Spotify is my best friend.

I used to (totally legally) download every single song I wanted to listen to––and I had dial-up for most of my internet years, so you can imagine what a pain in the ass that was. I have high-speed internet now (thank god) and a Spotify subscription. Both of those things have widened my musical tastes substantially. That is why I like sharing some of my music finds with you on here: because I think broadening our musical horizons is important.

Fall is starting which means it's time for a new Music I've Been Loving playlist. That will be crafted as the next few months roll on but, obviously, I'm not leaving you high and dry. That would make this post incredibly frustrating, wouldn't it? Nope, it's time that I share my summer playlist with you. Even though I'm starting to phase it out, I still listen to these songs on the regular.

Open up your Spotify app and enjoy.

The first time I used NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation––which, by the way, is a mouthful––was when it first came out a couple of years ago. At the time, I had incredibly dry skin that no amount of moisturizer could fix. I went through foundation after foundation, trying to find a formula that wouldn't emphasize my dry patches and would cover my rosacea.

At that time, this foundation was a hard pass. It not only emphasized my dry skin, it also left me looking like I had a ton of product on my face. It just sat on my skin, didn't blend well, and didn't cover my redness as well as I had hoped. One of the claims about this foundation was that you only needed one drop––or pump––to cover your entire face. That wasn't true for me then and it still isn't true for me now.

My skin is currently more on the combination or oily end of the spectrum. My go-to foundation is the Too Faced Born This Way formula, but because I've been breaking out so much lately I decided to try out some new formulas to see if my favorite foundation had betrayed me. I picked up the NARS foundation again and gave it a go. I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

It still took three pumps to cover my face, but it did mask the redness from both my rosacea and my breakouts. It looked a little too matte on my skin, despite claiming a natural finish, and made my cheeks––where is covered my redness––look a little ashy. It also emphasized texture on my skin. For instance, an allergic reaction had caused tiny little bumps to appear all over my face. While my Too Faced foundation made them appear smoother, the NARS foundation made them obvious. Same for my breakouts.

I will admit that other people I asked couldn't really tell a different in the appearance of my skin when I wore this foundation. But I could, and it left me feeling really self-conscious and uncomfortable. f you do try it out, make sure to apply it with a damp Beauty Blender as this foundation is prone to streak marks.

Bottom line, I'm still not a fan of this foundation––especially not for $48.

Can you say relaxing weekend? Because that is what I have had. I celebrated my mother's birthday on Friday, spent Saturday and Sunday cleaning and organizing, and today has been a day of rest. I spent the morning working (only a little bit, though!) and the afternoon was spent out in nature reading Women Who Run With the Wolves. It feels like the perfect time to reflect on the month of August and what I can do to make September even better.

What are Soul Goals?

I sit down at the beginning of each month-- or, at least, I try to-- and write out three goals that I have for the month ahead that I think will enrich my life and make me a better, happier person. Interested in coming up with your own Soul Goals? They can be simple or crazy ambitious goals. The important part is assessing what needs to change in your own life and figuring out what direction you want to go in. We're just taking it month by month, day by day, minute by minute here.

My Previous Soul Goals Recap

My first goal was to resettle into an early morning routine which I just didn't manage to do. I tried, I really did, but it just didn't happen. I stay up too late working and then I hit the snooze button so many times that I feel like I have to hop out of bed and get right to work. It's definitely something I still need to work on.

My next goal was to start on my first novel, which I did. I haven't gotten far, but I have started a few short stories and rediscovered some old writing that I intend to work on.

Last was my goal of bullet journaling. I started this and found it just didn't work for me. The pressure to make my bullet journal look nice made the process stressful and time-consuming. I think I need to get a planner that is already laid out and add my own creative elements to it.

My Soul Goals for September

1. Drink 120 oz. of water every day. I was doing this religiously earlier this summer but, slowly, my water intake dwindled. I still get my 64 oz. in daily, but I know I feel and look better when I am properly hydrated, so I need this habit back in my life stat.

2. Finish reading at least three books. My goal for this year was to read 26 books–one for every two weeks this year. I've fallen a few books behind and need to play catch up. Recently I finished The Opposite of Loneliness and The Glass Menagerie, and I am currently working on finishing up Women Who Run With the Wolves and Bad Feminist. Be on the lookout for some reading related posts soon!

3. Sell some stuff! I've realized that I have too much stuff, period, and I need to get rid of it. I spent a lot of August sorting through my belongings and deciding what I can get rid of. Now it's time to let go of it and, hopefully, reap some (monetary) benefits.

My goals are, admittedly, a little boring this month. But that's okay! Not all goals are meant to break world records or inspire awe in people. Sometimes they are just goals that help you get from Point A to Point B. 

What are you wanting to accomplish this month?