Cosmic beings, welcome to the final week of July, and it happens to be one of the most astrologically active weeks of the month. As the week begins, Saturn starts its retrograde in Aries, just days after Mercury ended its own retrograde. Saturn’s energy tends to be less in our faces because its lessons unfold slowly, through responsibility, discipline, and the work we know deep down still needs to be done. Between now and December, old promises we made to ourselves may come back into focus, along with unfinished projects, health goals, professional obligations, or personal commitments we’ve been procrastinating on because they felt too overwhelming. The best way to work with Saturn retrograde is to be painfully honest about what that work is, then break it down into actionable steps instead of letting it loom over you. The more accountable you become now, the more satisfying it will feel when Saturn shifts direct at the end of the year and you can clearly see what your consistency created.

That same day, July 26th, the lunar nodes change signs and begin a brand-new eighteen-month chapter. The North Node leaves Pisces and enters Aquarius, while the South Node leaves Virgo and enters Leo, shifting our collective destiny toward humanitarianism, innovation, community, and finding solutions that serve more than one person at a time. The South Node in Leo asks us to release the shadows of extreme independence, ego, selfishness, or believing we have to do everything alone to prove our strength. What makes this especially interesting is that we’re also in the first full week of Leo Season, with Jupiter newly in Leo, so we still benefit enormously from Leo’s courage, confidence, creativity, and willingness to be seen. The lesson is learning how to let our individual light shine while remembering that it takes a village to build the future we keep saying we want.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon brings this nodal shift fully into our emotional awareness and closes the month on a powerful note. This Full Moon connects us back to the intentions we set around the Aquarius New Moon and solar eclipse on February 17th, which also marked the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse. Think back to where you were then, what you were hoping for, what you were ready to change, and how far that horse has already trotted over the past six months. This is a moment to celebrate what has manifested, acknowledge how much you’ve evolved, and recognize the people, communities, and unexpected opportunities that helped you get here. And if something you called in around February still feels unfinished, keep the faith. Eclipse season is right around the corner, and the first days of August may bring the movement or breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.

Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.

Aries Sun & Rising:

Aries, Saturn retrograde begins in your sign this week, and it’s time to get serious about the goals you keep saying you’ll come back to. Over the next four and a half months, personal plans that were delayed, avoided, or left half-finished may demand more of your attention, along with the habits and mindsets that have quietly been slowing you down. You’re being asked to take greater responsibility for your growth without turning your life into one long productivity boot camp. Simplify your priorities, create a realistic game plan, and give yourself enough structure to stay consistent without burning out.

The North Node enters Aquarius this week and begins an eighteen-month journey through your friendship, community, and social network sector, encouraging you to become much more intentional about who you surround yourself with and how you show up online. Your connections can open major doors during this chapter, but quality matters more than collecting followers, invitations, or attention for the sake of feeling seen. With the South Node now in Leo, you’re also releasing the need to perform for validation and learning how to let your confidence speak for itself.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon brings something full circle in your friendship, technology, or social network sector. Think back to the fresh start you initiated around the Aquarius solar eclipse on February 17th, because a result, revelation, celebration, or important next step may emerge now. Pay attention to what is being illuminated about your community and your future. You’re entering a new chapter with a much clearer understanding of who belongs in it.

Taurus Sun & Rising:

Taurus, Saturn retrograde begins in your spirituality and solitude sector this week, and the inner work you’ve been postponing may start asking for your attention. Old fears, buried emotions, and patterns you thought you had moved past could resurface over the next four and a half months, but healing doesn’t have to mean replaying every painful memory until you’re exhausted. You can heal through embodiment, movement, meditation, decluttering, better sleep, and creating enough quiet to hear yourself clearly. The actions you take in the present moment can release more than constantly analyzing the past.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your career sector, pushing you far beyond what feels familiar. This chapter is disruptive in the most necessary way, because your best opportunities will come from experimenting, taking risks, and doing things differently than you usually would. At the same time, the South Node enters Leo in your home and family sector, asking you to release unhealthy family programming, enabling patterns, or toxic dynamics that have been normalized for too long. Your outer life can only expand as much as your inner foundation is willing to change.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon brings a major wake-up call in your career sector. Something that began around the February 17th solar eclipse may now come full circle through a revelation, result, ending, or bold new direction. The past six months have been leading you here, and the Fire Horse energy is fully awake now, ready to gallop. Your job is to stop standing in its way.

Gemini Sun & Rising:

Gemini, you just made it through your ruler Mercury’s retrograde, and now Saturn begins its retrograde in your friendship, technology, and social network sector. Over the next four and a half months, you may need to reassess the communities you’re part of, the role you play within them, and which long-term goals still deserve your energy. Some connections may require stronger boundaries, while others may reveal where more consistency and follow-through are needed. Be intentional about your online presence too, because Saturn wants your influence to have substance behind it.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your expansion sector, opening a major destiny chapter around travel, higher education, teaching, publishing, entrepreneurship, and seeing more of the world. Opportunities may come through returning to school, sharing what you know, or saying yes to experiences that stretch your perspective. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your communication sector, encouraging you to speak with greater purpose and release the habit of talking, posting, or performing simply to be seen.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates just how far you’ve come since the February 17th solar eclipse and the start of the Year of the Fire Horse. A vision you had around travel, education, business, or your larger life path may now feel much closer, or you may receive a clear sign about the next step. Six months later, the horse is still moving, and this Full Moon helps you recognize that you’ve covered more ground than you thought.

Cancer Sun & Rising:

Cancer, you just made it through Mercury retrograde in your own sign, and now Saturn begins its retrograde in your transformation, merging, and outside-resources sector. This is a quieter, more subconscious transit, but it can be deeply excavating over the next four and a half months. You’re being asked to evaluate where your energy goes, how you handle shared money, and who you choose to merge with sexually, emotionally, and spiritually. Pay attention to the bonds that leave you feeling nourished versus the ones that quietly drain you.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your health, work, and routine sector, making your day-to-day well-being a major part of your destiny timeline. This is your cue to take your body, schedule, and energy management more seriously, even through small changes that are actually sustainable. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your money sector, revealing financial habits, spending patterns, or beliefs about security that are ready to evolve.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates what is and isn’t working within your routines, work style, health habits, and mindset. Something that began around the February 17th solar eclipse may now reach a turning point, showing you where progress has already been made and where a reset is overdue. Let the truth of your everyday life guide your next move, because the habits you repeat are shaping the future you keep asking for.

Leo Sun & Rising:

Leo, Saturn retrograde begins in your expansion sector this week, asking you to get more serious about the future you keep envisioning. Over the next four and a half months, plans connected to travel, school, teaching, publishing, entrepreneurship, or a major leap of faith may need to be revisited and given more structure. Some dreams may have been delayed because the timing was off, while others need a stronger foundation before they can fully take off. This is your chance to refine the plan, handle the paperwork, strengthen your expertise, and make sure your next big move can actually support the life you want.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your partnership sector, making relationships, collaborations, and one-on-one connections a major part of your destiny timeline. At the same time, the South Node enters your sign, and you’re likely to feel this shift more personally than most. Over the next year and a half, you’ll be releasing outdated identities, attention-seeking patterns, and versions of yourself that were built around always having to be the strongest, brightest, or most impressive person in the room. You’re still meant to shine, especially with Jupiter in Leo, but this chapter teaches you how to share the stage, receive support, and let intimacy transform you.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your relationship sector and brings something full circle from the February 17th solar eclipse. A partnership may deepen, reach a turning point, or reveal exactly what your next step needs to be. Pay close attention to who is showing up for you now and how you feel when you’re around them. The new chapter ahead is less about doing everything alone and more about recognizing which connections are truly capable of growing with you.

Virgo Sun & Rising:

Virgo, Saturn retrograde begins in your intimacy, transformation, and shared-resources sector this week, asking you to take a closer look at what you owe, what you share, and where your energy has become too entangled. Over the next four and a half months, debts, taxes, investments, outside funding, or emotionally complicated bonds may need more attention than you’ve been giving them. This is also deeply psychological territory, so notice where fear, control, or difficulty trusting others has been shaping your choices. Handle what needs handling piece by piece rather than letting it grow into one giant monster under the bed.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your health, work, and routine sector, making the way you structure your everyday life central to your evolution. New technology, unconventional wellness practices, or a completely different work rhythm could help you become more efficient without running yourself into the ground. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your spirituality and subconscious sector, helping you release old fears, self-sabotaging habits, and the tendency to disappear into isolation whenever life feels overwhelming.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your routines, work life, and well-being, revealing what has genuinely improved since the February 17th solar eclipse and what still needs adjusting. A professional project, health goal, or lifestyle change may reach an important milestone, or your body may make it very clear where your current schedule is unsustainable. Let this Full Moon help you build a daily life that supports the future you’re calling in, because your habits are about to matter more than ever.

Libra Sun & Rising:

Libra, Saturn retrograde begins in your partnership sector this week, and the next four and a half months may require a more honest look at how you show up in your closest relationships. Commitments, boundaries, expectations, and unresolved dynamics could come back around, especially in connections where you’ve been doing too much, avoiding difficult conversations, or hoping things would somehow sort themselves out. This is your chance to define what partnership actually means to you now and create relationships that feel more balanced, mature, and sustainable.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your fate, creativity, romance, and inner child sector, encouraging you to take your joy much more seriously. Love, art, pleasure, visibility, and passion projects can all become part of your destiny timeline, especially when you’re willing to experiment and follow what genuinely excites you. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your friendship and social network sector, helping you release group dynamics, online spaces, and connections that revolve around popularity, performance, or being liked by everyone.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your creative and romantic life, bringing something full circle from the February 17th solar eclipse. A love story, passion project, personal dream, or inner child healing journey may reach a major milestone, or you may finally understand what your heart has been trying to tell you for the past six months. Let yourself celebrate what has grown, and follow the spark that feels too alive to ignore.

Scorpio Sun & Rising:

Scorpio, Saturn retrograde begins in your health, work, and routine sector this week, asking you to take a more honest look at the systems holding your life together. Over the next four and a half months, unfinished work obligations, neglected health goals, or habits that have been draining your energy may come back into focus. You don’t need to overhaul your entire life in one dramatic sweep, but you do need a routine that supports the version of you you’re becoming. Simplify where you can, strengthen your boundaries around work, and stop treating rest like something you have to earn after reaching total exhaustion.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your home, family, and roots sector, making your private life a major part of your destiny timeline. A move, renovation, relocation, family shift, or deeper sense of emotional security could become increasingly important during this chapter. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your career and public image sector, helping you release the pressure to constantly prove yourself through titles, achievements, or how impressive your life appears from the outside. Success may start looking more like peace, stability, and having somewhere you can fully exhale.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your home and family sector, bringing something full circle from the February 17th solar eclipse. A living situation, family matter, emotional realization, or decision about where you belong may reach a turning point. The past six months have been showing you what kind of foundation your next chapter requires, and this Full Moon makes the answer much harder to ignore.

Sagittarius Sun & Rising:

Sag, Saturn retrograde begins in your creativity, romance, fate, and inner child sector this week, asking you to get more disciplined about what brings you joy. Over the next four and a half months, a passion project, dating pattern, creative goal, or dream you once felt excited about may return for revision. You may also notice where fear of failure, rejection, or looking foolish has kept you from fully expressing yourself. Give your creativity structure, make time for play, and stop treating joy like something you can squeeze in after every responsibility is handled.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your communication, learning, writing, and local community sector, making your voice a major part of your destiny timeline. Teaching, speaking, content creation, media, short trips, or learning a new skill could open important doors, especially when you’re willing to experiment with how you share your ideas. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your expansion sector, helping you release outdated beliefs, the need to always have the answer, or the pressure to chase the next big adventure before fully absorbing what the last one taught you.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your communication sector and brings something full circle from the February 17th solar eclipse. A conversation, writing project, announcement, course, contract, or idea may reach a turning point, or you may finally see how much your mindset has changed over the past six months. The message is ready to move now, Sag. Say it clearly, send it, publish it, and let the next chapter respond.

Capricorn Sun & Rising:

Capricorn, your ruler Saturn begins its retrograde in your home, family, and roots sector this week, asking you to take a closer look at the foundation beneath everything else you’re building. Over the next four and a half months, unfinished responsibilities at home, family dynamics, housing plans, or emotional patterns from childhood may need more of your attention. You may feel called to reorganize your space, set firmer boundaries with relatives, or finally deal with something you’ve been carrying privately for too long. The goal is to create more structure and security in your personal life so you’re not trying to build your future on top of emotional clutter.

The North Node enters Aquarius and begins an eighteen-month journey through your money, self-worth, and values sector, making financial independence and a stronger sense of personal value central to your destiny timeline. New income streams, unconventional business ideas, technology, or a different relationship with money could open important doors. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your intimacy and shared-resources sector, helping you release unhealthy financial entanglements, power struggles, debt patterns, or bonds that require too much of you emotionally.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your money sector and brings something full circle from the February 17th solar eclipse. A financial goal, income opportunity, pricing decision, or realization about your worth may reach a turning point now. The past six months have been showing you where you’re ready to stop settling, and this Full Moon gives you a much clearer sense of what you can build when you fully back yourself.

Aquarius Sun & Rising:

Aquarius, your ruler Saturn begins its retrograde in your communication, learning, and local community sector this week, asking you to become more intentional about the way you think, speak, and follow through. Over the next four and a half months, unfinished writing projects, delayed conversations, paperwork, courses, or commitments may come back around for your attention. You may also notice where scattered thinking, over-explaining, or speaking before you’ve fully processed something has created extra work for you. Slow down, organize your ideas, and give your voice enough structure to carry the weight of what you’re trying to build.

The North Node enters your sign this week, beginning one of the most personally significant eighteen-month chapters you’ve experienced in years. Your identity, appearance, confidence, independence, and sense of direction are all evolving, and life may begin pushing you toward choices that feel more authentic, even when they surprise the people around you. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your partnership sector, helping you release relationships, compromises, and people-pleasing patterns that have required you to shrink yourself or perform a version of who others expected you to be.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon takes place in your sign, illuminating how much you’ve changed since the February 17th solar eclipse. A personal goal, reinvention, decision, or new beginning may reach a major turning point, and you could suddenly see your next chapter with much more clarity. The Fire Horse has been carrying you toward this moment for six months, Aquarius, and now you’re being asked to stop looking behind you and fully step into the person you’ve become.

Pisces Sun & Rising:

Pisces, Saturn retrograde begins in your money, self-worth, and values sector this week, asking you to get more honest about how you earn, spend, save, and value your time. Over the next four and a half months, financial responsibilities you’ve postponed may need to be handled, and certain income goals may require more structure than inspiration alone. This is also a deeper lesson in self-worth, especially if you’ve been undercharging, over-giving, or letting fear make decisions for you. Create a realistic plan, tighten what needs tightening, and remember that consistency can be its own form of abundance.

The North Node enters Aquarius on the 26th and begins an eighteen-month journey through your spirituality, healing, and solitude sector, making your inner life a major part of your destiny timeline. Your intuition may become louder, your dreams more revealing, and your need for rest, privacy, or spiritual practice much harder to ignore. Meanwhile, the South Node in Leo moves through your health, work, and routine sector, helping you release perfectionism, overwork, and the habit of proving your value through constant productivity. Your body is going to have opinions about your schedule, so listen before it starts sending calendar invites.

Then, on July 29th, the Aquarius Full Moon illuminates your subconscious and brings something full circle from the February 17th solar eclipse. A hidden fear, emotional pattern, spiritual message, or chapter you’ve quietly been processing may finally become clear. The past six months have been preparing you to release something you no longer need to carry, and this Full Moon gives you the awareness to close that door with peace and enter August feeling lighter.

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So often in the beauty space, trends are little more than repackaged ideas from decades past. The term anti-aging, for example, has been rightly scrutinized for years, gradually giving way to a new buzzword that’s popping up not only in the healthcare space, but in beauty, as well: longevity. 

Where anti-aging positions wrinkles, dullness, and other visible signs of time as problems to fear and fix, skin longevity — and now, its close cousin, skin preservation, which I’ll get to shortly — is rooted in maintaining healthy skin for the long haul. Rather than chasing quick fixes or making you feel guilty about your choices, the goal is to support your skin with consistent habits and ingredients that help it look its best for as long as possible. (We’ve already seen this shift in products like Tatcha’s The Longevity Memory Cream, a firm R29 favorite, and Paula’s Choice CellularYouth Longevity Serum, both of which lean into the idea of protecting skin’s future rather than reversing its past.)

Most recently, there’s No7’s new Prime Forever collection: a four-piece skincare routine built around the concept of preserving skin before visible aging really begins to accelerate.  

What is “skin preservation,” & how does it differ from “anti-aging”? 

Skin longevity and skin preservation are essentially two sides of the same coin: helping your skin look and function at its best for as long as possible. What I was more interested in, however, was how that concept differs from the traditional idea of anti-aging as it’s been marketed for decades. 

Multiple factors contribute to accelerated skin aging. Free radicals create oxidative stress that damages skin cells, UVA and UVB rays break down collagen and cause pigmentation, and naturally occurring enzymes gradually degrade collagen and elastin, leading to loss of firmness over time. “Skin preservation is less about the quick fix, whereas even a few years ago it was more about, ‘I want immediate gratification. I want to see instant results,'” says New York-based dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick. “In general, people are taking a much more proactive approach with their health, and I think we’re definitely seeing that with skin, too.” In other words, instead of waiting until concerns appear, there’s a new focus toward building a routine that helps slow down visible changes before they happen — a subtle but fascinating shift in how we think about (and talk about) skin. 

All of that brings me to No7, where I recently got an early look at the Prime Forever range. Prime Forever is somewhat niche in that it’s uniquely suited to people around my age, when the earliest signs of aging are beginning to emerge. At 32, I have very few fine lines or wrinkles, and still benefit from the naturally bouncy, collagen-rich skin of my twenties. I credit that largely to good genetics, a daily sunscreen habit, and staying out of the sun whenever possible — but everyone’s skin ages eventually, and I’m more interested in keeping mine as resilient and radiant as possible. 

That proactive, ounce-of-prevention approach isn’t unique to me — far from it. “Most people don’t want to dramatically change what they look like,” Dr. Garshick tells me. “They just want to keep looking and feeling good.” And that’s exactly where skin preservation fits in: maintaining what you have rather than trying to undo years of accumulated damage later. 

Keep reading for my review of each No7 Prime Forever product and why they deserve a spot in your skincare regimen.  

Prime Forever Transformative Gel-Oil-Milk Cleanser, $19.99

The four-step routine begins with the Prime Forever Transformative Gel-Oil-Milk Cleanser, which dispenses as a gel before emulsifying into a silky, milky texture with water. Packed with glycerin to help draw moisture into the skin, plus antioxidant-rich vitamin E, it left my face feeling clean without that tight, stripped feeling. The texture is absolutely divine, and I find it works best as a luxurious morning cleanse or as the second step after an oil cleanser in the evening.

Prime Forever Preservation Serum, $39.99

Next comes the Prime Forever Preservation Serum, a lightweight formula that tackles multiple concerns at once. Alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid, it features niacinamide to help brighten and support the skin barrier, plus peptides that work to boost collagen and elastin over time. Despite packing in so many actives, it didn’t irritate my sensitive, breakout-prone skin one bit. (Also, the texture is incredibly silky and absorbed almost instantly; my skin practically drank it up.) It layers beautifully under moisturizer, never feeling sticky or pilling, making it an easy addition to both morning and nighttime routines.

Prime Forever Weightless Moisturizer, $39.99

An unexpected standout from the collection was the Prime Forever Weightless Moisturizer. Despite its cushiony gel texture, it delivers the kind of lasting hydration I’d normally expect from a much richer cream. Alongside hydrating humectants like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, and the range’s signature peptide-and-antioxidant complex, it leaves skin looking plump and feeling comfortably moisturized without crossing into greasy territory. This is true for the entire Prime Forever lineup, but the textures really impressed me; if I were testing these blind, I’d assume they came from a luxury beauty counter rather than the drugstore aisle. 

Prime Forever SPF50 Primer, $34.99

Last but certainly not least is the Prime Forever SPF 50 Primer, which serves as the final step in your morning skincare routine. While it’s designed to prep skin for makeup, I’d happily wear it on its own thanks to its smoothing finish and broad-spectrum sun protection. Formulated with vitamin E and soothing aloe vera, it helps keep skin comfortable throughout the day while chemical UV filters provide completely transparent SPF 50 protection without even a whisper of white cast. What impressed me most, though, was the finish: it softens the look of texture, keeps excess shine at bay, and leaves my skin looking naturally radiant rather than starkly matte. SPF-infused primers are somewhat of a growing category, and I’m generally in favor of anything that makes UV protection feel more effortless. Still, think of this as a bonus rather than replacing your primary sunscreen to ensure you’re getting adequate UV protection.

Final Thoughts

\In a skincare landscape where expensive products and even more expensive in-office treatments like neuromodulators, fillers, and lasers claim to turn back the clock, I was honestly impressed at No7’s Prime Forever range. The formulas feel luxurious to use, but the prices remain relatively accessible, ranging from $20 to $39. And as gratifying as it is to see fast results, testing this routine is something that will inevitably require patience on my end; given where my skin is currently at, it’s likely that I won’t be able to truly appreciate the results of practicing safe sun and having a good skincare routine until five, maybe even 10, years from now. But you know what they say about marathons and sprints. 

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From Taylor Swift to Dua Lipa, this has been quite a year for weddings. In the midst of all of the lovey-dovey gatherings, I’ve noticed a trend start to emerge: whether at a beachside ceremony or a garden nuptial, the best-dressed guests are adding a touch of attitude to their looks with twirl-worthy fringe.

Sometimes the frilly detail anchors a micro mini, adding just the right amount of coverage for a polished look. Other times, it’s broken up into tiers, creating a mélange of textured ruffles on the hem of a maxi dress. Either way, it’s a go-to for some of the most stylish women in the world. Zendaya made heads turn in a Christian Cowan LBD earlier this summer. On the other side of the color spectrum, Dakota Johnson was seen at the Cannes Film Festival last summer in a bubblegum pink Gucci number.

MADRID, SPAIN – JUNE 15: Zendaya attends the “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” photocall at Four Seasons Hotel on June 15, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images)

CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 19: Dakota Johnson attends the “Highest 2 Lowest” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)

There are multiple ways to incorporate the trend into your dressier moments. In our Summer 2026 Lookbook photographed by Nigel Barker and Miss J on the Creative vision, model Mercedes Yvette Scelba-Shorte was the best-dressed guest in a silky dress layered with a fringe sash (pictured above). I have even seen some of the biggest street style stars turn a fringe scarf into a belt, arguably one of the most versatile ways to wear the celebrated detail.

And the beautiful fringe looks don’t stop there. Visit any one of your favorite websites and you’ll see that fringe fever is in full effect, from Net-A-Porter’s luxe edit of tasseled designs to Nordstrom’s wide range of options, there’s something for everyone.

Whether you’re looking for a little bit of flounce or head-to-toe tinsel, find the perfect fringe wedding guest dress below.

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Illustration of Saturn.

Mark your calendars because as of July 26th, another planet will shift into its retrograde orbit: Saturn in Aries. From July 26th to December 10th, Saturn will make a cosmic U-turn, forcing us to face our fears. Michelle Tea, spiritualist and author of several books, says “Saturn retrograde can be a real ass-kicking for relationships, but necessary.” The author of upcoming book, Free Love: Adventures in Marriage and Polyamory, continues, “If things have been sliding, neglected, ignored, Saturn gives you another chance to do right. Saturn is not merciless — Saturn roots for us! — but Saturn warns us as well to not waste but we’ve been given, including a second chance!” 

Don’t be too disheartened though as Saturn retrograde isn’t necessarily a bad time for us to plan for the future. When the austere planet begins to moonwalk, it offers a moment of reflection in which we can plot our next moves, so get ready. It’s imperative we know how to temper the energy and pursue our goals without being too pushy. Saturn retrograde offers us the chance to create a game plan that fits our daily demands, lifestyle, and schedule. We aren’t try-hards; on the contrary, we’re able to attain our goals without stressing over the outcome. The path to success may not look like what we thought it would, but it takes us to where we need to be.

This retrograde is a moment in time when we will boss up in all our endeavors. Saturn’s backspin offers us the chance to take charge and to elevate our businesses to the next level. When direct, Saturn represents company management or the principal imposing rules in school; the opposite is true when retrograde. Saturn’s regressive state evolves into something more, giving us the wherewithal to implement new visions and heightening our desire to innovate, allowing us to impose radical values on societal norms and standards. We aren’t afraid to take a stand.

Setting healthy aspirations can be challenging because we are assessing our circumstances intuitively. Rigidity is not on the agenda, which is why adhering to a schedule is useless. Life as we know it is in flux, so go with the flow. Use the retrograde to revise programs, routines, or habits. But do not try to change everything all at once, because it won’t go over so well and will be difficult to stick to once the retrograde completes its cycle. We need to do research and refine our situation before getting on board with a new program to ensure it aligns with our long-term goals.

Despite all the retrograde madness occurring at the moment from Mercury, Neptune, and Pluto (in September, Uranus starts diving backward), Saturn’s backsplash urges us to level up our relationships. As a result, we may be more inclined to connect with others intimately. Pursuing a relationship could be concerning if we do not choose to yield our passions. The caveat is that jumping in too soon before getting to know the other person can create problems if we aren’t careful, so make the effort to get to know them and take it slow. Intentional dating is advisable to ensure our needs and wants are satisfied.

The key ingredients for a successful Saturn retrograde are implementing boundaries — not only for others but for ourselves as well. We should stay in our lane and not swerve into criticizing others or casting judgment until we know the full story. We expect the same from others, so we must practice what we preach.

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For Jenee Naylor, success requires a roadmap. Now, that doesn’t mean following a traditional path or climbing the corporate ladder, but rather looking to others for what is possible. ‘Seeing is believing,’ the founder of 12PM Studios tells host Erica Chidi Cohen, and now she hopes to inspire other Black women by sharing all that she’s learned. 

Before Jenee made her first major splash with her blog HighLowLuxxe, she got her start on the floor of a Target store in the DMV. She started managing a team of people and moving up the ranks. “I learned how to be a business person through that role,” she shares. She thrived in leadership, particularly because it allowed her to pour into others; she loved teaching, training, and getting people promoted; she was a campus recruiter for Howard. In many ways, it laid the foundation for what was to come. Working for a big store taught her the value of strategy and everything having a place.  “So much of my personality is about being efficient and making the most of things.” 

Her blog, HighLowLuxxe, was “something clever that represented me,” Jenee says it was true to who she was at the time, mostly shopping fast fashion but splurging on something with her bonus check. It was the perfect blend of Jenee’s expertise and her sharing what she was learning about the world of luxury. Part of what made the blog such a success was Jenee’s honest approach to creating content. Sure, she’d have a flawless beat, but she’d shoot her videos in one take. And authenticity might be the key to her long-term success. “Consistency and longevity are hard to maintain if you are putting on an act,” she shares. 

It takes a lot of bravery to walk away from something when it’s working, and working well. Although HighLowLuxxe was a resounding success, Jenee felt called to build something in her own name. She

walked away from high/low luxe to build 12PM Studios, her extremely chic sunglasses company. Why eyewear? For one, it’s “the only thing I care enough about to talk about every day,” Jenee laughs. But also, once Jenee reached the point of success where others were photographing her, she realized sunglasses can offer a bit of protection, a very chic shield from the outside world. So, she looked at what was out there, how others were succeeding, trusted her instincts, and built herself another roadmap. Learn more about how she got from managing a Target to selling her products in Target in this episode of Go Off, Sis.

Watch the full episode below

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This summer’s biggest trend, quite literally, is chunky jewelry. Unlike most seasonal trends, this one is not going anywhere anytime soon. Once you fall for chunky jewelry, it quietly becomes part of your personal style, to the point where people can’t imagine you without it.

No one embraced the spirit of chunky jewelry quite like the late, great fashion icon Iris Apfel. Long before oversized bangles and sculptural necklaces took over the fashion world, she built an unforgettable personal style around maximalist jewelry. Her bold accessories became a reflection of her fearless personality, making it almost impossible to picture her without them. And from what we’re seeing now, maybe we’re all channeling our inner Iris Apfel this summer.

Whether it’s a beach day, a city stroll, dinner plans, or a night out, chunky jewelry belongs everywhere. After all, an accessory is the finishing touch that can completely transform any outfit.

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Although the chunky jewelry trend can be traced back to the 2010s, fashion has been moving in this direction again over the past few years. Schiaparelli was among the first to bring statement jewelry back into the spotlight in 2023 with its surrealist accessories. And as maximalism gradually made its way from the runway into everyday wardrobes, surrealist jewelry evolved into something far more wearable.

This change became even more visible on the latest runways, with Sarah Burton’s debut Givenchy SS26 collection showcasing oversized necklaces and statement earrings, while Zimmermann’s SS26 collection featured sculptural jewelry alongside its romantic summer aesthetic.

This summer, the bigger the better. Less layering of dainty pieces, and more styling with larger accessories. Sometimes, all it takes is one great find to become the centerpiece of your wardrobe. My go-to summer outfit formula starts with a white tank top, relaxed linen trousers, oversized sunglasses, kitten heel mules, and as much chunky jewelry as I can get. Colorful resin bangles, sculptural earrings, and playful shapes always work together. The only rule I stick to is keeping each jewelry category consistent: silver with silver, resin with resin. Another key element is to let just one jewelry category do the talking.

During the day, style a sheer cape top with denim shorts, flip-flops, and oversized resin bangles for an effortless summer look. For evenings, pair a simple midi summer dress with sculptural gold earrings, chunky gold rings, and strappy heels. For me, everything else in your outfit can change, but a great chunky ring stack can remain your signature finishing touch. The trick is this: chunky rings are the ultimate day-to-night jewelry, and, sometimes, even piece you’ll wear for a lifetime, like Dua Lipa’s chunky engagement ring, which has quickly become one of the most talked-about jewelry pieces of the year.

In the summer, chunky jewelry can take the form of an abstract shape, like fruit, flowers, or seashells. Pair oversized shell earrings with a monochrome matching set for an effortless vacation look, or let a stack of colorful resin bangles elevate a simple white sundress. One of my personal favorites in my jewelry drawer is a pair of oversized cherry earrings, which I happily wear with everything from a white tank and denim shorts to a simple midi dress. Whichever way you choose to style it, chunky jewelry is the perfect trend to express yourself and be as loud as you want, like Apfel proudly did. 

And when fall arrives, Valentino’s FW26 collection proves that oversized jewelry also works just as well layered over knitwear and tailored coats. You can also layer thick bracelets over fitted long-sleeve tops and style oversized chokers over turtlenecks. Voilà, you’re ready to take this “summer” trend into the cooler months.

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If you’re buying, mine’s a flat white with an extra shot and a dash of hazelnut syrup. And while I prefer to get my caffeine fix in coffee form, it seems I might be missing a trick when it comes to skincare.

This month, The Ordinary lifted the lid on its new Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum, which it calls an “energizing face serum to instantly refresh tired-looking skin.” As a longtime fan of all things The Ordinary, and who recently went through a stressful period that led to dullness, breakouts, and hyperpigmentation, it went straight into my bathroom cabinet.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new product and why it’s already racking up hundreds of five-star reviews.

The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum, $9

What is The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum, and what are the benefits?

According to The Ordinary, the latest addition to its burgeoning serum family firms, energizes, tones, and tightens skin. These are certainly bold claims, but the brand believes it can back them up with a handful of effective ingredients.

First up, caffeine. Consultant dermatologist Dr. Derrick Phillips tells me that while we’re often advised to limit the amount of caffeine we consume, applying it to the skin is a different story. “Caffeine is used in skincare for its antioxidant properties,” says Dr. Phillips, which helps protect skin against dulling environmental aggressors like pollution and UV.

There’s more. “Its ability to temporarily constrict blood vessels can help to reduce the appearance of puffiness, which is why it is commonly included in under-eye creams and serums,” adds Dr. Phillips. He explains that when applied topically, caffeine acts locally rather than having the whole-body stimulating effects associated with drinking coffee. That said, the results are generally temporary, explains Dr. Phillips: “It will all depend on the concentration of caffeine and the overall formulation of the product,” he says, “but it can be a useful ingredient for making the eye area look less puffy and more refreshed.”

Then there’s escin, not to be mistaken for ectoin, the moisturizing ingredient. I consider myself something of an ingredient know-it-all, but even I hadn’t heard of it before. Dr. Phillips says that escin, also known as aescin, is a mixture of naturally occurring compounds called triterpenoid saponins. “These are derived from horse chestnut seeds,” says Dr. Phillips, adding, “Escin has anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties, which is why it is sometimes included in skincare designed to soothe the skin and reduce the appearance of puffiness.” Escin could also provide similar antioxidant benefits to caffeine, but Dr. Phillips says that the research on its skin rewards is currently lacking.

Besides these two, there’s also dry skin-quenching glycerin — an ingredient I look out for in all my serums and moisturizers. Not only is it non-comedogenic, so less likely to clog pores and cause breakouts, but it’s also considered a humectant, so it draws much-needed moisture into the skin, making it smooth and plump.

What makes The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum special?

The multiple five-star reviews for The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum speak for themselves. One user says they wouldn’t be without the serum, while another praises its ability to make their skin appear more awake and energized. One simply refers to it as “age-reverse.”

Since incorporating it into my skincare routine over the last three weeks, I’ve been wearing much less foundation and concealer because I’m convinced my skin looks brighter, radiant, and more even in tone. Applying a full pump of CC cream has felt like a little too much for me, which I think is a testament to the 3% caffeine. Thanks to the high concentration of glycerin, my skin feels a lot more moisturized, too, and on some days, when it’s too hot for a full skincare routine, I just apply a generous amount of the serum.

I haven’t noticed any change in my facial structure, but serums in general can only do so much, and it seems Dr. Phillips agrees: “A topical serum may temporarily reduce puffiness and improve hydration, which can make the skin appear fresher, smoother and slightly more defined, but the effects of a serum are limited to the skin,” he tells me. It’s not all about your collagen, either, as Dr. Phillips explains: “Facial shape and structure are also influenced by the underlying muscles, ligaments, fat compartments, and facial skeleton, which a topical product cannot alter.”

That said, at a recent beauty event, an editor peer took one look at me and asked if I’d had work done. I hadn’t — just the serum — but when I asked what they were thinking, they said my skin looked smoother and glowing, sort of like a Botox effect. Interestingly, Dr. Phillips says that any immediate lifting or contouring effects like these from serums are likely temporary, thanks to a boost in the skin’s hydration levels or reduced puffiness. Still, I’m impressed.

What to know about The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum

• Contains 3% caffeine and 1% escin to boost hydration, radiance, and firmness, while bacillus ferment keeps skin strong and supple.

• Can help reduce morning puffiness when massaged into the skin for one to three minutes.

• Suitable for all skin types and can be used in the morning and evening.

How do you use The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum, and is it worth it?

I find that hydrating, milky serums like this work best when applied after cleansing (to dry skin) and before moisturizer or sunscreen. In the morning, I wash my face with a gentle cleanser (I like Dermalogica Magnetic[+] Afterglow Cleanser) and pat a pipette-full of the serum onto my skin. Once it’s absorbed, I wait a couple of minutes before applying my sunscreen — Thankyou Farmer Sun Project Light Sun Essence SPF 50+. Because this feels so replenishing, I tend to skip moisturizer altogether. In the evening, I double cleanse, apply the serum, and follow with Hada Labo Tokyo Plumping Gel Cream. A few nights a week, I swap the serum for retinal to exfoliate and keep my hormonal skin in check.

If you’re after an instant glow boost without the need for makeup, you won’t be disappointed by this serum. Who knows, people might even think you’ve had a tweakment here or there…

Where can you get The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum?

The Ordinary’s Caffeine 3% + Escin 1% Face Serum retails for $9 and is available at theordinary.com, ulta.com, and nordstrom.com.

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Fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty, there’s a new YA film coming your way. The Devil’s Mouth follows a group of college friends who find themselves trapped with a bull shark in an underwater cave. Sharks, Gavin Casalegno, Lana Condor and Kathryn Newton? We’re sold. The survival horror film is directed by Jeff Wadlow, who was behind Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island and Imaginary. If you’re a horror fan, this will be right up your alley. Of course, a college trip wouldn’t be complete without some messy romance plot lines, so it will be interesting to see how that unfolds.

Below, find everything you need to know about The Devil’s Mouth, including the Australian release date, cast, plot and trailer.

When will The Devil’s Mouth be released?

The Devil’s Mouth will be released on July 29, 2026.

What is the plot of The Devil’s Mouth?

The Devil’s Mouth follows a group of college students on a trip in Thailand. While exploring some underwater caves, they get trapped inside a cave system with a bull shark. The only way to get out safely is to put aside their differences and work together. But even then, will they all make it out alive?

Who is in the cast of The Devil’s Mouth?

The cast of The Devil’s Mouth is fantastic. Kathryn Newton stars as Charlie, Lana Condor as Kate, Gavin Casalegno as Greg, Nico Hiraga as James and Tommi Rose as Adrienne.

Is there a trailer for The Devil’s Mouth?

The trailer for The Devil’s Mouth has dropped, and it’s exactly what we want from a shark movie. You can watch it below.

We will update this as more information is released.

The Devil’s Mouth will hit Prime Video on July 29, 2026.

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Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

This week: A stay-at-home parent who makes $0 per year and spends it on some Kala Namak (black salt).

If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email. We are legally unable to publish any diaries that have been written with the use of AI.

This diary was written in 2026.

Interested in taking our latest Money Diaries survey? We’d love to hear your thoughts here.

Occupation: Stay-at-home parent
Age: 38
Location: Long Island, NY
Salary: $0
Joint Income/Financial Setup: My husband E.’s salary is $210,000 plus a bonus target of $40,000. We share our finances in a joint bank and credit accounts. Additionally, we’ll make $30K this year from a trust in E.’s name (amount varies year to year).
Assets:
Investment accounts: $894K plus $65K earmarked for our children.
Debt: $795,000 (house); $381,550 (condo)
Paycheck Amount (bi-weekly): $5,000
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $7,530.38
Loan Payments:
Car lease: $650
401k: $1,800
Utilities: ~$200
Phone plan: $25 (one of us is gifted a family plan)
Internet: $79.99
YouTube Premium: $23
Disney+: $4.99
Sirius Satellite Radio: $7.27
Apple Music: $10.99
IVF embryo storage: $115

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
No. I was in foster care, so all my caretaker cared about was getting the monthly check that came in for housing me. I participated in college because all my peers were going, and it seemed like a logical next step since I knew I could get a lot of financial aid and I’d have a place to live. I ended up getting a mix of needs-based and merit-based aid, so I didn’t have any loans (I was extremely lucky) for undergrad. I went to graduate school and didn’t get any aid. I took out modest loans at okay interest rates and paid them off aggressively over a few years.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
I was raised by a single mom (before my siblings and I were placed in foster care as teenagers). She talked to my siblings and me like we were adults. She stressed about money all the time. Our vacations were infrequent and done on the cheap. We camped in tents at a campsite and cooked all our own food. I once saw a paper she’d been writing on; it was a ledger for a vacation we were taking from New York to New Jersey. She’d written down every planned expense before the trip, including car mileage and gas cost to the gallon. My mom didn’t educate us about finances because she wasn’t good at it. I speculate, or maybe she was waiting until we got older, but then we were taken away from her. She lived (and still does live) paycheck to paycheck. Though she no longer takes care of dependents and now earns a comfortable, liveable wage, she is still unable to budget well or plan ahead.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My mom was a waitress and would bring me to work with her (I was elementary school age). It was my first unpaid job, but a job I took seriously as it was my first ever! I was given the task of filling the dishwasher with soap and running it. There were two bottles of soap next to each other and I was to ask the guy towering above next to me if I couldn’t remember which to use. Eventually I got embarrassed of not being able to remember which it was, so I guessed. I guessed wrong and after a minute, the floor filled with soap suds. The guy yelled a lot and kicked me out of the kitchen, never to return again. After that, I sat in one of the booths and played with my paper dolls. If I was lucky, my mom would give me some money to get a new paper doll book, and I would run to the Barnes & Noble (or was it Borders Books?) and get a new one or sit in the aisles and play with stuff.

For my first paid job, I was a paper girl for a newspaper in middle school (so around 12 to 14 years old). I had a scooter, which I balanced the papers on either side of the handles, so I used that to throw the papers to the neighbours and then race home to get my stuff to go to school. Before going out, we had to either package them with rubber bands or plastic sleeves in the event of rain or snow. I can’t remember if both of my sisters did the job too or only one of them. Weekly, I’d go after school to collect payment for the subscriptions and my take-home pay was any tips I received. I got the job for spending money. I used it to buy candy, toys, and clothing that wasn’t hand–me–downs. And I bought my first cell phone, which was a flip phone that I loaded a few dollars on a phone card. The only game I remember playing on the thing was Snake.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I worried about money growing up because of the things our biological mom shared with us before we were taken away from her. Stressing about making payments, utility shut-off, and moving happened a lot. Taking a cold shower in a cold house was not fun.

Do you worry about money now?
I still worry about money now despite a decent nest egg and marketable skills, so I don’t think it will ever go away. It’s not something I have been able to logic myself out of, unfortunately.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself when I aged out of foster care. I had extended care (since I was in college) and finished college at age 21, so the agency, at the time, gave me a small amount of cash (I think $600?), furniture you could pick from a catalog (I got a futon, a coffee table, and a TV stand), and helps you to secure housing. I was lucky enough to have the Section 8 program when I aged out and eventually earned too much money to warrant support. That benefit was a lifesaver. I would have been homeless when I left college had the housing transition program not been in place. I have been a long-time Money Diary reader, and have always been fascinated by people’s financial safety net responses. I would say that I never had a person I could financially rely upon before marriage. My safety net was my credit cards. I did use them and get into debt when I had to, and luckily have not had to go into severe credit card debt more than once. Now that I’m married, if we ever needed it, E.’s parents would be a financial safety net. However, like many loans received from family and friends, it would come with strings attached, so we wouldn’t consider it an option unless something dire happened.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.

Day One: Tuesday

7 a.m. — My husband, E., heads to a spin class. I keep shoving a pacifier and formula bottle in our baby T.’s mouth (E. always moves him into bed with me in the morning, so I can sleep a bit more). I give up on sleep and go to brush my teeth. I then wash my face using Cetaphil, followed by The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer and some Kiehl’s eye cream. I keep it simple per my dermatologist.

8:30 a.m. — I feed our cat. E. already fed our dog. I go downstairs to make breakfast. I ask Siri to play “Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson. It makes for a nice, easy morning playlist. I sauté spinach and sliced white mushrooms with oil, garlic, and salt. I make a tofu scramble from a random recipe online. E. rates it 4 out of 5. The spinach is so yummy! T. starts crying, so E. takes him to go change his diaper.

9:30 a.m. — I cuddle with T. in bed. He passes out quickly but I can’t so I read an article in The Atlantic. I grab a lemon meringue Coconut Cult and do a crossword puzzle. I’m still hungry so I grab a handful of peanut butter pretzels and a can of club soda, and settle in to work on a book I’ve been writing. Researching, learning new things, outlining my words and illustrations — this has been making me happy with this little project of mine.

12:15 p.m. — I take a break from writing to have lunch. I have a bowl of It-Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad from Bon Appetit that I prepped a few days ago. The Little Man (who was at his grandparents’ place) was dropped off by grandpa earlier and just woke up from his morning nap. I give him a peanut butter and jelly Uncrustable, which he demolishes, and some milk. He crawls into his stroller so I guess he wants a walk. E. gets the baby prepped and I get our Little Man ready for a walk out in the snow. After our walk I put on Bluey for the Little Man and work on my book some more.

5 p.m. — E. feeds the Little Man mush overnight oats for dinner. E. makes us ravioli with a butternut squash sauce and a side of sautéed kale for dinner. I put on Wayne’s World because I’ve been wanting to rewatch it and I like the soundtrack. We haven’t watched much TV lately as a couple because there hasn’t been anything we’ve both wanted to watch. T. is sleeping on top of me so I can’t move anyway. I feed T. a bottle when he wakes. We have dinner; I have a glass of red wine with it.

7:00 p.m. — E. takes the Little Man up for bath time and bed. I feed T. a bottle while finishing the movie. I journal a few sentences. Feed cat.

9:00 p.m. — Bedtime.

Daily Total: $0

Day Two: Wednesday

7 a.m. — T. wakes me. I stick a bottle in his mouth, he downs it and falls back asleep. I try to fall back asleep, too. T. starts to stretch and kick a lot so I pull out his piano kick gym. It’s the only interactive toy he can play with at his age. He starts kicking the piano and smiling.

7:30 a.m. — I put together a bowl of corn pop cereal and ask E. to make me a coffee because I think it always tastes better when someone else makes it. It’s a cup of hot Folgers with cold foam (maple flavored) from Trader Joe’s on top. I eat cereal in bed and watch T. play with his toy. He is adorable. E. goes to get our nanny in our car from the train station! She’s with us three days a week for 10 hours a day, generally.

8 a.m. — I put Bluey on projected to the bedroom wall for the Little Man to watch. I hand off T. to the nanny and the Little Man and I go to his room and take a glorious nap together.

12 p.m. — The Little Man wakes. I feed him a mush overnight oat and heat up leftover potatoes and tofu scramble for myself. E. helps himself to lentil salad from the fridge and goes back to his office area for some meetings. I didn’t have Indian black salt, as per the recipe, for the tofu scramble and hadn’t heard of it before. The scramble came out fine without it but the reviews on Amazon rave about its umami flavor. I’m influenced. $6.99

5 p.m. — E. goes to the grocery store to grab a few things for dinner: Cucumber, cherry tomato, olives, onion, and bananas. He also picks up a few things from the pharmacy (I think that one is personal haha). $23.50

6 p.m. — I prep dinner for everyone: A pita bread open-face sandwich with hummus, cucumber, tomato, feta, dill, olives, and lemon juice. As I’m eating it, I remember I planned on putting sumac on it. Oh well. I relieve our nanny so she can eat before she needs to leave.

7 p.m. — I put Little Man to bed. He decides to play on the floor and falls asleep with his stuffed dog as his pillow on the floor surrounded by his toys. This kid can fall asleep anywhere and I’m jealous.

9 p.m. — I feed the cat and wash my face and brush my teeth. I get in bed and scroll Reddit before lights out.

Daily Total: $30.39

Day Three: Thursday

4:30 a.m. — The Little Man is up and won’t go back to sleep. I join him in his room while he goes between playing, babbling, and crying. E. stays with T. in our room, who is up periodically for feedings. I eventually go downstairs and make a bowl of Corn Pops and share them with the Little Man.

9 a.m. — E. picks up our nanny. The Little Man is napping and E. and I leave to take T. to a doctor’s appointment. I prep a thermos of coffee to take with me. T. was transverse [the baby is lying horizontally] when I was pregnant with him, so they want to look at his hips and make sure everything is okay.

11 a.m. — E. and I are both so hungry so we stop off for some food near the doctor’s. We’ve been to this sandwich place before and it’s so yummy. I get a tuna melt, E. gets a chicken panini and a Diet Coke, and then we get a homemade chocolate chip cookie to share. The cookie is stuffed with a rainbow cookie inside. It’s so extra and yum. I make note of the brand and its website because I think it would make a good gift for friends and neighbors ($36.27). We stop at Whole Foods and Saks off Fifth. I saw online that they were going out of business but there aren’t any sales and there’s a ton of inventory. We get lime, tuna steaks, pasta, pasta sauce, some Rao’s prepared soups, and dark chocolate peppermint cremes ($70.87). $107.14

2 p.m. — I interview for a new job. It goes okay.

3 p.m — I do a Caroline Girvan workout on YouTube from her Iron Series. I learned about her from a fellow Money Diary writer and I like her workouts even more than all the ones on Beach Body. I find hers to be tough but I can still get through them.

3:30 p.m. — I realize we are out of Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning, which I need to make dinner, so I drive to Trader Joe’s. I get some chicken, bean rice and cheese burritos, the lemon arugula lazy salad I love so much, pumpkin seeds, truffle marcona almonds, delice cheese to go with the almonds, Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning, snack bites, and a fruit strip. E. feeds Little Man dinner while I’m gone. Overnight oats, tofu eggs, and sugar snap peas. At this age, he’s eating everything — even weird combos like this. We are lucky. $56.87

5 p.m. — I make everything crusted tuna steaks and a side of snap peas. I follow the recipe from What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers, which I borrowed from the library’s Libby app. I rate my execution 4 out of 5. The snap peas are so yummy coated in sesame oil and leftover seasoning from the tuna in the pan. I house a few Reese’s Oreos for dessert.

7 p.m. — I put the Little Man down for bed with a bottle of milk. E. takes our nanny to the train station and goes to a spin class. I pick up the book I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNally to read. I got it as a birthday gift and have been itching to read it. I love reading food books and memoirs. So far, this one is more of the latter.

8 p.m. — I take a break to go on the Trader Joe’s website and submit a form about a discontinued product. I haven’t seen the Meatless Meatballs lately and I miss them so. I like theirs better than the competitor brands. The form I fill out probably won’t have any impact but one can dream.

Daily Total: $164.01

Day Four: Friday

6:30 a.m. — The Little Man wakes. (At some point during the night, I went to sleep in his room because he was crying).

7 a.m — We go downstairs for breakfast. I have a lemon meringue Coconut Cult and sprinkle in mini chocolate chips. The Little Man doesn’t like it so I sprinkle Cheerios and banana pieces on the highchair. I’m going to the city today to meet my sister at her college dorm and celebrate her birthday. We are going to QCNY spa. They have a birthday promotion where the birthday person gets free entry in the month of their birth with a paying customer, but I waited to get a ticket too long and the birthday promo tickets were all claimed for the times we were able to go, so I bought both tickets at full price.

7:30 a.m. — I make some coffee and bring it to E. in bed as a little treat. E. and T. are just hanging out in bed, scrolling the internet.

9:30 a.m. — I grab a Nature Valley Peanut Butter granola bar and we take the Little Man to the library for baby sign language, but he’s not having it today. He’s rubbing his eyes and whining so we leave early and E. takes him home for nap time. I walk to the train station, which is near the library, and catch the train to the city. I read my book on the commute. $11.25

11 a.m. — I stop in at Milk Bar to get my sister some red velvet cake truffles to toss in her birthday gift bag because she’s been into red velvet lately. I get an iced cereal milk latte (it’s so yum) and a triple peanut butter cookie. The cookie is just okay. I put half away for later because I want to eat something more substantial ($18.61). I stop at Black Seed Bagels since I pass by it and get bagels and orange juice for me and my sister ($19.11). I stop at Eataly to get a Marvis toothpaste to add to her gift bag, too. She always sneaks into my bathroom when she comes to our home to use my toothpaste because she loves it. I get one for myself too since I’m running low ($22.86). Before this week, I purchased some other things that are in her gift bag (a Dutch oven and flaky sea salt because she’s recently gotten into cooking, a dry brush and reusable cotton rounds for makeup and nail polish removal). $60.58

1 p.m. — We get to the spa and have fun in the saunas and pools. Staff give us various complimentary treats such as cookies and face masks. We use a bunch of lotions and scrubs in different rooms. Our skin looks so good when we happen to see a mirror to glance in! We take a break to have a snack and drinks at the cafe. We each get a margarita, a snack plate to share with cheese, crackers and vegetables, and a prosecco strawberry sorbet. We stay in the outdoor infinity pool that overlooks lower Manhattan to watch the sunset. $401.62

7 p.m. — E. is early into the city, so he grabs a drink before dinner at a dive bar ($9). $9

8 p.m. — We meet E. for dinner. The table isn’t ready, so they comp us drinks at the bar and then a bunch of appetizers when we finally sit down. They apologize too many times for the table being ready so late. We eat and decline dessert. They bring us a complimentary dessert anyway for my sister’s birthday with a candle and she’s so smiley. It comes to $259.00 but I get a $50 American Express Gold Card benefit, so $209.00 it is! $209.00

10 p.m. — We decide to go to a cocktail bar. E. and my sister do several rounds of lemon drop shots. I sip two cocktails slowly… my stomach hurts and I know if I get drunk I’m going to throw up, and I already somehow feel like crap, so I don’t drink much. My sister keeps trying to pay for a round but E. keeps paying. Finally, my sister gets the bill first at the last round and has flirty banter with the waiter. I don’t know if she actually wanted to pay the whole time or get this guy’s attention. She excitedly tells me he flirted back. I tell her they always flirt back with her, and she graciously says “no, not always.” $154.32

12 a.m. — We walk my sister back to her dorm. Her life plan is to go to her old job where she was a dancer and reconnect with a bartender who was in love with her. I tell her not to break his heart this time and to be safe. E. and I get on the train to go home. For fun, we look up a cab, and it’s $175. A hotel in Manhattan for the night, comparatively, is $95. Either way, we get on the train like reasonable people who spent a ton on food and drinks tonight and go home. E. falls asleep on the train and I’m engrossed in my book. E. tries to initiate sex at home and we have a talk. I have no sex drive after giving birth for the second time. I’m worried it won’t return ever and he will give up and divorce me eventually. He says that won’t happen. Do they have Viagra for women??? $22.50

Daily Total: $868.27

Day Five: Saturday

11 a.m. — I lay in bed until 11. It’s pretty glorious. I keep waking and then putting myself back to sleep. I hear T. cry periodically. The nanny slept over so we could have the night out last night, and she’s still taking care of the baby. I go downstairs and make a bowl of Corn Pops.

12 p.m. — E. takes our nanny to the train station ($900 plus dinner for date night ($39.35)). $939.35

12 p.m. — The weather is so nice out, sunny and in the 50s, so E. wants to walk to a local restaurant with T. in the stroller before the grandparents bring the Little Man home from his sleepover. We get loaded nachos, club soda and iced coffee and feed T. a bottle while we eat. We walk the long way home because it’s so nice out. T. falls asleep on top of me while I read my book. I fall asleep, too. $32.13

6 p.m. — I make lentil burgers from a Bon Appétit recipe. I add egg as a binder, as I don’t know how this recipe works without it. E. feeds the Little Man some mac and cheese, and T. gets a bottle.

7 p.m. — After we eat, I bathe the Little Man and put him to bed. I read my book and have some dark chocolate peppermint creams.

10 p.m. — I have a banana and a Babybel snack. Brush teeth, floss, wash face. Give the pillow some head.

Daily Total: $971.48

Day Six: Sunday

8:30 a.m. — I lay in bed with T. 8:30. I kept him asleep with bottles and pacifiers. I make tofu scramble again because this time I can try it with the black salt that came in the mail. It’s crazy how eggy it smells. E. added cold cheese on top last time, so I fold in some shredded mozzarella. I would prefer cheddar but the mozzarella is already pre-shredded. The flavor isn’t that much different with black salt. The Little Man goes down for his morning nap.

10:30 a.m. — E. goes to spin and I feed T. a bottle and read my book. He falls asleep on me but not for long. I try to hold in a cough and can’t, which wakes him.

1:00 p.m. — I feed the Little Man an Uncrustable for lunch and pack everyone up to go to E.’s godparent’s house for bagels and a hike. We forgot to take the harness for T., so I take a nap on the couch. E.’s godmother takes T., and E. goes for a hike with the Little Man and his godfather.

5 p.m. — We go to E.’s parents’ house for dinner. We order Greek food for pickup. E.’s parents pay.

8 p.m. — We arrive home and our Target grocery delivery arrived on our doorstep. We ordered a bunch of produce, some snacks, Aquaphor, and baby socks. We put the food away and the kids to bed. I put the dishes away and load the dishwasher because we need bottles for the night. I do a crossword and pass out. $102.80

Daily Total: $102.80

Day Seven: Monday

6 a.m. — The kids wake us up. E. takes the Little Man with him to the car shop to trade in our car for a loaner while ours gets repaired. I’m texting my father-in-law about politics and he isn’t answering me. It’s kinda early in the morning but you know how people get about politics??? Lol. I can’t stand the silence anymore so I call my father-in-law’s best friend. I know he screens his calls so he won’t answer but he will call me back at ungodly times of day, so I wait. I also pepper my sister with memes.

8 a.m. — Why isn’t anyone answering me? It’s like 8 a.m. now, which seems like an acceptable time for communication, and my brother-in-law isn’t answering me either. Where is everyone? Did the apocalypse finally happen? Oh wait, I look at my chat — jeez, I messaged a lot of people this morning. One person did respond to a birthday message I sent.

8:30 a.m. — I tidy up the house and E. comes home for the car repair shop with a frappe from Brew Crew for me — sweet! I read a bit while taking care of T., and grandpa comes over to relieve me and spend time with T. I chat on the phone for a while with an old neighbor who is a mom now as well, so we chat about kids, family, and career struggles as moms. I spend some time applying for jobs. $7.44

2 p.m. — I take the Little Man to a dance class at the library ($5), and E. and T. go to trade the loaner car back for our car. $5

2:30 p.m. — We’re told the total damage for a broken sensor issue we’ve been itching to fix: $634.38.

3 p.m. — E. goes to spin class and picks up some odds and ends for meals coming up (lime, lemon, etc). I prep a salad lunch for the next few days and make a shwarma spice mix to have on hand for potatoes (inspired by our dinner out the other night) and watch T. The Little Man took a nap right after his class; he doesn’t often do an afternoon nap. $3

5:30 p.m. — I whip together Crispy Miso Lime Tofu from the cookbook I took out from the library. It comes together in like 15 minutes and then I make a side of quick cooking garlic and herb rice. I rate the recipe 5/5. The Little Man won’t eat anything, so we don’t force it and let him have milk. I clean up and make a dessert from the same cookbook; it’s a chocolate peanut butter cup pudding type thing. It’s another quick recipe to make but has to chill in the fridge for hours to set. E. goes upstairs to put T. to bed and I tidy while the Little Man stays up late because of his nap schedule, watching Bluey.

7:00 p.m. — I take a bath with the Little Man and then put him to bed. He wakes, and E. goes to lie with him. I tidy up the downstairs and settle in with a book for the night.

Daily Total: $649.82

The Breakdown

Conclusion:
I beat myself up in my head for not working out enough times this week. The experience of recording my spend was… fine? I do this mentally with expenses anyway, so it wasn’t eye-opening or anything. I can’t see myself changing anything with regards to spend in the near future.

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