august – Mackenzie Billington

Now that August is over, it’s time to share my favorites from the past month with y’all! August was such a busy month between moving out of my dorm in London, to moving back to Texas, to finally moving back to the sorority house at college. I am so glad life is starting to finally slow down a little, and that I am getting into the routine of things once more. Here are some things I have been loving this past month:

The Beauty Faves:

I picked up this gorgeous coral blush back in London. I purchased it previously a few years ago, and I remember really loving it. It’s that perfect blush for the end of summer because it looks nice with a tan. When I saw that Too Faced released a new eyeshadow palette called ‘Star Dust’, I ordered it right away (and even picked up one for my sister as well). The color selection is just stunning and the shadows are so pigmented and easy to blend. The palette is only sold on the Too Faced site and on Ulta. It also comes with a small size of their popular ‘Better Than Sex‘ mascara, which I’ve been using and loving. Another favorite eye product of the month has been the Jumbo Eye Pencils by NYX. I now have three, and I really enjoy using them as an eyeshadow base. My current favorite is ‘Pure Gold’ as I find it looks beautiful layered under gold and bronze powder eyeshadows. I also repurchased another La Creme lipstick in the shade ‘Naughty Nude’. I’ve always struggled with finding that perfect nude lip shade that won’t wash me out, but I finally discovered this holy grail product at Sephora last fall. I also ordered the lipstick in another shade called ‘Juicy Melons’, and I am super excited to try it out. As for skincare, I have been obsessed with this Clinique moisturizer gel. My skin has been very dry and angry because of my topical acne creams, but this gel based lotion has really helped clear up all of my dry patches without breaking out my skin. It can also be used as a moisture mask, which I think is really interesting. I will definitely repurchase another bottle when I run out!

The Fashion Faves:

I am in love with the brand Show Me Your Mumu, which I’m sure is not a surprise to y’all. I recently purchased one of their tunics in this gorgeous map print called ‘A Whole MU World’, and it such a unique piece (with a super cute name). The print couldn’t be any more perfect especially because I love travel! I usually pair this bold tunic with white shorts, but I think it will look awesome paired with white jeans and denim when it starts to get a little more chilly. I also picked up some more shorts and a co-ord set recently because they had an online sale- I just couldn’t resist! As for shoes, I have been living in these super tall, metallic wedges. I get so many compliments every time I wear them (and they are only $30!). I’ve also been loving my rockstud sunglasses. My mom found them at Nordstrom Rack a few months ago and gave them to me. They are super sassy, and I really like the cat eye frame! Speaking of sassy- I recently got some white tassel earrings that I’ve been wearing all the time. They are on the heavy side, but they are perfect for any nice occasion, gameday, or night out with the girls. My final fashion favorite for the month of August has been my Daniel Wellington watch. I love the classic look of this watch and the great quality. It matches any outfit! Y’all can also use the code ‘MACKENZIEKENN’ to get 15% off any Daniel Wellington product (but only for the first 50 customers)! If you’re looking for that perfect, classic watch, definitely check out DW.

The Random Faves:

Now that school has started again, I’ve been loving my new backpack and my planner. In the past I’ve always had Lilly Pulitzer and Kate Spade agendas. While I did love them a ton, I was dying to try something new. I discovered the Day Designer earlier this summer and knew it was ‘the one’. Target also sells the Day Designer, which is super exciting and affordable! It’s perfect because I can plan out every single hour of my day, and it helps me make my goals and stay on task. A school related post will be up later this week featuring my new planner, so keep your eyes out for that!

Honorable mentions:

For the month of August, I’ve been obsessed with the show True Detective. I finished the first season earlier this summer, and I am now on the second. It’s definitely a ‘must watch!’. I also recently finished Sex and the City, and I can’t remember the last time I loved a show so much. I know it’s a little late, but I’ve been reading the Lauren Conrad Beauty Book that my friend, Miranda, gave me to borrow. Lauren Conrad is one of my hugest inspirations, and I love everything that she does.

Now that I am back in the states, I have been trying to get back in to working out. I’ve been doing yoga for the past four to five years, and it has always been my passion. I took a break from yoga due to a hip problem, but now I am back doing what I love most. When I was in high school, I went to Sunstone Yoga Studio and loved it. Lots of the other members there used these yoga mat towels called ‘Yogitoes‘, and I always thought they looked super cool. They are quite pricey, so I always hesitated splurging. But I finally decided to buy one, and I really, really love it. They also come in such a fun variety of patterns and colors. I would highly recommend the Yogitoe towel mats for any yogis that love hot yoga.

Thank you so much for checking out my blog. Let me know what your August favorites were!

Dermstore BeautyFix box | August (c/o dermstore & shopstyle)

Hello friends! I received this awesome box from Dermstore last week, and I’m beyond excited to finally get to share it with y’all! This Dermstore BeautyFix box is basically a monthly subscription box where you receive a collection of professional skin and hair care products, handpicked by beauty experts and delivered straight to your door. I was excited when this box arrived because the packaging was so cute, and it was stuffed with more products than I even expected.

As most of y’all know, I am obsessed with beauty products, and I am constantly trying new things out all the time. I absolutely loved getting this BeautyFix box because I got to try out so many really cool products, and I even found some new favorites. The best part about it is that you really get your money’s worth with Dermstore. Some of these products are full sized and retail for up to $60 each. The total box is worth about $158- which is insane that is costs only $12.48 for your first box.

Out of the hair products, the Keranique Scalp Stimulating Shampoo was my favorite. It was super cleansing and really removed any buildup I had in my hair. I also really loved the Alterna Daily Densifying Foam. I scrunched it into the roots of my hair to add some volume, and I was really happy with the results. As for the skin care products, I’ve been using a new routine with the products. I’ve been using the Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash with my Clarisonic brush twice a day. I find that foaming face washes work best with the brush. I especially love the Bliss face wash because it has a very nice scent that leaves my skin feeling refreshed and smooth. The Bliss face wash comes in a travel size in the BeautyFix box, but I definitely plan on purchasing the full size when I run out. After cleansing my skin, I apply the Paula’s Choice CLEAR Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment. I have very, very acne prone skin, and it can be very difficult to find skin care products that work for me. Most acne treatments dry out my face or cause burning- this one doesn’t. I love it because it also looks nice under makeup, which is something I haven’t found before in an acne treatment. I apply the Medicell Labs Redness Relief Hydrating Cream to my cheeks and the outer perimeter of my face. It adds a nice layer of hydration to those drier bits of my face and really does a nice job at combating redness. Lastly, I apply the SmartFX SmartEye Wrinkle Lift. I have been using anti-aging products since I was about 16 years old. I believe that it’s important to start early with anti-aging products instead of later once you start noticing actual signs of aging in the skin.This SmartFX Wrinkle Lift is really nice because it is tinted, so it provides a nice hint of coverage. It also makes the area under my eyes super smooth and even, which makes applying under eye concealer so much easier.

I have absolutely loved getting to try out these products from the August Dermstore BeautyFix box. I would highly, highly recommend checking out these fun subscription boxes! They are a fabulous way to try out new products without breaking the bank. Sadly, this specific box seems to be sold out at the moment, however, hopefully the September box will be out soon! You can check out the Dermstore BeautyFix box here. I linked the individual products from the August box below if you want to check them out!

Thank you again, Dermstore, for sending me such an incredible BeautyFix box to review!

Mackenzie Billington

Tag: august

August Favorites

Dermstore BeautyFix Box