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Hi from my new home at beehiiv! Truth be told, I’d been wanting to leave Substack (where I’d started this newsletter in 2019) for a while. That’s the thing about being an early adopter. When it’s time to jump ship, you feel it on a cellular level. I just had to make the time to do it, which actually didn’t take that long, save for a bit of a snag migrating my paid subscribers over. That was smoothed over thanks to beehiiv’s excellent customer service.
As a free or paid subscriber, you don’t need to do anything. Your email address transfers over to beehiiv and you’ll receive these emails as usual. If you’re a free subscriber who didn’t want to pay because you were wary of giving a cut to Substack, which takes 10% of writers’ subscription earnings, I hope you’ll consider upgrading today. This publication remains an independent, shoestring operation, run full-time by me, and paid subscriptions enable me to keep going.
To be a Windexed window of clarity with you, Substack has been giving me the ick for a long time.
There was this.
And this.
And then they welcomed Andrew Tate onto the platform.
Couple that with the noise of everyone who’s late to the game starting their own Substack and it was giving 2010 now-everyone-and-their-grandmother-has-a-blog energy.
Then Substack made being active, pretty much daily, on Notes vital to growth. I don’t need anymore social media apps, I don’t know about you. Then they said we should really be reading only in the app, not via email. Which was the whole point of the whole thing — it was supposed to be a break from social media apps. Now it’s its own (bad) version of one. I’m sure they’ll be introducing ads there (hence why they want you out of your email). In short, this was all a tall glass of no. People are leaving in droves and I’m sure they’ll continue to. As I advise my corporate newsletter strategy clients, newsletters are still huge. Substack, specifically though? Not so much. Substack continues to make headlines after drawing widespread criticism for allowing accounts promoting hate speech and extremist ideology to remain active and monetized. For brands with any sensitivity around association, that’s worth factoring in.
I’ve been wanting to get that off my chest for a long time! Please bear with me as I get my sea legs over here on beehiiv! I’m still figuring out the features, but the internal ad network is already a massive improvement, among other ones, like the built-in templates.
Ok, let’s talk about my April favorites.
In case you missed my Mother’s Day gift guide, here it is!
Arnold Schwarzenegger has a newsletter.
Yeah. That Arnold Schwarzenegger.
So do Codie Sanchez, Scott Galloway, Colin & Samir, Shaan Puri, and Jay Shetty. And none of them are doing it for fun. They're doing it because a list you own compounds in ways that social media never will.
beehiiv is where they built it. You can start yours for 30% off your first 3 months with code PLATFORM30. Start building today.
☂️ Best of April
I’m picky about squeeze-tube balms. Most are gloopy or sticky, but this Tache and Iota collab is pistachio perfection. Tache is also my favorite fancy coffee accoutrement.
No one is talking about this brand, but it’s incredible. The lipid-rich cleanser is the best I’ve used in my entire life. It has a silky, serum-like slip that dissolves makeup and even the most stubborn sunscreen in seconds and leaves my skin nourished enough to skip my favorite night serum (not that I’d ever do that).
This self-tanning milky essence is a revelation, full stop. I shouldn’t be surprised, since Cyklar is an exemplary brand in general, but it’s rare for a company that doesn’t own self tanning to do it so flawlessly. This beautifully non-smelly, yet magically moisturizing formula doesn’t even leave a single streak—just a perfect caramel (not orange)tan.
This bag is a dupe for the spendy Loeffler Randall version for way less.
Levi’s that look like the way more expensive Agolde Parker shorts we know and love, plus a cinchable waist and they’re under $50? Sign me up.
A heated butter knife has made the supremely irritating task of buttering my son’s morning toast into a satisfying dream.
There’s a new Australian status hand wash in town. I get compliments on this one from guests constantly. It lathers up with a bright, herbaceous scent that turns a mundane handwashing moment into something that feels like a little treat.
When I’m looking tired, a little of this facial self-tanning water mixed with Merit’s glowy serum is the perfect combo. I look rested, even if I feel anything but.
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