Mod Cloth

Just take a look at some of the beautiful items from Mod Cloth!

This is supposed to be a unique trenchcoat, but I'd rather wear it as a fall/winter dress. Listed as $99.99

This stunning emerald dress is $69.99 and perfect for an elegant date to somewhere fancy.

This is my favorite of the three. A little poofy mini! And, it's the cheapest at $44.99.

Isn't the color just so rich?

Forever 21 Finds

Forever 21 is known for making cheaper versions of very expensive styles. For example, look at the top below. Doesn't it look like the imfamous Britney lace dress? Though her's was worn as a dress, we can see why common people (aka non-celebs) see this as a top. The top below is the same as Britney's dress... from the length, to the neckline, the material, sleeves, etc. 

But, that's not the point of this post. The point is that every once in a while Forever 21 creates designer copies on the cheap.  

Britney dress for $22.80

Cute Little Safari dress for $22.80

Capelet Sleeve Top or Jacket for $ 37.80

I just love the capelet jacket and the safari dress!

Shopping TIP: these TWO numbers

Have these two numbers in your cell phone, and you'll save a lot of time, money and hassle while you're out there shopping for the latest fashions. 

1. The Google number- Get FREE google right on your cell phone. 

Are you looking for a particular store or a type of store, etc and don't know the area well enough?Here's the number you need--- Dial 800-GOOG-411

2. Price Check number- Have you ever been out shopping and find something that you don't necessarily know if it's a good deal? I've been in the scenario many times. But now, with this number, 888-DO-FRUCALL, you can compare prices with online retailers by typing the barcode number. 

Clothes in France

So last week, I was in Monaco and France... I must say that people there care a little bit more about fashion. The most popular shoe for women were knee-highs. And, the most popular pant were skinny jeans. 

I took some pictures of the mannequins there. 

Americans just don't care as much, it seems. We see a lot of regular t-shirts with ill fitting jeans. Some people in Monaco have a lot of $$$, and fashion was the MOST obvious there. It was hard to find a store that did NOT have Gucci. 

Masterpiece Jewelry

Warning: This post  is of very high end (aka expensive) items. 

Roberto Cavalli is one of my favorite jewelry designers. This bracelet is extremely decadent!

This beautiful bracelet, by Roberto Cavalli, is beautiful yet edgy.

Another favorite is Sazingg. The pieces are always delicately feminine. 

This piece would look absolutely haunting on... 

A very fun whimsical piece by Carlos Souza

Now, this is what I call true jewelry design. I guess you really do pay for ingenuity. You'll never be able to find these at a regular jewelry store. The designer pieces are truly beautiful. Purchases can be made at Vivre. 

I'll wait for the day when pieces like this can be purchased at a "Target price." 

Vacuum Exercise

Everybody knows about sit ups and are so focused on the muscles: rectus abdominus and the external obliques. These muscles create those six pack patterns. But doing a hundred sit ups may still not give you a flatter stomach. 

That's because the muscles that actually give you a flatter stomach are the transversus abdominus and lumbar multifidus. These internal muscles play the largest role in creating a flat stomach. 

I personally don't like the look of a six pack on a girl, but a flat tummy is a must. And, the key to this is to exercise those internal muscles that I talked about earlier. It's called the vacuum exercise. 

How do you do this? Well, it's REALLY simple. 

1. Exhale all the air that you can. 

2. Pull in your stomach as much as you can. 

3. Hold for 10-20 seconds. 

4. Repeat 3-5 times. 

That's it!

Empire Knit Dress Deal

This dress is only 16.99 from Chadwick's. It's on sale (71% off) and comes in many beautiful colors. 

Peacock Bauble and Feminine Military Jacket

Today's feature items are absolutely gorgeous.

The first is a Gary Graham cropped military jacket for $865. Yes... I know, It's expensive...

The second is my favorite for today. It comes from Etsy, which means that it's handmade! A glass globe with a beautiful peacock feather inside for $175. Pricey... but very unique and GORGEOUS!

Favorite dress of all time

I finally know a little something about my favorite dress of all time. I saw it on an ad for a famous Chinese actress and since then I've been wondering. It was my luck to bump into the exact dress today. I now know that it was part of the Gucci Spring 2007 collection. Unfortunately, this also means... that I probably would never buy it either...

LEDS: A little nerd+ fashion= gorgeous

Look at this. I really love it.. LEDs make these clothes look haunting and dramatic.

Beautiful Whimsical Jewelry

Erica Weiner at Chocosho makes eccentric jewelry! Check them out. So beautiful. These would be perfect presents. I especially love the gun necklace. It's somehow sexy, dangerous and oh so dainty all at the same time.

Mineral Makeup Comparison and Alert

I absolutely love Everyday Minerals, so I had to share my review of it to you. It is by far the best foundation that you can buy. I've been using it for a good month now, and not only do I have zero breakouts ever, but I also see that my complexion has become very even. I'm convinced that this is the most healthy foundation I have ever used. Plus, Everyday Minerals has lots of skin tones and options for different skin types... so you don't have to get matte like me. It gets a five stars in my review!

As for other mineral makeup, I've tried id Bare Minerals. I didn't like it because my skin tends to be oily and the makeup did not last at all. It was definitely rubbing off... Not only that, but the powder had a shiny element to it by nature, and I usually like makeup matte. By the end of the day, this makeup always made me look somewhat dirty. Plus, it's a lot pricier than the Everyday Minerals.

But, there is a shocking little tid bit I learned about mineral makeup. During application, some of the powder is inhaled and can be harmful. So, it's much better to be a little careful to not breathe it in. Hold your breath and let it settle! And, always apply a lotion underneath so it adheres!

I HEART Lemons!

mmm... I love lemons. For as long as I've remembered, I've loved eating lemons. They're the one food that almost ALWAYS makes my mouth water when I think about them.

Most people certainly don't feel the same as me.

However, no matter if you don't like eating them, they are still a wonder fruit! Not only can you use a lemon to get rid of pit stains by mixing it equal parts with white vinegar, or getting rid of that pesky cold sooner than later by eating a wedge, you can use it for beauty! I especially like it to get rid of colds. Homeopathic AND very organic. For me, and my bf, it works WAY better than any of the stuff we get over the counter. Lemons and raw garlic are great to eat to get rid of a cold faster. Anyway, I'm getting way off topic. Back to beauty...

Now, I know the acidity level is high in lemons, but Reader's digest has confirmed that lemons are ok to apply directly to the skin.

Here are the beauty tips with LEMONS:

1. Lighten age spots, acne scars, freckles by dabbing directly on the spot and let it sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing. Lemons have lots of Alpha Hydroxy and it can really freshen the look of your face.
If you have oily or combination skin, you can make a mask by mashing cucumber and lemon juice together. Using the juice only, apply over the face and let sit overnight. Then, rinse in the morning!

2. Dab lemon juice on blackheads daily to draw them out.

3. Get a manicure for whiter nails! Squeeze juice from 1/2 a lemon into one cup of warm water. Soak fingers in this for 5 minutes. Rub lemon peel back and forth on nails.

4. To get rid of dandruff, you can massage 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir 1 teaspoon lemon juice into 1 cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat this daily until your dandruff disappears.

5. For dry, scaly elbows: Mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste. Then rub the paste into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment.

6. Remove warts! Nothing seems to work? Next time, try this: Apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart, using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.

Heavenly Couture

$ 17.95

Have you heard of Heavenly Couture or bought anything from them? Pretty much everything on their site is $17.95 or below.

I think the long jacket above is very feminine and cute. I just wonder what their quality is like... Maybe I can get some input?

Free Allure Stuff!

Allure often gives out great prizes. I've received tons of prizes from them such as full-sized Clinique products and Barrielle sunscreen.

This month, they've got something really fun. A huge giveaway that continues all throughout this month! Every weekday, starting at noon Eastern time, you can sign up to win prizes such as designer clothes and beauty products.

They're giving away 34,328 prizes! The picture above depicts a few of the MANY items they're going to be giving away!

Sears HUGE deals

Sears is having a huge clearance sale. I'm only going to post a few of the MANY deals that they have going on right now! Hurry... this stuff will disappear FAST!

Also, sizes may be limited on some of these items. Plus, the shirts usually are offered in different colors and patterns too!

Click on the price, and it will lead you to the deal!

$ 23.99

$ 6.59

$3.99

$ 5.39

$19.19

$ 23.99

$ 3.59

Budget Beauty Tips

There's absolutely no point in spending a lot of money when you can get the same results for less.

So, I'm going to be sharing a few tips today that can save you some money!

Nails:
1. To dry nail polish in a hurry, spray nails with PAM Oil Spray.
2. To revive some old nail polish, put a few drops of nail polish remover into the bottle. Swish the bottle and you can use the nail polish!
3. Use hydrogen peroxide as an inexpensive nail bleach.

Skin:
1. To balance out PH, use a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar after washing your face.
2. Full strength witch hazel can be used as a toner or astringent.
3. For a great lotion, mix half lotion and half vaseline. It's better than plain lotion because vaseline is a moisture sealer!

Hair:
1. To prevent hair pins from falling out, bend one prong in a "V" about halfway up and insert in hair. It will stay.

NEAT: Finding a way to recycle fashionably!
1. Old lipstick tubes, thoroughly cleaned, are great for purse-sized pill boxes or for pins.Can you imagine using this ordinary lipstick as a storage after you're done with it? Super chic, right?