What I’m Loving Now

It’s time again for another edition of my current obsessions! If you’re new here, this series is just a fun way for me to share with you some random things that I’ve been buying, using and loving each month. These will range from clothing & beauty to wellness & household essentials and, as usual, everything is affordably priced! So, without further ado, here are the items at the top of my list for March…

WOVEN MAKEUP BAGS

Sonia Kashuk Travel Makeup Bags

These woven cosmetics bags caught my eye on a recent trip to Target – I love that they have a summery feel & that they’re somewhat clear so you can easily see the contents at a quick glance. These are obviously great for travel, but also for everyday use – I filled the smallest one with my makeup essentials & put it in my handbag for on-the-go touch-ups. Right now, Target is running a promo where when you spend $20 on beauty & personal care items, you’ll get a free $5 gift card to use later – so it’s a great time to stock up! These bags are also available in this chic woodblock print or this pretty etched floral – buy for yourself or gift to someone for Mother’s Day!

MAGNESIUM BODY BUTTER

magnesium body butter

I don’t talk about it often because I don’t want to seem like I’m complaining – let’s be honest, there are others who have much greater physical hardships than mine. But, the fact is that having Lupus (even when I’m in remission), affects my everyday life. I plan on writing a longer post about how I’ve managed my disease over the last 5 years, but one of the biggest things that I have to deal with on a day-to-day basis is joint & muscle pain. Normally, an Epsom salt bath is my treatment of choice…but I don’t always have time to soak in the tub and sometimes I need something that will work in an instant. This body butter has become a total lifesaver on those days when it feels like my bones are on fire (the best way I can describe what it feels like). Most of my pain is in my legs, so I rub a generous amount of this in until it’s fully absorbed for immediate relief. I actually prefer this over the Biofreeze I was previously using (though it’s a great option for sore muscles).

BLEMISH PATCHES

blemish patches

I don’t get breakouts often, so when I do, it’s annoying to say the least. The gel spot treatment I’ve used for years was recently discontinued, so I began the hunt for a replacement product that would help treat those pesky pimples when they pop up. I had seen a few beauty bloggers mention these blemish patches so I decided to give them a try. I ordered this multi-use pack, which includes two sets of treatment dots & 3 blackhead removing pore strips. It’s sounds funny to say, but I was almost excited when I got a breakout a couple weeks ago so I could test them out! I put one of the patches on at night before bed and it worked while I slept to shrink the blemish – when I woke up, it was visibly smaller & the redness had diminished…like magic! My daughter has also borrowed a few & she loves them too (great for teens!). I highly recommend these, but there are also lots of options by other brands, like this & this.

RING SIZER

Amazon Ring Sizer

Two years ago, my husband bought me the most gorgeous vintage ring for my birthday, which I loved, but it was too loose for me to feel comfortable wearing because I was terrified of losing it. We looked into having it sized and it was going to be more expensive than we’d hoped. But, then I came across this ring sizing gadget on Amazon & decided to give it a shot. It’s a tightly coiled flexible strip of PVC that you wind around the back of the band to make it snug on your finger. These come in three different sizes so you can get a perfect fit & they work like a charm! You can even use them to secure multiple bands together (like in the photo above) so they don’t slide around – so genius! These are perfect if you have a ring that’s a little loose or if you want to wear a larger size ring on a smaller finger. For less than $5, it’s the jewelry box essential you never knew you always needed.

KRISTIN ESS COMB + RECOVERY BALM

Kristin Ess Hair Products

It’s no secret that our winter has been rough here in NY – in fact, we just got another generous dusting of snow yesterday! The biting cold always wreaks havoc on my hair, so this recovery balm has become my new best friend. Thanks to the push-up stick dispenser, you don’t have to get your hands messy with product – and I love that it’s multi-purpose. You can use it to tame flyaways on the go or apply it to your ends like a deep conditioner. It even comes with a cute little bun cap, which is perfect for overnight treatments! It’s perfect if you have dry ends, like mine, that need a little extra TLC this time of year. Kristin Ess has tons of new products that just released, including this rose gold comb that I’ve been using to run through my hair when I get out of the shower before blow-drying – it gently detangles without causing breakage + it looks chic on my counter. There’s also this matching brush, these sectioning clips and this dry shampoo, which gets great reviews (just ordered to test out!).

BUTTON ACCENTS

I personally love all the button-detail pieces that are coming out for spring – this is one example of a “trend” that has great staying power & won’t feel stale in another couple years. I think it’s such a fun nod to vintage styles and it gives everything a slightly more relaxed feel – perfect for the warmer temperatures that are (hopefully) headed our way. I tend to prefer buttoned tops this time of year anyway because I can easily knot them at the waist to wear with high-rise jeans, pants & skirts. Here are a few of my top picks for the season: