during an espresso martini-fueled afternoon last spring and it has turned into a regular occurrence.
📍 fueguia 1833 (948 madison at 75th st)
📍 diptyque (971 madison)
📍 le labo (1045 madison)
📍 d.s. & durga (1070 madison)
📍 frederic malle (1165 madison)
bonus: end the day at exotic fragrances inc (1645 lexington at 104th st) where you can get hands-on assistance finding the perfect scent, bottle, and/or designer dupe of your nose’s dreams. products range from concentrated oils to lotion and prices are thrillingly affordable. peruse their site to get an idea of the massive array of options. closes at 5:30pm. not open on sundays.
bookmark these spots! follow the wandering i on google maps to save this list and others to be saved + organized in the future.
🗞️ beauty news that won’t bum you out
big night opened its newest store on the upper east side, smackdab between many of the stops on your fragrance tour. pop in to explore vintage and indie glassware, party snacks, and explore a more expansive bar offering than some of its other locations.
if you don’t know diarrha n’diaye-mbaye, get familiar. diarrha and i started in the beauty world around the same time, we both had fashion-y blogs, we both worked at glossier (and had very similar experiences), she went off on her own and i’ve been in awe of her ever since. she humbly announced the closure of her industry-beloved brand ami colé this past july, devastating devoted fans who championed its vibrant colors, shade accuracy, and delicious formulas. but just this week — a mere four months later! — diarrha rocked us again with the announcement of her appointment as skims’ new evp of beauty & fragrance. kim kardashian recently remessaged her desire to delve deeper into the beauty space, potentially through the reinvention of kkw beauty. and diarrha? don’t stop watching her as she rises.
d.s. & durga launched a new collaboration candle, this time with violet grey to infuse the air of their home-like beauty boutiques and perhaps your own. “meet me in the powder room” is a “mood-setting candle that conjures an uptown party, with notes of violet and leather.” according to the madison ave shopgirl, it is one of the brand’s few “girly-pop” options if that intrigues you at all. she mentioned it has already sold out in most locations along with the cult favorite debaser x soft services buffing bars, but the williamsburg location is still well-stocked.
i’ve been an admirer of arabelle sicardi since their fashion pirate days and am thrilled they’ve extended their prolific writing talents to the printed word.
With their signature blend of intellectual rigor and poetic sensibility, Arabelle explores how beauty myths are crafted, sold, and weaponized, from corporate boardrooms to your local nail salon. Follow alongside Arabelle as they trace the global trail of the shimmering mica in your beauty products, choose-your-own-adventure-style, or journey into the past to unearth the sinister connection between fragrance and fascism. Bear witness as they visit a tech convention focused on the next horrifying frontier of body modification, or as they ask what’s at stake in the braids we weave in our hair. Sharp yet tender in their observations, Arabelle challenges readers to reconsider beauty as more than a product of consumption, inviting a vision of beauty rooted in community and self-care, one that transcends industry-driven ideals.
arabelle’s new book “the house of beauty” is now available.
really looking forward to the new joan mitchell exhibit at david zwirner (537 20th st). it opens on thursday. see you there?
i got a new full-length mirror. can you tell i’m excited about it? i’d been playing with this idea that i could forgo one and ignore my body, but, as it turns out, it’s more fun to dress it.
gratuitous PSA: i am looking for a full-time job. open to senior/director roles focused on digital marketing, social media, and consumer engagement. if you hear something cool, i’d love to hear about it! send me an email or let’s connect on linkedin :)