Tacky or Trendy: Hair Jewelry

Braided hair is cute. A braided hair headband is even cuter when you want to rock a bohemian/indian girl look, but braided jewelry? Questionable. This is a jewelry line from a relatively new company Grau Wal. I will have to see this in person and try it on to form a solid opinion. I mean, what kind of neckline would be best suited for a braided hair necklace? Is it itchy? What I do know is that when you wear this, you cannot be conservative. You have to be balls out funky and experimental. Can I see Lady Gaga wear this? Yes. But I've also seen Lady Gaga in an outfit made from a pile of Kermit the Frogs. Most likely that wouldn't be suitable for work. I must say, I'm not too into the necklace, but the bracelet is kind of cute. If someone gave it to me for Christmas, sure, I'd wear it once or twice. The gift-er would have to be a high roller because these hair jewelry pieces start at $110. That's a little steep considering the product. For now, I'll stick to braids in my hair or in a headband. Something more like these:

Product Review: EZ Combs As Seen on TV

If you've been shopping at all, you must have seen EZ Combseverywhere! From your drug stores, to Walmart, to street venues and fairs, etc. I mean, EZ Combs are supposedly the new and improved hair clips. Since these hair clips have been constantly in my face, I finally gave in and bought 2 for $10. I was looking forward to something new because while I'm working, I always throw my hair in a ponytail. At the end of the day however, I'm pulling out handfuls of hair through the ponytail holder because of the stress. Not only was I just curious to see if this new product was really the bomb, but I felt like I needed to find a way to put my hair up with something more gentle.

So, I bought it. I've had it for a week now and I'm usually great with hair stuff. I am coordinated and I can utilize any weird product out there when it comes to hair. I will have to say, these things are mildly annoying. It is definitely not the most user friendly for beginners. At first, I didn't feel like it was tight enough. Then I realized that if you push it more together, it becomes looser. So I would stretch it out really far but I felt like I was giving myself a mini face lift when I did that. Which I guess isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I tried out all of the different looks. I did the half up ponytail, ponytail, french twist, butterfly twist, etc. At one point I just clawed it into my head at a random spot. Some worked out well -- the half up ponytail was cute. The ponytail and french twist I had to do over and over throughout the day because it kept getting loose. In the commercials, they say you can workout and use the EZ comb and it would stay put. I have a hard time believing that. I am not completely pushing this product aside, but I definitely don't think it's worth $5 a piece. I've seen places sell it for $15 and that's just ridiculous. I'm only upset that I bought it at a drug store, 2 for $10, which I guess isn't that bad, however, ebay is sooo much cheaper.

I definitely think that it's worth replacing a traditional claw because it's more comfortable to wear. With a traditional claw, you can't even lean back in your chair without resting your head on a big hunk of plastic. But with the EZ comb, you don't have to worry about that. It doesn't hurt to try this product out for yourself, just make sure you're getting the best value for it.

Where to Buy Bare Escentuals Makeup for Cheap

I know I've been writing a lot about these makeup "where to buy for cheap" lately, but seriously, you need to take advantage of all the different avenues of deals out there!

I am a huge fan of Bare Escentuals and seriously, it's almost cheaper to buy a whole new start up kit ($60 and that includes 2 shades, warmth, mineral veil and the concealer with all of the necessary brushes) than to buy a refill ($25 per shade, yuck!). Whether you're going into the Bare Escentuals store, buying it from Sephora or any other beauty makeup supply place, that is pretty much the price you're looking at. Until...stylewithanna did a little research for you of course. OBSERVE!

Amazon
Alllrighty. So, I looked and looked and I found a .08 oz of foundation (if you just need a refill and don't want to fuss with a whole other kit) on Amazon for as low as $12.99 with $3.75 for shipping. Without having to pay taxes and only paying $16.74, that's about an $8 plus tax savings! Not too shabby if you ask me. The great thing about Amazon is that if you're a prime member, you get free 2 day shipping. If you're not a prime member, but you purchase $20 or more, you get free standard shipping anyway. So you can avoid shipping costs altogether for an even bigger savings! Also, amazon is a bigger online company so if you ever have any problems, their return policies and process is much smoother and easier.

ioffer.com
I have to mention ioffer because if you're familiar with this site and you know what to be careful for, it is super cheap here. I've seen Bare Escentuals starter kits that retail for $60 sell for as low as $20. It's a great way to try out the makeup without having to invest a lot. With that being said, be 'oh so' very careful. A lot, if not all items on ioffer ship from china and other places overseas and boy do they know how to knock off a hot product. So read carefully, read the feedback and make sure that what you're buying is Bare Escentuals and not some random rice powder that they're trying to pawn off as makeup. Don't always be afraid that it's from overseas, because let's face it, almost all products we have here are from overseas anyway. Just make sure it's not a knock off is all.

Ebay
My favorite place to shop! Seriously, I rarely have a bad experience on ebay and I buy A LOT from them, including my Bare Escentual refills as a matter of fact! The thing is, my skin tone is a little weird. I'm an asian girl, so I have those golden undertones, but in the summer, I tan to the point where only my teeth and eyeballs are showing. So many times, I need to mix colors in order to find the right blend for my complexion. Oh yea, and I love warmth. It makes me look tan and healthy even in the winter time...not like I really experience winter since I live in Southern California, but still! So, I got 2 foundations at a buy it now price for $16 with free shipping and no tax. A $36 savings! And I got 3 bottles of warmth for $14.99, buy it now, no tax. Yea, warmth goes for $18/ea. plus tax at sephora or at Bare Escentuals. If you love ebay as much as I do, ignore every other place I've said and just go here. It's by far the cheapest, safest and easiest way to buy.

If you're going to avoid online altogether, I hear Ulta and Target is a good place to go. I can't guarantee it's going to be that much cheaper, but hey, that the price you pay for not getting with the times. There's only a select few Target stores that sell it, so you will have to do the leg work and please don't get frustrated and say I didn't tell you so. At the end of the day, if you are really that paranoid about online stuff, I guess you should just pay full price.

Where to Buy StriVectin for Cheap

StriVectin is the number one bestselling cream on the market. It's said to be better than botox. It's a miracle cream!...and it's awfully expensive. A tiny 1.3 oz. bottle of StriVectin eye cream will run you $59 retail. What if you're a skeptic like me. Does this stuff really work? That of course depends on the person, but the majority of the population who have tried StriVectin say 'yes'. That population includes my friends, family and myself. Keep in mind, the results are different for everyone. It takes time, so you must be patient and diligent in applying the cream daily. For my friend who tried StriVectin recently, I could see an obvious improvement in 2-3 days of use. The bottom line is that, if you wanna try StriVectin, but you don't want to shell out the full retail price, I've done some research for you:

1. Ebay

   Ebay is probably THE CHEAPEST place to buy StriVectin. A 1.3oz. bottle of StriVectin eye cream at Sephora is $59+tax. On ebay, a 1.3oz bottle of eye cream costs $38, Buy it now, free shipping, no tax. If you get it at Sephora, you're looking about approximately $63 with taxes. That's roughly about a 40% savings! Omg. And you can easily find a 1.0 oz. bottle for $29 with free shipping on ebay. Just make sure that the seller you're buying it from is reputable. Also, make sure the StriVectin is not some knock off product and you're good to go. Remember to read the seller's feedback and see if other ebayers have purchased StriVectin products from the seller and what they have to say about their purchase experience with the seller and the product. Ebay is seriously a lifesaver, everytime.

    
   
2. Amazon

   If you're not into bidding and you still haven't jumped on the ebay train, try amazon! You can purchase a 1.3 oz. bottle of eye cream anywhere from $42-$50 and get free shipping and no tax as well. It's a small savings for security, but still a savings compared to the retail price at the mall.

    
   
3. GNC

   Odd right? I know. Well, the reason why I'm suggesting GNC is because when you sign up for the Gold Rewards card, you get 20% off. If you happen to already be a GNC shopper, why not right? Yes, it cost $15 to sign up. However, the moment you sign up, you get 20% off the day you join and 20% off the first 7 days of the month for a year. It's a little confusing and of course I wouldn't advise you do this unless you plan on using the discount to replenish StriVectin creams on a regular basis, buy in bulk, and/or buy other nutritional products. Then it's worth it. Otherwise, Ebay please!