Things I’m Loving Friday #222

Friday is here!! Do you guys have anything fun on the agenda for this evening? I’m not going to lie, my idea of a happenin’ Friday night is ordering pizza and slipping into my pajamas as early as possible. (And, if a new Dateline is on my night will be made.) I think we may be able to make this happen! Last night before bed Ryan and I both said we’re feeling a little rundown after a rather hectic week, so I’m hoping this weekend will be a rejuvenating one!

Now let’s move things right along and dive into the usual Friday shenanigans around here: Things I’m Loving Friday! Below you will find a roundup of things that are making me smile this week and, as always, I’d love to hear a little bit about something you’re loving this week in the comments section as well.

I hope you all have the best weekend!

Things I’m Loving Friday

The Detox Market + Samples To Help You Find Natural Beauty Favs

I owe a huge thank you to Katie for introducing me to The Detox Market. How in the world have I never heard of this site before!? The Detox Market only features natural, cruelty-free beauty products free from parabens, synthetic fragrance, BHA and BHT, phthalates and more. (You may see a complete list of their banned ingredients here.) I’m on an ongoing mission to clean up the beauty products I use and The Detox Market is the BEST thing ever for this mission because you can order sample sizes!

The Detox Market allows you to try ANYTHING on their site in a small sample size which is just amazing, especially since lately I feel like I’ve paid good money for a few products that were a big disappointment. I have a selection of four natural concealers coming my way and cannot wait to test all of them and hopefully find a winner. (You get four samples of any combination of products on their site for $7.99.) Can you tell I’m a little TOO excited about this discovery!? I feel like it will be a huge help to me as I continue to overhaul my bath and beauty products.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

I mentioned Lilac Girls on the blog earlier this week but now that I’ve finished reading it, I wanted to expand on the book a bit today. I liked this book and I would recommend it but with a warning that this book is heavy and hard to read. It’s a WWII historical fiction novel that follows the lives of three women (two of whom the author based on real women). Caroline is a former Broadway actress know in New York City’s social scene with a heart for helping French children and families through her job at the French consulate. Kasia is an energetic Polish teenager drawn into the underground resistance movement. Herta is a determined and ambitious German doctor hired to work at a Nazi concentration camp. As the novel progresses and the lives of Caroline, Kasia and Herta begin to intertwine, the story becomes more and more gripping and horrifying. Lilac Girls is well-written, moving, vivid, extremely unsettling and memorable.

Tyler Candle Company Candles

These candles must be some of the most wonderfully fragrant candles I’ve ever come across in my candle-loving days. I actually received one years ago as a gift from my friend Merri and then Ryan will randomly buy me one for Christmas or my birthday so my love for these candles continues to burn strong! (Pun intended… as always.) Every time I light one up in our kitchen, our entire downstairs smells fantastic and feels so cozy! I love almost every scent I’ve tried but my favorites include Diva (terrible name, I know, but the scent is so wonderfully pleasant, fruity, floral and uplifting), Mulled Cider, Cinnabuns (currently burning this one) and Warm Sugar.

POPSUGAR Must Have Box

I recently received a delivery from POPSUGAR in the mail that was filled with wintery treats! The delivery was POPSUGAR’s January Must Have Box and included a cozy pom-pom beanie (I love that you can wear this one slouchy or cuffed for a tighter fit), a BPA- and BPS-free plastic KeepCup that looks like glass (perfect for hot beverages on the go), a cheerful wall calendar, chocolate sea salt RXBar (my all-time favorite flavor of one of my fav clean protein bars) and a NUUN hydration tablets packed with vitamins, electrolytes and clean ingredients. If you’d like to receive POPSUGAR’s next box for yourself, you may use the code SHOP5 for $5 off your first Must Have Box! Thanks for the fun surprise, POPSUGAR!