A Zipper For Your Hair

It sounds crazy, but zipper accessories are totally in right now. Forever 21 has this adorable Zipper Flower Trim Headband that is the cutest hair accessory I've seen in a long time.

The great thing about it, is that it still has a lot of femininity. The flower accent is girly enough to add some frill, yet the zipper toughens it up a bit. The juxtaposition of these two ideas is wonderful and makes for a fabulous headband.

I wouldn't wear this with my hair down though, if I were you. The zipper could easily get caught. Instead, pull your hair back in a ponytail and wear it to push back any flyaways you may have.

The best part? The headband retails for a mere $3.80.

Smashbox Eyeshadow for $5!

Eeeee! I get so excited about makeup deals!

Right now, Sephora is selling Smashbox eyeshadow duo in Glow/Getter for $5. It usually goes for about $25. Unbelievable.

The shades are great for any skintone. The lighter hue is a peach champagne shimmer while the darker is a dark warm brown sheen. The shades are great for a natural look and should be a staple in your makeup kit.

Yay for makeup sales!!!

Avon's New Teal Nail Enamel: My New BFF

Recently, Avon has really stepped it up a notch. Their Fall collection, Tribal Teals, really tickles my fancy. My fave item in the whole collection is the Nailwear Nail Enamel in Textured Teal.

At first glance, the color looks bright and colorful. That's fun, and that look can be achieved by applying one sheer coat of the polish. The look I prefer however, is achieved by layering on two even coats. The outcome is a dark teal (almost black) that makes people look twice. It's the perfect color for Fall, or anytime really.

Since I constantly pick at my fingernails and can't usually wear polish on 'em, I opted to try the polish on my toes. It looks fab there! The color is so deep that it might actually be a bit much for your fingers, but it works amazingly one your toes with some glitzy sandals or peep-toes.

Here's how my gorgey foot looks with the polish:



Super cute, no?

To locate an Avon Representative call 1-800-FOR-AVON or visit online at www.avon.com.

Twitter!

I'm finally on Twitter...I gave in! Follow me at https://twitter.com/SassyAlana!

Drugstore Beauty: Eyebrow Pencil Bargain

Oh drugstore makeup, how I love thee. My latest find is Wet N Wild's Arch Envy. When I first saw it, it reminded me of a great product I had purchased before, Anastasia's Go Brow.

The difference? Go Brow is $21; Arch Envy is $2.99.

Both products are amazing and practically identical. On one end is a brow-filling pencil that is quite blendable and versatile for any color brow. In fact, the Wet N Wild version comes in your choice of two colors (light or medium brown), whereas Anastasia's only comes in one darker hue.

The other end of the pencil features a great highlighter for under your brows. Admittedly, the pricier pencil has a higher pigmented version, but both work very similarly. The cheapie pencil's highlighter actually doubles as a wax to hold the shape of your brows (only apply under the brow, but you'll be surprised how well it holds up).

Save yourself the cash. Who in the world needs a $21 eyebrow pencil??!

Fashion Faux Pas: The Sack Dress

Much as I love Forever 21, and their fabulous inexpensive dresses, sometimes the store shows complete lack of taste. Their Bubble Empire Dress is a great example of this.

Basically, the dress looks like a sack. And not even a good one. Here's a tip: if the model wearing the dress can't even manage to look decent, there is very little chance that anyone else will be able to pull it off.

Here are my problems with this dress (I use the term dress loosely):

• The basic cut looks too much like a maternity dress. This is not flattering. Empire waists can be great, but if they are too voluminous, you can easily look like you're pregnant.
  
• Bubble skirts that look "tucked in" at the hem confuse me. Mainly, the effect is looking as if you've tucked your dress into your tights/panties when leaving the ladies room.
  
• The bust of the dress looks squished. Not flattering.

The look is so hideous. But if you want to give it a go, it's $26 at Forever21.com.

Pretty Petite Palette

It's always a good idea to have a go-to palette with everything you need for a flawless face. I'm such a makeup fanatic that I usually have at least one in my purse at all times. For normal people, it's just smart to have one for traveling or to keep at the office for little touch-ups.

Pixi's Petite Palette is perfect for this. It's only about the size of a credit card, so it fits virtually anywhere. It's got everything you could possibly want in very flattering shades: four suit-all eye shades, cheek glow, highlighter, lip stain and lip gloss.

Retailing at only $16, the palette is also a good way to try out this great brand's products before buying the full-sized versions.

Moroccan Flair

Compact mirrors are super important to keep with you at all times. I've probably got 10 or so that I rotate through depending on my mood. Unfortunately, most of the prettiest ones are amazingly pricey.

Luckily, Sephora's Moroccan Sunrise Compact Mirror is only $9! It looks like something you might pick up at an antique shop, or while traveling around Europe.

And it's quite handy while applying lipstick.

Pretty In Pearls

First of all, a great pearl necklace will never go out of style. It's a great idea to invest in a good quality pearl necklace and pearl stud earrings because, chances are, you will need them at some point in your life.

Still though, pearls can be fun. They're got a bad rep for being boring and basic (although I consider them classic and timeless). Pearls now come in a variety of colors, with added embellishments, and of varying lengths.

Vera Wang has an amazing collection for Kohl's. The line includes clothing, accessories, handbags...basically everything you could possibly want. I found this beautiful Simply Vera Vera Wang Jet-Tone Pearl Necklace and immediately fell in love with it. The color is just different enough to stand out, and the bow detail adds both glamour and femininity.

Currently, this fab necklace is on sale for $21.60.

Makeup Tutorial: Simple Night Out

I've basically got my "night out" makeup down to a science. I'll usually change up the colors and such, but the basic rules still apply and most work for everyone. So, here's how I do it:



The first thing I do is apply concealer. It makes me look a tiny bit more decent and helps the rest of my makeup stay in place. I do not normally use foundation, as I love my freckles and it tends to look cakey on me. I basically apply concealer to my eyelids, under eye area, and any red spots I may notice.



Next, I apply a shimmery light eyeshadow all over the eyelid. This works as a base for other shadows, highlights my brow area, and simply just brightens up my eyes.



After that, I apply a medium brown shadow from my lash line to the crease, blending upward towards my brow line (try to avoid actually applying this shade to the brow line--the result is looking like you've got bushy eyebrows).



After that, I take a dark brown shade and apply to the outer corner of the eyelid. This makes you look more awake and gives your eyes a cat-like look. Make sure to blend well.



Next, I apply eye liner. Personally, I prefer liquid liner. This is only to be applied to the outer 3/4 of the lash line (or less). Start on the inner side of the lid and work your way out, thickening the line as you go. It's tricky to apply, but I've found that pulling on the outer corner of my eye allows me to draw a straighter line. Once that is completed, you might notice that the line is a little jagged or too sharp. To fix this, I'll usually go over it with a pencil liner to blend. The same pencil liner can be applied to your lower lash line (again, only on the outer 3/4).



To further awaken my eyes, I'll usually apply a bit of the lightest eye shadow I used (under the brow bone) to the inner corners of my lids. The shimmer brightens the whole eye area and has a bit of a "pretend eye lift" effect. It is very important to blend the shimmer. Once applied to the inner corners, blend upwards towards the darker shadows. The result should be seamless.

Next, curl the eyelashes. I'm a fan of the new heated eyelash curlers--they really make the curl stay! Immediatley after curling, apply your fave mascara. Waterproof versions are great because they help hold the curl in your lashes.



Blush is next! Take a big fluffy brush, sweep it over your blush, tap off the excess, and apply to the apples of your cheeks. Follow that by blending upwards towards your temples.



Finally, apply lipstick or gloss. I usually like to choose a shade that looks almost like my own lip color--only better. With a bit of pop.

And that's it! This usually takes me about 5-10 minutes and is simple enough for everyone to do.

Quick side note: I do most of the eye application simply with my fingertips. I've tried tons of eye shadow brushes and have yet to find a better tool.

This is a great look for going out because it looks natural enough to avoid looking like a hooker, yet shimmery and flawless enough to attract attention. Enjoy!

Stylish Suede Shoes

In my opinion, you can wear peep-toe shoes regardless of the season. I'm aware that many style gurus claim that peep-toed pumps simply do not work once the weather drops below 60 degrees and that visible tights are a no-no. I really disagree with this. Opaque black tights (yes, they are actually still in style!) look adorable peeking out of an open-toed pump.

All of that said, Payless has really been a godsend to me. They've got the most stylish shoes for a gal with very little money. Such as myself. For about $25, you can pick up a pair of these gorgeous Koture Ruffle Peep-Toe shoes by Fioni.

The pumps have a suede upper and about a 4-inch heel. I think that they're super cute and look much more expensive than they really are.

The heels come in black for those who like to play it safe, but this muted purple tone is a great color that adds to your wardrobe without stealing the spotlight!

Natural Shine, Gorgeous Lips

Sometimes lip gloss and lipstick can be a bit much. If you're an outdoorsy-type, it can be aggravating to keep pulling out a compact mirror and applying various lip colors.

This is why ChapStick has answered all prayers and created True Shimmer lip balm. It's perfect for any occasion and can easily be applied sans mirror.

The Botanical Berry shade has actually been out for a while, but only recently has it gained respect in the beauty world. With just the right amount of shimmer and a tiny bit of tint, it's a great product to keep with you at all times. It's also flattering for every single skin tone in the world. I promise.

An added bonus? You can pick up one of these bad boys for a mere $2.49!

Beauty Boo-Boo: White Mascara

As I was recently surfing the web for new beauty trends, I stumbled upon countless blogs and articles about white mascara. Apparently, multiple designers have been going with this look on the runway and now various gals are trying it for themselves.

The result is hideous. White mascara simply makes you look sick. No matter how white the whites of your eyes are, white mascara will always be lighter and brighter. This immediately gives your eyes a tired, bloodshot look. Fine for Halloween perhaps, but for heaven's sake don't try this for real life.

Brave ladies, you can purchase white mascara at most goth shops, or try Vincent Longo's Vibrant Eye mascara in Bianco.

Perfect Purple Polish

My latest obsession? Zoya's new nail polish in Zara. The color is a metallic violet with a gold foil finish. This is a color that is seasonless and definitely eye-catching.

Something about the shade just grabs my attention and makes me look twice. I'd love wearing this on my toenails for an unexpected pop of color.

Despite the latest matte polish fad, shimmery shades are always in style. They ultimately make nails look healthier and simply gorgeous.

You can grab this shade for $6--quite a deal for a great quality nail polish in a very unique color.

What's In My Bag: August 09

Just for fun, I've decided to do a monthly "What's In My Bag" posting (makeup-wise, obviously). Basically, I have multiple train cases FULL of makeup. It's pretty ridiculous, I know. Because of this, to save time, I usually go through all my makeup once a month ish and pull out a few recent faves to keep in my actual makeup bag. Sometimes I get ambitious, or remember something that would work really well with a specific outfit, and I'll go through it again. It really all depends.

ANYWAY, here's what's been in my bag for August:

• Essence of Beauty blush brush: this thing works amazingly well and you can grab one at CVS for fairly cheap.
• L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Concealer in fair/light
  
• CoverGirl Clean Makeup in Natural Ivory: despite its cheapness, CoverGirl is really the only brand that carries foundation light enough for me. Only worn if I really need a ton of coverage though, otherwise I stick with concealer only.
• Almay Pure Blends Translucent Shimmer loose powder: enough sparkle to tickle my fancy and it sets all my makeup perfectly (I actually use this last).
• VS Very Sexy Blush in Runway: it's a great shade. actually two shades, one blush and one highlighter; plus it isn't very dark so it works even on my pale skin.
• Milani Glimmer Stripes in Berry Glimmer: just an additional highlighter--sometimes used in lieu of blush.
• Estee Lauder Silky Powder Blush in Pink Kiss: pricey, but great for times when I want a "real" blush.
• Pixi Eye Beauty Kit in Mirage: great palette of eyeshadow. The colors are purple-based, which bring out my green eyes.
• L'oreal HIP Metallic Shadow Duo in Sculpted: flattering purple-y burgundy shades (again, for my green eyes).
• Milani Runway Eyes in Beach Sand: the best shimmery light highlighter/base eyeshadow.
• The Body Shop Eye Colour in Peacock Green: it's great for when I feel like standing out. Really only for the brave gals out there ;).
• Prestige Liquid Eyeliner in Black/Brown: a long-lasting eyeliner in a perfect shade.
• CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus Eye Pencil in Espresso: probably the darkest brown eyeliner out there--black is too harsh for my fair skin for daytime.
  
• Korres Soft Eyeliner Pencil in Black: super blendable liner. Love it!
• L'oreal HIP Color Rich Cream Crayon in Black: great for a smokey eye for night.
• Beauty Rush Mascara in Violight: the purple shade is subtle enough for daytime, and really makes my eyes pop.
• New York Color Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black: this is great because it is natural-looking, yet really adds length and definition to the lashes. Not to mention, it's crazily cheap.
• Pixi Water Blush in Rose Stain: I don't use this as blush--it's too tricky to blend. BUT, it's a perfect lip stain. You can deepen the color by adding more layers, or keep it sheer with a single wash of the stuff.

So, there you have it. I realize that it sounds like a lot of items, but clearly I don't use everything daily. They're my beauty staples...for now.

Drugstore Beauty Queen: Lipgloss Savings

As I've ranted about before, department store makeup can be a tid bit pricey. Most products can be found in drugstores with very similar packaging and formulas. This is true with Estee Lauder's new Pure Color Multi-Gloss and Milani's Lip Mixer. Both glosses create a "three in one" shimmer effect and look absolutely gorgeous on.

The difference? Estee Lauder's gloss retails at $18 whereas Milani's is under $6.

As far as I can tell, the quality is the same and both glosses come in cute packaging. Milani actually offers more color choices.

Lesson for all: do a little investigating before shelling out $20 on the latest makeup. You just might find that you're being ripped off.

Office Ornament: Totally Totable Organizer

OMFG! Knock Knock has come out with this adorable File Totable. I must say that I find it not only amazingly cute, but also quite functional.

The file folder is an accordion-style folder, perfect for toting around papers without the crumpled mess that often ensues when lots of paper is involved. At least in my case.

Plus it's cute. And on sale for $10.50! Who says work accessories have to be boring?

Everything You'd Ever Want...Delivered

Delivery.com is amazing. The site works as a one-step website for all of your delivery needs, not just food (though, you can order from hundreds of takeout businesses). You can actually order from various drugstores, liquor stores, and other fun spots in your area.

Fun fact: you can order champagne, condoms, and strawberries in five minutes.

Pretty exciting, no?

Hideous Home Happenings: Boob Pillows...?

Oh Etsy...everytime I go one that site, I find something more disgusting than the time before.

Today's visit, lead me to these Large Breast Pillows. You read correctly. Someone actually hand sews these knocker pillows for the price of $32.99 (and $8 shipping and handling). You can even customize the set depending on nipple size, skin color, and fullness.

The seamstress even delights in the fact that each pillow is made of soft flannel. Quite comfy, I'm sure.


Thoughts?

ULTA Sale!

Ulta is pretty amazing. I actually only found out about the store a year or so ago and since then, I've been hooked. It's basically a one-stop makeup shop (look, I can rhyme!) that retails both upscale and drugstore brands.

They also have tons of deals going on constantly.

Currently, you can get this lovely Ulta brand Glam & Go! 52 Piece Blockbuster (a $150 value) for $11.49. Simply enter the promo code 24190 for the deal.

This particular set contains:

29 eyeshadows

12 lip colors

4 cheek colors

2 full-size lipsticks

bronzer

translucent powder

eye liner

lip liner

applicators, mirror & travel case in black or pink.

Sets like this are great for experimenting different color combos, or just for traveling. Not a bad deal, eh?

Pumpin' Pretty Iron

If there is one thing that I hate in this world, it is going to the gym and/or working out. I'm horrible at it. Despite my 16 or so years as a dancer, I have no balance when it comes to most gym-like activities, and I hate getting sweaty in front of people.

Overstock.com is currently selling these fab dumbbells for $18.99. Lucky for me (my my lack of any form of arm muscle--or even arms at all), they are as tiny as weights can be: 2 lbs. That is something I think I'd be able to handle.

The preppy look of the weights tickles my fancy. I love the way pink and green look together.

Another plus? 2 lb weights are unlikely to cause me to sweat my makeup off. And that's something I don't hate!

Brightest Blush on the Block

I'm always looking for the perfect blush. Finding it is, quite frankly, more important than finding my future husband. Blush is probably the most important makeup you can wear. It has the ability to make you glow, allows you face to look thinner, and is the one thing you should be wearing at all times. Yes, I put blush above clothing.

The Body Shop has this amazing new Hot Brights Blush that works ridiculously well. The blush comes in two shades (pink and bronze), both of which flatter nearly all skin tones. You could even blend them together for a beachy, yet flushed look that we all strive for.

Currently, the blush is on sale for 50% off! Grab it for the sale price of $12 and say hello to looking glowing and fabulous!

Dry Your Nails in a Jiffy

Perfectly polished nails can really pull together a look. Freshly painted nails make virtually any outfit look better, make us look well-groomed, and --let's face it--just make us feel pretty! The problem? When you take the time to apply a basecoat, two coats of polish, and a top coat, you waste oodles of time waiting for each coat to dry. It can take up to an hour! Quick drying top coats are okay, but most of them are either pricey, or for some reason make your nails chip quicker.

I've fallen in love with Envi Salon Professional Nail Enamel Dryer. It's a fast-drying spray, akin to hairspray. It makes each coat dry in less than half the usual amount of time, and does not cause chipping or anything of the like.

In fact, it's even good for your nails! It actually helps prevent chipping & peeling, works in less than a minute, leaves a lovely shine, and contains SPF as well as conditioners for your nails and cuticles!

At $2.99 a pop, this is one time-saving beauty essential you'll want to keep this on hand. Literally.

Clinique Bonus Time at Bon-Ton!

Clinique always has the best free gifts. This time around, spend $21.50 on any Clinique products, and recieve this 7-piece set free!

The set includes:

• Youth Surge SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
• Different Lipstick in Angelic
• Rinse-off Foaming Cleanser
• Lash Doubling Mascara in Black
• Colour Surge Eyeshadow Duo in Strawberry Fudge
• 2-pc. Cosmetics Bag

All of the products are amazing--I'm a huge fan of the Dramatically Different moisturizer. The cosmetic bags are adorable too. They're even cute enough to use to a clutch, if you're feeling daring!

Tattooed Shoes

I'm 5 ft tall. Though I should be a huge fan of heels, I'm actually more of a flat gal. So, I'm always on the lookout for cute new flats.

Payless has a great pair. The Airwalk Blaze Tattoo Flat is perfect for anyone. It's only about $25 (and it's BOGO time!), so it's easily affordable.

Personally, I'd wear these flats with a fluttery dress to toughen up the look, but they even are fab with jeans. Plus the obvious bonus; they're incredibly comfortable.

And who doesn't like stylish comfort?

$15 Maxi Dress!!!

So I know that Summer is basically over. But I'm honestly in love with the TRIXXI Stretch Floral Maxi Dress. The colors are great, the shape flatters everyone, and it's super comfy in hot weather.

At $15, how can you lose? In all actuality, you could even pair this with a cute denim jacket (they're back in for Fall!) and wear this until October-ish.

Yippee!!

Fashion Faux Pas: White Pumps

This is a little painful to write, because I know lots of ladies who wear white pumps and swear by 'em. That said, they don't always look horrible--sometimes the shoes are really cute and make a great focal point of the outfit. When wearing white shoes at all though, you have to remember that everyone's eyes will immediately be drawn to your feet. If you've got fabulous feet and hate everything else about yourself, go for it. Otherwise, I'd really suggest playing up another asset.

The sad thing about white pumps is that because they are literally the only thing people will remember about your outfit, the potentially super dress you may be wearing is easily forgotten.

Another more obvious point is that it is incredibly difficult to keep white shoes clean. Dirty white shoes are even more distracting than their clean counterpart.

A great alternative is nude-colored heels. They elongate the leg without distracting from your overall look. If you want your shoes to have some kick (har har har, I'm so funny), try silver. Not bright, obnoxious silver, but a duller charcoal-esque version. The eye will be drawn to your feet, but the rest of your outfit will be noticed as well.

Fashion Faux PAW

I'm all about cute animals, but pet nail polish is taking it a bit too far. OPI has come out with nail PAWlish for dogs... It costs $7 a bottle (similar to the price for human polish) and comes in 6 colors: Fire Hydrant Red, Yuppy Puppy Silver, Doghouse Blues, Mutts New? Purple, Bow Wow! Mint Green, or Poodle Pink.

Apparently, the polish is safe to lick once it is dry. Which all nail polish is, anyway.

Luckily, I've only got a pet fish (that is plastic and winds up), so the pawlish is not pour moi. Why don't we just cut out the whole pet pampering craziness and just love our pets?

Smooth Away: Basically Sand Paper for your Legs

Shaving my legs daily is pretty annoying. I'm sure it is for everyone else out there, too. But that doesn't mean that I'm about to go to ridiculous lengths to avoid doing it.

Smooth Away is, apparently, Europe's best selling hair remover. Really? Because when I was in Europe, I tended to notice that most women didn't remove much hair at all.

Upon further investigation, I figured out that the "gentle micro crystals" that remove hair (and exfoliate) are really just sheets of fine sandpaper. Despite the claims of the product being great for sensitive skin, I simply can't imagine sand paper not irritating my skin!

If you think this is the product for you, save the $14.99 plus $6.99 shipping and handling, and just run over to the local hardware shop.

Safety [Pin] First!

I am probably the clumsiest gal in the world. I'm always covered in bruises (literally from walking into walls) and, embarrassingly, my clothing often suffers to do my inability to walk like a normal person. I've broken dress straps, ripped jeans--not in a trendy way, popped buttons off blouses...the list goes on.

My recent BFF has become the safety pin that I always keep in my purse. It's always there for me when I need it, which is anytime something breaks and I don't want to walk around exposed to the masses.

Fun Fact: the safety pin is used by top fashion designers around the world. Now, most craft stores carry cute safety pins. Obviously, I opt for pink, but black is a great option to avoid the shiny metallic finish. You can even make safety pins look kind of stylish, depending on the spot.

Clinique Bonus!

So I know that I just raved about my love of drugstore makeup, but every once in a while, you have to treat yourself to a nice Clinique bundle of beauty.

Macy's has a great Clinique promo going on right now. Honestly, sometimes it's worth it to shop at department stores when they have deals like this. You can generally get 5 or so products for under $40.

The current promotion is a cute little beachy-ish bag (in your choice if pink or green) with 5 full-sized products. You can also choose either a warm or cool tone for the items. This is available for $32.50 with any beauty purchase--even a little lip product, such as the Almost Lipstick in Black Honey that I wrote about earlier.

Each collection contains some of Clinique's make-up and skincare greats: a Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser Mousse, All About Eyes, a Long Last Glosswear SPF 15, a High Impact Mascara, and a cute compact with four eyeshadows and one blush shade.

For some reason, I can't find a link for this deal, but I promise you that if you walk into any Macy's, it will be clearly displayed at the Clinique counter!

The Perfect Lip Color for Everyone

Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey is my new fave lipstick. It's been available for a while, but I've just been a little scared to try it as it basically looks black. Actually, it's a very sheer raspberry-ish shade when applied. It does what every lipstick should do: makes your lips look natural, but kicks 'em up a notch.

The lipstick is $14, but of course very worth it. This is a color that you simply won't find in drugstores and the creamy formula is nothing short of luxurious.

Also, if you spend over $30 on clinique.com, you will receive a FREE mini mascara. Just enter "MOST" at the checkout!

Pretty Pink Trench Coat

Trench coats never go out of style. Pink never goes out of style. For these two reasons, I'm in love with this great Marvin Richards Women's Belted Trench Coat. It's on sale for $38.99.

You might think that pink is too bold for a coat, but surprisingly, it matches a lot. The tone of this coat is a warm, deep pink, so you can wear it with any neutral color, and virtually any other color you can think of. I would, however, avoid pairing it with a bright red suit.

Also, trench coats are really flattering. The belt ties right at your natural waist, which is the smallest part of your body. Because it is highlighted, people are immediately drawn to that area, rather than (in my case) huge thighs.

Uhh...Goth is Back?

September 24th, MAC is launching their new collection, Style Black. From what I've seen, every single product is black.

I can understand black eye shadow. It works well wet as an eyeliner, or to help create a smokey eye. But black lipstick looks good on exactly no one!

I honestly hope that this doesn't become some huge trend. The last thing we need in this world is gals running around with black eyes, lips, and nails!

Let's save the scary looks for Halloween, 'kay?

Drugstore Beauty Queen

I love my makeup collection (not that I'm not constantly adding to it and saying to myself, "oh, but I really need this"). I have a pretty good mix of high-end products, drugstore items, and even a few dollar store buys. The most important thing to know is that, when building your makeup collection, you simply cannot do it with only one of those categories.

The average female spends about $600 each and every year on cosmetics -- and that’s not including skin care or hair care products, it’s strictly makeup. Disgusting, right? And I probably spend at least double that. So, it's a good idea to cut corners where you can.

When it comes to cosmetics, many people are surprised to find out that just because a lipstick or lip gloss costs more money, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better quality product. For example, Lancome’s Juicy Tubes lip gloss costs just under $14 a tube. However, the same exact company makes Loreal’s Colour Juice which costs about half as much and people who have used both products swear that they’re the same.

Here's my basic list of where to buy the goods:

Department Stores
- Concealer and Foundation (if you need it)
- Blush
- Highly pigmented eye shadows
- makeup brushes

Drug Stores
- lip products
- most basic eye shadows
- mascara
- eyeliner (but go for a "high-end" drugstore brand like Physician's Formula. Cheapie brands won't blend well)
- translucent powder
- nail polish

Dollar Stores
-cutesy lip glosses
- nail files

Another good thing to look into is which department store brands own drugstore brands. The makeup world is a small one, and with most drugstore companies there is a large department store business running it. That almost guarantees good quality.

Shiny Hair Equals Gorgeous

In the summer, I tend to leave my naturally curly [read: wavy, frizzy, gross] hair to its own devices. I'll usually throw in some glossing balm and maybe mousse if I'm feeling ambitious. My new go-to product is Umberto's Shimmer Shine Spray.

The spray adds shine to the dullest of hair without the added greasiness that often comes with products like this. Shimmer-wise, it's very subtle. No huge chinks of glitter here!

It is a very fine mist of silicone, so it doesn't weigh hair down. If one spray of mist isn't enough, you can always spray again. It doesn't leave hair heavy, coated, sticky, stiff or anything --rather it leaves it shiny, light, and silky.

To use, I spray from the ends of my hair up. Your ends generally lack hydration and are therefore in desperate need of shine. The spray retails at Target for $8.99 for 5 oz., which really lasts a long time. A little definitely goes a long way with this product!

Sneek Peek: Bobbi Brown Holiday 09 Collection

Eeeeee!!! I love being "in the know" about new makeup collections! There's nothing better than getting a press release full to the brim with pictures of brand new makeup. The Bobbi Brown Holiday 09 collection is gorgeous. It's full of shimmery brown shades that are flattering on everyone (fun fact: brown is one of the best eye colors to wear, as 99% of us have some brown in our skin).

Here are just a random bunch of picks so you can judge for yourself:









P.S.: The collection will be available in stores in October!

Hear My Sweatshirt Roar!

This is quite possibly the cutest sweatshirt I've seen in a long time. I'm not much for wearing sweatshirts--I'll maybe throw one on in the winter before I go to bed or something, but never in real life. This adorable top by The Giant Peach really changes my mind about the whole thing.

They key to wearing what I call a novelty top, is to dress it up a bit with the other items to pair it with. You could actually wear the sweatshirt with jeans, as long as it is accessorized correctly. I'd probably throw on a pair of heels, some bangle bracelets, and dangly earrings. Maybe even pearls to class it up.

This amazing shirt is actually on SALE for $37.50 (original price $75).

Fashion Faux Pas: Huge Ridiculous Sweaters

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of gals wearing leggings or skinny pants with oversized tops. The result of this is looking like you are 40 lbs heavier and have stick legs. Not very appealing.

No matter how tiny you are, or how much of a model figure you've got, this look is not for you. Leggings are a bit iffy anyway. I tend to only wear them with a skirt or dress, rather than actual pants.

Even if you feel a bit bloated, the way to go is to wear something fitted. Not necessarily tight, but definitely something well-tailored that actually fits your body.

Come on, people! Just because you see something in a magazine once and think it's trendy doesn't mean that it'll look good on you!

Awards Ceremony Heels

I don't care what anyone else says, metallic sandal-y heels are seasonless. Mod Cloth has these great ones that virtually go with any outfit (other than some sort of metallic suit, which quite honestly you should be wearing anyway).

Their Awards Ceremony Heels are on sale for $19.99!

They work well with dresses, jeans, and anything else you can think of. Mixing metallics is huge right now, so the bronze, gold, and silver hues in the sandals are super cute.