1. Take Your Time: Thrift stores can be a treasure chest of discount finds and rare pieces, but be prepared to spend some time sifting through racks and shelves of merchandise.  The best thrift stores are organized by size and color, but taking your time and looking carefully is the best way to find that special something.  Browse often too!  Second hand shops are constantly getting new merchandise and rotate it in and out quickly.
2. Shop in Season:  Just like traditional retail stores, many thrift stores rotate their selection by the seasons.  So if you’re looking for something specific, shop at the beginning of the season for the best selection.  Want short tops and skirts?  Shop in March-April.  Looking for sweaters and winter coats?  Start looking around October.  And don’t forget to dress for clothes shopping.  Much like shopping at a vintage bazaar make sure you wear something easy to take off and wear layers like a tank top to make trying clothes on more comfortable.
3. Think Outside the Closet: Thrift stores are great places to find clothes, shoes, and bags, but they also have so much more!  You can score great deals on furniture, accessories, books, games, and more.  Check out reviews on Yelp.com to see what stores seem to specialize in.
4. Pick Your Neighborhood:  If you live in a bigger city, chances are you have more than one thrift store to visit.  If you’re looking for something specific, hit them all up; but if you’re not sure where to start, look to the neighborhood the shop is in.  Most people donate to their nearest shop, so if you like the vibe and style of an area, chances are you’ll like the selection at the neighborhood thrift store.

Two more tips?  Don’t forget your reusable shopping bag and don’t forget to donate yourself!  Take your gently used and unneeded items to your local thrift store.  If you get a receipt, your donation is tax deductible!   Have you found something great at a thrift store?  Have any tips of your own to share?  Leave a comment and let us know.

We’ve been seeing lush photos and gorgeous hair, makeup, and jewelry, from the newest Great Gatsby movie for months and the wait is finally over!  If you saw the movie and loved Daisy’s style (played by Carey Mulligan), here are a couple tips and tricks for copying that gorgeous makeup.

• Long, Lean Eyebrows
  According to makeup artist Maurizio Silvi “The eyebrows were the most important part of the face because they represented the look of that time.” The Daisy Buchanan character has cleanly plucked, long brows. To copy the look, brush through with a lash & brow duo, then fill in with an eyebrow gel or pencil that matches your brow color.
• Light Lips
  A red lipstick doesn’t fit Daisy’s ethereal personality, so Silvi selected a light pinkish-nude shade. Pick a color that is close to your natural lip color but a touch pinker and apply with a lip brush, which allows you to control the amount of color for buildable coverage.
• Dramatic Eyes
  To keep the emphasis on the eye, create a smoky eye, but swap out black for a soft plum shade in a matte color.  Use your full eye shadow brush for your lower lid and crease, then dip the same brush in a light pink shadow to blend out of the crease and under brows. Want even more drama? Stamp a grey or dark purple gel liner on the top lash line with a flat liner brush and apply a few coats of mascara.

Makeup Shown: Tarte Amazonian Clay Eye Shadow Quad in “Envoke the Smoke” and Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss

1. Use Reusable
   While it’s easy to pick up a pack of paper plates, it’s much more eco-friendly and stylish to use reusable plates, silverware, glasses, and napkins.  Invest in a chic picnic basket set that comes repacked with all the essentials you need or shop separates in bright colors and fun prints.  Melamine picnicwear is lightweight and comes in tons of colors.  Don’t forget cloth napkins!  Washing them actually uses less water than is required to produce paper ones.
2. Don’t Forget the Blanket
   The most important part of a successful picnic?  A good blanket!  Make sure to select one that’s large enough to accommodate all of your guests.  If you plan to picnic a lot, a blanket that rolls up or comes with a foldable carrier will make travel easier. You can even find blankets with weatherproof backs! Use that old quilt that’s in the closet or shop your local thrift store too.
3. Pack Picnic Foods
   Finger foods and room-temperature edibles rule at picnics for their ease of prepping and eating. Think petite finger sandwiches, fresh fruits and veggies, or chips and salsa. Assemble, slice, and dice everything the evening before your picnic adventure so all you have to do is pack your bag and go! If you have kids or like perfect portions, pick up a few bento boxes: the Japanese style of packing compact, balanced, and visually appealing meals in a box. Check out Laptop Lunches for eco-friendly options.

Happy picnicking!

Are you headed to prom? Congratulations! It’s sure to be a night you won’t forget!  Once you have the dress, don’t forget to think about your makeup.  Make sure you plan ahead of time so you have all the appropriate colors on hand and give yourself plenty of time to style your hair and apply your makeup.  Keeping reading for more of our favorite prom tips and tricks to ensure you’re looking and feeling fabulous on this great night out!

• You’re sure to be in lots of photos that end up on Instagram, Facebook, and maybe even in your high school yearbook, so apply a little extra makeup than usual.  Flashes from cameras tend to wash you out, combat that effect by filling in your brows with a brow gel or liner, wearing a pair of false eye lashes, and applying powder to any areas that tend to get shiny, like your t-zone and chin.  Want to look extra sparkling?  Apply a little shimmer powder to your collar bone and décolleté with our face and body sculpting brush.
• Steal a trick from the young red carpet stars and don’t have your makeup done match-y match-y with your dress.  “If you’re wearing a bright dress, you probably want subtle lipstick and nails.  It’s a very modern red carpet look to not have the dress and makeup match,” according to Teen Vogue Magazine.  A brown smoky eye with a bit of shimmer is always a safe bet.  Use a mix of brown shadows, cream or powder, to build a smoky eye then finish with a touch of liner and a few layers of mascara.
• Think retro.  Classic makeup moves like a bright lip, a subtle cat eye, and bold brows will always be in style and make you look instantly glam.  Don’t be afraid to add one or two into your beauty look.  Just practice a couple weeks before prom to get the technique down.
• Make sure to pack some touch up essentials in your prom purse.  Use our set of six mini brushes to bring touch ups along.  Pick up a few strokes of powder or cream color from your foundation, concealer, eye shadow, etc. on each brush and then stash it in a small Ziploc bag!  Or try this tip from Real Simple Magazine: take an empty contact case and squeeze some concealer in one side and your lip color in the other.  You’ll be good for any touch ups you need throughout the night and won’t take up too much space in your clutch.

Leftover Wine:  If you didn’t drink every last drop of wine, don’t toss it, use it again!  Pour it into ice cube trays to chill future glasses or use in cooking. Leftover champagne? Whisk extra bubbly in with some vinegar, olive oil, onion, Dijon mustard, and sugar for a DIY salad dressing (even if the bubbles have gone flat).

Cork Crafts: Once you’ve popped the cork you can take them to your local Whole Foods for recycling, or make something new.  Try a trivet, wrangle a bunch into a wreath, or make a bulletin board. Champagne corks are pretty on their own too!  Collect a bunch and stash them in a pretty bowl for instant art.

Wine Bottles:   Luckily glass bottles are easily recyclable, but if you want to elevate your empty bottles try these ideas. Strip their labels and hang them with string for a boho-chic flower vase, pop on a topper and use it to decant olive oil or get extra crafty and make your own tiki torches!

Want even more upcycling crafts and great ideas?  Check out our board on Pinterest and don’t forget to share your favorites with us!

1. The New Mom: If your Mom, Sister, or someone close to you is a brand new mom, gift her something luxurious for her first Mother’s Day.  Give the gift of pampering by stuffing our Alicia Silverstone designed train case full of just for her bath tools.  Pop in her favorite bubble bath with a spa headband, ecoPouf, and a scented candle.  Bonus points if you provide a voucher for free baby sitting.
2. The “Always on the Go” Mom:  For the mom that’s always running from soccer practice to PTA meeting gift her an Alicia Silverstone brush set and bag.  It’s got all the brush essentials she needs for getting ready in the morning and daily touch ups, plus enough room to stash her powder compact, lipstick, and some wet wipes just in case.
3. The Work and Play Mom:  If you know a mom who does it all and goes straight from work to ballet recital to drinks with the gals, she’ll love our new six piece Day to Night Touch Up Set. It comes with five brushes designed to help with touch ups, like concealing and smudging, that all pops into a chic, small, zipper pouch.
4. The “Empty Nester” Mom: Mom’s kids all grown up and out of the house?  Then she finally has time to relax! Stock her bath cabinet with luxury items like a bath brush, ecoPouf cleansing pad and a pair or two of spa moisture socks. Or gift her with something she wouldn’t buy herself, like a bright and pretty spring inspired, limited edition brush set.

No matter what you decide to give Mom this year, make sure to say thank you for all she does. What new EcoTools do you think your Mom would love?  Get shopping now or start May 2^nd to get 25% off all cosmetic bags and brush sets with code “MOTHERSDAY” at checkout!

1. Recycle. Reduce. Reuse. 
Everyone has head that old adage: recycle, reduce, reuse. If you’re just starting out, try something simple like bringing a reuseable tote bag to the grocery store, making a point to recycle your milk gallon jugs, or cutting out disposable water bottles from your routine.
2. Go Meatless
You don’t have to give up meat entirely, but just skipping one meat focused meal can make a difference.  Lessen your carbon footprint by going vegetarian once a week.  Meatless Mondays have become very popular and are a great way to challenge your cooking skills and help the environment at the same time. Of course check with your doctor before changing your diet though!
3. Upcycle
A great way to reuse items you have around the house is by upcycling!  Upcycling is simple, it’s the process of taking waste materials or useless products and turning them into something new and useful.  Some great examples are: creating vases and décor out of pasta jars, candle containers, or wine bottles and using empty toilet paper rolls as seedling starters or dog toys.  Need some inspiration to get started?  Check out our Upcycling Pinterest board.
4. Buy Eco-Friendly
Next time you have to replace a common household item, consider buying the eco-friendly version.  Green products have become more and more available over the past few years, you can find eco-friendly brands like Method Home, Seventh Generation, and more at your local big box stores.  Don’t forget to think about cruelty-free products too!  Beauty that doesn’t hurt other living things is a perfect way to go green!  We’re proud to be cruelty free!
5. Save Electricity at Home
Keeping a watchful eye on your electricity usage at home is an easy way to save the environment and keep electric bills low at the same time.  Turn off lights if you don’t need them and consider purchasing a programmable thermostat so you’re not cooling or heating your house when you’re out.  Another easy way to save electricity?  Unplug appliances when not in use.  Even if that toaster is turned off, it can still draw energy, so unplug things from the wall if you’re not using them at that moment.

Do you have any easy tips for going green?  Leave a comment below and share your tips!

• Eye Lash Curler: Real Simple Magazine declares the lash curler to be a minimalist must-have. “This sturdy tool can be tossed in your bag for an instant lift even on no-makeup days.” Always squeeze your lashes before applying mascara to open up the eyes.
• Lash and Brow Groomer: Whether you wear mascara or not, the lash and brow groomer is essential!  Brush your brows into place then flip it over and comb through lashes after applying mascara.  You can also spritz a bit of hair spray on the brush to tame fly-aways, just make sure to rinse it off immediately afterwards.
• Buffing Brush: Whether you just need a light dusting of powder to combat shine, a small dose of concealer, or are using powder foundation and spf, the buffing brush is for you.  It even works wonders on over applied blush – simply buff into skin using small circular motions for a perfect finish.

What beauty essentials do you use on minimal makeup days?

If you love vintage décor, upcycling projects, or the thrill of the find – then flea market and vintage bazaars are for you!  They’re great places to shop for deals on unique furniture, vintage accessories, or quirky décor and gifts.  If you’ve never been shopping at your local vintage or flea market, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Dress Appropriately: You’ll be sifting through potentially dusty finds, so wear comfortable, casual clothes and don’t forget to layer.  Some markets (like Chicago’s Randolph Street Market) are indoors and outdoors, so you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable no matter what the temperature.  Other essentials to wear: a sun hat, sunscreen, comfy socks if you want to try on shoes, and a bag that you can wear across your shoulders for hands free shopping.  Don’t forget you’re reusable shopping bag as well.
2. Be Prepared:  If you’re there to do some serious shopping, bring cash.  A lot of vendors are cash only, plus bringing only as much cash as you want to spend is a great way to stay on budget.  If you’re shopping for furniture, make sure you’ve measured appropriately so you don’t bring something fabulous home only to find out it’s too big.
3. Examine Items:  While buying vintage or antique items is part of the main appeal of these types of shopping events, it’s important to thoroughly inspect pieces before coming home.  For clothing, make sure the fabric is free of tears or missing hardware and doesn’t feel brittle.  Clothes that are too big can be altered to fit, but pass on any items that are too small.  For furniture, make sure the piece is sturdy and looks well constructed.  Consider too, a piece’s ability to be re-upholstered.  If you’re just starting out, shopping for accessories is a great way to go; they’re easy to acquire, low cost, and a great way to incorporate vintage pieces into everyday life.  Think: sunglasses, hats, jewelry, or trays, books, and kitchen supplies for the home.  Get additional tips on shopping for vintage jewelry here.
4. Strike a Deal: Once you’ve found a piece you love, ask yourself how much you’d be willing to pay for it.  From there, Emily Schuman (author of the new book Cupcakes and Cashmere) says “you can either ask for the price you want (‘Would you take twenty dollars for this?’) or simply ask ‘What’s the lowest price you’d take for this?’  Either way, you’ll get a good idea of how much the vendor wants.”  If it’s something you can’t live without though, it’s best to snatch it up, lest somebody else snags it!

Have you shopped flea markets or vintage bazaars before?  What was your favorite find?

Congratulations!  You’re headed down the aisle!  Whether you’re hiring a makeup artist or going the DIY route, you’ll want to spend some time thinking about your makeup.  There’s a reason you see the same classic makeup techniques on brides time and time again.  Classic makeup like smokey eyes, red lips, lush lashes, and flushes cheeks have looked beautiful on women for years and will continue to look beautiful for years to come.   Here are our favorite classic tricks and techniques to make sure you look your best on your wedding day:

• Eyes: A classic smokey eye is a great way to go. Don’t forget, smokey is a technique, not a color so you can create a smokey eye with any color. Soft browns and pinks are perfect for the romantic, soft bride while darker greys and black liner is perfect for a more glamorous and edgy look. When creating a smokey eye, remember to layer on color gradually building to the intensity you want. Gently shading instead of apply a darker color right away will help you eye makeup last longer. Don’t forget to groom and fill in your brows too!  This 6-piece eye brush set has everything you need to create almost any look.  To make your eyes stand out even more apply false eyelashes. Try a barely there pair for a subtle look or a soft and dramatic pair for a more dramatic look.
• Lips: No matter what lip color you pick, you’ll want to gently exfoliate before applying for a flake free finish.  Then apply color using a lip brush. When it comes to color, the brighter the makeup, the more intensity and pop your lips will have.  Try rosy pink lips for a soft look, a classic red for a timeless look, or a bright pink for something a bit trendier.  Just make sure it balances with the rest of your look, a soft pink pout would look off with a really intense black smokey eye.
• Cheeks: There’s a reason they call her the “blushing bride.”  The first place to start to get a healthy glow is with flushed cheeks.  Blend in an illuminating foundation then top with a rosy blush.  For maximum staying power, start with a cream blush, buff into skin with a buffing brush, then top with a powder blush applied with a fluffy blush brush.  Layering your blush helps insure it will last longer after you’ve said, “I do.”
• Feel Beautiful: A wedding day is a day you want to look like a more polished version of yourself: someone who’s beautiful on the inside and out!  Don’t go for a makeup trend just because it’s popular. If bright lips or smokey eyes aren’t your favorite, pick a different look you’ll love. Above all, don’t stress and remember to moisturize and hydrate in the weeks before your wedding.

Whether you’re the lucky blushing bride, the devoted bridesmaid, or attending a wedding as a happy guest make sure you’re prepared for any makeup touch ups by toting along your day to night brush set. Don’t forget your most important makeup too: a smile!

Need more tips for the big wedding day?  Check out these two posts: “Natural Bridal Beauty” (the contest is over, but the tips are still good!) and our tips for a green wedding on “The Eco-Bride”. Will you be getting married or attending a wedding this year?  Make sure to share your photos on our Facebook page!