Skincare : Favorites

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Well... it seems to be time for my yearly blog check-in! Do you ever have a creative project that sticks around in you head until you just need to make it?! That's how this post has been for me. I've been using, and loving, several new (to me) skincare items over the past few months and have been feeling the urge to share!

Have you used any of these? Skincare is such a tricky thing since everyone has unique skin, lives in a unique environment, eats different things, drinks different things... the list goes on! But I share these in hopes something may stick out to you and be useful AND in hopes that you'll share some of your faves that may work for me!

OK, without further ado:
1. Deodorant Cream from Fat & the Moon
I have been giving several natural deodorants a try and continue to have reservations about each one. I stumble upon this one in Bandito a few months ago and have been loving it! This cream stays well blended and b/c I'm in Arizona stays creamy (if your house is a bit frigid I could see it being a tad firm). A little on my finger tips and rubbed into my pits and I am ready to go!

2. Eye Beam Oil from LUA
I am always nervous about slathering oils onto my face (breakouts!) but this eye oil product was an amazing tip toe towards slathering and I am LOVING it! With a lovely scent and quality ingredients this eye roller makes me feel like a fancy lady who is on top of her skin game.

3. Whipped Body Creme from Strawberry Hedgehog
To be honest, I am not a daily lotion-er but I know there are a lot of you out there! This body creme makes me feel comfortable that I am soaking my skin with quality safe ingredients and feels amazing! As suggested, it also can be combined with a drop of your favorite essential oil for an aromatic spa experience.

4. Bentonite Clay Mask
Have you seen this around? It had been recommended a few places around the interwebs and I was looking forward to trying it! Mixed with Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother!) I apply this to my face and allow it to start to dry. As it does, it tightens and pulls until you feel like your face will pop off (yikes!). But I love it if only for the placebo effect. Does anyone else have experiences with this mask they'd like to share?!

5. Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Toner
THIS. In my mind, this has been the most effective product I've started to use. In the morning, after washing my face, I apply this with a cotton pad thingy and it feels great! I think it moisturizes well and is a great product to give your skin consistent toning (TBH I have no idea what that means).

Travel Guide : Joshua Tree

A short day trip to Joshua Tree turned into one of our favorite vacations! My husband and I were looking for a short trip spot this past month and decided to check out Joshua Tree, CA. David had alerted me to an Anthony Bourdain episode where he visited Joshua Tree which was our initial inspiration for the trip as well as a few activities while we were there.

A short list of things we did and recommend:
Our Airbnb - Cute, clean, outdoor shower!
Pappy + Harriet's - We just went for dinner, even if you don't have reservations, go early and you should get in if you don't mind a wait.
Crossroads Cafe - Again, a wait for Saturday brunch but we moved to a table quickly.
bkb ceramics - A wonderfully curated shop with ceramics and other goodies downtown!
The Integratron - A soundbath experience with singing bowls, though the history of this place fascinated us just as much! Spots sell out so we had to get reservations a few weeks in advance.
Noah Purifoy - Outdoor assemblage art park

The drive in and out was really enjoyable as well - coming from Phoenix it was about 3 hours on the highway and then a wonderful 1 hour or so on roads in the middle of the desert. Going home was amazing since we saw a full rainbow!

If you have any questions please let me know and we're hoping to go out again soon to add to our experience there!

January Favorites

I do not think that money can buy happiness but I do think that material things in our lives can bring us joy -- I have been loving these items I picked up this month and wanted to share!

These sweatpants have been my go-to loungewear and the softest, comfiest things ever! I am so scared to wash them incase their softness decreases. Yes, fast fashion is not good. Yes, I want to invest in more quality pieces. Yes, I think capsule wardrobing is amazing - but these are the best sweatpants I have ever owned! And at $20 I feel ok about that.

Talking about investing in quality pieces - I knew I needed to buy a quality pair of low brown boots. I have had a cheap pair that I liked to pull out that were unsupportive to my feets and having had podiatrists yell at me for said pair of cheap boots I knew the money would be worth it to upgrade. Surprise, surprise - I didn't have to spend $200! This pair from Dr. Scholl's was an amazing deal on Zappos and fit everything I was looking for!

And three-- everyone wants to start out the new year organized and ready to go, so I was thrilled when I found this Simplified Planner at Frances! I love how each day you can write out your schedule AND your to-do list and it's spiral bound -- SPIRAL BOUND! This is the key for me people. It is just so much easier to write in!

Anything you guys have recently discovered that I have to know about? I would love to know!

Pins!

I've been building up my flair collection and tonight I ended up down the rabbit hole of ALL THE AMAZING PINS there are. SO MANY GOOD ONES! I gathered a few share with you so you can enjoy too. I was looking for some fiber based, macrame or weaving ones if anyone knows of any - point me to them!

Top Photo:
Coffee For Life, Cactus Cup, Terrarium, Boba, OK, Don't Quit Your Day Dream

Bottom Photo:
Plant Lady, A Skein Pin, Adventure, Terrarium, Llama, Things Will Work Out

Dot Mug

I finally pulled the trigger and purchased myself the Dot Mug! I have had this pinned to my 'Want Board' for ages (does anyone know how to tell the date you pinned something?) and decided today was the day since Josephine is offering an amazing sale at Recreation Center to jump start the new year.

Take a look at a few of the other pieces that I would love to have!

Shop Alert: Sister Golden

I stumbled upon the wonderful Sister Golden shop the other day (probably following the trail of these adorable pins!). I love finding well curated shops and enjoy being introduced to new products and makers through browsing their selections.

Here are a few items that caught my eye:
Sparkle ScarfPlant Lady Enamel Pins | Spice Hope Basket | Wink Tea Towel | White Cloud Pour Over | Emerald Spirit Eye Dish | Regalo Shortie Earring

What Matters : Now

These 'watches' definitely gave me pause, for good reason! I think wearing this every day would be such a powerful reminder to focus on each moment. Love all the pretty combos too!

via SwissMiss (a fav!)