Cart Curator #84 - Black Friday FOMO
I share my thoughts on BFCM, including my picks, an AUS One To Try, and the hair gloss that may replace your keratin treatment.
Hey friends,
I’m officially 28…
To be fair, this last year has felt like it has gone on for five. I celebrated yesterday with a little breakfast at Chiltern Firehouse, some shopping around Marylebone and Regent St, and then dinner at Canteen, which I have been dying to try since I first mentioned it in One To Try last month.
You can see some of what I got up to yesterday and over the past few weeks below.
For now I’m off to spend the weekend celebrating my birthday in Amsterdam with another Sagittarius friend!
Enjoy,
Jess x
The Edit
BFCM
Obviously, we are all well aware that this Friday is Black Friday, and I’m sure your Instagram/TikTok/email/etc. Are being inundated with unmissable offers from every brand under the sun. I don’t know about you, but this period each year takes quite a toll on me mentally, feeling like I need to buy certain things and make the most of the sales with different products being pushed everywhere I look. I’m sure many of you also find yourself in the same boat, but I wanted to share some Black Friday finds. Please take these with a grain of salt.
These are some items that I have had my eye on that happened to be on sale. Will I be buying all of them? No, absolutely not, and I may not buy any. So please take these with a grain of salt. If you are in the market for any of these items, perfect. If not, appreciate them for what they are and keep scrolling.
Without further ado, here are my selects for BFCM, including a few products I already own and love.
Loop Earplugs Quiet 2 Plus *I wear these every night
Who Is Elijah Wall Street *I wear this as my everyday fragrance and am repurchasing
Maison Balzac Large Goblets Summer Set *These are my everyday glasses
Astrid & Miyu Cosmic Star Chain Stud Earrings *I wear these as part of my everyday ear stack
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
I love love love this super sleek pair of sunglasses from Shevoke and have been eyeing a number of their styles as alternatives to higher-end brands like the Saint Laurent Rectangle Frames and these Oval G Logo Gucci Sunglasses. Many of the styles from this brand have been spotted on the likes of Kylie and Kendall Jenner and look a lot more expensive than they actually are, which is obviously so ideal. They have smaller shades available in everything, from blacks to browns or olives, so there is a style for you no matter what you are after.
Disclaimer: I picked these sunglasses out before any BFCM deals went live, but they are coincidentally included if you are interested.
Since booking a trip to the Cotswolds, I have become fixated on faux fur coats, something that I would never be caught dead in. For what reason? Who knows? They are super chic for the right occasion. There are so many styles available on the high street at the moment, and as you would expect, many of them come with that super high sheen and fake-looking fur that many of us would associate with the style. While in-store shopping at Zara, weirdly something I hated doing in AUS but much prefer here, I found this cropped deep brown faux fur, and it looks so perfect in person.
I have tried it on multiple times, and I feel if I don’t purchase it soon, it will be the one that gets away. While this isn’t an everyday piece, it is super fun for holidays and nights out, and given that I’m now in the right climate for it, then why not?
Scroll for a pic of one of the many times I have visited this coat in-store.
As part of the latest NA-KD x Josefine HJ collab, they released this suede set, which looks amazing paired with white. Of course, the longline coat sold out instantly, but they still have plenty of sizes in the midi skirt, which is the perfect tan/taupe/mustard colour. This colour is so versatile for wearing with a huge range of colours and is the perfect neutral.
This style of pencil skirt is really flattering. It sits quite low on the hips, elongating your silhouette, especially when worn with a heel, which is ideal for work. I also love the four-panel details on the front of the skirt, making this look like a really high-quality piece of suede clothing, which is really great coming from a lower-priced brand like NA-KD.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss Lamination Treatment
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing my first hair gloss. I was immediately drawn to products like the OUAI Hair Gloss, which has beautiful packaging and marketing around the launch but has been a serious let down when it comes to reviews.
One product that hasn’t been a let down in terms of reviews is the Glycolic Gloss by L’Oreal. Of course, that made it so hard for me to get my hands on it as it was sold out everywhere, but it was so worth the wait. This product is essentially a third step in your hair-washing routine, applied through the lengths of your hair. I then let my hair air dry, and the result was hair that was shiny and significantly less frizzy. It’s worth noting that I didn’t add any product to my hair whilst drying, so the results were all from this baby.
For the price, I will definitely repurchase and use it as part of my regular routine any time I feel my hair is looking a bit lacklustre.
One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
Continental Deli Bar Bistro Canned Pudding and Canned Custard
You can’t say I don’t like to keep you on your toes, jumping back and forth between London and AUS locations, and I will definitely incorporate anywhere I see globally. Sydney fan favourite Continental Deli Bar Bistro (which isn’t a new location by any means) is known for its tinned goods, including cocktails, fish, and flan, which, while unnecessary, is so fun. That's where this new holiday launch comes in.
The Canned Pudding and Custard are currently available for ordering via their website. I just think this is such a fun product. I even love the can marks on the side of the pudding, which feels weird as high-quality foods aren’t usually associated with being canned, especially during the holidays (cc tinned ham, vegetables etc.). But maybe this blend of high meets low is why I love it so much.
Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
ALAÏA Le Teckel Medium Nubuck Shoulder Bag
ALAÏA continues releasing products that prove extremely popular and nail the current trending silhouettes and shades. The latest one I’m obsessed with is the Le Teckel Shoulder Bag. This elongated shape is so fun, and the name of the style actually translates in French to dachshund, which is so bloody cute. This tan shade in the nubuck leather will always be a winning combination, and it just adds such a cosy and relaxed element to anything it happens to make up the fabrication of.
Consumables
What we can’t stop binging.
I first discovered this account on TikTok and immediately became obsessed with the combination of interiors and art that she posts. The biggest thing for me is that this creator doesn’t share unachievable styling with designer pieces that are forever out of my budget but more educational pieces that mix colours and styling.
A couple of my favourite TikToks she has created are carousels of inspo images for how to style IKEA pieces of furniture in luxe and more creative ways. I recommend giving her a follow on IG and TikTok for anyone interested in interior design or working on their home!
IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
I am so surprised that I haven’t yet included this pillow as an IYKYK, but having moved to the UK, a location that Ecosa doesn’t ship to, I have realised how obsessed I am with it. I had been sleeping on this pillow for the past six or so years in AUS and found it really helped with my neck and head pain that I had previously had with other pillows and as a chronic jaw clencher. In the UK, I purchased an IKEA memory foam pillow, thinking it would be fine, but after a few nights of sleep, I was sorely mistaken. This led to me repurchasing this Ecosa pillow, shipping it to my parents in AUS, and then paying to have it shipped to the UK. I am once again back to sleeping soundly without pain.
The main thing I love about this pillow is its contoured wave shape, which has a lower and higher side, so you can choose which type of support you prefer. It also comes with two insertable pieces of foam to make the pillow the height of your choosing. I cannot recommend this pillow enough, and I seriously fear the day they stop making it.
If you’re new to Cart Curator, take a read of some of our recent editions.
Cart Curator #83 - Are high end brands selling you less for more?
Cart Curator #82 - How times have changed
Cart Curator #81 - Making work heels work for you
Cart Curator #80 - Umm where are the bombshell waves??
Cart Curator #79 - Twas the night before the VS show...