My New Hair Color Obsession

I don't usually write about my constant hair color changes on here, but I found a great color that I really want to share with you guys.

Since I usually cut and color my hair myself (yes, it's true), I try not to go more than two shades lighter or darker than my natural, mousy brown, hue.  But when I saw L'Oreal's new Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color that promised a "Hi-Lift Brown color" (meaning that even dark hair can achieve the lighter look), I absolutely had to try it.

The shade I picked was B61 Downtown Brown.  It's the lightest brown they have.  I do have to say that the color I ended up with is not exactly the color on the box.  It's a little bit darker, but still in the light brown family.

What I love most about it is that there are natural highlights throughout my hair.  Usually with box color, hair can tend to look bland and one-dimensional. The result  of this stuff is a much more natural-looking color.  Another fab thing is that the color is not brassy at all.  That's a problem I almost always have when I try to go lighter.  And really--who wants orange hair?!

The color has been in my hair for a few weeks and still shimmers as if I just colored it. It hasn't washed out or changed at all, like other boxed colors tend to do.

This is one of those products that is absolutely Sassy Fashionista approved. At $9.99 a box, it's worth a try.  The other colors are gorgeous too!  There's a nice burgundy I've been wanting to try...hmm...

An Adorable Dress for Spring--For Under $15!

When it gets warm out, I tend to wear a lot of skirts and dresses. They're just easy to throw on and immediately make you look pulled together.

Even though I own about 5437895 spring and summer dresses, I'm always on the lookout for anything I can add to my ever growing collection.

I was randomly walking around Walmart with my boyfriend (who I promised I wouldn't look at clothing or makeup to!) when I spotted this gem across the store.  It was love at first sight. This Lace-Up Woven Sundress is super cute. I love love love the print. Floral-chic is HUGE this season.  But if you're not a flowery person, the dress comes in a few other patterns too. I already bought this pattern, but I'm thinking about getting a couple more--maybe in the solid white.

I really like the fact that the dress is unique.  You wouldn't think that would be the case, as it's from Walmart, but there are some cute details that make it look almost vintage-esque.

Another thing I absolutely love is the fact that the dress has a built-in-bra.  It isn't overly padded, but definitely makes it so that you can go sans bra while wearing it.  Huzzah!

Right now, each dress is $14.88. The price is just too good to pass up.  And I have a feeling that these are going to be sold out soon, so stock up, ladies!

Another Amazing Clinique GWP!

"Hi, I'm Alana and I'm a Gift with Purchase Addict". That sounds about right.

I can't help it! I am totally obsessed with any and all Clinique GWPs.

ANYWAY, this super cute set is from Saks Fifth Avenue and is only available until 4/28 at midnight. Sorry that I kind of missed this until now, but hey you've got a couple days to get it.

Obviously I love the bags.  Clinique has been teaming up with Milly lately for their cosmetic bags and I've become enamored with every single one.  This pattern just screams springtime, while still maintaining a classic, timeless look.

With any $45 Clinique purchase (trust me--not hard to accomplish!), you will receive this free nine-piece gift valued at $110.

Here's what's in the set:

• All About Eyes
• Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lid, Lashes & Lips
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
• Eyes 1,2,3 Colour Compact in Violets
• Lash Doubling Mascara
• Quickliner For Eyes Intense in Intense Midnight
• Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour in Super Strawberry
• Exclusive cosmetic bag set designed by Michelle Smith of Milly

To receive your bonus you must enter code CLINIQ6 at checkout.  Enjoy!

The Perfect Mother's Day Gift From Fresh

Mother's Day can be a tricky holiday to shop for. Whether you're buying for your own mother, or someone who's been motherly in your life, it's kind of daunting to figure out what to get.  Spend too much money and you risk going over-the-top.  Spend too little and the gift can be a bust.

The one fail-safe gift I've found is this fabulous Little Luxuries Over Soap Set from Fresh.  I can't think of any woman in the world who doesn't like luxurious soap.  It's decadent, and totally allows the lady in your life to indulge herself.

Fresh soaps are amazing in general. This particular set includes:

• Hesperides Grapefruit Mini Oval Soaps (2): A medley of intoxicating citruses
• Patchouli Mini Oval Soaps (2): A warm, spicy scent with woodsy undertones
• Sugar Mini Oval Soaps (2): A blend of caramel and sweet citruses--my personal fave scent!
• Soap Dish: A custom, gorgeous soap dish 

All of the soaps are made from a vegetable base that is enriched with moisturizing shea butter.  Each soap is also individually wrapped by hand, continuing the Fresh spirit that the company is known for, and milled multiple times, making it super dense and long-lasting.

Each set is $40.  Trust me--if you don't know what to buy, get this! I'd even get a second set for yourself...because why not?!

The Best Makeup Kit EVER!

I've written about my love for Victoria's Secret's makeup line in the past.  I haven't tried a product that I haven't immediately fallen in love with.  It's funny though, because the store isn't exactly what comes to mind when you're looking for a new makeup product.

This crazily amazing Supermodel On-the-Go Makeup Kit is my new fave find, and it's perfect for anyone who wants to give VS makeup a try.

It's basically four pallets in one--you pick one of the four to connect to the actual compact (in the middle) and you can throw it in your purse or makeup bag for the day! And you can switch it up, depending on the look you're going for.

Each mini "palette" contains four complimentary eyeshadow hues, blush, gel eyeliner, and a fabulous lip gloss to boot (their lip gloss in general is to die for). Amazing, right? It quite literally has everything you could possibly need in a day. As a bonus, the kit comes with instructions for how to achieve different looks, for anyone who needs a little makeup lesson or just wants to try something new.

Honestly, I'd pay about $100 for something this convenient and gorgeous.  But Victoria's Secret is practically giving it away for $25.

It's currently on sale, so I'm not sure how many they have left, so I'd get shopping ASAP!

Fashion Faux Pas: Tie-Dye Harem Pants

I have to start off by saying that I usually love the fashion that Forever21 has to offer.  But every once in a while, I find something that makes me want to puke.

This is one of those times.

Their Tie-Dye Harem Pants are horrible to the max. I've written about harem pants in general multiple times and about how much I hate them.  But the added drawstring and tie-dye print makes it even worse (if you can believe it).

Adding to the bulkiness are two huge front pockets. I guess these "pants" (I'm using the term very lightly), are for people who don't need a purse.  Don't get me wrong--I have a few cute summer dresses with pockets.  But they're small and hidden.  Not fully on display, and certainly not located on the largest part of my body.

I mean, let's take a look at the model. She has a perfect body, and the pants still make her hips look huge!  Here's a hint: if something doesn't look good on a model, there's no way you can pull it off in real life.

At least the price is right. For $22.80, you can get your very own pair. I can't imagine what you'd wear them with, but I definitely encourage you to order them and burn them.  Seriously. Ew.

My Top 5 Ultimate Makeup Don'ts

There are so many mistakes that women make with makeup. It's actually quite sad.  Here are five of the most common, horrifying things that simply must be avoided at all costs.

• DON'T use a concealer that is too light or too dark. Using the wrong color concealer will make your eye area look absolutely ridiculous. Use a flesh-tone concealer (that means absolutely no yellow, orange, or lavender tones) that is just a shade or two lighter than your foundation.
• DON'T overdo mascara. Clumped mascara is distracting and messy looking. And ugly. I had to learn this lesson the hard way.  If you simply apply too much, use a disposable mascara wand (I always have a bunch on hand) and run it through your lashes to get rid of clumps.
• DON'T stripe on blush. Use a good quality blush brush, a soft color, and apply it using light, sweeping strokes. You should see absolutely no lines where the blush stops and begins. Blending a little powder on over your blush can soften any lines you might have already made.
• DON'T overdo your eyebrows. Oh God, I have seen this done way too frequently.  Brows that are drawn-on, pencil-thin, overly sparse, strongly arched, or too heavy or thick can make you look older than you really are.  Plus they can look just plain ugly. If you have no idea how to go about doing your brows, make an appointment with a brow specialist, who can guide you to the right brow shape and show you effective grooming techniques. 
• DON'T get carried away with glitter. I've been guilty of this myself, so I understand how tempting it can be to wear tons of the glitzy stuff. That said, a little extra shine or glitter can spice up an evening look. But during the day? It's really just distracting--kind of like wearing a sequined gown to the office. Stick with a little bit of a simple shimmer shadow on the inner corners of your eyes and/or above your cheekbones for daytime and leave it at that...unless looking like a disco ball is your goal.

If I see anyone sporting any of these looks, I will personally give them a "makeover" that involves me slapping them repeatedly. You have been warned.

Surprise!! I'm The Latest Simon Malls Style Setter!

The rumors are true! I am officially the Simon Malls Style Setter for the lovely Mall at Rockingham Park in NH!

Super exciting, right??!

The job is basically what I currently do now--lots of fashion writing. And of course, tons of shopping! The coolest part? I'll be occasionally participating in fashion related events at the mall including store openings and fashion shows.

Not to toot my own horn (but, toot toot!), over 700 bloggers applied for Style Setter positions and I am one of about 40 gals who get to share our fashion and beauty advice with fabulous readers.

     

My posts will definitely be packed with beauty and fashion tips and I'll be sure to link to the posts on here, as well as on my facebook page. 

I'm super excited to get started on this.  Be on the lookout for some fab posts (especially since my fave season--summer--is right around the corner)!

Here's a pic of the gorgeous mall:

So pretty, right?! The mall itself is huge and has stores for everyone.  You can quite literally buy anything your heart desires.  It is my favorite mall by far.

I'll keep you all posted on everything that goes on. Stay fabulous!

[All images courtesy of Simon Malls]

Bad Hair Days Begone!

As I've written a number of times, my hair's natural texture is a lovely curly/wavy/gross/frizz combo.  Needless to say, it's pretty damn difficult to style.  I tend to rely on a lot of heat styling.  I know that it's super damaging to my hair, and to be honest, I don't really need to use a flat iron daily since I don't wash my hair more than a couple times a week (it keeps my hair from looking straw-esque).  I should really only be using it immediately after washing my hair.  But during the days when I haven't just washed, I still usually need a bit of a touch up and hadn't really found anything other than a flat iron to fix any unwanted hair issues until now.

My mom actually came across this amazing Conair John Frieda Ionic Brush and I absolutely love it. It comes in a few different versions, but I really like the round paddle brush for my hair.  The cool thing about the brush is that it's heated--but not nearly as hot or damaging to hair as a flat iron.

The brush is perfect for daily touch-ups, and since it's battery-operated, it's ideal for traveling.

All of the brushes in the collection are tourmaline-ionic infused to give hair an intense salon shine that we all strive for. Tourmaline gemstones naturally release negative ions that tighten the cuticle layer and seal in natural oils. The brush helps to smooth flyaways and reduce frizz while adding sheen. What more could you possibly ask for??!

Of course, you can also use the brush on its own, sans heat. It's fabulous for detangling, especially on my thick, coarse hair.

Each brush retails for around $15; much cheaper than most products of its kind. This is definitely a good buy and is something I really recommend every woman own.

Nail Art Made Easy!

Wandering around the nail polish aisles in drugstores is one of my all-time fave things to do.  Probably not normal for anyone other than beauty bloggers...

Regardless, while perusing the nail section at Walmart, I found some fabulous nail art kits made by Fing'rs.

The brand is known for their fairly cheap faux nails, but recently they've come out with crazily foolproof nail kits and I love them all!

The kits include everything you need to create whatever nail look you want.  The two that really stuck out to me were the Nail Tattoos kit and the Ombre Polishes kit.  I've spent a lot of time painstakingly attempting to create both of these nail looks, and these kits make it a lot easier.  In the past, I'd have to get all sorts of products and doodads together in order to achieve the looks.  And half the time, I'd forget something and the whole thing would just be a mess.  The kits quite literally have everything you need for each nail art project.

I ended up actually purchasing the Ombre Polishes kit (even though I own hundreds of bottles of polish already) and absolutely loved the results.  The colors in the kit all worked perfectly together (since they were all pre-picked) and my nails looked super pretty.

Bonus? The kits are all under $10.  Even though they're inexpensive, that certainly does not mean the quality isn't there. Def Sassy Fashionista approved!

The Prettiest Skirt for Spring

Once the weather is above 50 degrees, I pretty much start busting out my spring wardrobe.  Lately, I've been spending my days wearing comfy and gorgey sundresses and skirts (paired with leggings or tights if I really have to).  There's just something about flowy garments that call to me.

So, I'm pretty much constantly on the lookout for cute dresses and skirts. My latest find is from the ever lovely Forever21--my go-to place for cheap clothing that doesn't look cheap.  Their Floral Printed Tiered Skirt is quickly becoming one of my favorite pieces of clothing.

It just looks so pretty and feminine.  It's really the perfect skirt for the season.  That said, I'm not a huge fan of pairing the skirt with booties, like the picture suggests. I think some nude or light pink strappy sandals--or even a cute pair of flip flops--would look much better. Even a pair of metallic flats would be adorbs.

The pattern is what I'm really digging.  60s inspired floral print is all the rage on and off the runway, and I love it.  There's something intriguing about a timeless, almost hippie-esque, pattern.  It almost looks like it could be vintage.

The best part? Each skirt is $17.80.  Since floral prints really never go out of style, a skirt like this is a springtime must-have!

My Latest Obsession: Revlon's Baby Sticks

I've always been a huge Revlon fan. So when I saw their latest Pacific Coast collection for spring, I was obviously super excited to try out the goods.

By far, my fave products are the amazing Limited Edition Baby Sticks.  The colors featured are only available for the season and I'm in love with them all! Nothing says spring like a bright burst of color!

The product itself is fabulous--there's nothing better than a multi-tasking beauty products and these little sticks really do it all. I found that the bright pink hue (Pink Passion) worked great as a creme blush as well as a lip balm.  At first glance, the color looks a bit scary, as it's so incredibly bright and bold.  But because the application is so sheer, it actually adds the perfect amount of color--even for someone with super fair skin like myself. It can also be layered to achieve different looks.  The formula is super blendable, so any time you want to add a pop of color to your face, it's really the way to go.

This is a must-have beauty product for the season.  The convenience of it makes it a great product to keep in your purse for beauty on the go.  I've already gotten a ton of use out of the one I've been keeping on me at all times. If you only carry around one beauty product this season, this is def the one to go with.

You can find the Baby Sticks at most drugstores for under $10. Make sure to stock up on the color you love most--they won't be around for long!

Handy Notes (They're Super Handy!)

Just talk to the hand.

I'm officially obsessed with these crazily awesome Handy Notes.

Not only are they sticky notes that are shaped like hands--you can also make quite the point: give thumbs up, point at something, and even a couple I can't mention. The added flourish of being able to shape "your hand" into a bunch of helpful hand signals just tickles my fancy.

Fold the hand into a pointing gesture before adding your passive-aggressive warning. Got to get your mum to call you when she gets home? A well folded 'call me' hand gesture with your number on should do the trick.

The possibilities are endless. Ish. Well, as far as a note pad goes.

Each pad is about $8.

Estée Lauder AERIN Garden Color Collection for Spring 2013

I just can't get enough of all of these gorgeous Spring collections coming out this year! I keep finding pretty ones and I just fall in love.

Estée Lauder has definitely captured my attention this season with their limited edition Garden Color Collection. This amazingly detailed, wearable collection washes cheeks, lips and eyes with the shades of the season, from softly delicate to slightly dramatic. Its beauty made easy, stylish and effortless.

The items are put together and created by Aerin Lauder, the Founder and Creative Director of AERIN. She says, "When I think of Spring, I immediately think of flowers. I've created a collection that is bright and pretty, mixing floral patterns with a vibrant, pink palette.".

Her message definitely comes across throughout the products. In fact, the whole line is fabulous. I've always loved Estée Lauder products, but the separate AERIN collections are even better!

My absolute fave product is their Floral Illuminating Powder ($60). The colors are great (there are actually six different hues within!)--but honestly, the packaging is so pretty that I'd be a bit scared to use it! That said, it really is the perfect compact for Spring.

I also really love the Spring Style Palettes ($78). The cases are unbelievably cute, and each palette contains three springtime eyeshadow hues, along with a flattering blush.  It's a great palette to throw in your purse to use on the go, especially since it zips up fo easy carrying.

All you need to do is grab a sheer lipstick and you'll be good to go!

Organize Your Makeup: Vemayca Cosmetic Bag Liners

My makeup bags are not the cleanest things in the world.  I do try to wipe them out when organizing my makeup, but that rarely does anything significant. I get pretty upset when my latest fave bag becomes too dirty to use.  You know what I am talking about: the mascara, powder and makeup stains that get layered inside of a bag. We've all been there.

These Cosmetic Bag Liners from Vemayca are a perfect solution.  I don't know why this wasn't thought of years ago, because the idea is just awesome.

All you do is take one (or a few) liners, throw them in your makeup bag, and organize in a way that works for you.  It doesn't even have to be limited to makeup--try getting a few liners to hold everything from medical supplies to baby items. Get creative with it.

The best part? When the liners get dirty, just snap them out and throw them in the wash! The bag will be untouched!

You can also purchase makeup bags on the site that the liners fit perfectly, though you can use them in other cosmetic bags.

The liners retail at $7.50 each, or $15 for three. If you want to get a new cosmetic bag to go with them (and really...who doesn't want a new makeup bag??!), the large bag is $34.99 and the smaller one is $24.99.

I'm so excited to try this out and be done with dirty makeup bags for good!

Fashion Faux Pas: the $91,500 T-Shirt

I realize that I've been writing a lot of "Fashion Faux Pas" posts lately. I simply cannot help it. There is just so much ugliness in the world.

This time, it's another t-shirt. I don't really have a problem with the look of it.  But get this: each shirt is a steep $91,500.

What the hell??!  Even if I had billions of dollars, I wouldn't be spending it on ridiculously expensive shirts.

You could actually buy a starter home for that kind of money!

There's nothing wrong with the actual t-shirt, per se. I don't really have a problem with the cut or anything.  But no matter how awesome any piece of clothing is, spending that kind of money on it is just stupid.

The reason that the shirt is so expensive is mainly because it is made by a very expensive designer. Hermes is to blame for offering the crocodile and chiffon garment (also, no man should ever wear anything made of chiffon--that's a post for another time).

I also am concerned about taking care of the shirt. If for some reason people bought the shirt, would they actually wear it? Personally, I'd be terrified that I'd rip it or stain it somehow. It would have to be more of a home decor type thing.

I'm so upset by this! If I find anyone who has bought the shirt, I promise that I will personally kick their ass, urinate on them, and ruin the very shirt that is so special. Yes, this situation is pretty extreme.

That is all.