Just before the coronation, there was a minor, strange rumor going around royalist Twitter about what would happen to Queen Camilla if King Charles passed away before her. The rumor was that Camilla and Charles wanted to change her title to something like “grandmother to a nation” or some such nonsense. Like, I’m sure some people are already thinking about “what happens when X or Y dies,” just as part of a general contingency plan, but the thing is, Charles and Camilla have no way to control their branding once they’re gone. That’s especially true if Camilla survives her second husband. She’ll be lucky if her stepson King William even lets her have this title:

Prince William is set to become King one day and it would lead to his stepmother Camilla being given a new title. Queen Camilla’s roles and titles have been the subject of plenty of uncertainty and debate due to the unfamiliar path that saw her enter the Royal Family.

In the circumstances that Charles were to die before Camilla, it has led to the question of what role she would then have. She would not become the monarch as that is passed down the bloodline and so the Prince of Wales is the heir to the throne. And so her new title would be the Queen Dowager as the widow of the King, which is a title that was first used by Queen Adelaide in 1830.

In recent years the last example where a spouse outlived the monarch was Queen Elizabeth’s late mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who was married to King George Vl and was known as the Queen Mother.

[From The Daily Mirror]

The Queen Mother was actually known as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, a style she chose herself, even if people just called her “the Queen Mum.” She didn’t want to be called the Dowager Queen whatever, so she wasn’t and her daughter let her choose her own title and style. It will be much different in this hypothetical scenario between Camilla and William. I would be willing to bet that if Charles kicked off tomorrow, Camilla’s dowager title would not involve the title “queen” anywhere. She would probably be the Dowager Consort or something. And William would have Camilla shuffled off to Ray Mill permanently. Anyway, I doubt it will even happen this way. My prediction is that Charles survives his second wife. I know it’s macabre to say that, but it’s just my feeling.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Last week, the trade papers announced that Kim Cattrall had secretly filmed a cameo for the second-season finale of And Just Like That. AJLT is the off-shoot of Sex and the City, with the same characters (minus Cattrall’s Sam Jones) and some bonus new characters. AJLT is Sarah Jessica Parker’s baby, because she just loves beating this dead horse, and I would assume she’s making a lot of money from it, given she’s still executive producing the series. It was actually when SJP became EP of SATC that everything went sideways between Cattrall and SJP – Sarah Jessica used her power to marginalize Kim and the Sam character and give Sam stupid storylines. Which is the whole reason why Kim refused to come back for a third SATC film, and why she refused to come back for AJLT. Producers must have kept coming back to Cattrall though, and kept begging and offering her more and more money. So she was in a position of power to dictate terms:

Page Six can reveal that Cattrall’s surprise second-season — said to be a “cliffhanger” — appearance did not come without its demands. According to sources, the actress refused to film with her former co-stars Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis. She also would not set foot on the Queens set if showrunner — and SJP ally — Michael Patrick King was there, highly-placed sources told Page Six.

One show source said: “Kim had two stipulations -—one, that she would not act with any of the other girls, and two, she did not want to see Michael Patrick King.”

The actress was a fan favorite but refused to return for a third “SATC” movie amid reports of friction between her and SJP — including the revelation that Cattrall felt she and her co-stars were not financially compensated well enough, with SJP paid more than them. Producers dismissed Samantha’s absence in the first few episodes of “AJLT” by making it clear that the character now lives in London and that she and Carrie had a fallout after the writer dumped her as a publicist.

But it seems like Cattrall got the last laugh in her buzzy return, as the show source said: “She will have gotten a s–tload of money. It just shows the power of Kim. They still need her on the show. But even though this may get fans thinking she’ll be back for the next season, she’ll never do that. She was treated poorly. I’m glad she gets to be the hero … I’m sure it took a lot of massaging to make the cameo happen.”

In the scene, Samantha is reportedly seen in a car having a phone conversation with Carrie. A spokesperson for HBO and Max told Page Six: “The offer presented to Kim was always to be a phone call, shot alone as most calls would be. This was an easy and convenient way for Samantha to return. We are delighted it worked out.”

Candace Bushnell, the celebrated writer, and creator of the “SATC” franchise, told Page Six: “I love Kim, everyone loves Kim. I’m sure she got paid handsomely … Kim is a grown woman and she does things on her own terms. It’s what the fans want.”

Bushnell who still gets a creator credit for “AJLT,” added: “Listen, I hope this series runs for a long time!”

[From Page Six]

Variety revealed as much last week, that Michael Patrick King wasn’t there, that Patricia Field came in to dress Kim one last time, and that Kim didn’t see or work with any of the other actresses. That being said, we didn’t know that Kim had specified that those were her conditions – we just assumed it. Of course she wouldn’t want to see MPK or SJP. I do think it’s funny that (supposedly) the scene she filmed was supposed to be a phone call between Sam and Carrie, and usually, between actors, the other actor “on the phone” will show up to run through the lines, off-camera, so it sounds like a natural conversation. Someone had to sit there and feed Carrie’s lines to Kim. I wonder if she specified who should do that. I would also assume that she got script approval, at least for that one scene. What would be the point of negotiating all of this if they were going to make her say some dumb sh-t? And no, I don’t believe Kim is “coming back.” This was a one-and-done thing for her, and she probably just did it for her fans, not for anyone else.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

From my outsider perspective, Anna Wintour and Edward Enninful seemed to get along well. Maybe they were never super-close, but they respected each other and Wintour made a point of supporting Enninful throughout his tenure as editor-in-chief of British Vogue. So much of the reported drama around Wintour misses the fact that Wintour has largely consolidated her power at Conde Nast, and she acts as kingmaker or queenmaker for many of Conde Nast’s publications and their EICs. Enninful always served at Wintour’s pleasure, basically. Which makes the news of Enninful’s departure interesting.

Edward Enninful will step away from his post as editor-in-chief of the fashion bible’s UK edition next year, Vogue Business reported Friday. But Enninful’s continuing to move up at Condé Nast, and will transition into a new role as an editorial advisor for British Vogue and a global creative and cultural adviser for Vogue.

In an internal memo to the heads of editorial content at Vogue France, Vogue Italia, Vogue Spain and Vogue Germany (who all report to him), Enninful said he and Anna Wintour “have been discussing how I can play a broader role in enhancing Vogue globally.”

“I am excited to share that from next year I will be stepping into the newly appointed position of editorial advisor of British Vogue and global creative and cultural advisor of Vogue,” Enninful continued.

Enninful explained the new position will give him “the freedom to take on broader creative projects.” The Ghanaian-British creative — who has worked at Condé for more than 25 years — also shared plans to hire a head of editorial content for British Vogue.

[From Page Six]

So far, the Telegraph is the only major publication running this story as something potentially scandalous, like there’s some kind of “rift” and “power struggle” between Enninful and Wintour. Again, from where I sit, it seems like Enninful is being promoted though, and he’s probably going to be something like Wintour’s second in command when it comes to her global vision for Conde Nast’s publications.

Now, do I also think this “promotion” was designed to get him out of EIC position at British Vogue? Perhaps. While Enninful has gotten a lot of praise for modernizing one of the stuffiest Vogues, his modernizations have not been overwhelmingly supported or welcome, especially by those in the British Vogue community and British fashion community. I also wonder if Wintour was kind of mad that Enninful landed some big exclusives, like that Beyonce cover last year.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Quinta Brunson’s Ports 1961 suit is a bit too… off-kilter. I think it’s the button-down shirt under the suit – if she wore a crewneck knit top, it would have worked better, right? [GFY]
What terrible crime did Ben Affleck commit to get cast in Hypnotic? [Pajiba]
More commentary on the end of Ted Lasso. [LaineyGossip]
Taylor Swift’s fans are doing too much. [Dlisted]
Would you wear a Louis Vuitton suit with “paper airplanes”? [Tom & Lorenzo]
Jeremy Strong: Yes, Kendall Roy is babygirl. [Jezebel]
Tom Holland celebrated his birthday at his premiere. [JustJared]
What was “the incident” at your high school? My high school didn’t have any major incidents, but a few girls did get pregnant when they were like 15 years old and the father was the same 16-year-old guy. [Buzzfeed]
Covid lockdowns changed our brains. [Towleroad]
Why did this Selling Sunset couple split up? [Starcasm]
Katie Holmes has a limited-edition Prada bag. [RCFA]

You know what’s weird? We’re coming up on the one-year anniversary of Leonardo DiCaprio dumping Camila Morrone on her 25th birthday and Leo still doesn’t actually have an “official girlfriend.” Usually, he likes to pick out his new lady by the spring, and then she gets the official girlfriend rollout in April-May. He’s usually not single for a whole year. I guess Leo is trying something new, probably because the entire internet clowned on him after he dumped Morrone. Leo felt exposed and he was worried that the jig was up. He’s been in damage-control mode ever since, trying to convince people that he’s sincerely dating that haggard 28-year-old single mother/crone Gigi Hadid in between reverting to his old ways and getting friendly with teenage models. Well, Page Six thinks they have a lead! Leo was out with a 28-year-old model AND his mom.

Leonardo DiCaprio took a break from partying to enjoy a night out with a group of pals including British model Neelam Gill and his mom, Irmelin Indenbirken. In photos exclusively obtained by Page Six, the “Titanic” actor, 48, could be seen keeping a low profile as he left the Chiltern Firehouse in London Tuesday.

The movie star’s mom was also photographed exiting the venue with her beau, while Gill followed behind. DiCaprio sported his usual look, rocking a black bomber jacket, jeans, white sneakers and his signature baseball cap. He also concealed his face with a black face mask that covered everything but his eyes. Indenbirken, 80, and Gill, 28, both rocked all-black looks for the outing.

We’re told the actor, his mom and the model were joined for dinner by a group of friends. A week ago, DiCaprio and the dark-haired goddess were seen leaving Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France, along with several other beauties. While DiCaprio is known to romance young, beautiful women, a source tells Page Six that Gill is not dating the actor, but rather one of his friends, who also attended the dinner.

[From Page Six]

Neelam Gill is British-Indian. You mean to tell me that Leo is dating a Desi girl?? This is a huge and hilarious moment for my community. While Neelam is gorgeous, she does not look like Leo’s type whatsoever. Yes, she’s lovely and she’s a model. But she’s also NOT blonde and not under the age of 25. The whole “they’re just friends” thing is… interesting, I guess. Leo likes to do group-hangs when he’s first dating someone new, so it’s more than possible that he is dating Gill but it’s just early days.

Neelam really was at the Cannes Film Festival this year too, as was Leo. Is that where they met? Interesting.

Exclusive: Leonardo DiCaprio, 48, dines with 28-year-old British model Neelam Gill, his mom in London https://t.co/M0XCYs9VVs pic.twitter.com/nt7TNccCYI

— Page Six (@PageSix) June 1, 2023

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

One of the annoying things about Barbie’s promotion is that people are going to keep trying to get Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling to explain their “characters” and their “motivations.” There will be analysis of what Barbie means and what the film says. When really, Barbie is the kind of film which should wash over you and we should just acknowledge that the actors signed on to it because they wanted to have a good time and they wanted to work with Greta Gerwig. It really wasn’t a complicated thing. All of that comes up in Ryan Gosling’s GQ interview, where the GQ writer basically spends ten pages interviewing Gosling, all for Gosling to basically say that he didn’t go through some torturous Method acting to play Ken, he just thought it would be fun. Of course, Gosling says a lot of other stuff too. Some highlights:

His four-year absence from films: Gosling’s explanation for his absence from Hollywood is straightforward: He and Mendes had recently had their second kid, “and I wanted to spend as much time as I could with them.” Gosling is not one of those people who pictured himself as a parent—the moment he first imagined himself as a father, he says, was the moment immediately before he became one: “Eva said she was pregnant… I would never want to go back, you know? I’m glad I didn’t have control over my destiny in that way, because it was so much better than I ever had dreamed for myself.”

Fatherhood changed his approach to acting: “I treat it more like work now, and not like it’s, you know, therapy. It’s a job, and I think in a way that allows me to be better at it because there’s less interference.”

Playing Ken: “Ken, his job is beach. For 60 years, his job has been beach. What the f–k does that even mean?” So why did he sign on? Part of it, Gosling says, was simply about the chance to work with a bunch of women on a project that puts the female characters forward—“I kind of respond to scripts, I guess, or characters, where there’s that kind of dynamic. I recognize it.” Part of it, Gosling says, actually relates to the kids’ toy thing: His daughters play with Barbies and Ken, sort of. “I did see him, like, face down in the mud outside one day, next to a squished lemon and it was like, This guy’s story does need to be told, you know?”

Ken is no-thoughts-just-vibes: “There’s something about this Ken that really, I think, relates to that version of myself. Just, like, the guy that was putting on Hammer pants and dancing at the mall and smelling like Drakkar Noir and Aqua Net-ing bangs. I owe that kid a lot. I feel like I was very quick to distance myself from him when I started making more serious films. But the reality is that, like, he’s the reason I have everything I have.” Gosling says he’s been thinking about that kid a lot recently: “He didn’t know what he was doing or why he was doing it, he was just doing it, and it’s like, I owe my whole life to him. And I wish I had been more grateful at the time, you know?” He says he spent a lot of time on the Barbie set communing with this younger version of himself, who didn’t have a clue, but who did everything in total earnestness. “I really had to go back and touch base with that little dude and say thank you, and ask for his help.”

His home life: These days Gosling lives in a quiet town in the southern half of California. Because he brings his family to the location of each movie he shoots, he aims to do only one or so per year. Most of the time, he says, he’s simply at home. Relatives come around, Gosling says, but he and Mendes don’t have a nanny; whatever they do, they do it themselves. Gosling is frankly romantic about his life with his daughters and Mendes. He says things were one way, then they were another. “I was looking for her, you know?” Were you conscious of that? “No. But it all makes sense now.”

When he doesn’t know what to do: “I just lean on Eva. She knows what’s important, always. She just somehow knows. So if ever I’m in my head about it, I just ask her.”

The “backlash” against his casting as Ken: “I would say, you know, if people don’t want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with. It is funny this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #notmyken. Like you ever thought about Ken before this? And everyone was fine with that, for him to have a job that is nothing. But suddenly, it’s like, ‘No, we’ve cared about Ken this whole time.’ No, you didn’t. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f–ked with Ken. That’s the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”

Correcting his earlier statement about when he knew he wanted kids: “When you asked me about Eva and kids. I think I said, I didn’t think about kids until she told me she was pregnant. That’s not really true. I didn’t want to overshare, but now I also don’t want to misrepresent. I mean, it’s true that I wasn’t thinking about kids before I met her, but after I met Eva, I realized that I just didn’t want to have kids without her. And there were moments on The Place Beyond the Pines where we were pretending to be a family, and I didn’t really want it to be pretend anymore. I realized that this would be a life I would be really lucky to have.”

[From GQ]

I am laughing my ass off at “But suddenly, it’s like, ‘No, we’ve cared about Ken this whole time.’ No, you didn’t. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f–ked with Ken. That’s the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed.” Ryan Gosling is HEATED!! He’s also spitting facts – it’s the truth, Barbie never f–ked with Ken, no one cared about Ken and Ryan didn’t feel the need to do a deep dive on why Ken exists. Ryan just showed up and did the Work of Ken: Just Beach.

As for what he says about Eva and their family… it’s really sweet. While I was suspicious of their whole deal in the beginning, I love how much they adore each other and how they manage to keep their family life totally off the radar. This is the most he’s ever talked about Eva and their life together. It’s so sweet.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GQ (@gq)

Cover & IG courtesy of GQ.

In mid-May, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted at Sushi Bar in Montecito. Sushi Bar is part of the Montecito Inn, and it’s apparently something of a lowkey hotspot for celebrities with second homes in Montecito or Santa Barbara. Celebrities like… Gwyneth Paltrow, who showed off her Montecito home to Architectural Digest last year. Gwyneth loves royalty and there were rumors, back in the day, that she was really trying to marry someone with a title. She’s also hung out with King Charles and Prince Philip and various other European royals. Well, reportedly, Gwyneth and her husband Brad Falchuk were at that dinner with the Sussexes.

Gwyneth Paltrow joined Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a surprise outing last week. The 50-year-old actress and her husband Brad Falchuk, 52, stepped out for a dinner date with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as well as Cameron Diaz and her husband Benji Madden in Montecito, California, according to reports.

“Meghan, Prince Harry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Falchuk, Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden all enjoyed dinner at Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Montecito on Friday, May 12,” a source told Entertainment Tonight.

Page Six reported that Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd and her husband Michael Herd also attended the A-List gathering at the Michelin-starred restaurant.

The couples are all residents of the exclusive coastal enclave in Santa Barbara County. Paltrow and Falchuk moved to Montecito in 2016, while Markle, 41, and Harry, 38, relocated to the area in 2020 after officially stepping down from their roles as working members of the royal family. Diaz and Madden purchased a $12.67 Montecito mansion in May 2022.

[From Fox News]

So, Fox News’ headline was “Harry and Meghan courted by Gwyneth Paltrow” and then Fox News exhaustively listed all of Gwyneth’s royal connections, but offered no further proof of Gwyneth’s attempts to “court” the Sussexes. Don’t get me wrong, I actually think Meghan and Gwyneth would be natural allies, and they have similar interests. I do believe Gwyneth has probably cultivated this relationship, if there is one. We’ll probably find out soon enough – both women have podcasts, and I could absolutely see a pod crossover. The Archetypes episode would be “The Gravitas of Goop” or…oh, sh-t, “The It Girl Myth with Gwyneth.” I could absolutely see something “Meghan-approved” appearing for sale on Goop. Just remember, even though we find Gwyneth to be impossibly smug and annoying, she really does have a lot of famous friends who adore her.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

People who are “extremely online” will understand what it means to be the internet’s main character of the day/week. This week, it feels like Taika Waititi is one of the internet’s main characters. People have been climbing up his ass all week and I’m not entirely sure why. It definitely feels like there’s been a shift, in recent months, in how Taika is perceived. He went from art-house god to Marvel guy and Oscar-winning screenwriter, and currently people think the luster has worn off. He recently had some milquetoast stuff to say about the WGA strike and people climbed all over him for that. Currently, he’s on the new cover of the Hollywood Reporter, all to promote his latest directorial effort, Next Goal Wins. In the THR piece, he suggests that “no one” knows the name of the director of Casablanca. This has been all over Film Twitter for days.

Before he became a global acting-writing-directing star with an Oscar and a Marvel résumé, Waititi, a Maori-Jewish filmmaker from New Zealand, found community in the U.S. among Native American filmmakers like Harjo. “One of the things we all connected on was our disdain for how we appear onscreen in white productions,” says Waititi. “Indigenous characters, they’re always stoic. They’re always the people who talk to trees and play flutes on mountaintops. They’re never funny, they’re never normal. Nerd has not been a choice. Or dorky. Where are the dorky Natives?”

Waititi has managed to preserve the showmanship and silliness of his condo dance-off days, even as he has seen the stakes of his career raised. “I’m 47,” he says. “My God, take the pressure off. People are so obsessed with likes or leaving behind a legacy, being remembered. Here’s the thing: No one’s going to remember us. What’s the name of the director of Casablanca? Arguably one of the greatest films of all time. No one knows his name. How the f–k do I expect to be remembered? So who cares? Let’s just live, make some movies. They’ll be obsolete and irrelevant in 15 or 20 years. And so will I, and then I’ll die and someone else can do it. This whole idea of chasing, chasing, chasing this life. It’s like, do we have to actually work this hard? Maybe not.”

Waititi’s wit is a Trojan horse for exploring issues like antisemitism and colonialism. “Comedy is a great way of pulling people in and going, ‘Hey, we’re all friends. Get comfortable. You’re racist,’ ” he says. Humor with sociopolitical themes has its pitfalls, however. “People check themselves and they go, ‘Am I allowed to laugh at this?’ ” he says. “They have to google if they’re allowed to. And sometimes you shouldn’t laugh at some stuff. You’ve got to navigate it.” On Jojo Rabbit, some audiences felt uncomfortable with the idea of a Holocaust comedy. “People were really unsure if they should laugh until about 20 minutes into the film,” he says. “One issue they had was like, ‘Well, I wish I’d known that I was allowed to laugh.’ Another issue was, ‘I wish I’d known that he was Jewish before I went in.’”

[From THR]

So… I’ll admit it, I didn’t know who directed Casablanca either, off the top of my head. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. Which kind of proves Taika’s point – I’m a film buff and I’ve seen Casablanca a half-dozen times, and I didn’t know/remember the director’s name. Besides, I think his larger point is that unless you create some huge legacy as a filmmaker – a Spielberg, a Hitchcock, a Tarantino – most people aren’t going to remember you, so why are you killing yourself in the name of art? Why not spend more time with your family? Granted, Taika is coming across like a dude who is going through a midlife crisis, but that’s been true for several years now. Anyway!

michael curtiz. jewish hungarian who lived in abject poverty until theater school, then served in WWI until he was wounded and got noticed for directing red cross docs. he would likely have a hard time forgetting the name of the man who directed the-nazis-but-cute movie. https://t.co/CL2qD22qJN

— Chris Cabin (@Crabin) June 1, 2023

Taika Waititi spending the day getting kicked around film Twitter because he made the inarguable point that most people don’t know who directed CASABLANCA is why you never start a sentence with “Nobody” or “Everyone”

— Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) June 1, 2023

“Man, I can’t wait for the strike to be over. As a WGA member, I can’t wait for us to get the thing that we want” – @TaikaWaititi jokes about the #WritersStrike during his keynote speech at THR’s #RaisingOurVoices event pic.twitter.com/FUh8NK2itl

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 31, 2023

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, cover courtesy of THR.

As soon as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the UK, Sophie tried to convince everyone that she could fill Meghan and Harry’s shoes. Back when she was the Countess of Wessex – she only recently became the Duchess of Edinburgh – Sophie would tell everyone that she was Queen Elizabeth’s favorite, that they were especially close, and that QEII thought of her as the monarchy’s secret weapon. Sophie’s ham-fisted PR blitz continued after QEII’s passing as well. She publicly pleaded with King Charles for the elevated Edinburgh title and Sophie even took public swipes at Camilla, Kate and William (Sophie, you see, works “harder” than them). I hoped that we would finally see Sophie settle down after her police escort killed an elderly woman, but no – we’re still doing this.

Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers hopes the Duchess of Edinburgh gets more “airtime” after her secret trip to Iraq, where she spoke at the annual CSSF Women’s Voices First Conference. Sophie has vocalised her support in the past for survivors of sexual violence in conflict regions.

“I think, certainly, she has been described as the Royal Family’s secret weapon in the past,” Mr Myers told Sky News host Caroline Di Russo.

“Hopefully, we will try and see a bit more of her work because it has always gone under the radar.”

[From Sky News]

Sophie visited Iraq last week and the only reason I know that is because she was in Iraq when Helen Holland passed away after being in a coma for two weeks. Sophie’s Iraq visit got little attention otherwise, and that’s always been the case for all of Sophie’s events. These people can call her the “secret weapon” all they want, but there’s a fundamental misjudgment happening here. No one cares about Sophie, and it’s tacky as hell that she was still doing horse shows and garden parties after her police motorcade killed a woman. It’s also tacky to still call Sophie a “secret weapon” when her motorcade caused someone’s death!

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

From CB: Hecate moved on to another career and we miss her! Check out podcast number 152 for more on that. Rosie is our new co-writer for the Amazon posts. Rosie is a mother of two boys who grew up on Long Island and now lives in NC. She has a BA in Journalism and a paralegal certificate. She loves going on adventures, hiking, reading mystery novels, and geocaching. Her claim to fame involves once meeting the late great RBG.

As for stuff I’ve bought recently, due to a tick bite I’ve had to switch out my personal care products to vegan varieties. (I previously had alpha gal in 2019, an allergy to beef and pork. I got alpha gal again about two weeks ago.) The good news is that some of the brands I use and love, like Garnier, Elf and NYX, are either vegan or partially vegan. I’m especially glad that I don’t have to switch out my favorite micellar water from Garnier. Here are some more things Rosie and I are looking at on Amazon.

A plant-based body wash for more luxurious showers

From CB: I bought this Love Beauty and Plant body wash from CVS. It’s formulated with rosewater and niacinamide, has a light, pleasant smell and I’ll definitely rebuy it when it runs out. (They also have other varieties.) It’s not the cheapest but you get a huge bottle and it’s vegan and free of sulfates and phalates. This has 470 ratings, 4.4 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say it smells great without being too perfumey and that it cleans well. Many say the pump breaks easily though. “Love the smell of this as well as the lasting suds. The scent isn’t over powering.” “This sent is nice and very unique. My skin feels soft and refreshed after using this product. It is definitely worth the price and the bottle is bigger than I expected.”

An affordable concealer that’s a dupe for Nars

From CB: Many people say Maybelline Fit Me Concealer at under $7 is a dupe for Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, which is $32. This lightweight concealer comes in 12 different shades. It’s said to have a natural finish and to blend well with other makeup and foundation. This has over 68,000 ratings, 4.4 stars and a B on Fakespot. Reviewers say it’s good for sensitive skin and covers dark circles and blemishes. “I have been using this product for years. It provides excellent coverage and allows you to layer! It also works great with my other makeup and isn’t too cakey. I highly recommend this product.” “Easily covers and blends into skin! Covers dark circles under eyes well!” “My skin is in between fair and mid and I tend to have dark circles under my eyes no matter how much sleep I get. This works well to conceal them and blends well with foundation. Not too bright, not too dark.” (Note that this is not vegan and that products are not vegan unless noted.)

A huge set of clear airtight canisters to reorganize your pantry

From CB: I recently wanted to streamline my pantry and purchased some canisters from Homegoods. They were pricey and I couldn’t get a matching set. You can get a 14 pack of Clearspace BPA-free airtight canisters and labels for under $40! These have over 2,000 ratings and 4.5 stars on ReviewMeta. People say they’re easy to set up, that they keep food fresh and make their cabinets and kitchen counters look so neat. “The lids lock and stay locked. They save space and keep food fresh.” “Love how it came with a chalk pen so writing is super neat. Everything is as described & easy to use.” “If you have a cabinet in your kitchen that seems a bit disorganized, you need these.” “I bought the 14 pack it come with the perfect variety of sizes. They are easy to open and stack nicely.”

An at-home blood pressure monitor for peace of mind

From CB: In the past I’ve had high blood pressure due to birth control and have had to monitor mine. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure it’s good to have a blood pressure monitor at home just in case. This battery powered blood pressure monitor by iHealth is compatible with apple and android devices and is on sale for under $40. It has over 12,000 ratings, 4.4 stars and the same score on ReviewMeta. People say that it works well and is accurate. “I brought this with me to my annual physical, and compared it with the professional blood pressure monitor in the doctor’s office. The numbers were right on! It’s also very easy to use and the large type is easy to read.” “Love using this when anyone is sick and the app is pretty user friendly as well. I love that I can keep track of each individual and sync up with my apple health app. I have total peace of mind having this in my med kit. It’s helped me decide several times if a couple days if rest or an immediate care visit is warranted”

A cooling cap for migraine relief

From Rosie: Over the last year, I’ve been getting these awful cluster headaches. I had two different people recommend the Magic Gel Migraine Ice Head Wrap, so I decided to order one, and it really is awesome. This cold cap is $20, comes in black or purple, and can be adjusted to wear several different ways: over the temples, covering your entire face, pulled down to your neck, etc. It has a 4.4 star rating, over 17,250 reviews, and a B on Fakespot. People marvel at how long it stays cold and quickly it eases symptoms. “I was absolutely amazed at how well it works. It’s almost immediate relief! … Highly recommend this cap for anyone who suffers from severe headaches/migraines.” “When I go to bed with a migraine, this thing is cold long enough for me to go to sleep.” “This helmet has been a good tool in my migraine tool kit.”

A tick removing device endorsed by doctors and veterinarians

From Rosie: Over the weekend, both of my kids had ticks on them after playing outside. A neighbor mentioned that he’s switched from #TweezerLife to tick spoons, so I ordered a set. The tick spoon has a specially designed notch that grabs the tick and removes it completely in one motion, catching it in the spoon part. It’s endorsed by both physicians and veterinarians. This product has a 4.7 rating, more than 1,300 reviews, and a B on Fakespot. Users praise how much easier they are to use than tweezers. “This thing pulls them [clean] off everytime.” “We have used [ours] for years on ourselves and our dogs. They work much better than tweezers for removing ticks.” “Very easy to use and works every time. Fantastic device.”

A set of comfortable wrist and ankle weights for more effective workouts

From Rosie: I bought Bala Bangles after noticing that a good 60% of the women in my Pure Barre Empower class were using them instead of the gross studio ones. I use them during class or while lifting weights at home when I want to add resistance but don’t want to use a heavier set of weights. These wrist weights are adjustable, come in five different colors and a 1lb or 2lb option. They are easy to clean. They have 876 reviews and 4.5 stars on ReviewMeta. Reviews mention how comfortable they are. “Very simple to put on, and they’re definitely not going to come off until I take them off.” “Use these at pure barre. Easily go on wrists and ankles and quick to pull off mid workout.” “I got these because the online pilates classes I was doing were starting to feel too easy and I was hoping these would up the difficulty and they absolutely did!”