August Favorites

Hello lovelies! 

I cannot believe it's already September! It feels like I just did July Favorites! But, I am more than happy to say goodbye to August, I've never been a big fan. At first when I started thinking about my favorite things this month, I didn't think I had many new things to share with you. But then I looked at my vanity and bathroom counter and realized I had some really good stuff! :) Some of them I have already showed you in a haul post or two, but I also realized that some of my actual favorites are things I just picked up randomly during my travels! 

In the last month or so, I have really been loving my Beauty Blender! I actually got this in my Christmas stocking this past year, but never really used it much before now! I am starting to become slightly obsessed! I love this way this blends my foundation perfectly! I use mine damp and just bounce the foundation all over until its blended the way I want! It helps me to use less product and I love the look it allows me to achieve! If you haven't tried this yet, you need to ASAP! 

I finally decided to pick up the Milani Bronzer XL in Fake Tan! I would pass by this so many times and think "Well, I wanna try it, but it's probably nothing thrilling." and I would opt for another item I had my eye on! Let's just say that was really stupid of me! It's amazing! I love the dual shades that can be used individually or mixed together. It gives the BEST bronzed glow! It's totally matte, doesn't make me look "muddy" at all and I can use the darker shade for contouring! Its so versatile! I've probably worn this everyday this month! ;)

Since August has been pretty damn humid (ew) I haven't really felt like wearing a full foundation every day. Instead I've been using Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator in Bare Light. I mix this into my Revlon Primer (a Favorite from last month) and apply it all over my face. Then I just go in with a little concealer wherever I need it, and finish with setting powder and bronzer! I love the glow that this gives my skin! It's one of those products that really makes you look like you are glowing from within! It's a pearly shimmer, but doesn't cake my face in glitter! No one wants that! It's light and airy and perfect during these gross, hot, humid, August days!

Speaking of concealer, another product I have basically used every day this month is Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer (longest name ever!!!). This stuff gives amazing coverage without being super thick! In fact, it's a pretty thin formula for how much coverage it gives, which is impressive! I love the little "pouf ball" on the end of the "wand" and it helps me get just the right amount of product that I want! I usually blend the product out with my beauty blender and I love the look it all gives! I think this will definitely be a repurchase soon since I'm running low! :)

As for eyeshadows, I don't think it will be a big surprise that I am choosing a Makeup Geek eyeshadow pan in Beaches and Cream. Ugh I just love this shade! It just seems like it can do so much more than any other eyeshadow I've ever owned! I can use it solely all over the lid, to blend my crease, to transition into a different shade.. the options are just endless and I am constantly finding new ways that I love using it for my eye looks! I would be so bold to say that if you pick only a few Makeup Geek shades to try or add to your collection, make sure this is definitely one of them! :)

Another product I think I have used just about every day this month is the new Too Faced Bulletproof 24 Hour Liner in Dirt Bag. This stuff really and truly is bulletproof! I've never worn an eyeliner that is as long lasting as this one is! It seriously blows me away! I will usually put this on around 6am and I swear, not only does it not budge all day (or irritate my eyes- yay!) but it still looks flawless at the end of the day when I go to take my makeup off for the night! It's amazing! I love that this liner can be used for basic every day work looks and can also totally glam up a more dramatic look for evening or more social situations. I love the deep brown (think dark chocolate) and the teeny tiny micro specks of gold shimmer/glitter! I will definitely not only repurchase this one, but I also plan on picking up more shades! 

As far as lip products go, I have really been loving a lip gloss set that I picked up in Target by e.l.f.! These lip glosses are so super pigmented and I love the formula to death! They aren't sticky or goopy AT ALL! They go on so creamy smooth and feel like soft buttah (ha) on your lips! They don't dry my lips out, but I wouldn't say I noticed a ton of hydration from these alone either. I love these for a simple pop of color that is more casual! Perfect for day time or at the office! My boyfriend loves them too because, "They're not gross!" Hahaha! So they are kiss approved! ;) I think these were part of an e.l.f. back-to-school collection. The cherry reddish color has a little bit of sparkle in it, but nothing too crazy or super noticeable. The peachy color has just a teeny bit of shimmer to it. The hot pink color has zero glitter or shimmer and is just glossy! And finally the light pink color is a pearly and a teeny bit shimmery! I think all of the colors are perfect and offer a wide variety for different looks! I totally see why this was marketed as a back to school set! It would be perfect for a young teen or young adult to throw into their backpack or makeup bag! And you can't beat $5 for four great lip glosses! ;)

Earlier this summer I picked up a coconut lotion from Ulta's body line. It comes in an aerosol spray can and is all about the 'spray & go" concept. I must say, I love me a time saver! But even more than the convenience of the product, I love the summer coconut smell and the formula of this is heavenly!! It's not a super think or sticky lotion! It glides on your skin so smoothly and feels really cooling and hydrating! I love this especially for the summer months because I cannot stand feeling sticky from lotion when its super hot and humid! This has been a lifesaver not only for the month of August, but all summer long! The bad news is I can't find this on anywhere on Ulta's website!! I'm not sure if this was just limited edition for summer or if there are other scents! I will definitely look into finding more again and let you know if I come up with anything!

This month I decided to include a hair product! Since I happen to have the thinnest, most baby-fine hair on the planet I need all the help I can get out of volumizing products! I heard rave reviews on John Frieda's Luxurious Volume Root Boosting Blow Dry Lotion (another ridiculously long named product) and tried to purchase it in a few different locations but it was always sold out! Usually that's a good enough sign to me that it's a well liked product! I finally found one single bottle left on a shelf in Ulta a few weeks ago and jumped at the chance to try it! I've been using this every time I blow dry my hair and I can definitely tell a difference! It gives me a little more bounce and lift in my roots and doesn't make my hair hard or "crunchy" at all! Definitely worth trying if you have thinner hair like me or even if you just want to get a little more bounce to your hair!

As you have probably already noticed, lately I have been obsessed with all things Radiant Orchid! I just cannot get enough of it! I was in Charming Charlie's earlier this month and came across this beautiful orchid and navy blue bib-ish style necklace. I have literally worn this every chance I could get this month. Literally. Like to the point where my boyfriend pointed out that I wore it the last three or four times I saw him! LOL! I freaking love it!!! I love it casual, I love it dressy, I love it just hanging on my jewelry organizer! Its just so pretty that I felt that it needed it's own little shout out in my monthly favorites! Annnnd it even comes with little orchid drop earrings! Ugh- LOVE it and can't stop wearing it!!

So that about wraps up my August Favorites! It's funny how I thought I didn't have much at first but was able to come up with a bunch of stuff to ramble on about! Let me know if there is anything you have been loving this past month! I would love to hear about it!
On to September! :)

Thanks for reading!
♥ Nichole

Beautyblender- The Original $19.95

Milani Bronzer XL All Over Glow- Fake Tan $9.99

Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator- Bare Light $13.99

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer- Light $8.99

Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Pan - Beaches and Cream $5.99

Too Faced Bulletproof 24-Hour Eye Liner- Dirt Bag $22

e.l.f. Essential Beauty School 4-Piece Shimmer Gloss Set $5 

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Root Booster Blow Dry Lotion- $7.49

Charming Charlie Candy Shop Necklace Set- Purple $15

Radiant Orchid Obsession!

Hi everyone! 

So, I'm sure most of you have already noticed, Radiant Orchid is EVERYWHERE!! And... I am totally obsessed! I cannot seem to get enough of this color lately! I've just been gravitating to it in all forms! It's so pretty, bright and fun... and seeing it just seems to make me happy! It's kind of funny because when this color was first named as Pantone's Color of The Year for 2014, I was a little blah about it. I went on a huge plum craze a few years ago and had just kind of been over the whole purple thing. But, the more I see Radiant Orchid working it's way in to popular trends, the more I want all things Radiant Orchid! Told you... I'm obsessed! I started realizing that I have developed a little collection of various Radiant Orchid items and I thought I would share with you! 

My first real introduction to Radiant Orchid actually came from a lip product that was in my June Birchbox! When I first opened the box and saw the LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Menatour I was a little skeptical. I immediately thought "Damn! What a waste, I'll never wear this!". But then I swatched it and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate it! And then, I put it on my lips, looked in the mirror and LOVED it! I was really surprised that the color worked for me. That was just the beginning of a budding obsession! It has easily been one of my go-to lip products all summer! The product itself is a sheer, but very pigmented creamy and smooth consistency. Even with the bright color I find that it glides on super easily and doesn't bleed all over my lip line. The staying power isn't the best, and does need to be reapplied after eating or drinking! If you are looking for a simple way to ease in to the Radiant Orchid trend, this is definitely a great option! 

One night over dinner my boyfriend asked why I never wear "color" eyeshadows (as in blues, greens, purples, pinks, etc.) and why I always stick to "brown". Truth is I just never thought most bright colors looked very good on me and always wanted to avoid looking like a clown! Or worse, Mimi from that Drew Cary show years back (I think it traumatized me)! Any way, a few days later I was browsing CVS and was staring at one of my other recent obsessions, L'Oreal' Infallible Eyeshadows. I saw a pretty Radiant Orchid-ish shade and thought it would be a nice way to work some "color" into my eyeshadow look and see what my boyfriend thought of it! So on our next date night I used this color all over the lid and then went into the crease with a dark brown from the same collection and used a little gold highlight on my brow bone and inner corners! He loved it! Now, he is a guy so the most I got out of him was "It looks nice... I like it!" Haha, but it was nice to change it up a bit, not just for him, but myself too! It's nice to get out of "the box" every now and then!

Now, this next product is where I think my obsession really started to take off... I was standing at the Clinique counter with my mom a few weeks ago while she made a quick return, and I saw the Cheek Pop blushes. All of the pretty, bright, fun, pinky, purpley, orchid colors started to draw me in! I swatched a few of them and felt that rush of excitement that all makeup addicts feel when they find a fun new product! ;) I decided it wasn't worth trying to resist and that I had to have one! I chose the color Plum Pop which was a little on the pinker side of orchid, but I was still new to the trend so I didn't want to go cray.. and because... Mimi. Once I started using this at home I found the color to be less intense than I wanted it to be. I was a little bummed at myself for playing it safe and thought that I should have gone with one of the truer purple orchid colors they had in the line. I still may go back and pick one up though ;)

In the meantime, I wanted to make the color work for me and decided that I needed something to help it along to give it the more purple orchid feel I was going for. I picked up a Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush which I also have been loving) in Orchid Hush, which is a cream blush. This totally helped the Clinique blush pop! I've been putting my blush brush into the Maybelline cream blush and stippling it on my cheeks, and then topping that off with the Clinique powder blush in the same stippling motion. 

This works wonders for the color I wanted to achieve and by topping it with the powder blush I am able to set the cream blush! I've been loving the combination for the last two weeks or so!

My next purchase came when I decided that I needed to check out the NYX Butter Glosses! Any other time I would have definitely gone for a coral or nude colored gloss from this line. But, I was full on in the midst of Radiant Orchid obsession and decided to go with a color that would satisfy my urges to have more of this fabulous color in my life! I chose the color Strawberry Parfait. I love these glosses so much! They are very sheer, but still pigmented enough that they have decent color payoff. The texture is smooth and not at all goopy! I love this gloss on its on for a more subtle every day look or used to top off a more intense color and add some shine. 

For most of this summer I have been using Revlon's Gel Envy Nail Enamels! These things are amazing! They are super pigmented and opaque, and the whole system is easy to use and pretty fool proof! I saw the Radiant Orchid-ish color, Up The Ante, in a magazine and literally had to stop at CVS on my way home the next day so I could have it! There was only one left on the shelf, so I knew it was meant to be! ;) I went home that night and got to work on my mani-pedi with my pretty new polish! After one coat of this color I was deeply in love with it! It is soooo gorgeous!!! I have been wearing it for almost 3 weeks now with no end in sight! The color makes me instantly happy when I see it on my nails! If you buy only one thing in the Radiant Orchid trend, make it this nail polish! You will not be disappointed! :) I promise!

In my last Ulta haul post I talked about new NYX Butter Lipstick that I picked up in the color Hunk! I've used this one a few times over the last week and I LOVE it! Its a bit of a deeper Radiant Orchid shade, but I love that it is bright enough to be worn now in the later summer months and that it will totally work as a nice Fall color also! Best of both worlds if you ask me!

And lastly (for now at least), my Radiant Orchid obsession has officially made its way into my wardrobe! I was in Old Navy this weekend and when I saw the color of this t-shirt, and that there was only one left, AND it was my size, I quickly scooped it up! Its just a simple v-neck t-shirt, but I love the simplicity of it and that I will be able to dress it up or down! Its also a great transitional top for in between Summer and Fall!
 I'm sure the t-shirt will be the first of many items in this color to be added to my wardrobe this Fall! I already have my eyes on some jewelry and accessories! :)
Is anyone else dying over this color lately? If so let me know what goodies you have found and what I should try out! I can't wait to see what other fun Radiant Orchid things come out for the Fall season! I hope everyone is having a good week so far! As always, thanks for reading!

♥ Nichole 

LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil- Menatour $18

L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eyeshadow- Burst Into Bloom $8.29

Clinique Cheek Pop- Plum Pop $21

Maybelline New York Dream Bouncy Blush- Orchid Hush $7.99

NYX Butter Gloss- Strawberry Parfait $4.99

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy- Up The Ante $7.99

NYX Butter Lipstick- Hunk $5.99

Old Navy Women's Slub-Knit V-Neck Tees- Winter Wine $12.50

HAUL!!! Ulta & CVS

Hello loves! So as promised, I did some shopping this weekend and picked up a bunch of fun goodies! There's a lot of stuff, so I'll just jump right in to it! 

During my Ulta trip the first thing I grabbed was something I've been DYING to pick up! I was planning on waiting until it got closeR to Fall, but I just couldn't help myself! ;) The Too Faced Rock N Roll Rock Candy Eye Shadow Collection palette is absolutely gorgeous! I love the jewel toned colors for Fall! The darker shadows are super pigmented and have a creamier texture, while the highlight shades seem to be a little less pigmented than I would like! The "Classic" highlight color, New Wave, has a lot of glitter and doesn't go on quite as smooth as the others. I plan on messing around with this one a lot more, and will most likely end up doing a full review on it soon, so stay tuned!

Swatches from Top left: Rockabilly, New Wave, New Romantic, Rap, Pop, Glam Rock, Ska, Heavy Metal, & Punk

Also from Too faced I picked up a Bulletproof 24 hour Eyeliner in Dirt Bag. It is a jumbo eyeliner pencil that can be used to line the eyes, smudge out, or used as a shadow stick! I love the versatility of this product! I swatched this little baby in the store, and let me tell you, the staying power of this thing is AMAZING! Even after washing my hands it did not budge at all! I've been trying it out as an eyeliner the last two days and I think I am in love with it! I'm going to try using it a few different ways and can't wait to see what this thing can really do!

This Mally Beauty Evercolor Startlight Waterproof Eyeliner in Caribbean Sea is actually something my Mom threw into the Ulta bag! She has been eyeing up this color for a while now (as have I) and since we are both such big fans of these liners, she decided to give in and I'm so glad she did! This color is sooo pretty! I love the bright pop of color! Since we already know how well these liner from Mally Beauty perform, I think this color will be great with their formula! No worrying that a brighter color may stray oR smudge a bit more, which is definitely not a good look! I just might have to steal this from her... LOL!

  

The newer shades of the NYX Butter Lipsticks totally caught my eye! They were kind of hiding out on the end of an aisle and there weren't a ton out, but I am so glad I saw them because they might just be my new obsession! The color at the top Hunk, is the juiciest plum color! It has a tiny bit of a pinky undertone, and I absolutely love it! The color is bright, fun, and really different from any of the other lipsticks I own. The color on bottom, Pops, is a really pretty nude pink color with just a hint of mauvey taupe! I can't wait to wear this on a crisp fall day with great boots! These lipsticks go on so so buttery soft and smooth with a touch of a glossy finish! I just LOVE them! I'll definitely be picking up several more of these I think! ;)

Another NYX lip product I've been wanting to try out are the new Soft Matte Lip Creams! The matte lip products seem to be popping up from a few brands lately, and these remind me a lot of the Too Faced Melted Liquefied Long Wear Lipsticks! The Too faced ones had caught my attention earlier this summer because I thought they were really different. However, when I swatched them and put some on in the store, I found them to be a little dry and I didn't think I would really like the effect. Also the Too faced ones go for $21, which isn't too badly priced, but for something I won't love, I can't justify the price! So long story short, I wanted to give the whole matte lip look a go and thought this option from NYX would be a great place to start! For starters these lip creams are extremely pigmented, which I love! They go on very creamy and it takes very little product to achieve a bright lip color that pops! I tried it out for a few hours and I didn't hate it, but I wasn't enamored by it either. I didn't find that it lasted very long, and also found that it was barely there after eating and drinking. BUT, it does totally stain your hand when you swatch it! Haha! 

I'm always on the hunt for a great concealer, but then again who isn't? I've been hearing a lot of great things on various beauty guru's YouTube videos about this Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer (also the longest name of a product ever)! So far I like the texture a lot! It is creamy and just thick enough to really give great coverage, but not so think that its going to get cakey under my eyes! The applicator is nice and soft (and I actually think there is something weirdly cute about the little puff)! I'll keep giving this a try and compare it to some of my other concealers that I have been liking lately! I'll let you know how it stacks up! ;)

So, all summer long I've been obsessed with coconut scented everything! I just love the summery, beachy smell and makes me think of a breezy vacation by the sea (which is as close to a vaca as I'm getting any time soon)! This Coconut Soap from The Body Shop is actually a repurchase (3rd time) and this should have gone in my July favorites post, but the only one I had was a tiny sliver left in the shower! Haha! There isn't anything truly amazing or life changing about it... its pretty much a basic bar of soap, but I can't stop purchasing it! 

I also did a mini CVS haul this weekend since Ulta happened to be out of a few things I was looking for. 

I picked up some necessity stuff obviously, like tooth past (the Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White has been my favorite lately), and CVS brand oil free eye makeup remover (comparable to Neutrogena's oil free eye makeup remover- only a bit cheaper and it doesn't burn my eyes). They were running a great deal on the eye makeup remover, 100% more product for the same price! Can't beat that! 

I saw this Burt's Bees' Coconut Foot Creme on Pinterest, and I since flip flips and sandals have been drying my feet out like crazy, I quickly decided this was a must! However, I'm a bit bummed out about it. :( I was totally expecting a nice creamy consistency that smelled super coconutty, but unfortunately it is more of a greasy yellowish balm that smells like peppermint (barely ANY coconut scent). I'm hesitant to even use it because I don't want my feet to get so greasy that I'm sliding around in my shoes all day. But I'll give it a try I guess. I just think it is poorly described on the packaging. "Creme" does not mean balm in my world! Uhg.

As I posted in my July Favorites, I have been loving these Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes! I'm also loving orchid and plum colored everything, so this Plum Wine color was a no-brainer when I saw it! It's just so so so pretty! I love that this is bright enough to still work for the rest of summer, but also plumish enough that I can easily take it with me in to the Fall! 

Maybelline products were buy one, get on 50% off, so I decided to pick up a Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer! This was also a repurchased product, and its not my favorite primer out there, but I do like it! I usually use this on work days (because good/ expensive makeup shouldn't be wasted on days sitting at an office desk)! It gets me through the day with minimal shine or oiliness, and is does give a nice base for foundation. The consistency reminds me a lot of the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, and I actually think it performs very similarly (and ahem.. its a like 1/5 of the price)!   

And last but not least... I had to purchase another NYX lip product! ;) I've been looking for the Butter Gloss in Tiramisu for a while, and it was always out of stock in Ulta! So... I basically jumped on it when I saw it in CVS! It is sooo lovely! The perfect shiny nude pinky color for Fall!! ♥ I'm in love! I actually think this will look great to top off the NYX Butter Lipstick I bought in Pops (see above). Its just so creamy! Not sticky or goopy at all! I definitely recommend checking these glosses out! 

So, as you can see, it was a busy weekend! ;) I had a nice double date night on Friday with the Boyfriend, spent some time with family on Saturday (even dyed my Aunt & cousin's hair!) and then spent some time with my BFF Sunday night! I hope you all had a great weekend also! Let me know what you've been trying out, buying, loving, and hating! I would love to hear about it!

♥ Nichole

Too Faced Rock N Roll Rock Candy Eye Shadow Collection $36

Too Faced Bulletproof 24-Hour Eye Liner- Dirt Bag $22

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner- Caribbean Sea $15

NYX Butter Lipstick- Hunk $5.99

NYX Butter Lipstick- Pops $5.99

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream- Addis Ababa $5.99

Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer- Fair $8.99

The Body Shop Coconut Soap $4

Crest 3D White Luxe Toothpaste, Glamorous White 2 Pack $8.99 ( I can only find it in a two pack online)

CVS Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover $6.49 (100% more promo not online)

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme $8.99

Maybelline New York Dream Bouncy Blush- Plum Wine $7.99

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer $6.99

NYX Butter Gloss- Tiramisu $4.99

July Favorites

Hi guys!

Unfortunately it is time to say goodbye to my favorite summer month! But on the flip side it's time to talk about the beauty products I have been loving all month long! There are so many, I wasn't sure where to begin! But I think I narrowed it down to a manageable number ;)

This first product I have used literally every single day! I'm not sure how I have gone so long without Mac's paint pot in Painterly! It is life changing! I use it as my eye primer and it matches my skin tone perfectly, but also brightens my eye area up a bit! It is a matte nude shade that allows my cream and powder eyeshadows to really pop and go on smooth and evenly! I have nothing bad to say about this one! :) It will definitely be something I repurchase as I run out and I can't wait to try some of the other paint pot colors from Mac! 

Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot- Painterly

For my nails this month I have been LOVING Revlon's new Color Stay Gel Envy Nail Enamels! I love that I am now able to get the salon gel effect without having to use a UV light to harden the polish or physically go to the nail salon every two weeks! The polish last for about a week and a half before I find that I'm starting to get tiny chips or I need to redo them! Honestly the gel polish that I was having done at the nail salon sometimes didn't even last that long! My only teeny tiny complaint would be that I did have some staining from the greenish teal color (Dealer's Choice). Nothing unbearable though and I will be trying some of their other darker colors to see if it is a repeat issue! These are so affordable and easy to use! I can't wait to pick up more colors and I would highly recommend giving them a try! 

 010 Top Coat (which can be used on any other the colors), 240-Dealer's Choice, and 030- Beginners Luck

For those of you that know me, you already know I love my blush! So when I saw this blush color, Captivating, from Tarte I HAD TO HAVE IT!! It is so so so pretty and the color name fits it perfectly! It gives my cheeks a nice peach kissed glow and looks great when my face has some color from the sun! It is beyond perfect for the summer months! It's smooth and applies nicely to my face, but most of all I like that the color is totally buildable! I can go lightly or build the color to a brighter/darker peachy coral! It's just gorgeous either way!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush- Captivating

Again, I love my blush, and a girl just needs to have options! ;) I have been really getting in to all the new pinky- purple (or better known as Radiant Orchid) shades that I keep seeing pop up in several makeup lines! I happened to be in my local Macy's department store with my mom a few weeks ago, and had zero intentions of making any purchases while she made a quick return... But... these Clinique Cheek Pop blushes were too beautiful to turn away from! I swatched a few shades on the back of my hand and was in LOVE! I chose the color Plum Pop, which I actually don't find to be very plum like at all (although still a beautiful color)! I do like the pretty bright pink that this shade gives off when I apply it to my cheeks, but I found that the blush wasn't as pigmented at home as it was when I was in the store. :-/ Kinda bummed me out. BUT, I found a solution! Now, cream blushes kind of scare me. I just can never get the hang of it or it looks streaky on me, plus I am super oily. Therefore, I usually forgo using them or buying them, but I had been wanted to try Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blushes since I had heard awesome things about them. So I picked one up in the color Hot Tamale and decided that the cream blush is also too sheer for my taste on its on. I started experimenting and found that putting a tiny bit of  Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blush underneath my Clinique Cheek Pop blush, I was able to get the look and color intensity I had been after! I've been wearing both together for a few weeks now and love the pink shimmery glow I get from the two products combined! Perfect pink for summer! 

(Top swatch- Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale, bottom swatch- Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in Plum Pop

Another makeup color I love to use in the summer is bronze! I love a nice bronzey gold shimmer eyeliner against my dark blue eyes! Ulta stores recently started carrying Mally Beauty (YAY!) and I had heard great things about the Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliners! When I saw this L:ucky Penny color I immediately threw it into my little Ulta shopping bag! :) It is gorgeous! It lasts ALL day long and these eyeliners have some of the best staying power I have ever come across! I tend to have very watery eyes usually, so staying power is extremely important for me! These even hold up to the "dip in the pool" test! I've worn these during family BBQ's by the pool and they have held up to tons of splashing without budging at all! I have three colors, (including blue and brown) but this Penny color is definitely my favorite! As you can see I have used this one quite a bit and will definitely be buying another! :) 

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliners- Lucky Penny

I also recently learned a new trick from the amazing and gorgeous Emily Eddington! She uses a nude liner to line her waterline on her eyes to make them really pop and look more awake! This was something that I never really did before watching her videos! I decided to give it a try (because duh, who doesn't want to look more awake and alert?) especially because my eyes are on the smaller side! I purchased the Milani Shadow Eyez Matte Eyeshadow Pencil in Almond Cream and have been using it every day since I bought it! I love it and can definitely see a difference in how my eyes look wider, brighter, and more awake! I love this stuff! Perfect for long summer nights and sleep deprivation! ;) 

Milani Shadow Eyez Matte Eyeshadow Pencil- Almond Cream

Another item I received as a birthday gift is Bare Minerals eyeshadow duo in The Promise. I am obsessed with this duo! It is SO beautiful! I especially love the buttery glow the gold shadow (Aspire) gives my lids and then I follow up with the darker (almost mauvy purplish) brown color in my crease. I then go back and highlight the brow area very lightly with Aspire! The finished look is GORGEOUS! Very bright and summery and I have totally been loving it! 

BareMinerals Ready 2.0 Eyeshadow Palette- The Promise (Left: Aspire, Right: Vow)

An absolute necessity during the summer months is a stellar primer! With all the heat and humidity, I need something that is not super heavy, helps my makeup set, and keeps my skin from getting oily throughout the long days. I have really really been enjoying Revlon's Photo Ready Perfecting Primer! I use this after I apply the Milk of Magnesia to my face and it totally takes away the chalky residue that the MOM leaves behind! My makeup applies smoothly and evenly! It is not greasy at all like some primers can sometimes be! I've already gone through three bottles of this stuff! The bottle is a little on the smaller side and there is a squeeze pump to get the product out. My only complaint would be that the glass jar makes it difficult to get all of the product out when I start running low. It's kind of a pain, but I've been working around it with q-tips. Overall, I would consider this my liquid gold right now! I love it! 

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer

And last, but definitely not least is yet another gift I received for my birthday! My BFF gave me a totally fabulos Sigma Brush collection!! I have been DYING to try Sigma brushes and was so excited when I opened up the gift (I love you BFF and thank you again)! I've been experimenting with all of the brushes in the set but the two I keep grabbing for most are the E30 Pencil brush, and the E70 Medium Angle Shading! I've been using the E30 Pencil brush to smudge darker colors under my bottom lash line to blend eyeliners! I love how it gets really close to my lash line without being too thin or too bulky! The E70 Medium Angle Shading brush I have been using in my eyelid crease! Both of these brushes are great quality and super soft (the E30 Pencil brush is a bit stiffer for the purpose its meant to serve). I just love them! They're so pretty and I am so glad to have them in my makeup brush collection! I foresee them quickly becoming the "stars" of my brush collection! 

Sigma E30 Pencil Brush & E70 Medium Angle Shading Brush

So that wraps up July! Again, there are SO many products that I am really loving and excited about right now! It was extremely difficult to narrow it down to just 10! But the products mentioned really are the stand out stars from this past month and ones that I have been super impressed with! 

Sorry if this post was a little on the lengthy side! I hope you have all enjoyed July as much as I have! I am sad to see it go, but excited to see what August will have in store (and in stores hahaha)! And as much as I love summer, July ending just means that we are one step closer to AUTUMN and PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!!! :)

Hope you all have an amazing weekend! Go out and do something fun or treat yourself to something nice (maybe one my July Favorites)! Thanks so much for reading!

♥ Nichole 

Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot- Painterly $20

Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy Nail Enamel-$7.99

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush- Captivating $26

Clinique Cheek Pop- Plum Pop $21

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush- Hot Tamale $7.99

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner- Lucky Penny $15

Milani Shadow Eyez Matte Eyeshadow Pencil- Almond Cream $7.49

BareMinerals Ready 2.0 Eyeshadow Palette- The Promise $20

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer $13.99

Sigma E30 Pencil Brush $14

Sigma E70 Medium Angled Shading Brush $14