Haul: eBay

Deer Necklace: $4.00

Cross Dangle Earrings: $0.39

TOTAL: $4.39

Get the Smoothest Lips You'll Ever Have!

AQUAFINA Hydrating Lip Balm - $4 for 4

I purchased mine $1 for 2 at the 99 cent store, but you can purchase it at Walgreens or Walgreens online by clicking the link above

I know it may sound like I'm over exaggerating, but this lip balm changed the way my lips feel in ONE night. My favorite lip balm before was Nivea Kiss of Moisture (which is also amazing), but this is BETTER AND CHEAPER! I love that it's flat and fits your lips a lot better for a more precise application. I literally brushed my lips for a mild exfoliation and put on this lip balm and when I woke up the next morning AND the morning after that- My lips were silky smooth! Not only that, it gives a really cooling/minty sensation that I've only experienced with Bath and Body Works minty lipglosses and Burts Bees Lip Balm (which I hate -_-), so yeah! I really recomment this lip balm!

Fashion Friday! : Vintage Aztec/Tribal Print Maxi Dress

I know I'm picking a lot of vintage pieces for Fashion Friday, but I just love having pieces in my wardrobe that are really fashionable, on trend, and well - nobody else will have them! I got this skirt at Goodwill and love it so much! It's so flowy and has a good shape to it. It is really big on me, so I have to safety pin it, but I still love it! Also, navy is really in for the nautical trend so it fits in with that too! I just love aztec/tribal print because the pattern is so unique but it still can go with other prints - I LOVE "clashing" prints - without looking to gaudy. You should all go to thrift shops and look for Maxi skirts because the vintage ones are so beautiful and unique!

Thrifted Haul: Goodwill

Navy Nautical Cardigan with Gold Chain Detailing - $2.50

Floral Patterened Striped Maxi Dress - $4.00

Blue Tribal Top with Copper detailing - $2.50

LA Candy - $3.00

Dates, Mates, and Cosmic Kisses - $.80

Uglies - $2.00

TOTAL - 14.80

My Closet: Neutrals & Basics!

Boys like girls who wear Abercrombie and Fitch

ANGEL SCHLESSER FEMME BY ANGEL SCHLESSER 50ml - $30

Yes, I got the title from LFO's song "Summer Girls" except it goes "I like girls who wear Abercrombie and Fitch..." haha, btw the perfume is Out of Stock Right now :/ But it's the cheapest one I found with high ratings!

I know most people aren't fans of Abercrombie and Fitch's prominent smell of perfume when you walk in, but I LOVE IT! If you love it, then you should try this perfume. It lingers for ages and ages and it really reminds me of Abercrombie's scent! (I don't know if they use Abercrombie Original or Fierce, it just depends on where you go) But I really recommend this perfume. It is strong at first, though, so you have to wait a while before you can really get that Abercrombie scent.

DON'T THROW OUT YOUR LIQUID FOUNDATIONS!

This works for all liquid foundations, all moisturizers, and all skin types! I'm just putting it in my experience so I can't speak for things I haven't tried.

We all sometimes buy foundations that aren't exactly to our liking. That's $20-$40 dollars spent! (Drugstore foundations too, I don't discriminate! Haha) But just because you can't use it as a foundation, it doesn't mean it's totally worthless.

What you do is take one pump of your moisturizer and half a pump of your foundation and BAM! It's wearable.

This trick works really AMAZINGLY with pore-clogging and/or heavy foundations that you just can't wear anymore. It thins the foundation AND makes a more coverage tinted moisturizer. It's great with really full coverage foundations as well because you only need a little bit of the foundation and it gives you great coverage even when you thin it out! It's perfect for the summer and saves you a lot of money.

I just take a bit of foundation and cover my whole face to even out my complexion. Then, with the rest, I dab on the tinted moisturizer lightly to my problem areas and stiple it with a dense stippling brush (I use the RealTechniques by Samantha Chapman Stippling Brush) so it blends in, but still gives coverage.  Of course, the moisturizer will never really be full coverage but it's still amazing!


I learned this from Goss (gossmakeupartist on YouTube) who does not believe in tinted moisturizer and sees it as just a waste of money when you can just take a bit of foundation and a bit of moisturizer and there it is!

Studio Gear Studio Matte Foundation

STUDIO GEAR Studio Matte Foundation in Praline - $23

You can purchase this at Ulta or any Studio Gear counter

My skin: I have very oily skin. My skin isn't acne prone or sensitive, so most products don't break me out. I do have big pores on my nose and around my nose so my pores do get clogged easily.

Pros:

• Full coverage
• Affordable
• Stays matte
• Long lasting with the right primer and setting powder/spray

Cons:

• Clogs pores
• Transfers on clothes
• Hard to work with, doesn't blend easily

For my first high-end foundation, I really expected more out of this foundation. I like it, but it's definitely not my holy grail item! It's a really good foundation for the price though and I love the coverage!

Fashion Friday! : Vintage Fringe Necklace

I'm going to start a segment called Fashion Friday where I pick my favorite fashion pick of the week, what do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Vintage Flower Fringe Tribal Necklace

Excuse my dirty wall! Here is a vintage necklace passed down from my grandma. I remember seeing these hanging on her jewelry wall since I grew up, but I  knew she sent them all to the Philippines. Luckily, when I visited her today - I saw this one! It was the last one left from her collection and said I could have it! It totally goes with all the trends - tribal/aztec print, fringe, and floral! It's such a statement piece that will make any outfit stand out!

My skin care routine

BIORE Steam Activated Cleanser - $5+

ST IVES Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub (Invigorating) - $4+

BIORE Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser - $5+

My steps:

1. Remove all the dead skin cells by exfoliating using St. Ives apricot scrub, then wash face thoroughly

2. Lather the Biore fighting ice cleanser in hands and massage face for one minute, then wash thoroughly

3. Lather the steam activated cleanser in hands and massage face thoroughly concentrating on clogged areas and areas with bigger pores, make sure the water is warm-hot and face the water so the steam activates the cleanser

SKIN BACKGROUND: My skin is extremely oily, except for the bottom of my cheeks near my jawline where it can get very dry. I don't consider my skin combination because 95% of my face is oily and I really need to control that oil. I have sensitive skin on my nose, so even though it's one of my oiliest spots, it peels when I use harsh cleansers. I do use mostly harsh cleansers though, because my face can take it and I like my cleansers to be super effective. I have only two problematic areas- around my hairline (especially sideburn area) and my nose. Hair follicles mixed with oil (my hair also happens to get oily so it's a double whammy -_-) is the main reason for any breakouts. My nose gets many blackheads that never seem to go away - even with pore strips- so I'm still looking for the perfect cleanser that will help with blackheads. I've found one that comes close, but I'm still experimenting. When I actually "break out", I'm fortunate to only break out with 1-2 pimples at a time. But they ALWAYS leave scars and I have hyper-pigmentation.

BIORE Steam Activated Cleanser: It's my FAVORITE cleanser of all time. It seriously unclogs my pores and takes out the majority of my blackheads. Of course, my blackheads are very deep in my pores and not even pore strips can remove them all, but this product has proved to be the most effective in clearing out a lot of my blackheads. It gives a really refreshing/cooling sting when I'm massaging it on my face, but only if I let it sit on my face for a minute- which I do unless I'm in a big rush. After I use it, I can really tell a difference in how big/clogged my pores on my nose are. I recommend using this in the shower because the steam of a hot shower really helps.

St. Ives Invigorating Fresh Face Apricot Scrub: This is a pretty good exfloiator. It's not my favorite... but it gets the job done. It doesn't remove all the dead skin cells on my nose when my nose starts to peel from harsh cleansers. There's not much I can say for this, it's good - not great.

BIORE Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser: I love this cleanser! It's probably the first cleanser I fell in love with. It's really good and helps with blackheads as well. The blackhead removal isn't as strong as the Steam Activated cleanser, but it's the first cleanser that I noticed a big difference in my blackheads and I love it! It also gives a cooling effect when used which I love because it just gives me assurance that it's working, haha. The one con about this is that it's pretty harsh and at times can make my nose begin to peel because I concentrate most of my cleansers on my nose because it's my one of my problem areas.

Overview: I like using this regimen and it makes my skin feel REALLY REALLY soft afterwards, but I'm still experimenting and trying to see which individual products are the best. I also buy different brands and am trying to find my perfect cleanser. I only use drugstore products, though. I don't have much money to spend and I also have pretty great skin that doesn't break out a lot, so I don't feel like I need a $30 cleanser.

If you know of any tips, tricks, or products to get rid of ALL your blackheads, please let me know in the comments below! It's the only thing I'm really concerned about on my face and haven't found anything to help it.

HAUL: Free People, Romeo & Juliet Couture, Rachel Roy & Steve Madden!

I just came back from shopping at Ross and I found some AMAZING deals! Usually I go to Ross for cheap heels & clothes, but I never knew they carried some brands that I'm absolutely in love with (but sadly can't afford). I went to the sale rack in the women's section and my jaw dropped when I found brands like Romeo & Juliet Couture which are brands you find at expensive shopping centers and department stores like Saks! I had to take advantage of these deals and I suggest you run to the nearest Ross and buy! If there aren't any at the sale racks, in the front of the store where the racks are marked "Designer", you'll find these brands there too! And they're fairly cheap, so don't be sad if you can't find the deals that I did!

FREE PEOPLE Ivory Lace Sleeve Top

Retail: $68.00

My Price: $4.49

FREE PEOPLE Ivory Victorian Lace Babydoll Flounce Top

Retail: $78.00

My Price: $6.99

ROMEO & JULIET COUTURE Heather Gray Vneck Top with Floral Lace Detailing

Retail: $58.00

My Price: $5.99

STEVE MADDEN Silver Sparkle Sandles

Retail: $69.00

My Price: $4.99

RACHEL ROY Army Green Skinny Black with Black Stud Detailing

Retail Price: $32.00

My Price: $1.99

TOTAL WORTH: $305.00

MY TOTAL: $24.45

No, I'm not exaggerating! I'm a really smart shopper (:

OMBRE HAIR! : What I used

L'Oreal Excellence Crem Blonde Supreme in 01 Extra Light Ash Blonde - $9+

Revlon Frost & Glow Highlight Kit - $7+

I purchased these at Target & Walmart, but you can find them at your local drugstore.

I had ombre hair for most of junior year unil June where I dyed it black. After seeing Zoe (Zoella on YouTube), I fell back in love with the ombre look and decided to do it right. I used the L'Oreal Excellence Creme Bonde Supreme in Extra Light Ash Blonde to lighten my black hair (Hint: If you've dyed your hair dark brown-black like I did in the past three months, IT WON'T WORK! But if your hair is just naturally dark brown-black, then regular Light Ash Blonde hair dye will work for you.) That didn't do anyting so I just went and bleachd it. I jut took the Revlon Frost & Glow because it was really cheap and had bleach, which I needed.

My steps to ombre hair with the Frost & Glow Highlighting Kit:

1. Right after mixing the product, I put the product from my ends up to where my chin is and left it fr 20 minutes.
2. Wash & blow dry
3. I put the product from my ends up to above my ear and left it for 20 minutes
4. Wash and blow dry
5. I then just put the rest of the prduct on my ends and left it for 30 minutes
6. Wash with the shampoo and conditioner it comes with and leave to air dry

Results: Ombre hair! Since my hair was black before-hand, it came out brassy and orange instead of brown. But I kind of like it like that! If it comes out the same way, buy a blue-based toner at your local Sally's and it will take away the orange brassiness!

A white smile for under $5!

PLUS WHITE 5 MINUTE BLEACH WHITENING GEL - $4.78+

I purchased this at Walmart, you can buy them at your local drugstore.

Thanks to a certain YouTube guru by the name of MakeupbyAlli (one of my new faves btw!), I found this amazing product I want to share with you all! Every girl wants to mesmerize cute guys with their pearly whites when they smile, but let's just say most of us aren't fortunate enough to have naturally white teeth. I was saving up for the Crest 3D Professional Effects White Strips all the gurus talk about, but once Alli talked about this product- I thought "$5? What's not to lose?!" And I'm so glad I bought it! The results are AMAZING the first time you use it! Your teeth are dramatically whiter the after your FIRST use. You are supposed to use it twice a day for the first two weeks. I started off using my toothbrush to dab on this and didn't notice anything. But I remembered Alli saying she used a cotton swab. So after I used the cotton swab... I WAS AMAZED! You can use a cotton swab, tooth brush, or mouth tray; but I feel like the cotton swab can really help you work on the product on your teeth. So I'd recommend using the cotton swab to use it. Just the gel goes from $5-$8 depending on your local drugstore. At Walmart, I got it for $4.80!

Would I recommend this to you guys? ABSOLUTELY!

OMBRE HAIR!

I'm doing the ombre hair colour for my hair at home! I hope it turns out good! Would you like to see the results/ what I did?

What saved my hair!

CHI Keratin Mist - $12+

I purchased this at Walgreens, but you can purchase this at most drugstores (Walmart & Target that I know of), Ulta, and salons/hair specialty stores that sell Chi.

I have extremely damaged hair from all the coloring I've done! I started dying my hair in 6th grade (5 years ago) and I bleached my hair 4 times this year and dyed it even more. It didn't feel as brittle or damaged until my last dye job. After I last dyed my hair black, it felt so damaged and coarse. I thought it would break off every time I brushed my hair! And it did. I found this product at Walgreens for $3.50 (originally around $14) and I had to get it! It said it strengthened hair and I didn't really care about that much. After all, it was a Chi product for only $3.50! After about a week spraying my hair religiously after showers and before bed, my hair is back to its original silky smooth and shiny, manageable state. It seriously saved my hair and I never thought something so gimmicky like a mist (which people think is just water in a sprat bottle) would really work, but it did and I can't thank this product enough!

Pros:

• Easy to work with
• Effective right away
• Big size yet affordable

Cons:

• NONE!

ELF Duo Cream Eyeshadow Review

ELF DUO CREAM EYESHADOW - $1

Butter Pecan (Left) & Mocha Swirl (Right)

I purchased this at K-mart, but you can find it at your local Target, K-mart or eyeslipsface.com

You don't understand how much I wanted to fall in love with this product. I think ELF is a pretty trust-worthy company and with their products starting at $1 - you can't really go wrong. Right when I opened the product - I was really impressed. The cream shadows are beautiful colors and they just blended out great and were highly highly pigmented. Here are the swatches!

I was impressed! I tried out the products and within the first hour, it faded. I tried it with primer (ELF eyelid primer) and within two hours, it faded. Maybe with an amazing high-end primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion, it wouldn't fade as quickly, but I can't base it on what-if's. Did it crease? Within the first couple of minutes I applied it, but the creasing wasn't a problem for me. It would only be noticeable to somebody who is literally observing the crease of your eyelid. HOWEVER, I did find a solution! It makes an AMAZING base. These two duos match perfectly to the ELF Butternut quad I have and all the colors have a match! When I use the cream shadows as a base, it doesn't budge and makes the colors POP! But it still does crease a bit, but even less than with the cream shadow alone.



Do I recommend this product? YES. It may be my very oily eyelids that makes it fade or melt off so quickly. But even so, it makes a PERFECT base.




Pigmentation (Color pay off): 5
Wear (How long it lasts): 1
Creasing: 3
Price: 5
TOTAL: 3.5