12 Useful-and-Cool Things We're Loving Right Now

Hi, I'm Kristina!

I'm the newsletter editor here at BuzzFeed (which means I'm the person sending you this email each week! Thanks for subscribing, btw!). I hail from the land of ice and snow, Minnesota, but have been living in Brooklyn for six years now. When I'm not tending to my many houseplants, I'm watching GTA V streams on Twitch, cooking whatever is new on the NYT Cooking app, and exploring museums around the city.

Photos: Kristina Bornholtz

Of course, a good portion of my day is spent looking at the best deals on BuzzFeed Shopping to pop into all our emails, which leads to me discovering things that I absolutely *have* to have. I love skincare, clothes by independent designers, realistic fiction novels, and fragrance (the amount of perfume sample sets I have stacked in my room is getting out of hand).

Hope you enjoy my picks!

Forwarded This Newsletter?

Think of WANT THIS as your own personal shopper! Each week, we'll have a new BuzzFeed Shopping editor who'll take you behind-the-scenes of what they're loving and what's at the top of their wishlist.

Subscribe Now

WHAT I'M LOVING NOW

Go West, Young Man by B.J. Hollars — $19.95

One of my favorite reads of the year happens to be written by one of my favorite people, a former writing professor of mine! In "Go West, Young Man," B.J. Hollars recants a summer road trip taken with his six-year-old son. I'm a sucker for compelling non-fiction (I've burnt myself out on essay collections), and exploring the dichotomy of life in the United States through the eyes of both Hollars and his son had me both in stitches and tears. It's not out yet, but it's very much worth the pre-order.

Dr. Martens x Suicoke DEPA Sandals — $191+

After a year of not really *going* anywhere, I'll never be able to go back to uncomfortable shoes. And when my last pair of utility sandals finally bit the dust the first week of May, I knew it was time to invest in a pair that would last. Enter: the Doc Martens x Suicoke collab of my dreams. These shoes are insanely comfortable and took no time at all to break in. I wear them almost every single day. Most importantly, they're stylish as hell and elevate any look (and make me feel oh-so-Brooklyn).

Retro Square Frame Aviators — $11.88+

I'd been looking for a dupe for the Lexxola Damien sunglasses for months when I stumbled across this pair on Amazon. Are they a perfect match? No, but they are pretty dang close for the price. They have those cool-girl tinted lenses and do a surprisingly good job of protecting my sensitive eyes from the sun. I don't leave home without them now.

Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops — $29.90

I've been trying to be better about protecting myself from the sun, but there's something about that summer glow that just breathes life back into me. (Seriously, in the dead of winter, I get so pale I basically turn grey.) Enter: these easy tanning drops you just mix in with your daily body lotion. I got the shade medium and use the drops more sparingly than suggested and find that it gives just the right amount of tint to my skin. I will repurchase forever.