Back to cure your Monday scaries for the 63rd week! As always, thanks for being here :)
CALM Magnesium Gummies- I took 3 gummies about an hour before bed and actually got sleepy instead of doom-scrolling until 12:30 AM. They taste fine, not like fake fruit candy from hell. Warning: most CALM products use magnesium citrate, which can make your stomach very angry if you overdo it. Start with 1-2 and see how your body handles it.
Ladder Fitness App- I’m a certified personal trainer humble brag and I still pay for this because it’s that good. How it works: take a quick quiz, Ladder matches you to Teams (each led by a trainer with a structured program). Pick your Team—your coach + program in one—hit start, and you get in-ear cues while the app times sets/rest and nudges weight progressions so you’re not guessing. New workouts drop every Sunday, so you’re never bored. I’m on Ascend for that light-dose-of-accountability-without-cult-energy vibe. There’s a Team for everyone (at-home dumbbells, bodybuilding, yoga/Pilates, general strength). It’s cheaper than a coach and way better than a vague 8-week PDF. You can get a 7 day guest pass here (side note: if you sign up, I think they send me a T shirt or something. If that bothers you just Google Ladder app!!)
Amazon Workout Tank- This thing is flattering, breathable, and the removable padding doesn't disappear in the wash. I can actually breathe during workouts and it doesn't ride up mid-burpee. Sizing runs normal. Disclaimer: If you've got a bigger chest, this won't lock you down for yoga inversions- it's more supportive tank than sports bra.
words cannot describe how mortified I would have been if somebody at the gym saw me taking these
Taco Bell's BAJA MIDNIGHT They dropped this August 14th- passion fruit Baja Blast!!! It's the first new permanent Baja flavor in 20 years (too long), which feels like a cultural moment? Also comes frozen if you're into that. If you don't drink soda, obviously skip this, but if you love passion fruit, this week is your week.
Taylor Swift broke YouTube with a podcast appearance. She went on Travis & Jason Kelce's New Heights to announce The Life of a Showgirl (album #12, Oct 3). 1.3M concurrent viewers and 18M+ views later, everyone's still talking about it. Love her or hate her, the level of influence she possesses is absolutely bonkers.
E.L.F. Cosmetics cast Matt Rife and immediately regretted it. The beauty brand featured the comedian in an ad targeting women, which went over about as well as you'd expect. The problem: In 2023, Rife made a domestic violence joke that wasn't just offensive- it also wasn't funny, which is somehow worse. The internet dragged E.L.F. for the tone-deaf casting choice, and the brand quickly distanced themselves from the campaign. Lesson learned: Maybe don't hire comedians with domestic violence material to sell makeup to women?
Deep-ish Dive - WTF Is Tallow Doing On Everyone's Face?
I keep seeing jars of beef fat marketed as "ancestral moisturizer" and I needed to understand why people are putting stew ingredients on their skin. Why now? It’s like cllean beauty backlash meets wellness TikTok's obsession with "ancestral" (whatever that means) everything.
What it actually is: Tallow = rendered beef fat, whipped with oils and sold as a $30 face balm.
The pitch: "It mirrors your skin's natural fats! Barrier magic! Non-toxic! Cures everything!"
My reality check:
It's basically fancy Vaseline. Seals and softens, but won't replace your sunscreen, retinoids, or therapy.
Comedogenic risk is real if you're acne-prone. If your skin hates heavy butters, it'll hate this too.
Even scented versions have a faint... meaty undertone…
Where it might work: Body balm for winter (shins, elbows), cuticles, heels. Maybe cheeks if you're the driest human alive.
Bottom line: If you're curious, don't start on your face. Try a body patch test first. If you want barrier help, regular petrolatum (I like Prequel) or shea butter will do the job with way less drama.
Would I try it? On my legs in February, maybe. On my face? Only if I'm feeling reckless and have signed a breakout waiver with my future self. Also, i’m always on guard about new health fads that emerge (1) out of nowhere; (2) little to no scientific research/evidence involved (unlike creatine - s/o to you, creatine); (3) marketed as some “natural” solution; and (4) is fishily associated with way too many benefits that are seemingly totally unrelated.
Long story short, per usual, watch out for things advertised as “natural”.
What should we deep-ish dive in on next?
Signing off with a crisp Poppi in hand,
Kate
P.S. If you enjoyed this, send it to your gym rat friend. If you didn’t, send it to Matt Rife.
This newsletter contains some affiliate links that may give me a small commission (could potentially pay for a single latte). Also, nothing I say should be taken as financial, health, or any kind of advice- it’s just what works for me and may work for you too!!