August is a funny month. I’m still dressing for 100 degrees while mentally planning fall outfits and apparently my bathroom counter, nightstand and snack drawer are having their own moment too. So consider this my current download: what I’m wearing, using, eating, drinking, watching, listening to, buying and telling my friends about.
Not everything is new. In fact, some of the things on this list have been in my life for years, which might be the best endorsement of all. Let’s discuss.
BEAUTY THINGS EARNING THEIR SPOT
The hair product solving a very specific August problem
If August has your hair looking dirty approximately 14 minutes after you wash it, we should talk. I’ve been using L’ANGE lately, but the Oil Control Scalp Serum is the thing I really want to tell you about. Right now I don’t need another product promising “beautiful hair.” I need something addressing the actual problem: heat, sweat, oily roots and trying not to wash my hair every day. I love a product that solves an actual problem, and this one does. Just trying to make my blowouts last as long as possible.
The closest I’ve gotten to bringing a facial home
I love a facial. I do not always love finding the time for a facial. The drive time to and from the appointment and the waitlist to get into places kills me. I’ve been getting hydra facials since 2019 and I like the glow and results they give my skin. The Shark FacialPro Glow is one of those beauty devices that surprised me because it delivered the hydra facial results at home. Sure, I worked in dermatology for over a decade, but I am no facialist so it is very user friendly. It gives me that fresh, just-did-something-to-my-skin feeling at home instead of becoming another expensive beauty device living under the sink. If you love that post-facial glow but would also like to achieve it in your pajamas or save time, this is for you. And yes, you can see the gunk it suctions out of your pores for those of you who enjoy that type of satisfaction!
The hand cream that has survived two years on my nightstand
Forget what I tried this month. What has stayed on my nightstand for TWO YEARS? My retinol hand cream. NO crepey hands for me thank you very much. I use it every evening, it travels easily, and unlike the products constantly rotating through my life, this one never seems to leave. Hands are one of those places we tend to ignore until suddenly we don’t, and this has become as automatic for me as putting skincare on my face. Two years of repeat use tells you more than any “favorites” list could. I am mentioning this because it is 10% off right NOW! They only discount their site 2x a year and this is one of those times. Don’t sleep on the body retinol (a rare find) or the buffing bar either. It can literally remove paint off the wall! She’s effective.
The dry shampoo I’ve used for THREE years
That’s how long Crown Affair Dry Shampoo has survived the beauty-product revolving door. It’s non-aerosol, comes with its own little brush and is ridiculously easy to use at home, throw in a gym bag or travel with. I actually like the ritual of brushing it in, and I don’t miss the giant cloud of aerosol dry shampoo taking over my bathroom. Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan too, which I will accept as supporting evidence, but three years in my own bathroom is probably the endorsement that matters more. I finally have a CODE! I begged for this for over a year. Holley15 15% off sitewide. Also quite fond of the repair serum to help with breakage and leave in conditioner to smootz frizz.
The cleansing balm I keep coming back to
The older I get, the less interested I am in skincare that makes cleansing feel aggressive. Elemis Cleansing Balm (found on sale) takes everything off without making my skin feel stripped afterward, and if fragrance isn’t your thing, it also comes unscented. Not the sexiest recommendation on this list. Just one of those products that quietly makes my routine better.
The skincare I had shipped to my hotel because a chic stranger told me to
If you’ve been following along on Stories, you know how this started. I met a woman on Nantucket with incredible skin. She was older than me, we started talking over a cocktail, and eventually I did what I always do when someone’s skin is that good: I asked questions.
She told me about Aramore, and I immediately ordered the treatment (holley20) she recommended and had it shipped to my hotel on Nantucket. Here’s the important part: I worked in dermatology for more than a decade, and it takes a LOT for me to add something to my skincare regimen. But this one has stayed.
The best way I can describe what I’ve noticed is bounce. My skin just feels different. Enough that after using the treatment, I went back and ordered the serum too. The brand has serious Havard and MIT science behind it, which obviously sent me down the rabbit hole, but my personal test is much simpler: Do I notice enough of a difference to keep using it? So far, absolutely.
THINGS MAKING LIFE A LITTLE BETTER
A sleep gadget I’m genuinely excited about
I do not need another device simply telling me that I slept badly. I’m fairly capable of figuring that out myself. What interests me about the new Hatch sleep clock is that the idea is different: help you actually get to sleep. It tracks your night contactlessly from the nightstand, so there’s nothing to wear or charge on your wrist, and it turns bedtime into more of a ritual with a huge library of sounds and stories. Less “here’s your terrible sleep score,” more “let’s actually get you into bed.” That I can get behind. It’s helping my husband too. He is quite the night owl.
What I’m drinking when I don’t really want to wake up foggy
The older I get, the less interested I am in borrowing happiness from tomorrow morning. I still like the ritual of a drink, having something fun in my hand and the social part of cocktail hour. I just increasingly don’t want the alcohol part.
CANN (try holley10) has been filling that space for me lately, and I’m especially interested in their Social Tonics. It still feels like you’re participating without committing to wine or a sugary cocktail, and it fits much better into the version of my life where tomorrow still includes a workout, work call or actual plans I’d prefer not to feel foggy for. They also make little Roadies that are incredibly easy to travel with or take to bars, restaurants or parties. Just add to water or sparkling water. It’s chic.
WHAT I’M EATING ON REPEAT
The protein powder requiring exactly zero ambition
My favorite healthy habit is one that requires almost no effort, and Ballerina Farm protein powder has become exactly that. Strawberry was my favorite until the new peanut butter arrived and, I regret to inform strawberry, I think it has officially been dethroned. Vanilla is my third favoirte.
The peanut butter tastes ridiculously close to a milkshake. I add water, stir and that’s it. No blender, no blender cleanup, no elaborate smoothie production. It has 25 grams of protein per serving and includes naturally occurring colostrum from cow’s milk. If making the healthy choice is easy, I’m approximately 400 percent more likely to keep making it.
The snack my husband and I apparently need custody terms for
My husband and I are currently rationing beef sticks like there’s been a national shortage. As a recovering pescatarian (fish wife forever!!!), beef sticks were not exactly an obvious personality development for me, but then a mom friend introduced me to these. She keeps them around during the school year because they’re an easy protein snack for her and her kids when everyone is running in different directions, and she completely converted me.
They’re made with grass-fed beef, easy to throw in a bag, and now my husband has developed an alarming habit of eating what I consider to be MY half of the supply. We may need a labeling system.
WHAT I’M WEARING AND BUYING
The leopard flat that looks like it costs four figures
Leopard can go expensive-looking or very much the opposite. These understood the assignment. The new Margaux leopard flats have the most beautiful shape, and the pony hair makes the print look rich instead of cheap. They look like the shoe you’d notice on a woman walking past you and immediately try to identify. And because they’re Margaux, I already trust the comfort equation. Interesting shoe + simple outfit = one of my favorite formulas.
The pants I apparently need in every color
Forget what I say I love. Watch what I buy SIX times. My Magic Pants continue to be one of the best-selling things I share week after week, but more importantly, I actually wear some version of them at least once a week.
I just got the leopard and fully planned on trying them and probably returning them. That did not happen. (styled them here) I fell in love, and apparently everyone else did too because they sold out almost immediately and are now available for preorder. I also grabbed the limited aubergine with my holley15 code because that color is SO good for fall and I know how quickly these disappear.
If you’re new to the Magic Pants universe, start with black or navy. If you’re bored with jeans, proceed directly to leopard. They’re comfortable, easy to throw on and go, and you can completely change them with a heel and blazer for work. Interesting pants make boring tops useful. I will die on this hill.
The bra for when it’s approximately the temperature of the sun
Are your boobs sweating? Yeah. Mine too. I have my usual go-to bra, but during these brutally hot summer months I’ve been reaching for the sheer version. It’s lighter, cooler and still gives me what I need under actual clothes. Sometimes innovation is simply less fabric touching you when it’s 100 degrees outside. OMG I just saw they released the boob job bra and it’s wire free!
What I’m eyeing for fall
I’m not ready to actually dress for fall. I am VERY ready to start looking like fall. I’ve been going through the Tuckernuck and Shopbop new arrivals, and a few themes keep pulling me in: leopard, chocolate brown, aubergine, equestrian details, suede and interesting shoes.
I’ll share my current edit here because you absolutely do not need to scroll through hundreds of new arrivals yourself. That’s my job.
CURRENTLY
What I’m watching
I just finished Sterling Point and really enjoyed it. It’s a coming-of-age story, and a few of the storylines completely pulled me in. One of those shows I started casually and then suddenly needed to know how everything turned out.
I also finished Quarterback with my husband. I’m not a huge NFL fan, but I always find this show interesting because knowing the behind-the-scenes stories of the players makes watching football on Sundays infinitely more entertaining. Although this season I mostly felt like everyone was getting hurt. At the very least, now when football is on and I’m scrolling on my phone, I occasionally know who everyone is talking about. THIS sweater is a must have for all of us gals “watching” sports.
What I’m listening to
Randomly: R.E.M.’s “Orange Crush.” My husband put on R.E.M.’s greatest hits in the golf cart the other night, and now “Orange Crush” has been lodged in my brain. It is literally playing as I type this. No trend. No algorithm. Apparently sometimes your husband playing a song from 1988 in a golf cart is all the music discovery you need.
What I’m listening to when I’m nosy
I’ve been really enjoying Bill and Giuliana Rancic’s podcast lately, and obviously I listened when Giuliana decided to revisit her breakup with Jerry O’Connell after he mentioned it on Kelly Ripa’s podcast. My girl Giuliana apparently had some things to clarify.
I LOVED Giuliana & Bill back in the E! days. They went through some incredibly difficult things alongside all the fun stuff, and I always thought they were such a likable couple. I would absolutely watch them do another reality show. Until then, apparently I’m available for a 20-year-old celebrity-breakup postmortem.
What I’m reading
Nothing. There, I said it. Perhaps September Holley will be more literary.
ONE LAST THING
If there’s a theme to my August List, maybe it’s that I’m increasingly interested in things that earn their place. The pants I’ve bought six times. The dry shampoo I’ve used for three years. The hand cream that has lived on my nightstand for two. The skincare a stranger convinced me to order to my hotel. The new thing that solves an actual problem.
Not more stuff just because it’s new. Better stuff because it makes getting dressed, taking care of yourself or simply getting through the day a little easier or more enjoyable. That’s what I’ll keep looking for.
If you liked The ByHolley List, tap the heart so I know we should make this a monthly thing, and subscribe if you want September’s list delivered straight to your inbox.
And now I want yours: What is the ONE thing you discovered lately that I need to know about? Tell me in the comments. You know I’ll investigate.
I’m currently watching Sterling point. In what world do 12, 16 and 17-year-olds get to live by themselves, drive boats they don’t own, drink, and smoke pot all the time? Have you watched, the summer I turned pretty? Very real, and very good.