The Saturday Zeitgeist (Issue 1)
On face care, drink818 colleigate merchandise, ALD, reflections, & internet finds.
Hi Readers! I would like to introduce The Zeitgeist, a new series where I take an introspective approach to discussing culture, recent finds, & product recommendations of the time! Think of it as a guide or manual to living. I hope you enjoy!
In this week’s issue:
A comprehensive face care routine
Drink818 and Aime Leon Dore’s genius brand campaigns
Some favorite internet finds & the passage of time
Readings on the rise of Erewhon & Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo
Take care of your face…
Skincare. Simple, but complicated. Too many terms, too many products. Scroll on TikTok and you’ll find yourself bombarded with different products and different regiments.
So let me simplify the routine, in order. There’s really only 3 things that you need: Cleanser, Moisturizer, and Sunscreen.
(Disclaimer: None of the hyperlinks below are affiliate links.)
Step 1: Cleanser
First, you want to use a cleanser to wash off all the buildup of dirt and oil you gather on your face throughout the day.
I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Cleanser (for both morning and night).
How do we use a cleanser? Wet your palm, squeeze a pea-sized amount onto your finger, and rub till it foams before lathering it onto your face. Cleanse for a good 45 sec - 1 min. Avoid the mouth & eye area.
An alternative product is the Cerave line of skincare products, which is good for most skin types (oily, dry, etc.). Before switching over to La Roche, I used this Cerave cleanser ($18 CAD/~13 USD).
Step 2: Moisturizer
The cleansing process also gets your face dry, so to rehydrate, you moisturize. Also using a pea-sized amount, rub over the area you cleansed.
I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Moisturizer.
Alternatively, like the cleanser, I’d stick to the Cerave Moisturizer. There’s both a day (with sunscreen) & a night version ($22 CAD/~ 17 USD).
Step 3: Sunscreen
Sunburn, aging, and skin cancer. It’s important to protect your skin from the sun. I use sunscreen only in the morning, although it is recommended to be reapplied every 2 hours if you’re outside.
Again, I use the La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Sunscreen. I especially like this product because it pretty much melts into the skin. No whitecast.
An alternative I’ve used in the past is the RoundLab sunscreen. This product is also great, but might be more difficult to find because it’s a Korean brand.
Repeat the routine in the morning and at night (without sunscreen).
And that’s the basics of skincare. I would practice this routine for a few weeks, before slowly incorporating more products as you see fit. You don’t want to overwhelm your skin with too many products at once. But other products that I love are:
La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo Treatment Cream ($31 CAD / ~ $23 USD)
This product works so well with active pimples.
Innisfree Volcanic Pore Clay Mask ($22 CAD / ~ $16 USD)
I’ve been using this face mask for over a year now, & I really like it!
Described as “a wash-off clay mask with volcanic clusters and AHA that helps control excess sebum, visibly minimize pores, and skin-smoothing exfoliation.”
Pimple Patches
I’ve never really used pimple patches, but it’s a great way to cover and protect irritated areas if you’re going out. GQ wrote an article recently about their pimple patch recommendations, so feel free to check it out!
Who makes the best college merchandise?
A tequila brand. That’s right. This week, I was on Instagram and came across Kendall Jenner’s Drink 818 merchandise drop, which fused elements of vintage collegiate athletic aesthetics in their “Alumni Collection.” With sweatshirts, sweatpants, & graphic tees for both lads and ladies, they make a great addition to your fall wardrobe!
This drop is actually a smart move on KJ’s part, considering how she just went on a college tour & stopped briefly in a handful of state schools to promote the 818 tequila. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Earlier this week, I posted the campaign on Notes, and this comment made me laugh out loud:
Good one, Ethan.
And in New York…
Aime Leon Dore and New Balance collaborated once more on a pair of shoes inspired by a 1986 silhouette. I love the vintage style ad for these shoes! Released this Friday, they retail for $150 USD/ ~204 CAD.
On another note…
This hoodie from GAP is my favorite. It’s soft, it’s thick, it’s a little oversized, and it cinches at the waist. Imagine a fluffy blanket, but you’re wearing it. It’s $118 CAD/~87 USD right now, but I’d keep my eyes peeled because they do sales often. I got mine 50% off last winter.
i-D magazine relaunched this month, & I came across this post on their Instagram. I love, love, love when brands involve their community somehow.
Lastly, I want to share a thought I had this week. Yesterday, while going through the collection of magazines I bought throughout the year, I came across GQ’s November 2023 issue, with cover star Timothée Chalamet. Here, I reread his profile with GQ’s Editor-in-Chief Will Welch, & one passage struck me:
“But in recent years, it was his [Timothée] intense familiarity with those daily rhythms of his in New York City that made him realize it might be time for a major pivot. “After one too many days of doing the same thing, I just got this overwhelming sense that I was still playing the same hand of cards I’d had for a long time—but that I had a better hand to play,” he said. “I was living in this rental place that didn’t feel like home. I was getting the same bacon, egg, and cheese at the same deli. Resisting any lifestyle change.” ”
People are creatures of habit. We like routine. Maybe sometimes too much. Before we know it, one year has passed. Two. Ten.
To evolve sometimes means that we have to make a conscious decision to do so. To map out a plan. It reminded me of Joshua Rothman’s Are You The Same Person You Were When You Were a Child? article (which was published in WR Issue 3), where he wrote about how there were two types of people: those who section their lives into “chapters” (dividers) & those who interpret life as one cohesive whole (continuers).
I won’t delve into my own reflections here, but I want you to dive into yours. I suggest you read both articles, take out your notebook & pen, then write.
Now, two interesting reads this weekend:
Culture: What Is Erewhon? The Strange History of the L.A. Cult Grocer from New York Magazine
You’ve seen the viral $19 Hailey Beiber Smoothie on TikTok. Just about every celebrity in LA can be spotted at Erewhon at some point in the past few years. In some ways, it’s regarded as a status symbol, & rightfully so, considering how even a simple “Erewhon” branded tote bag costs $52 USD. But what is the history behind how the store came to be? The story begins on the other side of the country in Boston, Massachusetts.
Idea: Are You Cool Enough for the Latest Sally Rooney Novel? from Esquire
Sally Rooney, critically acclaimed & movie-adapted author of Normal People, is releasing her new novel, Intermezzo, next week on September 24. Over the past few months, I’ve seen some buzz on the internet with book influencers getting their hands on an advance copy (and, to be honest, I thought it was already out). But this creates a problem in a world where it’s so easy to be influenced. This excerpt says it best:
“With all its hype and early praise from the chosen few who get a copy, the book becomes a token of cultural currency, a status symbol. These books, hot in the hands of celebrities and Internet personalities alike, prove just how susceptible we are to clever marketing, and just how hungry people are to be in the know among the literary elite. These status galleys often turn into best sellers once they actually hit shelves, but one has to wonder: Are the books even that good? And, perhaps more important, do readers care?”
For all of you who want more reading recs, don’t worry. I’m working on another issue of Well Rounded. Stay Tuned!
And that is it, folks! Thank you for reading the first issue of The Zeitgeist. Feel free to subscribe to support future editions and get them delivered into your inbox! I’m curious to hear your thoughts about the topics discussed today, so let me know in the comments! Have a great day, and I’ll see you next week!
-CS