9 Things I Actually Use & Love — And Would Buy Again
Maybe I’m becoming pessimistic as I get older, but I’m becoming disillusioned to the vast internet library of recommendations that lead with “the best XYZ product.” They’re almost always ads and worse, coming from someone who had a “best XYZ product” last week that was, uh, the same product but a different brand. It just feels so disingenuous.
I can’t promise I know what the best of anything is but I’ve sure tried a lot and have enjoyed poking around. And with all that test driving, I’ve pulled together some things I love and use frequently, often enough to repurchase over and over. Some of it’s functional, some of it’s just plain pretty. All of it has earned its spot.
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DIY Manicures // I love press ons and an at home gel manicure in equal parts, just depends on where I am with my nail biting journey. Lol not kidding. I go through phases! One thing that never changes is how boring it is to sit in a chair for 45 minutes while someone else does my nails. A girl can only watch so much HGTV play on seven different screens. And so the at-home manicure is a godsend.
Press-ons: Girls who make emails for a living, the short nail is clutch mostly to preserve the typing ability and these are great - lots of colors too! I’ve also worn and loved these longer press-ons and they last a good 2 weeks. My ability to crack out emails was lightly inhibited so proceed with caution.
Gel manicure: if you have a steady hand, I love my UV light for a quick at-home mani. Prep work is key to durability, but with some practice, you can achieve salon level fingertips for an investment that pays for itself after a single manicure.
Basic notebooks // Literally, the most basic spiral notebook that is .10 cents a piece in August. I love a fancy notebook, but I get weird about not wanting to “waste” it and inevitably don’t use it. A cheap notebook though, fills up front to back without an ounce of guilt, baby. Not everything has to be aesthetic, you know?
dedcool Milk // Milk and Xtra Milk smell the same to me, so personally I don’t care which is in rotation, I use them both. It’s my go-to scent and I also wash my clothes in the dedtergent to really fumigate a room when I walk in. It doesn’t smell like a dairy product, by the way. It’s creamy without becoming gourmand. Like the cleanest, warmest, coziest version of yourself.
Bluetooth radio // Easily one of my favorite purchases of all time. I love this particular doo-dad for its vintage feel and modern bluetooth capability. Imagine the 90’s version of your self - to be clear, the decade, not you at 90 years old - listening to the local radio station while chopping up veggies for dinner. Fleetwood Mac comes on and you sing along and when it’s over it’s over until the next time. This is simple, screen free, in-the-moment enjoyment. And if you do have a specific hankering, switch over to bluetooth and let your playlist rip.
PS you cannot beat how nice it looks on a shelf. Function and beauty?! Yes please!
Ordinary Moisturizer + Sunbum Daily Glow // Two desert island products for me and I’ve said it 100x, I cannot believe that the sunbum doesn’t get more hype. It is $15 folks! I mix the two together and apply every single day - it’s a hit of moisture and sunscreen and subtle glow. If you need a little motivation to apply sunscreen daily, a glowy one that seemingly turns the lights on your face is a pretty good one!
Mrs. Meyers Hand Soap // Basil and Tomato Vine are my favorite scents, but I’ll go for Rhubarb between spring and summer. For $4 you cannot beat the price and they smell so dang good.
Merit Lengthening Mascara // I don’t want to love a pricy mascara, but here we are. It really is excellent if you have simple desires: a good coat without any clumps or crumbles. By the end of the day, there’s no fallout and my lashes still look like it’s freshly applied.
Flamingo Body Lotion // Smells extremely nice and is neutral enough that my entire family uses it without anyone saying it smells too girly or too masculine. Just fresh, clean, and lightly botanical. I use the heavy body cream in the winter and the lighter, spray bottle formula in the summertime. But year around, it’s how I stay moisturized head-to-toe.
LaVazza Super Crema Whole Bean Coffee // I generally buy it in bulk online because my local grocery store only stocks tiny bags of it and that is not enough! I use it in my espresso machine to pull shots and my husband grinds it up every morning to use in our French press. Truly a workhorse bean that is strong enough to perform in both formats.
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Now, I swore I wasn’t going to hit you with a generic “theeeeee best” product, but let’s get into what I’d actually buy again.
Absolutely:
Basic notebooks. The versatility! I burn through these constantly, which is exactly why I don't need an expensive notebook staring at me accusingly from my desk.
Ordinary Moisturizer + Sunbum Daily Glow. I have purchased these infinite times. Seriously 20+ each.
Mrs Meyers Hand Soap. You need soap in your house. Might as well make it smell nice and reasonably priced.
Flamingo Body Lotion. Again, I have repurchased this numerous times and it never gets old or boring.
Good, but not essential, I guess:
Bluetooth radio. I love mine, but there’s so many ways to listen to what you love. It’s not a necessity but certainly nice to have.
The coffee. Do I repurchase? Yes. Are there a billion other options out there? Also yes.
Merit Mascara. Let’s be for real, it’s pricy.
DedCool. Spend and their customer service is radio silent if you have a problem (or just would like to know why your order hasn’t arrived 6 weeks later).
PS - Can I interest you in some other recently enjoyed things?
Here’s a few things on my fall shopping list. We’re gettin’ cozy, baby!
Here’s something you didn't know you wanted to know. Sorry!