Cleaning Up My Coffee Routine in 2019

This post is sponsored by Left Field Farms but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

.

Coffee is a huge part of my every day. It's weird to think back to a time when I didn't drink coffee every morning but having my second baby 7 years ago definitely changed that for me! 

.

My health and finding natural alternatives are also huge priorities in my life and I started to find over the past couple years that my coffee habit was becoming a bit unhealthy.
.

.
My coffee intake certainly ramped up in frequency when I started working from home 2 years ago. I began my day with 2 cups of coffee as I sat down at my laptop to answer emails. In addition, I frequented the coffee
shop drive-thru to grab a large iced coffee as a little afternoon break/pick-me-up.

.

That's a lot of caffeine, and because I like my coffee sweet: it was also a lot of sugar! So, I've been trying to clean things up a little bit this year.

.
.

I have tried to cut my coffee routine down to one cup at home in the morning and only an occasional smaller iced coffee out as a treat.
.
I've also been looking for a way to clean up the ingredients in my morning coffee since the coffee creamer I've been loyal to for years is full of chemicals and ingredients I can't pronounce. I'm so happy to have come across
Left Field Farms coffee creamer for a few reasons:

1. Their creamers are non-GMO project verified

2. Their cows are not treated with rBST

3. No artificial flavors

4. Made with real cream, milk & sugar

5. Short ingredient list that I can actually read!
.

I'm really happy to have found this better for you creamer to incorporate into my morning routine. Since coffee creamer is something I use every day; it's important to me to find an alternative with
safer ingredients without sacrificing taste.

.

I found Left Field Farms creamer in the dairy aisle of my local Walmart. 

(Leave a comment if you're a reader from Fort Collins, Colorado!)

. .

So, I want to know: what is your daily coffee routine?
.

Are you trying to cut down on caffeine or improve the quality of ingredients you put in your 

morning cup of joe in 2019?

Let me know below!

.

.

Also, be sure to check out Left Field Farms and learn more about why they are a better choice for coffee creamer.

The Bachelor Recap: Colton's Premier!

Ok, first let's talk about the elephant in the room... Colton's virginity... oh WAIT, production has been anything but discrete about this topic since we met Colton months ago. I've had some hesitations about this season because of how much they've played up the simple fact that Colton Underwood has never had sex. I mean, the whole "what does he have to lose"  tagline- oh my god please make it stop.

Overall, I think it's really neat that this show has shed light on the topic of virginity with big names such as Ashley I, Becca Tilley... and now Colton. It's been refreshing to see a different perspective! I just had to roll my eyes through all the virginity jokes last night and try to enjoy the episode.

Photo Via ABC/Rick Powell

So, night one. 3 hours. Wow. Because I'm a mom of two kids, I usually keep up with The Bachelor on Hulu. This year though, I'm trying something new. I moved the TV from the living room into my bedroom, grabbed my dinner, turned on my salt lamp (setting the mood here, guys) and shut the door for 3 hours. Bye bye family: it's Bachelor/Mommy time.

I liked the way they did the premier this time around. I felt like they mixed it up well with the different live viewing parties, the cute little mashup of all the Bachelor babies, and of course the tribute to Chris Harrison which literally brought tears to my eyes. (I need help.)

Which brings me to my next point... I also cried during the two fan proposals and that my friends is how you know I'm the type of person who gets sucked into a show as ridiculous as the Bachelor...

Limo Entrance Rundown

I can't even believe that I can still sit through this after so many years. I mean I kind of think episode one is a snooze fest every time but I'm a devoted fan so I must watch.

Here are my notes....

Demi: why exactly did she have to say "banana yellow" after Colton complimented her dress color? The next time someone compliments my, uh blue sweater I guess I'll come back Demi-style with, "That's sky blue, baby." Needless to say; I cringed.

Photo Via ABC/Rick Powell

Did anyone else get serious middle school throwback vibes from Cassie's dress? I swear it's the exact type of dress my sister and I would wear to Easter Sunday mass in the 90s.

Photo Via ABC/Rick Powell

Can we talk about Kirpa's hair... did anyone else notice?!? SHE WORE HER HAIR ALL THE WAY UP! She gets major props from me for this very un-Bachelor-esque first night move. Kirpa looked adorable. I love her.

The Sloth: watching Colton's face while The Sloth made her entrance was priceless... I mean he didn't even hide how much he hated this. This must be how people feel when they first see their Tinder date in person and they don't look like their photos.

Top 2 Eye-Roll Moments

Then we have those all those stereotypical Bachelor moments that make us all roll our eyes while simultaneously grabbing more popcorn because we love to hate them every year....

Here are my top 2 eye-roll moments:

The police car rolled down the driveway with sirens blaring and the girls all ran to look out the window like, "Oh my gosh what's happening??" What's happening? Um, a girl is using a police car as her entrance and you all know that perfectly well so PIPE DOWN.

When Demi grabbed Colton immediately after his speech for some one-on-one time and the girls are like "Woah, woah- it's happening now I guess." Some are seemingly shocked by how quickly she whisked him away... Ladies, have you ever even seen an episode of this show that you're on right now? What are y'all confused by and what did you think was going to happen? Maybe a nice sit down dinner before the sharks started feeding?

One-On-One Time

Not even going to talk about the whole Catherine stealing him 4 times and girls getting up in arms. Been there, done that- Every. Single. Season.

                                                      Photo Via ABC/Rick Powell

I do want to make a quick comment on what it's like watching The Bachelor in my 30s. It hit me when I was listening to Miss North Carolina and Colton's convo about how they are apparently mature beyond their years. MNC talks about how she's been through a lot and that even at only 22 (read: basically a newborn) she seems much older. Colton responds with how he's experienced more than some people in their... wait for it, "30s" gasp! My question is; what if you are said person in their 30s who has also experienced and been through a lot in life? Does that make me basically 50 now? Seriously wondering.

Banana Yellow Demi is back... talking about she's not afraid to get dirty and says, "I know, I look so pretty right?" I now appreciate when she said banana yellow and wish she would have stuck with color explanations instead of the whole, "I'm soooo pretty, right??" Gag.

Best Quotes of the Night

"Wow, I really could have done better than a bag of nuts" DEAD

"He needs to know that I'm more than just fruit!" Preach.

Hey, Let's Talk about the Virgin Thing Again...

Alright guys, premier night down. Bringing it back around to Colton's v... well ya know. On a more serious note, I'd like to point out the blatant blasphemy in the fact that if The Bachelorette was a virgin, SO much of this banter would be highly inappropriate and rightfully so! It does bother me how it's ok to poke fun at a guy about this topic. Why can't the issue of virginity be treated the same regardless of gender?

I think Ben Higgins did an excellent job approaching this topic on the Almost Famous Podcast today.

How do you all feel about this issue? Are we really being progressive by mocking an entire life choice?

.... and on a lighter note... spill all of your favorite cringeworthy moments and all your feelings about The Bachelor premier with me below!

Favorite Skincare Products 2018

You all know by now that trying skincare products is one of my favorite things! I am always looking for my holy grail products and really enjoy having the opportunity to try new brands through my blog. My skin issues are having breakout prone and sensitive skin. I am really careful about which products I try and always want to be honest with my followers are which things are winners as well as which products are absolute duds.

I have definitely had my ups and downs with my skin this year and wanted to put together a list of my absolute favorite products of 2018. These are all products that I currently use and love! I hope you find something that might work for you as well!

*This post includes affiliate links. Thanks for supporting me!*

1 / Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil

Delving into the Oil Cleansing Method this year has been one of the best decisions I've made for my skin. I grab this Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil from Sprouts and have found that it works as well or better than any cleanser I've ever tried. It removes all my makeup and doesn't irritate my eyes at all. It cleanses my skin and keeps it balanced when I use it religiously.

My favorite thing about the Oil Cleansing Method is the peace of mind of using a pure oil with absolutely no chemicals on my face everyday! I also love that the oil itself feels so nourishing and relaxing. To use the Oil Cleansing Method, I rub a dime sized amount of this oil between my hands and then all over my face. Next, I use a warm washcloth on my face to remove all makeup and pull dirt from my pores. I repeat the warm washcloth step several times until my face is oil free. My skin never reacts negatively to jojoba oil. If you haven't tried OCM yet; I highly suggest you try it out!

2 / OLEHENRIKSEN C-Rush Brightening Creme

OLEHENRIKSEN is a brand that literally impresses me every time. This C-Rush Brightening Creme is literally amazing and one of the only products I've ever used where I actually see a visual difference. I started using this as a night creme (before I was introduced to their Glow Cycle Retin-ALT Power Serum, explained below) and woke up to really refreshed looking skin. I love that this product is free from parabens, sulfates & phthalates. I notice an actual difference in my skin's hydration and appearance after using this creme; I highly recommend this magic!

 3 / DERMA E Anti-wrinkle Scrub

I am on the DERMA E PR list and I literally love, love, love this brand! They have a standard of ethical beauty meaning they never test products on animals and also care about the ingredients that they use! This Anti-wrinkle Scrub is what I currently use as an exfoliant and I love how soothing and gentle it feels.

4 / SKINFOOD Bitter Green Cleansing Gel

Jojoba oil is my go to cleanser but sometimes I like to mix something else into my cleansing routine as well. I highly recommend this SKINFOOD Bitter Green Cleansing Gel. I love that the Bitter Green line from SKINFOOD is designed to "juice your skin" with green ingredients such as Kale & Broccoli. This cleansing gel feels very moisturizing and I love having a backup for when I'm out of my precious jojoba oil.

5 / Vivo Per Lei Mineral Mud Clay Mask

Over the past couple years I have discovered the magic of charcoal masks! The trick to charcoal masks is that you have to find a good product that really works. I worked with Vivo Per Lei last year and ended up falling in LOVE with this Mineral Mud Mask with kaolin and charcoal clay. The mask itself is so smooth, cool and soothing and it really cleans out my pores. 

 6 / OLEHENRIKSEN Glow Cycle Retin-ALT Power Serum

Another winning OLEHENRIKEN product! This Glow Cycle Retin-ALT Power Serum uses a plant-based retinol alternative. This product feels very similar to their C-rush Creme to me and also gives dramatic visual results (in my experience). When I use this at night, I literally wake up glowy and my skin looks more plump and refreshed. This is seriously a miracle product and I don't use that term lightly!

Which products ended up being your 2018 favorites? I'd love to know!

Happy New Year!