Wedge Fall Booties

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Booties: Payless // Scarf: Payless // Hat: Target // Top: Nordstrom // Jeans: Charlotte Russe // Bag: Kate Spade (similar)

It’s FINALLY the freakin’ weekend, you guys! I feel like this has been the longest week ever. Tomorrow, make sure you follow along for our Style Collective St. Louis meetup on my Insta-stories! It’s sure to be a fun time 🙂 .

I have been obsessing over ankle booties lately. I feel like everytime I go into a store, I end up leaving with a pair. I think my boyfriend is going to kill me if I buy another pair, baha! I saw these black wedge booties on display at Payless last week, and KNEW I had to buy them. Of course you can’t leave Payless without browsing the accessories, so I also left with this knit scarf and a pair of no show socks. Oh, and add a pair of tennis shoes to that as well, haha! These are the cutest, and I have gotten so many compliments! I will be sharing those with you soon, too! I got all of this for $58! I love sales and coupons. You can find the cutest items at a great price at Payless! And for any occasion!

I love wearing all black during the fall. There’s just something about it that looks so chic and put together. These jeans are also the most comfortable pair I own! They are currently on sale for $25! I got this bag last year at Kate Spade, and can no longer find it online. I tagged a very similar one, just in a different print!

Next week on the blog I will be sharing all of my favorite Black Friday sales, as well as the start of Gift Guides! I can’t believe it’s already that time of year!!! But stay tuned, I have a lot of fun posts planned for the holiday season :).

Have a great weekend, and thanks for reading!

Valerie

This post was in collaboration with Payless. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible! 

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Thanksgiving Outfit Inspiration

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Necklace: Mala Prayer // Dress: Target // OTK Boots: Charlotte Russe (under $32!) // Clutch: Similar // Ring: Similar

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is next week! I feel like this year has flown by. One of my favorite things to do every holiday season is pick out what I plan on wearing. I love to look cute and somewhat dressed up on Thanksgiving, but I also like to feel comfortable (there’s a 90% chance I will fall asleep after eating while wearing this, so it has to be comfy, haha!).

My go-to is always a simple dress with statement accessories. I found this dress at Target the other day. As soon as I walked into the dress section, the color drew me in. I knew it was the perfect color for Thanksgiving. I was worried that the lace would be too itchy, but it’s totally not! It’s also pretty roomy (so after eating two Thanksgiving meals, it shouldn’t show too bad, baha!). I paired it with a pair of OTK boots (currently under $32!) and my favorite leopard clutch.

For my statement accessories, I wore the Ajita tassel necklace from Mala Prayer. I loved the color and the detail on the beads. Each piece is handmade (which I absolutely LOVE!). I love supporting brands that give back, and Mala Prayer is all about empowering women. All sales made through Mala Prayer will provide female entrepreneurs with a microfinance loan, which they can invest in their business, home or community. You can read more about their story, and what a Mala is HERE! Mala Prayer is giving a discount to Styled Muse readers! Just use code VALERIEHELTON20 at checkout to get 20% off your entire purchase!

I think the next necklaces I want to add my collection are the Iona and the Dirillo. There’s just something about white marble and spotted beads that I always go towards!

Do you have your Thanksgiving outfit planned out yet? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Valerie

This post was sponsored by Mala Prayer. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible! 

My Updated Skincare Routine

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About a year ago, I posted about my skincare routine. Since then I have added and gotten rid of products I use, so I decided to do an updated one for you all! Just so you can get an idea of how my skin is (in case this is the first time you are reading my blog), I have very oily, acne prone skin. So most of these products are for those with the same type of skin as me.

Morning Routine: When I first wake up in the morning, I clean my face off with Micellar Cleansing Water using a round cotton pad. I never go too crazy in the mornings with washing my face, because I usually do a deep cleaning right before I go to bed. My face seems to get more oily when I wash my face a lot. If I’m having a bad break out, then I use the Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser and my Clarisonic Mia 1. This cleanser is mild and helps clean my face without being too strong and drying. I then finish by using alcohol free witch hazel on a round cotton pad and wiping it all over my face and neck. It seems to help keep my face from getting oily throughout the day.

Night Routine: I take my showers at night, so when I get in the shower the first thing I do is wash my face. I still use the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne face wash (mentioned in my skincare post). I have used this for a few years now, and it seems like the only face wash that can clear up my breakouts. I use my Clarisonic Mia 1 with my Neutrogena face wash to help clean my pores out (I will go into more detail below). After I’m done washing, I leave the face wash on my face like a mask while washing my hair and body. This is one thing I swear by! It lets the active ingredients really get to work on those pesky pimples. Once I’m out of the shower, I apply the Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Toner. This helps prevent breakouts and keeps your face from getting oily.

Face Mask: Every other night I use a face mask. If it’s a face mask night, then I will apply it to my face right after I get out of the shower. Once it has sat on my face for about 20 minutes, I will remove it and continue with the rest of my routine. Right now I’m loving the L’Oreal Pure Clay Masks. The green one I’m using helps with oily skin. I just recently purchased it and love it. I switch up my masks every couple weeks because I’m always finding new ones I love!

Cleansing Brush: I absolutely love my Clarisonic Mia 1! I have been using Clarisonic products for a few years now, and I think my skin clearing up has a lot to do with this! I used to break out really bad, now it’s just when my time of the month comes (I don’t think anything can really stop that, haha!).

But how does it work? The bristles of a Clarisonic cleansing brush head move back and forth, or “oscillate”, gently flexing the skin and flushing water and cleanser into pores. This sonic cleansing process removes the dirt, oil and debris that ages your skin and causes breakouts. Because Clarisonic facial cleansing devices don’t exfoliate – a common myth! – Clarisonic is gentle enough for twice-daily use, even on the most sensitive skin.

The brush head I prefer most, and really works with my skin, is the Deep Pore brush head. It really gets all the dirt and makeup out of my pores! I know the Clarisonic cleansing brushes can seem a bit out of your budget, but Right now Clarisonic is offering Styled Muse readers 15% off! Just head to this website and use code HERCAMPUS. They now also offer payment plans (with credit approval)! If you would like how read how to use one, just head to my previous skin care post HERE!

What products to you use in your skincare routine? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

Valerie

This post was in collaboration with Clarisonic and Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible!

Fall Jacket

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Jacket (similar)  //  Top (similar)  //  Jeans  //  Necklace (similar)  //  Clutch  //  Sunglasses  //  Booties (similar)

Happy Wednesday! I had such a busy weekend. We went to the lake with my parents, and when we got back we went apple and pumpkin picking with some of our friends! We went to Eckert’s in Belleville, IL and it is by far my favorite place to go in the fall! If you are ever in the area, make sure you make a stop there!

Fall is my favorite season, and October is my favorite time of year. I love doing all the fall things like apple and pumpkin picking, drinking apple cider, and finding my Halloween costume. I love it even more than Christmas! I think I picked more apples than I really needed, but that means I can make more apple pies and caramel apples! If you have any other recipes for apples, let me know in the comments!

We took these photos while we were there, and I had to show you guys this amazing jacket! I first found this jacket while the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale was going on. I ordered it immediately, which I’m glad I did because it sold out! It’s still currently sold out, BUT I found an almost identical one at an even better price point!

The day we decided to go apple picking, it was pretty chilly, so I wore this turtleneck underneath with these jeans and booties. I added my favorite accessory: a statement necklace! I found this exact one on clearance at Target, so it is no longer available online. But I did find one very similar one here! Also, my staple leopard fold over clutch is back in stock, so make sure you grab it before it’s sold out again! I of course wore my new favorite pair of sunglasses that I found at TJ Maxx. I cannot seem to find them online ANYWHERE, but I found an identical pair!

I know I haven’t talked about my boyfriend much, so I included a photo of him and myself! His name is Devon, and like most men, I basically had to force him to take this photo with me, haha! He’s the one that takes all my outfit photos, so he’s more used to being behind the camera. We have been together for 7 years and lived together for 4 years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

What are you favorite fall activities? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!

Valerie

Affordable Workwear

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Top: Similar & Similar (My Fav) // Pants: Nordstrom // Bag: Similar // Shoes // Ring: Charlotte Russe

Happy Wednesday! I think today is the first day it finally feels like fall in St. Louis. Unfortunately, it won’t last long. It’s going to be 88 degrees again on Saturday, gross! This weekend we are heading up to the campground where my parents have their camper. They are throwing a huge Halloween festival with pumpkin carving contests, chili cook off, trick or treating and a haunted hayride! I’m excited to put my costume together and share with you all! Make sure to follow along on my Insta stories this weekend to see the full look! What do you plan on dressing up as for Halloween? Let me know in the comments!

I realized that I have never done a post about workwear, and decided that it was time! I luckily have a very casual job where we can wear yoga and sweatpants to work. That is one of the huge perks of my job! If I’m feeling extremely tired and don’t feel like dressing up, I can throw on a pair of workout pants and a sweatshirt and run out the door (after grabbing my coffee of course 😉 ). But I know a lot of you don’t have that option and are required to wear something a bit more business casual, so this post is for you!

I absolutely love this top for work! This exact one is sold out, but I tagged two similar ones! This one is my absolute favorite, and I have it in black! It’s on sale right now for $32! Of course if you want to hide your arms a bit more, you can throw a blazer over it.

I still love wearing white pants all year round (you can read my post about wearing white after Labor Day HERE). But of course you can always add black or gray ones to feel a bit more business casual!

This is the perfect bag for work! It holds so much, while looking the business part! This exact one is sold out, but I tagged a similar Kate Spade one! It even comes in black!

These shoes are perfect for warmer days, but once it starts getting cold you may want to wear a pair that covers your toes. I love these pumps!

What is your dress attire at work? Let me know in the comments! Have a great week, and thanks for reading!

Valerie

Body Care That Gives Back

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Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a great week. Tonight I am attending a Fashion Show in St. Louis called Romancing the Runway! I’m SO excited to be attending. If you live in the area, you can still buy tickets HERE!

With all the bad things happening in the world right now, I seem to find myself wanting to help out in some way. Whether it be donating money or old clothes. When SoapBox contacted me and wanted to collaborate, I knew I had to jump on board!

SoapBox is a one-for-one personal care company that sells shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bar soap and liquid hand soap. Their soaps are vegan, cruelty free, and made with thoughtfully selected ingredients. For every product sold, they donate a bar of soap to someone in need either here in the US or abroad! Their motto: Soap = Hope. BUT if you use code SBXSTYLEDMUSE317 they will give you 10% off AND donate 2 bars of soap for every product sold instead of 1! They are trying to get to their 3 millionth donation, so let’s help them exceed that! Here are a few of my favorite products they have:

Bamboo Strength and Body Shampoo and Conditioner: I LOVE the conditioner. After using it, my hair had so much body, even more than my Pantene conditioner! Also, they both smell so amazing! I can’t wait to see how strong is makes my hair after using it for about a month (it’s pretty brittle at the moment)!

Sea Minerals & Blue Iris Body Wash: My hands and elbows always get dried out once the weather starts to get a bit cooler. This body wash helped fight that! It’s a gentle moisturizer, so it’s great for sensitive skin, smells amazing, and lathers really well!

Vanilla and Lily Blossom Liquid Hand Soap: The same goes for the hand soap. It moisturizes my hands, and also smells so good! I’m the type of person that washes my hands more often than I should, so a gentle hand soap is a must.

Bar soap: I’m not really a bar soap type of person (I love my liquid body wash and loofah!), but this one smells so amazing just like the rest of the products. If I did use bar soap, this would be my go to!

If you would like to try all the products, you can buy a bundle that has 1 of everything!

My favorite thing about these products? They are all so affordable! This month, try switching out one or more of your body products, and help give back to those in need. Let’s get to 3 million donations! Just use code SBXSTYLEDMUSE317 to get 10% AND donate 2 bars to soap to those in need!

Have a great week, and thanks for reading!

This post is in collaboration with SoapBox. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible! 

5 Foundations For Oily Skin

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If you have been following my blog for awhile, you know that I always complain how oily/acne prone my skin is. In today’s post, I’m sharing with you 5 foundations that are perfect for those of you with oily and/or acne prone skin. I have tried SO many different foundations, and so far these are the clear winners! These are for all price points, from drugstore to Sephora, so you won’t have a hard time finding one that fits your budget! Coming up next month I will be having a blog post sharing all of my favorite skincare products for oily skin as well, so stay tuned for that! Now, onto the foundations.

  1. YSL All Hours Foundation: This is the foundation I’m currently using. Influenster sent me this to try out, and I actually fell in love. I don’t always love the products they send me, which is why you don’t see a lot of them on the blog. I only share products I actually love and think you would love as well. This is a long lasting full coverage foundation. I put this foundation on in the morning (5:00 am, to be exact) and it lasts me all day. it never creases or gets cakey. By 2:30 pm my T-zone is a little oily, but it’s nothing that blotter sheets can’t take care of. This foundation is perfect for fall/winter makeup looks, but if you are looking for a light summer one, I wouldn’t pick this (see #3 for a light summer foundation). 😉
  2. L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation: This is also a full coverage foundation, but a tad bit lighter. It’s a great dup to the YSL foundation if it’s out of your price range. This one really is long lasting, and I usually need makeup remover to take it off! Just soap and water doesn’t cut it, haha!
  3. Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream: This BB cream is light coverage, and perfect for summer. When it’s extremely hot and humid outside, the last thing you want to put on your acne prone skin is a heavy foundation (hello, breakouts!). This has enough coverage to hide acne and scars, but light enough for your skin to breath. This also is a matte BB cream, so it keeps your face from looking oily throughout the day.
  4. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation: This is a full coverage foundation that I always wear during the winter. It hides all my scars and large pores. It doesn’t crease or get cakey throughout the day. I have also never had an issue with this foundation breaking me out, which a heavy foundation usually does for me. You also can’t beat the $7.99 price tag!
  5. ELF Cosmetics Acne Fighting Foundation: This one is more of a foundation for my acne prone ladies. It provides a great coverage while also fighting acne when you wear it. It helps a tiny bit with oily skin, but I would recommend getting the other ones if that’s your main issue. It’s also only $6!

What’s your favorite foundation? Let me know in the comments. As always, thanks for reading!

Valerie

YSL All Hours Foundation received complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible! 

Wearing White After Labor Day

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Top: Similar // Jeans: Nordstrom // Earrings: SUGARFIX // Shoes: JustFab // Clutch: Similar

Happy Wednesday! Even though this is a short week, it still feels like it has been super long! I can’t wait to have a relaxing weekend (the past few have been pretty busy for me). Last weekend I went camping with my family and friends for Labor Day (my parents have a really nice camper on a lake out in the country, so I guess it was more like glamping? Haha!), and we had so much fun! The weather was perfect. I can’t wait to go back once the leaves start changing!

One fashion “rule” I seriously despise is no wearing white after Labor Day. I never really understood that. But rules were made to be broken, right? 😉 I love wearing white jeans with a fall sweater and booties (my go-to during the fall season). I know the above look is a bit more summery, but summer isn’t over, right? I just had to get one more outfit out of my system before I start wearing darker colors, haha!

I bought this off the shoulder top from Shein, but it’s currently sold out so I tagged a similar one that looks almost identical. I ordered quite a few items from Shein, and I’m going to give you a review on what I thought about the website, the sizing, and if you should order from them. The post will be up next week, so stay tuned!

I bought the white jeans from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale last year, and wear them so much! The earrings are Sugarfix at Target, and they have so many colors! I bought the clutch from Saved By The Dress, but it’s sold out so I tagged a similar one.

One of my obsessions lately has been JustFab! The shoes I’m wearing in the photos are actually from there. I have been using it for a few months now to see how I like it and to give you a review of JustFab. It’s $39.95 a month for the VIP, but if you decide to skip that month, you don’t have to pay anything! The $39.95 goes towards your order. Right now they are having a sale where you can get your first pair for only $10! You can’t beat getting a pair of high quality shoes for under $40. Over the weekend they had a 50% off sale, so almost every pair was $20! I skipped this month because If I buy another pair of shoes, I think my boyfriend might flip, haha! But they not only have shoes, they carry handbags and clothing as well! Make sure you go HERE to check it out for yourself!

Do you wear white after Labor Day? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Valerie

Fall Staple Pieces You Need In Your Closet

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Happy Wednesday! With the end of August near, that only means one thing: fall is almost here! My favorite thing to do lately is scour the web for fall items to add to my closet. But with buying a new car, it’s really hard to stay under budget. Until I found Zulily! They offer the best brands at the best prices! Y’all, I found a YSL bag for over 50% off! My favorite thing about them, is they have items that will fit everyone’s budget. I decided to do a roundup of my favorite fall staple items that I found at Zulily below!

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Cold Shoulder Tops: If you are looking for a top that will transition perfectly from summer to fall, then look no further than this one from Zulily! The long sleeves will keep you warm, while the open shoulders will help you stay cool on warmer days. The ruffle adds a cute detail, and is perfect to wear casually or to work. You also can’t beat the $11.99 price tag!

A Cozy Cardigan: For chilly fall mornings, a cozy oversized cardigan is perfect to have to throw over any outfit. I love this Lemoniade one I found on Zulily!

Dark Jeans: Jeans are so versatile that you can wear them all year round, but there’s just something about a dark wash that makes them perfect for fall. I love these by Silver Jeans Co!

Crossbody Bag: I love adding a crossbody bag to any fall outfit. This one from Isaac Mizrahi can be worn all year round!

Booties: You can’t complete a fall outfit without a pair of booties. I love the braid detail on these Frye Black Suede Booties I found on Zulily!

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Zulily not only has clothing items, but they have beauty items as well! All of these items are under $20! You can’t beat finding Nars lipstick for $12.99. I rounded up some of my favorite beauty items that would complete your fall makeup look. Which one is your favorite? I love the color of that eyeshadow!

View my full fall roundup list on Maven! These items will only be on sale for a couple days on Zulily, so make sure you grab them before they sell out! If they do, don’t be discouraged though! Everyday Zulily adds more items for sale, so there will always be cute designer items you can find within your budget.

Head over to Zulily’s website, and let me know what you find in the comments!

Valerie

This post was sponsored by Maven and Zulily. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible! 

 

The Best Mascara Combination For Long & Thick Lashes

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L’oreal Voluminous Primer  //  Too Faced Better Than Sex  //  Lancome Monsieur BIG  //  Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes

Happy Monday! The question I always get the most is which mascara I use. I will admit, I feel like I have tried every mascara out there for the last couple months in order to find the best ones. I’m also going to share which vitamins I use to help my lashes grow longer and thicker (that actually works!).

First, I’m going to start with the vitamins. In order for the mascara to do it’s job, you need to have healthy lashes. I recommend getting a vitamin that contains at least 2,500 mcg of Biotin. I used to get the Olly Beauty vitamins, but it started to get expensive buying them (there’s only a month worth of vitamins in the package for $15). I found the Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails gummie vitamins at Walmart and Target for half the price, and with more vitamins in the container! They seem to work exactly the same. I take 2 every morning after eating breakfast. I have noticed a HUGE difference in my lashes after taking Biotin vitamins. I seem to be growing more lashes, and they are longer!

Now, onto the mascara! I always prime my lashes before applying mascara. It adds more length and volume (you will seriously notice a huge difference when you start using a primer). The best one that I have found is the L’oreal Voluminous Primer. This. Stuff. Is. Amazing. It is better than any high end primer I have tried, and is less than $10. YOU NEED IT.

Next, I add a layer of the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. A few months ago, Ulta had it on sale for $10, so I decided to pick it up. I’m so glad I did! It adds the perfect amount of length to my lashes. If you want even more length, just add a light 2nd layer. I then apply the Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara. It adds SO much volume. This is literally the best mascara I have ever tried (and I have pretty much tried them all…). If your lashes start to stick together, just smooth them out with the comb side of your eyebrow brush. Works everytime. If you are on a budget, and just want to splurge on the Too Faced mascara, then you can replace the Tarte mascara with the L’oreal Voluminous original mascara. It works just as good, and is under $8!

Now, for a little review. Influenster sent me the brand new Lancome Monsieur BIG mascara to test out. It does add a little bit of length, but that’s about it. It also smears and clumps pretty bad. It’s no where near the quality of the mascaras I mentioned above.

What mascara is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Have a great week, and thanks for reading!

Valerie

Lancome Monsieur BIG mascara received complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are my own.Â