Hi hello, how are you? It’s been so long since I popped on here with a life update (TBD on that), but I have been *influenced* to buy so many things over the past year that I thought…now is a good time to share my honest thoughts. So if you’re seeing lots of chatter about products online, without further ado…Things I Bought + What I Thought!

Things I Bought + What I Thought – Spring 2025
I am a diehard Athleta Elation leggings girly, but I kept seeing SPANX 7/8 leggings all over my timeline so I was like..what gives. My only previous experience with SPANX was with their shapewear and the viral leather leggings from years past. I figured I could keep wondering what they were like or roll the dice on trying them myself. It turns out, the hype is real. These leggings so all the stuff I love about my Athleta leggings (I still love Athleta, don’t worry), plus offer the most insane compression I’ve ever experienced in a fitness pant. No seriously – I got them out of the bag and thought “I’m going to have to jump off my bed into these.” But once I put them on, they were comfortable and didn’t feel constricting. I’ve worn them for running errands, workouts, runs, and even just getting crap done around my house and they’re absolute winners. So much so, I ordered a second pair.
Another item that I was influenced to buy online is these shorts from Free People. They are super high rise, do not stretch out over time, and the built in underwear doesn’t cut my legs (ifkyk). I find myself wanting to do laundry to wear them, which is a sure sign they’re among my favorites. Highly recommend.
I know I’ve talked about TruFru before but until recently I’d only had the strawberries, because I could get them at Target. My friend Kimberly kept saying…you have to try the cherries. I was like…uh. Here’s the thing, I don’t DISLIKE cherries, they’re just not at the top of my fruit pyramid. But she insisted so I grabbed a small bag – and that was the day my world changed. Those things are so freaking good and the tart is simply perfection. Do yourself a favor a grab a bag to store in the freezer this summer.
BonBon Swedish Candy
Listen, I wanted to hate this. Usually when people are raving about something online, I tend to not like it. (I’m looking at you, Crawdads book). In any case, the opposite is true for this delightful pink-bagged brand. If you’ve seen people online talking about candy that comes in a pink paper bag…it’s BonBon. I ordered the sour mix bag, because it seems like their pick-your-own varietals are always sold out. I have also tried their fish collection and whoooo boy – I could see those getting addicting. One thing I’ve found with this brand is I don’t find myself mindlessly eating it. I pick out a few pieces from the bag to enjoy and go on my way. It’s pricey, but a treat for sure.
I think I saw this on TikTok last fall and I was feeling *something* about the weather starting to turn grey so I pulled the trigger and got it for myself. Listen – 0 regrets. Bold, underline, italicize. This thing is comfortable, cozy, and whenever I wear it outside the house (which is more often than I thought), someone stops to ask me where it’s from. I have gone so far as to gift this to friends, so trust me when I say, it’s good. Top + Bottom (it’s almost always on some kind of sale, too!) Also mine have washed very well. There are some reviews that talk about how terribly this washes, but that has not been my experience. I wash cold with similar colors and let it air dry and it’s fine!
I saw these on another blogger (or maybe it was on TikTok) and I thought…why not. So I ordered them last spring and proceeded to wear them the entirety of summer, fall, and winter nonstop. Then I took them on vacation and back again. For $15 the fit and feel rivals some of the more expensive sunglasses I own and I reach for them over former favorites. I think that says a lot. This is the style I have, but there are so many to choose from.
I wrote a full blog post about how much I love Vetchy swimsuits, but it bears repeating it again this summer as I start to see them go viral again. The fit is UNMATCHED. I know I’m a reformed Target swimsuit girly, but they haven’t had good swimwear in years- sorry – and swimwear is truly a category where you get what you pay for. Am I just getting older? IDK. But Vetchy suits stay in place and are tight enough to do activities without digging into your skin, have metal bikini clasps (not cheap plastic that snaps, iykyk), and are very supportive. At this point I have 4 and they are all linked here. My best recommendation for sizing is to go up one in bottoms and stay true to your normal size for tops.
I think the first time I saw this it was on Kale Junkie’s account and I thought – that is so handy. It’s really no different than a Magic Bullet if you had one of those 10 years ago. But it’s definitely much smaller than my Vitamix, which is what I’ve been using for 10+ years at this point. Here’s the deal, I love my Vitamix, but if I’m only making a small amount of dressing or a marinade or a dipping sauce – I don’t need to lug that thing out. I say lug because it’s not on the counter, so getting it out is…a whole thing. In any case, the Beast isn’t a must, but I really do love it, and having the ability to put the lid on it after I make dressing/dip/marinade is really handy.
Medicube Jelly Cream and Zer0 Pore Pads
This falls under gifted products, but more on that in a minute. Is anyone seeing Medicube all over TikTok right now? You’re not alone. They’re a brand that is everywhere, but I’ll be honest…skincare on the internet gives me a lot of pause. For starters, everyone’s skin (and what it needs) is different, so when someone says a product is their “holy grail” I’m a little bit like…hmmm. That said, Medicube sent me a PR box to try out if I wanted to with zero obligation to talk about it if it turns out I hated the products. There were two standouts to me: Jelly Cream and Zero Pore Pads. They really do create the glass skin look that everyone raves about and they didn’t irritate my skin (which is admittedly quite sensitive to new things). I love putting the jelly on at night — think of it like a moisturizing hug for your face — and the pore pads make my skin feel so fresh and clean when I use them (in the morning). I think they’re a great and affordable purchase if you’re in the market to try something new.
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