What was the first item or brand you carried at Sounds? Why was it a must-have for you?

The first person I reached out to was Sean Gerstley, we went to RISD together and remained friends. Sean is a Philly based ceramicist and I have always believed that he makes some of the best work out there, both sculptural and functional. It’s chonky and fun, it feels timeless and modern at the same time. He made the tableware for our cafe and his work will always be available through Sounds.

Do you have a favorite Bath Salt?

I suppose Banya is my favorite scent profile that we developed. It's very simple but it's also personal for me as I grew up in a culture that values the bath house experience. Owning a Sauna or Hinoki bathtub in Brooklyn is generally out of the question. With Covid, Hammams, Banyas, Bathhouses, Onsens, all these places have become even more inaccessible. When I use the Banya bath salts at home I close my eyes and pretend I’m somewhere else, it's easy to do because the scent is so powerful and nostalgic.

Gua Sha is sort of new to us at Covet + Lou. Could you explain the tool and how to use it properly?

The Gua Sha is a game changer. You can literally toss all those eye creams, contouring make-up and collagen boosters and just use a Gua Sha. Massaging your face can literally change the shape of it. The short term benefits are visible contouring, brightness, even tone and reduction in swelling; you will notice these after one session. It has been said that long term benefits include youthful skin, even tone and less wrinkles as you age.

I use my Gua Sha as often as I can remember. If I have time in the mornings after moisturizing I'll do a quick rub down of my jaw line, under eyes, eyebrow area and cheek bones. If you are working on your face, always use upward or diagonal movements. You don't need to go down -unless you are a youthful immortal vampire- gravity and time is likely already doing that for you.

If I’m lucky enough to have the time and energy In the evenings after Paulie is asleep I get a little more serious about it. I’ll work on my face but also my neck, shoulders, legs (i have knee pain and this really helps) and the extra stuff left over on my belly after birth. Gua Sha is for beauty but it's also for health. If you have sore muscles or knots try using this tool to work them out, you will be surprised by the results! Keep it in the fridge and incorporate it into your hangover cure if that's where you are at :)

Your tea collab with Moodflower is so great! How did this collaboration come to be?

I worked with my friend Frances Chang on recipes for our cafe customers, we called them “medicinal herbal teas”. Each one had serious healing properties and benefits. They quickly became best sellers, people seemed to prefer them over the greens and blacks we had on the menu. Customers were always asking to buy some to take home which was really inspiring for us. Serving the teas in the cafe began to feel limiting so Frances started Moodflower and we released the teas in packaged form one year after opening the shop.

What about the house drinks you serve at Sounds? Could you share a favorite recipe with us?

Due to covid our cafe won't be reopening which is really sad, it really brought the community together. I have been quietly compiling recipes from our cafe for publication (coming soon!). In the meantime I recommend experimenting with the teas, they make fantastic lattes and are designed to function beautifully with adaptogens. As the weather cools try adding a little Rhodiola and Manuka Honey to our Free Energy tea and turning it into a latte, sprinkle it with some cayenne pepper if you can, you’ll feel satisfied, focused, energized, powerful and warm. Don't forget that at home you can re-steep the teas up to three times and they will keep their medicinal properties.