August Favorites!

Hello again everyone!

August has come and gone, which means it's time for a favorites post!

I have quite a lot of beauty products this month, but as always I have music, anime, and other things as well!

Let's go!

Beauty/Fashion:

Benefit's Coralista Blush

I bought this when I went and picked up Benetint at Sephora, but I didn't use it immediately so I couldn't review it at all.  Now that I've used it, I've fallen in love with it!  The only blush I had before I bought this was a bright candy pink, and that doesn't always work with every look.  This color on the other hand, works for just about any look you can pull together.  This blush is a lovely peach-y coral color with just a hint of gold shimmer.  Just putting a bit of this on your face makes you look wide-awake and glowy!

This product comes with a magnetic close box, and a small brush with a wooden handle.  Usually I'm not a fan of the brushes that come with blush, but I'm actually fond of this one.  This also has the lovely rose scent that the Benetint does, so I'm going to take a guess and say that most of their products smell like roses.  It's pretty awesome!

Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer

I've had this product for quite some time now, but I just started to use it regularly since I prefer not to wear a full face of foundation during the Summertime.  The Texas heat can melt make-up pretty quickly.  This concealer provides just enough coverage under my eyes and on my acne scars to give me a little confidence boost while letting my skin breathe and letting its natural glow shine through.  

This product has a liquid consistency with a sponge applicator.  You twist the red top, then the product will come out of the sponge when you apply it to your face.  It's very convenient to have the applicator attached to the product, so you can carry it in your backpack or your purse for touch ups if you need them.  

In the Winter season, you can wear this without setting it with anything, but in the Summertime, you'll need to set it with some powder so it doesn't melt off because of the liquid consistency.

OGX's Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco

I didn't really have to do much in the way of hair care before I bleached the ends and did the ombre pink style, but afterwards, I was trying different things to keep my hair healthy and soft, and nothing seemed to work.  Just about every YouTuber out there was talking about argan oil, so I decided to give it a try--and it worked!  I was a bit skeptical about putting oil in my hair, since I didn't want my hair to look greasy, but this product doesn't make my hair greasy at all.  After using this argan oil, my hair is much softer, I have less split ends, and it's much easier to brush through.  Anyone who has bleached their hair should definitely use this.  

I was worried that argan oil would be expensive, but I found these at my local supermarket for under $10 each.  I use the oil (on the left) after I wash my hair.  I put a few drops into my hands, then work it through my hair.  Afterwards, I take a comb and comb it through so it'll get even coverage.  I use the spray formula (on the right) before I put any heat on my hair, usually my straightener to do my bangs.  I hold the bottle away from my head, spray this on my hair, then style as normal.  The spray formula protects my hair from heat, and keeps it soft even after styling.  I also use this formula on dry hair every couple of days when it looks like it needs some extra moisture.

Garnier's Nourishing Cleansing Oil

I used up the last of my make up remover wipes, and needed another make up remover.  I was just going to buy the wipes again, but I decided to try something different--cleansing oil to be exact.  I've read plenty of articles about the benefits of oil cleansing, and how easily cleansing oils remove make up, so I went to look for one to try.  A lot of the cleansing oils mentioned by various YouTubers were very expensive, but I was able to find this Garnier cleansing oil for six dollars at Target.  Just as a warning, this product does contain mineral oil.  That doesn't bother me at all, but some people don't like using products with mineral oil in them, or it irritates their skin.  Make sure to read the ingredients on your products before using them!  Though like I said, the mineral oil in this product doesn't bother me at all.  Actually, this product has done great things for my skin!  Just one or two pumps of this removes all of my make up easily without too much scrubbing or pulling, and my skin feels incredibly soft.  After I use the oil, I use some water to emulsify it, then I use my Aveeno foaming cleanser for a good double cleansing.  If you want to try a cleansing oil for an affordable price, I definitely recommend this one!  One last thing--this cleansing oil has a strong fruity scent, so if you don't like scented products, you may not like this one.  But for people like me who like their products to smell great, you'll love it too!

Maybelline Eye Studio Enticing Emerald

I picked up this eye shadow palette on a whim because I liked the champagne highlight color in it, but I actually really like all of the colors in this palette.  All of the colors are so pigmented and have a lovely shimmer to them.  Most of the shadows I have are matte, and I wanted more shimmer shadows to play with, so I was glad that I could find this palette and pick it up.  The champagne and gold colors are great for everyday use, while the green shades are good to add a pop of color or go all out for a fully blended emerald look!  This palette could be fun to do an Emerald City Wizard of Oz look in the future. ;)

White Sunhat with Sequins

I've always wanted a sunhat with a wide brim, and I finally found one!  I took a friend to Wal Mart to pick up a few things, and while we were walking around I saw this hat and knew it would be perfect for some pool time at the end of the Summer!  I used it the other day when I went to swim, and it provided some good shade and great style as I read a book while lounging by the pool.  I love the silver sequins that are woven into the hat, as I think they give it a bit of fun.  You may see this hat in a few more outfit posts before the Autumn season fully kicks in.

Pinkly Ever After's Princess Crystal Ribbon

If you've been reading this blog for a while, I know you've seen these!  Pinkly Ever After's Princess Crystal Ribbons will always be one of my favorite things, but I decided to feature them in this favorites post because I wore them quite a lot in August.  They're big, whimsical, and they make people smile whenever I wear them.  You can wear just one or both, and they're sure to please!  As well as mint green, they also come in red, pink, and lilac.  

 Treat:

Almonds and chocolate are one of my favorite combinations.  While I was in Germany, there was a chocolate bar that I liked to eat called Ritter Sport, and they came in all sorts of flavors.  One of my favorites was the Alpine milk chocolate with almonds.  While you can find some flavors of Ritter Sport in the US, you can only find them in certain places.  Since the town I go to school in is a very small town, you can't find Ritter Sport anywhere, but I saw these at the grocery store and decided to give them a try.  They aren't exactly like the Ritter Sport, but they're still super tasty!  Sweet with a bit of a crunch in the middle from the almonds.  If you're in the mood for something sweet and have a taste for nuts, give these a try!

Anime:

AKB0048

I was a bit hesitant to watch this anime at first, since AKB48 is a bit of a controversial group because of its management.  I love the girls, but I don't like the way their management treats them and runs things.  A lot of my friends had watched this anime and fell in love with it, so one night I made some snacks and sat down to watch it--and I marathon-ed the whole first season in two days.  This anime is such a huge reminder of why I love to perform.  Here's a plot synopsis from Anime News Network:

"At the start of the 21st century, an interplanetary war broke out. Earth's ecosystem was damaged, and humanity was forced to flee the planet. In this new society, things that "disturb the heart" like music and art are forbidden. 48 years later, a legendary idol group is resurrected as AKB0048. Labeled as terrorists, they must take up arms to defend their careers and their fans."

This plot synopsis gives a good background of the world the anime takes place in, but not much about the characters.  The anime is centered around Nagisa and her friends Yuka, Orine, and Chieri who are inspired by an AKB0048 concert they saw as children, so they audition themselves, and become a part of the new generation of 0048 trainees.  The story follows them and the AKB0048 members as they perform concerts even against the anti-entertainment government agency, DESU.  

The journey that the girls go on is so much fun to watch.  You watch them work hard in lessons, get to know each other in the dorms, and go through various challenges that are involved in the idol industry, as well as the challenge of being entertainers against the law, even if some of their family members are against it.  The story is one that touches my heart as a performer, and it honestly makes me want to listen to AKB48 again...which was probably one of the goals of this anime being created anyway.  The music in the anime are AKB48 songs that I'm familiar with like Aitakatta, RIVER, Beginner, Shonichi, Heavy Rotation, and more.  

This series also inspired me to cosplay!  My favorite 0048 member is Nyan-Nyan, or 8th generation Kojima Haruna.  Her character is like a magical girl, and she carries a magical heart wand with her onstage while she sings to knock out those government issued robots and protect her fans!

She's so stinkin' cute!  She's whimsical, fun, but also cares a lot about her friends and trainees.  She has some very relatable moments throughout the series, but I can't tell you about them without spoilers, so you'll just have to watch the series for yourself!

Another one of my favorite members is AKB0048's manager, but if I show you a picture of her and talk about her, you'll immediately know her character twist and it'll ruin the surprise!  If you're an AKB48 fan, or a previous fan, you'll definitely enjoy this show.  Even if you're not a fan, you'll love the girls and the catchy music, and you'll learn some of the ins and outs of the idol industry.

Music:

Katy Perry's Prismatic Concert

My last favorite for this month is the Katy Perry Concert I went to see with my friend Kelly!  Katy has been an inspiration of mine since she came on the scene, and her albums are always in circulation on my iPod.  Her show was so much fun...almost indescribable!  She had the ability to connect with her audience even though there were thousands of people in the stadium--it was amazing!  She sounds great live, and her costumes were fabulous of course.  Seeing everything gave me so much inspiration for concerts that I want to put on with my music, and with my girls in Kira Kira Entertainment!

If you want to see some pictures from Katy's tour, check this out!

Click me!

I hope you liked this favorites post, and if you've tried any of these products, let me know how you like them!

Thank you so much for reading, and if you like what you read, please make sure to follow me here on google, or on bloglovin!

See you next time!

xoxo

Martha