DIY: At-Home Full Blown Manicures!

Hello there!

I hope you pretty gals are having a fabulous day and that the weather wherever you live is currently beautiful like it is here in Philly. Now, I know that it will not stay for long but a girl can only hope!

Fortunately, I get to escape to the sunshine state for spring break next week to visit my sister! Preparing for the break, I have noticed that I have at least 2 friends getting their nails done at salon every day this week. However, I also noticed that 50% of those friends come back regretting their decision and furious about the money they wasted for a poor nail job. Been there, done that and I feel for them but this is also why I like to maintain and do my nails at home.

In some areas, you can get nails done for $15, which is an awesome deal! However, in my area it is so hard to find a clean place for a decent price.

Disclaimer: I, by no means, have beautiful nails. I bite my nails when I get nervous/anxious, I have nails to define the word "stumpy", and I have no future or chance to pursue my dream of becoming a hand model!

Anyway here are some tips on how I achieve an easy manicure for a fraction of the cost.

1. Invest in proper nail tools
Proper nail tools are worth it, invest in them now so you won't have to dish out the $30 for a mediocre manicure at the nail salon.

2. Cuticles
Cuticles are necessary. You do not want to cut them to short or deeps as they protect us from bacteria, infections, and overall nastiness. Remove them properly for that polished and elongated nail look.

After taking off your old nailpolish:
- Wash your hands to remove the acetone residue
- Apply cuticle oil on to your cuticles
- Wait 30 seconds so your cuticles soften
- Push your cuticles pack and up with a fingernail
(I use my fingernails instead of a cuticle removing tool for steady control and safety)
- Clip off the cuticles with a cuticle clipper (the scissors are not my favorite)

3. Scrub
This is my favorite step! Dead skin clings onto nails even after cuticle removing. The best way to wash away the dead skin, cuticle debris, and chemicals is to use a scrub. You can use a body scrub, nail scrub, or even a face scrub like the St. Ives Apricot scrub. Massage the scrub into your hands and nails gently and rinse. Your hands and nails will look bright and clean after this step.

4. Apply in the proper steps.
By this time your nails should look clean, healthy, and be freshly cut (nails and cuticles). Remember to apply your favorite nailpolish only after a base coat (one to preferably fill in the ridges) and before a top coat (preferably one that is rapid drying and chip-resistant).

5. Adequate drying time.
Proper nail drying takes at least 15 minutes. Most people only wait 5-10 minutes. If you want your polish to look smooth and smudge-free, wait the 15 minutes before doing anything drastic.

Now that is it! I call this a full-blown manicure because if you follow these steps exactly, you will feel pampered and luxurious by the end of it and your paint-job will look like a professional did it (and your wallet won't be crying)! 

Meet My NEW $6 Primer!

Hi Beauties! 

If you have been following the YouTube beauty gurus recently, you know where this post is going...

I want to shout from the tallest building in the world to tell everyone about my new primer - the Nivea for Men Post Shave Balm. Yup, you read right! 

I don't know why or how, all I know is that it works and the lasting power and finishing are fantastic! I saw videos of bloggers comparing it to well known primers such as Makeup Forever and Smashbox so I decided to do it myself to see it with my own eyes.

For two days, I wore my ex-favorite Makeup Forever primer on one side of my face and the Nivea on the other. I was blown away with the results- the Nivea looked just as well as the Makeup Forever side! When I compared the Nivea to the Smashbox primer, the Nivea looked even better! 

I have been using it since for 6 weeks now and I definitely do not see myself going back to the other primers for three reasons -- it's WAY cheaper, smells like cologne (only for a bit), and is perfect for sensitive skin! 

Try to get your hands on it the next time you are at the drugstore and save your friends some money too by letting them know! 

Happy Galentine's Day!

Happy Galentine's Day!

I hope you are staying warm this month! Here in Philadelphia, I am currently dreading the weather every morning. Who knew the cold could make one cry for their momma? I surely did not!

Anyway, I wanted to share with you my Valentine's Day "themed" outfit. I am a girl that loves all things pink and chic so the coat/boots combo definitely spoke to me! Both the coat and boots have a great backstory to them but let's first start with the boots.

Ever since the chilly weather arrived back in fall, I had my eyes on the Stuart Weitzman "Highland" boots but with an $800 price tag you weren't going to catch me dead in them! However I wasn't sad for too long. My sister found these Steve Madden "Gorgeous" boots that look exactly like the Stuart Weitzman's but are for a fraction of the cost! When I go them, I was honestly the happiest person on this planet, everyone was wearing over the knee boots and I was kind of feeling left out, lol!

When I first opened the boots, I obviously started to model in them (don't worry, I was strutting privately in my room) and I could not help but image them with a mini dress and a long coat. A few days passed and I went to Forever to find a plaid printed coat but as I was shifting through the racks, this pink coat caught my eyes. I had seen it before on the website and I just loved the length and the color.

In my mind, I was like "You do not need anymore coats....but eh, just try it on." I was so thankful that I did because not only did I love it more, it was only $14.99! Yes, you read right, only $14.99! On the website, it was priced for 4x the price so this was definitely a sign that I needed to snag it! Anyway enough of the recaps, here is my Valentine's day outfit today! The purse is from Primark and the bracelet is Loren Hope. :)

I hope you all enjoyed this post! Stay warm and spread love! 

How To Save $ In College!

Hi Fashionistas! 

This is a post that I have been wanting to do for a very long time, especially for my new to college readers! 

After high school, everyone says that you have now entered the “college life” and that these will be the best four years of your life! I quickly realized that they were right, college years are the best years of your life! You have the opportunity to pursue your passion, make lifelong friends, gain new experiences, and create lasting memories. However, all that comes with a PRICE and no, I do not mean stress, tears, and sleepless nights, I mean actual money! Doing everything you want to do on a college budget is one of the hardest tasks when you enter the college. You will be forced to stretch a dollar to the maximum due to the endless tuition bills, books, and cost of living. However, I have provided a few tips that can help you save and make money during your years in college!

Sell Your Books!

This is the easiest way to make back the money you spent on your books! Textbooks are expensive and sometimes you don’t even need the books for more than one assignment (which is super frustrating).  It can be tempting to throw them away or stash them far inside your closet after the semester ends. However, you should sell them! You can get 80-90% of what you paid. Students are usually willing to buy a slightly used textbook from a student for $80 instead of buying one from the bookstore for $100.

Buy Your Books, Smart!

If you can, avoid the bookstores! Don’t procrastinate and as soon as the textbook lists are posted, go online and search! I use the following websites to find my textbooks for 50-60% less than the retail value. You can buy them or save even more by renting!

Buy: abebooks.com

Rent/Buy: Amazon.com or Chegg.com

Ebates!

It is a cash back website with absolutely no hidden fees or gimmicks! Ebates is free to join and use. When you sign up, you'll find the latest deals, coupons, promotions, and a specific cash back percentage for each store. These stores include Nordstrom, Sephora, American Eagle, Target, Amazon, Groupon, and the list goes on and on. Just search the store's website through the Ebates.com, shop as you normally would and when you buy something, you will earn cash back in your Ebates account!

Ebates accumulates your cash back money and sends you a check every three months. I always go through Ebates before buying anything! During the holiday season, I received a $60 check from them in the mail!

Campus Jobs!

Campus jobs are the easiest and most convenient jobs to get. They understand that you are in school and give you hours based on your schedule. There are so many jobs where you can even study or do homework while working, such as a desk attendant at the libraries or dorms!

Happy Hours!

College towns have some of the best (yet expensive) restaurants! If you and your friends are on a budget but want to try out the great food, go during happy hour! Restaurants offer the same quality food for reduced prices. This way you can get the most bang for your buck!

Fashionista On A Budget!  

If you follow my blog, you know that I am obsessed with Marshalls! In my outfit posts, I wear at least one or two things from Marshalls or their sister store, TJ Maxx. They stock the latest trends and great brands for amazing prices compared to the department stores.  The quality is usually great and the clothing is not crazily massed produced like stores like Forever 21, so you are bound to stand out!

Student Discounts!

There are numerous restaurants and stores that provide a student discount. You may have to ask your favorite store as the discount is not always advertised to the community. Search on Google frequently. 

http://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/student-discounts

Speak to Your Financial Aid!

Do not wait for scholarships to come to you, look for them! When scholarships are publicly advertised in your school, the whole student body receives the email and you have competition. Ask your financial advisor to let you know about private and public scholarships as soon as they are released! There is so much money year after year that is left untouched!

I hope these tips will come in handy during your college years! Make sure you study hard so you can play hard! Education is priceless!

I hope you find some of these tips useful!