Forever35 Podcast Mini-Episode 477: "A Few Good Pants Recs"

Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

This mini-episode centers on listener questions and crowdsourced recommendations for self-care routines, particularly ways to exfoliate your back, high-protein breakfast ideas, postpartum and travel pants, and the ever-essential quest for soft, comfortable wardrobes that fit real life. Doree and Elise tackle everything from “bacne” solutions to leggings that won’t irritate healing C-section scars, with humor, warmth, and their signature down-to-earth energy. Listeners chime in with product tips and personal stories, turning the podcast into a collaborative space for advice on caring for yourself through busy seasons and life transitions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life Updates and Upcoming Events

(02:24 - 06:59)

• Elise shares she’s entering a busy period, with her birthday, Valentine’s Day, and Lunar New Year all converging in one week. She describes planning a chill birthday by gathering friends at a central LA food hall/restaurant (Rose’s place in West Adams), inspired by impromptu get-togethers she hosts when traveling to New York.
• The hosts lightly joke about the challenge of birthday logistics and reminisce about the difficulties of winter in the Midwest and DC, particularly in the context of their friends and family with kids in winter sports.
• Elise: “There’s a reason I moved to Southern California and not back to DC after being a foreign correspondent. Like, I could not.” (06:24)

2. Back Exfoliation & Bacne Solutions

(07:32 - 10:18)

• Responding to “Sammy’s” listener question about back exfoliation (possibly bacne), the hosts field several enthusiastic recommendations:
  • Salux (S•A•L•U•X) Skin Cloths: Japanese exfoliation sheets you can pull across your back and hard-to-reach spots, also recommended for butt and back of thighs.
    • Listener from Seattle: “Excellent for the hard to reach areas. Happy exfoliating!” (08:20)
    • Another listener: “Sammy, get yourself a Salix. This thing is the absolute best for exfoliating all over.”
  • Voicemail Advice:
    • Shower right after workouts and change clothes immediately.
    • Avoid letting shampoo and conditioner rinse run down your back.
    • Back facials can really help: “While it sounds crazy, it was important to me…got a couple back facials and it cleared it up so well.” (09:26)
  • The hosts joke about gifting exfoliation tools or facials for birthdays.

3. High-Protein Breakfast Ideas from Listeners

(10:26 - 11:56)

• A listener recommends her “craveable” breakfast: thick and creamy Greek yogurt (Trader Joe’s), peanut protein granola, and fruit.
  • Doree: “I love like full-fat, whole-milk Greek yogurt and that’s what this is. The container is like navy blue…” (11:04)
• Elise laments her kids’ reluctance to eat protein bars, preferring simple foods like eggs.

4. Listener Question: One Versus Two Kids

(14:44 - 15:32)

• A listener shares reflections on raising two children, noting personalities play a huge role; her friend’s family kept having children “until each of them had a buddy,” ending up with seven kids.
  • Doree: “That’s...that’s really something. Okay. Wow.” (15:28)
• Hosts acknowledge they received a flood of emails and messages on this, but want to avoid “dish towel” territory (i.e., letting it consume the episode).

5. Postpartum Wear & Soft Pants Recommendations

(16:16 - 20:58)

• An eight-month-pregnant listener asks for advice on pants that don’t irritate C-section scars, soft robes, and similar comfort wear.
  • Elise recommends:
    • Uniqlo basics (soft sweat sets, affordable robes from Nordstrom Rack)
    • Varley quarter-zips and pants (high-waisted, soft, possibly good for postpartum)
  • Doree (who had a C-section) swears by:
    • Lululemon Align Leggings: “Thick, tall waistband. Doesn’t dig in anywhere, sort of compression, which is good after a C-section.” (17:53-18:22)
    • Belly Band/wraps: Helps provide extra comfort and allow wearing pants that might otherwise rub the scar.
    • J.Crew jersey pajamas: Soft, button-up tops for nursing/pumping (19:38)
    • Maternity jeans with side panels: Good postpartum option.
  • Doree: “Something that’s like slightly compressiony…I think is like the way to go.” (20:50)
  • Elise: “You don’t have to be postpartum to wear any of these soft clothes.” (19:58)

6. Travel Pants Recommendations from the Forever35 Community

(21:13 - 29:21)

• North Face Aphrodite 2.0 Pants (from REI):
  • Wide, comfortable waistband, good pockets, and straight leg. Still holding up after years.
  • Doree notes: “My only potential concern is that they look a little low rise…all the pictures on REI’s website is—they come up way below the belly button.” (24:50)
• Lululemon Joggers via Poshmark:
  • Old (pre-2020) versions recommended for superior quality; can identify by a circle around size number.
• Spanx Air Essentials:
  • Multiple listeners and a voicemail weigh in:
    • Fabric is soft; was ‘sweatshirty’ in older versions but is now more ‘scuba-y’ and less breathable.
    • Major downside: no pockets! (Listener: “Air Essential to me, I need pockets, pockets, pockets.” [28:40])
    • Good for loungewear/sleep, but not ideal for travel due to lack of pockets and tendency to get hot.
  • Elise hopes Spanx will listen to the demand for pockets: “This pockets issue—you would think that the Spanx consumers have already written in and made a lot of noise about this. So hopefully they’ll reconsider their position on pockets.” (29:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bacne Products:
  “Sammy, get yourself a Salix. This thing is the absolute best for exfoliating all over, including hard to reach spots. … A holy grail product, imho.” (08:27)

• On Soft Life Postpartum:
  “You don’t have to be postpartum to wear any of these soft clothes. You can keep living the soft life long after this baby is out in the world.” — Elise (19:58)

• On Parenting Logistics:
  “There’s a reason I moved to Southern California and not back to DC after being a foreign correspondent. Like, I could not.” — Elise (06:24)

• On Pockets in Travel Wear:
  “Air Essential to me—I need pockets, pockets, pockets.” — Listener voicemail (28:40)

• On Family Size Decisions:
  “My friend’s parents decided to keep having children until each of them had a buddy since the first two didn’t click…They have seven children, so take this approach with a grain of salt.” — Listener text (15:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Life Updates, Birthday, LA vs. East Coast Winters: 02:24 - 06:59
• Back Exfoliation & Bacne Advice: 07:32 - 10:18
• Protein-packed Breakfasts: 10:26 - 11:56
• One vs. Two Kids Question: 14:44 - 15:32
• Postpartum & Soft Clothes Recommendations: 16:16 - 20:58
• Travel Pants Community Recs: 21:13 - 29:21

Summary Takeaways

• Listeners provide a trove of practical product recommendations for all aspects of self-care—including skin, breakfast, new-mom wardrobe, and travel comfort.
• Community dialogue is lively, with listeners and hosts dialoguing over everything from robe softness to the necessity of pockets.
• Advice prioritizes comfort, confidence, and adaptability for real-life seasons—whether you’re healing from surgery, on the road, or just trying to keep your protein up at breakfast.
• The episode underscores the podcast’s supportive, resource-sharing spirit, helping listeners care for themselves with humor, insight, and collective wisdom.