Style + Beauty Archives | Cool Mom Picks

My favorite essential oil for all your de-stressing needs. And mine.

by Liz Gumbinner | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing

I tweeted this week that I’ve become the person who carries essential oils in my bag for stress and anxiety, and wow, it turns out I’m not alone! A lot of people asked what I like, the best essential oils I’ve found so far, hail from Aura Cacia....

The best mascaras for short lashes. Because it’s a mask mask mask mask world.

by Liz Gumbinner | Beauty + Cosmetics

I’ve myself spending a lot of time lately searching for terms like the best mascara for short lashes, the best mascara for thin lashes, the best mascara for volume…you get the deal. Partly it has to do with hitting the other side of 40 (and beyond). Partly...

If you’re smart, you’ll stock up on these things for winter before they run out. Again.

by Caroline Siegrist | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing

With winter around the corner, I know so many of us are in full prep mode. Or at least as close to full prep mode as we can be while also managing work, online school, and preventing a household COVID outbreak. Oof. So I’ve tried to take some of the leg work out...

One Good Thing a Day: A beautiful, easy exercise to help get you through these crazy days | Spawned ep 218

by Liz Gumbinner | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Podcast

Last week, I stumbled into a wonderful idea thanks to a conversation with a friend about how tough these days re lately: Start the morning by naming “one good thing” you are going to do that day. Whatever that means to you. It inspired the most diverse,...

7 reasons to get a flu shot for you and your family, especially during Covid.

by Liz Gumbinner | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing

Hi. Get your flu shots. Get your flu shots. Get your flu shots. Need some reasons to get your flu shots besides me telling you? Here you go. 1. A flu shot keeps you healthy. Flu vaccines are proven to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death, and...

8 fun Halloween face masks for kids…that aren’t too scary. (Because we’re all wearing face masks, right? Right?)

by Caroline Siegrist | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Kids

Getting my kid to keep his face mask on is a pretty tall order, but I’m hoping that introducing some new Halloween masks designed for kids will make it a little easier. I can just pass his off as a costume accessory that way, right? I found quite a few I thought...

Stylish leggings you can wear as pants: 10 of my favorites to keep you feeling comfy and cool.

by Liz Gumbinner | Fashion

Welp, we’ve officially hit that point in the pandemic when we differentiate between our leggings and our nice, stylish leggings. Or is that just me? Answer: No way that’s just me. You all went kind of wild for our team’s recos for of our favorite...

Nike’s new maternity collection is made for mamas of all shapes and sizes.

by Caroline Siegrist | Baby, Fashion

We’re always on the lookout for maternity clothing that honors woman, of more shapes and sizes than some of the designer labels. Not all of us look like all the size 2 models in maternity catalogs, ya know? As for me, I basically lived in athleisure while I was...

Our favorite Patagonia fall jackets for the family let you shop your values. At least if your values include standing up for the planet.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Fashion, Kid Fashion

You may have seen the news this week about the new labels in Patagonia shorts. Just four words appear on the underside of the labels: Vote the a**holes out. This isn’t just cheeky resistance; Patagonia is a company that’s always stood up for the...

7 favorite pieces of political jewelry that support voting rights organizations

by Christina Refford | Doing Good, Fashion

If the continued interest over Michelle Obama’s lovely “Vote” necklace from last month’s speech at the Democratic National Convention was any indication, many of us are also eager to promote our voting rights loud and proud, this critically...

7 cool face mask accessories for kids, to help them keep their masks to themselves

by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Tips + Tricks

The past few weeks, my Instagram feed is full of my friends’ adorable kids in their back-to-school outfits… complete with fresh, new face masks.I’m so proud of these kids for being responsible about in-person schooling, and for parents for insisting...

Michelle Obama’s VOTE necklace: Found it, want it.

by Liz Gumbinner | Fashion

Like everyone I know, I was absolutely captivated and moved by Michelle Obama’s DNC speech last night. (Please, watch if you haven’t already.) It’s what I woke up thinking about this morning and I know I will keep thinking about it. And while it was...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.

Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)

We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).

We still love what we do every single day. And we're so glad you're here.