TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | FEBRUARY 2023

If there's ever a time when I'm *not* surprised by how fast the months go by, it's in February. Obviously the month is shorter than the rest but January went on for what felt live five years. I also think me getting sick and being out of town has thrown everything off for me. The last few weeks have definitely been a blur. TBH I'm here for it though and excited to see spring and more warm weather. My trip to the beach has me wishing for longer days now and summertime. 

I'm also a little surprised by this month's most popular posts. It was no surprise to see the Oura Ring Unboxing again (lol, ya'll really love that one!), but several are some oldie but goodies I wasn't expecting. Here's what you have been reading the most on TKD this month: 

1. OURA RING UNBOXING - Definitely everyone's favorite blog post at this point-- the Oura Ring Unboxing. I love that this one has been so popular because my Oura ring is one of my favorite purchases of 2022. I wear it religiously and love being able to track my sleep + other health features. 

Read here: Oura Ring Unboxing

2. TOWER 28 BEAUTY HAUL - The Tower 28 Beauty Haul post has also been another popular one. Their makeup reminds me of summer with glowy vibes, fun names + amazing packaging. 

Read here: Tower 28 Beauty Haul 

3. WALKING 10,000 STEPS EVERY DAY FOR 3 WEEKS - This one I was surprised to see in the line-up! I've been walking at least 10,000 steps a day for around a year and a half now. It's become an ingrained part of my day which I love + am proud of accomplishing. When I first started, I wrote this post about my experience from the first three weeks. I was surprised to see this in this month's top 5 because while it's been somewhat popular on the blog, I don't recall it ever being the most popular lists from the last year. I'm glad to see it gaining some traction and hope that's because you're also interested in adding more walking into your day! There are so many benefits to walking 10,000+ steps a day for your health. I go over some of those + also some tips I had for getting started. You can read everything here.

Read here: Walking 10,000 Steps Every Day for 3 Weeks

4. GALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEAS - Love day is over now but you can always treat yourself + your girlfriends! This Galentine's Day Gift Guide was so much fun to make + I'm always a sucker for Valentine's themed items. 

Read here: Galentine's Day Gift Ideas

5. 5 MOTIVATIONAL BOOKS I WANT TO READ - Every so often I like to share what current books I want to read or am reading. I usually theme them based on genre or season (you can read my most recent one for Valentine's Day here). My definition of "motivational" is usually a mix of self-help, business or personal growth books. I also think this post may be the first one of these I ever posted... there are some great books in this one! 

Read here: 5 Motivational Books I Want to Read

What do you have planned for the rest of February?

Check out the Top 5 Most Popular Blog Posts from January here.

WHAT I WANT | FEBRUARY

Linen Button-up // Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm // Grey Sweater // VEJA Sneakers // Olive Blazer // Birkenstocks // Contour Stick // Jeans // Eyelash Curler

-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? :)

VALENTINE'S DAY INSPO

Marc Jacobs Daisy Love Eau So Sweet Perfume // David Yurman Diamond Heart Pendant // Sugarfina Valentine Candy Box // Heart PJs // Static Press-On Nails // Le Creuset Heart Mug // Hanky Panky Panties // Venus et Fleur Rose // Laneige Berries' n' Choco Lip Mask Set 

-SHOP THE POST- 

What are your V-DAY plans?? 

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? :)

SEPHORA HAUL

No vacation is complete without a lil' shopping! If you missed Monday's post, I took a spontaneous trip to Charleston, SC this past weekend. Charleston is a great place to visit with an amazing history, coastal beaches, lots of sight-seeing and lots of shopping. One of the best and most popular places to go is King Street, a 100-block street full of retail shops and restaurants. It has a mix of moderate and higher end boutiques and stores. I had to visit Sephora while I was there + picked up a few new goodies! Mine was previously inside of JC Penney's which always offered a much smaller selection than the main stores. 

I've been on the hunt for a new shampoo + conditioner to try. All of the ones I've tried lately haven't really wowed me or made much of a difference in my hair. I've also been feeling like my hair has been more on the frizzy side lately so I decided to try out the dae Monsoon collection. This line is designed to hydrate, tame frizz and smooth. All the things I need!! It has great reviews and is "clean," so I picked up both the shampoo + conditioner. I've also heard great things about the K18 Leave-in Mask. It's hella pricey though so I grabbed this mini size to try. 

I didn't do too much makeup this time around but I have been dying to get my hands on the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm. It's constantly sold out online so I was really excited that they had several in store! I chose "Vanilla." I've also been wanting to venture into the feather brows trend which this Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Brow Gel looked like it would be good for. 

THE GOODS:

+ DAE MONSOON MOISTURE MILK HYDRATING SHAMPOO 

+ DAE MONSOON MOISTURE MILK HYDRATING CONDITIONER 

+ K18 LEAVE-IN MOLECULAR REPAIR HAIR MASK 

+ SUMMER FRIDAYS VANILLA LIP BUTTER BALM 

+ CHARLOTTE TILBURY LEGENDARY BROWS TINTED EYEBROW GEL 

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What products have you been loving lately?

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? :)

WEEKLY TO-DO LIST | 2.6.23

Happy Monday, friends! This week looks a little different as I’m writing to you from coastal Charleston, South Carolina! I had a full six days off from work which hasn’t happened in YEARS. Because that’s not the norm, I had no idea what to do with my time! I knew I wanted to fully enjoy it so I booked an impromptu trip to Charleston Saturday afternoon and left that evening!

After spending last weekend sick on my birthday, it’s nice to have a little time away to relax. I‘ve still been a little congested but feel 150% better than I did last weekend.

Because this week has an unusual itinerary (and I have limited blogging capabilities without my laptop 😉), I thought I’d just share my weekly to-do list/schedule with you. I don’t have too many things I want/have to do this week so it should be pretty low-key. Here’s what’s going on in my world:

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

MONDAY: LAST FULL DAY IN CHARLESTON

TUESDAY: TRAVEL DAY

WEDNESDAY: REST & RECHARGE

THURSDAY - SATURDAY: BACK TO WORK

SUNDAY: REST & RECHARGE

TO-DOS:

+ Spend time with JJ

+ Un-pack once home

+ Clean // do laundry

+ Upload blog posts Wednesday // Friday

+ Read more of book (currently on: The Chase by Elle Kennedy)

How is your week looking right now?

BIRTHDAY WEEK THOUGHTS: TURNING 29

Birthday cookies from my sissy 👭

My birthday week is officially coming to a close. To say I started twenty-nine off with a bang would definitely be an understatement. Not gonna lie-- in many ways I'm glad it's over. Lol. Ya'll know the birthdays are bittersweet for me-- I still hate the aging part but who doesn't love being celebrated? Lucky me also picked up a super fun, fever-clad bug over the weekend that rained all over the birthday parade. On one hand, it definitely gave me a little bit more appreciation for my birthday this year. I would have much rather spent my time out with family instead of dying at home in my bed. Isn't it a shame that the one time you get to stay in bed all day is ruined by feeling like crap? Definitely a missed line opportunity for Alanis in "Ironic!” 

Now that I'm on the mend and almost back to feeling normal, I've been reflecting on the week and what it means adding another year under my belt. I know it's only been a few days but I always like to reflect... I think we grow up with this idea of gaining wisdom as you get older. I'm starting to realize that instead, the older I become the less I feel I know or am sure about. Maybe there's a certain age that marks a turning point on that. If so, I hope it's older than 29? Or maybe the real wisdom is the part where you realize you don't know. When you're young, you just assume you'll figure it all out when you really have no f*cking clue. Life is so fun! 

I'm at an interesting crossroads where I'm urging for change and growth. I can feel it up ahead, like I'm reaching for it but it's outside of my grasp. I can see it way way in the distance. I also feel a little trepidation. It's like a game of hot hands. There's an excitement as you sit there waiting, hands jittering. It's mixed with that fearful anticipation of getting smacked and losing. But it's also fun? You know you need to keep walking but your feet aren't sure which path to take. Very philosophical stuff here, you guys.  

On a real note, it must be a growing pain or a quarter-life crisis. I think my goal for 29 is to just keep pushing forward towards the growth and change, even when it feels uncomfortable or scary. Everyone tells you to do that-- "get comfortable in the uncomfortable," but it doesn't make it any less easy. 

As always, I'll let you know when I get to the other side! 

What are you up to this weekend? 

BEAUTY ON MY MIND | WHAT I WANT

 ILIA Bright Start Retinol Eye Cream // Iles Restore Shampoo + Conditioner // Janeke Hair Brush // Kate McLeod Face Stone // LOEWE 001 Fragrance // MARA Sea Silk Lip Balm // Clarins Lip Oil // Alastin HydraTint Sunscreen // Westman Atelier Contour Stick

-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? :)