Fall fashion I'm loving + my favorite places to bargain shop

If there's one thing I love EVEN more than hair and makeup, it's clothes and shoes.  I've been a shopaholic since I can remember.  One of my most vivid memories is of desperately wanting a pair of 'MC Hammer pants', as I called them, for my fifth birthday.  To my surprise, Grandma Bonnie presented me with a pair of pink and black polka dot parachute pants, and at that moment, all the world was right.  Now, 23 years later, those hideous pants have started showing up in stores again (I've decided to skip that trend for now)! With the creation of Pinterest, we are now able to see how different women all over the world create outfits.  Now, when I'm shopping, I'll usually have an outfit I saw on Pinterest as my inspiration.  I will not go so far as to say that I'm 'cheap', but I am definitely thrifty!  After my years and years of research, I've figured out where I can find the best deals, and which stores fit my particular style the best. 

One thing I do want to share with those of you who have been living under a rock is 'Retail Me Not'.  For those of you who have never heard of it, it started out as a website, and is now also an App where you are able to enter the name of the store you're shopping at, and it will give you all of the In-store coupons, as well as coupon codes for online purchases.  If you're shopping in store, you can then simply hand your phone to the cashier, and they can scan the barcode right off your phone.  Isn't technology amazing?! Now of course there's no gaurantee that every store you shop in will offer coupons or discounts, but it's certainly worth trying! I truly can't remember the last time I paid full price for anything, unless I was shopping at Tj Maxx, but that doesn't really count, because their merchandise is already super affordable!

I thought I would post a couple pictures of outfits I'm inspired by for the fall, and then below, I'm going to share with you where I've found to be the most affordable places for recreating the looks.

I love how this outfit is a little bit 'rocker edgy', but still very comfortable. I love long tanktops!

This chunky sweater paired with a bold necklace and leggings makes casual look dressy.

Skinny jeans + booties+ scarf+leather jacket = perfection.

 

 

 

 My Favorite places to bargain shop

TJ Maxx: as I mentioned above, the clothing is already marked down to a fraction of what you'd pay for it in a department store.  I've even found items there that were being sold at Apricot Lane for almost double the price.  Yes, you do have to take the time to look through the racks, but when you find something you love for $12.99, it's totally worth the time and effort!  Almost all of my shirts and dresses come from TJ Maxx, and I get several wears out of them.  I've found that the quality of most everything I buy there is just as good as anywhere. Unfortunately, TJ Maxx doesn't offer online shopping just yet.

 

H&M: this is my favorite place to buy basics, like long tank tops, t shirts, and leggings. I will also buy the occasional sweater or jacket there.  One of my favorite things in my closet is my extra long tank top from H&M that I wear underneath sweaters when I'm wearing leggings. It was only $10, so I'm planning to go back and get a few different colors. H&M has a full website, ready to be shopped, and they frequently offer percentages off!

 

GoJane.com:  I discovered this website about five years ago, and have been buying almost all of my boots there ever since.  They also sell clothing, but shoes are what they're known for.  They have more boots than you ever imagined existed, and in fact, I'm waiting on a shipment any day now!  They also offer discount codes quite often, as well as free shipping over a certain dollar amount spent. Before you drop $80 for some riding boots at a department store, browse the website, because chances are you will find some very similar, for half the price.

 

Sassysteals.com:  I recently discovered this website through instagram, and I love it.  Basically, every day, there is a new 'steal', which might be a scarf, a necklace, a skirt, etc. They buy things in bulk, and then sell them at a discounted price. Most everything is under $15, and very on trend.  This would be a great website to Christmas shop for those accessory lovers in your life!

 

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my first fashion post. Have a beautiful day!  

 

 

I Heart False Lashes

There is nothing that makes me feel fancier than throwing on a pair of false lashes for a night out.  There's something about the way it enhances and opens up the eye that just makes you feel prettier instantly! For years, I would browse the false lash section of Walmart, and think to myself 'I wish I knew how to use those.'  I talked myself out of buying them many times, because I had decided that the only people who could possibly apply them were makeup artists and drag queens. After I became a YouTube beauty video addict, I decided it was time to put the fear aside and try them.  So, I bought several pairs of cheap lashes, like these from Elf.  I couldn't bare the thought of screwing up with a $4 pair of lashes. I also made sure to get a high quality lash glue.  I knew I needed glue that either dried clear, or dried black (to blend with my eyeliner).  I went with the glue that starts out white and eventually ends up clear.  My favorite glue is 'LashGrip' adhesive. This can be found pretty much anywhere lashes are sold. I get mine at Walmart. Once I felt like I was semi-good at applying the lashes, I started experimenting with different styles.  My favorite lashes are the ones that aren't too over the top, but are fuller and longer than my own.  Salon Perfect and Ardel are my two favorite brands, because they're very good quality, and are usually under $4.  'Demi Wispies' are great because they give that lifted, cat-eye effect, and gradually go from short (inner corner) to long (outer corner) to elongate the eye.  Another great way to start out in the false lash world is to buy lash accents, which are false lashes that only go on the outer half of your eye.  These give a great winged effect, without the fuss of placing them on the inner corner. 

So since it would be really difficult for me to explain, in detail, how I apply my lashes, I've attached a video of my favorite YouTube beauty guru, Jaclyn Hill, showing you how to apply them.  This is pretty much the exact way I go about applying my lashes.  She uses lashes that are much more expensive than the ones I use, but the basic application process is the same! I hope you enjoy, and I hope that you will all go out and grab a pair of falsies ;)

 

Jaclyn Hill: How to apply false lashes

 

Thank you for stopping by my blog.  Have a beautiful day!

 



Current favorites: hair and skin edition

Since my last few posts have been strictly makeup related, I thought I'd switch it up and talk to you abaout some of my recent favorite products for the hair and skin. Some of them may even be sitting in your kitchen as we speak...

Skin

1. Coconut Oil - I've been hearing people rave about Coconut oil on pinterest for a long time, so I finally decided to pick some up about a month ago. I bought mine from Walmart, and I paid around $8 for a pretty big jar.  Now most of the articles I read were saying what a great hair masque coconut oil is, but I found that I did not really like it for that purpose. I used it on my hair once, and found that it was really difficult getting it all to rinse out.  It left a bit of a film on my hair, and made it feel greasy.  However, what I do love it for is removing makeup, and as a body lotion.  I keep the jar in my shower, which helps it to stay somewhat soft.  When removing my makeup, I scoop out a small amount, rub it between my hands until it feels very slick and then massage it into my face.  It takes off every shred of makeup I have on, and leaves my skin feeling so soft.  Just like with using it in the hair, you really have to work to rinse it all off. Sometimes I leave some of it still on, just for added moisture.  I also love using it in place of lotion after I'm out of the shower.  It gives my skin so much moisture, and a little bit goes a long way.  For those of you who don't like scented lotions, or are very sensitive to smells, this would be great, because it has virtually no scent.  And after a month, I'm not even a quarter of the way through my jar, so you will definitely get your $8 worth!

2. Organic Sugar- I was watching a YouTube video a while back, and the person in the video said she exfoliated using organic sugar from the grocery store, because it was much cheaper than buying an actual 'skin exfoliater' . Even though I love to shop, I'm all about cutting costs where I can, so I thought that sounded like a great idea.  I went to Walmart and picked up a bag of organic sugar from the baking aisle, and $7 later, I'm glad I did.  Not only is the bag cheap, it's quite large, and does just as good of a job as the $15 products I've purchased in the past.  I usually put a small amount in a cup, and then take that into the shower on nights when I know I'm going to exfoliate. I grab a handfull, and just rub it into my skin until I feel like it's done it's job.  If you're someone who does a lot of spray tanning, or self tanning, exfoliating is a must, in order to prep the skin, and also when you are trying to remove the leftover spray tan after it's faded.  So next time you're thinking about buying an expensive scrub, try plain 'ol organic sugar first!

3. Fake Bake Flawless Self Tanning Liquid- Since we're on the topic of tanning, I had to mention this product.  I bought this about two weeks ago, and I was instantly impressed.  I'm not normally one to self tan, because in my high school days, I had some very bad experiences with it.  Let me just say, this is not the streaky lotion from the olden days!  This comes with a bottle with a spray pump, rubber gloves, and a buffing mit.  I think the mit is what really makes this product great.  The mit makes it so that the tanning solution is buffed in completely, leaving behind no globs, or streaks.  Also, layering the rubber gloves under the mit make sure that there will be no orange hands when you're all done.  This product would be great for those of you who spray tan often, but feel you need something to extend the life of your tan, or for those of you who prefer not to spray tan, and just want something to give you some color.  The process is simple; you spray a few pumps in the area you're working on, gently buff it in with the mit, and wait a few minutes for it to dry.  Just like spray tanning, though, you need to wait at least six hours before showering.  This gives the solution time to really absorb into the skin.  If you get wet, sweat, or rub against something, it will run or transfer, so I find that doing it right before bed is the best.  The one downside to this is that it's very hard to get your own back, so maybe ask a friend, relative, husband, etc. to help you apply it :)  This sells for around $20, and will give you several full body applications.





 

 

4. Philisophy Purity One Step Facial cleanser:  This is a product I've had a sample of for months, and never thought about using it, because my skin is so dry.  I had myself convinced that a cleanser for 'normal' skin would definitely be too harsh for me.  Turns out, I was wrong.  I have found myself using this every night before bed, because I love how clean it makes my face feel.  This cleanser is gentle, yet very effective at removing any dirt, makeup, or impurities. If you're on the dry side, this will definitely make you feel like you need moisturizer ASAP, but not so tight that it feels like your face is burning.  It's also gentle enough to be used around the eye area.  It takes off nearly all of my eye makeup, and Lord knows I like to layer that on!  Philosophy products are a bit pricey, but the bottle is huge, and it will last for several months. A full size bottle retails for $22.  My tiny little sample bottle has given me at least ten washes already, and it's just now half gone.  A little goes a long way, which I like.

 

Hair

 

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal with Argan Oil:  That name is a bit of a mouthful, huh?  I truly can't say enough about this product.  It has changed my life, both as a stylist, and a person with hair ;)  The product's description is as follows:  'Adds instant shine and protection, controls frizz, boosts moisture, increases elasticity, helps smooth hair, protects against environmental damage.'  It also claims to reduce drying time, and in my experience, it does.  I've been using this on almost every client with long hair, thick hair, curly hair, dry hair, damaged hair, etc.  It not only adds a protective barrier for heat, it also helps detangle the hair almost instantly.  The smell is phenomenal, and I will go so far as to say I think it blows Moroccan Oil out of the water (not to mention its much less expensive).  I have very coarse, dry hair, and I like to put about a nickel size amount through my wet hair.  The softness and shine it adds is amazing!  Don't let the picture below confuse you, the bottle is normally turquoise and brown.  This is a limited edition breast cancer pink bottle.  This sells for around $16.

 

 

I hope you've enjoyed reading about some of my favorite things, and I hope you'll give them a try!  Thanks again for stopping by my blog.  Have a beautiful day! 



 



Tarte Beauty Without Boundaries 8 piece collection Review

A couple weeks ago, I got an email from Tarte cosmetics letting me know that their new collection would be on QVC.  So, I did what any girl on a tight budget would do, and I put an alert on my phone so I could just "watch and not buy". Well, that lasted about thirty minutes, and then my shopping addiction took over. Needless to say, I've got eight new pieces to add to my makeup collection, and I'm here to tell you all about what I thought of them! I got the entire collection for approximately $60, which sounds like a lot, but when you factor in that the foundation brush alone is nearly $40, it's truly a great deal! As I have said before, Tarte is one of my favorite makeup brands.  Not only are their products high quality, they are paraben free, and cruelty free. Plus, I must say, they have some of the cutest packaging ever! Now let's get started...

BB tinted treatment 12-hour primer: This is the star of the show, as far as this collection goes.  While I think the name is confusing, due to the fact that it is referred to as a primer, I LOVE this product!  To me, it applies like a medium coverage foundation, just without the heaviness.  The texture is very light, and almost seems whipped. It blends very easily, and doesn't make my dry skin appear cakey.  I think this would be a fantastic option for those of you with oily skin, because it really gives a matte finish. I give this product a solid A!

 

Double Ended Bamboo brush:  This brush was designed specifically to apply the BB primer.  The flat top buffing brush blends the product in seamlessly, and the dome shaped end works on the areas underneath the eye, and around the nose. I love love love this brush! The fact that you basically get two brushes in one is awesome, but the soft bristles are what really makes this brush a winner! I give this one a A, also!

 

BB tinted under eye corrector: I'm sad to say it, but I really dislike this product.  First of all, my camera made this look much lighter in the picture than it actually is.  In person, it's much more yellow.  The color isn't what I really hate the most about it either, it's the texture.  It is super thick, and almost impossible to blend. I ordered my kit in the shade 'fair', which is the lightest shade available, so I was expecting to the under eye corrector to be as light or lighter than the BB primer. However, it's darker, and much more yellow, which does not flatter my skintone at all.  I've worn this twice now, to make sure I gave it an honest chance.  I will probably never use this again, and I give it a big ol' F!

 

 

 

 Dual sided diffuser bamboo concealer brush:  Overall, I think this is a nice brush for applying concealer.  I've only used it with the above mentioned crappy under eye treatment, but the bristles are soft and dense, so I would assume that when used with a nice, creamy concealer, it would be a winner. I'm not going to grade this one, since I haven't had enough experience using it with products I actually like!

 

Lipsurgence Power Pigment in 'Awakening': Tarte makes some of my favorite lipstick, so I was excited to try a new kind of lip product from them!  Although I don't love this formula as much as I love the Amazonian Butter lipsticks, I do like it, and have worn it a couple times.  It's a neutral, pale rosey shade that seems to compliment almost any skintone.  Sometimes crayon-like lip stains scare me, because they can be very drying, but I found that this product does not dry out my lips.  It seems to have really good lasting power as well.  I probably would not have picked out this shade on my own, but I'm happy with it.  When I went to swatch this for the first time, the product was soft from being in my mailbox, so it broke off at the base. I'm not sure if this is recommended or not, but I stuck it in the freezer for a few hours, and it seems to be intact now! Overall, I give this product a B!

 

 

Lights, Camera, Flashes waterproof 12 hour inner rim liner:  Aside from the ridiculously long name, I like this liner! It applies easily, and is a very pigmented black.  It's creamy, but not so creamy that it ends up sliding around and getting in your eye, on your contacts, etc. It's great for those of you who like to line your inner rim, or 'tightline', which is lining the inner rim of your upper lash line. I give this one an A!

 

Lights, camera, flashes Statement Mascara:  Mascara is the hardest thing for me to review, because I feel like it really just depends on the person.  I know a couple people who absoloutly love 'Benefit: They're Real " mascara, which sells for almost $25 a pop, and I HATE it! I've also told my coworker how amazing 'Lash Love' by Mary Kay is, and she tried it and hated it, so it's really a hard thing to recommend. As far as this mascara from Tarte goes, I neither love it nor hate it.  It definitely does not rank up there with my Lash love, but it's not the worst thing I've ever used either.  It's somewhat of a wet formula, so you have to be careful not to blink too hard after applying it, or you'll have black dots underneath your eyes.  It's a very black formula, which I do like. The brush is a bit large, so it's hard to get in really close to your lashline without poking yourself in the eye.  I give this product a C+, but who knows, you may love it!

 

 

The eighth piece of this collection is the limited edition bag.  I have nothing bad to say about this bag, because, well, it's just a bag.  I love the colorful chevron print, and it's big enough to store every makeup item I need while traveling.  I'm always a sucker for a free bag! 

 

If you're interested in ordering this collection, it's exclusive to QVC right now.  You can order it here. The price has gone up just a bit since I ordered it.  It's now $65.98. If you have a makeup lover in the family, this would be a great Christmas gift!

 

As always, thank you for taking time to read my blog.  Have a beautiful day!