January Favorites

January is one of my favorite months. Not only because it’s my birthday month, but it’s always such a fresh start to the new year. The air is cold and fresh, the home is clean and fresh after removing Christmas decor, my planner is new and fresh. It’s just such a good feeling! I have a ton of new favorites to share ranging from home decor, games, food, fashion, makeup -- we’re covering all the bases.

It might seem kinda strange that I’m including flowers in a January post, but look at all the white daisy blooms we’ve gotten! Besides daisies just being beautiful to look at, I love how long they last. These were on the plant for a week or more before we cut them to bring inside and they’re still going strong.

I realized a few months ago that I needed a new desk chair. The one I had was literally falling apart and I found myself not wanting to sit at my desk because it was also causing me a lot of back pain. After a ton of searching, I finally found the perfect one at Birch Lane which ended up being my birthday present from my sweet husband. The style and color are exactly what I was looking for! And since we ordered it online, I have been pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it is. 

Another office favorite from January is this Holiday Spruce candle from the Opalhouse brand at Target. I love these little candles because they’re soy, they’re super affordable, and I’ve never been disappointed in the quality. The small size is perfect for freshening up a single room and they’re a great solution for those of us that like to switch scents often.

I feel like I hit the jackpot for Christmas this year. I really wanted to get a ping pong table for my husband, but wasn’t sure where I’d find one that was good quality and not outrageously priced. It was a total surprise for him and we didn’t really have anywhere to put it, so it definitely needed to be portable.

I found this ESPN table on super mega sale at Walmart and we could not be happier. It is only a mid-size table rather than an official size, but it’s perfect for us because it’s foldable and easy to roll in and out of the room when we want to play.

We started with the regular white 1-star balls, but ended up switching to 3-star balls because they have a little bit more weight to them. We picked up this pack for less than $3 at Walmart and they’ve been so much easier to play with because they’re not as fragile. I also just really like the neon orange color because it reminds me of one of my favorite nail polishes --  Fresh Paint’s Guava.

I’ve been wanting to try a different coffee creamer flavor and decided to go with the White Chocolate Macadamia from International Delight. It usually takes me forever to go through coffee creamer, but I ran through this one faster than any other because it was so good! At first, it tastes like white chocolate and then leaves a nutty macadamia after taste. It’s definitely one I’d repurchase again!

Another drink I’ve been loving is Earl Grey tea. I used to be obsessed with this last year and kinda just forgot about it. When I remembered it this month, I got a huge craving for it and have been drinking it every single day. It has such a yummy bold flavor and I love that it’s decaf so I can enjoy it before bed too.

Okay, y’all. Let’s talk about something real quick. I’ve never mentioned it before because I haven’t gotten it “officially” diagnosed, but I’m about 98% sure that I have IBS and it sucks. I get an upset stomach almost every day and I always have ever since I was a kid. Over the years, I’ve learned what triggers it and try to stay away from those foods as much as I can. But sometimes it’s almost impossible and the stomach just does what it wants.

One thing I’ve never understood and didn’t know how to treat was all the bloating I’d get after meals, especially after dinner. I almost always get noticeably bloated and so uncomfortable that all I want to do for the rest of the night is sit on the couch and not move. It’s so annoying and pretty embarrassing.

I saw someone on Instagram talk about apple cider vinegar gummies for digestion and bloating, but those are expensive so I decided to try drinking diluted ACV first. That was disgusting and literally made me gag trying to get it down. After realizing that wasn’t going to happen, I picked up these ACV capsules. I take one every night before dinner and it really works!

There have been a few times where my stomach just wants to be rude regardless of what I do, but taking these supplements works about 90% of the time. The first night I took these and didn’t have any bloating, I almost couldn’t believe it! I had completely forgotten what it was like to eat dinner and not blow up like a balloon afterwards. I am so grateful I finally found this solution and I will always be keeping these capsules with me from now on.

One of my favorite things about starting a new year is starting a new planner. I’m not really into the whole “new year, new me” thing, but looking at a fresh planner is motivating to make changes and reach new goals. I usually get my planners at Target and I love this year’s floral design. I’ve been keeping this one open on my desk to get better at writing things down and documenting events or reminders that I might otherwise forget.

Right before the holidays, my old glasses broke and after having a mini breakdown, I started searching for a new pair. I wanted to just repurchase the ones I had because I loved the style so much, but unfortunately those were discontinued so I had to choose something new. I finally decided on this Pam style from GlassesUSA.

These are much bigger and more square than any other glasses I’ve had before and although it took some getting used to, I absolutely love them! I’ve never been disappointed with GlassesUSA. Their quality and affordability definitely made my unfortunate situation much more bearable.

I finally jumped on the sherpa trend and let me tell you, I am in love!! This one is from Columbia (found it at TJ Maxx) and it is everything I’ve ever wanted. It’s the perfect softness without being too thick and plush. It’s seriously like wearing a blanket in jacket form. It’s the only jacket I’ve been wearing lately because it keeps me warmer than any of my other Winter coats.

Something not so fashionable that has been getting a ton of use lately are these Crocs. They’re actually a Crocs knockoff that I found at a store similar to Big Lots. I like these because they’re insanely lightweight and I can quickly slip them on with socks to take my dogs outside. We’ve been having a ton of rain this month, which has given me a whole new appreciation for these shoes because they’re so easy to clean. If the bottoms get muddy, it washes right off and my house won’t get dirty.

Pilates is an everyday favorite of mine and although it’s something I almost always look forward to, I love discovering for new “toys” to add in and make it more fun. I got this small ball on Amazon and even though it might not seem like much, it can really intensify a workout! I especially love using it to work my abs and inner thighs.

Now moving onto beauty, my only skincare favorite this month is this St. Ives Coconut & Orchid body lotion. I’ve been trying to find a new body lotion and so far, I’m really enjoying this one. It’s lightweight, it absorbs quickly into the skin, and it smells delicious. After not liking a few other body lotions that I mentioned in my recent empties post, I think I might have finally found my new favorite with this one!

The Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles concealer has been my go-to under eye concealer for years, but lately I’ve been reaching more for the Elf Camo Concealer. I think the Elf concealer covers better and doesn’t crease as much in my fine lines. I also think it stays in place longer throughout the day, which is to be expected considering it’s much more of a potent formula. 

To apply concealer, I’ve been loving this Boxycharm brush that was included in the November box. It’s the smaller of the two in the set and is the perfect density for blending in concealer. The oval shape of it also makes the blending process move quicker, especially around the eyes and mouth area.

I was a little concerned about this Ciaté Marbled Light Illuminating Blush when I first saw it in my December Boxycharm. I thought it was going to be too glowy for my oily skin. But it actually has much more of a matte finish than I was expecting. It does provide a very subtle, natural-looking glow which I don’t mind too much. And this Dusk shade is perfect for my skin tone!

I’ve been loving this single eyeshadow from Ulta's brand in the shade Petite. This is one that was included in last year’s birthday gift and I am so impressed with the quality! I’ve always loved Ulta eyeshadows, but I’m especially blown away by how smooth and pigmented this light matte shade is. It doesn't look like much on my hand, but it's perfect for brightening up the eyes. It has the slightest pink undertone, which makes it pair beautifully with both cool-toned purples and warm browns. 

The palette that has been reached for the most lately is my Wet n Wild Rose in the Air palette. Wet n Wild eyeshadows are some of the best on the market and I love how many different directions this color scheme can go in. I can focus on the purples (as shown in a recent tutorial), or stay in the brown color family and choose either cool or warm tones. It’s insanely affordable and has so many options, I love it!

Talk about a lot of favorites! This was definitely a good month. I’m seriously so grateful for learning about the apple cider vinegar supplements to help with bloating. I can’t even explain what a relief it is to be able to eat (kinda) like a normal person. I could stare at my office chair with my new glasses all cozied up in my sherpa for hours. So many good finds, this year is already off to a great start!

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any questions about anything I mentioned, please feel free to leave them for me in the comments section at the end of the post. Have you tried any of these products before? What are some of your January favorites?

XO ♥ Christina ♥

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