13 Things Thursday: 2024 Favorite Things
Inspired by Oprah, curated by me.
Rather than your typical gift guide, this list is mostly just for fun to tell you about all my fixations, research rabbit holes, and things I loved this year. But in case you are stumped and need some fresh ideas, some of this might help you. Check out last year’s post (embedded below) for ideas and guiding principles for more conscious, less stressful gifting.
Butters' Favorite Things 2023
The holidays can be both a festive and stressful time, with gifting adding to the stress. Whether you’re trying to be more conscious of the environment or your spending, opt out of the mindless consumerism, or you’re simply stumped about what to get people, I hope this guide will help you. If you have stuff to add, let me know! I’d love to hear your tho…
Without further ado, let’s get into this year’s favorite things!
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser and chocolate flakes: This is the definition of quiet luxury. Did I need a machine just for making the perfect hot chocolate? No. But am I glad I have it now that I’ve experienced the magic? Yes. I’m not usually one for single-use appliances, but there’s something about being able to make the best hot chocolate at the touch of a button that’s really fun and convenient. If you’re not looking to add another appliance to your collection, the delicious chocolate flakes can be purchased alone. You can get similar results with a saucepan, whisk, and your milk of choice. They come in a ton of different flavors for both regular hot chocolate and mochas with coffee for a caffeinated treat. I snagged their Advent Calendar before it sold out, and it was such a great way to try their offerings and figure out which flavors I’d like to repurchase.
Quite Nice oats: These have been a game-changer for our mornings. They’re not too sweet and are a good source of fiber and protein for a balanced meal. You can make them overnight oats style or warm them with a mix of milk and water to make a filling, delicious breakfast. They come in 4 amazing flavors: Cinnamon & Sugar, Cacao & Sea Salt, Matcha & Vanilla, and Turmeric & Cardamom. I love rotating between them all, but Bryan’s favorite is the Cacao & Sea Salt.
Corelle dinner bowls: This was a recent addition to our kitchen, and I wonder why I didn’t get them sooner. I love our Corelle dishes for their durability and compact storage, but the plates aren’t the best at keeping things like rice or pasta contained. These wide, shallow dinner bowls solved that annoyance while still being a great match for our other dishes.
Hypochlorous acid: If I had to pick one product as the best addition to my skincare routine, this would be it. I’ve been acne prone pretty much my whole life since hitting puberty, and my skin’s needs changed a lot after turning 30. I’ve experimented with a lot of different products that have helped keep breakouts under control, but adding hypochlorous acid to my routine after cleansing has minimized them even more. For the first time in a long while, I can finally say I’m happy with my skin, to the point where I don’t wear anything on my face most days. Seriously. Some people also report relief from eczema and other skin conditions in the reviews, so it’s worth a try.
Marin Soothing Hydration Cream and Lip Treatments: This is a recent discovery, but I had to mention it because it’s really dang good. I discovered this Maine-based small business when researching lip balms (more on that below). They use marine glycoproteins, an upcycled byproduct of lobster processing, in all their products. The founders discovered that the proteins that allow lobsters to regenerate their limbs can be helpful in repairing the skin barrier, and saw massive improvements in their eczema. I’ve dealt with eczema on and off over the years, and noticed my legs starting to get dry, itchy, and irritated in the cold weather. I tried their Soothing Hydration Cream after showering one night, and was shocked at how immediate the relief was! It also helped with my dry hands and nose during my recent cold and frequent hand washing. If you struggle with eczema and don’t have a shellfish allergy, do yourself a favor and give it a try, along with their lip treatments. Speaking of which…
Squeeze Tube Lip Balms: My whole life I’ve been more of a chapstick girly, but I’m having a moment with squeeze tube lip balms. If the formula is right, they keep my lips moisturized and last longer than chapstick, which saves me from reapplying too often. I’m testing out a ton of different brands right now and will do a roundup of all my favorites soon.
Simple, Affordable Skincare: In my recent 3 Things Thursday about all things skincare, I talked about how I simplified my routine this year. If you look closely, affordable products have been the star of the show! As I mentioned in my previous post about questioning my stance on personal care safety, I used to avoid a lot of drugstore products due to safety concerns, opting for more expensive “clean” brands. Even though I’m not as afraid of ingredients as I used to be, so many products have been reformulated in recent years to meet the consumer demand to avoid certain ingredients. In my opinion, some of my old favorites are even better than they used to be, like Cetaphil’s Fragrance-Free Daily Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin. Even if you don’t agree with my stance on personal care safety, I think you’ll find that there are more affordable products on the market for all kinds of preferences.
The “Trinity” Hair Care Routine: I watched a lot of videos on The Blowout Professor’s YouTube channel this year, and his advice is pretty legit. (One exception: I slightly disagree with his stance against drugstore shampoos.) He recommends 3 bare minimum products to keep your hair healthy, which is a shampoo and conditioner suited for your hair type, leave-in conditioner, and hair oil. If you style your hair with a blow dryer or do iron work, he also recommends a blow dry cream and heat protectant spray to reduce damage and hold your style. His hair quiz and recommended product list is a great place to start. I’ve gotten great results from using the products on the list, but I have other products that work really well, too.
Best eyelash curlers for deep-set eyes: When my eyelash curler started to wear out, I went on a quest to find the ones best suited for my eye shape. This makes a difference, because it allows the curler to grab all your lashes. For reference, my eyes are fairly large, deep-set, and somewhere between round and almond-shaped. The Kevyn Aucoin and rephr 18R lash curlers gave me the best results.
Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara: This is the best affordable mascara I’ve tried, hands down. And I’ve tried a lot! It gives plenty of drama and doesn’t smudge or flake. Just try it. If you don’t like it, you’ll only be out 5 bucks.
All Things SJM (Sarah J. Maas): I’ve been working my way through all of SJM’s series this year, and it has been an incredible journey. I devoured ACOTAR, meandered through Crescent City (that took a little longer to get into), and I’m currently in the middle of the Throne of Glass series. My love for reading has officially reignited since I got back into reading fiction, and I couldn’t be happier.
The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon: This book is great for anyone who needs a dash of hope, which is a lot of us. Sharon McMahon, aka America’s Government Teacher and author of The Preamble on Substack, is a brilliant storyteller who makes learning about history even more fun and engaging. These are stories of ordinary people who changed the course of history. I’ve only just started reading it, and I’m already buying it for a ton of people on my list.
It’s All Magic by Aliza Kelly: Aliza Kelly is one of my favorite astrologers and the author of The Practice on Substack. Her latest book includes 365 Reflections on Astrology, Tarot, and Manifestation. These little bite-sized messages are insightful, grounded, and inspiring. Even if you’re a Kindle person like me, I would highly recommend getting a physical copy of this book. One of my favorite ways to use it is riffling through until I feel called to stop, or opening to a random page and reading the message, like you would with tarot or oracle cards. More often than not, it’s exactly what I need to hear. As she would say, it’s very TANC (There Are No Coincidences).
The Inner Tarot by Kate Van Horn: This is a bonus item since I technically included it in my gift guide last year for pre-order. I had to mention it again this year because it’s officially out in the world, and the perfect gift for the tarot enthusiast in your life, beginner or advanced. While the Kindle version is great, I would also recommend a physical copy of the book, since it’s easy to flip through to find the card you pull for the day with its journal prompts and exercises. You can also use it the way I suggested above, by riffling through until you feel called to stop and reading the message for the day.
That’s a wrap! What are your favorite things from this year? Let me know in the comments!
I love all your new finds! Especially your deep diving research. Thanks!