everybody’s saying it, but they’re right….how is it almost 2026?
in the spirit of embracing our shared last few moments in “under 2026”, here’s a dive into artists, authors, skincare, etc that are also “under ‘26”
things in my cart: beauty cabinet mainstays that are under (or close to) $26
first things first: ceremonia leave-in conditioner ($29). i am not kidding when i say this stuff changed my relationship with my curly hair. i can’t say enough good things about it.
i’m big on lymphatic massage, so you’ll always find a body oil by my bedside. i’ve been loving the scent of cyklar’s “sacred santal” body oil ($38) lately…which comes in a body wash ($35) that’s really nice too.
i picked up so much la roche-posay cicaplast balm ($19) in france, i’m still working through my haul, but every time i return to her, i’m reminded why she’s such a tried & true.
i’m including the yse “overachiever” eye masks here because (1) they’re one of my holy grail products and (2) because “cost per pair” brings them well under $26.
there are so many skincare brands (evereden, starface, erly, etc.) that i wish existed when i was a teen. i’m well beyond a teen, but who says i can’t partake. right now, i’m really into this “daily dew illuminating serum” ($38).
since ami colé shut down, i’ve been on the hunt for the lip product that will replace their lip gloss for me once i inevitably run out of my back stock. i’ve recently returned to image’s lip complex ($22)…after falling in love with it via heyday facials back in the day — it still stands and is just as hydrating as i remembered.
obsessed is an understatement to describe how i feel about experiment’s reusable 100% silicone sheet mask ($19). i think it’s incredibly important to look like an alien when wearing a face mask and it does wonders for soaking up product.
maelove makes such well-formulated, well priced products. i’m always so impressed. she comes in close enough to $26 for the heavy lifting she does so, i have to share my love for the brand’s de-puffing peptide cream ($33).
things i’m listening to: musical artists who are 26 years old
i was going to share “under 26” artists, but then i saw this short list of artists who are 26 and….i’m so impressed with them! when i was 26, i’ll admit, a big accomplishment was that i made chicken at home for the first time (to my defense, i didn’t eat poultry for years).
olivia dean (26) amazing music. amazing style. an icon in the making right before our eyes.
gracie abrams (26)…a little nepotism always helps! but you have to admit, gracie abrams is so cute.
sabrina carpenter (26)!
things i’m reading: author(s) under 26 years old
it’s unsurprisingly rare to publish under 26 years old. who’s an under 26 author to watch right now? leila mottley (22 years old!).
she published her debut novel nightcrawling in 2022 (at 20 years old!) and just published her second novel — the girls who grew big — this year (at 22!). which is wild and inspiring all at once. mini synopses plural because you should check them out:
nightcrawling — “kiara and her brother, marcus, are scraping by in an east oakland apartment complex optimistically called the regal-hi….one night, what begins as a drunken misunderstanding with a stranger turns into the job kiara never imagined wanting but now desperately needs: nightcrawling. her world breaks open even further when her name surfaces in an investigation that exposes her as a key witness in a massive scandal within the oakland police department.”
the girls who grew big — “an astonishing new novel about the joys and entanglements of a fierce group of teenage mothers in a small town on the florida panhandle. the town thinks the girls have lost their way, but really they are finding it: looking for love, making and breaking friendships, and navigating the miracle of motherhood and the paradox of girlhood.”
things to make: under 26 minute recipes
keeping it so simple. toast. eggs. parm. incredible.
Carina Wolff’s miso salmon with sizzled scallion salsa verde
tuna melts are one of my all-time favorite cold-weather foods.
the best cheese. fancy meats. weird mustards. all under one
roofsandwich. incredibly ideal!
things to *swoon* over: what i imagined 2026 would look like during the 90s
