eShakti Review & Giveaway!

It's finally here! I spoke with a representative of www.eShakti.com about reviewing one of their products and sharing it with you! And it's here!

This is what I have to say about eShakti: 

•Everything is custom made in the measurements you give them, so this dress fits me like a glove. 

•The quality and detail of this dress is beautiful. The fabric is very high quality and the sequin detail is gorgeous. 

•I chose a long length for this dress because I wanted it to be more like a maxi dress. The length on me is perfect!

•The feel of eShakti clothing is vintage or old Hollywood. Everything on their site can be custom fit to your body and made to your liking!

 

In all, I would give eShakti an A+ for the look and feel of this dress! I will definitely be wearing it to special occasions! 

So since I liked it so much, I would like to give two people the opportunity to try eShakti clothing for themselves!!!

Here's how:

•Visit www.eshakti.com or their Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/eshakti?__user=1252620094 .

•E-mail me at agirlygirlblog@gmail.com letting me know one item that you love for fall. 

•Winners will be chosen at random 11/14/2013 and notified via email. 

*Contest ends 11/13/2012 at 11:59pm eastern time. Contest is only open to those living in the US and Canada. Two winners will be selected randomly and will receive a $30 gift card from eShakti.com. I was chosen to receive a sample from eShakti.com and review it honestly. All opinions about the product are my own. 

 

Good luck! 

Xoxo. 

Why Every Woman Should Be Taking Hair, Skin, & Nails

After my hair had been repeatedly dried out and damaged from dying and highlighting it, I had no choice but to start fresh and cut 6 inches off. I was accustomed to my long hair and cutting it short felt so strange to me. My hair grows pretty fast naturally but I wanted to speed it up. I had heard of people taking Bitoin or Hair, Skin, & Nails but had never tried it. So I decided to give it a shot. 

Here are some things I noticed after taking Hair, Skin, & Nails everyday (I took the recommended serving size of 3 caplets): 

• My eyelashes became so much thicker and longer. 

• My usually brittle, peeling nails didn't grow faster but they definitely grew thicker. Thick enough that I could actually grow them out when I usually can't without breaking them. 

• On average, hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch a month. My hair normally grows a half inch a month. My hair grew a full inch in a month (I know this because of the new growth since my last coloring). 

• My skin became completely clear. I don't usually have troubled skin but I do get the occasional breakout. I didn't breakout even once while taking Hair, Skin, & Nails. 

• I felt better. I don't normally take a multivitamin and while taking this, I felt healthier. Hair, Skin, and Nails is composed of vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc, and others so it's not just good for beauty purposes but your overall health. 

I definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to grow their hair out faster, strengthen their nails, or clear up their skin.  

Xoxo. 

Easy At-Home French Manicure!

I love having my nails done, and my favorite is the French Manicure. I do this the most because it is super easy and I like it better than just one solid color! 

Everything I used came from Walmart. 

•Sinful Colors in 376 Glass Pink ($1.99)

•Art Club in NA1 White ($1.99) 

•Just Like Gel Top Coat ($4.00) 

I painted the Just Like Gel Top Coat on first and let it dry for about ten minutes. Next, I used a piece of clear tape (I stuck it on a paper towel first so it wouldn't be too sticky and take off the top coat) to tape off where I wanted the white tip. I painted two coats of the Art Club white and removed the tape. I let that dry for about 5 minutes then painted on two layers of Sinful Colors in Glass Pink over everything. I finished it off by painting a layer of the Just Like Gel Top Coat. Viola!

Xoxo. 

Cute Boutique Look-Alike Coat!

So I was looking online for a dressy coat for winter and all the ones I like cost $140. One really caught my eye. It was a ruffled coat with tulle underneath. It was so beautiful...but the price was not. So I decided to look into how I could make one myself and it turned out fantastic! 

First thing I did was stop to Rue 21 and get this coat for $34.99. (Keep in mind that you can do this with any color coat and tulle.)

Next, I went to Joann Fabrics and bought 2 yards of black shiny tulle ($1.99 a yard) and some white thread to match the coat. 

 

To start the coat, measure out the length of the bottom of the coat (adding about an inch or two to account for some ruffling). 

Then, cut the tulle to the length of the coat and about six inches tall. 

I used two layers of tulle to begin with. Take the tulle and lay it out on the bottom of the coat how you want it (I wanted 3 inches sticking out under the coat for the first layer). Begin sewing the tulle along the seam of the coat. 

 

Sew the tulle up the side first, then start sewing along the bottom seam. 

 

Sew all the way across the bottom of the coat until you reach the other side. Sew up the other side. You should now have two layers of tulle sewn across the bottom with 3 inches of tulle sticking out under the coat. 

Next, trim the tulle to the seam. 

Now, add more layers of tulle to darken and thicken it. I used 4 more layers and had them stick out a little longer than the first layer. The first layer stuck out 3 inches, this layer will stick out 5 inches. 

 

Sew these layers just like the first layers. Trim to the seam when finished. 

When finished with adding tulle to the bottom, add a tulle flower pin (you can make one or buy one from Joanne Fabrics for $4.99). 

 

And you're done! 

A cute boutique look-alike for around $40!

Xoxo. 

Fall Fashion (Under $30)!

Fall is my absolute favorite season. Mostly because I love fall fashion! And if you haven't noticed, I'm all about finding cute clothes (and everything else) for cheap. 

 

So yesterday I set out to find a few things to add to my closet for fall without breaking the bank. I think I was pretty successful! 

Here's what I found! I stopped at Target first and picked up 2 infinity scarves (both were on clearence for $10 each) and a pair of boot socks (clearenced at $1.75). 

Next I stopped at Marshall's and grabbed a cream-colored knit sweater ($19.99) and....

MICHAEL KORS BOOTS FOR $29.99! I am so excited about these! I found out that a size 7 in women's shoes can fit into a size 5 in girl's shoes. So these are a size 5 in girl's. They fit perfectly, are very comfortable, and are so cute for fall! I'm in love!

Xoxo. 

How To Get Silky Smooth Lips!

The only thing I don't like about fall: how cracked and dry my lips get! I have tried everything to make them soft (tons of chap sticks, putting petroleum jelly on them before going to sleep, exfoliating them with a toothbrush, etc.) and nothing seemed to work for me.

Until...

I heard about the e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator on a couple different websites. It was only $3 so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it. And I LOVE it. It exfoliates my lips without being too rough, leaving them soft and smooth. It also is infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, avacado, grape and Jojoba oil to help protect lips. 

To use: apply like lipstick all over damp lips. Using your finger, massage exfoliator beads in a circular motion for a couple minutes. Use a wet cotton ball to wipe away scrub. Apply a Chapstick or lip balm (I like Eos or Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter lip balm) to finish. You're done!

Hope this helps! 

Xoxo.  

Makeup Brushes I Use (that are under $3) !!

I love e.l.f. Love it. I have so many different brands of makeup brushes and honestly, e.l.f. is my favorite because they're inexpensive, yet they are very good quality, they hold up so well, and I don't feel guilty when I throw them away after using them for a long time. Plus, I see cosmetologists, makeup artists, and YouTube gurus using the same brushes, so I don't feel bad "cheaping out" on them!

So here are my favorites (that are comparable to higher end brushes)from e.l.f.: 

(from left to right)

•Complexion brush

•Fan brush

•Concealer brush

•Small Smudge brush

•Eyelash and Brow wand

•Angled Foundation brush

•Powder brush

•Small Precision brush

•Small Angled brush 

•Eyeshadow "C" brush

•Contour brush

•Blush brush

All of these brushes are $3 (except for the Eyelash and Brow wand, $1). So worth the money! E.l.f. also has brush sets with many of these included in the set so they work out to be an even lower price per brush. Try them out!

Xoxo. 

Skin Care Routine!

I just switched up my skin care routine and I've really been loving how well it's working for me.

I use the Clean & Clear essentials foaming facial cleanser ($5 at any drugstore), the Michael Todd True Organics Antiox toner ($18 at michaeltoddtrueorganics.com), and the Clinique Pore Refining Solutions ($44 at Clinque) daily in that order. The foaming facial cleanser works for me because it doesn't make my skin oily or dry, it's the perfect balance for my skin type. Michael Todd toners smell so good and even out my skin tone, plus they're organic! Clinque is pricey and I don't normally buy it but the Pore Refining Solution makes my pores disappear and the small bottle has lasted me a long time. So it's worth it! 

I also use a peel-off mask (Freeman Feeling Beautiful Peel-Off Mask in cucumber from CVS, $4) and Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips ($7 at Target) once in a while too. I rotate doing these and end up doing a mask and pore strip each once a week. 

Xoxo. 

DIY Infinity Scarf

Yay, another DIY! And it's so easy! Infinity scarves are so popular right now, but some of them can be kind of pricey. Or you can't find the perfect pattern to go with an outfit. That's why I decided to make some myself! Here's what you need:

•a yard of whatever fabric you want (I got mine in the fashion fabrics at Joann Fabrics for $5) 

•needle & thread 

•scissors 

 

So first, I grabbed everything and sat down on the living room floor where it's big enough to stretch out the fabric. 

I laid out the full yard of fabric...

And folded it up in half. 

Next, I lined up the top two ends and started sewing it all the way across (kind of making it into a tube), leaving it open at the left and right ends. Your stitching doesn't have to be perfect (mine sure wasn't!). 

I stitched the whole length of the top together. 

Then folded the left end to meet the right end (with the stitched part on top still). These ends should be open and unstitched. 

I began stitching these two open ends together. 

Keep stitching until you reach the end of the fabric. This should make one wide loop of fabric, which is the scarf. 

When you're done, wrap it a couple times around your neck and you're good to go! 

 

You can use any type if fabric you like. I used a thin white fabric with a design that will go with anything! 

Xoxo. 

Top 5 Products under $15

Here we go! Confession: I spend a lot of time watching makeup tutorials on YouTube. I'm obsessed. But...most of the time they are using products that empty your bank account and honestly, I like to look good, but I hate being broke (especially because of things that last for such a short time like makeup products).  I have a lot of what I consider expensive makeup (mac, Urban Decay, Smashbox, etc.) but I can honestly say, sometimes I just prefer the less expensive stuff that I pick up at the supermarket. I'm all about finding dupes or products that work just as good but are half the price. Some of these products are talked about and used by some of my favorite makeup gurus, so don't worry...this is good stuff!

 

Here they are! 

•Maybelline The Falsies Flared in Blackest Black ($5.99): my absolute favorite mascara. This coats all of my lashes without making them look clumpy. I love the formula and wand so this is the perfect combo for me! 

•Wet N Wild Coloricon in Mellow Wine ($2.99): this blush is so pigmented, I use it more than my mac blush! It's the perfect color and lasts all day. So worth the money!

•Eos in Tangerine ($3.50): soothes my lips. I put it on right before bed and wake up with my lips feeling soft instead of chapped and dry!

•Revlon Colorstay Whipped in 370 Natural Tan ($13.99): my new favorite foundation. It's very light feeling on my skin but gives me a flawless look! 

•Nyx lipstick in Snow White ($3.99): I can not even begin to tell you how obsessed I am with this stuff! I found out about it on one of my favorite makeup guru's vlog channel and I am in love. It's the perfect shade to go with my brown hair & eyes. I have never worn a lipstick before I found this, that's how in love I am!

The best part about these products is that they are low price and they all came from a local supermarket so they are available everywhere. Enjoy!

Xoxo. 

$9 DIY Gel Manicure!

I'm so excited! I love gel manicures. Gel isn't damaging to my nails and it keeps them strong so I can grow them out. The  only thing I don't like is paying $20-$40 every couple weeks to get then done. So, I decided to explore my options and this is what I came up with: 

They look and feel just like gel, they last weeks just like gel, they just don't cost as much as gel! I went to my local grocery store (everything came from Walmart) and paid around $9 for everything. 

I chose a lilac color (Sally Hansen Xtreme wear in Lacey Lilac, $2.50) and a silver glitter polish for an accent nail (Pure Ice in Beware, $2.00). The most important polish is the Nail Aid "Just Like Gel Top Coat" ($4.00). This stuff is awesome. I paint it on first, do a layer of color polish, do another layer of the gel polish, one more layer of color, then do one more coat of gel (letting them dry in between coats). This makes my nails rock hard like gel and keeps my manicure lasting for weeks! 

You can do this with any polish in any color and you will get the same results. 

Obsessed. 

Xoxo.