It’s that time of year! Another year has come and (almost) gone, and we’re all out shopping for the loved ones on our gift list. Some people can be really tough to shop for, so I hope I can help ya out with my annual fit gift guide. The products listed are some of my favorite things (Oprah ain’t got nothin’ on me!).
Safer Skincare & Better Beauty
The beauty industry’s lack of adequate regulation means that choosing safer personal care products isn’t easy. So Beautycounter developed The Never List™, which has more than 1,500 questionable and harmful chemicals on it—and they’re all prohibited from being used as ingredients in their formulas. When you shop Beautycounter, you’re supporting the mission of getting safer products into the hands of everyone. I’m a consultant with Bc because of this mission, and the products themselves are amazing and luxurious.
Beautycounter Body Butter Trio
$49 for a set of 3
The Beautycounter Body Butters Trio comes in 3 different scents – mandarin violet, fresh petal, and soft neroli. This limited edition trio of decadent body butters glide on easily, absorb quickly, and cocoon the body in scent.
The new and improved thick whipped texture is formulated with a blend of shea butter and sunflower oil leaving skin feeling hydrated and nourished. These pair perfectly with the Beautycounter Hand Creams, which come in the same naturally-derived scents.
Get the Body Butter Trio HERE.
Beautycounter Rosewood Lip Trio
$49
This lip trio features a mini lip sheer lipstick, color intense long-wearing lipstick, and lip gloss in a neutral shade that flatters everyone.
The gloss gives lips a sheer tint and high-impact shine with a touch of natural vanilla flavor (and zero stickiness). The lip sheer is formulated with hydrating jojoba esters, this buildable lipstick delivers an ultra-nourishing wash of color and a polished finish—with a natural vanilla flavor. And the color intense lipstick provides long-wearing, conditioning color and a rich satin finish (plus a hint of natural peppermint).
Get the Rosewood Lip Trio HERE.
Beautycounter Glow & Go Mini Oils
$34 for a set of 3
Perfect for travel or trial, this set features our best-selling facial oil formulas in take-anywhere sizes, making naturally glowing skin as easy as 1-2-3.
No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil: This award-winning facial oil features a proprietary blend of oils, plus vitamin C, to leave skin looking radiant.
No. 2 Plumping Facial Oil: Formulated with aromatic jasmine floral wax and argan oil, this facial oil is designed to replenish moisture to keep skin looking youthful.
No. 3 Balancing Facial Oil: Featuring a targeted blend of oils including meadowfoam seed oil, this facial oil helps restore calm, clarity, and balance to skin. Great for oily or sensitive skin.
This set features 3 mini bottles that contain 5ML / 0.17 FL OZ each of luxurious facial oil. They’re tiny, but a little goes a long way! I never thought I’d use oil on my oily skin, but these oils feel amazing, especially when my skin gets a bit dry in the winter time. And with oily skin, you don’t want to strip all the moisture and oil from your skin. Oil is nourishing and needed for healthy, glowing skin.
Get the Glow & Go Mini Oils set HERE.
Or go for the full size limited edition set HERE and save $69.
Beautycounter The Jellies
$39 for a set of 5
I’m obsessed with these lip glosses! I have one in just about every purse and pocket. Because of their sheer finish, delicious scents, and fun packaging, they’re a great stocking stuffer for tweens and teens, as well as adults.
These universally flattering sheer lip glosses glide on easily and pack a delicious punch. The lightweight, cushiony texture delivers an ultra-glossy hint of color. Sweetened with Stevia, each of the five shades has its own unique scent experience: Raspberry, Butterscotch, Orange Cream, Peppermint, and Sorbet.
Get The Jellies HERE.
Fitness Gear & Must-Haves
Kettlebells
$30 and up
Kettlebells are such a versatile fitness tool for strength, endurance, and fat loss. Although heavy (obvs), they are compact and lend themselves to a variety of exercises, from swings, squats, and deadlifts to rows, overhead presses, cleans, and snatches.
Quality matters! You can buy kettlebells at just about any place that sells sports equipment, including Target and Walmart. But not all KBs are equal. A good quality KB will last a lifetime and be kind to your hands. A crappy one will tear up your hands, chip, rust, even break apart (and may not actually be the weight listed).
Rogue, Perform Better, Dragon Door, and Onnit are all brands that I have bought from in the past and trust. I also recommend taking an in-person course like StrongFirst’s 1-Day KB Course or getting instruction from a certified KB instructor (like moi ;)). There’s nothing like having a trained eye on you while you learn the proper way to swing, squat, get-up, press, clean, and snatch. YouTube videos of questionable quality just don’t measure up.
For women, I recommend getting started with a 10-12 kg. (22-26 lb.) bell and a 16 kg. (35 lb.) bell. If you plan on doing overhead work, a 6 (14 lb.) or 8 kg. (18 lb.) bell would be a good one to grab as well.
(And stay tuned for a kettlebell program from me, coming in 2020!)
The Core 4: Embrace Your Body, Own Your Power
$16
by Steph Gaudreau
A no-bullsh*t, shame-free strength transformation program from nutrition and strength coach Steph Gaudreau that features The Core 4: Eat Nourishing Foods, Move with Intention, Recharge Your Energy, and Empower Your Mind. Steph helps women build a strong body and mind with effective and efficient workouts, targeted nutrition (she has some amazing recipes!), and mindset practices that get results.
I’ve actually met Steph in person, and she is exactly the same as she is online — authentic, caring, strong, and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend her book (and her blog) enough.
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training
by Bret Contreras, PhD and Glen Cordoza
$35
This massive tome should have been called “All You Ever Needed to Know About Weightlifting (And Then Some).” It truly has something for everyone, from beginner to expert, and for every fitness goal, whether physique-, overall health-, or performance-related.
Bret “the Glute Guy” Contreras is one of the world’s foremost experts on strength and physique training, with a focus on the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the human body. Strong glutes not only help you lift heavier, jump higher, sprint faster, and swing harder but also help prevent knee, hip, and lower back pain and injuries.
This all-encompassing guide explains why glute training is important for health and performance, how the glutes function, what critical role they play in the body, and how to design the optimal training program to accomplish your aesthetic and performance goals. This book offers 36 weeks of programming and several training templates for those who want to dive right in, breaking down each technique with step-by-step photos and descriptions. It also reveals the most common faults people make when performing these movements and offers hundreds of tips for getting the most out of every training session. You can implement his system in your local gym or even in the comfort of your own home.
Get the Glute Lab HERE.
Bombas Socks
$12 and up (save 20% off your first order)
I love buying from companies that dedicate themselves to making a positive difference in the world. From the Bombas website:
“Derived from the Latin word for bumblebee. Bees live in a hive and work together to make their world a better place. They’re small, but their combined actions have a big impact on the world. We like that. That’s why our mantra is bee better. We put this reminder inside each Bombas clothing item as a reminder that little improvements can add up to make a big difference, and that your purchase went towards directly helping someone in need.”
For every pair of socks that is purchased, they donate a pair to someone in need. How awesome is that?
Get Bombas socks HERE.
Athleta Under Wraps Headband
$18
Super soft and stretchy, this headband will keep every hair in place during even the toughest workout. It’s mesh underside wicks sweat away and is breathable. And it’s big enough to cover cold ears in a pinch during winter weather.
Get the Under Wraps Headband HERE.
Other Fun Stuff!
Trade Coffee Subscription
$12.50-22 per 12 oz. bag (get 30% off your first bag)
I’ve been doing this subscription for the past 6 months or so, and I love it. It was super simple and easy to sign up — just fill out the short survey about what kind of coffee drinker you are, what roast you like, how you make your coffee, and whatnot. They’ll match you up to a coffee you’re sure to love. You choose how many bags and how often you want it. You’ll save money on every bag and shipping is free.
Trade works with 52 of the nation’s top roasters — from true coffee veterans to rising stars shaking up the industry. And every one of these roaster partners is committed to excellence, promising the highest standards of ethical practices, sustainable relationships, and high-quality production.
Check out Trade Coffee HERE.
Dream Big Mug
$15
And with that coffee subscription, you’re gonna need an awesome mug! I love the hilarious mugs from the talented Emily McDowell, and this Dream Big, Work Hard, Be Brave, Shine Bright, Fuck Off mug is no different. Dear whimsical wooden plaques, Facebook memes, and Pinterest: this mug is a direct reaction to you guys telling us what to do all the time.
And for those of you who would prefer not to have the F word on a mug, there are plenty of others to choose from!
Get your mug HERE.
Erin Condren On The Go Folio Planner System
$9 and up (build a folio with 4 PetitePlanners & save 20%)
I’m a recent EC convert, and I now get the hype. I blame my friend Kristi. 😉 She took me to the EC store in Austin and I went kinda crazy. So many pretty planners, notebooks, pens, markers, stickers, and accessories! (insert heart eyes emoji here)
As much I like the EC signature LifePlanners, I really dig the On The Go Folio Planner. It’s a small vegan leather folio that fits up to 4 PetitePlanners, which are thin, 80-page notebooks (choose from a variety of types — monthly and daily planning, journaling, budgeting, habit and self care tracking, goal setting, pregnancy and baby tracking, meal planning, and more).
I like that it’s small enough (approximately 6 inches x 8 inches) to fit in a purse and travel with (and you can take one or more of the notebooks out if you don’t want to carry the whole thing around). You can customize and change it up as often as you want, which fits my variety-loving personality. I’m going to be so organized in 2020!