Latest Faves: Fitness Fashion, Safer Toiletries & Holiday Cheer

Hi there! I’m excited to get back on track around here, and today we’re jumping right into another round of Friday Favorites.

But first, do you have anything fun going on this weekend? The next few days are jam-packed for us, and of course, the holidays are right around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe that we are already here.

I shared a little more on this subject on Instagram yesterday, and I hope that serves as a reminder to take a breath from the stress and soak in these final days of the decade. We’re doing the best that we can!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend filled with a mix of fun and relaxation (ha, I know). Thank you for checking in today and chat soon!

Fitness Fashion, Safer Toiletries & Holiday Cheer

• Fabletics joggers

I’ve been all about high-waisted leggings and joggers lately. It’s a slight improvement over the temptation to wear sweats when I’m home (sometimes all day on off-days with Skyler), right?

Christine Seamless Openwork Tank // Lenny Cold Weather Jogger

While I would love to invest in a collection of lululemon joggers, my bank account wouldn’t. Instead, I’ve been turning to Fabletics for all of my joggers, fitness layering pieces, sports bras, tanks and more. I really can’t complain about the quality for the price and have been enjoying my membership, which dramatically cuts the costs of all items. I will say, however, that customer service is not the easiest to get ahold of for making changes, such as freezing or skipping a payment, so definitely don’t wait until the last minute there.

That said, I really am living in their joggers at home, around town, and especially on long travel days!

• Christmas tree feels

We’ve made major progress this week, friends. Somehow we managed to get our Christmas stuff out, get a tree up to our apartment, and set it up to be able to say “Alexa, Christmas tree on,” which is so satisfying.

My favorite part of the process is going to select the tree as a family! We ditched the artificial tree once we moved to Brooklyn (because … storage) and have had a tradition of walking to go pick out a live tree from a small lot next to our apartment since 2016. We take a picture, and Scott carries it all the way back and up the four flights of stairs to our apartment. It’s actually a very common thing to see this time of year!

Last year was Skyler’s first year participating (outside of my belly), and this year was the first time that he was able to see all of the trees up close and personal and even help us pick one out. The tree salesman who has been working the lot since we started going remembered us and gave Skyler the cutest mini tree.

He also offered to take a family photo for us, which turned out hilarious after Skyler had a solid minute of a coughing and sneezing spell. Poor guy … it got us all laughing, though!

I don’t know about you, but even through all of the craziness around this time of year, I just love it. I have all of the feels when I stare at the tree at night and would leave it up all year long if it lasted.

• NOW safer-for-you toiletries

You might know that I am on a quest to find and use safer-for-you products for myself and for my family. After touring the NOW plant in Chicago, I got an inside look into how their products are made with a the opportunity to test out a lot of the goods. One thing that really surprised me was how much I loved their personal hygiene line, and specifically their deodorant sticks.

I’ve tried to switch over to more natural deodorants in the past and just haven’t had luck. Several of the brands that I tried just weren’t strong enough to make me feel confident all-day and/or during workouts. But, I am thrilled to report that the NOW deodorant sticks (I’ve tried the Rose and Ylang Ylang and Lavender scents, and they also have and Unscented option) are wonderful. They’re just the right amount of sweat protection and feel so much different than the clinical strength sticks (with all the toxic chemicals) I used to slather on. I highly suggest you give them a try!

I also can’t say enough great things about their Nutri-shave Natural Shave Cream. It’s very smooth and hydrating, and doesn’t clog your razor at all. I’m also loving the price point at under $5.

Last, but certainly not least, let’s talk about their toothpastes. All are fluoride-free, SLS & paraben-free, and gluten-free. Skyler just started using their naturally sweetened toothpaste for kids (Strawberry flavor) and really likes it. And it’s good to know that if he ends up swallowing a little, that it’s at least NON-GMO, paraben & SLS-free. It all just feels so much better for you, and you don’t know until you know … ya know?

You can find all of their products on their website, on Amazon, and some in some retail store.

• original duck boots

This one came as a pleasant surprise after answering a classifieds add in a local parents’ forum! I saw that someone was parting with their worn-once pair of duck boots, since their shoe size changed post-pregnancy. It was a rainy day and the deal was great, what can I say?

(here they are for a complete steal — half of what I paid for, second-hand)

In case you didn’t click that above, you can get them from Macy’s for $32 until 12/16. They also have them in a loafer style if you’re not into the boot look. They’ve been a great addition to my closet for rainy days and even the lighter snow days. I still have my eye on a pair of Hunter rain boots, so that will be my next purchase in the boot department. Eventually.

• Beautycounter portion sizes (something everyone interested should know)

Fun fact, select Beautycounter holiday sets are currently 20% off through the end of the day!

Today I wanted to cover something that I don’t mention enough in regards to skincare and makeup products, and specifically Beautycounter products.

Are you wasting product by using too much of it? Here’s a look at ideal portion sizes for a variety of products. All from the Beautycounter store are condensed, which means you really don’t need that much and a little bit goes a long way. You can expect your skincare regimen to last six months if you’re not over-applying, depending on what else you’re adding in as supplemental, of course.

Anyways, check it out!

I get a frequent question about the shampoo and conditioner, asking if I ever feel like my hair gets weighted down. Not at all! If you’re hair feels weighted down and like it’s getting “greasy” quickly, you might be using too much product and/or not washing it all out.

Also, I don’t know about all brands, but the Beautycounter hair cleansing line works best when you start at the ends and slowly work your way up to the roots. According to the picture above, you only need about the size of a nickel for medium length hair, so the bottle you’re getting should last a while!

I am absolutely loving the Bath & Body products for every day essentials, and think you would too. Please reach out with any questions at all, as I love chatting about all things #betterbeauty. You can email me at beautycounter@lifeinleggings.com, comment on or message me about anything I share on Instagram stories, and/or subscribe to the LIL newsletter to stay in the loop with all of the inside info!

• favorite LIL posts

» Baby/Toddler Essentials For Winter Travels

 Are you traveling somewhere colder this holiday season and unsure what to bring for your little one? Check out the must-haves I would recommend on a packing list for a baby or toddler during winter travels.

» No Excuses At-Home Holiday Workout

Life gets crazy around the holidays. If you’re scrambling around and don’t have time to make it to the gym, give this circuit a try at home. No equipment required!

Have a great weekend 🙂

*Disclaimer: Affiliate links are included in this post and I do earn a small commission for anything clicked or purchased. I always appreciate your support!