Happy Friday! And Happy Almost-September! 😳 Tomorrow is the start of September! I repeat: September. Starts. Tomorrow. And it’s Labor Day weekend. And school has started. So summer is over. I know technically the calendar says September 22 is the start of fall, but everyone knows summer is over once school starts. Seriously. It has been proven in the polls. And by “the polls” I mean a poll that I ran on one of the Facebook pages I manage. A majority of the people said summer is over once school begins. (It was a close vote, but that doesn’t matter, right? 😉)

Since summer is over we can chat about our summer faves. As I compiled a list I realized they all have something in common: they’re all “wellness” items. So, without further ado, here are my summer faves: wellness edition.

Note: Some of the links used in this post are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using one of them I’ll make a commission at no extra cost to you.

Accupressure Mat & Pillow. I’ve actually had this for awhile, but really got into it this summer. It looks a little scary (my nephew called it my devil pillow when he saw it) and it’s probably not for everyone (a friend of mine has one and on the first try sounded a little iffy), but I really like it. I don’t use it for very long at once; maybe 10 – 15 minutes max at one time. I also eased my way into it. I feel… less creaky?… does that make sense? 😂 I feel like it helps with the tension I get in my neck and shoulders (I always use the pillow, but sometimes skip the mat) due to allll the computer work I do. I feel more comfortable throughout a work day when I use it in the morning. I’ll also take it with me when I spend a night away from sometimes. I have Sleep Number bed and a My Pillow, so I’m definitely used to my comfy sleep setup, so I like to use it to feel a little more normal if I’ve spent the night someplace else. It’s not a cure-all, though. I was in Wisconsin for a night and slept in an okay hotel bed with the dinkiest pillows, so I pulled the pillow out in the morning and still felt a little tight at points throughout the day. I love it, though. Have you tried one? I’d love to hear what other people think!

On a side note: I took this in a tote bag and on the way back I stopped at my brother’s house. My nephew was there with his stepson (my nephew is only five years younger than me) and when he saw the bag he asked it had skulls on it. I was amused because 1) it doesn’t, but I’d totally get a tote bag with skulls on it; 2) it looked like he didn’t really know what to think about it; and 3) I realized I might end up being that weird lady in the family that he tells people about. “Well, you haven’t met anyone until you’ve met…” 😂

Ice Roller. I use this on my face when I have time in the morning and it’s so refreshing! I’ve also used it on my neck when I’ve felt a headache coming on. I also take this with me when I housesit for my sister since I don’t want to be without it… even though I don’t always remember to use. However, when I use it regularly I notice less redness in my cheeks, which is a plus!

This water bottle. I’m a big fan of water bottles that keep the water cool. I also have a Swell bottle that I use all the time, but I also have this one for longer days out of the house and I love it. It comes with a lid with a straw AND a regular lid (like from a Nalgene bottle), which was perfect for me because I wanted a lid with a straw, but didn’t want to use it that way all the time. If you’ve ever looked at Hydro Flask bottles, these are half the price. 🎉 I lost it the last time I stayed at my sister’s house while she was gone and I have never been so distraught over losing a water bottle. Okay… distraught might be a little strong, but I think about it every day. I need to add checking the car or stopping by my sister’s again to look for it to my to-do list. Maybe when I find it I’ll also find the TV remote?

White Angelica, Sacred Mountain, & Inner Child Essential Oils. I have really gotten into essential oil blends over the summer. They smell so good when I diffuse them and I love using them in place of perfume. I put them on my skin the way you’d wear a perfume or put them on diffuser jewelry. I’ve accumulated a small collection of blends from Young Living this summer, but three of my faves are White Angelica, Sacred Mountain, and Inner Child. White Angelica definitely makes me feel at peace when it’s diffused. Sacred Mountain’s scent is pretty subtle, so it’s a nice change after using one that’s stronger. I also like to combine this with lime and other citrus scents. And finally Inner Child is just a fun scent. The last time I wore it I received compliments on it. (PS – this diffuser and this one are my faves! The second one is a little bit smaller, so if you like the wood look of the diffuser and don’t have a lot of space wherever you’re planning to use it, that’s the one to go with.)

What are your summer favorites?