An eclectic roundup of things I love today, beginning with the rose-trellised home of Brooke Giannetti above. Stunning. A bit closer-in and more accessible, though —
1 // Weezie Makeup Towels. I have destroyed countless sets of wash cloths washing my face or drying my hands after applying makeup. These navy-colored makeup towels are brilliant — the softest, fluffiest cotton and they never, ever show a stain. Brilliant. Weezie sent me a set a couple weeks ago and they are in constant rotation. Love that they are now customizable! Great gift for a girlfriend or lowkey apology to your mother, whose towels you ravaged as a mascara-obsessed teen. (More gift ideas here.)
2 // CPC Kids Shorts. I’ve had a couple of Magpies ask about the shorts mini has been wearing in a few photos I’ve posted on Instastory. She only has CPC Kids shorts this season. I like the cut (short, flattering) and traditional styles (gingham, seersucker), and they hold up well in the wash. (Do note, though, that they require a hot date with an iron after laundering!). My favorite pair she owns is this lemon print style, but her seersuckers are classic, too, and it’s not too late to order this to-die-for print for FOJ. I pair them with polo shirts and Cienta plimsolls.
3 // Nailmatic Kids Wash-Off Nail Polish. This is one of mini’s absolute favorite activities: I do her fingers and toes and then she does mine. This brand of toddler polish washes off with water, so everyone wins 🙂
4 // Lauren Napier Beauty Wipes. I have been on a tear testing various facial wipes from a variety of brands. These are excellent and actually feel like they’re doing something beyond removing makeup and impurities — they are even the tiniest bit astringent? I like them for when I really want a freshly scrubbed feel–especially handy after I have taken the children out to the park in sweltering heat, given them baths, and put them down for a rest. I look in the mirror and say: “Wow. We need to start over.” These are great for those moments. Otherwise, I still love the Billie wipes for end-of-day run-of-the-mill makeup removal. Both are excellent.
5 // Hue Lightstrips. We ran these under some of the cabinetry in our kitchen and they are AMAZING. They totally light up the space and are controllable by smart phone.
6 // StateBags Crosby Fanny Pack (<<I own in this exact color, which is on sale!, but more colors here). I purchased this last summer in an effort to lead a more hands-free life while chasing two small children — and I still use it nearly any time I’m out in the Park with the kids, as it means that I can keep my phone, sanitizer*, key, and credit card on me at all times and therefore feel more comfortable roaming after my children / leaving our stroller area unattended. And I think it can look cute with any of the gauzy/billowy dresses I wear these days — speaking of which, I am currently looking to expand my repertoire with any one of the following similar styles:
THIS TIERED MAXI IN THE CORAL AND WHITE PRINT
THIS BLOCKPRINT BEAUTY (UNDER $80)
THIS ROSE PRINT STUNNER (UNDER $70)
*Speaking of sanitizer, I finally some in stock at Target and from Pipette. I was also horrified to hear about these sanitizers the FDA has warned against using!
7 // J. Crew Vintage Cotton Tees. Still my favorite. Soft, great colors, perfect cut, and no tag. I have been wearing the navy with white jeans a lot for unfussy day time uniform.
8 // Leuchtterm 1917 Notebooks. Just my favorite for notes, lists, ideas, quotes. I love both the dotted and squared/gridded styles — very European and super-tidy.
9 // Weekly Planning Pad. I am a leftie and I love that there is no crease/spiral to contend with in this weekly planner. Unstructured enough to accommodate nearly anything you want to jot down there, from to dos to reminders to daily gratitudes and more. (Also like this style, with a bit more space for doodling on every day of the week.)
10 // Noodle & Boo Cream Rinse. Adding this to my roundup of children’s bath time gear I love! I’ve noticed that mini’s hair is a little dry these days — this cream rinse is incredible! Left her hair soft, tangle-free, smooth, and shiny.
What are you loving these days?
P.S. The art of negotiation, a humble thing, and dispatches from wayfaring.
P.P.S. Most popular items featured on my blog this year: this brush, this mascara (truly the best), this occasional table, this flutter-sleeve top (now on sale with an extra 40% off…?!), this affordable block-print tunic dress, and these storage bins.
P.P.P.S. SUMMER.
Here to echo MK and you on Dior Lip Glow. I think I’ve sung its praises on here before…it is my desert island beauty pick. I have also been looooving Dior Nail Glow in quarantine. I thought I would miss my gel manis but I’m unexpectedly hooked on the natural, healthy sheen a coat or two gives my nails. It’s the only polish I’ll use on myself!
oh- and Mia!! just saw her reply 🙂 I love all the lip glow love haha
More love to go around! xx
I’ve never tried the Nail Glow! Intrigued!! Thank you!
Katherine, I love Dior Nail Glow too! Even pre-COVID I very rarely got professional manis/pedis (I almost always chose to save the $ for massages every 2-3 months) but Nail Glow makes me feel like my nails are “done”. Jen, you should totally try it! The slight pink tint adds a little “something”. I will say it does fade/chip easily for me (but I could say the same for almost any polish for that matter) but that’s because I’m in the kitchen a lot and I’m lazy and neglectful about wearing kitchen gloves. However it’s so easy to touch up, and if I don’t get to it, it’s no big deal — whereas with opaque polish it always drove me crazy when it chipped. I do feel that Nail Glow is pricey for polish, but I tend to wait when it gets *slightly* marked down (around $5 off) on Nordstrom or if there’s a price match going on, maybe once or twice a year.
Will definitely try this – thank you!!
I’ve been wanting to try a belt bag too! I’d been eyeing Cuyana’s convertible clutch (which you can also wear as a belt bag or on the shoulder), but it’s not as roomy as the State one you recommended, especially now that we need hand sanitizer/wipes/masks/gloves etc…
I’m loving Billie wipes! Such a great thing for a mid-day refresh. I find that the size of 1 wipe is actually too big for me, so I just cut it in half with (clean) scissors and fold up the other half and put it in a little zip-lock bag so it doesn’t dry out. That way I can stretch one pack to almost two months.
+1 for Dior Lip Glow! I hardly ever wear makeup except for a bit of lip product. My favorite is the coral shade, which I wouldn’t have tried on my own (it looks almost frightfully neon orange in the tube) but was steered in this direction by one of the SA’s at Nordstrom (you know, back when we went to stores!) as she said it would look best on my medium/olive/tan (depending on the season) skin. And she was right! Thought I’d add that here in case any of your readers have a similar skin tone. I’m curious about RMS daily lip balm though which Grace Atwood recommended as a “clean” dupe ($20!).
Also loving cold-brew tea (or is cold-steeped the right term? It somehow doesn’t sound as exciting) these days. I find most bottled/store-bought iced teas too sweet, so I make mine at home. I use a fruity green or fruity white tea and put spoonfuls of loose tea leaves in a tall glass bottle, pour cold water and stick it in the fridge overnight, and I have enough for almost a week (I make a strong brew and dilute when I’m ready to drink). No need for the extra step of boiling water and cooling/icing! Preparing this tea has become a weekly ritual for me every summer. I’ve heard others let it steep in the sun — I’m not sure what that does to the tea, and I didn’t think it was necessary.
Hooray for simple pleasures!
Ooh your description of cold-brew (let’s call it cold brew) tea sounds amazing. Intrigued – I’ve never tried that before!
So glad you agree on the Billie wipes. I also love the scent? It smells like fresh laundry or something. Smart to cut the wipe in half! I’ve been using on my neck instead but have no idea why…
xx
I hear you on the “belt bag” front — I have two that I’ve been using ALL THE TIME since COVID-19 began. One is a super-functional black nylon one from BAGGU that holds a ton, and the other is a chicer but smaller/less-functional white leather one from COS. I tend to wear them cross-body, though, as I prefer that look! Love a good billowy dress, too … esp. the ones from SZ Blockprints and Xirena!
As far as items I’ve been loving lately: I treated myself to a new bottle of Davines Oi All-in-One Milk and a new Dior Lip Glow … both have me feeling just a tiny bit more put-together during this casual season where I’m not seeing anyone other than my immediate family 🙂
I also love Nailmatic polish — so great for kids! I have bought it at Smallable before; they tend to have a great selection.
xx
Love the scent of Davines Oi — my hair stylist in Chicago swore by those products and I was so obsessed with how my hair smelled and felt after leaving her salon! And Dior Lip Glow — yes! I wear it close to daily :). Love that it feels moisturizing but adds just the tiniest bit of sheen and color.
xx