Monthly Muse: July 2023 Favorites

Everyone keeps saying that July was a short month but it feels like it's gone on forever. The 4th of July feels like it was 5 months ago, not a few weeks. July brought a lot of change--I moved out of my mom's house and into my own apartment. While it's a physical change, it's also a mental and emotional change. 

I probably will never live with my family again and after it just being my mom, sister and I for 17 years, that is an incredibly sad thought. I still feel a lot of emotions around it but the good news is that I'm literally a few feet away from my mom's house so I can have my own space and still see her every day. It's a good thing for me.

I will go on and on in another post but for now, I want to talk about my favorite products I used and discovered in July 2023. Some are new, some are old friends, all are necessary!

IGK Good Behavior Spray

I did a huge review post on this IGK Good Behavior Spray years ago but I recently started using it a bit more and was reminded how much I loved it. This is a keratin spray that you use on wet hair before blow drying and it gives you a keratin treatment effect. It makes my frizzy, curly hair sleek and smooth after blow drying and truly gives a blowout effect. It also makes blow drying a lot quicker which I will never say no too. If you're looking for a new hair care product to add to your routine, to make your hair shinier, healthier, smoother and make the process faster, IGK Good Behavior Spray is a must have.

Migrastil Migraine Stick

I know I mentioned this in my March 2023 favorites but it warrants another feature. I am on migraine medication but sometimes it just doesn't work, so I have to break out this oil. Migrastil Migraine Stick is pure magic in a bottle; nothing takes away a migraine as fast or effectively as this. It's a very odd sensation that occurs when you apply this to your skin; it provides a numbing effect that dulls the physical pain of the migraine and within a few minutes, you're not focusing on the pain because you can't even figure out where it was coming from. If you suffer from debilitating migraines, you need this in your arsenal.  

Black and Decker Vacuum

In December, my sister and I bought my mom a Dyson vacuum for her birthday and it changed our lives. I had never used a cordless stick vacuum before so when I was moving into my own apartment, I knew I wanted one. I wasn't about to shell out the money for a Dyson so I did my research and decided to get this Black & Decker cordless stick vacuum. I wanted something very cheap, so I didn't even opt for a Shark which is the most obvious dupe. 

I have been loving this vacuum, which is such an adult statement. It is not as fancy or sleek as a Dyson or Shark and doesn't have as many attachments but it gets the job done. It charges very quickly, sucks everything up, and stands upright. It makes vacuuming incredibly easy and less like a chore; I actually enjoy it! The Black & Decker vacuum has a light at the end of it which makes getting into tight, dark spaces much easier. If you need a good vacuum, under $100, you have to try the Black & Decker version. 

Secret Clinical Strength

This is a bit TMI but I noticed I was sweating a lot more earlier this month and my regular deodorant wasn't cutting it anymore. I didn't smell, but the sweat was unbearable and uncomfortable. I have been using Dove Advanced Care for years and had no issues but something shifted this month. I didn't want to go the aluminum free route because I just can't handle that type of commitment, so after a bit of research, I went with Secret Clinical Strength and have been loving it. What I love about is that it's specifically formulated to fight against stress sweat response and I think that's what I really needed. I wasn't hot when I was sweating, it was just happening which I think was stress. This has been such a life saver and I'm excited to switch up my deodorant which is strange but fine! 

Refillable Perfume Atomizer

I bought a perfume recently that had a funky, defective spray and I was getting frustrated every time I sprayed it. It was spraying straight out and not in a nice mist which made it a little unusable. I decided to purchase a refillable travel atomizer and fill it up with defective perfume. Oh my goodness, why did I not know about these before? Having an empty travel atomizer is so useful! I can just fill it up with whatever perfume I want and take it with me; I don't need a fragile, glass travel size of my favorite perfumes that might leak or break in my bag. I need a bunch of these to keep in my drawer and fill up with whatever perfume my heart desires. 

What were your favorite things this month?

xoxo
B