shit i bought and liked no. 50: your shitters starter pack
Hi Shitters!! Lots of new people here today—that is apparently what happens when your humble newsletter gets a shoutout in Morning Brew Sidekick!!—and to our new Shitters, WELCOME. You picked the best possible time to hop on board because today marks a MOMENTOUS MILESTONE—our 50th newsletter! Holy shit! I remember when this was just an idea I got at work one day (no Crooked, this does not mean you get half). I fiiiiigured that in honor of 50, we could do a lil roundup of the all-time faves over the past few years. Think of it like your Shitters Starter Pack. Like I said, PERFECT timing.
Highline Wellness CBD Sleep Gummies: It turns out everyone who reads this newsletter has ~anxiety~, and we all need souped up gummy candy to turn our brains off at night! Love that for us! I start getting sleepy within five minutes of popping one of these bad boys and then I’m out until the AM. I also like these ones from Not Pot, though the dosage is a little different (Highline has 10mg or 20mg of CBD + 5 mg of melatonin for $35 or $50, Not Pot has 20mg of CBD + 3 mg of melatonin for $30). If you’ve never dabbled with CBD, it will not get you high, but you may want to start small just to see how it works for you.
Olive and June Mani System: Nontoxic nailpolish in the most gorgeous palette of colors (CDJ forever). Tools that make even the clumsiest of us at-home manicurists (The Poppy has, no lie, saved me hundreds of dollars). And gift boxes with the tools AND the polish that have you covered for birthdays, holidays, or getting started yourself. If you paint your nails, you need.
EltaMD Facial Sunscreen: A nonnegotiable!!!!! If you are doing any semblance of a skincare routine and NOT using sunscreen, you are wasting your money—someone had to say it! This is a super gentle (mineral!) sunscreen that’s great for skin that’s any degree of sensitive/breakout prone (derms give it to you after you do laser treatments because it is that effective and THAT gentle). When it comes to sunscreen, I really don’t fuck around and try my luck with other products—this is a derm-favorite and it’s a great place to start/stay.
Sakara Metabolism Powder: This is chocolatey goodness without being sweet and keeps bloating and my aggressive sweet tooth in check. I’m currently away from home without it and NOTICING THE ABSENCE. I love it with frothed oat milk in the AM as warm, non-caffeinated latte, or in overnight oats/smoothies, and now it comes in protein bar form, which is my preferred on-the-go breakfast or snack (especially for travel days or if you’re in a very expensive city like NYC/LA where every other option will set you back a minimum of $12). If you haven’t tried Sakara before, code XOPRIYANKA gets you 20% off any meal plan or purchase.
Alo Warrior Mat: As far as investment advice goes, this is the best I’ve got. Yes, it is expensive, but you will never need to buy another mat again in your life. No-slip, holds up against sweat, thick enough to support your knees on a hardwood floor or outside (!), but not cushy enough that you’ll sink into it/fall over during yoga or balancing. The real savings come from how much more pleasant it makes working out from home. I feel a little bad for Lulu with all the recent “Lululemon is cheugy” takes, but their mat could never!!!!
Larq Bottle: YOUR WATER BOTTLE IS DISGUSTING AND YOU ARE DRINKING BACTERIA. Enter self-cleaning water bottle! The white looks like something out of KKW’s Calabasas house (sans jacuzzi). The black looks cool as hell. And honestly, the navy does too. I have converted at least three people in my office (and my gem of an acupuncturist) and now we are an exclusive, well-hydrated clique. (Sidenote: the return of Gossip Girl has made me wonder—did they ever do anything with the Clique books? What happened to our bitchy preteen icon Massie Block?!? “Cuh-laire!!!” The mom with the giant engagement ring she that had to turn around when in the company of normal people which gave me a lot of grand ideas at age 12. I GOTTA KNOW.)
Parachute Waffle Robe: I am an unapologetic lover of luxe loungewear (if I’m gonna spend all my time in this stuff, it feels fair to splurge!), and this by far gets the most use of everything in my collection. It’s cozy and lightweight (if you want plush and warm, the Classic Turkish is more your vibe) and will make your rental apartment bathroom feel luxurious and your trips/travels feel a little more like home. I have/have gifted both of these, and can guarantee they are hits.
Birch Benders Banana Paleo Pancake and Waffle Mix: Ride or fucking diiiiie for Birch Benders. The easiest, yummiest, fastest pancakes (or waffles!) with ingredients that are a lil bit better for you (or at least a little less food coma-inducing). They have everything from paleo to keto to gluten-free to protein-enhanced mixes (available at most grocery stores), and all of them only require adding water, so they truly are a six minute breakfast. Still need to get my hands on a heart-shaped waffle maker, but we are working on it!!!
Line A Day Journal: For all of my little saps out there. Each page is dated and has five sections for that specific date over the next five years. Each night you fill in one line about your day. I started mine my senior year of college and kept it up through my first few years as a real adult. By the time you reach year two, it’s very fun to see where you were just a year earlier, and that continues as you keep up with it/finish! I still love going back through mine and reading about my first real jobs and crushes and moves and all the little things that make me laugh and cringe and feel grateful. You can start it any time of year, and it makes a sweet (and cheap!) gift for people in any phase of life.
Maldon salt. The forever OG. The first piece of shit I ever sent your way. Makes your scrambled eggs and chocolate chip cookies and reheated leftovers feel FANCY on a budget. @Maldon are you even aware of my existence because I feel inextricably linked to yours!!!!
WOW. We’ve covered a lot of ground in the last two and a half years! These ones stood out to me as the hits, but if you’ve been around here for a while, you have to let me know if there were any I missed. (Honorable mention to the cookbook roundup??)
To the ride or dies, especially the day ones who were with it since the Maldon salt, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. This newsletter has been a fun creative outlet for me at times when a lot of other things in my life were NOT, and getting your texts/emails/DMs/slacks about the stuff you bought or the jokes you liked or just saying hey makes my day every time. To the people who haven’t been here long, ALSO THANK YOU. People are not usually excited by the thought of more emails, which makes it a huge deal that you let me into your inbox (which, if you haven’t already, you can do right here at shitiboughtandliked.com). It’s a privilege I will never, ever abuse—not even if I get stranded with Nigerian prince and need you to wire me $3000. Promise.
If you’ve found even one thing you liked or bought as a gift or thought was funny or suggested to a friend, I am a HAPPY lil camper. And if that hasn’t happened yet, at least give me a shot for the next 50, ok??
Biiiiig love always,
Priyanka
P.S. I am currently on the East Coast dealing with a new level of frizz and I CANT LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE. What are the people doing?!?! What’s worth the hype? How did I go through my whole life with this texture and never figure it out??? Respond here or shoot me a DM and lemme know! Will share, ofc.