State x State

We love to road trip around the US. When we're headed to a new city, we'll spend a ridiculous amount of time in the planning phase - researching where the townies eat, getting recommendations from friends on where to grab a drink, and scouring Instagram for cool boutiques and local makers. Don't get us wrong, we enjoy some good touristy sight seeing, but we really love to get a true sense of what's happening in a community. It's all part of the adventure and travel experience.

Luckily the folks at State x State plan their vacations the same way and have made traveling like a cool kid easy. This online platform helps you discover well-made products, talented designers, and tips for how to travel the 50 states like a local (with great taste). They've connected with makers, artists, and tastemakers from around the country who have weighed in on their favorite spots in their own backyards. State x State's travel and product guides put you in the know on where the locals are enjoying the best craft cocktails or late night tacos and give you the inside scoop on up and coming designers, makers, and artists.

We've been dying to take a trip out to the Pacific Northwest. State x State was kind enough to send us an Oregon Gift Box to give us a little taste of the region.

The goodies found in the Oregon Gift Box: Tumblers by Mazama Wares / Waxed Denim Folding Wallet by The Good Flock / Leather Coasters from Tanner Goods / Chocolate Bars by Woodblock Chocolate / Postcards featuring artwork from Emily Anderson of The Usual

We had such a good time digging through the Oregon Gift Box. All of the products are from Portland makers, because duh, Portland. Reading through the map travel guide got us super excited to start planning our Pacific Northwest vaycay. Now have a jumpstart on all the cool places to eat, drink, shop! You can get your hands on other State Gift Boxes here.

State x State just introduced their Illinois travel guide and they asked us to share our favorite spots in Chicago. Check out where we love to eat, drink, shop, and hang out here! 

THINGS WE LOVE: Winter Skincare Products

So, winter. Yeah. It finally hit us, here in Chicago. And, boy, did it hit like a ton of bricks. Or rather, like a ton of snow! Sunday's blizzard has left us buried deep under drifts and cuddled up in blankets. We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share some of our favorite winter time skin care products. Arctic temperatures and blustering winds raging outside and dry heat blasting indoors, will really do a number on you. It's hard to avoid feeling dehydrated, flaky, and cracked. Yuck! Here are four fabulous products that are saving our skin.

Vermont's Original Bag Balm / This stuff works miracles on dry cracked winter hands! It contains lanolin so the smell is a little…intense…but nothing moisturizers quite like this balm. Apply a little to your hands and feet at night and wake up with the softest skin ever!

Hydro Salve by Baxter of California / Technically, Baxter of California is a men's grooming line. But we've yet to meet a lip balm that actually hydrates the way Hydro Salve does. Enriched with vitamins C and E, it leaves our lips feeling super supple without having to reapply a million times a day. And bonus, you can share it with your dude!

Nourish Organic Argan Face Serum / Argan oil has been all the rage in hair serums for a few years now. But have you tried it as a facial moisturizer? Lauren recently picked up this serum by Nourish Organic and she's smitten. It leaves your skin feeling so soft and hydrated but not greasy at all! And it contains rose hip oil, which smooths skin texture and evens out tone. Use a couple pumps every night before bed and a pump in the morning under your regular moisturizer.

Expeller Pressed Virgin Organic Coconut Oil / Our go to body lotion. Dry skin soaks it right up and the oil locks in moisture that lasts all day. But we use coconut oil for just about everything else as well. Seriously! We use it in our hair, as a makeup remover, for oil pulling. We even cook with it. There are just so many benefits to coconut oil. We couldn't live with out it!

What are your favorite products to save your skin during these chilly winter months?

*This post contains some affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.