You’re reading The Corner Project, your one-stop recommendation station of self discovery, creativity, and lifestyle from Megan Batoon.
This past month I’ve been doing a lot of home and self upgrades- I strongly believe that my experience of life is improved by the things I use on a daily basis. I subscribe to the thought that if I am going use something, I should enjoy the process of interacting with it. And honestly, that mentality has helped me keep my space cleaner (once again, here I am just trying to insert a dopamine spike wherever possible). Here are my top eight products that have made my life better in some way:
Pet Hair and Lint Remover
I remember before I adopted my two cats, a friend of mine told me there will be hair everywhere. I didn’t fully understand the gravitas of that statement and I’ve bought my fair share of pet hair removal products and I will say this- this pet hair/lint remover is the most satisfying and effective tool yet. When shopping for a solution to cat hair on one of my velvet stools (read: opt away from velvet if you have a cat) the design of this lint collector caught my eye first. Chic, simple, and classy, I figured I’d give it a shot. The first time I used it, the loose hair was trapped in the contraption and my jaw on the floor. I use this every other day and I love that it’s reusable versus your typical sticky sheet lint roller. I swear by this!
Kitchen Utensil Set
I figured it was time to re-up my kitchen utensils when one of my silicone spatulas looked like Gill with the scars from Finding Nemo. After all of my experiments in the kitchen, I’ve learned that I prefer silicone tools. Normally, you’ll find silicone tools that are all one color and as simple as they come. Me? I’ve always been a little extra so I scoured the internet for some that had some elegant flair and came across these wood handled beauties. I absolutely love them- they even have a bit of an indentation on the back to make it easier to handle. The only thing I will say that was a surprise is that the gold details are rose gold and not true gold. Still, big fan.
Smokey Wine Glasses
Let me start off by saying that I am a generally clumsy person. Over the years, I have managed to break three out of four wine glasses on my bar cart so I was due for a new set. As I was saying in the beginning of this post, I want every interaction with my household items to be fun and exciting- down to my drink ware. I’ve had the classic Reidel clear wine glasses and a clear stemless version- it was time to have a little fun. I love a mid-century feel in all of my home decor and I came across these smokey wine glasses that had a bold personality. A glass of wine is already an aphrodisiac, so why not double down and make the actual glass just as sexy?
Makeup Bag
Every few years, by the time my current makeup bag resembles a Jackson Pollock art piece, I decide to replace it with a new one. What caught my eye about this makeup bag is that it had ample room, compartments on each side, and interesting zipper that maximizes the use when open, and a section for brushes that divides storage into two sides. I initially bought the plain black version, but when I went to get a picture for this post, I added the quilted version into the cart because I love a good texture. I can’t say enough good things about this bag- we love it.
Spinner Luggage
Every time I go on a trip, I have to make sure to close my luggage any time I leave the room as my cat makes it a point to pee inside of it. After multiple attempts to wash and air the smell out and putting dryer sheets inside, I came to terms with the fact that I should just get a new luggage. I bought this sleek carry on for two reasons: 1- it’s sleek, 2- it has a laptop compartment in the front and I’ve got a fussy back. I’ve brought this luggage on one trip and I’ve never gotten more compliments on something than this item here. I got the 20-inch which will fit in any carry on bin (even the ones that look insanely small) but I’d imagine the 24-inch version feels more like an expandable roomier carry on.
Color Depositing Hair Gloss
I’ve been trying this thing where I take care of my hair once and for all. Getting routine haircuts, taking biotin supplements, spraying a heat protectant before using a hot tool- the works. I also am growing it out so I’m intentionally not coloring it- but I’ve noticed that my highlights get brassy over time and wanted to have an at-home solution that didn’t cost $70 to tone like in a salon. I read a ton of reviews for different color depositing gloss products and landed on glaze. After one application, my takeaways are this: it definitely deposits color. I left it on for 10+ minutes and it darkened my hair substantially. It claims to last for ten washes and after about 4, it was the perfect color so next time, I’ll probably only leave it on for half the amount of time. Lastly, make sure to wear gloves- like I said: it definitely deposits color. And we want it on our hair, not our hands.
Le Labo Face Cream
The thing about my skin is that it’s notoriously dry. I wanted to find a night cream as thick as possible. When it comes to facial lotion, light isn’t right- I want to be doused in a skincare sheath. After sampling everything in Sephora, I went next door to Nordstrom and found a sneaky Le Labo corner and my search was complete. This face lotion is decadent, thick, and smells so damn good. I got one for myself and one for my boyfriend and we both use it nightly. Well, he paid for them, so technically he got them (thank you), but it’s our skincare nightcap. GREAT gift.
Portable Speaker
Speaking of great gifts, this speaker rocks. A friend of mine had mentioned in passing that it was mind-blowing that they couldn’t fathom that someone who loves music as much as I do doesn’t travel with a portable speaker and you know what- they had a point. Instantaneously, I added this JBL Flip 4 to my cart. It’s small enough to pack while blasting an impressive volume. When it’s not in my bag, it’s in my bathroom and it’s made getting ready, showers, and Sunday resets way more of a vibe.
Okay- your turn! What’s something that you’ve been using or doing this past month that’s made your life better/easier/more of a vibe?
