The Monthly Edit: March 2024
A serendipitous start to the new season.
Welcome to the latest installment of The Monthly Edit, a gluttonous feast of my favorite things each month. After waiting for March to arrive and officially mark the end of a grueling winter, the month felt as if it passed by within the blink of an eye. Clearly, March had somewhere else to be. Still, March was an absolute kaleidoscope of delightful treasures. From the latest and unexpectedly thrilling makeup releases to the sublime skincare both old and new, the scents that transported me to better days, the tried and trusted necessities I leaned on and much more. My favorites aren’t always what I used most but rather what I cherished most. Every month is different, there’s the newcomers and the holdovers, the unexpected and the obvious, the crowd-pleasers and the brow raisers. You can find every installment of The Monthly Edit here. Let’s dive in.
Programming Note: This post includes more goodness than an email can handle and will get cut off. Don’t miss a thing, read it here! Don’t forget to click the 🤍 button before you go!
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The March Edit: Marching On
“In March winter is holding back and spring is pulling forward. Something holds and something pulls inside of us too.” — Jean Hersey
March was a swinging door with boundless joy on one side and heartache on the other — but it pulled us forward, it pulled me forward and closer to spring. Fleeting moments of warmth served as a serendipitous start to the new season, while vibrant blooms dotted once barren fields, the sun stayed around for one more drink at the end of the day, the birds began to return from their winter retreat, I remembered the joy nature brings. Despite seeming to pass by in an instant, March gave me some much needed hope and a bit of reprieve.
And with the prospect of warmer days on the horizon, I couldn’t help but find myself in search of newness. I tried indulgent new releases and new-to-me thrills including ones that were entirely outside of my comfort zone, while also leaning on the products and other delights that feel like old friends — the kind you can always pick up the phone to call.
A Few March Updates:
For months, my social feeds have been blanketed with the latest fragrance releases that leave me feeling remarkably underwhelmed, unimpressed and uninspired. Despite their popularity among the masses (or so it seems, anyways), I decided to spend too much time and money searching for perfumes that made me excited to wear them — after all, I try not to drench myself in my favorite perfume everyday. And in my search, I stumbled upon an absolute feast of new-to-me scents that I simply can’t stop wearing. So far, my favorites include this exquisite thrill that’s stunning on its own and as a remarkably effective enhancer, this captivating scent that I would never have thought to try on my own (thanks, Steph!) and one that feels like happiness in a bottle. At the very least, I beg you to give them a sniff — you’ll fall in love.
I’m getting married in September and this month was punctuated by planning. But also, it highlighted the unsolvable, troubling and utterly infuriating parts of wedding planning, the dynamics we tend to hide from others — the things that even the most magical and competent wedding planner can’t solve for. But perhaps most importantly, March made me realize I don’t know what shoes I’m going to wear yet — and while September feels forever away, there’s no time like the present to panic. I know I want to wear flats (heels have never been my thing) but I’m having trouble imagining the color and style. I want them to blend into the background but also be noticed when they’re seen, does that make sense? I don’t think white, silver or anything too bridal is my vibe — I think I need color. Pink maybe? Ugh. Help!
While everyone is in their Goodreads era, I’ve never been much of a reader. As strange as it may seem to some, books really just don’t enthrall me (with few exceptions). Since college, the only times I’ve actually picked up a book and finished it have been for work. Instead, I’ve found that I’m in my rewatch era and I’m getting uncomfortably close to finishing every piece of content that the buffet of streaming platforms have to offer. In last month’s edit, I talked about my obsession with the show that everyone needs to watch at least twice. This month, I’m taking a less involved approach and rewatching The Mentalist on Max. It’s my third time rewatching the series and it certainly won’t be my last.
Now, Let’s Get to the Feast…
March Highlights
While I can’t possibly speak to or feature each product or item included each month in a graphic or post, I always link the full list of the scrumptious treats I’ve cherished most that month for you to nibble on. If you have questions about the products featured below or in the full list, please leave me a comment! Let’s discuss.
MEDIK8 | Super C Ferulic Serum: Let me be the first to say that I was wrong about this product when I first tried it. I think I even said something to the effect of “this is weird.” However, I’ve come to realize that it’s weird in all the right ways. While most vitamin c serums have what the kids call a “hotdog water” smell, this one has a scent that’s akin to acrylic paint or some sort of varnishing medium — and I wasn’t the biggest fan of this on day one. I also didn’t love that the serum felt like a dense oil. But I no longer notice the smell I once held my breath to avoid. The dense oil formula isn’t greasy at all, it soaks into my skin quickly and it was delightfully easy to incorporate into my morning skincare routine. And as someone who has tested and hated nearly every vitamin c serum I’ve tried over the years, I admit: I LOVE this one. I started using it over a month ago in late February and since then, I really believe this serum has helped dark spots and pigmentation fade more quickly, and my skin appears brighter and more even (at least in my humble opinion). Another thing to love about Medik8’s Super C Ferulic Serum is that it contains a potent blend of 30% ethylated L-ascorbic acid. I don’t entirely know what that means but based on my rudimentary understanding, ethylated L-ascorbic acid is more stable than pure L-ascorbic acid and is more easily tolerated — so those who already have L-ascorbic acid in their routine shouldn’t be scared off. Seriously, I love this serum enough to look passed its flaws (aka the dropper) and will likely purchase another bottle when I run out, though you only need four drops so I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
U BEAUTY | Resurfacing Body Compound (save w/ myskinterest): It’s the year of body care and I’ve slowly found products to incorporate into my new, elevated body care routine that I absolutely love. And the Resurfacing Body Compound, of course, is perhaps my favorite. While all U Beauty products are formulated with their signature cocktail of hero ingredients, this has even more exfoliating, smoothing, healing and skin-strengthening properties that really make an impact on the skin and put the Resurfacing Body Compound squarely in a league of its own. The texture of this dense yet lightweight serum is completely unlike any others in U Beauty’s line (it’s really lovely) and it absorbs quickly and doesn’t stain your clothes. I had it in my collection for a while but didn't really use it consistently until recently and I’m kicking myself for not giving it a proper go sooner. Because it hydrates and exfoliates, it really helped minimize the appearance of any bumps on my arms and everywhere else I used it — all while never causing any irritation to my extremely sensitive, eczema-prone skin. I credit the Resurfacing Body Compound with making my skin the definition of supple, glowy and ready for the warmer months ahead. Plus, like I mentioned above, I’m getting married this year so I’m really committed to testing and consistently using products that make my arms look amazing — and this does! It’s a must have in my body care routine. — save w/ myskinterest (must use link)
SOFIE PAVITT FACE | Mandelic Clearing Serum: I went to a bridal shower over the weekend (hence why this post is so delayed) and several of the women there remarked how great my skin looked (one even told me I should be a model for Ponds, lol). And I’ve also noticed that my skin is really doing the most despite my lack of sleep and horrible diet — and the only thing I can think of that’s changed has been returning to the Mandelic Clearing Serum. The serum itself is watery like your typical liquid exfoliant — but it’s certainly not the type of chemical exfoliant I normally use. Out of all of the AHAs, glycolic acid has always been my favorite because of its small particle size that allows it to be incredibly effective, as it penetrates the skin easily. By comparison, mandelic acid is made up of much larger particles and less likely to cause irritation — but I wrote it off a while ago as too gentle after never really having much luck with mandelic acid products. However, now that I’m on my second bottle of Sofie’s Mandelic Clearing Serum, I realize that I had it all wrong. I like to think of mandelic acid as a marathon — it requires consistent work overtime in order to see Sofie’s mandelic magic in action. Mandelic acid is great for those who are just dipping their toe into chemical exfoliation and this serum in particular is so easy to incorporate into my skincare routine because of its watery consistency (I use it as my first step). I’m really not sure how Sofie did it, and I don’t even really know why it works so well for me, but it does, she did and I cannot recommend it enough.
What were some of your favorite things in March? Tell me everything, don’t miss a detail. Share you television recommendations, your wedding advice and what shoe I should wear to mine.
Until next time, follow along on Instagram and browse all of my favorite things. myMusings is a labor of love but it is labor. Don’t forget to click the 🤍 button before you go! Thank you for being here. Talk soon.
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the pistachio fragrance is IT