propaganda i fell (and am still falling) for:
a rogue collection of things that have improved my life / big sister advice (?) that i cannot pass on because my brothers are smelly boys who won't LISTEN
satin pillowcases. (ALSO bringing my own pillowcase with me when i sleep over at friends n stuff ? i get acne if i breathe the wrong way, ik this is so extra™️ but SO WORTH IT ??? ) also extra pillowcases means you can change it every few days, such a win
buying books secondhand and giving them away: listen, in a different lifetime i have a whole home library to myself and super nice editions of everything, alas, i live abroad in a 4-person house share. The room is tiny, i need space to breathe. Found out that giving away books is sooo easy when i've thrifted them (also the process is so fun ??) so i bullied my friends into a book club of sorts, aka, whevener i go home i bring them a few books each which means i get to unhaul all the ones i've read AND it's emotionally easier bc ik the book is going to a new loving home AND then when they read it we can discuss the book togetherrrr. Also found that now when i'm thrifting books the selection process is influenced by 'which one of my friends would read this' which means i've gotten out of my reading comfort zone a lot more. Also nice to spend less / reduce my carbon footprint and support charities in the process. If i see a new book in a bookshop i tend to take a pic of it and add it to a digital tbr (more below).
keeping track of the books i've read (digitally): I use notion bc there was a handy template that allows you to turn this into a timeline but basically, i store my 'wanna read/tbr' on there. Super helpful to keep track of what i want to read / own (i usually just look at my bookshelf but i mean the books i still have back home) and have read across a specific time period. I use literally 3/4 tags (classics, modern fiction, non fiction, etc) n i don't write reviews bc ceebs (but i could!). I have a theoretical library everywhere with me!
calvin klein underwear. Let me tell you something LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. This predates the Mingyu obsession. I bought a pair of their tanga/g string in highschool (2015) and they only got a hole in them this week in the year of our lord 2025. As a strong VPL (Visible Panty Line) hater i'd highly recommend.
l'occitane sweet almond shower oil. (AGAIN, I'VE LOVED THIS SINCE WAY BEFORE THE MINGYU CAMPAIGN I SWEAR. I'm fr*nch you guys). Never bought it for me, would gift it to my mom for her bday and christmas (anything from that range, really). Ofc my friends saw me salivating at the Mingyu campaign and bought me a bottle for my bday ?? i've been rationing this bc it's spennyyyy but i love itttt).
spf50+: wear some every single day. used to hate sunscreen (again, acne prone) until i figured out double cleansing was needed to remove it AND i found some actual nice ones (european sunscreens sucked ass until v recently, been mostly using korean sunscreens and honestly >>>)
avoiding fragranced skincare : hate hate haaaate anything with fragrance that goes on my face. stings my eyes, irritates my skin, u know the drill.
using a menstrual cup: there are some downsides (can be annoying to sterilize / if you get surprised by your period and you don't have it with you it's tough) but this has CHANGED MY LIFE. Been using it for 7-8 years now and the amount of money (and plastic) i have saved by not buying tampons or pads regularly is insane, i haaaate how drying tampons are and how messy pads can be (don't get me started on the smell of oxidised blood ??). Also they hold SO. MUCH. LIQUID. Used to have to layer a pad and a heavy duty tampon to get me through the night (which was also bad regarding toxic shock syndrome), this is just too convenient.
finding a physical activity that's FUN: i spend an unhealthy amount of time dancing salsa every week. light cardio, hella steps, fun stuff, i feel like i'm learning something, the people are great. This has expanded my comfort zone sooo much. Obviously can't be my only form of exercise bc it's not really building muscle but it! still!counts! Also, great to trick my brain into doing other forms of exercise. Running ? Eh. Running so i can improve my dancing stamina ? YEA. Going to the gym ? oof. Lifting weights so i can prevent injuries and perform better ? HELL YEA. Cannot recommend dancing/ social dancing enough - especially as a tall person. Cannot express how much control i feel like i've gained over my body / i have better posture. Obvi i still feel hella insecure at times but it's been so helpful!
doing gel polish myself: gotta preface this by saying that a) DO YOUR RESEARCH bc trust me you do NOT want contact dermatitis b) it can be an investment. Got my nails done for about a year before i decided to buy the materials and give it a try. There is such a learning curve but i've genuinely been enjoying the process / it feels creative / sparks genuine joy every time i see my fingers (the magpie in my brain loooves the shiny stuff). Using a peel off base has been a game changer for the removal process/ to keep my nails healthier/ forces me to do them again before they look too overgrown. Will try making my own press-ons soon, i'm very excited by the design possibilities hehehe
packing cubes: i got cheap ones and even then, i cannot express how convenient they are when you have to live out of your suitcase for a month bc they keep things in order aaaaaah i hate having to refold stuff, they just look so NEAT.
to be continued
