Steals & Deals

With summer just around the corner many of us, myself included, are about to be overwhelmed with rocking the summer trends (who else is stoked for dresses and skirts?!). 

Now, if you are anything like me and get caught up in the excitement of a new season, we buy way too much and seem to forget that in another month styles are going to change again. This being said, it's always best to shop strategically and look for ways to save, while being fashion savvy. Of course there are these few tips such as:

• Buy items that can be worn during multiple seasons and are timeless and match a variety of other pieces. 
• Keep in mind accessories are key and can really change up an outfit. 
• Try and buy more solid colored garments opposed to printed, because again, they can be worn in multiple seasons. (I mean who wears floral in the winter?) 

But when it comes to actually purchasing your chic new summer wardrobe, there are these nifty sites and shops that I've been using that really give you bang for your buck! Who doesn't like a good deal, right?

    Tradesy (my new found love)

Okay, so when you think about buying trendier designer items you probably first consider checking out eBay for a good deal before hitting the designer racks. However as I'm sure we all know if we're looking for genuine Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, or other name brands this method is approached with skepticism at best, thanks to the ever growing amount of counterfeiters using the platform to make a quick buck. But that's to the establishment of Tradesy back in 2012, fear no more!

 What is it? Well obviously it's a shopping site however this site has a guarantee that your goods are 100% authentic, but at a steeply discounted price. The catch? These items maybe a season or two old, but bargainers can't be choosers, though the gorgeous pieces you find here generally are timeless. 

The brands they carry? Almost anything you can think of from Louboutin, Prada, Micheal Kors, and even J. Crew.  

What's in my closet from Tradesy? 

Christian Louboutin Daf Booty, $369.99 (original price $1,400.00)

ModCloth

Ahhh, ModCloth one of my favorite vintage clothing companies with out the vintage pricetag. This Pittsburgh based clothing store (No, not the reason I favor them but I do find it pretty sweet they are based in my home town!) is my go to store for casual dresses, shorts, and tees. 

Unlike other normal department store, ModCloth has vintage and contemporary clothing for less and they'll keep you looking fresh and fashion forward without killing your bank account. Another thing to know about ModCloth is if you need to return anything they are good with handling exchanges and refunds. 

My loves from ModCloth? 

Roughly $250.00 for all items shown.

The Runway -T.J. Maxx 

Much like the regular T.J. Maxx "The Runway" features designer goods at discount prices. However unlike the regular T.J. Maxx The Runway features designers such as Valentino, Alexis Bitter, Versace, Gucci, and Elizabeth and James. And the prices are rad. I mean a Diane Von Furstenberg dress for $179.99? Yes please! Another perk is The Runway stores are popping up everywhere meaning if you're a more tactile shopper, you're in luck. Though this store maybe a tad bit pricier than the others, I just had to include it due to the awesome deals! 

What I'm wanting to own from The Runway T.J. Maxx? 

Gucci Women's Swiss Made Stainless Steel Watch, $599.99 (originally $900.00)

Face On: A Lesson On Skin Care

I'm sure we all know that we should be washing our faces well and often but with all the cleansers, toners, serums, and moisturizers out there how do you know which one is right for you? Well, for anyone wondering I hope this post gives you some insight! 

Before I dive into this post though there are a few terms you should all know and the things that they do! These terms are:

• Exfoliant 
• Cleanser
• Toner
• Serum
• Moisturizer  

Exfoliant

An exfoliant is a granular wash or scrub that you should use 1 to 3 times a week (depending on your skin type) before washing your face. Why? Because it removes dead cells away from the surface of your skin which makes it easier for your cleanser to unclog your pores.

Cleanser

Facial cleanser is a soap like substance that you use to remove any remaining makeup, dead skin cells, oil, dirt, and pretty much any other pollutants that could be on your face.  This step unclogs your pores and prevents you from getting pimples!

Toner  

This is a type of liquid lotion that is designed to cleanse and shrink pores. Best applied with a cotton ball or pad. 

Serum

Serums are basically moisturizers without the air tight moisturizing ingredients such as petrolatum or mineral oils that keep water from evaporating. Serums also have less thickening agents such as nut and seed oils (most serums are actually water based eliminating the oil component all together). Why use it? Serum, like moisturizer, keeps your skin from being to dry or too oily. The only difference is the ingredients and the feel of it on the skin, it's so light and airy feeling opposed to how heavy moisturizer can feel but with the same result: silky smooth skin. 

Moisturizer  

Moisturizers are used to prevent your skin from becoming to dry or too oily. Moisturizers also make your skin soft and smooth.

And now that you know the works, let's talk about the best skin care routine for your skin type! 

Oily Skin

If you struggle with the annoyance of a shiny face that somewhat resembles an oil slick, chances are you have oily skin. So how do you tackle it? Well the first step you should take is finding a good exfoliant, exfoliating is the best way to remove that build up of dead skin cells and other pollutants ultimately unclogging your pores, if you have oily skin you should do this 2 to 3 times a week.

Next you should use a gentle cleanser twice a day, but beware, any product that makes your skin tingle should be avoided. This is because the product most likely contains alcohol, and should be avoided because though you may think that its helping your skin by drying it and making it feel less oily, its actually just making matters worse. This is because by applying this right to the oil glands you're just causing them to produce even more oil!

Okay so you got your cleanser now what? Well now you're going to need an alcohol free toner. Toners like this help your skin heal, minimize pores, and remove any remaining dead skin cells.

Lastly before bed you should use a hydration gel, which is basically just a type moisturizer. This is because it simply provides hydration as well as heals your skin  while you slumber.

Best products for your skin type?

From left to right:  Exfoliating Scrub: $20.00, Liquid Facial Soap: $17.00, Clarifying Lotion: $13.50, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel: $26.00 (all products available at Macy's)

Dry Skin

First things first: Warm water yes, hot water hell no. Sure that steam feels good but it's not good for dry skin. This is because hot water strips your skin of it natural oil that you need to trap moisture hence making your dry.

People with dry skin can use an exfoliating scrub but I wouldn't suggested considering your skin is already dry a scrub may make it irritated, so I suggest simply using a soft bristled electronic facial brush along with your cleanser . (Face brushes can be bought from Olay, Neutrogena, and Clarisonic)  For those of you with dry skin I would reccomend a gentle moisturizing cleanser with no fragrance. This is because products with deodorant or antibacterial additives are harsh on skin. Same applies for a toner.

Next you need a serum and a hydration moisturizer. You need both because with having dry skin, serum works right at the source of the irritation for immediate relief and the moisturizer with keep you skin hydrated for the long haul, leaving it smooth and reducing flakiness.

Best products for your skin type?

From left to right:  Soft Clean Facial Soap: $32.00, Perfectly Clean Toner: $20.00, Soft Clean Hydrating Lotion (serum): $32.00, Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Lotion (moisturizer): $44.00 (all products available at Macy's)

Sensitive/Normal Skin

For those of you that are like me and have sensitive or normal skin, you know what a hassle it is to find products to benefit you, at least in a set. But hopefully my next suggestions will help you! Firstly much like with dry skin you want to only use warm water because hot water can leave your skin irritated and splotchy. 

Just like with dry skin, I wouldn't recommend using a exfoliating but just a  soft bristled electronic facial brush along with your cleanser . (Facial brushes can be bought from Olay, Neutrogena, and Clarisonic)

Next you need an alcohol and fragrance free cleanser. Fragrance free is just my personal preference, but alcohol free is a must because like every other skin type alcohol will dry out your skin. Now the type of toner that works best for this skin type is oil minimizing which  boosts the moisture in your skin while it minimizes oil. This is good for your skin because it reduces pores and replenishes your skin.

This next step you don't necessarily need but I like it and this is a sculpting serum. I use this in the morning opposed to moisturizer because it is so much lighter on my skin and leaves my skin feeling fresh!  I also use it at night along with my  moisturizer just for the added benefits of even smoother skin.

From left to right:  Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Clenser: $25.00 (clarisonic.com), Olay Oil Minimizing Toner: $3.50, Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum: $21.94, Olay Active Hydrating Beauty Fluid Lotion: $6.49 (all Olay products available at Walmart)

Spring & Depop

So while fuelling my Twitter problem, I stumbled upon these two gems completely by mistake. They were actually both being advertised as one of those horridly annoying and sneaky Twitter promos (come on you hate those things too!) that catch you when you mis-scroll and take you straight to the App Store or somewhere else you don't want to go. But these two particular mis-scrolls left me presently surprised, this being said I think every fashion forward girl should have these on their phones. Here's why: 

The icon above is for Spring, and much like the apps description states it's like going shopping in Soho, but on your phone. It has so many quaint little "shops" and a ton of variety to choose from if you have a versatile wardrobe. It also has variety in other ways too, Spring doesn't only sell clothing but accessories, beauty products, and home decor, as well!

It also has many features that I adore such as being able to follow your favorite brands, like products (these save to your "My Loves" section), as well as a nifty tab titled "Discover" which is great for finding the newest products from clothes, to accessories, to beauty products! It's basically WeHeartIt for shopping. And to top it all off the app's appearance is visually pleasing and easy to use.  

The next app is called Depop and I will admit the icon for it is a little queer but if you are looking for it in the App Store this is the correct one: 

The reason I like this app is simply because it's incredibly useful and easy to use. But what does it do you ask? 

Depop is basically a market place app like ebay or amazon where you can buy and sell things but the kicker is this: it's set up like Instagram, I mean exactly like Instagram. Meaning you can like and comment on goods as well as buy them, and if you're anything like me, this means the shopping gods have answered your prayers. 

This app like Spring has it's own sweet features as well, other than being similar to Instagram this app also offers features to help keep your purchased goods organized, your shop organized (and if you take pretty pictures your items can be featured on the "Explore" tab), as well as private messages, the option to bookmark items you are interested in purchasing, and last but not least you can connect this app up with you PayPal account (which I hope that one was a given). 

But the main reason I love this app is because it makes shopping and selling goods fun. I love that gives you the personal interactions with people that wouldn't through any other shopping site. 

Want to follow me on Depop? Check me out @starkravingchic