I Tried It & I Loved It

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Hello friend,

Happy New Year! I thought I would start the year with something different, and I hope you find it valuable. First, let me give you some insight into the process of curating the brands I cover. I spend a lot of time researching brands. I look for products of exceptional quality, branding that is compelling and interesting founder stories. If a brand ticks all the boxes, I reach out to the founder. We meet in person or online and have a nice conversation about how and why she started her business. Then I write her story. From time to time, she generously sends me a product to try, or I’m so captivated by her story, I buy the product myself (it’s an occupational hazard, I shop a lot of the products I write about).

While we are still in holiday mode, I thought I would share a roundup of a few products I’ve tried and now love. They come with a Genuinely Stellar seal of approval, if you will. If you would like more of my personal insights on the brands I’ve tried, let me know by responding to the poll towards the end of the email. I could easily make “I tried it and I loved it” a regular feature.

Thank you to Google AdSense for sponsoring this week’s newsletter. I am grateful for the support. Enjoy these few minutes of downtime for yourself in this last day of the holiday season. You deserve it!

 Aynur Jahan is a warm and lovely woman. I met up with her recently at an event supporting women entrepreneurs, and she presented me with the most beautiful earrings as a thank you for telling her story. I was first drawn to the bold yet delicate designs of her pieces in black, cream and gold. Trust me when I say her jewellery is even more beautiful in person.

I was thrilled to stumble upon Melissa Pulvermacher’s at an event I attended in the fall. The first sip confirmed everything I knew about her brand DONNA from our conversation months earlier. It is light and fresh and flavourful with just the right amount of sparkle. It comes in a can, but tastes as though it was mixed just for you with fresh ingredients. Deliziosa! Since then, she’s added a 0% alcohol version of the Blood Orange Italian Spritz. I can’t wait to try it!

We featured 19/99 Beauty on a TV appearance last spring, and co-Founder Stephanie Spence provided some samples to show on-air. They were tucked away in a drawer until recently, when I ran out of mascara and decided to give 19/99 a try. Let me tell you, this mascara is a game-changer. It starts with the wand, which is a skinny version of a typical mascara wand. The tiny teeth allow for expert precision in application. No clumps, just perfectly dressed lashes. I highly recommend! I’ve since purchased the Cream Blush and Cream Highlight sticks. I haven’t tried them yet. Reply to this email with “Yes” if you want my thoughts once I do.

In my conversation with Lane Edwards of PURA Botanicals, I became intrigued by the product she calls her “sleeping beauty mask.” She created it to melt into the skin without the cakey texture of some masks and she infused it with powerful actives that leave your skin aglow by morning. When she sent me the Overnight Watermelon Sleep Mask to try, I was over the moon! It has the texture of whipped butter and smells like a Creamsicle. And yes, it leaves the skin hydrated and glowing. It now has a permanent place in my skin care roster, along with the Empress Eye Cream (also gifted by Lane). It has an even lighter whipped texture and sweet scent, but the best part is its luminosity. Like a magic wand, it instantly brightens the eye area. Now is a good time to try. Both items are currently on sale!

I love me a decorative pillow. When I discovered Townsend Rowe Home during the pandemic, I was like a kid in a virtual candy shop. I snapped up pillow covers in African mud cloth, Moroccan cactus silk, and recycled Turkish kilims. Each piece added texture, pattern, and richness to every room. My first home decor story in Genuinely Stellar featured Marika Rowe because her pillow coverings are beautiful, sewn to perfection with the best quality gold zippers that make the perfect finishing touch. Marika was kind enough to send a new cover to add to my collection, and I love it like all the rest!

Watch this space for five quick things to make your life a little richer.

The cold plunge is having a moment. You don’t have to look too far to find a spa with some sort of ice bath experience. Perhaps you’ve joined the masses who take the Polar Bear Dip to raise funds for charity. Imagine taking the cold plunge concept a step further with a therapeutic swim in arctic waters. This writer does it regularly and explains in detail why it’s better than a day at the spa.

If tackling brain fog is on your wellness to-do list for 2026, you need not swim in the Arctic to achieve it. Let us help you tap into something much simpler you can do each morning to clear the cobwebs.

Feeling under the weather and in need of a hot toddy? The Penicillin Cocktail may be just what the doctor ordered.

Broken more New Year’s resolutions than you can count? Don’t beat yourself up. Try nudge words this year instead.

If astrology is your jam, buckle up, because this in-depth telling of your horoscope for 2026 covers all the bases. I hope yours is as promising as mine! Here’s to a happy New Year for all!

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Last week, I invited you to share your thoughts on Genuinely Stellar. Your feedback is incredibly important to me. I want to ensure my content provides value and enjoyment. If you haven’t had a chance to respond to the survey, I invite you to take a few minutes to do so now, or simply reply to this email with your feelings about the newsletter, good, bad, or otherwise, and what would make it better. I can’t thank you enough!

I have started to map out the stories I will cover in Genuinely Stellar for the year and I can’t wait to share it all with you! In the next few weeks, you will meet an accomplished interior designer who shares her favourite woman-owned brands; the mother daughter duo behind a must-try natural deoderant brand; and the loveliest fine jewellery designer who creates milestone jewellery with a twist. Stay tuned!