Stuff We’re Digging: Eidia Moni Amin
Stuff We’re Digging is a recurring Garden Collage feature where a member of our staff spotlights a collection of intriguing new products from the world of gardening, wellness, mindfulness, and/or beauty. Some of these items can be found in the GC Shop, while others are simply beautiful discoveries worth coveting. This week, Graphic Designer Eidia Moni Amin spotlights her can’t-miss products for winning the weekend. Shop the story, below.
It is during the weekends, especially on days when the weather is encouraging, that I am able to reconnect with the much more simple aspects of life. On these days, I like to begin with a cup of black coffee. The french press by Yield Design is a perfect symphony of form and function– a bold creation, with the white so pure and clean, yet such a contrast to the rich dark chocolate colored liquid it holds. Each sip of coffee, savored, allows me to plan out the day at my leisure.
To prepare, I like to journal to dispose my mind of lingering thoughts. The “Metallic Idiom” journal from Anthropologie is ideal for this routine: with its little blurbs on the cover, in this case “Master Plan”, the journal initiates the process, and before I know it I’m lost in my writing practice.
Having lived in an urban atmosphere for a little over two decades, I associate the city life with the scents of coffee, hot dog stands, and the sewer exhaust. The combination of those three do not make for a very olfactory-friendly cocktail. Most often, I do like to walk around my neighborhood. In order to prepare for the walk to either a coffee shop, a specialty food store, or even a day in the city (Manhattan), I prepare to combat the signature New York fragrance with my own, much more pleasant layers of floral fragrances. Currently, my obsession is roses.
“My sense of confidence emerges from my own specific approach to embracing my weekends, and the stuff I’m digging currently serves as the enablers, stimulants, and essentials of helping me conquer them.”
During my teenage years, I once read a section in a popular beauty magazine asking readers about an item they can never omit before stepping out of their homes. The answers varied from nail polish, mascara, lipstick, eyeliner, to sunglasses. Personally, I can never leave without having put on some perfume– perhaps one of the most intriguing and most unique creations, as every woman’s body handles scent differently (and no one perfume smells the same on every body). I am currently fond of Royal Apothic’s “English Rose” eau de parfum–Of the multiplicity of rose scents I have had dalliances with, this is my absolute favorite. Subtle notes of the rose emanate from strands of my hair (I like to spritz a little on my hair), rescuing my nostrils from the city’s mysterious odors.
Along with smelling nice, I find it crucial to look “alive, awake, and bright”. After having applied a generous amount of sunscreen– MD Solar Sciences “Mineral Creme”– I follow through with a touch of cream blush (“Convertible Color” by Stila, which is great for that “dewy” skin look). Summer days are usually either super humid, warm, or boiling hot in the city, so powder blushes have little to no affect. A cream blush, on the other hand, blends in perfectly, almost creating the allusion that one’s face is always just slightly pinched with subtle color. With a spritz of Shiva Rose face mist, my skin receives a gentle and scented wake up call. Ending the routine with a touch of “Rouge Cerise” lip balm by Albeit, I am ready for the city’s cacophonous beauty. Grabbing a small bag (in this case “Forest Bloom” by Duet Luxury) I am sure to store my wallet, keys, and L’Occitanes’ “Roses et Reines” hand cream inside, as I step out in my scented shield of armor.
Each individual has his or her own concept of feeling “prepared” or “complete”. Some may prefer simply rolling out of bed, brushing their teeth, and wearing last night’s outfit again, feeling prepared to go forth with their days. Others may engage in the meticulous routines of exercise, meditation, or grooming before conquering the day. My sense of confidence emerges from my own specific approach to embracing my weekends, and the stuff that I am digging currently serves as the enablers, stimulants, and essentials of helping me conquer them.
