FAVORITE! | June 2014 ❤

Summers here in Atlanta, GA are hot and incredibly humid.  I don't even know what a dry heat is?  What the hell IS that?  I want to sample it!  That being said, last month I focused on bronzed skin, healthy hair, and relaxed feet, with just a wee bit of makeup.  These were my go-tos!

Garnier Fructis Damage Erase Strength Reconstructing Butter, $5.99 USD.  AMAZEBALLS!!!  As most of you know, I went from brown to blonde to brown in the space of 3 weeks (if you didn't see it, the full story is at the bottom of this post).  Needless to say, my hair wasn't feeling like bunnies and angel wings post-bleaching insanity.  I needed to call in the big guns of moisturization, and this beaut fit the bill.  You simply apply this thick conditioner to your hair from root to tip after shampooing and leave it on as you go about your other shower business.  Rinse it out after 3-5 minutes and voila - shiny, slippery mermaid hair!  I have fine, oily hair (less so now after my hair coloring adventures) and this conditions my hair perfectly without leaving it lifeless or greasy.  The clean scent reminds me of Finesse.  If you have dry or damaged hair, you need to try this!

Garnier Summer Body Moisturizing Lotion Deep Sun-Kissed Look, $10.00 USD.  I am normally not a huge fan of gradual self-tanners, but for some reason, I just had a good feeling about this one.  I heard about it from Sam Schuerman and, while it's a UK exclusive product, I was able to find it for sale at Amazon.com.  I bought it from a seller called The Blush Beauty Box and they were a dream to work with; the item arrived quickly and was packaged with care.  Back to the lotion!  It delivers believable bronzed skin in 2 applications and from there, you can maintain your color by applying it every 2-3 days.  I normally feel like gradual tanners take EONS of time before they're even noticeable, so I LOVED that this one worked right away and didn't leave any weird tanner scent.  It's a great hydrator, to boot!  

Southern Hospitality Sweet Tea Foot Soak, $5.00 USD.  I'll admit that previously, I wasn't huge on foot care.  However, after one soaking sesh with a Sweet Tea Foot Soak, I had an epiphany!  Your feet do SO much for you, why not do something nice for them every once in awhile?  They're called "Sweet Tea" soaks because they're packaged like a giant tea bag.  There's something ultra relaxing about soaking your feet, and they come out of the tub extra soft and clean.  I swear I sleep better after a quick 20 minute foot soakeroo.  So far, I've tried four of the twelve scents and I've yet to meet one I didn't love.  I plan to try Sweet Almond next!  Even if you're thinking, "Meh, feet.  Who cares?!", I swear you'll change your mind after trying it just once.  Even my husband loves soaking his feet now!  Full Southern Hospitality review {here}.

Lumene Time Freeze CC Cream, $14.99 USD.  I'm not going to get too crazy with the proverbial Cheez Wiz and spend an hour talking about this but only because I plan to dedicate a full review to this beauty!  To briefly rave, my friend Katie who lives in Florida told me about it.  Her high points were that it had great coverage, didn't get oily/slippy in the humidity, and it was easy to "slap on" and get out the door.  She was right on all counts!  The coverage is incredible - medium to full without feeling like anything on the skin - and it stays put.  I can't say enough good things about this!  Stay tuned for the full review.    

Maybelline Pumped Up Colossal Volum Express Mascara, $5.99 USD MSRP.  I have tiny eyes.  Large mascara brushes are constantly crashing into my lids like the surf against the sand.  Hence, I typically avoid jumbo wands, or anything labelled "VOLUME CRAY CRAY PANTHER EYEZ" and other such descriptors.  However, I do lurve me some Maybelline mascaras, so I took a chance.  The wand isn't mega, but it's not small either.  It's shaped like a lava lamp.  If I'm dating myself here, think of an elongated pine cone with a spindly point.  The fine point is perfect for working the corners (like a hockey player, eh?!) and I have never hit my lid with the brush.  Win!  LOTS of volume, too.  I literally love this mascara.

So what do you do once your skin is bronzed, your feet are soaked, your hair is sublimely conditioned, your face is perfected, and your lashes are voluminously vivacious?  You light a candle from Bath & Body Works and call it a day!  I have so many favorites from this line, including Gelato, Coconut Leaves, and my summer staple this year, Sunset Beach.  I have a Gelato one that I've never lit sitting on my bedside table and I can smell it whenever I'm in that room.  I just love these candles and find them to be an excellent value.  Plus, you can reuse the jars after you burn them to make amazing storage solutions for makeup brushes, cotton balls, small perfumes, pens, etc.!  The 3 wick candles are generally $20.00 USD but I've never paid full price for one because they have 50% off sales all the time.  Also, if you're not ready to commit to a 3-wick, wait for a 3 for $10 sale on the minis and test drive whichever ones tickle your fancy.  

What products were you reaching for the most last month?  How do you like to unwind in the summertime?