Rat's Nest Week 42

Hey Rat Girls (gender inclusive)!

This week I’ve seen a flood of millennial women on TikTok roasting their peak 2000s prom dresses, and honestly? Love the transparency and nostalgia. So here’s mine: a decent dress, an absolute war crime of an updo, and a junior prom photo I wish I hadn’t rediscovered.

The dress? It was fine, I guess. The real tragedy here is whatever is happening on my head. I asked for a loose, beachy bun and walked out with this. There’s no excuse for that hair, but I was 16 and scared of confrontation. That was the first and last time I ever let someone else do my hair for an event.

My junior prom dress was honestly pretty cute so I wasn’t going to share it until I saw that of course, in true peak millennial cringe fashion, I had a pic of me doing weird shit with my hands.

Anyways, now that I’ve bared my soul to you, I’d love to see your prom dress. Time for you to go into the archives (Facebook albums) and share with the class (reply to this email).

• This week in munchies- My very favorite cookie recipe of all time: BA’s “Best” Chocolate Chip Cookies. Brown butter (I could stop here honestly), chunks of dark chocolate, crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle. You get it. BA has the recipe paywalled, but it’s also on this Reddit thread.

• Howdy Partner- I love the Madewell barrel jeans. They are trendy, they are incredibly comfortable (in the running for my current favorite pair of jeans), and they unfortunately make me look like I’m about to pour whiskey at a saloon in 1842. That won’t stop me though.

• Gola sneaks- I ordered two colors, but I’m only keeping the lime in the pursuit of minimalism. Why not get Sambas, you ask? Because I unfortunately have to try to be at least slightly different (so annoying).

• PSA: Clean your sink. No, dish soap runoff doesn’t count. I use a Scrub Daddy and a hefty scoop of Bon Ami (which is basically a less abrasive version of Bar Keeper’s Friend) once a week. Before you scrub away, make sure it’s safe for your sink. Bonus tip: Bon Ami also brings stainless steel pans back to life- my crusty dusty All-Clad can double as a mirror again.

• 👾 Allegedly, playing chill video games can be beneficial for your mental health. Taking this as permission to pick back up my circa 2020 animal crossing addiction (sure, it was a weird time, but i’m not sure that’s an excuse for playing it for 30 hours in the first 2 weeks it was out).

• 💸 Door Dash announced a partnership with pay-later giant, Klarna. I’m not going to make any blanket statements about the economy, but i will say, if you need to to put a Panera chipotle chicken sandwich on an installment plan, you probably shouldn’t get a Panera chipotle chicken sandwich.

• 🎬 In news from the most emotionally loaded corner of your brain, Drake & Josh (yes, that Drake and Josh) reunited for a podcast interview. Previews show them referring to the convo as therapy. “Well, I lost a hundred pounds and had to get sober at 21. Did I seem happy?” As someone fascinated by child stars and how they navigate adulthood, I can’t wait for part one to drop today.

Skincare used to be simple. Then the internet decided we needed to make things complicated, so suddenly niacinamide was everywhere. It's in serums, moisturizers, toners, sunscreens, and even BLUSH. How the hell did we get here?

🐀 Where did Niacinamide come from?

Niacinamide is just a form of vitamin B3 that's been used in skincare for decades. It was originally used in dermatology for acne, rosacea, and brightening. Super common in medical-grade skincare (which, by the way, is just a marketing term- it doesn’t really mean anything) but wasn't mainstream until the last few years.

🐀 How did the internet become so obsessed?

The rage kicked off with the rise of single-ingredient serums (thanks to brands like The Ordinary & The Inkey List). Brands marketed it as a fix-all for acne, redness, dark spots, and fine lines. Niacinamide's surge in Western markets is partially due to skincare influencers. Seemingly overnight, niacinamide was in everything.

🐀 The actual benefits (and some reality checks):

• Helps with redness & inflammation

• Strengthens the skin barrier

• Regulates oil production

• Can fade hyperpigmentation

But here's the thing: some people (👋 hi) can't tolerate it at all. Too much niacinamide (or any, if you're me) = irritation, breakouts, and/or a weird tingling feeling. Layering niacinamide in every step of your routine isn't going to double the benefits- it's just going to piss off your skin.

🐀 Why it's in literally everything now

Brands realized niacinamide sells, so naturally, they put it in everything (gotta follow that $$$ baby). I mean it when I say everything- Glow Recipe put niacinamide in blush. I have no explanation for that.

🐀 Final word

Niacinamide is good for most people. It's a literal powerhouse ingredient with great benefits. The only catch? If your skin hates it, you're out of luck because it's in everything now.

So, what have we learned? If niacinamide works for you, congratulations- just don't go layering it into every single step of your routine unless you want to test your skin's patience. If not... enjoy squinting at ingredient lists like you're searching for a hidden threat (because you are).

(Disclaimer: I’m not a dermatologist- I’m just a girl with Google and a grudge against niacinamide.)

Signing off weeding my Animal Crossing island,

Kate

P.S.: now is when you send this to a friend!!!! Right now!!!