ON THE BLOG//
archive
Biossance: No Compromise Beauty
I always get so excited to share with you the clean beauty products that we are testing and loving! My sweet friend introduced me to Biossance about a year ago, and I have been hooked ever since. It has truly revived my skin, and I think I know why. A little bit of their story: after the the scientists behind this skincare developed patented technology that allowed them to create an accessible treatment for malaria, they decided to use this same innovative technology to create combinations of powerful, effective, and sustainable ingredients to put on our faces. How amazing is that? P.S. I love their promise: "only the most trustworthy and powerful ingredients are used in our products because our standards for clean beauty are high, and our standards for ourselves are even higher." Yes and amen. Oh! And I am kind of obsessed with the mega-moisturizing molecule they use in these clean magical potions!
My two favorite products are The Revitalizer and The Nourisher. The Nourisher is the most lovely face oil that brightens your skin with an oil soluble Vitamin C that is 50 times more powerful than absorbic acid, fights free radical attack leaving skin with a healthy radiant glow, and reduces the appearances of fine lines and wrinkles. What is not to love? I use this in the morning and at night.
Now for The Revitalizer AKA my all time favorite product. I love this so much because it can be used on your locks to prevent frizz, split ends, and dryness; it can be used on your body for extra hydration, and it can be used on your face to instantly hydrate and accelerate cell turnover. Side note: this is saving me in these dry winter months!The sweetest bonus to every purchase on Biossance is that they donate $1 for every product purchased to Zagaya. It is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that facilitates the eradication of malaria through collaboration around innovative and science-based technology. They envision a malaria-free world created through education, improved technologies, and access to the highest quality anti-malarials available.
Our Staple Grocery Lists
We are so excited for this post! Today Lauren and I are sharing our grocery lists- items that are staples inside our refrigerators, freezers, and kitchen cabinets. The items on our lists consist of things that we are constantly buying and buying again. We are very passionate about fueling our bodies with good-for-you ingredients so that we feel our best from the inside out, and the below items definitely do that for us! These are just the basic, regular items we are always buying, but of course there are specific things we need when it comes to trying new recipes and preparing certain meals. I personally do a lot of shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, and Erewhon is Lo's grocery store home. The Thrive Market is another great resource! Take a look at the lists below and get Lo's outfit deets & links at the bottom. We would love to hear your grocery staples in the comment section, too! xo
LO'S LIST
Organic bananas
Frozen organic blueberries
Organic kale
Organic mixed greens
Sprouts
Organic veggies - broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, peppers
Fermented cabbage
Organic sweet potatoes
Avocado
Lots of organic lemons!
Organic heirloom tomato
Mung bean chips
Salsa
Homemade bone broth
Grass fed and hormone free ground turkey
Organic and hormone free chicken tenders
Wild salmon
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Minced garlic
Fresh flowers
Forbidden rice
MELISSA'S LIST
Oranges
Avocado
Organic Spinach
Organic Kale
Hummus
Organic Cucumber
Organic asparagus (or brussels)
Brown Rice
Rice crackers
Almond Butter
Bananas
Frozen wild organic blueberries
Frozen Peas
Multigrain english muffins
Organic chicken
Wild Salmon
Organic Eggs
Wild canned salmon
Almond milk
OneCoffee pods
Rishi ginger turmeric tea
---
OUTFIT DETAILS:
SUNNIES (c/o) | JACKET (c/o) | BANDANA (similar) | DENIM (c/o) | TEE | BOOTS (c/o)
images by felicia lasala
Friday Night-In Checklist
Sometimes after a busy and long week, a Friday night-in is just what we need. For those moments, we created a Friday night-in checklist for a peaceful, relaxing evening. It's amazing how rejuvenating a night-in can be for the soul. It's a great feeling to wake up Saturday morning to a great cup of coffee, knock out a few things on the to-do list, get a workout or sauna session in, and enjoy a healthy breakfast all before 10AM. Scroll down to see our checklist + get the links to browse. From the coziest sleep shirt from Rails to the best sleep tea from Sakara, these essentials will add some serious comfort to your night at home. Enjoy and happy weekend! xo
the sleep shirt | a good book | mug | sleep tea | throw
Clean, Safe, and Beautiful Lipsticks
Lip color is such a fun accessory- we love playing around with colors depending on our mood and outfit. However, a lot of lipsticks unfortunately contain harmful and toxic ingredients. That is not very appealing, to say the least. We all deserve clean, safe, and beautiful lipsticks! That is where the brand, Kosas, comes in. Kosas lipsticks are made with the best natural ingredients like green tea, rosehip and grape seed oils. When we first heard about Kosas via goop, we were so intrigued, and once we tried out their lipsticks (thank you, Kosas!) we were totally sold. The lip color goes on so well, it's weightless, lasts, and looks so good. It's mind-blowing to us the harmful toxins that are in so many beauty and self-care products. We are so thankful for brands like Kosas, that make safe alternatives that are extremely effective and completely beautiful.Find Lo's outfit deets at the bottom! xo
images by felicia lasala
THE OUTFIT:
sunglasses | tee | jacket
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2459551"]
How We Love To Take The Time
We are so inspired lately by a campaign that Cladwell is running. For those of you that don’t know, Cladwell is a company passionate about helping people downsize their wardrobe, which in turn helps simplify one’s life, opening up time for the things that really matter like spending time with family, doing things that you love, and having time to rest. Their #TakeTheTime campaign encourages people to take time to do what we love each day. Taking the time to do these good-for-the soul things makes life so special, meaningful, and purposeful. We find that slowing down and savoring these moments make such a big difference in our mindsets and how we approach life. Read on to see how we love to take the time + get Lo's outfit details at the bottom. 
Lo's list
-Take the time to read your favorite book
-Take the time to go to yoga
-Take the time to think and pray
-Take the time to greet your husband with hugs and kisses
-Take the time to make your favorite homemade latte
Melissa's list
-Take the time to cook homecooked meals
-Take the time to read an inspirational book before bed
-Take time to read a devotional page or biblical verse before work
-Take the time to call my parents each day
-Take the time for date night once a week
images by felicia lasala
THE OUTFIT:
jeans | tee | jacket | booties | sunnies
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2416612"]
Melissa's Morning Smoothie
Hey guys! Melissa here and I am sharing my morning smoothie recipe + my love for Moon Juice- a shop dedicated to a holistic approach to healthy living, including the most amazing medicinal ingredients to add to your morning smoothies.
What I personally love about smoothies is the variety of smoothies that you can make. I go through phases of what I put in mine and switch up what ingredients I use, depending on the day and my mood. The recipe I have going now is super good, so I just had to share. This smoothie includes three Moon Juice products- their Beauty Dust, Ashwagandha, and H0 Shou Wu. Below are the ingredients + explanation of benefits for each Moon Juice product.
SMOOTHIE:
1 cup almond milk or water (or sometimes I do 1/2 and 1/2!)
1/2 frozen banana
A handful of organic frozen blueberries
Teaspoon of Ashwagandha from Moon Juice
Teaspoon of Ho Shou Wu from Moon Juice
Teaspoon (+ a little more) of Beauty Dust from Moon Juice (c/o)
Tablespoon of Spirulina (from Whole Foods)
--blend all together in a blender until smooth--
Benefits are below as described on Moon Juice's site- head there to read more! They do a great job at explaining each product.
Ashwagandha: calms the nervous system + soothes anxiety and improves sleep
Ho Shou Wu: encourages youthfulness, sex drive, + helps to balance hormones and give you a healthy glow
Beauty Dust: think glowing skin, shiny hair, and bright eyes
Moon Juice's collection of moon dusts is so amazing. You can add them to smoothies, water, or even your morning coffee. They have quite a few versions including spirit dust, brain dust, and more, but I have only tried the beauty dust so far and love it.
*feature image via moon juice
Spring Style Report
The upcoming season always makes us eager to gather style inspiration and make a list of things that would make smart additions to our wardrobe. Below is our spring style report- a mood board of lifestyle images that have us ready for the next season. From a cool jumpsuit with a cardigan draped over the shoulder, to light denim, bold stripes and more. We are really into the casual, sporty meets chic, and effortlessly cool vibe for spring. Scroll down for the imagery inspiration and find links at the bottom. XO [feature image via a&f]
1 // Abercrombie & Fitch
2 // Levi's
3 // Anthropologie
4 // Anthropologie
5 // Rag & Bone
6 // Elizabeth & James
+ more spring things that we love:
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2417251"]
How To Stay Healthy When Traveling
Traveling is always such an adventure- full of amazing memories, new experiences, opportunities to learn and try new things, and so much more. However, it can be hard to stay healthy and feeling your best when you are on the road, taking a long flight, eating out a lot, and just off your normal routine. Today we are sharing a few tips to stay healthy when traveling- they are little things that make a big difference! Read on for our tips and scroll down to the bottom for Lo's travel-chic outfit deets, including this amazing suitcase from AWAY.
-Bring a candle to set a soothing atmosphere in your room in the AM and PM
-Bring moon dusts to add to your tea, smoothies, or juices!
-Bring Sakara tea bags- their sleep tea is perfect for unwinding at night
-Pack a sleep mask and essential oils to get the best possible sleep
-Remember cozy socks and comfy clothes to be comfortable at the hotel
-Stay hydrated by carrying a tote to keep a water bottle inside
-Walk as much as possible- skip the uber and taxi when you can!
-Pack snacks (healthy bars, nuts...) so you don't overeat at meals
-
THE OUTFIT
Sweater | Denim | Sunnies (c/o) | Suitcase (c/o) | Boots | Bag (Persaman New York c/o)
images by felicia lasala
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2428108"]
Self-Care
The start of a new year always brings about fresh reminders of my values and offers a time to realign my habits, desires, and priorities. 2017 has been filled with a lot of re-grouping as many new passion projects have been added to my career plate. The initial thought in my mind is, what can I remove from my schedule to free up some time? I immediately think to cut down on yoga, infrared sauna appointments, grocery shopping, and cooking. But, wait. All of the things are so important to me. They exist as priorities to make a house a home + they are self-care necessities!
I have learned this year that you must take care of yourself to have healthy relationships, a healthy body, and a healthy home. You must learn to be self-aware and create space for the things that are necessary for your well being. Side note: accept your needs! Feeling selfish for feeding your emotional, physical, and spiritual health limits you from giving, living, and serving with the fullest heart.
In order to balance work, self-care, errands, and relationships, simplify your life. Here are some shifts I have made to bring more ease into the to-do's, which in turn creates time and space for self care.
- Wake up and read for 10 minutes to relax your mind and bring perspective to your day. This book is my favorite right now.
- Create a productive schedule for your day. My mom recently recommended listening to the podcast in this blog, and the productivity sheet has made my days uber-productive, yet I have more free time than ever. I am a big to-do list person, but this mind set has increased my focus tremendously. Aren't moms the best?
- Shop on Sunday for a week full of groceries. I am on week one of trying this, and it has been a game changer.
- Ask for help. If cooking dinner seems stressful one night, I ask my husband for help! Doing it as a team makes it so enjoyable and stress free.
- Get gel manicures OR leave them bare. This requires much less maintenance!
- Declutter your work space. A mind functions better in an organized atmosphere.
- Give yourself breaks. Go for a 10 minute walk outside in between projects, make a homemade latte, or call a friend!
- Set aside a specific hour or two a week to work on administration, paying bills, and budgets!
- Consistently clean out your closet and cabinets AKA expired goods, clothes you do not wear, beauty products that you won't use, and linens that are stuffed in a cabinet. If you do it consistently, it will never feel like a big, intimidating project.
- Breathe and enjoy life.
This series is in collaboration with some stellar ladies. Be sure and check out their posts on Self Care too: Kat Harris, Tutti del Monte, Danielle Bennett, Kate Labat, Joanne Encarnacion, Nikia Phoenix, and Chelsey Korus.
THE OUTFIT:
jeans | booties | striped top | sunnies (c/o)
images by felicia lasala
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2408696"]