Summer Better With These Must-Have Products — As Seen On CBS Austin
Want to pack as many fun-filled activities into the summer as humanly possible? Who doesn’t? Whether you’re embarking on a road trip, going hiking or camping with the kiddos, throwing a pool party, playing a game of tennis, or going for a run outdoors, I’ve got some great products that will help you make the most out of each summer adventure.
Today, I chatted with my friends at CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” and shared some of my favorite summer lifestyle picks (check out the segment above or click here) — all of which you can read about below!
Hope this helps you make your summer all the more memorable!
ICONIC KETO COLLAGEN COFFEE
Have you ever seen those stickers that read, “No talkie before coffee”? Well, they pretty much capture my mood before I take that first glorious sip of piping hot wakey-wakey magic in the morning. To avoid extending that sensation, where I’m feeling like an old iPhone running on 10% battery power, I like to make the coffee-making process as quick and efficient as possible. Here’s the challenge though: if you’re on a keto diet, you’re likely reaching for multiple items in your cabinet, pantry, and fridge such as coffee grains, butter or ghee, and coconut oil (or another such MCT oil). And while that bulletproof coffee is, well, a bulletproof source of energy, the actual process of making it can feel laborious when you just want to get the day started.
Luckily, you can easily jumpstart your morning and stick to your keto regimen with a cup of ICONIC Keto Collagen Coffee. All you need to do is mix one scoop with 8 ounces of hot water and sip away in order to power up your body and brain — no more scrambling to find 4 and 5 different ingredients.
Each serving of Iconic Keto Collagen Coffee contains 100 mg of caffeine from fair trade Colombian coffee, 10 grams of collagen protein to reduce wrinkles and support joint health, and 5 grams of coconut-derived MCT oil to fuel your body and mind.
And that’s not all! This brew also incorporates adaptogens from Four Sigmatic – mainly Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushrooms. Wha are adaptogens? They’re plants and herbs that help the body combat the effects of external and internal stressors. Both Lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms are known to improve the body’s immune function, enhance mental focus and clarity, and reduce inflammation.
With the Iconic Keto Collagen Coffee, then, you’ll start your morning feeling energized, alert, and ready for anything the day brings!
An 8-ounce tub is $34.99 on Amazon.com or visit DrinkIconic.com and use the code CBS20 for 20% off.
PIG OUT PIGLESS PORK RINDS BY OUTSTANDING FOODS
Torn between eating a snack and looking like one? Well, you can kiss that particular dilemma goodbye by reaching for the Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds by Outstanding Foods. This guilt-free, flavor-packed, satisfyingly crunchy snack is 100% plant-based, and each serving packs an impressive 25 grams of protein. Whether you’re spending the day at the pool, taking a road trip with the kids, or playing soccer in the park, you can satiate your hunger between meal with these chef-crafted snacks.
Outstanding Foods is dedicated to creating nutritious, tasty, plant-based foods. In fact, its co-founder, Chef Dave Anderson, is known for his role in creating the Beyond Burger.
The Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds taste like, well, pork rinds and yet they’re made using rice, pea protein, pea grits, and sunflower oil. Moreover, they’re baked, never fried, and they contain 75% less sodium, and 67% less saturated fat than traditional pork rinds. Plus, they contain no gluten, soy, GMOs, cholesterol or trans fat.
The Texas BBQ flavor is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and kids will love the cowboy hat-wearing, boot-flaunting pig character on the front of the bag. Other yummy flavors include Hella Hot, Nacho Cheese, Salt & Vinegar, and Original.
Each bag is $3.99 at Central Market, Fresh Plus, and Amazon.com or you can visit OutstandingFoods.com to find a retailer near you.
YOBO SOJU
Want to add a little variety to happy hour? Well, mix things up with Yobo Soju, a keto-friendly soju that’s low in calories – just 37 calories per ounce — and has 23% alcohol by volume, which is significantly lower than other spirits. Tequila, for instance, has an average ABV of 50% , while rum and vodka each feature an ABV of about 40%. Yobo Soju, then, has nearly half the alcohol content of these spirits, making it a great choice for those looking to cut back on their alcohol intake
Yobo Soju was founded by Korean-American mom and lawyer Carolyn Kim, and it stemmed from her to desire to create a first-of-its kind, elevated soju that blended her Korean and American heritage. If you’re unfamiliar with soju, here’s a quick primer: soju is a Korean spirit that’s traditionally made by distilling alcohol from fermented grains like rice or barley. From 1965 to 1999, the South Korean government banned the usage of rice to distill soju due to country-wide rice shortages. During this time, soju manufacturers began using starches like sweet potato and tapioca to produce the spirit. Since 1999, when the South Korean government lifted the ban on rice distillation for soju, some companies have resumed the usage of this grain while others have continued to utilize alternative methods.
Yobo Soju, then, builds on soju’s rich history while also giving it a modern and unique expression. How so? Well, it’s the first-ever grape-distilled, domestically produced soju.
This lovely spirit is hand-crafted in small batches in the New York Finger Lakes region using locally harvested catawba grapes, water, and yeast — no preservatives, sulfites or added sweeteners. It has a crisp, clean taste that’s with soft hints of fruit and delightful aromatics. You can serve it neat, over crushed ice, or as the base of a cocktail.
I personally love serving apple-soju cocktails, which you can whip up by mixing 2 oz. of soju, 2 oz. of apple juice and 2 oz. of seltzer water in a cocktail shaker, then shaking and pouring into a martini glass.
MINGLE MOCKTAILS
Whether you’re training for an athletic event, trying to shed a few pounds, or dialing back your alcohol intake, reaching for a cocktail may not be the best option for you. And yet, with all the backyard BBQs, pool parties, trips to the lake, and girls’ night out dates, it can be challenging to bypass the alcoholic beverages without feeling left out.
Enter Mingle Mocktails, a female-founded brand of non-alcoholic, low-calorie sparkling beverages that are crafted with natural botanicals and naturally sweetened with pure cane sugar.
Mingle Mocktails just introduced individual cans that are perfect for tossing in your cooler before a day of fun in the sun. The come in best-selling flavors like Blood Orange Elderflower Mimosa, Cranberry Cosmo, Blackberry Hibiscus Bellini, and Cucumber Melon Mojito. You can drink them out of the can or pour into a champagne flute or martini glass and garnish as desired. Each drink is fun and effervescent — just like you!– and the fruity flavors are refreshing and tasty. They’re the perfect summer drink — and they’re so delicious you won’t even miss the booze!
And, of course, if you’re out with the kids, they’re the perfect way to feel like you’re celebrating and having fun while still maintaining a clear head so you can perform all your parenting duties.
You can pick up a 4-pack in a single flavor or in a variety pack for just $20, while a 16-can pack retails for $63. Mingle Mocktails is available at MingleMocktails.com, Amazon.com and Whole Foods.
L’OEUF POCHE TENNIS AND ACTIVEWEAR CLOTHING
Between the new Netflix documentary about tennis champ Naomi Osaka’s life and the news of her upcoming match at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, many of us have tennis fever this summer. And sure, you may not have Osaka’s on-court flair — or, for that matter, even be able to properly hold and swing a racquet — but you can at least look like a tennis champ with a little help from L’Oeuf Poché.
The on-trend tennis and activewear brand offers chic wardrobe staples for modern women. Get started on a Grand Slam-worthy look by picking up versatile and ultra-comfortable pieces like the L’P Sleeveless Ruffle Polo ($78 at LOeufPoche.com), made out of the brand’s signature lightweight pique fabric and featuring a charming ruffle collar; the L’P Ruffle Wrap Skort ($86 at LOeufPoche.com), a skirt with built-in shorts that features an asymmetrical ruffle along the front; and the Cloud 9 Sleeveless Dress ($104 at LOeufPoche.com), a comfy A-line dress with a scalloped V-shaped neckline and roomy pockets.
Designed with the brand’s signature lightweight breathable fabric and featuring SPF technology, these pieces are great for hot summer days — whether you’re working on adding power to your forehand on the tennis court or you’re out and about running errands, picking up the kiddos from day camp, or having brunch with friends. All the pieces have enough stretch to allow for ease of movement, and they have moisture-wicking capabilities to keep you dry and comfortable,
With L’Oeuf Poché, then, you can serve up a country club chic look that’s sporty and comfortable. You can check out these pieces and more exclusively on LOeufPoche.com
UNSUBSCRIBE NO-RINSE HAIR WASH
You’ve heard it a million times: if you don’t have time to wash your hair after a workout, dry shampoo will revive and refresh your strands. Here’s what they rarely mention: dry shampoo only works if you’re dealing with a light amount of perspiration. Maybe you took in a low-intensity yoga class or hit the elliptical machine for 30 minutes and your roots got a little misty. In that situation, dry shampoo might help. But if, like me, you prefer high-intensity workouts that leave your hair soaking wet (I personally could literally wring my hair like a wet mop after my HIIT workouts), dry shampoo won’t solve your problem. As a matter of fact, it will only exacerbate the problem. See, when applied on wet hair, dry shampoo creates a pasty, gunky, cake-y mess that will pretty much ensure you have to run to the shower and deep shampoo your hair. And isn’t that what you were looking to avoid?
So what is a girl to do? Do you skip the workout until you know you have time to shower afterwards? Do you walk around with unruly wet strands? No on both counts, my friends! If you need to clean and refresh hair after an intense sweat session, all you need is to reach for the the newly launched Unsubscribe No-Rinse Hair Wash.
This quick-drying foam features deodorizing enzymes that neutralize odor-causing bacteria and eliminate the smell of sweat so you can look polished and feel confident. The formula also features amino acids to strengthen strands and chamomile and green tea extracts to soothe the scalp.
To use, just work the foam into the sweatiest part of your hair and style as usual. Not only will your hair look polished and pretty after your workout, but you can use the product multiple days in a row without any build-up!
A 1-pack of Unsubscribe’s No-Rinse Hair Wash is available for $34, while a 2-pack retails for $48 (save $20) and a 3-pack retails for $60 (save $42). Visit TheUnsubscribe.com
GOODWIPES FLUSHABLE WIPES
While on the subject of freshening up, you’ll want to keep these game-changing wipes in your gym bag, purse, and bathroom cabinet. These are the Goodwipes Flushable Wipes, and they’re plant-based, biodegradable, hypoallergenic and flushable, plus the gentle formula is pH balanced, as well as alcohol- and paraben-free, so you can use these on even the most sensitive areas.
A great alternative to toilet paper, these refreshing cleansing wipes come to the rescue when you want to freshen up after any restroom activity, post-workout, before a date, pre- or post-intimacy, while traveling, and more.
The cruelty-free wipes are available in subtle, all-natural scents like Rosewater, Lavender, and Shea-Cocoa. How all-natural are the scents? Well, the wipes feature hydrosols only, which are derived by soaking botanicals in water. In other words, there are no synthetic fragrances that might prove irritating — only natural goodness here!
Pick up a pack of Goodwipes for $3.59 at H-E-B or visit Goodwipes.com
AVON SKIN SO SOFT BUG GUARD COLLECTION
I love sitting on the patio or laying in a hammock in the backyard and reading a great book. What I don’t love? Swatting away the flies, mosquitoes and gnats that furiously buzz by my head. To keep these pesky bugs far away and prevent any painful bites, I rely on the amazing insect repellents in Avon’s Skin So Soft Bug Guard collection.
All of Avon’s insect repellent formulas contain either Picaridin or IR3535 to protect against mosquitoes, deer ticks, sand flies, gnats, and more, and they’re DEET-free and PABA-free. Plus, they’re dermatologist-tested and contain soothing vitamin E.
The collection includes a variety of options — from sprays and lotions to handy towelettes — all available at Avon.com. And, unlike so many other insect repellents, these actually smell quite pleasant so you can apply with confidence.
Some formulas even contain SPF, so you can take the bite and the burn out of your summer days in a single step. My current favorite is the Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus IR3535 Expedition Spray SPF 30 Pump Spray since it’s ultra-portable, protects against both insects and UV rays, and is safe to use on my whole family before any hiking adventure.
