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Courtney Lizabeth Lately

Did you know that our skincare and beauty items are loaded with toxic chemicals that are harmful to our health? As someone who struggles with infertility, I've spent a lot of time looking into this more and more.  There are chemicals in our products that disrupt hormone activity and compromise egg quality and ultimately fertility.

Chemical enemy number one are phthalates. Phthalates are everywhere and they are extremely harmful. You can do your own research on this, but they have been linked to both male and female fertility issues and they are in most of our beauty products that we consume daily. Disgusting right? I still have some work to do, but I am slowly cleaning out my beauty cabinet and want to share some of my favorite non-toxic beauty products with you. These changes were very easy to implement and will drastically reduce your toxicity levels. Again, I'm focusing on being more intentional and not necessarily perfect.



1 // Lavanila Perfume - Traditional fragrances and products use phthalates to extend the life of the scent on the skin. Lavanila uses a naturally derived marine technology to lock in scent and body beneficial vitamins without the use of phthalates.

2 // Skylar Perfume - These formulas are hypo-allergenic, always gentle, and always natural. They have a Never Ever list that excludes ingredients that are known to be harmful to human health, including phthalates and parabens. I love that this palette lets you sample their scents so that you can choose your favorite before committing.

3 // Lavanila deodorant - Like the perfume, Lavanila deodorant is free of harmful chemicals, including phthalates. They use a beta glucan technology to break down sweat molecules and prevent odor while nourishing skin. Madagascar vanilla beans are prized for their antioxidant, skin soothing, and calming qualities.

4 // Honest Beauty Body Wash - Honest Beauty is a great brand that errs on the side of caution when it comes to ingredient selection and they have created a "No List" that contains over 2,500 chemicals/materials they choose not to use. You can't go wrong with any of their products, but this happens to be one of my favorites.

5 // Grown Alchemist Body Cream - Grown Alchemist is a botanical skin care brand from Melbourne that includes high quality plan-based ingredients. This brand is no-nonsense, clean, green, and uses zero artificial or harmful ingredients. Not only that, but the smell of this is beyond amazing. I've tried so many products by this brand and always can't wait to get my hands on more.

6 // Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Cleanser - This cleanser is so gentle on my somewhat sensitive skin. It doesn't strip my skin and leaves me feeling very refreshed and clean. The smell is nice and fresh.

7 // Acure Seriously Soothing Cloud Cream - Every product by this brand is free from animal testing, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, harmful preservatives, and artificial colors. I use this one at night and wake up with seriously hydrated skin. My skin is tends to be oil prone and this is not too much for me at all, perfectly hydrating.

8 // Acure Incredibly Clear Mattifying Moisturizer - I use this for daytime and it quickly absorbs leaving my skin perfectly hydrated and keeps the oil at bay all day for me.

9 // Acure Radically Rejuvenating Eye Cream - On my eyes I love to mix this with the next product in this list.

10 // Odacite Ba+S Eye Contour Concentrate I mix this with the above eye cream and I notice such a difference. I use these morning and evening.

11 // Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner - Indie Lee is one of my favorite clean skin care brands. It is formulated without a list of over 50 ingredients, including sulfates, parabens and phthalates. This toner contains the antioxidant CoQ-10 to protect against environmental stressors, hyaluronic acid to promote hydration, and aloe vera, chamomile, sage, papaya, and cucumber extracts to soothe, rejuvenate, and promote a refreshed, radiant appearance. It is non-drying and I use it after cleansing both morning and night!

My next post will focus on clean makeup brands that I have tried and love!


Monday, June 15, 2020 No comments




The Best Amazon Finds for May

I'm back with another round of Amazon favorites for you!  This month has a wide variety of items, including beauty items, clothing, and household items!

1 ↠ Pearl Headbands - You get 3 headbands for only $12.99!!  They are so cute and amazing quality for the price. I do not get a headache from these like I do from many other headbands that I have tried to wear and the colors are so versatile! 

2 ↠ Miracle Patches - I was very skeptical of these, but decided to give them a try after hearing a rave review about them. They definitely lived up to the hype! They work so well at drawing out the impurities and I love that they are invisible! 

3 ↠ Pillow Talk Dupe - This lip crayon is under $8 and is almost an exact dupe for the Charlotte Tillbury Pillow Talk lipstick that is a cult favorite!  Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed. 

4 ↠ Kitchen Set - This 7 piece set comes with all of the necessary kitchen tools and is so aesthetically pleasing!  I love the how clean the white looks and they are very durable and good quality. 

5 ↠ Lounge Set - This lounge set is so comfy and affordable. Perfect for these quarantine days. Runs true to size and comes in lots of colors and prints. 

6 ↠ Towel Rack - I love this towel rack organizer for our small guest bathroom.  This saves on space and adds a chic touch while also being extremely functional. 

7 ↠ Clear Studded Sandals  - These sandals are so cute and they are a more affordable alternative to the trendiest sandal of this season. 

8 ↠ Eyelash Comb - Works so well to help prevent spider lashes! I use this daily after putting mascara on. The key is not to let it dry before combing through!

9 ↠ Toilet Paper Holder - This is so chic and a great way to add functionality and style to a smaller bathroom.

10 ↠ Portable Phone Charger - This is the BEST portable phone charger that I have tried. It has cords built into it so that you don't need to carry cords around and also charges itself on the wall. I can charge my iPhone 11 Pro at least 4 times on one charge.

11 ↠ Swimsuit Coverup  - This is such a cute and affordable coverup!

12 ↠ Pajama Shorts Set - This set is so cute and affordable.

13 ↠ Water Bottle - This water bottle keeps my drinks closed as long (if not longer) than my Yeti and it's so much more affordable. The lid has a silicone grip around the straw that also makes it completely leak proof.

14 ↠ Peplum T-Shirt - The peplum detail on this top give it the perfect amount of flair to a casual look.

15 ↠ Nude Studded Sandal - A great dupe for a very expensive sandal. These are so comfortable and run true to size. 

16 ↠ Beauty Blender Dupe - Someone told me that this is an EXACT dupe for the Beauty Blender and I did not believe them. Every "dupe" out there is terrible in my opinion, but this one is as close to an EXACT dupe as you can get. It feels like the real thing, applies makeup like the real thing...and for $4, you can't go wrong!

17 ↠ Dermaplaning Razor - These are way better than the Tinkle razors...just take my word for it. 

18 ↠ Daily Planner - This planner is so cute and the perfect way for me to keep track of my "Must Accomplish" list for each day! 





Saturday, May 30, 2020 1 comments
it's been forever and a day and so much has changed in my life...we'll get to all of that soon enough, but first, I want to know how you are. in this time of uncertainty and new normals, I know a lot of people are struggling. whether it be with anxiety, depression, fear, sadness, anger, or maybe you are fine and just rolling through the punches...whatever it is that you are feeling, know you are not alone. 

for me, it's anxiety. I've struggle with anxiety since I was about 23 years old, but have had it under control for over a year now...until the coronavirus happened. and honestly, right at first, I was fine. I was in fix-it, figure it out mode and it didn't really hit me until last week. and I wanted to share some of my coping mechanisms for when I'm in the thick of it. I'd love to hear some of yours as well - leave them in the comments below or come share on my instagram. the best thing we can do right now is come together.


  1. I practice 4-7-8 breathing. this helps when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or are having trouble sleeping.  it causes an automatic nervous system shift from a sympathetic (fight or flight reaction) state to a parasympathetic response, which slows your heart rate.  
    • sit in a comfy position and relax your muscles
    • breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds
    • hold your breath for 7 seconds
    • exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds
    • repeat as many times as you need
  2. I take a magnesium supplement like this one. it's a nervous system relaxant and a mineral that assists with fear. restlessness, and irritability.
  3. say the following things to yourself:
    • I am safe, I am not in danger
    • a panic attack cannot hurt me
    • I am breathing in enough air
    • I am beginning to calm down
    • I am going to be okay
  4. engage all 5 senses
    • name 5 things you can see
    • name 4 things you can touch
    • name 3 things you can hear
    • name 2 things you can smell
    • name 1 emotion you can feel
  5. drink lots and lots of water. like more than you think you need.
  6. give yourself a timeout. go into another room and collect yourself. breathe, pray, scream at the walls - whatever works for you.
  7. relax your nervous system regularly. with deep breathing, essential oils, mantras, warm baths, meditation/yoga, reading, music, dancing, cuddling with a pet
  8. take care of your sleeping routine. go to bed on time and get plenty of rest.
  9. watch out for 'should' statements.
  10. remember: your thoughts are not always correct
don't forget to share some of your tips below and on instagram! 

stay well!
















Thursday, April 09, 2020 No comments
comin' at ya with another red hot sale! this one is the macy's black friday in july sale + includes a ton of free people items at a steal of a price (hint, hint, everyone's favorite bra is included!) along with some must have beauty items + a quality shoe selection (marc fisher, steve madden, sam edelman, + more!). here are some of my favorites - you can click on any of the items to be taken directly to


shoes



beauty







free people favorites











Saturday, July 13, 2019 No comments
next week brings us two of my favorite holidays, my birthday + the 4th of july so i wanted to share some 4th of July outfit ideas with you today!




1. light blue sweater tank - this is a pink lily boutique find + the color is absolutely darling! at just $34 this is a great 4th of july find!


2. coral + blue romper - this is another pink lily boutique find + is absolutely gorgeous in color + perfect for the 4th of july!


3. belted wide leg jumpsuit - this beauty is an amazon find, is less than $30 + available on amazon prime!


4. red dress - this dress is stunning + a perfect find for a 4th of july bbq!


5. navy stars tank - this tank is navy with little white stars - how perfect would this be for the 4th?!


6. dotted strappy cami - another perfect cami + loft is having a major sale!


7. star strappy cami - the same cami above, but in white with little blue stars!


8. red + blue floral top - this top would look absolutely beautiful against white shorts for the 4th of july!


9. ruffle sleeve tank - this gorgeous find is under $15 + the red, white + blue stripes are perfect for the 4th!


let me know what you think of these finds for the 4th of july + i'd love to hear what you have planned for the day!
















Wednesday, June 26, 2019 No comments
i love amazon as much as the next girl so i'm going to be sharing monthly picks with you! please comment on this post to let me know if there is anything you've been eyeing that you'd like me to try to share with you as well!



1. summer dress - this dress is so cute, under $25 + comes in 12 colors! this is so versatile + can be worn to a summer wedding or with sandals for a more casual look. i would recommend going with your normal size because of the drawstring and the adjustable straps!


2. white canvas sneakers - these are so on trend. if you've been considering grabbing a pair you may want to snag this pair! they are under $30 + have almost 5 stars on amazon out of 280 reviews!


3. kimono/beach cover-up - this beautiful kimono is almost 5 stars with close to 500 reviews, which is incredible! it is under $25 + is absolutely gorgeous in person. i'm currently waiting for mine to come in, but am excited to share the beautiful colors with you once it's here because pictures absolutely do not do this justice.


4. circle buckle belt - another piece that is very on trend, very high quality, + extremely affordable. this belt is a designer look-a-like without being considered a dupe. it is under $20 + has close to 5 star reviews on amazon


5. knot front cami - how many times in one post can i say "on trend" ? but, seriously, this cami is so cute, comes in a ton of colors, is under $20, + very highly rated. definitely a must-have piece for summer!


6. pearl hair clips - this trend is super popular this season + here you can get a pack of 8 for under $10. i feel like this is a great way to try them out!


7. 90 degree leggings - i love lululemon as much as the next girl, but those are definitely a splurge for me. i was very happy to find this pair for under $30! there are close to 6k reviews on these on amazon + they have a 4 star rating!


8. oversized sunglasses - these sunglasses are a dupe for the beautiful pair by karen walker at a fraction of the price! if you love those, but don't love the $200 price tag, you can grab these for under $15!


9. maxi dress - if you buy anything from this post, let it be this dress. this dress is so popular + trust me when i tell you that there is a reason why! it is the most comfortable dress i own + comes in a ton of colors. they even have a long sleeve version! i recommend going with your normal size for a bit of a looser fit or you can size down for it to be a little more fitted at the top.


10. studded flip flops - these are absolutely darling + are a steal! they are a dupe for a very expensive designer version +  they come in many colors + they are under $20.


11. paper bag pants - another very highly rated item that is super affordable + on trend! these pants are under $30 + have 4.5 stars out of 600 reviews!


12. acrylic drop hoop earrings - these are so cute + very lightweight! again, they are very on trend + they are under $10 + come in a bunch of colors!


















Monday, June 24, 2019 No comments
happy summer! every year in may and june we have what southern californians lovingly refer to as may gray + june gloom, where we hardly get any sun during the day, but then the gray skies will burn off + the sun will make an appearance in the mid to late afternoon. all that to say, i'm glad it's finally summer, but it certainly doesn't feel like here yet.

i shared this outfit on my instagram feed this morning + wanted to share details + links with you so you can shop the items before they are sold out! these pieces are definitely investment pieces, but they are very high quality + are very versatile. 



first up, i want to share this dress by rails. i love the smocked waist detailing + that this can be worn longer or shorter because of it. i am wearing the rose stripe color + am wearing a size small. i would say that this definitely runs true to size, so definitely get your normal size. 




my shoes can be found here + are by toms. they are by far the most comfortable pair of shoes that i have ever worn. they are the ibiza sandal + i have them in honey suede, but they come in multiple colors + styles that i am linking for you here. these definitely run true to size, so i recommend going with your normal size. 




last, but certainly not least, is this beautiful bag by jessica buurman. it is very similar to the chloe nile bag for a fraction of the price. this bag is very high quality, well made, + absolutely beautiful in person. i always get so many compliments when i wear it out + would say that it is definitely worth every penny. it is called the bryso + i have it brown, but it comes in several colors linked here. 



i hope you are all enjoying your first day of summer! comment below + tell me one thing you are looking forward to this summer! 






Saturday, June 22, 2019 No comments
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east coast baby living by the sea in southern california with her man + beagle love.

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