If you've ever thought about going to Korea...

Bacha Coffee Has Replaced My Matcha Latte — Last week in Singapore, I discovered Bacha Coffee. I’m already obsessed with their Arabica flavored coffees —Carmelo Morning and Sierra Madre are current favorites. I later realized Bacha Coffee shares an owner with TWG, the Singaporean tea brand that I had a crippling addiction to in my 20s. Taha Bouqdib, the owner of both luxury drink brands, clearly has a gift for building luxury beverage empires that speak to my refined sensibilities. After a $400 haul on the way home, my caffeine habit is officially reaching new high-end heights and I have no plans to slow down anytime soon. 

Is Social Media The New Cigarettes? — After years of hearing about the mental health toll of social media, it feels like global governments are finally ready to crack down. First, it was Australia’s landmark 2025 ban on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for those under 16. Now, the UK is trialing social media restrictions for hundreds of teens in a Cambridge University study. Even in the US, a New Mexico jury just ordered Meta to pay $375 million in penalties for misleading users about product safety. As someone who is on these platforms daily for work, I am thrilled to see this shift. I’m like those Google employees who send their kids to tech-free schools—I know how the sauce is made, and I’m keeping my own kids off social media until their prefrontal cortex has actually had a chance to develop. Call it over-protective if you want, but I’m relieved to see regulations finally catching up to the reality of the industry.Read more at Los Angeles Times…

Alix Earle Launches Skincare Brand Reale Actives — Alix Earle just revealed her new acne-focused skincare brand, and the beauty community’s reaction has been lukewarm at best. Many are citing her confusing positioning—claiming the line is "made for those with acne and those without" (umm, huh?)—as a major red flag. But I’m calling it now: this brand is going to swing for the fences and land a home run. Alix’s storytelling throughout her acne journey was raw, vulnerable, and highly emotional. While the products themselves feel like a "rinse and repeat" of what’s already on the market, I doubt her fanbase will care. From my perspective, the formulas look solid, the packaging is great, and the marketing imagery is even better. It’s a recipe for success imo.  Read more at Puck News…

Gap & Medicube Will See You At Coachella — I’ve never been one for the Coachella dust and porta-potties, but lately, the festival feels commercialized beyond recognition compared to what I knew of it two decades ago. The "indie-outcast" haven of the past has been replaced by a sea of nepo babies, models, and brands looking for clout and a payday. This year’s standouts? Gap and Medicube. Gap is pivoting to official festival hoodies for the nighttime desert chill, and Medicube is going all-in on "immersive" Booster Pro promos. The soul of the festival might be gone, but the marketing is thriving. Are you going this year, or will you be listening to the Spotify Coachella playlist at home, like me?  Read more at Variety…

SKII PITERA Essence Soothes Perimenopausal Skin — Perimenopause has turned my skin into a total nightmare—it’s somehow dry, oily, and hyper-sensitive all at once. My skin barrier essentially said “f-you,” leaving me ready to throw in the towel after endless breakouts and redness. Then, I remembered my old obsession I loved years ago: SK-II Pitera Facial Treatment Essence. It turns out this watery, fermented essence is the perfect antidote to perimenopausal chaos. Instead of harsh exfoliation, its blend of vitamins and amino acids strengthens the skin from the bottom up, accelerating cell turnover to mimic how younger skin behaves. It’s easily my favorite re-discovery of the year helping me navigate this new perimenopausal skin chapter. Watch this video instagram for my in-depth breakdown…