Credit: Gap Beauty
The headline for July is that Gap Beauty is back. On July 30th, the brand’s relaunching its iconic '90s fragrance line: Dream, Grass, Heaven, and Om, reborn for right now, plus a new addition called Harmony. The bottle looks different, but I’m hoping the juice is the same (my sample is on its way, but I had to include it here to manifest it being the same). Let's talk about Grass. This scent reminds me of high school boyfriends and camp crushes. One spritz and I'm instantly back there. It's the olfactory equivalent of Sneaker Pimps' "6 Underground" and Sarah McLachlan playing in the background. It's TBS shows that start five minutes after the hour. It's pastel eyeshadow and those black Steve Madden sandals I wore into the ground. It's a time machine, and I still regret tossing the last of my bottle. Did you have a Gap Beauty era? Tell me about your scent!
Rainy summer July days call for a weighted blanket, and I've made it my official Widow's Bay binge-watching companion. The weight that turns "let me just watch one episode" into a three-hour couch commitment. It's cozy without the overheating, which is exactly what you want when the AC's on and the show's got you hooked.
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I read that in Feng Shui, it’s ideal for your desk to face east and mine was facing north. It was also in the back corner of the room and facing opposite of the door and was poorly organized and laid out since we moved in in April 2025. I can’t tell you the difference this office reorg made! I’m far more productive, I can see when someone comes to the door with a question without them being on camera for Zooms, and the vibes are massively improved. So many more bylines and client copy projects to come! I’ll never be a desk minimalist, though I have cut down on paper. I have two of these on my desk for all of my must-haves.
Last week, I went to a local event for Epiclight, a Greenwich-based beauty brand and was so impressed with the Luminizing Glow Gel. Universal Bronze is perfect for mixing with tinted moisturizer for a mini tan and Rose Gold looks great as eye shadow. The event was absolutely stunning and held at co-founder Patricia’s home. I rarely go to events here but now that I’ll have a little more time with Reid in preschool in the fall I’m looking forward to more and getting to know more women in this fantastic community. Thanks to Lauren and Penny for inviting me.
This Totter + Tumble mat has become the hardest-working square footage in my living room. My toddler treats it as home base for every toy pile-up, and the second he's down for a nap, I use it for a quick yoga session. It's cushioned enough for little knees and big warrior twos, in other words, it does the double duty a small space demands.
Let’s talk for a second about beauty editors of yore doing cool things. I can rattle off a list of so many but just to give you an idea, I’m currently reading best-selling author Tia Williams’ dishy new book The Missed Connection. I was thrilled to see her at her book signing at Bedford Books a few weeks ago. I’m alternating her book with an as-yet-unpublished manuscript (though not for long, I have no doubt) of another former beauty editor. And, I’m wearing former beauty editor Kahlana Barfield’s incredible flared chinos for Target on repeat. They sell out in seconds, so add your email on the site to find out when they’re restocked.
Crown Affair sent its clips in a new shade, honeyed amber, which I love for obvious reasons. The entire Aperitivo Collection is stunning and will look just as good for pre-fall and fall.
I can’t get enough of this IT Cosmetics liner and lip tint duo in Clearly Confident. First off, the liner is the Platonic ideal of pink. It lasts all day, something unheard of. This shade combination is giving movie lips, and I like it.
I have a couple of vacations coming up in August and September and am packing this set to wear together and separately. I’m paring the top with my favorite jean shorts (three years and going strong) and the pants with my go-to swimsuit.
Lumē just dropped Summer Peach, a limited-edition scent that smells like the exact five minutes when a peach is perfectly ripe, not mealy, not hard, just right. It's very front porch, melting popsicle, sprinkler running in the background.
This sensitive skin serum is made for skin that runs hot, literally. It’s my redness secret weapon but it’s also quite moisturizing thanks to ingredient workhorses Bacillus Ferment and Pro-Vitamin B5 working to calm and hydrate. If your skin flushes at the first sign of stress, heat, or a new product, this one's worth a look.
This dress is $8. EIGHT American dollars! And it’s adorable and comes in so many shades. I love the stripes. Hot tip: Size up for the best fit. I like it as a sleep dress, getting ready dress, or an out-to-dinner dress. You can dress it up or down.
These unisex PJs for Reid are perfect. They’re super stretchy, make him look like a chic French child, and come in a wide array of colors. I just bought a second pair as he just grew out of what feels like his entire pajama wardrobe.
Some Reels I saved this month:
This mascara hack is simple and useful! I was pleased with the results with my this lash lengthener from YSL.
Speaking of makeup tutorials, this perfect smoky eye look is achieved with just one eyeliner. I tried it out and it works like a charm.
The perfect weekday lunch option that’s high-protein and low-carb:
Until next time!
Amber
Some links in this edit are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you shop through them, at no extra cost to you. I only include things I'd buy myself!
