The Badass Writer/ The Badass Holiday Gift Guide 2018

The Badass Holiday Gift Guide 2018

The Best Badass Beauty, Books and Lifestyle Presents for the Ones You Love!

To make your holiday shopping a little easier and a a lot more fun, I’ve put together this thoughtful little list of presents for you to check off for those people in your life who’ve been deliciously naughty and nice…

Ecuadane Christmas Blanket    $149.99

I usually don’t get excited about blankets, but this is an exception. I am simply astounded by the immense quality of my Ecuadane Christmas Blanket! It is surprisingly large, and beautifully made. Its utter softness adds that touch of hygge we all crave during the fall and winter months and we couldn’t get cozier. As I look around, all wrapped up and snug, I notice that the Christmas Blanket also adds a fabulous touch to my living room decor. When you order, your blanket will arrive thoughtfully wrapped, with a tan leather label sewn onto the blanket itself. Adding a special touch, it even comes with its own comb, so you can gently smooth out the alpaca fibers. This blanket is absolutely incredible and I would certainly add it to my holiday shopping list if I were you. You will want one for yourself as well as for a family member, very close friend or business associate. It certainly makes an impression! This is not one of those inexpensive throws you can purchase at Ross, Marshalls or Home Goods.

To order and see all of their other beautiful Ecuadane “The Everywhere Blanket” designs, visit www.ecuadane.comor www.amazon.com.

Dr. Brandt Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask.     $52.00

Make this face mask a part of your nightly skin care regimen. Gel-based, it leaves your skin harmoniously hydrated, soft and smooth while it becomes beautifully balanced by locking in much-needed moisture this time of year.  Leave it on all night and you’ll wake up to a fresher complexion with lessened signs of redness and irritation. It leaves your skin plump, hydrated and supple. Amazing!

The Organic Skin Co. Lip Service              $34.50

Confident, calm, exuberant, restrained – you get to decide who you are. You get to bring it. And these beautifully colored organic lipsticks can help you express yourself.

Introducing The Organic Skin Co. from New Zealand: a new skincare and color cosmetics brand designed to change the way you think about beauty.  Luxurious, fun, and eco-responsible. Fiercely organic — yet glamorous.

Offered in a range of shades that you can match to the moment, these lipsticks will care for your lips even as you head out into the world, your smile filled with all the authority and confidence of someone who knows who she is and where she’s going.

Cruelty-free, these top-of-the-line organic lipsticks are beautifully made with organic calendula and rosemary supercritical extracts and the color and staying power is wonderful! My favorite shades are Wisteria and Flame (shown above).

Greenwell Farms Coffee    $18.95 + 

Wake up with excellent Kona coffee and a legacy in your cup! In 1850, Henry Nicholas Greenwell left England to pursue a new life in Kealakekua, Hawaii, which today is known as the Heart of Kona. Mr. Greenwell was later joined by his wife, Elizabeth Caroline, and the couple would spend the next 40 years farming, ranching and producing Kona Coffee. Eventually, the Greenwell’s one-of-a-kind coffee would catch the attention of coffee lovers around the world.

Today, the company maintains coffee orchards on 85 acres, is developing new farms, and it controls and manages another 60 acres of coffee for other land owners. As one of the largest and oldest coffee producers in Kona, Greenwell Farms is proud to celebrate its history and spread the spirit of aloha with every cup.

Mirakle Cream from A Better Skin Company        $22.10-$34.00

The cult favorite. Genius in a Jar. The Better Skin Co. Better Skin Mirakle Cream is a one-stop, skin-loving, problem-solving, all-purpose cream. This ingredient rich recipe, imported from the Republic of Uzbekistan, is handcrafted in the USA with love and beautiful ingredients such as coconut oil, sea buckthorn, shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe, and soothing algae to help moisturize the skin. Peptides and hyaluronic acid help skin appear smoother, more youthful and radiant. For all skin types, women & men.

Key Benefits:

• Reduces the appearance of visible signs of aging
• Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Increase in radiance and luminosity
• Assist in hydrating the skin
• Soothes dry skin
• May reduce the appearance of sun spots, age spots and dark spots
• Paraben-free, gluten-free and vegan

Lava Magick from a Better Skin Company          $20.80-$32.00

From The Better Skin Co., Lava Magik is a daily cleanser, exfoliating scrub and revitalizing mask. Skin cleansing volcanic lava from France enriched with nourishing calendula, sweet orange and grapeseed oils, cucumber, parsley, and chamomile for healthy radiant, more youthful looking skin.

Key Benefits:

• May be used as a cleanser, scrub & mask
• Buffs away dead skin cells creating the appearance of a more youthful looking glow
• Rich in minerals
• Minimizes appearance of pores
• Increases the appearance of radiant skin

Joyce Miracle Elixer Collection               $29.50 +

Do you ever grow tired of using the same old shampoo? Or even worse, find yourself trying multiple shampoos and hair products and ending up frustrated and dissatisfied? Well I’ve been there, too. I was on major shampoo burn-out when thankfully someone heard my prayers and I received a package of Joyce Miracle Elixer Collection hair care. I was instantly intrigued that this product line contained precious oils for healthy hair, and none of the dangerous chemicals found in so many products today. Moreover, after washing, conditioning and adding serum, my hair was beyond soft and shiny. I felt like royalty. The secret is in her special blend— each and every one of Joyce’s hair products features all of the oils from her exclusive Pure4 blend formula, including Buruti Oil, Maracuya Oil, Argan Oil and Moringa Oil.

Beautify your hair with Joyce’s Moisture & Shine Shampoo, Joyce’s Miracle Elixir Nourishing Conditioner, and the highly-coveted Joyce’s Pure4 Ultra-Nourishing Gold Hair Serum.

Bodyography Professional Cosmetics AM/PM Moisturizer    $49.00

I just adore this moisturizer! It’s a light and luxurious cream formulated to moisturize, firm, and lift the skin for a bright and youthful appearance. Linoleic Acid helps to calm and moisturize the skin, while peptides and essential fatty acids provide anti-aging benefits, create soft, youthful skin, and protect against breakouts. This AM/PM Moisturizer will help retain the moisture in your skin providing a supple elasticity with the help of powerful amino acids.

Moroccan Gold Treatment Mask    $49.00

This hair mask is simply fabulous—it leaves your mane impeccably soft. It also restores hair from damage caused by climate change and water while rejuvenating hair that has been damaged by chemical treatments, such as hair dye and highlights.

Moroccan Gold Series’ goal is to produce the most luxurious line of argan oil hair products in the industry. The company improved upon the product their competition was offering in order to create the best results for all those who use their product. The founders teamed with chemists to create the perfect blend of ingredients, eliminating the negative elements that other hair products caused. This led to the creation of the highest quality argan oil hair products now available through Moroccan Gold Series.

Trader Joe’s Pet Advent Calendar          $6.00

This is too cute! Trader Joe’s is making it easy for Fido to get in on the festivities this holiday season. Everyone’s favorite neighborhood grocery store now sells edible holiday advent calendars for dogs, filled with salmon and sweet potatoes treats so take this time to run, not walk, to your nearest Trader Joe’s before the pup-approved present sells out for good.

Badass Books

Barefoot Luxury, Mexican Resort Living  by Sandra Espinet, $45.00

Baja is known for its resorts and the ultimate in warm-weather relaxation. In her second book, author and interior designer Sandra Espinet knows all about this elegant style as she designs insanely gorgeous home interiors in Mexico’s high-end resort communities for the extravagantly wealthy. As a designer, Espinet has developed a signature style that assures ease and comfort while answering her affluent clients’ desires for plush, imaginative decor. Escape to the warm weather, glorious sunsets, and grandeur of Mexican luxury living. This is a fabulous coffee table book and makes the perfect gift for those who appreciate beauty in home décor.

The Gifted Journey: Five Transformative Steps to Uncovering Your Unique Path, by Stephanie Moore, $16.99

Each of us possesses our own unique strengths, but most go unrecognized. By ignoring the potential within, you may be walking a path that feels tiresome, unduly difficult, and unfulfilling. The Gifted Journey is a five-step guide toward uncovering the gifts that set YOU apart and learning how to maximize them for a more fulfilled and more purposeful future.

Gallup-certified strengths coach Stephanie Moore brings her proven method for finding, and living, a path of true joy and fulfillment in The Gifted Journey: Five Transformative Steps to Uncovering Your Unique Path. 

Moore stays focused on all things positive, as she introduces her actionable five-step process designed to help readers Discover, Discern, Dream, Design and Do what they were always meant to do based upon their natural strengths—their gifts.

Each of the five steps contains exploratory exercises that walk readers through personal reflection and the gathering of objective perspectives from trusted colleagues and friends. The result is a blend of self-assessments and external input that makes The Gifted Journey uniquely adaptable to the needs of each individual.

The Gifted Journey is for anyone questioning their direction in life, including those about to apply for colleges, those just starting out in their careers, downsizing statistics, or those who are simply unhappy with their current path and need some course correction.  For more information, please visit www.thegiftedjourney.com. Available from Amazon.com and other book retailers.

Cooking, Making, and Baking by Cynthia O’Hara, $24.95

From the creative mind of the “Harried Housewife” blog comes a beautifully packaged one-stop-shop book bursting with DIY recipes and ideas for the entire year! Cooking, Baking, and Making includes 60 DIY recipes with bonus designs and 40 DIY ideas that tie your home together for all 365 days. For spring, serve Herbed Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and a make a Spring Centerpiece as you watch the flowers bloom. In the hot summer, delight your guests with Fresh Berries and Cannoli Cream and make your own decorative coasters. In autumn, admire the turning leaves as you bake Dilled Beer and Cheddar Bread and make Autumn Harvest Potpourri. And in winter, enjoy Creamy Eggnog Cupcakes and make Festive Votives while snuggling by the fire. Cynthia O’Hara presents incredibly user-friendly projects and dishes that make replicating her flavors and designs as natural as the changing of the seasons. The Harried Housewife has written articles and developed a wide variety of recipes that reflect a simpler time and are ideal for budget-conscious families. Get this book on Amazon!

Badass Women Give the Best Advice by Becca Anderson, $15.95

Women’s Studies scholar Becca Anderson has gathered the wisdom from a chorus of fabulous femmes for this one-of-a-kind advice book. From housewives to Hollywood starlets, from standup comedians to startup entrepreneurs, from feminists to Facebook queens, these badass women offer unvarnished and unabashed opinions about love, life, word, men, and sex and share their very frank and forthright thinking on the wild world of relationships. This delightfully dishy gathering of gal pals is like having a heart-to-heart with 200 of your closest friends. Garrulous girls and loquacious ladies of from every walk of life unleash their wicked wit in this humorous and enlightening compilation and tell it like it is. Topics include What the World Needs Now, Love Hurts, Lost Love, and Are Men Really Necessary and cover sex, personal ads, blind dates, break ups, weddings, and the prerequisites for the perfect kiss. Sidebars include quizzes, love and sex bucket lists and topics like “Size Really Does Matter,” and “Cry Me a River, The Weepiest Romantic Movies Ever.” Wait, there’s more–true tales about wild women of yore that entertain as much as they enlighten. From Anais Nin to Lily Tomlin, from Amy Bloom to Dorothy Allison, from Drew Barrymore to Chrissy Teigan and beyond, there’s no shortage of sass, sarcasm, or sizzle and a few shocks along the way! Get this book on Amazon!

The Starter Garden Handbook by Alice Mary Alvrez, $16.99

Here in one pretty package is everything you need to know to have your garden and eat it, too! The Starter Garden Handbook is full of marvelous advice to reduce your food budget, eat organic, and keep your home eco-friendly. Inside, you’ll find tips for greening up all areas of your garden. Learn surprising facts about your impact on the environment and change your habits with these do-it-yourself ideas. Start with small changes, like growing basic herbs, and work your way up to raising bees, every kind of vegetable and fruit as well as tips composting weeds, clippings and leftovers so you have nutrient-rich soil. Whether you aspire to green rookie level, eco-master or full-on gardening guru, you can lean to grow your own food and help the planet every week of the year with The Starter Garden Handbook. Get this book on Amazon!

Guerrilla Kindness and Other Acts of Creative Resistance by Sayraphim Lothian, $24.99

Craftivism is a non-violent form of activism that gives people a voice when they feel voiceless and power where they feel powerless. It is an international movement for our time, and noted Craftivism expert Sayraphim Lothian has put together the first-ever tutorial book on the subject. In Guerrilla Kindness, this master craftivist shows you how to make and use various crafts for political and protest purposes, including crafting methods like embroidery, cross stitch, knitting, stenciling, decoupage, stamping and much more. Craftivism, a growing worldwide movement, uses hand-crafted works to highlight political issues, creatively engage in activism, and encourage change in the world. Craftivists employ their works to open a space for people to be introduced to issues and to broaden the discussion surrounding them. Creative resistance has been with us for centuries around the globe, and craftivism and makers stating their mind through the medium of art is here to stay. Get this book on Amazon!

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From my heart to yours, I wish you a very Happy Holiday season. 

xoxo,

Connie