things i use every single day
and have for a long time
there are two careers in which i could have been amazing that i eschewed in favor of becoming a writer: one is international pop star, and the second is influencer. so, i find ways of experiencing for myself the fantasies of what might have been — stardom through karaoke nights, and influencing by pretending to be a YouTuber on my close friends Instagram story.
in my early twenties i tried and tested a million different products, always looking for the next great thing. but as i enter my late twenties (why did that hurt to type?), i find myself zeroing in on the very best things and not straying from them — and i like to think i have pretty discerning taste.
so today, i take my influencer dreams to the greater public: a la my favorite types of content from The Strategist and GQ, below are ten things that i use every single day without fail, and can vouch for strongly. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.1
p.s.: this post is #nonspon, but if any of the below companies would like to collaborate, have your people call my people.
2020 13-inch MacBook Pro
my whole life is on my computer. her name is Mercury and i might as well be physically attached to one of her four USB-C ports at this point. in fact, i use Mercury so much that on a recent trip to the Genius bar, when asked how often i completely shut down my MacBook, my response was “…never?” i sleep next to her just in case i get a sudden burst of inspiration for the next great American play (and also so i can watch Family Guy until i fall asleep), and i boot her up as soon as i wake so i can start my day watching Good Mythical Morning. we are completely codependent and i don’t know what i would do without her.
my most used programs these days are Google Calendar (which isn’t native to macOS, but i find the interface of GCal so much better than iCal), and Scrivener, where i write all my scripts (Final Draft is overrated). but Mercury has truly seen it all — she edited my senior project on Adobe Premiere Pro, she’s created mixes for a multitude of drag performances with Garageband, she did my design homework on Vectorworks and QLab...i owe her everything and plan to renew her Apple Care until the day she dies. it’s the least i can do.
Glossier Futuredew
i’m going to say something that would send my high school self into a complete tailspin: i don’t wear makeup every day.
[ sixteen year old Loy who wore a different Kylie Lip Kit every day can be heard screaming in the distance ]
but whether or not i’m wearing makeup, at the very end of my morning skincare routine i always, always, always apply Glossier Futuredew. Glossier describes this product as an “oil-serum hybrid that’s a one-step shortcut to the way your skin looks after a full skincare routine,” which seems pretty accurate to me. they also suggest using two pumps, which is way too many. three quarters of a pump applied all over my face is more than enough to make me look like i’ve been getting 8 hours of sleep and moisturizing every day for the last ten years, despite the fact that i take very questionable care of my physical vessel even at the best of times. fake it ‘til you make it, or whatever the kids say.
Cranberry Raspberry Mio + 32 oz Wide Mouth Hydroflask with Straw Cap
i famously hate the taste of plain water. i don’t want to hear that it doesn’t have a taste, it does, and i don’t like it. we can talk about it another time.
but water is, of course, essential to survival, and i’ve been doing pretty well lately, so i want to survive a while. therefore, i add a big ol’ squirt of Cranberry Raspberry Mio to my Hydroflask of water. without it, i would never finish a bottle, and with it, i average 3-4 a day. i’m in my hydrated era.
i buy bottles of Mio in packs of four at a time off the Bezos store and i keep one in every bag i own so that i am never without it. my friends laugh at me for this, and they are valid in doing so, because i understand that disliking water is objectively crazy, but we do what we have to do.
also, straw cap for the Hydroflask is non-negotiable. i want to be able to sip lying down, and i don’t think that’s so much to ask.
Andover Spinbase // JBL Clip 4
i couldn’t decide between these two speakers, so i’m including both of them. i make the rules. and i do genuinely use both every day.
my JBL Clip 4 is seldom more than twenty feet from me. my studio apartment is surprisingly long, so when i’m getting ready or cleaning the house, i carry this guy with me from the front to the back like a little purse so the music is always with me. i also use him to listen to music while i shower (learn more about that here) and i take him everywhere i travel — blasting music in a hotel room is one of life’s tiny joys, and an iPhone speaker simply doesn’t do the job.
now the Spinbase…i cannot sing enough praises about the Spinbase. i knew i wanted a way to play vinyl records in my apartment, so like any Capricorn would, i checked Wirecutter for their top turntable and speaker picks, which led me to this perfect piece of technology. i love it first for its sound quality — it’s meant to mimic a full stereo system, and does so quite well — and second for its simplicity. the Spinbase connects to my turntable with a single cable, and features only a volume knob — no fancy buttons or fiddly connections. the Spinbase also functions as a regular Bluetooth speaker, so whether i’m listening to a vintage vinyl or a Spotify playlist, it’s always on.
between these two speakers, i never have to sit in silence long enough to hear my own thoughts. an ideal combination. 10/10 would recommend.
Filson Dryden Backpack
for whatever reason, i often find that the best purchases are the ones made on a complete whim. case in point: this backpack, which i hastily bought at Nordstrom in the King of Prussia Mall almost three years ago when my other backpack broke on a trip to Philly. it wasn’t cheap, but i figured for the price it would last me a while — and i was right.
what makes this backpack so perfect is, in my opinion, the details. the zipper pulls and top handle are made of a super durable leather, the nylon is hardy and water-resistant, the laptop compartment is huge and has pockets for multiple devices, and the straps are padded and comfortable without being bulky. as a perfectionist, there are a couple of things i would change about this bag — namely, that the side pockets are not large enough to accommodate a water bottle, and the frontmost pocket opens a little too wide to store anything of value without fear of it falling out. but we’re splitting hairs here. after three years of heavy use, this backpack shows almost no signs of wear and tear, and is practical for almost any situation where i need to lug around a bunch of stuff (which is pretty often, as convincing my Manhattan friends to hang out with me in Brooklyn is like pulling teeth).
Apple Wired Earpods
listen, Bluetooth headphones have their time and place, and i absolutely love my Bose Quiet Comfort 35ii’s, but there’s just something about wired headphones that i’ll never be able to give up. for one thing, they’re cheap, so i don’t have to worry too much about replacing the ones i lose (which i do too often). i also don’t like to have Bluetooth enabled on my phone often, as it’s a battery killer and my biggest fear is being lost in New York with a dead phone. and there’s just something about the aesthetic of a wired headphone. it’s giving tumblr, it’s giving 2010s, it’s giving nostalgia, and i will never let go.
iWalk LinkPod Portable Charger
did i mention my biggest fear is being lost in New York with a dead phone? it is. i have a big heavy-duty portable charger which stays in my backpack (see above), but i keep this little guy on me at all times. it’s not the most powerful — it can only charge my phone fully one time — but it’s tiny, cheap, and perfect in a pinch. you’ll never catch me below 20%.
Madewell Leather Pouch Wallet + Card Case
note: the exact wallet i use is no longer sold, but the one linked above is almost exactly the same with the added feature of an outer pocket — so you could argue that it’s even better.
i am remarkably picky about wallets. i need it to be as small as possible but still have room for all my cards, cash, change, and vaccine card (yes, i still carry mine) without sacrificing organization. the combination of Madewell’s card case and pouch wallet (which has internal card slots of its own) fulfills all these needs, has shown minimal wear in its four years of copious use, and fits in any bag, fanny pack, or pocket, even when stuffed with every punch card i’ve ever received. perfect for the minimalist pack-rat.
Moleskine Large Classic Hard Cover Notebook (Plain) + Bic Cristal Up (Black)
every quote from journal jangle has been written in this notebook with this pen. a hardcover journal is a must for me as i often find myself writing on my lap, a habit i’ve retained from theater school (who needs desks? we ~play in the space~). i opt for plain pages over a ruled layout so that if i have a sudden need to doodle or make a mind map, i can follow that impulse unencumbered. and i carry my journal with me everywhere, so it’s important to me that it’s sturdy. moleskine has never done me wrong, and i’ve gone through ~1 per year for the last eight years. if that’s not a testimonial, i don’t know what is.
i discovered the Bic Cristal Up quite by accident. as a dedicated ballpoint pen user, i used to swear by the standard Bic Cristal for its smooth writing ability and dark black ink (blue pens make my tummy hurt), and decided to order this set of six colorful pens in the same form factor as my tried-and-true to add some flair to my grad school notes. what i discovered was that while the colors are smooth and vibrant, the real star was the black pen. the ink is even blacker and juicier than the regular Bic Cristal (which i attribute to its slightly wider nib — 1.2mm as opposed to 1.0mm), and the crisp white body feels more chic and is easier to locate in my bag. i thought for a long time that i would only have the single black Cristal Up that i acquired back in 2020, but recently found that Amazon sells a twenty pack, and now i will never consider another writing utensil. this is the one, folks. trust me.
Diet Coke
i’m part of the cult.
congratulations! now you can live exactly like me every single day of your life. isn’t it all you’ve ever dreamed? you’re so, so welcome.
xo
LSW
not really. you’ll have to contact your point of purchase for their individual return policies. it’s just a fun thing to say.