A Few of My Favorite Things
#1
Let’s talk about some things we like. These days are hard — below are some things that are helping me through.
Brace yourselves, young readers — most of these are definitely things my middle-aged self is excited about. 😊
PERSONAL CARE
I love these facial cloths from Amazon. I’ve tried several versions of this type of cloth, but these are my favorite. And at around $2.50 each, they don’t break the bank.
Some friends and I heard Luvvie Ajayi Jones speak (two years ago now) and Luvvie joked about white people having dried-out skin because we don’t use “the butters.” Specifically, she said:
“Lifelong full-body salving is why Black folks look so young. Black doesn’t snap, crackle, or pop—why? Because: moisture. It’s why some of us look twelve at thirty. Listen to me, white folks. I’m dropping life secrets here. Why else do you think the Olsen twins (born in 1986) look the same age as Nia Long (born in 1970)? You haven’t used the BUTTERS.”
― Luvvie Ajayi, I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual
A tried and true then sent this Gold Bond Radiance Renewal lotion to me because it contains MULTIPLE BUTTERS. It was funny, but it’s also really good. I am 100% here for a drugstore find that hydrates my (aging, drying) skin without feeling greasy and without smelling like chemicals.
LAUNDRY
I like things that work.
I will pay a little extra for a solid win, particularly on things I use most- or every day IF THEY WORK WELL.
For example — I do a sh*t-ton of laundry. SO.MUCH.LAUNDRY.
I have found my decide once laundry detergent. Behold Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Eco Sheets. I’ll be honest, I was skeptical of the sheets, but my laundry is cleaner and softer than it’s ever been. The sheets are free from all the bad stuff, they’re good for the environment, and they just work. Win.
I feel like I have tried every stain removal spray/gel/soap/chemistry experiment out there and nothing has ever worked as well as I want it to. What this means is that I hate doing laundry . . . it is endless . . . and I want something to work the first time without a lot of fuss. Then I met PURACY. I first tried their shampoo and conditioner and body wash, which I like just fine — the body wash is my favorite of the three. Then I learned they make LAUNDRY STAIN REMOVER and the reviews were amazing. I tried it and instantly fell in love. It’s not super cheap but it works! And I like supporting smaller, sustainable businesses whenever possible. I order it directly from their site and after the first bottle, I started buying the refill bags. It’s awesome and I won’t ever buy another stain remover again.
I also tried their DOG SHAMPOO for our little Shichon when they were having a sale and plan to stick with it.
Another HUGE win: Puracy’s DISHWASHER TABS. They work better than anything else I’ve tried. $10 off right now with this link.
SUSTENANCE
I don’t love to cook and I’m an emotional eater, so I try to have a few go-to things that are reasonably healthy and easy to prepare. I’m not sure what my functional nutritionist friend, Missy Bane, would say about these choices but I don’t think she’d be too concerned; these are certainly better than chips and candy (at least I think they are):
Don Lee Farms Organic Cauliflower Bites (at Costco - near the deli meats and fancy cheeses): They look kind of like tater tots. They taste nothing like cauliflower. And they save me from eating crap when I need a snack because they sit in the refrigerator and I can put a few on a plate in the microwave for 1 minute and they’re good to go. Yum.
Universal Bakery Paleo Bars: I saw these at Costco at some point and gave them a try. They’re good. I do not follow a Paleo diet on the regular, but I am trying to cut back on the amount of gluten I consume and these take care of that. They’re filling, seem to have decent ingredients, and are relatively cheap. Great for an on-the-go snack.
SMOOTHIES
Clovis Farms Smoothie Packs: I promise this post isn’t sponsored by Costco, but other than Amazon.com, they probably get more of my dollars than anywhere else. I try to start my food day with a smoothie. I’ve been buying these smoothie packs from Costco for more than a year. I need some things in my life that are easy no-brainers. These do it for me. Could I buy my own frozen fruit and spinach and whatnot and make packs myself for cheaper. Yes. And I keep telling myself I’m going to do it. Have I done it yet? No.
I found out some time ago that Almond Milk upsets my stomach, so I switched to Oat Milk and haven’t had any issues. I usually buy Planet Oat or Oatly (also widely available in most grocery stores).
The last element of the smoothie comes from Pure Food Protein Powder. I’m an Enneagram 5 which means I’m all about the research. I’m pretty sure I’ve tried every decent protein powder out there. I’ve learned I don’t like a strong Stevia flavor and I want something that has good ingredients, doesn’t taste gross, and doesn’t upset my stomach. This turned out to be a surprisingly tall order. The one I’ve landed on, and have also been using for more than a year, is Pure Food Protein Powder — these days I’m using their Real Meal powder because I consider it a full meal replacement. I order it directly from them and it’s easy to start and stop deliveries if needed. This company, too, is a small startup that works really hard to make a solid product.
BRAIN FOOD
I recommend this book to every woman I know. It’s SO good and SO helpful.
Brene Brown did a podcast with the authors. Check it out.
I signed up for the Simple Habit Meditation app based on Jen Hatmaker’s recomendation. I really like the variety of options and most importantly, I’m actually using it. If you want to try it, you can get the premium version for free for two weeks.
Now tell us —- what are some of YOUR favorite things? Let us know in the comments below.
xo,
Beth
A quick (and legally necessary) word about affiliate links: Sometimes I’ll share links to things I like or use. Though it won’t always be the case, you should assume that any links are affiliate links — that just means if you check out something I mention and decide you’d like to buy it for yourself, I’ll get a very small bit of compensation for the referral without it costing you anything at all. Promise. Finally, and I feel strongly about this, I’ll never link to things here that I don’t actually like and use. I’m not trying to sell you anything — just sharing some of my favorite things and where to find them because I like it when others share what works for them. xo