A 2024 Greatest Hits List
my favorite (wellness) experiences, products, and more of the past year
I know I said I would embrace clichés, but I still couldn’t get myself to title this “Wellness: Wrapped.” I blame it on the alliteration — it was actually too catchy.
It would have been a pretty fitting title, though, since that’s exactly what this is going to be. I’m thinking of this as a holiday special of sorts, like the Chrismukkah episodes of The O.C., if you will. Allow me to walk you through some standout wellness/beauty treatments and products I tried this year, as well as some of my favorite things I’ve written and read online.
We’re going to keep it short, sweet, and casual; some of this is brand new, some of this is a walk down memory lane. Like I said, this is a holiday special, and frankly, my brain is not operating at peak performance. I have a feeling it’s undergoing some sort of software update. Probably for the best.
Back to the task at hand. All hits, no misses. Here we go.
Experiences
A few of the many hours — and dollars — I’ve spent dedicated to taking care of myself this year. I already have lymphatic drainage, energy healing, and a medical-grade pedicure on the bucket list for next year.
Acupuncture
I’ve been curious about acupuncture for years now. I’m also very wary of any sort of Eastern Medicine / Movement / Culture led by a white person. I put off finding a trustworthy practitioner on my list of things to do next year, but when my friend Ze, an acupuncture devotee and founder of a TCM-based skincare brand, told me ORA was the best he’s tried in NY, my ears perked up.
Right off the bat, they let me know that a single acupuncture session likely wouldn’t change my life, but rather, should compliment a consistently healthy lifestyle. Especially with the ongoing issues I deal with (you know, your run of the mill gut-brain-skin-axis hiccups).
They sold themselves short because I had the time of my life. I mean, I’ll definitely return and almost certainly have more substantial benefits. But even for that single session of full-body needling, I saw noticeable differences in my mood, my digestion, and my energy levels. It could very well be placebo effect, but who’s to say…
Fascia Flossing
I had heard a lot about this mysterious “fascia” in my body that required “loosening,” but it was relatively low on my list of things to improve about myself, all things considered. That all changed when I was looking for an excuse to go to the newly re-opened Sky Ting and I saw the Fascia Queen, Bonnie Crotzer, taught a class of her own at the studio.
I like to think of this as somewhere in between stretching and working out; it’s a variety of repetitive movements that increase flexibility, aid in detox, and a lot more. I won’t do it justice in this short paragraph, so I’m planning to get her on here for an FAQ soon. Just know that I left that class feeling reborn, like you would after a good massage.
Facials
I used to be resistant to facials. I didn’t want to believe that was something I needed to do, let alone consistently. I relegated them to a birthday present or a vacation splurge, a once-in-a-blue-moon treat. If this year has taught me one thing, it’s that facials are really spectacular. My skin glows for two weeks after and I get to inundate the esthetician with all of my questions. Sort of sounds like heaven to me…
I’ve been fortunate enough to see a few estheticians this year — if you’re in NYC, you must, must go to Kristen at Onda Beauty or any of the women at Practise.
1-1 Pilates Classes
Another thing I didn’t want to believe: that the referral-only Pilates studios are actually better than the regular ones. Unfortunately, I was proven wrong. The biggest takeaway from writing this piece about the Secret Society of Pilates for Bustle was that — and this is no surprise to anyone who went to a liberal arts college — smaller classes have better instruction.
The best version of this is a 1 on 1 class, particularly at Flatiron Pilates with Amy Nelms. This woman is magical, I swear to God. Talk about feeling reborn — she completely changed my posture and essentially hit reset on my mind-body connection.
Products
These are items that made my life significantly better this year. That is all.
Salt + Stone Deodorant: long version here, short version is that it actually works and the scents are all soothing.
Salomons: I got my money’s worth out of these shoes. Best article of clothing (do shoes count as clothing?) of the year.
Sofie Pavitt Clean Clean Cleanser: I’ve never loved a face wash like I love this one; I finally understand the term ‘squeaky clean’ because of it. I know Sofie’s specialty is acne-prone skin, but even as a chronically dry gal, I find this to be deeply hydrating.
Tronque Dry Brush: I’m a long-time dry brusher (more on that another time), but this one took it up a notch. It’s the perfect balance of soft and firm such that it sheds the dry skin without any irritation. I have to imagine that’s a challenging balance to strike.
Lazy Jamie Spoons: Something about me is that I’m very particular about my silverware. For context, I use the same fork over and over again even though I have 6+, simply because I like its thin shaft. Oh god. The point is, these spoons are special.
LED Light Mask: 2024 was the year I stumbled down the red light rabbit hole. My impetus was improving my skin’s texture, but it’s helpful in addressing virtually every skin concern. Monastery’s Deep Red is the talk of the town — and for good reason — but it’s sold out. My recommendations for CurrentBody and Omnilux still stand.
Things I’ve Written
For a girl who doesn’t shut up on the internet, I still have a difficult time promoting myself. This section is an exercise in reveling in the accomplishments of the past year — I hope it inspires you to do the same. For your own, not for mine. Or, I mean, you can revel in my accomplishments if you want, I won’t stop you.
This is my Remember When yearbook page:
When I professed my love for the 89th soap
When I challenged my self-inflicted rules
When I outted room sprays as glorified air fresheners for Vogue
When I simultaneously disparaged and defended the wellness industry
When I turned around my no good, very bad week
When I ODed on blush sticks for The Strategist
When I gave unoriginal but very useful instructions to “touch grass”
When I realized that unoriginal things are, in fact, useful more often than not
Enough of that, back to work!
Things I’ve Read
What a time to be online. Here are some Substack pieces I read this year that are still sticking with me.
- ’s beautiful exploration of masculinity while getting dressed.
One of
’s finest thinkpieces.- ’s account of officiating her brother’s wedding. Please read it, I beg of you.
- is my most brilliant friend (no Elena Ferrante). I love this piece she wrote about celebrity book clubs so, so much.
Literally everything
writes leaves a profound impact on me, but this piece about the pursuit of aging gracefully was an all time favorite.
- ’s report from inside the Dev Patel lookalike contest.
- ’s ode to NYC. <3
That’s all for now, team. OH! Before I forget, I’m planning on introducing a new series about wellness around the world in the new year. If you are a non-American who would be interested in collaborating on a piece in that wheelhouse, drop me a line!
Loved reading this. Curious to try out somw of your favourites.
love you queen