Duping: How to Stay Pretty Without Hurting Your Wallet.

Being in college and trying to stay up on the current trends isn't always the easiest on your pockets. As a girl, sometimes beauty comes first, and you begin to wonder if you would rather buy the Naked palette or your  Intro to Public Relations book (or maybe that's just me!).

Oftentimes, you can find items just as good as your coveted beauty products at the – dare I say it? -- drugstore! Our local CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid stores carry most of these beauty products for an extremely low price! Also, I’ll be providing you with a website that carries dupes of some of the most famous YouTube palettes. All of the dupes are pretty close to their high-end counterparts! If you give them a try, comment below and let me know how they work for you!

My first and favorite duplicate would have to be Maybelline’s “The Falsies” mascara in replacement of Benefit “They're Real.” I found Benefit “They're Real” through a couple of YouTube gurus and decided to try it myself. My favorite thing about “They're Real” is that the brush is rounded on the tip, which makes it easier for you to get the lashes in the inner corner of your eyes! Maybelline doesn't have the same brush, but the consistency of the product is similar. Although Maybelline’s “The Falsies” can get a little clumpy, both products claim to make your eyelashes "false.” Would you rather shell out $23.99 or $6.99 on mascara? It's completely up to you!

Two of my favorite MAC Cosmetics lipsticks, “Snob” and “Angel,” have great dupes in the drugstore. Most of the time, the dupes for MAC lipsticks can be found in Revlon’s lipstick section. The dupe for “Snob” is Revlon’s “Pink Pout,” and the consistency is pretty much the same, as it’s very pigmented. “Snob” retails for $15, and “Pink Pout” retails for $7.

“Angel,” which is famously associated with socialite Kim Kardashian, is a pinky-nude color. It’s very flattering on most skin tones and is always sold out. Just in case you head to MAC the day it’s sold out, try Revlon’s “Primrose.” “Primrose” looks darker in the tube, but when switched, it looks exactly the same with the same finish.



Last but not least, a website I recently found called Tmart.com has dupes for the Naked 2, Naked 3 and Naked Basics palette. Below are links to reviews of these products and to the actual products for purchase. The original Naked 2 palette is $52.00, and the Naked Basics is $28.00. The Tmart dupe for Naked 2 is $9.99, and the Naked Basics is $9.17.

Happy duping ladies! Try to save that money for things like gas and groceries and less on your favorite expensive makeup palettes and lipsticks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_1qsO3khw4

Beauty & Brains: Top 6 Things You Need From Ulta

Every time I walk into Ulta I just get so overwhelmed by all the amazing things in there. Yes, I’m a self-proclaimed Ulta lover and I’m not scared to scream it from the mountaintops! But because there is so much stuff in there, you might not know what to choose from.  Here's just a few things I would recommend picking up because they are definitely worth the splurge or the couple of bucks! Hopefully I can help with the top 5 things I would buy from Ulta from makeup to skincare.

1. Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay
Price: $54.00
Naked 3 is known for its rose gold hues which are in style this fall season. They range from light shimmery pinks to dark black, matte shades. This is the first palette out of all of the Naked palettes and the colors are all new.  It also comes with a double-ended brush and eye shadow primer. This palette will have your eyes glittering for fall!

2. Clarisonic Mia
Price: $99.00
If you have a lot of problems with your skin, I would recommend the Clarisonic Mia! It gives you a deeper clean than using your hands or a washcloth. It makes your skin noticeably smoother and your pores become smaller. You can use it with your favorite face wash and remember to always keep it charged so you can take it with you on the go!

3. Real Technique Brushes
Price: $17.99
If you know anything about makeup brushes, you know that they’re super expensive! But there are always loopholes around that! Real Technique brushes are affordable and work just as well as Mac or Sigma brushes. They’re also a lot more colorful and that always makes things so much more fun to use!

4. Pineapple Facial Enzyme Mask
Price: $3.99
An exfoliating mask used to help reveal your inner most glowing skin!  It clears away dull skin cells and helps create skin renewal. It’s great for normal to combo skin. Did I mention it smells exactly like pineapples? Who wouldn’t love that?!

5. Organix Hair Products
Price $7.99-$13.99
I personally love every conditioner and shampoo I’ve ever gotten by Organix. They all smell amazing and they actually work. I use the Hydrating Tea Tree Mint and the Biotin and Collagen sets. The Biotin and Collagen have made my hair grow significantly! The best thing is that they aren’t super expensive and Ulta usually have great BOGO deals or half off deals on these products!

 6. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream
Price $5.99

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream:

• Straddles the line between lipstick and gloss
• Creamy, lustrous formula applies like silk
• Soft matte finish exudes a sensual glow
• Unique innovative texture adds the perfect polish to any look

 This is personally one of my favorite lip products and it's also a great price. Very college girl friendly! It looks great by itself or with a lip liner! NYX is often on sale at Ulta and these products definitely go quick. So if you have your eye on one particular color you better move fast!

5 YouTube Gurus You Should Be Following Now

Growing up in the generation where YouTube basically taught you everything you know, you feel so connected to those individuals who decide to spread their knowledge to millions all over the world.  The beauty community of YouTube taught me everything makeup- and hair-related that I know, from Beauty Blenders, primers and eyeshadow tutorials using the infamous Naked palette. But I’ve always enjoyed watching the videos of the gurus I could relate to more. I’m sure after you watch my 5 favorite gurus you’ll be hooked by their amazing personalities and their outrageous makeup collections!

LoveMelisaMichelle

What drew me to her is that she’s practical! She doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty to have a good end result. She loves to use her fingers instead of brushes and the occasional jokes make the 5-minute tutorial more enjoyable. She’s aware of her flaws and strives to make girls feel beautiful, even if it’s a “No Makeup Makeup look” or  her full face tutorials! She’s also extremely personable and her kids makes the videos even better!

Jeanine Amapola

What I love about Jeanine is that she’s a college student and has every tip for getting ready in a rush or just looking cute on a regular day on campus. She's relatable and responds to subscribers in her comments (she responded to me once!). She takes requests so she can meet the needs of her subscribers! Her countless tutorials, DIYs and hauls keep me coming back. She also does a lot of videos on DIY projects, Outfit of the day, vlogs, and just showing how her everyday life is.

Nabela Noor

Her channel is full of beauty tips, DIYs, room décor, food recipes and even touching on her relationship with her boyfriend who is of a different race. Nabela is also different than a lot of beauty Youtubers because she touches on her personal life about being plus size. She gives exercise and diet tips and also ways you can do your makeup to make your face look slimmer. She has a beautiful soul on camera is her makeup skills are amazing! She covers everything you would ever want to know! She’s also planning for her upcoming wedding! Can't wait to see the videos leading up to that!

Glamtwinz334

Two of the most gorgeous twins I’ve ever seen, Kendra and Kelsey have a huge following in the makeup and natural hair community. They have the best hair tutorials for girls with long and/or natural hair. Most people can't even believe that it’s their hair, but they have videos talking about their natural hair journey.  They are passionate about helping women look and feel good about themselves and giving them every tip they could possibly need!

ItsMyRaeRae

She’s an amazing makeup artist and great with hair. Of course, you may be interested in her page because she’s gorgeous, but she has an exuberant personality that makes all her videos interesting. She loves to take things step by step and always details what products she uses in the box below (super helpful for finding dupes and coupon codes!).

Top 5 Things Every College Girl Needs in Her Purse

Freaking out about what you need to keep in your purse?  I surveyed a couple of girls on our VSU campus to see what their tops are! Here are some of the most essential things to carry in your Michael Kors or Steve Madden bag!
1. Pepper Spray/Taser

 A necessity for every girl in college is some sort of protection! College could be a potentially dangerous place because you can't trust everyone! Some guys will be sketchy and try to approach you in a way that makes you really uncomfortable. In those cases, just pull out your pepper spray/ taser and give them what they deserve for being a creep.

2. Portable Charger

You’ll never know when your phone will die or where you’ll be! Having this handy device will keep your phone charged; the only downfall is that you have to constantly keep it charged also! Nevertheless, having this in your purse will save you a lot of problems!

3.Wallet/Cash

Of course you can never forget your cash or your wallet. It would be a shame to get to the counter of Ulta and you forgot your wallet at home! Always check before you walk out the door! There’s a good acronym to remember what things to take with you: P.M.I.L.K. Phone, Money, ID, License, and Keys.

4. Phone

Something none of us girls can live without! Without your phone you’re totally out of the know. Your GroupMe is at 200, texts at 15, and you missed Beyonce’s most recent pic on IG. Never leave it. You never know when an emergency will happen! Also, keep a car charger in your car just in case!

5. Perfume

My favorite one on the whole list! You can never leave the house without smelling good, and when you forget, you have a backup in your purse!  On a day where you’re having a study date with your crush, you’ll be happy you remembered to sneak your Juicy Couture or PINK perfume in your purse on the way out the door.
Honorable mentions:  Also don’t forget your mints (for obvious reasons), bobby pins (hair emergencies), your favorite chapstick or lipstick, hand sanitizer, and your agenda!
HCXO

More Money, More Problems: Budgeting Tips in College

  College is an amazing experience but you also learn valuable life lessons throughout your 4(+) years at your university. You learn about study habits, how to wash your own clothes, how to feed yourself, and the biggest is how to manage your own money! Being in charge of your money can be a major responsibility. But don’t worry, you’re ready for it! College is full of memories, but also full of extra finances, such as rent, gas, food, etc.  Just remember to utilize these 5 tips!

1. Have a source of income
Whether it’s from your parents or your own job, you always need to have a flow of money coming in for your living expenses.  Evaluate how much money you’re receiving altogether and start from here! There are plenty of jobs available on campus through Student Employment and through Career Opportunities! There are also off campus jobs that probably pay a lot more but it's harder to work your school schedule around those times. Also with off campus jobs you're not off when school is over you still have to go even when your friends are out having a great time on breaks. 
2. Start making a list of all the things you need
When you start to narrow it down and figure out how much each item costs, you can make a list and see how it matches up with your current budget. You have to think about how much your groceries, school books, gas and other miscellaneous things fit into the equation!
3. Prioritize and plan for everything
Is the Chris Brown and Trey Songz concert coming up? How about your friends b-day? Try to set aside some extra cash so you can do everything you want! This should be once in every blue moon for these events so try and enjoy yourself and save up ahead of time!
4. Have an emergency fund (strictly for emergencies)
You never know when something will pop up or happen, so always be prepared. Your car may get a flat tire on the way home from break and this emergency fund may be just the thing to get you out of your bind! Only use this for real emergencies; a shopping spree at Ulta isn’t an emergency… Trust me, I know! ;)
5. Credit card bills
In my case, I only use my card for emergencies. Try to only use your card when you have no other option. The interest rates on credit cards are nothing to play with! Try to stay current and keep track of everything you buy with it. It will save you some time and you won't have to worry about when you have to pay it!

Try to stick to the budget you created for yourself. If circumstances in your life change, just adjust your budget to what you deem appropriate. Life and college will throw some financial struggles your way! Just try to be prepared because it’s all a learning experience to help us grow!