Happy New Years !

Happy New Years darlings !

For those of you who have already reached 12am, I wish you a belated happy new years, and for those of you who are in preparation for the new year, have a fantastic night tonight and be safe!

I am doing my new years post right now, about my outfit for tonight. I apologize for the crappy picture quality because I had to use my cellphone (I left my camera charger at home in London, and I went home to my parents for the holidays). Anyways, I paired a glittery, sequined dress from Sears (I got it for $10, with coupons), a black blazer from H&M, and a necklace similar to styles you can buy online at Baublebar (they don't deliver in Canada), that I also got at H&M for $24.95. To finish it off, a pair of nude pumps from Payless Shoesource - $29.99.

(Excuse my weird face).

 

I have extensions in my hair, and I used Naked2 for my eyemakeup. I used the colours:

 

- bootycall

- verve

- ydk

-pistol

 

 

I also used my favourite gel liner from L'oreal and Clinique Mascara. My other option was a black tight fitting high-low dress, and a long necklace. But I decided glitter was a little more fitting for tonight!

 

I'd love to hear what you guys are wearing tonight or have worn! Comment away. Have a great night everyone !

 

Happy shopping! 

New Years Eve Post Update

Hello darlings,

Quick update about today's post. I will be posting a new years look sometime today, hopefully a few hours before the parties. That way if you haven't decided what to wear you can have an idea or two.

I'm hoping everyone has a great new years eve, stay safe and have fun !

Happy New Years. Happy shopping !

Beauty Reads

Hello lovelies,

Unusual post today. I promise this week there will be a Foundation Tutorial & a Naked2 Eye Tutorial. Today, I am again doing a relatively quick post about something that popped into my mind - beauty reads. What sort of beauty books have you read lately? It can be anything from beauty - makeup & hair, or style - clothing, wardrobe, etc. I wanted to mention a few.

- Lauren Conrad's Style > a note on this: there is now a new one coming out I believe about makeup and hair styling, which will be fabulous. I am a huge LC fan. She's got great style, and I feel like she's never overdone.
- How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World > all about style and class, whether you have a huge budget, or live on a minimum wage kinda budget. I like this because I'm huge on being stylish and fashionable on a budget. (However, I think everyone should be allowed to splurge once in a while.)
- EcoholicBody > a book about living eco-friendly in the beauty department. I found this really interesting and it gives you reviews about beauty products that are made from all natural or mostly natural materials. I truly believe the world (an animals) shouldn't have to suffer for us to be beautiful, and I strive to buy all natural, cruelty free beauty supplies. (If anyone cares to know, I can post a cruelty-free beauty companies list!)

I also want to mention, that any Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe coffee table book is a huge inspiration for my wardrobe. Just modernized. I want to point out that these women were dressed beautifully at all times, and looked fantastic even in simple clothes and it is completely attainable to dress similar to them.

I also want to mention that I have a pinterest account, and if you care to follow my Style boards and makeup boards go here: http://pinterest.com/jedrahallen .

Happy shopping !

Quick Post

Hello everyone,

QUICK post today. I was going to do a makeup tutorial and outfit today, but it turned out to be a crazy errand and work filled day and I just got in now. So I'm not going to be posting anything major.

I will be back to normal again tomorrow. But I'm just going to quickly post a few outfits I've seen that I would like to mimick on a budget!

I would also like to thank everyone who reads my blog, and to all the new readers from countries around the world - welcome!

I am all over coloured blazers right now. Sadly, it's really not the time of year to buy them in stores. However, I am craving a bright pink and a coral blazer as soon as I can get one! Here's why:

 

Super cute. It can be worn so many ways to add a hit of colour - this coming from me (the queen of neutrals) is a lot.

 

I am also loving this:

 

 

Insanely simple. Insanely chic. Chambray top, leggings or skinny trouser, with blue heels and a black bag. I think it would also look adorable with some cute flats if you wanted to dress it down a bit!

 

Anyways, that's all for now lovelies. Sorry for the short, and late post. But crazy day, and the computer is acting up (not again).

 

Get ready for the new years outfit post!

 

Happy shopping! 

 

New Makeup/Boxing Week Shopping

Hey darlings,

So, I didn't do to much clothing shopping. I did go a little nuts at Lululemon Athletica - but I've been spending a lot of time either working out or at the yoga studio lately, so it works. However, I did buy some new makeup.

I bought a primer, foundation, a concealer, a pressed powder (just a refill, its one of my favourites) and that's about it. Since, I got new brushes and Naked2 for Christmas from my parents.

The primer I decided to try is L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base - $13.96 at Walmart. I picked this one, because I have never used a primer and I wanted to try a cheaper alternative before spending lots of money. HOWEVER, I don't think I will spend more because this one is fantastic. It makes a huge difference in how the makeup looks on my skin and I found my pores look much smaller.

 

I also bought a new foundation to try - which I am now in love with. It covers fabulously, and leaves your skin looking flawless. Its called Revlon Photoready Airbrush, its a mousse makeup and I bought mine in Natural Beige - $16.96 at Walmart. Right now it comes with a Revlon concealer stick also, I got #003. The concealer is awesome too - great for dark circles, and I believe it's only $8 usually.

 

And finally, I bought another pressed powder by Maybelline's Fit Me collection. It's definitely my favourite so far, and its $7.96 a compact. I use the colour 210, and I also use the #210 in all the other skin products by them.

 

The prices are awesome, and they work which is great. You can get them at any drug store, or Walmart, Zellers, Target - whichever you shop at.

 

I use the colour in the centre, and its actually a little dark on my winter skin - but the pressed compact I use completely blends it in perfectly.

 

Other than that - I really didn't do too much shopping. SURPRISING, yes. However, school expenses come first, and I really do love my new workout clothes. Will post pictures tomorrow.

 

 

I also will be posting a makeup look I made with Naked2 and my new foundations tomorrow, and will possibly be making a tutorial on it for later in the week if you guys like the look.

 

Happy shopping ! Go find some great deals!

 



 

 



3 Ways & Shopping Tips

Hello darlings,

 

Another blog post for you! This outfit was my end of finals outfit. In this blog, I'm showing how you can wear the same top and bottoms three different ways. Lots of fun. I also wanted an outfit I could pair my new slouchy, super soft Roots tee with. Yay. 

 

 

 Here, its Roots - $9.80 on Sale

Pants - F21, $27.80

Necklace - F21 Online , $1.50

Shoes - F21, $19.80

 This is the necklace up close, I love it. It was so cheap, and its a fabulous colour. It's length is also great too, because you can pair it up with a longer piece if you want to layer.

 Favourite flats. Leopard Print.

 This second look includes a black blazer instead, and makes it a bit more polished. The blazer is from H&M and cost $35. Not too bad for a blazer.

 

This third look as my favourite and the one I ultimately chose for the day. The top was just tucked in, and I added a skinny brown faux leather belt from H&M that was only $5. It was paired with the flats, but also looked great with my faux leather brown boots from Old Navy.

You can really do a lot with a few key items. A blazer to dress it up, a belt to dress it down or nothing to make it perfect for lounging. The important thing to remember is to mix and match, and to be mindful when shopping.

Here are some shopping tips:
1. Always go out with a particular item in mind and try to stick to it.
2. If you find something fabulous, get it. If it is on sale, definitely get it.
3. Try things on. If it doesn't fit, DO NOT BUY IT.
4. Make sure it goes with something you already own. Unless, of course, you plan to buy a whole outfit. But even in that case, make sure you can mix it with other pieces in your closet.
5. I try to get rid of one item for every two items I bring into my closet.
6. Go with a friend who is reasonable and will stop you from making impulse purchases.
7. Check the return policies. If your not sure about something or don't have time to try it on, make sure you read or ask about their policy. A lot of stores only offer 14 day returns, and more and more are becoming exchange or store credit only. Just be aware of this.
8. Attempt to use cash, when your set aside cash is gone - your done shopping. This will prevent you from buying things you don't need.

And thats all for today!
Happy mindful shopping !

Brushes

Hello darlings,

Today I want to talk about makeup brushes. First off, most people know that it is important to wash your makeup brushes. Its important for a few reasons:
1. It gets rid of bacteria that can cause all sorts of infections
2. Prevents acne
3. Keeps your brushes in good shape
However, if you wash your brushes wrong - you may find yourself buying new ones way to soon. And let's face it brushes are expensive. So I'm going to post a little tutorial about how to properly wash your brushes. You will need:
- paper towels or face towel
- a small bowl of water
- baby shampoo
- a towel to dry your hands

 

Notice how dirty the water is? I wash my brushes with a Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner on a daily basis. Imagine what the water would like if I didn't. Ew.

 

Steps!

1. Fill a bowl with a small amount of water. Enough to fit the brush's head into the water.
2. Squirt a small amount of baby shampoo into the palm of your hand.
3. Swirl the brush in the water to make it wet.
4. Rub the brush into the shampoo in your hand. You should see the colour of the shampoo change as the makeup comes out. Rinse the brush in the water and rinse your hand off.
5. Dry the brush by wiping it on a paper towel or a face cloth.
6. Use your fingers to shape the brush back to what its supposed to look like.
And that's it! Let the brushes dry for a few hours or overnight if you do them before bed and they are ready to use. As you see in the picture, leave the brushes on their side. Do not allow them to dry brush side up. If you do, the water can seep into the metal area and destroy the glue ruining your brushes.

Remember, there are products you can use everyday to disinfect the brushes and remove some of the makeup. My favourite is this one from Sephora, it was about $10 I think:

 

 

It doesn't take long to do, but cleaning your brushes is super important. There you go. I bet some of you are off to wash your brushes now.

 

Happy shopping ! 

Merry Christmas !

Hello darlings and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays,

I wanted to share a few things today, just a quick blog. First off, I recieved Naked2 for Christmas, and will be posting either a video or photo tutorial on a eye makeup look within the next few days. I'm going to be blogging daily now, and I'm also going to prepare some blogs in advance for when I am back into the swing of school.

I also wanted to mention, that I would love to hear from you guys in the comments section. I'm open for requests, questions, anything!

One thing I wanted to tell you about was a new hair treatment - I found one on Pinterest, but sadly did not have all the ingredients so I decided to make do and make my own. I used 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar - you can pick it up at the grocery store in the health food section, 1 whole egg - beaten, 2 tablespoons coconut oil - melted, 1 tablespoon honey, and then mix it all up. Apply it to your hair, wrap your hair in clear cellophane, and then wrap a towl around that to keep it warm and in place. Leave for 30-60 minutes, and rinse out. Shampoo and condition like normal. I'm going to start doing this once a week. It left my hair super soft, shiny, and coconut oil is believed to make your hair grow faster, longer, and stronger. I also think that the protein in the egg can't hurt your hair. Just be sure to rinse it all out.

I also want to mention that apple cider vinegar is said to help acne! Use a cotton swab to apply it to the skin.

This is an image of something super close to my outfit for today.

The items that I own are as follows in price & they look very similar:

Sweater -$5.99 Value Village

Scarf - $3.00 , Paris Market

Watch - F21 $15

Boots - Old Navy, $25

Ring  - F21, $2.50

Earrings - Aldo, $4.98

Leggings - My favourite pair are from Lululemon $69 on sale

 

Have a very happy holiday, and enjoy your family !

Happy boxing day shopping tomorrow everyone !



Follow me on Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/jedrahallen/ 

Fun with Neutrals

    

Hello lovelies,

I want to talk about neutrals today. I love them - any kind of earthy tone or neutral tone you throw at me, I will love. As you can see in the photo below, I paired a cream coloured knit sweater with a caramel brown coloured skirt (its actually high-waisted, and you can really adjust it to whatever length you want), and some layered black and gold necklaces, add in a neutral shoe - super simple.

Sweater - Old Navy $40 > I got it on sale for $25

Skirt - Forever 21 $15.50

Necklaces - $5

Shoes - Reitman's $7

In addition to neutral clothes, I love neutrals in makeup. I think this is why palettes like Naked2 and the one I posted about yesterday are so popular. You can do a lot to your eyes with the colours. So I'm going to post a few pictures of different eye makeup looks, and see which one you guys would like a tutorial for - just post in the comments which makeup look, and then I'll decide which one will be my first tutorial.

 

                                                                                                                  

 

                                                

Each one of the above is slightly different, I will be posting how I do my everyday makeup at some point. For the time being , I'll be using the Forever 21 Brown/Black palette. But I will let those using Naked2 know what colours they can use to make it match !

 



Also, in the next few days I'll be showing either videos or images of steps in making DIY christmas gifts for your girlfriends. Inexpensive, and chic looking gifts that they will actually use. AND, I will be posting a tutorial on how to place clip in hair extensions into your own hair, and how to make them blend in with ease. You can use hair extensions for length or for thickening up your hair a bit. They're kind of fantastic.

 

Happy shopping ! 

 

Beauty on a budget ..

Hello there my lovelies,

I want to point out a fantastic product that mimics an expensive brand name product - that is extremely popular right now. You've all either seen it in Sephora, or online or in blogs and youtube tutorials. Naked2 by Urban Decay. This product sells for $60 in store and on-line, and I must admit has beautiful colours that spread and blend extremely well (I've tried a friends, and it is on my wish list - but for the time being and for budget conscious reasons, I've found a cheaper option). The cheaper option is a 15 Shade Palette from Forever 21 - and guess what? It only cost's $5.80. If you want to get similar looks (I tried one today, and it was almost identical) but don't want to spend all the money right now, or ever - this is a great option for you!

The F21 palette blends well, and has good coverage. It also has more colours than the Urban Decay palette, and is so inexpensive its fantastic. Also, if your an animal lover like me - it is animal cruelty free, something that is super important to me.

This is Naked2 - it has 12 colours, and a better brush than the F21 option, but you could buy a new brush for the F21 palette for about $10-20, so your still saving a lot of money.

 

You can see by comparing the two that they have many similar colours.

 

If your worried about finding it difficult to follow a makeup tutorial, pay attention and pause the video if you miss it - they will usually show you the colour, compare it to this palette and you'll be able to find a close match. I'm thinking about doing a tutorial for this palette anyways.

 

If you want the palette, you can check your local F21 store or go to the website: http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=F21&Category=beauty_makeup&ProductID=1031557568&VariantID 

that link leads you right to the palette.

 

If you'd like a tutorial for this palette - let me know in the comments.

 

Happy shopping ! 

Lookbook

Hey there fashionistas!

So, as I said it is exam week - and so I am in comfy warm clothes. I'm not going to post any pictures of my own outfits today, just a few I'm in love with!

 



My personal fashion tastes lead me to a lot of neutrals, or earth tones, and I love to be comfortably chic. But occasionally, I love a bright coloured dress, much like that blue lace mini above, and all that sparkles! The sparkly dress would be perfect for new years, and there are so many variations available this season. I also want to mention, that the burgandy knit scarf is on my wish list. I'm at the point where I'm just going to knit one myself!

And....
the beauty tip for today. Tea tree oil. You can add 10-15 drops to your shampoo in your hand for a scalp cleaning, it prevents lice (great if your living in a dorm or you spend a lot of time around little kids). You can also add a few drops to your everyday cleanser or scrub, or dilute it with a bit of water and rub on your face as a black head treatment.

DIY Beauty Project:
For smaller pores, reduced acne, relaxation, and clear skin use:
- an ice cube tray
- green tea leaves
- grapefruit essential oil (another goody for the skin, it acts as a antimicrobial agent, and smells great too)
- water
Boil water, and place the tea leaves in it steeping the cup or two of tea. Add a few drops of oil. Pour the tea and the leaves, with the essential oil mixed in, into the ice cube tray. Place Q-tips or half a popsicle stick in each ice cube section. Freeze. Use the stick to rub the ice cube all over your face. Rinse off any leaves that are left on your skin, and bam. Pretty glowing skin. Use nightly.

Happy shopping !

Hello Beautiful ...

Hello beautiful fashionistas,

I know I've been MIA for a while, but I'm back. I want to write this first blog back about all natural beauty treatments. You may be thinking why, but its because I write about fashion on a budget, so why not beauty on a budget too.

I want to talk about a few things that are amazing:

1. Coconut Oil - you can use it for anything! Your hair, skin, cuticles, cooking - you name it. Not only does it moisturize fantastically, it smells nice too.

2. Baking Soda and Milk - mix baking soda and milk until you get a paste (it will be pretty liquid-like) and spread it carefully on your face like a mask. Leave it on for 10 minutes, and then scrub it into your face with a little warm water. Rinse off. This is great for black heads, and dry skin. It gets rid of all the dry skin, and minimizes black heads in one treatment.

3. Olive oil and coarse sea salt - mix together and use as a scrub for pedicures or all over if you choose. Super hydrating, and sloughs away dead skin cells.

I'm currenty researching and testing out more, and will probably post a new beauty solution on a daily basis. Also, starting after christmas I will be posting make-up tutorials and hair tutorials. Send in requests.

I don't have any fashion pictures for you today, I'm currently in the middle of exam week - but I'm going to try really hard to write a piece each day.

Happy shopping !