#Beauty Product Reviews

Aug 27, 2014
I have a handful of new beauty products that I have purchased over the past couple of months and I have been dying to tell you about them!  I have mostly hair and face products to discuss today, but I tend to shop all across the board when it comes to beauty products, so I'm sure next month will be something completely different.


Products

OGX Shampoo/Conditioner (Sea Mineral Moisture) ($5.79/piece)

I had been wanting to try something new for a long time in regards to shampoo and conditioner. I kept reading about these sulfate-free shampoos and, after some research, I settled on this particular brand and version. I'm not totally sold on it yet. The kind I got doesn't smell as great as I would like it to. Besides that, it has minimal lather (which is common for sulfate-free shampoos) and the conditioner seems to moisturize the ends of my hair. I haven't seen a big change in my hair, so I will try another version of this combo before moving on to something else. (Anyone else use this brand?  I will take suggestions on a different version.)

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Aussie 3 Minute Miracle: Strong ($3.99)

Now this-this has been a life saver. I use it on my hair once a week after I shampoo and let it sit for the remainder of my shower (about ten minutes), rinse with warm water, then a final rinse with cool water before I get out of the shower. A blast of cool water on your hair locks in the conditioner-and does other fabulous things, too. I love this stuff. It smells great and my hair is so soft and shiny afterwards. 
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Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray ($3.99)

If you aren't using something on your hair to protect it from your heated styling tool(s), you're killing your hair. When you drag that straight iron through your hair and you hear small screams, that's your hair dying.  Go to the store, buy this stuff, spray it on your hair (damp or dry, no worries) before you use any kind of styling tool and protect your hair. I love this product.  Great smelling, good price, and it protects your hair.  Why spend all that money on shampoos, deep conditioners, and salon trips if you have fried hair? 
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St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer ($5.29)

As I've gotten older, I can't just wash my face anymore and go to bed. I need to a few more things in my routine to keep my skin from looking sixty when it's actually only 30. This is a great moisturizer to put on your face in the morning after the shower and at night after you wash your face.  A little goes a long way with this product. It's kind of perfum-y, but it's not overpowering.  It does feel a bit greasy when you put it on, but it dries pretty quickly. I always feel refreshed after I put it on and it dries. I can feel it soaking into my skin and I like that.  I haven't noticed any obvious visible changes, but I like to think that I am counteracting possible wrinkles. 
What are some of your favorite beauty products right now?
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Guest Post: Comparative Shopping

Aug 21, 2014

Boy, do I have a treat for you all today!  My friend, Nikki, from Dollar Store Diva has been so gracious to write a guest post for your enjoyment today. She's talking about one of my favorite things: shopping!  If you like this article, please feel free to share it with your friends.  


Hello Life & Leopard readers! My name's Nikki Vergakes from dsdstyle.blogspot.com. Over there I write about fitness, health, DIY, being a crazy college kid, and finding the best deals out there! I'm a 19-year old PR student from Massachusetts. My first order of business is to thank Sara for letting me guest post, my second order of business is to teach you how to utilize comparative shopping!

picture from thewearist.blogspot.com


When I was younger and for lack of a better work, not "well-shopped", I would buy things without thinking about how well they would go with pieces in my closet, without trying it on, and without thinking about other options. That left me with too many crop tops, not enough high waisted things to go along with them, too many patterns that don't mix, and not enough basics! I was NOT a smart shopper. However once I got a job and started buying things with money I earned, that's when I started shopping smarter.




picture from http://amas.ie/online-research/state-of-the-net/issue-15/comparative-shopping-online/

However I'm not alone. Not many consumers aren't using this, but that doesn't mean they're not smart. They're just not shopping to their full potential.

Comparative shopping isn't a new idea. It's pretty much finding the best price for what you're buying. For me, it also contains pros and cons. Whichever will fill  most of your pros and be the best for your wallet will win. However, when it comes to shopping online and in-store, the pros and cons are different for each scenario.

Questions to ask yourself when shopping online:
  • Lowest shipping cost
  • Is it true to size?
  • Is the return policy easy to follow and use?
  • Is this the best price?
  • Are there any deals and coupons I can use at checkout?
-- ** wanelo, shopbuddy, marketing emails, google


 Favorite tools to use when shopping online: Wanelo, ShopBuddy, Marketing E-Mails from stores, Google.


 Wanelo and Google are engines that use comparative shopping. Those marketing e-mails you get daily may be a bother, but they do tell you the latest deals and perhaps special member-only deals. Shopbuddy is an app that will automatically tell you the deals on a website the second you load it.

Questions to ask yourself when shopping in-store:
  • Is this a staple piece, or a statement piece?
  • Do I have anything else too similar in my closet?
  • Imagine at least three outfits/occasions you would wear it at
  • Do I have a rewards card here?
  • Do I get a percent off or signing up for a rewards card?
  • Are they having any promotions?
  • Will another store in this mall have the same thing cheaper?
You can use the app versions of all of those sites while shopping in-store. Remember your e-mailed and mailed coupons. You also may want to screenshot those coupons in case you can't find service. Also, don't be afraid to leave a store and see what else is out there. You never know what you'll find.

I wish you all smart shopping!


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#LiteraryJunkies: August Edition

Aug 19, 2014
While I haven't been doing much blogging lately, I have been doing a lot of reading.  I set a small goal for myself this year to read 20 books and so far, so good.  I have a stack on my dresser of books that I need to read, so I should be good until Christmas.  (Hint, hint...anyone?)

Pink Heels Pink Truck

I am so glad I got back into blogging right before #LiteraryJunkies kicked off for the month.  I love to talk about what I have been reading and get other book recs that I may not have been aware of.  I'm always up for trying out a new author or genre....except for raunchy romance.  Nothankyou. 

Anyway, here are this months questions: 

1.  What are you reading?  Tell us about it.  


Since I haven't been around much, I'll just list what I've read recently and link you to the Goodreads synopsis of each one.
All of these books were fantastic!  I would recommend any one of these to put on your to-read list.

2.  Do you read one book at a time or multiple books at once? 

I usually just read one book at a time.  I don't do well with reading multiple books at once as the story lines seem to get jumbled in my head.  I prefer to concentrate on one piece of work at a time.

3.  What is the first book that made you fall in love with reading?

Probably The Little House on the Prairie series. I remember those vividly and wish I still had those copies.  I am not sure what ever became of them. 

4.  Do you prefer a physical copy of a book or an electronic version?

I have recently started using the Kindle app on my iPad to read some of the books I get for free from BookGorilla.com.  If you haven't checked that website out yet, do so.  They will send you a daily email of ebooks that are either free or cut-throat cheap!  I stock up all the time!  Ha!  I am okay with either version now, but I still like seeing my favorite books on my bookshelf. :) 

5.  What are three books on your "to be read" list? 

And there you have it!  Lots of books to choose from here if you are needing some suggestions.  Have you read something I have?  Wanna talk about it?  Leave me a comment-I love to talk books!
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Not Your Average Blog Post

Aug 18, 2014
Hello readers!  I am BACK!  Yes, yes I mean it this time.  I actually had every intention of coming back last week, but because of the death of Robin Williams and the riots in Ferguson, Missouri (which, yes, is across the river from where I am, but it's still too close for comfort)--I decided to keep quiet.  Everyone else was jumping on the bandwagon to "blog about it" and I chose not to.  It wasn't because I didn't have anything to say (because, let's face it, if you know me, you know I always have something to say), but to rather remain quiet and use that week to reflect on what I needed to say. I don't want my words to be taken lightly.  If I am going to contribute to the masses of blog posts about those current issues, I want it to actually mean something instead of just another blog rant. 

Those post(s) to come...

Anyway, I am back and I am ready to bring you all the budget fashion and beauty posts that you all have missed for so long.  I took a lot of time off, so I hope some of you are still here to enjoy all the tips and tricks I have to dish out.  Also, my favorite time of the year is coming, and I can't wait to talk about fall fashion and show you all what I've been buying to keep myself warm as the weather changes. 

This week I will have my monthly Literary Junkies post up and on Thursday, I have a guest post coming from Nikki at Dollar Store Diva!  Stay tuned and watch me get this blog back to normal in no time! 
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