I’m still hoping to share a roundup of the best books I read in 2023 so stay tuned for that one!
As for today, I’m diving into your favorites from the past year in the fashion and beauty categories. This was a little bit trickier to document as fashion finds sell out and go out of stock quickly as seasons change. To create the list below I just bumped up the next most popular in-stock item that you guys loved to share in place of the out-of-stock items and they were all still very popular, very well-loved items. It’s clear we all love affordable and comfortable fashion finds and, when it comes to beauty, skincare items were most popular!
FASHION
Aka the Target tank top I wear multiple times a week! This tank top is universally flattering, affordable and looks great on its own or as a layering piece. It’s so versatile and I couldn’t resist ordering it in multiple colors because I love it so much. I truly think I have it in 5+ colors at this point and love and wear them all!
Shop it here: Target Women’s Ribbed Tank Top
Oh happy day! A bra that’s comfortable, seamless, wire-free and fits well under the above Target tank! I ordered this bra last summer and cannot tell you how many times I’ve worn it since. I almost exclusively wear this bra and these Amazon bralettes these days because I have zero tolerance for uncomfortable bras. The fabric is soft, the fit is flattering and it works well under so many tanks and tees.
Shop it here: True & Co Racerback Seamless Bra (You may also find it here on Amazon though it frequently sells out in the nude color)
Who knew socks would be such a hit!? I was on a mission to find crew socks that checked a few important boxes and these Amazon crew socks ended up being my winners! The tickness level is perfect — they’re soft and comfortable without being too thick so my feet don’t get too sweaty — and they hit at a great spot on the leg so they’re nice and flattering (no cankles)! Plus, I love all of the colors in the multi-pack and find myself reaching for them multiple times a week these days.
Shop them here: Amazon Crew Socks
The bag we all went crazy for and for good reason! It’s spacious and big enough to hold a computer and even a couple of pairs of shoes (I used it as a carry-on and had sneakers stuffed in it with plenty of room). Unfortunately it’s sold out most places right now but I found it available in three colors (including the color I have above) here.
Shop it here: Free People Quilted Carryall Bag
I call this “theeee Amazon sweatshirt” because it’s one of those IYKYK finds. It’s just SO GOOD. It’s a lookalike to the $100 + lululemon Scuba Hoodie and is a gem of a find. It’s so comfortable and when I tell you I wear mine non-stop, I mean it. It’s easily my most-worn clothing item during the fall and winter months because it’s comfortable, warm (without being too thick), cozy and flattering in a way many sweatshirts simply aren’t. Worth noting: I’ve ordered other versions of this sweatshirt through Amazon but this one has been the best!
Shop it here: Amazon Sweatshirt
I wasn’t sure if I should put this belt bag under the fashion category or the kids category but it ended up here since technically it is a fashion/accessory item marketed to adults. It’s the belt bag so many influencers went crazy for because it looks almost identical to lululemon’s belt bag but I just couldn’t get behind it as a bag for myself because it was much too small for mom life essentials. Fast forward to later this summer and I found myself ordering it as a gift idea for one of Chase’s 8-year-old friends! I added an adhesive patch with the first initial of his friend’s name as well as a rainbow patch and have heard from so many of you who used this gift idea for young girls in your life with great success! I love that it’s an easy, affordable and personal gift idea!
Shop them here: Belt Bag + Adhesive Patches
I call this my “happy necklace” because something about the mix of colors in the tiny beads just feels so joyful to me. It’s also a great layering piece and quickly became the necklace I wore non-stop all summer long.
Shop it here: Colorful Beaded Necklace
You know you love something when you buy it in a million colors. That certainly was the case with me and this Target sweater this fall and winter! I kept finding an excuse to add another color of the sweater to my collection because I found myself reaching for this sweater on repeat. It’s soft and cozy and I love the length. It’s not cropped in the least but hits right at the top of my pant line which I think is a flattering spot for a sweater to hit so it doesn’t look to boxy or sloppy on my frame.
Shop it here: Crew Neck Sweater
I love delicate gold bracelets, especially when they’re layered up for a little party on my wrist, and couldn’t resist this name bracelet when I saw it on Etsy. It’s beautiful and comfortable but somehow I lost mine since I initially shared it last fall. Womp, womp. I hope those of you who ordered it either for yourself or a loved one are enjoying it!
Shop it here: Custom Name Bracelet
At just under $15, I totally get why this mesh beach tote gets a lot of love from you guys. It’s a large-capacity tote (it holds way more than you might think) but, more importantly to me as a mom, the mesh material makes it easy to locate whatever gems might be lurking in the bottom of your beach bag. It also make it easy to shake out sand after a day at the beach and is a bag I find myself reaching for all summer long. Keep this one on your radar if you have a spring break trip to a warm destination on the books!
Shop it here: Beach Tote
BEAUTY
A few years go I had to toss out the eyelash comb I had from high school (yes, high school) because too many of the comb teeth broke off. I’ve thought about that broken comb a million times since I threw it away so why it took me so long to order a replacement, I’ll never know. I finally added an eyelash comb to my makeup collection again last year and apparently a bunch of you did as well because this was the number one beauty-related purchase from my blog last year. I cannot stand clumpy, spidery eyelashes and this eyelash comb is a dream for separating lashes with its super-fine yet gentle teeth and allows my mascara to stay on my lashes but separates them to give them a fluffier, more natural appearance.
Shop it here: Tweezerman Eyelash Comb
This lip mask blew up the internet and became an influencer and celebrity favorite but since I apparently live under a rock, I didn’t hear about it until early last year. The concept sounded great: Apply a thick smear of this lip mask to your lips before bed, let it sink in overnight and awake to soft, hydrated lips. It took all of one application of this stuff for me to love it. First, it tastes fantastic. The berry flavor is subtly sweet and delightful. Second, it feels amazing on my lips… so amazing that I quickly began carrying it around with me in my bag because I didn’t want it relegated exclusively to nighttime use. The tiniest amount goes a long way and I’m glad so many of you share my love for this stuff, too!
Shop it here: LANEIGE Lip Mask
I first shared my love for this sunless tanning lotion and it’s been the only sunless tanner I’ve used ever since! Why I love it: 1. It’s made with clean ingredients. 2. It’s a lotion and doesn’t require gloves or a mitt to apply. 3. It builds a natural-looking tan within a couple of hours and lasts! I also has a wonderfully nourishing feel on my skin and does not have that typical horrible sunless tanner smell. It gives my skin an even-looking tan (no orange glow) and even though I have fairly light skin, I prefer the medium to dark shade for a slightly deeper tan.
Shop it here: Beauty By Earth Sunless Tanning Lotion
In 2022, in the midst of moving and home-building mayhem, we lived in four houses in 6 months. It was insane to say the least and I did all I could to make living in so many different places as seamless as possible. One thing that worked well was to unpack as little as possible and I applied this to my makeup! I began storing all of my makeup in one giant makeup bag and took it around the house with me to apply my makeup using my favorite portable mirror (often at the kitchen counter while the boys ate breakfast) and ended up loving this system. This is the large-capacity makeup bag I now use to hold ALL of my makeup! I love that it has multiple interior sections to make dividing makeup up into different categories a breeze. I have everything organized (face, eyes, lips and brushes/applicators) and no longer feel like I’m digging through an abyss to find the specific product I’m looking for when I’m applying my makeup in the morning. I love it!
Shop it here: Large-Capacity Makeup Bag
I’ve been buying this eyeshadow stick for two years and never question whether or not to reorder it every time I run out. It’s a beauty staple for me! I don’t use it as a typical eyeshadow but rather as a way to smudge my eyeliner and give my eyeliner a less severe look. I first apply eyeliner on my top eyelid as close to my eyelashes as possible (but stopping just past my pupil to avoid making my eyes look smaller than they already are). I then then run this eyeshadow stick directly over my eyeliner line to soften it up and make it look a little more smudgy and undone. I love it so much! I have the 04 Taupe Shimmer color.
Shop it here: Julep Eyeshadow Stick
It’s taken me 38 years to realize I will not wash my face in the morning (unless I take a morning shower). If my plans for the day do not include a workout or a shower first thing, there’s a zero percent chance I’m going to wash my face. That’s where ELEMIS Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads come in! I use them every single morning right after I wake up to gently remove dead skin cells, improve skin tone and texture and give my skin a brighter appearance while increasing my skin’s natural cell turnover. They’re the ONLY product I’ve found that I’ll stick with when it comes to morning skin pseudo-cleansing.
Shop them here: ELEMIS Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads
The love I have for Dr. Brandt Liquid Sun Shield Daily Brightening Mineral Sunscreen knows no bounds. This stuff is a dream for your face. It is so smooth and lightweight and DOES NOT feel like sunscreen. We’re talking no thick, sticky mess and it glides over my skin almost like a makeup primer. (Truth be told, I feel like this stuff makes my makeup look even better when I apply it over this sunscreen.) It leaves absolutely NO white cast and goes on completely clear. I am a stickler for wearing sunscreen on my face — something I wish I took more seriously when I was younger — and love the SPF 50 protection from this mineral sunscreen. I even have Ryan and my dad hooked on it, too!
One note: I’ve heard some complaints about the dropper in this one and found this video SO helpful if the dropper in your bottle is giving you trouble.
Shop it here: Dr. Brandt’s Liquid Sun Shield Daily Brightening Mineral Sunscreen
Hailey, my go-to local aesthetician at Meraki Aesthetics (and the woman I trust completely with my skin), highly recommended adding hyaluronic acid into my skincare routine to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I use it as a moisturizer in the morning and apply it after my vitamin c serum dries. I love the way it makes my face feel plump and hydrated. Another benefit: It can help reduce scarring and since I’m at the age in life where picking a zit means I’ll have a scar on my face for the rest of my days, I appreciate this benefit a lot!
Shop it here: NOW Solutions Hyaluronic Acid
Ryan actually first introduced me to Botanic Tree Vitamin C Cleanser when he saw it on sale on Amazon because he knows I’m all about vitamin C for my skin. He put it in our shower and it quickly became a favorite facial cleanser for both of us. It cleans my skin without stripping it of moisture and I love that the ingredients work together to improve skin elasticity while plumping, hydrating, brightening, diminishing fine lines and wrinkles and evening tone.
Shop it here: Botanic Tree Vitamin C Cleanser
These little patches are powerful! Every month, right around that time of the month, my skin lets me know my period is coming. I’ll get a few of those hard, painful zits on my chin and it takes everything I have not to pick them like crazy even though I know picking them does nothing other than irritate them and cause scarring. Even though I can’t prevent the pimples from popping up, Mighty Patches make them a little less horrific. I started using these little patches back in 2022 and they majorly exceeded my expectations. When I apply one to a hard, painful zit and leave it on overnight, it always seems to be better in the morning (not gone but definitely better and I’ll take that)!
The patch is quite small — just small enough to just cover a zit — and uses medical-grade hydrocolloid to “absorb pimple gunk.” The adhesive patch stays put all night and removes easily and painlessly in the morning. They’re a staple in my skincare routine when I see a zit pop up!
