Save Money Online Shopping!

So if you guys couldn't tell already, I am all about the bargain hunting. For me, half the fun of shopping is the rush you get when you know you've scored an awesome deal. And I am about to let you all in on my best-kept online shopping secret- RetailMeNot.

Budget Beauty: 10 Products Under $10

Ever since the oh so popular post on Drugstore Dupes, I have been getting a ton of requests to do more posts about beauty products for people (like me!) who would rather get an awesome deal than splurge on high-end cosmetics. I'm so glad that you guys love these budget beauty posts, because I love sharing all of these amazing deals with you! Read on to score some more bargains on my favorite beauty products that are under $10!

Makeup Primer 101

Makeup primer is one of those products that is either something you cannot live without, or something you cannot understand to save your life. While I definitely fall under the first category, I can understand how primer could be a little intimidating with so many options out there and very limited explanations as to what it truly does and how to properly use it. But I'm here to help!

Without further adieu, here is everything you need to know to get started with the magic that is primer!

Is this real life.......?

I just happened to refresh sparkle & mine at a magical moment: 

Seriously guys, you are amazing. It is such a blessing to be able to share my passion for beauty and style with 10,000 friends (and growing!). If all this could happen in just 4 days, I have such high hopes for what this blog can become and I hope you all will continue on this crazy journey along with me!

Have any requests for future posts or questions for me? Comment down below and let me know what's on your mind! ♥

5 Nail Polish Trends to Try!

Matte (via Vampy Varnish)

Almost every nail polish line is clamoring to come out with their own version of this chic matte look. All you have to do is apply it over normal polish like a topcoat!  

Sparkle Ombre (via A Polish Addict)

This look is a little more tricky to get just right, but definitely do-able with a little practice. Let the base color dry completely, then grab a tiny dab of clear glitter polish and apply it in small amounts at a time from top to bottom. The amount of polish on your brush should naturally dwindle as you reach the bottom of the nail, leaving you with just a hint of sparkle. 

Dual Colors (via Pinkbeauty)

This one is super simple, just use tape to diagonally cover half of your nail!

The Modern French (via Popcosmo)

Just like the picture shows, all you need for this one is a fun polish color and some hole punch reinforcement stickers that you can get at any office supply store!

Color Gradient (via Gotham Polish)

If you're a nail polish junkie like me this will be the easiest idea yet! Just pick out 5 shades in the same color family (one for each finger) and paint them on from lightest to darkest. 

Have any other nail polish ideas for spring that I forgot to mention? Feel free to add them in the comments! ♥

Get This Necklace!

So yesterday I was just strolling through the black hole of amazingness that is Target, and I came across these adorable necklaces! I was literally just looking at a necklace at J. Crew that looks exactly like this, except way more expensive. At my Target location, it was available in 4 colors- black and gold, cream and gold, neon yellow and silver, and orange and gold. I decided to scoop up all but the orange, because I had to make myself feel like I had some self-control. But seriously, how cute are these?! Online they are selling for about $7 on clearance, and in-store I got mine for $6 each. I would definitely suggest heading over to your local Target or just ordering them online!

Cream & Gold

Yellow & Silver

Orange & Gold

Black & Gold

Red & Gold

What clearance deals have you scored lately? Let me know in the comments below! ♥

Budget Beauty: Drugstore Dupes!

Is it weird that I would rather slum it up with some Ramen Noodles for dinner and save my money for that new makeup I've been coveting? I mean, who needs real nourishment when you have cute lip gloss, right?

Okay, that may be a little extreme. But I have a way you can have your awesome makeup and still have money in your pocket too- drugstore dupes! A drugstore dupe is basically a cheaper and drugstore-brand duplicate of a more expensive product. In fact, I have found that some of these dupes are actually better than their expensive cosmetic counter counterpart. Of course, these are all items that have been tested by me so I can tell you from personal experience that they are truly amazing!

My Favorite DIY Beauty Ideas!

Am I the only one who gets way more excited than I should over products I can make with stuff I already have in my house? I mean, how awesome is it that you can just grab some olive oil or brown sugar out of your cabinet, mix a few things together, and then- BAM! A super useful (and cheap) beauty find!

I've just put together a little collection of my favorite DIY beauty stuff. I have tried them all so I definitely speak from experience when I make these recommendations. Keep in mind, none of these lovelies are my idea (I wish!), so I will just be showing off a picture of the idea and a link to the blogger or website that the idea is from.

How-To: Taylor Swift's Red Lip

I've only just recently gotten super into lip products. I used to focus a lot more on my eyes and maybe just throw on some gloss or balm before I headed out the door, but lately I've been really experimenting with new products and colors. So naturally, when a friend/fellow beauty junkie told me she knew the exact lip color Taylor Swift uses to get her signature red lips, I was pretty excited!

How-To: Flawless Face

So I have a confession- I used to be a total makeup disaster. I had pretty awful acne and I thought the best way to deal with it was to slather on as much full-coverage foundation as possible. Oh yeah, and I used a shade or two darker than I should have because I thought it would make me look "tan". Yeah, I was a hot mess. Minus the hot. But over the years I have really taken the time to educate myself on what works for me and what doesn't. I've read beauty books, flipped through magazine after magazine, watched hours of beauty videos, and sampled out basically every product imaginable. I am definitely not claiming to be an expert, but I get asked quite often what my face makeup routine is so I thought I might as well share it with all of you!