I'm a fan - always a fan - so my comment is not mean to be critical of the writers who I'm certain are doing their level best! And I'll take what I can get - any version of SATC is better than nothing. I am a fellow GenXer here, and I was frankly surprised to see zero prescription meds. Aren't we all on lexapro or thyroid meds or something in with a prescription label? And I think even as a beauty minimalist she would have retinol which would explain the sunscreen. Also, we know her hair is high maintenance and would require it's own cabinet to do what it does. As a fellow curly girl, even her curls of the old days require multiple products. And I was surprised about the nail polish - our girl never wears nail polish! So fun - all of this. And while we're at it, I would REALLY like to see Charlotte's medicine cabinet!!!!!!
This was fun! There are so many things that are annoying about the show, yet I can’t stop watching either. The medicine cabinet was not something I’d really noticed, but it’s fun to read your thoughts on it. I will say, I have also noticed in the last episode or 2 that she’s very tan. To the point where I find it distracting at times. She’s in NYC, so surely it’s not natural (& I did read your comments so maybe it is self tanner)?
And as long as we’re venting, it’s also annoying to me the way these women wear high heels all over NYC. Yes, I know it’s not real. Yes, I know it’s part of their “characters.” Yes, I get that they don’t really walk/use the subway on a regular basis. It was funny when Seema had to use the subway + walk! But, still, these women are in their 50’s, and our feet at this age are not really loving heels, pointy-toed shoes, etc. But, hey, would it really be them if they were walking around in Sambas & Birks?
Yes! The heels are ridiculous. With all the dog walking she does, she should be in flats. And Miranda—come on, for years she was probably the more practical of the group. Surely she should be out of heels by now.
One thing I am seeing consistently are nitpicking comments all over social about the show. In particular from women younger than the characters portrayed in the show. I too disliked parts of the series, especially season one with Miranda's clueless lack of awareness of diversity and downright weird boundaries. However, as a woman exactly Carrie's age, I understand the awkward, new landscape she and the others are navigating. In that landscape includes judgement of 50+ women from society: your looks are gone, you've gained weight, you're sizably lost, And It's Your Fault. And these characters STILL refuse to succumb to any of this manufactured guilt and shame, however quiet it tends to whisper, or forcefully shout ''Stop reinventing yourself, stop 'trying' to be sexy, stop being Relevant!'. It's all Bullshit. It tries to sell you products. However this show falters, however corny, or inconsistent it presents, it is still one of the few shows we have that attempts to give the viewer a taste of what it feels to be fifty-something, and not only offers a salve to the real live scariness of getting older, but also an example of women unapologetically stepping into their power, and squeezing every drop of sweet, sexy, exhilarating drop of life that is every human beings right to feast upon while we are blessed to be here.
Good call on the Neutrogena! Fellow Gen Xer here and it was always the clean-girl brand for girls whose budget couldn't swing Clinique yet. Carrie is not, and never has been, a clean girl. Minimalist on grooming yes, clean girl, no.
There's an episode of SATC where Carrie is leaving things at Big's apartment, and you get a great shot of essential products for her. The only one I really remember is Clinique Moisturizing Lotion, an icon in its own right.
This is an iconic level of detail! Def subscribing based on this. I do feel compelled to point out that Carrie lives in Paris in S6, but you're right that our girl would def get into the French pharmacy life out there!
So I am actually wondering if SJP had input about the contents of the cabinet, as in the same interview she also mentioned La Roche Posay. Apparently the contents of the couples' bathroom in Eyes Wide Shut were actually Nicole Kidman's own toiletries.
Hello 👋🏼 Recently discovered Gen Xer (always thought Millennial began in 1980 and when I realized, it sort of explained a lot) here writing to say this was a great list. Shortly thereafter I got an email from Erno Lazslo and remembered early in my career when I had no money and used to crash at my 5-year-older-than-me "boss"/friend's apartment in NYC and thought it was the pinnacle of je ne sais quoi. Maybe hidden behind that boring Neutrogena sunscreen Carrie has one of their products, too.
This is fantastic! I couldn’t agree more with the Ponds — she likes her old school ways, but it definitely would exclude Neutrogena. Given her minimalistic approach to beauty and fitness (remember “shopping is my cardio”?) I don’t think she’d be into seeing a functional doctor to get HRT; unlike Samantha who fell apart without hers shoveling in sweet potatoes while in Abu Dhabi. I do wonder about the self-tanner too…I feel like she’d get roped into something new here (like Saltyface tanning water) vs an old standby like Jergens.
So much of her skincare makes sense...and yet her Neutrogena obsession makes me think of my boomer mom who would shudder at the thought of spending a lot on skincare.
I'm a fan - always a fan - so my comment is not mean to be critical of the writers who I'm certain are doing their level best! And I'll take what I can get - any version of SATC is better than nothing. I am a fellow GenXer here, and I was frankly surprised to see zero prescription meds. Aren't we all on lexapro or thyroid meds or something in with a prescription label? And I think even as a beauty minimalist she would have retinol which would explain the sunscreen. Also, we know her hair is high maintenance and would require it's own cabinet to do what it does. As a fellow curly girl, even her curls of the old days require multiple products. And I was surprised about the nail polish - our girl never wears nail polish! So fun - all of this. And while we're at it, I would REALLY like to see Charlotte's medicine cabinet!!!!!!
This was fun! There are so many things that are annoying about the show, yet I can’t stop watching either. The medicine cabinet was not something I’d really noticed, but it’s fun to read your thoughts on it. I will say, I have also noticed in the last episode or 2 that she’s very tan. To the point where I find it distracting at times. She’s in NYC, so surely it’s not natural (& I did read your comments so maybe it is self tanner)?
And as long as we’re venting, it’s also annoying to me the way these women wear high heels all over NYC. Yes, I know it’s not real. Yes, I know it’s part of their “characters.” Yes, I get that they don’t really walk/use the subway on a regular basis. It was funny when Seema had to use the subway + walk! But, still, these women are in their 50’s, and our feet at this age are not really loving heels, pointy-toed shoes, etc. But, hey, would it really be them if they were walking around in Sambas & Birks?
I get they hardly walk anywhere but really, non-heels have come a long way. It feels dated to be restricted by shoes!
The shoes drive me unreasonable crazy. Charlotte should be wearing Belgian loafers or Stubbs Wooten with her dresses.
Yes! The heels are ridiculous. With all the dog walking she does, she should be in flats. And Miranda—come on, for years she was probably the more practical of the group. Surely she should be out of heels by now.
One thing I am seeing consistently are nitpicking comments all over social about the show. In particular from women younger than the characters portrayed in the show. I too disliked parts of the series, especially season one with Miranda's clueless lack of awareness of diversity and downright weird boundaries. However, as a woman exactly Carrie's age, I understand the awkward, new landscape she and the others are navigating. In that landscape includes judgement of 50+ women from society: your looks are gone, you've gained weight, you're sizably lost, And It's Your Fault. And these characters STILL refuse to succumb to any of this manufactured guilt and shame, however quiet it tends to whisper, or forcefully shout ''Stop reinventing yourself, stop 'trying' to be sexy, stop being Relevant!'. It's all Bullshit. It tries to sell you products. However this show falters, however corny, or inconsistent it presents, it is still one of the few shows we have that attempts to give the viewer a taste of what it feels to be fifty-something, and not only offers a salve to the real live scariness of getting older, but also an example of women unapologetically stepping into their power, and squeezing every drop of sweet, sexy, exhilarating drop of life that is every human beings right to feast upon while we are blessed to be here.
Good call on the Neutrogena! Fellow Gen Xer here and it was always the clean-girl brand for girls whose budget couldn't swing Clinique yet. Carrie is not, and never has been, a clean girl. Minimalist on grooming yes, clean girl, no.
I haven’t watched any of AJLT but I DO HAVE NIVEA IN TINS! One of my favorite things to nab on vacation because they remind me of growing up.
I’ll be honest, I clicked this being like “jfc what Carrie Bradshawbull… shiiit I love this.”
Thank you for writing something so fun that was so much more entertaining and informative than a fucking listicle.
LOL I can't think of a better compliment than liking this deep dive on a show you don't watch. aou ae my day!
I was so curious about the medicine cabinet scenes, even went back and paused — so glad the algorithm served me this unexpectedly!
This is such a fun read!! I am also hate-watching AJLT. I will now be watching for product placement and the other characters medicine cabinets!
There's an episode of SATC where Carrie is leaving things at Big's apartment, and you get a great shot of essential products for her. The only one I really remember is Clinique Moisturizing Lotion, an icon in its own right.
Oooh I forgot about that. And if she's using Clinique then, she SURELY wouldn't be using Neutrogena now!
This makes me so happy because as soon as she opened her cabinet, I paused, rewinded, and thought: “someone needs to write about this on Substack!!”
I read your mind!
This is an iconic level of detail! Def subscribing based on this. I do feel compelled to point out that Carrie lives in Paris in S6, but you're right that our girl would def get into the French pharmacy life out there!
you are so right, thank you for the correction!
I saw SJP saying in an interview online that she stocked up on E45 when she was in the UK.
This is great intel thank you!
So I am actually wondering if SJP had input about the contents of the cabinet, as in the same interview she also mentioned La Roche Posay. Apparently the contents of the couples' bathroom in Eyes Wide Shut were actually Nicole Kidman's own toiletries.
Maybe SJP has a collab with Neutrogena 😂
Hello 👋🏼 Recently discovered Gen Xer (always thought Millennial began in 1980 and when I realized, it sort of explained a lot) here writing to say this was a great list. Shortly thereafter I got an email from Erno Lazslo and remembered early in my career when I had no money and used to crash at my 5-year-older-than-me "boss"/friend's apartment in NYC and thought it was the pinnacle of je ne sais quoi. Maybe hidden behind that boring Neutrogena sunscreen Carrie has one of their products, too.
Oh yes Erno Lazslo was THE beauty brand!
The nostalgia over an imperfect Nivea tin. Swoon.
This is fantastic! I couldn’t agree more with the Ponds — she likes her old school ways, but it definitely would exclude Neutrogena. Given her minimalistic approach to beauty and fitness (remember “shopping is my cardio”?) I don’t think she’d be into seeing a functional doctor to get HRT; unlike Samantha who fell apart without hers shoveling in sweet potatoes while in Abu Dhabi. I do wonder about the self-tanner too…I feel like she’d get roped into something new here (like Saltyface tanning water) vs an old standby like Jergens.
Girl, yes. I haven’t watched the revivals but first thing I thought when I saw that picture was where’s the DHC
So much of her skincare makes sense...and yet her Neutrogena obsession makes me think of my boomer mom who would shudder at the thought of spending a lot on skincare.