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The year 2021, similar to 2020, was a rough year for many of us. It was a continuation of COVID, isolation, and overall unsure times once again. I wanted to share some of my favorite things from the last year that managed to brighten up my year a bit, even if just in minor ways.
Skincare
With the stress of the past couple years always front and center on my mind, I’ve found that a good skincare routine is necessary in preventing that stress from ending up on my face. Here are a few products that made their way into my daily routine this past year.
Cerave sa cleanser
CeraVe cleansers have blown up over the past couple years, and rightfully so. As a brand that has been around since 2006 and has an ever-growing line of skincare products, they seem to know what they’re doing. They cater to all skin types, with wonderful products for oily, dry, combination, or acne-prone skin. I’ve grown to love the CeraVe SA Cleanser that is perfect for my acne-prone skin. It isn’t harsh on my sensitive skin and doesn’t leave my face dry or cracked.
Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid serum
When doing research on what skincare products would be good for my skin, I repeatedly read about the importance of hyaluronic acid for hydration. As someone with severely dry skin, I made sure to find a product with hyaluronic acid. This is how I landed on the Good Molecules serum. Good Molecules is a brand that is focused on creating skin-safe products with ingredients backed by science. That’s exactly what their Hyaluronic Acid Serum has been for me. It’s light and not oily, leaving my skin feeling fresh.
Entertainment
oryx and crake by margaret atwood
This novel is one of the last few things I read in 2021 and definitely one of my favorites. It’s eerie how the world Margaret Atwood created back in 2003 is so similar to the world we’ve been living through the past couple years. Between disease, global warming, and general unrest, this book captures the feelings of our current world climate while also giving us a glimpse as to where we could end. I highly recommend this book first off to any lovers of Margaret Atwood, and secondly anyone interested in reading about realistic post-apocalyptic situations.
uno
I know it is probably weird for a card game that has been around for most of our lives to pop up on my 2021 favorites list, but UNO has proved over the past year that is truly is the tried-and-true best card game. Between trying to entertain my younger sisters during quarantine to having nothing to do with friends on random nights at college, UNO has shown itself to be a great past time and easy to have on hand at all times.
snacks
Over the past year, I’ve been learning to navigate some new food allergies and learning how to incorporate this into my diet, especially as a college student. I’ve mostly been trying to cut out gluten all together and avoid dairy when possible, so here are some snacks that taste great and cater to some food allergies.
off the eaten path: veggie crisps
These are my absolute most favorite snack ever. They’re a mix between a chip and a cracker, with a slight resemblance to a rice cake. They hit that savory crunchy mark like any old chip, while being healthier, including being : gluten-free, non-GMO and made with real vegetables. They have lots of variations, including my favorite, the chickpea veggie crisps.
heavenly hunks cookies
My mom sent these to me in a care package a few months ago, specifically the oatmeal chocolate chip ones, and they have been my go-to sweet snack ever since. They’re chewy and soft, but not too sweet. Most importantly they have an amazing list of qualities including being: gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy and lactose free, and vegan!
Those are just some of my favorite things from the past year, things that made my year a little brighter. I would highly recommend giving and all of them a chance!