Sustainable Baddie’s December 2022 Staff Favorites
Not sure about you, but we slid through December (despite the general lack of ice in the early part of the month). December is often a month stacked with events, celebrations, and tons to check off the to-do list so you can enjoy your break. As the year comes to an official end, we are reflecting on the craziness that was 2022, and we are immensely grateful. The birth of Sustainable Baddie, and watching the community grow, made 2022 a massive year for us! Amidst all the excitement, the Sustainable Baddie team still found time to indulge in all our favorite things and discover some new things too! (If you spent as much time as we did making gift lists, you would have found new things too!) If you need some last minute gift ideas or you just need some “new year, new me” inspiration, check out the December edition of SB Staff Favs.
Jazmine:
Credit: Saie
Saie Brown lip + Tower Beauty Clear Gloss: Jaz is prepping for that Saturn Return era and giving her look a mature makeover (don’t worry – quirky vibes are still completely intact). She has been loving this combo of products for her latest lip look; it's hot, it goes with everything and every skin tone, and has an eclectic flair.
Romantic Killer: Jaz might be entering a mature era, yes, but her Anime girl era is just getting started. She enjoyed Nana, and now, per a friend's recommendation, she is diving into a new rom-com anime on Netflix called Romantic Killer. It’s funny, it’s tender, and stacked with many butterfly-fluttering moments.
Boy Smells in Marble Fruit: Jaz and sustainable baddies everywhere stan Boy Smells. Their packaging is top tier and they are a very susty brand too. Boy Smells’ recently released scent, Marble Fruit, is Jaz’s new fav. She doesn’t usually opt for a fruity smell, but something about this one is next level.
Natasha:
Credit: TDEntertainment
SOS - SZA sorry, but anyone who is anyone is listening to this album right now. This isn’t the first time Natasha has given us fire music recs in her staff faves. If you aren’t already bumping SOS, then you better start now. This one is for all the chaotic emotional people everywhere, and for every person who missed seeing SZA at Govball 2019 because it was canceled (aka, Natasha).
Encanto Alumbrados en Medellin: Apparently concert cancellations are Natasha’s curse, because literally last week she was supposed to see Cultura Profética and Shaggy, and it was canceled just as the doors were set to open. But sustainable baddies never accept defeat, so Natasha and her partner found themselves enjoying the Encanto Alumbrados, which are Encanto-themed christmas lights display in Medellin, Colombia, where Natasha is living right now. Medellin is famous for their Christmas lights, so this made for a fun and festive alternative to the evening.
Christmas Tree Topper: Natasha, Tiktok creator extraordinaire, crocheted a tree topper for an SB TikTok. It also served as an excuse to add something cute and susty to her very naked tree. It ended up as a collab project between her and her partner (we all need a little help sometimes), but apparently it is certifiably adorable and will be cherished for many Christmases to come.
End of Year Trips: the stars aligned for Natasha this year as far as travel goes (P.S. Jupiter entering Aries in 2023 means travel may be in the cards for all of us this year). Our resident jetsetter Natasha went on a few mini trips this year, including a special trip to New Orleans this past week. She loved exploring a new part of the U.S. she hadn’t experienced before. She then decided to take a short trip to Cartagena when she returned to Colombia. For Natasha, getting to travel as an adult is special since she didn’t travel much when she was growing up. If you can, treat yourself to the luxury of travel and offer yourself opportunities to learn and explore.
Celeste:
Credit: Casita Mug
Curated Casita Mug: Celeste’s friend gifted her newest fav mug from this small-batch cermacist based in California. It is no surprise that Celeste is choosing a mug for her favorite things because she is always the first to ask… “OMG, where is that mug from?”
Winter Comfort Sweater: Moving to NYC from CA, Celeste is always looking for ways to keep warm in the winter. When the weather gets brisk, Celeste gravitates to her thrifted oversized black sweater that has essentially become her second skin; she simply can’t stop wearing it. Lucky for her, the cartoon-character-in-the-same-outfit-ever-day look is pretty susty by our standards.
Girlboss Desktop Computer: Celeste is in her girlboss era, which means investing in a desktop computer was a must. Of course, she did it the susty way by buying hers on Back Market, a refurbished tech store that we stan here at SB. She found an affordable refurbished iMac, and she is only slightly obsessed with seeing herself work on that massive screen.
Aparna:
Credit: Savvy Studio photo of Mast Books
Mast Books: Aparna recently took a trip to New York (Hello, Sustainable Baddie staff brunch!! <3), and she found her way into Mast Books in the East Village. Mast is unique because it is a bookstore that leans towards activist literature and nonfiction. After Aparna visited Mast, she was immediately in love, and will certainly be making it a regular stop whenever she is in town (Hello, MORE Sustainable Baddie Staff Brunches).
SONGWRIGHTS APOTHECARY LAB, an album by Esperanza Spalding that was released in 2021, is on repeat on Aparna’s Spotify right now. She didn’t tell us much, just that it speaks for itself and you have to go listen. Yes, we are talking right now.
Saying “No”: I wish we could link this to a helpful how-to because saying “no” is not an easy task. For Aparna, the end of the year illuminated how much she was taking on and that it was becoming unsustainable. Right now, Aparna is prioritizing saying “no” inwardly, and hopefully, in the new year, it can become a more regular practice.
Baggu Water Bottle Sling: Aparna is finally on the Baggu train (we are major fans here at SB, so it’s about time). Like a true baddie, she needs to stay hydrated at all times, but she’s also prone to accidentally leaving her water bottle behind in public places. Baggu answered Aparna’s prayers with this adorable lilac water bottle sling, which fits her Ocean Bottle like a glove.
Zibby:
Credit: Warmies
Warmies/Hot Pads: Baddies, it is cold AF outside and despite the fact that I am literally from Minnesota, aka the Great North, I am simply too weak for this weather. Being warm is my one sincere desire in life, and my purple hippo stuffed animal that I can put in the microwave every night before bed is my lifeline this time of year. I love my hot pads in the form of a gentle-giant stuffed animal, but you can make your own using fabric scraps or a solo sock!
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce:This year, I am trying to infuse a little domestication into my daily independent girlboss routine. The holidays have been really inspirational for my coastal grandma era, so of course, I had to call my very own grandma (she isn’t coastal though, strictly mountain) and get my hands on our family chocolate sauce recipe to treat all my friends. So far, I have been pumping out this delicious hot fudge sauce and filling all the jars I've hoarded over the years for cute homemade gifts for all my favs. (P.S. My aunt started a brand to sell my grandma’s recipes, and the word on the street is that this chocolate sauce might be added to the line in the future.)
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang: I almost chose my library card as a staff fav for December (seriously, support your public libraries!!). Instead, I am choosing this incredible book I have been reading this month that I checked out from the library a few weeks ago. Beautiful Country is Qian Julie Wang’s memoir about growing up as an undocumented Chinese immigrant in New York. Her beautiful prose weaves in memories of her early childhood in China, her experiences in New York, and her adult reflections.