Five on the fly #5
High-Low Favorites: From Fancy Kajal to Teva Tan Lines
Another month comes to a close and it is time to share the five things from this month that have given me capitalistic joy.
Victoria Beckham Eye Kajal
The Victoria Beckham Eye Kajal1 is one of those rare beauty products that actually earns the hype. It’s incredibly smooth, super pigmented, and goes on without any dragging—especially impressive when you're dealing with the waterline, where it somehow manages to stay put and still look fresh hours later. Seriously, the application is like a hot knife through butter, nary a tug in sight.
I’ve been using Bordeaux a lot lately. It’s a deep, reddish plum that gives the same definition as black but with a softer, more interesting finish. It works even on low-effort days, which makes it a win in my book. Surfside, the bright cobalt, looks especially good on brown eyes—it adds just enough contrast to make them pop without screaming “I tried.” Just don’t wear it with pink blush, if you want to avoid looking like you stole your mom’s makeup for the first time (brown/mauve tones work better with blue liner, I find.)
Teva Sandals
From a distance (and honestly, I’m hoping people never look at my feet too closely and that image is not my feet!), no one would really guess these sandals are from a sporty brand like Tevas. They look fancy-adjacent while feeling very comfortable to wear. I’ve walked miles in these shoes and so far—no tugs. There are definitely weird tan lines forming, but that’s the case with any sandals in the summer.
Between the durable design and affordable price point, I’m happy to have a pair of sandals I don’t have to be precious with, that also works well with dresses and jeans. And while The Row continues to stay far out of my budget, I like that these shoes are Olsen-approved.
byMATTER: Another Day Fabric Spray
Omg, this came into my closet at the perfect time. Another Day from byMATTER is, in simple terms, a clothing refresher. As their website describes it:
“Bio-active fabric freshener that targets odour-causing bacteria and eliminates odours. It includes an innovative mix of probiotics that are engineered to stay dormant until sprayed on the fabric. Once in contact with the fabric, probiotics are engineered to target odour-causing bacteria to eliminate odours.”
And it works. I’ve been using it on jackets that are gently worn—where you know it’s not as fresh as out of the wash but not dirty enough to justify another wash. Out comes this spray to refresh the clothing and give me a couple more wears before it hits the laundry.
The scent is mild (lavender-like) and doesn’t linger long, but it does a solid job eliminating light BO or food smells (like if you wore it to a restaurant). It works on most fabrics and is perfect for travel (it’s 100ml, so I will be taking it with me in my carry-on for all trips going forward).
Dirty Labs Laundry Detergent
And when your clothes do need to be washed, there’s nothing better than Dirty Labs. I’ve been using this for years and switch between their two scents with each bottle. When I say years, I mean I’ve been using this brand since at least 2021 (I found an old email with my order)—maybe even late 2020?
And I’m so obsessive about my laundry and the scent that I packed this detergent for my two week India trip earlier this year. When Dirty Labs sent2 me two of their smaller-sized bottles recently, my mom promptly (stole) borrowed the Murasaki one.
We are a sensitive skin family and I’m just so happy this detergent doesn’t give us any issues while still working great on stains and odors (including our dog’s bedding). Most detergents that are made for sensitive skin end up being fragrance free, and really where is the fun in that? Because I line-dry my clothes, every weekend when I hang up my laundry, I just love how my room smells because of these detergents. The scents are sophisticated and luxe and not the kind that launch an assault on your nostrils like some others. I also buy the Bio Enzyme Laundry Booster and use it regularly for towels and bedding.
It’s weird to be obsessed with a detergent, I know, but I really care about the clothes I buy, and regardless of the brand, I take great care of what I own. So when a product supports me in my endeavors, in this case making my clothes smell great, look nice, and maintain their fabric texture (I use the detergent even on silk and cashmere), I am all for shouting about it from the rooftops.
Agolde Denim
I briefly mentioned that I ordered these in a previous newsletter but haven’t given a full review. I love them so much and even raved about them to a few friends who all ended up buying them (and loving them too, phew).
I’m kinda obsessed with these for summer. Here’s why:
They’re dark grey/black but not jet black, so they don’t feel out of place to wear in warm weather.
They’re fitted at the waist but loose everywhere else, so you don’t get hot.
They’re long, but because they taper with a barrel leg, I can wear them with sandals/flats and not need them hemmed.
I’ve been complimented on these jeans so much recently that I just had to share. Barrel jeans when you’re petite isn’t easy, but these somehow work. I went with my usual size and they were a bit snug on the first wear but have since stretched and now feel really comfortable.
Most days, I’m wearing these jeans with this sweatshirt and these sandals.
Next week, I’m hoping to share my packing hacks (or fails) as I figure out how to stuff all my dream clothes into a carry-on suitcase for a 10-day trip to… well, you’ll have to read about that in the next newsletter.
There are a few affiliate links used in this newsletter which means I may get a small commission if you buy something (at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting my work and trusting my recommendations!
I have purchased multiple bottles of Dirty Labs prior to them gifting me recently. All opinions are my own.
We are of the same mind Charu! I love the byMatter and I just bought a pair of Agolde jeans over the weekend. But most importantly I ALSO bought those Tevas the Olsens are sporting and am equally shocked that a) I bought Tevas and b) how chic they look?! 🙈
LOVE those Tevas, and I need to try the AGOLDE jeans. Thanks from a fellow petite person!