Affordable Dupes for Expensive Brands

The price of  just one tube of lipstick can run you $14 and upward depending on the brand. I'm going to provide you with some ideas for cheaper dupes that you can get in place of the more expensive brands. Same color, better price. I don't own all of these colors, but I've done some research to come up with the best alternatives.

I'm a huge fan of Nicki Minaj, so when her Pink Friday Lipstick - the perfect baby pink- came out for just a few Fridays, I made sure I was logged on at midnight to get mine. Most people weren't as lucky. The lipstick was Special Edition, thus is no longer available through MAC. If you absolutely must have it, you can still find it on eBay, if you're into that sort of thing, starting ay $70. But if not, try these instead.

NYX Round "Power

Think Pink

NYX Round lipsticks retail at about $4 each. "Power" appears to be a bit darker, almost lavender in the tube, but is actually light pink.

Wet n Wild lipsticks are available at most drugstores and are usually about $2. Its color "Think Pink" parallels to Pink Friday.

Tickled Pink

Pink Friday

On the subject of Pink Friday, the OPI nail lacquer from Nicki Minaj's collection closely parallels Wet n Wild's Tickled Pink nail polish, in case you can't find an OPI retailer. I own both of these colors, and you can't tell a difference between them.

Fleshpot by MAC
Photo taken from
 http://www.beautezine.com/db-mac-fleshpot/

If you're looking for a nude color, as I have been for the past few months, Fleshpot by MAC is perfect. Aside from the fact that MAC lipsticks start at $15, Fleshpot is a MAC Pro color (not sold in regular stores) so it would be pretty difficult to get your hands on.

I did a little research and came up with these alternatives:

e.l.f Mineral Lipstick Natural Nymph

NYX Round Lipstick - Echo

Natural Nymph

Echo

If you have a product or a specific color that you'd like to find an alternative to, let me know and I'll try to help you out.

The City So Nice, They Named it Twice

     I just got back from my third trip to New York City. I've been in love with the city for years before I had even visited for the first time. It's such a beautiful place - full of life and dreams.

     I always get a window seat on flights, and my face (and camera) is pressed to the glass for the majority of the ride. The feeling of airplane takeoff is like no other feeling in this life. Everything is cleared on your runway, then you start moving faster than any car, bus or train can take you, forcing you to be pressed back into your seat, and before you know it, you're in the air. You're flying. The view from above is amazing, it doesn't rain at 30,000 feet. You have no idea what is going on below you, that's none of your concern. Reality for you is nothing but sky as far as the eye can see. You can't get any closer to Heaven.

     Times Square is one of my favorite places to be. The big city and bright lights make me happy. It's just something magical about that place.

     New York really isn't as expensive as it's made out to be. Food trucks and vendors are at every corner. While they aren't the healthiest choice, they'll provide you with a filling meal for a low price. You can have fun without spending much, as long as you have friends with you, a good time is sure to follow.

Crop Top: Boohoo
Shorts: DIY
Socks & bodychain: eBay
Shoes: Forever21

     I think after I graduate in December, I will apply to some jobs in New York, because it seems like a great place to be while I'm young. I people watching was on Wall Street for a bit and saw all the gentlemen with briefcases powerwalking in their suits, and I was just fascinated by the vibe. I'd love to work in a fast paced environment like that.

Sandals: Burlington
Jeans: DIY
Tank: Forever21

Thanks for showing me such a good time, New York.
Until next time!

What To Do With Your Old Clothes

     Got more clothes than you have space for, yet still, nothing to wear. The age old question - what on earth do I do with them? Donate them to Goodwill, hand them down to your little sister, just throw them away - Nooo! Don't do any of that. $$$ Make money off of your old, too small, never worn, still have the tags on and never will be worn clothes. How? By selling them of course.

    Your first option is the second-hand resale stores like Buffalo Exchange and Plato's Closet. At these stores, you bring in your unwanted items and a store associate evaluates them and comes up with a resale value while you shop around. Find out what's trending before you go so you can get the most bang for your buck. You get more of a value if you accept a store credit to buy new clothes, or youcan take your cash. I'd recommend the store credit because there's always some gems that you can't buy brand new in secondhand shops. One man's trash is indeed another man's treasure. 

    A rather new and great way to sell your items is through poshmark.com. Poshmark operates mainly through an iPhone app. It is an online community of buyers and sellers where you can list your items and people can like, share and buy them. You may be thinking what makes it any different from ebay. Well with Poshmark, you get to connect more with other users and the company covers all fees, shipping and postage at no cost to you- the seller. You can also negotiate prices and create personalized deals and trades for other people's items that you may like. Once you make a sale, you receive your postage via e-mail, and all you have to do is print it, attach it to the package, and send it off. It's a great tool, if you decide to register, let them know I sent you by signing up with the code HODHR. :) 

     Just a little added info that's kind of off topic in true Kaitlyn fashion, in case you're looking for something but have absolutely no idea what it's called, who made it or where to buy it - there's a solution for that as well. Wheretoget.it is a site where all you do is upload a photo and the web community provides you with links and prices to where you can find and purchase it. I'm on that site as well, so if you sign up, follow me.