Save Money and Look Great By Doing It All Yourself

As college students on a budget, we sometimes have to sacrifice our favorite beauty regimens in favor of our weekly trips to Dollar Beer night (or maybe we are actually being responsible and shelling out a few hundred dollars on a semester’s worth of textbooks). But just because we want to save some money doesn’t mean we have to look like dingy hags with 12 cats and a knitting room.

How?
With a little DIY, of course.

When it comes to treating yourself, you don’t need to shell out the big bucks for a professional; you can get the same results right there in the privacy of your bedroom. And we’ve got all the secrets. From great first date make-up and hair ideas, to cheap ways to bring your closet from drab to fab, here is your do-it-yourself guide to looking and feeling great.

The DIY Manicure. Even those cheap-o $12 manicures add up, so save that dough and manicure your own fine hands. You’ll have to head to your local drug store to stock up on all the essentials, like this season’s most fun and funky colors, but you’ll end up spending way less in the long run. And it’s worth it for Zebra-print nails.

The DIY Wax. If you’re especially daring, check out these seven tips for a successful at-home wax. And if you want to try the latest vajazzling craze without the awkwardness of having a strange woman in your area, there are now peel-and-stick rhinestone designs you can apply (and take off….) yourself.

The DIY Facial. We all want that perfect, glowing complexion but it’s not always (or ever??) practical to drop $90 on a salon facial. e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Creative Director explains step-by-step how to get that dewey but not greasy look yourself. And if you want to be really resourceful, you can even make face masks and body butter from leftover items in your pantry. Yum. Read More »


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Do-It-Yourself Tuesdays: Rhinestone Bobby Pins

If you’ve read any of my DIY columns, then you probably know I’m completely in love with hair flair! I love a good headband, head-wrap, and now I’m really into adding some bling to spice up a normal hair day.

And although I love a bold hair flair statement, I also like elegant and simple hair accessories, too, like sequined and rhinestone bobby pins.

Because hair accessories are all the rage right now, they can also be really expensive! And we all know that us college kids don’t have the moolah to spend $10 on a bobby pin. So here is a money savvy way to add that extra elegant glam to a normal hair day without adding the extra cash.

What You’ll Need:
Large or Extra Large Bobby Pins: Get bobby pins in your hair color to keep it simple, or use brighter color bobby pins for a bolder statement! Find these at any local drug store, Target, or grocery store!
Small Rhinestones (or sequins): These will be later glued onto your bobby pins, so make sure they are small enough to fit nicely onto the pin! Use multiple colors for some fun, or keep it classy with black and silver rhinestones that will create a more sophisticated look. Find these at your local craft store: Joann Fabrics and Michael’s  have a huge variety.
Superglue: You can pick this up at any drug store, hardware store, or Target. Don’t use the brush-on-superglue – instead use the normal super glue with the small tip (which will make for easy application!).
Tweezers: This is optional but they’ll make the process a lot easier…and prevent you from getting your fingers stuck together. Read More »


From CollegeFashion: 5 Beauty Products That Are Worth The Splurge

It’s now almost three weeks since Christmas (and only 353 ’til Christmas Day 2010… not that I’m counting!) and, like many of you, I have a slew of gift cards for different retailers, many of them to Sephora. This year, instead of spending my gift cards on lots of little things, I’m planning a few splurges on beauty products that are really worth my cash.

Whether you’re planning some gift card splurges or just want to upgrade your beauty regime, here are five beauty products worth splurging on: Read More »


CC Beauty Live: Loose Waves

I used to think I was so cool with my crunchy, scrunched waves back in middle school. And then I realized I was wrong. There’s nothing cute about crunchy hair. But unless you really know what you’re doing, it’s hard to achieve pretty, natural looking waves, especially with a ton of mousse and scrunching.

If you want Victoria’s Secret-style waves without Gisele’s hair stylist, this video is for you. And don’t worry – It’s easier than you think!


Want Curly Hair? Skip The Iron and Pop A Pill

A pill that can do that? Sign us up!

Last week we found out about a pill made of alcohol. Our excitement over the potential to skip the calories and the burning sensation in the back of our throats were almost too much to bear. We thought, “This is the best thing to ever happen to us college girls.” Which was true.

Until now.

It seems like geniuses everywhere are coming out of the woodwork and shoving all sorts of awesome into teeny, tiny pills. The newest venture we are freaking out over?

A pill that can take your hair from straight to curly (or vice-versa!).

That’s right; scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research have found out that the trichohyalin gene is responsible for creating curls. Now that they know this, treatments can be developed to make hair curlier or straighter, and the scientists are in talks with a major cosmetic company in Paris to bring them to the masses. Read More »


Trend Alert: The Forehead Headband

nicole-richie-forehead-headband.jpg

[Post courtesy of out friends at StyleBakery.com. For more awesome fashion, style and beauty news, check them out!]

What do Mischa Barton, Mary Kate Olsen and Nicole Richie all have in common? They’re all embracing their inner hippie by sporting the forehead headband.

Now, we have to admit, we weren’t on board with this trend at first. Seriously, why not just push the headband back off your forehead? But after much consideration, and a few times actually sporting the trend ourselves, we’re convinced … once in awhile, it’s fun to feel like a flower child! And tons of fabulous fashion and accessory designers are getting in on the trend by creating headbands specifically for the purpose of being worn around the forehead, not pushed back up onto the crown. Check out our new faves. Read More »