Christmas Mall Deals & Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Saturday, December 6th, 2008
Beauty & Fashion, Family & Friends
1 Comment

Has anyone started Christmas/Holiday shopping yet? I’ve been going back and forth on things to get for people, and found some great things at the mall, as well as some great deals too. I only have 5 out of the 15 people I have to buy for, but I’m making some progress. I usually do a lot of gift cards, but this year I’m trying not to do as many gift cards, and I’m going to wrap more gifts this year instead of throwing everything into gift bags, ha. Christine’s on a roll!

Shopping at the mall is great for tons of reasons, seeing all the bustle, listening to the Christmas music, peppermint mocha lattes, and of course Christmas gift deals! Here are some of the deals I spotted during my shopping! After all, I love knowing that I got someone an amazing gift without having to sell my soul to Satan. Isn’t that refreshing?

Bath & Body Works: Free mani/pedi kit with any gift card purchase, Stocking Stuffers for less than 15.00, 2 for 10.00 Softest Socks (great for feet pampering nights!), Buy 2 Get 1 Free Holiday Gift Sets

Victoria’s Secret: Sweaters 50% off, 40% off PINK Styles, Secret Garden Collection gift set for only 12.50 & mist set for 15.00, DISCOUNT CODE: Buy pajamas and enter SLIPPER08 when placing your order online or by phone. Free slippers make a fun gift for someone else, or yourself.

And of course, my personal favorite: Stocking Stuffers. I always hear my friends asking what to do for stocking stuffers, and there’s plenty of cheap and fun ideas for stocking gifts. I love finding lip glosses and mini nail polishes in my stocking. For guys how about playing cards, or a fancy bottle opener? And if all else fails, check out Gifts.com amazing stocking stuffer ideas.

Juicy Loves Sephora <3

Sunday, November 30th, 2008
Beauty & Fashion, Photos
8 Comments

Christmas is in the air and it’s not even December. After spending Saturday in NYC, I’m totally in the Christmas spirit and cannot wait to get shopping. I stopped in Sephora to look for a brush set and found everything a girl could want and more. Juicy Couture has made a collection of cosmetic accessories just for Sephora, limited edition and absolutely fabulous. I fell in love with The Royal Brush Off cosmetic case and four brush set which includes; a fluffy fan brush, foundation brush, hard angle brush (love those), and an eyeshadow brush. I couldn’t contain myself, I had to have it.

In addition to my new purchase, I scoped out some of the other pieces in the collection and I’m coveting the JC Train Case. For any makeup junkie like myself, I’m always looking for something sweet to stash all my goodies. Currently, everything is in a drawer in my vanity but a girl can wish right? At almost $350, I’m sure it’s on the wish list for any Juicy collector.

Juicy doesn’t just stop at brushes and makeup accessories. You can also check out manicure kits, clutches, soft train cases, rings (which double as lip gloss!), and reusable shopping bags. Sephora and Juicy have definitely out done themselves this holiday season. I cannot wait to try out my new brushes.

the inside of my cosmetic case/brush set. love at first sight! haha.

my new brush/cosmetic case. <3 i'm pretty much in love!

NANOWRIMO WINNER HERE!

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
Daily Grind, Photos
11 Comments

Wow, it’s an amazing feeling to know that I’ve accomplished something so awesome in such a short amount of time. As you can see from the sidebar badge, I’m a NaNoWriMo winner! That would be the reason why I haven’t blogged in a while. The process was truly challenging, writing 50,000 words in less than 30 days since I was a late starter but I finished and am hoping to go to Kinko’s or Staples some time in the near future to print out my rough first draft. Keith has requested that his copy of my novel be printed on red paper. It’s a Young Adult novel, but I think it has potential. December is the month for editing so we’ll see how everything goes. Now on to writing a Critical Essay on Frederick Douglass’ lost manhood (lmao!). School’s starting to wind down, but I have a ton of final projects that I’m working on.

DIY French Manicure

Saturday, November 15th, 2008
Beauty & Fashion, Photos
20 Comments

Yesterday I had a “Christine Day” which included deciding to give myself a French manicure. I’d tried before and failed horribly, but this time I didn’t do too bad. I went to Sally Beauty and bought up some goodies:

Orly “Top to Bottom” base & top coat
Stripe Right in Silver Glitter
China Glaze Nail Lacquer in “White on White”

Ta-da! The finished product. It took about 45 minutes, and granted it’s not perfect, I’m not discouraged If I can perfect the French mani it’ll save me tons of money since I’m a manicure freak. Base Coat is a must! It provided a nice smooth surface for the polish to glide onto, and to adhere to. I love the brand I used. It applies smoothly and quickly. DON’T GLOP! One coat will do the trick.

Next I started on the white tip. I did two coats of white (and a few touch ups here and there). I started the first coast very light, filling about 1/3 (or a bit less) of my nail, so I had a faint guide when it came time to apply the second coat. This trick worked great for me as I knew where to put the second, darker, coat without worrying about messing up the first time.

Finally, the fun part (for me) was the stripe. I used the Stripe Right, which has a brush about an inch long and is very thin. I practiced on a napkin first (DO THIS!), and did a slow/quick sweep. Doing it a bit faster is better, but since this was my first time I ended up speeding up by the end. The silver tended to glop a bit but it came off easily with some polish remover.

Possibly more looks to come, I’m really getting into DIY nails.

Benefits & Uses of Baby Oil

Saturday, November 8th, 2008
Beauty & Fashion
18 Comments

On my last post I mentioned some ways to help relieve from cold symptoms, and of course one of the seasons most annoying problems; dry skin & chapped lips. Cynthia asked me what I thought about using Baby Oil for dry hands, and I have to agree, it’s a good idea. This post is all about the benefits of Baby Oil, which I absolutely LOVE! So thanks Cynthia for the inspiration.

Of course baby oil is most known for it’s benefits on baby’s skin, you can use it for your makeup and beauty needs as well. Use it as an eye makeup remover; the gentle formula removes eye makeup gently without burn in case it does get into your eyes. Fabulous! And plus, it softens the skin around your eyes, which is very delicate.

If you’re an at home waxer like I am, I usually get rid of the Benzocaine or Azulene in my wax pack, and use Baby Oil to remove excess wax on my skin (or sometimes the sink, haha). If you’re a new waxer, you may be prone to mild irritation or redness after waxing. By applying some Baby Oil with a soft cotton ball, you’ll soothe skin too.

For dry skin I recommend using baby oil before you dry off when getting out of the shower. If you’re going to do this make sure to stand outside the tub to avoid slipping as the oil will make the tub very slippery. Apply oil to dry skin while you’re still wet and as you dry, the moisture from your skin will suck up the oil and the towel will help to rub it in. It also works lovely for windburn, during the windy winter months.

Check Out These Household Uses
Use a straight pin & a dab of Baby Oil to untangle necklaces.
Use to quiet squeaky door and cabinet hinges.
Apply to leather bags and shoes to keep them soft.
GREEN ALERT: Mix with lemon juice in a spray bottle to polish furniture!!

And for more Green/DIY tips, I check out DIY Life which has amazing recipes for making things at home. Frugal, safe, and fun!

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