July & August Favorites 2023
It’s the end of summer! How did we get here so fast? Didn’t it just turn 2023?
We’re back again to go over what products and practices I’ve loved the past couple of months. I’ve come to realize that it’s a bit hard to write about what new things I tried and liked when I am trying to save money. Sure, I can write about my usuals and go-to’s, but truthfully, I’ve written about a lot of them already. That’s why I decided to combine July & August’s favorites into one list!
It’s also been a year (!!!) since I started writing about my favorites! Check out my first blog where I wrote about my July favorites in 2022. It’s so beautiful seeing how far I’ve come and how much my tastes have changed.
However, for now, let’s get into it!
May I offer a song, for vibes?
Ilia Beauty Multi-Stick (Shade At Last)
I swear I wrote about this product already, but I couldn’t find it in a previous Favorites blog. Well if I missed it, here it is again! I’m a huge Ilia Beauty fan and chose this product as part of the Sephora birthday freebie. This Multi-Stick is phenomenal. The shade At Last, described as a mauve rose, is the perfect shade of pink that provides a romantic, soft pop of color to the face. You can apply as little as you want, or build it up for a big boost of color.
Whenever I’m running late, I’ll apply this as blush, eyeshadow, and lip balm. It makes my face look instantly pulled together and brighter. I cannot recommend this product enough. As soon as I’m finished with my sample, I’m buying it again in full size and in different colors.
Shiseido Eyelash Curler
I was previously using a cheap eyelash curler I bought at Target, but I realized I didn’t quite like the quality of the tool or the way it ripped off some of my eyelashes (maybe I used it too hard or too long, though. Oops.) I did some research and found that the Shiseido eyelash curler is a popular choice, winning the Allure 2018 Best of Beauty Award. Even with just the first use, I can tell this product is such high quality and perfectly curls all my eyelashes without pulling any off. It’s definitely worth the splurge.
A gently held eyelash curler package for you~
Lash Lift + Lamination
Okay, I know this one contradicts my previous product lol. I didn’t use the Shisheido eyelash curler for the first few weeks I bought it because I got a lash lift!! I also had my eyebrows laminated! The lash lift literally lifted my eyelashes so they didn’t have to be curled. Eyebrow lamination is a process that perms the brow hair, making it soft and shiny so the hairs are much easier to move and style. Both of these services last about two months.
I wanted to try them out because I was tired of having to curl and style my brows every time I put on makeup. Although I love the makeup process as it can be very relaxing, I sometimes just want my makeup to be done. Having laminated brows and lifted lashes shortened my makeup routine so I was ready to take on the day faster!
Apologies, I didn’t take any photos after I had this done. I didn’t do much or go anywhere in July lol.
Breakfast Sandwiches
On days I work in the office, I sometimes find myself rushing to get ready. I’m hardly ever late, but I like to leave my place early just in case there’s unexpected traffic or other roadblocks. Since I’m focused on getting ready, I always forget to eat breakfast at home, opting to grab breakfast at the cafeteria at work or at Starbucks. I love Starbucks’ breakfast sandwiches, but I only ever have them when I work in the office. Inspired by their sammies, I decided to make my own one day.
My breakfast sammies are made with English muffins, eggs, shredded cheese, spinach, and bacon. I sometimes swap ingredients and use Canadian bacon, bagels, and Swiss cheese. Although they don’t taste exactly like Starbucks’, they taste so good nonetheless.
Sorry again, I don’t have a photo! I eat the sandwiches too fast for me to snap a pic.
Trader Joe’s Organic Blood Orange Rooibos Herbal Tea
The temptation to try a new tea, especially at Trader Joe’s, is strong. Even if I got everything on my shopping list, I still have to check out their tea section to see what’s new.
I tried their Blood Orange Rooibos Herbal Tea and it’s great! The orange taste and smell really shine through in this tea. It’s so relaxing to have a cup in the morning during work. Even though the tea itself is caffeine-free, I feel more awake after drinking thanks to the strong orange smell and taste.
Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso with Vanilla Cold Foam
Okay, fine. TikTok got me with this one. This drink went viral and I came across it on my For You page. I didn’t try it right away (because everyone was selling it out omg), but when I finally did try it, it was love at first taste. I’m not a huge coffee person, but I would drink this every day if I could. I won’t because I don’t want to get addicted to coffee lol.
Some say this drink is hit or miss, depending on your barista, but I’ve loved it so far! It’s perfectly sweet and smooth. The added sweetness of the vanilla cold foam makes this an especially yummy treat.
Crocheting
This is a hobby I tried to pick up a year ago but just didn’t have the time to do it. I finally dedicated some free time to crocheting small projects and I’m happy to report that it’s so much fun! I’m reminding myself that this is a new hobby and that it’s okay to be bad and make mistakes. I don’t have to be an expert or even know what I’m doing!
Whenever I see a new TikTok or Instagram post of a crochet project, I bookmark it so I can look up how to make it later. Seeing everyone’s projects online is really inspiring and shows me that maybe one day I can create such elaborate, cute creations as well.
I don’t plan to make crocheting a new source of income; it serves as a relaxing hobby that I can grow and improve at my own pace.
Ta-da!
This is what I’ve enjoyed this past July & August! Is there anything on this list you’ve tried or enjoy doing as well? Leave a comment and let me know! :)
Until we meet again, friends~
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