Reading · Dash of Delight

By now I’m sure you’ve seen the viral “five expensive things worth the money” going around on TikTok and Instagram. I love watching them and seeing what people really value, so I thought I’d share my take here on Substack with you! I’ve tried my fair share of both beauty and home products over the years, so it was fun to put this together!

Here’s my list, a little something from each of my favorite categories: kitchen, closet, kids and babies, home, and beauty. I’d love to hear yours, if you have any favorites, so leave them in the comments below.

My rule for making the list: it had to either change something I do every day, replace a handful of other things I was already buying, or still be in rotation a year later. If it didn’t do one of those three, it didn’t make it! So, let’s get into it…

Kitchen: The Breville Barista Touch

I’ve said this more times than I can count. We got our espresso machine in 2022 and it’s had a steady workout ever since. We use it for our morning coffee, our afternoon coffee (this is the best decaf you’ll ever have, by the way), and the occasional espresso martini. It truly is the very best. If it broke today, I’d have another one on its way by tonight. Seriously so easy to use, and I love playing coffee shop when friends come over. A 10/10 purchase. I go to bed dreaming about my morning cup!

Closet: AYR Deep End Shirt

I am, without a doubt, obsessed with this shirt. I have it in four colors now, I feel like a collector at this point. There is just something about it. The fit is perfectly oversized, it holds its structure, and it comes straight out of the wash still looking like itself, not like it’s been through hell and back the way most button downs do. Ha! I’m telling you, it’s magical. I got my mom hooked on them too, she owns about as many as I do. I got my white one in 2022 and wear it weekly. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I wear a size small and wore them all through my pregnancies as well. The best.

Beauty: The ZIIP Halo

The newest addition, and honestly it’s the one I’m most annoyed about, because I wrote it off for a while as a glorified gua sha. Then I actually did my research, and it’s seventeen treatments in one device. It connects straight to the app and talks you through each one in real time, so you’re never guessing where to move it or for how long.

When I started, I had a few things I wanted to work on. I was looking to help define my face a bit, to depuff and wake it up in the mornings, and to help with breakouts. And honestly, it’s really helped with all of it. What sold me is that ZIIP doesn’t lock you into one program. It adapts to your skin and moves with it, so I can target whatever my skin needs on a given day rather than running the same routine on repeat.

My favorites so far are the Refresh & Depuff, one in the morning when my face needs waking up, the 14-day lift plan, which I loved following and saw a real difference from, and the spot treatment for breakouts, which is actually incredible.

*(See my before and afters to check out my results.)*

The thing I didn’t expect: how easy it actually is to keep up with. Some treatments start at just two minutes. Two minutes. That’s the difference between a device I use and a device that lives in a drawer, and it’s the reason this one’s still in rotation. Two weeks in, I’m not sure I could go back.

Use code ASHLEYB for 10% off ($39.99 USD)

Kids & Baby: Artipoppe Baby Carrier

I’ll say it, it’s wildly expensive. BUT this baby carrier is amazing, and I’d order it again in a heartbeat. It’s one of those things I will never get rid of. I loved, and I mean loved, wearing my babies. Just the sweetest days, and some of my best memories with my two are in this carrier. I know there are a million and one baby carriers out there (I tried four, ha!) and this one was hands down my favorite. Ugh, I wish I could put them back in it right now. The coziest and absolutely comfiest.

Home: Pottery Barn Sofa

It seems kind of basic, and technically it is, but I LOVE our sofa. It’s wide, it’s cozy, it’s the best. I love that it’s a slipcover (I’ve washed it more times than I can count!) and it still has that new but lived-in charm. We ordered it in 2018 after saving up, and I’ve got to tell you, it was one of our best home decisions. It really is the perfect Nancy Meyers couch: the perfect place to watch a movie, read books, or have your morning coffee. If you’re looking for an epic snuggle couch, this. is. it.

Thank you, ZIIP for sponsoring this post, all opinions are my own.

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