Okay, this is my summer body program. I know this sounds like a workout regimen, and with ebbs and flows of client work, I haven’t been in a good workout routine (save for long walks) in a while. Sigh. Planning to test out the 7-minute workout app. I think I can handle that time commitment but time will tell.
Anyway. This program is body-focused from a beauty perspective, if not a fitness one. Before we get into it, some other favorites of the week:
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Before we get into it, a few other favorites of the week:
We're going away this weekend, but having a full kitchenette in our room means I could bring and eat my own go-to breakfast, which is Cocojune Unsweetened yogurt these days. I love that they're single-serve and still serve eight grams of pea protein. I add sugar-free or low-sugar apricot jam and it's delish.
I played soccer in high school and I've been waiting for this World Cup in New York City like it's a personal event. If you're watching from a bar, a watch party, or your own couch with the volume unreasonably high, your phone is going to take some abuse. These phone cases were built for just that sort of chaos. The airbag drop protection helps your phone survives celebration fumbles, and the 360° magnetic stand keeps it propped up hands-free. Style options for every fan and compatibility for every phone.
I love a hostess gift that does double duty: It looks beautiful on the table and immediately becomes the thing everyone wants to try. The 1-800-Flowers Sweet & Delicious fruit bouquet is my new favorite. Daisy-shaped pineapples with grape centers, cantaloupe and honeydew wedges, orange slices, grape skewers, and both plain and chocolate-dipped strawberries drizzled with white chocolaty confection arranged on a fresh lettuce and kale base in a reusable red container. It serves approximately nine people, arrives fresh to the door, and is hand-crafted by local shops, so your hostess gets something that feels considered without requiring you to do any of the considering. I brought one to a dinner party recently and it was gone in minutes. Add a box of six or twelve extra dipped strawberries if you really want to make an impression.
The self-tan prep and tan duo
Korean body scrub culture has been delivering the smoothest skin on earth for centuries, and Sluff (co-founded by former beauty writer Christina Han) decided it was time to stop gatekeeping it. The kit comes with three things: a pre-sluff bar, an exfoliating mitt, and a lotion.
The mitt is the star. There's a thumb hole — genuinely genius — and it gets everything off. Self tanner, dead skin, SPF, the works. You'll be slightly horrified and deeply satisfied in equal measure.
The lotion smells stunning. That's not a throwaway compliment — it's the kind of scent that makes you want to moisturize, which means you actually will.
The soap is effective, but fair warning: it'll leave your bathtub looking like a Jackson Pollock painting. I've mostly set it aside. However, and this is a sleeper hit, the silicone container it comes in is incredibly useful for travel. Mine now holds my Dove bar and it's coming everywhere with me this summer.
Bottom line: buy it for the mitt and the lotion. Consider the soap a bonus you may or may not use.
I've tried enough self-tanners to know that most of them lie. They promise a sun-kissed glow and deliver a streaky orange situation that transfers to everything you own. Beauty By Earth is different. The color reads like an actual tan. It’s warm, even, and convincing, and it blends so smoothly there's NO streaking. It reminds me of a long-discontinued chocolate cream self-tanner from Clarins that was one of the best ever in terms of color — one I've seen no other formula replicate. BBE dries fast, doesn't transfer to clothes, and somehow manages to feel moisturizing rather than that classic self-tanner crunch. The scent is… nothing. Not camouflaging DHA funk, it literally smells like not a thing. I love that.
Here's what I don't love: It doesn't have the longevity of my mousse formulas. I'm getting about three days out of this, rather than five to seven. But the color is richer and looks more natural. Fair warning: it does come off on towels after you shower, so dark or charcoal towels are your friend here (I wash mine twice a week). A small price to pay for the best self-tanner I've ever used.
Summer fashion picks
Reformation Wildflower Top
This is a Baby Houseman top. If you know, you know. I love a Baby Houseman top. I’ve bought probably 20 in the last 30 years. The square neckline, the puffed sleeves, the delicate lace trim — this is Baby Houseman's top, the one she'd have worn wandering the grounds at Kellerman's before everything got complicated. It’s exactly right. Tuck it into high-waisted shorts, wear it loose over a linen skirt, pair it with your best white jeans. It goes. The fit is relaxed but not sloppy, the details are romantic without tipping into costume. This top makes you feel like you wandered in from a Catskills resort in 1963 and never quite left.
FitFlop GEN-FF Max Ultra-Jewel Leather Back-Strap Sandals
These sandals are doing a lot of heavy lifting in my summer wardrobe. The faceted jewel detail sounds like it could veer into costume territory. It doesn't. Pair it with a white tee and jean shorts for that little extra something. The sparkle adds something without looking like you tried too hard, and looks just as good with a little black dress at a summer wedding. Versatility, unlocked.
The real story is the comfort. And the height! The sole has this cushioning that feels like walking on clouds. I can pull a 15K-step day in them. Your feet don't ache. You don't drag yourself home. You're pretty much on your feet all day and not realizing it. Glam and comfortable don't usually show up to the party together, but these sandals didn't get that memo.
Free gummies for better weather
The sun is here and we're back outside!
Longer days, lighter hangs, and THC gummies that fit the vibe. Grab a free pack of gummies from Cycling Frog! Just cover $4.99 shipping. Fruity, perfectly dosed, and made for campfires, park days, and whatever summer turns into.
Must be 21+ and only valid on 10ct bags of gummies.
NOT VALID IN OH, CA, CO, AL, LA AND NJ.