It's a new year, and time for me to share my yearly favorites! I compile this list throughout the year based on the products I use the most over the course of the year. They're all tried and true, and if you read my 2019 favorites post, then you'll probably recognize a lot of these things. I found the list really hard to narrow down because it borders on mundane (you'll find socks included on the list 😂), but these truly are things that I use every single day. I'm using 10 of them as we speak! Now that I look over the list again, I'm pretty sure I've used every single one of these things today... Like I said, tried and true!
This list is a random assortment and in no particular order, so I'm just going to get started! Everything is linked and I linked to multiple places for most of the products, so you can scroll through the widgets above each description to see different options.
Lanolips balm: Although this list is in no particular order, I had to put this product first because if you'd ask me what my favorite, most-used product in general was, it'd be this lip balm hands down. I've raved about it many times, but it truly is the best! It's SO thick and moisturizing, and especially great for overnight. I've been using it for about five years and haven't found a balm that tops it since, I've used countless tubes of it!
Crossbody purse: I've always been a tote bag type of lady, because to be honest, I carry a lot of sh!t around. I've always carried a tote bag as my primary purse, and I would typically only switch to a smaller bag on the weekends if I was out somewhere that I didn't want to lug my entire life including the kitchen sink. This year though, I've been much more interested in downsizing and staying hands-free while I'm out as much as possible because #germs, so this Michael Kors Medium Mercer crossbody has been perfect. It's plenty large for the essentials (it has two main compartments separated by a slim zippered pocket in the center). It also has card slots so you don't have to worry about carrying a wallet if you don't want to. Mine is black, but they bring it out in different colors each season. The strap is removable so you can carry it as a mini bag, which I find nice for fancier occasions.
Pavé huggie earrings: I have five ear piercings (two on each lobe, and a mid cartilage piercing) and I love to wear a slim hoop in all of them. These pavé huggies have been my everyday earrings since college, and I leave them in my second holes 99% of the time, even if I switch out the ones in my first holes. They're subtle and super comfortable; they weigh nothing and don't stab you in the head when you lay down like traditional post earrings do. These are super affordable (under $20), and the come in sterling silver, gold plated, and rose gold plated.
Knotted headbands: I used to think I couldn't pull off a headband, but at some point in 2019 I tried out a knotted headband and it's been love ever since. I wear one more days than not, and I've accumulated a nice little collection! I encourage you to try one out if you like the look but don't think you could pull it off. Amazon has a great selection of affordable basic ones in every texture and color you could ever want, and J.Crew and J.Crew Factory are my favorite places for fun, patterned ones.
Merino wool socks: When it's boot season, these are the only socks I wear! They're warm, comfortable, and soft. I get a pack of them every year for Christmas! They're from Costco and much cheaper there, but Amazon is the only place I can link to them right now. They update the styles every year and honestly they're usually not THAT cute, but I tuck them into my pants and they never show, so comfort is all that matters.
Calvin Klein bralettes: I'm sure most of us would rather not wear a bra most of time, but these cotton bralettes are the next best thing to wearing nothing. They're super stretchy and comfortable, and I wear them anytime my neckline will allow for it. In the fall and winter I'm pretty much all sweaters all the time, so odds are I'm wearing one of these babies. I will say, I'm a 32C and they do the trick, but I don't know how supportive they'd be for girls with larger busts. They're not structured and they're made of a pretty thin material, so keep that in mind.
Robe: I am a MAJOR supporter of wearing a robe around the house. As soon as I get up in the morning and as soon as I get home from work, I throw on my fuzzy robe. I'm usually chilly, so a robe is a great way to stay warm and snuggly at home, whether it's on over lounge clothes or work clothes. I've owned a few over the years, but I've found that inexpensive ones from Amazon do the trick. While I love fancy robes, they're technically not *necessary,* and it's easier to have one that you can throw in the wash and not have to worry about.
Riedel glasses: Riedel glasses might be my second favorite of the year, after Lanolips balm. They're THE nicest wine glasses because the glass is so thin, and that truly contributes to the drinking experience. My most-used set is the red wine glass set, but I also love the stemless red wine glasses, the champagne flutes, the martini glasses, and I got the rocks glasses for Christmas which I'm so excited to break out! While I'm talking about wine, I had to mention my favorite corkscrew and silicone bottle caps to go along with them. This corkscrew has a little bit of a learning curve if you've never used this kind before, but it's much more effective than than the kinds with "arms." It also has a foil cutter. These bottle caps have tacky sayings on them and aren't super aesthetically pleasing, but they're more effective at keeping your wine fresh after you open it than traditional bottle stoppers in my opinion, and they don't leak if you happen to knock the bottle over.
Silk sleep mask: For my whole life, I haven't been able to sleep in if it's light outside. In college when my roommate and I were on differing schedules, I got a sleep mask so that I could fall back asleep after she left for an early class, and I haven't been able to sleep without one ever since. The benefits of silk for the skin are hot in the beauty world right now (antimicrobial, gentle, anti-aging...), so after growing accustomed to my standard of sleeping with an eye mask, I wanted to take it up a notch with a fancy silk mask. I tried the expensive Slip brand silk mask and compared it to this inexpensive Amazon one, and after using both I found that I like the Amazon one the most. It's significantly less expensive, to me, the silk is the same softness, and I like that the strap of the Amazon one is adjustable while the ones from the Slip one is not. If you want more details, I did an entire comparison post between the two here.
Yeti mugs: At this point, I feel like everyone who's gonna be team Yeti is already team Yeti, so I think that we can all agree that these things are really dang good. I started using my 20oz tumbler even more after we got Roxy so she wouldn't be getting into my drinks at night, and I got a couple of the mugs this year for my coffee at work because I prefer the feeling of a traditional mug for hot drinks, but I also wanted to be able to enjoy my coffee slowly without it getting cold.
Alterna Caviar shampoo and conditioner: I started using this shampoo and conditioner a few years ago on the recommendation of a couple of my favorite bloggers with amazing hair. I was struggling with persisting dryness after lightening my hair with balyage several years ago, and I truly saw a difference in the softness and healthiness of my hair the first time I used these, so I haven't used anything else since. The brand is pricey, but I only buy it on sale and I only wash my hair once a week, so that's how I justify it.
Tangle Teezer: One of the major things I attribute to the health of my hair to is this brush. It's much gentler at working out knots than a traditional brush, and my hair tangles like crazy, so I couldn't live without this. I use the original model, but they also have one designed for curly hair, one for fine hair, and one that's meant to be used on wet hair (although I use the original one on wet hair and it works just fine).
Ugg slippers: Last but not least, the warmest, comfiest slippers on the market. Remember 10+ years ago when girls would wear Ugg slippers out as actual shoes with real outfits? Good times. Even though that look didn't stand the test of time, these slippers have! They're what I throw on as soon as I get out of bed in the morning and as soon as I kick my shoes off after getting home from work. They're so comfy and cozy, and I like that they have substantial soles so that if I need to run out to the car or to the mailbox, I can do so without changing shoes.
Well, that's it for my top favorites of 2020! I feel like I'm forgetting things because I have SO many products that I love, but these truly are the ones I use almost every single day, so they've all earned their spot on the list. If you want a recap of all of my other favorites from the year, here are all of my monthly favorites posts from 2020:
January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December
I'll see you next month for a new monthly favorites post, and in the meantime, have a great weekend!
xoxx, Laura
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