Can't find the perfect perfume?

Don't you hate it when you're looking for something specific, but no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to find it? Many a time I have been in this predicament. However, one day while trying to find the a certain perfume, I was recommended this small site called iTc <---Internet Top Cart. It's a small perfume wholesaler with a lot of inventory and even free shipping on some items!

So if you happen to be searching for a specific perfume that you can't seem to find anywhere else, I definitely suggest checking out this site. I mean there's no harm in just browsing. :)

Dress for Less

The holiday season is kicking off and that usually means holiday parties and events for many of you. Many of us, however, don't have the necessary funds to buy the latest on the runway. Here are some ways you can look fabulous without spending too much:

1. Rent the Runway
I heard about this site randomly while watching an episode of Gossip Girl (which I also happen to be hopelessly in love with). In any case, I checked out the site and it seemed like a pretty cool idea. Signing up for an account is free and they have a large selection of designers to choose from. Obviously some dresses are more expensive than others, but there's more than enough choices to browse from. Then you just send the dress back in a pre-paid package and you're done!

It seems like such a waste sometimes to buy an extremely expensive dress and only wear it for one night (i.e. prom). Although I adore my prom dress, I have absolutely no where else to wear it. Certainly can't wear it to school and it's way too formal to wear to dinner. So if you find yourself having to go to a function of some sorts and don't want to buy a new dress, consider renting one instead.


2. Browse through stores like TJ Maxx and Ross
Before college, I never really thought about shopping at places like TJ Maxx and Ross, but times have changed and I've become addicted to finding a bargain. You'd be surprised at the things that you find at these stores and the number of extremely cute dresses, shoes, etc. Lately, I've been finding a ton of super cute dress shoes like these at Ross:



The key is to come often to really dig through the merchandise because sometimes the perfect dress is hidden.

On a side note, I also found the BEST BLOWDRYER IN THE WORLD at Ross! (Technically my aunt found it, but you get the point). It was a black Remington one and if you find one like it, I highly recommend getting it. Not only did this blowdryer give me amazingly soft and straight hair, but it was lightweight and only $10!!

3. Check out the thrift stores and vintage shops.
It's really amazing what you'll find browsing through thrift stores and vintage shops. Many of the clothing is gently used. I especially advise finding costumes at thrift stores because many of my friends have gotten extremely creative costumes at their local thrift store for only $10 or less.

These are also great places to find jewelry and accessories to match your perfect outfit. :)

Find a Salvation Army near you!
Find a Goodwill near you!

4. Ask a friend
This one seems rather intutive but if worst comes to worst call up your best friend with the same dress/shoe size and see what their closet has to offer. Find the perfect outfit and the fit isn't up to par? No problem! Try using safety pins or sewing it a little on the inside. Just make sure that if you decide to sew it, to make the sewing easy to cut through later so as not to damage the dress.

Product Review

So every once in awhile I would like to review some of my favorite products in the hopes that they would be useful to others who are thinking of finding new products to try.

Today, I would like to review Clinque's All About Eyes Concealer. This is an amazing concealer that I love. It's lightweight and provides extreme coverage. I also really enjoy how blendable it is. I've tried a lot of different concealers, but this is the first that has really worked well with my sensitive skin. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry I skip out on foundation and go straight to concealer.

Rating: ***** (5 out of 5)

Green Your Fashion and Beauty: Products to try

I'm sure many of you have heard that "Green is the new black" and there are many new products both in skin care lines as well as clothing lines that can prove it. Here are just a few examples of how you can add a little green to your regimen. What's my reason for trying a greener beauty regimen? Well, my boyfriend went to kiss my face one day and was disgusted by how much moisterizer I had put on right before. Then I thought about how much makeup and chemicals I put on myself daily and thought: Wouldn't it be better to find something healthier and less toxic?

KISS MY FACE
I'm sure many of you have heard about or at least seen the Kiss My Face line at the store. You can pretty much find this line anywhere. However I have found a larger variety at places like Target. Another store that I found had a large variety of organic/green products was Sweet Bay Supermarkets. What makes this line great is that it is both environmentally friendly and smells amazing! It's also good to know that you're decreasing the amount of chemicals you put on your face.


BURT'S BEES
Burt's Bees is another amazing natural skin-care line ranging from lip balms to shampoos and conditioners and everything in between. My personal favorite from Burt's Bees would have to be the lip balms. They keep my lips moistured and smell great! Like, Kiss My Face you can find many of these products at your nearest drugstore.


H&M Garden Collection
This has to be my favorite of all time. I love H&M. Mainly for the fact that they have everything I could ever want and not be ridiculously expensive. The only problem is that they don't ship in the U.S. and the closest one to me is in Orlando. But that aside, I became increasing interested in their newly launched Garden Collection. A collection of clothes that embraces green by using organic fabrics and recycled material. I mean how could you not love a dress made of recycled plastic bottles?


Any other green products that you love?

Ways to buy textbooks for school

So with the impending start of the school year comes the rush of textbooks. But why buy ridiculously priced textbooks from the school bookstore only to sell them back for a third of the price? These two sites might make the process easier (and much cheaper!).

1. BigWords.com
I have always been an advocate for buying/selling textbooks online and this site just makes the process that much easier! All you need is a list of ISBNs for your books and BAM! it scours the web for the cheapest deals. Your wallet will thank you. :)

1. Chegg.com
I've seen flyers for this website but haven't gotten the chance to try it. You can RENT your textbooks for the semester then ship it back for FREE! That's a pretty awesome deal. Even better, every time you rent, they plant a tree! Very environmentally friendly!

The bottom line is that there's plenty of ways to get books without breaking the bank. :)

Oily Skin Regimen

So I suffer from pretty sensitive, oily skin and went through my fair share of acne in my teenage years. Well here's a regimen that's really working for me for far.

1. I exfoliate my face three times a week with St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub</strong> which can be found at your local drug store. A huge plus is that it comes in a really big tub and therefore you get your money's worth! ($5.49, CVS


2. Wash my face daily with a mild facial cleanser
I usually wash my face daily with a very mild cleanser. My favorite is Cetaphil. Definitely a classic in the fight against breakouts and dirt. ($8.97,Walmart)


3. Every few weeks I use pore strips for blackheads
Sadly, I still get blackheads so I use Biore Pore Strips every few weeks. ($8.47, Walmart)


4. Using oil absorbing sheets to remove excess I keep oil absorbing sheets wherever I go because to get rid of excess oil that tends to build up throughout the day. These ones from Clean and Clear are really good. ($9.94,
Walmart)

I hope this helps!

How to make the most money for your textbooks!

So here's the scenario, you buy your textbooks brand new, use them for the semester keeping them in mint condition. The end of the year rolls around and you sell them back to the campus bookstore only to discover you get a fraction of the price you initially paid for them. That my friends is why it is more beneficial to buy/sell your textbooks online.
Here's how its done.

1. Start off finding a website to sell your books to. A few good examples that I have personally used are <a href="http://amazon.com">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://half.com">Half.com</a> and lastly <a href="http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites">Craigslist</a>. Craigslist is useful but can get tricky when you're looking for a particular textbook. The advantages of Amazon and Half.com is that when your item sells, the money can be direct deposited to your account and there is a shipping reimbursement. The only downside is that Amazon and Half.com have percent commission off of the sale. This is something you wouldn't have to worry about with Craigslist.

2. Create an account. These sites usually allow you to create a free account and only charge commission when you make a sale.

3. Scope out the competition. I usually like to check out the prices of other people selling the same book to gauge how I should price mine. You don't have to necessarily be the lowest price, but try to be the third lowest price.

4. Be descriptive as possible. You don't have to lie about the book condition to get it sold. It's extremely important to be as honest as possible when describing your book. Having negative feedback from customers is a surefire way to scare away future customers. Be particularly descriptive of things like highlighting, writing or cover wear.

5. Time is of the essence. Try posting your textbooks about a month before school starts at the very latest since many people are going to be searching for their textbooks then.

6. Ship media mail. Unless stated for by the buyer, make all shipments media mail. It will save you a lot of money since textbooks are extremely heavy.

7. Lastly keep your books in good condition. If you want to make the most out of your books try not to write or highlight in them. I also advise using book covers. They're pretty cheap and can be found at Walmart or other office supply stores.

Hope it helps and good luck!