July Beauty Favorites!

July Beauty Favorites

It's that time of the month again! I rounded up some products that I couldn't get enough of this past month. Some months go by where I discover some old favorites, but this month I discovered a lot of new favorites that I'm sure I'll continue loving throughout the year. I didn't want to make this post massive, so I picked most of the standout products!

Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Brush - $190

At first when I was using this brush I couldn't understand what the big hype was. BUT, I was determined to keep using it to see if it really made any difference. I have thick, fine hair and it breaks easily. I try to minimize breakage as best as I can with hair products, but I never gave much thought about the brushes I'm using. I've tried Boar bristle in the past, and found it hard to make the change. With the particular brushes I tried, I felt that they didn't get through my hair as well. I brush my hair around 3-4 times a day - once in the morning, a couple of times mid-day and once before I go to sleep. I'm not at all lying that I've seen a noticeable change in how shiny my hair looks as well as the decrease in breakage. Every time I brush my hair, I habitually look each time down at the floor to see if any ends have broken off. Since I've been using only this brush for the past month, it has reduced by 90%. I actually really enjoy brushing my hair with it and the massaging feeling on my scalp (it might be harsh on your scalp if you have thin hair, but I love the feeling). I also can get an extra day out of my hair before washing it. It's hard to tell you to go out and purchase a $200 hair brush, but I think they are worth it and they will last a lifetime.

Nature's Gate Glow Lotion for Medium Skin tones - $13.99

I bought this subtle self-tanner on a whim because of the positive reviews on Amazon. I honestly didn't expect much since I haven't heard of it prior, but it was love at first application. The lotion is all natural and cruelty-free and contains loads of moisturizing ingredients including soybean oil, sweet almond oil, rosehip oil, shea butter and more. With one application, you get beautiful subtle golden color. If you apply it a few days in a row, you can really build up a good tan. In comparison to Jergens Natural Glow, Jergens is a bit orange, but Nature's Glow is very golden bronze. I love it! I've been using it regularly on my body. The best part is the price. It's only around $13-14 for a 16 oz bottle.

Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum - $28.50

Mascara primer is a must for me. I've been using Shiseido Mascara Base for around 3 years now, but was curious to try something different. I've been using this every day and I think I'm a new convert! I'll do a comparison post, but so far I can tell that the Dior base is much more gentle on my lashes. It really works great for adding an extra oomph to my lashes. It makes them look slightly longer, and much more volumized.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner - $20

This is a top-rated liquid liner and I've been wanting to try it for ages. Just as I assumed I would, I love it! The tip is perfect for creating thin lines and unlike some felt tips, I haven't had any issues with it being overly saturated or dry to the point where I have to shake it. I can create a perfect wing in seconds and I love the fact that the color is such an intense black that I only need one layer. It lasts perfectly well until I remove it! *Mine is a sample size I received from Sephora for 100 Beauty Insider Points.

Swatches from left to right: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner, MAC Lightsweep Shaping Pro Powder, Becca Opal Shimmering Skin Perfector.

MAC Lightsweep Shaping PRO Powder - $16.50

Absolutely love using this as a subtle highlighting powder for under my eyes. I usually set my under eye concealer with Ben Nye Powder and then apply Lightsweep over top to brighten up the area. It's a light peach with a hint of pink, so it's very ideal for the undereyes to counteract purple/blue shadows. I also apply it down the bridge of my nose and contour the sides of my nose for a slimmer effect. I love the subtleness of the powder and that it doesn't have that powdery setting powder look. It has a silky appearance on the skin and it has a bit of a pearly sheen that makes it catch the perfect amount of light. If you're really into contouring and highlighting, this is a great product. Definitely one of my favorites that I will always use.

Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle Pads - $45

A new favorite in my skincare routine! For the past couple of weeks I've been using one of these at night for my daily dose of AHA and BHA. Before using them I had a lot of clogged pores, some blackheads and enlarged pores on my chin and these pads had cleared up everything. The surface of my skin is smoother and since the acid stimulates quicker cell turnover, my skin looks more radiant, the texture of my skin has improved and any blemish scars are fading. I highly recommend these. 

Dermadoctor KP Duty Body Scrub - $44

I've only used this twice so far, but it definitely deserves a spot in my July favorites. I have mild Keratosis Pilaris on my upper arms and I have issues with in-growns on my legs and thighs as well as fine hairs that coil back into the skin and create tiny colorless bumps (and irritation) or hairs that stay trapped under the skin and only pop out after a heavy duty exfoliation. It really stinks because I feel like I can never get a good shave/smooth shiny leg look. After a couple of uses, it reduced the KP on my arms significantly and have made my legs and thighs feel so much smoother. I'm really confident that with continued use the results will only get better. I'll keep you posted!

Rosehip Oil - $7

Love, love, love Rosehip oil and have only recently been using it regularly. I hardly ever use a night cream anymore - just a few drops of rose hip oil massaged into my face and by the morning my skin is plump and glowing.

Shaveworks The Cool Fix - $11

I like using this to battle that dreaded day 3 razor burn after using a 5-blade razor on the va-jay-jay. Lol!!! Seriously though, if used consistently (meaning before it happens) on the bikini line it keeps me from wanting to rip my skin off days later. Tendskin is a little more effective for me, but it's dries my skin out from the high alcohol content. I like the gel formula of The Cool Fix and the fact that it does have a refreshing, cooling sensation. I also find it to be a great product to use post waxing to calm the skin and reduce in-growns. I like using it on my upper lip and/or brows after I've finished tweezing those pesky hairs to minimize bumps.

Becca Opal Shimmering Skin Perfector - $41

Every six months or so I discover a new highlighter that I deem as my favorite. The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in the shade Opal has taken the throne for the past couple of months. I love liquid highlighters because they look so natural and dewy on the skin, but I haven't found one that's long lasting. This pearly peach highlighter keeps my cheeks dewy and glowing all day long. I can't get enough of it!

Well, that's it for my July favorites. I hope I didn't miss anything!

Did you discover any new holy grail products this month?