In the spirit of the Christmas season, when we are frantically putting together thoughtful gifts for the loved ones in our lives, most bloggers put together a multitude of gift guides for all the people on your list.
This is not (necessarily) one of those. I am the WORST at gift giving. I honestly get anxiety when birthdays and Christmas come around because of how bad I am at picking out gifts for others. It’s not that I don’t like giving gifts, because I honestly love being able to surprise someone with them, but I think it’s similar to stage fright — when I know I have to get someone a gift, I literally CANNOT think of what to get them, even if I’ve known them for YEARS (sometimes those are the hardest for me!!). I know I know, I should keep a running list of gift ideas on my phone for each person…not sure why I haven’t done that yet! And oddly, I do best when I find gifts on a total whim….yet always at a time far enough off when it feels pointless to go ahead and get it, you know what I mean? It’s like when you go shopping for a specific item and can’t find it anywhere, but when you go and you don’t have money or aren’t looking for anything, that you find EVERYTHING.
Yeah, so that’s my relationship with gift giving, and why I don’t do gift guides each year!! But one thing I AM good at, is knowing what I like….soooo selfless, I know. Despite having an instagram that predominantly revolves around health/wellness, I get a relatively large number of inquiries about my clothing, jewelry, beauty, and other household/random products….sometimes it makes me feel like a legitimate blogger/influencer (insert hair flip here).
So, just like my Asheville Food Guide, after I get asked the same questions enough times, I resort to making a comprehensive blog post about it!
Below I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite products — ranging from leggings to candles to jewelry, and everything in between! Links are included that’ll take you straight to the item or website. Some might be affiliate links (just means I might get a small compensation), and I so appreciate you shopping through those.
– Jayne and James cross necklace – I get compliments on this necklace ALL the time! I love how dainty it is, yet it holds up really well! I got it in 15″ but they’ve got quite a few options. I love some of their other necklaces to layer with it, as well!
– By Lunari jewelry – these are some of my favorite, fun and funky earrings! The store owner will usually send along a couple extra earring backings as well đ
– Ginger and Pearl Jewelry – I initially discovered this shop at a holiday festival in my grandmother’s hometown and bought a pair of earrings for myself, to later discover her etsy site! Great modern but feminine jewelry!
– Lululuemon Align camo leggings – I didnât think Iâd believe the hype about these either, but WOW I WAS SO SO WRONG. These arenât the type of leggings that youâd wear to do an intense workout in, but they are PERFECT for lounging around the house, running errands, walks, yoga, and everything in between! I loved the camo but they have neutral colors as well. Everyone said they feel like “butter”, and I 100% agree.
– Lululemon All the Right Places leggings – now THESE are the workout leggings you need. I have tried other options (like fabletics) that are less $$$, but I still come back to these. I have 3 pair (I buy a new one every year, pretty much), and the first pair I have STILL fit perfectly – no bagging or loss in elasticity. WORTH. IT. They have great compression so you feel sucked in (but still able to breathe).
– Athleta cropped tops â Being 5’2″, I have a relatively short torso (and short everything…). These cropped tops are great for short torsos, and hit perfectly with high waisted leggings without bunching up at the bottom!
– Adidas Ultraboost 19 – I didnât think Iâd believe the hype, but I do…these fit like a glove! Great for your trendy athletic friend or family member
– ASICS Gel Nimbus 22 – my favorite running shoe, figured Iâd show them some love, too! Great cushioning, feels like I’m running on a cloud!
– Eye Buy Direct blue lens glasses – these are great for those that spend a lot of time looking at screens, whether it be a computer, TV or phone. This site has great prices, and loads of different frames if these donât strike your fancy!
– May designs journals – ENDLESS options to create your own journals, I’ve bought at least 7 of them! I’ve loved being able to create a bit of a collection as I continue to fill them up.
– LOFT pants – This feels silly to include, but I LOVE the LOFT dress pants for work, and the petite skinny pants fit my short little legs perfectly, without having to be hemmed!! And plus, LOFT pretty much allllways has sales!
– Aerie undies – Again, this feels silly to include…but I mean, they are so SOFT, and again, always has a great deal on them!
– Balega Hidden Comfort No-Show socks – gosh, I love these so much.I hate that they are $13/pair, but they are worth it if you are a big runner! I try to snag some on sale at my local fleet feet đ
– Philips earhook headphones – these aren’t anything special, but I have used these for probably upwards of 12 years (no longer on my first pair, though, haha). Regular earbuds will NOT stay in my ear, so these are a great alternative and I’ve never once had a problem.
–Â Foam roll – hurts. so. good. I love the different “zones” and sides of this! I never make time to foam roll at the gym, so having one at home is super helpful, and I can just do it while I watch TV!
– Wheat and Honey Co. ESV Journaling Bible – I love being able to have actual room in the margins to take notes or scribble down prayers alongside passages in the Bible. Not to mention that this Bible is literally beautifully decorated on the outside!
– Cleerely Stated Scripture Devotional Cards (use code CLARA20 for 20% off)- I have these sitting at my desk at work, and the scripture and short devotion with it always help to reorient my mind and focus – especially when I get frazzled, annoyed, impatient or disheartened at work. Cleere has quite a few sets (including one for men!), so there are several to choose from…as well as her new devotional book!
– Lou Moon Candle – their Sunday Morning candle smells just like….Sunday morning — think coffee đ They are also relatively local, from Rock Hill, SC (where I was born!).
– Amy Knapp’s The Very Busy Planner – Love this planner! In my opinion, I think the setup is great. I also love that it has weekly prompts that help with self reflection — something I’m reallllly trying to get better at.
– One Line a Day journal – I started this on January 1, 2015, which means I am nearing the end of my 5 year journey!! It’s SO fun to be able to look back at what you were doing 2 or 4 or 5 years ago. Just jot down a memory from each day at the end of the day — I try to focus on something positive, or something I learned!
–  Stasher reusable bags – these are amazing reusable snack bags that you can use for anything! They are microwave and dishwasher safe, as well! I’ve gradually stocked up over the years so I have a nice *stash*
– Blendtec Designer 725 blender (use FFF25 for 25% discount)- this is honestly the coolest most state of the art kitchen gadget — and just gadget in general — that I own. I know they aren’t cheap, but I did a lot of research and it sounds like they last forever!!! AND I have a code for 25% off! Just enter FFF25 at checkout đ
– Further Food collagen peptides (use FFF for 15% discount) — okay, yâall know my love for this brand and its products runs DEEP. These chocolate collagen peptides might be my favorite âhealth productâ ever! I mix it in coffee every morning, but is also wonderful to use in baking, smoothies, oatmeal, and yogurt. They also have vanilla and plain/unflavored
Spicewalla spices and seasonings – this company is local to Asheville, but I would love them even if they werenât. The honey and herb rub is by far one of my favorite seasonings of all times. Not to mention that they even made Oprahâs list of products she loves…HELLO!
– Electric kettle – nothing fancy, but it gets the job done! I use it to heat up water for hot tea, or to use with my french press.
– French press – again, nothing fancy, but it gets the job done!
– Coffee grinder – I also use it to grind up flaxseeds đ
– Brita filter – I love how big this one is! And just takes up a tad bit of space in the fridge
– Over the door spice rack – we don’t have the biggest pantry in our apartment, so this over the door spice rack has been a big space saver! I used to have a wire one but it was very fragile, and spices ended up on the floor more often than not.
– Pyrex storage – I use these pretty much daily for taking large lunch salads to work!
– Hearth & Hand with Magnolia dinnerware – just some cheap plates from Chip & Joanna at Target, but I love them so much!!
– East Fork Pottery – a local (but known nationwide, I’m pretty sure) pottery business. I want everything! They have like 1-2 sales a year and I try to gradually add to my collection then!!
– Healthy Human stainless steel water bottle – I use the big 40 o stainless steel bottle, but they have several different sizes, shapes, and colors!
– LL bean cooler – I use this to lug my lunch and snacks into work each day, and it’s got plenty of room for allll I need!
– Beautycounter skincare – okay well, y’all know about my love affair for BC. Reference my full blog post about my top product recommendations HERE. You really can’t go wrong with anything from BC. Love that they are getting safer, cleaner skincare into the hands of more and more people, and advocating for CHANGE at the legislative level. BOOM!
– Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions mascara – this stuff is hands down the BEST mascara I have ever used in my 27 years of living. My lashes look SO long after using (and only a few swipes of it!), and it doesn’t get flaky throughout the day. It isn’t waterproof, and thankfully I haven’t had the chance to test how well it holds up to tears.
– Hurraw Pitta chapstick – okay I know this si super random, but I got this as a gift a few years ago, and I literally went out of my way to find out where I could buy more after I FINISH THE TUBE — WHO does that with chapstick?! I put it on every night before I go to bed and my lips always stay hydrated! If you’re into Ayurvedic stuff, they do have flavors for each dosha đ
