My Favorite Things - 2019
I may have to make this post an annual tradition after doing something similar last year! It’s kind of fun to look back on your favorite purchases and discoveries from the year.
Quick note: I never want to push consumerism and constant spending. I’m tend to be more of a spender than a saver, but each year I want to get better and better about only buying and using things I love. I hate looking around at clutter and wasted money, and want to be more intentional about where I put my money. With that in mind, the items included in this post definitely fall under those intentional purchases and investments that I have zero regrets about and only recommend to you because they’ve positively impacted my life.
WORKOUT-RELATED
Melissa Wood Health
I finally listened to the MWH hype and quickly fell in love with her calming Pilates workouts. Her motto is “long, lean lines” and I find her workouts to be so effective! I love that they’re low impact and concise, and genuinely look forward to them so much! Her positive, calming energy is infectious too! She offers a 7 day free trial and I highly recommend trying it out if you’re looking for something positive to start the new year.
Set Active
My friend Bri talked me into trying SET, and it’s by far one of my favorite workout outfits! I swear it’s so flattering and lifts and tucks you in in all the right ways. I can’t wait to add more sets to my collection!
Girlfriend Collective
This workout apparel brand is made from recycled items such as water bottles and they champion ethical manufacturing practices and fair pay. They’re also a body and age positive brand. Amazing, right?? I was skeptical about what the fabric would be like, but I love it! I will definitely be investing in more of their outfits in the future. The price is 100% worth the quality and excellent manufacturing practices in my opinion!
CLOTHING + ACCESSORIES
Belen Dylan Top
This is the long sleeve tee of my dreams! Ribbed, cropped, and has extra long sleeves. I have it in white and gray and will definitely be getting the black as well! I have it in a size small, which fits slightly loose on me.
Free People Easy Street Sweater
If you follow me on IG stories, you know this is my favorite sweater! I have it in both white and black, and would love to have the rust color too. It’s the best oversized fit!
Levi’s Ribcage Jeans
I have a few different pairs of the Levi’s ribcage cut (they actually fit me without alterations!!) and love them all so much. This pair has been my favorite though! I call them my good booty jeans (haha).
BEAUTY
Oral Essentials Non-Toxic Whitening Kit
I’m on my 3rd or 4th whitening kit now and don’t see myself venturing elsewhere because it’s my favorite oral care I’ve ever used! Bonus points for it being certified non-toxic. Prior to Oral Essentials I hadn’t used whitening strips in years because they made my teeth so damn sensitive. These whitening strips cause zero sensitivity and make my teeth so white and bright (while still looking natural). I couldn’t be more obsessed! I love the toothpaste and mouthwash too, and that they taste good. I’m lucky to have a discount code from them for you guys - it’s JACY15 for 15% off :)
Lux Unfiltered No. 32 Self Tanning Lotion
I’ve tried a lot of self tanners over the years. And I mean A LOT. And No. 32 is now my favorite! I was skeptical with it being a gradual tanning lotion (since most of those do basically nothing), but this absolutely works! It also smells quite pleasant, doesn’t transfer onto clothes and bedding, is moisturizing, and is by far the most low maintenance tanner I’ve ever used! You just apply it all over like any body lotion, wash your hands, wait 5 minutes to get dressed, and that’s it. You end up tan and glowing. It’s truly amazing!
Illuminare Concealing Foundation
This one really surprised me based off of the less-than-chic packaging, but wow, this is by far my favorite foundation I’ve ever used! When on it still looks like your natural skin while also magically covering blemishes and discoloration with barely any product. The other great thing is that it’s an acne-safe foundation and won’t clog your pores! This is my holy grail foundation 100%. (I mix the colors porcelain and fair).
Alima Pure Bronzer & Blush
Alima Pure’s blush and bronzer were recommended to me through an acne specialist because they’re non-toxic and also acne safe. I kept my expectations low, but truly love them so much! Both are very blendable, long-wearing, and a little goes a long way.
Olive & June Nail Kit
I actually love doing my own nails (maybe I’m a closet control freak?) and wanted to take my home manicures to the next level. Enter the Olive and June nail kit. I loved that it gave me everything needed for an excellent manicure, and that I was able to pick out my own 6 polish colors. My colors are so beautiful (and all neutral, of course), and my manicures last at least a week. I’m so impressed!
HOME + KITCHEN
Juniper Print Shop
I’ve been obsessed with Juniper Print Shop for quite some time, and recently bought a couple more of their prints! I just got a huge print of this neutral scene (going in an IKEA frame), and ordered a digital download of this print. I can’t wait to have these framed and up on our walls!
Kirkland’s Full Length Mirror
I have to credit Kelsey Diprima for this find, but it’s easily one of my best purchases of the year! Our full length mirror is oversized, chic, and under $150 + always 20-30% off. I was ready to spend 2-3x this amount, so I was incredibly happy with this find and can’t recommend it enough if you’re in the market for a great mirror.
Target Bar Cart
I bought our barcart in early 2019 and am still just as obsessed with it! I can’t believe how high end it looks for being Target. I’m still working on a few more styling finishing touches, but love what it adds to our home! We always get compliments when people come over!
Stasher Bags
Ahhh I truly can’t rave about Stasher Bags enough! I use them in place of ziploc bags, which has cut down on single use plastics in our home. In addition, they come in loads of cute colors, and keep food super fresh. I have somewhere between 8-10 now, and they’re one of my favorite gifts to give too.
Zefiro Waste Dish Brushes
Chic? Check. Compostable? Check. Effective? Check. I love these dish brushes so much and they make me happy. I love this small business too, so check them out!
LIFESTYLE
Airpods
I resisted Airpods for quite awhile because I’ve never been that into using headphones. Turns out I didn’t like using headphones because of the cord. I freaking LOVE my Airpods and use them daily! They’ve become my best friend for travel, long walks, talking on the phone, doing dishes, cleaning/picking up around the house, and even grocery shopping (when I’m in a particularly introverted mood).
Beis Travel Bags
I asked for some Beis travel items for my birthday and was absolutely wowed by the quality and chicness for the price. This weekender bag is perfection, as is my backpack and my cosmetic case. Gimme allllll the Beis.
WELLNESS
Emily Cox Wellness
In the summer, I made an investment in myself and decided to start working with holistic nutritionist and wellness coach Emily Cox to meet some of my wellness goals. While I made a lot of progress in my physical health, what I wasn’t expecting was how much I would grow mentally from working with her too. My relationships with food and with myself have improved so much, and I’m able to give myself a lot more grace. I’ve also established better morning and nighttime routines, I’m letting myself sleep more and get a better quality of sleep, and have learned so much about nutrition from her. My last virtual meeting with Emily is coming up this month and I’m so sad for our time to end, but so grateful for her support and for all of the tools she’s given me to truly be well - mind, body and soul. If you’re looking for someone to walk you through your unique nutrition needs or your wellness as a whole, I can’t recommend Emily enough. She’s an amazing person and has helped me feel so much more empowered!
Collagen
So I used collagen powders prior to 2019, but this year I started taking collagen consistently and started really seeing the benefits. After getting off of birth control last winter (blog post on that experience coming soon), I lost a lot of hair and my skin and nails suffered as well. After my hair loss and a badly broken nail, I started using collagen every day and saw my hair and nails grow so much faster! On a slightly different note… Through my up and down journey with acne, I’ve worked hard to find the good, and this year I’ve been grateful to have young looking skin. I definitely credit collagen in part for this!
There isn’t a ton of research on collagen and its effects yet, but I personally am a huge fan. I love Vital Proteins for my plain collagen, and love Ancient Nutrition’s collagen protein products as well (for smoothies, chia puddings, and more).
More Walking
I think walking often gets overlooked because society and media tell us we need to go, go, go and push ourselves to the absolute max when working out. While there’s a time and a place for that, this year I realized I needed to slow things down a bit and lower my stress load (which high intensity workouts were contributing to). Enter walking. It’s so simple, but wow, it can do a girl some good. Not only is walking a great way to get your heart rate up, burn fat, and boost circulation, but it’s one of my favorite ways to clear my head and improve my mood. Walking more has truly made me happier!
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I could keep going on and on, but I’ll call it good here. I’m thankful for a very blessed 2019 and that I’ve made a lot of progress in my home, my health and in my life overall. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey! I have so much I want to bring to the blog this year, and am looking forward to pouring more energy into this space and investing in you.
Wishing you love and light in 2020! xx
