Best of July – The Beauty Look Book

I’ve been a little MIA on the blog here but hope to post more often here in the near future. I still share new beauty reviews and discoveries nearly every day on social, but I do really miss writing here. I’ll have a Q&A here soon but in the meantime I have a roundup with July’s Top 12 Favorites. Here’s what I loved the most this past month.

Best Scents

Phlur Vanilla Nectar is the best summertime vanilla. This comes in a Hair and Body Mist and I love that it’s not too heavy and it has just the right amount of sweetness! Vanilla Skin is very similar but I love the slightly fruity notes of Vanilla Nectar making it fun for warm weather.

Parfums de Marly Valaya and Valaya Exclusif are my most complimented scents. I gave both a little break for a few months because I felt like I was wearing it too much. I love the Parfums de Marly Trio from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (August 3rd is the last day of the sale). I love having the minis to carry in my purse for on-the-go! Valaya is the stronger variation while Valaya Exclusif has a softer feel with powdery notes of almond. Both are very good.

Loewe Tomato Leaves Candle has been on my mind for quite some time but I really didn’t want to splurge. I finally did on the Candle and the Room Spray. The candle in the Medium size is best candle splurge I’ve ever made. It smells like a fresh garden and it’s pure love. The Room Spray is also exceptionally good.

Skin

Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads have made the list again! I’ve been really struggling with texture this year and clogged pores from sweat, sunscreen and makeup. Even with double cleansing I still really think a good exfoliator is essential. It did take me a couple weeks to adjust to these but I love that they don’t make the skin feel like there’s a film on it. I started out with 1x per week, then 2x per week. Now I use them every other day at night. They are truly a game changer for clearer better skin. I have my eye still on the Facewear Pro Set with the LED Mask (the set price is a pretty good deal) but since I already own 3 other LED masks that I really love from Foreo and CurrentBody I’m hesitant about splurging on another one.

Hair

T3 Aire IQ Hair Dryer has been another favorite and it’s still on sale for $100 off at Nordstrom for the Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives (prices go up August 4th). I love the stand, the attachments and the customization options. You can use the pre-sets based on your hair type and the settings will change with each attachment. You can also pick manual settings for intensity of air flow and temperature. There is a cool shot button too. 10/10 love this. You can see it in action here.

Accessories

Eric Javits Squishee Tote has been a favorite and the design is pure love. It has the best pockets and it’s the perfect size to carry everything I need. I’ve had the Black Mix color for years and it has still held up remarkably well. The team recently gifted the Peanut one and I love the colorway. Both are on sale at Eric Javits. The Hamptons Hat and Squishee Pith Hat are also musts for me.

I’ve been searching for a classic tennis bracelet for what seems like forever. Finding one in the exact size and length I wanted has not been easy as I have small wrists. I will say that after searching tons of reviews on TikTok more and more brands are offering better selections or resizing options these days.

I had narrowed down my options to Mejuri or James Allen and ended up splurging on one from James Allen. I loved the Lab Diamond Earrings I bought from them and found they had a Lab Diamond Tennis Bracelet in a 6 inch length. They have pretty good sales and promo codes if you sign up for their newsletter so I was able to buy one at a very good price.

The one I bought is 6 inches, 4 prong setting, 14k gold in the 5 carat option. It’s so well made. Since it was made to order it did take nearly a month for them to make and ship it but I am 100% happy with the splurge. They have lots of options for length, carat size, metal and settings! They also offer ones with natural diamonds but they are priced quite a bit higher than the lab diamonds.

Another favorite this month was the Tom Ford Penny 55mm Sunglasses. These were my favorite splurge from the Nordstrom sale. I bought the tortoise color.

The Away Clear Travel case is also another favorite. It comes with a removable strap and is technically a stadium bag, but I use it as a mini clutch. It’s perfect for the pool or beach to carry just the essentials. I love the clear option so you can see what’s inside.

Makeup LOVES

The NARS Afterglow Lip Balm is in heavy rotation again. I love these for the formula and color. They’re so comfortable on the lips and add just the right amount of hydration and color. I’ve used up all the colors I bought in the past, but right now I have Orgasm and Fast Lane which are part of an Afterglow Lip Balm Duo at Nordstrom.

Bobbi Brown Easy Neutrals Palette is the perfect everyday quad. Texture and pigment are phenomenal. Shades don’t look as exciting in the pan, but they apply beautifully and blend easily for an effortless look. I am really happy I decided to pick this up, I almost passed after seeing it instore, but I love every single color. It also comes with a gel liner in the set. You can see them both in action here.

OPI Stunn N Done is the most complimented nail color this year. It’s the RapiDry formula so it dries very fast. I wear this shade with 3 coats, but you can definitely wear just 2. It almost makes the fingers glow!

What were your favorites this past month?