WHAT. A. YEAR.
I thought it would be fun to compile a list of all the things I fell in love with this year. These are the things I reach for the most. Some of these, ‘cough’ Hydro-Flask ‘cough’ have become such staples to me that I have NO IDEA how I made it without them. A lot of these products are yoga related, but some aren’t and that’s OKAY because even though we all love our yoga, outside life must go on. I hope you love these products as much as I do, or at the very least get better informed before purchasing.
Don’t tell the other products
but you’re my favorite…
HYDRO FLASK - Okay. You guessed it. No surprise this is my #1. I had been eyeing this 40 oz. Canteen looking thing for a while. My personal trainer and bestie @michaela_hastings was always carrying one around. I, even being the health nut I am was always forgetting my water bottles, water jars, anything water filled and was forced to drink gross gym water fountain water while she drank out of this cool canteen. Eventually I caved and bought one. Fair warning, this thing is PRICEY but it is worth EVERY. SINGLE. PENNY.
#1 It has a handle. So convenient. IT HAS A HANDLE.
#2 It makes me drink more water. Instead of a tiny water bottle I have this thing, and its always with me, brightly colored, tempting me to hydrate. I’m constantly reaching for it and usually end up drinking the whole thing and refilling.
#3 Easy to clean. No weird straw thing or tiny cap that you can’t scrub the moldy smell out of. This is a breeze to clean.
#4 Last but not least. It keeps your water ice cold, or scorching hot. Even through a 90 min hot power vinyasa class.
2. MARY KAY CLEAR PROOF CHARCOAL MASK - Guys. This mask is amazing. I’ve always thought of MaryKay as something my mom used and for that reason overlooked them as a brand. NO MORE. One of my best friends recommended this mask to me and I’ve been hooked. This mask is amazing if you’re having any type of breakout or oiliness on the skin. I’ll put it on in the evening and the next morning I will actually see a significant difference. If my skin is super grumpy I’ll use it two nights in a row. Especially if I’ve worn makeup I use this afterwards to get rid of any excess residue on my skin. MaryKay, I’m sorry for ignoring you my whole life. This is also extremely affordable, a whole bottle goes for around $24 and lasts for months.
3. ALO YOGA OFF-DUTY CAP - Not much to say about this except I wore it almost every single day this summer. Hats look weird on my head fam. I have a surprisingly large head, and they do not look good. However magically this hat LOOKS AWESOME. I also get compliments on it ALL. THE. TIME. It’s very incognito, you can dress it up or down. I wore it a lot to teach yoga, to boat, even to go out. I would have never bought a hat but I was gifted it at the grand opening of ALO NEW YORK. Thank goodness I was because I finally found a hat that works. Sometimes simple is best and this hat is best. I actually need another one or three because I’ve kind of worn this one out.
Proof of me constantly wearing “THE HAT” Below
Side note…HYDRO FLASK IN TOW #HYDRATIONISKEY
4. LULULEMON ALIGN PANT II - These are great. Of course I’m a yoga pants junkie but these are on another level. I teach mainly hot vinyasa flow classes. I also practice mainly in a hot room. So 95% of my life I am a hot sweaty mess. The align pant makes this so much better. They’re super lightweight and SUPER FAST DRYING. If you have to run out to the store right after practicing and don’t have time to shower or change these babies are for you. They’ll be dry in no time and no one will even suspect you were just dripping pools of sweat minutes before. They’re also very pleasant to practice in, they stay in place (I don’t think I’ve ever had to pull them up in class), and they’re non restrictive. It almost feels like you’re practicing dare i say…naked. 10/10 would recommend. I own 3 pairs already. Oops.
*For reference I wear size 4.
5. TATA HARPER RESURFACING MASK - I love masks. You're beginning to find out since is the 2nd mask to make my favorites list. This mask is different than the first though. I use the charcoal mask for when my skin is breaking out. I use this mask when I want to GLOW. This is an enzyme mask which I got for free as a Sephora gift along with a few other purchases I made months ago. I’ve read about Tata Harper and really became interested in her products after learning they’re 100% non toxic. Tata Harper is a “Green Brand” at Sephora and when she started, a lot of the ingredients for her line were grown at her own farm in Vermont. Very cool. So naturally when this mask was offered up as a free sample option I got a few! Honestly it’s really nice. This is a mask I put on when I want to have some Jess time. It’s very cooling and soothing on my skin. I leave it on for a good amount of time and when it comes off my face looks generally more radiant all together. It’s about $60 at Sephora and if you’re looking for a healthy way to treat yourself, this is it!
6. LULULEMON THE REVERSIBLE MAT 5MM - This is my mat. It’s what I’ve practiced on for years. It’s been with me through hundreds of sweaty classes, and I love it. I know there are so many more mat companies out there now but I haven’t found one that I quite cherish as much as the Lulu. Yes it has that weird smell when you first get it but after that it’s functional and long lasting. It absorbs water so the surface stays non-slip and I believe it’s also anti-bacterial. For hot yoga this mat has never let me down! My one complaint is that it’s not lime green, I keep waiting for them to bring back the lime green mat!
7. FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 8 - OMG OMG OMG. GUYS. This is the best thing ever. I’m sure you’ve seen people posting photos from these cool Polaroid knockoff cameras (Check out my Instax birthday Instagram post here if not). The Kardashian’s have that cool vintage 90s Instagram vibe going on too. Well, I got this camera for my birthday this year and it’s SO FUN. To actually have a real photo print out is adorable. To not have HIGH DEF EVERYTHING is also great and refreshing, these cameras make you look fabulous and oh so suave. It’s such a good addition to any party or gathering and everyone can take home their photos. This is one of my favorite things to use this year and i can’t say enough good things about it. I have the version 8, I think they have a newer one out now but I wanted this one because it came in the color Margarita Green. It was a no brainer. If you’re not as into green as me they have a bunch of other colors as well.
8. TOM FORD NEROLI PORTOFINO - This is another treat yo-self purchase. I love perfume, but I’m also super picky. This gem is high in price but equally high in magic. Neroli is such a special smell to me. One of the yoga instructors at my studio used to make a beautiful spray and it smelled just like this. So this smell reminds me of a whole lot of yoga love. It’s very fresh and lightly floral, quite a gentle scent. It’s really hard for me to describe aside from it just smelling truly fairy tale-esque. This came from a line inspired by the Amalfi Coast in Italy ‘Swoon’. There’s also a body oil which I use only on special occasions. When you mix the body oil & the perfume the scent stays much longer. If you’re feeling bougie and magical this may be something to consider.
9. PROVENCE BEAUTY PEONY OIL - This smells like heaven. Correction this smells like peony’s and heaven. I picked this up at my local TJMAXX for something like $10. I use this in the bath and I also use it for my restorative yoga workshops during savasana assists. I’m giving away trade secrets here people! But seriously EVERYONE always asks what the heck kind of oil I use after my workshops. This. Is. It. I usually mix this with a little bit of Patchouli which surprise is next on the list ;).
10. DOTERRA PATCHOULI OIL - This is a classic. You either LOVE Patchouli or HATE it. I for one am a lover. No fancy bells or whistles here just a really really great quality essential oil. According to the DoTerra Website Patchouli is meant to have a grounding and balancing effect on emotions. I love this because I live with anxiety and this smell really does feel calming. PRO TIP: Mix Patchouli with Peony to get an amazing scent result.
11. CHOOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH LARA BAR - Last but definitely not least. My favorite healthy and tasty lil’ snack. These are filling and moist. I have a sweet tooth and these 4 ingredient bars do the trick. Seriously only 4 ingredients!!! Cashews, Dates, Chocolate Chips & Sea Salt. Get out of town. I always keep these in my purse, in my car, really anywhere that I might need a snack. This is hands down my favorite flavor but Lara Bar has so many others if this one isn’t floating your boat. Most of which are 4 or less ingredients and the best part is you can pronounce them!
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