The most popular items on le blog this month:
THIS MAGICAL BRUSH (FULL REVIEW HERE — BUT TRUST ME, THIS BRUSH WILL HELP YOU HAVE GREAT HAIR; ALSO NOTE THAT THE BRUSH IS A GOOD $50 CHEAPER HERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE INTERNET)
MY FAVORITE BRA (THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST)
CUTEST STRIPED SWIMSUIT (ALMOST SOLD OUT)
BEAUTIFUL HAND BLOCK PRINTED DRESS ($64!)
BEST FOOT CREAM EVER (!!!!)
SWEETEST BOW SANDALS FOR A LITTLE ONE
*I want to upgrade my previous review of these wipes. I have gone from noddingly pleased to full-on evangelist. I love these. They are extremely well-priced for the quantity and quality — did I mention they are infused with serum?! If I’m too exhausted to do an entire skincare regimen before bed, I swipe one of these over my face and the day is done. Absolutely smitten. These are now a part of my monthly Billie subscription.
Items I am currently intrigued by…
+Clarins Lift Affine Masque. I first heard about this from Courtney Grow, whose skincare recommendations I implicitly trust. (She introduced me to the Peter Thomas Roth mask I’ve gone bananas over.) She wrote something along the lines of — “If you eat salt, you need this. Instantly de-puffs.”
+Klorane Dry Shampoo — a French pharmacy classic.
+Aveda Sun Veil — SPF for hair/scalp. I actually first became interested in this product because I often tie mini’s hair back in two pigtails or two French braids and I always worry about her scalp when we’re out in the sun and she refuses to wear a hat.
+I recently polled my readers on Instagram to determine if anyone had any good tips or products for applying sunscreen to babies/toddlers — a process that has become among the most dreaded parts of my day. It is messy and exhausting. Most moms urged the use of a mineral sunscreen stick on the face and a mineral sunscreen spray on the body. I’m still a little leery of spray because I more or less destroyed our stroller seat by applying spray while mini was strapped in when she was little — sunscreens stain!!! And so I’d find myself spraying it onto my hand and then rubbing it on her leg, entirely defeating the purpose. Maybe I will at least apply mini’s sunscreen outside? Not sure. Anyway, these were the top recs:
BEAUTYCOUNTER MINERAL SUNSCREEN MIST AND STICK*
SUPERGOOP MINERAL SUNSCREEN SPRAY AND STICK
+Two other helpful tips: use a beautyblender to apply sunscreen to the baby’s face and have toddlers look up at the ceiling after having sunscreen applied to face and wipe downward (easier than trying to rub it into the cheeks/face).
+StoneyClover everything. I’ve mentioned these bags/pouches in a few recent posts but a friend raved about their quality and the pouches in particular for keeping things organized. I already have a ton of pouches but I do think the styles and patches are really cute! Want to investigate further…
P.S. Sandals and books for summer 2020.
P.P.S. Musings on epistolarity in novels.
P.P.P.S. On appreciating the noise in my life.
+1 for Babo botanicals sunscreen! I like the “extra sheer for face” SPF 40 or the non-aerosol spray you linked. The former isn’t advertised as for children but sensitive skin, and it seems mild enough to use for little ones. I think I read somewhere that with mineral sunscreens/zinc oxide you don’t have to apply it well in advance of going outdoors, which is an added benefit aside from being reef-safe.
I’m very intrigued by those nap dresses, but every time I’ve tried on something with smocking, it looks very juvenile on me — partly because it makes me think of the smocked dresses I wore as a young girl, and partly because I’ve been told I have young(ish?)-looking features…except for the fine lines I am now seeing on my forehead, that is (I’m sure I’ll be grateful for this later). But maybe I’ll give the HHH dresses a try, they look so comfortable and feminine!
And I’m with you on Billie! I feel like I want to give Billie wipes to all my friends, a la Oprah. Oh, on a related note on Billie razors: Have you tried L’Occitane’s almond shower oil? Not the one for post-bath/shower but the one for cleansing – it’s an oil that foams up slightly in the shower. It’s so great for shaving, I feel like this has transformed my shower/shaving experience. I know that sounds dramatic but I’m all for sneaking in little pleasures! It’s so good for adding moisture especially after swimming in the ocean/chlorinated pool water.
https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/almond-shower-oil-29HD500A15.html
Oooo I’m sold on the L’occitane shower oil! Almond oil is also crazy hydrating so I’d imagine it’s ideal for shaving. When I was pregnant with Hill, my skin was SO, so dry in the winter and the only thing that worked was slathering on almond oil. Love this idea! Thank you.
I hear you on the smocking — I can see how that might not be everyone’s speed!
xx
I was so intrigued by the Clarins mask that when the link to Macy’s said unavailable I searched for an old Sephora post on your site just to use an affiliate link to purchase it from there! Looking forward to trying it!
Yay – me too!! Thanks, Lauren!! I updated this post with a working link. Thanks for the heads up.
xx
I can also attest to the magic of the Clarins mask!!! It transforms my face after a night of too much wine or sushi. I got this text from my mom in response to a recent before and after, “WOW! Your whole face looks more defined.” Worth every penny!!!
I am also a Klorane devotee and have several friends hooked on it too. You really have to let it “marinate” on your roots for 10ish min before brushing though, but it will degrease even the ickiest post-hot-yoga hair.
WOW! This is very compelling on both the Clarins and the Klorane front. Thanks, Katherine! Ordering now.
xx
Re: Blue Lizard – I prefer a mineral sunscreen for my kids, and I don’t really trust the sprays. We also tried ThinkBaby/ThinkSport but I found it separated and was hard to get the right consistency. Blue Lizard blends about as well as you can expect a mineral/zinc sunscreen to – it almost reminds me of No-Ad which I used growing up!
This is great – thank you for the intel!
I have a question for you that is off topic: I think I saw you post on IG recently about Hill House Home nap dresses. Would you be able to give me a review? Trying to decide whether or not to take the plunge on the Athena dress …
Thank you in advance!
xx
P.S. Also looking forward to an eventual review (if you go for it) of the Aveda Sun Veil! Would be keen to try it … my favored hairstyle for super hot days is a middle-part bun, which I slick back with a little bit of Ouai pomade to manage flyaways. I do worry about my part when I’m in the sun, though 🙂
Hi MK! Yes – sharing more on this in Saturday’s post, but will answer here: I have two of the Caroline nap dresses. The smocking is very soft (non-itchy) and the fabric silky comfortable to sleep in. I find the length grazes the top of my foot, but I’m 5’0 so I’d imagine it hits at ankle or mid-calf for those taller. I take an XS and it is generously cut, but I think that’s the style — billowy and loose. I do think buying an opaque fabric is key — I like to wear this during the evening hours, while making dinner, etc. Cute enough to pass as a dress but comfortable enough to sleep in. I can’t yet comment on the Athena! The founder, Nellie Diamond, often posts information about the cut/fit of these dresses on her personal Instagram, so she might also be a good resource!
As for the hair veil — when I was away, my cousin told me she’d been using SuperGoop’s Poof Part Powder and I’m planning to order that to test instead! Will report back!
xx
Thank you so much for the quick and informative reply! I love the tip about favoring the fabrics with opacity … and I am a big fan of Nell’s IG stories but sometimes they don’t come up at the front of my feed (silly algorithm!) so I’ll have to seek them out more regularly. Thanks for this tip!
Also: I LOVE Supergoop and didn’t realize they had a similar product!! V. curious to hear your eventual thoughts 🙂
xx
Yes on all fronts!! One other thing about the HH nap dresses — a few have asked me whether I think they could be worn out/in public, like to a socially-distanced gathering of some kind. I’m on the fence about that. I feel like it’s probably best suited for home/backyard. But, I’ve seen people wear them with aplomb. xx
Well, then they’re perfect for my current lifestyle of working from home and not seeing anyone besides my partner & stepkids 😉 In all seriousness — these dresses are so appealing and I think I might just take the plunge! Thanks again for the intel! xx
Yay! Same for me 🙂 xx
Hi! Just wanted to say that the best way I found so far to apply sunscreen to my kids is having a roll-on sunscreen and they apply it themselves. They love it! And they will be veeeery well protected because they will apply plenty. Have a great summer!
Oh interesting! I didn’t even know roll-on existed? What brand?
xx
It’s from Nivea, SPF 50 for kids. I buy this one just for them. I usually buy bioderma or roche posay for the whole family and spray their backs while they’re busy covering their arms and legs with the roll-on. xox
Thank you!!
Roll-on sunscreen = mind blown!!! What a great tip, Mariana!
The Clarins mask is a MUST HAVE. I swear by it and will never go without it, always making sure to have a backup jar because it has been selling out this last year. Although I do have to say, I first heard of this mask 2 years ago when Kathleen Jennings Beauty recommended it. She was the one who said “if you eat salt or drink wine you need this”. Thankfully, Courtney Grow has now lately been giving credit to Kathleen for the beauty rec.
Oo, OK! Sold!!!
I must have missed the original sunscreen-for-kids post, but hoping I’m not too late to chime in. For my two (newly 3 and 5), we’ve loved Blue Lizard for body and the Babo Botanicals stick for face. My biggest tip for applying lotion on their body is to make it into a game. I’ve had the best luck with “what animal would you like me to turn you into?” The kids choose from leopard spots, tiger stripes, and giraffe spots (more square than leopard). This works fantastically with both my easygoing 5 year old and my “spirited” 3 year old who protests every time we bust out the “sun scream.”
Erin, this game idea is so smart! Pocketing this tip for the littles in my life. 🙂
GENIUS, Erin!!! Wow! Thank you! Going to try this today. What do you like specifically about the Blue Lizard for body? Blendability? I am also liking the Babo botanicals stick for face. So much easier to apply than cream.
xx