Thrifty Belleza

Hey Bellas,

Today on the blog I'm excited to try something new (well new to me at least)! That's right, it's a guest post from my best friend, Natalia! It's no surprise that we are obsessed with beauty products, it's been a major way for us to bond over the years. One thing I've always been super jelly of is how she's able to keep her platinum blonde hair color looking so bright and vivid. After bleaching her hair to achieve the perfect shade, she's discovered the holy grail of drugstore hair care products, Nexxus ProMend split end treatment.
I'll let her take it away so you can learn more about it :)

I have to let you all know about the wonders of the Nexxus ProMend split end treatment- the miracle making shampoo and conditioning system that we've all been looking for. Let me introduce myself, my name is Natalia and I'm forever on the hunt for hair products that actually work.

Hundreds of shampoos, conditioners, masks, serums and sprays promise to make your strands silky smooth while kicking split ends to the curb. But how can you be sure they work? Well, you can't. Unfortunately, many products prove to be let downs. It takes quite a bit of time and money to find the select few that keep their promise. Let me save you the hassle. I'll be the first to admit that I'm completely guilty of over dying and frying my hair, which is why I'm always looking for hair saviors. 

Keeping up with my current bleached blonde, 205 on the L'Oreal Feria scale, "look" is no easy task. Every four weeks I find myself buying another box and filling in my horrendous roots and touching up the rest. Besides bleaching, my hair goes through blow drying, straightening and curling, usually on the daily. Yes, my hair really does hate me. I have fairly long, fine hair. I struggle with frizz and those dreaded split ends. I hate the idea of trimming my hair and would rather heal my ends, leaving my hair forever long and luscious. 

No product will ever completely take away your split ends, but Nexxus ProMend comes very close. I saw a difference after the first few uses, and now, a month later, I can see and feel a drastic difference in my hair. My hair is far from perfect, but it looks healthier, feels smoother, and those split ends are much less visible. Did I mention it smells great too? I highly recommend this product duo to those who love to color and style their hair, and suffer the split end consequence.The Nexxus ProMend shampoo and conditioner can be found at your local target or drug store. You can also buy it on Walgreens' website for $10.49. 

What do you guys do to keep your hair's split ends at bay? Sound off in the comments!

XO, 

Hi Bellas!

This winter, I'm all about dark lipsticks. I can't get enough of them since I'm not really a fan of using pinks and oranges during the colder seasons. The only problem is that sometimes the lipsticks that I try on are waaaay too dark for my complexion and aren't flattering at all. That's why I was so excited to get my hands on this thrifty lipstick called "Sangria" from Milani's Color Statement Collection. 

I never really tried Milani's lipsticks, but when this new line came out earlier this year I was really curious to see how they reinvented their formula. I'm so glad I took the chance because this lippy is absolutely gorgeous. Sangria is the perfect name for this shade because it leaves your lips looking like you just took a few sips of a wine, not that that's a bad thing ;) 

As far as texture goes, the lipstick is advertised as having a matte finish, but I'd say it's more of a creamy matte. My favorite thing about this lipstick is  that it doesn't dry out your lips like other matte lipsticks, making it a great drugstore find. However, I highly recommend exfoliating before application by rubbing a toothbrush over your lips to get rid of any dead skin cells. If you apply it all willy nilly, it will leave any cracked skin on the lips looking darker and way more noticeable, so smooth lips are an absolute must when rocking this.

                Also, I decided to make a tutorial for you guys on how to get the perfect application for this lipstick in 4 easy steps! 

1) I should have added exfoliate and moisturize to the pictorial, but I forgot! Gently pass a toothbrush over the surface of lips in circular motions for 30 seconds. Wipe lips off with a towel. Apply your favorite lip balm to hydrate, I used Rosebud Salve Lip Balm.

2) To ensure a matte finish, apply a translucent powder all over lips using a small concealer brush. I used e.l.f. Translucent Matifying Powder.

3) Line lips the outside of the lips with a lip liner dark purple or pink. Then apply lip liner to the inside of lips. I used NYX Lip Liner Pencil in Purple Rain. 

4) Coat a lip brush with the Sangria lipstick and apply it in strokes starting from the center of lips and work your way outward. I suggest applying at least 3 layers to get the most color, but you can build up the color to your desire. 

5) Finish by applying concealer with a concealer brush to the perimeter of lips to clean up any product that has fallen outside of the lines. 

Merry Christmas Bellas,

I hope you are all having a fabulous day! I can't believe it's almost over in two hours on the East Coast. I just wanted to share some of the holiday nail art that I was rocking at my family's Christmas Eve party last night.

I was in the middle of making a gingerbread house when I took these photos so my hands have little crumbs on them, I apologize! This mani might look super complicated, but it was actually easy. I did this with the help of a YouTube tutorial video from Cute Polish nails which you should definitely check out. My favorite is Santa on my middle finger and his suit on my pointer, isn't he adorable?!

Hey Bellas,

A few weeks ago I reviewed my favorite skincare essentials, Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask and Biore Acne Clearing Scrub. As promised, I said that I would follow up with another post featuring my must-have moisturizer to use after applying these cleansing products. Don't worry, I didn't forget! 

===Spanish / Español===

Hola Bellas,

Hace unas semanas, escribe sobre productos esenciales para la piel que yo uso, Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask y Biore Acne Clearing Scrub. Como les prometí, decidí a escribir de nuevo sobre una crema hidratante de noche que yo uso diariamente después de usar los otros productos de piel.

===Spanish / Español===

Mi piel se pone muy seca y escamosa debido a la clima frío en el la costa este y Nueva Jersey durante este tiempo del año. Por eso, me encanta la crema hidratante de noche hecho por Neutrogena, la mejor crema que uno puede comprar este invierno por menos de $15 dólares.

Tengo piel mixta, y como otras personas, tengo una zona T muy seca que se pone fuera de control hice no me lo cuido. Esta crema arregla este problema enseguida. Me lo aplico a la piel después de lavarme la cara durante la noche. No recomiendo que se use esto durante el día ni abajo del maquillaje porque aunque el paquete dice que es ligero, lo siento un poco pesado. 

As far as the packaging goes, it's relatively simple and basic. Nothing too fancy, it comes in a white jar with a blue top which makes it easier to spot among my other products. There is no smell to it, if anything it smells like a fragrance free hand lotion.

 Unlike some moisturizers it does not leave your face greasy and it keeps your face and neck feeling super smooth. Also, I'd like to add that one time when I was home from school for the weekend, I forgot to pack this in my bag and I was freaking out because my skin became really oily afterward. Since I wasn't able to apply the cream on my face for like 3 days, it was overproducing sebum to compensate for the lack of moisture. I've become pretty dependent on this stuff and without it my skin is thrown off balance a little which can be a good or a bad thing I suppose. 

===Spanish / Español===

El producto se ve muy sencillo y viene en una jara con una tapa azul que es fácil a encontrar en medio de todos mis productos. No tiene olor, e hice tengo que compararlo con algo, huele a una crema de mano sin perfume.

Algunas cremas dejan a la piel grasosa, pero está no, deja la cara y cuello suave. También quiero contarles que una vez se me olvido de empaquetar la crema en mi maleta cuando fui de mi escuela a mi casa un fin de semana. Después, mi piel se puso muy grasosa porque no pude aplicarme la crema por tres días. Mi piel estaba produciendo tanta grasa porque no tenía suficiente hidratación. Entonces cuando no uso este producto, mi piel se pone muy mal.

If you're ever at the drugstore and see this, don't hesitate to buy it! I don't think that you'll regret it and after a long day out in the cold, your skin will thank you for it.

Also, I'd like to wish everyone a merry Christmas! I hope that you all have an absolutely wonderful day with your friends and family and that Santa brings you lots of presents, hehe :)

===Spanish / Español===

¡Hice estás en la farmacia un día y vez este producto, no dudes en comprarlo! No creo que se van a arrepentir y después de un día de exposición al sol o el frío, su piel le va a agradecer.

Hey Bellas,

Here's a quick post on some looks that I did this week featuring the e.l.f. Geometric Holiday Palette. It's my new favorite palette and includes 150 eyeshadows!! To see all of the colors in the palette, click here. Now that I'm finally done with college finals, I can start playing around with this some more. There are two looks that I created with this so far that I wanted to share with you guys.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen the steps that I uploaded for this look:

1) Prime eyes with @officialelfcosmetics Eyelid Primer. 

2) Apply @nyxcosmetics Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk over the entire eyelid as a base. 

3) Sweep a dark purple eyeshadow from the e.l.f. 150 piece Geometric Palette onto the lid. 

4) Blend a black shadow from the palette into the outer V. 

5)Add a shimmery brown shadow into the crease. 

6)Apply a white shadow on the brow bone as a highlight. 

7)Line the upper lashes with NYX Glam (liquid) Liner in black and line the waterline with a pencil eyeliner. 

8) Add a silver shadow and smudge onto the lower lashline. 

9) Finish with @lorealparisusa Lash Out Butterfly mascara.

I think that this is a really great look if you want to go more natural and just add a hint of shimmer and a subtle pop of color on the eyelids. 

The possibilities are really endless with this palette. Check out part 2 of my review, which includes swatches and tips on how to get the most pigment and minimize fallout with these shadows. Have a great rest of the week :)

Hey Bellas,

If you're anything like me, you might not have found everything you were looking for during all of the Black Friday craziness. Luckily, there's still Cyber Monday! Originally, I wasn't planning on any Cyber Monday shopping, but since my Black Friday was somewhat disappointing, I've been scouring the web to find the best deals on budget beauty brands. 

Check out this list that I've compiled for you guys to help us all save some cash! I'd love to hear about any cool purchases you make. Also feel free to let me know if I'm missing something on this list that you feel is important!

ButterLondon: 12/2 Get 20% off regular priced items sitewide and 50% off items marked "Last Orders" using the code CYBER13. 

Clinique: On 12/2 Get 3 FREE moisture minis with any purchase. Use the code DRY or OILY depending on your skin type.

 e.l.f Cosmetics: Today 11/30 enjoy BOGO 50% off sitewide and a FREE $10 Gift Card with your order until midnight. Use the code BLKFRI at checkout on orders of $30 or more. On 12/2 Score a 50% discount on all orders of $30 and up on Eyes Lips Face's website.

Stila Cosmetics: From 12/2-12/9 save up 80% on select Stila products during their annual warehouse sale.  

tarte Cosmetics: 11/30-12/1 Get 25% off your order and free shipping on orders of $40 or more using the code TURKEY at checkout. 12/2 all mascaras $10, blushes $20 and maracuja oil $30 and lash enhancer $40.

Ulta: For the hair lovers on 11/30 Ulta is offering B2GO (Buy two get one) FREE on with the purchase any Organix product and on 12/2 BOGO FREE on Not Your Mother's hair products. Use the code JINGLE13 to get free shipping on any order $25 and over.

Urban Decay: On 12/2 Get your hands on the 2011 Book of Shadows Vol. IV and a sample of Revolution Lipstick for only $25.

Yes To: On 12/2 Yes To is offering a $2 discount on single item products site wide from 12pm to 2pm. 

Disclosure: The photos featured in the collage in this post were not taken by me and are credited to the manufacturer's website. The collage was created using Polyvore.

Hey Bellas!

So I've been dying to start a weekly blog post series and I came up with Thrifty Thursdays after seeing a couple awesome deals at the drugstore. Every Thursday, I'll give you chicas a heads up about an online or drugstore beauty sale that you can get your hands on to save some extra cash. Who doesn't love a good bargain?!

Today while I was shopping in Walgreens with my boyfriend, I discovered these sales on nail polish that caught my eye. I believe that they are only on sale for the remainder of the week, so hurry!

Retails for $11.49

On Sale for $5.79 

You save $5.70

Retails for $8.99

On Sale for $2.29 

You save $6.70

Retails for $9.99

On Sale for $4.99

You save $5.00

Retails for $7.99

On Sale for $3.99 

You save $4.00

Retails for $12.99

On Sale for $6.49 

You save $6.50

*Bonus Alert* If you like SensatioNail's page on Facebook by clicking here and give them your email, you will be able to unlock a coupon for an additional $2.00 off the nail polish. I'm not entirely sure, but you may be able to "stack" the manufacturer's coupon on top of the Walgreens sale. So your total could potentially come out to $4.49.

Total savings for this week $27.90, woohoo!

Let me know if you go out and score any of these sweet deals, ladies.

P.S. I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures, they were taken in the spur of the moment using my camera phone.

Besitos,

Happy Wednesday Bellas!

Do you ever wake up on some days and find yourself in the middle of a really bad acne breakout? 

 *Raises hand* 

From the moment I was a teenager, I've constantly had an uphill battle with acne. It runs in my family and I wound up inheriting the lucky genes. To be honest, as much as I tried to play it off growing up, the truth is that acne really took a toll on my self esteem. For the most part, I've learned how to deal with acne and no longer let it control my life. 

During this point in the semester, things are kicked into overdrive. Personally, I get tons of acne when I'm stressed out about school and one morning I woke up with zits all over my forehead. Thankfully, I've used my two secret weapons to successfully combat this issue - meet Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque and Bioré Acne Clearing Scrub.

Basically, it's a green mask that you apply for 15 to 30 minutes (but no more than that or it'll seriously dry up your skin) and it cleans your pores deep down to get rid of pimples and blackheads. The formula also works to remove excess oil to prevent future breakouts. If you have combination skin like moi, you seriously need this stuff in your life! Like many Latinas, I have a really oily t-zone and chin, so this really helps to create some type of balance and has an instant mattifying effect.

With winter on its way, I recommend only using this once every two weeks because it can strip your skin of its natural moisture if used too much.  In order to compensate, your skin will overproduce oil and that's no fun. During the summer months, I use this more frequently on a weekly basis since the oil production in my face increases. 

After a long day, there's no better way to unwind and pamper yourself than with an awesome clay mask. Am I right, chicas?

Of course no skin care review would be complete without mentioning a great scrub, like this one from Bioré! This Complexion and Acne Clearing scrub has become my absolute favorite exfoliator. This product uses spherical microbeads to unclog stubborn pores. It has a slight mandarin and mint-y scent to it, which is perfect for me when I'm struggling to wake up on lazy mornings, haha!

Since this only contains about 1% salicylic acid (a key ingredient in treating acne) I think that this product is suitable for sensitive skin. From my personal experience, since it's not that powerful it won't instantaneously clear up major pimples that you have. This is more useful if you're looking for a product to prevent acne, which it does.

It's gentle enough where you could use it everyday if you really wanted to, but I prefer using it every other day just to give my skin a break. I love when I find products like this that don't give your face a feeling of tightness. I will say that it does give you a tingly sensation while you have it on, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Another major plus for me is that a little goes a long way with this product. I used a pea sized amount on my hand and spread it around a bit, which is enough for your face.  I've had this since July and I'm only halfway through with it. Trust me, you get your money's worth.

Again, Bioré brings us an affordable skin care staple that won't break the bank. You can find this in drugstores or purchase it here on Amazon for $5.49.

I hope this review helps any of you that may have skincare issues like me. I can honestly say that since I started using these products, not only have I noticed a difference in my skin's appearance, others have too. I get compliments on how smooth and soft my skin looks and I honestly believe it's because I've adopted a consistent skincare routine.  

What are your go-to facial cleansing products? Sound off below in the comments and let me know if you've ever tried any of these products before and what your experience has been.

*Disclosure* The Queen Helen Mint Julep Masque was purchased by me for review purposes. The Bioré Acne Clearing Scrub was given to me as a gift.  This does not compromise the authenticity and honesty of this review. 

Have a great week everyone!
Besitos,

Hey Bellas!

After a taking a hiatus that was a bit too long, I'm so happy to say that I'M BACK! I took a little break from blogging because I was in the process of transferring into a new school (Go Rutgers!) and as a college student I was a little swamped. I will be getting back onto a regular blogging schedule, so I haven't quit blogging or anything.

¡Hola Bellas!

¡Después de tomar un descanso, estoy contenta de anunciar que regrese! Tomé un descanso de bloguear porque estuve en el proceso de cambiar de universidades (¡vamos Rutgers!) entonces estuve un poco ocupada. Voy a establecer un horario regular de bloguear.

Un día estaba revisando Instagram y me di cuenta de una foto que subió Rihanna de su manicura.

I couldn't help myself and had to try to recreate the look. It's a super chic and simple mani for the fall that can be done easily. Even though my nails aren't as long as Rihanna's, I think people with small nailbeds can pull it off too!

No pude resistir de intentar a recrear el look. Es perfecto para el otoño y se puede hacer facilmente.

How to get the look:

1) For the base, start by painting on two coats of a nude polish. I used Sally Hansen's "Cafe Au Laite".

2) Next, paint on one freehand stroke of red nail polish starting from the left side of the nail tip. I used Zoya nail polish in "Rehka". Paint this stroke downward direction and let it curve slightly to create a heart shape. Repeat on the right side.

3) Let dry and seal with a clear top coat.

 Como conseguir el "look":

 1) Para la base, pintar dos capas de un esmalte nude. Yo use la marca de Sally Hansen en "Cafe Au Laite".

2) Próximo, pinta un trazo a mano alzada de esmalte rojo a partir de la parte izquierda de la punta de la uña. Yo use la marca Zoya en "Rehka". Pinta esto en una dirección hacia abajo y dejar que se curva ligeramente para crear una forma de corazón. Repita en el lado derecho.

3) Dejar secar y sellar con una capa clara.

¡Anda, trata de hacerlo y dejame saber que piensas!

If you're looking for a creamy pink shade, definitely check out Maybeline's 14 hour lipstick in Perpetual Peony. It goes on super smooth and has major staying power. This is will help complement and balance out a dramatic look on the eyes if you want to keep your lips looking simple. Plus it smells AMAZING, it reminds me of yummy blueberries.

Si buscas un rosado cremoso, tienes que tratar este lápiz de labio de 14 horas de Maybeline en Perpetual Peony. Queda suavesito en los labios y dura mucho tiempo. Esto es bueno para balanzear maquilaje oscuro en los ojos porque es mas sencilo. Tambien huele RIQUIZISMO, tiene un holor a arándanos.

If I had to pick a favorite out of all of these, it would have to be this one! Here I'm wearing Covergirl's Lip Perfection lipstick in Flame. I can't help but feel super confident when I walk out of the door with this because it makes my smile look brighter and my lips look full. I'm telling you ladies, this color is on fire!

When I want to go for a lighter shade, I like to wear a lip stain like this one from Hard Candy in Orange You Sweet. This falls somewhere in between a lipstick and lipgloss. It leaves you with a gorgeous orange color and with a slight shine that won't dry you lips out. On those days that you find yourself running all over the place, this lip stain will be your best friend!

Cada vez que yo quiero usar un tono mas bajo, me gusta ponerme un manchador de labios como éste de Hard Candy en Orange You Sweet. Esto cae en el medio de un lápiz de labio y un brillo de labio. Te deja con un color anaranjado que tiene un poco de brillo, pero no reseca los labios. ¡Entonces, para esos días que estas ocupadisima corriendo por todaspartes, este manchador sera su mejor amiga!

At first glance, this lip cream looks very similar to Maybeline's lipstick. I have to say that this lip cream by NYX in Istanbul is definitely a league of its own because of the matte finish. It has a little shine in the photo above because I have lip balm underneath, but by itself it's a smooth matte shade. I love this product because as a lip cream, it's WAY easier to apply than matte lipsticks and gives me a very similar effect!

Cuando lo ves por primera vez, esta crema de labio se parece muy similar al lápiz de labio de Maybeline. Esta crema de labio hecho por NYX en Istanbul esta en su propio liga por el efecto matte. Lleva un poco de brillo en la foto de ariba porque tengo un pomada para labios por debajo. ¡Me encanta este producto porque como es una crema, es mucho más fácil aplicar que un lápiz de labio matte!

Do you have any lipsticks, glosses or stains that you can't live without? I'd love to hear about them, comment below!

¿Tienes un lápiz de labio regular, de brillo o manchador que no puedes vivir sin ellos? ¡Me enctaria saber cual es, deja un comentario abajo!