🏖️ Best of June

So far, anyway.

June is flying by in a blur of sunscreen reapplications and iced coffee runs. Somewhere between the longest days of the year and the official start of summer, I managed to test, try, and occasionally fall for a handful of products and clothes that actually earned their place in my daily rotation.

From mascaras that work miracles on three hours of sleep to body lotions that make you smell like sophisticated dessert, this month's roundup is about the finds that quietly improved my life in that particular way only the best discoveries can—by making everything just a little bit easier, prettier, or more delicious.

Consider this your shortlist for upgrading the small moments.

ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara in Before Dawn

There's something quietly revolutionary about finding a brown mascara that doesn't make you look like you forgot to finish your makeup routine, and ILIA's Limitless Lash in brown is exactly that kind of gentle overachiever.

This clean formula separates and lengthens with an almost effortless precision giving you that "I woke up with naturally perfect lashes" look that we're all secretly chasing but rarely achieve. The brown shade balances definition and softness—boardroom confidence with weekend approachability, in other words. The slim bristle brush reaches every single lash without the drama (!) of clumping. It's the kind of mascara that makes you look put together even when you're running on three hours of sleep and yesterday's concealer, which is to say it's become completely indispensable to my daily armor. At $29, it's not cheap, but it's one of those purchases that quietly improves your life in the way only the best beauty finds can. And it does it by making you look like the most polished version of yourself without anyone being able to pinpoint exactly why.

ILIA was kind enough to provide a code just for TIBAAC subscribers: ILIAxAmberKatz at 20% starting today and running for 30 days.

e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush

The e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush in Bold-Faced Lilac is doing something interesting in the purple-pink liminal space most brands are too scared to explore. It's lavender enough to feel editorial, but pink enough to actually be wearable on a Tuesday morning.

Zoe Chicco Key Necklace

To know me is to know this necklace. It was a beauty editor gift about 15 years ago. I’ve worn it every single day since then, with the exception of a two-year period when it was tragically lost. I believe in astrology, feng shui, manfesting, 10,000+ steps a day—and in a jewelry uniform. I’ll share my current earring stack in an upcoming Substack, but this necklace is always it. Sometimes I add another necklace or two (like this Sanseours one (which was considerably less expensive when I bought it about five years ago). Anyway, the key is delicate perfection and it is my everything. It’s obviously a perennial favorite, but the clasp recently broke and I had it fixed immediately, so it’s like new. Again.

eos Crème de Pistachio Body Lotion

The brand gifted me this product to test out.

Launching 6/27 on evolutionofsmooth.com and 7/13 on Amazon.com and Target.com.

You know when you’ve been living your entire life without knowing you needed to smell like a sophisticated Italian dessert? The scent is the Venn diagram of gourmand indulgence and grown-up elegance. Warm pistachio gelato with a hint of something creamy and luxurious. It delivers that signature eos hydration without feeling oily or sticky—CRUCIAL when you're wearing something this deliciously scented because the last thing you want is for your beautiful fragrance to be overshadowed by the feeling that you've slathered yourself in butter. The formula absorbs quickly but leaves your skin with that subtle luminous finish that makes you want to admire your own arms in good lighting. The scent has surprising staying power without being overwhelming: It's the kind of fragrance that makes people lean in slightly when you walk by. At around $6, it's an absolute steal.

Five more favorites ahead!