Mini-Ep 485: Judge Not By Smell?

Summary

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Forever35: Mini-Ep 485 "Judge Not By Smell?"

Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Release Date: March 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively mini-episode, Doree and Elise dive into a flurry of practical listener questions and share collective wisdom around self-care, with their signature mix of humor and self-awareness. Key topics include navigating cough remedies, the evolution of shampoo bars, the mysteries of vitamin C serums, sustainable product choices, and the perennial quest for the perfect pair of soft pants. As always, the hosts contextualize these everyday queries with insightful (and often funny) commentary about aging, wellness trends, and the subtle art of feeling good.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cough Remedies & Listener Support

• Elise reports feeling better after a nagging cough, thanks to helpful listener tips and messages.
• Doree reads a listener text recommending Fisherman’s Friend cough drops and building “pillow mountains” to ease nighttime coughing (04:01). Elise shares:
  • “It does feel nice to have a lozenge. I’ve just been using the Ricola.” (04:34)
  • Pillow mountains didn’t work for her dry, croup-like cough but she's now on the mend.
• Both express gratitude for their supportive audience.

2. Life as (Unexpected) Content Creators

• Elise recounts attending a Blueair tennis retreat where, much to her surprise, she ended up featured in a yoga photo — butt in the air — on the brand’s Instagram.
  • Elise: “Whose ass is in the air closest to the camera? Yours truly. You can imagine my shock when I got that Instagram tag notification.” (07:00)
  • “If you agree to the terms of a content creator situation…your butt in the air is all over Instagram.” (08:02)
  • She jokes about never getting her portrait, only butt shots.
• Doree commiserates with good humor.

3. Micro Joys: Raising Butterflies Amid the March Gloom

• Nora, the “unofficial education correspondent” from Rhode Island, calls in to share her micro joy: raising caterpillars into butterflies in her classroom.
  • “It does help to have small, hopeful things.” (11:25)
• Elise is reminded of author Eleanor Cleghorn's adage:
  • “The horrors persist, but you have your little crafts.” (11:57)

4. Shampoo Bars: Brands, Tips & Plastic Waste

Techniques & Listener Advice:

• Emily (text): Lather shampoo bars in your hands, don’t rub directly on hair to avoid tangling and breakage. (15:46)
  • Elise: “I would probably just put it straight to my head and then rip my hair out.” (16:05)

Product Recommendations:

• Multiple listeners highlight brands:
  • HiBAR (noted for environmental commitment) (16:48)
  • Ethique and Kitsch (17:30)
  • Earthling Company (recommended for allergy sufferers, variety of scents, longevity) (18:33)
• Tips: Get unscented conditioner bars for versatility and extended use (19:16), bars are great for travel due to lack of liquids.
  • Allison from Vancouver, WA: “The bars run about $15 and seem to last a long time. Also easy to travel with — no liquids.” (19:54)

Alternative to Bars:

• One caller advocates for buying bulk liquid shampoo to reduce plastic (Ouidad mentioned).
  • “I use the brand O U I D A D and they have a giant like 33 ounce size bottle...coming up on one year old and I’m just replacing it now for the first time.” (20:13)
  • Encourages listeners to look for plastic reduction opportunities elsewhere, if bars aren’t for them.

Travel Tip:

• Use travel-sized Nalgene bottles/jars from The Container Store: “They’ve never leaked on me in 10 years.” (21:32)

5. Vitamin C Serum: Color vs. Smell

• Follow-up on a previous vitamin C serum question: should you judge by smell or color?
  • Listener relays advice from Chemist Confessions:
    • “All vitamin C serums…are all going to smell like…hot dog water. That’s just the way it is.” (26:34)
    • Efficacy is about color; amber is normal, but toss if “straight up brown.” (26:54)
  • Doree & Elise express reluctance about the hot-dog water scent.
    • Elise: “I just don’t want to put that smell on my face!” (27:48)
    • Doree: “Sometimes it’s really salty, sometimes it’s really stinky.” (27:54)
  • Elise plugs Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum for a pleasant scent.

6. Sunscreen: What's 'Best' Is What You Use

• Same Chemist Confessions-inspired advice: “The best sunscreen is the sunscreen you use.” (28:25)
  • Texture matters; stick with what you’ll apply consistently.
  • “Let’s get real. We have lives and it’s hard to [reapply]. So I think if you’re doing it every morning, I think you’re doing an amazing job.” (28:54)
• Elise mentions Michelle Monahan’s new children’s book: A Kid’s Book About Sun Safety (30:08)

7. Soft Pants: Listener-Approved Pick

• Athleta’s Venice High Rise Wide Leg Pant gets a glowing review: “Soft and comfy, looks put-together while traveling, wide waistband, pockets...” (31:25)
  • Doree notes sizing tips and that she might get the petite size for length.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On low-stakes self-care:
  • “The horrors persist, but you have your little caterpillars.” (11:57, Elise)
• On unexpected social media fame:
  • “Your butt in the air is all over Instagram.” (08:02, Elise)
• On cold medicine efficacy:
  • “You’ve really gotta just go ahead and show your ID and get it from behind the counter because of that one ingredient…” (02:44, Elise)
• On vitamin C odor:
  • “They call it like hot dog water. That’s just the way it is.” (26:37, Voicemail Caller)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:07 | Start of main episode/content | | 04:00 | Listener advice for cough remedies | | 05:31 | Blueair yoga retreat saga | | 10:04 | Announcement: Patreon live casual chat | | 10:13 | Voicemail: Micro joy with butterflies | | 15:46 | Listener techniques: Shampoo bar advice | | 16:48 | Voicemail: Eco-friendly shampoo bar brands | | 18:33 | More recommendations: Earthling Company, tips for conditioner bars | | 20:05 | Alternative take: Bulk liquid shampoo & plastic reduction elsewhere | | 21:32 | Travel size bottle recommendation (Nalgene) | | 26:28 | Vitamin C serum: Chemist Confessions on color vs. smell | | 28:25 | Sunscreen: "Best is what you use" - listener insight | | 30:08 | Michelle Monahan’s new kids book on sun safety | | 31:25 | Soft pants recommendation from a listener (Athleta Venice) |

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Tone and Style

• Warm, chatty, supportive, with a blend of practical seriousness and playful self-deprecation.
• The hosts and callers create an environment where imperfect solutions and honest sharing are encouraged.

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Summary Takeaways

• Self-care doesn’t have to be high-stakes or perfect. Micro joys, listener crowdsourcing, and delight over a good pair of trousers are all valid victories.
• For wellness products: Efficacy, environmental impact, and comfort play a huge role in personal decision-making—there's no one-size-fits-all.
• Judge vitamin C serum by color, not (questionable) smell; use sunscreen you’ll actually apply, and celebrate small, hopeful rituals—even if it’s watching caterpillars become butterflies.

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For product recs, listener tips, and full show notes, visit forever35podcast.com.

Transcript

[Elise Hu]

What's up? It's Sean Linda from Two Black Guys of Good Credit. If Managed supply runs is still on your to do list, here's your science upgrade. Walmart Business has the tech tools and services that make it ridiculously easy to stock up for your office or team. Think scheduled deliveries, multi user accounts and even IT setup. Bonus with a Walmart Business plus membership, you get free shipping, spend analytics and 2% rewards. Join the smart way to shop at business.walmart.com Terms apply.

[Dori Shafrir]

I am really feeling that the busy season has started. I don't know about you Elise, yes, but I think what's really important is that we need to remember to put a little bit of ourselves first too. And we can do that with the brand new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus. Powered by Peloton iq, it's Peloton's most elevated equipment with real time guidance and endless ways to move alone or with your favorite instructors. It's cross training reimagined with features designed to help you reach your goals effortlessly and personally. I know that having a plan helps me stay motivated. Knowing that I have a certain class on a certain day, even at a certain time, helps me move forward with my fitness goals even if I don't really want to show up on that certain day or certain time.

[Elise Hu]

I get it.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Yeah.

[Dori Shafrir]

Peloton IQ provides just that with their personalized plans and recommendations. This can include weekly recommended classes led by instructors who match your mood, vibe and personality, not to mention the variety in workouts available. Go on a 45 minute run on the tread plus or a 5 minute stretch off of it with one smooth spin of that swivel screen. It offers endless ways to train for a well rounded routine. No matter how busy you are, let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push and go explore the new Peloton Cross training TREAD [e-mail] Foreign. Hello and welcome to Forever 35, a podcast about the things we do to take care of ourselves. I'm Dory Shafrier.

[Elise Hu]

And I'm Elise Hu and we're just two friends who like to talk a lot about serums.

[Dori Shafrir]

And this is a mini episode where we hear from you, we share your comments and your thoughts, and we answer your questions to the best of our ability. But please remember we are not experts, we are podcast hosts and we always encourage you to seek support first and foremost from a medical and or mental health professional as needed.

[Elise Hu]

Speaking of medical professionals, yes, while we aren't medical professionals, we have had some various ailments and I have to say, after talking about having my nagging cough over the last couple of weeks, I've gotten really nice messages from folks. One of them is about making sure that I get the pseudoephedrine. Cough medicine or not. Cough medicine, cold medicine, the suit, the kind that is only behind the counter. Yeah. There's all this research that the other kind, the kind that's not behind the counter, is largely ineffective. And you've really gotta just go ahead and show your ID and get it from behind the counter because of that one ingredient that they have banned in stores without showing your id because it was being used to make methods back in, like, in large quantities. I remember when Breaking Bad first came out, I was like, could you really make meth in your bathtub? Like, is it that easy to make meth?

[Dori Shafrir]

I feel like it is that easy.

[Elise Hu]

That's wild.

[Dori Shafrir]

I mean, I have not. I don't know this from personal experience. I have not tried to make meth in my bathtub. But given the, like, numbers of people who seem to have made meth in their bathtub successfully or.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, at least the local. Local news certainly made us feel that way.

[Dori Shafrir]

Exactly. Well, I'm glad you are on the mend.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, I feel a little better. I certainly.

[Dori Shafrir]

We did actually get. Actually, I'll read. I'll just read this now because we did get a text about your. Your cough. Oh, that's very nice. A listener wrote. Hi, Elise. Have you tried Fisherman's Friend cough drops for your cough? They actually numb your throat and prevent coughing. Also, you've probably already tried this, but have you tried sleeping on what I call a pillow mountain? It's a stack of pillows to elevate your head and drain your sinuses. I'm sorry you've been so uncomfortable at night. I'm not a medical professional, but I am the mother of a toddler who gets everyone sick all the time, so maybe I am an expert.

[Elise Hu]

I haven't heard of the Fisherman's Friend cough drops, but I will write that down and take that recommendation. It does feel nice to have a lozenge. I've just been using the Ricola.

[Dori Shafrir]

Love a Ricola.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. And yeah, it has the menthol middle inside, and I like that. But Fisherman's Friend. Okay, I'll give it a shot. And then I tried to make a makeshift pillow mountain, but I was having such a dry cough that I don't know that, you know, draining any. There wasn't much to drain. It was really more of like a croup type cough. Situation. But anyway, it's much better.

[Dori Shafrir]

Good.

[Elise Hu]

I'm on the other side of it. Knock on wood. And thank you for your suggestions.

[Dori Shafrir]

Well, is there anything else going on that you want to. You want to mention before we get to some listener voicemails and texts and emails and such?

[Elise Hu]

Well, you and I have been dming about this, but as you know, I went on that blueair retreat for blueair, the air purifier company, I think maybe the number one air air purifier company in the world. It's.

[Dori Shafrir]

So we have a couple of blue airs, actually.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, good, good. Because it is. It's the official air purifier of the New York Knicks now.

[Dori Shafrir]

Oh.

[Elise Hu]

And it is as long, more than a decade has been the official air purifier, or the only air purifier brand that the US State Department uses. So all the embassies around the world use blueair. And recently they've wanted to make a push into the US Market and got Jessica Pegula, major WTA tennis pro, to be their sort of spokeswoman here. And they were hosting a tennis retreat a couple weeks ago for those of y' all who didn't hear about this. And I went because somebody dropped out. Like, some tennis influencer dropped out. Little did I know that this brand was making content the entire time. They had hired a photographer who specializes in shooting on film, so no idea. Like, the film had to be developed before we knew what he shot.

[Dori Shafrir]

Oh, right, right.

[Elise Hu]

There was. This whole time, couldn't have seen it immediately. So now, almost two weeks later. It's been a week and a half since we've gotten back. Almost two weeks later, blueair put some of the film photos on its official Instagram account. And what does this carousel include? A shot of group yoga, the class, you know, the influencer class, the cohort. Outside on the side of a tennis court, beautiful day under the sun, doing yoga, but in, like, cat cow position. And whose ass is in the air closest to the camera? Yours truly. You can imagine my shock when I got that Instagram tag notification. So I don't think any of us are quite identifiable. I mean, I could recognize me, but that happened. That happened. This is what happens. I suppose you just, like, if you agree to the terms of a content creator situation, you know, your.

[Dori Shafrir]

Your butt in the air is all over Instagram.

[Elise Hu]

That is correct.

[Dori Shafrir]

Wow.

[Elise Hu]

Well, I hope. I hope the brand is happy with the results of that special, special time out in the desert. I mean, I'm very happy to have. God, it's just I was a little. I was a little taken aback. Who knew?

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Who knew?

[Elise Hu]

I, you know, at some point they took portraits of us. They had like a seamless backdrop and a photographer out there, and we never saw the portraits. So I would have liked to see that, you know, where it's like my face and my front rather than my back. But, you know, you live, you learn.

[Dori Shafrir]

It's cool. Wow.

[Elise Hu]

Moving on. Yes.

[Dori Shafrir]

Well, before we get to all of our listener stuff, I just wanted to put in a little plug for our live casual chat.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dori Shafrir]

Which will be on April 8th at 1:30pm Pacific, 4:30pm Eastern. And that is for our paid Patreon subscribers. So if you want to get in on the live casual chat, we kind of just do it as like a Q and A format. Like, people are asking us questions in real time in the chat, and then we're doing like our regular casual chat stuff. And last time it did, it went a little longer than like our typical casual chat. So, you know, it's a fun little thing that we're doing quarterly for our Patreon subscribers. And you can [e-mail] forever35. You also get our regular casual chats, our weekly casual chats on the Patreon. So that's like a fun bonus episode. We also have our monthly pop culture recommendation episodes. You can also get ad free episodes at the $10 level. And you get a shout out on the podcast each month as a little thank you. So head on over to patreon.com forever35 and, you know, you can also just think of it as like you're just paying $5 to see our live show, essentially.

[Elise Hu]

You should think of it that way, too. Yep.

[Dori Shafrir]

And I want to play a voicemail before we take a little break. Great. A perennial topic on this show, which is micro joys.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Hello, Forever35. I am calling from Rhode Island. It's Nora, your unofficial education correspondent. And I don't know if you all are still collecting or featuring Micro Joys, but one that I have found to be really uplifting and lovely this late winter into spring is I got little cups of caterpillars. I just ordered them online. It was like 50 bucks and I got 10, and now they have turned into butterflies. I got to watch, like, the whole cycle of them going into their cocoons and then coming out. And I am a teacher, so I've been bringing them to my classroom during the week. And the kids are, like, all obsessed with them. It's been very, very cold here and super snowy. So they're heading towards the end of their time. And I'm just hoping it's warm enough next week that I can take a bunch of my kids out and release them outside. But anyone could do this. And I got it. I think it was meant to be like a homeschool kit. So if you have kids, I think this would be a really nice thing to do with them. Butterflies are so pretty. They're so easy to take care of, and I'm just really loving it. So I hope y' all are well. And I know it's like, it's always a horrible time here in America, but, you know, it does help to have small, hopeful things. So take care. Bye.

[Elise Hu]

This reminds me of Eleanor Cleghorn, how she's like, the horrors persist, but I have my little crafts. So the horrors persist, but you have your little caterpillars.

[Dori Shafrir]

Butterflies. Yes, exactly. All right, well, before. Before we take a break, just a reminder that our voicemail number is 781-591-0390. And our email is forever35podcastmail.com. Our website is forever35podcast.com. We have links there to everything we mentioned on the show. We are on Instagram @forever35 podcast. And our favorite products are @shopmy us. Slashforever35. And after the break, we have a lot of shampoo bar advice. Shampoo bars saying to Elise, I feel like shampoo bars are the new dish towels. Like, the thing that people really respond to. Surprisingly, people have a lot of opinions about. So, yeah, so we'll. We'll take a break. And, you know, just as a little reminder, our sponsors help keep this show free. So, you know, stick with us. Stick with us. Thank you. We'll be right back. I am really feeling that the busy season has started. I don't know about you, Elise.

[Elise Hu]

Yes.

[Dori Shafrir]

But I think what's really important is that we need to remember to put a little bit of ourselves first, too. And we can do that with the brand new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus. Powered by Peloton iq, it's Peloton's most elevated equipment with real time guidance and endless ways to move alone or with your favorite instructors. It's cross training reimagined with features designed to help you reach your goals effortlessly. And personally, I know that having a plan helps me stay motivated. Knowing that I have a certain class on a certain day, even at a certain time, helps me move forward with my fitness goals, even if I don't really want to show up on that certain day. Or certain time.

[Elise Hu]

I get it.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Yeah.

[Dori Shafrir]

Peloton IQ provides just that with their personalized plans and recommendations. This can include weekly recommended classes led by instructors who match your mood, vibe and personality, not to mention the variety in workouts available. Go on a 35 minute run on the tread plus or a 5 minute stretch off of it with one smooth spin of that swivel screen. It offers endless ways to train for a well rounded routine. No matter how busy you are, let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push and go. Explore the new peloton cross training tread plus at 1peloton.com if you're ready to

[Elise Hu]

make home cooking look easy, try HelloFresh. Turn on some good music. I like to cook to Leon Bridges and get cooking before the food even arrives though you get to choose from more than 35 high protein recipes each week including new Mediterranean and GLP1 friendly options. HelloFresh doesn't just make the cooking look easy, it makes it easy to feel great with wholesome ingredients like sustainably sourced seafood and 100% antibiotic and hormone free chicken. There's now three times the seafood for no upcharge. Impress guests or treat yourself with new grass fed steak ribeyes. Also, you can make meals with seasonal produce like pears, apples and asparagus. I recently made the hello Fresh one pan sticky Miso Ginger salmon so delicious so fast. Crucially, it was very easy. I need stuff to be easy because when dinner tastes this good, nothing hits like home cooking. Go to hellofresh.com forever3510fm to get 10 free meals plus a free Zwilling knife which is a $144.99 value on your third box offer valid while supplies last free meals applied as discount on first box. New subscribers only varies by plan.

[Dori Shafrir]

All right, we are back and Elise, you want to read our first text?

[Elise Hu]

Sure. Happy to I wanted to share some shampoo bar advice. I don't have a brand recommendation. I think you should shop based on your hair type and specific needs. My advice is on the technique so your hair is as soft with liquid products. I find that the bar can tangle even damage your hair if you rub the bar directly on your hair slash scalp. It's very important to lather the bar in your hands with water for a good while and then use your hands to wash your hair as normal. I learned the hard way but have otherwise found the switch to be an easy one. Love the pod. Thanks Emily. Thank you Emily. Good reminder. I think I'm I have I've yet to Try a shampoo bar. But I'm exactly like that. I would probably just put it straight to my head and then rip my hair out.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yeah, I would be like, hey, why am I shedding?

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, right.

[Dori Shafrir]

That's. I would not have thought to lather the bar in my hands first. Oops. Okay, we also have a voicemail about shampoo bars.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Hi Dori and Elise, this is Tuesday from St. Paul, Minnesota. I'm calling in response to the person who called about shampoo bars. So I've gone on I guess like a low weight or zero waste journey for myself to reduce my plastic and I used shampoo bars. So highly recommend the brand called hibar just H I B A R. But there's also other brands like Stopping Us has a brand has bar kitsch or Ethique high bar especially is made like with the environment in mind. So all their packaging is great. And I think they now do like deodorant and face wash as well. But yeah, those are great brands. For extra hair care. I like to do a hair mask once a week. That's just like unfortunately from a regular plastic container. Like I like I use Moroccan oil brands and that is not in paper. You know it. It's in a plastic container. But I feel like it's still making a difference. So yeah, highly recommend those brands and and also just make sure whatever bar you are buying doesn't come wrapped in plastic like some shampoo bar brands, wrap them in plastic and then put them in a cardboard box, which is totally unnecessary and annoying in my opinion. Anyway, good luck. Thank you. Bye.

[Elise Hu]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Dori Shafrir]

Okay.

[Elise Hu]

I heard a lot of those brands in the previous episodes too. Like the Ethique and the kitsch. So it sounds like there is some coalescing around certain shampoo bars. Yes.

[Dori Shafrir]

And in fact our project manager, Sammy, not to be confused with our producer Sammy, she said that she was influenced. She has curly hair and she is gonna buy one of the Ethique curly shampoo bars.

[Elise Hu]

Cool. Yeah.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Good.

[Dori Shafrir]

So nicely done listeners.

[Elise Hu]

We've been influenced.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yes. Another text. This is for the person looking for bar shampoo. I did allergy testing last year and learned I'm allergic to to an ingredient in soaps and shampoos. I've switched to the Earthling company shampoo and conditioner bars and haven't looked back. I think they clean great. My hair feels and looks good and my skin is so much happier. Also, less liquid when traveling. Thank you for the show. You ladies are the best.

[Elise Hu]

You're welcome. And thank you for the suggestion.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yes. These are great. This is. These are all great suggestions. Someone else recommended the Earthling Company and said there are a variety of scents to choose from. I love the citrus and mint ones. My hot tip is to get the unscented conditioner bar as it lasts longer than the shampoo. So you can use it with any shampoo bar. They have regular sales and have good bundle options as well. I have shoulder length fine hair. I feel like it has helped with hair strength. I'm 42 and have noticed some thinning. The bars run about $15 and seem to last a long time. Also easy to travel with no liquids. The body soap bars are nice too. Love the show. Been a regular listener since 2019 and it's a bright spot in my week. Oh, thank you. And that is from Allison in Vancouver, Washington.

[Elise Hu]

Thanks, Allison.

[Dori Shafrir]

That is so nice. So many good tips. And then we also got a voicemail with a different perspective on shampoo.

[Elise Hu]

All right, let's hear it.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Hey, I'm calling in response to the person asking for the bar. I just want to offer a different opinion. I also respect wanting to reduce your plastic waste. Don't get me wrong. Even though I blame the corporations over the individuals. But that's another topic. It's possible. What I would recommend if the shampoo that you like offers a bigger bottle, like if they sell it in bulk, that's a great way to reuse plastic. I mean, it's still being used, but it's helpful. For example, I use the brand O U I D A D and they have a giant like 33 ounce size bottle or something and I write the date on it so I can see how long it lasts. I have a bottle. The shampoo is coming up on one year old and I'm just replacing it now for the first time. I also only wash my hair two to three times per week. So that's. Those are my thoughts. Maybe you can try to reduce plastic elsewhere. I don't know your coffee habits or shopping habits, but maybe there's an easier place for you to reduce. Right. That's my feeder. Bye.

[Dori Shafrir]

I like this perspective.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, I mean, it's sort of like carbon credits, right? Like if you're gonna use more one in one place, you can cut back in others.

[Dori Shafrir]

Totally, totally. And then, you know, the previous text brought up traveling. It's easier to travel with shampoo bars because they're not liquids. But we also got a text about travel size stuff because that had been something that another listener had written in about. And this person said highly Recommend the travel size Nalgene bottles and jars for liquids. They have them at the Container Store and are two to three dollars each. They're made of a more durable plastic than the cheapo ones from Target and they've never leaked on me in 10 years. I did not even know Nalgene made travel size stuff.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, I didn't. I didn't either. I. I'm such a devotee of like the Muji. I use a lot of Muji travel stuff.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Elise Hu]

So I had no idea. But I do love the Container Store and it's very soothing to go to a container store and just like see all of the ways to organize and get organized. I end up not shopping there that often. I think I go there to window shop because I don't want to buy more plastic to organize my current stuff, you know, So I try to reduce even getting too much extra organization. But okay, I like going to the store. It's the same reason I like it. My TikTok algorithm sending me the restocking videos. I get a lot of like restocking on my TikTok and it's just like somebody stocking their fridge with snacks or somebody stocking their fridge with drinks. I like it. It's really soothing for some reason. It's like my asmr.

[Dori Shafrir]

I love that. Okay, well, we're gonna take another short break and when we get back, we have an FYI about vitamin C because this came up recently where a listener was wondering if it was her vitam was still good to use after it

[Elise Hu]

smelled like soy sauce.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

We said toss it. We said.

[Dori Shafrir]

We said no. All right, we will be right back. I am really feeling that the busy season has started. I don't know about you, Elise.

[Elise Hu]

Yes.

[Dori Shafrir]

But I think what's really important is that we need to remember to put a little bit of ourselves first too. And we can do that with the brand new Peloton Cross Training Tread plus, powered by Peloton iq. It's Peloton's most elevated equipment with real time guidance and endless ways to move alone or with your favorite instructors. It's cross training reimagined with features designed to help you reach your goals effortlessly. And personally. I know that having a plan helps me stay motivated. Knowing that I have a certain class on a certain day, even at a certain time, helps me move forward with my fitness goals, even if I don't really want to show up on that certain day or certain time.

[Elise Hu]

I get it.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yeah. Peloton IQ provides just that with their personalized plans and recommendations. This can include weekly recommended classes led by instructors who match your mood, vibe and personality, not to mention the variety in workouts available. Go on a 45 minute run on the tread plus or a 5 minute stretch off of it. With one smooth spin of that swivel screen, it offers endless ways to train for a well rounded routine. No matter how busy you are, let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push and go Explore the new peloton cross training tread plus at 1peloton.com starting something new like a business is scary. So much can go wrong and there are so many things you don't even know you don't know. But partners like Shopify take a lot of the guesswork out of the equation. It even helps you keep from wasting time whether you're uploading new products or trying to improve existing ones. Shopify is packed with helpful AI tools that write product descriptions, page headlines, and even enhance your product photography. Get the word out like you have a marketing team behind you. You can easily create email and social media campaigns wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. Best yet, Shopify is your commerce expert with world class expertise in everything from managing inventory to international shipping to processing returns and beyond. Don't worry about getting stuck on something. Shopify is always around to share advice with their award winning 24. 7 customer support. That's right, humans on the other end of the keyboard. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Thrive Cosmetics, Mattel or Rare Beauty to brands just getting started. It's time to turn those what ifs into with Shopify today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com forever35 go to shopify.com forever35 that's shopify.com/forever35. Okay, we are back and here is the voicemail.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Hey Dori and Elise, I have a response to the caller about the vitamin C serum. So Chemist Confessions, the two ladies that you've had on the podcast before, they are. They used to be skin care chemists at l'. Oreal. They are experts on the color and smell of vitamin C. I love them for it. You can actually take a picture of the color of your own vitamin C and send it to them on Instagram and they'll let you know if you should check it or not. Anyway, all vitamin C serums. The ones that are like C E, ferulic acid from skinceuticals and such. Yes, they are all going to smell like. They call it like hot dog water. That's just the way it is. So, yeah, the smell is fine. The color can get amber to a dark amber, they say, but straight up brown. I would toss it, so I hope that helps.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, so you can just send a photo to the Chemist Confessions on Instagram and find out. So judge by color. So according to this color and the chemists, you're supposed to judge by color, not judged by smell. Because the smell could potentially smell like salty hot dog water. I just don't want to put that smell on my face. Like, let's say nothing of whether the vitamin C is effective.

[Dori Shafrir]

I know I don't want my face. Sometimes it's really salty, sometimes it's really stinky.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. And this is why I must put in a plug again for my sulwhasoo First Care activating serum, or whatever it's called, because it's got this nice citrusy scent as well. It's very, very light and subtle.

[Dori Shafrir]

Okay.

[Elise Hu]

So not only does it feel good to put this serum on your face, it also smells nice.

[Dori Shafrir]

Great. I really dig it. Then we also got a voicemail about sunscreen. This is the same listener.

[Voicemail Caller / Guest]

Oh, one more thing. I also wanted to respond to her sunscreen question. So, according to Tennis Confessions, also, the best sunscreen is the sunscreen you use. So if you like and love and enjoy putting on and the texture of the bare minerals, then stick with it. If that's something you do every morning, stick with it. Texture. They always say texture is king. So if you like it, use it. So the best sunscreen is the one you use. So I think if you want the bare Minerals and it's 30 SPF, I think that that's great. I would. I'm channeling my inner chemist confession, but I would think that they would say yes and also always reapply. But let's get real. We have lives and it's hard to do that. So I think if you're doing it every morning, I think you're doing an amazing job. And keep talking.

[Elise Hu]

I should mention you asked me at the top of the show if I had anything I wanted to mention. I forgot until now. But Michelle Monahan, who's the actor, who was one of the three besties in season three of White Lotus. Remember, there were three besties. Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monahan, and Carrie Coon. So Michelle Monahan was the one who hooked up with the guy who works at the hotel, and she's the actor. And sorry, spoilers for White Lotus Season 3. And anyway, she just wrote a kids book for a kids company, which is the company that I host the parenting podcast for. So a kids co has a series of books. Like a kid's book about racism was one of their first one. A kid's book about anxiety, a kid's book about, you know, disability, and a kid's book. All different kinds. So she just penned one. Oh, I know. That's like your. That's. That's the thing that you hate, right? Like when we say penned instead of wrote. Yes, she just wrote one. Let me just code switch for you. Door.

[Dori Shafrir]

Thank you. Thank you so much.

[Elise Hu]

She just wrote a kid's book for a kids co called A kid's book about sun Protection. So I don't know if. Yeah, yeah. And I just came out. Hang on. I want to make sure it's sun safety. Sorry. It's a kids book about sun safety by Michelle Monahan. It's from Penguin Random House, and it's for kids ages 5 through 9. And it's supposed to empower kids to make sun safe choices and prioritize skin health. She's a big skin advocate, I guess. Sun safety advocate, I guess. Anyway, so I was excited about that. And so if you have kids who might benefit from caring more or knowing about sun protection, now there's a kids book for it.

[Dori Shafrir]

I love that. And then our last text was another callback to a hot topic that's been sort of ongoing for the last few weeks, which is soft pants. So someone wrote in with a link that we'll link in the show notes on the website to a pair of Athleta pants called the Venice High Rise Wide leg pant. Oh, they have a nice wide waistband. I love a wide waistband.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, it looks.

[Dori Shafrir]

And they say on the topic of soft pants, I got these in a few colors and they check most of the boxes. Wide waistband. Thank you. Pockets. Soft and comfy looks put together while traveling. They also come in a jogger style. I find the regular length to be too long for me. I'm five' five. But they have tall and petite lengths. They are having a good sale right now. Okay, good to know. Thank you so much. These do look very nice. I also see how they would be long. Like they look like they are made to be long. So I would maybe also. And I'm five, six. I would maybe also get the petite. So that's. That's also a hot tip. Thank you. All right, well, that brings us to the end of the. The show. Thank you all so much for listening and we will talk to you soon. Take care.

[Elise Hu]

Talk to you next time.

[Dori Shafrir]

Bye. I am really feeling that the busy season has started. I don't know about you Elise. Yes, but I think what's really important is that we need to remember to put a little bit of ourselves first too. And we can do that with the brand new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus. Powered by Peloton iq, it's Peloton's most elevated equipment with real time guidance and endless ways to move alone or with your favorite instructors. It's cross training reimagined with features designed to help you reach your goals effortlessly. And personally, I know that having a plan helps me stay motivated. Knowing that I have a certain class on a certain day, even at a certain time, helps me move forward with my fitness goals. Even if I don't really want to show up on that certain day or certain time.

[Elise Hu]

I get it.

[Dori Shafrir]

Yeah. Peloton IQ provides just that with their personalized plans and recommendations. This can include weekly recommended classes led by instructors who match your mood, vibe and personality, not to mention the variety in workouts available. Go on a 45 minute run on the tread plus or a 5 minute stretch off of it with one smooth spin of that swivel screen. It offers endless ways to train for a well rounded routine. No matter how busy you are, let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push and go Explore the new peloton cross training tread [e-mail] hi, this is Hannah Burner from Giggly Squad. Have you ever put on a bra that makes you feel like a goddess? Prepare to be obsessed with the Dream Angels Wicked Bra from Victoria's Secret, the iconic brand behind the world's most comfortable bras. And I only wear the most comfortable bras. The bestseller features an innovative sling for perfect lift without padding and the fit is chef's kiss. Awaken your inner goddess with new colors and super femme lace embroidery. Find out why this bra has thousands of five star reviews and counting. Shop it in stores and online at victoriasecret. Com.