July was a hectic month for me but I ended up finding a bunch of beauty favorites that I was reaching for time and time again. Now that it’s August I’m starting to get excited that we are one step closer to the fall and winter months- my favorite time of the year. I would be so down to just skip summer, as sad sack as that may be to some. I’m just not down for the heat and humidity and I feel like Fall makes me the happiest. I keep daydreaming about decorating the house for Christmas! While I deal with summer though, I found some great products that stay on my oily skin and last in the heat.
Beauty
SPF / Since it’s summer I’ll start with one of the most important items- sunscreen. I tagged all my current go to sunscreens in this Instagram post. I recently also picked up the Neutrogena Hydro Boost SPF 30 and really like how lightweight it feels.
ABH Butterscotch highlighter / For some reason all my favorite highlighters seem to break on me. Butterscotch from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Sweets glow kit arrived shattered when I bought it a few years back, but that hasn’t stopped me from reaching for it consistently. It’s quite glittery, but the golden bronze color is gorgeous. Sweets was limited edition but you can find ABH Butterscotch in the Sugar Glow Kit.
Nars Natural Radiant foundation / This foundation got so much use from me last month. It gives a lot of coverage without looking like a mask.
Makeup Revolution Baking Powder / Everytime I do my makeup I use the Lace Baking Powder by Makeup Revolution. I heard it has an ingredient that gives flashback, so I only use it when I’m not planning on being in photos with flash.
Tarte Beach Babe / This lipstick is the perfect nude pink for every day.
Sonia Kashuk Sponges / It was that time to replace my old Real Techniques blending sponges and these black and white marbled sponges caught my eye at Target. I will definitely continue to repurchase them.
Mac Bronx / I did a whole post on this perfect cool toned nude lipstick. Not enough people talk about it!
Loreal Setting Spray / This is a repurchase setting spray for me. It is affordable, locks down my makeup, and works just as well as any high end spray.
Urban Decay Velvetizer / If I’m going out with a full face of makeup on in the summertime, I 100% will be wearing this. It’s a must have for oily skin. This keeps me shine free, which is not an easy task. I just lightly dust it all over after my makeup is done.
Marc Jacobs Mascara + L’oreal Voluminous Primer / I ran out of mascara early in July and resorted to try using up some samples I had lying around. I have only bought a high end mascara once years ago, but Velvet Noir by Marc Jacobs is super tempting after using up the sample. I love the separation, volume, length, and that it is buildable. I like to layer it over Loreal Voluminous Primer to make it even better.
Victoria’s Secret Pink Fresh & Clean / Whenever I use the bottle of this mist it brings me back to high school because VS perfumes were such a popular thing back then. I can’t help but love it though. It smells a lot like Dolce & Gabbana light blue, but less orangey. I LOVE it and the smell is soapy, crisp, and exactly as the name says. Honestly I can’t help but love so many of Victoria’s Secret scents! I wear Heavenly and Summer bombshell on a regular basis because they smell delicious and are less expensive than my more high end perfumes. Writing this is making me want to make a trip over there to stock up on more lotion…
Sonia Kashuk Spray Cleanser / This brush cleansing spray is so simple- give your brush a spritz, swirl it on a paper towel, and you have a dry, clean brush to put on makeup with. I can’t live without it now.
Coola Gradual Tan Serum / I got this in an Influenster box in July and have been reaching for it nonstop. I like that it’s a serum rather than a gradual tanning lotion, because it’s easy to add into my skincare routine. It feels lightweight on my skin and isn’t overly fragranced. I can also use it at night and not worry about it breaking me out like body tanner, or having SPF like my Jergens Natural Glow face moisturizer that I use in the morning.
Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree Soap / I feel the need to rave about this to someone everytime I wash my brushes. It removes all product build up and trace amounts of makeup. I wish it washed my brushes for me, but it’s the next best thing until that happens. The bottle lasts a very long time.
Essie Virgin Snow & Bikini so Teeny / I stopped doing my nail polishes of the month post because I wasn’t getting much feedback on them. The ones I loved the most were these two from Essie that are so summery and girly. Virgin Snow especially is the perfect pastel lavender periwinkle shade.
It’s a 10 Leave In Silk (Generic Version) / After switching to a sulfate free conditioner (Acure Coconut) my hair doesn’t feel as soft right out of the shower and tangles when wet. I miss those effects from sulfate conditioner, but I know it’s better for my color! Anyway, I like to spray on It’s a 10 Leave In Silk after I get out of the shower to make my hair manageable. Now that I think about it it probably has sulfates. The generic value brand by Sally Beauty is great.
CBD Cream / I was expecting a normal lotion that wasn’t anything too special, but this tub of brown goo really surprised me. It looks like burnt caramel paste, smells like a Lush store, and has the benefits of CBD oil. I like to use it as a lip balm and all over my hands and cuticles. If you had a patch of dry skin this would definitely hydrate it. It lives on my couch end table so I can constantly apply it while I’m watching tv.
Other
Cat Away Spray / I have a black cat named Prince who is the love of my life, but he likes to sharpen his claws on the couch. This is a spray that I found on Etsy- it smells like essential oils and you just spritz furniture (not the cat!!) and it keeps them away from those areas. The cat doesn’t like the scent of it, but I love the lemon zest smell.
Yogi Green Tea Slim Life Blueberry Trim / I drink this tea every few days at work and I feel like it’s very cleansing. I’m a caffeine fiend and this satisfies that in the morning as well.
Thank you for reading! Have a great month. If you want to see more of my non beauty favorites, this post goes into detail. 🙂
-Kim