Skeptical of the value of the actual product? I was, too, but after testing out some of the goods, I was pleasantly surprised. Don’t get me wrong, nothing can beat my favorite makeup brands, but ELF was just as good (if not better) than any drugstore brand I’ve ever used.

BONUS! If you google ‘ELF Coupons,’ you can find tons of discount codes that you can use when you checkout, making your inexpensive purchase even more so!

Next time you get the urge to go on a makeup shopping spree, keep ELF in mind! What have you got to lose… besides a few George Washingtons?

Take the quiz here!

There are tons of hair care products that claim to reduce the wear and tear that daily conditions put on your hair. While some of those may actually live up to what they say, you are really in control of the majority of damage that your tresses undergo. You ask, “How is that?” Well, my friend, it all comes down to heat exposure. If you are the kind of gal that takes a hot shower every day, followed by blow drying and straightening and/or rolling, chances are you’re hair could stand a break.

You may think you have no other options, but you would be surprised to learn there are actually many alternatives if you get creative. Instead of a hot shower, maybe try warm water. From personal experience, I have found that when I rinse my hair with cool water, after about a week, I had fewer dead ends. Next in the process, you could attempt using the cool setting for drying your hair, just be careful with letting the ends of your hair beat in the wind, as this is also very rough on your locks. When it comes to straighteners and rollers, there really is no easy way around it. If you want straight-as-a-board hair, or you just love having that Barbie bounce, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I would suggest testing out a few new styles. I have recently discovered that a side braid is very stylish and doable, but I don’t have to actually do anything to my hair before braiding it. Another personal favorite of mine is having tousled hair. Some may be afraid of not being able to pull it off, but if you don’t try it, you’ll never know!

So, don’t forget… you have the power! When in doubt about styling or tips, don’t be afraid to search the internet. Fifty percent of the world is made up of women. The chances that some of those women are wondering the same things as you are highly possible!

(photo from TheKnot.com)

In some states and countries, a pineapple is given to guests, letting them know that they are most welcome as visitors. As a student majoring in Hospitality Management, I have grown familiar with the pineapple symbolism. The tropical fruit can be found on my school’s hospitality club t-shirts! First Coast Weddings and Events even gets in on the friendly fructose action by using a pineapple symbol in its logo.

Now that you have a taste for this pleasant produce, maybe you might consider serving pineapple at your reception! It goes great with honeydews.

(shown here, a refreshing Pineapple Cooler from Country Living)

Let’s take a look at one of the most common wedding phrases…

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”

Primarily, “something old” represents tradition. This is often a signification of your mom, grandmother, aunt, sister, etc. “Something old” stands for tradition and memories of the past, and traditions that you are continuing to carry on that will possibly be included in your granddaughter’s wedding.

“Something new” is typically the style of the bride. It is what she wants to include in her wedding day that defines more of who she is and her sense of fashion.

A bride can sometimes receive a gift or item from a happily married friend or family member, alas “something borrowed.” This may signify good fortune from one bride to another.

As far as “something blue” goes, the color and weddings have gone hand in hand for centuries. Brides in ancient Rome wore blue to symbolize many noble traits, while purity has been associated with the color because of Christianity’s dressing the Virgin Mary in the color.

Whatever the theme, whatever the colors, whatever the traditions or lack thereof, your wedding is yours. Maybe your something blue should be something hot pink!

(pink flower photo courtesy of Tibby Dozier Steedly)

One of the most important pieces to a bride’s outfit on her wedding day is her shoes. While it is common for a bride to wear a pair of shoes she already has, many brides purchase a new pair of shoes for this special occasion. At the end of her wedding day, the last thing any bride would want is a blister. Unfortunately, new shoes are the epitome of such a situation. On the bright side, there are a few ways this unwelcome occurrence can be avoided!

Before purchasing, make sure the shoes you are interested in fit properly. Blisters usually occur because a shoe is too tight or too loose. If a shoe store does not offer the size you need for the shoe you love, ask them if they can check other stores for you. If this does not work, check the internet. Considering that another culprit of blisters is sweating, ensure that your shoe has plenty of breathing room for your foot. These are very important factors to keep in mind before you buy your wedding day shoes.

After making the purchase, wear your new pair around the house for a few hours. This way, you will not only break them in, but you can also make sure they don’t blister in places like your heel, or pinky toe. If they do blister, you have two options. You can either exchange that pair for a different one, or arrange to wear Band-Aids in the proper places on your wedding day.

If you plan correctly, blisters and unpleasant foot pains can be easily avoided simply by taking a few extra steps before your wedding.

(photo courtesy of La Dolce Vita Studio, from Michelle and Jamaal’s April wedding)