The 2023 roundup
Meet the $10 moisturizer I can’t get enough of, the leather shoes that are all I ever wear, & the protein-packed beverage I finally gave another chance.
I’m officially a mommy blogger, my husband explains, because I became a mother this year & now here I am, blogging. Is he right?
While you chew on that, check out my annual list of favorites, which I promise is only 30% parenting-related. (Scroll to the end for all my mom/baby faves. 😉)
1. Everlane shoes: the Day Glove (link) & the Re-Leather Tennis Shoe (link)
I don’t keep a big closet. Chronically addicted to purging, I could fit my whole wardrobe into a single (very large) suitcase. But keeping a tiny collection of shoes, which need to accommodate the colors, styles, & function of the rest of your textiles, can be challenging.
Enter the Day Glove, which replaced every pair of flats I owned, & the Re-Leather Tennis Shoe, which manages to be the perfect sneaker for any sneaker-appropriate occasion. They are the traveling pants of shoes.
I’ll admit that my Day Gloves — which, in the camel color I bought, go with just about anything— were an ungodly pain to break in. But after several weeks, the stiff leather melted into a buttery soft hide that, yes, fits like a glove. After 15 months of daily use, they have a few regrettable nicks in the front toes, but other than that they’re better than the day I bought them.
My Re-Leathers, meanwhile, have also aged well. The soles’ brown color & smooth finish hide all the dirt that normally mucks up white sneakers, & the bodies are easy peasy to clean. Get them now before they’re discontinued!
2. Sodium percarbonate, also known as oxygen bleach (link)
Not much has changed since last year: I’m still a laundry nerd, finding romance in caring for my clothes with maximum efficiency & minimum chemicals. But now, having a baby, my stain removal powers have been put to the test.
While many of the tricks I learned from Patric Richardson’s Laundry Love seemed to work better on adult clothes — which are much less, um, soiled than the average onesie — sodium percarbonate (not to be confused with bicarbonate) is still my most faithful friend in the laundry room.
When mixed with warm water, this “oxygen bleach” creates a strong hydrogen peroxide solution that lifts stains while protecting color. I soak my worst baby accidents overnight or longer in this potion, & I’ve had great luck removing stains even after they’ve been baked on by the dryer.
Be sure to get pure sodium percarbonate, not a mix like what you’ll find in OxiClean products. My favorite is the Laundry Evangelist’s powder here. You can also find a cheaper (but I believe less potent) version on Amazon here.
Pairs great with Patric’s boutique laundry flakes, the best & most bougie I’ve ever used.
3. T-shirt folder (link)
One more quick laundry fave, then I promise I’ll stop. 😂
To keep my husband’s T-shirts crisp & organized in the drawer, this T-shirt folder quickly creases them into a uniform square shape — deeply satisfying for organization snobs or psychos like me who think laundry is romantic.
4. Cerave’s Daily Lotion (link)
Now let’s talk skin.
I’ve been on the hunt for a good facial moisturizer for-freaking-ever. Over the years, I tried tons of expensive products that advertised miracles, but they always seemed to pack a wimpy punch — &, bonus, they peeled or flaked when I put makeup on top. (I’m looking at you, snail mucin.)
Combing a few “best moisturizer” lists, I kept coming across Cerave’s Daily Lotion, a $10-ish-for-a-huge-bottle cream that’s marketed to go anywhere on your body, including your face.
I bought my first bottle skeptically, but it didn’t take long for me to become a believer. And at that price? Are you kidding me? If you’re still on the hunt for your dream moisturizer, you can afford to take a chance on this one.
5. Neutrogena mineral sheers foundation (link)
So, drugstore moisturizer… what’s next, drugstore makeup? Well, yeah.
Working from home, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of getting dressed in the morning. I’ve always loved the idea of dressing my face each morning as well — even just a little, & even if it’s just for me — but I couldn’t justify the cost or effort until I found this Neutrogena mineral powder.
The product is super pigmented yet super lightweight. While it isn’t going to totally airbrush you, it smoothes over your daily blotchiness in a few big brushstrokes when you don’t want to spend 30 minutes blending liquids or creams.
6. Milk
I had an exceptionally easy pregnancy, thank God. Aside from first-trimester exhaustion & a bit of restless leg syndrome (look it up—not fun!), it was pretty much just like regular life.
Except I was super, super hungry all the time.
Pregnant women are told they need 100g of protein a day. Whether or not that target is rooted in science, it’s simply not practical for most women who care to do anything else with their life besides chopping chicken breast.
I flirted with protein drinks before realizing there was a simpler & lower-sugar solution to help me keep up with the crazy calorie requirements of motherhood: whole milk.
I’d written off cow’s milk when I was a teenager, convinced it was aggravating my acne (it’s possible) & congesting my voice (also possible). When I reintroduced it, I experienced none of those real or imagined issues, & I was surprisingly delighted by the taste as well. I hadn’t remembered milk tasting this good.
7. Kelly’s Clean Kitchen (link)
While we’re talking calories, 2023 was the year I became much more kitchen-comfortable. I’m not a master (yet!), but I’ve finally got a little repertoire of recipes under my belt that I’m proud of.
A handful of those came from my favorite food blogger, Kelly, whose newsletter brings you incredible new recipes that are elevated, fun, & easy to follow. She also covers useful techniques & equipment.
My fave: crème brûlée pie. Follow her on Instagram for more yummy gems.
8. Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant podcast (link)
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably a girl, & if you’re a girl, you can probably skip this one.
Comedian Andrew Schulz has been on my radar for a while; he runs in circles with the Fifth Column podcast hosts I’ve talked about in previous roundups. But I fell into the rabbit hole of his podcast after I:
- had a baby & needed something to binge-listen to in the middle of the night,
- was getting sick of political punditry, &
- was also getting sick of the red pill/manosphere pseudo-intellectuals who had somehow come to dominate my Twitter feed.
Schulz was the antidote to all three. It’s not that girls can’t enjoy his show, but it’s exceptionally crass. Also sports-heavy. At the same time, there’s something really childlike & wholesome about it: it’s pure brotherhood. Schulz is a “friends guy” through & through, known to go on lengthy & sincere rants about how playing padel at the gym with his boys is his happy place. He’s also an “art first” guy, not interested in selling out — & not because success is bad, but because being an excellent & authentic craftsman is simply more fun. I’m thrilled at the success he’s seen in his comedy from keeping relationships & art first.
The paid version of the podcast, which you can subscribe to via Patreon, is miles better than the free episodes. But one of my favorite free episodes was the one with singer-songwriter Jelly Roll last August:
9. As for the baby department…
I’ll give you all my motherhood favorites rapid-fire:
- Topponcino baby support pad – I read about this in The Montessori Baby & thought for sure a piece of padded fabric could never be a showstopper. I thought wrong. The topponcino lets you plop your baby down on a clean & soft location anywhere (couch, table, floor) at home or in public. Also makes it seamless to pass the baby to visitors or move them around when they’re newborn & need their neck supported.
- Chatbooks photo albums – I spent a lot of time looking for easy photo books that I could realistically keep up with once Maya was born. Chatbooks offers beautiful mini books that are easy to make each month right from your phone. Grandparents love these.
- Silverette nipple protectors – 10/10 would recommend after my friend Lindy let me borrow hers. These are literally just silver cups you wear on your nips between nursing or pumping to cool them & prevent chaffing/infection. I wore them 24/7 in my early postpartum days.
- Body Ready Method fitness program – Where would I be without BRM? The online program kept me strong & functional throughout my whole pregnancy. I was truly in the best shape of my life during those 9 months.
Any questions? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter! In the meantime, may your 2024 be one for the books. ❤
