Avon Lipsticks On Sale

 Makeup Bargain of the Week

Lipstick is back this season with in-your-face colors. So when 

I discovered lipstick on clearance for $2 each on Avon.com, I 

jumped for it. THEN I got free shipping with coupon code 

FIRSTREP (thank you retailmenot.com). $4 in total, two lipsticks.

Avon Mega Impact Lipstick--Nearly Nude

 This lipstick didn't meet my expectations. It wasn't labeled shimmer, but gives you a frosted look. If that's what you like, then it's a great deal. But if not, beware. Gold glitter everywhere. Otherwise though, the lipstick is a nice creamy formula and doesn't dry out. Regular price $8




Avon Mega Impact Lipstick--Impactful Poppy 

 Fun and bold. A great shade of red for those of us with warm skin. The word "poppy" may insinuate half red/half orange, but it's pretty much a warm red with gold flecks. Because of the color though, this one doesn't give the same frosted look as the Nearly Nude. Regular price $8





Click here for Avon's makeup clearance. And don't forget that you can put in the name of your Avon Rep, so they can still get credit for the sale. It takes two seconds and helps someone else make a little more money at no cost to you. And my order came in less than a week! Enjoy!

Matching With Colors 101

There are many different aspects of your outfit you can color coordinate, without looking like you bought the whole outfit in the toddler's section. Remember on your 4th birthday, getting those legging/sweatshirt sets? Hot pink leggings with lots of little cats on them and a sweatshirt with one big cat on the front? Yeah, adorable for a child, too matchy-matchy for the adult world.
 
1st Style: Base Color & Matching Accessories

          Tiger Striped Scarf
         When worn with the chic black pants below and that plain black tee
         you have in your closet somewhere, the rich tomato color becomes
         the focus color of this outfit.
         $8.80 at Forever 21

Mossimo Supply Co. Chino Pants     $7.68-$8.74
The straight leg makes these trendy, but work appropriate. Very basic, very versatile. The options are endless for outfits with these.  
On clearance at Target

    Mootsies Tootsies Cathleena Flats  $37
    Matching shoes to scarf and you've changed just a black tee and
    black pants to an outfit. Starting with one neutral base color, like
    black) is a smart investment. Tomorrow you could wear the same
    clothes, with a chunky turquoise necklace and the same color flip
    flops. The day after that you could do beige ballet flats and a
    beige purse. You'll look different each day, with the same clothes
    on!



2nd Style: Bottom-Half Matching

               Ruffled Bottom-Front Drawstring Cami     $16
               This blouse doesn't have any colors that match the bottom half,
               but that's totally okay! Golden yellows compliment blues nicely,
               so that's all you have to worry about.

                   Cuffed Skinny Capris     $24.80
                   Colored denim is huge this season. This deep blue isn't so drastic
                   that its very memorable. Therefore, you can wear it more often
                   with different tops--making it a justified purchase. Neon
                   bubblegum pink pants would be just as fun, but you may not get
                   away with wearing them every week.

     Ollio Women's Ballet Flats     $13.99
     Matching shoes to pants is a little bit retro. It was really big in the
     '60s, when women has shoes dyed to match. But it's still just as
     chic today. Be sure to compare colors under natural light to
     ensure that they're the same shade. If not, they'll clash.






3rd Style: Picking Up Colors in Patterns

   

       AB Studio Circle Rosette   $22
      This summery top has shades of red, beige and pale green. It
      has small fabric flower accents along the collar line.

         

                  Chestnut Hill Cardigan     $22
                  This simple cardigan will pick up the pale green color in the
                  blouse, adding another dimension to the outfit. It also will be
                  very useful if you will be in air conditioning, or if you're on an
                  evening date. Basic, yet classy.

         American Eagle Side Bow Wedge    $26
         Any natural shoe would work nicely with this outfit. These
         white wedges will pick up the white in the blouse, but red or
         pink or neutral would work too. Throw on a pair of jeans and
        you're ready to go!





What do you think? How else do you like to make outfits by matching colors?

The $15 Store

A big problem with buying inexpensive clothes online is that you can't judge the quality of an item through a picture. But, with spring comes fancy events. And fancy events mean that pictures will be taken. And lovely technologies like Facebook make it hard to rewear the same dress to every event you attend this season.

If you haven't heard of the $15 Store, I'm about to blow your mind. And save your wallet! Almost everything is brand name, so quality is not an issue. We're talking brand names like Rampage, Kenneth Cole, and Romeo & Juliet Couture, mind you.

The Graduation:

                  Blue Plate Multicolor Trapeze Dress  $15
                 This is not a dress for the feint of heart. It definitely fits in with
                 this season's bright color trend and is lightweight for a hot May
                 day, but is family appropriate. Original price $59




         GOMAX Mitsu Platform Pump    $15
         Because the dress is such a statement piece, keep shoes plain.
         These platform pumps are very in right now, yet quiet enough
         to look appropriate with the dress. Original price $44

           Vecceli Italy Clutch   $15
          This clutch picks up the brown in the dress. Again, we're
          staying with neutral colors, without being too matchy-matchy
          with the shoes. The shoulder strap is an added bonus, so you
          don't have to worry about clutching your clutch all day.
          Original price $115



The Dinner Party:

           Romeo & Juliet Coutore Peplum Dress  $15
           Peplum is huge this season--shirts, dresses and skirts! This
           dress is very fashion-forward, chic and marked down. Original
           price is $128

                   Winnity Three Stone Necklace  $15
                   This necklace adds more character to a solid black dress. The
                   gold will add more color, while the black stones will coordinate.
                   Original price $54

        Rampage Leopard Heels    $15
        These shoes, in a classic shape and print, add a fun touch to a
        monochromatic outfit. Marilyn would approve! Original price
        $39.95


The Wedding Guest: 

           
           
                 Apollo Strapless Stretch Taffeta    $15
                 This blue dress will cinch your waistline and look beautiful at a
                 a formal or semi-formal event. The taffeta takes on a modern
                 form--it won't make you look like '80s prom pictures! Original
                 price $44

      GoMaxx Mustard Heels    $15
      These yellow heels will bring a pop of bright color to the dress,
      which instantly makes the outfit feel like spring. Original
      price $40

                        Louis Arden Gold Tone Watch    $15
                        Hopefully you'll be having so much fun that you won't have time
                        to check the time, but this watch is a simple complement for a
                        dressy occasion. Original price $27






As if special occasions weren't already an excuse to buy a new outfit, now you can do it without breaking the bank or sacrificing cutting-edge fashion. So whether you're into the current pattern trend, peplum trend or pop of bright color trend, you can put a whole outfit together for $45. That's less than what the dress alone would cost in a store!

Scrimp or Spend

 

Every beauty product available is expensive. Even if you shop at CVS, you can still easily pay $10+ for a small bottle of lotion. People often ask where the line between "cheap" and "inexpensive is." So here we go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrimp: 

1. Eyeshadow. If you find a color that you like in an inexpensive brand--go for it. I've never tried a cheap eyeshadow that I felt didn't last as long as an expensive one. With that being said, sometimes more expensive brands will give you a better color range. But I suggest ELF eyeshadow. Nice colors for pennies.
2.  Eye Liner. A 50 cent pencil will stay put all day, I promise. Liquid eyeliner will last all day and all night. The expensive stuff is the same product.
3. Hair conditioner. I'm not saying to buy the cheapest hair conditioner on the shelf, because like the alcohol-loaded cheap shampoo, it could damage your hair. Instead, substitute with inexpensive hair masks made of olive oil, egg whites or mayonnaise. The protein and fatty acids are necessary for shiny and healthy hair.

Spend:

1. Shampoo. As I'm sure your hairdresser has told you time and time again, cheap shampoo is really bad for your hair. It will strip your hair of necessary oils and lead to damage. If you're strapped for cash, buy a salon brand off Amazon or Ebay. And only wash your hair every two or three days, no matter how good your shampoo is.
2. Foundation. Remember that your skin is your body's largest organ and everything you put on it will seep in. Cheap foundation is often full of unhealthy fillers and you'll probably end up with clogged pores. Always go with non-comedogenic (it means it won't clog your skin) and all natural is best. 
3. Face lotion. You don't need to spend a small fortune, but remember that body lotion is definitely not face lotion. The skin on your face is particularly sensitive and most susceptible to free-radical damage. To keep your face looking fresh for years to come, make sure that you buy face lotion with SPF in it.

StylishGirl App

When I was little, I remember my mom standing in front of my sister's closet trying to help her pick out outfits she could feel good about wearing that day. My mom would hold up the first one and say, "Would you like to wear this?" My sister would shake her head no. My mom would put together another suggestion, and my sister would debate it. This could go on for quite some time, until my mom either gave up or it got so late that my sister had to just pick one and go with it.

Adult life can be just as difficult for those of us who want to dress fashionably. Normally I'm not into promotions, but a few months ago I came across the Stylish Girl App for my iPod Touch (the name sounds like its a virtual game for 10-year-olds, I know). Basically what you do is take pictures of different items in your closet (skirts, tops, pants, belts, jewelry, scarves, shoes... anything you want) and then you can save outfits.

When you're feeling particularly creative or just bored, you can play with your clothes and put outfits together--and then save them in the app so you remember them. When you're out shopping, if you can't remember if you have anything that will match a particular piece, you can look it up. And it takes a ton of stress out of the morning. When I want a nice outfit that day, I just flip through StylishGirl and choose one. Remember the computerized closet on Clueless? Yeah, it's like that. So you can put one of your childhood dreams on the done list!

If you're interested in downloading the app, click here