Wal-Mart Beauty Box Review {{Summer 2015}}

I got my Wal-Mart  beauty box subscription this past week. Wal-Mart boxes ship seasonally, meaning 4 per year, and only cost $5! They are filled with a variety of coupons, sample packets, travel size samples, and full size products. This to me is worth the $5 price tag. You can go here to get your own.

For the summer box, there was a bunch of goodies that I am excited to try. 

• Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara: (travel size) excited to try this waterproof, clump free, volumizing mascara. 
• Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy: (travel size) I will definitely use this at some point, my scalp does get flaky during the winter which is rapidly approaching. I like the idea that hair gets stronger while your scalp gets the TLC it needs. 
• Nivea Soft Creme: (travel size) I plan on throwing this in my purse. It has a light scent, goes on clean and non-greasy, and feels great on your hands. 
• John Frieda Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray: (travel size) this has a light scent and I am excited to try it in my hair to see if it leaves a crispy feel. It touts that it texturizes and is non-drying, so we'll see on that one. 
• NYC Felt Tip Liquid Liner: (Full size) super excited by this eyeliner. I love to use gel liners and other precision eye liners and this one has a double sided tip, so that you can create a thick, full line or a smaller, softer line. 

There was also a few smaller samples that you can see in the picture, but the one I was most shocked by was the You & I perfume by One Direction. It has notes of fresh fruit and seasonal flowers, with an undertone of musk. It smelled good! I wish that sample had been larger, as it was only one application. 

Has anyone else tried the Wal-Mart Beauty Box yet? 

Celebrating the 4th in Style {{Fashion}}

This year, Gabriel and I are going to a Royals game for the 4th of July, so you know I will be repping Royal Blue all the way! No matter what your plans are, here are some items that would  be amazing to rock. Even better, everything on here is super reasonably priced. The jumpsuit is the most expensive piece and is still less than $40! 

Americana Lips Tank//Embroidered and Lace Tank//Americana Jean Short//Flounce Halter Bikini

Reversible String Bikini//Starry Night Tank

Lattice Back Linen Dress//Tie Waist Jumpsuit//Fringe Tank//Patriotic Burn Out Tank

Starry Night Tank//Stars and Stripes Push Up Bikini

Bonus: 

DIY Bug Repelling Candle Holders via PopSugar 

What are your plans for this weekend? Share!

Friday Faves: Beach Ready Edition {{6.12.15}}

I know, I know nobody gives a shit that I am going to Cancun next week. But, you know what? I care, so there it is (yeah, I'm giving you all the stank eye). I care because I haven't been on a vacation in 2 years and this is going to be mine and G's honeymoon trip we never had. And by that I mean we are going to do all the stuff we planned to do, but his family will be there and so will 50 of his sisters closest friends. So, in continuing the theme, here are my beach ready Friday Favorites.

Fave Online Workouts: I know that I go back to these a lot, but you guys Cassey Ho at Blogilates does some of the best workouts videos I have seen AND THEY ARE FREE! They are easy to follow, she cues well, and her voice isn't (too) annoying. These below are my favorite on days where I don't have a class at the community center and I do them then ride my elliptical while watching Scandal or Law & Order SVU on Netflix.

Fave Beauty Product: I'm going with self tanner on this one. Self tanner for the win! My personal favorite self-tanning lotion is Banana Boat Endless Summer. It goes on easily, doesn't streak, doesn't smell too horrible, and has no glitter. The color shows up within three hours of application. My other, more expensive, favorite is Versa Spa 360 Spray. Versa Spa is the brand of spray tanning booth that they use at all my local tanning salons. I figured rather than paying out the ass for a single spray tan, why not let G spray me and get 3 sprays out of it?  

Fave Recipe: If you are looking for a healthy, cool, refreshing summer recipe this is it! The Grilled Chicken Tzatziki Salad from I Heart Nap Time is a recipe I used to keep my calories in check to be bikini ready. I used kalamata olives from our gourmet olive bar at the bougey grocery store, but other than that didn't change a thing. In the future, I will add fresh dill for a bolder flavor in the tzatziki, but it was definitely better than sore bought. Again, SUPER EASY! 

Fave Clothing: Ya'll know I had to buy stuff for this vacation, so I had to make it worth it. I tried to buy items that were beach perfect, but also reusable for for the rest of summer. 

Pineapple Tank from Kohl's

Cognac Wedge Sandals from Kohl's

If you've got big tata's these two swim tops are for you! The one in black in white is super supportive and has lots of support. I plan to use it to snorkel with killer whales. I also plan to buy more of this bralette style. The halter below is super, duper flattering as well! It comes in cup sizes, has full support and makes the girls look amaze. So much so, I now own that top in 2 colors. Bonus- almost everything is on super sale right now at Victoria's Secret! 

              Getaway Halter from VS                                          Beach Sexy Bralette from VS

                                 

What are some of your Beach Ready Faves?

Budget Beauty {{Primers}} Reviews

If you are like me, then you LOVE face and eye primers. Even when a product says that it has a primer in it, I still use a primer. I love the way that they can make your skin feel and the wearability they provide for eye shadows. I have rounded up a group of primers that I have personally tried to give you my honest reviews.

ELF Eyeshadow Primer is a primer that I love to use on a daily basis. It costs $3 and you can find it anywhere. It helps eye shadows to keep their pigmentation, not crease throughout the day, and not bleed or flake. Definitely worth the $3 price tag.

Mica Beauty Eye Primer is something I received in my ipsy bag. I have to say, it has not disappointed. It retails for $45, but on their website is on sale for $22. I use a minuscule amount every day, so it definitely gives you bang for your buck. Much like it's $3 counterpart- it helps eye shadows to keep their pigmentation, not crease throughout the day, and not bleed or flake.

NYX Studio Perfect Primer comes in a variety of shades and is supposed to be a dupe for smash box primers. I bought it in the green color, which corrects redness. For me, this foundation primer dried my skin out and did not help my foundation go on smoothly. Worth the $13? For me, no.

ELF Mineral Primer is another dupe for the smash box primer. Again, it comes in a variety of shades to fit your skin needs and I bought it in green. It comes in a large pump bottle, which is nice. The primer itself goes on smoothly, feels light on the skin and does help even out the skin tone. The only con I had was that the bottle is large, but the amount inside is approximately 25% of the bottle. It has a tube inside filled with product. Worth the $6 price tag? Yes, but don't expect it to last too long.

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer retails for $8 and can be found anywhere. It promises to smooth, resurface, brighten, mattify, and protect. For me, it came out gritty and didn't have the staying power to keep my foundation on all day looking dewy fresh like expected. I would assume the gritty feeling was the smoothing and resurfacing power at work, but I didn't particularly enjoy nor like that.

Benefit Stay Flawless is a product I wanted to try after seeing it around the blog world. It retails for $38, can be found at specific makeup retailers (Ulta, Sephora, Beauty Brands), and is a stick form. Again, the packaging on this is misleading as it holds product  approximately 50% of the tube size. For me, the formula was sticky and the stick was hard to use. I wasn't able to get the product into the nooks and crannies of my face, where I feel as if I need product the most (around the nose, under the eyes, etc.). Not worth the $38 to me.

What primers have you tried? Which do you love?

Wal-Mart Beauty Box Review

If you weren't aware, Wal-Mart also does a beauty box subscription. Their boxes ship seasonally, meaning 4 per year, and only cost $5! They are filled with a variety of coupons, sample packets, travel size samples, and full size products. This to me is worth the $5 price tag. You can go here to get your own.

I signed up the end of February, so I was sent the Winter box and then the Spring box all within a few weeks of each other. I love that you don't get charged until you get an email with the shipping confirmation, meaning you don't pay until the box is coming to you.

My Wal-Mart Winter Beauty Box arrived and I was pleasantly surprised to find the following:

• Hard Candy Lip Stain Crayon  (full size) goes on hot pink with flecks of glitter, but tones down quickly. I layered with a more muted pink lip gloss and it lasted about 2 hours. 
• Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (travel size) is something I like, but leaves my hair chalky. I am saving for a trip. 
• Dove Advanced Series Dry Oil for hair (travel size) I probably won't use this, as my hair is thin and fine, so adding oil (dry or not) doesn't do well for me. 
• St. Ives Apricot Facial Scrub (travel size) is something I like and use on my body. The salicylic acid helps me to keep my chicken skin at bay during the summer. 
• Dial 7 Day Moisture Lotion with Yogurt Protein (travel size) this is going in my purse, as I love travel size lotions! 

The rest of the box was all sample packets and coupons, so I am not going to write about those. But, as you can see there were a bunch! 

My Wal-Mart Spring Beauty Box arrived a few weeks later. It didn't contain any full size products, but it had just enough for me to not feel slighted. I was still getting the same amount as I do in my ipsy bag, which I pay $10/month for. 

• Dove Go Fresh Mandarin and Tiare Flower Scent (travel size) I have this in the full size and LOVE it, so I am planning to take this travel size with me on vacation this summer. 
• Simple Cleansing Face Wipes (travel size) I love face wipes and use them every, single day. I am planning to take these in my beach bag on vacation. I use them on my armpits as needed when on the beach, so this was the perfect beach bag size. 
• Lady Gaga Fame Perfume (sample size) is a womp, womp for me. I am, admittedly, not too fond of perfumes. I am sticking this somewhere far, far away. 
• Shwarzkopf Essence ULTIME Shampoo/Conditioner (travel size) I am curious to try these, as I have seen them on the shelves and wondered. I am debating taking them with me to Mexico this summer or trying them beforehand. Has anyone tried this brand before? What are your thoughts?

Again, there were sample packets and coupons as well. I know I will use all the coupons, as they are for makeup brands I use. Overall, I think the Wal-Mart Beauty Box is worth the $5 price tag. 

Have you gotten the Wal-Mart Beauty Box? What are your thoughts? 

Budget Beauty {{Ipsy February 2015}}

I stopped posting about my ipsy glam bag on a regular basis because I was only loving a few things in it every single month. And if I'm not loving it, I don't want to be dishonest and create a false sense of awesomeness. So, on to this month, I am loving everything I got! I am so excited to have spent $10 to get all 5 goodies and the bag! 

Cargo Cosmetics Lip Gloss (shade Anguilla) this is an awesome, thick yet hydrating lip gloss. I have to say, the only drawback is the intensely pale pink color. I can only wear it as a layering gloss, not alone. I would definitely recommend the gloss and brand itself though.

Take it Off! Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask by Hey Honey is something that I am looking forward to using. It smells great, I just need to find the 15-20 minutes to use it.

Luxie Beauty Brush (504) LOVE IT! I've used this brush every day since I got it. It is  a 100% cruelty free brush that has an antibacterial solution coating the bristles, so it stays cleaner longer. I have to say it is soooo soft, applies an even, consistent amount of product and absorbs minimal product into the bristles. This is a definite must buy.

ModelCo Blush (shade Cosmopolitan) is highly pigmented and a really complimentary shade. It goes on pink, but not an overwhelmingly bright color. It also lasts all day without disappearing, which happens to me a lot with other blushes.

Tini Beauty Eyeshadow (color Pearl Fizz) this came at just the right time. Champagne colors are my go to neutral eyeshadow color for every day wear and I was out. This has really good pigmentation, but does crumble easily so I would recommend doing your face after your eyes.

Have you tried any beauty subscriptions before? What are your thoughts?

Dry Shampoo

I've used a lot of dry shampoo in my days. Pretty much, if it is under 10 dolla dolla bills I will try it. My goal is to find one that I can use every day, doesn't leave a chalky feel or a white residue, all under $10. {{Disclaimer: I have fine, thin hair but A LOT of it. How these products work on my hair may not be the same on yours.}} 

Not Your Mother's is my holy grail dry shampoo. If you use too much it will leave a white residue, but it doesn't feel heavy, smells ok, really gives body,  soaks up oil, and is under $5. Con: I can only find it at Wal-Mart around me. 

Suave Keratin Infused and Suave Professionals both feel heavy on my hair, leave behind a chalky feel, spray white, and smell yuck. Pro: Costs less than $4 and can be found everywhere.  

Tresemme is not one that I recommend at all. Cons: chalky, white residue, leaves hair feeling heavy and dull, doesn't soak up oil all day. 

Batiste is a good one. I love that it comes in a variety of scents and colors/shades, so it doesn't leave a chalky look or nasty scent.  Con: Cost $8 and I can only find it at Ulta or another beauty store 

Garnier Fructis is a good dory shampoo as well. Much like the NYM, if you use too much it will leave a chalky look, but it doesn't spray out white, doesn't have an unpleasant scent, and leaves my hair with body. 

Vidal Sassoon is a surprise hit for me! I tried it because it was on clearance and I had a coupon and I LOVED IT! It is my second holy grail dry shampoo, which shocked me. It comes in shades, so it left no chalky residue, didn't leave a heavy feel, and smelled good. Bonus: COUPONS! I got mine for less than $2. 

PSSSST! is one that I am trying now and am finding that I like. It has a pleasant scent, goes on clear (again, white if you use too much), smells good, and leaves my hair feeling clean. 

Herbal Essence is one that I truthfully don't have much of an opinion on. It works, but not amazing. There aren't any major drawbacks to it, I just like others better. It is definitely an option that I buy when I have coupons for that brand. 

Do you have any dry shampoos that you swear by? Share!

Budget Beauty {{Hair}} Favorite Blogs

Since I don't have a lot of freedom with what I wear to work, I love to do new things with my hair. I like to try curls, braids, ponytails, buns, you name it I will try and do it with my hair. Admittedly, I don't think of most of the styles on my own. For that, I like to troll pinterest and other blogs. Here are a few of my favorite blogs for hair ideas. Go check them out!

Missy Sue  creates easy to follow written and video tutorials, which is something I love. I like to be able to watch and read the directions for more complex or harder hairstyles.

Missy Sue  

Alexsis Mae is a blog that I found via pinterest. Some of her tutorials aren't ones that I would wear, but all of them are easy to follow. I love that she does celebrity and current trend inspired hairstyles.

Alexsis Mae

The Freckled Fox is a lifestyle blog that has tons of beautiful pictures of Emily's life, with a focus on hair and fashion. Her tutorials range from ultra-classy formal occasions to every day hair. She also has the prettiest photos on Instagram!

The Freckled Fox

Twist Me Pretty has some of the most diverse hairstyles, that are easy to follow. The best part about Abby's tutorials is that she explains things for every level, from beginner to advanced.

Twist Me Pretty

There are a few other blogs that I like to look at, but I don't go to them as much because the styles are ones that I already do and know how to do. I just like to creep on their blogs.

What blogs to do you go to for hair tips and tricks?

How to Style 1 Skirt 3 Ways

When I got contacted by eShakti to do a review of one of their items, I knew that I wanted to pick a skirt. For me, a skirt makes sense. I can wear it one hundred different ways and style it to fit my mood, which is exactly what I did. 

eShakti works based on the belief that all women have the right to wear affordable fashion that is made for them and makes them look their absolute best. For me, that is something I want in all my clothes, so I knew this would be a match made in heaven. Super simple, super easy concept--- clothing that is made based on your measurements so that you look your best, all at an affordable cost. 

Cotton Poplin Pleated Skirt 

This skirt is perfect for wearing every day. It has pockets, sewn into the seams and is the perfect knee length so you can wear it to work or play. I gave them my true waist size and was able to choose what length I wanted the skirt. I wanted to show you guys 3 different ways that I styled this skirt, so that you can see how truly versatile it is. My favorite look? The Kansas City Royals t-shirt. That outfit is an amazing blend of my style mixed with work appropriate. 

I love how you can take one skirt, add more formal booties, tights, and a button down and it becomes work formal. Take the same skirt, add your super trendy (mine is from Target) chambray top, some bling, and more causal boots and you can wear the same skirt for work or to a girls night. For me, what makes this winner, winner chicken dinner is that I can wear my sports shirt, a statement necklace, and casual shoes to take this from casual Friday (we do sports themed) to happy hour. 

The best part? You can use code "tracieeveryday" to get 10% OFF when you shop at eShakti through 12/10/14. You all need to at least try out a custom piece of clothing. It's not the same as when you buy something and take it to get altered. The possibilities are endless with eShakti, you can take a dress shorten it, add cap sleeves, and change the neckline to suit you. Where else can you do that? Not at the tailor. 

Please note:

Code has to be entered in the ‘promotional code’ box.   It is not case-sensitive.  

Code can be used any number of times until the validity period. 

It can be clubbed with any other promotional offer, gift coupon or gift card in the same order unless explicitly specified otherwise in the offer conditions.

This discount code is not applicable on clearance / sale, gift cards & overstock categories.

Not applicable on previous purchases.

Have you ever ordered custom clothing? Was it worth it?

Currently Lusting After...

I love shopping at places that others don't usually think of as a place to buy clothes, especially for "trendy" items. It usually means that none of my other friends will have the same thing as me AND I get it at a really good deal. Today, I'm giving you some of the items that I have seen in store/online at one of my favorite places to buy trendy items. Honestly, for items that I know aren't going to be forever pieces, I have no problem shopping at a store like Forever 21. I know what I'm getting when I buy it.

Click on one of the links to find out which store carries all of these fabulously trendy clothes! A bonus, everything here is less than $22. 

Camo Skinny Jeans // Printed Cardigan // Lace Overlay Sweatshirt  // Pencil Skirt 

Skinny Jeans // Soft Tunic

Fur Vest // Gold Dotted Sweatshirt // Ponte Midi Skirt // Draped Jacket  

Were you shocked when you saw where all this was from? Where's one of your hidden gem places to shop?

Budget {{Makeup}} Beauty Faves

Last time, I gave you guys my favorite budget beauty buys for your hair. This week, it's all about the makeup! I have to admit, I am that person who wears makeup every single day. Usually even when hanging out at the house, I slap on concealer and mascara. It just makes me feel all good inside. Again, these are all items that you can find in any drugstore, Wal-Mart, Target.

The other great thing? Almost all of these brands have coupons in your weekly paper. I generally wait until there is a BOGO sale, use coupons, and get store points on my Walgreens Rewards card. Again, this is not an ad or sponsored anything. Just sharing how I do.

Wet n Wild Eye Shadow Trio: My favorite color is Sweet As Candy. These shadows go on very pigmented, don't crumble, and last all day! This specific color combo also looks great on any eye color. It does come with both a small brush and applicator. Cost: $2.99

Covergirl Professional Remarkable Mascara:  Ya'll just don't know. This mascara is legit. It is waterproof, sweat proof, and doesn't clump. It goes on easily and has great longevity. It is also suitable for sensitive eyes, which I have. Cost: $4.99

Covergirl Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation: This comes in 14 shades, provides build able coverage, and can be worn alone as it acts as a primer, foundation, and concealer. I have to admit, I do use this with other primers or BB creams and concealers on the average day. I have extremely dark circles, which require a little built more coverage. On no fuss days, this is my go to. I also have extremely dry skin and this doesn't irritate it at all. Cost: $12

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer:  I can't live without this. It comes in a variety of formulas, some specifically for dark spots/circles, some for highlighting. I've used them both. They both have extremely soft applicators and work to reduce the look of puffiness.  My preference? The dark circle corrector. It covers better for me and I use a different highlighter already. Cost: $7

These are my go to budget makeup picks. What are yours?

Budget {{Hair}} Beauty Faves

You guys I have to admit, I have a lot of beauty products. I like to try new things, which is why I have an ipsy subscription, but I also love finding good deals. One of the best places I find for deals on beauty products is Walgreens. They accept coupons, have BOGO deals, AND you get Walgreens Rewards points. These points add up, my friend. If you don't believe, go look at the hairdryer below and read how I bought it. Nope, this isn't an ad, sponsor, anything like that. I'm just a cheapo, deal finder.

L'oreal Paris Advanced Lock It Fine Control Hairspray : There are a couple of different options with this line, but my fave is the Fine Control spray. It has the perfect amount of grip and leaves my hair feeling soft and smooth, not crispy. Cost: $3.99

Conair Infiniti Pro Blow Dryer: You can find a variety of these blow dryers, all at a good price point. I love this one (the As Seen on TV one) because it has ion technology, which promotes less frizz, is ergonomically designed (i.e. not stick straight and unwieldy), and is quieter than other models I've owned (which Mr. Morning Cranky Pants appreciates). Average Cost: $29.99 (I got mine for free using my Walgreens rewards card!)

Conair Teasing/Backcomb Brush: This brush has mixed boar bristles, which distribute natural hair oils, and creates fullness without undue damage. Although, let's be honest, damage is going to happen when you backcomb/tease/rat your hair. It has a pointed tail end, which makes parting and separating hair easy. Cost: $3.99

Garnier Fructis Beach Chic Sea Salt Spray : For a budget buy this is totally worth it, but I do have to say it does leave my ends slightly crispy. I try to use it on days 3/4 of no washing, so that it absorbs some of the oil in my hair and gives body, so that I can braid or put my hair up and it still has texture. Cost: $3.49

Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo: This is my all time favorite hair product. I use it every single day. I use it after blow drying my hair, then throughout the day for added body and fullness. It does leave a slight white residue, but that goes away quickly just by running my fingers through my hair or using my boar bristle brush. Cost: $4.00

What are your budget beauty favorites for your hair?