I loved our chat late last year about things that are regrettably worth it — an extension of some of my more philosophical thoughts on “RWIs,” which include, at the tippy top of that list:

Dressing for the weather

Going to bed early

Professional blowouts when you want to feel your best

Waiting before responding when you are angry

Being the bigger person

Ugh, these can be brutal to carry out but are almost invariably “worth it.”

This year, I’d add:

DNF-ing a book when you need to*

The Hatch Restore

Bone-deep acceptance that your weekends don’t really feel like weekends once you have children of school (sport-playing) age**

Stretching before exercising (ugh)

Bombas socks (you insisted on this and I finally caved this year and yes, they are regrettably worth it)

Eye patches in lieu of eye cream***

Rhode glazing milk (I wanted to believe this brand was overhyped but this product is excellent – I use as layer between skincare and makeup)

Admitting when you don’t know something (surefire way to end up with egg in your face: pretending you do)

Rothy’s clogs (live in these)

CurrentBody LED mask (I notice a big difference when I am consistent with use — use code JEN10 for 20% off for a short time)

Keeping your blinders on when it comes to parenting — you know best; don’t let the Jones’ direct your decisions!****

*A bad book girl behavior I started practicing this year (DNF = do not finish). Sometimes you just don’t have the capacity to read something, or feel triggered by a text — and it’s OK to pause and remember that you are in charge of what you invite into your life. Why was I forcing myself to finish books?! Life is too short!

**And I mean bone deep. One of my friends told me she’d had to have a stern conversation with herself when her girls got to be 8, 9, 10: she looked in the mirror and said, “You can’t be selfish about your weekends anymore. You can’t begrudge that your weekends are no longer your own.” I felt this so deeply, and had the same stern talk with myself this year. To my surprise, the weekends became much easier once I formally buried the platonic ideal of a weekend. You must hold a small and quiet funeral for the concept of a weekend that might entail sleeping in, ambling through a farmer’s market, etc. I’m not saying this to be grim, either; there is a lot of charm to our new weekend mode. I enjoy chatting with the other parents on the sidelines; I love watching my children exert themselves and beam at their own performance. Landon and I try to attend them together, too, so we have time to catch up (when realistic). And the pre-sport portion of weekend mornings are delightful — our kids are now at an age where they will let us sleep in until 8-ish! They can pour themselves cereal if hungry! They are much more self-sufficient! But I think I had to truly adjust to this new norm, and let go of the more standard vision for what a weekend is.

***This is a pricey habit but my undereye area is so much happier for it. Maybe I can lay off this in the warmer months but definitely in the winter I notice my eye area is so much brighter and better-hydrated; in turn, makeup “lays” much better in this area. My two favorite eye patches are YSE (I loveeee the gel material of these — they actually stay put; use code JEN15) and Jillian Dempsey (the best for brightening — these erase a sleepless night; use code JENSHOOP), but I try to reserve these for special occasions or mornings after extra late nights because they are $$$. My more typical daily ones are PTR (cooling) and Pixi.

****So, so tough. Something I am reminding myself constantly as a mom: Stick to your principles. This is especially applicable to age-appropriateness for movies, sleepovers, activities, technology use! Just because the other kids are doing something doesn’t mean mine are ready for it! Similar thoughts around extracurriculars. I sometimes cultivate a kind of guilt that we limit our children to two extra-curriculars per semester if I bear too close witness to what the Joneses are up to, even though I know we as a family need downtime, value downtime, etc. Especially as my kids get older, I find we have to be very crisp with our perspectives/philosophies. My new tagline when interacting with my daughter (who loves to point out how unfair it is that friend A gets to do XYZ when she does not): “I hear you. The answer is still no.” And that is that. (So much easier said than done. Especially when invitations materialize in real time and the temptation is to be a gracious recipient!)

What else would you add to this list, whether a physical object or something more philosophical?

Most Elite RWI.

In the product category, I still believe the Dyson AirWrap is *the* tippy-top RWI on my list. Linking to the AirWrap at Ulta because I saw it’s 20% off with code DYSON20 if you are an Ulta member (free to join). Will keep my eyes peeled for other promotions on this during the next week or two, but 20% off is about as good as you’ll get on this wundertool!

(Full review here.)

If you are a fellow Dyson AirWrap fan — do you also own the dryer? I know the Airwrap comes with a drying attachment but I don’t like it! I find I often use my old jet engine of a Conair dryer from circa 1999 to rough dry first. It works but takes awhile and the nozzle is so wide, I’m basically blowing hot air at a third of my bathroom. Thoughts? What am I missing? I polled my Instagram Magpies, and many of you own both the AirWrap and the dryer and believe both are independently worth it. Most of us use the same way: rough dry with dryer (also good if you’re in a rush / just need a quick dry and no styling) then style with the wrap. Most of us will travel with the AirWrap but leave the dryer at home. Food for thought! I’m pretty convinced – I think I’m going to order the dryer this week. Let me know if you find it on sale any deeper than 20% off!

While we’re talking hair, lil recap of a few favorite hair products:

+the Crown Affair towel — brilliant design, have gifted to every woman in my life; dramatically reduces dry time;

+the Crown Affair leave-in conditioner;

+rosemary oil – I apply the mornings I’m exercising and wash out after I work out! — I think this does help stimulate hair growth and health;

+the best brush EVER — a past-season Magpie reader ‘regrettably worth it’ vote-getter; I’ve now gifted to one of my sisters;

+the Goop scalp scrub (use code SHOOP15) when you need a true, deep reset;

+Aveda shine drops;

+DryBar rollers (the only way I can achieve any lift around my hair line / at the crown of my hair);

+K18 (<<found for 30% off!) — holy grail product; use this more than you think you need to. I am tempted to use it every time I blow-dry my hair, which is usually 3x a week…!

A Few Other Post-Scripts.

+Target holiday finds! My basket overfloweth…not seen below but really good: these Weezie-inspired scalloped trim towels (the bath mat is especially adorable – reminds me of the one I have from Matouk!), these peppermint mini waffle cones (! – would be so cute in a hot chocolate bar / ice cream bar), and this holiday Sugarfina set (I love their packaging – cute mini gift / stocking stuffer). Random side-bar: they are offering a good promotion on Fever Tree ginger beer, tonic water, etc. I love them in those mini-cans for cocktail making. I’ll also never forget when someone told me “if the cocktail is more than half a mixer, make sure it’s a high quality mixer.” You really do notice the difference! Anyway, all my picks here.

RATTAN TREES // BURL WOOD ORNAMENTS // FLANNEL SHEETS FOR THE KIDS // A GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOORMAT // PEPPERMINT-STRIPE TAPER CANDLES // VELVET STOCKING // WREATH HAND TOWELS // SCALLOPED APPETIZER PLATES // TREE DINNER NAPKINS // CERAMIC HOLIDAY HOUSES

+A perfect sweater dress for basically anything on the calendar. Dress up or down. Love the gray color.

+A must-have for the holiday party circuit. It’s a 2-minute skin refresh. I love to use this before going out to a party when I’m short on time! Skin is reinvigorated, alive! I love Goop products and actually my neighborhood text chain with a few other moms in the area last night was chatting about how good and effective their product line is. The other Goop products I love that are now more regularly in stock (used to sell through so quickly!) are their vitamin C (very highly concentrated) and their Colorblur balms (specifically in the shades Afterglow and Whiskey). The latter might be my favorite cream blush ever. I find they last longer than Merit. Use code SHOOP15 for 15% off all Goop Beauty products. (All my picks here.)

+A fun dish for your holiday candle (<< just got my hands on one of these candles!).

+Ugg earmuffs on super sale. (Teen/tween gift!)

+Pretty velvet bow front cardigan. Speaking of velvet — j’adoreeee.

+Gorgeous fair isle scarf.

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