Happy Sunday! And welcome to The Skinny, which will take you three minutes to breeze through. For anyone new here, this is a free weekly lifestyle newsletter designed to entertain and save you time—everyone’s most valuable resource—with a curated selection of news. As one of our subscribers told us: “You’re like my favorite magazine, without all the annoying pop-up ads.” 

What we’re covering: 

• The scoop on 20 frozen treat varieties (including the ‘healthiest,’ cones to avoid, & a quiz on what your flavor choice says about you) 

• Caftans, cocktails and ‘the hottest table in town’: Mah Jong

• Regarding your natural deodorant: does it truly stink? Investigating the ‘backlash’ 

• Sunday cooking with the Skinny: Mangozpacho 

• Plus, cold brew vs. ice coffee (and shakeratos vs. frappes), a Japanese walking technique for better health, the hoodie slash carry-on baggage hack and a study on a hobby that could help ‘save your brain’

💡Did you know: The Skinny editions are online and searchable—so you can easily find topics/links/recipes/items to shop. Bookmark this link.

🔗If someone already in the know sent this, you can subscribe here.

We all scream

Is ice cream now ‘good for you’?

The Skinny: Ice cream is one of summer’s simplest pleasures. But today, ice cream is kind OF complicated, for those of us wondering what the “healthiest” choice is. Also worth noting that ice cream has become impossibly chic, from Anya Hindmarch’s “The Ice Cream Project” to these fashion tastemakers who are reportedly making ice cream the epitome of cool.  

First, the varieties: Soft vs. hard serve, sorbet vs. sherbet, Italian ice vs. granita, gelato vs. frozen custard. We had nooo idea that frozen treats were this complex, so to maximize your summer ice cream enjoyment, we’d highly recommend this Tasting Table story with the scoop on 20 different types. Spoiler alert: Italian ice originated on the Jersey shore. 

We usually opt for gelato (and here is the best/highly informative explainer why). That’s due to its simple ingredients (no emulsifiers or stabilizers), lower milk fat content than ice cream, its density—it has less air, allowing you to eat it slowly—and experimental flavors often based on seasonal ingredients, Per our local gelateria, which has anything from zucchini flower gelato to green beans & mint: “Nature offers so many ingredients, we can’t help but feel tempted to turn them into gelato.” Along with an Italian accent, it’s clearly the sexier choice.

As for the cone: If you’re going cone—really the only way to go—the waffle cone is the enemy-outlier with about 120 calories compared to 17 in a cake/wafer cone and 40 in a sugar cone. 

The ‘healthiest’ ice cream: We’re here to make your lives easier so follow these simple four steps to have your ice cream and eat it too. Also, don’t believe social media posts like this citing (without reference) a study claiming that ice cream is healthy and has cardiovascular benefits. Like the 23K people who liked the post, we too would love nothing more than for this to be true, but couldn’t find supporting evidence.  

1. Choose one of these three “healthiest” types of ice creams/frozen treats, based on your taste desires and nutrition needs (gelato, frozen yogurt, low-calorie ice cream)

2. Then, opt for the wafer cone, and choose a small or “kids” portion

3. Skip the toppings (unless it’s nuts, which are always good for you) and built-in treats (cookies, chips, candy, caramel, etc.). 

4. Then, take time to savor the moment. Done. 

Because ice cream is fun: We found some diversions, including a study that reveals some surprising personality traits based on whether you prefer chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.

OMFG alert: In the world of “bigger and Instagrammable better” ice creams, beware of the terrifying amount of saturated fat and calories that some contain. Here’s are three ice cream treats to avoid ordering (the article is called “Coronaries in a Cone”), as they are the nutritional equivalent of: a half-pound rack of BBQ baby back ribs; two Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pepperoni Pizzas; a T-bone steak, Caesar salad, and a baked potato with sour cream. 

Life of leisure

Dust off your card table: Mah Jong is the hottest game in town

The Skinny: If there is one “trend” we want to jump on and master, while wearing caftans and drinking cocktails, it is definitively “the return of Mah Jong.” 

Here is why the cool kids are loving it (apparently, we are yearning for community), while Town and Country gets an “A” in headline writing by proclaiming that “the hottest table is not the newest restaurant.” Wondering how to get started, which set to buy or what to wear at the table?  We got you. 

This is a good basic set with an all-in-one convenient carrier, and of course you can go next level these awesome well designed versions (editor’s pick: the Palm Springs tiles or we can’t wait for the pre-sale of the New England tiles). If you’re feeling suddenly flush (with some cold, hard cash), please enjoy the world’s most expensive mah jong tiles which clock in at just over a mil.  

And because our MJ fantasy involves wearing a muumuu, here is a quick and useful primer on the mighty caftan. With much more to discuss, we PROMISE to revisit this topic along with, of course, Mrs. Roper Romps. 

Pantry raid

Sunday cooking: ‘Mangozpacho’

The Skinny: Behold the joy of a 1997 Houston Junior League cookbook. Jill has been making this mango gazpacho for years and reports that it is absolutely amazing at summer’s peak, when it’s hot as hell out and you invited people over for dinner but, after doing so, feel a tinge of regret. This is pure “lazy hostess with wow-factor built in” and as such, our ideal recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups) can also use frozen mango

• ½ medium cucumber, seeded and finely chopped

•  ½ red bell pepper, diced

•  ½ cup fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

•  2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1–2 tbsp lime juice (adjust to your taste)

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Water or cold stock (as needed for consistency)

Instructions:

1. Blend the Base: Combine mango, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, lime juice, and olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add a little cold water if needed to reach desired consistency.

2. Mix-in Fresh Ingredients: Stir in the chopped cucumber, red pepper, strawberries, cilantro, and mint. Season with salt, pepper, and an additional splash of rice wine vinegar or lime if needed.

3.  Chill & Serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld. Spoon into bowls or serve in glasses. Garnish with extra bits of strawberry, cucumber, or herbs for texture.

It’s the pits

Rise (and fall?) of natural deodorant

The Skinny: OK, the “natural deodorant” category has been on the rise for a while, despite (according to numerous sources), seemingly no evidence that anti-perspirant/deodorant with aluminum is “harmful” (though of course, we are not scientists). Yet, we’ve been seeing some buzz lately, and click-baity TikToks, proclaiming that there is a current “backlash” to natural deodorant. Sure, if you’re wearing the wrong one for you, it might not work. But we’ve found many of them to be perfectly effective. That said, if you are someone who prefers putting natural things on their skin (and why not, if they work?) here is a list of the best ones to choose from. 

Swipe on with these tips in our mini “natural deodorant” user’s guide: 

• As explained in the above story, per a dermatologist: if you’re mostly concerned with stink, natural deodorant might be a good choice. But those looking for less wetness should consider traditional anti-perspirants.  

• Please know with natural deodorant a trial period is critical! Meaning, don’t blindly trust one to work on a 95 degree day with extreme humidity when you have a job interview or hot date. While Tom’s made some of us smell like rotting street food, Salt & Stone works well and is perfectly lovely. You might have the opposite experience; no two body chemistries are the same.  

Last Licks

This week’s newsfeed

• According to Vice and citing a “massive study,” this fitness-focused hobby—which has surprising mental benefits—could help “save your brain.”

• We’re enjoying the comments-slash-angry-discussion on this one: a hoodie with a back pocket where you can stash your clothes for the weekend (and laptop?), hence avoiding baggage fees. 

• Despite summer’s impending wind-down, there is still time to understand the subtleties between cold brew and iced coffee—and, for our Euro-loving lifestyle friends (us included) the difference between shakerato and frappe. 

• One to try: we won’t stop talking about walking, so here’s a Japanese technique and how it can benefit your health.

*If you purchase something linked in The Skinny, we may get an affiliate commission—but at no additional cost to you.