The days really blurred together this summer, to the point where late August and early September fused into the same month. So instead of forcing a delineation, I decided to share my favorites for these two months in one post.
—————— SNACK FACTORY PRETZEL CRISPS MILK CHOCOLATE CARAMEL ——————
Chocolate-covered pretzels are one of my favorite snacks, but they border on being singularly sweet. These Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Milk Chocolate Caramel are a real improvement on the classic chocolate-dipped pretzel, imo: The thin pretzel base has a satisfying crunch and the chocolate and caramel drizzles add the right dose of sweet. I “discovered” these addictive snacks in August and now order them in bulk from Target.
—————— COWAY AP-1512HH HEPA AIR PURIFIER ——————
My pollen/dander allergies have been uncontrollable this year so I finally got an air purifier; it came in handy in late summer when I alternated between opening all the windows–which introduced a fair amount of dust and other fine substances into my living space–and blasting the AC–which might have kick up settled particles into the air. I now breathe easily with frequent vacuuming and using the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier, which does its job very well (just look at all the five-star reviews) and rather quietly (choose from four fan speeds).
—————— ABERCROMBIE & FITCH PUFF SLEEVE DROPPED CARDIGAN ——————
It only took a year, but I finally got on the knit-bra-and-cardigan twinset bandwagon. I also got into cropped cardigans, which are a blend of the two. One of my favorites (and the one I wore most in late summer) is the Abercrombie & Fitch Puff Sleeve Cropped Cardigan (last seen in this post; now on further sale), which further incorporates puff sleeves.
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BIODERMA SENSIBIO H2O MICELLAR WATER ——————
Not that I have been wearing much any makeup, but I like how “clean” my skin feels after I use the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water (the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water is a reasonable alternative) at night. It’s technically a makeup remover, but I frequently used micellar water with cotton rounds in place of facial cleansers over the summer.
—————— NONGSHIM PREMIUM NOODLE SOUP TONKOTSU RAMEN ——————
I eat more instant noodle than is ideal/healthy, but ramyeon is so easy to upgrade (just top with soft boiled eggs and veggies/meats of your choice) and come together so quickly. My favorite this summer was the NongShim Tonkotsu Ramen, which I continue to keep in my cupboards as it imitates–to a reasonable degree–the savoriness of “real” ramen and helps sate my ramen craving (which grows stronger in cold weather).
—————— ANN TAYLOR MIXED STITCH PUFF SLEEVE SWEATER ——————
Just about everyone I video-chatted with in August saw me in the Ann Taylor Mixed Stitch Puff Sleeve Sweater (reviewed here; now sold out but here’s a similar option from Banana Republic). The puff sleeves are so fun, but don’t overwhelm. It’s one of those pieces that’s almost better on Zoom than irl.
Find my other monthly favorites here!
