The Monday Post but Make it Tuesday
Hey besties, it's time to take care of YOU.
Welcome to the regular Monday post in place of Sundays. On top of other fun content, it’s a weekly wrap-up of all the week’s celebrity chaos and other current pop culture happenings— If you like this newsletter, why not share it with one friend?
It’s a slow week in the unreal world of celebrities, which is suitable because now isn’t the time (or ever) for shenanigans when real people are struggling at the hands of political unrest and turmoil.
It should go without saying, but I will, that I’m not a part of celebrity worship culture. I’m a fangirl at heart, not a stan of celebrities or even politicians— why anyone does much less admit it is beyond me. It’s not something that speaks to my soul and shakes me to my core; my cursory comments are purely in jest. So now, let’s get into it.
I’m unsure about the new Sex and the City; despite Carrie Bradshaw being a “sexpert” writer, she was obtuse and wildly judgmental. So to make it modern and without thee, Sam Jones just isn’t necessary.
As reports are still coming in about the details of the new HBO reboot, recent headlines show Chris Noth possibly back, and he seemingly confirmed in that teasing manner Mr. Big does via his Instagram.
The only way to claim a man is like Julia Roberts on Instagram and use a photo of yourself. As opposed to Olivia Wilde.
Still lost on DaBaby’s one-sided feud with America’s YouTube sweetheart JoJo Siwa, whose bows alone are probably worth more than everything I own.
Gwyneth Paltrow is doing the most, otherwise known as being herself. In her most recent interview with The New York Times to peddle vibrators, she’s asked about posting a selfie on her Instagram back in August of ’19 with a face mask on (the interview is online, I didn’t link because this was enough).
This is a familiar pattern in my life. I do something early, everyone is like, “What is she doing? She’s insane.” And then it’s adopted by the culture.
I had to take this trip to France when it was all kicking off. I wore it on the plane, but I didn’t wear it to the function that I was going to, and actually ended up getting Covid and coming home, and being one of the first people that I had heard of to have it.
The takeaway? Gwyneth is still insufferable with her “I did it long before it was cool” hipster attitude similarly, as she did with the yoga resurgence and clean eating with the then trendy macrobiotic diet in the mid-to-late aughts.
Gwyneth’s turned these New Age-y “trends” into capitalistic #GirlBoss overpriced endeavors with Goop which is cool for her. However, saying you got Covid and wore masks before anyone in the states right before the endless pandemic isn’t the take she thinks it is.
True love is dead.
Take care of yourself by doing one of my favorite things…
Thrift shopping is a way of life. What started as a necessity due to a family of six’s financial limitations developed into something that sparks so much joy.
I love shopping for vintage. The kind staff you meet always have the best inventory with unique finds and are incredibly sweet; I’ve yet to find a rude shop owner, and I hope it stays that way.
My other favorite thing is that everything has a story or memory, even if we don’t know it.
Sadly, this wasn’t always the case. Those pesky insecure years of doubt and self-hatred cloud your judgment and intuition, at least for me. Middle and high school were riddled with insecurity and undiagnosed anxiety/depression, so I’d never admit to buying second-hand, much less wear it.
All it took for me to snap out of it was volunteering to help with art club activities during a school art crawl during my senior year of high school. During a lunch break, I noticed there was a shop brimming with people across the venue, so of course, I went to investigate.
As the golden oldies were wafting through the old building, which I had never noticed, I was greeted by the sweetest team of people. I spent my entire lunch break shopping.
To this day, I still have the seventies boho-chic floppy hat circa 2005 Sienna Miller that I bought that day, along with Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on vinyl (the height of my sixties and seventies obsession).
Now, years after the conditioned self-hatred stigma of shopping second-hand subsides, I love thrift shopping so much that I can’t wait to see what future treasures I find at affordable prices.
As an avid skincare heaux since my teens, my obsession has cultivated itself into someone who knows about taking care of their skin.
The once unkind skin treatments and absurd Pinterest DIYs we’ve tried, I know I can’t be alone, evolved into care and a delicate finesse that we deserve, which is why I’m always on the hunt for quality products. Pretty packaging and aesthetics are delightful, but they can’t be useless. We work too damn hard to earn our money in this day and age to throw it away on Glossier; this is the hill I’ve chosen. Yes, all the shade. 🌴 As promised, it’s been a full month since I’ve been using new skincare products, and here are my thoughts on Starface. No paid ads or links, just brutal honesty.
The beautiful citrus-toned Starface bottle came into my life by happenstance. I’ve been looking to rejuvenate my current skincare routine after having Covid-19 back in August (woefully, I’m still dealing with the aftermaths of this terrible virus). Enter Starface.
One essential shopping trip to Target resulted in finding the cosmic facewash missing from my life; this may sound theatrical, but as someone with sensitive skin and annoying stubborn hormonal acne, it’s like finding the last puzzle piece. Post-Coronavirus left me battling an unexpected dryness on top of acne scars and inflammation, but the dryness was almost completely gone, and my skin softer within one day. Lunarious.
Starface is the brand behind the adorable and mighty pimple patches shaped like stars. Their Space Wash launched last year, and their cult following speaks for itself.
Former Elle Beauty director Julie Schott created Starface for acne-prone skin to combat the ongoing taboo of being conditioned to hate our skin simply because of archaic beauty standards. I’m learning something through the years, even now at my big age.
Verdict: Yes. Yes. Yes.
I’m past the infatuation phase and moved into love with this $11 face wash. I’m also currently using the Space Wash, Exfoliating Night Water, and the Hydro Stars. Self-care has been commodified and exploited to no end, so why not treat yourself to something opulent (that works) yet also makes you feel like the cosmic goddess y’all are. Also, Starface is vegan and cruelty-free. UK lovelies, Starface is now available!
“Zits are beauty marks.” -Kurt Cobain, in response to Courtney Love apologizing for the pimple on her face to Sassy Magazine, 1992.
Skincare is a part of self-care, so do it up. You deserve it. Set the ambiance with a luxe candle, soft bathrobe, and whatever your drink of choice is in fancy stemware for an added layer of bougie. We may be broke or struggling, but we all deserve some fancy time and fancy things; you don’t need to be rich to indulge yourself— and that’s the tea.