shit i bought and liked no. 68: pretend like you read this yesterday during women’s history month
Shitters! This was supposed to get to you on the last day of March to acknowledge Women’s History Month but someone over here can’t read a calendar (that someone is me… oops). The good news? Thinking about women’s history doesn’t have to be confined to a single month of the year. And as a woman myself, I think I can give myself a pass on the missed deadline.
As is typically the case here, before we jump ahead to the fun stuff, we must fill our brains with some information we didn’t learn in school. This is simply the tax for being here during (work with me here) Women’s History Month! I once again went the internet route to do this by reading a few bios of women I probably should’ve learned more about earlier in life. I picked Madeline Albright (RIP), Angela Davis, Sojourner Truth, and Dolores Huerta—women whose names I knew, but whose contributions I could only vaguely sum up before doing a little brushing up.
Now that we’ve learned a little more about women’s past, we can move into women’s present. Or rather women’s PRESENTS, because this is a shopping newsletter and that is our preferred way to celebrate. As it turns out, this was a remarkably easy newsletter to write because women make some of my favorite shit in the world!
Ma’am Shoes: First up is Ma’am Shoes, founded by my former camp counselor (!!)/veteran of the shoe world, Sofi Newmyer. They make their shoes sustainably in LA and prioritize the comfort of your feet—something that most remotely good-looking women’s shoe brands couldn’t give two shits about. I love their CJ sandals, named for the West Wing’s CJ Cregg. I went with leather—the color is a rich cognac and it looks great paired with midi dresses and denim—but I’m finding it pretty difficult to resist a blue suede shoe moment with this pair. I’m usually a size 8, but they recommended sizing up in this style, so I went with 9 and it fits perfectly.
From the packaging to the insoles—even the shoe bag (it’s divided into two sides so the shoes don’t crush each other)—everything is so thoughtfully made. They’re on the pricier side, but they’re made with high-quality, environmentally-friendly materials by people earning a living wage right here in LA. I’d rather buy one of that kind of shoe than two or three crappy pairs you’ll need to toss by the end of one summer. Madewell recently started carrying them too in case you want to shop while browsing a longtime Shitter-fave pair of jeans. If you’ve got a minute, I love Sofi’s story about why she named the brand Ma’am here.
Dieux: I could not be more obsessed with Dieux’s co-founder Charlotte Palermino—she is a licensed esthetician, shares her WEALTH of knowledge with useful and interesting skincare content, AND I recently found out that she listens to What A Day??!!! So wildly exciting for me! As you’ve probably heard me say by now, I’m pretty hesitant to mess with my skincare routine, but I took a chance on their cult-favorite serum Deliverance after hearing its praise from every corner of the internet, and it is now a daily must-have for me (I bought a second bottle to keep at my boyfriend’s place—that is the level of commitment we are talking).
Let’s start with the texture—this feels sooooo so good on your skin. It’s light and soothing and feels like a deep breath that just calms everything down. The combination of peptides, niacinamide, water lily, and cannabinoids has reduced my redness/hyperpigmentation from old breakouts without being at all harsh, and has made my face baby-soft. When my first tube ran out (about six-seven months in?), I genuinely missed it every morning until the new one arrived on my doorstep.
Another thing I especially appreciate about Dieux is that their products are backed by clinical trials, which is not the case for most products making big claims out there. I feel like following Charlotte has really helped me cut through the noise on some of the trends/marketing in skincare and has made me a much less clueless consumer in this department.
Maelove: Another amazing skincare company for people who want top quality goods without breaking the bank! Maelove is an Asian woman-owned skincare brand, and according to their site I am person number 11,433 to rave about their hero product, the Glowmaker. It was the first Vitamin C serum I really committed to, and IMO it’s the perfect way to add a new ingredient to your routine.
First of all, at $29.95, if it ended up not working for me, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. There are very few things worse than splurging on an expensive skincare product only to find that it absolutely does not work for your skin type (hi Vintner’s Daughter). It also got visible results fairly quickly, which is really all any of us is asking for as far as skincare goes. It made a noticeable difference in my hyperpigmentation and I really did feel glowy after adding it to my routine. I’ve also heard great things about their Love 31 Facial Oil, which looks absolutely decadent if your skin likes an oil (I will be skipping—lesson learned over here).
Westman Atelier: Is there a single product that makeup artist Gucci Westman has made that I don’t want? No. And guess what? Now that the SEPHORA SALE has started (it opens up to VIB on April 5th and Beauty Insiders on the 10th) you and I can score the goods at a discount! Huge! IMO the Lit Up Highlight Stick is the star of the show. Brûlée (yes I copy-pasted the word to get that formatting correct) vs. Nectar is probably the hardest choice you’ll have to make here, though my makeup North Star Zara Rahim just recommended Nectar, so that is what I’ll be going with. If you use your foundation like a concealer, their Foundation Stick is great (I was also pleasantly surprised by the shade range). And don’t come for me over the prices, but their brushes are fucking gorgeous. Do you add a Lip Suede despite the unhinged pricetag??? Why not! And if you are dabbling in contour, the Face Trace is supposed to be fab, but that is a bit too advanced for my abilities.
The Coy Collection: Ok, I know I told you about Coy earlier so I’ll keep it quick, but I ended up picking this fcking adorable holographic smiley mug and it is the happiest thing I own! I love drinking coffee/tea/Sakara lattes (still very much obsessed with this stuff) out of it every morning. The holographic paint isn’t dishwasher safe, but it seems like the rest of the options are, and they make a very cheery gift!
There you have it! Five of my favorite products/brands in the world, brought to you entirely by women! Check them out, and as always—if you find anything you love, let me know! You can subscribe to get this newsletter straight to your inbox around twoish times a month at shitiboughtandliked.com, and you can also find past recommendations like the fan favorite “Clueless Boyfriend’s Guide to Buying Jewelry” and the perennially popular Eberjey dupe PJs right there on the site too. If there’s something you need a rec for—the best denim shorts, cheap home upgrades, weekend trip essentials—let me know!!
Xoxox,
Priyanka