Red + green things
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Actually Good Things is a Friday-morning newsletter written by me, a human person who’s tried, tasted, felt, and favorited the best of, well…everything.
This week—while rereading Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections (the undisputed great American Christmas novel) and thinking I’d prolly just submit and join the herd in Pluribus—I’m appreciating the striking contrast of red and green.
Opposites on the color wheel, these complementary hues make each other stand out. Red and green clash quite literally in that, together, they create a visual vibration that pulls the eyes in different directions (at least, that’s the explanation I got when I Googled this).
Have you ever noticed how brilliantly the Home Alone house is adorned in red and green? It goes far beyond holiday decorations—like wallpaper, kitchen tile, cookware, floor coverings, the green phone, etc., etc. I mean, look at this:
It’s a shame the color combo is limited to the holiday season.
Anyway, here are actually good things (that also make good gifts and should arrive before Christmas) inspired by this wrongfully underrated colorway.*
Your next manicure
DND in the shade Safari is a pristine grassy green. The set comes with regular lacquer you can use at home and a gel version you can take to a manicure appointment.
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat is among the best drugstore products of all time. It’s five bucks and hardens exceptionally fast—like, you could change your sheets 15 minutes after painting your nails.
Outfit-completing sneakers
When the world announced that giant chunky trainers were on their way out and low-profile sneakers were in, millennials were like, “This is correct. Hold my beer.”
If you’re like me and won’t tolerate footwear without arch support, Naturalizer won’t let you down. Want a statement shoe from a cool but not super well-known brand? Gola is your guy.
Winter SPF BFF
You still have to wear sunscreen in December, even if you live in a rainy, overcast, or otherwise not-sunny-year-round region (🙋🏻♀️). I’ll allow SPF 30 over 50 in the winter, though, like this skin-friendly Korean option.
It won’t freak out breakout-prone skin, and even if you’re not dealing with pimples, you’ll appreciate the calming, quick-absorbing formula.
An as-needed skincare product
Tower 28 is a no-makeup makeup brand, but its hero product is the wildly popular SOS Spray, a soothing concoction containing what I believe is 2025’s ingredient of the year: hypochlorous acid.
Then we have my personal fave, Mario Badescu’s very affordable, very effective complexion-calming spray. I spritz it on daily-ish for midday hydration and also use it to dampen my makeup sponges for blending.
Both come in a mini size, which we love for trying new things and traveling.
No notes on these beanies
A good beanie is soft, stretchy, and not too tight, with chunky knitting, a double fold, and a tonal logo. Two immaculate examples: Helly Hansen’s Box Beanie and the all-wool one from Gigi Pip.
Green for anti-redness
Green is a color-corrector for redness.
In the skincare category, I’m into this calming, glow-making serum. Maybelline’s Age Rewind Concealer is a true all-star. I’ve purchased this product a dozen times since its 2010 launch, and this green shade does excellent work counteracting red spots.
Still, the best redness reducer, if you ask me, is good-ol’ ibuprofen (my drug of choice). I pop a couple before doing heavier glam looks and any time I’ll be drinking alcohol to prevent flushing.
Color wheel eyeliner selection
I heard the prettiest eyeliner shade is whatever’s the direct opposite of your eye color on the color wheel. So, green or blue eyes should go with a reddish, orangey-clay or burgundy to make their irises pop. This terracotta kajal is the best I’ve used in recent years.
Brown-eyed babes—which is to say, roughly 80% of the global population—can wear any eyeliner or shadow color.
This mouthwash is so hot rn
Who knew mouthwash could be cool? TheraBreath is the perfect balance of dentist-approved science and people-approved natural. I also like the fluoride one—fluoride is your friend, folks.
Still need gifts? Look here first. Stocking stuffers? I got you.
*Some products with affiliate links might earn me a small commission.
What I’m reading lately:
Fast Company | Gen Z Is Jealous of ‘Millennial Optimism’
The Corrections (2001), a novel by Jonathan Franzen
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