July Favorites

August is finally here which means I will be spending most of my time packing, preparing future posts, and getting ready to go back to school. I hope everyone had an lovely July and here are some things I have been loving during the past month.

NYX 'Terra Cotta': Often compared to NAR's 'Luster', 'Terra Cotta' is a beautiful coral full of shimmer that suits many skin tones. I have been using this on the apples on my cheeks this month and forgoing a highlighter. This is my first NYX blush and will certainly not be my last.

Dr. Brandt Flexitone BB Cream: I received a sample of this BB cream in my Sun Safety Kit and have been using most of the month in place of foundation. It is a little dark for me because I lack a tan, but it does have SPF 30 which is amazing. I'm still not sure if I would purchase a full size of this because it is quite expensive.

NYX 'Emerald City': I got this eyeliner from my friend for my last birthday and I love to use it on my upper lash line to add some color to my make up look. I think the beautiful dark green color brings out my green eyes.

Maybelline 'Orange Attitude': I already mentioned how much I have been loving the Maybelline Color Whispers here, but 'Orange Attitude' is the color I have been throwing in my bag and wearing almost daily. This sheer, orange lip butter is moisturizing and has sucked me into the orange craze.

Clinique Happy. Perfume Spray: When I placed an order with Ulta, I was sent along with my order a sample size of Clinque's 'Happy.' perfume. I am not that big of a perfume girl and tend to store away most perfume samples until I go traveling, but I have actually been spritzing some of this in place of my typical body spray. According to the description on ulta.com, this perfume contains "Ruby Red Grapefruit, Bosenberry Bush Flower and Hawaiian Wedding Flower" notes. I think it is quite unique and not too heavy. I have loved wearing it this July (and will continue to)!

Stila // Convertible Color Trio in 'Cool'

Stila Convertible Color Trio - $20 at ulta.com or $32 at nordstrom.com

When Katie mentioned this on her blog last month, I started drooling. I love a great bargain, especially when it involves a multi-use product that I have been eyeing at Sephora for over a year. Available exclusively online, Stila offers two different palettes: 'Cool' [Peony, Lillium, Cherry Blossom] and 'Warm' [Gerbera, Camellia, Honeysuckle]. I decided to go for 'Cool' partly because of Katie's post and also because I heard about Peony countless times. Both palettes have exclusive shades, in this case, the limited edition shade is Cherry Blossom. I am so happy that I waited to order this because Ulta only began selling this a couple weeks ago. The convertible colors are meant for both cheeks and lips but I have only been using this as blush. I was curious to see if the quality of this cream lip/cheek combination because I have only tried drugstore cream blushes. I have to say, there is a clear difference between a higher-end cream blush and a drugstore version. The Stila Convertible Colors are not drying and blend effortlessly. I just dabble a bit on my cheeks and blend with my fingers. Peony is a very bright pink that I would reserve for the summer but Lillium is a dustier pink. Cherry Blossom is a dark coral that I would wear year round. This is definitely my favorite purchase of the summer. Applies easily, all the colors are beautiful, and the lasting power is respectable. Get them while they're still available!

April Favorites

Left to right: NYX 'Tea Rose', Revlon 'Flushed', Revlon 'Pinched

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

In the warmer months, I tend to wear less and less make up. I find myself gravitating towards creme blushes, lighter coverage foundations, and more shimmer! This month I have replaced my Revlon Color Stay foundation with it's dewy cousin, Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation. I am in the shade 'Shell' at the moment. I use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush with this product and the coverage is light but buildable at the same time. For the cheeks, I have been using the Revlon Photoready Cream blushes. Cream blushes are ideal for the summer because they give you a flushed look but are subtle. The two I have in my collection are Flushed, a bright rose pink that looks dangerous in the jar, and Pinched, a light shimmer filled coral. I am not a big lip gloss girl, I usually go for a moisturizing lip balm or a lipstick, but the NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Tea Rose has stolen my heart. It is not sticky, adds color to my lips, and the lip gloss smells like cherries! I'm tempted to lick my lips when I'm wearing it. My final favorite is something I have used for almost a year: Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer. Benefit recently changed this product's packaging a bit; instead of having a pump to dispense the product, there is now a brush to put the primer on your eyelids. This eyeshadow primer is the only thing that will cover up my icky eyelid veins and keeps the eyeshadow in tact. What have you been loving this month?