Saturday, August 3, 2013

July Favorites

This post contains products sent for consideration
and products purchased by me

July Favorites

I can't believe it's August already!  My summer makeup routine is much more simple than any other season. Don't worry, I still tested out a ton of new products last month, and have pulled together a list of favorites to share with you. For this post, I'll focus on my top 5 favorites from July. To view a full list of favorites for the month, you can visit my Pinterest board here: July Favorites

To choose my top 5 beauty products for the month, I looked at which ones I used the most.  Since I have lots of different products and brands to choose from, repeated use is a sure way to know that I really do love it. The items mentioned in this post are not necessarily new to my collection, just the ones that were most loved during July. You may have seen a couple of these mentioned in previous posts, so I think it is safe to say that they truly are favorites! 

Here are my top 5 favorite beauty items from July

  • Nuance by Salma Hayek Flawless Finish Liquid Foundation ($14.99)- I purchased this product several months back, but for some reason have been using it a lot more lately. In my opinion it is the best drugstore foundation. While the shade range is somewhat limited, it has skin adapting technology, which is supposed to adapt to your skin tone. I haven't tested the shade range fully, but Light Warm is a perfect match to my skin tone. The finish is a natural one, not matte nor overly dewy. I would compare the finish to Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. The formula is long lasting, hypoallergenic and paraben free. Although this product is only available at CVS and CVS.com, I think the quality rivals high end brands.  While I tend to stick to BB creams in the summer, there are some days where I just need more coverage, and this is the foundation I've been reaching for.




 Nuance Foundation in Light Warm


  • IT Cosmetics No. 50 Serum Anti-Aging Collagen Veil Primer ($48)- I was fortunate enough to have IT Cosmetics send me this product for review. While I have already written a review on this, I have continued using it and am still really impressed with it. The bottle is now half gone because I use it not only as a primer under my makeup, but also as a skincare item. It is a hydrating primer/serum hybrid that contains essential oils and vitamins to nourish the skin. It is paraben free, talc free and sulfate free. You will probably see this product in a future post as well, because I've been asked to compare it against the Arbonne primer.  So after I fully test that one, I'll do a side by side comparison. 

 IT No.50 Serum Collagen Veil Anti-Aging Primer comes with a pump and dropper applicator, so you can choose which you prefer. I prefer the pump-style applicator.




 Although the product dispenses white, it blends in completely clear


  • Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen ($34)- I have the full size of this in Fair, but since I have been using self tanner I am now working with a sample size in Light. I listed this product in my "summer must haves" post because I truly do love it, especially during the summer months.  It feels super light on the skin, and is a great multitasker. For me, this product can replace my primer, moisturizer and foundation on days where I am in a rush and don't want a lot of heavy layers on my skin. The coverage is light, but very buildable. The texture is smooth and creamy, and blends beautifully into the skin. Sunscreen is sooooo important all year round. However, I really can't live without it in the summer. My skin is pretty fair, and I am prone to burning easily. With an SPF of 30, this product contains a higher sunscreen than a lot of other makeup products out there. This is a must have for lazy days and can be worn both as a primer under your makeup, or solo. I may purchase light in the full size as well to get me through the rest of the summer. 


Swatch of Tarte BB Tinted Treatment in the color Light


  • IT Cosmetics Hello Light ($35 including brush)-You may think this is funny, but I purchased this product just to get the brush! I am a big fan of the brushes by IT Cosmetics.  I purchased this product in a kit that came with Hello Light and the pointed brush for application. While I do love the brush, I love this product even more. It really gives that lit-from-within glow to the skin that looks super natural. When you use this product, people will just think you have beautiful glowy skin, not that you are wearing highlighter, which is exactly what you want a product like this to do. This product also contains anti-aging properties. It is paraben free and very hydrating. I just love the look of this when applied to the tops of the cheekbones. 


 Hello Light comes in a mirrored compact

 Swatch of Hello Light (above)
 Hello Light applied to the tops of the cheekbones and brow bone (above)

  • Arbonne Bronzer ($36)- Arbonne sent me a sample of this bronzer and I instantly fell in love with it and purchased the full size. As you may know from reading previous posts, I tend to favor a matte bronzer. However, this one gives a very nice satin finish that really compliments self-tanned summer skin. Even though it is a little on the dark side, when applied with a light hand, it still works for my skin tone. The powder is silky and light, plus this product is completely vegan.  


 Swatch of Arbonne Bronzer 

I hope you enjoyed this look at my July favorites. I am counting on these beauty must-haves to get me through the rest of the summer. My primary focus during these hot months is to keep my skin protected with SPF, and keep makeup looking light, fresh and natural. If you use any of these products, I would love to know!

Please share your favorites from July in the comments below.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe summer! 

As always, thank you for reading. I appreciate all the comments, and questions, so keep them coming! 


*Some of the products in this post were sent for consideration, some were purchased by me. I only included products that I really love. I do not get paid to write reviews. I do not get any commissions from any of the companies mentioned in this post. All opinions are my own.

8 comments:

  1. The illuminator looks absolutely stunning, I love the color. The bronzer does too although I would use it more the way I do blush, keeping it concentrated on my cheeks.

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  2. I use Arbonne Bronzet and love it. It doesn't over power the face and is great to have during the winter months. I am also a consultant, if you have any questions on any products feel free to contact me on Facebook, Crystal Reign Brock

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  3. I use the Arbonne Bronzer and love it.

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  4. You've convinced me that I need to try the Nuance Foundation! I've bought IT products just for the brush too! :) On QVC, it's often less to buy both than the brush alone. I actually got the loose powder illuminator just for the ball brush you had mentioned. I really was impressed with the illuminator too! It totally disguises shadows. It's nothing like the Hello Light Cream Illuminizer. I probably have the same set you bought and I've been testing it too. I don't like it much with the brush. I find my fingers actually apply it the best. A brush is great for blending though. Why are my comments always SO long?!?! :)

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  5. the Nuance foundation is definitely thicker more creamy but I just love the finish. It also photographs really well. let me know if you try it!

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  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  7. One of my favorite summer beauty products is the Arbonne self-tanner mist. It doesn't turn my skin orange and I get a natural glow on my legs, arms and chest. A tip I had learned was to mix it with foundation to apply the self tanner to your face. Since my skin is on the dry side, I mixed the self tanner with the Arbonne tinted moisturizer, and I then dusted my face with the Arbonne Bronzer (I could not go a summer without this natural glow product). I add a bit more bronzer to the cheek area for countouring. Super easy, and I am often complimented on my "glow".

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