COZY WINTER BATH ESSENTIALS

Bath Pillow // Lip Mask // Barefoot Dreams Robe // Bubble Bath // Candle // Agent Nateur holi(bright) Face Mask // UGG Slippers // 24K Gold Eye Patches

Can we all agree that taking bubble baths during Winter is the best? They're the perfect way to end stressful days, fight those blues and warm you up. It's something that I do almost every single night without fail and is my version of self care + alone time. I love having the time to myself to relax, think and unwind before bed. You can find all of my favorite bath products in this post, however this time of the year calls for a few tub time upgrades + extras. Why not feel like you're at a luxurious spa in Aspen? All you need are some amazing products + cozy accessories. Here are my top picks for creating your own cozy bath experience at home.

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

LUXE STOCKING STUFFERS UNDER $25 | HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Phone Charger / Hanky Panky Thong / Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil / Oribe Travel Size Dry Texturizing Spray / Nippie Covers / Nest Votive Ornament / Necessaire Hand Cream / Kopari Lip Duo / Agent Nateur Deodorant / Static Nails / Pill Box / Silk Scrunchies / Barefoot Dreams Sock Set 

Stocking stuffers are always some of my favorite gifts to receive. In my family they're usually things like your everyday essentials or snacks. I'm always grateful for new socks, toothpaste, a razor-- all of the necessities I use on a daily basis but hate to buy. Can't forget about the Reese cups and candy either! A quick PSA-- these & these are the BEST holiday snacks if you're needing some ideas. I've already eaten my way through too many bags of both this season, lol. They're to die for! 

With Christmas less than two weeks away, I wanted to do one last gift guide with my favorite stocking stuffers. I thought it would be a fun idea to switch things up and share some "Luxe" ideas that are just a little *fancier*. It's nice to treat people during the holidays to something that feels a little extra special without getting crazy expensive. All of these items are $25 and under so they can serve as a luxe stocking stuffer or would also make great gifts on their own!

What would you want in your stocking?

I love sharing my gift ideas with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

END OF THE WEEK THOUGHTS | 12.10.21

Hi friends. We are closing out what has been another busy and hectic week during the holidays. My body is telling me to slow down, to start tapping the breaks. Not a full stop, just a momentary pause. 

For a lot of us, this comes with the territory of the holiday season. The hustle and bustle of traffic. Work. Gift shopping. Holiday parties. Baking. Your crazy Aunt Diane. All of the decorating. It’s a weird mix of excitement, wanting to do all the things and other times wanting to just get through it all. I find myself guilty of this-- I love Christmas so I want to do it all but by the end of the work day I'm usually too tired to care. It’s a constant cycle of feeling like there is never enough time in the days. 

This is where I cue the pause. If you’re feeling too overwhelmed, the best thing to do sometimes is to just stop. Taking a breather to refocus can make all the difference. You could go for a walk outside, push off that chaotic trip to the mall until tomorrow or just spend the entire weekend vegging out with Netflix. Taking a time out when I become too tired, stressed or overwhelmed helps me to reset mentally, physically and emotionally. There will still be time to get it all done after the pause, but you'll likely enjoy it all more and keep your sanity. Everyone's stressed and patience starts to run thin this time of year. Whether that's you or someone else you may encounter, remember we're all dealing with our own stressors. Try to give grace- including to yourself :) 

Hoping to take my own little pause this weekend!

PS— I’ve been unboxing my Bonne Maman Advent Calendar everyday on Tik-Tok this month! You can find me here or search “kristenpkelley” on the app. 

AGENT NATEUR BLACK FRIDAY SALE UNBOXING

Some of my Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases are starting to arrive which means it’s time to unbox! One of my most exciting purchases this time around was from Agent Nateur— they're a clean, luxury skincare brand you can read more on in my previous posts here & here. Jena and the holi(trinity) collection are amazing so the sale was the perfect time to pick up a few new things. 

holi(glow) eye serum | holi(cleanse) cleansing face oil | acid(wash) lactic acid brightening cleanser | holi(stick) N3 Deodorant | (aime) deodorant

My first priority was deodorant. Agent Nateur first started and gained recognition for their holi(stick) N3 Deodorant which is all-natural and aluminum free. I’ve been wanting to make the switch to a healthy deodorant for awhile now so I'm finally making the switch. I decided to go for the original holi(stick) N3 and the (aime) probiotic deodorant. I also love the look of holi(man) and should have ordered it too! It’s a unisex scent and the black packaging is super sleek and cool. If I like the formula, I will definitely order it next time. From opening, I like the scents of both the N3 and the (aime). My favorite so far is N3, however I haven’t tested them on me yet. I’ll be interested to see how the switch goes + if I have one of those weird detox periods everyone talks about. If you use natural/aluminum free deodorants, do you have any feedback or tips on switching? 

On to skincare! I’ve been trying to give my skin a break from most products lately due to some stubborn redness/what looks like eczema. I’m not entirely sure if I had a bad reaction or if my skin is just acting up. I’ve had some small areas on my eyelids and around my nose/cheek that has been red and bumpy. 

I think it could be from another cleanser or makeup remover I have so I’m crossing my fingers on Agent to the rescue. I grabbed both their holi(cleanse) and acid(wash) cleansers to replace what I was using. The holi(cleanse) is an oil based formula to remove makeup and soothe the skin. The acid(wash) contains lactic acid to gentle exfoliating the skin and serve as a daily face wash. Both are suppose to be good for sensitive skin and will hopefully help! 

I also purchased a bottle of the holi(glow) ageless eye serum. I was debating on this and their new holi(bright) face mask. I ended up going for holi(glow) because it targets a lot of issues around the eye such as dark circles, dryness, wrinkles, etc. Adding the mask to my wish list for next time too!

Have you tried anything from Agent before?

I love sharing my reading list with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

5 PERSONAL GROWTH BOOKS I WANT TO READ | 12.6

Personal growth and self help books have become one of my favorite genres to read. For me, they offer lot of insight when it comes to the life experiences, challenges or questions that I'm faced with on a daily basis. Life's just hard AF sometimes, ya know? They also (in my experience) tend to leave you with either new inspiration, purpose, a different viewpoint or the occasional (and necessary) kick in the ass. Beyond that, they serve as a great tool to see new perspectives and understand others. Recently I've added several new recommendations to my TBR list which I of course love to pass along to you. Keep reading to see the top 5 personal growth books currently on my list.

5 PERSONAL GROWTH BOOKS I WANT TO READ 

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ A Manual For Manifesting Your Dream Life: How To Use Your Superpower To Manifest Your Desires by Eric John Campbell

+ The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga

+ The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron 

+ Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking by Caroline Leaf

+ The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance---What Women Should Know by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman

What's on your reading list? 

I love sharing my reading list with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

Check out more books I Want to Read here: 

5 Personal Growth Books I Want to Read | 9.22

Empowering Books I Want to Read

5 Motivational Books I Want to Read

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PLAYLIST

You can never go wrong with a good Christmas carol. They're a non-negotiable, must-play for me during the holiday season. There's also something quite nostalgic about them, really. I think because a lot of the songs are classics that have stood the test of time, it takes me back to simpler times and growing up as a child. Everything feels right in the world, even if just for a moment. They also make all of the Christmas activities 1000x better and now that December is here, it's socially unacceptable to NOT be decking the halls and jingling all the way. I said what I said! Calling all of you Christmas music haters (**my boyfriend, ahem**) out. 🙅‍♀️😜 He says it's only acceptable to play Christmas music the week of Christmas??? LOL. For the rest of us, here's a round-up with what are (in my opinion) some of the best holiday tunes. Let's do I'll tell you mine so you tell me yours? 

I love a mix of both the classics + what I'll call the more "modern" songs. It's hard to beat out the Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams era, however Bublé did a pretty spectacular job with his Christmas album. Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas album is also to me one of the greatest of all time and my favorite Christmas album. Just an FYI-- listening to "Jesus Born on This Day" or "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" on an emotional day may or may not require tissues! 😬 I also can't forget about my '70s and '80s faves. Ya'll know I'm an old soul at heart-- I would have loved growing up during that time!

**I tried organizing the list by style + artist, however they are in no particular order!** 

MY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PLAYLIST

+ "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John

+ "Last Christmas" by Wham! 

+ "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid

+ “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney and Wings

+ "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"  (Bing Crosby & Michael Bublé versions)

+ "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams 

+ “Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season” by Andy Williams

+ "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (Frank Sinatra & Michael Bublé versions)

+ "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"  (Frank Sinatra & Michael Bublé versions)

+ "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" by Dean Martin

+ "Mele Kalikimaka" by Bing Crosby

+ "Do You Hear What I Hear?" by Bing Crosby 

+ "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire) by Nat King Cole

+ "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays by Perry Como

+ "This Christmas" by Christina Aguilera 

+ "My Only Wish (This Year)" by Britney Spears 

+ "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" by NSYNC

+ "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey

+ "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Mariah Carey

+ "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)" by Mariah Carey 

+ "Jesus Born on This Day" by Mariah Carey

+ "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" by Mariah Carey 

+ "Carol of the Bells" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra 

I'm probably forgetting a few so let me know what I've missed! 

BONNE MAMAN 2021 ADVENT CALENDAR UNBOXING

Hello, December 1st! It's officially the last month of 2021 and time to bust open all those advent calendars. Did you see my top calendar picks for this year? There were so many good ones! When I found out about Bonne Maman's Holiday Jam + Honey Calendar, I had to snatch one up. I love their Strawberry Preserves and thought a jam calendar was so fun and unique. Normally I go for a candy or socks calendar which means we're switching things up this year. The calendar features 24 days of fruit spreads + honey all in mini signature Bonne Maman Jars. How cute are they?? I'm excited to begin opening it today but thought you might want to see a little unboxing first. 

The entire design + concept of this calendar is so neat. They did a wonderful job designing the packaging-- it feels sturdy + the artwork is beautiful. I love the snowy village theme + that it opens up. A lot of advent calendars are one sided but this one has a protective sleeve + opens like a book. I also think that even though this is an advent calendar, it would make such a beautiful Christmas gift. I would love receiving this, even on or after Christmas. It keeps coming in + out of stock online so I'll link it here if you're wanting to snag one too. 

Something else that's really neat is the 24 flavors included are limited edition + unique from their classic, everyday favorites: 

Apricot and Mango, Apricot with Bergamot, Apricot with Lavender, Cherry with Christmas Spice, Cherry with Elderflower, Cherry with Hibiscus, Fig with Cardamom, Honey, Lemon and Yuzu, Mandarin Spread, Mango Peach + Lime, Orange with Cinnamon, Peach with Jasmine, Peach with Mint, Plum and Pear with Star Anise, Raspberry with Chamomille, Raspberry with Rose, Rhubarb and Strawberry, Seedless Raspberry, Strawberry with Linden Flower, Strawberry with Verbena, Sweet Orange and Passion Fruit, White Nectarine and Peach, Wild Blueberry with Balm Leaves

There are so many unusual combinations, I can't decide which one I'm the most excited to try. The Apricot with Bergamot, Cherry with Christmas Spice and Fig with Cardamom are a few of my top contenders so far! 

If you had to pick one, which would you choose to try? 

For more holiday content, also read:

+ What to Buy for Everyone On Your List | Holiday Gift Guide Round-up

+ Most Anticipated 2021 Netflix Christmas Movie Releases 

+ 7 Must-Do Christmas Activities 

+ The Best 2021 Advent Calendars