July Favorites

Hello August! I can't believe it is already August! I feel like July FLEW by! I can't believe that school starts in just a few short weeks. I had a great July, very relaxing, got to visit with old friends, threw a birthday party, and enjoyed the cooler/rainer summer days. It is time for my July favorites...things that have been rocking my month and that would love to share with you. Enjoy!

Ally's A-List for July

BEAUTY FAVORITES:

1. Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

This is the third, yes third, hidden agenda palette that I have purchased in the past year. I love it! This palette contains 3 creamy concealers, and a powder to set the different concealers. I have tried a lot of drugstore concealers, and consistently always reach for this one when I am getting ready. You can use this concealer palette with several different skin tones. I use the lightest one (top left) for under my eyes, over blemishes, and over any areas of redness on my face. I sometimes mix the lightest shade and the bottom right shade to cover acne scars or any breakouts that I am having that month. The greenish tint to the shade on the bottom right and suppose to help counteract redness from blemishes. I highly recommend this product. I recently bought this for my mom, and she loves it and uses it daily!  I blogged about this product in my Beauty Bargains blog post on my sister's blog, "The Thinks I can Think." Check it out -----> http://thethinksicanthink.com/2013/06/02/beauty-bargains/

3 colors to mix and match for every skin tone

2. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer 

Okay, I guess I am loving concealers this month. :) But, this is an old beauty favorite that I rediscovered during the month of July. I use this under my eyes and blend the excess over my eyelids and it is absolutely perfect! It even comes with a built in sponge tip for application. This July I have been loving doing minimal make-up, so I love to put this on really fast with some mascara, blush, and lip gloss, and you are good to go! 

3. Wet-N-Wild Fergie Summer Palettes 

I have always been a big fan of Wet-N-Wild products. All of the products offered with this brand are very inexpensive, and to me, good product. Summer is all about experimenting with fun, wilder colors that are out of your comfort zone. I picked up these two palettes at the end of June and have been using them all the time in July. All of the colors transfer beautifully onto skin, and are very pigmented. I have loved experimenting with different eye looks during July, and these palettes give me the freedom to do that.   

Left palette: Shades of the Hamptons
Right palette: Newport Nights

4. Maybelline's Electro Baby Lips in Pink Shock

I have raved about Maybelline's Baby Lips collection before, and this summer Maybelline released an "Electro" line with new packaging and colors. I didn't go crazy and buy the entire collection (although I wanted to), but I bought one that I thought I could wear as an everyday color. The color looks a little shocking in person, but when you apply it on the lips it is a very beautiful pink! These products are so great because they act as a chapstick and lipstick combined into one.

Electro Baby Lips in Pink Shock

5. Sephora eye crayons

I have been using these eye crayons during the month of July, and love the amount of color they bring to the eye. I have mostly been using the blue one along my waterline and bottom lash line to make a more dramatic, fun eye look. I recently used the blue one along my bottom water line at Brandi's birthday party on Saturday, and loved the way the look turned out.

Picture of me wearing the blue eye crayon along the bottom lash line

FAVORITE SONGS: 

So, my taste is music is very sporadic. I pretty much like all genres of music, from rap to hip hop, from pop to Broadway. But these songs have been playing on repeat on my car rides during the month of July. 

1. Holy Grail --Jay Z featuring Justin Timberlake 

HOLY AMAZING. At first when I heard this song, I wan't a huge fan, but after listening to it all the way through, I couldn't get enough. 

2. Wake Me Up --Avicil 

I have never heard of this group, but decided to preview the song on Itunes and immediately had to download it. 

3. Miss Movin On --Fifth Harmony

Yes, this is the girl group from The X-Factor, and yes, they are teeny boppie, but I don't care. I watched X-Factor towards the very end and was familiar with this girl group. I saw them perform a couple Fridays ago on the Today Show, and couldn't get this song out of my head, and you won't be able to either!

4. Beneath Your Beautiful -- Labrinth feat Emeli Sande
I first heard this song while watching the finale show of Dancing With The Stars. Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler danced their final dance to it, and it is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL song.

Kellie and Derek's "Freestyle Dance" 

It was absolutely perfect, and one of the many reasons why they won. It was so so beautiful, and definitely brought a tear to my eye! 

5. Slow Down --Selena Gomez

Yes, another teeny bopperish song...but very catchy. Well maybe not, since she is 21 now... but Selena Gomez's new album, Stars Dance, has a lot of catchy songs that I love to listen to in the car driving. 

TELEVISION/MOVIE FAVORITES: 

I don't have a movie to tell you all about, but definitely some great televison shows! Being that it is summer, I have loved getting to just relax and watch TV every night without having to worry about school things! Some of the shows that I have been loving during the month of July are.... 

1. The Bachelorette

The Bachelorette, Desiree Hartsock

Every season, I tell myself that I am not going to get caught up in all of this television drama, but I can't help myself.. it is ADDICTING. The season finale airs Monday, and I have my thoughts about what is going to happen but can't wait to see after last Monday's dramatic filled episode. But seriously, I need to apply. Cute boys, traveling the world on ABC's money... I am DOWN!

2. Twisted

This show comes on after my favorite of all favorite shows, Pretty Little Liars, and I decided to watch it. This season is the very first season, and so far I am loving it. Like Pretty Little Liars, it is suspenseful and you never know what exactly is going on, so you must keep watching! And, I am pretty sure I have a crush on the main character... he is very attractive! 

3. Orange is the New Black

HOLY COW.... stop what you are doing right now, and go to Netflix and start watching this Netflix series...or wait, don't..because you will NOT be able to stop watching it! My friend and television and movie soul sister, Jenna, told me about this series a couple of weeks ago, and I finally decided to check it out. Well, I am almost done with the first season, because it is that good! It is hilarious, heart felt, and just down right GOOD WRITING.  WARNING.. it is crude and contains a lot of nudity so if you don't like that then you won't enjoy it. Instead of trying to give you all a synopsis, I will post the show's promo from Youtube. 

4. Pretty Wicked Moms
I discovered this gem after watching an episode of Dance Moms on Lifetime. It is about Southern moms living in the South, and yes it is reality, and some may call it garbage, but it is so fun to watch (when you are not apart of the drama). I love Emily and Nicole... the things that come out of their mouths are ridiculous, but hilarious! It is one of those shows that does not require many brain cells to watch.

FAVORITE BLOGGER: 

I discovered Tara lynn aka "Undressed Skeleton" through Pinterest and have been following her blog ever since. Her story is very inspiring, and I love to see all of the cooking ideas that she comes up with. She also has a "Team Taralynn" that she takes on every once in a while that consists of girls that are wanting to loose weight and start a healthier lifestyle. It is inspiring to watch their progress along with seeing their meal plans and exercise routines. 

http://undressedskeleton.tumblr.com/

I hope you will check out some of my A-List findings for the month of July. I hope everyone had a fantastic July, and here's to an even better August! I would love to hear about some of your favorite things during the month of July, so feel free to leave a comment below. And remember..

Always Remember To Sparkle,

Ally