Summer cozies
Recommendations from a human woman
Actually Good Things is a Friday-morning newsletter written by a seasoned shopping writer and product tester.
This week—while embracing 5:30 a.m. sunrise walks and breathing a sigh of relief that the pollen count is finally down—I’m considering seasonal cozy things.
Can summer be cozy? You betcha! Though “cozy” is often associated with warmth and something to seek during cold winters, dictionary definitions describe it as “comfortable, pleasant, and inviting” or suggesting intimacy and ease.
Anyway, “cozy” isn’t really something that needs to be defined—it’s a vibe.
Here are actually good things I find utterly cozy during the dog days of summer.*
Pretty, pretty picnicking
This quilted ripstop picnic blanket rolls up super compactly. I got the floral Disney one but am eyeing the cowgirl and strawberry prints.
My kids love these NoBiggie sparkling juices. They’re a nice addition to adult spritzers, too.
The Polar kid seltzers are also a hit in the summer (not to mention a way better price per ounce).
And a posh mini-cooler if you’re feeling bougie.
Banana bread + boxed mixes
I make roughly two batches of GoNanas banana bread muffins a week. The cinnamon roll one is glorious, but chocolate chip and salted caramel also slap.
I’ve also been baking cakes with boxed mixes (often adding an extra egg and dry ingredients so they taste more “real”) and whipping up frosting from scratch. The Cravings key-lime kit is a fan favorite.
Did you know Williams Sonoma has baking mixes? I’m gonna try the high-brow/low-brow strawberry sheet cake next.
Cherry pitter
It’s cherry season in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been getting a tummy ache every weekend from eating too many (a cozy summer thing).
We got a cherry pitter recently—I figure you buy exactly one cherry pitter in your life.
The ease of eating fresh pitless cherries feels incredibly indulgent, in a good way. My 7-year-old loves to do the pitting.
Easy-breezy beauty
No-makeup makeup, clean-girl beauty—whatever you wanna call it, a minimalist, skin-first glam approach is a personal preference for summer.
(No shade to makeup that looks like makeup—there’s no right or wrong way to go about it.)
Right now, it’s the Stila lip-or-cheek cream compact (in the shade Patina, a cool rosy pink). Beyond the cheeks, I like to blend out a teensy dab of blush on the bridge of my nose and the upper corners of my forehead, where the sun would naturally hit.
For a wee bit of coverage that still looks like skin, Pūrlisse BB cream has been my go-to for many years. (I use the light shade and regret to report that the range of dark shades is disappointingly weak.)
On days I skip mascara (most days, lately), I reach for this clear lash and brow gel from Typology.
For an IRL FaceTune finishing touch, a drop or two of Lumify whitening eye drops.
“Why do you put on makeup if we can’t see it?” my son asked, to which I replied, “Exactly.”
Summer cozies can be indoorsy.
Going to the movies is one of the comfiest, most nostalgia-inducing summer things I can think of. Heading inside when it’s still hot out, then exiting after the sun’s gone down and the air feels cooler.
My husband and I will probably go see Jackass: Best and Last this weekend. It’s only 92 minutes and currently has an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Also, some of my coziest childhood summer memories are of watching Shark Week and the Tour de France (Lance Armstrong era) after dinner with cousins, aunts, and uncles during annual San Diego family reunions.
See also: after-sun care and evening showers.
*Some products with affiliate links might earn me a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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