{my favorite workout look | january}

My favorite outfit to workout in this month - and for once it has two new-to-me brands haha

Saturday Session Hat // Carbon38 Tank (S) // Outdoor Voices Sports Bra (S) // Old Navy Leggings //

Under Armour Shoes c/o // Garmin Vivo Move Watch // Old Navy Coat // Invisi Bobble Hair Ties

Photos by Lauren

Saturday Session Hat // Carbon38 Tank (S) // Outdoor Voices Sports Bra (S) // Old Navy Leggings //

Under Armour Shoes c/o // Garmin Vivo Move Watch // Old Navy Coat // Invisi Bobble Hair Ties

As I've fallen more in love with working out my workout wardrobe has been expanding! I used to only wear solid plain black leggings (although I still prefer black over color) with a big t-shirt and an old sports bra from high school. I hated working out so I never put any care into how I looked when I went to the gym. It's funny because now I enjoy putting a cute outfit together for class and I love complimenting girls on their flashy leggings or cool knotted sports bras while stretching before the instructor starts - side note that's also a great way to open up a convo and make friends in class :)

You know how you pick out an outfit for a party and it just makes you more excited to go out? It lifts your confidence and boosts your mood! I've found that that's exactly what workout clothes do for me now. The athleisure trend is really popular so a lot of these pieces get worn outside the gym and class too (especially road trips).

I used to be against spending more than $20 on anything I was going to sweat in... y'all know I stick to a strict shopping budget and have student loans that come first!! But, I think of it like this: if I'm going to invest in my health and wellness then I'm also going to invest in my self confidence and attitude! Because when I feel like I look good in a workout class then I'm going to give it my all and really get the most out of the class. I still only purchase things within reason (still no LuLu in my closet... yet) but I always wear things at least once a week since I work out 4-5 times a week.

So here's my question for y'all: what is your all time favorite workout brand? I'd love to try out other companies! I definitely need some new sports bras too!

PS my friend Joselyn (the best Barre3 instructor I've ever had) Is a Carbon38 ambassador and has a code that will get you 25% off: JOSELYNGRI50

Love Always,

{morning skincare routine}

With the weather changing, my skin always craves new products and a change up as well. My skin is extra dry in the winter but any product that is too oily seems to slide right off and doesn't get absorbed.  Does that happen to anyone else? My solution is to clean really deep by exfoliating with a spin brush and then layering on multiple light moisturizers. I'm sharing 5 new products that I've been loving and am going to keep using through the cold weather months! PS I'm wearing only these products plus a quick swipe of mascara in the photos - it's kind of a miracle to me that my skin looks and feels this great in freezing January.

Tula isn't new to me but I haven't tried anything new from them in over a year! They use probiotics in their products because it helps to balance the skin naturally and lock in moisture while reducing the appearance of inflammation - amazing right? I originally ventured to their site to try another product (it's listed below) and stumbled across this one. I use a toner during the summer and needed a new one for the winter that was going to simply do more... this Pro-Glycolic 10% PH Resurfacing Gel gently exfoliates the skin while leaving it smooth and moisturized. Like I said - I need exfoliating power for the cold! The directions say to put a drop on a cotton swab and rub all over your face but I use my fingers if I don't have one on hand. I've noticed less peeling on my face due to wind and dry air!

So I actually got this product last summer but never ended up using it (whoops). I've been a huge fan of M-61 for years and pretty much love every product they sell ha! One thing that people forget is to wear sunscreen in the winter! Even though you aren't sitting out in the sun it's still important to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. This Hydraboost Moisturizer with SPF30 seriously locks in the hydration and it feels so light under my makeup. I'll have to test it out in the summer to see if it holds up under the hot sun too.

I shared this lotion on IG stories a couple of weeks ago and y'all had a looot of questions about it. I have been using it every morning and night and I swear I think my wrinkles have faded (this could easily be in my head haha). It Cosmetics is probably my #1 go-to beauty company - everything is created with plastic surgeons and their products are packed with anti-aging products! I've always been taught that you should moisturize your entire "french face" aka your face, neck, collar bone, and chest. This Confidence in a Neck Cream focuses on that bottom half that people so commonly forget. It works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and keep that thin skin moisturized. It's kind of like a shot of collagen for your neck and chest! It smells incredible (almost citrus-like) and it's a thick consistency so it's easy to feel the moisture right away.

I love love LOVE this product from Tula!! I ventured to their website solely to purchase it because I saw other people testing it out and loving it. Before trying out the Glow & Get It Cooling & Brightening Eye Balm I used two different products to get the same effect that this ONE does: cooling, brightening, moisturizing, and depuffing. This clever little stick does amazing things. I swipe it around my eyes right after moisturizing and then go to make my morning tea while it soaks in. Even though it's blue it doesn't leave a blue residue on your skin - in fact, you can even apply it over your makeup for an extra pick me up. This is going to be in my makeup bag for a very long time!

You can tell that I've used this product to death... in fact, this product technically isn't new because I've been using it since last summer but it's SO powerful that I needed to share it. Just a little bit on a puffy undereye and POOF you look like you've gotten 10 hours of sleep. I'm serious! It tightens the skin up to give you a fresh faced look. Be careful with the amount you use because too much and it will begin to almost peel off when you apply concealer over it. Now I use it before the Tula undereye stick bc that has more moisture. I only use the Dr. Brandt Needles No More No More Baggage Eye De-Puffing Gel if I haven't gotten a good nights sleep or was crying the night before (it happens). Give it some time to absorb before applying anything on top of it!

Those are the products I've been using every morning and loving the results! Have you tried any of them? Is there anything else that y'all can't live without that I should try?

Answering some of your questions from IG:

Q: Oils or serums? Scared to try them but I have super dry skin so feel like it would help!
A: I use serums mainly! I have one face oil that I love but it's primarily for night time because I do find that oils can be a lot on my skin (it's the Caudalie Vine[activ] Overnight Detox Oil). I worry that they clog my pores a bit - but that can be solved with using a spin face brush! My favorite serum is the Sunday Riley Brightening Serum! It makes my skin glow and I love that it smells like oranges.

Q: What is the order you put them on?
A: I went to a beauty event at a dermatologist office and this is what they told me (I've had this written down in my phone for years!) - eye, oil, serum, moisturizer, and then sunscreen! You want to add sunscreen last (if it's not in your moisturizer) because layering anything on top of it could break down the components that protect you from the sun.

Q: Do you wait until it fully absorbs to put foundation on?
A: I don't wear foundation so if I'm thinking about concealer then, YES! Especially with the two under eye products I listed above. Allow your products to soak in before anything so they can work!

Q: Skincare for warmer weather?
A: I'll have to do a post about this in the summer... but I always wear sunscreen! I also focus on moisturizing my under eyes really well. Even though your skin is sweaty that takes a lot of moisture out - I plan on using this gel moisturizer for the summer time :)

Q: Face wash and serums if you use them
A: I love this Fresh Soy Face Wash and my travel face wash is Ole Henriksen! My favorite serum is the Sunday Riley Brightening Serum.

Q: Do you have any products you recommend for skin redness from acne?
A: I am not very acne prone (any spots I get I treat with a salicylic acid cream) but for redness I highly recommend this Bye Bye Redness Skin Relief Treatment Moisturizer. My skin gets very red in  the wind so it helps me a ton!

Love Always,

{my top amazon favorites | 2018}

It's no secret that I love Amazon... and every other person who knows what's up! As I was browsing through my summer outfits from last year for inspiration - more on that later this month - I realized that my favorite outfits were from Amazon. No surprise that they were y'all's favorites as well. Who doesn't love super fast and free shipping along with great prices? I've tried to not purchase a lot of clothes this winter (my monthly shopping budget primarily went towards Christmas gifts) so I haven't found any amazing deals this season but as I was looking back through my finds last year I thought "hey this would be a fun post to share" - and I also need more dry shampoo so going through my past orders was perfect timing ;) Some of the 10 things below are staples that I buy again and again and some are a one time purchase that will last forever. All of my favorite clothing items are ones that I can wear multiple ways - all about versatility here! Don't forget I have an Amazon Shop Page where I'm constantly adding fashion, home, beauty, accessory, etc finds!

Travel-size Steamer // Easily my favorite purchase to date. It's compact size makes it perfect for traveling (even in a carry-on) and I never leave home without it. It's super powerful and heats up really quickly. I raved about it so much that my Mom and Mimi made me order one for each of them - and they live together haha :)

Pom-pom Beach Coverup // I really wanted a simple, colorful cover-up last year and the pom-pom details on this sold me. Better yet, it dries quickly and is washer friendly! It's modest but the sides still let a great breeze through. It comes in TONS of colors and the length hits perfectly at my finger tips. The fabric didn't snag sitting on wooden bar stools and it wasn't see through when wet.

Stainless Steel Straws // I drink a shake for lunch and breakfast every day so I knew I needed something sustainable to drink them with. I love that this pack comes with some straw cleaners - I keep one at work and one at home for convenience.








Seche Vite Top Coat & Base Coat // My mother has used this brand for years and it's been our family secret for years. She always has perfectly painted nails at all times. This base and top coat help your at-home mani last for awhile and stay really shiny. People always ask me if I have a gel on and 80% of the time I did it myself using this base & top coat!

"Stoppers" Heel Protectors // I was in a wedding this summer where I knew we would be standing on the gras... I'm not a flats person (and didn't want to hem my dress to that length) so I knew I had to find a solution for my heels. I didn't want to spend $$$ on a new pair of chunky heels so I found this solution - they slip right on your heel and allow you to walk on the grass perfectly. Game changer.





Long Sleeve Tunic Dress // You can never go wrong with a black dress. The long sleeves and adorable tiers along the dress were so cute. It made for a really breathable and roomy dress. In the early Fall I wore it with espadrilles and tassel earrings. When the weather began getting cooler I styled it with a faux fur vest, tights, and boots! Being able to layer it makes this piece a no brainer in any wardrobe!








Round Straw Crossbody Bag // My favorite bag of the summer. I can't wait to be able to break it out again for warmer days! I love that it zips closed across the top unlike the designer version. It didn't snag any of my clothes and I love that you can carry it over your shoulder or in your hand casually.






Bodycon Mini Dress // My most sold item last summer!! Y'all loved this budget friendly dress :) and for good reason - it's price point is amazing, the cotton is so soft, and it is truly superrrr flattering. I wore it traveling and it was comfy to sit in and then I was able to go straight to happy hour with girlfriends! The gathered fabric along the front helped me not worry about any "problem areas" too.

Front-Tie Pencil Dress // The second most sold item. This dress makes desk to drinks a piece of cake (and you can eat that cake and not worry because the tie helps any worries)! The material is amazing and the color was perfect for a cold day. You can see how I styled it in this blog post!






Lobe Wonders // I wear a lot of big earrings and while they aren't necessarily heavy I tend to move a lot and bounce around. This puts a lot of strain on my ear piercing and I constantly worry about it ripping (ridiculous fear). I found these clear ear sticker supports on Amazon and use them religiously! They make such a difference and you can't tell if you have them on at all!



and I had to add a bonus one......





Corgi Walking Dog Balloon // I had so many people ask where I found the Corgi balloons from my Queen Elizabeth II Halloween costume :) I found them on Amazon of course! They come flat and you just blow them up with a straw and your own hot air. That's how they sit on the ground and appear to be "walking"





What's your favorite purchase from Amazon? Do y'all want to see more Amazon Fashion finds? Let me know in the comments below!

Love Always,