We survived and made it to the end of January, ya'll. This month really felt like it lasted three years! The end of 2024 and the holiday season feels like it was lifetimes away, lol. I'm excited to kick off February and welcome in some warmer weather here in Tennessee. My January was full of so many new things + good finds. I spent a lot of the month focused on my personal wellness + fitness goals. Getting back into a routine is always an adjustment but a lot of my favorites from this month were a huge help + kept my on track with my progress. I also have a few beauty + lifestyle faves too!
In the beauty realm, I've been obsessed with the Colorescience Flex Face Sunscreen- it is so so good. I've always loved the original formula too but I love that the Flex offers different shades and just a bit more coverage! It's basically a tinted physical sunscreen (a must for me - zinc oxide for the win!). It blends in like a dream, protects the skin and just gives a fresh, dewy glow. I have the shade "Fair" but it comes in several colors- you definitely need to try it out! Also a new favorite to my skincare lineup is the Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray. The spray is designed to help soothe and renew the skin with hypochlorous acid. It's been helping to clear up some pesky breakouts I've had + just makes me skin look brighter and healthier!
Since learning how to do my own nails at home, I've accumulated a mini collection of DND gel polishes which are the best. One of my most recent purchases that I wore all month long is #321 Goodie Bag. It's the most beautiful mid-tone blue- I'm obsessed. I've also received so many compliments- she's gorgina!
I've also been wearing this cream contour stick religiously-- I have the shade Bondi Belle. It helps to shape my face and add a bit of warmth which I love, especially during the more dreary months. I've also been using this skin cream religiously all month long too. My hands have been SO dry, it's awful. Between the heat and my obsessive hand washing, my knuckles get so cracked. It came in this hand mask set with some gloves and it's been a lifesaver. It's so rich, thick + extremely moisturizing. I use it with the gloves overnight and I swear my hands are transformed by the morning. You can also use the cream on elbows feet, etc. and it's super affordable!
Both these Crest whitening strips and these sleep gummies made it into my favorites too. If you ever need a little confidence boost, whiten your teeth! It's a super easy, quick and pretty affordable self care step. Let's talk about the sleep gummies. I typically shy away from sleep supplements but sometime in Nov/Dec my sleep started getting a little out of whack. I'll attribute it to stress/cortisol because I was either waking up a few hours into the night or just unable to fall asleep. I started using these gummies and they've worked so well for me. I definitely don't use them every night- usually just whenever I feel especially tired and want to go to bed on time or if I can't seem to fall asleep- but as soon as I take them, I'm out within 15-30 minutes. They have melatonin, lemon balm + magnesium which I also like and they taste yummy.
Let's talk diet and exercise. I'm sure most of us kicked the year off with new health + fitness goals. Mine were to get back into the gym, move more + just cut back on my diet a little bit. I've tried to prioritize eating more protein and less sugar/junk. It took me a few weeks to get into the groove but we're doing it! I've been aiming for a calorie deficit these past few weeks and think I've lost about four pounds so far. Because it was my birthday, I've been a little more lax this week but pretty consistent overall. Probably the biggest thing that's helped me this month is using this food scale. I've been able to use it to track my portions + overall calories which makes things so much easier. If you're wanting to make a change or just cut back a bit, definitely consider purchasing one. While you can definitely still do it without one, it takes a lot of the guesswork out and is definitely more accurate. I've had this exact one for years and I highly recommend. It's great- affordable, easy to operate and gets the job done!
With my calorie deficit, I've also been limiting most snacks but I'm back on my favorite popcorn from Lesser Evil. This has been one of my favorite healthy snacks for years- I know I've shared it a few times here and there on the blog. It's delicious, has minimal (and clean) ingredients and you can have a lot for low calories. I love both the Himalayan Sweetness and the Himalayan Gold flavors- yum!
For Christmas my sister bought me this YETI Water Bottle which I've also been loving. I'm not the greatest when it comes to drinking water- it's definitely hit or miss for me. As silly as it sounds, having the new bottle has helped some! Because it's fun and new, I've been more motivated to use it which has led to me drinking more water.
Last on the list this month are my UGG Ultra Minis. I've always been an UGG girlie- you can't convince me they aren't the best! They are easy to wear, warm + cozy. This month they're pretty much the only shoes I've been wearing and are a new favorite of mine. I prefer the look of the shorter styles now and think you can get away with wearing them dressed up a bit (jeans, etc.) or more casual with leggings.
Okay- that was A LOT. So many good finds this month, though! It's crazy how much of a difference it makes having things that help enhance your life- either functionally or that just make you feel better. Let me know if you try any of these out, I'd love to hear what you think! P.S.- I'll have all of my favorites linked here for you!
*SHOP ALL OF MY JANUARY FAVORITES HERE*
