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✅ Today's Checklist:
Our "keep or toss" report on viral beauty trends Kristel's roadmap for a career pivot (even if you're scared) Recipe of the week: One-Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
🤔 Trivia: Although St. Patrick's Day is associated with green, what color was originally linked to St. Patrick? Find out.
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Health & Beauty Trends We've Actually Tried
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We're essentially the office guinea pigs. We test the viral trends so you don't have to waste your hard-earned HSA funds on things that flop. Here's the "keep or toss" report from the team.
Joanna is having a "Lizard-Molt" moment
I've been on a skincare journey for most of my life. As a teenager, I had the kind of hormonal acne that eats your confidence alive. It ran in my family, and while it eventually calmed down in my early 20s like my sisters promised, the insecurity lingered. Years later, as I prepped for my wedding, skincare became my mission: light peels turned into medium peels every six weeks, and my skin transformed.
My esthetician also gave me the simplest habit I still swear by: icing my face with a single ice cube. It's free, it instantly calms inflammation, and it quietly became the backbone of my routine.
This year, I leveled up with the Enlighten Peel, a medium-depth depigmentation peel paired with a 30-day at-home system. The in-office peel is dramatic (the most intense peeling I've ever had), but only for a few days. The real results show up over the month as you use the products in the kit to keep exfoliating and lifting pigment. My esthetician told me most clients do Enlighten once a year because it outperforms a whole series of medium peels—and she was right. It cost about 3x more, but it delivered 3x the results in a fraction of the time.
By Day 30, my skin was noticeably smoother, clearer, brighter, and more even than anything I achieved with repeated peels. If you're willing to embrace a full lizard-molt moment where your face sheds in sheets (my husband pretended not to be terrified, which was cute of him), the Enlighten Peel might be the closest thing to hitting "reset" on your skin.
Thania is diving deep into K-Beauty
Masks
I'm loving this brand Beauty of Joseon. Their duo mask comes with a red bean pore mask and a honey glow mask that left my skin feeling so soft.
Honey Serum
They also have this honey lipid serum with propolis (which is antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory) that feels light but also oddly protective.
Eye Masks & Toners
Then they have these eye mask patches made with ginseng. And their toners: rice milk, green plum AHA, and a ginseng essence water. I spent like $100 to try a variety of their stuff and I feel like I got $250 worth of value for it. (I asked them for a discount in case you want to try it yourself!)
Cameron is tracking & sculpting
Oura Ring
I've worn the Oura Ring for over a year and a half, and as a former Apple Watch and Fitbit loyalist, I'm no stranger to health tracking. If you geek out on sleep scores, recovery data, and cycle insights, it's genuinely fascinating.
Is it life-changing? No. Is it expensive, especially once you factor in the membership and any connected apps like Natural Cycles? Yes, so I'd definitely research alternatives like the Ultrahuman Ring before committing.
Gua Sha
I've been using a gua sha tool on my face and neck daily for lymphatic drainage and sculpting, and I've seen a noticeable difference. The key is consistency and properly stimulating lymphatic points before you start (at least 10 gentle pumps per area).
It's not an overnight transformation, but over time, it subtly sculpts and de-puffs in a way that feels both visible and incredibly relaxing.
Kristel is vibrating & "shroom-ing"
Vibration Plate
I've been testing out a vibration plate for the last two weeks, just 10-15 minutes in the morning and sometimes again before bed, aiming for about four sessions a week. Honestly? I like it. I sleep better, feel less stiff, and even noticed a bit of relief in my chronically cranky neck and shoulders.
The first few times made my legs super itchy, which freaked me out, but apparently that's normal—it's just your circulation kicking in and dormant nerves waking up. That sensation disappeared quickly, and now it's part of my low-effort, feel-good routine. Bonus: it's said to help with flexibility, joint health, circulation, and lymphatic drainage—all wins in my book.
Organic Ryze Mushroom Coffee
I also gave organic Ryze mushroom coffee a shot—mostly because the internet promised better focus, fewer jitters, and magical adaptogenic benefits. But in full transparency: I didn't love it.
The taste wasn't for me (earthy in a way that felt more forest floor than coffee shop), and after a couple weeks of trying it, I didn't notice any major changes in my energy or mood. That said, lots of people swear by it for its potential to support brain function, stress resilience, and immunity, so if you're into earthy vibes and experimental lattes, it might still be worth a try. Just not a game-changer for me.
What health and beauty trends have you been testing? Did you find a holy grail or a total waste of money? Reply and spill the tea. We're always looking for the next thing to try!
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Stop Hoping Your Managers Don't Say The Wrong Thing
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One "accidental" interview question can cost a fortune. Employment law is a 50-state maze, and "I didn't know" isn't a legal defense.
Traliant's Employment Law Fundamentals Certificate Program is the ultimate shortcut to bullet-proofing your managers (and your budget) against compliance nightmares.
In just about 2½ hours, your team can master the 4-course lineup that turns "HR headaches" into policy-backed confidence:
Hiring Lawfully: Ask the right questions; avoid the EEOC nightmare. Wage & Hour: Master FLSA and overtime rules the first time. Accommodations: Handle disability and religious requests with empathy and iron-clad compliance. Protected Leave: Turn "life happens" moments into smooth, FMLA-compliant transitions.
Walk away with a shareable certificate and a legal team that can finally breathe.
👉 Test-drive the training here.
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You're Allowed to Outgrow Your "Calling"
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I taught for over a decade, and I loved it in the way you love something that shapes who you are. My students felt like my own kids. I didn't just care about the curriculum; I cared if the human sitting behind the desk felt seen and capable.
Then 2020 forced a new operating system on all of us.
Suddenly, I was balancing virtual classes with a four-year-old and a six-year-old at home. Living overseas during an economic downturn meant the math of my life stopped adding up. My husband said something that became my turning point: "Change can be part of the plan."
So, I took a leap. I became a student again, diving into Google Career Certificates. It felt familiar—learning uses the same muscles as teaching. Show up, ask questions, repeat.
As a literature major, writing was always "home," so I started small: uploading content to a website, then writing blog posts, then editing. Curiosity eventually took over. I wanted to know why some posts worked and others didn't. I started lurking in every meeting, obsessed with SEO and strategy.
Somewhere in that process, I fell in love with digital marketing. It gave me the same mix of creativity and impact that teaching did. When I was asked to become a Content Manager, I chose it—fully.
I stepped away from the classroom, but I realized I never actually left teaching behind. I just brought the kit with me. Empathy became my tool for understanding an audience. Lesson plans evolved into content calendars. Grading turned into data-driven iteration.
If you're staring at a pivot right now, here's what actually helped me:
Audit your "invisible" skills: Map out what you actually do every day. Communication, mentorship, and problem-solving are high-value in every industry. You just have to describe them in the language of your next role. Learn "just-in-time": I didn't master content strategy before I said yes. I learned it while doing the work. Don't wait for a 100% readiness that will never come. Talk to the humans, not the job boards: Informational coffee chats taught me more than any course ever could. Ask people, "How did you actually get here?" Build something scrappy: A blog, a revamped LinkedIn, or a small side project gives people something tangible to say yes to.
Give yourself permission to be a beginner. It's the only way to get to the next chapter.
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My "Emergency Exit" For Team Birthdays (And Everything Else)
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I genuinely love GroupTogether. Not in a "we're partners" way. In a "this has saved me more than once" way.
We run a fully remote team at The Assist, including teammates in the Philippines and Spain, which means sending something physical isn't always simple (or affordable).
There have absolutely been weeks where I realized a direct report's birthday or anniversary was… tomorrow. Or someone hit some other milestone and I didn't want the moment to pass.
That's when GroupTogether's group cards come in clutch.
One time, I realized an anniversary was the next morning. I opened GroupTogether, picked a card, wrote a message (added a GIF because obviously), copied the link and texted the share link to the team so everyone could sign. By 9am, it was sent.
It didn't feel last-minute. It felt thoughtful. And the best part? She loved reading all the messages from the team.
There's even a built-in AI message generator if your brain is fried and you're struggling to find the right words.
What I love most is how simple it is:
Pick a card. Choose the date and time. Share the link so everyone can sign. Add your note and send.
Recipients open a beautifully designed digital envelope with their name on it (seriously, it's gorgeous).
For remote teams especially, it removes the friction without removing the thoughtfulness.
Create a group card today.
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Stuff We're Loving This Week
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