Modern and Minimalist Ethical Sneakers

In the search for better clothing choices I've had a lot of success with shoes. The newest editions to my shoe rack are these pair of Vejas. When I was putting together outfits I felt like I was missing a sneaker that was a little more plain, but wasn't boring. While I've oogled off-white Converse and classic Adidas, I'm glad I found Veja. 

Veja is a French sneaker company dedicated to sustainable and ethical production of sneakers. For sustainability they use both methods of sourcing natural materials and  up-cycling. The most interesting aspect for me was their B-Mesh. 100% of the mesh is created from recycled fibers and are still waterproof and breathable. Meshes in your average sneaker of jersey just refers to any open woven fabric made either from natural fabrics or plastics. 

I also appreciate Veja's honesty. In their projects section detailing all of their efforts, there is also a section about the parts of the shoes that are not yet sustainable. Nothing can be perfect, but the fact that Veja is open and clear about what they want to improve on is commendable. 

Their sneakers are a great classic piece to fill in that gap in my closet and a great excuse to wear white jeans one last time before winter settles in. 

Dressed in: Veja V-10 sneakers, A New Day cardigan, Madewell top, Levi jeans

Bedroom Redecoration: Bookcase Before and After

Knowing I have expensive taste in bookcases, trying to figure out what to do with this space was difficult. I originally thought I would try a DIY to spruce up my existing shelves and get a long table to stack with magazines and plants. Though I'd love to become a plant mom, if I really wanted to create a space I could relax and be creative in I need something a little more cozy. So, in the end I created this reading nook. 

The main trouble with my bookcase was I had too many books. Books were overflowing, I couldn't fit in a single magazine, and nearly all the shelves were sagging from the weight. To be fair, I'm pretty sure this was a quick fix bookcase I picked up from Walmart ages ago, so it wasn't exactly a purchase meant to be long lasting. 

I went the easiest route of solving this problem by getting two bookcases (though I did donate a fair share of my books too.) Getting two allowed me to get my magazines off the floor (I downsized those as well) and put a few trinkets between the stacks as well. This bookcase from Target is one of the cheaper ones I've seen that are still super sturdy. With some sales I got one for about $60, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for sales and discount codes. 

Bookcase / Yoga Figurine / Pink Vase 

Between the two bookcases I strung up some decorative lights; Another cute sale purchase from Target and it was a way for me to put up the postcards I've collected besides tucking them into some random box. I also had to find a home for these two hats. They're the only ones I couldn't fit into my closet so I took some command hooks and tucked them away in the corner. 

String Lights 

A couple of special trinkets are on the top of the bookcase and more will be added to the other one soon. 

Vase  

Easily my favorite part of this redecoration is this bench. It's a great place for me to sit and read or type up a blog post. There's also storage in the seat to keep all of my tech wires, manuals, and crafting things out of sight and tidy. 

Bench / Slytherin pillow / Books pillow / Rug 

Only one more before and after to share with you and my room is complete. I'm still surprised at how much it has changed. 

Sweater Vests and a Late Night Corn Maze

Working makes it slightly difficult to really check off all of the activities we love to cram into the nice part of fall season, before it gets too cold. Lots of apples were consumed, I drank my fair share of pumpkin spice lattes and even did some Halloween baking. Not too shabby, but my friend and I decided to squeeze in a farm visit for a flashlight corn maze just before the temperature plummeted. 

The nighttime chill was a great chance for me to start digging into my sweaters. I love a good sweater vest because they make for some interesting layering. It'll come in handy come January when I'm tired of wearing the same sweater and jeans combo everyday. 

Dressed in: J Crew tunic, Madewell sweater vest, Gap jeans, Palladium boots 

4 Cruelty Free Products for Your Bathroom Cabinet and 1 to Avoid

It's been a little over a year since I decided to genuinely switch all my beauty products to cruelty free brands, and I'm in a good spot right now. I feel like I've gotten over the first bit of frustration trying to remember which brands are cruelty free, who has a parent company, and running into loads of lackluster products. Now, I usually know which brands to go for, and though I'm still up for experimenting with new products, particularly natural and zero waste items, I've found some brands I absolutely love.  

Yes To is easily the holy grail brand I've found on this journey. I've already spoken about their awesome shampoos, but the Yes to Carrots daily moisturizer is another product I now can't live without. Having oily skin, I struggle with finding moisturizers that aren't too light but aren't too heavy. This one is that perfect inbetween, and comes with the bonus of having SPF and a fragrance free version. A super win for combination, sensitive, and acne prone skin. 

Giving up my Nivea lip balm has been super sad, but I started off trying the more natural and cruelty free variety with S.W. basics peppermint lip balm from the set.  I have to say, though this is good it's not my favorite. I love S.W. Basics ethos of trying to keep the ingredients simple and as few as possible, but I felt like it was missing something. It's super moisturizing with shea butter and coconut oil but there's nothing to keep it from smearing all over your face. That's great right before bed but impossible to wear under lipstick. 

In my heart I know I'll always return to Yes To's shampoo and conditioner, but I decided to take a stroll on the high end side with Verb Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner. Nothing super exciting here, but it was a solid combo. The shampoo is clarifying, but not stripping and the conditioner is a thick cream, which is great for anyone with super dry hair. 

   

Shower gel isn't exactly exciting, but Alba Botanica very emollient shower gel is quite nice. It's moisturizing and a great fragrance, though I think it's time for a more fall appropriate smell. Shave gel is also pretty boring, but Pacifica Shave Whip is rather disappointing. It's not really whipped, as the name might suggest. Rather it's a thin, lotion-like consistency that disappears with the smallest amount of water. Not exactly useful when you're trying to shave your legs. 

So the search for a shaving gel is still on, but the rest are solid options next time I'm stocking up on bath essentials.