Galentine's Day Gifts to Give

Oh Valentine's Day. As someone that is currently happily married but that has also gone through more than one January breakup, I understand the love-hate relationship people have with you. Romance is great, but when you're recently heartbroken or hanging out with your substitute boyfriends Ben & Jerry for the umpteenth time, its probably the last thing you want to have on your mind. And this is why I'm all for celebrating Galentine's Day - because there is so much more love to celebrate in life than just the romantic kind. Of course I believe Valentine's Day can also be a representation of that. But why not take the opportunity, regardless of whether or not we're in a relationship, to celebrate our best gal pals?

If you're in need of some inspiration on how to spoil the special ladies in your life, look no further. I've curated a list of some of my favorite extra-girly gift ideas for showing appreciation to all kinds of wonderful women - from your kid's teacher, to your mom, to your hairdresser, your bestie, or your coworker. (There is also no shame in passing this post on to a S.O. should he or she need some pointers and/or not-so-subtle hints of things you might appreciate yourself. Just sayin'.)

It's Back! DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea for Holiday 2017

"It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

I know. It's not even Halloween yet. But before you seriously side eye me for bringing up the holidays, I promise I have a good excuse. Today the DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar is back in stores, and if this year is like every other one before it, it'll be sold out well before anyone has even thought about putting up a Christmas Tree.

If you're feeling a bit out of the loop, Canadian tea retailer DavidsTea curates a stunningly packaged Advent calendar every year containing 24 different loose leaf teas to sample in the days leading up to Christmas. If you've ever enjoyed one of those chocolate Advent Calendars as a kid, this basically takes things to a whole new level of indulgence. As a die hard tea lover there is nothing better than getting up each day and seeing what new flavor awaits me.

Thanks to the fact that I probably spend way too much money on tea every year, I received an email from the brand that allowed me to pick my calendar up a few days before the official launch. So let's take a closer look at exactly what the deal is with this year's collection and how it compares to the 2016 version.

Holiday 2016: DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar

If there is one thing outside of the beauty realm that I am head over heels obsessed with, it's tea. Ask anyone from my office, but there isn't a day (maybe even not an hour) when you'll find me without a cup at my desk. I've got an entire cabinet in my kitchen devoted just to the goods, as well as most of the cabinet in my cubicle.

What can I say, it's basically my lifeblood.

From a spicy chai, to an earthy oolong, to a fruity herbal, I'm definitely not picky when it comes to flavors, and am on a bit of a personal quest to try as many different teas as I can. But (much like my obsession with makeup) being a tea enthusiast can get a little pricey, which usually means being extra selective about which ones I want to buy. Fortunately, DavidsTea rolled in to my local mall a couple of years ago, and they have THE BEST tea sampler sets. They're constantly releasing new seasonal collections, and have a ton of different ways for you to sample multiple flavors without breaking the bank.

Perhaps the ultimate of all of these sets is the 24 Days of Tea advent calendar. I honestly can't think of a better way to ring in the holidays than by getting to try a different tea every day (you know, without spending hundreds of dollars). Last year was the first time I picked one of these bad boys up, and I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't help but put the beauty on pause for a day so I could share the 2016 version with you guys. Come take a look!

Birthday Freebies

One of the things I look forward to every July is the slew of e-mails that show up in my inbox, filled with awesome coupons and promises of freebies. Why July? Because it's my birthday! As much as celebrating with a big party and cake can make me feel loved and appreciated, I honestly look equally forward to my yearly ritual of parading around the mall, collecting my free little treats. Maybe I'm just an introvert, but the gift of me-time is perhaps my favorite thing to give myself (you know, along with some chocolate and a bath bomb). To keep you guys in-the-know, I thought I'd round up a list of my favorite birthday freebies, both beauty and non-beauty, so you too can get in on all the goodness.

February Favorites 2016

We've found our way to the end of yet another month, which means its time to talk about the best beauty products I've been using in the past couple of weeks. I'm still pretty hooked on a lot of what I was using in January, so you should definitely check out that post as well if you haven't already. Still, there are always new loves, discoveries, and rediscoveries to talk about, and I've got quite a few of them to share!

Cozy As Can Be: The David's Tea Fall 2015 Collection

When I think about the seasons, I'm definitely a summer baby. I love the heat, the long, sunny days, taking trips to the beach, eating ice cream. However, I'll also be the first to admit that there's nothing quite like fall in New England. The changing leaves, the cool, crisp weather, pumpkin flavored everything. And as much as I hate being cold, it also means that I can snuggle up under a big blanket with a delicious cup of tea. Now, I drink tea pretty much year round, but the flavors of fall are quite possibly my favorite. From sweet and spicy, to rich and nutty, everything about them just screams cozy. Which perhaps was the inspiration behind the David's Tea Fall Collection ($25). This set contains 5 of their 8 Limited Edition fall teas and is wrapped up in a package so adorable it's almost impossible not to want to take it home.

August 2015 Empties

Hi everyone! Somehow it's already the end of August, and I'm struggling to figure out how exactly that happened. Fortunately there are a few weeks of summer left, because I'm so not ready to say goodbye to the warm weather. In the meantime, let's take a look back at some of the products I finally finished up in the last month. As much as its sad to reach the bottom of the jar when a product is awesome, there's also a definite sense of accomplishment around it. This time around I feel like I made some headway in the bath and body department, which is good considering how much of a stockpile I feel like I've amassed at home.