Pink and red, I said
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Actually Good Things is a weekly newsletter where I—a living, breathing homo sapien—serve up product recommendations every Friday morning.
This week—while watching Is It Cake? Valentines with my kids and wishing my Grams was still alive so I could give her the gift of Heated Rivalry—I’m thinking about the kickass color combination of pink and red.
Do these hues clash or complement? I’m not sure—perhaps both. Nevertheless, one undoubtedly birthed the other.
Here are actually good pink and red things I stand behind.*
Glossier You
Glossier uses pink and red for a lot of its branding. One of its top sellers, the wildly popular You perfume, comes in a pretty blush-pink bottle with a red cap. I’ll always have a bottle of this skin-like, pheromone-enhancing, warm yet mild fragrance on my vanity.
From the drugstore
EOS just launched this budget body wash. It smells awesome, feels moisturizing, and doesn’t sting my bits.
My favorite razor is Athena—it’s the slim design and impressively strong magnetic hook for me. (Flamingo is also nice—and, yes, pink—albeit slightly larger and without magnet storage.)
If you’re not afraid to get greasy in the name of hydrated, healthy-looking skin—and if you’re fine with mineral oil—then Bio-Oil is a dope body moisturizer. (Kim Kardashian uses it, apparently.)
From the beauty counter
One/Size, Patrick Starrr’s brilliant makeup brand, now has a moisturizer. I assumed this product would be a great pre-makeup hydrator (and it is), but Hydrosculpt is actually a stellar lightweight everyday face lotion.
Huda’s Easy Bake pressed powder in the shade cherry blossom cake effectively brightens the under-eyes and keeps concealer from creasing.
Nars powder blush (in the shade orgasm, obviously) was the first Sephora product I ever bought—and rebought. The Multiple is everything I love about the original, only in an easy-to-use stick and blurring balm formula.
I’ve been using this skin-plumping peptide serum from StriVectin. (The solution itself is pale pink and somewhat creamy.)
From the K-beauty section
I’m using exosomes most days now, currently Peach & Lily’s milky, fast-absorbing ampoule.
This Korean jelly blush is one of my favorites when I want a sheer wash of red on my cheeks and a dewy finish.
Tops I’ve tried
This Aritzia cami is one of my favorite spaghetti-strap tanks—the super-thin straps and square neckline are just right.
I like the extra-wide collar, cuffs, and hemline on this mockneck-crew hybrid sweatshirt.
Speaking of crewnecks, this extra-long-sleeve Skims shirt in the cherry-red hue is beckoning me this week. (A skin-tight fit like this calls for a back-smoothing bra.)
Accessories
I realize the fashion industry is trying to say small purses are out, but I refuse to give up something as endlessly practical as a crossbody. To that end, I love Très Gelée’s soft silicone bag. It’s waterproof, eye-catching, and the ideal mini size for a concert or other event where you need to go small.
Rpnzl claw clips are about half the price of Emy Jay’s $50 ones, and they’re just as strong, with the same opaque acetate look.
I love wearing jeans with a tucked-in shirt or bodysuit and a statement belt, like this suede number from Anthropologie.
Sweets, treats, and eats
These are, in my opinion, the best sprinkles in all the land—and as a big sprinkles guy who keeps them stocked in the pantry, you can trust me on this. I like to mix them into homemade Rice Krispies Treats and shake them over ice cream (winter is my preferred ice cream-eating season).
Tootsie Pops are my second-favorite lollipop. (Number one is See’s.)
You know what else is pink? Salmon. I got a box of the stuff from Wild Alaskan Company (highly recommend). When I made this exceptionally easy sheet-pan dinner with my 7-year-old, he was like, “It’s so red! It’s like watermelon.” I took the opportunity to explain the critical difference between fresh-caught vs. farmed.
Rihanna coffee table book
Rihanna—the coolest mom of all—has a coffee table book that’s just as big and badass as you’d think it is. Plus, not everyone has it (no offense to the Tom Ford one).
*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:
Half His Age, a novel by Jennette McCurdy
The Guardian | The Rise of Fafo Parenting
What I’ve written lately:
The Daily Beast | Does ‘Clear Protein’ Make Meeting Your Macros Easier?
Lifewire | Best Beats Headphones of 2026
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