Monthly Edit - December 2020
Noteworthy things I bought this month
I am seriously loving the Kosas Chemistry AHA Serum Deodorant and Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector, as in I can confidently say they are my favorite purchases of 2020. The hair perfector brought life back to my overly-straightened (now curtain) bangs; they recommend applying about 10 minutes before washing your hair but I used it overnight and immediately saw results after two uses. The Kosas deodorant is super clean and performs very well even after an intense workout, I highly recommend trying it. I purchased the Serene Clean scent but it’s neutral/undetectable.
The Kindle app on my iPad gets a lot of use but this month I rediscovered beautiful solitude in Barnes and Noble. E-books are great and definitely take up less space in my room but sometimes you want to take a break from looking at a screen all the time and read a regular paperback. There are a ton of vegan/clean eating options to choose from so I decided to start with a cookbook aimed at utilizing the whole plant in various recipes.
I hesitantly signed up for the free Apple Fitness trial but it has already won me over after a single 20-minute cycling session in our home gym. With an Apple Watch, the app tracks your heart rate with time stamps throughout the session as well as what they call a “burn bar” which shows you how many calories you’ve burned in comparison with others who have also done the same workout. It’s a great concept and, paired with my new watch, excellent motivation to exercise and track my day-to-day progress. They offer exercise sessions for HIIT, treadmills, cycling, yoga, anything you can think of. I’m getting more into gym-wear so I ordered from Gymshark for the first time after many, many recommendations on Instagram.
Dr. Roebuck’s is a new brand to me but I was looking for a serum aimed at blue-light/pollution protection similar to the Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Pollution Drops with a lower price. While I do use the Tassie Anti-Pollution serum in the morning, note that it has retinol along with potent antioxidants if you would be more comfortable using it at night when you’re not exposed to the sun. I start with the Hyper Skin Vitamin C serum, followed by Dr. Roebuck’s serum, then finally an SPF. I’m really looking forward to the December 28 release of Supergoop Daily Dose, a new SPF40 sunscreen-serum hybrid formulated with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.
Reviving my Hulu subscription may count as a purchase this month but I have been watching Bob’s Burgers daily. Great background noise and entertaining to watch, too.
Just to note, watermelon radishes are finally back in season!