May 2020 Favorites

We have finally crossed the halfway mark of 2020, and what a year it has been. There has been quite a bit of heavy stuff going on in the world right not. While I feel it is important to discuss these things openly, that is not what this blog post is about. Today we are talking about something fun, light, and that I’ve neglected to do for a while: my recent favorite things! While this is technically titled “May favorites”, I haven’t done one for a while, so it’s more like my favorite items for the last three months.

Olaplex hair perfector no. 3 ($28 Sephora)

I purchased this treatment during the Sephora sale, and I haven’t had it all that long, but it immediately made a difference in my hair. Unlike most other hair conditioning treatments, this is a bond-builder, NOT a deep conditioner. This isn’t going to look, feel or act like one either, so it may be confusing if you don’t have the right background info on it. Essentially, this treatment is repairing a bunch of tiny disulfide bonds in your hair strands. The breakage of these bonds is what actually causes damage to your hair at the molecular level. Everyone experiences some sort of damage, whether it’s from coloring, styling, or just exposing it to a lot of sunshine. Highly recommend adding this as a regular part of your routine to help keep your hair in tip-top shape.

Start Today Planner ($22.99 Target)

My friend Brooke and I recently gave away a set of these (plus gratitude journals) over on Instagram. If you aren’t following, you should be @amandadev4 ! This planner isn’t a typical one- it’s not designed to keep track of dates/times/appointments. It’s made for helping you breakdown your goals into chunks of actionable steps that help get you where you want to go. If you’re into that kinda thing, you can also check out Rachel Hollis’ other products/books.

Amazon gel nail kit ($50 Amazon – price fluctuates based on stock/popularity)

During quarantine, I’ve been quite bored, which has given me the excuse to take extra time for self-care. Since I wasn’t going to be able to get a mani/pedi anytime soon, I bought this kit off amazon. The polish is pretty good, but the nail light is the real winner in this kit. Alone, it’s almost the same price as the whole kit, and you get TONS of great manicure goodness in this set. You won’t be seeing me in the nail salon anymore once they reopen. Pictured above- two of my favorite DIY gel manis!

Olive and June Everything Kit ($80 Olive and June)

The other reason you won’t be seeing me in the nail salon is this kit. Everything I’ve discovered about this company has continued to impress me, down to the very packaging they use. After watching some of their “mani bootcamp” videos, I’m not successfully giving myself salon-quality manicures. Every product they have is incredibly well thought-out and practical. You could start with their gorgeous polish colors, but I honestly recommend springing for the whole kit if you can swing it. It includes everything you need for the perfect at-home mani. Sometimes, I even cheat and pair this set with my nail light to speed up drying time.

Schwinn IC3 Spin bike ($499 amazon)

My local spin studios closed along with everything else during quarantine, and this bike has been a real lifesaver to keep me moving. While I can admit that I’d love to have a “real” peloton bike, this was by far the best option for me at this point to test out how I’d like working out at home, and how much use it would actually get. It’s a well-made, sturdy bike that has everything you need. I downloaded the peloton app, and stream the spin classes on my phone (or chromecast them to our TV) on our bike. This option saved me close to $2,400 and was a great investment.

Peloton app ($12.99/month, Peloton)

I’ve tried so many different types of group fitness classes and fitness apps, and I can honestly say this is the best one I’ve ever used. At ? a month, you can take SO MANY classes, for whatever your cup of tea is: spinning, running, walking, yoga, meditation, boot camp, and the list goes on. There are plenty of no-equiptment classes as well if you didn’t happen to snag any gym gear before everywhere sold out. They even have a free 30-day trial for newbies to test the waters and see if it’s a good fit.

Charlotte Tilbury foundation ($44 Sephora)

My new favorite FULL-coverage, long-wearing foundation. The shade range is pretty good too. It covers everything, looks amazing on the skin, and lasts through the muggy Tennessee heat. This is NOT for you if you like natural/no-makeup looks.

Kindle paperwhite ($129.99 amazon)

This thing has definitely gotten a workout with quarantine. I have a local library card that allows you to check out kindle books, so I’ve been able to reads TONS of books without having to purchase them, which has been great. I purchased the waterproof version, so I know it will be safe in/around the pool, and when we (eventually) start traveling again.

Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment ($52 Sephora)

I honestly can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try this moisturizer. I tend to get redness in my cheeks pretty easily, so I love that this completely neutralizes any of that, especially when I’m going make-up free. It also has SPF 30, which is a great little boost of coverage in the summer months. It is a little thicker than other moisturizers as you initially put it on, but it soaks into the skin super fast, and doesn’t leave any weird texture/film.

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I hope you discovered something new to love today!

Have you tried any of these? Any reccomendations? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Amanda Kennedy

Follow along on IG: @amandadev4

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