Remember Wet 'N Wild Makeup??

You may remember Wet 'N Wild makeup from your middle school days.  Oh come on, don't act like you didn't use your weekly allowance to get your first tube of lipstick or eyeliner pencil from Wet 'N Wild.  As I was strolling through CVS the other day, I noticed that they had a new tri-colored bronzer palette on the shelves.  Intrigued, I decided to cough up the whole $4.99 and spring for a new bronzer to try.  It's definitely safe to say that this bronzer far exceeded my expectations!  With a quick swipe of my large powder brush, this bronzer went on evenly and gave me just enough color for fall/winter (gotta keep things realistic, ladies...we can't be looking too tan these days!).  Anyway - take a trip out to your local drugstore on your lunch break and pick it up in the shade "Three of a Kind" available wherever Wet 'N Wild is sold!  Post a comment and let me know how you like it :-)

xoxo,

Sexy Waves In A Spritz

Say hello to the fabulous sexy waves you never knew you could get without heading to the beach!  (I totally miss summer by the way...)  Garnier's Wonder Waves collection has all the products you need to make wavy hair dreams a reality - and at a bargain price too!  Here's the deal - spritz the Wonder Waves Enhancing Spray all over towel-dried hair.  Next, lather a bit of the Curl Construct mousse between your palms (about the size of a golf ball, or a little less if you have thin hair), flip your hair over and scrunch from the ends to the roots.  Each of these products will cost around $4 and are available at your local drugstore or Target.

Tip: Let your hair air dry rather than using a hair dryer to prevent frizz.

P.S.  I haven't had a chance to try Garnier's Wonder Waves shampoo and conditioner.  If you've used it, post a comment and let me know how you liked it!

xoxo,

DIY Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner (3 days to be exact!) - and some of you probably still need some last minute Halloween ideas to get your creativity going.  Click here to check out my DIY Halloween Makeup and Hairstyles flipbook for Hearst's Real Beauty website!

xoxo,

Destroyed Denim

Well Current and Elliot came on the scene and sparked a distressed and destroyed denim revolution....but really, who wants to pay 250 bucks for a pair of barely there jeans?!  I like the slouchy boyfriend look they offer, but what I love is a pair of destroyed skinny jeans - and there are plenty of places you can go to pick up just the right pair at a wallet-friendly price.  Read on to find out which stores to hit this weekend to find the pair with rips and tears in all the right places to keep you looking cute and trendy without showing too much leg...

Gap - Yes - it's true!  I don't know if you've seen all the ads they've put out lately (in what seems like every single magazine I read!), but they totally hit the mark this season with their denim.  My favorite are called the "Always Skinny Destructed Jeans."  Available here for $69.50.

Forever 21 - If you have time to hunt for a deal Marshalls-style, this is the place to go.  Just make sure you try everything on - the sizing at this store is extremely varied.  Try their Ripped Skinny Jean, available here for just $27.80.

...they also have a pair of black destroyed jeans that I absolutely adore (and own!) - available here for $27.80.

...and if you're just dying for the Current and Elliott boyfriend-style look, try these...they look exactly the same for a fraction of the cost - love it!  Available here for $26.90.

xoxo,

Costume Jewelry....Without the Icky Green Ring!

So I am essentially obsessed with jewelry from Forever 21.  Once you dig through all the not-so-cute stuff, you can usually find that rare gem...the needle in the haystack if you will :-)...an adorable piece of jewelry that looks identical to pieces that designers are out there selling for tons more money!  Rings are one of the things I covet most, and although some of the nicer Forever 21 rings look identical to their designer counterparts, the greenish ring around your finger once you take off your jewelry is a dead giveaway that you bought yours at a deep discount!  Now I don't have sensitive skin, and quite frankly I'm not really into spending hundreds of dollars on costume jewelry, so here is what you do with your knockoff rings....

1. Get yourself some clear nail polish
2. Paint one coat of the clear nail polish all over the inside of your rings
3. Lay to dry overnight on a piece of paper
4. Wake up the next morning and rock out with your new ring...that doesn't leave an icky green mark!

Happy costume jewelry hunting!!  Here are some rings that I looooove...

Black Enamel Flower Ring (available here for $5.80)

Gold Rhinestone Accent Ring (available here for $3.80)

Silver Rhinestone Elastic Ring (available here for $5.80)

Black Lacquer Ring Set (available here for $4.80)

 

xoxo,

Have You Heard About Gilt?!

I just found out about this discount site from a friend at work and it is absolutely amazing.  It's like ruelala.com times 100!  This site has everything from D&G to Theory to really fun up-and-coming jewelry designers at a really deep discount!  Click here to join...and don't blame me for that sudden need to add to your wardrobe :)

xoxo,

A Classic Pout

Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey has been around forever.  I'll never give away a woman's age, but let's just say my Mom wore it on her wedding day!  It's a great everyday lipstick in a classic light reddish shade that looks great on all skin tones...and just happens to be the absolute perfect hue for the coming winter months to brighten up your look without looking too dramatic!  The stick looks pretty dark in the tube, but I swear once you put it on, it's sheer genius (nerdy pun, I know!).  Don't believe me?  Head out to Sephora or any department store that carries Clinique and try it for yourself!  You won't be disappointed!  Available here for $14.

Nautical For Fall

I just love a classic nautical-inspired look, but I see less and less of it once summer is over.  Honestly, I can't think of any good reason to explain this, so to prove my point that nautical is still fall-appropriate, check out the example below of how to keep this look alive even when the hot summer months are gone...

Blazer: Anthropologie
Tee: Forever 21
Necklace: Forever 21
Boots: Steve Madden
Jeans: Forever 21

xoxo,

Every Last Lash

Just recently, Givenchy came out with a revolutionary mascara called Phenomen'Eyes (available here) which introduced the round-shaped brush to the mascara world!  The beauty of this brush is that it has the ability to evenly coat all your lashes, including those hard-to-reach inner and outer corners that most straight mascara brushes just can't get to.  My issue is that it's not my main go-to mascara, but one that I use to touch up my lashes, and this mascara clocks in at a sky-high $28.  Well, the geniuses over at L'oreal must have read my mind, because they just came out with a round-brush mascara of their own that does just as good a job as Givenchy's, but comes in at a third of the price!! Check out your local Ulta to snap up this mascara called Telescopic Explosion!

xoxo,

Boots I Love

It's no secret that fall is the best time of the year to break out a new pair of cute boots.  I've seen so many fun pairs lately, and am really into suede this year.  Check out the list below, get inspired, and get out and go shoe shopping!

My favorite is the Ash "Olivia" Tall Boot (available here for $300).  Tucked into dark leggings or skinny jeans with an oversized sweater is the perfect combination for a laid back look...

Holy affordable cuteness!  Foldover and suede and zippers - oh my!  These half-calf boots (available here for just $33 if you can believe it) would be ideal with semi-opaque black tights and a clingy black dress.

Love these grey suede booties (available here for $129) which would look adorable with black sheer tights and a darker grey fitted sweater dress like this one ...

Jewel-tone hues are huge this season.  Try these plum suede booties (available here for $131) with bootcut jeans and a simple and figure-flattering top like this one from Forever 21 )...

xoxo,

Hello, Bright Eyes!

Need a pick-me-up for your tired eyes?  Who doesn't when the alarm so rudely interrupts dreams of Rob Pattinson around 7 o'clock in the morning?!  (HUGE Twilight fan!)  Not to worry, the experts over at Benefit have the answer for our troubles!  Benefit's Eye Bright pencil ($20, available here ) is a thick pencil in a light pinkish hue that instantly makes you look wide awake when applied to the inner corners of your eyes.  Just dab a little to both the lid and under-eye area for immediate results.  Even if you're just functioning on your first cup of coffee, you'll look like you've had a full eight hours of sleep!

Tip: Make sure you don't blend it in too much - leaving it a tad unblended is the secret for the best results.

 

xoxo,

Embellished Tees...

...time to get yourself one, ladies!  Our favorite celebs are sporting them around town, but I imagine the price tag on theirs are pretty high.  Lucky for you, I've searched high and low for the perfect embellished tees at $30 or less!  These tees go with just about anything - skinny jeans, loose and distressed jeans, a simple pencil skirt, whatever you're feeling at the moment!  Which one is your favorite?

Side-sequin animal print inspired tee (available here for $25)...

A simple navy tee is dressed up with sequin detail on the pocket and shoulders (available here for $16)...

Love this lace and fringe-trimmed heather grey tee (would look super cute under a black blazer...read my earlier post!) (available here for $25)...

This sharp teal shirt has a tough girl edge to it with studded sleeves (available here for $14)...

Pair this scoopneck ivory beaded tee with your favorite comfy jeans (available here for $30)...

xoxo,

A Lesson In Sequins

Sequins, sequins, and more sequins!  We've heard all about 80's revival this season, but it's much easier to see Rachel Zoe step out to an LA event in a sequin vest than it is to put together a sparkly Saturday night outfit for ourselves.  After reading this post, hopefully you'll agree that sequins do have a place somewhere other than the red carpet.

When I think about sequins, I think about vintage.  Sure, you can get a cute bejeweled piece at the department stores this season, but it's so much more fun to scour the electronic shelves (love you ebay!) and find a unique piece that no one else will have.  The following tops were found on ebay - obviously due to time sensitivity, they may have been snatched up by some lucky ebayer by the time you finish reading, but don't worry - a quick search for "vintage sequin tops" will give you hundreds of options to choose from!

Tip: Make sure to keep makeup and the rest of the outfit simple with these looks and let the sequins do the talking!

Wear this sequin jacket with a simple off white or gray tee (try this one from Forever 21 for under $5 and size up for a slouchy look) and your favorite jeans...

How cute is this one (with distressed denim on bottom) for a sweetly boho-inspired look...

This one is perfect for date night with dark blue or black skinny jeans and black patent round-toe pumps...

And finally, the one I scored a couple weeks ago (for just $17!) that made it's way into my normal weekend rotation :-)

xoxo,

Check Out Real Beauty!

Hearst Corporation (who brings us our favorite magazines: Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Harpers Bazaar, etc.) recently launched a new beauty site for women - Real Beauty.  This site really has it all with a "unique mix of inner and outer beauty advice for your hair and skin as well as your body and mind."  I was lucky enough to get the chance to write a few flipbooks for Real Beauty with a celebrity inspiration twist.  These flipbooks will take you though the beauty evolution of five iconic celebs.  Follow the links below to check them out!  Then check out the rest of this fabulous site and enjoy!

Demi Moore: From her Brat Pack days to becoming the world's hottest cougar, Demi Moore is fearless when it comes to experimenting with her look.

Jennifer Lopez: From actress to singer to designer, Jennifer Lopez proves time and time again that she really is a triple threat!  Watch her transform from Jenny from the Block to a silver-screen superstar.

Gwen Stefani: Rocker-turned-designer Gwen Stefani is notable for her bold fashion (and beauty!) choices. Watch how she went from a pink-haired punk to a hot rocker mom.

Iman: See how one of our favorite supermodels has evolved her look and manages to get even more gorgeous with age.
Jennifer Aniston: We first copied Jen's hair over a decade ago and we're still lusting after her layered locks today.  See how she has transformed from Friends to a Hollywood icon.

xoxo,

Keep Cozy With An Eternity Scarf

What's better than a regular scarf?  An eternity scarf, of course!  They come in a variety of colors and styles, and you can get a really nice one for under 50 bucks at Urban Outfitters.  The best part about these scarves is they take the complication out of tying one on.  Throw it around your neck, loop it around once, and head out into the winter weather looking super cute and staying super warm too!  Here are a couple of my faves...

Chunky knit in black available here...

Macrame in a gray jersey knit available here...

Thin weave in a classic and clean ivory available here...

A fun and funky print available here...

xoxo,

How To Wear The Casual Fall Blazer

What can I say, I'm a big fan of the blazer trend this fall.  I was getting kinda tired of buying all those cardigans!  Don't get me wrong, I love a good boyfriend cardigan to throw on over my outfit when it's a little chilly outside, but a cute and casual blazer is a great way to switch up your look.  I bought the ones pictured below from Anthropologie which I absolutely adore!  (Available here in black or gray for $128)  This blazer is so versatile, so I figured I'd put together some options to give you ideas for how to wear your blazer whether you're in the office or out for cocktails!  Just switch up the bottom half with whatever you've got (skinny jeans, pencil skirts, etc.)

Pair the gray blazer with a silky pink shirt with ruffle detail...

The black blazer looks hot with a lightweight gray sweater and a long silvery necklace...

An off white cotton tee with button detail looks casually cute with the gray blazer...

Bundle up with a sophisticated scarf and a little black dress...

Had to throw in a fun outfit with a vest (available at Forever 21 for just under $23 - what a steal!)  Try it with a bold and flowy printed blouse...

Tip: If you sign up for the Anthropologie club (which costs nothing and isn't a credit card) they'll mail you a coupon for 15% off one purchase during your birthday month.  Party bonus!

xoxo,