Seventeen Magazine Freebie Codes: October 2012

10/01 - smooth
10/02 - sleek
10/03 - dry
10/04 - hairspray
10/05 - mist
10/06 - waterless
10/07 - metallic
10/08 - waves
10/09 - twist
10/10 - brush
10/11 - ball
10/12 - updo
10/13 - ionic
10/14 - catwalk
10/15 - bedhead
10/16 - party
10/17 - boost
10/18 - blowout
10/19 - texture
10/20 - sugar
10/21 - spray
10/22 - serum
10/23 - amplify
10/24 - shine
10/25 - curly
10/26 - dove
10/27 - long
10/28 - keratin
10/29 - foam
10/30 - color
10/31 - healthy

Grand Prize: matrix

Outfits Inspired by Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2013

Rebecca Minkoff, known for her playful designs, debuted her  Spring 2013 collection with... The collection, inspired by American photographer Slim Aarons, was full of 60's and 70's inspired floral prints. Minkoff's collection of ready-to-wear separates incorporating recent trends such as ombre and sporty accents, perfectly captures an updated look of 60s jet-setters. 

I was able to draw inspiration from the line and come up with three similar outfits on a budget and (an attempt at) Rebecca Minkoff inspired nail art. 

The Clothes

Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2013 by princess-smiley featuring floral shirts

This look is the most casual of the three but definitely not the most understated. The simplicity of the distressed jeans are surrounded by an eye-catching floral print and I pop of bright orange.

Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2013 by princess-smiley featuring a bodycon dress

The second look mixes casual with glam and makes it look so comfortable too! The jacket adds a sporty vibe to the look but the body-con skirt and heels make it flirty and fun.

Rebeca Minkoff Spring 2013 by princess-smiley featuring high heel shoes

For a more 70's vibe, the third look pairs a front tie shirt and light-wash denim.

The Nails

My inspiration for the nails came from the different prints used in Minkoff's collection. For this look I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail polish in "White On", Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in "Blue Me Away", and OPI Red Crackle Nail Polish.





The print on the thumb came from the blue and white jacket and pants (See post header image). I did it by first using "White On" and using  the round end of a sewing pin to create the stripes "Blue Me Away".

To create the other two prints, I used "White Out" as the base color again. Inspired by the different red floral prints in the collection, (see post header image) I used OPI Red Crackle Nail Polish. I love the way it looks and after looking at it for a while it started to remind me of Lady Gaga's infamous meat dress.

The design on the middle fingers were inspired by the strings on the blue sporty jacket in look two. I started with "Blue Me Away" and then drew connecting diagonal lines using "White Out" and a pin.


Now it's your turn! Create a Rebecca Minkoff inspired blog post for the chance to win a $1500 shopping spree! The contest will be judged by Rebecca herself! Enter here. 

No blog? Tell Bloglovin' what YOU think about the Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2013 collection for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree by entering here!



Any questions or comments? Leave them below!

I Big Chopped!

After a ten month transition, I decided to cut off all of my relaxed ends and become 100% natural. My original plan had been to go at least a year and a half before cutting it because I wanted to keep my length. It took a random burst of courage and frustration for me to cut it off.
For the past two months I considered cutting my hair. I figured that it would be a little easier to manage if I didn't have to worry about matching my straight hair to my curly hair and that my natural hair would be healthier without all the dead weight.

After going through my first week of college life and living in the dorms, I saw how difficult it would be to work my hair into my schedule. It seemed like it would be easy at first because I would be finished with all of my classes by noon everyday. I would have almost all day to do my hair right? The problem came when I tried to work around my eating schedule. Although I would have time to wash and put my hair into twists or Bantu knots, did I really want to walk into the dining hall with my hair twisted up, wet, or in a plastic bag?
I tried to wash my hair after I ate dinner but my hair is so thick that it wouldn't be dry by morning. In a moment of frustration, I decided that when I went home that weekend, I would cut my hair.

After chopping I had mixed emotions about my hair. Sometimes it was like, "I love my hair!" and other times it it was horrible, "I can't believe I cut my hair off!". A few weeks later, I still have moments of regret, but most of the time, I absolutely love my hair. It's easier to manage, and already healthier and now all I have to do is watch it grow.

Any Questions or Comments? Leave them below!

New Uses for Peroxide

1. Whitening Teeth 

For better results, whitening your teeth with peroxide requires two steps.

• First: Brush your teeth with baking soda. Do this by either shaking baking soda onto a wet brush or by dipping a wet brush into a box of baking soda; whichever works best for you.
• Second: Swish with a mixture of equal parts peroxide and water for two minutes.

2. Mouthwash

Swishing with an equal mix of water and peroxide can also help freshen breath.

3. Canker sores

When a painful canker sore pops up in your mouth, mix together an equal amount of peroxide and water use a cotton swab to dab the mixture onto the sore. You should see improvement of the sore within 24 hours.

4. Stain Removal

Besides using peroxide to remove blood from clothing, it also works for getting small spots off of white garments. Pour a small amount onto the stain and let it soak in and voila! The stain begins to lift before your eyes! Wash afterwards for full removal.
It also comes in handy when you're about to leave and notice a small stain on your clothes. Just put some peroxide on a cotton swab and apply to the stain to make it less noticeable.

5. Acne

To get rid of acne on your body in places such as your back or chest, don't spend money on fancy cleansers. Instead, create a daily regiment of rubbing alcohol and peroxide.

• At night use a cotton ball to apply rubbing alcohol to your affected areas. Make sure to get the whole area (whole back/chest, etc) and not just the areas that are breaking out. 
• In the morning do the same but with peroxide.

The at night alcohol helps to clean out your pores and the peroxide in the morning kills any acne causing bacteria forming on the surface of your skin.

Any questions or comments? Leave them below!

Foolproof Outfits for "One of Those Days"

Everyone's had one of those days where your alarm clock goes off after you have hit the snooze button more than once. Reluctantly, you roll over to look at the clock and realize that you've overslept and only have 30 minutes to get to class! You can throw on your normal t-shirt/jeans combo on days like this but after multiple days of running late (it happens) it can get a little old. So what do you do?

Skip to another situation:
You've stayed up almost all night studying for the big test tomorrow, it's cloudy outside, and you want nothing more but to curl up in bed for a few more hours. On days like this it can be so tempting and easy to reach for the t-shirt/sweats combo but you want to look put together too.

Here are a few foolproof outfits for when you want to feel comfortable but look put together too.

The Item: Oversized Sweater by princess-smiley featuring cuffed jeans

The Oversized sweater's middle name is comfortable. It's work soft and can make everything feel loungy. Pair it with jeans or black pants or for extra comfort wear it with leggings. Avoid heels or uncomfortable, intricate shoes and wear ballet flats or boots.

The Item: Simple Maxi skirt by princess-smiley featuring pink shirts

Instead of throwing on sweats, put on something that is just as comfortable! Simple cotton maxi skirts like this one can be found almost anywhere. They're easy to just throw on and can be paired with anything. I have one in every basic color but white and let me tell you they are the best! I wear them when I don't feel like wearing tight jeans and they come in handy when you don't have time to shave.

The Task: Makeup by princess-smiley featuring maybelline mascara

If you're okay with leaving the house without makeup then this may not apply to you but for the many girls who don't, this step is perfect for running late days. Think of the minimum amount of makeup you would be okay with wearing in public. Whatever you said is now all that is on your running late list for makeup. Many girls' lists include things like mascara, foundation, or lip gloss. Mine is eyeliner.

Running late for class can be a stressful situation. Now you can make it a little less stressful by knowing what to wear. Nothing is better than being able to look good and feel comfortable at the same time.

Any questions or comments? Leave them below!