On My Mind: Pamela Anderson’s Beauty Brand Surprised Me
The last time I did a “Strategist Brain,” I was getting back into running. This time around, I just finished my second half-marathon in Austin. For this race, I had a certain goal time in mind, meaning a more aggressive training plan and some updated gear from my first half. To start, the running shoes that got me through over a hundred miles of training were the Brooks Glycerin Max’s. They’re cushiony and the most supportive shoes I’ve tried yet. They kept me pain-free through my long runs and helped with my pacing on tempo runs. As for bottoms, I stuck with my Bandit compression shorts and tested out FlipBelt’s running shorts. I liked having both loose and compressive options, and both held my phone securely.
Leading up to the race, I ended up switching to Brooks’s Glycerin 23 shoes. They were lighter, so I could gain a bit more speed but still offered plenty of cushioning. The only ones available in my size at my local running store were in pink and black. While not my first choice, I made sure to buy a matching pink sports bra from On for a coordinated race-day fit. I also switched over from my old earbuds, which were dying out after about an hour of running, to the Shokz earbuds. I was nervous about the open-ear design, but they stayed on my ears the entire race and, importantly, didn’t die on me.
Here’s everything else I’ve seen recently …
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On the beauty front, I’ve been testing out “clean” skin care from Sonsie, a brand co-founded by Pamela Anderson. I was skeptical, as I am with any celebrity-founded brand, but this one surprised me. The standout of the products I tried was the moisturizer. It’s made with 12 percent glycerin, 0.5 percent hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and doesn’t include any phthalates, sulfates, and parabens. It reminds me of Dieux’s Instant Angel in how hydrating it is, but this is slightly lighter. I’ve used it on both 40- and 80-degree days, and my combination skin has stayed moisturized (but never oily) through it all.
My brows are sparse and wispy and grow downward. I’ve always envied folks with a natural bushy brow and tried everything to achieve that look: pens, gels, waxes, pomades. Some work well but take a lot of time and precision (something I don’t have when I’m on the go), and some don’t last an entire day. Finally, I think I’ve found my ideal easy brow routine, though. Every other day or so, I use Wonderskin’s brow stain. (I mentioned it in my last edition of “Strategist Brain,” and it’s held up well.) On days I want a more laminated look, I’ll use NYX’s glue. This is the first product to actually keep my brow hairs up for hours without leaving them crunchy. And if I want a little more definition, I use my go-to drugstore brow pencil, which I’ve repurchased at least a dozen times now.
I have a big move to Los Angeles coming up next month. My new spot is a couple miles from the beach, a luxury I’ve never had as someone who grew up in north Texas. As a way to soothe my nerves and instead generate some excitement, I’ve been saving a bunch of beach and surf gear on my wishlist. (I’ve only been surfing a handful of times, but I plan on taking full advantage of being so close to the beach.) On my wishlist so far is this cute spring suit from Rip Curl, Quiet Town’s new poncho, and bikinis from Left on Friday.
Much less sexy, but a resolution of mine this year was to be more consistent with my supplement routine. My multivitamins and probiotics were both given, and I’ve added creatine and vitamin D to the daily lineup. After writing the explainer on creatine, I realized that I could probably benefit from taking it (physically and cognitively) everyday. I haven’t taken it long enough to notice a difference, but hopefully next “Strategist Brain,” I can report some results. And, after my annual checkup, I learned I am very deficient in vitamin D. A good reminder, especially in these darker winter months.
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I’ve been living in my Splits59 track pants lately. They’re easy to throw on, stretchy, never too hot, and pretty versatile. I’ve had my eye on a couple more, including this inexpensive mostly cotton pair from Old Navy and these fun-colored ones from Relax Lacrosse.
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