COMFY & CUTE - ANOTHER COPYCAT LOOK

It doesn't get much more comfy - or easier than this outfit.  I first spotted it on Pinterest (of course) and had to have my own!

Everywhere I look this season, I see denim shirts and I can't believe I didn't own one up until a few weeks ago.  Paired with these black leggings, it looks super cute!  I purchased one at JCPenney for around $20 from the junior's section.  There were also tons of similar ones in the ladies section for around $25.

The white tank or tee layered underneath the denim shirt is totally optional, but it works great for me because I am so tall and the denim shirts normally don't come in very long lengths.  

Black leggings are also EVERYWHERE right now, and can usually be found for less than $20.  Love Culture has a pair that I really want to get - fleece leggings!  Sounds perfect for those chilly Fall days ahead.  And are you ready for this....they are only $6.90!  Check out http://www.loveculture.com

If you don't know it already, I LOVE leopard print!  So when I noticed the leopard flats, I had to find a pair. I scored these from Target, for 15 bucks.  They are super comfy and really spice up any boring outfit!  Target's website also offers a few different styles - so check those out too! http://www.target.com  

The girl in the original picture is also wearing a really cute chunky watch.  mark has one coming VERY soon that would be the perfect touch!  If you're interested in purchasing, let me know and I will notify you as soon as they become available at my eBoutique.  The Great Timing watch will be priced at $40, but I can usually dig up a promo code for you!

So I loved the original look, but it was just missing something for me - so I also bought a leopard print scarf to tie it all together.  I found this one on eBay for $7.99 and FREE shipping!

So there you have it.  Another super stylish copycat look for the girl on a budget!  

Enjoy your weekend, lovelies! xo

MAXXINISTA

Don't you just looooooooove TJ Maxx?!  I got the jeans and this shirt there for less than $30! The shirt is the prettiest shade of cobalt blue, and you can't see it in this photo, but there are little jewels on each shoulder.  So cute!  And as for the jeans....well obviously I don't follow the "no white after Labor Day" rule because I think it's nonsense!  And my favorite part of any outfit - the shoes!  I got these blue velvet Rock & Republic heels at Kohl's earlier this summer for $15!!!  Yes, $15!  I am one clearance rack lovin' girl!

The bracelet is from mark and it's so super sparkly and gorgeous with any outfit.  You can buy your own at my eBoutique for $24.  Through tomorrow, you can use promo code COSMO20 to get 20% off your order.

Happy Friday fellow maxxinistas! :)

GLITTER GRADIENT NAILS

I've been inspired by pictures floating around on Pinterest of glitter gradient nails, so I decided to give it a try with one of my new China Glaze colors...

Excuse my less-than-stellar paint job :D

So what did I use?

So first I applied China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat.  I never used to use a base coat, but I'm finding that the darker polishes tend to leave a yellowish tint to my nails, which I hate!  The base coat helps prevent that.

Second, I used China Glaze in "Below Deck".  I bought this a few weeks ago while looking for some new fall shades.  It has a nice deep purplish tint to it...not too bright, not too dark.  I just love it!

Then I applied my favorite top coat ever, China Glaze Fast Forward.  I've been using this for 2 years and I've found nothing that even compares to it.  It dries your nails SO fast. Seriously, in like 30 seconds.  If you're impatient like me, or usually applying polish right before you need to head out the door like me, you have to invest in a bottle of this.  It sells for around $7 at Sally's.  Sally Hansen makes a similar product, but it didn't work nearly as well for me.

And finally, I used Sephora's Spark-tacular to add some bling!  I just started at my cuticle and worked my way up with the brush, trying to avoid making straight, symmetrical lines.  You want to create a fading, gradient look, so it shouldn't be perfect.

Ta-da!  This is a great way to jazz up boring nails!  Give it a try :)

COPYCAT

So I just love fashion, but I am horrible at pulling outfits together.  That's probably the reason I follow so many fashion blogs and spend so many hours looking at different styles on Pinterest.  They make it look so easy!  So I've started to save photos of my favorites, then go on copycat hunts for the closest pieces I can find at the cheapest prices.  So I figured, why not share my look-a-like finds?  I'm going to start today with one of my newest faves - and one that I just ordered myself!

I saw this look on Pinterest recently and fell in love!  I would've never, ever paired gray skinnies with a yellow blazer.  My mind just doesn't think outside the box like that.

And so my search for a mustard colored blazer began.  Easy, right?  Of course not.  My shopping options are limited in this area, so I usually do most of my buying online.  I checked all my usual favorites - Alloy, Forever 21, Delia's, Gap, Urban OG, Go Jane, and Make Me Chic.  No sign of a mustard blazer.

I finally found one at Charlotte Russe, but it was priced at $39.99 and I really didn't want to pay that much.  (I can be a total cheapskate when it comes to clothes!)

And so my search continued.  I stumbled across a website I had never heard of - www.loveculture.com - and lo and behold they had a couple different mustard blazers!  The one I decided on isn't available anymore, but they still have a few others that are super cute!  And best of all - they range from around $20 - $30!  AND free shipping when you spend $50!  Needless to say, I may have a new favorite online store :)

If you love the actual style of the original blazer, they also have one that's very similar, but it only comes in blue or black.  I really love it in blue!

So to complete the top half of the outfit, you would just have to pair the blazer with a simple ivory tee or blouse.  I ended up finding one at TJ Maxx for $15.

And my not-so-favorite subject....jeans.  I'm tall, so I usually can't buy jeans just anywhere.  But last week I was walking through JC Penney and spotted some super pretty shades of skinnies in the juniors section.  I picked up the gray ones, and to my surprise, they fit!  They were on sale for only $17 - can't beat that!

And finally, the shoes!  Nude pumps.  I am actually embarrassed to say that I don't yet own a pair in this color.  You can find them just about anywhere... I found these at www.alloy.com, for $29.90.

Voila!  Hopefully this helps anyone else who may be fashionably challenged like myself!

MY BEAUTY AWARDS

We all have those go-to beauty products that we've used forever and may cause us to have a meltdown if they're ever discontinued.  I love reading favorites from beauty bloggers, so I decided to post my own!  I am a girl on a beauty budget, so most of the items I use daily are drugstore brands. Let's see what goodies I have in my bathroom......

Shampoo/Conditioner
Herbal Essences Hello Hydration 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner
I have used this stuff for so many years... I'm really picky about my shampoo and this is the only store brand that I've found to leave my hair silky smooth, lathers up really well, and smells yummy!  

Body Wash
mark. Lemon Sugar 3-in-1 Cleanser
I decided to try this product out about a year ago when I began selling mark and fell in LOVE with it!  It smells heavenly and the best part - it can be used as a body wash, shampoo, or bubble bath!  You can purchase it (along with body butter and body mist) at my eBoutique.











Hair Spray
Aussie Aussome Volume
I never, ever used hair spray from an aerosol can until I discovered this spray.  My hair doesn't easily stay put, but this one does a fabulous job of keeping it in place.  I never use anything else!

Eye Makeup Remover
Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
I promise this is the absolute best eye makeup remover you can buy.  I wear a lot of eye makeup and lashes, so I've tested out A LOT of different removers and I haven't found anything that compares to this.  And you don't need a lot - just a little bit on a cotton ball goes a long way.  Target also sells a generic version of this remover, and it works just as well.  I usually opt for that one since it's a little cheaper.

Face Wash
mark Help Wanted Cleanser
There are two face wash products that I regularly use.  The first is mark's Help Wanted anti-acne exfoliating cleanser.  I use this one daily and keep it in my shower.  It has the little scrubbing beads and leaves my skin super soft.  I've been using it for a few months now and have noticed that it really helps with breakouts.





St. Ive's Apricot Scrub
I use this scrub when I feel like I need a real deep-down cleanse. This is the ultimate exfoliator!  

Moisturizer/Night Cream
Mario Badescu Protein Night Cream
I will admit, I commit a horrible beauty sin every day... I never wear moisturizer.  I don't like the way it feels under my makeup.  BUT, I do use this night cream from Mario Badescu, which I first heard about on Kandee Johnson's blog. You can buy it at Ulta for around $15.  I'll warn you, this stuff is heavy, so if you don't like that feeling, you may want to skip this one.  It contains antioxidant vitamin A and a high concentration of emollients and collagen.

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream
The only other cream I've used is from Sephora and I really, really LOVE it, but it's just too expensive for my budget (around $80 a pop!).  

Primer
Monistat Chafing Powder-Gel
Unless you've heard of this trick before, you probably think I'm crazy.  Last summer I was on the hunt for a good makeup primer.  I wanted Urban Decay's Primer Potion, but I just didn't want to pay the price for it.  So I started Googling for something cheaper and came across several posts about this Monistat gel.  It's less than 4 bucks at Walmart or Target, so I gave it a shot.  And I've been using it ever since!  It's a really soft gel consistency that makes my face feel super soft without feeling oily like a lot of primers or moisturizers do.  It just makes my foundation set a little better.

Foundation/Powder:
mark Min-A-Real Cream-to-Powder
For years I used only Mary Kay foundation and loose powder.  It was the only thing that gave me the coverage I needed without also giving me breakouts or smelling funny.  I don't like any of my makeup products to have any kind of scent.  I've found that when they do, they also break me out 99.9% of the time.  I went out on a limb and tried this foundation last year and I couldn't be happier with it!  The coverage is GREAT, I love that it's not in a liquid form, and it goes on so smooth.  It's $18 at my eBoutique, but it's worth every penny.  My favorite thing about it is that I don't need powder with it!

Mascara
Cover Girl Super Thick Lash
My pick for mascara is a tie.  For years I've used Cover Girl Super Thick Lash.  I usually wear fake lashes, but on the seldom occasions that I don't, this mascara gives me the volume I want in my lashes.






Elf Volume Plumping Mascara
Then a few weeks ago I decided to try this Elf mascara, and I think it gives the Cover Girl brand a run for its' money.  I've used a lot of the elf products and really haven't been disappointed yet.  They can be found at Target and are super cheap!

Eyeliner
mark No Place to Run in Jet Set
I love the formula of this eyeliner... To me, the consistency is kind of like a cross between a pencil and liquid.  It's not super dry like a lot of liners, and glides on much like a marker. It stays on all day and always looks fresh!  You can get it for just $9 at my mark eBoutique.







Lip Gloss
Mac Florabundance
I'm a sucker for a good lip gloss and a nude lip.  I always keep this lip glass in my purse.  It's really pretty alone or on top of just about any other lipstick.

Lipstick
Revlon
I'm not a huge lipstick fan, but I do really like any of Revlon's matte shades.  Like I mentioned earlier, I hate scented lipsticks and I've discovered that Revlon's are completely fragrance free!

Eye Shadow
For the most part, I wear 3-4 shades of shadow at one time.  
First, an all-over lid color from mark called Whisper (matte ivory)...








Another shade from mark called Tabac (matte dark brown) for the crease...





A third mark shade called Sugar Sugar as a highlighter under my brows... 









And Shimmering Onyx (black) from Covergirl for shading over my eyeliner.  I rarely stray from these unless I'm wanting more color.  








Lashes
Ardell #117
I love really big, bold Kim Kardashian-like lashes!  I usually get the thickest, longest ones Sally has.  Ardell #117 are perfect!

MARK FALL GOODIES

Today I received my latest mark order, and even though I haven't used them all, I'm going to share anyway :)

The compact in the picture is mark's min-a-real foundation.  I swear by it!  I'm very, very picky when it comes to foundation and for years I only wore Mary Kay because I couldn't find anything else that gave me the coverage I was looking for without being too overpriced.  So when mark introduced min-a-real I took a chance on it, and I'm glad I did!  It's all I've worn ever since!  Just a little bit goes a long way, and now they have a wider shade range - so it really is perfect for anyone!  (I'm currently wearing it in shade Light-Medium 5.)  I despise powder, so my favorite thing about this foundation is that it's a cream-to-powder formula, so no loose powder needed!

The item right below the foundation is mark's Just Blushing powder blush in the Lovespell shade.  I used it today and really liked the color and how well it blended with my skin tone.

Next, I purchased two new shadow shades for Fall.  They're actually both from mark's new line of wet/dry shadows and both are matte.  The brown color is called Tabac, and the gray color is called Storming.  I used Storming today and loved it!  A lot of shadows don't seem to have much pigment to them, but I could definitely tell a difference with this one.  I used it as a dry shadow - but I am sure when used wet it's an even better pop of color!

And finally, I was in search of a nice neutral lipstick for Fall, so I went with mark's Lipclick in Sweetie Pie.  My lips are naturally really red, so I try to tone them down a bit with neutral or darker shades.  I'm not a big fan of bright lipsticks, so this one really fits me well.  It has a pink tint but it's not over the top.  A cool tidbit about these - they get their name "Lipclicks" because the tube is actually magnetic, so the lid pops right on every time.  No more open lipstick tubes ruining the inside of your purse!

That's all I bought this time around - but I do have much more on my to-buy list for Fall.  If you're interested in receiving a current magalog, just let me know. I have lots of them in-hand!  You can also view one online at my eBoutique.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo!