The August Edit
A guide to late August featuring simple habits to try, what’s actually worth your attention in wellness trends right now, and the staples keeping our routines grounded
Welcome back to The Monthly Edit — a monthly dispatch focused on wellness, culture, monthly favourites, and everyday rituals, edited for calm. Each edition gathers ideas, habits, products, and observations that support a softer, healthier, and more intentional way of living.
Is it just me, or did July just vanish in about 4 days ? Like seriously, how are we already looking at mid August ?
August always throws me for a loop. Half of the time I want to stay outside until 9 pm, sipping something cold and ignoring anything work related. The other half, I’m looking up pumpkin spice scents and cozy throws and sweater online and feeling the subtle end of summer panic starting to kick in.
It’s soo easy to ruin these last few weeks by trying to force six weekends’ worth of plans into one, or harbouring the guilt of all things we had planned to do when the season had just started. So this month, we’re doing the total opposite. We’re not making or forcing any late summer bucket lists or forcing intense workouts when it’s 90 degrees out. This month I want our focus to be on low effort habits, simple products that actually make this heat and humidity bearable and any excuse to slow down and relax before September madness hits.
So without further ado, let’s dive in !
Every month, the wellness world throws a million new things at us, but only a few actually deserve space in our brains. Here’s the trio making news, shifting habits, and driving the biggest conversations right now.
01. Creatine Has Officially Escaped the Gym-Bro Category
If you still associate creatine with bulky tubs of powdery drink mixes sitting on a high school weightlifter’s kitchen counter, it’s time for an update. Creatine is having a massive moment in women’s wellness right now, and honestly, it’s about time.
Brands are finally redesigning it for women, but the real story is why we’re taking it. The conversation has completely shifted away from just “building giant muscle” toward brain health, cognitive focus, mental clarity, and deep cellular recovery. For anyone dealing with afternoon brain fog or feeling completely drained after a basic workout in the heat, it’s proving to be one of the most thoroughly researched, genuinely effective tools out there.
VERDICT: I am so glad we’re finally stripping the bro-science stigma away from this stuff. It’s cheap, incredibly well-studied, and actually supports your brain just as much as your muscles. Start with a low dose (3-5g daily) and give it a few weeks. It’s not an overnight miracle, but it’s one of the few supplements that actually does what it says on the tin. Just make sure you’re drinking plenty of water alongside it. I use this one btw.
02. Health Trackers Go Screenless!
We are officially suffering from screen fatigue, and the wellness tech space knows it. While screenless wearables aren’t completely new—smart rings like the Oura Ring have been paving the way for years—they’re officially going mainstream. Even major tech brands are finally getting the memo, from minimalist rings to brand-new drops like Garmin’s screenless CIRQA band.
The newest wave of health wearables is completely ditching screens, notifications, and buzzing displays in favor of quiet, screenless trackers that live on your wrist, ring finger, or clothing without demanding the gaze of your eyes every five minutes.
Instead of constantly throwing red alerts at you about your stress levels or pinging you to look at a glass screen, these devices quietly log your recovery, sleep, and heart rate in the background. You check the data on your phone when you choose to, rather than having a tiny digital master on your wrist barking orders at you all day.
VERDICT: LOVE this direction. Technology should serve us silently in the background, not compete for our attention when we’re trying to go for a peaceful walk or wind down for bed. Also, it can’t be healthy for us to be obsessed on a score more than how we feel after we do the activity.
03. The Return of Extreme Thinness
For a while, it genuinely felt like the cultural conversation around bodies had shifted somewhere healthier. Body neutrality was gaining real traction, curvier shapes were being celebrated, and the ultra-thin ideal felt like something we had collectively started to question and move past.
Now, the pendulum appears to be swinging right back.
Over the past few months, “skinny culture is back” has been quietly dominating headlines and social media feeds. With GLP-1 medications becoming completely normalized across pop culture, we’re seeing a visible return to extreme thinness as the primary, aspirational beauty ideal.
The trickiest part of this entire shift is that we can’t (and shouldn’t) look at a person’s body and declare whether they are healthy or unwell. We never actually know what’s going on behind someone else’s physical appearance. But what we can look at is the broader culture: why are we as a society suddenly so comfortable watching women get smaller again?
Kaia Gerber’s comments this week really brought this home. She spoke candidly about her history with disordered eating and the intense pressure of growing up under a public microscope while constantly being compared to her mother, Cindy Crawford. Her experience is such a stark, heartbreaking reminder of what happens when a culture fixates on extreme thinness.
VERDICT: Instead of getting sucked into celebrity body-gossip or speculating on who is taking what, it feels so much more important to step back and notice how fast these damaging ideals cycle back around. It’s a reminder to actively protect our own headspaces, unhook our self-worth from shifting aesthetic trends, and refuse to let the internet convince us that our bodies need to shrink to be valid.
If late summer has felt a little crowded in your head lately, you’re not alone. August always feels like living in two seasons at once: half of us are desperately trying to squeeze every last drop out of summer, while the other half is already spiraling about resetting routines for the fall. It’s so easy to let wellness turn into another item on your to-do list instead of something that actually supports you.
So, welcome to The August Ballot. This is our monthly space to audit the noise, drop the guilt, and vote out whatever trend or mindset is taking up way too much mental real estate right now.
(Quick side note: this is strictly judgment-free zone territory. So if a habit on this list works for your life, keep doing your thing!)
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Every month, I like to share a few things that have genuinely made life easier, more enjoyable, or just a little more curated. Some are practical staples. Others are tiny upgrades that turn an ordinary moment into something that feels intentional.
This month, I’m focused on the last real stretch of summer with things that suit the season, ease the shift into fall, and earn their place in my routine. As always, take what works for you and leave the rest.
1. Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Packets
Plain ice water only gets you so far in this August heat. I’ve been keeping a few of these zero-sugar electrolyte packets in my bag for post-walks or afternoon slumps. They dissolve completely, taste light and refreshing without being overly sweet, and clear up heat fog in minutes without breaking the bank.
2. Supergoop! (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF: You know I love the Abib sunscreen stick for midday touch-ups, but when you’re sweating profusely in this heat, swiping a stick isn’t always the vibe. That’s where this translucent mineral powder brush comes in. Just dust it over bare skin or makeup to instantly cut shine and re-up your SPF. An absolute lifesaver for sticky, sweaty days.
3. Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask: Between the sun, salt water, and pool chlorine, my hair always end up feeling so dry and straw-like by the end of summer. I’ve been swapping my normal conditioner for this rich mask twice a week, and it’s completely restored my ends. It washes out clean, smells incredible, and leaves your hair feeling ridiculously soft and silky again.
4. Magnesium Glycinate: August nights get so hot, sticky and restless, and taking this magnesium about 45 minutes before bed has been a total game changer for my sleep. It calms my nervous system, takes the edge off muscle tension after long evening walks, and actually keeps me asleep through humid nights, without leaving me groggy the next morning.
5. Kin Euphorics High Rhode (Non-Alc Spritz): Summer is so full of social outings and drinks, and by August I usually need to dial it back to save my sleep and skin. Pouring this over ice with a slice of orange has been my go-to golden hour swap. It actually tastes like a proper cocktail, gives you a nice, subtle calm without the alcohol, and lets you wake up feeling completely clear the next morning.
6. Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0: All that extra summer sunscreen, sweat, and re-applied makeup inevitably means clogged pores overtime. Swipe one of these dual-textured pads across your face after cleansing and it gently exfoliates, clears out deep buildup, and tightens pores without stripping your skin barrier. My skin has genuinely never looked this smooth. Love me some Medicube.
Every month I like to try a few small things. Sometimes they’re wellness habits, sometimes they’re recipes, sometimes they’re completely random. Not everything becomes a permanent part of my routine, but that’s kind of the point. Here’s what’s on my list for August.
Eating dinner on the porch
Even if it's takeout or leftovers, eating outside while the day winds down makes a regular night feel like the weekend. Stepping away from the kitchen into the cool evening air turns dinner into a ritual instead of just another task.
Cold-brew matcha with homemade coconut foam
My morning iced matcha got a major upgrade this week, and it’s saving me a small fortune on coffee shop runs. I’ve been frothing coconut milk with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup for about five seconds to layer over cold-brewed matcha. It takes less than two minutes to make and adds just enough sweetness to kick off the morning (eaten with breakfast ofc).
An 8:30 PM digital sunset
I’m making a conscious effort to stop letting my phone dictate how my evenings end. At 8:30 PM, the phone goes into another room to charge, and a real paper book comes out. Stepping away from screens before bed gives my brain an actual chance to power down, and I’ve been sleeping so much deeper without the late night blue light scrolling.
Opening the windows for 10 minutes at dusk
Right as the sun starts to drop and the afternoon heat breaks, I’ve been opening up the windows to let the cool evening air circulate through the whole space. It’s such a simple, low-effort habit, but flushing out the stale, warm air completely shifts the energy in the house and sets a calm, breezy feel for the rest of the night.
Camera roll cleanup
I’m spending five minutes right before bed purging duplicate photos, blurred screenshots, and old videos I don’t need anymore. Phone storage always seems to run out at the worst possible moments, so taking a few minutes to declutter each night keeps everything organized and ensures my camera roll isn’t crying for mercy.
Small observations, habits, and everyday things quietly shaping my month.
Currently Nourishing
Tomato toast. It’s the most un-recipe of all time, but when tomatoes are at their absolute peak in August, there is nothing better. Thick sourdough, a generous smear of good mayo or ricotta, thick slices of heirloom tomatoes, a flaky salt finish, and a crack of black pepper. It takes two minutes and tastes like summer on a plate. I am eating this at least three times a week.
Currently Prioritizing
Morning sunlight exposure is a must. Even when it’s hazy, I’m trying to step outside for five minutes within an hour of waking. It sets my circadian rhythm for the day, helps me sleep better at night. This small habit is going straight into September with me.
Currently Protecting
My Sunday evenings are for relaxing. I’m declaring them strictly off-limits for work prep. No checking emails, no planning my Monday agenda until Monday morning. I want to protect the “back to school” feeling of having a full, unbothered evening to do a face mask, prep a nice meal, and just exist before the hustle of the week starts.
Currently Letting Go Of
The idea that August needs to be a “big” month. Not every month needs spectecular. I don’t mind August being calm before the frantic energy of Q4. I just want it to be good.
Thank you for reading and being here. Wishing you a peaceful, low-effort end to your August. See you back here next month for our autumn reset. 🤍
A quick note: Some links in this edition are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them. Every recommendation is selected because I genuinely love it, think it’s worth sharing, or would happily recommend it to a friend.