welcome to my april favorites! it was hard coming up with a good amount of things to talk about since i had many favorites this month, but i think the list i made is pretty good.
first off, one of the first things i purchased this april was the W directors edition for march 2025. specifically the cover with ayo edebiri featured. this edition is so beautiful.. the photography and stories by luca guadagnino, sean baker, and denis villeneuve were stunning to view. i definitely recommend the W directors editions, theyre a lot cheaper than a usual vogue or harpers bazaar in the barnes & nobles at around $8. (i even got a discount since the magazine had been exposed to humidity and was quite warped but i dont mind it)
something i dont do very often is buy or build legos--ive gotten a few as gifts such as the orchid which is also apart of the same collection as the one i just got. the lego botanical collection is my favorite collection since not only are they fun to build, they have very interesting functions, and double as home decor hehe. my mother picked this up for me from the market on a friday night, she figured it was something cheap and fun for me to do since i always watch a movie on friday. at $25 dollars the plum blossom lego set was very fun to make! i love piecing everything together and admire all of the functions that go into these sets. if youre ever looking for a small craft or activity to do while watching a movie or hanging out with a loved one--i definitely recommend the botanical collection of legos (specifically the four new ones that came out, since theyre quite cheap lego-wise and small enough to finish in one sitting!)
with summer just around the corner, someone that burns easily (and is also as white as a sheet of paper) absolutely needs a good spf! although, i have a lot of trouble finding one thats right for me, since i have sensory issues and hate the sticky, thick, sunscreen avaliable in stores. if you also struggle with these problems, beauty of joseon's spf is perfect for you. its super light and absorbs into my skin immediately after applying. i wear it every time i go out and it never clogs my pores either. its spf50+ with pa++++ (which is something we dont have here in the states! so i make sure to buy this spf from places like yesstyle instead of american carriers to make sure i get the pa++++, trust me its worth it) so far ive had zero issues with this sunscreen, it feels so light on my face like i didnt even apply any and its great for everyday use.
now i would consider myself "not a fan of musicals" with the exception of a couple, and i know i am extremely late to watching this film--but wow. i was not expecting to love this movie as much as i did when i finished it. ryan gosling and emma stone are two of my favorite actors and their performances were amazing in this movie! the songs were beautiful and i didnt find myself skipping any (besides the opening,,, i think it was a bit too much for me hehe) and the ending absolutely killed me. if youre not much of a fan of musicals like me please give this one a chance! it definitely deserved the praise and recognition that was given to it.
for my reading this month i picked up the little book of yves saint laurent. ive been wanting to read the little books of fashion collection for quite a while and finally decided to pick one up when they were on sale! yves saint laurent is one of my favorite designers and i take a lot of inspiration from him. this book is so wonderfully written and informs the reader not only on his work but also his life from before and after becoming a fashion icon. if youre a fashion designer like me i highly recommend this collection! i hope to obtain more editions in the future.
ive been a huge fan of lorde since she released pure heroine in 2013 and im so happy she released music again! this single, "what was that" is so good and i find myself listening to it constantly, it isnt overwhelming and perfect for evening walks home or car rides. lorde has such a wonderful voice and is an astounding poet! i hope she releases another album!
i dont wear much makeup but i do like to add a little eyeshadow and mascara to my face occasionally to add some depth. therefore, this palette by flower knows is perfect! the colors are neutral and not too much but give a small touch to my appearance. funny story about flower knows--theyre owned by a gay couple who used to cosplay as many, many, yaoi/shipped male characters back in the early 2010s, which is actually how i knew them lol. i had no idea until i saw who the founders were and it clicked. i happily support flower knows! their products are simply stunning and for everyone.
is it normal to eat almost an entire jar of preserves in just one month? for me it is! bonne maman is my go-to brand when i want some preserves for toast and other food. i like to eat a piece of toast with butter and preserves for breakfast, and since spring has arrived i decided to try the apricot preserves by bonne maman, it is absolutely heavenly,, especially paired with salted butter! the preserves have only a few key ingredients which is very important to me--and theyre pretty sweet so you just need a little bit! my favorite part is cleaning the jars when i have finished them and using them as glasses and containers.thats it for my april monthly favorites! i hope i was able to recommend you something or be helpful in some way! thats my purpose for doing these hehe (i also love tracking things and making lists..) sorry this was a bit late! ive been very busy with school lately since its my last year :)
love, felix
Monthly Favorites - March 2005
hello! this is my first of the "monthly favorites" blog posts I want to begin. In the future, i might make youtube video counterparts to these blogposts, so stay on the lookout at this youtube channel! (philia995 is still up, i've just stopped edits until further notice). anyhow, lets get onto my march monthly favorites!
first up is my favorite body wash, i love philosophy's scents, they always smell amazing and last forever. i've been using the "fresh cream" body wash for a couple months now and it's definitely my favorite ^.^ the scent is very soft and warm, it smells like vanilla, cream, and warm blankets. the best way to use it is to put about a nickel-sized dot in your palm and use a little water to foam it up then apply, it leaves my skin feeling so good and of course smelling great too. 
next is one of my favorite movies i've watched this month, Moonstruck (1987) is what i call the perfect romcom. as someone who doesn't watch too many romcoms (they're just not my thing, but i'll watch a few) this movie was so good. first of all, nicholas cage & cher are such a good duo, both are great actors. the set design, soundtrack, and characters really come together and make this movie a great watch. i personally love older movies (1900s) simply because of the aesthetics. i'd definitely recommend you add this to your watchlist for a movie night. 
now onto another piece of media, Perverts by Ethel Cain was, well, everything. as a long-time fan of her, listening to her music really got me through high-school. and when i needed it most, she came back! i love listening to perverts while reading, the ambiance music is so beautiful and allows me to turn off all the noise in my head. my favorite song from the album is "punish", i love how beautiful her vocals sound, it's really calming. 
speaking of music, my mother picked this vintage vinyl up for me and gave it to me for christmas. "the story of great music: prelude to modern music"(1966) is a box-set of 4 vinyls consisting of 6 early modern composers. while i did have quite a shock when playing side b of the 4th vinyl (it ended up being a full-length russian opera lol) the rest of the music was very nice to listen to while i sketched or read. very cool thrift find!
my last piece of favorite media for the month is Ai Yazawa's "Last Quarter" (1998) manga. i've read all of Ai yazawa's works so far and now i can gladly include this one! i immediately ordered the first and second volume following their official english physical release and i'm on the end of volume two currently. it's so good!! Ai Yazawa never fails me with her stories. after i finish the manga i'm going to move onto the movie (which i'm super excited about, hyde as adam?? are you kidding me??) so i'll probably have that as my april favorite lolol. anyway, i highly recommend this manga, it's a short supernatural mystery that i have to force myself away from to get some sleep. 
okay so, maybe i was lying about Last Quarter being my last piece of media.. i couldn't not include the john derian sticker book! the book is filled with stunning stickers and other photos/writings/art, it's perfect for crafting, journaling, and really anything. the stickers are such high quality and the best part is--when you use all the stickers on one page, the back has something to cut out! whether the full page is a beautiful piece of art, or little drawings to cut and glue, you get use out of the entire thing.
do you have sensitive skin, and sometimes deal with small breakouts or blemishes? aprilskin has the perfect clarifying cream for you. this cream is the best thing in the world, before i had the money to afford a full routine i was simply using this and an oil cleanser in the morning and night. when i tell you it literally clears up any angry breakouts you get overnight, it does. this is the main thing i make sure to use especially on those days when i don't feel like doing a whole routine. it doesn't burn or irritate my skin, it only causes a slight sting if applied to acne that has been exfoliated/broken. literally the holy grail of skincare.
sometimes i'm asked what tea i drink or love the most, and my answer is always Bigelow. Bigelow doesn't use any plastic in their products, and their tea is great! my favorite for the month of march was the green tea--my favorite tea still. i always add a teaspoon of honey just to sweeten it a little. starting off my mornings with a cup of tea has been a habit for a while, therefore i like to make sure the tea i'm drinking doesn't have anything harmful, Bigelow is a great brand i fully recommend!that was it for my march monthly favorites! i hope i was successful in recommending something on this list to you, and that you enjoyed reading! i definitely like keeping track of little things like this monthly, so i have no doubt i'll continue doing these posts.
love, felix