Monday, August 4, 2014

July Favorites 2014

As every month comes to a close I sit back and wonder where all of the time went, and this month is no exception. It feels like just yesterday that I was tossing away old paperwork and scribbling down hurried answers on final exams, and now summer is halfway over! Nevertheless, I discovered some great new products this month, and I'm more than excited to share them all.




First off, my favorite snapshot of the month. I went on vacation at the beginning of July and took this amazing picture of the sunset over the lake. Just seeing this again makes me want to go back!

Skincare/Body Products/Hair Care


  • Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash: I'm sort of in love with the Simple Foaming Face Wash, so much in fact, that when I went away, I kept it in the shower for when I got myself ready every morning, and left it behind by mistake (oops). When I went to replace it, I decided to dry this one instead and it was definitely a happy accident. My skin is more on the dry side, and this plus my daily moisturizer has been a great duo. 
  • Elf Zit Zapper: This one I owe to one of my best friends who swears by this for spot treating spots. And after testing it out all month, I've concluded that everyone who suffers from acne must own this. It is only a dollar from Target and if applied a few times a day on an acne spot, it really helps to reduce and vanish the breakout overnight. 
  • Bath&Body Works Triple Moisture Body Cream in Pear Blossom Air: I had heard that this Triple Moisture formula from B&BW triumphs over the original one, so I picked it up in their Semi-Annual Sale in June. The smell is nice but it's not my favorite, but the formulation is great. I've been using it on my legs and arms after my shower, and it's just so moisturizing and lovely. 
  • Goody Hair Brush: I never understood the hype around the Tangle Teaser, especially after looking at the price tag. So when I found this knock-off one from Goody, I decided to give it a go. I might even splurge on the original I like it so much, although sometimes nothing is better than my trust old paddle brush.
Makeup


  • Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream: I prefer BB creams and tinted moisturizes to foundations, and this one from Maybelline is my current favorite. It gives a light-medium coverage and applied with a damp cosmetic sponge, I just love how natural and fresh it looks. I wear the color Light to Medium, but with my new tan I've had to switch to another product in a darker shade. But I did wear this guy for the majority of the month, so it deserves its spot on my favorites list.
  • NYX Powder Blush in Pinched: While out shopping one day, I remembered hearing about this product two summers ago (some things always stick with us) and decided to give it a shot. It's a goregous, peachy-pink blush with a golden shimmer that is perfect for the warmer weather. It looks great with a tan, and is one of those blushes you can simply swirl your blush in and apply to your cheeks fuss free. 
  • Revlon Photo Ready 3D Volume Mascara: I've been using this mascara for a while but threw it in because I haven't really been wearing a ton of eye makeup this month. Usually I'll go for a matte highlight shade in my inner corners and a swipe of mascara, and I really enjoy this lengthening, defining formula for a natural, everyday look.
  • Bath&Body Works Liplicious Blush Glass: This gloss was a Christmas gift from a friend a few years ago, and I never really paid too much attention to it until recently. It's a great, natural-but-noticeable pink gloss-stain that adds a nice touch of color and shine without drying out my lips. I highly recommend all of the B&BW lip glosses. I think they're great and very underrated. 


Nail Care


  • Sally Hansen Barracuda + Revlon Radiant: I did a whole NOTD post dedicated to this polish combination so I'm not going to talk about it too much. I have been loving accent nails, and I love the combination of the light, creamy blue with the pop of the sparkle on my ring finger.
  • Crystal Nail File: $3.99 for a nail file? It seems crazy, yes, and I felt so weird paying for it. But crystal nail files significantly top regular emery boards for me, and I will most definitely be picking up another one or two of these guys. I purchased mine at The Christmas Tree Shop, but I'm sure beauty supply stores or places like Ulta carry them as well. 

Fashion


  • Lauren Conrad Sunglasses: I've been reaching for these every time I leave the house, which is impressive considering the amount of shades I own. I love the classic design but what I love even is how they frame my face. And in all, these are one of my summer staples, and I would repurchase these if they broke in a heartbeat. 
  • Beaded Wrapped Bracelet: No matter what I did, I couldn't get the flash to not reflect off of this. While on vacation, I got this bracelet from a jewelry vendor and I'm so in love with it. I have so much jewelry that I don't tend to wear the same thing for days or weeks in a row, but there is just something about this black beaded bracelet and the reflective multi-colored touch to it that makes me want to slip it on almost every morning. 

Random&Lifestyle 


  • Freaks and Geeks: I'm in this routine with Netflix where I binge watch a TV show until I'm finished and then watch a movie or two while deciding what series to start next. This month I watched Freaks and Geeks (which should have been way longer than one season!) and I'm almost too embarrassed to admit that I watched all 18 episodes within a span of 3 days. The show follows around Lindsey Weir and her group of "freaks" and her little brother, Sam Weir, and his group of "geeks." I've been finished with it for about a week and a half, and I already miss it (and not just because Jason Segel and James Franco were both starring roles...swoon).
  • Two Dots: After finally beating 2048, I had about two days before my friend introduced me to a new app to obsess over. The whole game concept is based around connecting dots to complete missions and moving up levels. I'm currently stuck on level 30, but despite the frustration, I'm still hooked. 
  • Roller Coaster Tycoon 4: I loved Roller Coaster Tycoon growing up. It and Sims were my two favorite video games, and I was jumping for joy when I saw that they brought it to the app store. It's a little bit different than the original computer version, but it still brings me down memory lane!
  • Blueberry Crumb Pie: On vacation, this slice of delicious was on the dessert menu one day for lunch, and I loved it so much that I asked if they had any left at dinner. It was essentially a layer of cheesecake, a layer of blueberry jam, a layer of cake, and then an oat-crumble topping all sitting on pie crust, served with vanilla ice cream. I would definitely say that it was one of my favorites this month, and I wish I could eat a whole tray of this stuff. Yeah, it was that good.
What have you been loving this month?
Alyssa







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