it’s been a minute since I’ve done one of my monthly or quarterly round ups of stuff I’ve been loving lately. and by minute I mean over a year… whoops.

 so I’m back on my bs and here with some great wellness, beauty, self-care etc things that I’ve been super into and think you might enjoy as well. without further ado…

stuff to buy

lip care products

does this need its own category separate from bath & body/beauty? absof*ckinglutely.

• fresh lip caramel. this superluxe balm is really like smearing caramel on your lips, but not sticky — just decidedly decadent. I can’t get over how much I love this stuff.
• saje lip balm. if you prefer more chapstick form vs a jar of lip jelly, this smooth coconutty lip balm is for you (and it’s only $5). It’s definitely one of my favorites.
• laneige lip sleeping mask. I think every blogger in the universe has been talking about this stuff, and I finally got myself some after ogling it for like at least a year. this is honestly my new favorite beauty product — it absorbs beautifully overnight and has reduced my need for chapstick/balm exponentially during the day. IDEAL for winter/dry climates.

bath & body, beauty

• rituals hand wash. I honestly can’t decide on which scent I like best from the Rituals collection; right now I have the ayurveda scent (sweet almond and rose) but sakura is so lovely as well if you’re into cherry blossom and fresh florals. tbh every single one they make is great so go out and get some of this.
• rituals hand balm. my nightly routine now includes the ritual of dao which is a mix of chinese yi yi ren and white lotus. super soothing, super luxe. like a halfway point between aquaphor balm and hand cream. so, perfection.
• ok, everything from rituals. can you tell I’m obsessed?
• amore pacific radiance oil. so I only have a sample of this — I just started using it and haven’t purchased just yet (because it’s $105) but I’m veeeerrrrryyyy close to taking the plunge and getting it. my skin has been dehydrated and uncomfortable from the winter air, and this has been a blessing, both for comfort and skin health, and for complexion and appearance.
• kate somerville exfolikate collection. I’ve written about this before, but I’m still just as thrilled with the entire set from kate somerville’s exfolikate skincare line a year and a half later. I use the cleanser and moisturizer daily, and the exfoliant treatment sporadically (a little goes a long way).
• chanel “gabrielle,” eau de parfum. another perfect part of my beauty routine: my perfume. santa/dad refilled me for christmas. if you haven’t tried it yet, you absolutely need to.

clothes & shoes

• ugg slippers. my darling brother got me a glittery pair of these beauties for christmas and they’re soooooo cozy and perfect for chilly winter days at home.
• j.crew & madewell curvy petite jeans. ABSOLUTE. GAME. CHANGER. my tiny girls with bigger backsides — you absolutely need to check these out. I have never had any pair of denim fit so flawlessly off the rack, sans tailoring.
• j.crew coats. many of you know I’ve had my eye on a long winter coat from j.crew for ages, and I scored *huge* at their end of the year clearance. my victory coat: the lodge coat (got it for over 70% off!!). I’m about to test it out in real winter temps this week, so stay tuned. so far, it’s keeping me quite toasty (in a very polished way) in the 40s and 50s in san diego.
• sam edelman velvet yaro heel. I have the yaro in a goldenrod yellow velvet, and I have to say they’re my favorite heels. I’ve received so many compliments on these, and they’re honestly not too painful! however if you wear them to a studio54 themed disco party and dance to jungle boogie for roughly 8 hours in these then your toes WILL bleed.
• all things velvet. aside from my sweet sandal heels, I’ve been wearing all velvet errythang. I got a sweet lavender velvet skirt from the J.Crew clearance (sensing a theme, here?), I’ve been my forest green velvet culottes from Madewell nonstop, and obsessed with velvet camis and tanks (that one’s on sale for TEN DOLLARS GUYS) and dresses.
• dusty lavender, mauve, taupe etc. so this obsession started early last year and has continued to now; I have a lot of lululemon pieces in these hues, and IMO it’s one of the prettiest applications of this palette. think: purply grey, barely there lilac, deep taupe, mauve, earthy tones, and super muted pastels. lululemon no longer makes the “dusty dawn” color (I have these in dusty dawn) but the gist is similar. I’m probably going to have to grab this dusty mauve tank that’s 50% off.

stuff to try

books

y’all already know I’m starting my self-care book club this year. here’s what I’ve been reading and listening to lately :) (read: a sneak preview)

• the gifts of imperfection, brené brown (audiobook). if you’re ready for a hefty helping of self-discovery, an evaluation on how you respond to confrontation and feelings of shame, advice on setting boundaries, and ideas on how to channel joy and creativity more often, then check this one out. her words are like butterfly kisses.
• unf*ck yourself, gary john bishop (audiobook). tbh the title and author’s scottish accent alone were enough to make me love this book. it’s all about practical self development, adjusting your thinking, and taking action vs. just daydreaming about it. this is the stern pep talk you’ve been needing if getting off your butt has been a struggle, or if you’re prone to beating yourself up.
• one day in december, a novel, josie silver (paperback). a holiday treat that transcends the month of its title, this reads like several of your favorite romcoms combined (think: love actually meets sleepless in seattle meets bridget jones meets the holiday meets the notebook). it’s such a feel good story, and I couldn’t put it down. spent an entire day reading this one. big thanks to my girl hailey for making this our book club pick last month ;)

cbd goodies

I’m always always trying new cbd products. here are a handful I’ve been smitten with as of late!

• aur body gummies and tinctures. for starters, the gummies are an EXACT dupe of sour patch watermelons. secondly, their mint chocolate milk oil tastes like straight up candy. all of it rocks. go try it. most delicious products.
• calivolve truffles. I just tried these little babies the other day in cherry flavor, and WOW. like aur, you won’t know there’s cbd in there — let alone ashwagandha and maca. tastes just like a delicious truffle.
• lord jones gumdrops. I finally got my hands on the storied gumdrops of lord jones. hands down the fanciest product I’ve tried to date, these little jellies are crazy tasty and potent — 20mg per little drop.
• not pot gummies. my girl kati at not pot has been formulating these little polar bears for forever, and I’m so psyched they came to fruition. not pot makes a great cbd product, but also does a lot to give back, all in efforts to counteract the effects of the criminalization of cannabis.

food & bev

• davidstea alpine punch & constellation lock top mug (on sale for $17). OK but seriously, this tea is unreal. I wanted to find something that was decidedly wintry but not christmasy… you know? I wanted to enjoy the rest of the season but move on from the holidays, and this tea fit the bill perfectly. It’s a marzipan-esque rooibos with cardamom, apple, cinnamon, ginger, coconut chips, and rosebuds. perfect for après ski sips. also, how pretty is that constellation to-go mug??
• sakara. I cannot express enough how obsessed I am with with my Sakara meal service. You actually probably know that already. This food plan has automated the best, healthiest, tastiest eating of my life. If you want to check it out, use my code REF_DA15 for a 15% discount.
• jeune & jolie, carlsbad. the san diego area has really started to blossom, and this beautiful new french spot is the latest star in carlsbad. they’ve got an incredible menu, exquisitely delicious food, beautiful ambiance, a killer wine list, and great service. highly recommend the ovni rosé they have by the glass.
• pure organic passionfruit & pineapple bars. these are just concentrated fruit and juice — no added sugar — and they’re DELISH. tbh I’ve never been a fan of fruit snacks or leathers, but these have changed me forever.

wellness & self-care

• smudge delivery box. some of my favorite people recently founded the most brilliant brand of my dreams — a subscription-based, personalized, spiritual wellness delivery box. if that’s not the whitest thing I’ve ever said, idk what is. if you’re equal parts in love with/amused by the basicness of crystals, this is the box for you. it’s gorgeously curated and is like the physical, rose-gold manifestation of your horoscope — exactly what you want and need, when you need it. don’t worry, there will be a separate, more detailed post for this.
• pilates republic. pilates guru courtney miller opened a new space in encinitas that is absolutely to die for. this chic new studio has pilates fusion classes that give a distinct boutique fitness experience and a challenging workout, but maintain the core pilates principles of focusing on form and functional movement. I’ve been about five times in the past few weeks and I’m already hooked. goodbye, money.
• elderberry gummies. zarbee’s elderberry immune support gummies are my go to for an immune boost. now that we’re in the thick of cold season, I’m allll about this stuff. I WILL NOT GET THE FLU AGAIN. NOT AGAIN.
• cvs vitamin c packets. I learned the hard way that emergenC is like crazy expensive, so i was psyched to find the cvs off brand of the same thing. I’ve been prepping for cross-country travel while staving off the nasty cold that’s going around, and these have been clutch, especially in their travel-ready packaging.

there’s like, so much more, but I think I need to stop here. you understand.

lemme know what you like!!

xx,
Dominique