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A Beauty Editor's Impulse Buys: $263 of Treatments, Custom Cat Socks, and More


Once upon a time, when I was living on an Upper East Side couch for $1,000 a month and ate a steady diet of ramen, I remember thinking that by the time I turned 30, I’d have it all together. I’d be shopping for and cooking real adult meals. I’d have enough discretionary income to not worry about paying rent if I had a health crisis. But mostly, I’d make enough money to actually have a budget—and stick to it.

Seven years later, I have a Casper mattress (on an Ikea bed frame), pillows that aren’t couch cushions, and a savings account that I’m pretty good about not dipping into for the most part. I eat homemade chicken and broccoli…when my boyfriend cooks. But a budget? Eh. It’s not like I’m in debt or shop a ton. (Although, I’m a retail email marketer’s dream—more on that below.) Rather, I love a plan on a whim. Mani date? I’m there. Brunch? We’re splitting a stack of pancakes for the table on top of an egg dish, round of mimosas, and, yeah, give me the latte. I don’t even want to admit how much I spent on Ubers alone in the past month, because I honestly don’t even want to know.

This usually results in a hodgepodge of Venmo and credit card charges that are hard to plan for. The only thing you won’t find? Beauty products. Call it perks of the job.

A gel mani at the L.A. nail spot I’ve been dying to visit: $136
I started December out with a whirlwind trip to L.A. to visit the brilliant Shani Darden for a facial. (I told you being a beauty editor has its perks.) As a celebrity aesthetician and Garnier ambassador, she’s worked on the faces of Emmy Rossum, Kelly Rowland, and so many more. After she worked her magic on my acne-prone skin, using Garnier’s new charcoal peel-off mask, I had eight hours of free time to futz around the city, so I did it the best way I knew how—booking a full day of treatments at all the L.A. hot spots I’d been itching to try, starting with Olive & June.

I’ve been following the nail salon’s Instagram for nearly half a decade. In my opinion, they just do nail art right: subtle, sophisticated, with just the right amount of kitsch. (Check out their Insta and you’ll see what I mean.) Initially I’d signed up only for the $40 Chrissy, a regular gel mani, and figured I’d get my usual moody blue or purple. But once I sat in the chair, I knew exactly what I wanted: a design inspired by Betina Goldstein (my favorite nail artist at the moment; just look at these fingers!) on each of my cuticles. I ended up with a baby pink base and a delicate line of gold shimmer—plus nearly $100 extra added to the total cost. That said, it lasted a full two and a half weeks, so I’d say it was worth it.

A 60-minute massage at the swankiest L.A. massage bar: $96
Another beauty editor who’s really picky about her treatments recommended I book an appointment at The Now, and I’m so glad I did. The concept is similar to Drybar in that you’re not paying for the overhead of a bunch of different services—rather, the only thing they offer are massages. Correction: great massages. The decor inside was very Instagrammy. You could buy palo santo and tarot cards at the shop, and when you walk back to the treatment area, each room was separated by a patterned curtain. I blissfully melted away the stress of traveling while an ocean sound machine echoed crashing waves from above. Note to The Now: Other cities are waiting. We need this.

My J.Crew haul

The J.Crew sale that was too good to pass up: $251.30
I shop at approximately two places—J.Crew and Madewell—on the regular and never fail to click a sale email from either one. I’ve probably funded at least one junior copywriter’s salary at this point. This time J.Crew was having a pre-Christmas sale, and nearly everything was 50 percent off. Obviously I had to act. I came away with an extensive turtleneck haul—one striped ($17.25), one solid gray ($14.75), one emerald green ($39.75), and one ruffled ($22.50)—plus, a sweatshirt that says “Brooklyn” because I couldn’t resist ($24.75). That’s not all. I also bought a bracelet (because it was $6.49 and why not?), an $8.25 velvet hair bow (because I’m a sucker for red-carpet hair trends), and a bird-print maxi ($99) that I was so excited to wear until I realized it was crazy low-cut. I still haven’t decided whether I should return it or wear it with one of my thousand turtlenecks. Knowing me, it’ll probably be neither and instead will sit in my closet until I sell it. Which brings me to…

The Ubers I took to and from selling my old clothes: $69.87
Errands are much better done with friends, mostly because I continue to put them off if I don’t have someone forcing me to do them. So this is why, season after season, I continue to spend almost how much I make in resales so I can join my best friend at her local neighborhood consignment shop. I still got to take home $20 and ended up bingeing 90 Day Fiancé at her place the rest of the day. Not a bad Saturday.

The custom pet socks every fashion editor was getting, so I did too: $15.95
No shame: I’m one of those millennials who talk about my cat like he’s my child. In fact, most people do think he’s my kid because his name is Matthew. (I firmly believe pets are part of the family and deserve names that reflect that. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.) So when every fashion editor was getting sent these very ugly, incredibly fantastic customized socks with their dogs’ faces on them, I obviously had to get a pair. Technically they were a belated Christmas gift for my boyfriend, but they were too small for him so now they’re mine. Matthew remains unimpressed.

The Gap jeans I bought because my favorite pair ripped: $90.93
Another sale email got me, but this time I had a valid reason. The cropped boot-cut jeans I’d been wearing religiously since our fashion team convinced me I could pull them off got a huge hole in the thigh. Tragic. Gap had only a pair six sizes too small left, so I pity-bought two extra pairs on sale in the hopes that they’d be as cute. The jury’s still out.

A spur-of-the-moment mani and brunch date with an old coworker: $83.71
When a former member of the Glam Fam texted me to get together (hi, Maureen!), it was a no-brainer about what we’d do: manis at the delightfully chic Tenoverten, followed by lemon ricotta pancakes and mimosas at Sarabeth’s. After my gels, I was aching to go back to my usual dark shade. I’ve been dying to try Essie’s new Booties on Broadway—the coolest winter navy—but they didn’t have it, so it was Midnight Cami instead, the perfect shade for the ball drop and back to work on the 2nd.

Lindsay Schallon is a senior beauty editor at Glamour.





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An Entertainment Editor's Impulse Buys: A Roomba, End-of-Year Sales, and $450 on Ice Skating


My spending habits are surprisingly low for someone who lives in NYC, one of the most expensive cities in the world. The thing is, I just don’t like spending money. Treating myself to a “splurge” usually comes with more guilt and anxiety than joy, which is something I guess I should ask my therapist about…but then again, my bank account isn’t complaining.

And thanks to work, I get access to a lot of movie and TV show screeners, meaning I get plenty of free entertainment. My beauty routine is cheap because I rarely wear more than some light foundation and mascara; I also have bangs, which are great because you can get away with a wash-and-go without much styling. When it comes to clothes, I’ll shop the occasional sale at & Other Stories—more on that later—but I keep a strict “one in, one out” closet policy, which means I’ll make a little money from a resell shop every season. For everything else, I ask for gift cards for my birthday and Christmas and spread those out over the year whenever I get the itch for something new.

So when I was asked to keep a log of impulse buys for a month for this series, I thought it’d be the most boring list ever. Lucky for this article, though, it hit right before Christmas. And this year my husband and I were hosting our parents for the very first time. That meant buying more decorations to set the mood, a frenzy of cooking and cleaning, and a few last-minute gifts I purchased in a panic. The holidays were a hit, thank God, but I’m paying penance for it the rest of the year. Here’s why.

The kitchen cart I, a grown woman, bought because my mom told me to: $100.99
While I was home for Thanksgiving, my mom strongly suggested I find a kitchen cart to make Christmas dinner prep easier. I reluctantly agreed it was a good idea—counter space is limited in one-bedroom walk-up apartments—so I checked out Wayfair’s options. Normally, I’d spend a week weighing the pros and cons of each cart, but there was a big sale happening so I bought the first one I liked (the Haller Kitchen Cart by August Grove). I didn’t think too much about it until I got the notification that the package shipped—then my brain was all, Did I read enough reviews? What if the dimensions aren’t right? Do I need more drawer space? That was unnecessary. It’s so perfect I’m annoyed I didn’t get one sooner. Lesson learned: Listen to your mother.

The home-cleaning services I paid for because I was too “busy” watching Real Housewives of New Jersey: $180
Once the cart arrived, my next big project in holiday prep was deep cleaning the apartment. One problem: I had a lot of end-of-year projects at work, so by the time I got home each night, I was too exhausted to do anything but turn on Bravo and pass out on the couch. Rather than keep putting it off, I sprang for a cleaner via a home-service app. It cost $120, and I felt a lot guilt about it—just get off the couch, lazy!—but the woman did a great job and offered to come back for half the price ($60) if I booked her directly. (The app takes a huge cut.) I hired her to come back for a quick clean the day my parents arrived, and it was the best $60 I’ve ever spent.

The Roomba I couldn’t resist because I’ve already spent so much on cleaning why turn back now?: $319.99
I was at Costco picking up food and other supplies when I spotted a sale on Roombas for $319.99. That’s a great deal—I’ve seen them cost in the $500 to $600 range—and, to be honest, I was motivated by my newly clean apartment. So the robot vacuum came home with me. I’ve named her Roombie and treat her like a beloved pet.

The holiday decorations that were inspired by Hallmark Christmas movies: $87.84
Maybe it was all the Hallmark Christmas movies I’d been watching, but I felt like my apartment wasn’t festive enough. I stopped by Party City to see if they had any cheap holiday decorations and left with napkins, plates, and gifts bags for $34.43. I didn’t love their wrapping paper selection, though, so I went into the Five Below next door and got ribbons, paper, more gift bags, and a silly desktop golf game for my dad. That set me back $33.41. Then, on my way home, I passed by a Christmas tree stand and saw an adorable reindeer made out of tree bark. The guy at the stand was straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie—where else do attractive Christmas tree farmers exist?—and he talked me into spending $20 on the deer, a Charlie Brown–style Christmas tree, and a small Santa made out of bark. I paid cash.

The ice-skating tickets so expensive I gasped when I saw the cost: $450
A few days before our parents arrived, my husband and I sat down and came up with an itinerary. High on the list was ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza on Christmas Eve…but then I saw how expensive the VIP tickets were: $150 a piece. The tickets included guaranteed access to the ice (without that, it’s a long line with no guarantee you’ll get in), free snacks and drinks, and the skate and locker rental (that’s an additional cost with general admission). Expensive, yes, but this was a bucket list item for my parents and me. I hemmed and hawed and then closed my eyes and hit “purchase.” I didn’t buy much for my parents for Christmas this year—they’re trying to downsize—so I told myself (and them) this was their big gift. It wasn’t cheap, but seeing how excited my mom and dad were once we hit the ice made it worth it.

& Other Stories socks, $10; & Other Stories sweater, $83; Target jewelry stand, $19.99; & Other Stories metallic shirt, $75

The end-of-year sales that were a Christmas gift to myself: $256.99
I nailed hosting the holidays, but after everyone left I felt like I deserved something for all the hard work (mentally and physically) I put into pulling it off. So I did a little online retail therapy. One of my favorite gifts from my husband this year was a new Vanessa Mooney necklace, and I wanted a cuter jewelry stand to show it off. I found one on Target for $19.99 that I liked. Then I got an inbox alert that & Other Stories was having a sale. That’s my favorite store for reasonably priced trendy but adult items, so I went to the location near my office and stocked up on a new sweater, a blazer, socks, and not one but two metallic tops. Those cost me $237, but I think I’ve earned it.

Anna Moeslein is a senior editor at Glamour.



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A Fashion Editor's Impulse Buys: Jack & Coke Slurpees, a $118 Prairie Dress, and More


Time and time again, I’ve lamented how, even though my day job is to tell people what to shop for, I’m not a great shopper. I spend a lot of my own time (too much of my own time) clicking through pages upon pages of online sales, digging up deeply discounted treasures in my size. Then I get overwhelmed by the thought of dropping so much money (yes, that plain black designer dress is 70 percent off, but it’s still $200) and immediately close out of all the tabs at once.

The thrill of the hunt is enough for me. I wear the same high-waisted Levi’s jeans and black turtlenecks from Marshall’s every day, anyway. It’s not like I’m immune to “it” pieces—you spend enough hours looking at incredibly stylish people online, you inevitably get an itch for a multi-colored, animal-print sweater that can’t ever be described as sensible. But I tend to dwell on these things. I’ll think about buying something for weeks that turns into months, that by the time I psych myself up to make a purchase it’s sold out.

Instead, most of my money—spent impulsively or otherwise—goes to food and experiences, like going to the movies with my boyfriend or flying home to Puerto Rico to visit my family. Then, there’s my dog, Beanie, a nine-plus year-old rescue that has senior-dog vet bills and more sweaters than days of the week. (She gets cold! And looks so darn cute in them!)

When I was tasked with documenting my impulse spending habits for a month, though, something weird happened. For the first time in a very long time, I had an itch to shop. After Christmas sales? A casual browse turned into two separate deliveries. A rare blowout sale from that Scandinavian brand everyone’s been wearing? My defenses were low, I couldn’t resist. My closet is full, but my checking account took a hit.

Behold, everything I impulsively bought over the past month.

The DIY Pet Ornament My Dog Absolutely Needed and Wasn’t at All Ambivalent About: $3.99
I go to a Marshall’s near my apartment about once a month, just to look. (I’ve found that it’s best to go in without a plan of what to buy and simply keep an open mind—I’ve found some great kitchen stuff that way.) When I dropped by in early December, they had just unloaded all of their holiday gift merchandise, which means every section was stocked. Of course, I decided to use this as an opportunity to buy something for myself. I found this adorable DIY tree ornament that creates an impression of your pet’s paw. It’s our first holiday season with Beanie—we adopted her over the summer—and are just so darn excited about it that I added it to my basket. We didn’t even put up a tree this year.

The Sale I Was Obliged to Shop As a Fashion Girl™: $278.47
It was Thursday, the last before our office closed for the holiday. At 9:18 A.M., right as I was walking in, I got a message from my boss: “Insane Ganni sale on its website.” She wasn’t joking: The Scandi label fashion people can’t get enough of—seriously, look at any street-style gallery from 2018 and you’ll spot at least three pieces from it—was offering a rare 60 percent off its signature floral skirts and poufy-sleeved blouses. I was a fan, but managed to resist its Instagrammable allure both because it was so pervasive in my circles and because I felt the price point (around $300 for a midi-length dress) was a bit higher than I’m comfortable spending on trend pieces. But now, most of them were under $100. And with free shipping.

After about an hour of deliberating, I landed on three pieces: a shapeless, blue leopard-print cotton dress ($118); a floral mesh wrap skirt ($82); and a floral blouse ($68). With tax, my total was $278.47.

Jack & Coke Slurpees, $16

The Jack & Coke Slurpees That Make Going to the Movies As An Adult So Much More Fun: $16
I spent Christmas with my boyfriend’s family in Ohio. Whenever I visit, I take advantage of the lower movie ticket prices (well, compared to New York at least) and see as many films as possible. First up was Vice. The big surprise, though, was learning the local theater had added alcohol to its concession stand menu. Right then and there, we decide that we needed two Jack & Coke slurpees. They were $8 each and absolutely worth it.

The Most Perfect Flats Ever: $45.21
Another thing I like to do when I’m in Ohio: Hit up Nordstrom Rack. This being during the lull between Christmas and New Year’s, the store was kicking off its holiday clearance sale, so I went directly to the red-sticker items. I struck out when it came to apparel, but was much luckier in the shoe section, where I found a pair of Vince’s minimalist “Maxwell” flats. I’d been eyeing those shoes for a long time—the cream supple leather and rounded shape reminds me of Phoebe Philo-era Céline—but I kept holding out until the original $225 price was reduced. That lead me to this moment: $60.28, with an additional 25 percent off. Of course I got them.

Vince “Maxwell” Flats, $45.21

The Petite-Friendly Trousers I Bought Because I Was Already On a Roll, Dammit: $59.99
At this point, I was pretty set on not buying any more clothes, but I had been in need of new trousers. I’m petite with a curvy waist, so this is a particularly tricky category to shop for. I need a cropped leg, prefer an elastic high waist, and like a wide-leg. I saw these Lou & Grey ones on sale, and they fit the bill (plus, were on sale). I had a gift card, so I went for it. Okay, now I’m done.

Ana Colón is a fashion editor at Glamour



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A Culture Editor's Impulse Buys: $200 of Potions, Swedish Sweets, and More


It wasn’t so much that I wanted to hibernate in December (and spend all the dollars on quilts, coats, and pillow forts that would have made that happen) as much as I wanted to slather. The weather on the East Coast has been temperate, but the palpable shift in season hit me like a Nor’easter storm. Then it made me crave moisture.

Let me just kick off this tale of ceramides with a disclaimer: I’m in fact not much of an impulse clothes shopper. As the staff of Glamour can attest, I show up to work each week in the same Everlane GoWeave pants, cast of Demylee, AYR, and Vince sweaters, and three Ganni dresses. (I like to repeat outfits so much that 90 percent of photos of me on social media look as though I had them taken on the same afternoon.) But whatever restraint I have when it comes to clothes evaporates in the face of creams, tonics, serums, pastes, and potions of all manner. With a much-anticipated trip to Rome between Christmas and New Year’s, I managed to resist most non–skin-care temptations this month. It is, I think, most chic to indulge on the other side of the Atlantic. But what did I give into? Overpriced oils from Aesop, creams from Ole Henriksen, and a cone of hot roasted chestnuts in half a dozen piazzas in Rome.

The Sweater I Snapped Up to Wear on the Banks of the Tiber: $138
I’m no influencer, but even I can’t resist the charms of a vacation outfit. I spotted this Demylee x J.Crew sweater while I browsed the retailer’s site in a doctor’s office. Do I know on some level that I look jaundiced in marigold? Yes. But could I resist this adorable balloon-sleeve sweater? No. Before I could overthink it, it was paid for and I had a full photoshoot planned in the shadow of the Pantheon.

The Clutch That I’m Convinced Will Get My Life in Order: $89
Listen, I could draw up a firm budget, become a batch-cooker, clean the bathroom, and organize all the books I own…or I could skip all that and just invest in this “Grand Slim Zip Clutch” that I found on sale at Of a Kind and have since become convinced will transform me, in one brilliant blue instant, into a woman who never forgets to stock up on toilet paper. I picked the clutch.

The Roll-on Oil That’s Supposed to Cure All That Ails Me: $31
I think we’ve established that I’m a sucker for serums and lotions of all kinds, but I have a particular affection for niche products. Think lip plumpers. Bubble masks. Balm cleansers. I had walked into Aesop to pick up a scrub for a friend (her Christmas gift) when I spied a tube labeled “Ginger Flight Therapy.” Packed with ginger, lavender, and geranium, it’s meant to be applied to “neck, temples, wrists, and abdomen in times of stress, nausea, or weariness.” It’s America in 2019! All times are stressful. I had to have it. Weeks later, I’m not quite sure if it has fixed our democratic institutions or the persistent headache I just can’t kick, but it smells delicious.

The Book I’ve Bought for Three Different Friends: $16.80 x 4 = $67.20
I read Educated by Tara Westover in one sublime week in November and gifted it to four friends in December. It’s a beautiful memoir about Westover’s childhood in rural Idaho, her survivalist parents, and what we mean when we talk about the value of an “education.” I’ve never read another book like it, and each time a friend has asked me for a recommendation since, I just order another one from Amazon and have it shipped to her front door.

A Banana-Laced Brightener (and Four More Cosmetic Enhancements I Became Convinced I Needed): $226.47
Until the second I purchased this cheerful Ole Henriksen “crème”, I would have insisted I didn’t believe in the concept. I’ve tended to believe that creams aimed at “fine lines” and “puffed lids” are nice-scented scams. Minuscule quantities of moisture, marked up at an outrageous price! I didn’t want to fall for them. But then I started to see this adorable cream heralded on websites, positioned on store shelves, and hiding in friends’ medicine cabinets. (I peeked! I couldn’t help it.) It’s supposed to brighten dour complexions and make concealer glide over dark circles like a dream. I had to have it. So while I had intended just to restock the liquid liner I’ve used since high school (Stila’s Stay All Day), I somehow ended up at checkout with Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo, my ‘gram-bait Ole Henriksen cream, Tatcha Silk Canvas Protective Primer, Tatcha Water Cream, and a free sample of the Milk Makeup Blur Stick.

Boots for Inclement Weather That Are Also Purple: $280
I had stopped into Cole Haan on a whim when I spotted a pair of so-hideous-these-could-be-Prada boots. When a helpful clerk mentioned that the shoes were 100 percent waterproof, I had a sudden vision of me in inclement weather, unaffected! The boots do come in black, which is the version I first tried on. But then I went wild and made a split-second decision to become a different person; one who wears maroon. I was in and out of the store in 20 minutes.

All the Roasted Chestnuts I Could Stomach in Rome: $28.50
I don’t eat meat, which means street food options tend to be rather limited for me. Most of the time it’s a stale hot pretzel or bust. Then I landed in Rome and discovered the best portable sustenance—hot chestnuts. Roasted over coals and piled into paper cones, a stack of chestnuts goes for about five euro. A dozen or so of them are warm, delicious, and leave just enough room for another scoop of gelato an hour later. I picked them up close to half a dozen times on vacation and wish I’d done it even more. The perfect seasonal snack.

The Carry-on Bag I Was Forced to Check Against My Will: $96.80
Does a person need free will in order to impulse shop? If so, then scratch this one from the record. I had sailed onto the plane in New York with what let me just assert is a small suitcase. But when I tried to board in Rome, the woman at the gate insisted it wouldn’t fit in the overhead bins and compelled me to check it—for a steep fee! Cries that other people’s suitcases were at least as big as mine went unanswered. Reader, I checked it.

The Swedish Sweets I Bought My Boyfriend to Celebrate His New Job: $22
Some people recommend the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Others will enthuse over Bergdorf’s or some luxurious restaurant in Tribeca. But the one place I recommend to all tourists is tucked into a small street in the West Village. It’s a modest storefront. It doesn’t shill fashionable coats or leather goods. It sells Swedish candies, and it’s the happiest place on earth. Please, I beg you: Go to Sockerbit if you’re ever in NYC. I passed it a mere 10 minutes after Jason called to tell me he’d just gotten offered a dream job. I had to go in. Now did I also have to purchase 32 ounces of peach skulls, watermelon sours, and caramel licorice? I don’t want to answer that question.

The Newsletter I Subscribed To Because the Title Alone Justified the Cost: $30
The brilliant writer Lyz Lenz (read this for a taste of her genius) launched a newsletter in December titled “Men Yell at Me.” Its elevator pitch? “Behind-the-scenes stories from a life of reporting and making men mad.” I know; I was sold in about three milliseconds too. I paid $30 for an annual subscription, and based on the first installments alone, I feel I can assure readers it’s a worthwhile investment. I laughed. I seethed. I felt so much righteous, white-hot rage I could have powered an electric stove. Join me!

Mattie Kahn is a senior editor at Glamour.



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