ELLE Magazine x Wella x Canopi.com Event @ Charles Scott Salon

With Mr. Chaz Scott himself! Too bad I don't have my cosmetology licence, I'm sure I could have walked out with a new job!

Tilt-a-Twirl Dress - ModCloth/ Green Flatforms - ASOS (similar)/Smiley Face Earrings - Domino Dollhouse 

I got invited to an event thrown by Elle Magazine and Wella Professionals last night, and it was so fun! I got my hair and nails done, a bunch of swag, and all the strawberries and champagne I could consume for free. I brought two of my good pals, and met up with some of my blogger pals there. I'm thanking my beloved grammy today, may she rest in peace, for teaching me how to sleep with an updo. (Hint: it involves wrapping your head up like a mummy with toilet paper.)

BEAUTY// May Julep Maven Box: the Jazz Collection Swatches & Review

The only monthly beauty box I currently subscribe to is the Julep Maven box. Julep has come a long way from their gross streaky/clumpy lacquer of years past. They've obviously improved their formula, and I suspect they've changed their brushes as well. At 20 bucks a month, it's not cheap, but you can skip months or cancel at any time. They tell you about 5 days ahead of time specifically what you'll be receiving in your box, and you can choose different items or skip that month. That's why I prefer this program over say, Birchbox or Glossybox. I like to know that I will be receiving items I will actually use for that amount of money. I also like giving them my money because the company is owned by women and run by an all-woman staff.   If you're interested in signing up for a subscription, this is my referral link. (You are not required to use it, but thanks if you do!) Swatches and review after the jump...

WISHLIST WEDNESDAY///One chambray shirt, four ways.

Chambray shirts have long been a staple in my closet. They're more fun and visually interesting than a plain white blouse, yet still neutral enough to go with everything. Here's a few ways I plan on wearing this one I snagged from ASOS this summer:

Clockwise: Simply Be sequin print trousers, Forever 21+ sweetheart lace dress, Domino Dollhouse maxi skirt, GabiFresh x s4a galaxy print fatkini, New Look chambray blouse.

This shirt will look great paired with printed trousers and jeans, tied at the waist over a cream lace dress, tucked into a bold maxi skirt and topped with a beanie, or as a cute beach coverup with a pair of black cutoffs. Buttoned, unbuttoned, tucked, tied, or loose, a sleeveless chambray blouse is going to be my go-to piece for summer.

How to bargain shop for beauty products like a boss.

Maybe bragging about how much money I don't spend isn't a good look, but a lot of people ask me how I can afford to accumulate the (frankly absurd) amount of beauty items that I do. Let me start by saying- I hate paying full price for stuff that I know is overpriced to begin with!! Like drugstore cosmetics, for example. You should never pay full price for that stuff. It's so unnecessary. I'm starting this Deals of the Week feature to show you how to hunt for deals like a champ. Are you a mega cheapo like me? Then read on...

China Glaze Shocking Pink & Maybelline Porcelain Party w/ HEX Nail Jewelry

China Glaze Shocking Pink

I love this color! It's a neon light pink. It's very thin, goes on a bit streaky but evens out, and dries matte. It took probably 6 coats to reach full opacity, but once I got it nice and solid, it wasn't budging.

Maybelline Color Show Porcelain Party

If you're looking for the perfect creme white... look elsewhere. I chose this color because I was in a mod-themed photoshoot for my job, and I thought white was era appropriate and neutral enough to go with everything. It was such a struggle to get this color opaque. So many layers. So much top coat. Ugh. Highly do not recommend.

Have you heard of HEX Nail Jewelry? I'm obsessed!! They're a really cheap and totally reusable way to step up your nail art game. I don't really "do" nail art because I'm super not great at it, but with these... all I have to do is super glue 'em on. I got the 90% Angel, Babe, and Bitch ones, and I plan on getting a ton more! They often have 5 for $5 deals, so keep your eye out.

You Betta Werk.

My friend Nicole and I, trying to compete with Pittsburgh's hottest drag queens (as if).

Any of you who know me even a little probably know that drag queens are my number one fashion and beauty inspirations. I have loved drag queens since I was a kid, particularly RuPaul. My formative years took place right about when Ru started to really blow up, in the early-to-mid 1990s. I listened to "Supermodel" incessantly, really internalizing the YOU! BETTA! WORK! message that Ru seemed intent on pounding into my head. I am very grateful to have had parents who are open-minded and totally okay with their child idolizing a six and a half foot tall man in a dress. At some point during my tween years, I discovered the wonderful world of John Waters (again, thanks mom!), and my interest just kind of snowballed from there.

Obviously, when my idol was given her very own reality show on Logo five years ago, I quickly became a Drag Race superfan. I've seen lots of Ru's girls come and go in those years, but I could tell that one gal this season was extraordinary. I picked Miss Jinkx Monsoon to win, right from the very first episode. When she impersonated Little Edie Beale during the Snatch Game, I took it as proof that we were meant to be BFFs. When I heard that she was going to be performing in Pittsburgh, I immediately snatched up a ticket and my squirrel friend Nicole.

The show ended up taking place just one day after the Drag Race finale was filmed, and Jinkx certainly performed like she knew she won. (She wouldn't actually find out for sure until three days later.) She sang (not lip synced!) six songs in six different styles, from opera to rap. She told dirty jokes. And she looked much more refined and professional than she did on the show. It was not only one of the coolest things I have ever seen, but probably the first and last time she will ever be performing in the Midwest. As a bonus, I got to meet two of my other favorite drag racers, Alaska Thunderfuck and Sharon Needles!

Yes ma'am, that is a goddamn Starry Night dress.

Who were you rooting for this season? I hope to see miss Vicky Vox on next season. It'd be nice for a thick 'n juicy super glam comedy queen to win!

MANI MONDAY// China Glaze Lubu Heels & Hard Candy Gummy Green Swatch & Review

China Glaze Lubu Heels

This polish was a total impulse buy because I was so amused by the name, and I don't regret it! It's a fairly sheer black base filled with tons of red micro glitter. This polish gave me a really hard time when it came to cleaning up my cuticles, but other than that, I have no complaints. It only took two coats to reach full opacity, but I did three anyway because I'm a weirdo. I had it on for four days and didn't notice any chipping, and barely any edge wear. It was really easy to remove, and didn't stain my fingers. I will say it was pretty frustrating trying to photograph this color, due to it being so dark.

Hard Candy Gummy Green

Speckled polishes are my ugly nail polish vice of the moment. I bought a few of these speckled Hard Candy polishes yesterday because they are way cheap and fairly comparable to the Deborah Lippmann Staccato collection. Gummy Green is similar to DL's Rockin' Robin, probably my favorite out of that collection, so I tried it first. I honestly haven't used Hard Candy polish since the 90s, and now I'm obsessed! The formula seemed a bit thick, but went on smoothly and dried quickly. I loved the short, flat brush, it made it easy to control the polish and get an even distribution of glitter. I'm so impressed that I just might have to go back and grab the rest. Though I will admit, I do miss those little plastic rings that used to come with Hard Candy polish back in the day.