A guide to Online Shopping: Sample and Flash sale sites

Online shopping has been a new addiction of mine ever since I began following other bloggers and youtube gurus. While I haven't necessarily bought from all these sites here are the most popular sample sale or flash sale sites. Sample sales are not easily accessible to those of us not living in New York City or in California so these online flash sales are the next best thing. Stay tuned for more in the series A guide to Online here!

Sample Sale/ Flash sale sites: 
Hautelook: Hautelook is a flash site started by the department store Nordstroms. In my opinion  Hautelook often has the best selection of name brands for cheap. There generally isn't any true designer sales on Hautelook however it does have incredible beauty sales with brands such as Lorac, Urban decay, The Balm etc. Hautelook however does allow returns within 21 days of the order.

Ruelala: Ruelala in my opinion has a better selection of true "designer" brands compared to Hautelook however it does lack in the beauty sales. Ruelala has varying degrees of return policy but mostly is final sale.

Gilt: The original flash sale site opened in November of 2007. It was modeled off of the successful french flash sale site Vente-Privee which actually just opened a branch in the United States. In the beginning many designer brands could be seen on the site such as Ralph Lauren purple brand back in 2009 but as more players have entered the market it has dried the resources up. Increasingly more and more "unknown" brands are entering Gilt.

Real Techniques Powder Brush: A Review

Real Techniques is a fairly new brush line made by Samantha Chapman a Youtube Beauty Guru. The power brush is described on the website for being the perfect brush to evenly apply powder and mineral foundations. 

Price: $9.99 

Availability: Ulta, Target and online at real techniques

Pros: 

• evenly applies foundation 
• the price 

Cons: 

• none 

Cruelty Free: YES

Overall I really love this product it does everything it claims to do and it has held up well. I wash this brush with the rest of my brushes every week and not one single hair has fallen off so far. Honestly this brush has reached holy grail status for applying my makeup. 

Rating: 10/10 

Health Benefits of Watermelon

I'm starting a new series entitled Health Benefits with new posts every monday. The first one is one of my favorite fruits for summer: watermelon.To me watermelon just screams SUMMER and I love it as a drink or just to eat by the pool. 

Watermelon along with tomatoes are a great source of Lycopene. So what is Lycopene? Lycopene is an anti oxidant which has been found to reduce the incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research shows that Lycopene can reduce lung and colon cancer along with breast and Endometrial cancers. Lycopene is also a cartenoid(seen by human eyes as the colors: orange, red and yellow).Watermelons have also been found to contain 40% more Lycopene than tomatoes in a study done by the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Watermelon are an excellent source for Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. Two amino acids citrulline and arginine are also found which help maintain arteries and cardiovascular health. 

Mask of Magnaminty: A Review

The very first time I walked into Lush which was almost six months ago I came across Mask of Magnaminty. I was hesitant to buy it at first since I wasn't sure how it would work on my skin but the lady who worked there was kind enough to give me a sample to bring home. 

The Mask of Magnaminty is billed as a deep cleansing face and body mask. When talking to the lady that worked at LUSH she explained that it was particularly helpful for people with Acne Prone skin. While the product is not perfect I would say that it helps cleanse and rids my face of redness and helps control flare ups.

To use the mask apply a thin layer of it avoiding the eyes, nose and mouth area. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. 

Price: 4.4 oz $12.95 or 11.1 oz. for 24.95 

Availability: Lush stores or online at http://www.lush.com/ note: Lush has stores in over 45 countries so no matter where you are there might be one near you. 

Pros: 

• the minty feel 
• The green really does counterbalance redness 

Cons: 

• The price tag 

Cruelty Free: YES! 

Overall I really love this product, my face has broken out less since I started using this product twice a week a month ago. My only stipulation with this mask is the price point. If I could find one for cheaper I would. 

Rating: 9/10 

Madewell: Summer Sale Picks

Top Left: Mara Hoffman Bikini Bottoms//String Bikini in Birdshow//Tiered Lace Top//Denim Cutoffs//Contrast Stripe Sweater//Panamania Tank//Eyelet Sundress

Personally i just love Madewell because it's a younger version of JCrew with more affordable prices. Right now may be the perfect time to join in on the sales especially because there is an additional 40% off of sale items right now. And it isn't as marked which means whatever the lowest price is on the ticket it's 40% off of that. Plus if you are a high school or college student just show them your student id and you can get an additional 15%. At that point it's almost a steal. 

These are personally my favorite things from the Madewell sale right now that I'm just itching to get my hands on. Personally I haven't gotten any of these since I'm saving my purchases for a future outfit of the day post so be on the lookout for that. 

Know your Vitamins

There have been many a time when I wish I had a vitamin cheatsheet with me. What are vitamins, what are they and where do I get them? 

Vitamin A(Retinol): supports vision, skin, bone and tooth grow along with reproduction. Some examples are: mangoes, carrots, squashes, pumpkins and broccoli. 

Vitamin B1(Thiamin): boosts metabolism, energy levels and helps nerve function. Watermelon, tomatoes, spinach, milk and pork chops contain an abundance of B1. 

Vitamin B2(Riboflavin): also boosts energy levels and helps with skin health. Some foods like broccoli, spinach. mushrooms, eggs, milk and porkchops contain vitamin B2. 

Vitamin B3: boosts metabolism, and promotes skin, digestive and nerve health. Vegetables like spinach, tomatoes and potatoes along with meats like beef, chicken and shrimp contain the vitamin.

Vitamin B6: helps in red blood cell production along with amino acid and fatty acid metabolism. Bannanas, Watermelon, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes along with chicken and white rice contain vitamin B6. 

Vitamin B12: is used in making new cells, breaking down fatty acids and amino acids. Examples include all kinds of meat, fish, eggs and milk. 

Vitamin C(asorbic acid): is used in new cell synthesis, breaking down fatty acids and amino acids. Fruits like mangoes, oranges, lemons, grapefruits and vegetables like spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and green beans contain vitamin C. 

Vitamin D: promotes bone health and is contained in foods like milk, eggs, oranges and fish. It can also be self synthesized by being in direct sunlight. 

Vitamin E: is an antioxidant that regulates oxidation and supports cell membrane stabilization. Avocados, cod, shrimp, tofu and sunflower seed contains high amounts of Vitamin E. 

Vitamin K: synthesis of blood clotting proteins and regulates blood calcium. Vegetables like broccoli, spinach and brussel sprouts contain vitamin K.

If you are curious how these same vitamins can help your skin be healthier click here. 

things we love now

There are so many things we love this summer, well every summer: the heat, the beach, the lake, good friends and even better food. In fashion we have been loving crop tees and muscle tanks with cute sayings. How cute is this tank with the YSL label and YOLO underneath? To die for in my opinion, for the best muscle tanks check out Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville. On days where I'm feeling too fancy to wear jean cutoffs I pull out one of my many dresses. Let's be real that dress totally belongs on Pinterest doesn't it?

Sticking with the skirts I love the asymmetrical hemline of the red/orange skirt. It's the perfect thing to add sophistication to any outfit.  Even better these have a hidden short under the skirt so you get the elegance of a skirt with the comfort of shorts.  My other favorite skirt is just a simple high-waisted skirt or the circle skirt. Love the colors of this tribal print skirt. 

For shoes this summer I've been loving simple flats with a gold cap on lazy summer days. Another look I've been loving is wearing converse with circle shirts for the ultimate hipster Cali look. And for the days when I want to seem taller than my short stature I wear comfy wedges.