Cheryl Shops

The first time I saw a YSL Le Loafer, my initial thought was "What in the Serge Gainsbourg are these?" But the next time I saw them, I couldn't get them out of my head. They felt like a softer evolution of the classic loafer, a pair with a little more personality and point of view—a classic with a twist, if you will. But that twist comes with a hefty price tag: currently around $1,200 give or take $100 depending on the leather. Oof. As much as I love Saint Laurent, I don't love paying four figures for a pair of shoes that are not exactly reinventing the wheel (to be fair, they have truly refined the design of the wheel, though). So I went in search of the best dupe I could find. Here's what I discovered. 

We're more than halfway through February, which means my birthday will be here very soon (it's March 2nd for the record). I do a birthday wishlist every year, and while my original intent in posting it was to drop a not-so-subtle hint for family members, it's evolved into a sort of pre-spring shopping list for myself. (For the record, I now own everything but the dining table from last year's list, and depending on what my tax return looks like, the table might be coming soon too.) Here's what I'm hoping to manifest in 2026. 

I have a friend with exquisite, poreless skin and I nearly died of shame when I found out that she never washed her face. At the time, I was—unbeknownst to me—stripping the hell out of mine every night with a harsh glycolic acid cleanser that my dermatologist had recommended to keep my acne under control. This was many years ago and while I've thankfully since figured out that my skin reacts best to a gentle cleanser, it took me awhile to learn how to actually use it effectively. But after many, many years on this planet, I've finally honed in on three life-altering tips that have transformed how I cleanse my face. 

It all starts with a good cleanse