Fabulously Thrifty

Tip Thursday: Ebooks the Free Way!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:55:00 +0000

I'm ashamed to say that I've had a kindle for quite a few years now, and I barely used it until recently! I'm the kind of person who doesn't need or want to buy every book that I want to read, so I usually get it from the library- for free! I felt the same with ebooks. Why should I spend money on an ebook when I go to the library and get it for free?

Well, thanks to the Overdrive search all of that has changed! My library system has joined the Overdrive system which allows you to borrow an Ebook on your internet enabled reading device. I'm currently reading Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows on my Kindle Fire as we speak and it was all free! All you will need is your library card number!

The Benefits of Body Brushing

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:22:00 +0000

Hello, my name is Melissa and I have cellulite. Did you know that almost all women, no matter what size they are, suffer with cellulite? Cellulite is a type of fat that causes dimpling in the skin, usually in the hips and thighs of women.

As I've tried to incorporate more natural remedies into my beauty routine, I looked up some treatments for cellulite. A treatment that I kept on seeing was body brushing.

Body brushing consists of literally brushing your skin with a special type of body brush which you can find in drug stores, health and beauty stores and a lot on Amazon. I ordered mine from Amazon and it is called the Manbino Organics Cellulite Body Brush.

The reason why I picked this Cellulite Body Brush
is because of the nodules. The nodules are said to massage out some of the dimpling in the skin.

Besides helping in the diminishing appearance of cellulite, there are some other benefits to body brushing. These include:

*Removes dead skin
*Improves circulation
*Releases toxins
*Glowing skin

The most important tip to remember when body brushing is to brush towards your heart. There are a lot of videos on body brushing and it's techniques. This is one of my faves:

Have you ever tried body brushing? Any other more natural techniques to getting rid of cellulite?

Tip Thursday: Citrus Way To Start Your Day

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

For the past few weeks the first thing I have every morning is a hot cup of water with lemon. A lot of the fitness/nutrition blogs I read recommend to start your day with this drink. It took me quite a while to begin this morning routine because I am not a fan of lemon, but I forced myself to try this and while I still don't enjoy it, I'm able to get it down every morning.

The benefits include:

*Cleanses your system (you will notice that you are peeing more frequently)
*Helps boost your immune system
*Helps fight hunger cravings
*Gets you in a positive mindset to start your day!

Lush Wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:19:00 +0000

I've never been a Lush fanatic. I went to a few stores here and there, but I was always a bit turned off by their high prices. I've tried a few products here and there, but I didn't become an actual Lush fan until I began using their Big shampoo. They finally opened up a Lush by me and my mom and I spent a day getting facials there and making a long list of wish list products.

Again, I don't have much experience with Lush products so I'd love any feedback you may have on them!

Skin Care

Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser- This is a cleanser to get balanced skin and is sort of similar to the ANF Face Food where you have to add water to it to make a paste. The summer time may be the perfect time to try this face wash out since it does contain kaolin clay which can be drying.

Grease Lightening Spot Treatment

I have been looking for a more natural acne spot treatment for a while and I've heard really good things about this. This is a pretty good size bottle of product and will probably last quite a while.

Dream Steam

I love the idea of their steam tabs, which you add to boiling water to release a calming and skin soothing steam. This one is is to calm and soothe troubled skin.

Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

This face mask is so fresh that they need to be refrigerated and has a quick expiration date. I really do already have enough face masks, but this mask for dull skin just sounds amazing and definitely worth a shot!

Hair

Superbalm

I have and have tried plenty of products and treatments for the length of my hair, but I've never tried a scalp treatment before. I do randomly suffer from dandruff and a dry scalp, so this is the number one product that I want to try from Lush!

Shower & Bath

I want to try EVERY SINGLE BUBBLE BAR! I absolutely love taking baths, and the idea of a bubble bath is just as beautiful and girly and pampering as they get. I have never tried one of their bubble bars and I would loooove to try one!

Any feedback on any of these products or any must try products from Lush? Any etailers or Etsy stores sell similar products? I'd love to know!

My Fitness Pal App!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:36:00 +0000

When I looked at my dietary habits and what I had to do in order to not only lose weight but to be a healthier individual, I realized that I had no idea how many calories I consumed in a regular day. I also had no idea how many calories a day I should be consuming. I started reading up on diet and nutrition and the first thing that pretty much every weight loss plan/ healthy eating plan recommends is to track what you eat. I knew I wouldn't write stuff down, so I downloaded the highly recommended My Fitness Pal App on my iPhone.

When you first begin to use the My Fitness Pal app you have to enter in your weight, some basic measurements, activity level and your goal weight. This is the information they use to calculate your daily calorie intake goal. My weight when I began was 130 pounds and I'm about 5 feet even so they suggested 1200 calories daily (this is the lowest they will recommend).

Yes, I had birthday cake for breakfast. So bad!

After they give you this number you can begin using the app immediately. Now I only suggest using this app if you are familiar with how proper portion sizes of items you eat look like or if you are going to measure out your meals. You can search chicken but it won't help you with the calorie count unless you know how much chicken you are eating!

When I first started using this app I was SHOCKED at how many calories I was consuming in a day. I mean no wonder why I gained weight- there were days where I was having 3000 calories with no problem. This I think was the best part of this app- it opened up my eyes to my super unhealthy habits.

I LOVE this app! This app, along with a good attitude, has already helped me lose 6 pounds! Now this is in about a 3-4 month span, but for someone who has never monitored what they eat or really exercised regularly this is a big accomplishment.

Tips for Success with My Fitness Pal:

* Be honest. You're only lying to yourself if you say you ate 1/3 of your plate of mac and cheese and you really ate all of it.

*Underestimate your exercise calories. After doing some research it appears that the app over-calculates how many calories you are burning during your workout. I usually subtract 5 minutes from the time I enter for my workouts to get a more accurate count.

*When you first begin calorie counting use measuring tools until you become familiar with what a serving size looks like.

*Add your friends! I always get motivated when I see how many calories one of my girlfriends burned during their workout.

*Utilize the community message boards. This is probably one of my favorite parts of the app. The message boards are full of SO much information and recipes and tips and tricks. It's also a very positive environment.

*You don't have to use this EVERYDAY. I'm not even going to lie, I barely use this on the weekends. Between skipping breakfast because I sleep late or having a few cocktails at happy hour, I'm not as strict with it on same days as I should be. Once you become familiar with what 1200-1500 calories looks like in a day, you won't have to be as strict.

* Don't beat yourself up or give up. For the first time in my life I became aware of what I was eating and stuck to a regular exercise routine, but I didn't see weight loss for a good 6-7 weeks. Sometimes it takes a while to see results, but you MUST stick with it.

Has anyone else used the My Fitness Pal app? I'd love to add you as a friend?

Met Gala 2013 Beauty Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:50:00 +0000

The 2013 Met Gala showcased some of the craziest hair and makeup looks that have been seen on celebrities lately. Again, while the punk theme/look is not my favorite; there are still some makeup and hair looks that us non-celebrity gals can incorporate into our own lives.

Single Wash of Color Eyeshadow

While Kristen Steward is not my favorite, there's no denying that she looks FIERCE in her gala ensemble. The single shade of burnt auburn around her eyes is absolutely stunning. It makes her green eyes piercing and is such a simple look to pull off. I love doing a single color wash using Wet and Wild's Nutty.

Super Contouring

While I absolutely despise the fact that Jessica Biel rocked a faux nose ring for this look, I am obsessed with her cheek contours. The woman has beautiful cheekbones to begin with, but this all nude look with contoured cheeks is gorgeous. I would give NYX Blush in Taupe a whirl for a similar look.

Return of Crimps

I never thought I would see crimped hair return and I love the way that Taylor Swift incorporated these subtle crimps into her mermaid like look. Not every strand is crimped and it's not super crimped and crunchy like my childhood days in the 80's. Love, love, love this!

Over the Shoulder

This hair look is as simple and easy as it gets. To me nothing is sexier or more romantic than the over the shoulder look. It's so easy and add a couple of bobby pins to the back to make it hold.

What was your favorite beauty look from the 2013 Met Gala?

Met Gala 2013 Fashion Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:18:00 +0000

The Met Gala is one of my favorite fashion events of the year. This year's theme was "punk". The punk look is not my favorite look or trend, so I wasn't IN LOVE with a lot of the fashions, but there were some trends that us casual gals can take away from the gala and incorporate into our every day lives.

Showing Some Skin

This years' gala was all about showing some skin! My favorite dressed of the night was definitely Hermoine, I mean Emma Watson. She is absolutely stunning and the dress was the right amount of punk and glam in my mind.

FOREVER 21 Cutout Floral Fit & Flare Dress

Sparkle & Fade Cutout Stripe Skater Dress

Cutout Scuba Skater Dress

Tea Length Dresses

The tea length dress is a hard look to pull off, but I think it's such a classic look for graduation parties, weddings and any fancy spring/summer occasion. Jennifer Lawrence looks STUNNING in this tea length black dress and again works with the punk theme without going overboard.

Striped 4-in-1 dress

Tahari by ASL - Ivanlee (Black) - Apparel

Girly Meets Biker

I love, love, love the juxtaposition of Sienna's feminine white dress with this tough ass leather jacket. Again, it's the perfect way of working with the punk theme with out taking it overboard (a la Madonna).

Ruffle-Bust Chiffon Maxi Dress

Belted Halter Maxi Dress

Sparkle & Fade Studded Faux Leather Moto Jacket

Sound & Matter Fleece Faux Leather Baseball Jacket

Faux-Leather Bomber Jacket

Product Rave: Dr. Scholl's For Her 16 Hour Insoles

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Sun, 05 May 2013 22:45:00 +0000

A few weeks back I posted on Instagram that I purchased the Dr. Scholl's For Her 16 Hour Insoles for flats. I purchased these because I have super sensitive feet, ankles and legs. I am not one of these people that can walk around all day in flip flops or flats without feeling quite a bit of pain in my ankles and legs.
I love wearing flats, but some of them don't offer enough support to keep my legs feeling happy at the end of the day. I always see these inserts on sale or with coupons (so don't pay full price for these!) so I decided to give them a whirl. I am very glad I did.

Pros:

♥ Super affordable
♥ Provide an extra layer of cushion in flats
♥ Helps to keep sweaty feet at bay
♥ Not permanent (so you can put them in any pair of flats you feel wearing that day)
♥ Available pretty much everywhere (drugstore, Target, Amazon, etc.)

Cons:
-Odd sizes, my toes hang off these while in my shoes and it doesn't bother me, but I could see how it would bother some people
-Doesn't provide a lot of arch support for those with high arches
-Can alter fit of shoes that are a tight fit

Would I repurchase? ABSOLUTELY! They make my flats so much more comfortable!

Have you ever tried any of the other Dr. Scholl products? I'm interested in buying some of the heel options.

Tip Thursday: Score Freebies

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't love getting something for nothing? I know I do! I love scoring free samples and I know a lot of other beauty gals do as well! Here are my favorite places to score some samples and freebies!

*All You- All You Magazine is a magazine that is published and sold by Walmart. Sign up here for daily emails that tell you about the best freebie of the day on the web. It usually requires just a quick form or liking a facebook page to score the freebie.

*Wrapp- Wrapp is an app for iphones and androids where you can send free gift cards via a social media network to your friends. Usually in return you get a free gift card to use at that store!

*Influenster- Influenster is a site that connects to your social media network and provides you with products to test out and write reviews on after building a certain social media score and participating in surveys.

*Follow your favorite brands on Facebook or Twitter- This is a great and old school way to score samples from your favorite brands. I find that Physicians Formula provides a lot of freebies (time sensitive ones) and a lot of clothing detergent brands do as well.

What is your favorite way to score freebies or free samples? I'm always looking for new sites!

Current Empties: Skin Care, and candles and body care- Oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:19:00 +0000

This has to be one of my last "empties" posts for quite a while. I still can't get over the amount of products that I have used up in such a short amount of time. Other than these I only have a few products that are near empty, so it will be quite a while a while until I write another one of these posts.

Skin Care

*Trader Joe's Rejuvenating Antioxidant Face Lotion- This super affordable face lotion is amazing!! It smells good and is super gentle, yet effective at providing the right amount of moisture for day time use. I have another face lotion from Arbonne that I'm currently using, but after that I am going right back to repurchasing this.

*St. Clare Hyalauronic Acid Moisture Mask- This was one of the few sheet masks that I've had remaining in my collection and while my skin was facing a dry spell a while back. This mask really did not agree with my skin and I had several breakouts on my chin the next day following this. Definitely not a repurchase!

*The Body Shop Cucumber Freshening Water- This was my morning toner every day for probably over a year. I don't wash my face in the morning because it would cause extra dryness, so I would use this on a cotton pad every morning to just get any remnants of yesterdays makeup off my face. I'm using a toner from The All Natural Face that I really enjoy, so I don't think this will be a repurchase for me even though I really enjoyed it.

Body Care

*Softsoap Body Butter Coconut Scrub- This scrub is a really great daily exfoliant body wash. Since it both exfoliates and moisturizes it, you step out of the shower with super smooth skin. I have a back up of this baby already!

*Arbonne Ginger Citrus Body Wash- I really enjoyed this zesty smelling body wash. It bubbled up nicely and smelled good. Nothing super amazing about it though, so I won't be repurchasing.

*Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Foaming Hand Soap- This is one of my favorite scents from Bath and Body Works ever! I would use this soap year round if I could. Definite repurchase!

*ScentBar Cabana Body Lotion- I already featured this in one of my monthly favorites. I absolutely love the scent of this lotion and it is quite moisturizing. I have quite a few body butters to go through, but this scent is definitely a repurchase for me. Smells like summer!

*Scent Outlast Antipersperant- I've stated before that I'm a sweaty gal, this deodorant worked quite well for me with inhibiting sweat, although I'm trying to stick with more natural deodorants so this probably won't be a repurchase.

*Soap and Glory Great Shakes Hand Cream- I carried this around in my purse and I really enjoyed it. It kept my dry hands moisturized and the small was subtle and pleasant. However, I like my Bath and Body Works mini lotions just as much and they are much more affordable.

Miscellaneous

*Slatkin & Co Hot Buttered Rum Candle- This candle was such an amazing scent. I really enjoy warm and food inspired scents, and this was the perfect combination of both. I will definitely be repurchasing this candle again come winter.

*Beauty Secrets Acetone Nail Polish Remover- I know acetone remover is bad for your nails, but I prefer to use acetone remover because it's easier. This was not the case with this particular acetone remover. Even with the most basic and cheapy polish I had to put forth quite an effort to get nail polish off with this remover. This will definitely not be a repurchase for me.

*Slatkin & Co Winter Nights Candle- Another one of my new favorite winter scents. It smells like a good cologne. Just like Hot Buttered Rum, this will definitely be a repurchase for me come winter!

What products have you used up lately? Can anyone out there recommend a good nail polish remover for me?

April Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:55:00 +0000

April was finally a month that we got to experience some warmth in New York! I finally have quite a few new products for my favorites this month!

Favorite Products of the Month

The All Natural Face Nourishing Serum and Shine Hair Pomade

I have a lot of little baby hairs at my crown and hair line area and they drive me loco! (Does anyone know a way to treat/prevent these?) I've tried the hairspray on a toothbrush trick, hairspray on my hands tricks, nothing seemed to work. I apply a small amount of this product to my hand, run it through my ends and then use the remnants to rub on my hairline and it works quite well. The results don't last all day, but I'll take a few hours of baby hair free styles.

Josie Maran Argan Oil

I've had this little sample forever and at first I used it on my face with horrible results. I was going to use it on my body, but instead tried it on my hair first and I'm so glad I did! I use this only on the ends and it really keeps them feeling soft and looking hydrated.

The Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Butter

I just began using this a week or two ago and IT IS LOVE! This is my first Body Shop Body Butter and it's amazing. It's such a strange consistency, but it feels so smooth and luxurious going on. The smell is very subtle but super yummy.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey with NYC Extreme Lip Glider Lip Gloss in Park Avenue Pink

I have been experimenting with lip color combos lately and this has to be one of my favorites. This Balm Stain didn't look too great on my current pale skin tone so I tried topping it with a couple different glosses. This subtle milky pink gloss is the perfect topper for this!

Rohto Hydra Lubricant Eye Drops

If my eyes haven't been super watery due to allergies, than they have been desert dry! Almost to the point where it's painful. These drops do sting a little bit, but the after effect is a burst of soothing moisture. I'm still suffering from red eyes almost daily, so I'm definitely going to try the red eye version of these drops.

Favorite Blog of the Month

I've been loving the Tone It Up Blog lately mainly for their recipes. They post quite a few clean eating type recipes and they provide me with endless fitness inspiration!

Favorite YouTube Vid Of the Month

OMG! I want to make one of these so badly! I've seen these on Etsy and on Glitzyglam, but now I can't wait to try and make one of these especially since she has a no sew version!

Favorite Exercise of the Month

This is a new category I'm going to be featuring each month on my favorites and it'll either be a Youtube video, website, picture, etc.

I've been loving this Zumba video lately! I have yet to figure out how to hook up my Wii to my new tv, so I haven't been able to do my Zumba game, but this video has been a great substitute.

Fitness Tag

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000

I guess that I have been on both a fitness kick and a tag kick in my life lately. I love reading tag posts because they really help provide an insight into a blogger/Youtubers life, so I hope that you enjoy reading them as much as I do!

This fitness tag I saw on Youtube from one of my favorite hair vloggers who recently started a Fitness channel. Here's the video:

1) How fit do you consider yourself to be? Are you happy with the shape you're in?

I still consider myself a beginner in fitness. I do work out quite regularly, but I still don't feel as if I'm in great shape. I have some body goals and some fitness goals that I am looking forward to meeting.

2) Do you play any sports?

I don't. I am the biggest sports fan ever, but I just have zero hand eye coordination so sports and me is a no-no.

3) Besides those, do you exercise as well?

I've become a person I never thought I would be, someone who enjoys exercise! I regularly walk/jog, do zumba videos, ride a stationary bike and do blogilates videos.

4) Do you have any fitness or health related goals?

My fitness goal is to run a 5k and be able to hold a plank for a certain amount of time (have yet to determine to that time). My health goal is to be back or below my "normal" weight of 117.

5) Which celebrity's body would you like to have?

I love, love, love Jennifer Lawrence's body. Her body is beautiful with still some non-Hollywood normality to it which I love.

6) What's your favorite and/or least favorite exercise?

Push-ups, lunges and burpees are the absolute worst. I can't do a regular push up for the life of, I never feel like my form is proper on lunges and seriously who doesn't despise burpees?!

7) How important is leading an active and healthy lifestyle for you?

It has become increasingly more important to me as I get older. I don't want to be the person that huffs and puffs as she's walking her dog up a hill. Plus, I've become more educated about the excessive amount of chemicals and crap that I've been putting into my body and I'm just not ok with it.

8) How much attention to a healthy diet do you pay?

I should be paying more attention to a healthy diet. My biggest problem is portion size and will-power. I still live at home and my mother regularly buys junk food and I have no ability to walk past a bag of cookies with out sneaking one. I hope to work on that and fix that!

9) What's your biggest diet secret?

There isn't one! The only "trick" that I utilize regularly is to put my fork down between every bite and take a sip of water. It gives your stomach time to signal your brain that it's full.

10) Do you smoke, or have you ever smoked in the past?

Never ever have and never ever will. It literally says right on the box that it will kill you!

Tip Thursday: Cool It Down

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:13:00 +0000

One of my least favorite beauty tasks is washing my hair. I don't know why I dislike it so much, but I just find it to be such a chore! I have a tremendous amount of hair to wash and then it takes foreverrrrrr to dry and I'm not a fan of blow drying. I like to wash my hair as little as possible and am usually able to get away with washing it three times a week.

My three times a week washings came into question when I began working out so frequently. I know there are plenty of women who work out every day and don't wash their hair daily, so I set out and did some research.

My favorite tip and the the tip that works the best on my coarse, wavy hair is to dry my sweaty strands with a cool or cold setting on a brow dryer. I find this works amazingly especially when pulling the hair taut with a hair brush. It keeps the sweat from drying in your hair AND it feels amazing after a work out!

What is your favorite tip for post workout hair??

Fitspiration Review: The Eat Clean Diet Recharged

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:52:00 +0000

I think everyone's New Year's Resolution is to be a healthier individual. This year I've actually been able to make that positive change in my life. For the first time in my life I have an exercise routine that involves working out on most days (I even wake up a half hour earlier to squeeze in a mini morning work out) and have been eating healthier than I ever have.
Now don't get me wrong, my diet still needs A LOT of help, but I've made significant progress in eating healthier and consuming less calories on a regular basis. As I started doing research on changing my dietary habits the term "Clean Eating" kept coming up. After doing some further research on Clean Eating I was introduced to Tosca Reno.
Tosca Reno is a clean eating activist and author. She has published quite a few books on the topic and her website is an amazing resource (and free!).
I purchased one of her books, The Eat Clean Diet Recharged, from Amazon and have read it cover and to cover and refer to it quite frequently.

Here's my review on her book and on her take of the Clean Eating Lifestyle.

-Tosca is all about the eating more frequently trend. Mini-meals as opposed to the standard breakfast, lunch and dinner is a core principle of Clean Eating. (My lifestyle at the moment just doesn't cater to this idea)

-Her take on clean eating I find to be very strict. For instance, I just can't take my coffee black every day and I'm not going to purchase bee pollen to use in my cereals.

-The structured eating plans provided in the back of the book are super helpful. It gives you a breakdown of the size of meals you should be eating if you are able to follow the mini meal plan. If you aren't able to, it still is able to give you A LOT of ideas of what a clean eating day looks like.

-There are a lot of helpful tips throughout the book- which foods are important to buy organic, restaurant survival guides, how to incorporate super foods into your everyday diet and how certain foods can help in our physical appearance.

Would I recommend the book?: I wouldn't purchase this book, maybe borrow it from the library. I've browsed through the cheaper version, The Clean Eating Diet: Just the Rules and I wish that was the book I would've purchased as it's just a condensed version of my book. If you don't want to read her book I would SERIOUSLY recommend her website. The site is amazing and has some fabulous recipes.

Would I recommend the clean eating lifestyle?: I have definitely implemented some of the principals of clean eating into my every day life. I eat a considerable more amount of whole foods (foods from the earth) and make a conscientious effort to look more into what goes into my food. I just find it super difficult to follow the lifestyle strictly as I love me some Starbucks and Reeses!

I LOVE reading books on fitness, nutrition, health, etc. Any recommendations?

Be Well! Natural Healthy Girl Subscription Box

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:22:00 +0000

I mentioned in my Be Pretty Box review that I also purchased the Be Well Box from Vitacost. The Be Well box is described as a combination of personal care and wellness products from natural and organic brands.

I was looking forward to getting an assortment of grooming products and vitamins/healthy snacks as some of the previous boxes have included. I was a bit dissapointed with this Be Well Box but here we go:

MorEPA Minis Omega-3 Fish Oil Softgels- 60 soft gels (full size)- $19.39

Supercritical Omega-3 Fish Oil
• Supports the Health and Wellbeing of Teenagers
• 75% Omega-3s
• 624mg Omega-3s in only 2 softgels per day
• Cold Processed. Smart Choice
• Supercritial CO2 Extraction

Wellessee Vitamin D3 Liquid Natural Berry- 2 fl oz (16 fl oz full size at $5.99)

• Fast Acting Liquid
• Essential for Healthy Immune Support & Bone Strength
• Liquid for the Whole Family

New Chapter Whole Mega Softgels-60 soft gels (full size)- $17.99

• 100% Salmon Wildly Pure
• Extra Virgin Wild Alaskan Salmon
• Whole Fish Oil
• Nature's Whole Complement of Seventeen Omegas - 3,5,6,7,8 & 9's
• Effective: Clinically shown to reduce triglyceride levels
• Whole: Natural source of whole omegas + Vitamin D3 + antioxidants

Peeled Snacks Apple Cluster Snacks- .63 oz (2.1 oz full size at $4.49)

USDA Organic
• Natural Source of Fiber
• Gluten Free
• O grams of Fat
• 4 Servings of Fruit
• 60 Calories per serving

REAL Food Apeel®

Natrol Vitamin B12- 1 pill (full size 30 tablets at $6.89)

Natrol® Vitamin B-12 5000mcg Fast Dissolve delivers high-potency energy support in a delicious, mixed berry tablet. This fast-dissolve formula delivers unique, rapid dissolve technology that helps promote fast absorption. Vitamin B-12 is also essential for healthy blood cells and contributes to the health of the nervous system.

As you can see this box was worth more than my Be Pretty Box. The retail value of this box would be about $39.13. I was just hoping for more of a balance between personal care and nutritional products. I'm also pretty bad with vitamins, so figuring out how to incorporate these into my diet will take some work. However, I am impressed with the value of this box and if and when I get more familiar with vitamins and supplements I may give this box a try again!

Tip Thursday: A blogger tip!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

I was beyond shocked when I found out that Google Reader will soon be a goner! It's definitely my go to way to read all of my favorite blogs. This is a tip for all of my fellow bloggers, which you probably know by now, but I just wanted to give you all a reminder!

Don't rely on Google Friend Connect and Google Reader. If you haven't already now is the time to sign up for a Blog Lovin' account. It's not only a great way for you to read all of your favorite blogs in one place, it's also going to be one of the easiest ways for all of your great readers to follow and read your blogs! Get to it!!

Review: Conair Jumbo Hot Rollers

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:03:00 +0000

I love the look of va-va-voom hair. I usually have to utilize heat to get the voluminous hair I desire and not teasing, because teasing and my hair and my hand just don't combine! Since I suck at being able to do my own at home blowout, I purchased a set of jumbo hot rollers quite a while ago to achieve my va-va-voom hair.

I purchased this set of Conair Jumbo Hot Rollers from Amazon about a year ago. When I purchased these rollers, it didn't include the claw clips that the set includes now. I purchased those on my own because I prefer the clips that go all the way around the roller. This set includes only two size rollers- 4 super jumbo rollers and 8 medium to large size rollers.

On to my review:

My major complaint with these rollers is that I don't feel they get hot enough. I've seen YouTube review of this product and the girls seem to be almost burning their fingers because the rollers are so hot and I'm able to hold them no problem. I'm assuming this is a problem with just my set and not with all of them.

Due to the fact that my rollers don't get hot enough, I don't feel like I'm getting the best results from this set. My friend Mamita explained that it may be the way I roll them which is preventing me from getting the most volume at the roots, so she needs to come give me a lesson soon!

Now some pics:

When you initially look at the set of the rollers, you may not think there is enough for your entire head, but I have a lot of hair and the 12 rollers fit on my head perfectly. I definitely recommend using these types of clips for ANY hot rollers that you may use.

As you an see the rollers do give my hair a lot of movement, but not a whole lot of lift!

Pros:

*Very affordable

*Gives straight hair great movement

*Available to purchase at a lot of different stores

Cons:

-Doesn't get hot enough

-Doesn't provide a lot of volume at roots

Would I repurchase?: Unless I realize I'm doing something wrong and these rollers give me some volume, probably not.

If you have any recommendations as to how to use these to get more volume at the roots, it would be greatly appreciated!!

Also, what's your favorite method to getting volume at the roots? I'm willing to try anything!

Be Pretty! Natural Beauty Subscription Service!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 18:08:00 +0000

I love getting mail. Yes, that makes me a massive dork I'm aware, but I love getting catalogs, postcards, magazines, fliers. Everything except bills! Ok, bills and credit card offers! I dislike those also.
I've tried a variety of beauty subscription services to not only enhance my beauty collection, but so I'd have a package to look forward to every month. I liked Birchbox, but didn't love it. I loved Glossybox but couldn't warrant spending $22 each month and my first and original Pretty Pink Box I loved but is now defunct.
When I started watching PinkSoFoxy on Youtube she mentioned that she got a lot of her oils and clays to make skin care products from Vitacost.com. I did some browsing around the site, made a LONG wish list of products and then came across their version of monthly subscription services, the BE series.
Vitacost offers:

-Be Well Box- Personal care and wellness items
-Be Fit Box- Diet and Fitness Products
-Be Pretty Box- Pamper me please products and the newest discoveries in antiaging science
-Be Strong Box- Strength and development products
-Be All Box- Vitamins, supplements, healthy food and personal care products

They are all $13.99 a month and that includes shipping.

I purchased a single month of both the Be Pretty Box and the Be Well Box. I don't plan on getting a monthly subscription to both, but I wanted to see which one I'd like better.

This is the review of April's Be Pretty Box!!

*Sample packets of Desert Essence Age Reversal Revitalizing Eye Serum
Advanced blend of actives, peptides, and natural extracts brightens and tightens delicate skin around the eye, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

*Sample Packets of Desert Essence Rejuvenating Face Serum
This intensive serum is formulated with clinically tested natural actives proven to reduce wrinkles and restore skin's moisturizing elements back to levels found in younger skin.

*2 3.4 fl oz bottles of Kiss My Face Peace Soap in Lavender Mandarin ($7.39 for 17 oz)
Olive and coconut oils- moisturizing and skin softening
Simple Castile formula - cleans gently, 101 uses
Lavender Mandarin - This soothing, relaxing scent transports you to a peaceful place.

*Reviva Labs Eye Gelee Concentrate 1 oz. ($6.49 for 1.25 oz)

Helps reduce puffiness, fights dryness & lines under eyes

Special herbal extracts help reduce puffiness under eyes - while elastin, collagen & mucopolysaccharides fight dryness and light lines.

*Coral Actives Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin 2 fl. oz ($12.95 for 2 fl. oz)
The CoralActives Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin was formulated with natural ingredients to help fight acne as your moisturize your skin.

*2 1.7 oz bars of Out of Africa Pure Shea Butter Bar Soap ($2.69 for 4 oz)
Out Of Africa Organic Shea Butter African Black Bar Soap is a unique and purifying traditional treatment for skin. All shea butters are not created equal. Out Of Africa Organic Shea Butter Bar Soap is made with 20% pure, unrefined shea butte

*Deep Steep Tangerine Melon Moisture Stick .5 oz ($2.93 for .5 oz)
Organic Oils & Butters targets dry areas leaving behind soft supple skin with herbal extracts tone and strenghten. The results Queen for a Day!

*Juice Organics Healthy Beauty Lip Amplifier in Pompink .5 fl oz ($5.29 for .5 oz)
Achieve sumptuous smooth, kissable lips with a blend of lip amplifying peptides, moisturizing organic pomegranate seed oil and luscious mineral tints.

The retail value of this box is around $36! All of that for only $14! This makes me even happier because these are all products that I'm actually interested in trying and all products that I can actually apply to my current skin care routine or actually use.

This is definitely going to be my new monthly subscription service of choice. I think it's a great way to try a variety of natural brands and natural products and while this box was mainly skin care, it usually contains a nice balance of skin care and cosmetics.

Have you ever tried the Be Pretty Box before? I'd love to know what you got!

Fabulously Not Rich Review: The All Natural Face's Strawberries and Cream Face Wash

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:03:00 +0000

It has been quite a while since Tammy and I did a Fabulously Not Rich Review. It's where we both review the same item and post it! We thought this was a great idea since we both have such different hair types, skin types, skin tone, etc. Our first Fabulously Not Rich Review was on Stephen Knoll's Hydro Repair Mist. You can see my review here and Tammy's review here.

This time around we are both reviewing the Strawberries and Cream Face Food Fruit Facial Wash from The All Natural Face. Tammy introduced me to this brand and when I purchased a Groupon-like deal for $50 worth of products this was one of the first products I added to my cart.

Before I start the review let me introduce you to my skin type:
*Dry
*Sensitive
*Acne prone in my chin area and upper lip area
*Dull
*Lots of redness
*Large pores

Now on to the review....

Product Information:

Made from pure dried strawberries and coconut milk, NOTHING else. This pure and simple wash comes with a little cup and scoop. Take a small scoop of fruit and mix it in the cup, or the palm of your hand with 2 scoops of water. You can either wash your face with it and rinse, or mix the fruit and apply to your face. You may want to get ready for your shower with it on your face, and then rinse it off once you are in the shower. That way it stay on your skin for a bit until it is washed off. You should follow this routine with an herbal toner, which will be released shortly.

Strawberries are useful for oily skin but are suitable for all skin types. Strawberries contain salicylic acid, which rids the skin of dead cells, allowing it to absorb moisture more efficiently. Strawberries also have a mild bleaching effect on the skin and will help heal blemishes.

I've been using this product as a facial mask and not a face wash. I have been using this mask once a week for about 6 weeks now.

Pros:
♥ Smells DELISH
♥ All natural!
♥ Very affordable
♥ Leaves skin feeling silky smooth
♥ Helps temporarily tone down redness
♥ Helps smooth out flaky spots

Cons:
-Can be messy and difficult to use
-Available only online or in the retail store in Mass
-No brightening or tightening (which I usually like from my masks)
-Results are felt more than seen

Here is my before picture after taking off my makeup and getting out of the shower. As you can see I have a lot of redness in my skin, especially today after an uber stressful day and than an intense workout.

Here is my cheek after wearing the mask for 10 minutes. As you can see some of the redness has disappeared, but I wish you could feel how much softer my skin feels.

Would I repurchase?: I don't see why not! I plan on purchasing more from this site and with how affordable this is and how smooth my face feels afterwards it's a repurchase for me!

Make sure to go over to Tammy's blog to see how this all natural product worked for her!

Spring Reading List

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:23:00 +0000

I'm an uber nerd that loves to read every opportunity I get. I like to keep a running reading list on my phone so I'm never at a lack of what book I want to read next. Here are some of the books that are on my spring reading list.

♥ Finish off the Harry Potter series

I'm currently reading The Order of the Phoenix and I want to finish reading the series before I start any other books.

♥ Passport to Beauty: Secrets and Tips from Around the World for Becoming a Global Goddess

I learned of this book from PinkSoFoxy and it definitely looks like a fun and girly book. I love DIY beauty recipes, even though I hardly ever try any of them!

♥ Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

I read about this in a magazine a few months ago and it seems like a book that every woman should read. It's a non-fiction book about the oppression of women around the world including sex slavery and other serious topics facing women all around the world. Not a light read, but I feel like I should be more informed of what's happening in the world.

♥ Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community

I've been interesting in stepping up my blogging game for a while and this book seems to be a top read on a lot of popular bloggers list.

♥ L.A. Candy

I love, love, love Lauren Conrad. I wish she would come back with a reality show again. I loved her fashion book, but have never read any of her novels. They have been on my must read list for a while, so it's about time I get to them!

What books are on your must read list? I'm always looking to add more to mine!

Giveaway Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:11:00 +0000

I've been collecting little trinkets for quite a while to host a 200 follower giveaway. However, with the looming death of Google Reader and Google Friend Connect, I've decided to hold the giveaway now even though I only have 192 followers. So I'm calling this my "RIP Google Reader Connect Giveaway".

Here's the basket of goodies:

Some of the products include:

*Wen Cleansing Conditioner
*Nars Nailpolish
*Jewelmint Jewelry

And a lot of other goodies!

Here's how to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest open until April 15th! Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck all!

i HEART spring tag!

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 17:27:00 +0000

I've seen the I heart spring tag going around YouTube. I love spring, despite the allergens and up and down weather and the fact that I'm still at work, I do actually love spring.
Spring by me is very different than a lot of the spring tags I've seen on YouTube. Spring in New York is still cold! It will most likely not be warm enough to wear dresses until mid-May and I still have to wear a heavy coat in the morning, but it is the sign of warmer things to come so I'll take it!

Spring Tag

1. Favorite Spring Nail Polish

I actually have two- The first is the Avon Nailwear Pro in Sweet Mint. It's a bit more green than the average mint colors and it reminds me of a muppet. I don't know why this makes me love it more, but it does. The second favorite is China Glaze's For Audrey. This Tiffany blue color is just perfection and I feel like every girl who is into nail polish should have this color!

2. What is your must have lip color for the spring?

I've really been liking this tinted lip balm in coral from The All Natural Face. It's a tinted balm so it's a subtle color, but the coral is really pretty and brightening. The only thing I've noticed with coral lip colors is that it doesn't make teeth look super white, so if you want to give the coral trend a try I'd use some whitening strips first to get the most accurate color reading.

3. Show us your favorite spring dress.

All of my spring dresses are packed up away still with the rest of my warm weather gear, so I had to steal a pic from last spring. This yellow dress I only wore twice for two special occasions, but I love it! It was super affordable at Joyce Leslie and I think the yellow eyelet material just screams SPRING!

4. What's your favorite flower?

I'm super allergic to most flowers, but visually I love tulips. Tulips were my grandfathers favorites so I guess that's why they are my favorites as well.

5. Favorite spring/scarf accessory.

I love this blue ombre scarf from American Eagle. I bought this in college, so maybe like 8 years ago, before the ombre trend was even a thing. I always get a compliment when I wear this scarf and this lightweight material makes it perfect for spring.

6. What spring trend are you most excited about this year?

I really love all of the braids that have been popular for the past few years now. They are so soft and effortless and with some practice I think can be easy to replicate.

7. Favorite spring candle.

Again, I'm still using up my winter candles since it's still so chilly, but I love the Clean Cotton scent from Yankee Candle. I'm not big on floral scents, so this is my crisp clean spring scent. It smells like freshly laundered shirts.

8. Favorite body spray/perfume for spring.

I bought this Peach Sparkle body spray from Bath and Body Works last year and I love it. It's the perfect light spring scent. It's so strange I love this so much, since I can't stand the taste of peaches!

9. What is spring like where you live?

As I said in the introduction, spring is still pretty chilly here currently. If we get days in the 60's it's a beautiful thing. The mornings are still very chilly, but the afternoons have been getting noticeably warmer.

10. What's your favorite thing about spring?

My favorite part of spring is hands down baseball. I count the days for baseball season to begin and I'm so happy that baseball is back again!

11. Are you a spring cleaner?

I like to think I am, but not really. I go through random bursts of cleaning out my closet or makeup collection, but I want to be a hard core spring cleaner!

12. Any plans for spring break or an upcoming vacation?

My spring break already past and the only trip I took was to a night in Atlantic City. I'd like to go somewhere for Memorial Day weekend, but I don't know if that will be happening.

Tip Thursday: Makeup Storage With Candle Holders

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:33:00 +0000

I love watching DIY videos and I love being able to do DIY projects with items that I already have handy in my house. I've been buying vases or mugs to organize my makeup brushes with, but since seeing this video from the beautiful Anne, I've been using my empty candle jars to organize everything from Revlon Lip Butters to brushes.

Natural Review: Jane Iredale Magic Mitt

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:25:00 +0000

After watching a lot of videos from iluvejesse444 I had created a list of products that I wanted to try and on top of that list was the Jane Iredale Magic Mitt. This mitt is designed to remove makeup so I was excited to try this in lieu of my Kirkland Brand makeup remover wipes.

I've been using this mitt for over a month now and I really love it. It does an amazing job of removing my makeup prior to using my face wash. It will cut down on using more unncessary chemicals on my skin and also cut down on my trash since I was using at least one face wipe every day.

Product description:

Magic Mitt is made from a new generation of specially knitted micro-fibers. These micro-fibers are many times thinner than a human hair and are able to penetrate oil films. This hydro-mechanical process breaks the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin while the fibers gently exfoliate. The combination of warm water and micro-fibers turn the makeup into an emulsion that is easily swept away by the mitt. It will even remove mascara!

Here are some pics to prove how effective this mitt is:

Before Pics with Makeup:

As you can see I don't wear a ton of eye makeup during the week and this was taken after work so a lot of my makeup had worn off by then, but I do wear a lot of face makeup. Foundation, concealer, powder foundation, bronzer, cream blush, blush and setting powder. So this mitt has to get a lot off.

After pics:

As you can see, it took off nearly all of my makeup. There wasn't any visible traces of makeup left which is amazing considering I was using just the mitt and plain ol' water.

Mitt After

I love this product! I haven't noticed any difference in my skin ( I was nervous about possible break outs in case all of my makeup wasn't removed), it's affordable ($15-$25) and a great natural alternative to face wipes.

According to some reviews this mitt can last quite a while, but it's recommended to purchase a new one when you feel like the mitt is breaking down or lost its luster. To clean the mitt, I just saturate it and rub over the mitt with a bar of soap and then wash it thoroughly. It's ready the next day to wash again!

To further prove the magic that is the Magic Mitt, head on over to Tammy's blog and read her review here.

Has anyone ever tried any other Jane Iredale products? I'm quite intrigued now!

March Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Fabulously Thrifty) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

I don't know about you guys, but March felt like an incredibly long month for me. Between snowstorms and stress at work it was just a crappy month. It was also a month that did not see a whole lot of buying of new products so I don't have as many favorite products as I would've hoped. Here we goooooo....

Beauty Favorites

The All Natural Face (ANF) Face Food Fruit Facial Wash Strawberries and Cream- After seeing Tammy use this, I just had to have it. I use it as a mask once a week instead of a face wash and I really like it. It's literally just dried strawberries and coconut so you can imagine how yummy it smells. You take out a small amount of the powder, mix in a little water to make a paste and then spread a thin even layer all over freshly washed skin. It hardens quickly and when I rinse it off my skin feels so smooth and bright. It really helps to get rid of some of the rough spots. Love this!

Revlon Whipped Creme Foundation in 250 Medium Beige- This has been my favorite foundation for a while, but I've noticed that I looked super pale in it. I thought getting a darker shade wouldn't work too well on my pale skin, but this foundation blends so well that I can even pull of a darker shade with no problem.

Mally Perfect Prep Under Eye Brightener and Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Light- I'm writing about these together because these two products have combined to be my favorite undereye combo. I've been struggling with dark circles lately and wanted to find a good concealer for my undereye area. I've been trying to buy less products lately, so I brought this out from my stash and use the tiniest bit on a blending brush to cover undereye circles, this topped with my Mally Eye Brightener is such an uplifting and brightening effect. This may be too much brightening if I wear my contacts, but for my glasses days it's perfect.

Fashion Favorites

Sequined Toms- This is my first pair of Toms and I LOVE them! I bought them from Zulily.com and I'm super happy with my purchase . I plan on purchasing a few more pairs.

Charming Charlies Stud Earrings- I think I may have mentioned these earrings before, but they are just my favorite pair of earrings probably ever. I wear them almost daily and still continue to get compliments on them. They are sparkly and bring a sparkle to my face. I should probably go see if I can buy a back up pair because I love these so much.

Favorite Youtube Video

I love fashion videos from TheStyleSegment and this video on 10dollarmall.com was one of my favorites. I learned about a new online store that may be worth trying out and I love seeing the way she styled such affordable items.

Favorite Blog

I've still been on my health and fitness journey and I've really been liking some of the recipes and fitspiration I've been getting from Undressed Skeleton. A lot of her older recipes use a lot of chemical laden ingredients, but recently she's taken a more natural approach with some of her recipes and I really like what I've been reading.

What have your favorites been lately?