August 2015 Favorites

I don’t think I’ve done a monthly favorites post since March! I always mean to do them and then before I know it we’re halfway into the next month. This time I’m making sure to do it before the month is up or it probably won’t happen. Here’s what I’ve been loving this last month of summer…

Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel: I just mentioned this in my last post (Empties No. 3) so I won’t go into it all again here, but this was definitely a favorite for July/August!

Organic Beauty Now’s Green + Glam Daily Conditioner: I was sent the shampoo and conditioner from this line and though I’m still working on finishing the shampoo (I go through conditioner twice as fast with my long wavy/curly hair). I was really impressed by this conditioner. It felt extra silky and slippery if you know what I mean. But it is silicone free. It does not contain sulfates and is also vegan, gluten free, and cruelty free. It really helped to untangle and nourish my hair, giving it a nice glossy sheen without feeling weighed down. Plus I really liked the scent, a mix of lavender, geranium, sage, and pink grapefruit. I just wished it lasted longer (I do use probably twice as much as the average person though). It is $26.99 for 8 oz. and considering I went through it in a month I don’t know if I could afford to buy that every month, but I really loved this formulation!

Pacfica Glow Baby Youthful Face Scrub: This is new from Pacifica, and I’m really excited about all the new skincare items they’ve been creating lately. I used this one about four or five times so far and pretty much fell in love instantly. It contains flax, rose hip, and walnut to gently exfoliate and reveal a healthier glow. It feels so good on the skin and smells great too. I feel it does a really good job of exfoliating without being too harsh (as long as you are gentle in applying). I really look forward to using this at least once a week now! It is formulated without animal ingredients, petroleum, parabens and phthalates.

100 % Pure Maracuja Oil Mascara: I’ve been reaching for this one a lot this month. It is colored from black tea leaves and really does have the inkiest black formula. You can read my review from last week here.

Pacifica Enlightened Lip Gloss in Poppy: I’ve loved Pacifica glosses for a long time now, but this month I rediscovered the shade Poppy and have been using it almost daily. It has such a gorgeous summer glow to it – a sort of translucent coral, smells SO good, and is so creamy and hydrating. No stickiness and it wears well over time without creating a dry line on the lips like some products can after hours of wear.

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Balm: I’ve literally been using this every day since I got it. I mentioned it in my post on Sweet Violet Bride called Tips to Help Reduce Anxiety and Wedding Planning Stress. This little jar contains a powerful blend of vetivert, chamomile, and sandalwood essential oils. I rub it into my wrists before bed each night, and sometimes throughout the day if feeling particularly stressed. It instantly helps me to get into a calmer state of mind and breathe deeply. It is $32 but worth every penny! I’ll definitely be bringing it with me when I have to travel for a week next month! Also been loving their De-Stress Mind Bath and Shower Oil.

Kari Gran Setting Powder and Peony Mineral Blush: I’ve been trying out some Kari Gran products lately and so far I’m in love with their setting powder and peony mineral blush! I’ve tried lots of setting powders and this one is literally invisible so it is perfect if you’re looking for something that literally just helps to set your makeup and prevent shine instead of adding another layer of color. It goes on flawlessly (I’ve been using Antonym Cosmetics fluffy brush #1) and helps my makeup last much longer and doesn’t look cakey at all. You can barely tell it’s there.  It only has two ingredients! Two! Just finely milled mica and Aloe powder. Now that’s what I call a pure product. On fair skin their peony blush is such a pretty pink! It creates a barely there flush that gives a youthful glow. I’ve used this more than any other blush this month because it so perfect for an everyday look and doesn’t look overdone. Free of talc, fragrance, dyes, bismuth oxychloride, parabens, nano particles and animal testing.

Dang toasted coconut chips: I picked these up on day at a small natural foods store and fell in love. Their packaging caught my eye and since I love coconut I figured I’d give them a try. These ones are coated in Greek yogurt but they make them with other coatings, or non-coated too. They’re so delicious! I wanted to eat the entire package in one day, but held off and ate it over the course of a week, just as a little indulgence here and there because they are high in saturated fat (though 0 trans fat) and it was kind of expensive for a small package (2 oz.). I’d definitely get these again.

TCHO PureNotes™ Dark “Chocolatey” 70% Cacao 58g bar: At the same store I picked up a chocolate bar I’d never seen before. I’m pretty serious when it comes to my chocolate – I prefer my cacao content to be no less than 60%. I even made a notebook at one point years ago where I wrote tasting notes on more than a dozen unique brands I tried…some people are wine or cheese connoisseurs, and while I like those, I really like chocolate! This one was $5 something and 70% Cacao sourced from Ghana. I like how the package opens with a paper clasp in the back, the square shaped bar wrapped in gold foil – it showed they understand that I want to re-close it so I can have little bites here and there to savor – not wolf it down like a kid digging into Halloween candy. The texture was extra smooth with a lingering rich flavor of roasted chocolate and very faint hint of caramel. I thought it was beautifully made. If you appreciate a finely made chocolate bar like I do, you’ll love this one. I believe that savoring a small well-crafted piece of chocolate everyday keeps the binging at bay!

Thanks for reading if you made it this far. What did you enjoy in August? I’d love to know! – xo Naomi