SecondLife Gift Guide

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Hi, everyone! Team Second Life here. The holiday season is upon us, and as our present to you, we’ve curated a special gift guide inspired by the masters of the pivot themselves, our spectacular guests from the past year. Whether they were making spooky lake content on TikTok or scavenging the streets for junk and starting a reclaimed-materials business, each guest’s journey to their second life is unique and inspiring, and the mere existence of the gifts on this list is proof that betting on yourself and your dreams pays off. We hope they’ve inspired you as well, and if you’ve been waiting to take a big leap like they did, may this be the year you go for it.

Home Is Where the Eggs Are Molly Yeh

$17

Food Network host, Author, Content Creator

Molly Yeh is a culinary powerhouse and host of the beloved Food Network show Girl Meets Farm. Her cookbooks are full of inventive recipes that merge her Chinese and Jewish heritages with her farm life in the Midwest. Grab her New York Times best-selling cookbook Home Is Where the Eggs Are, and preorder her upcoming dessert book, Sweet Farm, out in March 2025. And to hear how she began her career as a Juilliard-trained percussionist, listen here!

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Laura O’Neill

$35

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream co-founder

Laura O’Neill co-founded Van Leeuwen ice cream in 2008 with the dream of creating unique flavors with fresh ingredients, and with her ice cream recipe book, you can do the same at home! For friends who are less cooking-inclined, send them some Van Leeuwen ice cream instead. Hear how Laura created Van Leeuwen’s original flavor lineup in her apartment kitchen here.

Dipping Sauce Sampler Morgan Zanotti

$40

Primal Kitchen co-founder

Morgan couldn’t find simple, high-quality sauces and pantry staples—so she created her own. Primal Kitchen’s products are free from dairy, added sugar, and canola oil but are chock-full of flavor. To hear how she spent years floating around different industries before meeting her co-founder and finally hitting on an idea that excited her, listen to her episode here.

Bringing It Home Gail Simmons

$30

Cookbook author, Top Chef judge

Gail has been a culinary mainstay for years, best known for her 22-season tenure as a Top Chef judge. She also leads food tours and cooking retreats all over the world. (Anyone want to go to Mexico City with Gail?) Grab a copy of her travel-inspired cookbook and hear how her role at Food & Wine magazine turned into an opportunity on a new little show called Top Chef here.

The Must-Haves: 4-Pack Bundle Gaby Dalkin

$80

Dalkin & Co founder

Unique spice blends from one of our favorite internet chefs? Sign us up! Gaby got her start in fashion PR but switched to culinary school in 2008. In the years since, she’s built a food-blogging empire, personal-cheffed for stars like Jessica Simpson, and published five incredible books. To hear how she’s evolved as the industry has evolved, listen to her episode here.

The Try ‘Em All Omsom Set Kim and Vanessa Pham

$95

Omsom Co-founders

Think of Omsom as the Asian-food equivalent of buying a packet of taco seasoning—but in much cuter packaging. Its sauces and noodles are the perfect starter kits for an easy, authentic, delicious Asian meal at home. To hear how sisters Kim and Vanessa Pham built Omsom on pride for their Vietnamese heritage, listen to their episode here.

Sweet Tooth: 100 Desserts To Save Room For Sarah Fennel

$23

Broma Bakery founder, content creator, recipe developer

You know it’s gonna be a great book when you’re salivating at the cover image. Sarah’s new cookbook, Sweet Tooth, combines so many of her talents, from recipe development to gorgeous food photography. To hear how she built her OG food blog into a successful business, listen to her episode here.

Just For The SummeR Abby Jimenez

$12

Romance author

Abby Jimenez is a NYT best-selling romance author who also lived another life as an immensely successful baker and owner of Nadia Cakes bakery. Just for the Summer is the perfect escape to add some summer-fling energy into the holiday season. Find the rest of Abby’s books here, and listen to her episode to hear how baking turned into an entirely separate literary career.

Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other Sophie Grégoire Trudeau

$18

“First Lady” of Canada

Sophie’s book combines memoir with a fascinating look at the human brain and how we can build meaningful, lasting relationships with others (and ourselves). To hear how she’s focused on mental health initiatives, while juggling her responsibilities as Canada’s de facto “first lady,” listen to her episode here.

Come As You Are Emily Nagoski, PhD

$18

Sex Educator

Emily Nagoski is your go-to for insightful, kind, evidence-based writing on sex and sexuality. Her groundbreaking 2015 book, Come as You Are, is a staple on many of our bookshelves. To hear how teaching women’s sexuality at Smith College led to her career as an author, listen to her episode here.

Big Fan Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo

$13

831 Stories

If you’re craving Marvel-level fan engagement for your next romance-novel obsession, look no further than Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo’s romantic fiction company, 831 Stories. It’s got extensive trope merch and Discord servers for you to connect with fans and book lovers (and even write some fan fiction). To hear how these work wives approached entering (and honoring) the romance world, listen to their episode here.

Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve Drew Afualo

$19

TikTok creator

If you need a little encouragement, or just want a glimpse into the genius brain of TikTok creator Drew Afualo, this book is for you. It’s inspiring, cathartic, witty—what more do you need? To hear how she developed her misogyny- and racism-destroying skills and built her massive online following, listen to her episode here.

Restore 2 clock Ann Crady Weiss

$139

Hatch co-founder and CEO

Raise your hand if you can’t get out of bed in the morning. Okay, we see all of your hands up. After several careers in law and tech, Ann co-founded Hatch to create calming, legitimate sleep products to help you fall asleep—and wake up. To hear how she and her co-founder pivoted after appearing on Shark Tank, listen to her episode here.

The AM Icons Molly Sims

$180

YSE Beauty founder

There’s a reason the YSE Brightening Eye Cream is constantly out of stock—that shit is good. Luckily, we’ve got a ton of other favorites to pick from, including the brightening products that were the reason Molly Sims started the brand in the first place. To hear how she made sure YSE wasn’t just another celebrity beauty brand, listen to her episode here.

The Hair Refresh Set Dianna Cohen

$45

Crown Affair founder and CEO

We’ll always take product recommendations from Dianna; after all, she launched Crown Affair after a Google Doc featuring her haircare routine made the rounds on the internet. To hear how her years working with DTC giants like Away, Outdoor Voices, and Harry’s helped her launch her own company, listen to her episode here.

The Ultimate Even Skin Set Shereene Idriss

$230

Dr. Idriss Skincare FOUNDER

Shereene Idriss is our favorite skincare nerd. The board-certified dermatologist and go-to source for honest skincare info launched her own skincare line this spring, and it’s exactly what the doctor ordered (literally). To hear how she balances a thriving dermatology practice with her new business venture (now available at Sephora), listen to her episode here.

Milk Serum Mara Roszak

$52

RŌZ Hair FOUNDER

Zoe Saldaña– and Cara Delevingne–approved haircare was just about all we needed to hear. But once we learned about Mara’s incredible story of dedication to the hairstyling field, from attending beauty school at just 16 to opening her own salon and launching Rōz Hair, we were fully sold. To hear how she developed clean, practical products that she uses on all types of clients, listen to her episode here.

Daily Essentials Regimen Bundle Scarlett Johansson

$105

Actress, The Outset co-founder

This one’s for those of us who get way too (skin) sensitive when the weather turns cold and dry. Scarlett’s company The Outset strives to create effective products that help you soothe, heal, and treat your skin. To hear how starting a skincare company coincided with her entering her “no BS” era, listen to her episode here.

The Jelly Tint Duo Zanna Roberts Rassi

$38

Milk Makeup co-founder

It seems like Milk Makeup has a new viral product every 0.124153 seconds, two of which are the Hydro Grip Primer and the always-in-demand Jelly Tint. Though, that’s no surprise to us, since Zanna and her razor-sharp instincts for great products and design were involved in the company from the very beginning. To hear about the early days of Milk Makeup in Brooklyn, listen to her episode here.

Miracle Clear Brightening Duo Yanghee Paik

$39

Rael co-founder and CEO

Yanghee co-founded Rael with the mission of bringing the high-tech feminine-care and skincare products that she was used to in South Korea to the U.S.—and we’re so thankful she did. Rael’s clean, simple products are go-tos for healing breakouts and discoloration. Elevated stocking stuffers, no? To hear how she transitioned from entertainment to period care, listen to her episode here.

Hyper Shine High Lite Kit Katie Jane Hughes

KJH.Brand founder

Grab a luxe, multipurpose KJH.Brand product, and then head to founder Katie Jane Hughes’s social media pages to see exactly how to use it. She’s built her brand off of her authentic, no-BS makeup tips and advice (which, these days, feels like a total unicorn). To hear how she went from working as a nail tech to becoming the internet’s beauty BFF, listen to her episode here.

Aire 360 Julie Chung

$300

T3 co-founder

Julie and her husband created T3 20 years ago, when she wanted a reliable hair dryer but simply couldn’t find one. Since then they’ve been at the forefront of innovation, including this year’s T3 Aire 360 release—a ceramic hot styler that gives us the bouncy, flippy, Sabrina Carpenter bangs we’ve always dreamed of. To hear how she balanced training in ophthalmology with bootstrapping T3, listen to her episode here.

Bala Bangles Natalie Holloway

$55

Bala and Balacize co-founder

“Chic” and “exercise equipment” were not often used in the same sentence; that is until Natalie and Bala came along. Bala launched in 2018 with its signature Bala Bangles—a pair of sleek, pastel-colored ankle weights that turn up the resistance on everyday exercises. To hear how pitching Bala on Shark Tank allowed Natalie to leave her advertising career behind, tune in to her episode.

M4 Estriol Face Cream Anne Fulenwider

$50

Alloy co-founder

Alloy is your one-stop shop for treatment and solutions for the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause—because as co-founder Anne Fulenwider knows, menopause doesn’t have to be so difficult. Alloy is here to help, from doctor consults (book here!) to innovative new products like the M4 Estriol Face Cream. To hear how Anne developed the idea for Alloy after years in magazines, listen to her episode here.

The High Waisted Period. in Sporty Stretch For Heavy Flows Karla Welch

Stylist, The Period Company co-founder

Karla’s gone above and beyond with The Period Company, creating easy, essential products for your period and donating countless pairs of period underwear to those in need. And of course, she’s done this while still styling all of your faves, from Greta Gerwig to Sarah Paulson. To hear how The Period Company came about amid her countless other responsibilities, listen to her episode here.

Sun Coaster Set in cherry gold Gabriela Anastasio

$165

Anastasio Home founder

Growing up with a father in the landscaping business, Gabriela Anastasio fell in love with stone at a young age. In 2021, she launched her home accessories brand, Anastasio Home, with stone trays. Now her company has grown to include a variety of home accessories, including these beautiful sun coaster sets. To hear how her childhood informed her entrepreneurial aspirations, listen to her episode.

Knox Rug Brigette Romanek

$2,200

Interior Designer

Each of Brigette Romanek’s creations is worthy of an Architectural Digest tour. Like, literally—she’s designed spaces for Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyoncé, and so many more. Her collection with Loloi brings her refined aesthetic to a wider audience (with a lower price point!). To hear how her early days singing and designing handbags translated into her interior design career, listen to her episode here.

The Reyes Stool Nidhi Kapur

Maiden Home founder and CEO

We love a story of someone realizing the things they loved in childhood could, in fact, be a career, and Nidhi’s a perfect example of that. A childhood love of constantly redecorating her bedroom eventually led—after stints at McKinsey, Google, and Birchbox—to a successful interiors business. To hear how she built Maiden Home from the ground up, listen to her episode here.

Marble Serving Board Bo Shepherd

$85

Woodward Throwbacks co-founder

Woodward Throwbacks has the coolest curation of stylish home furnishings made of reclaimed materials, as well as a vintage category that contains everything from mid-century sofas to vintage Art Deco bars. The Marble Serving Board is made of salvaged marble from historic Detroit buildings and salvaged limestone found at Michigan Central Station. Buy Bo’s book here and listen to how she went from a General Motors car designer to a salvaged-material specialist here.

ESTELLE Block Print Tablecloth Shea McGee

$89

McGee & Co. and Threshold Designed With Studio McGee Co-founder

Give the gift of an elite tablescape with one of Shea McGee’s designs. Between her Threshold Designed With Studio McGee collection at Target and her brand McGee & Co., we’re spoiled for choice! To hear how she grew from an Instagram page to a Netflix show and a massive e-commerce business, listen to her episode here.

Leon Ottoman Carly Cushnie

$298

Fashion and Furniture Designer

BRB, currently designing our all–Carly Cushnie home. We were already huge fans of her womenswear line, but this year, she worked with Lulu and Georgia to create an absolutely stunning line of home furnishings. Dibs on the coffee table! To hear how a break from the fashion world allowed her to open up new avenues of creativity, listen to her episode here.

The Mini Le Plein Seema Bansal Chadha

$128

Venus et Fleur co-founder

Venus et Fleur is Seema’s brainchild; she worked with flower suppliers in Ecuador to create an entirely new way to preserve roses for up to a year. She expanded to lines of other thoughtful, celebratory products, from flower picture frames to seasonal collections of preserved hydrangeas. To hear how she disrupted the floral industry with a wave of Kardashian-approved innovations, listen to her episode here.

Engravable Initial Disk Miniature Medallion Beth Hutchens

$500

Foundrae co-founder

Beth created FoundRae’s original collection around seven core tenets, such as Vivacity and Resilience. Her gorgeous jewelry is as beautiful as it is meaningful. We’d like to collect them all, Pokémon-style. To hear more about why Beth left her job as the CEO of Rebecca Taylor to pursue this incredible venture, listen to her episode here.

Sunday Top and Hi Tide Bottom Laura Low Ah Kee and Shannon Savage

$190

Left on Friday co-founders

Our host Hillary Kerr’s actual favorite swimsuit, hands down. Laura and Shannon are former Lululemon execs, so they know a thing or two about creating buzzy, high-performing clothing. To hear how they began an entirely new adventure after a decade at Lulu (and how they came to supply uniforms for the Canadian women’s beach volleyball team!), listen to their episode here.

Discovery Set Charlotte Cruze

$77

Alice Mushrooms co-founder

This kit covers all of your bases: sleep, focus, and intimacy. It also introduces you to the world of Charlotte Cruze, who co-created the brand after studying for a master’s in food studies at NYU and realizing the potential of functional mushrooms. To hear how she dove into the dizzyingly complicated worlds of both chocolatiering and mushrooms, listen to her episode here.

Carmel sunglass frame Kim Nemser

$95

Warby Parker Chief Product Officer

Kim Nemser arrived at Warby Parker when the company had only 12 stores. She’s had a hand in the brand’s chic and affordable eyewear design from the very beginning. Today, she’s continuing to expand its offerings, from extended sizes to on-trend styles. To hear how she knew she was ready to take on a startup environment after years at J.Crew, listen to her episode here.

Mini Bead Kit Gift Set Maria Dueñas Jacobs

$51

Super Smalls founder and CCO

Maria’s products got the most important stamp of approval of all: Her three daughters are obsessed with her creations. The rest of the world is too, as Super Smalls has done collaborations with Disney and more. To hear how an incredible new venture grew out of a desperation for her children to leave her jewelry alone, listen to her episode here.

Marble Roller Coaster Sandra Oh Lin

$50

KiwiCo founder and CEO

Sandra’s kits are a frickin‘ blast. (Do we mean for kids? Sure. But also sometimes for adults… just saying.) She’s built KiwiCo from a small startup with a dream to provide a new kind of toy for her children to a parents’ go-to with over 1500 products. To hear how she decided to leave her role at eBay to pursue KiwiCo full-time, listen to her episode here.

NoseFrida The Snotsucker Chelsea Hirschhorn

$15

Frida Baby and Frida Mom founder and CEO

There’s nothing glamorous about sucking snot out of your toddler’s nose, but listen, it’s gotta be done. It’s why Chelsea left her job as an attorney to take over and grow the baby and motherhood products behemoth Frida Baby—to solve that issue and countless others for hopeful parents and new ones. To hear how she developed new products like the Gasspasser, listen to her episode here.

Spooky Lakes Geo Rutherford

$22

TikTok Creator, Author, Artist

Um, yes, hello? Geo Rutherford is your go-to source for all things “haunted hydrology.” She tells the stories of the strangest and eeriest lakes on Earth. And her new book, which she illustrated herself with countless amazing paintings, is the perfect gift for your middle-grade reader who’s already read the Goosebumps series. To hear more about how Geo’s lake obsession made her TikTok famous, and her alter ego as an adjunct art professor, listen to her episode here.

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$75

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