It’s the end of the holiday season and I can definitely say I’ve spent more money this year than in a few. Not only did we need a bunch of essentials for our new apartment, I feel like I’ve also needed adjustments in other areas of life–wardrobe, beauty, kids’ things etc–that necessitated a lot of new purchases.
I don’t like shopping for its own sake, but I did enjoy shopping for the kids this year as well as investing in some timeless pieces for our home and myself. So let’s chat shopping!
Favorite top: This black top with velvet/chiffon sleeves from Loft. It’s quite versatile and I’ve worn it to church, dinners out and just around the house too as it’s super comfortable. Loose enough for nursing but still flattering. I bought it on Black Friday and I just love it!
Favorite earrings: Eric got me these hoops from Made by Mary (one of my favorite jewelry companies) for my birthday. I only had plain silver hoops before and these are a great addition to my collection that go with so many outfits. They’re high-quality too; I’m picky about my earrings as I can’t wear cheaper metals without getting rashes/swelling. These definitely pass the sensitivity test.
Favorite shampoo & conditioner: Since we’re nearing the holidays and I try to save wherever I can, I decided to look for an alternative to Under Luna products this month. I love Under Luna but $100 for shampoo and conditioner is steep!
I’m happy to say I found a brand that rivals UL for me in terms of ingredients/effectiveness and is about half the price. I got the Botanical Therapeutic shampoo and conditioner from Carina Organics and I adore them! They’re more of a nourishing set than a clarifying one, so I’ve been washing my hair a bit more frequently (every 2 days vs. every 3), but overall definitely a great budget holistic haircare option.
Favorite kids’ toy: My older two are obsesseddddd with their StoryPod! It is an awesome product. I got the “Fairytale Pack” which comes with three figurines (roughly an hour) worth of stories and a “blank” figurine to pre-record yourself reading. It’s the perfect entertainment for when people wake up early from naps and Mama isn’t done with the housework, or when they’re wound up and need a calmer activity. 10/10, highly recommended from us.
Favorite high-end furniture dupe: These nightstands from Home Depot look exactly like the Clara nightstands from Pottery Barn. We got the Clara Bed for our master bedroom and I think it was worth the splurge–but $400 for a nightstand? No thank you. The Home Depot dupes look identical to the PB products, at 40% of the price and the white color still matches the bed exactly. Win!
Favorite treat: All the awesome Christmas cookies we ate yesterday… We had seven types of cookies at Christmas dinner: dark chocolate fudge, peanut butter balls, pecan balls/Mexican wedding cakes, gingerbread men, sugar cookies, gluten-free gingerbread bars AND peppermint bark!
But See’s Candies dark chocolate vanilla buttercreams are a close second 😛
And that’s it for my December 2022 favorites! What’s a product you’re loving lately?
xx Claire