Getting through end-stage winter
Recommendations from my brain to your inbox
Actually Good Things is a weekly shopping newsletter written by a mortal woman with organic intelligence (no offense to AI).
This week, while watching Oscars Best Picture nominees and thinking Quentin Tarantino is probably jelly he didn’t make One Battle After Another, I’m making the most of the cold, gray season.
It’s still January—somehow. It’s no one’s favorite month, as I’ve said. But, as I’ve also said, joy can be found in the dead of winter.
Here are actually good things to help get you through end-stage winter.*
Whatchu know about winter whites?
I wore this agreeably priced, non-wrinkling, slinky yet professional Uniqlo blouse to CES in Las Vegas.
On cold, rainless days, I’ve been rocking this fluffy sherpa puffer, which is on sale right now. (Btw, Garage is a brand that feels very Gen Z, and yet, I—a millennial—have been happy with every single item I’ve tried on.)
I like Cozy Earth’s all-cotton jammies better than the brand’s best-selling bamboo ones. This winter-white set can (obviously) be worn into spring and summer.
Squalane squad
Squalane (with an a) is a shelf-stable, saturated form of squalene (with an e). Skincare products with this ingredient tend to be super tolerable—and crucially, non-pore-clogging—because skin naturally makes squalene.
I really like Herbivore Lapis, which combines squalane with other complexion-friendly plant oils. That said, squalane doesn’t need to be expensive, and it’s great on its own. The Ordinary has this single-ingredient $10 one.
Baby blues and icy hues
I wear a lot of black, which often means I don’t wear blue. But I’ve been drawn to pale, powdery blues lately and feel like the icy hue is wintery yet versatile enough to wear through spring.
This ultra-soft sweater tee is a current fave (and on sale for the next few days).
My nails are bare more often than not. If anything, I go for a sheer shimmer. Just one coat of this periwinkle polish has the perfect effect.
Cool-mom cold-weather uniform
I wore these Lululemon track pants on the plane the last four times I traveled. The cut is exemplary, but they’re pretty long. I’m 5’4” and had them hemmed—sooooo worth it.
This week, I treated myself to a pair of Birkenstock Naples, a loafer-ish take on the brand’s classic clog. I got the dusty purple hue.
Pasta, the coziest food of all
I’ve been making lots of sourdough pasta. It has a little more protein than the regular variety, but sometimes, I mix it with protein pasta for extra nourishment. (With butter, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, wilted spinach, and hella parmesan, if you’re wondering.)
*Some products with affiliate links might earn me a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What I’m reading lately:
The Cut | Eating My Skin-care Routine for a Month Aged Me a Year
The New York Times | The Harry Potter Generation Needs to Grow Up
What I’m listening to lately:
Beth’s Dead podcast
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