by popular demand (okay, okay, a few suuuuper kind requests - but still! thank you!) - a list of allllll the favorite things of mine. subscriptions, traditions, Amazon finds, baby tools, home things. all in one place for your holiday, birthday, work bonus, and treat-yo-self needs.
I hope this list gives you ideas that either serve you well as-is or ideas that you can tweak to make your own. huge hugs to you all!
Amazon links are affiliate links. Meaning I make a small commission fee if you shop through them - but it’s no added cost to you. (Thank you, thank you.) Everything on this list is something I personally use and love.
subscriptions + services:
(listing these out bc it’s only fitting to start with them on my list of favorite things. AND because it might give you an idea of a service or a gift card you’d love.)
monthly pedicures with my mom/sisters (I don’t go alone.)
coffee bean subscription
brett’s reallyyyy into coffee, so we get coffee bean subscriptions from his favorite roasters. (like this one!)
wine club membership to a winery we discovered while dating
when i’m not pregnant, of course.
after a million and a half years of dating, we went to our favorite winery and split a bottle of wine. which apparently gave brett just enough liquid courage to finally propose in our shoebox of an apartment. so the wine club membership gives us such happy memories, like the aforementioned cheese of the month club. the BEST thing to invest in during these years of little babies and changing diapers.
here’s my full list of things we do/have in our home that make these years of having little babies in our home easier + more joyful. wine club membership is definitely mentioned.
we also subscribe to a second wine club for a winery we also discovered while dating - again, alllllll the happy memories from when were were little dating babies.
housecleaning
we don’t eat out often so that we can prioritize this in our budget - and because we enjoy eating at home so often, we are getting some new kitchen tools for Christmas! typing this out so you can see my thought process here when selecting gifts we’d benefit from for our Christmas Eve Box tradition. :)
(and throwing this favorite thing of mine out there as an idea because a housecleaner date could be a veryyy nice thing to receive.)
when we don’t have a housecleaner, i do my own cleaning schedule. is there something you could purchase to make cleaning and maintaining your home easier?
magazines
one of my birthday traditions is to subscribe to a few magazines for the upcoming year, but I also love to ask for subscriptions as gifts
here’s my full list of favorite magazines, as well as why I love magazines
if you’re local, I love Farmhouse Delivery. (if you say that you heard about them from me, Haley Wynn Baribeau, you and I both get $10 off!)
because i loveeeee farmers markets, but realistically we can’t always get out the door to attend them. so I signed up for a few local deliveries to support farmers and eat seasonally, to satisfy this love of mine while in the current season of babies. (and, as an added bonus, my beloved produce box I like to order means we easily eat - and expose KK to - a variety of produce without even trying. WIN WIN WIN.)
and I also order weekly eggs from this guy.
brett wants to find another CSA to support, too
woooo this is amazing. finally i learned what colors I look best in. getting dressed (and shopping online) is incredibly simplified and streamlined now. more on my favorite clothes in a second.
our budget software - I’d like to think I’m relatively good at math, and I always swore I didn’t need a software for our budget. But the minute I gave in and got this membership, it relieved so much stress I didn’t know I had. I know there are lots of options out there, but this one works so, so well for us. (We do the paid version.)
monthly car wash subscription + yearly car detailing (linked who we use, in case you’re local!)
we consider this a high priority to us - and would make a great gift card!! - we like to invest in keeping our cars clean. plus, we learned this year that a car wash is a great activity for a baby in a pandemic. we may or may not refer to it as a delightful little mini-date. exciting times in our household, i tell ya. (I’m pretty sure our favorite date is still mexican food + car wash. or farmers market + car wash. no shame.)
costco membership. there, i said it.
home:
white noise machines (we have two in our master, two in KK’s room. and this one in the car + my purse. worth the money. i am a white noise snob and I will not apologize.)
pillows
I swear by our bed pillows. kind of a splurge, but we are so dang happy with them. plus, you spend how much of your life sleeping? a ton.
and speaking of, if you ever need a decorative pillow, 99% of mine are from Wheaton Whaley Designs. Just make me a promise that you’ll never get a pillow smaller than 22 inches, okay? small, flat pillows are my pet peeve. (here are my favorite inserts, while we’re on the subject.)
yes, they’re pricier than throw pillows. but I love them because choosing a custom print makes me so happy + brings so much to the room. AND. and. more importantly, when hypothetically they get dirty from dogs/kids/clumsy me, I can remove the cover and throw it in the wash.
okay, okay. before I forget, here’s the link to my leopard pillow in my master bedroom, as well as our monogrammed appliqued lead pillow. LOVE.
also, risers. put your bed on risers. I don’t have a good reason, other than my mom did them to all our beds growing up, so now a bed looks too short to me without them.
my orange ottomans in front of our bed
appliqued bath mat and tissue box cover
because this is a list of my favorite things, after all. and, on the subject of bathrooms, we have four of these towels (two for each of us!) on four of these monogrammed hooks (his first and middle initial + my first and middle initial).
the prettiest way to say “leave me alone.”
our wooden kennel + tv stand hybrid in our bedroom
not really wishlist friendly per se, but worth mentioning nonetheless. but it looks like they now offer different sizes, totally different colors, and a muuuuch higher price point than when we bought (oof!), so this probably isn’t even helpful. ha.
I registered for enough velvet hangers for our entire closet. And I stand by that being one of the best things to add to a registry or wishlist.
our Wall O Hooks
six of these hooks: two rows of three, one row higher up (adults/bigger kids), one row lower (toddler/little kid friendly)
my favorite diffuser + cheapie orange essential oil
I have two of these babies around the house, and every morning I fill them alllll up. i’m reallyyyy into orange, but I also like other citrus scents like grapefruit or lemon. you could totally use your preferred brand of essential oils - I just use ones from Amazon since apparently all my spare money goes to facials and house cleaning.
read more about my routines here.
if my vitamix is my most used appliance, this is a close second. while brett uses it for his coffee and it’s perfect for oatmeal, we love love love it for our tea habit.
and speaking of things you could add to a wish list, I loved our tea of the month membership. brett and i loved trying the new teas and it would be a great gift!
my other personal favorite tea things: this infuser, decaf Paris black tea, decaf vanilla comoro tea, tiramisu tea. I love my tea with half and half and a sugar cube (I keep my sugar cubes in this guy).
my favorite freezer containers (and smoothie fruit containers!) (also great for make ahead lunch salads!)
not a glamorous item by any means, but I have to mention my favorite containers. I love freezing soup/chili/beans in them (they fit perfectly in a freezer door!). but more importantly, after falling in love with the idea of Daily Harvest pre-prepped smoothie cups (but realizing I couldn’t afford that price), these are now my favorite containers to pre-prep smoothies in. meaning, I pile it high with smoothie fruit, seal it with a lid, pop it in the freezer. when the mood for a smoothie strikes, I grab a cup of smoothie fruit, throw it in a blender with whatever liquid and add-ins, and voila! smoothie! (again, highly recommend weelicious for smoothie inspiration!)
glass containers for leftovers
now is the time to upgrade. mason jars, pyrex containers, sealed lunch containers - whatever strikes your fancy. few things make you feel as put together as a nice, legit set of glass containers for your leftovers, i swear.
alright, let’s get this out in the open now. if you’re already asking for some good glassware, also rip off the bandaid and get something nice for your pantry. ADULTING AF this holiday season. and hear me out: just like having a nice set of containers for your leftovers, having your pantry just the teeeeensiest bit more under control makes you feel like you can take on the world. I promise you that.
my Vitamix (no link bc I can’t find my exact one - maybe bc mine is ten-ish years old? I’ll look more in depth at some point. but my vitamix is my bff. i probably wouldn’t have a daily smoothie habit if it weren’t for my vitamix.)
legit trash can + recycling can combo
let’s upgrade this too, while we’re at it. you use it all day, every day - you deserve better. I’m not ashamed to say I love my trashcan.
upholstery cleaner + upholstery shampoo
before you’re like, “pfffft, I don’t need this,” I beg you to reconsider. I’ve used this guy to regularly to clean up furniture, to spot treat any messes Brett and I have caused, and to completely remove any pet stains. like, one time, I had a dog vomit stain in the carpet FROM A YEAR AGO (hi, hi, I never claimed to be good at cleaning), and it completely erased it.
read more about my daily/weekly/monthly routines here
lazy susans, lazy susans, lazy susans
add a set to your list. I use them in the fridge (one for jams, one for Brett’s salsa + sauce collection), under the kitchen sink, in our bathroom cabinets, in the medicine closet, in our pantry, for our dog stuff.
now before you’re like, “but I don’t make salad dressings.” with this container, YOU WILL. something about its siren song had me realize that 1) making salad dressings are easy peasy and 2) homemade salad dressings are infinitely better. like oh-my-gosh-i-actually-like-salads kind of way.
avocado slicer, cherry pitter, cookie scooper
file these under: arguably unnecessary toys, but also arguably life changing to have. easily my three favorite kitchen toys. and my flat whisk. and my baking mats. (actually, check out allllll my kitchen toys in my Amazon store. that’s also a good place to peek if you’re wanting some new kitchen jewels.)
Wusthof knives
amen, amen, amen, I cannot be convinced otherwise on this.
yes, yes. they say you should register for white dishes. but I have a set of these and a set of my grandparent’s awesome, decades-old ceramic dinnerware set. and we use both equally without any ounce of regret that they’re not white. so I say if you have dishes that provide a daily dose of family history and/or sentimental nostalgia, I say go for it. because fewer things in my home give me more joy than our dishes.
a small whiteboard for your fridge
favorite things that help run our household explained in this post, but I also posted a photo of this fridge situation here.
the gist is, we have separate, split household responsibilities (I’ll link a book down below here in a little bit that was helpful for us.) But when we think of other things that would be really nice to have done - order a new belt for Lauryn’s wedding, hang KK’s swing, install second carseat in Brett’s car, relabel garage boxes, clean the cast irons, turn in that Costco rebate, just to name a few recent ones - I write it on the whiteboard. I feel heard (and therefore I don’t stress - it’s on the whiteboard!), Brett doesn’t feel nagged, and one of us gets to it in our spare time. It’s beautiful.
while we used to use a joint google keep, we learned brett does best with something staring him in the face. we add all our commitments (and priorities!) on here, but also what brett’s grilling for Grill and Chill since he likes to know ahead of time.
when I was pregnant, I bought three of these and made three Postpartum Recovery baskets, one for each bathroom. (see my postpartum favorites post for more on this gemstone of an idea.)
but then I took one basket and turned it into our hotspot on my desk where I put anything that needs to be dealt with at some point, but that I don’t want to deal with right now: mail, bills, return labels, gift cards, things to fill out, things to mail, things to pay, things to file, things to shred, etc etc etc etc. and at some point, when I have a burst of energy, I deal with the box’s contents - but before that point, I know where everything is and I’m never overwhelmed. it’s the BEST.
here’s a picture of it on my desk, if you’d like a visual.
Google Home products - we love our Nest mini, our doorbell, our thermostat, our Chromecast, our smart light bulbs, our Home Hub thing (the thing in my kitchen that displays our photos). This is Brett’s obsession. Next we hope to snag security cameras if they have a good Black Friday sale.
especially love having a smart doorbell because we turned it so that the doorbell doesn’t ring - instead we get an announcement that someone’s at the door. AKA our dogs won’t bark and wake KK. bless.
my kitchen rags + my white linen napkins
i know there are tons of options out there - just sharing what we have and love. linen napkins I got when there was a big sale, FYI.
the ones I have right next to the kitchen, in that teeny tiny hallway to the master bedroom? if you need a visual, here’s a post on my instagram
puzzle board work surface with drawers + puzzles
(we like to grab a puzzle for places we’ve been - either while on the trip, or I’ll search online. makes for such fun memories. I also love to grab seasonal or Christmas puzzles.)
my hallway storage unit (ikea shoe rack hack)
we have one for our emergency stuff, we have one for gift wrap, and we have one to hold all kk’s plates/cups/etc.
fun fact. brett loves to hike. loves loves loves. I’m tolerant. but will do it because 1) brett will talk about anything on a hike. so I take advantage. and 2) nothing cures my anxious mind better than a hard swim or a Brett Hike. ANYWAY. five-ish years ago, on one particularly grueling hike that he had sold as “super easy, not a big deal,” I had an epic meltdown. E-PIC. and brett, frantically trying to cure my tears (yes, tears. big, ugly, tears.) before we encountered another human, said something along the lines of, “whatever will make you feel better! let’s do it! anything you want!” and I - ever the opportunist - said, “I want a pink rug.” (???) and now it’s in our den. TA - DAAAAAA!
for more home ideas, check out the following:
our child-friendly home (a full list of all our favorite things we’ve done to make our short time as parents smoother, like our favorite way to store toys, what we do with that baby bathtub, how we treat stained clothes, and what we do with mail as it comes in)
our prepared-ish home (what we keep on hand for natural disasters, emergencies, minor inconveniences, and everything in between)
how we organize our papers, our first and, and our gift wrap
50+ things to do at home, haley wynn style (written at the height of the pandemic with lots of home/organizing projects)
#hwdhometour on instagram for all my photos so far!
memories + traditions:
(again, it’s only fitting to list these out because they truly are some of my favorite things. and. and. it could help you think of ideas for something you’d love to try or gifts you’d love to receive to start your own tradition. ALSO. my mother’s day gift was that I wanted to start a weekly tradition of Grill and Chill, so I see nothing wrong with asking for a tradition as a gift. )
also: annual family photos. worth it, imo. one of my favorite photos will always be when my dear friend (who is also the best photog) came and snapped photos in front of our garage (#2020) just a few days before KK made her appearance.
our Google Nest Hub displays our favorite photos, as does our TV - it makes me so, so happy.
we also get lots of prints printed to hang around the house, on our gallery wall, on our magnetic chalkboard, on our laundry room bulletin boards, etc. display happy memories everywhere!
Quarterly photobooks (four times a year I take our photos off our phones from the past season to make a photobook).
see this post more info this routine, and more about our systems for photos + memories
presents based on upcoming trips + annual traditions + favorite activities
do you have any upcoming trips or adventures? often that influences our gift giving, too! it’s practical, and it builds excitement.
here’s our full list of beach favorites - most of this list we’ve received as gifts because we ask for them for holidays!
or, i’ll book tickets to an adventure or get a gift card to a restaurant for our upcoming trip.
or, like, for Christmas, I got this book for Brett, and this and this book for KK for our upcoming trip. and a hiking backpack to take with us!
daily walks with brett
is there something you’d love to start prioritizing in your schedule? is there something you can ask for on a wishlist to help make it happen?
or, is there something you’d love to start doing with your partner? here’s what I like to do with brett, and that greatly influenced our christmas eve box this year!
this for halloween dinner. and this for our christmas gift tradition between brett and me. and this for valentine’s day. and this for my birthday, and this for easter. and a great fondue spread for New Year’s.
is there a tradition you’d love to start? is there a tool you can add to your wishlist for this tradition?
see my traditions blogpost to see my full list of annual traditions
our Grill and Chill Sunday inspired one of our Christmas gifts this year, so maybe your dinner traditions inspire your wishlist. is there a tool or toy or gift card you’d like?
ALSO. my mother’s day gift was that I wanted to start a weekly tradition of Grill and Chill, so I see nothing wrong with asking for a tradition as a gift.
haley favorites - clothes and accessories:
i’m not sure how long these links will work, but here you go - a much-requested peek into my closet!
but first, let’s talk my clothes philosophy. take what you love, leave the rest. do whatever works best for you!
90-95% of my closet is a solid color that’s a good color for me. (getting a virtual color consult taught me what my best colors are. worth every penny!) i don’t have a capsule wardrobe by any means, but even paring down to 95% solid colors is hugely simplifying. (and makes shopping less overwhelming + less tempting.) and really i only buy solid-colored clothes because I like being able to mix and match all my clothes depending on my mood, the occasion, and the season…and if I’m leaving the house. so like these tanks? could be worn with jean shorts in the summer, could be worn with athletic shorts on a walk, could be worn with jeans and a turquoise necklace in the spring, could be worn as a base layer in the winter. you get the picture.
also. i do not buy colored shorts or colored leggings - in fact, i do not deviate from black shorts, black pants, black leggings, black joggers, jean shorts, or jeans. i believe these are the most flattering, they’re what I feel best in, and this simplifies my closet incredibly, as they mix and match with everything. (and, I’m less tempted + less overwhelmed when shopping.)
and. I only wear turquoise jewelry - explained in this post.
okay, let’s talk my favorites!
shoes
my favorite shoes are always and forever birkenstocks. i think I have three or four pairs from over the years. this is my go-to pair. (but I have these in three colors for swimteam + the beach + the pool.) and, given where we live, i can get away with wearing birkenstocks 80% of the year. god bless texas.
i also have a few pairs of leopard sandals from jcrew + jcrew factory through the years, as well as a pair or two of leopard flats.
i really basic set of flip flops in both nude and black. and a pair of tory burch cloud sandals in both camel and black.
i have a pair of fun, pink rainboots I love. and a pair of black leather tory burch boots I’ve worn into the ground.
I’ve received both of these as Christmas gifts different years. I’m 10000% on board with asking for things that would serve you well all year round for years to come. in particular, investing in a pair of rainboots I love has been the best.
i have a pair of cold weather snow boots from llbean.
other than tennis/hiking shoes, that’s really all i have as far as shoes go. i only have shoes I love and they each get worn all the time. eventually i want to also get a pair of cold weather boots.
shorts
jean shorts
leggings/joggers/athletic pants - lululemon are always my favorite. i wish i could love something more inexpensive just as much, but here we are.
this is what I ask for christmas every year from my family, we usually use some of our black friday fund on lululemon (because you’ll see brett almost exclusively wears lulu, too), and we often include some in our christmas eve box.
jeans: madewell
thought i hated jeans until I tried high-waisted, curvy madewell. turns out, I was just wearing the wrong jeans.
shirts
i only buy solid shirts (aside from my two striped shirts) and shirts in colors that flatter me. (lots of whites, grays, pinks, and blues.)
also shirts from places we’ve been. and anything University of Texas themed.
llbean are my favorite shirts.
i probably wear tanks the most - old navy is probably my top go-to for tanks, particularly because they have a “tall” category and because they have so many good basics.
you’ll notice i invest my attention quite a bit on clothes that will work both while I’m pregnant and when I’m not. I love making sure I have a closet of clothes I feel good in, regardless of what season I’m in. so many of my pieces will work when I’m both pregnant and newly postpartum.
my summer essentials post also talks about my favorite coverup, sunshirts, and rashguards. and hats and sunscreen.
flow-y dresses
because these work while pregnant, but also while it’s so dang hot. or, when it’s not that hot yet, since they’re also cute with a jean jacket. similar to what I mentioned above, I think 95% of my dresses are solid colors. that way I could wear them plain, with a good turquoise necklace, with a jean jacket, with a cardigan, whatever. i could also wear them two days a row this way and it’s not obvious.
i’m not sure how long the links will work, but throughout the years I have acquired (and loved!) the old navy tank swing dress in three colors, the famous, incredibly flattering Leith dress in two colors, the asos oversized ruffle-sleeved dress in, like, eight colors (the reviews are awful, but I absolutely love it), the popular universal thread ruffle sleeveless tiered dress from target in two colors, and the universal thread tank dress from target. i also have the jcrew tiered knit midi dress (both this season’s sleeved version, and last season’s sleeveless version) in several colors. and i have the light gray leopard waist-defined dress from old navy, and this basic, tiered dress from old navy.
are you sensing a theme here? I love comfy dresses in colors that work for me. dresses that are machine washable, that are comfortable enough to wear at home, in texas heat, and/or 8 months pregnant, and that can be dressed up or down with turquoise jewelry, yet cute enough to wear without. that’s what i invest in.
and I wear the aforementioned bike shorts underneath the knee-length dresses so I don’t have to worry about any unfortunate exposures.
again, I like to search flowy Lilly Pulitzer dresses - sometimes in a size or two too big so it’s extra flow-y - on Poshmark. I love the colors and I instantly feel happy - but only the ones that are machine washable, casual, comfy, and baby-friendly. like, I have this dress and this dress from the current season (so I’m not sure long the links will work) - both a serious splurge, but given how hot Texas gets and how much these dresses make me happy, I get serious mileage out of them.
i also got this dress (A SERIOUS SPLURGE) since it was also nursing and bump friendly…and in my favorite color. and able to be worn around the house, or out in public with turquoise earrings and/or a jean jacket. or on its own. i know i’ll get some really good cost per wear out of this baby.
jackets/cardigans/outerwear
when we went to Iceland, I realized I had no cold weather gear. so I bought a puffer Lululemon jacket and a Lululemon legit cold weather, waterproof jacket, both from Poshmark. both black. theyve both served me so well since.
i have a black zip-up athletic jacket (this one, i think?) and a gray zip-up hoodie (no link - it was on deeeeep clearance) - both Lululemon - that are probably ten years old at this point. they’re my go-tos.
my jean jacket is light wash and from Old Navy - it gets lots of usage.
a few Lilly Pulitzer zip-up light jackets or pullovers (like this and this - a few others are from Poshmark)
two ZSupply leopard tunics? long sweatshirts? whatever they are.
various sweaters + sweatshirts from jcrew, jcrew factory, and aerie in good colors
a suuuuper lightweight rain jacket
i think the rest are fleeces/sweatshirts from our university (hook ‘em horns). or sweatshirts from places we’ve been.
have you noticed? i’ll invest money in something if it’s something I can wear multiple ways and feel good in, is in a good color and a flattering cut, and will serve me well for years. it has to be machine-washable and kid-proof, too.
so while I don’t shop often, I make sure when I do it’s helping out Current and Future Haley. nothing too trendy or not-me. I’d rather buy one great $120 item, than fill a $120 cart with several trendy pieces.
so a lot of my closet I’ve been slowly collecting for a long time - and holidays/celebrations are a good time for me to ask for pieces I’d love to add.
my go-to sunglasses - so flattering. so inexpensive.
here’s a full list of my summer essentials if you’re curious about my favorite swimsuits and my go-to swimsuit formula
that said, investing in swimwear you feel good in is always a good gift idea. that’s why our easter baskets are set up the way they are.
also in that post? my favorite cover-up, my favorite sunscreen, my favorite hats, etc.
my favorite, favorite robe (the website sums my feelings up perfectly: YOUR PERFECT ROBE- Buttery soft fabric, ties like a wrap dress so it always stays closed. 3/4 length sleeves make bathing kids, doing dishes and staying cozy a breeze.) (see how I store my slippers and robes because they bring me so much joy here.)
turquoise jewelry. and hooks to hang said jewelry.
my ring stack
listing this because y’all are too kind. my engagement ring is actually not diamond but moisannite from this Etsy shop
my turquoise wedding band is my mom’s from this jewelry store in Santa Fe
my outer gold cable bands are David Yurman from many, many years ago - I think I started wearing them in high school
these, admittedly, were also my mom’s at one point. The woman has the most impressive ring collection known to man.
my apple watch - namely because it helps me find my forever-misplaced phone. #babybrain
tote + tote organizer
a great big canvas bag
i actually have both this one and this one. both monogrammed, both extra large, both zippered, both extra long handles.
and this was definitely overdue, as up until now the only pool bag I’ve had was a tiny, wicker thing with the words, “siesta! fiesta! tequila!” on the sides. it was time for an upgrade.
during the summer this bag stays packed and ready for the pool, hanging on our Wall O Hooks
my bamboo keychain so I can find my keys in my purse lololol
haley favorites - health and exercise:
i have four 25ounce bottles, and fill them up each morning with the goal of finishing all of them by bedtime
I love that they’re spill proof, so I can put them on the floor (and all over the house) without worrying about KK knocking them over, and I can throw them in my pool bag/purse without concern, either. I love that they fit in my cupholders and are easy to sip while driving.
it fixes everything, i swear
honorable mentions: my foot massager, back massager, and neck massager
also tiger balm and a few cbd potions
lolololol. but seriously. between teaching for four years and acquiring a nagging neck/back injury last year, I’ve acquired quite the collection of pain relief toys.
massages and cupping are also my favorite.
currently learning more about foam rolling, too
my weighted vest
I walk with a weighted vest - this book and this post explain the benefits of doing a slowwwww daily walk with a weighted vest
tldr: it allows your overused trap muscle - the one used to carry your head - to rest and release, among other benefits. I often used to get horrible neck/back pain from all the time I spent looking downward - from all the baby stuff and cooking stuff and reading stuff and computer stuff and housework stuff and floral stuff and overall sitting with horrible posture stuff - until I started this routine.
** it’s supposed to be less than 10% of your body weight, so I’m pretty sure mine is a 12 pound vest.
and I’ll see if I have any things I could ask for Christmas/birthday for exercise - could I use a new swimsuit for swimteam? new socks for our walks? a new hat for bootcamp? etc.
haley favorites - beauty and skincare:
let me first say i really feel like i only got a handle on my skin when I started the water routine i mentioned previously. adequate hydration helps a ton for me. (around the same time, I also started taking this prenatal and adding collagen to my coffee, so it’s hard to say how much those contribute, too).
for skincare, I love this kit or this kit. (except I’ll add any spf to our Bag O Sunscreen and use the tinted spf i tagged below instead.)
I love cleansing with this brush
I used to have a fancyyyy, expensive brush and it finally died. and I will say I prefer this newer, inexpensive one SO MUCH MORE.
after cleansing, I wipe my face with a warm, damp washcloth from my washcloth warmer.
you know, like the best part of a facial. BLISS.
and I use these reusable facial rounds for my toner
see my daily schedule post to see how skincare fits into my day.
my daytime makeup routine involves tinted moisturizer, eye cream, mascara, and chapstick. and i’ll add this over my cheeks. if I’m feeling dry that day, I’ll mix the tinted spf with one of my plain moisturizers.
but, when I’m feeling suuuuper dry for whatever reason, I’ll switch to an oil cleanser. or i’ll cover my face in a thin layer of this before bed. i kid you not. i used to do this in my high school swimming days, and i had forgotten about it until recently. i swear by it. usually a day or two of this will fix my super dry skin woes.
when needed: this body lotion is the best. I did some photos for Brett’s wedding gift and the amazing photog swore by this stuff. it’s so good. and I’m picky about lotion because I swim so often and my skin is drier - watery lotion really annoys me.
when needed: put this cream on my heels, put on socks. (keeping the cream near my sock door helps tremendously, too.) i keep this blessed heel scrubber (the best!!) in my shower, and i have on my list of monthly routines to try and schedule a pedicure. (a pedicure is the only beauty appointment I get - aside from a $21 haircut three times a year and a visit to the spa for my birthday - so i try to prioritize it.)
my go-to nail color - I keep it in my purse so that I never forget it for the aforementioned pedicures
my perfume - I’ve worn the same one since high school
epsom salt baths - I keep a big ol jar of epsom salts next to my tub.
SWEAR BY IT. I’d like to thank this stuff for being the reason I can get away with just wearing mascara. that and a good skin routine.
I use this hydrating shampoo/conditioner, i get several $21 (lol) hair trims a year, and may do a hair mask every now and then (if I remember). and if my hair is really bad, I do what I did back in the day of competitive swimming and put olive oil in my hair.
my thick hair loves these hair ties
haley favorites - other:
we have a Favorite Things + Gift Ideas document we share with loved ones, and while it’s so nice to receive their answers, it’s also nice because they get a list of my favorite things for potential gifts, too.
see more on this list here - and a template to my exact document!
books:
See my full post here!
baby/kid favorites:
see this post for a fullllll, ongoing list of all my blogposts related to kids. you’ll find more about my pregnancy favorites, my Baby Led Weaning favorites, my postpartum favorites, my baby favorites, my toddler favorites, etc. it’s allllll there.
brett favorites:
here’s what you need to know about brett. he and I are opposite in the way that there are a lottttt of things he does not care about and a fewwww things he has strong opinions about. (i’m the exact opposite. i’m convinced this is why we work well, as his preference on most topics is to defer to my judgement, to outsource a lot of decision-making to me, and to go along with whatever I choose. i love him.) but he’s very particular about clothes, gardening, and coffee.
general favorites:
his grill and smoker and his prep table (see other grill and chill favorites here)
his yeti mug + good coffee beans
brett’s reallyyyy into coffee, so we get coffee bean subscriptions from his favorite roasters. (like this one!)
his standing desk (this might be the updated version of his)
clothing favorites
now, I take full responsibility here. he used to not care about clothes. but, he married a big city girl (I was raised in Houston) with strong opinions about clothes, and now we is very particular about fit and feel of everything. so, you’ll notice his clothing favorites are similar to mine in the sense that he prefers a quality item that he’ll wear and love for years.
and know that my mom and sisters are veryyyy into Lululemon, so Brett loves that our unofficial gift tradition we always receive from my parents for every Christmas/birthday is new Lululemon.
favorite shirts: Lululemon Basic 5 Year tee (his absolute favorite because he’s so hot natured and he loves that these are so light and never shrink in length)
also Jcrew tshirts, fishing shirts (Columbia or Magellan), college shirts, and coffeeshop/brewery shirts.
favorite button-ups: Jcrew, probably (but he really hasn’t tried anything else)
favorite hat: this hat
favorite athletic shorts, casual shorts, and joggers: Lululemon
also likes AG Wanderer slim casual shorts
favorite jeans: Levis 514s
favorite work pants/chinos: Bonobos
all pants/jeans we have to get altered since Brett’s a 33” inseam
favorite sunglasses: ray ban justins
favorite shoes: Birkenstocks, definitely. has two pairs like these for casual wear, and two waterproof pairs like these (one by the back door, one in the garage) for gardening (or the pool or the beach)
favorite lighter jackets: Lululemon in general, Patagonia Better Sweater Zip Jacket, Patagonia Nano Puff jacket, Columbia Water Tight II rain jacket
favorite cold/rain boots: LL Bean Duck boots
favorite slippers: LLBean Wicked Good slippers
“But Haley! What do y’all do for Christmas? I need more ideas!”
Brett and I do our Christmas Eve Box tradition - there you’ll find what we’re getting this year, as well as what we did the past few years. :)
“But Haaaaaley! I need more!”
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Hugs to you all. Thank you so much for always being so kind and supportive. Feel free to email me with questions (or just to say hi!) anytime!
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