I can't believe that 2023 has already come and gone! This past year flew by faster than any other year in my entire life. I think this was because, at the beginning of the year, we were so focused on the process of selling our home and moving into our new one, the months blended together. Then I spent the rest of the year decorating our new home and planning projects, so that flew by too!
One thing about me is that I don't like to think of my goals for the new year until after the new year. I always need the first week of the year to think about what I want my goals to be and sit on them. Same thing with my favorites of the previous year! So I finally rounded up my top favorite products of 2023 in all of my favorite categories: home, skincare, beauty, and fashion!
Every product in these categories is something that I will 100% be repurchasing and recommending! This year I focused on finding quality pieces and products, and I found so many good ones! So let's get into it!
In our new home, there are a few major categories that I have been focusing on this year. All of our decor from our last house worked perfectly in our new home so I didn't have much to purchase.
One thing I focused on was home tech. Chris and I are both home tech lovers so we have a smart home. My most used home item has to be our Hatch Alarm Clock. I did purchase this last year, but in 2023 it became must have for us. I love falling asleep to the sound of thunderstorms and waking up with the gentle sunrise light.
My second favorite home purchase of 2023 is the Echo Show 15. I purchased this on Prime Day, and we have used it every day since! One of my favorite features is that it has Fire TV. We have it mounted in our kitchen. It's so convenient to be able to watch our favorite shows while we are in the kitchen. I also love that it looks like a small Frame TV, so it looks great on the wall.
My next three favorite items are all in the cleaning category. Since our home is so much bigger, I have been looking for things that make cleaning easier. I came across Buff City Soap on a TikTok, and I'm so glad I did. The scents they have are incredible and I love that it is a clean brand. They also have a store in Greenville, SC which is another plus!
If you have been following along on my Instagram stories, you know that keeping our dark hardwood floors clean has been a huge task. I purchased the Tineco Wet Dry Mop on sale during this summer's Prime Day, and It has been a game changer. I love being able to mop and vacuum at the same time when I need to do a quick cleaning of the floors. It's also cordless which is a huge plus. I would highly recommend this if you have high-traffic areas that are always in need of a quick cleaning.
My last most used and favorite home item of 2023 is the Dyson V15. I also purchased this item last year, but it shined in 2023. Our square footage almost doubled in our new home, so having a cordless vacuum was a must-have. I don't think I'll ever have another type of vacuum.
One of my goals in 2023 was to find effective skincare products. I feel like in the last few months of 2023, my skin started to love the changes I made to my routine.
I have never been one to believe that wrinkle creams and serums were effective until I tried one for myself. I was sent the Clinique Smart Clinical Repair serum and let me say it 100% works. I got this product at the end of November, and the fine lines and wrinkles on my forehead are almost nonexistent. I have always had super deep lines on my forehead that makeup settles into, and now they are almost gone. Being 26, my skin is still young, but I know that establishing a good routine now is going to keep it that way! I apply this at night and follow it with the Clinial Repair moisturizer.
Another step I added to my routine was consistently using a vitamin C serum. I have loved the Mad Hippie Vitamin C serum. One problem I have found with some serums is that they aren't layerable. This one is and my skin has been loving it! I apply it morning and night, and my skin is so much brighter.
As you can tell, this year was a big year for serums for me! Peach and Lilly sent me a PR box and in it was the entire skincare line. I have only heard good things about this line, so I was excited to try it! I have been applying the Glass Skin Serum in the mornings, and my skin texture is almost gone. I have always had texture around my jaw and forehead, and with this, I don't! The Glass Skin serum has peach extract, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, and a peptide complex, so it has all the ingredients your skin could need!
I think the most effective change I made to my skincare routine this year was going back to my Face Reality Skincare routine. In the year before my wedding, I went to an acne boot camp that used the Face Reality skincare line and this truly transformed my skin. I slowly phased out these products once my skin cleared up, and I noticed that my acne was coming back. I tried to find similar products, but in 2023 I brought back the Mandelic Acid serum and Acne med that I had previously used, and my skin immediately cleared up. If you are struggling with stubborn acne and skin texture, I highly recommend finding an Acne specialist in your area who does Face Reality treatments!
The last change I made to my skincare routine was pretty simple. I purchased a set of white washcloths to use for my face only, and I think this made a huge difference. I did try out the Clean Skincare Club towels, but I felt like they created so much extra waste. I just wash these washcloths separately from my other laundry and they work great!
Along with a lot of good skincare finds, 2023 brought a few staple beauty products as well!
Starting with the Dibs Duo Stick. This was a product that I had had my eye on for a while before I purchased it. I am always hesitant to purchase cream bronzers because it's hard to find a shade that works for my skin tone. I ended up trying it out in November, and I wish I would have gotten it sooner! I got shade 1 and the blush is the perfect peachy tone and looks incredible on my skin! I also got the brush because everyone says how good it is, and all the reviews are 100% correct! The brush is one of the smoothest makeup brushes that I have ever used!
My favorite foundation of the year was the Estee Lauder Doublewear! This is the foundation that I wore on my wedding day, and it stayed the entire day. I finally decided to purchase it for myself, and I haven't been able to find a foundation that wears as good as this one. It doesn't move all day on my face, and the coverage is amazing!
Moving on to my favorite hair product of the year! I was influenced to try out the Bumble and Bumble Hairdressers Invisible Hair Oil, and I love it! I apply this to wet hair before blow drying it, and it works so well to smooth my frizz from drying and leaves my hair feeling so smooth. I can tell a huge difference from when I use this product. I also love that it works as a heat protectant.
In 2023 I worked on perfecting my at-home gel manicure. I had all of my tools from the times of at-home manicures during covid, but I could never get the gel to last more than a few days. I started doing some research and learned that I needed to be using builder gel to do a hard gel manicure which is what I was getting done at a nail salon. Once I figured out how to apply the builder gel, my gel manicures lasted me two weeks!
The last of my top beauty products from 2023 is another purchase from 2022 that didn't shine until this year. The Donna Karan Deodorant was another influence purchase that I made. I originally purchased the aluminum-free version and I liked the smell of it, but after a few weeks, it didn't work for me. I experimented with a few other deodorants after this and found that there was a version of the Donna Karan deodorant with aluminum. I tried this one out, and loved it! Let's all be honest here, aluminum-free deodorants do not work, so finding this one with aluminum was a huge win because I love the smell!
The last of my 2023 favorites are my fashion finds. This year I did cut back on spending a ton on clothes because I never end up wearing them. I made sure to purchase things that I would wear daily.
My most worn item of the year has to be the Aerie Flared Leggings. I wore these all spring, fall, and winter. They are so comfy and look adorable with sneakers!
Speaking of sneakers, I finally found the most comfortable pair of sneakers that I can wear all day long. I have super high arches in my feet and do a lot of heavy lifting at work. So comfort and support are a huge priority to me when it comes to shoes. I finally tried out the Hoka after being a long-time On Running lover. I first tried out the Kawanna style and liked it but I still needed more support. I got the Hoka Bondi 8 style, and they are my absolute favorite. I know that the look of them isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you are looking for the maximum amount of comfort and support, these are the ones!
Going along with the theme of comfort, I also tried out Lululemon sports bras for the first time. I like the support and comfort of the Energy-style bras! Not to mention the straps are super cute!
One unexpected fashion favorite is this pair of Gold Hoops that I found on Amazon! I have always loved a classic pair of small gold hoops, and the quality of these is amazing! They have a great weight to them to make them feel like a quality piece of jewelry, but they are light enough to not feel them when you wear them!
My last fashion favorite from 2023 is this pair of Amazon Wide Leg Leggings! They also happen to be one of the best sellers on my Amazon Storefront. This style is a dupe for the Lululemon Align pants, and they look just like them. I love that you can dress them up or down and still be comfortable.
It's safe to say that 2023 brought me a ton of my go-to products that I will be using this year! So many of these finds also made the lists of best sellers from 2023 as well, so you know they are good finds! I hope you all enjoyed this round-up of favorites, and here's to the favorites that 2024 brings!
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