Simple Natural/Organic Skincare

I have completely changed the way I look at skincare and cosmetic products. Only if you knew the type of ingredients that are used in those expensive skincare/cosmetic products and let alone drugstore products. As I look into both expensive and drugstore brands many of the ingredients are in fact toxins and many cancer causing ingredients. I would advice you to carefully look at a list of 100 or so ingredients you need to watch out for the next time you purchase that expensive/drugstore products that are out there in the marketplace : Natural Skincare Authority

The best approach towards your skincare is really go back to the basics more or less what our ancestors have used. Ingredients made by mother nature or pure ingredients. For months, I have been researching on natural products and majority of them are cruelty free.

Many of the natural products I have used are very inexpensive which is a big plus. Some of them can be purchased at your local grocery store. Here are a couple of natural products that can be used for many different purposes besides cooking with them.

RAW  HONEY, VIRGIN COCONUT OIL, ORGANIC TURMERIC, ORGANIC CINNAMON POWDER

 1) Raw Honey can be used as a mask/scrub. This an an Indian beauty secret for glowing skin and also acne clearing skin. Ingredients: Raw Honey, Turmeric, Lemon - 1 Tbs each. Another mask/scrub you can use is raw honey and cinnamon. Mix it into a paste like texture.

2) Miracle product- Virgin Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil - you might not know this but coconut oil is antibacterial. You can use this as a makeup remover, cleanser, hair mask, hair conditioner, moisturizer, eye cream, dry patches etc.. too much to list but there are tons of other uses-plenty of information online. (You can mix a tablespoon of the coconut oil to your coffee or smoothy to loose weight!) AMAZING

I will definitely be sharing some of my DIY natural skincare and organic products that I have been using. I do hope you would be able to at least try the organic ingredients mentioned above. Please patch test before using it on your entire face. Try to test each ingredient because you never know if you are allergic to any of it.

Amazing Celine Bag Look Alike! You Can Afford!

Not all of us have $2,000 - $4,000 laying around for a Celine Bag. You might agree that the price of this designer handbag is outrageous. Lately, I am in a hunt for a similar design like the Celine, of course with an affordable price. Luckily, I have FOUND IT! You could not have guessed it but you can purchase it at JCPenney for a CLEARANCE value of $52. This is an amazing value and quality because this bag is made out of real LEATHER! I rather prefer this bag over the Celine in terms of practicality. Wouldn't you agree?

$52 Liz Claiborne Grace Weekender Bag

$2,000 - $4,000

DIY Natural Cleanser -Honey & Oats

Rather than purchasing drugstore cleansers for $8+, its even more affordable and beneficial for your skin if you made it yourself. If you want clear, clean and moisturizing skin without the harsh chemicals just simply get the ingredients at the grocery store. All you will need is oatmeal and honey. This homemade natural cleanser will last you for a long time versus a typical cleanser that you will purchase at the drugstore.

You can also use this as a mask just by leaving it on for 30 minutes.You will automatically notice smoother skin. This cleanser/mask will not strip away your skin but rather it will leave it moisturized. If you  have acne prone skin, the ingredient of honey is actually antibacterial and the oats will decrease the redness in your skin.

Use:
1 tsp honey
1 tsp oats
1 tsp water

You can use more or less of the ingredients as long as the consistency is not water down and good texture that will allow you to apply it on your face.

It might be a little messy, but it is good for your health and skin :-)

If you do decide to try this, make sure you have a strainer in the sink because you don't want to clog the pipes. 

Fresh "Natural" Skincare

As of this New Year, why not bring a fresh new outlook and also a fresh face. Throughout my life I have been trying to figure out what are the best skincare products out there for my skin type (oily/combination). After trying high-end products and amongst other drugstore products. I have finally took a hold of a more natural route instead. With all the money spent, I am glad to find a natural alternative. The main reason for this switch was when I  tried out the Lancome Genifique serum. This is an amazing product, but it is way too pricey. Once I stopped using it, my skin went back to the way it was. I can not rely on this product for long-term especially when it would put a hole in my pocket. With all these unreadable ingredients it must not be good for your skin, it may only give you short-term results.
 
After doing some research and reading reviews, there are more "natural" skincare products out there that are less harmful and provide you with long term results. Let alone you understand the ingredients that they put in. For those who are looking for a more affordable solution like I am, I would recommend Yes to Tomatoes for those who are oily/combination. For other skin types the "Yes to" brand offers other natural solutions.

Any drugstore location would have this brand, but for price-conscious individuals you can purchase this skincare line at Target or order online at drugstore.com where you can earn cash back and generally they would have it as a Sale item. Target runs for $14.99 and at the moment drugstore.com is $11.99.

Have a wonderful New Year and hope you give Yes To a try because has done wonders for me.

Amazing New Year's Eve Outfit Ideas!

Before we ring in the New Year's, we must look stylish in doing so. Here are some outfit ideas: (High to Low) 

SEQUIN

High: Silver and gold sequin silk long sleeve v-neck party dress ($169- Bluefly)

Low:  V-Back Sequined Dress ($32.80 - Forever21)

LACE

High: Lace Dress- Zarita ($325 - DVF)

Low: Long Sleeve Lace Dress ($59.15- JS Collection Macy's)

LBD

High: For Love & Lemon Dress ($99 - Lulu)

Low: Scoop Neck Lace Dress ($59 - Macy's)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Dress to Perfection!

Designer Brands for Less & How to get CASH BACK!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! This might be a late post, but better late than never. If anyone is like me, I hate shopping in a crowed store. Majority of my Christmas shopping was done online. I am not sure if any of you know this, but if you shop at most online retailers you can get cash back :-). The 2 cash back websites I would highly recommend is ebates.com and shopathome.com. All you have to do is click on the retailer you want to shop at it will direct you to that site and remember both sites offer online coupon promos you can use. In addition, most of the major online retailers are also offering free shipping. This means more money in your pockets.

If you are looking for designer brands for less my recommendation is to shop at BlueFly. In order to get the best deal, I would shop before a major holiday or even prior, it is when promotions are in full blast. For example, one of the Christmas present I had purchased was a Tahari lamb leather Merlot jacket. A week before Christmas, Bluefly had marked down the Tahari jacket from $325 to $211.25, plus by activating a coupon code from shopathome.com I was able to get $40 off also Free Shipping! See the savings below:

Tahari Merlot Lamb Leather Jacket

Retail: $325

Order Subtotal:			$211.25
Order Discounts :			- $40.00
Shipping (Standard delivery):			$0.00
Sales Tax:			$15.20
			-----------
Order Total:			$186.45

Tips on getting the best designer deal on Ebay!

It is very rare for me to purchase anything designer, but when I do I make sure that I don't pay the full retail price for it. If you are paying more than $500+ it better be an investment piece, great quality and long lasting. One particular designer item that I have been eying on for years is the Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM handbag. This bag met all my criteria but a retail price tag of $900 plus tax was way too much. Even if the stars were aligned etc... I still don't think I should jeopardize the budget I have set for myself. The best site I could think of using is ebay for new/pre-owned designer bags. If you are considering to purchase a designer bag from ebay make sure you do your research and be smart about it. Hope these tips will help you, because I was able to snag a great LV Neverfull GM for $700 plus free shipping (LV box, dust bag, receipt, LV shopping bag and the condition is still brand new).

SHOP SMART USING EBAY:

1) Make sure you have the budget for purchasing anything designer- If you can not pay for your rent do not proceed. 
2) Do your research! This is extremely important because you can not trust everyone on ebay who claims that they are selling an "authentic" LV handbag. Purse Forum is a wonderful resource to use  when purchasing designer handbags. Learn everything you need to know about the designer bag.
3) Sign up on ebay and also paypal make sure you have the funds before purchasing on ebay.
4) Search for the designer bag. For this instance, it would be "Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM" or "Damier Ebene Neverfull GM".
5) Sort for the lowest price and now select the ones that are aligned with your budget.
6) Look at each description along with all the images provided to you. Make sure you contact the seller before you place a bid or BUY IT NOW. Important images to get: interior, exterior, handles, and the date code (one sign of authenticity). Most importantly have them provide you with an image of the receipt.
7) Another important element that you are dealing with a genuine seller look at the type of items they are selling. If they are selling hardware tools and no designer items that's a RED FLAG.
8) Look at the seller feedback. I only deal with sellers with 99%+ sellers.
9) If you are dealing with a auction item, make sure you bid as the auction draws to an end. You do  not want to bid too early than you will encounter a bidding war and you don't want to up the price.
10) BE PATIENT wait for the right one to come along.

Another Money Saving Tip:
* Your own closet can be a gold mine. If you already have designer items in your closet that is collecting dust, sell it on ebay and use those winning bids to fund for your purchase. 

Happy Ebaying:-)