May 21, 2021

Helpful hints for swimsuit shopping, why The Ordinary is anything but, saying bye-bye to sheet masks and sunscreens to stalk.

A few secrets for managing swimsuit-shopping anxiety

Let’s be honest, shopping for bathing suits is enough to make most of us want to throw up (especially if you just ate a pint of Rebel ice cream like I did). Honestly, I’ve never given all that much thought to my swimwear wardrobe (with the exception of the summer we joined a beach club) since the only pool I frequent is in my backyard. And even then, I was a big fan of Target because I could never justify spending a lot of money on a piece of non-clothing that was going to get beaten and battered by sunscreen and chlorine.

Then I discovered one-size-fits-all Hunza G swimsuits, and they pretty much answered all of my swimwear prayers. (Are you noticing a trend with the one-size-fits-six Frame jeans I got a few weeks ago?) But I still couldn’t fathom spending almost $200 on a bathing suit, and I found Australia-based YouSwim when I went down a Google rabbit hole while I had extra time on my hands during lockdown. Though usually $140, I signed up for emails and somehow snagged one for $100, and I felt confident in my purchase considering virtually every other color was sold out. More recently, I found a pink Madewell one on Nordstrom Rack for $30 that appeared to be the same stretchy, crinkly material (although upon arrival it wasn’t).

YouSwim.

Oh, by the way, I haven’t worn any of them—but just having them in my possession provided enough of a buffer to purge my bathing-suit drawer of the ill-fitting one-pieces and bikinis I’ll most likely never wear again.

The upside of unnecessary bathing suit shopping: A hell of a lot less stress. Since I didn’t (and still don’t) have a pending tropical vacation on the books, it was no biggie if they didn’t work out. But now I have scars from my breast reconstruction and I’m not sure if these bathing suits will cover the incision that extends slightly beyond the crease below my breasts—and I’m definitely not in the frame of mind to try them on and find out right now. Until I am, at least I know I have new bathing suits at the ready when it’s time for a pool party—and even if they don’t completely cover my scars that’s OK because they’re a part of me now. (I’ll just be sure to apply extra sunscreen so they continue to fade away with time.)

The Ordinary is anything but

I always consider price when shopping for skincare—or pretty much anything else for that matter. If a price is too high, I look for a lower-cost alternative, and if a price is too low, I’m skeptical that it will actually do anything for my skin. Such has been the case with The Ordinary. This expansive range of almost-always-sold-out, clinical-looking skincare products has been on my radar for quite some time, but with so many options under $10 I’ve always been a bit hesitant. 

When I ran out of my last glycolic acid toner, I figured it was the perfect time to try the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution. First things first, the $8.70 bargain price tag does not reflect this toner’s quality. It provides a fair share of tingle (so I know it’s working) and it absorbs/dries quickly so I can move on to my serum or essence of choice for the day. Additional ingredients include Tasmanian pepperberry, aloe vera and ginseng root for extra radiance-revealing and skin soothing. Although I really enjoy a pump dispenser for my toners (I saved one a while back I so I can decant any product into it if I desire), this one has a nozzle that’s convenient enough since I can just keep it open so it’s ready to rock when I have a reusable cotton pad in hand.

Exfoliating toners are one product I rarely splurge on, and there really isn’t a need to. The past wallet-friendly few I’ve used include Pixi Beauty’s Glow Tonic ($29 for a BIG bottle) and Versed Weekend Glow Daily Brightening Solution ($18). I will admit I’m still dying to try Biologique Recherche’s P50 Lotion, but I can’t bring myself to spend over $100 on it. I’d rather save my money and potentially get an entirely new skincare routine from The Ordinary and its slightly more expensive sister brand Niod.

Are you ready to ditch single-use sheet masks?

I’ll admit I have a pretty hefty stash of sheet masks—neatly organized by skin concern—in a plastic shoe box under my sink. Although this once gave me a tremendous sense of pride, I recently started thinking about how each and every one of those masks (and their wrappers) would eventually wind up in a landfill. Sure, I could buy more (as long as they are biodegradable or compostable), but that just seems even more wasteful. Then I came across Jenny Patinkin’s Pure Luxury Organic Reusable Sheet Mask.

At first I wondered how this would work since I’m used to sheet masks that come infused with a problem-specific serum. Once I dug a little deeper, I learned there are actually several ways to use this mask. You can soak it in cold water if you want to de-puff or quell inflammation. You can soak it in hot water to open your pores and enhance the penetration of any of the many serums you likely already have on hand. You can also use it cold or hot after derma-rolling (depending on if you want to soothe your skin or add on another treatment step). Although the mask is machine-washable and dry-able, it’s not recommended for use with clay or peel-off masks (or any other treatment that dries on the skin).

I’m already imagining the amount of waste I could reduce (and how much under-sink space I could gain) by ditching the single-use masks in favor of this one. And the fact that it comes with a plush spa headband serves as even more incentive.

A sunscreen set to get excited about

You know what’s three weeks from today? Memorial Day! Although this official start of summer is somewhat anti-climactic when you live in South Florida—at least I can reminisce about my Hamptons days with the Supergoop! X Grey Malin Everyday Getaway Kit.

I may not have been as diligent about wearing sunscreen when I was in my early 20s and bopping around the East End with hardly a care in the world, but this six-piece set includes all of Supergoop!’s best-selling SPFs including the PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50, PLAY Antioxidant Body Mist SPF 50, Glow Oil SPF 50, Defense Refresh (Re)Setting Mist SPF 40, Lip Shield SPF 30 and Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40.

And beyond protecting your skin from head to toe, the reusable waterproof pouch and its iconic arial beach print will make you smile year-round—and it’s perfect for stashing a wet bathing suit when you head for an après-beach bite or cocktails!