Random-ass Things I Love: May 2026

I care about my teeth. My dad had terrible teeth that cost him so much money and pain; I said I’d never experience the same. I was never a kid who had to be told to brush their teeth, and as an adult I am someone who flosses every night, brushes twice a day at a minimum, looks forward to going to the dentist. And I have used an electric toothbrush for well over a decade.

Whether I bought the $39.99 or the $99.99 version of the Sonicare, it seemed as though the device would crap out on me in about a year. And all those brush heads that I was throwing in the trash… the whole thing didn’t feel sustainable. I tried those compostable toothbrushes and Booheads but both of them sucked, and my dentist noticed the difference and recommended I switch back.

I heard about SURI toothbrushes and was intrigued. An aluminum, not plastic body that kept a charge for a month. A UV-light sanitizing case that also charged the toothbrush. Plant-based brush heads and a free recycling program for them. When my latest Sonicare conked out, I got one. That was in November. It’s now May and I am still a fan and my SURI is still going strong.

It’s rose gold, and I have this little magnetic thing that goes inside my medicine cabinet that the toothbrush stays on so my toothbrush is both out of the way and away from any bathroom grossness. I am on a subscription model; color-coordinated brush heads arrive at my house on time with a little postage-paid bag to send back the used ones. And my dentist complimented me on how good my teeth have been looking! My husband now has a SURI (cadet blue) and when our daughter’s Sonicare dies, we’ll get her one too.

Laundry detergent is a personal thing. What some people think smells great, others get allergic reactions from it. What seems to be effective for one leave others’ activewear smelling like B.O. Front loader, top loader, there are so many factors. And then on top of that, if you’re one who wants to cut down on sketchy ingredients and waste and microplastics and all that jazz… anyway this is my personal opinion and may not be the best for you. Dirty Labs rocks.

Pods have microplastics, as do most sheets. And most laundry sheets we have found don’t really work on activewear and gardening wear and MMA wear and all the really funky stuff. Buying big plastic jugs of liquid detergent seems so stupid in 2026 when we all know we’re paying for water and creating more waste. And powder isn’t bad, but it’s not always the best, especially if you’re washing cold gentle cycle.

Dirty Labs is an enzyme-based detergent. It comes in little aluminum bottles. A small amount really works, like gets out the funk, the stains, and dissolves completely even if you’re using the gentle cycle. It even gets the dogs’ blankets smelling non-dog. If you like fancy scents, Dirty Labs has them. And if you like no scent like my household, Dirty Labs has that too. I highly recommend trying via the travel pack, which is also great if you do head to rental houses and don’t want to have to bring a whole container of detergent and aren’t into laundry pods.

I have knees that tell the tale of dancing and working retail in too many cheap spindly heels. Feet that cry out when not in supportive sneakers or Birkenstocks. And a neck that is proof I work at a job where I look down at a screen more than any human ever should. Lifting weights, Peloton mobility classes, stretching, and the occasional Advil help. But the thing that really gets me through? Equilibria’s CBD Recovery Roll-on. Nothing else compares, and I have tried a LOT of different and similar products.

Equilibria is full-spectrum hemp, third-party tested, but this roll-on isn’t greasy, it absorbs fast, and also includes menthol, tea tree and eucalyptus oil, camphor, willow bark, and aspen bark and this stuff totally is a gamechanger. Roll it on feet before and after wearing heels or walking long periods of time. I roll it on my knees before and after workouts, and the whole family has rolled it on necks, shoulders, and backs for relief without taking more meds. I just placed an order for summer travel; I don’t go to NYC without packing a bottle and right now I am completely out.

I’m am old, and I have an iPhone Max. This combo has me reliant on a Popsocket. I don’t want a ring, I don’t want a loop, I want my Popsocket because it’s also a tripod and a fidget toy and I have a holder in my car, and I have a holder on my makeup mirror so I can film easily and also watch videos when doing my face. I also have a bendy Popsocket holder that I put on the screen of my Hydrow so I can watch TV when rowing without a coach.

I can hold my phone and not have it fall out of my kinda small hand. I can take a selfie from arms-length and still be able to click the button. I don’t fear dropping my phone (I drop everything). And they can be super cute. I have one that is in the shape of a tomato and a matching tomato red case. I had one that looked like a stone or geode but it broke but with a leopard case it was super chic. Right now I have a silver one that opens up to be a tripod and just ordered a new silver case to go with it. I get the Magsafe Popsockets and they hold really well as long as you don’t buy a super thick case (for those get the adhesive type). My daughter says they’re dorky but I don’t care I am not trying to impress high schoolers and they make me so happy.

I love my WALKHERO insoles for plantar fasciitis. Insoles from my podiatrist would cost $400 and would only fit in a couple of shoes. I have these in my New Balance 327s, my Adidas SL72s and Superstars, my Ros Hommerson knee-high boots, my DUO riding boots, my Danner gardening boots, my La Canadienne lace-up granny boots, and my Doc Martens Chelsea boots. And they’re less than $20. You can get them on Amazon, but I don’t shop Amazon anymore and when I have gotten them there, I don’t always end up with the version I ordered. Order directly through the WALKHERO site, it’s the same price and has free shipping and exchanges.

And speaking of feet, my husband got a set of these heavy metal scraping tools, but honestly you could use a heavier-weight serving spoon or metal gua sha tool. But scraping the bottom of your feet… omigod. It’s scary because you hear all this crunching, but it’s breaking up the fascia and will crunch less and your feet relax. Like you feel your feet sort of breathing a sigh and opening up. I am short, and find I put a lot of pressure on the balls of my feet when sitting since I can’t get my feet to reach the floor otherwise. At the end of the day, scraping the balls of my feet is soooo good. Don’t buy some fancy gadget, there’s something in your house that will get the job done. Not too sharp or slim of an edge, something smooth and sturdy that is easy to grip. You can also do this on your calves, your quads, most anywhere but the feet… oooh the feet is a gamechanger.

And finally, on the same topic… stop buying all these tools and gadgets and lotions and potions to improve your skin and drain your lymph and increase moisture absorption and get rid of KP unless you have already tried dry brushing. I’ve been doing this on and off for years and got back into it a few months ago when I started laser hair removal and was recommended to exfoliate. While I also use an African net sponge in the shower, dry brushing is amazing on so many levels.

I do it when I wake up, and it really wakes up the body. It gently exfoliates, gets blood circulating, gets the lymph lymphing, and makes your skin feel so soft and lovely. It may be uncomfortable at first but it gets more comfortable to where you look forward to it and are putting all the pressure on the brush. You can get a dry brush most anywhere; I saw one at Ulta last time I went, they even sell them at CVS. Some are handheld, some have short handles, some have long. I like the long handle because then I can also easily get all my back, but you do you.

So clearly, I did some internet shopping today and it inspired this post. But these are all things I have used for a super long time and really love, so I couldn’t not share!