Kate's Picks: 10 Things I'm Loving This January
Alright! It’s JANUARY.
This means it’s time for another monthly rooooound-up (said in boom-box announcer hype voice)
[crowd goes wild]
[AKA you, the reader, probably just scrolling on your phone in your bed goes METAPHORICALLY wild]
These monthly round-ups are full of my go-to products (the kind I purchase again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again), new finds, and random recommendations! Below, I will recap 8 specific items that I’ve recently tried, used, & loved. (The elusive Kate Eskuri stamp of approval if you will!)
epsom salts & essential oils in the bath (my exact formula):
If there’s one thing ya probably already know about me, it’s that I LOOOOOVE a good bath. This has always been the case, but especially postpartum. After I put Miles down for bed each night, I start the bath, I grab a book, and ahhhhhh— it is just such a relaxing, recharging moment of me time.
To upgrade the health bang-for-my-buck of my bath, I always throw in a scoop of either epsom salts or magnesium flakes (I buy them in bulk for best value—lasts foreverrrrr!). Research suggests that these can help relax muscles, relieve pain, promote sleep, and decrease inflammation. I will try not to ramble here, but WOW, I looooove my epsom & magnesium salts. Such a simple addition, but I love how it supports my body & upgrades my bath.
If you want to take it even to the NEXT level, you can incorporate some aromatherapy. BASIC RECIPE: Take 1 -2 cups of Epsom salts along with 1 tbsp of your carrier oil of choice (coconut oil, jojoba oil, castille soap, etc.) and 3 to 6 drops of essential oils to the bath water while it fills. Make sure to give it time to dissolve, swirl the water around, etc., and enjoy!
thrive market (yes, it’s worth the hype):
I feel like Thrive Market is probably something you’ve ~heard~ about a zillion times on podcast ads, social media promotions, etc. and it’s easy to think a brand that is #promoted this much is over-hyped…
But this is a non-sponsored note just to say it is ACTUALLLY amazing.
I’ve used it (on my own dime!) for over 3+ years now!
Thrive Market is suuuuuch a great way to save money on nourishing, healthy, and more particular foods (gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, keto, etc.), snacks, and quality, nontoxic household products (cleaners, skincare, etc.).
Think— it’s like all the quality items of a Whole Food grocery shop, but at a muuuch cheaper price, and it ships to your door.
I don’t use this EVERY month, but 4-5 times per year, I restock my pantry (things like avocado oil, ghee, whole ingredient dressings,bone broths, simple-ingredient nut butters, seasonings etc.) and load up on high-quality snacks (jerkys, certain chips, granola type bars, nuts, seeds, etc.) and now even high-quality, organic BABY FOOD! (can’t believe I’m getting ready to feed my little guy!) You all know I’m intentional with how I nourish my body, and this brand makes it a lot more affordable.
Long story short— this is a PHENOMENAL way to save money on healthy food. and it ships to your door. it’s a no brainer.
the “forever calendar” (SO cool!)
Okay this thing is COOL! A simple, aesthetic, minimalist calendar that you can use… forever!
(not to mention, created by a small, woman-owned, ethical business!)
Simply frame it (i got mine here), write permanant events (like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc.) in this fine-tipped permanent marker (on the glass of the frame), and then customize, mix ‘n’ match, scribble, and erase with these fine-tipped dry-erase markers (on the glass of the frame).
If you are a small business owner, I especially recommend this. I got this specifically to map out my year-at-a-glance, promotions, content, vacations, etc. and it REALLY helped me visualize and establish the cadence of my year!
…and my favorite part is that I can use it again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again!
these hair serums & scalp treatments:
Okay, I had my fingers crossed that I was one of the lucky ones that may have escaped the postpartum hair loss… buuuuut over the last month it hit like CRAZY.
My hair is shedding & falling out so much more than normal.
And while I know this is to be expected with the hormone fluctuations of postpartum, I am just trying to do my best to take care of the things in my power! That means some extra TLC & nourishing products. I have been using this scalp detox and scalp serum on my hair wash days, and I’ve really liked them!
(You can find all of my hair favs here in my amazon storefront!)
rosemary oil in hair:
to piggy-back off of that^^, another supplement I’ve been adding to my hair is this rosemary growth serum. It’s gone absolutely viral on tiktok, and I’ve been utilizing it 1-2 times per week.
While it is a viral tiktok sensation, it is also supported in traditional medicine and modern research— it is thought that the caffeic acid and it’s derivatives such as rosmarinic acid have an antioxidant impact on the scalp.
In fact, a randomized comparative trial showed that rosemary had similar hair growth outcomes as ROGAINE! Go nature go!
this hair growth supplement:
annnnd lastly, to round-out the things I’ve been doing proactively to help with my postpartum hair loss is taking this hair growth supplement 3-4 times per week.
NOTE: this formula is suuuuuper comprehensive so it could be taken in place of a multi-vitamin. I wouldn’t recommend taking this and your normal multi-vitamin!
All ingredients are 100% traceable, unadulterated, and sustainably sourced. TBH, I find a lot of hair growth supplements to be a load of bologna, but this stuff genuinely appears to help and has such beautiful, nourishing ingredients. Just read the reviews, and you’ll see what I mean!
this planner (best. layout. ever.):
For 2023, I’m using the Appointed Planner, and I’m super excited about it. the layout is PERFECT, the paper quality is so nice, and it has the perfect ~balance~ of structure and free space to write (AKA perfect for brain dumps, lists, taking notes, AND having a structure/day/calendar to plug those thoughts into).
The design is weekly and really helps me plan out my days, weeks, months (and, subsequently, my YEAR) with intention.
Again, not sponsored or gifted or anything, but my refer-a-friend coupon is KATEESKURI for a secret discount!
flickering fake candles (gimmme all the ambiance!):
okay, if there are two things to know about me
1) I LOVE a hygge vibe and believe candles are one of the most romantic, cozy things ever
annnnnd
2) my dad was a firefighter and i am now overly paranoid about starting a fire from candles, hahahhaha.
I found these fake flickering candles and i LOVE them! They look quite life-like (I was impressed!), absolutely set the vibe, fit perfectly into my existing candlesticks, annnnnnd don’t give me anxious thoughts about burning the house down. Love!
this bloating supplement (works soooo well):
How many times can I mention this bloating supplement before you ACTUALLY listen to how amazing it is??? HAHAHHA.
If you find yourself having funky digestion after a meal, constantly bloated & puffy, and just not feeling your best after eating please try these supplements. I loooove them. I don’t take them every day but save them as my secret weapon for the bloated moments.
They are made by a woman-owned company, formulated by doctors and herbalists, with clinically proven peppermint leaf, fennel, lemon balm, caraway, & anise.
basically, a naturally remedy that WORKS for bloating & gas. (and, while you’re there— don’t miss their non-melatonin sleep support. another natural remedy that works GREAT for deeper, dreamier ZZZZZs)
(PSSST: you can save 20% on alllll of their stuff with the coupon THEFOUNDATION20)
salt & pepper shaker (I’m an adult?!?!)
okay, this is sooo random, but I finally became a REAL adult and bought an actual salt & pepper grinder (I know, I know— please hold your applause).
So, YES, instead of just using the plastic ones they came in from the store (lolz), I, Kate Eskuri, bought these salt and pepper shakers and I LOVE them. They look beautiful on the counter, they are super easy to fill, and [most importantly], they work great!
there ya have it!
Another [RANDOM] monthly round-up in the books! As always, I never want these items to feel like something you need — but moreso an opportunity to shop mindfully, get honest opinions on some quality products, and get some fresh ideas on products that can enhance your health and day-to-day life.
Enjoy!
Kate
How specifically does magnesium work in the body and WHY is everybody talking about it? Today, I am breakin’ down magnesium 101 & tangible ways to supplement!