Fewer, Better Gifts with Annie Goodman: LED Masks, Health Tech & Zero-Wrap Travel and Wellness for 2026
Show Snapshot:
Fewer, better things—that’s my midlife mantra after the crazy-hard empty-nest downsizing. Smart, curated gifting feels right as we balance editing our lives and treating our loved ones as we head into 2026. London-based wellness editor Annie Goodman joins us fresh from trying "millions of face creams" to share her expertly vetted holiday guide. After her mother's health crisis sparked a holistic wellness transformation, Annie now curates for The Quality Edit. Discover results-driven skincare, health tech and LED masks, experiential gifts requiring zero wrap, and solo travel retreats. Plus, stocking stuffers galore! She's done the research—you get the perfect gift, beauties!
Transcript:
Katie Fogarty 0:03 Welcome to a certain age a show for women who are unafraid to age out loud.
Beauties, how in the world is it already December? New York City is covered in holiday lights, and I know your hometown is too. We are delightfully deeply into the holidays, but if you're like me, you still need to scoop up a last minute gift or two, but getting to midlife teaches us that we want fewer, better things.
We are editing our lives. I just downsized and my New York City closets seriously look like they are on ozempic. We want less stuff. Crave greater simplicity and need smart gifts that are worth our time money and that truly delight so lucky us, we have a show on holiday gifting and items to brighten up your 2026 all year long.
Writer and editor Annie Goodman joins me today for a fun, festive conversation on curated gifting for everyone on your list, we have results driven skincare and beauty picks, tech forward, tools for health and wellness, travel gifts for the jet setters in your life, PLUS ideas that require absolutely no gift wrap. Think ultra luxurious experiential Wellness Spa picks and retreats.
Annie is a London based wellness editor, by way of LA, over on that ultimate shopping curation platform, the quality edit, by her count, she has tried millions of face creams, 1000s of green powders, and hundreds of LED light masks, give or take. Basically, she has gone through the entire world wide web. So you don't have to La, la, la, la. I cannot wait to dive in. Welcome to a certain age Annie
Annie Goodman So excited to be here.
Katie Fogarty I'm so excited to have this conversation, too. And I know that you are in London. What is going on with the holidays over there? Are you guys in overdrive?
Annie Goodman 1:57 You know, it's been really intense. I'd say over the past three, four days, no one here seemed to know it was Thanksgiving. But they did know it was the first day to put up Christmas lights. And I've been, like, very stressed by all the holiday spirit.
Katie Fogarty 2:09 You're in the thick of it. You're totally in the thick.. in the thick of it. So before we dive into all the gifting recommendations, which I cannot wait to, I want to I want to get to meet you first. I know The Quality Edit curates what they call the world's best brand, right? So we don't have to. The Quality Edit is a one-stop-shop for things that are worth our shelf space. How did you get started with writing for them, and what made you focus on a wellness and health angle?
Annie Goodman 2:34 So it all for me started in a really personal way. I never had aspirations to be a writer. I was like a sociology major in college, and I just so happened to graduate when the entire economy fell apart. And so I feel like in many ways, my career has been just me being like, how can I make this work? What do I need? What do I find interesting? And so the writing stuff actually started as a hobby, in addition to copywriting work that I do often, where I was like, Ooh, I love these types of products. How can I try them for free? Was like, the actual impetus smart. I like that. It was like, free is forever. How do I begin this journey?
And then it turns out, I'm, like, covering my mouth. I do like writing!
So it opened up the door to being able to, not only, I think, get to really know brands, but also try all these things I really love, and indulge in the things that make me feel good, and the wellness stuff has just been my own personal journey. When I was living in New York, my whole body was like falling apart. And I got put on a journey with an acupuncturist who kind of started it, and then I moved back to LA and I think that kind of turned it up to a level 10.
Katie Fogarty 3:47 Yeah, absolutely. That's like the land of great wellness, great products, a focus on health. I'm super excited to explore everything that you've surfaced on this conversation. I know that you suggested we start off with sort of personal care gifts we're going to cover self care, beauty, health, they all kind of ladder into personal care. What are the things that deserve a spot in our medicine cabinet, our cosmetic bags? What should we be buying for the women and friends in our life? What should we be buying for ourselves?
Speaker 1 4:16 So when I was thinking about this list, it wasn't just from my point of view, in terms of, like, what do I really like? I actually, when I was in LA, I was living with my baby boomer mother, who's 76 she had a crazy skin condition that, like, really rocked us both, and it put her on a health and wellness journey that made the products that she used also having to, I think, be of a certain standard of, like, what's in it and what it does to the body. And so it became something that we also share. So a lot of these products span from, like, 36 to 76 like, there's things that she also really loves, and she's not, like, high maintenance gal. So this was a lot of these. Impetus in creating this list is just some
Katie Fogarty 5:03 I love that it ranges from you to your mom, because that's kind of how we're gifting. We're doing intergenerational gifting. I've got a 25 year old daughter. I have an 82 year old mother. I'm 56 so we're kind of in the sweet spot of having all of these different ages that we need to be thinking about when we're doing our purchasing
Speaker 1 5:21 exactly, and we all like the same things, it turns out. So the in terms of, like, personal wellness, I was really breaking it down into, like, what are some things in the self care space? And especially because we've had a really stressful 2025 it's like, how do we calm down and decompress in the evening? So I really have gotten into body oils this year. For a long time, I think they were like an underdog of bath time, because I felt like they didn't necessarily nourish the skin, or they felt like too much work. But ones that I've really loved, uni their golden micro algae body oil, Osea, Costa, Brazil, those are ones that when you use them, you feel a really big difference in the skin, and you notice it into the next day, your skin is still like shining, and you don't create like a bed mess.
Katie Fogarty 6:07 And what kind of price range do these sort of fall under? Give or take,
Speaker 1 6:11 give or take. They could range from like 35 ish all the way to like in the 60s, depending on how fancy you're looking to be. But like the Osea or OC, as some people say, theirs can be, like, a little bit pricier, but I will say what's so wonderful about these is you don't need a lot when you're doing it, and the quality of them is top notch. So whatever you're putting into the skin also goes into the bloodstream, which is like, a big thing for me. So it should be of like, the nicest quality, while also lasting a really long time. I totally agree that sounds delightful. And then to top that off, I love a body oil after a bath. And I think bath salts are actually like a really incredible act of love. Because I think a lot of people think baths, it's like, I never have time for that. Oh, it's too much work. You don't want to have to curate your own I think it's like a good wink and nod and reminder and like, permission for someone to lean into relaxation. And some of the bath salts that are, like, already curated, they have all these amazing ingredients in them already is like Surya spa, which is based in LA and they're really based around, like, Ayurvedic principles. So they actually have a bunch of different bath soaks that are about, like, are you pitta, vata Kapha to help, kind of balance your quote, unquote, Constitution, and then higher dose, which I really love for their kind of, you know, they have their sauna blanket. They've really expanded in the biohacking category, they have a serotonin soak salt, which again, combines, I think, clay, it has Epsom salt, some essential oils, and that also is really incredible for like, muscle relaxation, central nervous system, soothing, better sleep and like mineral support. And then st Jane, which is also this really beautiful brand. They have a whole deep sleep bath salts that has magnesium, hyaluronic acid and peptides. So not only are you getting the benefits of the magnesium, but you're also boosting the skin. So I'm really obsessed with those.
Katie Fogarty 8:15 That sounds so delightful, and I was reading about the higher dose soak salt. It also has magnesium in it as well, which is interesting. And Apple Cider Vinegar skin softening algae. It sounds almost like you could eat it, but let's not do that, listeners. I love it. All right, go on. Keep going.
Speaker 1 8:33 So exfoliants, that's my other thing I've seen body care boom this year. So it's like anything that is belonging to the face has all of a sudden been applied to the body. So what was once exfoliant for your face, retinol for your face, serum for your face. Now all these amazing brands are coming out with stuff for the body. And again, it's something someone wouldn't know that they needed, but they'd feel extra indulgent. Using Iota is actually, I think, not talked about enough. It's a really reasonably priced brand. The quality is great. The textures are really fun, and the smells are amazing. They have like a super mochi body exfoliator that literally feels like mochi dough, and it's not abrasive on the skin. And then there's agent natur, which I have laid down and died for. For years, Jenna cavello, their founder, she's gone on her own health journey. And everything that she puts together, she's using, like, the best sourced ingredients from all over the world that, like, it's like, basically Europe certified, but their resurfacing body cleanser is incredible and really gentle, and smells amazing. And then soft services, which is another brand that I think has really they've been on, but they've taken off this year, they've come out with amazing things. It's all about anti aging for the skin, or Aging Gracefully, as we would say. And. And soft surfaces has this daily softening lotion that leverages urea. What's urea? I'm not familiar with that urea. It actually, really is, I think, a form I'm actually, I'm gonna pull up like the exact it's a compound, I think used in human urine. Doesn't sound great, but it's used a lot in clean skincare, and it helps with softening, it helps with texture and tone, and the soft surface is cream. What I love about it is it's completely fragranceless For people with more sensitive skin, and it's not harsh, so you're not getting like if you're sensitive to retinol or any type of acid exfoliant. It's really soft and gentle on the skin. And I was using that actually, throughout the month of October as like a post summer rehab, and it was amazing.
Katie Fogarty 10:50 Well, I'm familiar with soft services, but I've never heard of this particular product, and I'm definitely off to Google, Yuria, and I'm sure everyone who's listening, I'm curious. On the I can see it directly on the bottle of this lotion, so I'm going to learn more about it. You've definitely put something on my radar. And I've never heard of Iota, super mochi body exfoliator. But my daughter loves mochi, and I think this could be really fun stocking stuffer for her to have it in this completely other
Speaker 1 11:15 form. I love that there's serum too. Just shout out.
Katie Fogarty 11:18 All right, nice, very nice two for the one, yeah.
Speaker 1 11:24 So that's like what I imagine for some self care ideas. And you could also curate them all in one is kind of like a little self care basket, but thinking more in, like the beauty space, some like health tech stuff that I really love, and that's something I treasure personally, for me, a device, they do tend to be more expensive, but I think that they, as my friend once said, amortize themselves in terms of what you get to use, and also for convenience. A lot of people have to go to estheticians or med spas or dermatologists to be able to get all these really expensive treatments. And I think being able to do stuff at home and know that you have agency over it, and like, can do it while you're watching TV, is like a total plus.
Katie Fogarty 12:09 I'm so curious about this section, because I do see people all over my Instagram wearing red light masks and all these different devices. And I haven't done my homework and I haven't dived into this, so I'm really excited to hear what you have to share.
Speaker 1 12:22 So the first one on my list was the higher dose shout out to them again, their microcurrent body sculptor ritual set. So I think going back to the idea again, with like body care, things that were originally just for the face, a lot of brands are kind of going outside the box and onto the body and the microcurrent body sculptor is incredible, and it's powerful, and you can feel it. It's literally only for your body. You're not meant to use it on your chest or above. It's like purely from the waist down, and it's to help with cellulite, lymphatic drainage, tone and texture of the skin. It's like if you were dry brushing or doing a lymphatic drainage massage, but with this incredible tool that almost looks like a futuristic Gua Sha, and they give
Katie Fogarty 13:10 you a gua sha, I love Gua Sha. I love it exactly. I'm like, I'm like a dog with a bone. I'm like, I love Gua Sha,
Speaker 1 13:20 I mean, and they give you, it's a magnesium spray that comes with it, along with a, like a body conductor cream oil that's just really, it's like nourishing for the skin and also helps activate the microcurrent. But it's wonderful for recovery and muscles, like I found that after working out using that, not only are you getting the benefits of feeling like you're evening out the skin, but it is really helpful for recovery, and very
Katie Fogarty 13:46 potent. Nice, nice, nice.
Speaker 1 13:50 So with the red light stuff, you are right to say there is more than one red light on this list. Again, people are very focused on the face. Red light is getting used in all kinds of ways. And I think, you know, it's gone from being a woo, woo concept to being something we've all bought in as scientifically proven and clinically studied. And I've tried a bunch of red light masks, and what I have deduced Is love a hard mask, and I love something that you can do while you're doing other things, because having to tie it up and sit is just really irritating.
Katie Fogarty 14:23 And talk to us about the hard mask versus the non hard mask. Are there different types?
Speaker 1 14:28 There are so a lot of the soft ones that you'll see where it almost looks like, I mean, they all look a little bit like murder masks, but the soft ones have a lot of Velcro in the back. They usually have a remote attach, so you feel a little bit plugged in. They don't all have eye protection, which I think there's a lot of back and forth about how good red light is for the eyes, and what kind of red light, or near infrared, is being used on these masks. So having proper eye protection is important. And but I think a lot of people feel bound at times with red light masks of well, if I'm doing it, I just have to sit for 10 minutes. And we are no longer in a culture of not multitasking. So being able to give someone the gift of getting their 10 minutes of red light that helps with skin repair, wound repair, it helps activate the ATP in the skin, which is like your energy and your cells, helps to build collagen, help complexion. I think being able to do that in 10 minutes with something that's really efficacious and that you can do while doing other things is like the ultimate and the one I Love is cure with a cue their face mask. You can do it in three minutes. It's a three minute blast. They have red light and they have pink light. I often break the rules and do one round of each, and it's very potent, which is why you don't need more than three minutes. And I do it while I'm moisturizing after the shower, and I think it's lasted me several years now, I take it on every trip I go on, and it takes a long time before I have to charge it. So I give it like an 11 out of 10 every time.
Katie Fogarty 16:13 Ooh, okay, I'm definitely googling that the moment we're done. I really
Speaker 1 16:17 just gave a lot to that, but I really stand by it. And then another red light love that I have is the bone charge red light cap. They're also incredible in the red light biohacking space, whether it's like helping, you know, with I have their yellow light glasses, which helps with all the blue light exposure with computers, etc, but they've just come out with their red light cap. What's amazing about it is, again, you can just put it on, press a button. It runs its cycle, and it can help promote better, stronger, more resilient hair so people who are nervous about hair loss, people who are feeling like there's been damage to the scalp, it's really helpful in promoting growth and promoting, like, rejuvenation on the scalp, which is very exciting.
Katie Fogarty 17:05 That's fascinating, because I, whenever I see these red lights, it's all for face. I didn't realize there are products for scalp.
Speaker 1 17:11 Oh, my mother wears this hat every day. Okay, cool, all right.
Katie Fogarty 17:16 And is
Speaker 1 17:16 she seeing results that she's happy with? She has seen a lot of growth. She actually with her health issue that she had back in 2017 she had an insane skin condition that was super rare. She lost so much hair, and it's been a real journey for her. And this hat has like absolutely, I think, rounded her out to baseline, and it's been pretty cool to watch, which is one of the reasons I really buy in on it. And then the normatech go. So I think it's possible people are familiar with the NormaTec legs. If you live in a city like LA or New York and you go to a sauna or cold plunge spa, a lot of times they have as an extra offering these NormaTec legs, which are essentially these huge leg compression boots that compress and decompress over however long you want. But what's amazing about them is, again, they promote that lymphatic drainage. They're incredible for your central nervous system if you're just sitting and again, this is something my mom does. She'll plug in. She loops her legs in, she looks like she's going to space. She'll just turn that thing on, she'll turn on the TV, but she never actually makes it to an episode of anything, because she just falls asleep. Because it's so relaxing. It would be like putting your legs in a blood pressure arm band that covers your entire leg. But these why I love them. The normatech goes, can travel. And they really focus on the like, the lower part of the leg, so like the shin. So if you walk a lot, if you do any kind of aerobic running, swimming, anything that uses the calves, or if you're traveling and walking around a lot, they can help you recover at the end of the day, promote better blood flow and recovery. And they're also just really great. I think a lot of times when you're flying in the air, you can get a little swollen. It can cause some like, drainage issues. So this can really help with that decompression.
Katie Fogarty 19:15 I'm picturing like a giant, warm, kind of hugging theragun, something like that swaddles you and just squeezes you
Speaker 1 19:24 in its own way. Yes, but I do find the normatech legs are more pricey the normatech goes, I find more reasonable for this kind of investment. But again, they can go with you anywhere, and the quality is unmatched.
Katie Fogarty 19:40 Annie, this is a fabulous deep dive into these masks. I've been very curious about them. I've done a tiny bit of research. I know they run from like three to $400 you've given us a lot to think about. I feel like I know a lot more than before we started. We are heading into a quick break right now, but when we come back, we're going to talk about some wonderful personal care gifts that come at a low. Price point. We'll be back in just a minute. Annie, we're back from the break. I am excited to talk about some gift ideas that come at a lower price point, that make great stocking stuffers, or that could be great for when you need to do things like a little hostess gift, or perhaps you're looking to do something for a Secret Santa in the office, which sometimes people need to do. Perhaps you want to give something to girlfriends when you're doing kind of a holiday dinner. So let's dive into sheet masks, because you've got some great ideas.
Speaker 1 20:29 Sheet masks and eye patches, they are never not a good idea, and I say, a great way to bring the professionals home. So Dr Enigma Treatment Mask number one, incredible, and it comes in a box of 10. So you could just buy a box and then hand them out to your 10 closest if you have 10 close friends, a miracle. Then there's 111 skin their rose gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask also amazing. And again, feels amazing. Results driven, and you can use it as like a special occasion. And then augustinus Bader has eye patches, which is revelatory for everyone who rolls their eyes at the cost of the rich cream. This is a great way to try out the brand without having to dive in full hog into the Bader science. And then I have some cute stocking stuffers. My favorite hand cream right now is the mien hand cream. They're all about aphrodisiacs and actives. So not only is it really incredible to support the skin on your hands, it also looks really sexy and like makes your hands feel really sexy, and makes me feel like I'm having more of a time than I really am, wherever I am. And then, as far as lips go, there is so much on the lip market. My absolute favorites right now are the Violette FRB zu bomb. She is just slaying it all day. The colors are amazing. It keeps the lips supple, and it's really playful for the holidays, and the packaging is incredible. Our self is a biotech brand where their stuff goes transdermal. I use their lip plumping and enhancing regimen they have. It's a filler pen that looks like this very crazy silver pen. You apply it your lips literally do get bigger, and then you top it off with their quote, unquote lip conditioner, which is this, like incredible lip gloss that also maximizes the size. Had to spend more time on that. The refi lip gloss 10 out of 10. The colors are amazing. I think they are 12 to $15 each. They're not too expensive. I Keep two of them in my bag at all times, and then the mccreen actives high performance lip filler. I know we're bringing up lip filler again. It's a great way to support people who just want a boost in any way, whether you've had some or not at all. It's really filled with peptides, and it does make your lips feel really juicy and full. I used it last weekend, and I kept touching my lips because I was so aware of them, but really loving that as an angle. And then fragrance has really taken over my life. This year, I was never into fragrance, and I've been able to try millions of them, and I've seen my friends perk up when I offer them fragrance. And I do think there's a whole new world happening. For us with brands we haven't heard about or aren't as popular as the mainstreams. MIMO Paris is one that is like a don't miss it is on the pricier side. But again, the strength of the fragrance, you don't need a lot. I've been stopped on the street by strangers asking me, What are you wearing? And I've currently been dying for the Odeon scent. It smells like Europe. It smells like Paris. It's like incredible. And then viral, they are so amazing because everything they do, it's meant to be nootropic, so it's meant to actually help boost your mood or get you in a certain kind of mood. And I've been really loving their witchy Woo, which is, as it sounds. But it's all these different smells that kind of make you feel, your most ethereal, your most divine, your most creative. And it's really sultry and nice.
Katie Fogarty 24:19 It sounds amazing. So I'm reading about it. It's got thorny rose, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, frankincense. Sounds absolutely incredible. How are we spelling
Speaker 1 24:29 varao, exactly, v, Y, R,
Katie Fogarty 24:34 A, O, and who doesn't want a perfume called witchy Woo?
Speaker 1 24:38 And let me say they have multiple sizes. So if you're not looking to go crazy, you could get a 10 milliliter just sample. Try it out there. That's a cute stocking stuffer. I think that's around 40 to 50. Not cheap, but the quality is again unmatched. All right, calling all witches, calling all witches. We got to get our witches.
Katie Fogarty 25:01 Is skincare. What's up with that skincare?
Speaker 1 25:04 It's like, how do you do the most while doing the least? These sprays, we're hearing about, HCl sprays, barrier sprays, how do we keep everything at its basal point? Everyone knows about tower 28 and we love
Katie Fogarty 25:16 it, but I shouldn't really tell me, tower 20
Unknown Speaker 25:19 Okay, tower 28
Katie Fogarty 25:22 I'm brand ridden. I feel like beginning Annie, what is power 28
Speaker 1 25:26 I feel like a brand Rain Man. But tower 28 they use. I think it's, I'm gonna confirm it's HCl, so it's Hydrochloric Acid Spray, which is actually just like, it feels like water. But what it does is it helps completely neutralize the skin if you have and it kills it's like, very antimicrobial. It was created by someone who dealt with a lot of like eczema and all these skin issues, and it is, I think, certified by the National eczema foundation. It's certified. I'm going to get it wrong, but it's eczema approved, wonderful for the skin. I say this because they open the door for skin sprays to have their moment. Super egg, as it sounds. One word is a brand. I've been loving their kind atmosphere. Bio mist has all these amazing ingredients, like green tea, niacinamide, a ferment even that helps to balance the pH of the skin. And if I've learned anything over the past couple of years, if you don't have a healthy skin barrier, your skin can't be protected against inflammation, environmental factors. And so this is something that helps to keep everything resilient, calm, redness. You can use it on top of makeup underneath. It's just an amazing baseline for the everyday, and it's not crazy. Another thing I'm really loving, and I I've been a committed herbal face food user for three to four years now, wherever I go, if I wash my face after a Pilates class, women gather of all ages and say, What is that smell? It smells like a botanical spa. And they are correct. It is the herbal face food, extreme cure, double x serum. It is on the pricier end, and that's because, literally, it could be edible. If you wanted it to be, don't eat it. It's very, very spicy. It will bring, like, all the blood flow to your face if you have scars. It helps to diminish them. It is like the most powerful antioxidant skincare I have ever used. It has made my skin repair. It's changed the texture. It is like, unbelievable, and I pair that with the Joanna check c plus serum, which, again, is on the pricier side, but what she's done is she's created and Joanna check is one of the top estheticians she works with, you know, the Kris Jenner's of the world. She also has her own product line. She uses vitamin C in its most stable form, so it doesn't lose its potency, and you really only need, like, two drops at a time. So one bottle could last you for six to eight months if you're using it even daily, and that's great for complexion and free radicals. And then Scarlett johansson's line the outset, which I believe came out this year or last. I'm usually very wary of a celebrity skincare line, but I have to say her stuff is really gentle, really well made, simple and really well priced, and her botanical barrier balm is great in the winter months to, like, keep the skin really hydrated. And you don't need a lot, and it has a lot of amazing like hydrating ingredients, once again, replenishing. You could use it on your hands if you wanted to. You could really use it anywhere, for any dry patches, lips, anything. But I've been a really big fan of that brand actually, got to say,
Katie Fogarty 29:02 and it's in such a pretty tin. It's in this sort of silver tin with blue flowers on it. And I love that. It's sort of multi purpose, that you could rub it on your cuticles and your face and your cheek or wherever you're dry. It's, it seems like a smart, all purpose kind of product,
Speaker 1 29:18 great on the go. Fits in any bag.
Katie Fogarty 29:20 Love it, love it, love it, love it. Okay, moving on to supplements.
Speaker 1 29:25 So supplements, especially when you're gifting to someone else, it should never feel too prescriptive. It should just be something that's fun. And so lately, I've been seeing the brand Zoe everywhere, and I got to try their daily 30 plus, which is fiber rich. It's all these amazing seeds and nuts and things that are incredible for digestion, which I think it's safe to say that not only are most of us dealing with some kind of digestive challenge, but especially in the winter months, with all the holidays, it's like one's best friend. But. It's like flax seeds. It's sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. God, hazelnut. They have all these amazing things that are ground down that you just need a scoop a day. You could put it in water, you could put it in a smoothie. You could put it on salad. It's an incredible add on that will make anyone feel amazing. And the packaging is really, really fun. So it's like a fun new thing someone may have not thought of before. And then for someone where we're like, you know what? We just want, maybe a little non alcoholic option, a functional Bevy, the brand Gorgie. I'm going to spell it G, O, R, G, I, E, short for gorgeous, I would argue. But I'm guessing it brings the heat with some caffeine, but it's zero sugar. It's like five calories per can. And they have great flavors, like sparkling Tropical Punch. They have watermelon splash. It's really great, really fun. It can be for pre dinner post as like a post cocktail in the middle of the cocktail. Add on to the cocktail. Just really fun. I think, getting through the holidays and even having something that, like you have just like while people are at, like, a holiday party, etc, or a stocking stuffer,
Katie Fogarty 31:11 yeah, nice to have a mocktail option. Or you you could obviously add something to make it, have a little kick. I love it. I love it. I know we're also going to explore healthy home, because today's wellness consumer is obviously using products for self care, personal care for gifting, but I think that people want to make sure that their homes are healthy as well, and that we're bringing this kind of intentionality into what we're surrounding ourselves with for home products as well. So walk us through some of your ideas for expanding wellness beyond simply what's in our medicine cabinet and bringing it out into the rest of our home space,
Speaker 1 31:45 I think, going back to the whole idea of quality, and then going back to the idea of like a classic gift, for example, who doesn't love a candle, some of my favorites that are doing scent really well and are also keeping ingredients in mind. NET. I'm going to call it net, or it's Netty, N, E, double T, E, their candles are beautiful, and the scents are all clean, and it's just like an incredible centerpiece. No one will ever turn their back to a candle. Same with Flamingo estate. Everyone knows about the tomato candle if you are a flamingo estate fan, but I've actually been loving there. I'm gonna say Princess Tarta candle, Swedish. It's super clean, really light. Scent doesn't overwhelm some other brands I love, dead, cool, they just came out with incense, which is amazing. Carrier, Freire and twudeon. They're more classic, but they're beautiful and like they're worth the investment, so beautiful that someone might not even want to light them, and
Katie Fogarty 32:45 it's important to have these clean candles. I actually just listened to a wonderful podcast about healthy home living, and it was saying that scented candles are actually one of the biggest forms of toxins that we introduce into our home, unwittingly. All right, we're moving into the kitchen. We are. This is the part of the home run I'm excited about because I'm looking for ideas for my husband, because he loves to cook and he never buys anything for himself. So I'm curious about this one.
Speaker 1 33:09 I'm going to bring up the word amortize once more, because I just really believe, as a functional Virgo woman, that your products should work for you, and they should replace things that you're spending needless money on day to day, but they should also be convenient. So my first favorite is the almond cow, which is what it sounds it makes almond milk, any kind of nut milk, hemp seed milk. Add a cashew at a date in 60 seconds or less. It basically looks like a coffee canteen. I have walked many people through a tutorial because I'm so passionate about it. It's cleanable. You don't need an almond milk nut bag. It makes, I think, like a liter at a time, and you can absolutely customize it as you want. And no funky ingredients, oils, gums. It's just perfect, yes, yes, yes, and it's not too big, and you can store it easily. For those who are now interested in water quality, which is also being brought up in the discussions of microplastics and chlorine in the water, Aqua true is an incredible reverse osmosis brand where you could get an on the kitchen counter, like carafe. So it's something, again, that it lasts a really long time before you have to replace the filters. I think six months. And I know the word filter change is really daunting for many, so this is if you are into filter changes, but it makes sure your water is clean. There's no extra chemicals, there's no toxins, there's no chlorine, there's no pharmaceutical runoff in the water, no lead. It's just you can taste the difference, and I highly recommend
Katie Fogarty 34:52 and it's compact, because I've seen a picture of this, and one of my dear friends and a three time podcast guest, Dr Anita sadati, has a. A water purifier on her counter that looks like you need, like, an engineering degree to make it work. And every time I'm over there, I'm like, wow, and this is petite and compact, so it's got that going for it as well.
Speaker 1 35:14 I feel like, if you're already on the Brita train, it's like, this is your level up, and it's better quality, and it lasts for longer. So that's my pitch. And then our place, which they are doing clean cookware really, really well. Their stuff, I think, is well priced for the quality, and it's not heavy. There are some clean cookware brands out there that are really heavy. They have a titanium pan that fits in the dishwasher key. It cooks everything so well, and I'm pretty sure you can cook up to like 400 something degrees. And I think it's also oven safe, and it's beautiful, so I keep it out on the cooktop. And I think it's such an amazing gift to give to someone, because people often don't think that they should be splurging on cookware, but it's a really thoughtful and beautiful gift,
Katie Fogarty 36:04 and it's not that much more expensive than a pan that you shouldn't be cooking in. You know, high quality pans are expensive. This, I think, is $145 which is right in the range of decent price cookware, and it doesn't have any of the bad stuff. I'm curious. I don't know if your research has introduced you to Caraway at all, but they keep popping up on my Instagram.
Speaker 1 36:25 I do love caraway, and I do have a set of their stuff, and they have beautiful colors as well. Beautiful my only qualm with them sometimes is it can be really heavy. Okay, that's good to know it. I do love their ceramic stuff, and I do think that they are very playful, and their pans, like their baking pans, are also amazing.
Katie Fogarty 36:45 Okay, I gotta go check those out. These are on my list for my husband, because he loves to cook. And I do want to upgrade. We did move to stainless steel a couple years ago. We were trying to get rid of non stick stuff, yeah, but I want to have something that you can easily do certain things in that that are hard to do in a non stick pan, so they offer different kind of a good enamel surface texture. I need to do my research.
Speaker 1 37:07 Our place also has a bunch of non stick also super clean, no PFAs.
Katie Fogarty 37:12 And what's the name? Can you spell that for me? Our Place? Oh, Our Place. Our Place. Got it? Okay, all right. I'm googling all of this after the show,
Speaker 1 37:20 and my final kitchen is belmuda. They had a normal standing kettle. They have like a kitchen, the mini little ovens. I've never a toaster oven, excuse me, but they came out with a moon kettle. That's an electric kettle, but it looks like a Japanese round ceramic kettle. But they come in white and black. They're super chic. And it sings to you, basically, that's how my mom describes it. She's like it sings to me. You click the button, you put it on your desired temperature. It handles it quickly. You don't have to deal with a kettle on the stove if you don't have room. It's really nice to look at, and it makes anything feel like modern and dressed up a tea
Katie Fogarty 38:03 kettle sounds like a phenomenal gift, not just for Christmas or the holidays, but for wedding presents or Mother's Day. There's so many great options on this list that people can turn to again and again all year long. All right, keep going. I know that you have a few other home items that we can think about.
Speaker 1 38:19 So the final two I really love are brands that are for cleaning products, and they also have laundry detergent, everything you need. Branch basics and koala eco, I live and subscribe. They are wonderful, super clean, no chemicals, and they clean efficiently. So everything is made with sustainability in mind. So I think, like branch basics, it's stuff that you can refill over and over again. So it's all about being environmentally friendly and also being home friendly. So you don't feel when you're cleaning something like, Oh, it smells really great. But I just gave myself something carcinogenic, and they're really beautifully done. So it does feel like something that could be given as a gift, versus, just like going to Costco and getting tied,
Katie Fogarty 39:03 yeah, they have beautiful labels. You could put them on your counter, not necessarily have to move them. They've got, like, peppermint and Mandarin floor cleaners and lemon scented eucalyptus, rosemary, laundry, wash. And they have these beautiful old fashioned, almost like art print labels on them, gorgeous.
Speaker 1 39:19 Love it. Branch basics, you can get it in glass, which is even better if you're on like the anti plastic train. So big
Katie Fogarty 39:26 fan, we are moving into the gifts for the the jet setter or just the business traveler when you have to hop on an airplane, or if you're looking to give a gift that you don't even need to wrap it all. You've got some experiential ideas that you can use that are really indulgent and fun. So I'm excited for this section.
Speaker 1 39:44 I think you know, going back to the idea of, like, what is something that someone needs and wants and doesn't even know that they need and want it. And I feel like stuff with travel, it's always when you're on the plane that you're like, Wouldn't it be nice if I had this, but you don't have it. So one bring. One that's like owning travel right now is fly kit International, with its fly Kit with two T's, and they have this whole all in one solution for jet lag and travel fatigue, which is like, always a yes, but the kit has things like blue light glasses to combat blue light on the plane, which, like, if you're watching TV for three hours that can really mess up your sleep, which means it's harder to adjust wherever you're going. And they have all these incredible like circadian reset beverage mixes, organic coffee, so it's to help you adapt to wherever you're going. And I love that they curate it for you, and they've done all the research and science for you, so that you don't have to really like over piecemeal, it yourself. And then if you're looking for something a little bit more luxurious, we go back to the idea of, like, Where can I find something with an eye patch in it? And the brand I love is summer Fridays. They have a literal jet lag Essentials Kit, and that comes with the aforementioned eye patches, which I wore the other day, not on a plane. And I swear I asked multiple people, do I look shinier? And they were like, Yeah, you look awake, which I wasn't. They have a mask and moisturizer, skin soothing hydration mask and a Deep Hydration serum that are all travel sized, which means you can either take it with you and do it while you're traveling, or do it on the plane, which people don't realize how dehydrated your skin gets. So it's like you can land and look fresh.
Katie Fogarty 41:27 This is such a cute little kit too, because it's got adorable packaging, a little striped thing, and it's $34 for these little items, so it's a wonderful stocking stuffer. And I also think this is a great gift to give somebody. When you have to give a co worker a present, I know that gifting to co workers can feel awkward, but if you're traveling, this is a wonderful, wonderful, useful gift that you could give to somebody that doesn't feel too personal. I love that.
Speaker 1 41:54 I think also the idea of like a sleep mask, which you could take on the plane, or just have people who are like, really into sleep, like you meet some people who they like treat themselves, like sleep experts, where they like black out their shades, they don't have their phone in the room. Slip creates this sleep mask. It's silk, which means it doesn't create crinkles on the face. It doesn't dry out the skin, but it blocks out all the light, so whether you're using it when you're off the plane, or it just makes you pass out on the plane, it's comfortable. It's not too constricting, washable, and they come in really fun patterns. It is 50 bucks, but it also is silk. I love the brand and like I sleep with a mask every night, and it does give me deeper, better sleep.
Katie Fogarty 42:42 I am a sleep mask addict. I've been waiting for somebody to make me a sleep mask influencer, because, like, that is like my calling. I love, love masks. So you had better believe I clicked over this when you sent the link to me. And it's got 12 really fun, different kinds of patterns. It also comes in a little box with great kind of printing around it too. So you could even simply, like, tie a bow around the box. It's cute, and I think it is a wonderful gift. And again, it makes a nice present that you could even give to somebody that you work with, and it wouldn't be too weird.
Speaker 1 43:14 I think they had a set as well that had a sleep mask and a pillow case, like a silk pillow case. So that's for anyone who's like, also on a hair journey, and they're like, I don't want to break my hair. Okay, these are all very cute. And then the final, I will not go on any plane without symbiotica, liposomal vitamin C. Gotta keep the immune second, a mouthful. Well, tell me about that. I know. I know symbiotica is an incredible brand that I don't want to pinhole them into sachets, but it is always, as I say, sachet season. There's nothing better than your supplement coming in a sachet, a squeezable like little packet that tastes delicious and does something so symbiotica with a C they have a liposomal vitamin C, which means you're getting it in its most absorbable, bioavailable, again, effective way. It tastes like tangerine ice cream, like a tangerine sherbet, and it's 1000 milligrams of vitamin C, and you feel energized. It keeps the immune system up. If you're starting to sense a little bit of a cold, it's great to take, but I think it's a must have while traveling. And again, it's one of those brands. It's either you can give someone the box and be like, I know you're into your wellness, or you could just put sachets in as, like a little stocking stuffer, as like a wink and nod to the season, and like surviving the New Year,
Katie Fogarty 44:43 I think it's a great hostess gift. And I hopped over to the website, and I see that it's third party tested, which I know from interviewing so many doctors on the show, is really the gold standard for supplements. And so that can give you some confidence that you are gifting something that that works. We love quality. All right. Moving on to the experiential stuff. This is the stuff that you can't wrap because I have, myself, been really trying to do experiential gifting for my kids over recent years, like they hit a certain age, and I just thought, like, I'm tired of wrapping things. Everybody owns too many things already, and I really have prioritized experiential gifts for them. So I think this is an exciting category to add, and I'm really can't wait to hear what you share.
Speaker 1 45:25 So I think the ones that I found were my highlights were also ones that you could do alone or with someone, and even with if it's like a mother, daughter, husband, wife, like they are great all around. My first would be Rancho la puerta, which is in Takata, Mexico, quite literally over the border of San Diego. And it's old school. It's been around, I think, multiple decades, started by the same people who also run the golden door. It's like up against these beautiful, mystical mountains. I think it's called Mount cuchima, and you could go for eight days. They have tons of fitness options. It's all about the slow food movement. It has some hippie elements. It has some mystical elements. It has some kind of, like your mom's favorite aerobics class elements. The property is stunning and it's very communal. So when you have dinner. It's like everyone's together. You meet incredible people. So if you go alone, you leave with a ton of new friends. I saw tons of families there. I saw moms and daughters. But it's not like a Disneyland energy. It's very beautiful, and some of the best massages you'll get, and you leave feeling absolutely incredible. So it's like an amazing reset in the new year. It also makes you feel like you've gone somewhere, but it's all curated and organized so you don't have to do a ton of legwork. It's really all there for you. Sounds divine. And then on the opposite end of that is we care spa, which is in Desert Hot Springs in California, like 20 minutes from Palm Springs. It is the ultimate Detox Spa. What they do, and don't hold your breath yet, but basically you go, you do a nutritive fast so you consume, I believe it's under 400 calories a day, but you are having like soups, liquids, juices, and then you're doing colonics every day, which I know is controversial, but I will tell you that I did a five day we care, and I left, and things that changed for me have never gone back, and I'm a new Woman because of that spa, and they educate you again, the treatments are divine, and they complement the detox, and you don't have to do it on your own. You actually don't even sit aware of like, am I not eating enough? You actually feel so energized, and you feel really taken care of, and you get a lot of education, and it's really fun to do with a friend, or you'll meet amazing people if you go alone. It's beautiful.
Katie Fogarty 48:06 Okay, that sounds colonic was sort of like, Oh, I gotta between the urea and the colonic.
Unknown Speaker 48:11 I know humdinger. It's a real humdinger.
Katie Fogarty 48:15 The way I introduce you. Have to know your gift recipient. Well, I'm sure some people would absolutely adore this, and it sounds like you had an incredible experience, but I did. I was a novice. Some people need to think twice about surprising certain people with the We Care.
Speaker 1 48:29 You definitely should have a friend who's been complaining about their digestion for like years, and they're like, nothing works. And you're like, I don't want to say it again, but it rhymes with felonic.
Katie Fogarty 48:41 Oh my God, that's hilarious.
Speaker 1 48:43 Another one that I really love is in Santa Monica, California, in the heart of Los Angeles, attached to the proper hotel. It's Surya spa, which is based all around Ayurveda. And I would say it is like the top top of the line, Gwyneth, Paltrow, Oprah, you name any celebrity they love, Surya spa, Marta Sofer, who runs it. She's an incredible I hate to use the word guru lightly, but like it's not lightly when it's referring to her. You have a consult, they see what your constitution is, if you run too hot, if you have arthritis, if you have any condition, and they balance out what the treatment should be, uniquely bespoke for you. So it's making oils that have certain herbs, using four hands to massage it in. It's so therapeutic, it's so juicy, and you truly leave feeling like something big just happened. And then you're like, am I supposed to reintegrate? Like, I don't want to wait. I want
Katie Fogarty 49:40 to keep being Gwyneth. Yeah. No, I also am I not Oprah yet.
Speaker 1 49:45 What I keep trying, and somehow I'm still not.
Katie Fogarty 49:50 It's weird. I still have a mortgage and bills, but that sounds absolutely divine, and all three of these spas sound like the thing that even if you're not gifting them this year, you might want to put on your list. For a special trip, for a special gift, they sound like really extraordinary places, and I heard of Rancho Laporte, but I hadn't heard of the other two. So I'm so delighted to have them on my radar. And I'm trying to think like hopefully Santa wants to send me to that last one, because it sounds truly, truly stunning. Annie, this has been such a phenomenal list of fabulous recommendations you have done such a deep dive into the wellness, healthcare, beauty space, it's really been wonderful to spend time with you. How did you get started in this sort of curiosity and this interest in this particular space?
Speaker 1 50:34 I was already on my own journey, but in 2017 my mom got this horrifically rare skin condition, no one could figure out what it was. I was on Dr Google constantly. And finally, she ended up at a naturopathic doctor and a Chinese medicine doctor who, like, transformed her life. And if you saw her now, you would never know that she had a problem. And at a point, people thought she was like, really sick and or on death's door when it was just the skin condition. And I think seeing that holistic approach and seeing how effective it was really put me on a path of being like, wow, this stuff works, and it made me then get into it myself, and it's changed my life, and I live by it, and it's just been so fruitful.
Katie Fogarty 51:19 There are so many wonderful products these days that can really meet people where they are, address all these needs, and they're wonderful, luxurious products as well. You've named so many of them for us. I'm curious, as we head into 2026 as we start to wrap up our year, is there something special that you are hoping to be receiving or gifted over the holidays, or is there a 2026 experiential wellness experience of your own that you would love.
Speaker 1 51:45 You know, as far as things go, I feel like I have enough. I feel okay on things I would like, inner peace. But no one can gift me that. So in the meanwhile, there's a place in Cappadocia Turkey called the Argos hotel that is like a boutique wellness hotel in like an old monastery. And I really want to incorporate, I think, more travel, into my wellness experiences, especially as like a single female traveling. I want it to feel like it's in a way that feels really nourishing while having new experiences. So that's my hope in 2026
Katie Fogarty 52:24 Well, I certainly hope you get there. That sounds delightful. Thank you so much for being with me today before we say goodbye, though, how can our listeners find you and follow your work in writing?
Speaker 1 52:34 So I'm a bit of an offline influencer, in the sense that I don't have social media, but I am on LinkedIn, and you will find all my work on the quality edit, phenomenal.
Katie Fogarty 52:44 I'll link out to all that in the show notes. Annie, thank you so much for your time
Unknown Speaker 52:47 today. Thank you for having me. This has been a blast.
Katie Fogarty 52:51 This wraps a certain age, a show for women who are aging without apology. I have so many things that I need to go Google in just a minute, Annie shared brands I've never heard of gift ideas that are under the radar. I'm excited to explore them all. I'm off to Google those LED light masks. I've been super curious about them. Stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, splurge gifts, reasonably priced gifts. She gave us so many wonderful ideas. I really appreciate her time, energy and enthusiasm for bringing wellness gifts onto our radar for the holiday gifting season and for 2026 if you enjoy the show, I'd love to hear about it in Apple podcast or Spotify review. So many wonderful products were mentioned in this show. Make sure you head over to a certain age pod.com to check out our show notes. I'm going to link out to all the items that we mentioned here so you can easily find them if they are of interest to you. Special thanks to Michael Mancini, composed and produced our theme music. See you next time and until then, age boldly. Beauties.