Ease Into the Weekend

The weekend roundup includes a serum-infused hand wash, and a power peptide toner

Hello, Gorgeous!

I just washed my hair with the new shampoo and conditioner from Commence, the Brooke Shields helmed haircare line. Full report on all products coming next week, but I really like it so far.

Also, ICYMI, here are the posts from earlier this week:

• Derm Talk with Hello Gorgeous! A new ongoing feature where I ask top-tier skin pros to help solve your most pressing skin concerns.

• No more lost scrunchies: A bed wedge and a cool bedside organizer help you reclaim scrunchies that disappear while yousleep. I have no advice for how to reclaim scrunchies from pilfering pets though.

• I used up an entire bottle: of Clé de Peau Beauté Essential Refining Essence (and I’ll be buying it again).

• And then there’s Maeve (chocolate. OMG, it’s amazing).

And let’s get to weekending! This time around I’m sharing high-impact/low-effort products to get you through.

An exfoliating body scrubber

If you’re intrigued with the trending idea of the everything shower —that takes you beyond a quick scrub for a full-on spa experience— check out Cleanlogic’s new bath tools. My fave in the collection is the Body Exfoliator which looks like an oversized dish scrubber, and has a less abrasive texture. It’s a nice way to increase circulation and unclog your pores. ($20 for a pack of three on Amazon).

A white but not chalky nail polish

Finding the perfect white polish is a strange affliction obsession. You’ll want a white that embodies the clean aesthetic without making it look like you’re painting your nails with Wite-Out (Youngsters, gather round. In the olden days of typewriters we actually had to use a white colored fluid to remove mistakes from our documents). Dazzle Dry is a genius system for gorgeous gel-like manicures that last long, stay shiny and don’t damage your nails. Be sure to use with only the Dazzle Dry system for best results. Artisan is just sheer enough to mimic a French mani if you want it to, along with a slight iridescent blue shimmer ($22, Amazon).

Pure Cold Pressed Organic Argan Oil

I’m not sure I have anything left to add to the above description, but Pura D’Or does it again with their USDA Certified 100% Moroccan Organic Argan Oil. Use it to tame frizz or hangnails, as a conditioning treatment before wash day, or to smooth out your troll toes before you head for a pedicure. One thing to keep in mind though, Argan oil can stain manicures, especially light colors, so be careful when using and applying ($15, Amazon).

A moisturizing toner

Earlier this week I mentioned the fact that I use essences to cleanse my skin. Well, here’s a toner that softens. Bioelements Power Peptide is the opposite of drying. After cleansing skin you can spray on a bit to seal in moisture or add a boost with loads of peptides ($49, bioelements.com).

A hand wash that softens hands

Wait. Is it even possible that a hand wash does anything but dry out your hands and cuticles? Apparently so! Tree Hut Coco Colada smells heavenly with a coconut milk/pineapple combo scent (the Coco Colada part is a definite spoiler alert). The plant based cleansers are also infused with hyaluronic acide and ceramides so hands will be soft instead of dried out ($6.49, Target).

Stream this

I find that people have a love/hate relationship with Westerns. I won’t touch on the cultural complications of the genre, just on the style.

We recently rewatched Unforgiven, the 1992 Clint Eastwood/Gene Hackman movie that swept the Oscars in 1992. It hasn’t aged well at all. On the other hand, we watched Old Henry (2021) with zero expectations and were blown away.

I’ll watch pretty much anything with the criminally underrated Tim Blake Nelson in it. This one had the added treat of a small part bordering on a cameo by Trace Adkins and Stephen Dorff in what might be the best performance of his career.

If you love stunning cinematography and slow burns with huge payoffs, you’ll enjoy this movie a lot. The themes of redemption, family, and being badass til the very end were also there. One last thing: Maybe think twice before helping injured strangers with loads of funny money.

Do you have anything planned for the weekend? I’m in the throes of Purim celebrations so will be seeing loads of friends and fam and eating too many sweets. Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss!

Rachel, Your beauty (and weekend) concierge 💋