beauty-full CHEAP TRICKS

EVERYTHING CAN HELP WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING MONEY ON BEAUTY ESSENTIALS...

Here's how you can get more for what you paid for...

* Make your own scented body lotion by adding a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil or perfume to sorbolene cream.

* Rub almond oil into your nails to nourish them and soften your cuticles.

* If you can’t afford your favourite perfume, you can still wear the fragrance in a less expensive form, such as body spray, powder or shower gel.

* Save on face exfoliators by rubbing your face with a dry towel before cleansing, or with a damp face cloth afterwards.

* To save money at the hairdressers, ask for a cut without a blowdry.

* Learn to mix your make-up to create new colours rather than buying new make-up every season.

* When you can’t squeeze anymore out of a tube, cut it in half, you’ll be surprised how much product will be inside.

10 ways to CHOOSE HAPPINESS

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE...

For every minute you are angry or irritated, you lose 60 seconds of happiness. Be happy. Be yourself.

If others don’t like it, then let them be. Life isn’t about pleasing everybody. If you have the courage to admit when you’re scared, the ability to laugh even as you cry, the nerve to speak up, even if your voice is shaking, the confidence to ask for help when you need it, and the wisdom to take it when it’s offered, then you have everything you need to get yourself to a happier state of mind. Begin today by taking responsibility for your own contentment.

Here are ten ways to choose happiness:

1. Choose to be the best YOU can be. – Give it your all in everything you do, commit to your goals, and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Never try to be better than anyone else, but never stop trying to be the best you can be. If you feel called to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself.

2. Choose to be around the right people. – Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded. Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be. Choose friends who you are proud to know, people you admire, who love and respect you – people who make your day a little brighter simply by being in it. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. When you free yourself from negative people, you free yourself to be YOU – and being YOU is the only way to truly live.

3. Choose to focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy or acquire anything new. It makes sense. You will have a hard time ever being happy if you aren’t thankful for what you already have.

4. Choose a good attitude. – What often screws us up the most in life is the picture in our head of how it’s supposed to be. And the reason so many of us give up is because we tend to look at how far we still have to go, instead of how far we have come. Remember, life is a journey, not a destination. This moment, like every moment, is a priceless gift and an opportunity. Be positive, smile, and make it count. Pretend today is going to be great. Do so, and it will be. Research shows that although we think that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. A great attitude always leads to great experiences.

5. Choose to smile more often. – A smile is a choice, not a miracle. Don’t wait for people to smile. Show them how. A genuine smile makes you and everyone around you feel better. The simple act of smiling sends a message to your brain that you’re happy. And when you’re happy, your body pumps out all kinds of feel-good endorphins. This reaction has been studied since the 1980’s and has been proven a number of times. Bottom line: Smiling actually makes you happier.

6. Choose to take care of your body. – Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Recent studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise significantly raises happiness levels in the near-term. Not only that, six months later, the people who had continued to exercise were less likely to relapse into depression because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

7. Choose honesty. – Start being honest with yourself and everyone else. Don’t cheat. Be faithful. Be kind. Do the right thing! It is a less complicated way to live. Integrity is the essence of everything successful. When you break the rules of integrity you invite serious complications into your life. Keep life simple and enjoyable by doing what you know in your heart is right. Don’t get involved with drama that doesn’t affect you.

8. Choose to help others when you’re able. – Care about people. In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s greater than you – something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less.

9. Choose to let go when you know you should. – Sometimes you have to be strong for yourself. Love is worth fighting for, but you can’t be the only one fighting. People need to fight for you too. If they don’t, you eventually have to move on and realize that what you gave them was more than they were willing to give you. Some relationships and situations just can’t be fixed. If you try to force them back together, things will only get worse. Holding on is being brave, but letting go and moving on is often what makes us stronger and happier.

10. Choose to embrace the next step in your life. – You can hold on to the past, or you can create your own happiness today. Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart. Every day is a new beginning and a new ending. Embrace it, make the best of it, smile, and keep looking straight ahead. And don’t forget, a smile doesn’t always mean a person is happy right now; sometimes it simply means they are strong enough to face their problems going forward.

And remember... Never let someone’s opinion become your reality. Never sacrifice who you are because someone else has a problem with it. Love who you are inside and out. No one else has the power to make you feel small unless you give them that power. You are the only one who can create your happiness.

The choice is yours. Choose happiness.

RED lipstick TIPS

ADD A LITTLE GLAMOUR TO YOUR WEEK BY SWAPPING YOUR GLOSS FOR 'RED' LIPstick...

I know it's a bit hard to wear—smear the tiniest smidge and it's very obvious - but if you follow these insider tips you'll have this shade sussed!

1. Skip lipliner it's way too drying anyway—and there are better ways to keep red in place. Like...

2. ... dipping a cotton bud into a little loose powder and then running it along the edges of the lips.

3. For a more subtle red, dab the lipstick in the middle of the lower lip only, then spread it with your finger. You'll still get a red effect, but you'll only have the lightest trace on your lips so less chance of smudging.

4. To avoid the red-on-the-teeth look, the trick of sticking a finger in your mouth, then slowly pulling it out gets rid of any excess lippie.

sleep SCHOOL

THE FIVE WORST SLEEP MISTAKES

Here's what to avoid before bed:

1. TV TOO CLOSE TO BEDTIME. The light and the content are both incredibly alerting.

2. NAPPING. The need for sleep builds over the day and should peak right around when you go to bed at night. Naps dissipate this momentum.

3. A NIGHTCAP. Drinking alcohol makes you much more likely to wake up multiple times during the night.

4. PETS IN THE BEDROOM. Dogs snore, and cats prowl.

5. OVERSLEEPING. Not everyone needs eight hours—the range is huge—from four to 11 hours. Consider how much you tend to sleep at the end of a long vacation. Then see what happens if you get that much sleep. If you wake up just before your alarm goes off, that's your magic number.

Sun Tea

One of my favorite things about summer is Sun Tea! 

I love ice cold crisp sun tea on a hot afternoon. 

It makes the day so much sweeter!

How to Wear Summer Neautrals

Neutrals are an integral part of every girls wardrobe due in part to the fact that they can mix and match with almost every item in your closet including each other. Colors are fun and indeed an essential, but without a few key neutral pieces, you'll continually find yourself surrounded by bright colors that lack basic styling links, which will leave your wondering why you have nothing to wear. By properly stocking your wardrobe with a few neutral pieces your styling options will instantly double.

If you’re a color fiend you can think of these pieces as the perfect canvas for showing off one of your prized bright colored pieces such as a neon pink scarf or a mint green clutch. When styling your neutral ensembles I always suggest adding some contrast and dimension by incorporating tonal textures. Khaki, cream, white, blush, brown, black, and grey are a few of the most popular neutrals.

With summer in full effect, I suggest sticking to the bright whites and sandy tones to keep your look fresh and summer appropriate. For those of you who have your heart set on color and only color for the next few months, try picking up a few neutral accessories to keep your looks from being too loud. 

In case you're wondering where the top and skirt are from, the skirt is Bar III and the top is MM Couture.

Below are some of my favorite neutral pieces that are perfect for incorporating into your summer wardrobe:

1. Studded Clutch
2. Pelpum Pencil Dress
3. Platform Heel 

1. Chunky Cork Heel
2. Stripped Maxi
3. Structured Blazer

1. Pleated Top
2. Sheer Maxi Skirt
3. Embroidered Scarf

Summer Work Style

Summer Work Style

During the hot and sticky summer months, layering is key when it comes to office attire. While the idea of buying an entirely new wardrobe is tempting, there’s no need to splurge. To be honest, there are only a few basic pieces you actually need to give your wardrobe an updated, summery feel without resorting to crop tops and cuttoffs and maxing out your credit card. 

Without further ado, here are my five summer must-haves for all working ladies out there:

1. Put some pep in your step. Add a trendy staple such as a peplum top to your repertoire. Wear it with a swingy skirt, straight legs or even cropped pants for a playful yet professional look.
2. Crop and print. Combine two of the summer’s hottest trends by snagging a pair of printed, cropped trousers. Pair them with pointed pumps for the ultimate summery-chic update to your 9 to 5 uniform.
3. Sharpen your pencil (skirt). Turn this traditional office garb on its head by opting for its colorful counterpart. I especially love the neon coral tweed version included in the collage above; wear it with a simple striped top and dainty heels for an HR-approved summer ensemble. 
4. Refresh your bottom line. Invest is a fun pair of flats, peep-toes, or nice sandals. Heavy boots and darker hued shoes should be stowed away for colder seasons. Summer is the prime time to let that pedi shine, ladies!
5. Keep it under wraps. While it may be blisteringly hot outside, usually offices are just the opposite inside—freezing. By having a light cardigan around, such as a knit pastel cardi like the once included above, you can easily layer it over your summery outfit for both warmth and added modesty. 

If these five picks aren’t for you, just make sure whatever you do end up buying fits the following criteria: It’s modest, it’s bright, it can be layered under a sweater or blazer.