I'm in love with Daisy by Marc Jacobs. It's a fresh scent and isn't overpowering for daily wear. It's quite subtle so many different girls could enjoy wearing it. Not as floral as you might think!
Paltrow has a clean and healthy diet laid out in her cook book. So many deliciously clean foods that will leave anyone feeling energized for the new year.
This one is for the athletic girl in your life. She can be feminine, but still tough. Doesn't matter if she wears mascara while she plays, she still kicks butt!
What girl doesn't love a delightfully summery candle. Perhaps not an appropriate scent for a holiday gift guide, but it's a heavenly scent, regardless.
I am not alone in my obsession with coffee and tea. If she's in college, she needs this more than you know. Who doesn't need that afternoon pick me up to pound through homework and study for those exams?
October is done and there are so many products I've been loving. This month was wonderful and I got to spend a lot of time with my family (2 weekends in a row!). Even though it was crazy and full of all of the October fun I picked out my top 10 favorite things to share with you! I'm excited to see what November will bring, like eating turkey and pumpkin pie and playing in the leaves!
Paleo Pumpkin Bread
I made this paleo pumpkin bread twice in October. Such a tasty treat and it made me feel so festive. I was skeptical about a paleo version of one of my favorite recipes because sometimes they can go terribly wrong. To my surprise, this was delicious and I posted about it here.
Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Cupcake Candle
I am a sucker for pumpkin candles and an even bigger sucker for the 2 for $22 candle sales at BBW. I picked up this candle to finish out the fall season because it smells like I'm baking actual cupcakes every time I light it. I know Leaves is a cult favorite (and a favorite of mine that I'm hoarding until November), but Pumpkin Cupcake is a close second.
Beast Mode Water Bottle from Blogilates
I got this water bottle back in September when I ordered my Pilates Power Ring from blogilates.com. I love that it comes with a shaker ball so I can break up my chia seed drinks with ease. I love the "Beast Mode" and I love the color. This bottle has come everywhere with me this month from the gym to class and all the way home to Wisconsin. It's a must have item for me. Also, it's a plus that I'm drinking more water because of it.
SuperFeet Inserts
I can't believe it took me so long to buy proper inserts for my shoes. If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know I have plantar fasciitis and without proper support in my shoes I'm not making it any easier on my feet. I'd previously ordered SuperFeet inserts for my hockey skates, but they have a special heel cup made for sports where you may be leaning forward. I needed to buy regular inserts that can fit into all of my shoes. I won't go anywhere without these now. I highly recommend them to anyone who has foot problems.
Korres Pomegranate Lip Balm
I'm pretty sure this has made it into multiple favorites posts from me, but there's a reason. It's so easy to apply, it smells pretty good, and the color is effortless and lasts quite a while for a balm. This is an every day product that sits on my desk because I always want it on hand.
Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Honey
As we move into colder months, I've been trying to wear more lip products because I feel like summer is just my time to be free of complicated makeup application. Yes, to me, lip products are complicated. That being said, I love this color. It's a "my lips but better" shade and it has a pretty good staying power. The balm stains are not drying and last pretty well even through eating and drinking.
Pantene Hair BB Cream
I'd have to say this is my number one favorite out of anything I've chosen for this month. It's a miracle worker. It also smells amazing, like classic Pantene product smell. I try hard to not have to blow dry my hair every time I wash it, but sometimes a girl on the run needs to dry her hair quickly so it doesn't freeze when she walks outside. Unfortunately, when I do dry my hair, the front finer hairs get all frizzy. This product has solved that problem and my hair is shiny and soft all day long. Amazing. I love it.
Coconut Oil
Gotta love coconut oil. It's a triple threat! Makeup remover? Check. Moisturizer? Check. Serum? Check. Coconut oil is great for your skin and even has SPF properties. I wouldn't use it as a sunblock, but any bit can help. I use this morning and night as a moisturizer. And occasionally, I'll use it as a cleansing balm to remove eye and face makeup.
Twilight Woods Body Lotion from Bath and Body Works
I've used up two travel size Twilight Woods lotions this month. It takes me back to when I was reading the book Shiver by Maggie Steivater. I love the woodsy warm scent for fall.
Super Random Favorite:
Sriracha
What can I say? Who doesn't love Sriracha? I've been splashing it on everything recently. It's amazing and I don't think any pantry is complete without it.
Song
I haven't always been a Katy Perry fan, but her new album, Prism, just hit it out of the park for me. I absolutely love Roar. It's so empowering and fun. But my favorite is "This Moment." You can listen to it right here!
As a former college hockey player and a competitive hurler I've always been a fan of getting my workouts in while practicing for a sport. It's easy to motivate myself when I've got a team to play for and teammates who are counting on me to do my part like I'm counting on them. Team sports create a dynamic unlike anything else and you really begin to trust your teammates when you practice and work hard together. Unfortunately, I'm no longer a college hockey player and the hurling season has ended, so I've had to redesign my workout plan for fall. It comes with the seasonal change and I think it's good to create muscle confusion by doing different workouts. I've started to focus on flexibility because it is important for the health of your muscles and endurance. I can't wait to see how this program goes.
I've alway been a fan of yoga and the P90 Yoga X is a great 90 minutes of hardcore stretching and strength training. Tony is a motivating instructor and pushes you to move through the more advanced poses. I'd love to take yoga in a studio, but as a student I just don't have the funds for that right now. There are fitness classes I can take at my university's recreation facilities, but some of the times don't work out with my class schedule.
I've mentioned Blogilates multiple times before, and I never get tired of working out with Cassey! The workouts are interesting and she plays popular top 40s hits to keep you motivated. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and I aspire to be like her someday. I'm hoping to start my Pilates instructor training soon so I'll be taking notes on her workouts! She's inspirational, upbeat, bubbly, and full of encouraging words as she kicks your butt during the workout. The 1000s workout is super challenging and you feel extremely accomplished when you've finished.
I couldn't cover a workout post without discussing running. I've been a runner for a long time now. I'll have on and off days, but I'll always consider myself a runner. I took a break for a few weeks this summer to help heal my feet, but I'm looking forward to getting back on a running schedule to train for my next half-marathon! Above are some of my favorite songs to listen to while running. I know a lot of people like a full playlist of pump-up songs, but I like to mix in a bit of a chill vibe because then my brain calms down and I stay in the zone.
Although it is now fall, I still love the pop of pink in this outfit. The yoga shorts I would have worn during the summer have been swapped out for yoga pants and the tank top has been exchanged for a long sleeve. This is still flowy enough outfit that it will keep you cool even in a warm studio class.
This would be a perfect ensemble for a crisp fall day. I don't like to wear running tights until it's absolutely necessary so I'll be sporting shorts until November! I like wearing bright colors when I run (like those highlighter neon yellow shorts!) because it keeps me visible to cars in the fall dusk days when it can be harder to see runners on the road.
What workouts have you incorporated into your routine lately?
I love online window shopping and have been spending a lot of time doing so while procrastinating studying for finals. So I'm not surprised to have come across quite a few items that would fit perfectly into my summer wardrobe. It's hard to know if I'd even like these items in real life, but as I'm sitting here dreaming about summer I can picture all of the fun outfits I could create with these pieces!
If you've not yet heard of Blogilates (YouTube Pilates) I definitely think you should check it out. Cassey Ho is a certified fitness trainer and Pilates instructor who does fun and creative workouts on YouTube. Cassey calls her workouts POP Pilates because she creates all of her routines with pop music in mind. Each month Cassey releases a free monthly workout calendar on her blog so her readers can pair the videos for a well rounded workout. I love her upbeat attitude and motivating character. I've definitely noticed a difference in muscle tone, and I've had so much fun doing it! I want this shirt for summer to represent my Blogilates pride as a POPster and because it's cute and fun for all of my outdoor workouts in the summer sun.
I have been drooling over these running pants from lululemon for over a month now and I could never justify buying a pair of yoga pants that are that expensive ($100!!), but I can still select them for my wishlist! They look absolutely fabulous and I'm sure they'd make me a faster runner (kidding!).
This scarf from Anthropologie is another pricey purchase at $48 dollars, but it's so pretty. It's on my list so I can keep it in mind while shopping at cheaper stores this summer. I'm positive that if I keep my eyes open I'll be able to find a dupe for this at a much cheaper rate! It's so colorful and summery I know I could pair this with anything from a plain tank to a dress!
Daisy by Marc Jacobs is a scent I thought I'd never like. I'm not big on floraly scents, but this is a perfect summer scent. There must be a hint of vanilla in there to warm it up! I think the fresh light fragrance would be great for summer date night or even a day at the beach! I must earn enough money to buy this before summer is over, for sure. I will wear it like it's going out of style. If you've seen my Perfume Collection post you'll know I say that about everything and am a perfume hoarder. But still, this smells great regardless of my product hoarding.
The bikini top is from Victoria's Secret and I know I have suitable swimwear, but what girl doesn't need another bikini top? Right? I probably won't purchase this, but it's always fun to imagine your dream bikini wardrobe! I love the mint green paired with the white polka dots because it is almost reminiscent of pin up style swim suits, but a bit more modern.
Maxi skirts are always in for summer and I think they give a boho vibe to any look. I want to boho-ify my look this summer and this skirt would be a great start! I also have a lot of white tops that would pair well with this along with my trusty Gizeh Birkenstocks.
Last but not least, these Loft earrings are pretty similar to a pair I purchased from Forever 21 for a dollar, but I'm guessing these are a bit higher quality. I love bigger post earrings because dangly earrings make my ears hurt. These are sparkly and give a summer shine to the ears! Another item I'll be drooling over for the next few weeks!
