2018 Favourites | Food + Fitness + Beauty and Lifestyle

2018 has been a year of trying out a range of new brands, particularly steering away from conventional, well-known companies and starting to experiment with more natural, preferably Australian or smaller brands.

This particularly comes off the back of investigating more about ethical and sustainable living and continuing to test out natural household and personal care brands. Experienting with minimalism and coming to a greater understanding and appreciation for how much waste even a 'consumer conscious' person like myself creates continues to challenge me to re-think how I perceive the act of buying things.

For more on sustainable living and minimalist, check out the related posts below or head over to my YouTube channel. This has been such an enlightening journey for me and has truly shaped and changed not only the way I buy but the way I live my life also.

Now this pains me to say, but I presume that many bloggers and social media 'influencers' create 'favourites' style content, not for the purpose of educating their audience on the amazing products that are becoming staples in their lives, but for the purpose of brand collaboration and consequently, monetary exchange. And while I appreciate the fact that a girl's gotta eat and money makes the world go round, it does get me riled up to think that legitimate bloggers and vloggers are now morphing into glorified walking billboards (but that's a conversation for another time).

As a result, it pleases me to say, that they items appearing on my 2018 favourites list are there because I genuinely love them, use them and want to recommend them to my readers.

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Beauty

-Coconut oil- It doesn't really matter the brand but if it's Australian and organic, it's on my list. I saw a YouTube video a while back of a blogger using a coconut oil moisturiser. This small tub cost her an unnecessary amount. I buy my coconut oil straight from the supermarket and wouldn't bother wasting my money on a brand-name bottle. A word of warning, if applied to your face, it can clog your pores, so instead I use it on my body and as a hair mask. Cheapest beauty product ever.

-Lush body wash- I am currently using this one. I had never used Lush previously but when my sisters bought me some of their products for my birthday, it was a great opportunity to give them a try. I really liked their bar shampoo and am so excited to try some of their bath bombs, which smell delicious. They are vegan, cruelty free and made with mostly natural ingredients.

-Tiger and Taupe liquid lipstick- Created by my friend Emily Bass (check out my #Girlboos blog on her buzz linked below) of course I had to support a friend. Also vegan and cruelty-free, I know when I use her Mink lipstick that I'm supporting local. This colour has become a daily staple.

Food

-Protein Balls- One of my favourites is by Tom & Luke but in 2018 I tried a range. I buy them from Woolworths in the health food isle and take them with my EVERYDAY to work. These have certainly been one of my naughty but nice treats this year. Tom & Lukes snack balls contain all natural fruit and nuts and are gluten and dairy free!

-Kez's Kitchen bars- My favourite are the choc orange but I also like the protein ones. Very similar to the snack balls and a great small treat for lunchboxes.

-Mayvers Protein peanut butter- Seems to be a protein theme happening here? But I do need to get those gains! An Aussie based company, this little gem contains only peanuts, hemp seeds and salt. A tasty and healthy snack.

Lifestyle

-Stabilo Boss Highlighters- I have a collection of highlighters at work but wanted some cute ones for home that I could use to decorate my bullet journal. These ones are in delightful pastel colours and will help to keep me motivated while studying.

-Whole beauty by Shiva Rose- A fantastic book about all natural beauty practices and rituals. This one is a little bit different as it incorporates spiritual elements of beauty and encourages a holistic approach to health and wellness. This book prompted me to explore crystals and yoga as elements in my beauty regimen.

-Fallen Broken Street hats- I originally 'found' Fallen Broken Street a number of years ago when my sister purchased one of their hats. I thought it was trendy and bought a green hat. I then backed this up with a tan one to wear at school. My partner liked them so much he wanted one of his own, so for Christmas, I purchased him a black hat. While researching for this post, I found out that not only is Fallen Broken Street an Aussie brand, but that for each adult hat bought, they donate clean drinking water o someone in need. Great job guys!

Fitness

-Beats Solo 3- Now I don't think that having 'Beats' the brand per se is necessary, however, since it is my '2018 Favourites' blog, I thought I would include them. These were a Christmas present the year previous and have really made my workouts that much easier. Prior to having these, I would just have to connect my iPod earphones to my phone. The chord would limit my mobility and they would often fall out, making working out rather difficult. Transitioning to these new earphones meant that I am able to move freely around the gym. The only down side, is because the parts covering your ears are so large, they often trap significant heat inside meaning that you are even hotter while working out than normal as your ears often expel heat.

-Gymshark energy seamless leggings and sports bras- It's no surprise if you have read previous posts, or seen my Instagram (@evolveliving_blog) that I'm a big fan of Gymshark. During their Black Friday sale in 2018 I picked up their latest version of Energy seamless in slate grey and steel blue. Not only do I love the colour and details of the leggings, but the material is super soft also. I also find the sports bras better than the previous energy seamless as they allow for greater coverage and have beautiful details on the neck and back.

-Gymshark slounge lounge wear- Another Black Friday purchase. I bought the light grey top and bottoms. While I personally wouldn't wear the set out and about due to the midriff exposure, I probably would wear the pants and a simple singlet. These are perfect for relaxing days at home. Soft and comfortable and when wearing the correct underwear, the pants will make your butt look fantastic!

Carly xx

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