Weekend Mode: One Better Thing

Swoon-worthy salt, red light therapy, miraculous oil, and good fat

Jun 27, 2025

Hello, Gorgeous!

Is it a sign of aging to be this excited about the weekend?

Having been through a draining heatwave and a particularly polarizing primary in NYC, I’m so ready to tune out for a few days. Who’s with me? (Well, not literally with me since I need to decompress, but you know what I mean!)

I’m a big fan of making tiny positive changes. Sometimes life feels too frustrating or impossible to make a big change. Teeny tiny ones help make a single moment better than the one before it. These might help.

A miraculous oil

A few years ago I had to completely rebrand an entire skincare brand since they made impossible promises and the FDA was not pleased. Aveda Miraculous Oil can probably get away with this name since it’s a product, not a claim. In any event, it’s miraculous! Well, you know what I mean. The product claims to deliver 195% more shine. While I can neither confirm nor deny that particular stat, I can say that my formerly parched ponytail is shimmering testimony to the power of this new formulation. In what can only be described as fun with ingredients, this vegan essential hair oil is infused with Tsubaki seed oil (harvested in part from Jeju Island and daikon seed oil) and responsibly sourced from cooperative farms in Willamette Valley, Oregon. All I know is that I’m instantly calmer whenever I smell Aveda’s pure-fume™ aroma and my hair is super smooth. Apply with caution though. This oil is extremely concentrated, so use a tiny bit, smooth through palms and then hair and only apply more if needed. Avoid applying anywhere near roots ($42, Aveda.com).

PMD Clean Redvolution

So, this is a weird one for me. I tried this two-in-one red light device once and had some sort of weird reaction. Realizing that this was my skin and not the product, I tested it out again and am floored. This FDA-cleared device uses 19 medical-grade red LED lights along with something called SonicGlow™ Technology. It works by using 7,000 vibrations per minute to break down dirt or oil clogging your pores. At the same time it works to improve skin tone. But wait! There’s more. The red light improves elasticity all while boosting natural collagen production. It’s amazing to me how even five years ago you’d have to go to a schmancy medispa to try a device this sophisticated with proven results. Now you can use it while catching up on General Hospital ($229, pmdbeauty.com).

A salty brand

I tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen over the weekend, especially when company is coming over. Did you ever fall in love with a product and then realize you were crushing hard on the entire brand? Gather round while I tell you about Keep It Savory Salt Co. Their tagline is “Small batch culinary salts, hand cured with fresh ingredients sourced from Chicago's West Side,” which is lovely in and of itself, but then the products blow you away.

When founder and owner Johanna Thompson isn’t explaining the virtues of Vanilla Bean vs. Garlic Scape, she’s spending time as a middle school teacher. Which must also account for the painstaking attention to detail on every jar. The design is adorable, and the flavor enhancement is literally chef’s kiss in every bite. I read through the ingredients in the Mediterranean Citrus Sea Salt before using. The entire ingredient list consists of: Sea Salt, Lemon Zest, Lime Zest. No preservatives. No enhancements. If you’re hoping to add some zest to your bland summer salads, I cannot more highly recommend treating yourself (or your host) to some Keep it Savory salt ($15.50, keepitsavory.com). OMG. I just spotted their t-shirts and merch including this Salty Feminist t-shirt.

Heat activated deodorant

I feel like every summer I search for the perfect deodorant only to worry that I’m still whiffy. Evolvetogether’s heat-activated is plant-powered, and made with advanced enzymes derived from fermented sugarcane that neutralize odor. There’s also tapioca starch to absorb sweat. And because underarms can be extra sensitive during the summer, there’s vitamin pro-vitamin B5 to soothe sensitive underarms. Best part? No build up and it’s clothing friendly. No weird white stains on everything and the new scents evoke exoctic locations even if you’re stuck at home. Havana gently combines cardamom and wood ($26, evolvetogether.com).

A fat lip

Don’t ask me why, but I felt like I was in serious need of a new lip look for the weekend. NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip is a ridiculously fun lippy infused with cloudberry oil, raspberry oil, and squalane. It smells a bit too sweet for me, but the shine and pop of color really do give lips a bit of a boost. There are 18 shades to choose from, with a few of them being brand new shades. I chose Missed Call which is a fun and poppy pink ($9, nyxcosmetics.com).

Boo!

In case you’re wondering what to watch this weekend, everyone complains about Xmas in July, but I’ve noticed a lot of brands and channels starting to push Halloween in June. I’m a little sad that I already binged Season 3 of SyFy’s SurrealEstate, which combines scary but not terrifying haunted houses and real estate porn. It also stars two Schitt’s Creek alum Tim Rozon as Luke Roman was Mutt Schitt and Sarah Levy as Susan Ireland was Twyla Sands. Also adding that as dreamy as Rozon is, I have a soft spot for the brilliant and determined August Ripley, played by Maurice Dean Wint. Stream all three seasons on Hulu.

How was your week? I’m about to apply another Epicutis mask and tune out the world for a while. Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋