theseventhsphinx - The Seventh Sphinx

I enjoy a bikini. I seem to have quite a few of them, now that I take stock, and they all fall solidly into the category of stuff I like. On the blog they go! I imagine the choices will be telling.

I cannot be the only one who really enjoys mixing and matching tops and bottoms. Thinking about colors and patterns and how they might best be combined never gets dull for me. Swimsuit slant rhyme! My stamp of individuality!

I do not turn to Victoria’s Secret for many things–so much of their product is branded to death–but some of their swimsuits are great, particularly when they are on sale. [I went a bit crazy last year and got a number of pieces, so they will come up again.] I must have spent two hours fiddling with combinations online and was, at the time, determined to get something with polka-dots. Turquoise is fantastic with a bit of summer tan (it’s been on my mind lately), and I like this bright, almost aquamarine shade of it. Here we have the double string bikini bottoms and the bandeau top. I’ve already covered my love of bandeaus. This is a bit retro with the polka dot bandeau, and one of my more playful options.

Also like the idea of yellow polka-dot bottoms with this…maybe later.

CoverGirl lip perfection lip color in Hot (305). A true, ripe strawberry color (in the beauty industry I think the term ‘strawberry’ as used to reference color usually skews too pink). I took note of this shade as it was featured beautifully on Janelle Monáe (who could not be any cuter) in a promotional piece for the line, and it came up again on xojane as a recommendation for those with dark skin tones. My skin isn’t very dark but I sometimes like to choose colors as if it is. [Specifically as if it is a medium-dark Mediterranean olive, which, with extensive tanning it is not going to get, I am convinced it would be. See?]

I can’t really speak to the oft-lauded formula yet, having only tried it once, but my first impressions are that it is pretty hard (still creamy but not as soft as Rimmel or Revlon offerings), nicely pigmented, rather unforgiving to apply. There are some claims that it nourishes the lips, and I guess we’ll see about that. I’m definitely not having that pleasant feeling that I should run out and get more colors, at least not yet. I do really like the color, though.

It’s fortunate this brandy snifter is good for something, as it is terrible for brandy.

Author: theseventhsphinx

bikini of the day: turquoise mix & match

on the lips: strawberry red c/o CoverGirl