This was taken while standing in my dining room, just as soon as you walk into the back door. The area rug desperately needs to be vacuumed, even though as soon as it is, it will just look like this all over again an hour later since it is the frequent sleeping space of my two cats who, I swear, have to shed an additional small cat a day each.

This is Vincent, who was snoozing on my slipper until I went and stood by him and he immediately woke up. Also, yes, those are yellow shoes on my feet while wearing green pants. It’s a good thing I didn’t grace the outside public with my mismatched presence today, but these shoes are seriously one of the most comfortable pairs of sneakers I own. They are Old Navy Laceless Pop Kicks, and I got them right before Easter when they were on sale for $10 and they had a ton of different colors. Now, they’re $16.50 and come in three colors, so they probably won’t be around for too much longer before they just get taken off the site. I should have picked up more pairs of them.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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• #PhotoaDayMay: Snack (and My Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox)

I was first introduced to the Soy Spacasso brand of body and beauty products in the summer of 2009, and soon after I had the opportunity to review their foaming body scrub and body whip, which I absolutely, utterly adored. Since then, I have kept up with Soy Spacasso, always interested in what new products were being added to the line and what new scents were being developed for the already existing products, and I have found myself lucky enough to call the woman behind Soy Spacasso, Maria Murphy, a friend. She is not only great at what she does, but she is also a genuinely thoughtful and kind woman. This is the kind of business, a woman doing what she loves to so and making a living off of it, is what I love to see and feel an ethical obligation to support.

I am a reformed nail-biter and have developed an interest bordering on unhealthy obsession with nail polishes and products, so when I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing one of Soy Spcasso’s most recently added products, Organic Soy Based Nail Lacquer, I most certainly jumped at the chance.

Soy Spacasso currently has 17 different shades of nail lacquer. I chose Sexy Black Onyx, a straightforward, pitch black color with just a hint of shine. I was also sent the Soy Spacasso base and top coat to use with it. All Soy Spacasso nail lacquers are created 3-Free, meaning they do not contain the Toxic Trio of chemicals: Toluene, Formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate. There is absolutely no animal testing with any of their products, and instead of the commonly-used metal ball bearing as the mixing ball in most nail polishes, Soy Spacasso uses a natural stone from the earth in each of their 7.5 ml bottles.

When I first saw these bottles, I thought they were small. Extremely small; maybe even too small. 7.5 ml is not enough to even constitute a small bottle, but my Sexy Black Onyx has lasted well over the course of the past few months and has been used more than a handful of times. It doesn’t take a lot to get the job done with this nail color.

Unfortunately, the batch of lacquer my bottle was from had some issues with being thick and chunky, which made applying the lacquer difficult, messy, and not worth the effort. Before I even had time to email about this, however, I received a message from Maria Murphy explaining the issue and how to fix it. Hello, incredible customer service! By adding just a few drops of nail polish remover to my bottle, the consistently thinned out and I was then able to apply it as I normally would to my nails.

The product description of Soy Spacasso’s Organic Soy Based Nail Lacquer claims that the formula “provides a very durable, long-lasting, chip resistant” finish, and I don’t know if it was because of the issues with the batch I received, but that wasn’t my experience with it in the least. On my fingernails, the Sexy Black Onyx color lasts on average about three days, and up to five days at most before it starts to chip off, but instead of just gradually flaking away, the lacquer itself peels off of my fingernail, taking the majority of the color on my nail right off. This is bizarre and something I have never had happen before with other nail color. When used on my toenails, the lacquer lasted drastically longer, probably because compared to fingers, toes are lazy and just hang around looking pretty and colorful and that’s about it. A pedicure with Sexy Black Onyx lasted a little over a week with minor chips here and there before most of the color had either chipped or peeled off.

While I didn’t have a totally positive experience with Soy Spacasso’s Organic Soy Based Nail Lacquer, it’s important to keep in mind that this stuff is made by the woman who sells it. No mass production is happening behind the scenes and there are bound to be inconsistencies within products when they are created by hand. It happens. Keeping this in mind has actually made me curious about the batches of nail lacquer that have come after the batch that I received, especially because the Soy Spacasso Base and Top Coat is awesome and works wonderfully; in fact, it has been my go-to top coat and it dries completely in less than a minute.

Soy Spacasso’s Organic Soy Based Nail Lacquer sells for $6.50 each, 2 for $10, or 3 for $12 and are available on the Soy Spacasso website.

I received Soy Spacasso Organic Soy Based Nail Lacquer for review. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.

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Shoes! Sure, I could probably live without shoes, but why would I ever want to do that? So we are going to go at this prompt from the angle of something I would really rather not live without. Better? This image shows just a small assortment of the shoes I own, and I have quite a few pairs and an issue with getting rid of old shoes. In fact, I haven’t stopped wearing or gotten rid of a pair of shoes since early middle school. This shoe organizer goes completely around in a circle, I also have a few other pairs on the floor of my closet, and a few more in the dining room in front of the back door where I took them off. I love shoes, a lot. There are so many different types and color combinations and they are really a lot of fun. I think I take more fashion risks in my shoes than I ever have in my clothing; example a: hot pink and lime green KangaROOS.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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I have tried to like soy products, and I have had some success in the past with soy, albeit those successes have been very few and far between. However, I cannot help but to be indifferent when it comes to SOYJOY. I received this all-natural, gluten-free bar of fruit and soybeans in my Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox, and while I have no idea why they included a food item in a box full of beauty products, I opened up this strawberry-flavored bar this afternoon for a quick snack in between work tasks.

SOYJOY has been around for a while, but this was the very first time I tried it, and I really wasn’t impressed. The texture of the bar was thick and it was dry; its only saving grace is that it’s a small product and didn’t last long enough to completely dry out my mouth. The taste was tolerable, and that is as far as I can go with it. I was completely put off by it at first bite, it was just drastically different from most of the things I eat, but it got a bit better as I progressively urged myself to keep going. Overall, not one of my reactions to this product or my perspective on it after the fact are what you want to experience with anything you’re eating. While it’s true that SOYJOY bars are a healthier snack option than some other products just as quick and travel-ready that ward off hunger between meals, there are still a lot of other things that you can opt to eat that will elicit a lot more than merely a tolerable response from you.

So that was my snacking experience today, and all I can say is at least the picture I took of this product is pretty.

As I mentioned, the strawberry SOYJOY bar was included in my Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox, which I also wanted to quickly share with you all. Quickly because I haven’t had time to try out all of the products yet, but I will be reviewing each one individually here in the next week, so you can look forward to that!

This is the first VoxBox I have received from Influenster, which I immediately signed up with after seeing a picture of a past box that Jenn shared on Flickr. While taking the trend of sending out a box of surprise goodies for people to try out, Influenster is all about reporting back your experiences with the products you were sent and sharing those experiences and products with your friends, blog readers, connections on social media sites, and so on. Best of all, Influenster is totally free–those who are most active in the Influenster community receive a box that fits their lifestyle (as determined by badges that you receive by taking surveys and telling them a little about yourself.) Pretty awesome, right?

So here is what came in my Spring Beauty VoxBox:

• Sheer Cover Duo Concealer
• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash
• ChapStick Lip SHIELD 365
• Sally Hansen Salon Effects
• Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist (in Moonlight Path)
• Dr. Scholl’s For Her Ball of Foot Cushions

I am really excited about quite a few of these products, so stay tuned for full reviews of all of them!

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Feathers are a huge trend right now, and they are showing no signs of going anywhere anytime soon. Feathers have made several recent appearances on catwalks and red carpets, and peacock feathers especially have become a popular wedding theme. After hair feathers became a standout accessory all on their own, they have now been incorporated into just about every accessory imaginable to create fabulous and sometimes daring statement pieces.

I was recently sent a selection of feather accessories from KissPat Feather Store, all of which are really cute and just a lot of fun to accessorize with. I am really excited about them and am glad to have the opportunity to share my thoughts on these products with you all.

I’m going to start with my absolute favorite product, which is the item that immediately caught my attention when I was first looking through the KissPat Feather Store website when the prospect of working with them was first presented to me, and that is the headband.

While they have a wide variety of different types of feather headbands, the one I received is supremely awesome. It is made up of an assortment of predominantly yellow and brown feathers with just a touch of dark blue feathers, and of course, the truly fantastic black and white polka dot feathers, which I am a big fan of! It also features a topaz pear-shaped gem that sits on the end of the feathers, giving it a nice finishing touch without taking anything away from the glory of the feathers, which obviously are meant to make quite a statement on their own. This headband can be worn with virtually anything; dress up, dress down, and let this headband shine as one of the few accessories you wear that day. I love it!

Generally, my taste in earrings is simple and subtle. I have a handful of silver hoops that my father has given me for Christmas throughout the past few years, and those are about all I wear. The feather earrings that KissPat surprised me with are something that I would have never chosen for myself, mostly because I have a hard time taking that initial risk when it comes to nearly anything, and not knowing if I could pull off feather earrings is enough to make me shy away from them all together. Therein lies the reason why surprises are awesome, because these earrings, while definitely not everyday wear, are great for infusing a whole lot of fun into a simple outfit. You can see the detail in them in the picture at the top of this post because unfortunately, I could not for the life of get me a picture with the front of the earrings facing outward while I wore them, which happens when you have earrings of this size that dangle–they take on a life of their own. Surprisingly, at least to me, these earrings are very comfortable; because feathers are practically weightless, so are these earrings, and you can wear them for several hours without feeling the least bit of pulling on your earlobes.

Because KissPat is a feather accessory store, a selection of their products wouldn’t be complete without trying out their hair feathers. Unlike another brand of hair feathers that I became familiar with last year, these are attached to small clips that make it extremely easy to attach to your hair. I was really happy that I didn’t have to re-teach myself how to get that tiny plastic o-ring to attach to just the right portion and thickness of hair. Because of the clip, these hair feathers can be removed in seconds at the end of the day, just as easily as they go in.

I received two different hair feathers; one that is short in length, perfect for my shoulder-length hair, and has really fun, bright pink, blue, and green colored feathers. The other is made up of three larger brown and white feathers that are hung from strips of brown suede. These feathers are much longer, so I clipped them in higher on my head so that they didn’t look funny sticking too far out from my hair. I think both of the feathers look pretty great and after wearing both of them on several different occasions, I was really happy with the fact that the clip did not come loose in my hair, fall out, or shift around; as soon as it was attached to my hair, it was there to stay until I took it out.

Giveaway

I am really thrilled with the accessories that I received from KissPat Feather Store. They are unique, fun, and most importantly, they are all of really great, handmade quality. So, how about I give one of you lucky readers a $25 gift code that can be used to purchase any items of your choosing from KissPat Feather Store? To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received feather accessories from KissPat Feather Store for review and the opportunity to host this giveaway. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.

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Me, 6:30 this morning, very awesome Pink Floyd t-shirt that I cut the neckline out of, a t-shirt trend that I wrote about at length a few days ago.

I have been on a reverse sleeping schedule for the past few days. I used to keep this schedule most of the time–up all night and asleep most of the afternoon–but have been able to keep a “normal” schedule for the most part since we moved into this house. I thought that getting dressed (in something other than super comfy pajamas and thus keeping with the stereotype that bloggers really do wear pajamas all day) and doing my makeup would help me to stay up all day and get back to that normal schedule. No such luck, but that means I should be getting of work done tonight. Silver lining!

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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Lately, I have been most comfortable in shirts that hang off the shoulder. In fact, there are days when this style is the only appealing type of shirt in my closet. Shirts that hang off the shoulder are a little more roomy in the chest, plus they hang around the rest of my upper body in all the right places and just look cute. So, I have taken to gathering up all of my old, worn out t-shirts that I hardly ever wear anymore and cutting the necklines out of them. Some may think that this constitutes “ruining” my clothes, but I like to think of it as if I am breathing new life into them. These are shirts that I haven’t worn, besides probably to bed, in years. If something as simple as cutting a neckline means that I wear it more than I did before, then that can only be a good thing.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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So here is my first photo for Photo a Day May.

This is the print on the left side of a pair of purple sweatpants I picked up at rue21 on a whim sometime last year. I would link to them, but I can’t find them on their website for the life of me. They’re really cute, comfortable, and not too hot because they have elastic at the bottom of the legs so they can be scrunched up right under my knee. Perfect for this fickle spring weather when it’s warm during the day and abnormally chilly at night.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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While there are new fashion trends fashionistas everywhere strive to adhere to every season, spring fashion is full of staples that are always on the next year’s list of spring and summer fashion ‘do’s', so you don’t have to worry about buying an outfit in a certain style or accessories in bold colors only to have them quickly go out of style and never return to the mainstream. Fashion repeats itself, and hot weather seasons have definite fashion staples. So here are some items you can add to your wardrobe for spring that you will also be able to wear throughout summer and still be on-trend for next year with little or no updating needed.

The Classic Sundress

Sundresses are immensely popular in the spring and summer every single year. They scream ‘freedom!’ after months of winter layers and they allow women to finally bare their legs and feel the sun on their skin. Sundresses can be dressed down with canvas sneaks or dressed up with heels or wedge sandals, which makes them incredibly versatile. As soon as spring starts to set in you will also see a lot of colorful espadrilles for women, which always look great with a simple sundress. Regardless of what colors or types of patterns you feel your best in, you will undoubtedly be able to find a great sundress that calls to your personal style.

Graphic Floral Prints

Floral prints are everywhere this spring, and a great floral skirt can push you in the right direction of embracing beautiful, bold colors in both the blouse you pair it with and in your accessories.

Metallics

Metallics aren’t just for nights spent on the town this season, they can also be fabulous additions to your everyday wardrobe. A metallic tank adds a lot of personality to a simple pair of white skinny jeans or it can be worn under your blazer on a day spent at the office. Because metallic garments speak volumes all on their ow, they do not need to be accessorized with more than a small necklace or fun statement ring.

Colored Denim

We can all agree that dresses and skirts are a whole lot of fun, but the occasional dreary, rainy, or just plain chilly day exist in spring and for those days, you can’t go wrong with colored denim. Pair them with a tank, an over-sized t-shirt, a cardigan, or anything else your wild and crazy heart desires.

Orange, the Brighter the Better

I can’t guarantee that the bright orange trend will be back around next year, but for 2012, it is a powerful trend, what with Pantone announcing that “tangerine tango” is the 2012 color of the year and all. Have fun with bright orange either with a sundress in that color, or maybe try a pair of jeans and a bright orange tank, or wear the bold color on your feet with a pair of tangerine sandals.

What are some of your favorite spring fashion trends? Share them with us in the comments!

This is a sponsored post written by me. Incentive was provided to me, and opinions are my own.

Image credits: 1 2 3 4 5

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If you’ve never heard of Julep Maven before, it is a monthly service where for $19.99 (with free shipping), you will receive a box containing toxin-free nail polishes and cutting-edge mani and pedi products that are personalized to your style. It is a really great program if you love receiving and trying out new nail polishes.

The colors (from left to right):

• Jodie (deep rose with a golden shimmer)
• Melissa (sheer opalescent shimmer adds a soft glow when used alone and a high-fashion holographic effect when used over another color)
• Charlotte (demure lavender creme. Sophisticated with a twist)
• Leah (grass green with a hint of shimmer); a freebie from the Julep St. Patrick’s Day promotion

Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday this week? Link up your posts!

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When most people think about platinum jewelry, they think of three things: beautiful, elegant, and unaffordable. However, for the first time in recent history, the price of gold per ounce has actually risen higher than that of platinum. This means that when you choose to purchase a piece of precious platinum jewelry, you are receiving something that is of the best possible quality and will therefore last the longest amount of time. The price of platinum, when combined to other precious metals by ounce and value, means that platinum jewelry is now more attainable for more people than ever before.

This news about platinum jewelry should downright delight anyone who is currently in the midst of searching high and low for the perfect engagement ring, anniversary ring, or wedding band. Of course the same is true of any type of platinum jewelry, whether it’s a ring, necklace, bracelet, or even a watch, but I want to focus on engagement and anniversary rings and wedding bands because these are arguably the most treasured and important pieces of jewelry a person will ever own, and because of this significance, you really want to be sure that these pieces will in fact last a lifetime.

My partner and I have discussed the possibility of marriage being in our future on several occasions throughout the past few years. We are planners and it is our shared mindset that everything warrants a lengthy discussion. Throw in an incredibly huge decision like getting married and, well, we have had several discussions spanning over several years. These discussions eventually went on to include browsing a myriad of different websites for ideas on what I would like in an engagement ring, as well as the variety of options that are available for matching, appropriate wedding bands for the both of us. When you begin to look at rings, it is impossible not to take notice of the price tag. You may even choose to browse through a website’s inventory of rings by lowest price first or narrow down your search to eliminate options that aren’t in your preferred price range altogether. When you do this, you will see that gold and white gold rings appear much higher in your search results sporting a cheaper price tag. That is what I have taken away from the experience of looking for engagement ring options online, anyway. That is until I found out what really comes with that lower price.

Did you know that because white gold is created by adding an allow mix to pure yellow gold that removes its yellow color and creates the white look that it eventually needs to be re-dipped to retain that white color? I sure didn’t, until now! In fact, it is said that white gold jewelry could need to be re-dipped up to once or twice a year. Engagement rings and wedding bands are worn every single day throughout the length of a marriage and everyday wear can lead to gold being scratched and slivers of metal being lost. Eventually, these rings may need to be re-shanked or re-tipped to prevent the ring from breaking. That sure is a lot of added expense for a white gold ring that at first had the more attractive price tag.

Platinum is the densest precious metal; it is 40% denser than 18K gold and 60% denser than 14K gold, which makes it the most secure setting for a diamond or any other stone. This precious metal is also naturally white and will never fade or change color. An added benefit of its pure color is that if the ring holds a diamond or colored gemstone, it won’t cast any color onto it or take any attention away from the beauty of that center stone.

If you are searching for that picture perfect ring, or any other gorgeous piece of jewelry that is sure to be beloved, the quality and attributes of platinum will give you the added peace of mind that it will look just as beautiful and be just as strong 50 years from now as it is today. Plus, the incredible value of platinum now doesn’t hurt one bit, either.

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Adore Me is a new trendy lingerie club that offers a personalized shopping experience. The process is simple: Start by taking a quick style quiz where, through a series of multiple choice questions, your particular style preferences are determined. The Adore Me stylists use the results of your style quiz to hand-pick a selection of lingerie, including bra and panty sets, babydolls, slips, and hosiery, all of which compliment your unique style. Every month, your showroom will be updated with a selection of new lingerie to choose from.

I have been a member of Adore Me for a little over a month now–long enough to see two showrooms that had been put together for me based on the results of my style quiz. I was happy with my first showroom; it contained a few pieces of lingerie that I really liked, as well as a few other pieces I didn’t really care for, but I still saw style characteristics in these items that I typically like, and knew why they had been chosen to take up a space in my showroom. Upon seeing my second showroom, I am fairly certain that Adore Me is getting better with each passing month (they have only been up and running since November, after all!) My second showroom was amazing, with only two bra and panty sets out of ten that didn’t make my jaw drop.

What I like about Adore Me, as opposed to some other monthly subscription programs I’ve seen, is that they do not operate on a “grab bag” sort of premise. With some services, you pay a fixed price per month and receive one, a few, or even a whole box of goodies that have been selected for you. While it’s true that this is the closest one can get to Christmas coming once every month without any of the usual stress that accompanies the holidays, I have always been a little weary of any service that expects me to pay for something without telling me what that something is first. Why hand over money for something that you aren’t picking out yourself and maybe you won’t even like? Adore Me is different. While there is one fixed price for every piece of lingerie on their site–$39.95–you can choose to purchase your favorite pieces of lingerie from your showroom each month or not. If you don’t see something you like during a particular month, or if money is tight, you are never obligated to purchase a thing. Additionally, there is free shipping with every order from Adore Me, and free returns if your lingerie doesn’t fit you in all the right places or if the piece of lingerie you selected looked better in the picture on their website than it does on you. Don’t you hate it when that happens?

We will have a few lingerie reviews from Adore Me in the coming months, which I am really excited about. In the meantime, check out their website, sign up for a free Adore Me membership, and get started with your own personal lingerie showroom.

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The holiday season alone makes up between 25-40% of total annual retail sales, so the most wonderful time of the year can be a particularly joyous time for some retailers, while others can be left struggling.

Check out the following infographic to see which big-name retailers came out as winners after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and also information on the industries that typically benefit most during the holidays.

Click image to enlarge in new window

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I recently spent an afternoon with my 6-year-old stepdaughter, Rylie, just the two of us. She is very girly, loves all things pink and purple, and the funkier the item, the better. As soon as I saw Picasso Hair Feathers, I had a feeling that when she saw them she would really get into them, and I was right.

I received the Sweetheart 5-pack from Picasso Hair Feathers, which features an array of pink and purple hues. Each feather is 14 inches in length, guaranteed kink-free, and can be cut and styled any way you like.

Picasso Hair Feathers are unlike most other feather extensions on the market, as they are cruelty-free and made of synthetic materials instead of rooster feathers. I didn’t know this until I did some research on the subject, but the hair feather market contributes to the brutality and slaughter of thousands of roosters. The fact that Picasso Hair Feathers is committed to making a quality product without sacrificing the well-being of animals is all the more reason to support them if you are looking to add some fun flair to your locks.

Application of Picasso Hair Feathers is relatively simple–once you know what you’re doing. I have a particularly confident attitude when it comes to instructions in the sense that I don’t always read them. At the end of each feather is a threading loop and micro-ring already attached and because of that, I thought I would be able to just wing it. Subsequently, my first attempt at getting a feather into Rylie’s hair was a complete failure.

Luckily, a short and very helpful video was made by the woman behind Picasso Hair Feathers showing just how easy hair feather application can be when you know what to do with the threading loop and micro-ring.

The most important thing to remember when applying, in my experience, is to have enough hair gathered that your hair feather has something to hold on to and will stay in place, and not so much hair that you can’t get it through the micro-ring. As soon as I figured that out, the feather went right in.

Picasso Hair Feathers are a super fun way to explore a new, unique look again and again. While each feather lasts for 4 to 6 weeks and can be washed and styled, even with a blow dryer and flatiron, right along with your hair, they can be removed at any time. To do this, just squeeze the sides of the micro-ring on the top of the feather until it opens up and slide it out of your hair. You can even save it for future use if it’s still in good condition.

Giveaway

We really love Picasso Hair Feathers, so I am really excited to also have the opportunity to give some away! One Woman Tribune reader will win a Picasso Hair Feathers 5-pack of their choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a Picasso Hair Feathers 5-pack for review. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.

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There are incredibly few professional, or even semi-professional career paths you can go down where you will never find yourself in need of a stylish, dependable business suit. I thought for quite a while that I had fallen into a field where I would never even need to consider buying a business suit, but blogging in my pajamas led to receiving opportunities to attend events where pajamas are, in every situation, frowned upon. But it isn’t just the dirty looks or the abundance of fuel I would undoubtedly provide others for their blogs in wearing hot pink fuzzy pajama bottoms and over-sized t-shirts to a gathering, it’s the simple fact that whether you’re representing a company you work for or yourself and the brand you have created, you want to look put-together while still being comfortable enough to be yourself, and be taken seriously by those you interact with. Express can help you achieve just that.

The variety of women’s suits that are available at Express makes it easy to find a fitting and flattering look for a myriad of occasions. What I love most about them is that there are enough differences in the cuts and styles that they aren’t just carbon copies of every other women’s business suit I have seen before and because of that, they are extremely versatile. Also, depending on the type and print of blouse underneath a jacket and the accessories you choose to pair with your favorite suit, you can go from your staunchly corporate office job and then out for drinks afterwards with a few very minor tweaks.

Business suits aren’t just for the corporate-employed; even if you’re unemployed and looking to land a new job, a good business suit that makes you look and feel amazing about yourself will help you put your best foot forward during a job interview. First impressions really do matter and it’s even more important to make sure you’re making a fabulous one when your dream job may be within your reach.

Express wants to help put you in an amazing new business suit, so from now until the end of October enter the Express sweepstakes for a chance to win a $500 suiting makeover. They have business suit styles for women as well as for men and you can enter every day to earn additional entries.

What type of occasion or event would you wear your new suit, work, a business event, job interview? Tell us in the comments!

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Regardless of what your daily routine is like, if you are lucky enough to have fallen into a routine that works for you anyway, you know very well that life is hectic. If you’re a new mom or are juggling kids, carpools and sports practices, or if you work full-time, or are living the dorm life, the thought of stealing away a few precious moments to yourself can seem downright laughable.

It’s so easy to lose ourselves almost completely while tending to things that need our attention throughout the day. We’ve all been there, and we’ve all looked just as exhausted doing it. Just with running this website, working the odd freelance gig here and there, and maintaining my apartment while ensuring that it is in livable condition, I have frequently been in the position where I needed to leave the house within the next few minutes and suddenly realize I hadn’t even showered that day. Attractive, right?

I’m sure I would have looked at least a little more put together if I could quickly whip my hair into shape without having to actually take an entire shower. I’m a big fan of those shortcuts where you look presentable to the outside world but you know the minimal amount of effort that went into it; kind of like shaving your legs to the knee to accommodate a longer skirt.

TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo is made for the hectic, overwhelming, ‘Oh my goodness I need to be somewhere and didn’t shower’ kind of days. It is a quick and easy way to revitalize your hair without having to use even one drop of water, a concept that is beyond amazing to me.

Not surprisingly, this shampoo has a reputation for being one of the top hair products for school which makes total sense; washing your hair every day is not always a possibility when you’re sharing a bathroom with an entire floor and suddenly all you have time for is books, classes, libraries, and papers.

Using the TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo is pretty straightforward. Here’s the deal:

• Shake the shampoo vigorously before use as well as in between sprays
• Lift sections of your hair to lightly spray the roots
• Spray in short bursts, holding 8-12 inches from head
• Leave the shampoo in for 1-2 minutes
• Use your fingertips or a brush to distribute the product evenly
• It’s important to remember that this isn’t hair spray, so you shouldn’t spray it onto your head like you would with hair spray.

TRESemmé has an entire line of dry shampoo catering to all types of hair. Their strengthening shampoo contains B12 vitamins and keratin, which strengthens hair and leaves it full of healthy body; volumizing shampoo made with mineral clay and citrus and removes oil, smoothing shampoo made with vitamin H and silk proteins and moisturizing foam shampoo made with witch hazel, citrus and aloe vera to refresh your hair while moisturizing it.

If you have used dry shampoo, tell us, how well did it work for you?

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I am so completely and utterly in love with this sweater. It looks unbelievably cozy and I especially love the really wide arms.

The ruffle neck on this dark orange shirt does a ton to make a simple pair of jeans and a cardigan look way more put-together and polished. I don’t normally wear anything with ruffles of any sort, but I could try to make an exception with something like this.

Everything about this outfit is awesome. The green, blue and orange color scheme just epitomizes fall for me and I’m a big fan of simple ballet flats. Not to mention, how comfortable does that scarf look?

I pinned this image purely for the sweater. Nothing else about this outfit appeals to me in the least–I think that purse is hideous and I wouldn’t wear those boots, but the sweater just grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go.

This seems like more of a transitional outfit from summer into fall given the colors in the jewelry and clutch as well as the fact that there’s only a tank top under that sweater and no arm coverings. Nevertheless, I like it a lot.

While I obviously really like all of the fall outfits I posted so far, this is my absolute favorite of them all. The orange trench coat, the super comfy-looking sweater, the awesome handbag, and we cannot forget those shoes. It’s just all complete perfection.

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Its original state of being was very straight; so straight that I got a perm during a ‘I wish I had curly hair’ phase (don’t we all wish we had the exact opposite type of hair we do have at some point?) and two days later, it was completely straight again. But after having 14 inches of my hair chopped off when I was a freshman in high school, it mysteriously got wavy and proceeded to stay that way ever since. Thankfully, it is nothing a flatiron can’t fix. I much prefer it short, but I grow it to the middle of my back (or longer) every few years and have done this since that first time I had so many inches cut off because at the time of hearing about my plans for a drastic hair change, my dad introduced me to Locks of Love and I instantly wanted to help them with their mission of helping children who needed something that I was so willing and ready to get rid of without a second thought.

Because of the fact that I donate my hair every few years coupled with the fact that honestly, I can be pretty lazy with my hair, I have always kept the products I use to a minimum. That’s why it’s really important that I choose my hair care products wisely.

There are as many shampoos and conditioners in existence as there are types of hair, and I used to think that I had tried the vast majority of them. That is, until I discovered the existence of s factor shampoo.

S-Factor shampoos are formulated using high quality, safe ingredients and are said to completely transform hair from its usual, every day and probably quite boring state into super shiny, strengthened, luscious silky smooth locks. There are blends made specifically for colored-treated hair, as well as for hair that is frizzy, flat or dull. I immediately looked for some reviews of S-Factor shampoos as soon as I was made aware of them and from what I’ve found, if you’re looking for a shampoo that can work wonders to bring out your hair’s unique potential, S-Factor shampoos seem to be more than capable of doing the job.

Photo by Helga Weber

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We’ve all been there. We look in the mirror one day and realize that not one, not two, but multiple wrinkles have popped up seemingly overnight! Fortunately, there are a few proactive things that you can do to prevent premature wrinkles first of all and to minimize any fine lines that have already made their appearance.

Wear sunblock often. If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times… But what really matters is the type of sunblock that you are wearing to protect your skin from sun damage and premature wrinkles. It’s best to wear a sunblock that protects against the UVA and UVB rays of the sun, which are responsible for aging and burning.

You only need to wear a sunblock of SPF 50 at the maximum since the FDA recently banned sunscreen manufacturers from labeling any SPF higher than 50. The reason? There is no scientific evidence that a higher SPF of 50+ provides better sun protection.

Use the right kind of cleanser. Not just any cleanser will do! It’s important to use a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type. If you have dry skin and are using a cleanser made for oily skin, it will only dehydrate your skin even further. And when your skin is lacking in moisture, it will become fragile, thin, and prone to wrinkles.

Stimulate circulation. A gentle facial massage not only feels wonderful but will stimulate circulation to increase the blood flow to your complexion. This will help flush harmful toxins from the surface of your skin and deliver essential vitamins and nutrients to keep your skin radiant, healthy, and strong.

Wear mineral makeup. If you already have a few wrinkles that you’re not too excited about, you can conceal them by wearing powdered mineral makeup instead of liquid foundation. You may have noticed by now that liquid foundation only sits in the creases of your skin to make wrinkles appear even deeper.

But mineral makeup is made from milled minerals from the earth that lightly dust your skin to allow your complexion to breathe. Mineral makeup foundation looks much more natural and is better for the health of your skin to boot.

Exfoliate regularly. Just as bad as wrinkles are brown spots of hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage. Exfoliating 2 to 3 times per week will remove dark, dead patches of skin and stimulate new, healthy cell growth. For sensitive skin, use a natural fruit enzyme scrub; for oily skin, use a more aggressive exfoliant like salicylic or glycolic acid.

Bethany Ramos is an expert health writer who is passionate about nutrition and fitness. Please visit her HGH website for more information on how to naturally improve your health.

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For the second consecutive year, Nine West has released a mini collection under their Runway Relief Program which aims to combine the forces of the fashion and modeling industries in order to raise funds to aid in breast cancer awareness and prevention.

Three items make up the collection–a military-inspired boot containing a Runway Relief dog tag, a rockin’ black tank top and an amazing, road warrior-inspired messenger bag–with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s charitable organization.

All of the items in the mini collection are available for pre-order now. The tank and military-inspired boot will ship on August 9 and the messenger bag will ship on September 6 just in time for fall collections.

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DKNY announced late last week that they would be collaborating with Eric Daman, costume designer of the hit TV series Gossip Girl to create a collection of legwear for the brand. The collection will include eight styles and will hit stores in August.

When speaking about legwear, Daman said:

I feel like I grew up with legwear in the ’70s and ’80s, and it’s great to see legwear being part of a woman’s ensemble, a defining piece of women’s ready-to-wear. … Hosiery is quite sexy. What we try to do in Gossip Girl is lots of texture. It makes the characters come alive. [Legwear] gives a character like Blair life when she’s wearing a pencil skirt with distressed rib tights. It gives her look something special.

Daman’s collection for DKNY will include full-length tights as well as over-the-knee tights featuring texture, polka dots, jackquards, sheer stripes, florals and fishnets. Amazingly, the price range isn’t too bad; you can expect to pay between $15 and $24 per pair.

Photo by HEYNIEK

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Take a look at some of our favorite picks from the sale, or head on over to their site to see them all.

Vernal Tieback Dress A Tracy Reese original, exclusive to BHLDN $290 $150	Flouncy Peep-Toes By Schutz $190 $100	Tournesol Necklace Handmade in Belgium $355 $175
Twice-the-Knot Sandals A BHLDN exclusive $225 $100	Silver Granny Knot By Benedicte Mouret $200 $100	With A Kiss Shift By Lauren Moffatt $395 $175
Camellia Hatpin Handmade in Belgium $88 $50	Castle Hill Shift An Anna Sui original, exclusive to BHLDN $390 $175	Something Pink Slides A BHLDN exclusive $310 $150

Remember, because these are sale items, all sales are final. The sale ends Friday 10 a.m. ET.

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The newly-released Tarte for True Blood Limited Edition Palette is packed with 17 delightfully vampy eyeshadow colors, a full-size emphasEYES Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in black, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! clinically-proven natural mascara, and a deluxe Lifted Natural Eye Primer.

This limited edition palette is available for Sephora Beauty Insiders and the cosmetics included are formulated without parabens, synthetic fragrances, or phthalates.

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I should probably state that you will most likely only fall in love with this dress in a realistic sense if you have the body for an incredibly fitted dress made of jersey. I do not, but I sure do love looking at this dress anyway. Adorned with wavy ruffles along the shoulder and front and back of the dress that hang off to the side, it is a really great piece for the occasional outdoor summer party or anywhere else you’ll be going this season where you want to dress to impress.

The Margarita dress is so obviously inspired by the waves and color of the ocean, so it’s only natural that Pally decide to give 20% of the proceeds of this dress throughout the month of June to the Surfrider Foundation.

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit, grassroots organization that is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. They are committed to preserving beach access, preventing beach loss, protecting special places and eliminating ocean water pollution.

The foundation was founded in 1984 by a group of visionary surfers in Malibu, California and has grown to maintain more than 60,000 members and 100 chapters worldwide.

The price tag of the Rachel Pally Margarita dress is $229 and if you have to justify the price, know that a portion of your sale will go to directly benefit our world’s beaches and making them healthy, clean and fun for everyone.

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With the release of a very symbolic tee featuring a distressed print that still manages to radiate the message of the dawn of a new day, the ‘Rise’ tee will help in aiding the communities and areas affected with all profits from sales going directly to the Red Cross Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund.

The tee seems to be selling quickly, now only available in sizes extra small, small and large. It is made of 100% cotton in Canada and sells for $38.

When you buy the ‘Rise’ tee, your contribution to the Red Cross Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund will provide emergency needs including shelters, meals and snacks, as well as physical and mental health services.

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