I just posted my first impressions of a new zero-waste, vegan, cruelty-free mascara from @zerra.and.co. I review the mascara’s buying experience, pricing, formula, packaging (and some of the brand’s business practices), and performance/wear. If you’d like to try the mascara, use HRM25 for 25% off! I almost didn’t post this because my inner critic doesn’t think the mascara is as noticeable in photos as it is in person (my photograph skills are very much a work in progress), and I was shocked and honestly disgusted by my skin’s texture in these close-ups. But then I happened to watch a video by @charlotteparler (bless) making the point that it’s natural for skin to have texture, pores, and wrinkles and that it would be bizarre if skin didn’t have those because then it wouldn’t be a functioning barrier. Shoutout to @katiejanehughes and her work with the #normalizeskintexture hashtag, too. Finally, I came to the conclusion that with everything that’s happened in 2020 and happens in the world in general, every year, skin texture is absolutely THE 👏 LEAST 👏 OF 👏 IT and to think twice about it is ridiculous. Now I’ve progressed to the point where I think my skin looks utterly amazing in these, and I’m nostalgic for this (last week’s) skin when I didn’t have this week’s hormonal breakout. Anyway, hopefully this review is helpful if you’re looking for a zero/low-waste mascara hand-made by a small independent brand! Photos: 1) @zerra.and.co mascara and applicator 2) my bare lashes for a comparison baseline 3) and 4) my lashes with two coats of the mascara. 
There’s something so satisfying about roasting a chicken and enjoying it with mashed potatoes and gravy from the drippings... then pulling all the meat off the bones and making a silky, gelatinous-when-cooled stock... then using that stock in chicken noodle soup! I just posted this easy, versatile chicken noodle soup recipe to my site, and there’s certainly no roasting of a chicken required as a first step! The meat from a store-cooked rotisserie chicken, or plain boneless, skinless chicken breast (or any kind of cooked chicken, really) would work just fine. I had the opportunity to roast a wonderful @whiteoakpastures pastured chicken, and couldn’t resist taking the opportunity to stretch it to as many meals as possible. Note about the noodles: these are gluten-free noodles, but this soup is delicious without any noodles at all! 
I just posted a tutorial for this simple clean beauty makeup look that I’ve been wearing (minimum) once per week, nowadays. I have loved a bold red lip since my early 20’s but I took an extended break from it until very recently. In March, April, and May of this year, anxious and isolated, I stopped wearing makeup entirely. During the summer, as mask-wearing ramped up, I didn’t return to wearing makeup except occasionally (during rare moments of tolerance for a stained mask and a smudged lip line). Summer faded into autumn, and shelter-in-place fatigue settled deep into my bones. Red lipstick—so “frivolous”—was the furthest thing from my mind. But as the year draws to a close, I’m beginning to feel a cautious optimism, even the first faint flickers of anticipation again when I contemplate a future beyond the grief, anxiety, exhaustion, and upheaval of 2020. Alongside that optimism and anticipation comes the mindset for a red lip again! Enjoy this simple routine now (I’ll be wearing it on Christmas morning) or some other time, it’ll be waiting when you’re ready. Concealer - @bareminerals Powder - @ilia Blush - @lawless Brow pencil - @ereperezcosmetics Mascara - @ilia Lip liner - @kjaerweis 
I'm switching gears on the blog today with a post about my favorite Indigenous-owned apparel and accessories brands (link in bio). If you're searching for creations rooted in sustainability, resiliency, community, art, spirituality, culture, place, and history, these brands are a wonderful place to start! @byellowtail @thundervoicehatco @white_bear_moccasins @warrenstevenscott @jennifers_copper_silver @ginew_usa (All photos used with permission.) I loved learning about their creative processes, how they're inspired by natural cycles, and how they support their communities and integrate their cultures into their designs through a modern lens. Let me know in the comments if there's an Indigenous-owned brand I should add, I'd love to keep adding to this list! 
I’m loving this photo of Samantha Foxx, owner of @mothersfinesturbanfarm! Thank you @unitedblacklibrary for putting together the Ultimate List of Black Owned Farms and Food Gardens (link in my bio), which is how I discovered Ms. Foxx and her amazing chickens! There are Black-owned farms and food gardens listed in many states, shout out to @cityslickerfarms and @farmstogrow nearby in Oakland. Black-owned farms make up less than 2% of all farms in the United States, partly due to the “unequal administration of government farm support programs, crucial to protecting farmers from an inherently risky enterprise, has had a profound impact on rural communities of color.” (according to a report by @americanprogress). Let’s show them support. 📸 @allisonleeisleyphotography #equity #americanfarms #food #sustainability #blackexcellence #farming #equality #antiracism #smallbusiness #farmers #votewithyourdollar #butalsovotewithyourvote #whoreadstheseanyway