Birthday Gifts under $50!

Don't know what to get that picky friend for her birthday? Don't stress! Sephora has AMAZING gift sets for under $50, she'll absolutely adore! My favorite is birthday girl by Philosophy. Cost $35

This set includes:

- 2.0 oz Amazing Grace Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel

- 2.0 oz Purity Made Simple

- 1.0 oz Time on Your Hands Exfoliating Hand Cream

- 1.0 oz Soul Owner Exfoliating Foot Cream

- 0.5 oz Vanilla Birthday Cake Lip Shine

aaaaand a tote!

Another good set is Buxom Betty by Bare Escentuals for a classic pinup-girl look. I know that some of you don't dig Bare Escentuals because the foundations and powders don't get the exact coverage you need. Don't give up on them just yet! They make eyeshadows, liners, mascaras, and lipcolors! This kit can go with any brand of makeup and the shades won't clash with your skin tone. Cost $35

This set includes:

- 0.01 oz bareMinerals Clear Radiance All-Over Face Color (sheer, translucent glow)

- 0.01 oz bareMinerals Silk Stockings Eyecolor (glimpse, peachy nude)

- 0.01 oz bareMinerals Stilettos Liner Shadow (ruby onyx)

- 0.15 oz Mini Big Tease Mascara in Blackest Black

- 0.07 oz Mini Betty Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish (crimson red)

- Mini Double-Ended Contour & Detail Brush

This was a big hit last holiday season, Sephora's scent sampler. Kit includes 10 samples and a voucher for a full-size bottle of a scent of your choice! Here's the skinny..

1. Purchase the Fragrance Gift Certificate as a gift or for yourself.

2. Sample the fragrances and choose a favorite.

3. Fill in the enclosed voucher.

4. Bring the voucher in to your local Sephora store and redeem it for the fragrance you've chosen.

Scent samplers are also available for men. Don't stress out when choosing a gift! Cost $50

Visit http://www.sephora.com/

Go Retro

Like what you see? Check out starletsandharlets.com for fun umbrellas! Sassy skirts! Sweet shoes! Retro aprons and more! Similar to pinupgirlclothing.com but a little cheaper.

Depuff

Goodbye puffy eyes! Biore's enliven cooling eye gel, reduces puffiness, fine lines, and dark circles. When I first purchased enliven, I didn't think this product would be that effective because of the cost $9. I decided to give it a try and Biore hasn't let me down yet! Within a week, I noticed a major improvement, my eyes have never looked this good! Enliven's magical ingredients consist of golden root, yeast & sugar beet extracts, and a cucumber extract. Apply daily, underneath makeup and before bedtime to add needed moisture to delicate eye area. This product is great to start in your teens or early twenties.

Copycat

Guess who has style? Megan Fox of course! If you dig her outfit you can snag the same look for around sixty bucks.

Cardigan $ 14.99

Tank $ 5.90

Shorts $ 19.90

Belt $ 10.80

Shades $ 5.80
______________
Total $63.29

Spa Sale

Most of us enjoy treating ourselves to a relaxing pedicure but after awhile these salon visits soon add up. Hair, nails, waxing.. that new thing all the stars are doing. The average pedicure is $20, a pedicure every two weeks for a year is $480 and that's not including tips. If you would like to have your cake and eat it too, beauty schools offer spa services for half the price of a regular salon. The students working with the public have plenty of training and are near graduating. If you wish to find a beauty school near you:

http://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/

There's no need to spend a pretty penny to be pretty!

Home Remedies

Did you forget to apply sunblock? One of the best treatments for a blistering sunburn is cold whole fat milk. The feel of milk on your skin doesn't sound too exciting but surprisingly it's cold texture relieves discomfort, speeds up the healing process and puts vitamins & minerals back into damaged skin. Pour milk into a bowl and apply with a cotton ball. Leave on for at least 20mins then rinse, re-apply if desired. Milk is also known to treat other skin irritations such as chapped skin.

The most common treatment for a sunburn is of course Aloe Vera. It's also used on scratches, wounds, and blemishes. You can find a plant at a nursery or you can buy the gel at your local drugstore. If you know someone who owns a plant you can break off a stem and grow your very own! Here's a link on growing your own plant. http://www.ehow.com/how_2133826_grow-aloe-vera.html
Squeeze stem, apply a thin layer of goop to affected areas every few hours until completely healed. Aloe Vera also known to prevent scarring, so be sure to treat skin irritations ASAP!








Sugar in the shower? That's right! Sugar isn't just for baking anymore, it's also useful for removing dead skin cells. You will need, 1/2 cup sugar and 3tbs of honey & olive oil. Mix ingredients together to from a paste. Rub the paste in a circular motion from the neck down and don't forget your heels! Sugar is great for DIY pedi's! The same paste can also be used on dry lips.

Bargin Bombshell

Go ahead. Forget about name brands. You can easily get the same styles for a cheaper price! Instead of buying a new purse you can get an entire outfit, maybe 2.. 3.. or even 4! I'm sure you're familiar with Forever21, correct? Sure, they ticked off singer Gwen Stefani when she claimed they stole her prints, logos, and patterns. Dear Gweny, you are gorgeous and your clothing line is rockin', we love you, really we do.. BUT not all of us have the luxury of cruising around in limos and walking on red carpets. Other stores besides Forever21 with killer deals are; Pinkice, GoJane, Mandee, and lulus. If you must have name brands check out ebay, Ross, TJ Maxx, and Marshall's.




http://www.forever21.com/

http://www.pinkice.com/

http://www.gojane.com/

http://www.mandee.com//

http://www.lulus.com/

www.tjmaxx.com/

www.rossstores.com

www.marshallsonline.com/

www.ebay.com/

Peachy Cheeks

Have you heard? Peach is the new black! Maybelline's Mineral Power Naturally Luminous Blush comes in several different shades but True Peach is a must have. Product goes on smooth and won't leave your skin looking patchy even hours after applying! After trying Maybelline's Mineral Blush, Bare Minerals is still at #1 but both brands came pretty close in quality and color.

Try True Peach with a eyeshadow in Bronze or Gold and a lipstick in Red or Nude. Don't forget a liquid liner to achieve a Rose McGowan wink!

Exercise your bum!

Summer is finally here! Why not tone your bottom with a mini workout that works. Give this video a try (at least every other day) and see results within a few weeks. Who needs a personal trainer?

Stuff you will need to get started:

1.) Comfy Clothing

2.) A Padded Surface

3.) Determination







Did you know exercise reduces stress and depression? So if you're feeling blah don't be afraid to walk it off!

Cash 4 Duds

As you know, people are losing their jobs daily and reputable stores are closing doors. During a recession, it's easy for a woman to develop a negative self-image. Though it may sound silly, how can anyone be concerned about their appearance during times like these? Well.. we are concerned, we're women! Shopping, hair, nails have come to a screeching halt! OMG! It's the end of the world! Where's the chocolate? Luckily, Beauteous Bug is here to save the day. I found a few stores that buy, sell, and trade, new & used clothing. Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads Trading Company are two of the common recycled clothing companies. A store associate will sort through your goods and determine what's fair and give you the option of cash or store credit. Name brands, gently used, in style/season is the key to a successful transaction. Ask your honey if he has old band shirts lying around, most stores carry duds for Men & Women. Let's face it, we're all guilty of hanging onto clothes because someday we might fit into them again. It's time to flaunt those curves! Clean out the closet before the moths do!



Do an Internet search for recycled clothing stores in your area.

http://crossroadstrading.com/cm/Home.html

http://www.buffaloexchange.com/index.htm


Southern California

http://www.myspace.com/galaxyexchange

http://www.mydeelux.com/ OR http://www.myspace.com/deelux

Online Livejournal communities

http://community.livejournal.com/_prettythrift/

Luscious Lips

If you haven't seen advertisements for Cover Girl's new lip stains you must check this out! It goes on like a marker and the color lasts all day. Unless of course you are doing a lot of swimming or drinking the color will tend to fade quicker than usual. I purchased Coy Coral 430 which goes on as an orange-red. It goes very nice with pale/light skin creating a pin-up glow. I have extremely dry lips so it's hard for me to wear lipstick without the appearance of flaky lips. Lip stains give a fresh highlighted smile without the hassle of unwanted color on your teeth.

Pros
~ Only $8 at your local drugstore
~ Lightweight lasting color
~ Perfect during XOXO, it won't end up on your sweetheart!

Cons
~ Colors appear different than actual shade on outside.
~ Product won't last for months. Be sure to keep lid on
tightly so lip stain doesn't dry out and store standing
up with applicator facing down.