Five January Favorites
A mix of things that are making my life better right now.
Hi everyone! Jumping into 2026 by sharing some things I am loving right now— that are bringing me joy (besides Heated Rivalry).
Prequel Retinal Renew
It’s no surprise that Prequel released an affordable retinaldehyde of my dreams. Dr. Ellis and I share a love of functional, thoughtful packaging, luxurious textures, and efficacious formulas that result in products that are enjoyable to use, effective— but even better her line is extremely accessible. It remains the majority of what I recommend to clients who are looking for skincare they can afford to maintain, but also see results with. If you’re new to retinaldehyde, it is a step up in strength above retinol, but is below prescription strength tretinoin (also known as all-trans retinoic acid). This particular formula comes in a lightweight gel, using stabilizing retinaldehyde but also contains skin soothing ectoin and bio-enhanced cica that work together to minimize irritation. This allows you to use the product more often, as intended and get results faster.
It comes in two strengths. .1% is a great starting point for someone who has used retinol daily already with no issues, or for dry and/or sensitive skin types. Then there is the .2% which I’d recommend for more oily skin, or users who have already used the .1% daily or another brand’s retinaldehyde. I am truly SO excited to have this affordable option to recommend!! And it’s truly a joy to use.
ZIIP Halo 2.0
[Sponsored] One of my goals for 2026 is to be more consistent with my ZIIP device, which is why I am so excited to be partnering with them on this post. I started using the original ZIIP Halo in early 2024, but I used it mostly leading up to events, and not as consistently as I would have liked. I’ve now been consistently using it the last few weeks and I am so happy with my results. After losing almost forty pounds over the last two and a half years, and turning 39 this year (40 is coming up QUICK!!)— I am a bit self conscious of the loose skin around the lower half of my face and neck. I’ve seen so many of my friends have incredible results using their ZIIP regularly, and there is a reason why so many of my esthetician friends use microcurrent devices in the treatment room. They just launched their updated ZIIP HALO 2.0 device which uses stronger electrical currents and has a more robust design.
In case you’re new to the ZIIP, the device uses smart electrical currents that, when used alongside a special conductive gel, can be used to treat a variety of different skincare concerns. Each treatment uses a combination of different waveforms designed to target your specific concern, whether that’s lifting, boosting collagen or calming acne & breakouts.
ZIIP 2.0 now comes with three premium conductive gels and a carry case. This is a really great bonus as it means you can now discover the right ZIIP gel for your skin (all of their premium gels have skincare actives that maximise your results). My personal favorite is the clear gel that was created for acne prone skin like mine.
Over time, it can help combat sagging (which is my main goal) and in the short term— every time I use it my jawline and neck looks tighter, my forehead smoother, and my cheekbones more defined. Everything just looks smoother, higher and tighter!! It also helps combat dullness, reduce acne and decrease inflamed spots. My favourite thing about this device is that they have an app where you can follow along with 17 different routines, depending on which skin concern you want to focus on. My personal favorites are the neck (6 minutes) and the four minute facial for a total of 10 minutes! If you want to try the ZIIP HALO 2.0, you can use my code DEVANZIIP for 10% off.
Baggu Bag Charm
I recently lost my brand new AirPods, which is SO unlike me. Yes, I misplace things all the time but they always turn up in some unexpected place. However, no such luck so far! I ended up grabbing these JLab Open Ear Airbuds, which were an alternative under $50. I’ve now been using them 6+ weeks with no issues! I use these mostly for listening to audio books or watching shows on my iPad in bed. They’re not noise cancelling, and the microphone isn’t anywhere as good as the AirPods— but great for what I use them for. And I can still hear my husband and Fitz while I’m listening to a book, and doing chores if they call for me. ANYWAYS— all of that to say, I made a plan not to lose these, and I found this super cute bag charm where the case always lives. So far, this plan has worked really well for me! This feels like less about the bag charm, and more for finding a system that works for my ADHD brain.
Crown Affair The Hair Towel
One of my best friends from college hosted my first ever favorite things party and it was SOOO much fun! We each brought two gifts of our favorite things. I was the only one who interpreted this as bring the same two favorite things— but everyone else brought two different favorite things! My friend who hosted the party actually gave this as one of her gifts and while I do get some PR from Crown Affair, they’ve never sent me the coveted Hair Towel that is beloved by so many. So many in the beauty space have raved about this for so long, and tried other hair towels but claim that nothing really compares. Also, this one is incredible for its sheer size if you have long hair or a lot of hair like I do. It has a waffle knit made of microfibers that help reduce frizz. It majorly reduces drying time, and my friend who hosted SWEARS by it. I use a water bottle with water to re-wet my hair after its dried off a bit so I can get it the perfect amount of damp to style my hair, while reducing how long it needs to dry. If you have straight hair, you obviously don’t need to do this! I fully get the hype— although I’d still probably wait for Sephora’s next sale to get some $$ off because it’s for sure an investment! But for those who wash hair frequently, this would be a worthwhile investment.
CANN Roadie
I was just thinking about how I went an entire year without drinking in 2025 (minus a 1/4 glass of champagne at a friend dinner), after drinking way less in 2024. I think one of the reasons I was able to do that is because of CANN. All of their products are fantastic— I’ve tried them all at this point. If you’re looking to dabble and see if it’s for you, I must recommend starting off with their product that has a cult following— the Roadie! This is the perfect product to just casually wind down, reduce social anxiety and relax after a stressful day. The roadie’s are a small packet (making them super travel friendly too), containing 2mg THC and 4mg CBD that is hemp derived. You can pour them into any drink of your choice. Fun fact- years ago, my sister gave me one to try and I ripped it open and drank the packet without knowing it was meant to be mixed, but honestly it was great that way too. Lemon Lavender is my personal favorite flavor, but all of them are great depending on what you gravitate towards! This isn’t enough to make you sleepy, or melt into the couch. Just takes the edge off. I don’t know about you, but after this week…I am looking forward to one of these tonight.
PS- if you want to hear more about why I ditched alcohol, happy to share more of that story. Let me know if that is of interest!
Some of the links here are affiliate links, which means in some cases I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my work and trusting my recommendations!
❤️ If you liked this post, please like the heart button at the bottom - it helps others discover my content!
Re: the prequel retinal— Can you recommend a retinol for someone who has taken some time off from all retinoids? (A prequel to the prequel 😂)
Thx for sharing!!