Bday Part 2: The Wishlist
With everything going on, I know that I am one of the lucky ones who gets to work from home and self-quarantine. There is nothing that I need other than to stay healthy and hope for the same for the people around me. Nevertheless, my friends, being the thoughtful souls that they are, asked me what I wanted for my bday. To which, I refer back to my on-going wishlist of items that I’ve kept throughout the year. These items include things that I consider to be non-essential but possibly a staple in my everyday life. These are some things on my wishlist.
My bday wishlist this year includes the following(in no particular order and in no way sponsored):
Orseund Iris is a brand that I’ve been drooling over and falling more and more in love with each passing year. Lana’s designs are absolutely chic and timeless and I aspire to get my hands on OI’s tube tank ASAP. I use a simple canvas bag for work, so I had my eye on this tote bag as a way to up my work tote game. (Thank you Aileen for gifting it to me! I love it in cherry red.)
Jewelry Organizers:
My jewelry organization was a bit dated and chaotic. It wasn’t like everything had a place, but I had chains of necklaces, rings, and bracelets all kind of tossed together. I’ve seen how some of my friends use stands or jewelry boxes to stash their jewelry away, so I wanted to take some time to do so too. My mom already has a jewelry box by Umbra, so I followed in her steps and found that Umbra is also sold on Amazon. I ended up picking out a simple brass jewelry stand and mini-storage box. After getting rid of lots of old jewelry (RIP my Betsey Johnson necklaces from middle school), my jewelry finally looks way more organized. Plus, thanks to the jewelry stand, I could see EXACTLY what I already have in rotation to wear. (Thank you, Kristen and Kornelia for helping me get organized!)
Skincare:
When it comes to skincare, I’m very minimalist, almost a bit cheap. I just don’t feel like I can afford to buy a $65 facemask at the moment, though I aspire to be able to do so. Therefore, some skincare brands that I want to add to my collection are:
Glossier: The ultimate Glossier product, Futuredew. I actually already tried it at the Glossier store on Melrose and when you combine it with one of the brand’s lightweight serums, the result is super moisturized, plump skin.
100% Pure: My friend Ivy was the first to introduce this brand to me. They have the cleanest formulas and for the most part, nothing is insanely expensive. In particular I have my eyes on the Matcha Oat Milk Nourishing Mask. Honestly, any beauty product with matcha in it, I’m sold.
Ilia: Usually I’m very hesitant about ads on Instagram, but this product seemed too good to be true! I usually don’t wear any foundation and I know that I should be regularly applying SPF, but I usually forget. So as a catch all, Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 seems like the perfect product. It’s a light skin tint, serum, and SPF all in one.
*Shoutout to Xia and Danielle who spoiled me with the most luxe skincare set from Tatcha. I’m not worthy of such things and I can’t wait to use all the products down to the last drop.
Stationary:
If you read my first bday post, you know how much I love cute stationary and writing letters. Antro usually has the best journals and I miss going to small stationary stores in Venice to gaze at the assortment of handmade cards.
Decorative Mirror:
I’ve always wanted a full length mirror. However, I don’t exactly have the right wall space or the ideal natural light to have one where I want. I’ve looked high and low, from Wayfair to Ikea to West Elm, and no one seemed to have exactly what I was looking for, so the search continues.
Vanity Tray:
I absolutely love how romantic the Fae Vanity Tray is. Where I’ll put it, I have no idea, but it’s definitely an aesthetic that I love.
Breakfast in bed? Absolutely yes! I love these vintage inspired breakfast trays at Anthro. I know both the vanity and breakfast trays are something that I could thrift, but for now, these will have to do.
Candles:
I’ve slowly become a crazed candle collector. Thank you to my friend Kimberly who gifted me this organic candle from Grateful Daily. It smells so fruity and fresh and I can’t wait to burn it all Summer long!
Dried flower arrangements:
While I was scrolling through various flower arrangements to add color to my room, I stumbled upon some gorgeous dried flower arrangements from Urban Stems. This inspired me to create my own dried flower arrangements from the flowers and plants around me. I might just order some pampas grass and dye it myself as well.
Anything sentimental!
Like I said, I have more than anything I could ask for. I’ve been very lucky to have friends and family that continue to love and support me through the various chapters of my life. Thus, I cherish anything handmade: photo albums, cards, paintings, picture frames, etc. I love anything that shows thought, love, expression, and creativity because they’re the things that I cherish the most.
Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment, share, or like! I’d love to know what you think and I aspire to continue to create content that brings people together.
xx
Ella Kol
