April Faves
Affordable moisturizers, mermaid hair, movie reviews, and a phrase I can’t stop thinking about
I’m going to make you read through this email before you get any context as to why I look like I got a Mermaid hair transplant…
Hey friends!! I hope this email finds you well. First off, this is my monthly faves email, which we are sending in lieu of a Power Nap. Why? We have decided as a team we really want to limit the amount of emails we send you. I am in a constant battle with my inbox. I want less emails. And so, I also want to send you less emails. So when it’s time for a faves email, it will go in the place of a Power Nap for that week. Basically, we respect your inbox and want to respect your time. But also, I hope you enjoy these emails! I keep a running list on my phone and it’s really enjoyable to look back and write about what I loved.
One of my best friends, Molly, was in town for 48 hours and it was so lovely. Molly and I met our freshman year at UNC-Chapel Hill, and there’s just something about being with a friend who has known you through so many of life’s seasons. It was also very timely because last week was hard for me. I wish I knew exactly why. I had a ton of anxious energy, cried a lot, and felt a general sense of overwhelm living up to the expectations both as a working parent and as a present mom. I guess I just want you to hear that if you, too, feel like you’re doing the most and dropping balls left and right, I get that way too.
This month’s faves are a mix of media + a few repeat products (which in my opinion says a lot. If I’m still using it months later, it’s worth mentioning again). But first, Quince! It only seems fitting that Quince would sponsor a favorites newsletter because they have been featured as a favorite multiple times. I continue to be so impressed by them. The top I am wearing in that photo with Molly is also Quince! So comfortable, buttons up the back, love the length. I will be wearing this on repeat this summer. My woven flats I wear all the time are Quince, and I am pumped to see they have jean shorts (for $40!!)! Allie is living in these easy dresses all spring and summer long. The skater dress has been on repeat since March. We love their super soft leggings for under dresses too! JR just got this and it’s so soft he’s been sleeping in it. Jess bought these organic cotton baby socks and she swears she will never buy another — they stay on no matter how hard they kick and are so thick and soft! Also her 4 year old has these organic cotton pajamas and pitches a fit anytime they are dirty. (Scout also has the pajamas and loves them! She’s almost 10, and I love that they make big kid sizes). Could be the super soft quality cotton, could be because they are covered in cars (Same: Scout’s are covered in donuts!). These newsletters remain free thanks to our generous sponsors. Thanks for sponsoring this one, Quince!!
OK, NOW LET’S GET INTO IT!
(To shop my April Faves in one place, click here. If you missed March faves, go back and read it here.)
First up, some reading…
Theo of Golden and The Academy.
These are very different; I loved both.
Theo of Golden is everywhere right now, and for good reason. It’s warm, easy, and genuinely feel-good. If you’re in a funk, read this.
The Academy (by Elin Hilderbrand + her daughter, Shelby Cunningham) is set at a boarding school with just enough drama to keep it fun and a bit salacious. It’s the start of a two-book series, which I love because then I don’t have to learn brand new characters next time.
Other series I’ve loved: American Royals by Katharine McGee, Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter series, and every few years I always come back to Harry Potter. I am sure I am forgetting many. Any good series recs??
A KITCHEN SHIFT THAT’S WORKING: bulk prepping chicken ahead
I shared how I do this with chicken as soon as I get home from the grocery store and how much time and mental energy it’s saving me!
Buy in bulk → cheaper
Prep all at once → faster
Freeze in marinade → zero decision-making later
I’ll usually throw on a podcast and knock it all out at once. It’s made weeknights (or lazy weekends) noticeably easier. Now it’s just thaw and cook instead of thaw → prep → marinate → cook. These are the best shears for cutting chicken (they come apart easily to throw in the dishwasher. Use code NAPTIME20). I always do this on the handy-dandy parchment sheets for easy cleanup.
Also considering bringing back the “same 7 meals all month” plan we did last May (read about it here in an old Power Nap). It gave my brain a break in the best way and honestly my kids loved it.
Also ICYMI, I shared in Power Nap 131 a similar idea: The post-vacation meal plan. I’m excited for this one!
SUNSCREENS and SKIN STUFF
So I have tried a lot of sunscreens and love a lot of them, which is good news because I wear it every day. I decided it could be fun to give you a few I love and why in 3(ish) words. Especially in the summer, my sunscreen doubles as my foundation, so I usually go for tinted.
Colorescience: color-matching, high coverage, thick
EltaMD: lightweight, tinted, non-greasy
Barefaced Tinted Sunscreen: glowy, lightweight, easy application (Jess uses this too and loves it!)
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen: afternoons, over makeup, matte finish
I was moisturizing my skin the other night and really thought I just love the two items I use for evening moisturizer. Both are drugstore and under $20.
The Ordinary squalane oil (~$10): acne safe, lightweight. I put a few drops into my plam, rub it around, and then press it into my face
Weleda Skin Food (under $20): This was what I used when on accutane so you know it’s good! Super thick and moisturizing and I love the smell. I layer this on over the squalane to sort of lock it all in.
HAIR STUFF
As my hair has gotten longer and I am blowdrying it more (because air drying takes hella long) I keep coming back to this for heat protectant. It’s very lightweight (that word is getting a lot of play in this newsletter) and smells great.
Also: still love my oversized round brush. The big barrel makes a, well, big difference.
WHAT WE WATCHED
Nate loves Andy Weir so for our 13 year anniversary we went and saw Project Hail Mary.
I went in totally blind and was in awe. I laughed, I cried. I remembered for the thousandth time why I love Ryan Gosling. It was so heartwarming! Nate read the book, so I’m guessing his upcoming review will be more critical (as we so often are when there’s a movie from a beloved book). But as someone who didn’t, I thought it was fantastic. Also, you could totally take kids. It’s long, so maybe not young kids, but I think Johnny (age 10) would enjoy it. I’m debating reading (or listening to) the book because everyone says it’s even better.
A NOTE ON HOW NATE AND I WATCH SHOWS: As you know bedtime over here is sort of a late night dumpster fire so we really aren’t “show after the kids go to bed” people. For that reason, Nate and I usually have one show we watch together once, maybe twice a week. We finished Paradise and are about to start Breaking Bad because it’s ranked the number one show of all time and we haven’t seen it! We also watch things separately because Nate’s threshold for suspense is so much higher than mine. 80% of what he wants to watch I find too scary. Also, I love comedy and he doesn’t. When all else fails, we can come back to our common ground: The West Wing.
I finished Shrinking Season 3 and really, really enjoyed this show. Fun fact: in middle school we got to write a letter to a celebrity and I picked Harrison Ford every year (I had a huge crush on Indiana Jones). He never wrote back, which does still sting a little, but he did redeem himself in this show. I will say, the ending of Season 3 was so good, I was sad to hear it had renewed for a fourth. It just felt like every bow was tied at the end of season 3. We shall see I guess.
I just started The Morning Show but it felt dark. I was already sad last week so I stopped watching it. Started Palm Royale on Apple+. Will report back!
BELOVED BRAS
I wrote about Neiwai bras back in January Faves, and I just feel like I need to come back to them. I have gotten texts from friends as well as emails from some of you thanking me for introducing you to these bras, and I am so happy we all found them. The main beauty of these is that the cup is sewn in. They say hand wash (I don’t, though I do air dry them). I recently got one with a clasp as well as a triangle shaped one that closes in the front and love both. Note: the triangle styles have thinner straps, so less support in the back—but great under tanks.
While on the note of washing bras: I put mine in these structured garment bags that do a wonderful job or protecting them and then dry them on my new massive drying rack I bought after having drying rack envy from seeing my sisters. It has made me happier than any drying rack should. Life in your late thirties…
A PHRASE I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT
“Care creates contentment.”
I heard this from Carly Hill (@debtfree.mom) on this episode of the Carpool podcast over a year ago and I still think about it all the time. The basic gist is:
The more I care for things (cleaning out the washing machine, sanding and oiling the furniture, scrubbing the tile, etc.) the more I end up loving those things. The more I love what I already have, the less I want.
I realized after thinking about it that I wrote about this same sentiment in the home chapter of my book. The more I use my home, the more I love it. My home is meant to get used and dirty — it’s signs of life!
It’s got me thinking: instead of loathing the things I have to care for, what if I really saw it as caring for them? It makes sense to care for things I have spent money on and use often. I know there’s still so much to do in a day and it’s hard to care for everything well, but this phrase it helping me love (and take care of) my stuff with less anger and frustration.
MY AI HAIRSTYLES
I used ChatGPT to try on different hairstyles and it was equal parts helpful and utterly ridiculous. Helpful because it’s my face. Utterly ridiculous because when I said “give me longer hair” it heard “give me perfect mermaid hair.”
Also, somehow I look prettier in the AI version and I cannot explain why but it’s sketchy. It’s like they improved my bone structure or something ever so slightly. Anyways, enjoy my imaginary pixie cut and mermaid hair.
Lastly I wanted to report back on the long torso one piece question I asked a few weeks back! The top suggestions I got were for: Summersalt, J.Crew, Land’s End, CupShe (can attest, I have this one and it’s so flattering and fits my torso well), Target, and Honeymark. Many gave up and now prefer a tankini both for lack of wedgie and easier bathroom trips!
Until next month,
Kate
You look just like Kate Middleton with your mermaid hair!
Kate, I am sure it was a typo, but the beginning saying "Power Pap" feels like an OBGYN horror film 😂 But loving your Quince recs because I have been wanting to order their stuff!