Not So Good Day Ulta & VS Swim Rave!

Today I dragged my sick little self out of the house because I wanted to go to Ulta to redeem my $5 off coupons that I got several weeks ago.  When I got those coupons I was so excited because the girl at the cash register told me I can use all $20 worth of them in one purchase! I was like YESSS!!! $20 worth of stuff for free!

You know how when things sound too good to be true, they usually are?  I picked up a bottle of Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume only to find out that fragrances and anything on the entire right side of the store weren't eligible for the offer. OK. Great. So then I went and found a few more things to add up to $20 and had to wait in line AGAIN...(I didn't get the perfume because I couldn't get the discount on it...maybe next time! It's my fave new scent)

Once I got to the cash register again, the guy tells me I can ONLY use each $5 off coupon for every $20 I spend.  WHAT!? I explained to him that I was told I could use them all in one purchase to get $20 off anything. Apparently not. Well a policy is a policy so I did the right thing, took my 3 other coupons and offered them to the people waiting in line. Because that's the good Samaritan thing to do. BLAH! What a bad experience. This is why I love Sephora so much, I've never had any problems there and their return policy is amazing.

Anyways, I ended up picking up 2 nail polishes (Essie "Marshmallow" and OPI "Bubble Bath"). I also picked up another can of Neutrogena's sunless spray because it was 15% off today.

Nothing too exciting but stuff I needed.

I also went to MAC today and picked up a new Studio Fix Powder Foundation (I wear C3.)  It's my HG foundation. I've been wearing it for more than 9 years now.  I've just never really had the desire to use something else because it's everything I want in a product.  I know the Studio Fix is either a love or hate product for most people, but for me, it's just perfection!

I stepped into Victoria's Secret today "just to look" and I was taken aback by the large selection of swimwear in my store. I was also impressed by all of the super cute bathing suits! The prices were spot-on too. I just had to buy this adorable blue ruffly one. It was $24 for the top and $20 for the bottoms. Pretty comparable to Target's prices.

Here is a pic of it on. It was requested a few times with my last swimsuit purchase so I wanted to show a picture of how the top fits. I bought a size medium (top and bottom.)

That's all for today!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend :)

xoxo,

Veronika.

PS- I forgot to add that I also got Emily Giffin's new book at Borders for 30% off! Yay! She is one of my favorite authors (I've even met her and she's the reason my best friend and I met too!)

She is the author of the popular books (now being made into movies) "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue." You can to her her new book "Heart of the Matter."CLICK HERE Heart of the Matter

Can't wait to read this one!

Contest: Big Hair, Big Lashes- 350 Plus Subscribers!!!!!!!

I finally made it out to Ulta today to purchase some goodies for a blog contest. Right now I am at just over 350 followers and I am so grateful for your readership and for contributing so much to this blog.

I made the theme of this contest "Big Hair, Big Lashes" because I am obsessed with volume. Big hair, thick lashes, ruffles and all kinds of voluminous texture in my clothes...you get the picture.

The contest prize is the following:

1. Redken "Guts 10" mini, which is a volumizing spray (Elle- AllThatGlitters21 on YouTube) recently recommended it, so I picked one up for the contest (and one for myself too!)

2. Redken "Satinwear 02" mini, which is a smoothing blowdry lotion (gotta do the blow dry to get the volume!)

3. Redken Extreme "Anti Snap" mini, which is a leave-in protein hair repair treatment. I have been using this product for awhile now and I like it. I am not sure how much of a difference it makes, but I do like it.

4. L'Oreal Volume Collagen Mascara (waterproof) in "Blackest Black." This is my favorite mascara right now, so I decided to spread the love so someone else can full, thick, luscious lashes. See my rave about this mascara here.

Here are the rules for this contest:

1. You must be a subscriber/blog follower, (please enter once only)

2. You must enter your comment with a valid name/login. No anonymous entries will be accepted. A simple "enter me" is all it takes :) or you can write a longer comment, whatever you desire!

3. You must provide your email address in your comment so I can contact you should you win. You can write it like this: veronabrit at gmail dot com (less chance of spam this way.)

4. The contest closes on Friday, February 26th at midnight CST. No entries will be accepted after that time.

5. I will announce the winner next Saturday, February 27th. UPDATE: as with my last contest, I will choose the winning comment using RANDOM.ORG. Sorry I forgot to include that!

6. You must provide me with your mailing address if you win so I can mail the package to you.

I hope you will enter this contest :) I bought the same products for myself, so hopefully we will both enjoy them/explore them. I also got myself a mini of the volumizing mousse, because I am always looking for something to out-do my Garnier Fructis XXL volume mousse.

While at Ulta, I also picked up some Seche Vite topcoat, which Tiffany D raves about. I just used it on my nails and it really does work. I like it better than the OPI brand topcoat. I did 3 layers of nail polish and used this topcoat, and I notice my nails did dry faster.

The color I painted my nails with is from OPI's new Hong Kong collection. It's called "Lucky Lucky Lavender." I really like it. I haven't had a chance to clean up the sides yet, but this is a pic of the color. It actually reminds me of the color of these pretty J.Crew pumps.

The color is a bit darker than the pumps (I used 3 coats) but I absolutely love it. I am seeing a lot of lilac everywhere for spring. I love the soft pastels and brights that come along with spring. It inspires me to add some color to my usual black ensembles.

Speaking of awesome shoes with bows, I just ordered these gorgeous Paris Hilton pumps. I just couldn't resist the amazing bow. I got them in black and they have hot pink underneath (no doubt a nod to Mr. Louboutin.) They are called Paris Hilton- Senorita Peep Toe Pumps and I got them from Macys.com.

I have been looking for shoes like this for a long time. I saw some at Ann Taylor a couple of weeks ago, but the bow just wasn't bold enough. I love that the bow on these is more dramatic. I can't wait until they come in. I loved them in gold too, but black just seemed more versatile. I can see these becoming my favorite pumps. A lot of people have said that these are a replica of the Valentino pumps. I can't afford Valentino, but give me a black pump with a huge bow by any brand I can afford, and I'll take it! They were $89.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thank you so much for reading, and if you're interested in the products above, please do enter the contest.

xoxo,

Veronika.

Probably the Most Random Post Ever: & an OOTD

The last two times I've gone to my pilates class, I have gotten a major migraine/headache in the middle of the class. Today, it was so bad I almost couldn't finish the class, but I forced myself to do it because I didn't want to waste the session.

It's all in my forehead/nose area, so I know it's sinus related...but I'm not congested or anything. I also have some pain in my jaw when I get these headaches too. It is just so frustrating. It's only happens at pilates, I am fine throughout the day. I don't know what's going on but I need to figure it out!

As for my OOTD: Today I was feeling more casual, so I wore dress pants, a simple black tank and printed cardigan:

Pants: Club Monaco; Top: Lulu Lemon racer back tank; Cardigan: Target; Flats: Target; Jacket (in bottom pic) Forever 21; Belt on Jacket: Forever 21.

So, no one I see on a daily basis has noticed that I cut my hair. My hairdresser said that's a good thing because it means he didn't cut a lot of length off...but I feel like it is quite different from before. Sigh. I think I just have to embrace the fact that most people aren't as detail- oriented as I am. I can tell when someone is wearing a different eyeshadow or blush than usual!

I just really notice things like that on people. I guess deep down, I am happy no one noticed, because that means my hair still looks long! I also think some people aren't as vocal as I am about little changes in apperance. I tend to compliment people a lot, but I always mean it. I think it brightens people's days when you take a moment to make a sincere comment about them.

This weekend, I am going to take a little trip to Ulta to buy a prize for my 300 followers contest. I hope you will all enter for a chance to win! I would like to do contests more often too. I think it's a fun way to thank everyone for reading all of the sometimes random thoughts I have (like 80% of this blog post.)

Before I go, my gorgeous friend Maja (featured in this blog post) sent me these pics from the Chanel, Lanvin and Valentino spring shows, and I must say I was taken aback at the gorgeousness of the clothes.


Everything is so pretty, and ruffly and feminine. I am really feeling those collections. Just my style! Unfortunately, the price tags are probably insane...but a girl can dream, right?

Speaking of chic clothes, I saw these photos of The Hills star Kristin Cavallari shopping on The Skinny Website (which is a fun blog to follow, BTW) and I thought her outfit was so cute- down to the details on her jean pockets, so I thought I'd share them with you all!

What do you think of Kristin Cavallari's outfit?

Since this blog was such a mish-mash of subjects, please feel free to comment about any element of this post...and if anyone has advice on how to get rid of headaches without using pain meds, I would love to hear them.

xoxo,

Veronika.

Massive Post-Christmas Haul: I Went a Little Overboard...BUT...

I saved so much money.

Even my husband remarked how proud he was of me as he as he lovingly carried my shopping bags (bless his heart.)

I hardly ever buy anything at full price. I wait and wait until my most coveted (and sometimes pricey) items are 40-50% off of their original price. Why, you ask? Because shopping is more fulfilling when you get a deal, of course! Plus, a "recessionista" still has to be stylish- but at a reduced cost.

Luckily, most retailers have recognized the dwindling economy's impact on consumer purchases, and has responded with sales like never before (up to 75% off at some stores!)

The one splurge I did make today was on Pureology's "Nanoworks" shampoo, so I'll just get that out of the way right now because I feel guilty even typing this. I really felt my hair needed a change, and I heard this is one of the best shampoos, so I am going to give it a try despite its alarming price tag. It's concentrated, so I won't have to use a lot...and because I'm an "every three days" washer, I don't use much anyways.

Ok, so here we go. Let's haul away!

Let's start with Ann Taylor. Today they had a 40% off of your entire purchase promotion, which is always tempting. I bought one item, a black, long-sleeved top with ruffles (surprise, surprise) on the neckline. The top was originally $70.00 (I would have never paid that for it) and it was on sale for $29.99 plus 40% off. Now that's more like it! As much as the top looks loose on the hanger, it fits quite nicely and conforms to the body. I don't really own many long-sleeved shirts, so this will be a nice addition to my closet for those chillier days.


I've been coveting J. Crew's Victoria ruffle tissue cami for quite some time now, and I was delighted to find the color "light flamingo" on sale for $29.99 today. It was originally $39.50 and I was reluctant to buy it at that price. The other colors were not on sale, but luckily I fell in love with this pretty bright pink top (and some of my readers will be happy to see a pop of color in my wardrobe.)

*Sigh* those ruffles pretty much make my heart melt. For reference, I purchased a size small, but I also tried on the extra small and it fit nicely. Because it's cotton, I got the small for length and shrinkage.

Though the line was 15 people long at Express, I endured it to purchase this pretty cropped cardigan with lace detailing. I had admired this cardigan for the last couple of months, but never allowed myself to purchase it at it's regular $69.50 price tag. Today, it was 50% off. Vindication at it's finest! I love the three quarter sleeves and the unexpected feminine touch the lace gives to an otherwise simple cardigan. I acually own another Express cardgian that's all black, and I wear it all the time. The quality is great and they wash and dry wonderfully (and they don't shrink!)

Now, onto the massive part of the haul. I don't know if you've ever been to a store called "PH8," but if you haven't you should really give it a chance. I remember it opening several months ago and passing it by because, to be honest, the stuff in the window display looked really really tacky. My husband actually encouraged me to go in there today because everything in the store was 50% off (not sure if he regrets it now or not!)

Reluctantly, I entered the store, and an employee told me that they store is actually bebe's sports store, re-branded. Interesting. I found bebe's workout clothes to be too flashy for my tastes, but what I was seeing in this store was a bunch of great merchandise (some of which reminded me of things from my beloved Lulu Lemon, for half the price.)

I went on a wild rampage through the store, excitedly gathering workout tops, sports bras and jackets galore. I couldn't believe how many amazing things I found! The prices are on the higher end for workout wear...but at 50% off, the price was right for me!

Let's move on to the first item. If this looks familiar to you, it might be because Lulu Lemon used to make a front-closure V-Neck bra that looks idential to this one, only they discontinued it (to my shock and disbelief...how could they!?) I am happy to report that this bra is almost identical to the LuluLemon one, and costs less too. For reference, I bought a size small, which shocked me since I wear a 34D at Victoria's Secret. The size medium was too big around my ribcage and extra fabric was poking out at the sides. The sports bras fit large in this store, so go a size down from normal. This bra retails for $34.50 and I got it 50% off.

Another made-in-heaven bra is this black and white striped one I got:

Isn't is marvelous? It fits like a glove and looks amazing on. Again, I got a size small. I especially love the detailing on the back. Hello Unique! It will look so cute poking out of a yoga or pilates top. This bra retails for $ 29.00 and I got it for 50% off.

Now, onto this gorgeous workout top. Just look at it. So pretty and the pop of pink makes it fun too! I got this in a size large, because the medium fit awesome, but this one was a little longer and overall felt more comfy on, but I could have gone either way. Being 5'10, sometimes I get the larger size when there isn't a huge discrepancy to take into account shrinking and length. This top retails for $44.00 and I got it for 50% off.
My second top purchase was this simple black one with a zipper at the front. It fits nicely and has a pretty, but hard to see mesh/netting detail at the neckline. It retails for $49.00 and I got it for 50% off. It's a size medium.

I also got a pair of stretchy cotton pants there that I won't post a pic of because I couldn't for the life of me take a good one of them, but they retailed for $59.00 and I got them 50% off. I always have to be careful with cotton because of shrinking (they are they perfect length right now) so I'll always hang dry them. On a side note, I was really proud of myself for buying these pants, because they are a more fitted pant than I usually buy. I get self-conscious about my thighs in workout pants, but I guess I've been working hard lately because I thought I looked great in these (and trust me, I never ever say that about fitted stretchy pants.)

Ok, now onto the 2 awesome jackets I got. I would wear these on a colder day to run errands, and to and from the gym and pilates classes.

The first is a black zip-up jacket with a high collar. I fell in love with it when I tried it on. It doesn't look like much in the picture (kind of blah, to be honest) but on, it fits like a glove in all the right places. It's fitted at the waist and flares just slightly at the hips. The perfect coat. It retails for $98.00 and I got it for 50% off.

I also got a fun, thin, military-style zip-up jacket that my husband picked out (love him!) We were at the checkout and he mentioned I might like it. I quickly threw-on his choice, and loved it. It's just a really casual jacket...plus is was on sale for $19.99 PLUS and additional 50% off. I was sold. I can see myself wearing this jacket for sports, to the gym, on errands, with jeans etc. It is super thin, which is perfect for our Texas climate.

Again, doesn't look too special on the hanger, but fits very nicely. I got a size small in both jackets, by the way. Here's another closer-up shot:

So...I think I'm pretty much set for gym clothes for a long time! I'll admit it, I like to look cute at the gym. It motivates me more to have cute gym clothes that look nice on my body. Sure, I've gone to the gym in a baggy tee and sweatpants before, but a great outfit makes me want to work even harder!

Whilst at the Galleria, I paid a quick visit to Charlotte Russe, where I became immediately enamoured with this gorgeous top:

Need I say more? It pretty much combines all of my loves into one top: black and white, polka-dots and rosettes. It was $19.99 and not on sale...but I felt that was a fair price for this darling little top. I can already imagine it tucked neatly into a black pencil skirt with a pretty cardi overtop. Here's a close-up (oh, and those gorgeous rosettes continue on the back of the top too-priceless!)

And, because I just can't seem to let a good deal pass me by at the checkout, I got this pretty charcoal nightie (on sale for $9.00). I sleep in these types of nighties every night, so I felt that was a fair price to pay.

My husband and I also stopped by one of those sungalsses mall kiosks (I know, I know) to buy some new sunnies for our vacation. I'll either lose or break at least one pair, so I always have to buy a few pairs to take on vacation so I'm not stuck making squinty eyes for the entire trip. Here are the ones I got:

I think the white ones will be a fun alternative to my usual black (gotta be mysterious y'all!)

These totally aren't new, but they were too cute not to share. I got them before Christmas from amazon.com (but I believe Target sells them). I saw them on the blog The Look 4 Less. Juicy Couture makes a pricier version of them (like $70.00 pricey!), which was such a turn off (I mean, they are slippers!!!) The ones I got were about $12.99, if I recall correctly. So girly. Love.

Something else I wanted to share with you all are these absolutely adorable pins my mother-in-law bought me for Christmas (from Chico's of all places!)

She said they "reminded her of me." I'd say that's a very true assessment! I love them. They have a strong magnet to keep them on. I think they would look great on dresses, attached to a belt, a shirt etc. The possibilities are endless.

Some of you may have heard me ranting about Neutrogena discontinuing my beloved face wash- but I was able to find some at Ulta and Target. Ladies, if you love this face wash like I do, stock up now!

And (if you're still reading this longer than long post) I wanted to post a picture of the wonderful Flip cam my wonderful husband bought me for Christmas. I might make some videos for the blog. Would you be intrested in seeing some videos that go along with my blog posts? Let me know in the comments below.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and, if you've made it to this point, extra love for you!

xoxo,

Veronika.