Outfit: Evening Class

Class night by artaslife featuring leather cowboy boots

This is just an outfit I wore to class recently. For "Indian summer" days, I like to hang onto summer just a little longer by pairing a summer dress with more season appropriate pieces.

What is your favorite season to dress for? 

New In: Makeup Freebies + My Free Makeup Collection

Here are my two newest makeup freebies...

I got this Rimmel Volume Accelerator Mascara in a social giveaway. (One of those giveaways where you send a gift to a friend.) It is a good mascara and it does add plenty of volume! I've gotten compliments on my lashes while wearing this mascara. Overall, I've had really positive experiences with Rimmel products. They seem to be very good quality for their price range.

I got this Mary Kay lipstick through a text message giveaway. I was super excited to recieve such a nice full-sized product for free! But when I got a look at this bright orange shade (Citrus Flirt) I was like, "Never mind...don't think this is gonna work!" However, I was really surprised once I gave it a try. I would have never thought I could do the bright orange lip trend, but it turned out to actually be quite pretty and flattering on me. And the formula is perfect: light, yet moisturizing. I've had very limited experience with Mary Kay products in the past, but the couple Mary Kay items that I have tried recently were excellent quality. 

While preparing this post, I noticed that I've amassed a huge free makeup collection over the past year or so! So, I thought I'd show it off.  I got all of these cosmetics for free through contests, giveaways, and couponing

Face

Facial Moisturizers and Fragrance

Mascaras

Lipsticks

Eyeshadows

Eyeliners

Nail Polishes

If you love to discover great new products without the financial risk, it pays to keep your eyes out for giveaways and sales!  

Have you won any beauty swag lately?

Bargain Brag: 5.99fashion.com Haul and Review

Hi everyone! Today I would like to share with you a haul from one of my favorite online shopping guilty pleasures... 5.99 Fashion.com.

So, on to my haul...

5.99fashion Haul

Floral Off-the-shoulder Skater Dress- $5.99

This dress is one of my favorites EVER from 5.99fashion! It is a light scuba-type fabric and it is so flattering and pretty. 

Printed Deep-V Mesh Back Skater Dress-$5.99

This dress is so cute! I saw a similar dress on sale at urban outfitters last season. The fabric is a soft thin blend and the mesh is not too sheer.

Floral Print Basic Skater Dress- $5.99

This dress is so pretty on! It has a nice clean line and beautiful fit.

  

Black and Tan Chevron Print High-Low Dress-$5.99

This dress is so stylish and versatile.  Alone, it makes a nice dress for going out because it has a sexy open back.  Throw it with a jean jacket for a casual look or a cardigan for work.  The fabric is a little thin, but still a great item!

Pink Tweed Dress-$5.99

I was really surprised by how heavy this tweed dress is! With a cardigan and tights, it is perfect for colder weather. It is way nicer quality than I expected, and I love the Chanel-inspired look it gives.  

Derek Heart Black Stonewashed Crop Sweatshirt-$5.99

This cropped sweatshirt is a great winter basic from a brand I'm familiar with.

Gradient Red Sweater-$4.99

I got this sweater on sale. Yes, $5.99fashion has sale merchandise, too! I worried this sweater would be scratchy, but it is actually super soft! I also saw a very similar sweater featured in People StyleWatch this month. 

Faux Suede Low Bootie-$5.99

I grabbed these little booties because they seemed like great comfy shoes for work. I ordered them in tan as well, but they sold out before my order was processed. 

Tall Faux Suede Roll-down Boots-$5.99

I chose these boots to replace the tan booties that were out of stock.  I like that they can be worn two ways. It's like getting 2 pairs of boots for $5.99! 

Silver Filigree Circle Necklace-$1.99

This necklace is very cool. It looks like something I would find in Urban Outfitters!

Rhinestone Statement Necklace-$1.99

This one is just ok. It is pretty and sparkly. I plan to wear it with a white button down shirt or a black dress.

Gold and Pearl Charm Bracelet-$1.99

This little bracelet is so cute! And the link of the chain is heavy and nice. This is one of the highest quality jewelry pieces I've gotten from 5.99fashion.com

Large Gold Link Bracelet-$1.99

This was my least favorite item of the haul. It's ok...but it looks like it cost $1.99 and the clasp doesn't stay closed very well.

Pearl Choker-$1.99

This was my favorite jewelry item. I like its trendy Chanel-inspired style and it's way cheaper than Zara's version!

So, to sum it up...

I got:

5 dresses

2 sweaters

2 pairs of boots

3 necklaces

2 bracelets

All for $59 shipped to my house!

See why I love 5.99fashion.com???

5.99fashion.com Review

First, I'd like to say, I've seen some reviews online where 5.99fashion.com provides three items to bloggers for review purposes.  This is not one of those reviews. I bought all of the items in this haul with my own money.  Since I shop this site pretty often, I just thought I'd let my readers know about this fun online store.

I have been shopping 5.99fashion.com regularly since about 2011.  They are an online-only store located in Los Angeles, CA.  They sell junior's and plus size clothing, shoes, and accessories.  They also carry some children's and men's clothing.  Everything they sell is $5.99 or less.  The clothing all starts at $5.99,and many accessories are less.  They also occasionally mark down prices of older products. Merchandise moves really quickly on this site, so order it when you see it! Even if you order quickly, be prepared for the possibility that one of the items you ordered will be out of stock. Because they add new items a couple times a week, it's easy to become addicted to shopping this inexpensive site.

5.99fashion.com offers a huge variety of clothes. Most are brands I've never heard of, but very occasionally I have found a more common brand in my order.  I've gotten a couple Derek Heart items, and a couple of "Dot's" store brand pieces (I got those before Dot's closed.)  In general, the quality of their merchandise is way more than you would expect for the price.  I have gotten some items that were cute, but the fabric was on the cheaper side.  Even though that is not generally the case, it's good to be aware of that. 

My favorite items to buy from 5.99fashion are their dresses and shoes because they are fairly easy to fit and a great value for the price. Really, how often can you find a $5.99 dress or shoes? My least favorite items from 5.99fashion.com are the jewelry. The jewelry prices, in my opinion, match the quality, and they are not an especially great deal.

My tips for shopping the site are to examine each item very carefully before buying, especially in regards to the fabric and the length of dresses.  5.99 fashion has very good pictures and gives measurements for all their models.  They also list fabric details. Before ordering, check their website for discount codes that can range from 3%-10%. Finally, don't keep anything you don't like. They have a very easy free returns policy, so if something doesn't work for you, it's free to exchange it for another item.  I have returned a few things. It really is very easy and you don't pay anything.  

The one thing that keeps me from ordering from 5.99fashion more regularly is that they don't offer free shipping.  In the past, they had free shipping on orders over $100, so I made a couple of $100 orders. (That's A LOT of $5.99 clothing!)  They stopped that (and my wallet rejoiced). Now, they offer a shipping deal that they call "free shipping".  If you spend $50 and your order includes 5 jewelry items, you get free shipping.  Shipping on a $50 order is $7.99.  Their accessories are mostly priced at $1.99.  So, you can spend $8 for shipping and get nothing, or spend $2 more and get 5 pieces of jewelry.  As I mentioned, I'm not a huge fan of their jewelry, but I usually do the jewelry deal when I order. 

***UPDATE: 5.99fashion.com has lowered their shipping cost at each price range! And orders over $50 that include only 3 jewelry items qualify for free shipping.

Here is the link to their website and Facebook page if you would like to check out 5.99fashion.com for yourself.

So what is your online shopping guilty pleasure? What's the best thing to buy on your favorite site?

Outfit: Casual Fall Shopping

Fall Shopping by artaslife featuring gold glasses

I wore this outfit today for a casual afternoon of shopping.  

Here are a couple of my actual pieces.  

Acid Wash high-waisted "mom jeans"

Military-style jacket

Black round sunglasses

Review: Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream (No 21)

Today I have a review of Missha's Perfect Cover BB Cream in color number 21.

This product is very popular and has been widely reviewed.  Even still, since this has turned out to be one of my all-time favorite BBs, I wanted to write my own review and let my readers know about this awesome product.

First, this is what Missha's website has to say about this BB cream:

Originally developed as a salve for patients after laser treatment, BB Cream’s soothing and regenerative properties were adapted for cosmetics to improve skin while providing coverage. The M Perfect Cover BB Cream is Missha’s most popular product with over 30 million sold worldwide. Combining cosmetics with skin care, this product promotes natural-looking coverage while providing sun protection, treating dark spots, and preventing wrinkles.

The M Perfect Cover BB Cream is suitable for all skin types and can be used as a makeup base or foundation.

This is what I have to say:

I bought this BB in the Missha store in South Korea. It is offered in two sizes. I bought the smaller size for about 7,000 Won, which is roughly $7 US.  This bottle lasted me for a few months of daily use. I have tried various Missha skincare and cosmetics products and this brand has never disappointed me!  I feel that their prices are pretty reasonable and the products are excellent quality.

This BB is thicker and creamier than some of the others I have tried, although it is not greasy or extremely moisturizing.  I used this BB often during the hot summer months and it never made my normal skin look or feel oily.  Number 21 is the second-lightest shade.  It is a light sandy beige.  The color is definitely on the lighter side and has a decidedly grayish tone.  The first time I saw the color on my skin, I was worried it would make me look pale and sickly, but it smoothly blended into my skin without any grayish cast, and dried to a perfect matte finish.  The coverage is heavier than some BBs I have used (especially those by Holika Holika and various American Brands.)  It has a nice medium coverage, while still giving that fresh and naturally beautiful look that has made Korean BB cream a worldwide sensation.

Color Swatches

The one thing I did not absolutely love about this BB is the scent.  It is quite strong and bold, and what I would describe as perfumey and "older."  I imagine that the powerful middle-aged female executive characters that always pop up in K-dramas would smell like this BB cream.  The scent also does not fade quickly.  Even though I'm not a huge fan of the way this BB cream smells, it is only a minor issue.  

Overall, I would rate Missha's Perfect Cover BB cream as among my top 3 favorite BB creams. There is a reason why there are so many reviews out there for this product!  If you have normal to dry skin and are looking for a great BB with fuller coverage and a matte finish, this just might be the one. However, I would caution anyone with darker or very warm skin tones to test the color first, since the lightness/gray tone might be an issue for some people. 

Have you ever tried this super-popular BB? What did you think? If not, what is your favorite BB cream?

Outfit: Summer Into Fall

Indian Summer by artaslife featuring riding boots

This is an outfit I wore recently to the last of the summer night markets in Chinatown.  It was still pretty warm, but beginning to be a little chilly in the evenings.  I paired a tribal print summer dress in Autumn tones with tights and a jean jacket for extra warmth.  I accessorized with tan knee boots and bag, and turquoise jewelry.    

Recent Freebies

Hi everyone! Today I have a quick post with some of my awesome recent freebies.

This L'Oreal Youth Code Pore Vanisher was an unexpected treat!  Cosmopolitan Magazine and L'Oreal randomly sent me this full-size product asking me to try it out and give feedback.  How cool is that? I was really excited to receive this, since I had sampled this product awhile back and really liked it.  You can read my review here.

This full-sized L'oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Lipcolour was also from Cosmo Magazine and L'Oreal.  They sent me an email asking if I'd be willing to try this lipgloss and fill out a survey about my experience.  I really liked this product, so I will likely post a review soon!

When I requested this freebie, I thought it seemed a little too good to be true.  So, I was really excited when it actually arrived!  I got these Jockey Skimmies shorts for creating an account with Jockey.  I love wearing dresses and skirts all summer, and I always wear cotton hot pants-type shorts under them.  These are like an upgraded version of my usual shorts.  The nude color is great and the fabric is like a slip, so there is no catching on dresses or skirts.  These aren't shapewear, so they aren't tight and don't create any weird bulges.  I highly recommend these to all my dress-loving readers!  

I won this full-sized Suave Visible Glow Self-Tanning Body Lotion from a Suave Facebook giveaway.  If you like their products, you should definitely friend them on Facebook, because they give away tons of free products and samples! 

I got this NeilMed Sinus Rinse for reading a tutorial and taking a quiz on their site.  It might not seem all that exciting, but this product is worth more than $10 and is a total lifesaver if you have sinus problems or allergies!

I got two sets of this Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo/Conditioner sample from different sample sites.  (I think one was from Pinch Me, and the other was from Walmart.) This is the first time I remember trying Dove shampoo.  I used the first set already, and I really liked it!  It is a good inexpensive shampoo for fine hair.

This Dove deodorant sample was from Poshly.

These Olay and Herbal Essences body washes came from a P&G Sample Box, and an Orgullosa Box.  If you like P&G products check out both the P&G site and their site for Latinas called Orgullosa.  Both offer great sample packs!

Frizz Ease Styling product samples from John Frieda. 

 These are various small samples: Crest White strips, Suave Naturals, Ban cloths, Olay lotion.

So, what freebies and deals have you gotten lately?