The Link Up: How Arlyn Stops Thigh Rub, Sara’s New Hair Must Have & A Better Than “The Real Stuff” Ice Cream

We hope you all were into yesterday’s team shorts review post. If you missed it, head here to check it out (we found a pair that worked for ALL of us, FYI…a true miracle). And because we’re an office full of women with tons of recommendations, we’re back with another edition of The Link Up where we blab about all the things we’re…blabbing about to each other. Let’s go:

You may remember when Emily, Velinda and team did our first Flash Makeover with Pen & Napkin. This was a part of a larger collaboration series that they are doing with a bunch of LA designers. Next up was the extremely talented Justina Blakeney (of The Jungalow) and no surprise here, she killed it. Emily obviously loved her reveal and wanted to make sure everyone also sees it and spreads the word on the awesome work of Pen & Napkin.

As you probably noticed on Emily’s Instastories, part of the EHD team was in Salt Lake City, Utah, for our Velux Brighten Up Any Room giveaway. What you might not know (but could probably guess), the production team is all about turning up the music during long project install days. Julie bought this small but mighty speaker to bring with the team and it’s perfect for traveling or summer outdoor adventures. Emily Bowser has the same one which she uses to listen to her sleep sounds every night.

Caitlin’s knowledge of life insurance begins and ends with podcast ads, so she actually really enjoyed reading this article on Cup of Jo where a real-life expert answers big questions about what life insurance actually IS and when you actually need to buy it. (She also feels way smarter because now she knows the difference between term- and whole- life insurance, which is like, a pretty adult thing to know about. And unlike some of her coworkers who need coverage, Caitlin learned that she can safely put off worrying about it for a few years.)

It’s getting really hot here in LA and while Jess loves her apartment, she does not have a good air-conditioning system. She just bought this white tower fan and loves it. It’s aesthetically pretty great, has a few different setting options and comes with a remote. All that for $50.

Chandler just bought the Glossier Lash Stick this weekend, and, so far, she’s really happy with it! “The formula is light but the color is dark, which works really well on my fine and very light eyelashes. It isn’t dramatic but leaves you with really natural summer lashes. And to top it off, it is reasonably priced and the packaging is quite nice on the eyes. If you are local to LA, go to the store on Melrose. You won’t be disappointed!”

As someone who really pays attention to sustainable food options, Bowser has been using Butcher Box (which delivers 100% grass-fed and -finished beef, pork and free-range organic chicken) for a year and has found that it pretty much covers the protein (for 2) for the month. If you missed her Podcast call out, the founder, Michael Salguero, was on Bulletproof radio and talked about “Why Quality Meat Matters for You and the Planet.” It’s a fascinating take on why farming animals ethically is important not only to our health but also our soil.

This week’s house tour is from the one and only Amber Lewis. This particular home is not only beautiful but has a pretty great serendipitous story that you should definitely read.

Ryann has been following Otherwild on IG for a while now and just loves their general ethos—but she recently discovered that they launched Otherwild General, a zero-waste shop (they even have a brick and mortar in LA!) and now she is even more obsessed. All their products are so cute and affordable and she cannot wait to stock up.

Velinda got this dairy-free ice “cream” for her wife who has a severe dairy allergy. She got “the real stuff” for herself but ended up begging Katie to share half of her’s. It’s. So. Good. 

Sara has been using this Kristin Ess hair mask and it REALLY makes my hair so soft and shiny. Plus, she loves that all of Kristin’s stuff is cruelty-free, affordable and available at Target.

Mallory wants to talk about the simplest (and FREE) little thing that actually changed her life. It’s called Google Momentum and if you don’t have this on your computer, you must download it. It’s basically a Google Chrome extension that you can set as your homepage whenever you open up a new tab. All it is is a beautiful screen with GORGEOUS photos that change daily, a to-do list you can customize, your daily goal, and a comforting “Good morning, Mallory” (or afternoon, or evening). It brings her so much joy every single day and she’s making everyone in the office get it on their computers so we can all share daily quotes.

Veronica recently bought two pairs of these shorts from Zara (in denim blue and black) and she wears them basically every day. She loves a good “mom fit” (meaning something not super tight) and these are super comfortable and great for every occasion whether it be a day at the beach, lounging around the house, or running around doing errands. “These are like the yoga pants of jean shorts. Highly, highly recommend but maybe size up.” 

Speaking of shorts, Arlyn’s thighs have touched since she was basically in the womb (her words), and she’s always been so jealous of women who can prance around all summer in a dress or shorts without worrying about raw, chafed thighs. She typically wears the affordable shorty Spanx brand at Target, less for the “suck in” power and more to prevent irritated thigh skin in dresses, BUT NO MORE. Megababe’s Thigh Rescue anti-chafing stick is fantastic and she highly recommends it. Also, their Bust Dust to prevent swamp boobs in the hotter months.

Okay bye until tomorrow! xx

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