A Round Up Of Cute Evening Bags

Vince Camuto Gilda Minaudiere Evening Bag

Fancy evening purses are pretty, but you can't get much in them: a lipstick, a tissue, a small comb and perhaps a $20 (emergency) bill, if you're lucky. Still if you ever have an occasion to wear a ball gown, you probably own a few of them.

Vince Camuto Luv Minaudiere

Mine looks very much like this (above) black clutch. It has a gold chain making it possible to hang the purse off my shoulder, but I don't recommend doing so, because the sequins catch on the gown. I didn't anticipate this (a con) when the shimmer (a pro) tempted me to buy it.

Vince Camuto Aleni Minaudiere Evening Bag

Here's a a geometric, metallic evening bag for a modern woman. With such a smooth, glossy surface, there is nothing to catch on a ball gown. Is it your style?

Lath.Pin Sequins Beaded Peacock Evening Bag Wedding Bridal Party Pom

For the woman who loves nature, how about a peacock beaded bag to complement your gown? It comes in pink also.

 Blue Betsey Johnson Fluff Clutch

And speaking of pink, how about this ultra feminine rose pedal number from Betsey Johnson? But if you're not feeling the pink, it comes in two shades, black and white.

J. Furmani Crystal and Stone Hardcase Clutch

And just when you think a clutch can't get any shorter, guess what? It can! You may have to choose: Will you carry an ink pen, or your lip balm? Forget about sliding a compact of face powder in this purse. You'll need to dab the shine off your forehead using a tissue or a single piece of blotting paper.

Do you have a favorite type of evening bag? Tell us, can you get all your essentials in it?

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Drugstore Lipstick Worth Buying

The image doesn't do justice to these lovely L'Oreal and N.Y.C. nudes!

Once upon a time customers had to pay big bucks for designer lipstick to get rich pigments and gorgeous colors because they were not found in a drugstore aisle. That's not true anymore! THE SAVVY SHOPPER loves to feature drugstore lipstick that goes toe-to-toe with their luxe rivals.♥

So, here are two more drugstore lipsticks for less. Although under $10, each brand gives lipstick wearers the characteristics we want, namely: 

a) Flattering shades in nude, brown, pink, plum, coral and red.
b) Colors in matte and satin formulas. 
c) A moist, smooth (like butter) formula that won't dry your lips.
d) Colors that last for hours.

I tested the following brands in 4 nude shades. Nude is this season's hot, trendy color, and yet, staying power is notoriously hard to find in a nude.

 1) L'Oreal - is a first-rate drugstore lipstick from a famous cosmetic company. L'Oreal is the sister label of Lancome, but is less than half the price. Lancome and L'Oreal have the same French parent company, and some customers wonder if they are made in the same factory. The company denies it, but hmm? Sure feels like it!

I bought 2 colors: L'Oreal Colour Riche - Sandstone/810, as well as, L'Oreal Collection Exclusive - Eva's Nude/610.

5 stars or hearts rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

2) N.Y.C. - is a first-rate drugstore lipstick that is less famous. It sells at Duane Reade and Walmart for a price you will not believe. At Duane Reade I bought one formula for $2.19 and another for $1.09 (regular price). Walmart sells the very same N.Y.C. lipsticks for $1.99 and .99. If you spot this brand, don't let the savings make you fear the lipstick is inferior. The N.Y.C. brand feels and wears like a $25 lipstick.

I selected 2 colors: NYC Expert Last Rouge a Levres - Creamy Caramel/440 and NYC Moisture Lip Wear - Cafe/301. 

The N.Y.C. nudes wear longer then Bobbi Brown's nudes! Plus, you can buy all the colors in the N.Y.C. line for the cost of one Bobbi Brown lipstick.

5 stars or hearts rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

This is drugstore lipstick worth buying and loving ... you're welcome!

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Meet The Morf Shirt And Dress

A Morf shirt is one reversible shirt you can wear to get 24 different looks. The shirt is the brainchild of Tamara Salem, who made the first one as a birthday gift for a friend. Later on, she designed a Morf dress, which can also be turned inside out to wear 24 different ways.

Each piece is created from fabric that is 95% cotton and 5% elastan. For women, they come in blue, red or green. Men have one choice, dark and white. There are no buttons or zippers, and there is no inside and out, making it easy to wear the shirt, or dress any which way to change the look.

So with just one shirt (or dress),  a man, or woman can customize their daily appearance. Just think how simple it would be to pack a suitcase. Basically, a person can wear the same exact thing everyday -- a single shirt or dress, but no one will notice.

The shirt retails for $49 and the dress for $150. Look for sales also. The fit is snug, so reviewers recommend ordering a size up. Are you tempted to buy a "collection" of one to take on trips?

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Learn To Love Green Tea

Photo: perfect-diet.net

Sometimes a person wants something to drink besides water. In an effort to stop drinking soda, I began drinking jugs of Arizona Black Tea, purchased from the supermarket. Arizona Black Tea (with healthy anti-oxidants) is good for the body, but apparently not for the teeth. After drinking gallons of the tea, suddenly my teeth are sensitive. Ouch! At first I didn't know what was wrong. So I did some research, and sure enough, it is caused by the acid in ready-made tea.

Holy Mother of God! Is there nothing delicious humans can enjoy without an undesirable consequence? No sister, there is not! Sooo now I must re-evaluate.

As the zeitgeist would have it, I just started making Kombucha. The fermented tea, which is packed with beneficial probiotics, has the carbonation I miss in soda. But, it takes about 10 days to ferment, and I can't keep up with production. So I have to supplement Kombucha with something else ... but what?

As it turns out, home brewed iced tea is less acidic than commercial iced tea; therefore, I bought boxes of black, oolong, green and white teas. I must learn to like brewed green tea; or I'll mix green tea with one of the other three teas. Because ... 

According to Prevention magazine, there's good reason to drink green tea:

"Not only is green tea gloriously calorie free, it can also help spur fat burn and weight loss. In one study, participants who drank four cups of green tea daily for 2 months lost an average of about 6 more pounds, compared with those who drank just plain water, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Another 2013 analysis from the European Journal of Nutrition found that regular green teadrinkers weigh less, have smaller waists, and reap these green tea health benefits. (Scientists speculate green tea's combo of catechin antioxidants and caffeine are behind the effect.) Choose fresh, hot brewed tea with nothing added—store-bought bottled brews tend to have fewer antioxidants and can be loaded with excess sugar. Stay away from unregulated green tea supplements, too: They're a frequent cause of liver damage and may contain unsafe doses of compounds isolated from tea.''

Sooo, it's settled. Brewed green tea is my new daily beverage. And yes, I will learn to like it. Perhaps lemon, or mint, or a spice will jazz it up. What food or drink have you learned to like?

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New From Maybelline

Just when you think drugstore beauty couldn't get any better Maybelline launches new products to try. Let's go from brows to lips in featuring a few:

Maybelline Brow Drama Pomade Crayon: There are 4 colors: Blond, Soft Brown, Deep Brown and Auburn. The crayon sculpts, tames and colors your brows. Well defined eyebrows frame and accentuate your entire face.

The Rock NUDES eyeshadow palette joins its sister palettes, namely, THE NUDES and The Blushed NUDES. The Rock NUDES are edgy, sultry, metallic and smoky with a combination of light and dark shades. Over the weekend I bought this newest palette and will step out of my comfort zone, as I don't often apply eyeshadow. Well ...  that is about to change!

Lash Sensational Luscious Waterproof Mascara - This comes in 2 shades: Very Black and Brownish Black. Angie Smith, friend and reader of THE SAVVY SHOPPER, highly recommends it. She says, the Lash Sensation mascara "is a miracle, this doesn't track at all!" After hours of wear, "no black smudges or flakes" appear.

FACESTUDIO Master Contour blush palette. Define your cheeks with 1) blush, 2) bronzer and 3) highlighter. It has rich, natural pigments that last all day.

COLOR SENSATIONAL LIP GLOSS - These are not really new (they came out in 2013), but everybody, including Angie, loves them. Reviewers rave about the lip gloss over a newer lip product, Color Sensational Vivid Matte Liquid (which one reviewer calls an uneven "shiny mess"), therefore, THE SAVVY SHOPPER recommends buying the gloss. Angie says they are "better than Chanel's Glossier ... and at a fraction of the price!" Personally, I'm a big fan of nude, which is the new chic lip color this spring. Angie has convinced me to pair the gloss in nude with Maybelline's Romantic Rose lipstick. Sounds lovely. 

Maybelline is truly churning out a huge line of quality beauty products for less moola. With drugstore deals, you can splurge and save simultaneously. Perhaps it's time to try a few new colors!

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Happy 7th Birthday To THE SAVVY SHOPPER

THE SAVVY SHOPPER turns 7 years old today! How time flies.

I began the THE SAVVY SHOPPER because seven years ago, the consumer magazine where I worked, was busy developing its online presence, and at the time I noticed that all newspapers and magazines were doing the exact same thing, so intuitively, I knew that anyone who wants to write would have to know about websites. How to learn? Start one.

What I didn't know was how important social media would become, and how the internet would effect print journalism. Seven years ago, Pinterest was still in its infancy. Instagram and Snapchat didn't exist. No one knew what to do with Google+. News, entertainment, fashion and beauty bloggers weren't prominent, and people (in error) still said "I twitter when they meant I tweet." 

How times change! For better or worse, now everybody is on the internet. Ordinary people have a platform. A voice. Content comes from everywhere. Publishing is quick and easy with the click of a button. Personally, I think the positives are many. The world has opened up.

Unwittingly, I created a job for myself. I love hearing from readers and fellow bloggers! I learn a great deal from you and take my responsibility to publish worthy, correct content very seriously.

At THE SAVVY SHOPPER, we are a global community. Thank YOU for enriching my world. And now, here's to another year of living, learning, writing and sharing.

Let's eat a cupcake in solidatory!
                   oxox

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