14 THINGS I FELL IN LOVE WITH DURING CORONA. YES, I SAID 14

Earlier this month I celebrated my 41st birthday. This years celebration was much different from last year. For my 40th I had a big 90 back yard party. Full of airbrush, cross colors, name plate earrings and Other 90’s inspired foolishness. If you visit my Instagram page, I have a highlight documenting most of the fun.

Well, like I said, this years celebration was much different. Thanks to Covid-19 there was no large gathering. Just quiet time with the family. Which was honestly what I wanted and needed. Like most, this pandemic has made me slow down. It has made me really focus on what’s important in my life and focus on my goals. I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned that I don’t always have to be on the go. I don’t need to be busy all the time. And when I sit my azz still and focus, I really enjoying writing.

This pandemic has also allowed me to try out a million and one products, order a ton of loungeware, pin a bunch of recipes on Pinterest I swear I will try at some point. Don’t judge me, I know y’all went hard with online shopping these last few months. Covid has me broke and hungry!

With that said, I wanted to share 41 things I’ve grown to love over these last few months. I said to myself, self, do you really think your children will allow you to sit here and type out a very lengthy post uninterrupted. Nope! So today we will settle on 14. I’ll probably throw in a few things that I’ve been using before covid if I feel you need it in your life. I’ll make sure to link as many items as possible. Also if you see A little ** at the end of the sentence, that means its Black Owned and you should definitely support.

Let’s get into this list!

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

1. Atmosphere Threesixty- is a calming spray I’ve been using for a very long time. Pre rona. The smell of Sage + Palo Santa helps calm my anxiety. It’s a must have. Perfect to have durning this time. **

2. SunMed CBD Candies- Another product I use for anxiety. Each hard candy contains 10mg of CBD with no THC. Which means you will not get high. I like the candies because they work fast for me and hell, they taste like sugar. Lol If you are thinking about trying, please consult your doctor first.

3. Meditation- I tried meditation a million times before it actually stuck. My mind was always racing and I just didn’t know how to turn it off and focus on me. Once I figured that out meditation has been a game changer. There are a million free apps out there to help you on your journey. I personally like Oak, Calm and Headspace.

4. Peloton- Yep, I jumped on the Peloton train right when rona hit. I knew a gym was NOT an option for me. Even thought I was a certified personal trainer, I still had a trainer. I like that push that I just wasn’t giving myself. Peloton was the trainer I was missing. These cardiovascular workout are great but its also amazing for your mental health. The instructors are extremely motivating and will push you beyond your limits. Just make sure you wear a heart rate monitor because yeah, it can get intense.

5. Ashwagandha- another product to help me stay zen. Ashwagandha is a natural adaptogen that helps protect your body from the effects of stress. It comes in the form of a powder so you can add it to pretty much anything. I add it to my smoothies and coffee. As always, please consult your doctor before you introduce anything new to your body especially if you’re pregnant.

6. Wicks Candles- I added these to health and wellness because her candles smell so good and instantly uplifts my spirits. All of her candles are natural, vegan friendly and hand poured with love. These NOLA inspired candles are a MUST! I own about 8. Some of my personal favorites are Gentilly, Voodoo Spell, The Mayor and No Justice No peace. I actually collaborated with her on this one. So No Justice No Peace has a special place in my heart. **

7. Tejari- Since being diagnosed as pre-diabetic I’ve been extremely mindful of what I put in my body. I will have an ocassional cheat because I’m human. But It’s very important to eat as little processed foods as possible. Even my protein powders need to be clean. A lot of these protein powders are full of chemicals that is wrecking havoc of our digestive system. I was so excited when I learned about Tejari through Scout the city. This pea protein powder is 100% plant based with less than 6 ingredients. And 6 I can actually pronounce. She, (yes I said she.) has a few flavors to choose from like, Blueberry Spinach, Banana (my favorite) Organic Strawberry and a seasonal one called pumpkin Spice. Check out her page for a list of recipes.

FASHION AND BEAUTY

1. Dana Scott- If you follow me you know my love for all things comfortable. I’m obsessed with sets. I was so happy when I found Dana Scott on the gram because I was looking for a Nude color jogging suit. Now there are a ton on the market but something about her set made me hit purchase. When I receive my set in the mail I was pleasantly surprised by how soft the fabric was. I’m so happy its finally getting cool enough for me to wear for more than an hour. Check out her site. She has a bunch of colors to choose from. And extra bonus. She’s black. **

2. ShopLuxuryBee- Ok. So I must admit I am addicted to luxury handbags. This isn’t new. I blame my mama. We all know how expense these handbags can be so when I found Luxuy bee I was so excited. She came highly recommended from a good friend of mine who has a problem as well. Luxury bee is a luxury handbag reseller. So basically she gets preloved, sometimes new authentic handbags and resells them at a discount. I’ve purchased two beauty Louis Vuittons from her. The process is very easy and she will answer all questions if you have any. She also offers payment plans which is amazing!

3. KNC Beauty- I found this lip balm on the gram a few months ago. I was looking for just a good ol hydrating lip balm. The universe heard my cry and blessed my feed with a post from KNC. I was drawn to the cute packaging and the fact that the company is black owned. She got my coins that day. I’m obsessed!! I don’t know what kind of voodoo she has in this stuff but it really keeps my lips moisturized. You need to check her out. **

4. Nasty Gal- This is another site I’ve been sleeping on. Nasty gal has been around forever and I’m finally jumping on the bandwagon. I love this site for a few reasons. The sales are crazy! Like twenty five bucks for cute sets. They ship super fast. And again, the sales. If you’ve never checked out their site, you should. I get a good bit of my lounge sets from them and they have been solid.

5. Skims- LISTEN! I know y’all rolling your eyes right now. Hell, I rolled my eyes at myself when I actually hit purchase. BLAME RONA! But y’all…. YALL!!! Kim got my money. I ordered the Summer Sleep Set. I couldn’t belive I spent over 100 bucks on something I was sleeping in but these dang on PJS are soooo soft and comfortable. I’m about to order a second pair. Stop judging me!! My only issue is that they are a bit long. I’m 5’1 on a good day and I have to pull these babies up so they don’t drag. But other than that, perfect. Don’t sleep on KK.

6. Shop Caribbean Cowgirl- I started following this blogger babe a while ago. I was drawn to her beautiful photos and raw outgoing personality. I love watching her stories because she keeps it 100 and is super funny. She’s not afraid of color and print and her style screams confidence. During one of my late night scrolls I found this insane leopard cape on her site I had to have. I feel so confident and powerful when I wear it. It is one of my favorite pieces in my closet. **

7. Drunk Elephant- I’ve used so many products over quarantine. Some I really love, some, not so much. But there is one line that I always come back to, and its Drunk Elephant. I’ve tried mostly everything in the DE line due to the cute little sample pack of goodness they call the Littles. If you are interested in trying the line, I suggest you start there. One of my favorite products is their Protini™ Polypeptide Cream. This moisturizer leaves my skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It melts into your skin. I have very oily skin and sometimes moisturizes just sit on my face and I look a greasy mess. This moisturizer sinks in leaving my face feeling soft and plump. I also LOVE their Slaai™ Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser. This stuff is the truth! I’m a big fan of Pat McGrath labs and if you own any of her lipsticks you know they don’t move! Certain colors are harder to get off at the end of the day. I mean, Thats why they are so good. Well this makeup remover actually gets this stuff off. Which is hard. Also, a little goes a long way so you don’t need a lot.

Ok. I can honestly go on and on about all the products, fashion, health and wellness I love but unfortunately I need to stop here. These kids are looking at me like “are we going to eat today?” So don’t worry there will be a part two to all of my favorites.