My Favorite Things: June 2014

Hi, friends! It's the end of the month, and you know what that means: monthly favorites! Below are the things I've been loving this month (and a few items that I've been really not liking, but more on that later).

Tree Hut Tropical Mango Shea Moisturizing Body Lotion ($6 for 9oz)

I always use body lotion when I get out of the shower (shout out to dry skin), so when I ran out, I searched the drugstore for a new one. When I saw Tree Hut in Walgreens, I thought I would give it a shot since I've heard good things about it. This one smells like mangoes and it's awesome. I'm not too picky about my lotion, and I have no complaints about this one. It was a good price too, for how much you get in the bottle. 

Olay Age Defying Body Wash ($5 for 13.5oz)

I think the "age defying" claim of this body wash is BS, but it smells amazing. I'm surprised that they don't advertise the scent on the bottle (since who doesn't go to a drugstore and smell everything? No one, okay just me then). It smells like roses and carnations, and it's absolutely lovely. I don't find this to be more moisturizing than any other creamy body wash, but I wouldn't call it drying either. Either way, I still use body lotion after a shower, so it doesn't matter really. The scent of this doesn't linger too long after the shower, so it doesn't conflict with my body lotion, but it does make for a pleasant shower experience. And for the record, my mom uses this too and does not find that it does anything for her oldness. 

Herbal Essences Long-Term Relationship Shampoo ($6)

Herbal Essences shampoos always smell really good, which is one of the factors in my purchasing them (I'm sensing a trend here).  I've had good experiences with their Hello Hydration shampoo, so I thought I would try another one in their line. This one smells like pomegranate, so it matches my Wen conditioner! I typically only use my shampoo on my scalp, just because after you pass the nape of your neck, that hair isn't getting too much oil from your roots (so it doesn't need to be washed with harsh sulfates). I like this shampoo, it works just like an other shampoo with sulfates (read: basically all of them), and I would repurchase this shampoo again. 

Mane 'n Tail and Body Original Conditioner ($7 for 32oz)

I recently came across this shampoo at my friend's house, and she said I should try it. It's sulfate-free, silicone-free, and a bunch of other stuff-free. It's actually made for horses, but it has a separate set of human directions! You can get a huge bottle for only a couple of dollars, so it's really affordable. I like the Wen a little bit better, but if you're on a budget and using a sulfate-free shampoo, this is definitely something I would check out! 

Essie Come Here ($6 for .5oz)

This is from their summer Resort 2013 collection, but you can still find it on Amazon. It's a fun, neon coral color that's perfect for summer, and I'm addicted to it. I said in my Instagram post on it that it chipped after 24 hours, but that might be because my base and top coat this month isn't the best (see below).

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser ($52 for 32oz)

This was in last's months Favorite Things post, and I can't help but mention it again. My mother got a two-pack of these on a Today's Special Value (she's addicted to TV shopping) for $74.94, which is actually a great price. In total, it's 64 ounces of cleanser. It takes off all my makeup (unless you're wearing waterproof eyeliner or mascara), is gentle on the skin, and is sulfate-free so it doesn't dry me out! It's definitely in my Top 2--the other is Skinn's PM Cleanser, because it does all of these things and also smells like a creamsicle--and I would recommend it to just about everyone. 

These are the "wilted roses" of the bunch (you know "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens"?) These are the antithesis of my favorite things--my "unfavorite" things, if you will. These are the products that essentially made me a sad panda, and I will tell you why. 

Equate Night Firming Cream ($5 for 2oz)

When I begged my mother to pleaseplease buy me a new nighttime moisturizer when I ran out of my HG Olay Night Firming Cream, she accidentally picked up the Walmart (Equate) version instead. It says it is non-comedogenic on the box, but I have a feeling that this one is clogging my pores. My nose is filled with blackheads, and I'm getting acne in places I've never gotten it before. Plus, I'm waking up in the morning and my face is dry! It's kind of a tragedy. Walmart, you have failed me. 

Deborah Lippmann Hard Rock Base and Top Coat ($20 for .5oz)

This is only a mini-size that I got in a set, but for $20, I really thought this would be better. This is the worst base and top coat I've ever tried--my nail polish only lasts 24 hours without chipping! Ridiculous. All of that effort, wasted. Sally Hansen's Double Duty does the same thing, for half the price, and my manicures last longer. Don't waste your hard-earned dollars, folks. More expensive does not always mean better. Deborah Lippmann, I thought you were supposed to be good! 

I consider food to foster beauty from within--aka it's allowed on this beauty blog because I say it is. 

Yakitori Rice ($10 for 6 microwavable bags)

I'm the laziest human being alive when it comes to personal care, like eating. I love to eat, but I just never seem to have the energy (or time) to make myself food. I got a free sample of this rice at Costco, and since a box of six servings only cost $10, I figured why not? It's so good. It tastes better than the fried rice you get at Chinese food takeout. It tastes better than everything, and it only has to be microwaved for a few minutes. I have to do nothing, and I get amazing food. It has good-sized portions, too. I can have a serving of this for lunch (there's actual chicken in there) and it is glorious. 

Ayakashi: Ghost Guild (Free App)

Once again, I am obsessed with Ayakashi: Ghost Guild. I don't know what it is. I just can't stop. It's one of those "freemium" games, aka it's technically free but if you want you can use real-life money to buy items that will get you ahead faster. I tell people that it's kind of like Pokemon meets Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories in a sense that you "gotta catch 'em all!" If you sign up, use the code Sam21 and we'll both get some freebies! You can get it in the Google App Store or the Apple App Store. You will become addicted. You will.  

Phew, that was a lot! Those were my favorite (and not-so-favorite) things this month. What were yours? 

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored, nor affiliated, with any brands mentioned in this post. All products were purchased by me because I am an independent woman. So, there. 

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