A little beauty, a little wellness, a little everyday convenience, and a few things making life better lately.
Well, here we are in November! And somehow, we're already approaching the end of another year. I don't know about y'all, but I feel like I blinked and October was over.
Anyway, we're back with another edition of Tajuana Approved, where I share some of the products, books, and everyday finds that have earned my personal stamp of approval.
And when I say a little bit of everything, I mean it. We're talking skincare, workout clothes, coffee (because obviously), things that make motherhood a little easier, and a few books that deserve their flowers.
Some of these things are recent discoveries, while others have been part of my routine for a while. The common denominator? I genuinely enjoy them, and I figured I'd share the love.
So grab your coffee, tea, or whatever you're sipping on, and let's get into it!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, including links to Amazon and Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own, and I only recommend products and books I genuinely enjoy.
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Beauty & Self-Care
Jade Roller & Gua Sha Set
I use both my jade roller and gua sha every single morning, and they've become essential parts of my skincare routine.
I love using them to help reduce morning puffiness, but honestly, I also love how they feel against my skin. There's something about taking a few minutes to massage my face that makes the whole skincare experience feel a little more luxurious.
It's a small moment of self-care before the day gets going, and I look forward to it.
Tajuana Approved? Absolutely. Both tools have earned their place in my morning routine.
Shop the Jade Roller & Gua Sha Set on Amazon
e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
Listen. The way this cleansing balm MELTS onto my face?!
I love the sensation of it slowly dissolving my makeup, skincare products, and whatever else has accumulated on my face throughout the day.
It feels like I'm literally melting the day away, which, depending on the kind of day I've had, is exactly what I need.
It's become one of my favorite parts of my evening skincare routine because it makes removing everything feel less like another chore and more like a little treat.
Tajuana Approved? Yes, ma'am. The melting sensation alone does it for me.
Shop e.l.f. Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm on Amazon
CeraVe Eye Repair Cream
Let me tell y'all something. I have not had a full night's sleep since I found out I was pregnant with my oldest child. That was EIGHT years ago.
EIGHT.
So yes, the bags under my eyes are very much present. They're practically permanent fixtures on my face.
I use this eye cream during both my morning and evening skincare routines, and while it certainly hasn't erased eight years of motherhood-induced sleep deprivation, I love that it helps my under-eye area look a little more refreshed.
Sometimes I just want to look like I got some sleep, even when we all know I didn't.
Tajuana Approved? Absolutely. Anything that helps me look a little more put together is welcome in this house.
Shop CeraVe Eye Repair Cream on Amazon
Fitness & Wellness
Old Navy Extra-High Waisted PowerSoft Boundless 7/8 Pocket Leggings – No Front Seam
Y'ALL.
I have found leggings that actually FIT ME.
And I don't mean the kind of fit where I'm constantly adjusting them, pulling them up, or wondering why I thought wearing them was a good idea.
I mean they FIT.
I've been spending more time in the gym lately, working with a personal trainer, and finding workout clothes that feel comfortable on my body has become increasingly important.
These leggings have earned my approval, and now I want them in EVERY color.
Because why not?!
Tajuana Approved? Absolutely. Give me all the colors.
Shop the PowerSoft Boundless Leggings at Old Navy
Old Navy Bestee Crop T-Shirt
And what am I wearing with those leggings? This crop top!
Turning 40 has brought a lot of changes, including a renewed commitment to taking care of myself physically.
I've started working with a personal trainer, and part of this journey has been learning to love and appreciate my postpartum body.
Not the body I had before children. Not some imaginary future version of myself.
The body I have RIGHT NOW.
And believe it or not, something as simple as finding workout clothes I genuinely enjoy wearing has helped me feel more comfortable and confident in the gym.
I love pairing this shirt with my leggings, and I feel like I'm entering a whole new era of myself.
HELLO, 40!
Tajuana Approved? Yes! Comfortable clothes, growing confidence, and learning to appreciate this body that's carried me through so much.
Shop the Bestee Crop T-Shirt at Old Navy
Home & Everyday Life
Ninja DualBrew Coffee Maker
I love coffee. I love making coffee. And apparently, I also love listening to coffee being made.
This Ninja DualBrew has become one of my favorite kitchen appliances.
It's user-friendly, gives me the flexibility of brewing a single cup or a full pot, and is genuinely fun to use.
But one of my favorite things is hearing the coffee brewing while I'm doing other things in the kitchen.
There's just something about that sound that makes me happy.
It's the little things, y'all.
Tajuana Approved? Absolutely. Coffee and convenience? Say less.
Shop the Ninja DualBrew Coffee Maker on Amazon
Eight O'Clock Coffee – The Original K-Cup Pods
Now that we've discussed the coffee maker, let's talk about what's going IN it.
Eight O'Clock's The Original is one of my favorite K-Cup coffees.
It's delicious, smooth, and just an all-around enjoyable cup of coffee.
I'm not about to turn this into some elaborate coffee-tasting review where I start describing mysterious flavor notes.
I just know what tastes good to me, and this one does.
Tajuana Approved? Yes! A consistently good cup of coffee.
Shop Eight O'Clock The Original K-Cups on Amazon
Joy Ease 2-Tier K-Cup Organizer — AKA The Communal Carousel
Let me introduce y'all to what I'm officially calling The Communal Carousel.
At work, we LOVE our coffee. And when I say we, I mean my coworkers and me.
We have developed a little community around our shared caffeine addiction, and honestly, it's beautiful.
I use this two-tier rotating K-Cup holder at work to store my personal coffee pods along with the ones my coworkers bring in.
We all contribute to keeping the coffee flowing, and this organizer gives everything a designated home.
It's practical, convenient, and a small part of our office coffee culture.
Tajuana Approved? Absolutely. Teamwork makes the coffee work.
Shop the Joy Ease K-Cup Organizer on Amazon
Motherhood Survival Kit
Lomrisul Adhesive Wall Hooks — Clear, 10-Pack
One thing about me? I believe children are never too young to start learning responsibility.
Now, before anybody gets carried away, I'm not expecting my four-year-old to start doing his own laundry.
But putting away his book bag and hanging up his bath towel? Absolutely.
I installed these adhesive hooks in my boys' rooms at heights they can comfortably reach.
They have designated places to hang their school bags and bath towels, and I love that this gives them opportunities to practice independence.
Small responsibilities add up, and I'm all about helping them learn to take care of their own things.
Tajuana Approved? Yes! Teaching responsibility, one hook at a time.
Shop Lomrisul Adhesive Wall Hooks on Amazon
Ruipbote Wall-Hanging Storage Baskets
Another little organizational find for the boys' rooms!
I use these hanging storage baskets to give their school papers a designated place.
Because if you have school-aged children, you already know the amount of paper that comes home is something else.
Worksheets. Announcements. Artwork. More worksheets.
WHERE IS IT ALL COMING FROM?!
Having a specific place for their papers helps keep things organized and gives the boys another opportunity to put their belongings where they belong.
Tajuana Approved? Yes! Less paper floating around the house is always a win.
Shop Ruipbote Wall-Hanging Storage Baskets on Amazon
Woyinger AirPods Case
This one is technically for me, but I'm including it in the Motherhood Survival Kit because sometimes the person who needs help keeping track of her belongings is MOM.
I use this AirPods case to help keep track of my AirPods.
That's it. That's the recommendation.
Between work, motherhood, and everything else happening in my brain on any given day, I appreciate anything that helps me keep up with my stuff.
Tajuana Approved? Yes. Because I have enough things to look for throughout the day.
Shop the Woyinger AirPods Case on Amazon
Books
Now, y'all know I couldn't do a Tajuana Approved roundup without talking about books.
I've had some really good reads lately, and these three all earned five stars from me.
Blacktop Wasteland
by S.A. Cosby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 5/5
I LOVE S.A. Cosby.
And Blacktop Wasteland did not disappoint.
I loved the story, but I also have to give some recognition to the audiobook narration.
One of the things I appreciate about Cosby's audiobooks is the narrator he uses. I genuinely enjoy listening to his stories, and the narration adds so much to the experience.
If you're into crime fiction, this is one I'd absolutely recommend.
Tajuana Approved? FIVE STARS!
Shop Blacktop Wasteland on Bookshop.org
The Calamity Club
by Kathryn Stockett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 5/5
Let me start by saying this book was LONG.
But was it worth it?
ABSOLUTELY.
I loved the storyline, and one of my favorite aspects was the historical setting in the 1930s South.
There's something about historical fiction that pulls me in, especially when the story gives me an opportunity to immerse myself in another time period.
This was an interesting, engaging read, and even with its length, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Tajuana Approved? Five stars. The length was worth it!
Shop The Calamity Club on Bookshop.org
Flirting Lessons
by Jasmine Guillory
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 5/5
I just LOVE Jasmine Guillory.
Her books are exactly what I need when I've been spending too much time reading thrillers, mysteries, and all things dark.
Sometimes my brain needs a little break from murder, suspense, and people making terrible decisions. Enter Jasmine Guillory.
Flirting Lessons was such a cute, fun romantic comedy, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
It was the perfect palate cleanser, and sometimes that's exactly what I want from a book.
Tajuana Approved? Five stars and a much-needed break from the darkness!
Shop Flirting Lessons on Bookshop.org
The Wildcard
Because not everything fits neatly into a category, and honestly, why should it?
SmartyPants Kids Gummy Multivitamins
These are hands down the best gummy vitamins I've found for my seven-year-old and four-year-old.
And the best part? THEY LOVE THEM.
If you have children, you understand how exciting it is to find something you want them to take that they actually enjoy taking.
No convincing. No negotiating. No dramatic performances.
Just two kids who genuinely like their vitamins.
A win for them and a win for me!
Tajuana Approved? Absolutely. One less thing to argue about? I'll take it.
Shop SmartyPants Kids Gummy Multivitamins on Amazon
DicraoLea 16 oz Overnight Oats Containers — 6-Pack
I use these mason jars every single week for my overnight oats, and I love them!
They're practical, reusable, and the colorful lids make the whole thing a little more fun.
Sometimes finding a product that works well with something you already do regularly is enough to earn a recommendation. And that's exactly what happened here.
These have become part of my weekly routine, and I'm very happy about it.
Tajuana Approved? Yes! Cute, colorful, and useful.
Shop DicraoLea Overnight Oats Containers on Amazon
And That's a Wrap!
And there you have it! Another edition of Tajuana Approved in the books.
I love putting these roundups together because they remind me that sometimes it's the smallest things that make our days a little better.
A skincare product that feels amazing. Workout clothes that actually fit. A good cup of coffee. A book you can't stop thinking about. Or a simple organizational find that makes motherhood just a little less chaotic.
None of these things are life-changing on their own, but they all add something positive to my everyday routine.
And at this stage of my life, I'm learning to appreciate those little things more and more.
So now I want to hear from YOU! What's something you've been loving lately? A product, a book, a random Amazon find, or something that has made your life a little easier?
Share it in the comments because I'm always looking for new things to try!
Until next time, take care of yourselves, enjoy the little things, and remember that you deserve to have things in your life that make you feel good, too!
With love,
Tajuana
