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A few days ago, in the chat section of her Substack Feed Me, Emily Sundberg asked her paid subscribers: “Considering we’re probably entering a recession, what costs do you anticipate cutting first?”
As I scrolled through the 463 replies, I grew more and more panicked. I guess we’re taking this impending recession seriously? Many people mentioned getting rid of expensive gyms memberships, food delivery, and bachelorette parties (unsure if that one was a joke or not – worth another conversation).
But the most popular thing on Feed Me readers’ first-to-go-list, hands down?
A few days later, two more Instagram stories piqued my interest. One from Ghia founder Mélanie Masarin, and one from TQE’s own co-founder, Lauren Kleinman:
Thirsty for more information, I took things to TQE’s Slack to hear from our wellness and beauty editors. I knew many honed their craft back in 2020 and had a lot of thoughts on the matter. I, for one, was all ears.
Lauren Kleinman was first to share her 3 C’s for healthy nails from the inside out: Creatine, Cowboy Colostrum, Carnivore Aurelius Collagen. She also considers her everyday Ritual Multi a part of this necessary lineup.
Deenie Hartzog-Mislock, former Copy Director at Vogue and current TQE beauty editor, agreed with Lauren: “I usually rely on a collagen and creatine situation.”
I knew that our wellness editor, Annie Goodman,would have thoughts, too. Annie shared: “I’m big on bone broth, seeds, seeds, seeds (flax, chia, hemp, sunflower, pumpkin, tahini), and a ton of healthy fats! I will say pearl powder is also a showstopper – pearl is nature’s most rich source of natural calcium!”
More specifically, “1/2 tsp in a tea or smoothie or oatmeal or whatever you make, it’s SO great for hair, skin, and nails.
A ‘shen tonic,’ if you will. For le spirit.”
To keep things tidy, if you’re team ‘naked nails,’ that puts us at:
- Momentous Creatine
- Cowboy Colostrum
- Carnivore Aurelius Collagen
- Ritual Essential For Women
- Roots + Bones Pearl Powder
Now, if you’re more into a DIY situation (which, for the record, Emily Sundberg herself recommends as “the best form of self care”) we have a few options for you, too.
Another Deenie Hartzog-Mislock note: “I started doing my own manicures during lockdown with Sundays and an Olive and June manicure kit. It wasn't too shabby.“
Bianca Lambert – a filmmaker, journalist, creative producer, and TQE contributor – is also team do-your-own-nails: “I do my own apres gel-x nails. I’ve been doing them for about 2 years. They never look perfect, but they’re good enough. ”
OG TQE editor Zoë Brown, who is now a finishing up acupuncture school and has a wealth of knowledge on Eastern medicine, nominated Bare Hands to numerous TQE gift guides over the years. It makes a great gift, and I trust Zoë’s recommendations on just about anything wholeheartedly.
A shoppable list for team doing-your-own-nails includes:
If you’re wondering if you’ll actually save any money doing your own nails…fair question. It depends which route you go and what you end up investing in, but one thing worth mentioning is the health benefits – both mental and physical – of giving your nails a little break from methacrylate compounds,UV lights, and acetone, and cycling in some supplements – that can also help with things like immunity, digestive health, and cognitive health – instead.
We agree there’s something empowering about investing in and treating yourself – with your own bare hands! Curating a playlist, taking a bath, and perhaps planning a night in (with a homecooked meal?) could also contribute to saving some cash to prep for a possible recession.
Start with a few of our picks, see how things go, and keep it moving from there. Leave a comment with any questions for our all-star team – or if you have additional tricks up your sleeve.
