Monthly Favorites: July 2016

Hi everyone, and hello August!

As usual, time feels like it's moving at hyper-speed because I can't believe I'm writing another monthly favorites so soon! I'm rather proud of being able to post six times in the past month, which means I'm meeting my goal to create weekly content for my blog. I'm hoping I can keep it up because August is going to be a hectic month for my job - I work in a marketing and advertising agency and we get really busy in the "-ber" months - so I'll start drafting some reviews while I can to make sure I have something to publish in the next few weeks. Also, I'm being a bit more creative with my posts, so let me know what you think! For now, let's get into the products I loved in the month of July:

SKINCARE

The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defense: I originally got this for my mom as a gift, but I noticed she hasn't been using it anyway so I decided to snag it and try it out myself. I'm personally skeptical about eye creams because I've used a couple before and I never noticed difference, but I really like this one! It's not a miracle product that instantly banishes your under-eye woes. However, after using it every night for the past three weeks, I noticed it improved the darkness and texture in that area. Maybe with consistent use I won't need as much concealer to hide my baggies.

iWhite Korea Whitening Vita Facial Wash: This was mentioned in last month's favorites, but I had to include it here because I've been using it to wash more than just my face, but also my neck and underarms before going to bed. Sounds a little weird, but I have sensitive skin in those specific areas which makes them prone to developing rashes or allergies, so I've been preferring this gentle facial wash over traditional soap. No remarkable or noteworthy effects, but I just thought I'd let you guys know this cleanser can work that way too. Hehe. :D

Safeguard Derma Sense Facial Cleanser for Acne Prone Skin: The Holy Grail cleanser has returned! The change in weather has got my skin in a frenzy, and this has been a huge help in keeping my breakouts under control. You can learn more about this little miracle in this review.

FACE

Banila Co. Prime Primer in Classic Matte: I have a like-hate relationship with my oily skin. I like it because it prevents me from premature aging and gives me a built-in highlighter. But as the day progresses, I start to hate it because my face starts becoming a grease-ball that I constantly need to blot. This primer really does mattify my skin while being quite moisturizing, and helps to somewhat control my oiliness and keep makeup on my face. It's a little pricey, but I think it's worth it.

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation in Ivory: A really long name for a very nice product. I initially bought the Banila Co. primer for this foundation because I've heard nothing but love for it, and I can see why. This gives my skin that almost flawless but still natural-looking matte finish without emphasizing any dryness. I'm planning a more detailed review on this baby, but all I'm telling you guys now is that it's amazing!

EYES

Morphe 35O and Aphrodyte 35C Eyeshadow Palettes: My youngest sister asked me why my eye looks were always orange, and here's why. HAHAHA. :D I've been using these palettes non-stop since I got them, and they're both very beautiful on the eyes, especially because I just love warm eyeshadows. I have talked about and compared these two palettes in the last month, and you can read all about them here and here.

Covergirl The Supersizer Waterproof Mascara: I mentioned this in last month's favorites, but this one's really good I had to mention it again! Every Covergirl mascara that I've tried I've hated because they weigh down my lashes and undo the curl I work so hard to make! In comparison, this amplifies length and adds definition and a bit of volume as well, and my favorite part: it actually holds a curl!

Bench Paint Box Brow Lasting Eyebrow Mascara in Grey: I haven't really tried anything from Bench's makeup line before, but this brow mascara wowed me. It gives a very nice cool-toned tint on my brows and holds them in place all day (except if I sweat my face off). It also has tiny fibers that make my brows look fuller, so it helps hide my bald spots. Did I say this was under PHP 200? YAAAAASSSSSSS!!!

Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in In The Nude: This is just a regular nude eyeliner but I love that it's retractable and brightening.

Maybelline ColorShow Crayon Khol in Shiny Beige: A shiny version of the Rimmel one that's super pretty in the waterline and inner corner.

CHEEKS

City Color Natural Glow Blusher in Glamorous Desire: I'm usually a fan of neutral colors when it comes to blush because those kinds of shades work with pretty much anything, but I've been loving the "natural" flush of color this red-pink shade gives my cheeks. This has a matte finish that's easy to blend out; still, I would be careful and tap off the excess.

Wet n' Wild ColorIcon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana: Having oily skin means I already have some built-in shine on my skin, so I generally avoid anything that might add to that. However, I have really been enjoying applying this "bronzer" (we all know it's a highlighter) when I take makeup practice photos. I especially like adding this on the tip of my nose because it gives a bit of lift.

Essence Longlasting Lipliner in Lovely Frappuccino and Lipliner in Honey Bun: Essence makes amazing lip liners! These feel like lipsticks in pencil form because they apply so smooth, creamy, and pigmented as heck! Lovely Frappuccino a neutral mauve-pink and Honey Bun is a brown-toned mauve that work very well by themselves or when used with nude lip colors.

Bench Paint Box Lip Crayon in Brick Red: Another surprise! These teeny-tiny lip pencils apply glossy color on the lips that I usually don't like, but the shade Brick Red - which is a complete misnomer for a nude pink - is so pretty!

City Color Creamy Lips in Mai Tai and Hibiscus Martini: These cream lipsticks are very plush and shiny when applied, but just blot off the excess to get a matte finish. Mai Tai is a peachy nude with a pink undertone that I love to mix with different lip liners and lipsticks. On the other hand, Hibiscus Martini is a medium berry-red that's both deep and vibrant enough to be worn during the daytime. These have a very strong scent and taste, though, and they aren't in any way long-lasting, so I would recommend wiping them off before a meal.

Jordana Sweet Cream Matte Liquid Lip Color in Tiramisu: I've been dying to try these out since they came out and they're so worth getting! This applies like a creamy liquid lipstick that dries down to a comfortable matte finish, though it does wear away when I eat oily food or drink without a straw. It has a deliciously sweet smell and scent that I'm seriously addicted to. Tiramisu looked like a terracotta nude in photo swatches, but on me it's a medium pink. Not really what I wanted, but I love it either way.

Fashion21 All Day Matte Lipstick in Russet: This lightened, muted burgundy is one of my favorite daytime red. It applies very smoothly and wears comfortably for a matte lipstick. One of my favorite local drugstore lipsticks.

FAVORITES IN THIS PHOTO: Banila Co. Prime Primer in Classic Matte, Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation in Ivory, Covergirl The Supersizer Waterproof Mascara, Bench Paint Box Brow Lasting Eyebrow Mascara in Grey, Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in In The Nude, Essence Lipliner in Honey Bun, Bench Paint Box Lip Crayon in Brick Red

And that's it for my July favorites! What have you been loving lately? Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned? Let me know and leave me some recommendations in the comments down below! Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed reading my blog. Take care, and till next time! :)

♥♥♥

All opinions and photos on this blog are my own, and all products reviewed have been purchased with my own personal funds, unless stated otherwise.

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