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In the age of PR gifting and paid influencer partnerships smattered all over social media, it's hard to know whether a recommendation is wholehearted or winking. Is this product actually a must-have? Or did you get it in a gift bag and, yeah, it's not too shabby. Or worse (but understandably)—did your friend found a company and you’re giving her free press?
We want to know: What do people spend real dollar dollar bills on? We're dying to hear what you buy and re-buy, what you recommend with every fiber of your being, what your hard won earnings go toward. With brands sending free stuff to the microest of influencers, we decided it's high time for a roundup series that includes exclusively products that have been purchased and loved outright. Think of Receipts as a fun-things-only money diaries.
Featured here are the must-haves of 2000s-nostalgia queen, Kate Steinberg. Kate is a living artifact of millennial material culture who you’ve probably seen re-enacting the golden age of Victoria’s Secret, tanning salons, grinding, and zebra-print formal dresses. She has an uncanny ability to capture the precise cringy behavior every woman over 30 can remember—and she makes it funny. What choice do we have but to adopt a sense of humor about buying ringtones, overplucking, and Soffees? For all her heavy blue eyeshadow throwback looks, Kate shares her modern life as well (including her reality TV engagement) and her shopping expertise is well documented in reviews and unboxings. Read on to learn about how Kate is making up for years of straightening iron hair abuse and the product that she can’t hold onto at Bachelorette parties.
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As someone who drinks 3-4 cups of coffee a day (plus a diet coke), I’m not only looking for ways to keep myself caffeinated...but keep my teeth looking sparkly white. When I discovered Tarte’s Pearly Girl Whitening Pen in 2018, I knew I was hooked. It’s the most convenient way to whiten your teeth: a few brushes of the gel to your teeth, wait 15-minutes and voila! And did I mention you’ll see results after one use? I’m telling you, this stuff is good!
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Remember in your early twenties when you’d go out drinking with your friends til 2am and be up for a Soul Cycle class by 7am? Ohh, the good ol’ days. Now that I’m in my thirties, you won’t catch me without a Liquid IV in my purse or on my nightstand. These hydrating heroes are my go-to’s after a glass of Pinot Noir or whenever I feel I need an energy pick-me-up. And since we’re on the topic of hangovers, Lemon Lime is my favorite flavor.
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If a cold plunge tub was a face mask, this would be it! As someone who rotates through a lot of skincare, c Cyro-Flash Mask has been a constant staple in my rotation. On the days my skin feels dull (or I just can’t wake up), I’ll apply a thick layer of the cream to my face and in 10-minutes my skin looks glowier than ever. P.s. be careful bringing this to bachelorette parties…it’ll be gone in a flash. No pun intended.
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Heat protectant, heat protectant, heat protectant. That’s my #1 rule for haircare. Sol De Janeiro’s Milky Leave-In Cleanser is the quadruple threat: It hydrates, detangles and protects against frizz and heat. I love spraying this right when I get out of the shower because it not only smells like a tropical paradise, it combats all the years I spent straightening wet hair in 7th grade. Yeahhhh, let’s not talk about it.
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This past year I became a Mom. Whoa, sorry—hang on! A Dog Mom*. After adopting a ten year old Senior Puggle, Mike Wazowski (after his adorable one eye), it became very clear to me how important it is to feed your fur baby the best food. Farmer’s Dog is great because you can literally build a meal plan based on your dog’s needs…and get it shipped right to your door. It’s the best subscription I’ve ever signed up for, besides Zoobooks in 2002. IYKYK.
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My motto in life: There’s no such thing as too much blush. The first time I applied Merit to my cheeks while sampling at Sephora, I said, “This glides like butter!” And it’s been history ever since. As someone who loves their makeup routine to be light, subtle and under five-minutes, Merit ticks all the boxes. If you’re into pinky cheeks like me, Stockholm is my favorite shade. Followed by Beverly Hills, Cheeky and Fox.
We like
We don't like
As someone who drinks 3-4 cups of coffee a day (plus a diet coke), I’m not only looking for ways to keep myself caffeinated...but keep my teeth looking sparkly white. When I discovered Tarte’s Pearly Girl Whitening Pen in 2018, I knew I was hooked. It’s the most convenient way to whiten your teeth: a few brushes of the gel to your teeth, wait 15-minutes and voila! And did I mention you’ll see results after one use? I’m telling you, this stuff is good!
We like
We don't like
Remember in your early twenties when you’d go out drinking with your friends til 2am and be up for a Soul Cycle class by 7am? Ohh, the good ol’ days. Now that I’m in my thirties, you won’t catch me without a Liquid IV in my purse or on my nightstand. These hydrating heroes are my go-to’s after a glass of Pinot Noir or whenever I feel I need an energy pick-me-up. And since we’re on the topic of hangovers, Lemon Lime is my favorite flavor.
We like
We don't like
If a cold plunge tub was a face mask, this would be it! As someone who rotates through a lot of skincare, c Cyro-Flash Mask has been a constant staple in my rotation. On the days my skin feels dull (or I just can’t wake up), I’ll apply a thick layer of the cream to my face and in 10-minutes my skin looks glowier than ever. P.s. be careful bringing this to bachelorette parties…it’ll be gone in a flash. No pun intended.
We like
We don't like
Heat protectant, heat protectant, heat protectant. That’s my #1 rule for haircare. Sol De Janeiro’s Milky Leave-In Cleanser is the quadruple threat: It hydrates, detangles and protects against frizz and heat. I love spraying this right when I get out of the shower because it not only smells like a tropical paradise, it combats all the years I spent straightening wet hair in 7th grade. Yeahhhh, let’s not talk about it.
We like
We don't like
This past year I became a Mom. Whoa, sorry—hang on! A Dog Mom*. After adopting a ten year old Senior Puggle, Mike Wazowski (after his adorable one eye), it became very clear to me how important it is to feed your fur baby the best food. Farmer’s Dog is great because you can literally build a meal plan based on your dog’s needs…and get it shipped right to your door. It’s the best subscription I’ve ever signed up for, besides Zoobooks in 2002. IYKYK.
We like
We don't like
My motto in life: There’s no such thing as too much blush. The first time I applied Merit to my cheeks while sampling at Sephora, I said, “This glides like butter!” And it’s been history ever since. As someone who loves their makeup routine to be light, subtle and under five-minutes, Merit ticks all the boxes. If you’re into pinky cheeks like me, Stockholm is my favorite shade. Followed by Beverly Hills, Cheeky and Fox.
We like
We don't like
A huge thank you to Kate for sharing all of her favorites with TQE! She’s made a career out of remembering her youth and evidently her hundreds of thousands of followers find it validating to see their experiences (clear bra straps, dress-coded mini skirts) recognized. Even though we laugh (good-naturedly) at double layered polos and Motorola Razrs now, I have no doubt that the trends of today will become fodder for Kate in a few years’ time—and we’ll be all the more entertained for it!
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