053. A Cool 33, YINA Anti-Pollution Mask, and Recent Books
A year older and talking the YINA mask, what I’ve recently read, and a little book “giveaway.”
Hi, I’m Maggie, and welcome to Tender Forms Off-Camera: a weekly newsletter about slow beauty and slow living. Links in this newsletter may include affiliate links or discount referrals. If you enjoy and would like to support this newsletter, click the button below or shop through my links! No pressure but thank you if you do.
This coming Tuesday, I turn a cool 33 (not that I’m any cooler this year than the rest). I’ve always been attracted to this number; I like the shape of it (the numeral itself), I like the sound of it. But I often mix up how old I actually am by a year, so in some ways, I’ve already lived as 33.
It’s funny to try and assess how I’ve changed physically. I don’t think I’ve altered much in the last few years, aside from my hair growing out and my body gaining weight. I’m the same 50% very serious, 50% very silly. My furrowed brows and clenched jaw is my go-to look during work, and during off-hours, I’m the same jokey, quick-to-laugh me.
Currently, I’m elated with my life. The challenges I face are ones I look forward to and know I’ll grow from, the downtimes are nothing I can’t overcome, and while life can be frustrating (work stress), it’s undoubtedly beautiful.
The other day, as I was looking out into our backyard, a squirrel hopped from the fence onto an ever-so-thin tree branch. My heart stopped thinking it would snap off and the squirrel would fall, but it held. Trees are amazing. No matter how delicate, their branches are as strong as they are flexible, allowing them to move with life. Yet, they’re inimitably grounded with mighty trunks and roots beneath the surface, connecting and furthering its reach to the rest of the world. I have to remind myself more to be like a tree.
As for signs of aging, that’s probably the tougher part of welcoming 33. Just last week, I had to make a last-minute dental appointment since there was a lot of sensitivity in a particular tooth. The weekend before, out of exhaustion, my head was pounding until my stomach decided to empty itself upwards (sorry for the TMI). Then there’s the daily reminder of the downsides of my posture shown through my neck wrinkles.
Half of that is because I’m not the greatest with bringing my skincare down to the décolletage. (Anyone else wear nice shirts to work and prefer not to get skincare all over them?) The other half is my “poor” posture. I’m an introvert, and the primary way I’ve shown it all my life is through body language. I try to make myself as small as possible. My body is constantly collapsing rather than extending because I like it that way. Sitting on the couch, I bring my knees to my chest, I often sit crossed legged contorting here and there. It’s the position I feel most comfortable in. My shoulders curve inward, my back eases, and it feels like my body naturally creates armor for all of my essential soft internal organs. At night I sleep curled up, fetal position, preferably on a side.
And while I can’t see myself ever standing principal dancer straight, I’m much more aware of my posture thanks to these pesky neck wrinkles. So this year, my goal is to try and hold my head higher, extend the neck, and use double the skincare making sure to apply down to the collarbone, at least.
Other than that, I’m grateful my health is in good shape, and I continue to look forward to aging! I know that’s a strange thing to say, but life is meant to be lived. Onwards!
YINA Anti-Pollution Mask* (from Andie, $65, 50ml | 1.6floz)
If you’re a YINA fan, then you already know they recently rebranded from 5YINA to YINA. Shown above is their Moonlit Pearl Detox Treatment Mask, which has been renamed the Anti-Pollution Mask. Though it comes in new packaging under a new name, the formula is the same. I’ve been using this mask for the past three weeks, and it’s been a delight!
The YINA Mask is a rich black with a fine shimmer running through; I’m guessing from the mixture of pearl powder, rice powder, and kaolin. When the shimmer catches the light, it changes to a lighter charcoal hue rather than the original rich black in the jar. Texture-wise, it’s a silky and smooth gel oil. It spreads across the skin easily and stays there. I love masks that don’t slip around once applied because it means I can do other things or sit upright without worrying that it will drip all over the place.
Upon the skin, it feels immediately cooling and calming. The scent is a beautiful blend of some of my favorites in the plant kingdom: hinoki, pine, black spruce, and fir. Enveloped in the aroma, it soothes the mind and spirit, adding to the luscious relaxing quality of this mask. Directions say to apply a generous amount onto clean skin and leave on for 10–20 minutes. I love using it for the full 20 minutes or until it starts to stiffen and dry. Then, I either rinse it off in the shower or the sink: another attribute I love, no need for a washcloth.
Since I wrote about it recently in Newsletter 050, I know you must be wondering how this YINA Mask might compare to the Naturallogic UNMASK. Shown above is a side-by-side of the two. The YINA though still a gel oil, feels like a dryer formula than the Naturallogic. The Naturallogic is a proper gel consistency and tackier. Applied to the skin, YINA has a cooling effect while Naturallogic feels room temp.
I love both masks because they work differently. YINA does a great job at brightening and soothing the skin. In contrast, Naturallogic delivers a boost of hydration and feels more regenerative. This makes me think YINA is excellent for the warmer months, while Naturallogic would be great during the colder ones. When I have active breakouts, I tend to reach for the YINA, and when my skin is drier, the Naturallogic. And though they have different scents, both are very grounding.
Each also delivers a terrific amount of antioxidants and detoxifies without stripping the skin. It all depends on what you’re looking for in a mask. I would highly recommend either of these beauties.
If you’re a longtime subscriber, you may remember that I subscribe to Book of the Month. It’s a monthly subscription box where they curate five books for you to choose one from. As someone who’s not always in the know with the book world, I found this to be an excellent way to discover new authors and allow myself to read more often. (I’ve been a member for two years now.) Today, I thought I’d share what I’ve recently read thus far this year and include a chance for you to read them too.
“Long Bright River” by Liz Moore ★★★★
I started this novel on April 1st and finished it last Thursday. It took me longer to finish only because I actively stayed away from it so it would last longer, the tell-tale sign that I love a book. When I first received it, I was surprised by its heft! It comes in at 482 pages, and as a hardcover, it’s tough to wield. But I wouldn’t wish it to be any shorter. This book was fantastic—a slow-burn tale of two sisters, family, trauma, the opioid crisis, and Philadelphia weather. Fans of Tana French would enjoy the atmosphere. This book was fantastic from beginning to end, and now I’ve added more Liz Moore’s books to my TBR (to-be-read) list. *I convinced Husband to watch HBO’s ‘Mare of Eastown’ with me (I’d been looking forward to it), and this book makes the perfect read to put you in the mood and atmosphere of this series.
“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides ★★★½
Enthralling and felt like a guilty pleasure in the best way. I’ll quote the synopsis here because it’s fantastic: “Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.” That last sentence is what hooked me. The rest of the book will hook you too.
A non-linear psychological thriller about a woman who, when young, escaped her family’s “House of Horrors.” A story of redemption, forgiveness, and the nuances of protecting one’s family. I won’t say more than that. *Please know this contains scenes of child abuse, PTSD, domestic violence, and suicide. I thought the author handled these scenes skillfully and respectfully.
“The Survivors” by Jane Harper ★★½
Didn’t particularly like this one. There are a few touching moments, but the rest left me uninterested. A lot of people seemed to like it though, it averages a 3.79 on Goodreads. (I’m “tenderforms” on Goodreads too.)
“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab★★½–★★★
This one’s a tough one to rate because the parts I enjoyed, I really loved, and the parts I didn’t, made me so angry and frustrated. Somewhere in here is a terrific story; it just doesn’t stay that way through the entirety of it. One of the main issues for me was character chemistry. The two lovers were not believable and had zero chemistry. It’s a long book at 448 pages too, so it makes me angry that I devoted all that time to it and felt let down from about halfway on.
“Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ★★
I had high hopes for this one and wanted to love it, but it fell very short until the last 10% of the book—nothing exciting in prose or story. I’m pretty sure this story is also called ‘Crimson Peak,’ the film by Guillermo del Toro. Just kidding (even if there are similarities).
Would you like to read any of these? If so, reply to this email which four you’d like, and I’ll send them your way! First come, first served! Condition of each is like new, only read once, no creasing of pages, all hardcovers. *Sorry, I’m shipping priority flat rate, and the box can only fit four books max. I’ll be doing more of these in the future, so I will save the fifth one for the next round!
Thanks so much for reading! Have you tried either the YINA or Naturallogic Masks? Do you have a favorite? Are there any books I should add to my TBR list? Reply directly to this email or leave a comment!
As always, I hope you have a great start to your week. See you next Sunday!