Sunday, June 4, 2017

May Favorites

Hello June! With May now officially over and June here I thought it was time for me to share my favorites from the past month with y’all. I had taken photos to share my April favorites with y’all but with graduation, goodbyes, and moving that post just never happened (oops). However, I am making it up to you today by sharing a number of the items I’ve been loving this past month. If you’re interested in seeing other favorites from previous months you can see those by clicking the “monthly favorites” label to be taken to them all! And to make this post extra fun I’ve included a little surprise video for y'all!


(From top left to bottom right)

I talked a bit about this brush in Tuesday’s post and could honestly rave about it for hours. I discovered the magic of a round brush while blow drying my hair last summer and I thought I had it made then. Wrong. This brush took that to the next level. I was really hesitant to purchase it as it is a bit pricy for a hair brush but desperate times call for desperate measures (read: Alabama humidity and the bristles on my last brush being all cattywampus). I opted for the half-pint size as my hair isn’t that long and I felt like I would have more control over it than the full size and I am glad that I did that as this one seems to be the perfect size for me. There is an even smaller version as well which would probably help you to be more precise during the drying process but the half-pint size combines precision and productivity as you can do larger sections of hair at once speeding the process along. I know, I know I sound like a car salesman trying to pitch it to you but it is that good. And speaking of car salesmen...

New Car (Key Chain)
For starters, I was definitely under the impression that I didn’t need a new car for graduation and when my parents initially suggested it after this incident I tried to get my dad to stop talking because I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of bailing on my first car. A new car was definitely not a necessity but my parents made some good points about the benefits of having something newer and in turn more reliable than my well loved first car (a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe). After shopping around and test driving a couple of styles of cars I decided on a Toyota Rav4 and love it. It’s a similar size to my Santa Fe with plenty of room to cart things around! I went with a white exterior and black interior. We had leather installed last week which I really like and will hopefully help the car to wear better over the years. I do feel like I betrayed my last car but my mom will drive that so fortunately I haven’t completely ditched it. My new car has definitely been a favorite this month and I am so appreciative that my parents wanted to make sure I entered into the “real world” with something reliable that would last me a long time to come.

While I love this specific journal (the store it is from is no longer in business so unfortunately I don’t think you can purchase this exact one anymore) more so I love that I have time to brainstorm and write down my thoughts for blogging. I have had this blog journal since last summer and when flipping back through it found that it is mainly filled with notes to myself from summer and school holidays since that is when I have more time to come up with ideas. I have pages of post ideas that I am hoping to rely on when I’m at a loss of what I want to post about and am always adding new ideas. It has been so nice to have this month to get ahead on blog related tasks so that I can better manage blogging and grad school this summer!

If you follow me on instagram it probably comes as no surprise that I adore these pajamas. I featured them in this post and even did a giveaway for one of y’all to win a pair for yourself and I can’t get enough. The fun palm print and shorts version makes these perfect for summer! I am definitely hoping to add more pairs of PJs from this brand to my growing pajama set collection in the years to come.

I am super hesitant when it comes to self tanner. It always takes me back to highschool prom season when suddenly girls would show up looking orange and oompa-loompa-ish in preparation for the big day. While a lot of those were spray tans it really made me hesitant to use self tanners. When I was gifted this tanner I figured I should give it a try and was so impressed. There is a reason that so many people swear by it. While I definitely don’t wait the full 8 hours that the bottle says before washing it off I have been able to see a different after using this and each time I’ve been left streak free. The best part about this tanner aside from the lack of streaks and its ability to do its job would be the fact that it doesn’t have a strong odor and it dries incredibly fast. While I don’t use it all that often I am already dreading having it run out because it isn’t the most inexpensive thing to repurchase.

If you watched this vlog then you probably laughed at my disappointment when purchasing the wrong mascara. After a quick exchange at Sephora I finally got this mascara and have been really impressed. I feel like it will probably get better once it dries out a tiny bit as it is really liquidy right now but it definitely makes my eyelashes stand out with a single swipe.

After Abby from the Smile Brilliant team reached out to me a couple of months ago about trying this product I was excited since I knew I had lots of smile worthy moments on the horizon (formals and graduation to name a few) and am a big time of teeth whitening due to the amount of coffee I drink. When she told me more about how the product worked I was so intrigued. You make your own mold (which is super easy) using the paste and directions included in the kit and then send it back to the company in a prelabeled pouch once it has dried. After a few days you’ll get your mold back and you’re ready to test out the product. Unlike some whiteners this one is specifically geared towards not irritating sensitive teeth and the whitening does a great job! You can purchase different kits geared toward your own teeth but no matter which one you choose the results are just as wonderful as what you may get from a more expensive procedure done at the dentist. I’ve been really impressed with the results and how easy the product is to use that it has been a major favorite this past month and will continue to be!
Y'all can get 10% off your purchase using the code prepinyourstep!

While Essie’s Fiji is definitely my go-to nail color in the spring and summer I stepped (quite literally) out of my typical routine and decided to reach for this other favorite when painting my toes this month. This color is the perfect pale blue and is perfect for summer. While I’ve worn it on my nails a number of times there is something about this fun pop of color on my toes that makes me smile. If you’re looking for a fun new color for summer definitely allow this to be a contender.

I really don’t know how to walk out of a store like Sephora or Ulta without picking up some sort of mini product just taunting me at the register. When picking up the mascara mentioned above this highlighter happened to speak to me telling me that I needed to bring it home with me. Being the friendly person I am I listened and am so glad I did. I started using highlighter when it came in a really great Nars palette I purchased during Nordstorm’s Anniversary Sale last summer and while I am no pro I really liked the results it gave me. This Becca Highlighter is even better as it has a tendency to instantly make my face look a little bit more sunkissed. I use high strength SPF on my face when I am out in the sun so it is usually the last part of my body to tan in the summer (although all my freckles could fool you on that one) so it is nice to have this product to give the illusion of a summer glow on my face. While it comes in a full size as well this little one is perfect for me since it only takes the tiniest bit to get the job done. This will definitely be staying packed in my makeup bag all summer long.

I feel like I am kind of cheating by including this product in my favorites but hear me out on it. I purchased this dry conditioned when I purchased the Drybar brush since I swear by dry shampoo. I had never heard of dry conditioner before so decided that a little bottle would give me the perfect amount to try out. While I am not sure if it actually makes my hair look shinier I am OBSESSED with the way this stuff smells which is why it made it into my favorites. Even if you don’t choose to get it if you happen to be out and about somewhere that sells this give it a smell and you’ll understand why. I typically only use it if I’m on second day hair but I wouldn’t be opposed to a candle or perfume in this scent because it is that good!

Wedges (not pictured)
Maybe I am a bit out of the routine of favorites posts since I completely forgot to include my favorite wedges in this posts’ picture. I struggled to find a pair of wedges I wanted to wear for graduation and finally decided on this pair and am so glad that I did. They are so comfortable, versatile, and cute that I am glad to have them to reach for all summer long. I purchased them from Nordstrom (where they are still on sale) in my typical shoe size and they did the trick for all of the graduation festivities I had as well as dinners and outings since being home! I’d highly recommend looking into them before their price goes back up!

Since it has been a bit since my last favorites video I thought it was about time for me to test my skills and make another one. Hopefully you’ll agree that I haven’t completely forgotten how to film a non-vlog video! I know that y’all really enjoy video content so be sure to let me know any ideas you may have so that I can add those in as well!



Also, as a fun little addition I would LOVE to hear which blog post from this month has been your favorite to read!


5 comments :

  1. I've been thinking about the St. Tropez bronzer for a long time, I'm so sad I didn't get it before coming to Spain... Will definitely buy it when the school year starts!
    Love,

    Ane || Basque Prep

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  2. I absolutely love my highlighter from Becca! I've heard their blushes are just as amazing too.

    https://maureengetsreal.wordpress.com/

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  3. I use that Lancôme mascara, and it honestly does get SO much better once it dries a little. It's super wet when you first get it and it's a mess, but once it dries it's great!

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