July Faves!

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Well...I'm a few days early on that but it's coming up quickly. I'm spending my July 4th in Wichita with my fiance. He will have a few days off of work and we are excited to spend some time together! 
Summer is one of the most beautiful times of the year in my opinion-but it can wreak havoc on your beauty routine. But I think I can help! 

There are a few products that I am loving for the summer and wanted to share with you! These are all products you can find at your local drug store, Ulta, or Target. 
**I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster in their #VowVoxBox**

July Faves!

Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream
{$30.99}

This is my new favorite beauty staple. I deal with quite a bit of redness on my face, due to acne issues in the past. This cream has really done a great job of reducing the redness and perfecting my skin tone, and I've only been using it for about two weeks! It is super moisturizing and it smells really great too. Think of it like your grandmomma's cold cream, with a fresh new update. I use this twice a day when feeling really dry. Otherwise, I just apply to clean skin liberally before bed. I'm really please with the results and I can't wait to see how great it works as I continue to use it for the recommended 8 weeks. Also, I realize that $30 is a little pricey for the size of the pot, but I have found it on Amazon and at Ulta for several dollars cheaper. 

Pure Silk Moisturizing Shave Cream 
{$1.49 for 5 oz., $2.19 for 8 oz.}

Remember last week when I recommended the shave cream from Lush? Pure Silk is a great alternative if you're not near a Lush and/or don't want to spend as much on shaving cream. This shave cream has extra aloe and moisturizers to keep your legs silky smooth and to moisture and protect them from razor burn. There are lots of different varieties and scents too! If you choose to shave, then this is a great summer staple for you. And the raspberry mist is a great smell!  

EcoTools Pure Complexion Sponge for Sensitive Skin 
{5.99}

THIS is the BEST if you love starting each day fresh! Combined with the Olay Regenerist Tone Perfecting Cream and of course a great SPF, I have the best skin I've ever had. 
It is smooth, clean, and hydrated-exactly how I want my skin to be for my big day
 in a few short months! 
I love the way this product cleans my face. When you buy it, it will look like the package on the right, above. You can also buy a black one, made from charcoal, for skin that can handle a bit more than mine. I need the sensitive sponge. When you unwrap it, it will be hard like a rock but as soon as you wet it, it will soften. It is handmade with 100% natural ingredients, like Konjac, which is a vegetable fiber. The teardrop shape allows for you to get the places on your face where you need to be a bit careful, like around your eyes and hairline. I use this with a gentle cleanser, and I really use it for about a minute straight of scrubbing and it doesn't aggravate my skin. I really love this product. It's one of those things that I don't think I'll ever go without. It is recommended that you replace the sponge every one to three months. But at such a great price, I can handle that. 

~Honorable Mention~

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure 

{$7.99}

The idea behind this polish is that you have all of the benefits of a manicure at the salon in one bottle you use at home:

-Base Coat-
-Strengthener-
-Growth Treatment-
-Color-
-Top Coat-
-Chip Resistant-
-Gel Shine- 

Now, I am always skeptical when something claims to "do it all"...and unfortunately I have to report that this is a product that didn't blow me away. I did not hate this product. In fact, I have received the most compliments on the color-Barracuda blue {shown above} but it comes in 56 shades and all of them are fabulous. I like the brush a lot. Its one of those thicker brushes, which makes it a lot easier to cover your nail. It is also easy to remove, doesn't cling to or stain your nails like some other polish. I don't feel that my nails sustain any damage while I'm wearing the color. 

Now for the negatives...The bottle claims 10 day wear. I experienced about three days before the polish chipped or just started to look crummy. If you do a lot of swimming in a chlorine pool, I would not recommend this product. The minute I got into the pool, it went from a shiny, gorgeous gel-like color, to dull and chalky. I am also very impatient so I didn't care for how long I had to wait for my nails to completely dry. 

All in all, I will continue to use this product, definitely in the winter when I'm not swimming at all, but I won't be buying another bottle of it. I would also recommend it to people, but tell them exactly what I've just told y'all.

So there are my must-haves for this summer weather. 

How are you celebrating July 4th? What will you be wearing? Who are you spending it with? Tell me in the comments! 

**I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster in their #VowVoxBox**