Tuesday, August 1, 2017

July Favorites

Happy August. Happy may be a bit of a stretch considering I am equal parts excited and nervous for what is to come this month with the start of my first "real world" job. Before I start panicking about what is left to be done to prepare for that I thought it would be fun to share some of the items I've been loving during the month of July. I realized that I forgot to share my June favorites with y'all but will do my best to get back on track with sharing them at the end of each month. If you would like to see previous favorites then be sure to check out the "monthly favorites" label on the sidebar of my blog! 


I have been reading a lot this summer. I like grabbing a book and sitting by the pool for a while to soak up some sun while also escaping from my phone and computer. This book was one of my most recent reads and took me no time to get through. For whatever reason I love psychological thrillers (currently reading The Girl On The Train). The Woman In Cabin 10 is definitely the best psychological thriller I've read all summer and left me making connections to different parts of the story hours after I had finished it. It's set on a luxury cruise ship and it's hard to tell which characters to trust which drew me in even more. 

Since I forgot to share my June favorites I couldn't neglect to add another favorite book from this summer, The Defining Decade. From psychological thriller to self hope you never know what you're going to get from me. You can read more about what both Nell and I thought of it in this Novels with Nell post

Cuvee Beauty
If I had to narrow down the products I get sent most frequently I would have to say shampoo and sunscreen are both high on the list. Definitely not complaining about that since neither are all that fun to purchase. Cuvee Beauty connected with me earlier this summer to try out their product line and after spending some time using the products I am hooked. It makes my hair so soft and manageable (despite the fact that I really need a haircut). While some days I will just use the shampoo and conditioner I also have and love the protective treatment and styling balm. I find that when I use these products my hair looks good to go after just blow drying it which I can't always say about other shampoo and conditioner. These products are on the pricier side so if you're looking to give them a try you may want to start with the travel set!

This summer I have gotten into a big kick of waking up early. I know that I am most productive in the morning and I was not going to let having class all day starting at 9:00 get in the way of that. Grabbing my cup of coffee and coming back in my room to work on homework or blog related tasks definitely helped me to prepare for the day ahead and will hopefully help to transition me into this school year as well. The only qualm is that I need to learn how to go to bed a bit earlier but I have a feeling the exhaustion to come with the new school year will cause that to stop being a problem in no time. 

I love having my nails painted. In fact, it's pretty rare for them not to be painted. Something about a new color and freshly painted nails makes me feel a little bit more put together. While Essie's fiji will remain my favorite color, this summer I've found myself reaching for Essie's Peak Show a lot. It's a really light baby pink that almost comes off as a subtle white and it looks so good on everyone (aka the friends who have borrowed it). When it comes to nail polish I am the type of person who has to take it off right when I see a chip because I become tempted to pick at the nail polish and want it either all on or all off. I've used Essie's Gel Top Coat before but re-discovered it this summer and am so glad that I did. It does a great job of protecting the polish while also making your manicure look as though you had it done due to the sheen it gives. I've always gotten this item at Target but I am sure that you'll be able to find it other places as well! 

For the most part I've tried to wear regular clothes a lot this summer since my summer wardrobe is far from lacking (that's what growing up in Alabama will do to your closet, winter is a different story though). However, I have come to realize the days of having the option of looking put together or not are coming to an end. With that in mind I have been gravitating towards comfy athletic attire when I came and my Lululemon Tracker Shorts are a staple in that style ensemble. They are comfortable for just hanging out but also make great workout bottoms as they stay put during runs and the style is flattering. I got the navy pair this summer and have loved rotating those into my comfy clothing attire. 

This is a piece of jewelry that I am not sure I would've picked up on my own. I am usually a silver girl so this rose gold bracelet has been a fun way to mix up my everyday stack of bracelets. The best part though is the fact that it was a gift that I was never expecting. When my brother told me he got me a graduation present I was initially very confused and a little bit guilty considering when he graduated college I didn't even think about getting him something (and gift giving is undoubtedly MY THING). There was never any doubt in my mind about graduating from college so while it's fun to celebrate I definitely didn't think that I needed to get my sibling something when he graduated and I definitely didn't expect him to get me anything (especially considering his track record with Christmas and birthday presents...sorry Gil, the truth comes out). So when he called to tell me that my graduation present was being held at the FedEx distribution center 30 minutes away from our house and was adamant that I go pick it up as soon as possible I was a bit shocked. When I did pick it up I was in shock by how nice of a gift it was and the fact that he had taken the time to customize it. I'm pretty positive his girlfriend must've helped him pick it out (thanks Shannon!) but I know the customization must have been all him. He thoughtfully put the date of my graduation along with Woody, the nickname I gave myself after designating him as mister perfect and the shiny, new toy Buzz Lightyear and referring to myself as Woody. I smile every morning when I put it on and I'm not sure I'd love it nearly as much if it just said Dorothy on it. So, this being a favorite is equal parts due to the bracelet and the thought and unexpected nature of this gift. And if you're interested in your own there is one super similar available in Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale although I'm not positive it is customizable. 

As I mentioned, I've been doing my best to enjoy some time in the sun despite not being at the beach this summer but am sure to do so with caution as there is nothing worse than a bad sunburn and especially when that sunburn is on your lips. This Coola Chapstick feels really light weight and ever since I started using it my lips have felt more moisturized which I can't say is normally the case in the summer. I know a lot of brands make chapstick with SPF so if you haven't tried one and are tired of your lips feeling dry after a day in the sun I'd definitely recommend Coola (I also love their spray sunscreens!). 

So there you have it, a timely collection of the products I've been loving in July! I'd love to know if you had any favorite products this past month or if you have any recommendations for me based on these items. 


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