I’ve been on the search for trendy yet affordable accessories lately since the weather is getting warmer and it’s time to wear short-sleeves/sleeveless tops : ) Time to rock some arm swag : )  As I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t feel it’s necessary to pay $20+ for a piece of costume jewelry (*ahem* Jewelmint) when there are so many other great places that sell pieces for less than $10!  Here are some relatively affordable jewelry pieces I’ve picked up in the last month — enjoy the photos!

* most items from Forever 21 currently not in stock : ( *
But keep an eye out since F21 restocks very often!

Spiked Bracelet Set, gold/silver, Forever 21:
Most places sell 1 bracelet for more than $10, but I came across this
set of two on Forever21.com for only $7.80 and I’m happy with the quality!

These will be great bracelets for stacking to complete an arm party :]

Large Spike Bracelet, Forever21:
I purchased this from the website and the stock photo made the spikes look a lot smaller!
When I opened this up, I was shocked at how large the spikes are! O_O
I’m not sure if I’ll be rocking this particular piece, but here it is:

It kind of reminds me of Bowser… lol:

Floral Stackable Ring Set, Forever 21:

I was a bit worried it would look cheap since it cost just $2.80, but I love it!

Gold Bow Ring, Forever 21:
This ring is totally affordable at just $1.50 and just too adorable:

Curved Bib Necklaces, Forever 21:

Gold:

Silver:
(slightly different chain style than the gold one above)

Pearlescent Necklace, Forever 21:
(see here)

Gold Spike Necklace, Burlington Coat Factory:
I couldn’t believe this was only $5.99 :]

I love how the size of the spikes taper off:

Belt w Gold Chain, Taupe/Gold, Forever 21:

And that’s it for now, folks!

Where have you been shopping for your arm candy?

Happy Easter!

Just wanted to share that Forever21.com is offering free shipping with no minimum — use promo code “SPRINGFREE“.  Offer valid today only, 4/8/2012.

They have some really great spring items out right now! Happy Shopping!

The Smashbox Luminizing Lotion is available in 3 different shades: diffuse (light, pearly color), flash (irridescent pink), and glow (a deep, warm, golden bronze). I am around an NC25-30 in MAC foundation shades and the color “flash” suites my skin tone the best.

Read on for some pros/cons and photos:

Pros:

• extremely natural/dewy glow
• not overly frosty or glittery
• instantly brightens my face, making me look more awake/healthy
• works great for all occassions: day, night, flash photography!
• a little bit goes a long way (I just use a small drop to each cheekbone)
• easy to blend (I apply this using my fingertips with clean hands; you can also use a small brush)
• absorbs quickly
• non-greasy
• long-lasting (all day! It even holds up in humid/hot weather)
• may be worn alone or on top of foundation
  The label suggests mixing with foundation, too; however, I personally don’t use it this way because I only want to highlight certain areas of my face. Since the color “flash” has a slight pink tint to it, I only use it on my cheekbones.
• has a pump (more sanitary application)

Cons:

• price: 0.7 oz for $26  <– this is totally worth it for me, though!
  However, because you only need a little, this one bottle will last a long time!
  I use mine most days of the week and my 1 bottle lasted me 1.5 years!
• the black coating around the pump starts peeling off after a few months (see photo below)
  this really bothers me because some of the black will flake off and can get on your hands/face.
• the color “flash” has a slight pink tint to it, so it may not be the best for highlighting the bridge of your nose/forehead/cupid’s bow

Photos:

This is what a fresh bottle from the box looks like:

This is how much I have left 1.5 years later:

Here is the black flaking off the pump:

Swatch:

Some photos of me when wearing the luminizing lotion on my cheeks:

Overall, the Smashbox Artifical Light Luminizing Lotion is the best highlighter I’ve tried thusfar!
I will definitely be repurchasing another bottle soon!

What is your favorite face highlighter?

I stopped by my local H&M today to take a peek at their accessories. There were so many pieces I wanted to buy, but I limited myself to the top 3 pieces I liked. There aren’t many words needed for this post, just enjoy the photos

Long-chain Pendant Necklace [$5.95]:
I couldn’t turn this down because the color is gorgeous!

It came with a second chain:

It opens up:

Black Leather Bracelet Buckle [$5.95]:
I wanted the cognac brown color w/ gold hardware one but there were none left
I wish the black was paired with gold hardware, but oh well! This still works

Bangle Set [$9.95]:
I picked these up, put them back, picked them up again,
looked at them in the mirror, and decided “ahh darnit
I’m just going to buy it before I regret it when I get home.”

What have you picked up at H&M lately?

I got an e-mail from H&M for a 15% off any item of your choice. This coupon is valid until 2/26/2012.  You can print this image and show it in stores. There are a lot of great bright spring pieces on the racks now and many great/affordable basics! Happy shopping

[ click to enlarge ]

What goodies have you picked up from H&M lately?

This was the most current Sephora V.I.B. bonus gift offered by Sephora. I got this e-mail on Valentine’s Day, made a purchase the next day, and received my goodies in the mail 2 days later (Sephora delivers super fast to me since I’m on the east coast). The e-mail mentioned that this promo is valid for V.I.B.s and until supplies last — so hopefully there are still supplies left if you’re a V.I.B. and didn’t claim your gift yet!

It’s been a while since Sephora has had a decent V.I.B. offer, so I couldn’t turn this one down. I don’t own these NARS products, so I wanted to give them a try. Without further rambling, here are some photos of the goodies:

The travel size products came in a black NARS drawstring bag:

Standard NARS packaging:

I love travel-size products, so cute & convenient:

NARS pro-prime smudge proof eyeshadow base:

NARS Bronzing Powder in “Laguna”:
(I love how it came as a “mini” – so cute)

Swatch:

NARS Illuminator in the color “orgasm”:
(They are also offering “copacabana”, which may be more suitable for fair/light skin tones)

Swatch, unblended:

Illuminator blended:
(my flash kind of washed out the color; I like how the shimmer is subtle)

I definitely think this V.I.B. package was one of the better ones Sephora offered lately!
Did you get a chance to pick it up? Do you own these products already?

Super quick post regarding a current 20% off coupon for H&M, valid for any item of your choice now until 2/14/2012. Choose wisely   H&M has a lot of spring pieces out already!

Printable coupon can be found here: http://www.hm.com/us/coupon-20-off

OR, if you have an iPhone, just show the following to the cashier:

 In the H&M app (free to download) > My H&M > *shake your iPhone* and this will pop up:

I don’t think this promo is valid on sale items since a sale is considered “any other offer”.
I tried it last time they had it and the cashier said it couldn’t be applied; it may depend on the person ringing you up.

Happy shopping

I am always looking for a good deal, a good bargain, a good sale. I love brands, but will only dish out the money if I think the quality/style is worth it.  Sometimes it’s a better decision to go with the brand name, and sometimes it’s okay to settle with a dupe/more affordable alternative.  With that said, costume jewelry is a perfect example in which I prefer going “generic”.

JewelMint has taken YouTube by storm and become an ever popular site to purchase costume jewelry.  It’s an online subscription service where you pay $30/month and receive one piece of jewelry of your choice. You take a “style quiz” so the site can collate a selection of pieces that fit “your style”.  I consider this site a “brand” because pieces are designed by actress/fashionista Kate Bosworth and her stylist Cher Coulter.
I personally have not seen any one piece on JewelMint that I am willing to pay $30 for.  The good thing about this site is that you do have the option of skipping a month, thus, you will not be charged the $30. Just don’t forget to skip by the end of the month. Anyhow, that’s just my personal opinion about JewelMint: not worth it.

I find costume jewelry pieces at a variety of stores; I am more than happy with the pieces I purchase for less than $10/piece. Here are 3 pieces I picked up in the last week:

Carol For Eva Graham Necklace & Earring Set ($4.99):
(bought at Burlington Coat Factory)

Walking in heels isn’t always the most comfortable experience, especially if they’re loose-fitting and/or slippery due to lack of grip on the bottom of the heels.  I already shared a quick fix for how to make loose-fitting heels fit; here’s a quick post regarding how to fix up those heels/flats that have no grip.

Whether shoes come with no traction or they get worn down, I can’t stand it when there is no grip at the bottom! It makes walking so difficult and dangerous! Lack of grip is especially dangerous when walking on smooth tile floors or slick, wet surfaces.  There are many adhesive products out there that add traction to the bottom of your shoes — I just happen to come across Sole Stopperz at Marshalls (I love Marshalls!).

These Foot Petal Sole Stopperz retail for $6.95 on footpetals.com, but can be found at more affordable prices at Marshalls. They are also sold at Amazon.com, Target, and other stores.

I bought mine at Marshalls for $2.99 (2 pairs/package):

Notice how textured it is:

Back has a peel-off adhesive:

Clean and dry the bottom of your shoe very well, then stick it on:

Yes, it’s that simple to make walking in heels that much easier.

Happy Walking : )