2021 was a huge year for us. A move, a baby, home sales, and a big home purchase. We purchased lots of other things too. Some good, some so-so, and many returned. I will save all of our most-used baby things and best postpartum products for another post. Here are our best home, clothing, beauty, personal care, and food-related purchases and most used items of 2021. And of course, my favourite books. Nothing here was gifted or sponsored. All the links go to sites that ship to Canada unless otherwise stated.
BEST HOME PURCHASES
Casper Humidity Fighting Duvet and Hyperlite Duvet Cover
You know when there’s something that you use all the time that you just don’t like, but you put up with it? Maybe it’s the pen you use everyday that makes your handwriting look terrible, or towels that are a bit scratchy but not old enough to throw out? That was my experience with my duvet and duvet cover. They were rated highly and cost a lot but had reached their life span. I was annoyed by them almost every night. I finally bought new linen bedsheets, a new duvet (it has a merino wool layer to help regulate temperature), and a new cooling duvet cover, and the trifecta makes me so happy to go to sleep every night. Casper duvets have smart details like loops that tie to each corner of your cover so there’s no bunching or shifting at night. Sweet dreams!
Vacuum Seal Storage Bags – Damon is a big fan of these and would try to get me to pack up my clothes in them to make room in our closet, so naturally I hated any mention of these bags and thought they were just absurdly large ziplock bags, ugh. But in my weakened pregnant state he convinced me to put away some of my pre-pregnancy clothes and vacuum packed them all for me. I may not volunteer myself to use them but I can appreciate the concept and I guess it’s kind of neat that you can suck all the air out of your piles of leggings and put them away nicely, whatever.
Bouclé Chairs – I’ve always been a huge fan of sherpa and textured wool so I’m very onboard with the bouclé furniture trend. This Article chair caught my eye and wasn’t exorbitantly priced so I ordered just one to be safe. We love the shape, colour, and wooden legs. By the time we got it and wanted a second one they were backordered, so we only had one chair to sit on for a few months while we waited for the second one. Now we have two and we can actually sit across from each other and talk about our day. We also got the matching ottoman and pillows.
Felted Desk Pad – I installed a keyboard tray on my work desk to make typing more ergonomic, and it made a huge difference but the black keyboard tray was an eyesore. I ordered a grey felted pad for my keyboard tray that looks and feels great.
The Laundress Baby Laundry Detergent – okay so technically this counts as a baby item, but we love it so much we use it on our other clothes too. It’s kind of a splurge, one of those first-time-parent purchases, but even Damon says it smells so good that the smell will always remind him of our daughter. I mean how special is that. He said that he hopes they never discontinue it, and I agree.
BEST FOOD-RELATED PURCHASES
Japanese Water Boiler – If you don’t have one of these in your house, you’re….probably not Chinese? Every Chinese person has one in their kitchen because we are all allergic to cold water. Damon resisted for a while but now all he drinks is hot water so he’s fully converted. When we want to make a tea, make our baby a bottle (this one is key since the water is already boiled), drink hot water, or use hot water to heat up some baby food, we just push a button. We have hot water on demand, and I can’t imagine living any other way.
Moving Coffee – Damon’s favourite discovery was Moving Coffee Roastery. You can’t go wrong with any of their coffee.
Travel coffee mug – Now that coffee shops charge $0.25 extra for a to-go coffee cup, I’m more inclined to bring my travel mug whenever I go out. Since having a baby means your drink often gets cold before you can finish it, an added advantage of using a travel tumbler is that they keep your coffee or tea hot for hours. My favourite travel mug is the small Kinto Tumbler, pricey but beautiful. Damon’s favourite is the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug, 16oz.
BEST CLOTHING PURCHASES
Birkenstock Shearling Sandals (a lot more options on the US site)- These were my most worn items of clothing last year. They were amazing during pregnancy when it was hard to bend down and put on shoes, amazing postpartum when my feet swelled up enormously, and they remain very useful now as I carry around a baby and need to put on shoes easily. These are my first ever pair of Birkenstocks and the shearling makes them a lot less granola looking.
Zella High Waist 7/8 Pocket Leggings (US link here) – I honestly don’t think leggings without pockets for your phone serve anyone anymore. These are 7/8 length, which are the perfect length on me, make my waist look tight, come in a gazillion colors at often-on-sale prices, and have pockets on the side that your giant cheese block of a phone slides into easily. I bought pairs in burgundy and green (they were on sale) and I’m pretty thrilled with how they look.
Tote Bag Insert / Organizer – Damon got me a Tory Burch tote bag for Christmas a few years ago (generous man, he is) and I use it almost every time I go out. It comes with a little wallet-sized pouch but it’s mainly just a vast open space where things fall in and roll around. This tote bag insert is like a little seatbelt for all your items. I thought I’d lost my keys for a whole week but in fact they were just resting in one of the pockets. You can even take the insert out and transfer it between tote bags if you’re a rich person who has more than one tote bag.
$15 Hanes Sweaters – My massage therapist always wears one of these cute and comfy-looking crewneck sweaters that I assumed she got from Aritzia for $90. Turns out they’re from Amazon for $15! Damon and I both went on a mini sweater shopping spree and we each have a few in our favorite colors. They shrink a little in the wash, so buy a size up.
Knix Leakproof Underwear (US link here) – Great customer service and products.
Wallaroo Sun Hat – I got into a great habit of wearing hats outdoors last year thanks to finding a hat I like. Wallaroo hats offer UPF 50 sun protection and feel lightweight and breathable.
BEST HEALTH-RELATED PURCHASES
Nutrafol Postpartum Hair Supplement – I started shedding handfuls of hair around four months postpartum. It’s frightening and depressing to watch so much of your hair fall out. I had taken Nutrafol Women with good results prior to pregnancy, so I started taking their postpartum-targeted products. A lot of my hair has grown back and I’m very happy with it.
Ferapro Iron Supplement 75mg – The only iron supplement to have made a noticeable difference without side effects.
BEST PERSONAL CARE PURCHASES
Best face cream: La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream. I debated including this because I kind of hate that my favourite face cream is so expensive. I wish I could be like, “my most-used cream is $15!” Oh well. I used free samples of La Mer for years until my husband Damon treated me to a large container of this, and now I am addicted! It’s his fault. Runner ups: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream for daytime and Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore.
Best Cleanser: My favourite cleanser was the Sangre de Fruta Neroli & Myrrh Botanical Face Wash that my realtor introduced me to. It’s made on BC’s Bowen Island.
Best body products:
African Botanics Marula Firming Botanical Oil and Marula Stretchmark Botanical Body Oil. They have the most unbelievable fragrance and I can’t get enough. I got them in online from Vancouver’s Secret Location,
Caudalie The des Vignes Shower Gel – I first tried Caudalie shower gel in Paris and have been buying it ever since. It’s soap-free and subtly-scented. Really gentle on dry and sensitive skin.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow AHA Body Cream – Surprise discovery of the year. The scent is a bit artificial but it made a big difference on the bumps on my legs.
Baby Bum Hand Sanitizer – Best-smelling hand sanitizer. Non-sticking, non-drying, and smells like Hawaii!
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – Nothing beats the effectiveness, value and flavour of the Laneige lip masks.
Most used makeup:
I got compliments every time I wore Benetint Cheek Tint, and I think it’s because it gives such a natural glow-from-within flush that doesn’t look like makeup. I used Precisely My Brow Pencil most days, and really enjoyed wearing Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serum, a nourishing lip treatment with colour. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution is still my favourite line of lipsticks, and I will continue to add new colours to my collection.
For eyes, I stuck to my OG MAC Fluidline Eyeliner in Dipdown and added colour with Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Immortal, which also garnered a lot of compliments. It’s a chubby pencil and very easy to blend with fingers.
I fell in love rms Beauty Living Luminzer Highlighter, which gave my face pretty highlights, and enjoyed applying Nudestix Nudies Bloom All Over Dewy Color.
Best Hair Products
Best Shampoo: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo
Best Conditioning Treatment: Essence Absolue All-in-Oil Hair Milk, Essence Absolue Oil, OUAI x BYREDO Mojave Ghost Leave in Conditioner.
BEST SERVICE
The Move Coach – I wrote about our experience hiring a full-service moving consultant here.
Biologique Recherche Facial at Glow Dermal Therapy – 90 minutes of heaven. Scalp massage, face massage, luxurious masks, and more. If you go, definitely opt for the ninety minute treatment. It’s the best thing you’ll ever experience.
Head Spa Treatment at Annex Hair Studio – I’ve been going to this hair salon for fifteen years, and I always fall asleep during the head spa treatment. The service and care at Japanese salons is unbeatable.
Head Massage at Sanatio Japanese Spa – You can probably see a trend in the services I like, haha. I love head massages! My friend Esther gifted me a head massage at Sanatio Japanese Spa for my birthday and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of the place until now! You get a foot soak at the start of your treatment and finish with a hot citrus-honey drink that I immediately bought and have now become addicted to. They apply excellent pressure and I wish the head massage lasted two hours longer.
BEST BOOKS
Books, books, books. Arguably my favourite category, here are the books that I loved last year.
Non-fiction
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City by Andrea Elliott
Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate
Fiction
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
What were some of your favourite purchases from last year? Share with me in the comments!