As the most surreal year in our lives comes to a close, I want to send you a note of gratitude and appreciation! Thank you for your loyalty and for following me. I truly value your visits to my website and hope you continue to enjoy my curated lifestyle content. I feel incredibly grateful to have you as part of The Glow Girl community, and to be able to do what I love; to work with the amazing brands I do, and to share my passion to help women be the best version of themselves. I welcome you to subscribe to my newsletter so that you can get all my tips, tricks and product picks to look and feel your best delivered directly into your inbox weekly—I truly enjoy researching and sharing my information with you!
Read moreMother's Day Gift Guide: Stay At-Home Edition+Who What Wear Features
Quarantine-life definitely has a way of making all the days blend together. Because each one feels a bit like Groundhog Day, you may not even realize that Mother’s Day is right around the corner on May 10th! I keep losing track of time…how about you?
With non-essential stores closed this year, shopping at the last minute is not really an option. We now ALL have to find “the perfect gift” for mom online. No worries—my bestie Janet (The Grateful Gardenia) and I have you covered! In our recent monthly column for Who What Wear, we’ve created the perfect gift guide to help you find mom something special. And, I’ve also added to the original article to give more options to choose from. You may even see something on this list that you’re coveting, so star your favorites and send it to your husband or kids as a hint!
Relax at Home
SLIP SILK PILLOWCASE AND MASK SET
The perfect way for mom to Slip into a good night’s sleep.
PAJAMAS
Mom will daydream about slipping into the most perfect sleepwear.
SHOP PJ Salvage Super Soft Modal Pajama Set
ROBES
Made for lounging and luxury.
SWEATS
A chic and comfy way to hang around the house or run to the grocery store.
Sweatpants by Monrow (SOLD OUT). SHOP the brand!
DIFFUSER AND ESSENTIAL OIL
An instant mood shifter--perfect to help reduce stress.
SAGE Perfume
Gift mom her new favorite signature scent this year for Mother’s Day.
The best calming distraction, where masculine meets feminine.
The perfect accessory to hold her most prized necessity.
Give mom the most stylish four eyes in town!
Reading Glasses by Caddis
Simple, delicate and personal, she’ll never take it off!
SHOP from top to bottom: Personalized “Glow” Necklace by Tiny Tags, Glow Necklace by LOOMA x Melissa Meyers, and Heart Necklace by Sarah Hendler. Sunnies by Oliver Peoples. Earrings by Dior
Chrysmela’s got her back. A little extra something to make sure she never loses another earring again.
SHOP Chrysmela Secure Earring Backs
Small in size and easily portable to listen to her fave tunes, anywhere!
A farm to pod answer for grabbing a healthy smoothie before the next Zoom meeting.
SHOP Vejo Pod Blender
USE promotional code GLOW8PACK &
receive a free 8 pack of blends with the purchase of a starter kit
Get Some Fresh Air
Show mom you care with this I Love You clutch. The perfect holder for her keys and phone, while taking a walk in the hood.
SHOP Parker Thatch Heart Man-Lee- Hot Pink Strap
SHOP Parker Thatch Heart Man-Lee- Hot Pink Strap
The perfect face-framer for those daily walks.
A lightweight scarf to wear out on a walk, dress up a bag handle or use as a chic mask.
SHOP Franne Golde x The Grateful Gardenia Scarves
Mama needs new comfy-chic shoes.
Look good, do good and stay protected with Ripley Rader fashion masks. Buy one and two are donated to the medical community!
SHOP Ripley Rader fashion masks
SHOP Ripley Rader fashion masks
SHOP Chok Chok Skin Bio-cellulose Hydrating Face Mask
OLIE X MELISSA MEYERS GOLDEN RAY GLOW DROPS
Just in time for Mother’s Day…order a bottle for mom and get a free make-up bag and sample size with purchase!
Use promotional code GLOWGIRL 15 for $15 off
One word, for those who are challenged with doing their own hair, game-changer.
Mom’s done so much for you, now send some good vibes to her.
SHOP The Urban + Mystic Boxes
For the mom whose motto is “always be prepared.” Also, one of Oprah’s favorite picks!
These retro Nike Cortez have the perfect cush for mom’s precious feet.
Chic leggings and a cropped hoodie always hit the mark for working and exercising from home.
SHOP Carbon 38 Escape Luxe Cropped Hoody
Motivate mom to get her fitness fashion game on with this Carbon38 gift card!
Style meets function. Definitely a favorite fitness find that mom will love this year.
SHOP Weight Lifting Stimulator Wrist Weights
Help her stay hydrated all day long with this super stylish and self-cleaning bottle!
I hope you find something special for mom (or for yourself!) from this guide. Keep in mind, with so many people shopping online this year, there may be shipping delays, so don’t wait until the last minute. Now more than ever, moms are working overtime to keep their families balanced so show your appreciation by getting her a special gift this year!
xxMelissa
Click HERE to check out the original article on Who What Wear!
Best At-Home Fitness Apps, Exercise Equipment, & Tools
Now that we are spending most of our time at home, we have hit the pause button on many of our daily habits, especially fitness habits like going to the gym or a workout class. Between Netflix binging and trips to the refrigerator, it’s easy to get out of our routines and feel less disciplined. But, during this challenging time, it’s more important than ever to become resourceful as we adapt to this new normal, especially when it comes to exercise.
We all know that staying active has major benefits, not only for our bodies but also for our mental wellbeing. Below is a list of my favorite at-home fitness apps and streaming workouts. Whether you are looking for a 20-minute yoga class or an intense dance cardio class, I have your stay-at-home fitness needs covered. So grab your yoga mat now and let’s go!
Leggings by Carbon38 (SOLD OUT).
SHOP similar styles!
Shop the carousel below to see some of my favorite fitness gear!
Apps
With access to hundreds of workouts, from yoga to HIIT, the Asana app is like having your own home fitness studio! And, if anxiety has a hold of you or you’re having trouble falling asleep, this app also has meditations that will help you let go of the day’s news and calm your mind. It’s easy to get started with these workouts and they offer amazing shorter classes starting at just 20 minutes! My go-to for busier days for sure!
We may have little control over what’s going on in the world, but this app makes it easy to get a grip on your health and wellness goals. As trips to the fridge begin to blur together, My Fitness Pal gives you a reality check, helping to track what you eat. It also monitors your daily movements and exercise, making it easy to lose weight, tone up and change your habits.
Instead of using quarantine as an excuse to become a couch potato, use this time to become a runner! Couch to 5k promises to get you running 5 kilometers, or 30 minutes non-stop, within 8 weeks. The secret is that it’s a gentle introduction to getting the body moving, starting off alternating between walking and running small distances, and slowly building up.
Leggings by Sweaty Betty (SOLD OUT).
SHOP other styles from Sweaty Betty!
Streaming and Online Classes
I like this monthly fitness membership app because it makes it easy to schedule different boutique studio classes around the city to vary my workouts. But now that we are all home-bound, I’m loving it for their selection of streaming classes that I can do right in my living room! Through the app, they’ve set up a system allowing them to share a link to their studio partners streaming classes on various studio selected platforms (like Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube). And best of all, from now through June, ClassPass is giving 100% of their proceeds directly to their studio partners to support their temporarily shuttered businesses.
With a cult following (myself included), The Class by Taryn Toomey is a cardio meets Pilates workout blending yoga, boot-camp cardio, Pilates, and freestyle dance into a game-changing fitness routine. This unique class will challenge and enlighten you at the same time through music, understanding of the brain, body movement and spirituality. With fantastic guided instruction and powerful music, get ready to push your body to the limit!
One of the most well-known celebrity trainers, exercising with the Tracy Anderson Method on the regular can truly transform your body. Her workouts are often dance-cardio focused, designed to work out and tone your entire body. Whether you have a beginner, intermediate or advanced fitness level, her online studio offers you classes anytime, anywhere…which is pretty much your living room these days…
Lauren Roxburgh ImmUNITY Boosting Movement Medicine
Known by GOOP as the “body whisperer,” Lauren is the creator of the Aligned Life Studio and Aligned healing tools. She just launched an amazing free program as a valuable resource to help others get through this challenging time. ImmUNITY Boosting Movement Medicine is a package of all of her workouts and movement medicine sequences plus visualizations, recipes and other tools to help keep our immune system healthy and resilient. Her regular online studio also offers paid programs arranged by type (sweat, calm or heal) using those tools she’s famous for such as her foam roller, rebounder, and mat to help you align and tone your body. You can access any of her classes online or through her Aligned Life app. You can also check out and shop her books here!
Melissa Wood Health (MWH Method)
A meditator and certified yoga and Pilates instructor, Melissa created her MWH method out of a need to find a workout that was gentler on her body. Through personal challenges with body image and anxiety, Melissa found her way to a career in health coaching and fitness. Her method is holistic, gentle and effective, designed to give you the body you desire while building a stronger relationship with yourself. You will end each workout feeling mentally calmer and on your way to a leaner physique.
Forward Space on Instagram Live
A workout for those who used to dance, love to dance or want to dance, Forward Space is high-vibe, energetic and fun! A full-body blast, dance-infused, non-stop sweat class. Known as a hybrid between a sanctuary and a club, they are currently holding classes you can join on Instagram Live. A digital dance party is exactly what we need right now!
A selection of targeted or full-body workouts, Brooke loves to incorporate cardio into her leaning and toning workouts to keep them fun. Her class is my favorite for when I want to focus on a specific target area, and the stunning Malibu views in her videos are a nice change of pace from a typical in-studio workout! Her program is available online or through an app on your phone.
An upbeat, cardio-barre hybrid workout, Physique 57 classes are unbelievable for toning, shedding inches, and gaining lean muscle. This online streaming option can turn any space into a Barre class and help channel your inner ballerina. And, don’t forget to fill your water bottle…you will end this workout sweating and invigorated!
Did someone say unlimited yoga, fitness, and meditation for only $20 a month? You may associate the Alo brand with fashion-forward athleisure and workout wear, but their online yoga classes are also fantastic for mind, body, and soul. For restorative, power, Vinyasa flow, or meditation, Alo Moves has it all. Definitely a favorite go-to for any type of Yoga!
Switching up the meaning of the WFH acronym to stand for Workout From Home, Carbon38, another favorite shop for athleisure wear, is streaming workout and wellness sessions with their top C38 ambassadors daily on Instagram Live! You can check their feed for the daily fitness schedule.
Offering movement and connection, legendary Soul-Cycle master instructor and yoga guru, Pixie Acia, is using her time at home to share her yoga and fitness practice with followers. Click the link above to request free access to join her classes as she builds a new, budding community. She invites you to come as you are, no experience necessary, and in return, she only asks that if you loved a class feel free to donate $5-10 in appreciation. Check her Instagram feed for class days and times. All you need is Zoom on your computer or phone!
Equipment
An in-home, high-tech spin bike or treadmill workout with some of the best trainers guiding you through your sessions step by step. Pick a class based on your mood, music preference, workout goals, and experience level. At the time of this writing they are still offering live instruction online, but please check their website frequently for the latest updates. Don’t have a Peloton? You can still use the app even if your treadmill or bike is a different brand.
A high-tech, futuristic, reflective, mirror-like screen mounted on your wall is unlike anything heard of before. You see both yourself and your trainer in the mirror and have an unlimited amount of personal training classes to choose from including yoga, barre, stretching, Tracy Anderson classes, kickboxing, boxing, cardio, strength training and more. Definitely a splurge but so worth it!
I’ve always enjoyed the great workout from a Soul-Cycle class; sweating powered to the beat. Now, they are introducing their new, ready to pre-order bike that brings the energy directly into your home and captures everything you love about Soul. This piece of home-workout equipment not only looks good, but it is also designed to deliver everything you’d expect from their legendary classes, including the great playlists and fabulous instructors, to keep your energy and heart level up.
SHOP LoRox Foam roller
Shop accessories you may need depending on workout:
SHOP Resistance bands (typically in a pack of 5 ranging from light to heavy resistance).
SHOP Yoga mat by Manduka
SHOP Foam roller (LoRox)
SHOP Ankle or wrist strap on weights
SHOP Adjustable Yoga Strap
SHOP Exercise Ball
SHOP iPad and iPhone Stand
I hope you try some of these workouts to stay fit during this challenging time. What are some of your favorite fitness apps? Please leave in the comments below.
Stay safe and healthy!
xx Melissa