Happy April! Spring is in the air and hopefully here to stay. I’m excited to share some of my favorite things from the past month with you. These range from clothing, accessories, and beauty items to home goods, multi-media picks, and food.
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Clothes & Accessories
✻ The North Face Mezzaluna Hoodie – I’ve basically lived in these amazing micro fleece hoodies for the past month. They’re the perfect late winter/early spring weight and fit just right (not too loose, not too tight). Mine are the Stria variety from last year’s collections (no longer available), but it looks like The North Face currently offers the same model in different colors with just a slight variation with some ruching on the sides.
✻ Fitbit Flex – I basically haven’t taken this fitness tracker off since I received it in my target=”_blank”>Popsugar + Target Must Have Box. I’ve had so much fun with it tracking my steps, exercise, and sleep. Using the silent alarms has also been a really effective way for me to monitor my water intake. I think it’s a great motivator for anyone interested in stepping up their activeness.
✻ Erin Condren Wellness Journal – I’ve kept a food and fitness journal off and on for the past decade. In the past I’ve target=”_blank”>used blank moleskines to design my own. I received this little gem in a New Years special bundle package from target=”_blank”>ErinCondren.com and decided to give it a try. It’s a simple yet colorful design that is perfect to fill in meals, snacks, and activity. You can also track your weight and measurements over the course of three months (which is how many weekly spreads are in the journal). I like using mine as a tool to help me be more aware of how I’m fueling my body.
Beauty
✻ Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette – I hesitated to purchase this palette after hearing so many mixed reviews about it, but decided to go for it to see for myself. I actually love it! I think some people don’t care much for the formula, which is a bit more chalky in consistency, which I usually don’t like either, but for some reason it works for me in this palette. This range of beautiful neutral matte shades has been my go-to lately for soft, natural looks.
✻ MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again – I dug this oldie but goodie out of my lipstick stash and immediately fell back in love with it. The formula is unbelievably creamy. It’s the perfect “me” brownish pink neutral shade.
✻ Pantene Sheer Volume Shampoo and Beautiful Lengths Conditioner – I picked up this duo on a recommendation from MakeupByTiffanyD and couldn’t be more pleased with the purchase! My hair is absolutely loving this set. The jumbo size with included pump at a very reasonable price are added bonuses.
✻ L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil – I actually recieved this as a gift late last year and hesitated to use it because I wasn’t sure about the whole oil business. I’m so happy I got over that and pulled it into my shower for spring, because it’s an amazing body wash. I simply pour a small amount onto my favorite Eco Tools Loofah, run under water, and poof! The oil quickly turns into a nice lather and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. The deliciously light almond scent is the icing on the cake!
✻ Tree Hut Shea Body Scrub – I’ve featured this scrub before in past favorites, but it bears mentioning again, because it is so awesome. I’ve absolutely loved pairing the delicious Brazilian Nut variety with the almond shower oil. They’re a match made in heaven!
Home Goods
✻ Lifefactory Glass Food Storage – I picked up this cute little glass container earlier in the month after seeing them around for awhile. I’m so happy I went for it! The heftier weight thanks to the glass combined with the nonskid silicone outer wrap makes it a great choice for snacking in the car, because the container stays where I put it. I’m enjoying using mine in this capacity, but I feel like it might be a bit too heavy/bulky to tote around in a bag.
✻ Lifefactory Water Bottle – Yet another repeat favorite, I wanted to share this water bottle again, especially since it’s another Lifefactory pick. I prefer glass water bottles for the purest flavor as well as their durability. Lately, I’ve been really into the flip cap style.
✻ Lunchskins Reusable Snack Bag – Keeping with the on-the-go food storage trend in this month’s favorites, this awesome reusable snack bag lives in my bag with my emergency stash of mixed nuts. It’s lightweight, small, and washable, making it a great alternative to using plastic baggies all of the time.
✻ Keep Cup – This has been my favorite new travel mug ever since I pulled it out of the January Popsugar Must Have Box. It’s the perfect size to enjoy a cuppa on the go. That being said, I don’t think that it’s designed for long term warming like other thermal travel mugs.
Multi-Media
✻ Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella – I read this book when I was in the mood for a quick and easy chick lit read. It wasn’t actually my favorite book. If you’d like to hear more about my thoughts, I reviewed it here.
✻ The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo – I very much enjoyed reading this best-seller that gives advice on purging and organizing your home all in one go. You can see my review here and see how I put Kondo’s advice into practice when I recently purged my entire wardrobe here.
✻ Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – This chick lit-ish book was much more up my alley than Confessions of a Shopaholic with a more developed plot line and character profiles. I reviewed it here if you’re interested in hearing more of my thoughts.
✻ Inferno by Dan Brown – Big Little Lies put me in the mood for a bit more mystery, which is why I reached for Inferno next. I’ve enjoyed all of Brown’s books in the past, especially because he includes so much historical fact with great attention to detail in his writing. I plan to post a book nook on this soon!
✻ If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late by Drake – In the past I’ve surprised some people with my appreciation of Drake’s music, as I might not seem like the rap-loving type. Honestly, I don’t listen to much other rap, although I appreciate it as an art. There’s something about Drake’s particular sound that I find quite soothing, despite the rather rough lyrics and themes. His choice of melodies and beats is almost chant-like to me. I like listening to his music when I need a bit of calm.
✻ Dr. Who Season 8 – My husband Don and I are big Dr. Who fans. We finally caught up with the last season (not the latest one) and enjoyed getting to know Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor. The show has taken a bit more of a serious turn over the last few seasons, but still retains its quirky charm and knee slapping humorous bits.
✻ Bones Season 9 – Speaking of knee slapping humor, Bones is another show we like to keep up with (and, true to form, we’re a season behind, but that’s just how we roll). We love its cheesy punchlines mixed with great murder mystery plot lines.
✻ Amelia Liana – I don’t know how it took me this long to discover Amelia’s channel, but she’s basically the only YouTuber I’ve watched all month. I’ve enjoyed catching up on her vlogs especially. I find her personality sweet and refreshing. She seems wise beyond her 22 years!
Tasty Treats
All hail the deliciously divine avocado! I can’t get enough of this delectable fruit (yes, it’s technically a fruit). It’s a healthy fat that, in moderation of course, is as good for you as it is tasty. A few of my favorite ways of enjoying it recently include mashed up on a piece of toast with a sprinkle of sea salt and spread on a turkey and spinach wrap. Double yum!
If you’d like to hear more about my March favorites, check out this video:
It’s giveaway time! I wanted to share the awesomeness that is the Fitbit Flex with you. The March 2015 Favorites Giveaway will run until Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at 6 PM CT. The giveaway is open internationally. All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter. TWO winners will receive a Fitbit Flex and an Erin Condren Wellness Journal. You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (check out this blog post for more information on entering Rafflecopter giveaways). I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email, as always. Good luck!
Sometimes Rafflecopter experiences technical difficulties. If you can’t enter for some reason, try again later and it will probably work.
I would love to know what some of your March favorites were if you care to share. I hope April is off to a great start for you!
* Post contains affiliate links. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *