Wear, Watch, Want #155: The Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Catch Killers Edition

Wear: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

I have been a loyal Cetaphil user for most of my life. And when I say Cetaphil, I of course mean the Target brand dupe of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. But recently I saw something on my beloved nemesis, TikTok (where people are giving out all kinds of advice, both great and dubious) where someone said Cetaphil won’t do anything bad to your skin, but it also won’t add anything. They recommended CeraVe. I always thought the two were virtually interchangeable, but I got a travel size CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and I like it so much more. It’s like Cetaphil, but extra. I never thought I’d switch my gentle skincare alliance away from Cetaphil, but here we are. I love CeraVe, she loves me, my skin loves us both.

Watch: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

I really enjoyed the book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Michelle McNamara’s posthumously published book about the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker. It was a different kind of true crime text, which was just as much about McNamara’s drive to catch a criminal as it was about WHY we are interested in criminals as it was about how, based on all the information out there, it’s hard to believe this guy had never been caught. Months after I’ll Be Gone in the Dark was published, police found out who EAR/ONS is, and they claim it’s NOT because of Michelle McNamara’s work, which is an absolute lie.

Like I said, I read the book, so I didn’t see why the HBO docuseries based on the book was necessary. But I needed something to watch and I had heard praise for the series from people who had also read the book, so I gave it a shot. Turns out, it’s excellent supplemental material to the book, and also MUCH more terrifying. The book is mostly in first person narration from McNamara, and she mentions the many people who helped her, the victims who spoke to her, and all the various players up and down California involved with the case… but it’s all from her POV. The docuseries has interviews with these people, and you not only get to hear their own perspectives (which are not different from the book, it’s just that they are speaking for themselves), but you get to SEE them and hear things in their own words and it’s really powerful. It’s also a testament to how compassionate McNamara was at her investigating, that so many people wanted to help her and appreciated her tireless dedication.

Hearing victims tell their stories is a completely different experience for me than reading them in a book, told by a third party. It’s also completely different to SEE the homes where these crimes took place, instead of just making a picture in your mind. I’m not done with the series yet, because I cannot watch more than one episode at once. Not only because of how real it is, seeing thees victims and crime scenes, but because I’m just so in awe of the women who were attacked by this man and how willing they are to share their stories. I hope Michelle McNamara got to know that she was the perfect person to share these stories with the world, and that the police one hundred percent used her insight to catch the perpetrator.

Want: Birkenstock Amsterdam Clogs

You may remember that I wrote about these fabulous Jenni Kayne clogs with a price tag that I absolutely cannot justify. Well, I still love them, and I still wish i could drop $375 on some clogs, but I’ve found a kind of dupe, from a brand I know and trust. The Birkenstock Amsterdam Clogs are like the more well known Boston, but without a buckle and not as obviously-Birkenstock. They’re clean, simple, and lined in shearling, but only on the top part, so your feet won’t make the footbed get all weird. You know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, well you’re blessed. I picture myself, just as with the Jenni Kayne clogs, wearing these with cropped jeans in an effortless, casually wealthy look, My skin is clear, my hair is in a structured-yet-messy twist, and when people ask me how I manage to Have it All I laugh and respond, “Oh, I just drink a lot of water.” Will these shoes transform my entire life? I mean… yes, I just told you that.