July Favorites (2017)

Hello, lovelies!

It's been a few months since I've done a favorites post, but these are one of my favorite types of posts to write because it's just a bunch of happy things I've been loving gathered all in one place. As always, feel free to let me know what you've been loving in the comments or through any of my social media links. (:

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Music:

NOTE: Since I just did a post about my favorite songs of the summer so far, I haven't included them again here because it would be redundant. BUT you can read that post and listen to some more great jams by clicking HERE.

"Ghost," "Chariot," and "Breadcrumbs" by Jacob Lee

Jacob Lee is more of an indie artist, and I haven't found his music to be super well-known which is sad because it's INCREDIBLE. I mentioned one of his other songs, "I Just Know," a bit ago in another favorites post, but these three have been more recent discoveries.

"Be There" by Krewella

This song definitely has more of a pop sound to it, but it's perfect to belt with the windows down while you're driving in the summertime. (I also love the little techno instrumental between the chorus and second verse.)

"Two Ghosts," "Ever Since New York," and "From the Dining Table" by Harry Styles

I didn't love all of Harry's songs off his new album, but these three I thought were amazing. Two Ghosts especially hits me in the feels.

Malibu by Miley Cyrus

This is a VERY summer-appropriate song, but I find it sort of loses its charm if you overplay it, so take it easy on the repeat button.

For Forever from the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack

One of my friends introduced me to Waving Through A Window and Only Us from this soundtrack during my statistics class, and I hadn't listened to the entire soundtrack itself until a little bit later. The plot of this musical itself is a little strange, but I love love love this song especially from the soundtrack.

"You'll Be Back," "Satisfied," "Wait For It," "Stay Alive (reprise)," and "It's Quiet Uptown" from the Hamilton soundtrack

Yes. I finally gave in to the hype and listened to the Hamilton soundtrack, and now I'm addicted and want to see the musical in person so badly. You'll Be Back makes me laugh every time I hear it, because the king singing it is just hilarious, but I'd say the Stay Alive reprise is the most emotional song for me.

Ciao Adios by Anne Marie

I feel like this song makes me just want to flip my hair and do a sassy walk, so if you're into that, you'll be into this.

High On Humans by Oh Wonder

Oh Wonder's voices blend so beautifully together, and I adore the harmonies they do. My Friends is also a favorite of mine that they sing, but this one is a little bit newer.

"Moon and Back," "Twilight Blue," "Lost In Translation," and "Lost My Mind" by Alice Kristiansen

I've been watching Alice's covers of songs for a while now, but I hadn't realized she'd released original songs too. I love all of them, hence why all of them are in my favorites post, haha! Her voice is so smooth and gentle, and her lyrics are so poetic. Lost In Translation and Moon and Back are my ultimate favorites out of her four singles.

Be Kind To Yourself by Andrew Peterson

I heard this song just on the fly when I was channel flipping through the radio, and I think it has a really lovely message and Andrew's voice is perfect for it.

Beauty:

Two Faced Sweethearts Bronzer in "Sweet Tea"

I first heard of this bronzer by watching Jackie Wyer's YouTube channel, and it always looked so glowy and pretty on her, so I finally bit the bullet and bought it. I love it since I'm still hanging on to my Israel tan, but if you're more fair it might pull a bit orange on you. I usually just take a fluffy brush and lightly swirl it in both colors to keep things soft on the face.

Maybelline Intimatte Lipstick in "Almond Rose"

This is one of Maybelline's newer matte lipsticks, and I think it's a really lovely rosey color. I don't usually swipe it on as opaque is it can be, since I like the way it looks better on me right now when I just dab it lightly on and finish with a clear gloss.

Mario Badescu Rosewater Facial Spray

I kept seeing this thing EVERYWHERE, and I assumed it was stupid expensive, but turns out the 4 oz. bottle runs around $6.00 USD at Ulta, which isn't bad at all. It smells like roses, because duh it's rosewater infused, but the aloe in it is really soothing to the skin. I usually just spray it a little bit after I moisturize my skin before I put on makeup for the day.

BH Cosmetics & Carli Bybel Deluxe Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette

I never got the chance to try Carli's original BH eyeshadow and highlighter palette, so when she announced that her next one was going to have all the same shades as before with new ones added, I was ecstatic. I bought it as soon as it came to Ulta stores, and the pigmentation is incredible. I'll have to try using some of the shimmery shades wet or with a glitter glue though because they tend to have a lot of fallout if you're not careful. If you're more fair, you'll probably have to do some color mixing since as a more medium-skinned girl I can't use some of the highlights on their own.

Elf Eyeshadow Primer and Brow Pencil

I hadn't really thought eyeshadow primers could make any difference, but I bought this Elf one just to see if I liked it, and I have to say the difference is noticeable. My eyeshadow doesn't crease and I don't get weird transfer from my lids into the crease, which I'd had problems with before. Along with the primer, Elf makes a brow pencil that's also really cheap but also works really great for my eyebrows which just need a little bit of filling in here and there.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeliner (brown)

I haven't been using black eyeliner as much, so I picked up the brown shade that Rimmel makes since this is my favorite eyeliner formula I've found so far. I love that it's not harsh but still gives me a little bit of definition to my lashes when I tightline with it.

Essence Pure Nude Highlighter in "Be My Highlight"

Since some of the Carli Bybel palette shades can pull too dark or too light on me, I've been mixing them a lot with this highlighter. They can also be a little glittery, and this one is much more like a natural glowy sheen to the skin rather than glitter, so combining them works amazingly. (Note: if you're fair, you'll just have to use a lighter hand because it might pull a little dark on you when you're looking straight-on at a mirror versus tilting your head sideways where it hits the light.)

Fashion:

Pink Bell-Sleeve Top From Windsor

I've been OBSESSED with the look of these types of sleeves, and I finally found a shirt that had them. I love the dusty pink color this shirt has, and it's flowy and comfy too.

Flannel Dress From Kohls

I bought this dress in a size down from what I normally do so it would be slightly more fitted, and I think it looks really cute with a pair of sandals and a messy braid on a summer night.

Plaid Off-the-Shoulder Top From Charlotte Russe

This picture isn't a great shot of this shirt, but it again has those sleeves that flare out, with the added detailing of the off-the-shoulder neckline. The second picture is me wearing it with a more nineties spin to the outfit with a darker lip and a choker for some added accessorizing. (On a side note, that's how I've been wearing my hair a lot lately.)

These Sandals From Target

This was the closest picture I could find of the sandals I bought, but the heel is slightly different on this pair than they are on mine, and the strap is missing the buckle that mine have. Even so, I've been wanting a pair of tan, flat sandals with an ankle strap on them for a while, and I've been loving throwing these on with a pretty sundress or casual outfit.

YouTuber of the Month:

I decided to add a little element to my favorites posts now in the form of a favorite YouTuber, and Shaanxo is my choice for this month. She's so sweet and I love her chit chat-style videos, and she's been doing a series on her channel where she uses cocktail drinks to inspire her makeup looks, which I think is so cool. You should definitely check her out and subscribe while you're there.

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Whoo! That was a long one as usual, but hopefully you enjoyed reading and seeing what I've been loving. As always, I'd love to hear what you've been loving too in a comment or through any of my social media links.

That is all.

Cheers,