Fashion & Beauty Faves

Here are some of my favorite products and websites for fashion and beauty related items!


Fashion Favorites
Here are a few of my favorite stores for versatile clothes.  I try to buy things that can be for work or play, all the while being very budget-conscious.  
  • Gap - Gap is a long-time favorite of mine and is a great place for wardrobe staples as well as trendier items.  The Gap Card rewards are quite good if you're interested in additional discounts and coupons.  I believer most stores also offer 25% off to teachers on Tuesdays (though I usually have better discounts that I use instead).
  • Loft - I don't have a Loft store nearby, but it is a favorite of mine for cute work clothes.  Their Loft Loves Teachers program also offers 15% off everyday on full-price items.  It's a great store for very cute, but also work appropriate clothing.  I know if I had a Loft store in town I would be in there all the time!
  • American Eagle - AE can be a little too trendy and young for some, but I still shop there a ton.  They also have awesome sales and discounts.  Not all of their clothing is work appropriate, but a little creativity and laying makes AE a winner for me.  They also have a great selection of shoes and accessories that I love as well.
  • J.Crew - J.Crew is another store I don't shop at often because I don't have it in town, but I have found several pieces I love from there.  It can be pricey, but they also offer a teacher discount that (in stores) can many times be stacked with other sales and promos.  J.Crew can have really good sales and the quality is also quite good.  I'm in love with their Tippi sweaters, which I think should be a part of every teacher's wardrobe!
  • Target - Target clothing is very affordable, trendy, and they also have a lot of variety depending on your style.  I buy a lot of my clothing, shoes, and accessories from there.  Their Mossimo black brand has a lot of great work wardrobe staples.  My current favorite work pants were $24.99 from Mossimo!

Beauty Favorites
These are some products that I've come to really enjoy (enough to repurchase)!  I typically go for drugstore brands, but I do get a few higher end products that I think are worth the extra money.  Most of these are available at places like Target, Wal-Mart, or Walgreens, otherwise I have noted where you can find them.  

  • Garnier Pure Clean 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner - I recently switched to this and absolutely love it!  This 2-in-1 smells amazing and leaves your hair very smooth and clean without some of the chemicals that you find in other shampoos and conditioners.  (I use 2-in-1s to speed things up in the shower since I use a leave in conditioner on my curly hair.)
  • Clinique Acne Solutions skincare - I've used these products for several years to help curb and treat breakouts.  I love the bar soap for the shower and use it on my body after sweaty workouts.  This can be found anywhere that Clinique is sold. (I buy mine from Dillards, Sephora, or Von Maur.)
  • Benefit's The POREfessional makeup primer - I kind of doubted how effective this stuff would be, but it's really helped to keep my skin from looking super oily as the day goes by.  I've purchased the bonus pack at Sephora, but it's also available at Ulta.
  • Revlon Lip Butters - These are a perfect cross between a lip balm and a lipstick.  They're not too heavy, but you get a really nice color from them.  They're available (almost) anywhere Revlon products are sold, but I've noticed smaller stores like the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets don't carry them at this point.
  • Hard Candy's Fox in a Box blush - These run about $6 at Wal-Mart and are an inexpensive version of Benefit's box blushes.  The one I'm currently loving is "Smooth Talker," but I'd like to try out another color at some point after I use up some of my other blushes.