2023 Summer Favorites
Hi friends! Happy Sunday and the second day of fall. As Summer comes to an end, I’m collecting all of my favorites from the past few months. From snacks, apparel, beauty and lifestyle. I had a really nice, chill Summer, with the exception of knee surgery, which I will say I’m glad that it’s done. This Summer was a brutally hot one but I had some lovely days outdoors enjoying the warmth. Spent quality time with family and friends, adventuring. And of course, a lot of time at home, resting, re-cooperating, nesting and creating.
The Fall season is such a chaotic, yet beautiful time of the year for me. The days get shorter and a bit more stressful (hello retail during the holidays). I love witnessing the leaves change, that crisp feeling in the air, and getting to wear sweaters. Sweater girl for life!
I hope you all are welcoming the new season with open arms and saying farewell to Summer. I love a new season and fall is my absolute favorite. Like seasons, we go through our own phases and changes. It’s a perfect opportunity to recalibrate, edit your home, dial in on your to-do list and check in with yourself. I am looking forward to getting back to work after time away from my surgery, continuing with physical therapy, and spending time outside during the autumn days.
Alrighty, let’s get into the stuff!
—Collagen Creamer—
For those that don’t know Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body. As we age, our collagen depletes. I have been trying to up my protein intake post knee surgery and this collagen powder has 10g per scoop. I like Vital Proteins Collagen peptides. I have the vanilla flavor, but it also comes in unflavored, chocolate and some others. I love to add it to hot coffee in the morning. It is a finely ground powder that instantly dissolves so it’s perfect in hot beverages. I typically have two cups so get 20g of collagen protein right there. It has a delicious subtle vanilla taste too which is lovely. If I don’t want it in my coffee that day, i’ll add it to a smoothie, which works too.
—Amazon Sandals—
I did a blog post all about these cause they are such a great dupe for the Arizona two strap Birkenstock sandals, for a fraction of the price. That post is here if you want to check it out. What I love most about these shoes is how versatile they are. You can wear them with jeans, shorts, dresses, skirts, essentially anything.
—Amazon Tank Top—
Cutest little tank tops ever! These are cropped so they lay right below my belly button. If you prefer to have full length, that is available too. I like to wear these with the high waisted bike shorts as my base/bra and then throw an oversized tee over it. Or with a high waisted pair of jeans. Lastly, pairs perfectly with a skirt or skort. I also like to wear these with my sleep shorts for bed time. These fit snug and have a lot of stretch, so they are great for minimal support around the house. They are so versatile and a must have basic in the Summer.
—Biker Shorts—
I have these in 6 colors. Well, 5, cause I gave one pair to my sister when she was visiting. They come in a pack of 3, with a lot of color options. These are the best biker shorts I own. I pretty much wore these everyday this Summer when I wasn’t working or sleeping.
They are high waisted, ribbed, stretchy, thick, and durable. Hit perfectly on the thigh too. And most importantly, very comfortable. I wore these to physical therapy each time and they were perfect.
Great for a casual everyday look, running errands, lounging around the house or for working out. They are supportive and stay in place well.
—Evian Facial Mist facial—
Make it stand out
Yes, this is water, spring water to be specific, in a can! LOL. Don’t complicate this too much, but, don’t underestimate her. She is perfection. Yes, a little bougie and probably unnecessary but totally a product you want with you through out the day. Especially in the Summer. Trust me when I say, misting this on your skin when its 95 degrees is HEAVENLY! I like to use it before I start my skin care after a face mask, when I’m anxious, dehydrated, or whenever I fancy. This is how you romanticize your life, one mist at a time.
—TSC Facial Massager—
I know what you’re thinking, another facial tool? I know, I’m a sucker when it comes to skin care tools. There are a lot of facial massager products on the market, but TSC knows this market and they make really top notch facial tools. This is my newest addition. Introducing Pink Balls.
I was kindly gifted this from The Skinny Confidential, although I would have bought it eventually. She pairs well with facial oil and contours the face nicely. I like to use this in the evenings after I apply my last step, oil. The balls grip on to the skin and gently tighten and contour.
—Summer Fridays Skin Tint & Shade Drops—
This skin tint is amazing. Light coverage, with a soft finish. Blends beautifully with a blender sponge, brush or your hands, which is what I usually do. Perfect for the warmer months, when the last thing you want is something heavy on your face. It provides a subtle glow, while reducing redness and uneven skin tone. If I want extra coverage, I will go over it with a pressed powder foundation.
The last step in my skin-care routine and the step before I put on the skin tint. I have never used a spf like this one. It is something you want to put on. I am a firm believer in applying sun protection daily. But I don’t want some heavy, sticky, smelly spf on my face. I have a few that I love and stick too, but this one had been on my list to try for sometime and beginning of Summer felt like a perfect time. I have 3 sunscreens in rotation right now and I always go for this one. It is perfect under the skin tint and has that same water like, clean consistency. All I have to say is bravo Summer Fridays.
—Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm—
Somewhere between a lip butter/balm/gloss is this cute, tubed lip product from Summer Fridays. With a juicy, well moisturized lip usually comes a bit of stickiness. These are
—Laneige Lip Mask—
I’ve seen this lip mask circulating around the internet for a while now and when I ran out of my last balm, I decided to give this one a try. To be honest, a lip mask, balm, whatever you want to call it. They are all pretty much the same to me. I will say though, this one has a beautiful color/scent. I got gummy bears, lol. And the packaging is nice so, i’m sold!
XO,
Charlene
