july favorites

Ah, yes, a favorites list. I strive for originality and creativity in most aspects, but sometimes, I like things that are a little rehashed.

To be fair, I've been a consumer of blogs (and vlogs) for a lot longer than being a blogger, so I know what kind of posts I enjoy. And I really like favorites lists, because it feels like a genuine recommendations list from a genuine person. For whatever reason.

Anyways, July, being birthday month, means I had a lot of new stuff to try out. My gift-givers are infinitely more skilled at picking things for me than I am. Does that say something? I'm sure it does.

>>>>> Benebalm by Benefit

I'm a self-professed lip junkie, out of sheer necessity from constantly dry lips and dull skin, so I know what's up in terms of lip products. Benebalm became my holy grail this month. It's the balm version of benetint, which is pretty well known for the natural yet lovely shade of color it yields, and the balm also leaves a beautiful sheer red coat that's both hydrating and super gratifying. 

>>>>> La Roche-Posay's Effacular Duo - Dual Action Acne Treatment

This is basically a super-strong acne cream for those of you with moderate acne that just doesn't seem to go away. It really does work, although if you have CYSTIC acne, DO NOT USE THIS. It hurts like a mother, and will only irritate your skin more.

I found this the most effective when dealing with black/white heads. If you have pimples, it will also help with the inflammation. Be careful not to get it onto your clothes though - it will bleach.

>>>>> The Body Shop - Satsuma Body Mist and Body Butter

I'm really picky about fragrances, especially those that have a fruity smell, as opposed to clean/floral. But these two items smell REALLY good. Like seriously, I spent about half the day opening the bottle cap and sniffing away. (I looked a little crazy, I know.) One minor detriment is the way the body mist sprays. Instead of spraying in a nice mist, it squirts out the fluid in one arc, which makes it a little hard to apply. 

I have a tendency to avoid all things Body Shop, but I do recommend these. Smells. So. Good.

>>>>> LUSH - Mint Juups Lip Scrub

Like I said, I'm a lip junkie, and this lip scrub is sort of the stuff of my dreams. I suffer from dry, chapped lips that are always a little bit rough. I've used this once every other day for the past week, and it's been a dream - smooth baby lips! Plus, you can eat this. It's sugar (mint chocolate flavored!). And it tastes REALLY good. 

>>>>> J. Crew - Orange Fleece Cardigan

This isn't really a new find - I've had this cardigan in my closet for a long time. I wore it often first semester of junior year, but as fall begins, I've been able to pull it back out. The orange color really pops for most outfits, and despite the obvious Halloween correlations with the color, I really like the effect it gives. Plus, it's super soft and capable of keeping you warm when you need it, despite how thin it is. 

>>>>> Forever 21 - Sunglasses

I've been needing sunglasses since forever, and I found this HUGE pair at my local Forever. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but I've grown fond of it and the effect it gives to my face. It's pretty hard for me to find glasses that match my face shape, but I think this pair comes pretty close. 

>>>>> Korea - Mini Colored Journals

I have an obsession with pretty stationary (as all Korean girls are apt to have), and especially when it comes to pretty notebooks. These journals cost 800 won each (or around 75 cents), and the interesting thing about them is that each color has a different kind of paper inside. The blue is graph paper, the orange is some weird hive fusion, and the pink has lined paper. They're compact, so the perfect size to carry around.

>>>>> Media Favorites - More Than This, The Royal Tenenbaums, Joseon Gunman

Is it typical that I would include these items in my list of favorites? Considering the fact that I can't survive without storytelling, yeah, it really is. 

More Than This is a novel that I finished in the space of one night of feverish reading. It really was that hard to put down. Part sci-fi, part horror, part mystery novel, I really, really loved how creepy the atmosphere for this novel was, even though there was nothing specifically scary about it. The characters are likeable and resourceful and the plot moves at a fast pace, answering questions but also asking them at a constant rate.

I finally got around to watching The Royal Tenenbaums, a film by one of my favorite visual directors, Wes Anderson. This was one of the stories that I related to a little bit more, with a dysfunctional family of post-prodigies. It's darkly humorous and oddly touching, and despite some graphic themes, the film maintains an overall lightness that makes this world feel candy-colored and daring. Plus, the visuals really are gorgeous.

Ahh Joseon Gunman...how I love thee? I'm a self-professed k-drama addict, and seriously, dude, this drama is feeding all of my cravings (Thanks Chaereen for telling me to watch it!). It is a sageuk (or historical fiction), which is a genre I love but many people dislike. Thematically, this show is really doing everything I could have asked it to, with depictions of the growing disparity of traditional Joseon (the old name for Korea) and the intrusions of Western technology. This turbulent transition is depicted in the main character's use of the gun after his title as "master swordman" and seriously, despite the Count of Monte Cristo familiarity, the plot is as gripping as it could be. I love the acting, the writing, and absolutely the cinematography - if you're into k-dramas and you haven't been watching this, GIVE IT A GO. (Lee Jun Ki is hot, like seriously.)

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Okay, that's it for my July favorites. It feels like a long list, but it wasn't even ten things. Do you have a July favorite? Please comment below and tell me, as well as which product you'd like to try out (or see, or read, or wear...)!