Alyson’s Current Favorites // February

Happy mid-February (holy cow!). The first two months of 2019 are flying by and I can’t believe we are already less than a month away from spring break here in Florida. I’m excited to share with you some of my favorites for the start of the year — as you can tell, it’s a bit of everything! And, ps: how funny and true is the above?! I saw it on Instagram and couldn’t stop laughing… it’s basically me at Target and Trader Joe’s, all the time.

And, if you’re doing some holiday weekend sale shopping, there are some great deals to be had! A few favorites include:

• Tons of new sale items at Nordstrom (including 40% price matching for J. Crew here).
• BaubleBar has up to 80% off an amazing collection of jewelry… three fun favorites: this, this and this!).
• Up to 60% off at J. Crew Factory (check my Insta Shop for recent photos of all my favorite picks… lots of cute scalloped details!).
• Get 40% off all new items at Ann Taylor, PLUS I’m giving you an exclusive extra 10% off with this code: ATALYSON10. I absolutely need a new pair of pants for work so ordering these which you can pair with floral wrap top, and you know my love of the brand’s shoes — I mean check these out. The quality is really good, even better than you’d expect. I’m head-over-heels OBSESSED with this pair.
  
• Get 40% off at LOFT on all new arrivals.

Current Favorites:

Brooks running sneakers (here)

There are few things I’m passionate about wearing more than my Brooks running sneakers! I know, I know — possibly dramatic — but once you wear quality running shoes, there’s no going back. I know some people veer toward Nike’s but the ultra thin soles kill my feet and provide no support. I’m now on my third pair of Brooks — also recommended by my physical therapist (who specializes in sports PT) — and you can immediately feel a difference. This pair, called the Ghost 11’s, come in a few colors but I couldn’t resist the neutral pair with this fun pop of color with the laces. Sizing tip: I always size up a half-size in sneakers to allow room for running.

Neck & shoulder heating pad (here)

If you have any neck or back tension, soreness, etc, you need this in your life. Some of you might have seen on social media that I was in a car accident a few weeks ago. Someone hit me, airbags deployed, I went by ambulance to the ER, and have been having bad neck, shoulder and back pain. This heading pad, called the Hugaroo, heats up in a few minutes in the microwave… it has a nice weighted feel and provides a deeper moist heat along with the slightest fragrance of lavender and peppermint (not overwhelming at all, I’m super sensitive to smell). I’ve been using it almost nightly and while it’s helping with my immediate needs, it’s kind of relaxing heating pad — which by the way can be put in the freezer for cold relief — that anyone would love. You can get it on Amazon for around $35 here.

Portable bluetooth, waterproof speaker (here)

I picked up this adorable little waterproof bluetooth speaker to better amplify music in our house and backyard, and also it on my girls trip to Punta Cana last month. Wow, how have I lived without this for so long?! I did some research online and found it for $10 less on Target’s web site — at just $20! There are likely better speakers out there but they run you at least $80-$100; this one is super compact and has great quality, particularly for the price point (and no stress if it goes missing).

On vacation, we played music in our room, brought it to the beach and pool, and don’t laugh: to the casual outdoor bar. Let’s be clear that we fully brought the party! 🙂 Available at Target and Amazon, and comes in a few colors.

Boss Babe adult coloring book

This coloring book is the coolest, for yourself or as a fun girl gift idea! In not the best parenting move, I actually purchased it for Sarah not realizing there was some inappropriate language. Oops! That said, it’s a super cool coloring and activity book with female rockstars from Beyonce to Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RGB!!!), Dolly Parton to Malala, Tina Fey to Serena Williams. At about $10, it’s one of those fun smaller birthday / impulse / treat yourself type gifts that’s a lot of fun. Find it on Amazon or Target.

By the way, for a more kiddo friendly book, I love this “A is for Awesome: 23 women who changed the world.” I think it’s an awesome book for anything from a baby shower/new born to any age — I got it for Sarah, Evan and I to check out together. They need to know these names.

Collagen powder (here)

I had been seeing a handful of health/wellness bloggers & others share their love of adding collagen to their coffees or smoothies and though I’ve seen beauty products with collagen, I honestly had no idea about the benefits of ingesting it. Collagen is a protein that binds tissues together and as we get older, our own collagen production declines, so fine lines, loose skin, and dryness can occur. Adding a spoon full daily can help improve/plump skin, ease join pain, manage inflammation and more. I’m game for testing most things, though I didn’t want to ruin my beloved cup of coffee, lol! I’ve heard some collagens that supposedly don’t take like anything taste sort of gross so I must report that this one really has ZERO taste in my coffee. I candidly haven’t been using it long enough yet to report if I’m seeing a major difference, however if you are on the hunt or considering, this one by Further Foods is excellent — Adam even adds it to his daily smoothies now! You can find it on Amazon here.

HAIR TOWEL TURBAN (here)

Anyone else struggle with putting a ginormous towel on your head, being careful that it doesn’t flop off or weigh your neck down. I saw Kim at Penny Pincher Fashion mention this hair towel turban, which she credited for faster hair drying time and minimizing hair breakage. I have to say I’m converted, and it’s so much more comfortable, light-weight and stays put compared to a traditional towel situation on my head. As you’ll read in the reviews, you definitely get what you pay for and with more than 600 nearly 5 star reviews, this one is a keeper!

Loving this current favorites feature? Take a look here for more of my life favorites!