I really love the old school blog posts that remind me of the simple times when I first started oversharing on the internet. I have always loved sharing my new products and learning about new products from my favorite brands but also new brands. This year was no exception. When I find a new product that I love, I get obsessed with it. From music to mascara, you can find me using the same products for years. At this point, if I find a new “favorite”, it’s gotta be excellent to beat out my trusty line up of favorites. Today, I’m back with one of my favorite old school blog posts. I’ll be recapping my favorite products of 2019 from lifestyle to tech to fashion. I hope you enjoy this post!
This post contains several affiliate links. This just means I’ll make a small commission when you shop through my links.
My 2019 Favorites
Lifestyle
AMC A-List
I think my biggest new investment in 2019 has been joining the AMC A-List. I am a huge fan of movies and theater and dramatic arts. It’s really interesting because I never did theater as a kid. I did dance for 15 years so maybe that’s where I channel my creative energy as a kid. Frankly, it costs a ridiculous amount of money to see a film in the movie theater nowadays. You can get discounts on random days of the week and early on the weekends. But, as someone who has a rigid schedule when it comes to my availability, but also wants to prioritize seeing movies when they come out… something had to be done. Enter the A-List, stage right. I can see up to three movies a week for $23.95 with no restrictions on times and I can see movies even when I’m traveling as long as there is an AMC location.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh was another lifestyle, subscription product that I loved in 2019. It made the weeks after traveling so much easier because I got to have fresh meals without spending an arm and a leg. I also feel infinitely more comfortable in the kitchen. It’s nice because I’m entering 2020 with more confidence to start to cook Pinterest recipes and experiment more with food. Food should be enjoyed and nutritious. HelloFresh helped me work up to finding a balance that worked for me. I am so glad I decided to invest a little bit into it. You can use my code for a discount on your first month of HelloFresh. I also do little giveaways on Instagram stories, so you should give me a follow to stay connected.
YouTube
I really took the time to improve my YouTube content over the course of 2019. I think it shows in how I doubled my initial subscriber count goal. Beyond that, it is so incredibly amazing how I have so many memories documented to look back on. I have montages and commentary on some big moments in my life from winning awards to traveling to new countries. I’ve also learned a lot about my habits, moods, flaws, and strengths. Social media is powerful in its ability to connect but also in its ability to teach. I’m excited to make even more content in 2020 on YouTube and to figure out how to integrate that video content with the written content on the blog.
Videography Dance Project @ Crunch Gym
Lastly, I have genuinely felt so good getting back into the dance studio to take a choreography based class. I’ve missed taking dance class since I stopped in my senior year of high school. It was such a big part of my life for so long and it was nice to get something back that was so familiar to me. I tweeted once to hold on tightly to the exercise classes that you’ll brave thunderstorms for. I’m hoping to find another class like this in 2020. I’m thinking I might finally get hooked under the spin spell. Who’s to say?
Beauty
Revlon PhotoReady Candid Concealer
I was never a big concealer gal. I got 8+ hours of sleep every night during college and never really had to deal with under-eye circles. My sleep schedule is not as generous as it once was and thus I was thrust into a journey to find a good concealer. I was first introduced to this concealer when my friend Austen posted about it. I’m so glad I tried this product because it is so good. It isn’t flaky, has great wear potential, maintains the dewy look that I love, and is pretty cheap. I have never been a big Revlon girl, but this product definitely changed that for me.
Urban Decay All Nighter Spray
The Urban Decay All Nighter Spray might be a favorite of the decade. But that post would have been way too hard to write. So, I think it is more than fair to say this all-nighter spray stayed closed at hand in 2019. I love that it gives my makeup a dewy look even after I use matte products like my Laura Mercier setting powder. It keeps my makeup from sliding off my face and I madly appreciate that. I like to repeatedly purchase the small travel size bottles for $15. They are great for traveling and last for such a long time.
Ole Henriksen Toner & Serum
These products are a godsend. The combo was first introduced to me in the spring at the Union Square Sephora. The sales assistant gave me generous samples of each product and I was genuinely in love with the results. I could only afford the serum when I went to purchase them. I’ve been using it as my go-to night serum for the entire year and it is my favorite. I will be repurchasing and now that I received the toner for Christmas, I can’t wait to get those same blessed results as before. This product corrects hyperpigmentation and sunspots which are my two skin issues. They are pricey but seriously worth it.
Fenty Glow Lip Gloss
I was a big MAC lip glass gal throughout high school and college. My mom always bought them for me for my birthday, Christmas, and as random “happy gifts”. But, I tried the Fenty Glow lip gloss after I gave one away in a giveaway that I hosted and fell in love with how it made my lips look and feel. Rihanna has created an addicting line of products. Part of me wants to purchase 10 bottles of this so that I can have them for the rest of the time. That would be extreme. But, a part of me thinks it would be smart too.
Fashion
Matching Pajama Sets
This year I had a deeper appreciation for how matching pajama sets can improve your life. I am absolutely in love with my matching set from J. Crew Factory and Old Navy. It’s probably tradition now that I will get a set of Henley Christmas pajamas. I’m okay with it. In fact, I would have been disappointed if I didn’t receive a new pair. I think it instantly makes a usually slumpy clothing category a more fun and enjoyable experience. I seriously can’t recommend picking up various different styles. Shorts for summer, pants for winter, and decorative ones for holidays.
Wide Leg Jeans
Wide leg jeans were my fashion staple of 2019. I think they are incredibly forgiving on every body type and create a more interesting and fashion-forward look with very little effort. They have also now entered a ton of affordable retailers. My favorites of recent are my Slim Fit Wide Leg Crop from Madewell, but I also love my white wide-leg jeans from H&M. They can be paired with literally any type of top: turtlenecks, button-downs, sweaters, graphic tees, etc. I think a classic wide leg is a way to go, but I also like the look of a subtle flair and a vintage straight/bootcut.
Puma Carina Sneakers
White sneakers are not new to my closet and my steady shoe rotation. They work for every season and are the perfect walking shoe for NYC. This year, I held on to my Puma Carinas for dear life. They have been with me through a lot. A full year of miles and miles of walking in a single day. They are incredibly comfortable and ridiculously comfortable. They are my airport shoes of choice. I’ve also really liked All White Vans {damn gabby, I know} and Adidas Superstars in case you want some other white sneaker options. Let’s be real: a good white sneaker is just as essential at this point.
H&M
I don’t know what H&M has been doing over the past 6 years, but the clothes are 100x better than I can recall. I think a little over half my closet is from H&M. The clothes are affordable and better quality than a lot of the other fast fashion brands. I have items that will last me for years to come. With any shopping experience, you have to make smart fabric, cut, and color choices in order to have clothes that will last you a substantial amount of time. H&M is no exception. I’ve made some poor choices, but I’ve also made some stellar ones. I can’t wait to see what the next few seasons bring. Very excited to keep building a closet that I love now and forever.
My Favorite Fashion Pieces
Tech & Travel
Calpak Luggage, Packing Cubes, & Tory Burch Passport Cover
I’ve done an insane amount of shopping over the past year. My Calpak Astyll Marble luggage has been with me everywhere. They’ve made it through several airports, a handful of trains, a few different countries, across oceans and through many climates. Calpak makes some incredibly durable suitcases. I have an incredibly trendy set, but they are always easy to find on the conveyor belt. I am also a huge fan of the packing cubes. They saved my life in Europe when I was packing and unpacking almost every other day. My white marble suitcases look remarkably better than I would have assumed knowing all they have endured. My Tory Burch Passport cover is just the cutest SLG for traveling and being on the go. You can hold your passport, a few cards, cash, and any important documents you need to hold on to.
Delta
Delta flights only, baby. I am such a Delta gal. I cannot go back to flying on any other airline. I’ve tried Southwest and United and neither will be able to live up to Delta. All airlines are going to have their bad days. Delays are common, but how they treat you is what makes the difference. Brand loyalty is the ultimate compliment to a brand and Delta definitely has mine. This paragraph is not at all helpful. It is just me writing how much I love Delta in about five different sentence structures.
Splitwise
Splitwise is the most amazing app for traveling with friends I’ve ever come across. It made our Portugal and Spain trip so ridiculously easy for splitting bills and paying each other back. It was also to pick it back up when I went down to DC and spent a night visiting Hannah and Chloe before heading back to NYC. It’s just an app that you need to download if you travel with friends a lot or if you always end up covering each other’s meals and drinks on the regular.
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories were my favorite aspect of social media this year. You can check out my year in review according to Instagram stories on the blog. It was so cool to see how the quality and direction of my stories shifted. They are fun and light-hearted. I take them a lot less seriously than I do my feed and that’s refreshing. I think it has the same effect on me that doodling has on other people. Is that weird? I don’t know.
Lightning Round
- Content Creator: Tar Mar
- Vlogs: Brooke Miccio
- Musician: Lizzo
- Album: Thank U, Next X @arianagrande
- TV Show: Stranger Things Season 3
- Movie: End Game
- App: Twitter
- Restaurant: Jacob’s Pickles
- NYC Neighborhood: DUMBO
- Coffee: Iced Oat Milk Latte @ Devocion Flatiron
keep on keepin’ on,
