It’s been about two years since I had my last really bad panic attack in the middle of the night. I randomly woke up, heart pounding out of my chest and unable to calm down. Leo had to help me relax and eventually the anxiety passed but it made going to sleep a lot more difficult for me for awhile after that. I ended up purchasing a lavender spray to help combat my anxiety and I have been using pillow sprays ever since to help get me in the right frame of mind before bed.
I was SO excited when I discovered This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. It’s a blend of lavender, camomile and vetivert essential oils that help combat anxiety and calm the body and mind. When we went to ULTA to pick up a bottle, the sales associate was raving about the product as well. She said that she has been suffering from insomnia for awhile and started using this product rather than her over the counter prescription and has loved it ever since. Leo and I have been using the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray for almost a week now and we both LOVE it! The scent is so soothing and relaxing, it really makes me want to close my eyes and drift off. I spray it both on my pillow and sheets since it love the scent so much! They even have a Sleep Plus+ Pillow Spray that is prefect for people who struggle to stay asleep. During the night, when you move around, it releases more of the formula in order to continue to help you sleep through the night.
I also want to mention, ULTA is having their Love Your Skin event through the 25th of January and they’re offering 30% off on the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (in store and online)! We all know that getting a great night’s sleep is the foundation for great skin. I can’t recommend trying it out enough! Plus it would be so perfect for traveling too. Does anyone else have a hard time sleeping anywhere else other than your own bed? Hotels are always tough so I can’t wait to bring this along with me when I travel too!
Just making a quick post to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, a happy new year…all of it! If you’re reading this, I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to check out my blog and to support what I do! It means so much to me and I can’t say thank you enough.
I wanted to share these photos as a bit of last minute holiday outfit inspiration! I know it might be too late to order any of these pieces for Christmas but maybe you’re in need of a NYE outfit or dress! Since I am usually celebrating indoors for NYE, I like wearing a dress if I am going out and I just make sure to layer with a big coat! For the white dress, I always pair bike shorts underneath. If you’re looking for a new bra to check out too, I recently bought some pieces from SKIMS and I loved them! I usually prefer bralettes since they’re more comfortable for me! They’re super comfortable and easy to wear. Plus they have new tape that would work great for strapless dresses if you will be wearing something like that.
I also want these photos to serve as some inspiration in case you have something similar in your closet that would work too!
This NYE, we will be going over to our friends house to celebrate so it was kind of fun to dress up at home before in preparation!
Also here are some great categories to check out for some holiday outfit ideas and inspiration (Shopbop is always a go to for me!):
What are your plans for NYE?! Staying in or going out?? Last thing, I have to mention my FAVORITE lipstick, if you’re not into red lipstick, I can’t recommend this one enough: Chanel Rogue Allure – Rouge Ingénue (168) I am wearing it in these photos and it’s my favorite nude lip!
Many of you might already know, but Leo and I recently got engaged! We have been together for over 6 years and have talked on and off about marriage and decided that this was the year we were going to get engaged. Something I have always loved and appreciated about our relationship is how it truly is a partnership. We are in this together and make our big decisions together. Our decision to get engaged was mutual and something we were both looking forward to so of course we wanted the engagement ring to reflect that as well.
I first heard about VRAI from fellow bloggers online and I always was in awe how simple, classic and completely stunning their rings were. I’ve always imagined my wedding ring to be very simple and a piece that would beautifully accompany me through life. Plus VRAI’S sustainable values and practices were another reason we knew that we we’re making the right choice for us. If you didn’t know, VRAI jewelry is made with recycled gold and diamonds sustainably created by Diamond Foundry, the one and only 100% carbon-neutral diamond producer.
When we decided to go with VRAI, I went ahead and picked a few of my favorite rings from their site. I basically came to my top three choices (here they are if you’re curious! Choice one, two and three)
And then I had Leo make the final decision. Basically, I wanted him to imagine he were in the store picking out a ring and decide from my choices which one he would go with. That way, the ring would be true to my style but still have the sentimental thought of him making the final decision….and he did great! <3 I know picking an engagement ring online can seem a little daunting and scary but I assure you, VRAI made it so easy!
They offer a few things as well to help with the process of buying online! We didn’t use this feature because we were set on our ring style and choice, but they have “virtual engagement appointments” where you can talk to someone and virtually try on rings to see what the size would look like and help with your decision. They also have a few private pop ups so that you can see the pieces in person as well but if they aren’t in your city, they have a return policy as well to make sure you’re 100% happy with your choice!
I honestly couldn’t be any happier with my ring. It’s classic. It’s simple but stunning, all of the things I had imagined in a ring and now it’s on my finger to remind me of how special our love is too. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about VRAI or how we picked our engagement ring, I am here and happy to help!
ALSO!!! I wanted to let you all also know that anyone who books a virtual appointment will receive a $100 gift credit toward the purchase of their engagement ring! WOO!!
I can’t even tell you all how excited I am to finally write this post! I feel like this has been an idea of mine for a couple of years now. A couple of years ago, I put out an “Instagram guide to Portland” but a few of the shops closed down so it felt like it was long overdue to finally share some of my favorite local Portland shops just in time for the holidays too! Ideally, it would have been nice to have put this out on Small Business Saturday but I have been so slammed with work and had no time whatsoever. I finally bribed Leo into following me around Portland to some of our favorite shops and I am so excited to share some of the best local shops in Portland! (Please note too: we hit just a small area of shops! There are SO many other great places in Portland we weren’t able to hit so I will include a couple more at the bottom of the post!)
This place is quickly becoming my favorite local shop to stop in, take a look around and plan my next purchase. The shop is absolutely gorgeous (THAT LIGHT THOUGH) and the shop dog is SO SWEET! They carry some of the best brands too such as Paloma Wool, LOQ, Base Range and many more. They recently started carrying men’s clothing too and we found Leo a hat while we were there! I can’t recommend this shop enough if you’re visiting Portland or if you’re a local! There’s some other great shops, restaurants and bars nearby as well. Also just a quick drive over to Burnside you will find the 811 shops! Seven Sisters, HAUNT and more are right in one building! (811 E Burnside St)
I’ve been a fan of this brand for awhile now and was so happy they opened up a shop in Portland. They recently moved downtown and the new shop is so cool. The pieces and structures feel like the pieces are truly on display, almost like an art exhibit. They had some really cute scrunchies and I picked up a brown silk one, just in time for the holidays!
If you’ve ever browsed local Portland shops, Maak Lab probably popped up in your searches. Their shop wall is pretty iconic, filled with local scent collaborations and plants. They do a lot of custom scents for restaurants and shop around Portland such as Tope, Ava Genes and Tusk. Every time I stop by, I always pick up their candle collaboration with Tusk, a local Portland restaurant. It smells INCREDIBLE and I love being able to support two local Portland favorites at once. Maak lab is also now doing Airbnb experience workshops to learn how to make your own soaps and scents! It’s on my Portland bucket list now!
Forever in awe and drooling over every piece in this shop. This is definitely for the fashion and style lovers. SO many incredible brands that I couldn’t even name them all if I tried. Their window displays are always incredible and so unique. Word is, they’re moving down the street but I am sure the shop will look beautiful no matter the location. This is also a great place to pick up J. Hannah Nail Polish! (Saltillo is my fave!)
I LOVE this shop! If you’re looking for some fun new pieces to spruce up your home or apartment, this place is it! They have so many cute decor pieces as well as ceramics! I recently bought some cute reusable straws and a portable coffee mug, both in fun colors and great to reuse and limit plastic use! This shop is just so fun and inviting, definitely a must!
There are so many other great shops we were unable to stop by! It would take so long trying to visit every single great local shop in Portland! SO here are a few more to check out as well:
That’s my little Portland local shop round up! Please let me know your favorite in the comments below! Any great shops that I missed? And make sure to follow me on Instagram (@themoptop) if you aren’t already! I’m always posting Portland content and finding new places!
This post was sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters, but all ideas and opinions are my own!
Who else thinks Christmas and holiday shopping can be intimidating? It’s tough deciding when there are SO many options and when you don’t know exactly what to get someone, trying to pick something can be daunting! That’s when I realized there’s one category that everyone likes, including myself, and that’s self care! Giving and receiving products that someone can feel good in and take time for themselves is what matters. Give me a cozy pair of slippers, some bath and body products and I’m happy!
That’s why I teamed up with MOOD to create this super easy gift guide for the holidays! Use it to help pick out something for a sibling, a bff, or someone special in your life. OR you can send it to someone who will be shopping for you this holiday season! Trust me, you’re going to want these items too…
Ok let’s start with the obvious, this sherpa!! This is definitely the softest, coziest thing I own and all I want to do is hug myself when I wear it. It runs oversized too to really emphasize the coziness (I’m wearing a size medium) Plus it comes in a bunch of colors but I am always a sucker for neutrals!
Next up are side table essentials! These include Lotion, Lip Balms and aromatherapy oils. Oh did you know that American Eagle recently launched a CBD line, MOOD?! I didn’t either until recently and the products are SO cute and smell great! Depending on your MOOD, or the person you’re shopping for, you can select products to go with it! Some of the products I like to have on my nightstand are MOOD energized body lotion and lip salve, perfect for waking up! MOOD soothed CBD infused-aromatherapy oil, essential for those moments you need to relax and take a minute. And then of course the MOOD refreshed lip balm to use throughout the day!
I think it goes without saying that slippers are such a great and simple gift idea! I am currently wearing these as I type this and I don’t want to ever take them off!
Last but not least, my MOOD bath/shower product favorites! These would work great for a guy or girl too! I don’t like to pick favorites but I LOVE the MOOD soothed eucalyptus scrub. It smells incredible and it feels like you’re pampering yourself when you use a product like this! After using the scrub, the MOOD energized body lotion will leave your skin feeling sooo soft. The perfect duo! And another honorable mention is the MOOD refreshed face wash!
Ok that’s it! What product do you have your eye on? Who would be the perfect person to holiday shop these for? Let me know and happy shopping/holidays!
Please note: CBD does not get you “high”. It simply can product a calming or soothing effect without the feeling of a high and is perfectly legal!
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