Weekly Preview: Beauty & Fashion Sales

Hello Beauties! I hope you enjoyed the weekend and were able to spend some time outside! It was very sunny and hot in Chicago, but we managed to stay cool enough! Unfortunately, our plans on Saturday were dampened by a flat tire, followed by a flat spare tire, then an hour wait for the tow truck to come. Now I have a funny tan on my shoulder from holding my handbag while we were waiting! Ha! Luckily, the tire was able to be patched, so it didn't cost us too much to have fixed. Thank goodness for AAA! Anyway, once that issue was resolved, we had a really nice weekend and got to spend a lot of time with our friends!

As for the weekly preview, it seems this week is jammed with great sales on some amazing brands, so be sure to check it out and find out when your favorites will be on sale! I've also included a couple discount codes at the bottom of the page, so don't forget to use those!

Monday, July 11th:

Featured Sale: 

Bacio 61 Shoes - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Rock & Republic Clothing, Accessories, & Beauty - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Akribos XXIV Watches - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Bronx & Diba Shoes - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Betsey Johnson Intimates - 11:00am CST on Gilt Groupe

GO SMiLE Whitening Kits - 11:00am CST on Gilt Groupe

Daniblack Shoes - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

JPK Paris Handbags - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Jessica Simpson Dresses - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Off the Beaten Track Shoes - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Invicta Watches - 6:00pm CST on Beyond the Rack

7 for All Mankind - 8:00am CST on 

Swirl

M Missoni Handbags - 9:00am CST on Enviius

Bourne Shoes 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Tuesday, July 12th:

Featured Sale: 

MK Totem Handbags - 8:00am CST on 

Swirl

Elizabeth and James Clothing & Shoes - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Tumi Luggage - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

LeTarte Swimwear - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Marc by Marc Jacobs Swimwear - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Michelle Watches - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Carlos Falchi Handbags - 11:00am CST on Gilt Groupe

Jewelry Trends: Turquoise & Coral - 11:00am CST on Gilt Groupe

Steve Madden Sunglasses - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Tom Ford - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Versace - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Adrienne Vittadini - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Chloe Sunglasses 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Dolce Vita Shoes 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Wednesday, July 13th:

Featured Sale: Vapour Organic Beauty - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Halston Heritage Clothing & Handbags - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Pour La Victoire Shoes - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

THE FINAL SALE: ACT 1 - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Fendi & Gucci Handbags - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Soho Hearts Jewelry - 8:00am CST on 

Swirl

Sisley Fragrances - 10:00am CST on Biva

Gypsy 05 Clothing 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Olivia Harris by Joy Gryson Handbags 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Thursday, July 14th:

Featured Sale: Vera Wang Lavender - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

frankie b Denim  - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Prai Skincare - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

THE FINAL SALE: ACT 2 - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Seven 7 Activewear - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

Halston Fragrances - 10:00am CST on Biva

Cynthia Rowley 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Friday, July 15th:

Featured Sale:  Folica Hair Tools & Accessories - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Michael Antonio Shoes - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Kensie Sunglasses - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Techno Marine Watches - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

The Last Big Splash: Swimwear - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Kenneth Cole Fragrances - 10:00am CST on Biva

Yves Saint Laurent Fragrances - 10:00am CST on Biva

Anna Sui 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti Clothing 

- 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Which sales are you most looking forward to this week? Don't forget, if you want to do some in store shopping and happen to have a Banana Republic Factory Store near you, they are having a BOGO event on all clearance items through Wednesday!

P.S. Use code JULYFREE to get free shipping from 

Swirl for orders over $30 (through July 16th)!

P.P.S. Use code SUMMER25 to get $25 off your order from MyHabit through August 1st (I don't think there is a minimum order price on this one)!

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Would You Like Some Color Blocking with Those Stats?

Hello Gorgeous! Every Friday I have to teach an undergraduate course (statistics), so I'm always looking for something fun to wear that is also teacher appropriate (so much for casual Fridays). This morning was so absolutely perfect and sunny out that I really wanted to brighten up my look with some bold color blocking! I've had discussions with several other bloggers about how much we like this trend, but don't have the solid brights to really pull it off. Luckily, the Banana Republic Factory Store had a big 4th of July sale, so I was able to pick up a couple new bright pieces to add to my collection. Here I'm wearing one of the purchases, along with some pieces I picked up last summer.

Cardigan - Banana Republic Factory Store - Summer 2011
Tube Top - United Colors of Benetton - Summer 2010
Skirt - United Colors of Benetton - Summer 2010
Sandals - Old Navy - Summer 2009
Tote - Donna Dixon - Spring 2011 (from this post)

Watch - Swiss Legend - Spring 2009
Bracelet - DIY - Last Week :)
Blue Ring - From a Cruise! - Spring 2008
Engagement Ring - From K. via C.A. Jewelers - Spring 2011

As for my makeup, I try to keep things more toned down on teaching days, so I used a lot of neutrals. I also added a little bronzer and some light colored lip gloss for a summery look.

What are my neighbors doing??? Anyway...
Eyes - Benefit Eyeshadow, Lancome Definicils Mascara, Estee Lauder Eye Liner in Gray
Cheeks - Laura Geller Baked Blush 'N Brighten in Honey Dipped (from June Birchbox)
Lips - Unknown brand from the swag bag seen in this post

Overall I was pretty pleased with this look. I have been in love with coral for at least a couple years now, so I was happy to break out this tube top and pair it with another bright! I have yet to do a full color blocked look as I don't really have any bright colored pants or skirts, but I do have a pair of turquoise shorts that I might try to do something with soon. Have you tried creating an entire outfit out of bright, bold colors yet, or are you like me and only have a few suitable pieces to work with?

By the way, Banana Republic Factory Stores are currently having a BOGO sale on all their clearance items, so if you have one near you, check it out before July 13th! They seem to have a lot of bright, solid color pieces right now, so it might be just the place to put together your own color blocked ensemble! While I think I paid a whopping $12 for this cardigan, I also picked up a bright green t-shirt for just $2 and a cute skirt for $6! While I wouldn't say that my absolute favorite items are from Banana Republic, I definitely love their wardrobe staples (plus the prices at the Factory Stores are amazing)! 

For now, I must be off to bake a Cubs cake for my nephew's 1st birthday (yay), but I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and are enjoying the same, beautiful weather we are having here in Chicago!

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Clean & Clear: Better Results, Less Expensive

Hello Lovelies! I'm glad to be back after my off and on hiatus over the last couple weeks! I have been super busy, but I've also been having a great time! Yesterday was my fiance's birthday, so I really enjoyed just spending time with him. We also went to visit his family over the weekend, and last week a friend came to visit, so we did a lot of fun things around Chicago! Still, I definitely missed you all and blogging in general, so I'm happy to say that I have a great new review for you today!

Several months ago I wrote about how I was switching from Proactiv to one of Philosophy's skincare lines (click here to see my reviews). At first I really loved it, but after a while I noticed that my breakouts were coming back. I also was becoming increasingly irritated by the high price of many of the skincare lines out there, and wanted to find something that would keep my skin clear without draining my bank account. After a little online research, I found out that Clean & Clear had a few products that worked in similar ways to those that Proactiv carries. Shortly after acquiring this information, I was on my way to pick out my new skincare routine.

Once I got to the drugstore, I first searched for a new cleanser. After opening every tube of cleanser that Clean & Clear makes (to check the consistency, etc) I decided on the 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser. Like Proactiv's Renewing Cleanser, the 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser uses benzoyl peroxide as its active ingredient and contains gentle micro-beads to exfoliate the skin. Unlike Proativ's cleanser however, this one can be purchased for under $7. Overall, I really like the way this cleanser makes my skin feel, and I definitely appreciate the fact that it works without drying out my skin (which was my biggest complaint about Proactiv).


Haute Lunch Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Trays

The next thing I needed to find was a good toner. Often, astringents can leave skin dry or irritated, so it was definitely important for me to find one that would do the job without harming my skin. Luckily, Clean & Clear makes a Deep Cleaning Astringent for Sensitive Skin that uses salicylic acid to fight breakouts. I really like that this toner is made specifically for sensitive skin, and I love that it only costs $4 and lasts for an incredibly long time! I also like that it makes my skin feel extra clean and refreshed!


Haute Lunch Rating: 5 out of 5 Trays

To finish up my new routine, I wanted to find a good spot treatment to rid of any slight blemishes that may occur. I decided on another salicylic acid based product, as I have had some luck with acne treatments using this ingredient in the past. I purchased the Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment, which was definitely the most expensive of the bunch at $7 for just 0.75 fl oz, but it's still far cheaper than many other options I've tried before. I was definitely concerned that this spot treatment would dry out my skin if I used it too often, but in the last month I've applied a thin layer of it on my entire face and neck without any issues!


Haute Lunch Rating: 4 out of 5 Trays

Overall, I am very happy with my new skincare system. Within a few days of using it, I noticed that the blemishes I had from when I was using Philosophy and Proactiv skincare products were clearing up, and have had nearly flawless skin ever since! While the results are enough to make me buy these products again, it doesn't hurt that I was able to pick up all three products for just $15 (with a coupon)! It also seems that these products lasts at least as long as the three-step system from Proactiv, so I'll be saving a littler over $30 every two months, or nearly $200 over the course of a year! I don't know about you, but I can definitely think of other things I'd rather spend $200 on than skincare!


If you're still searching for the perfect skincare line, I'd recommend giving these products a try, especially if you have oily, acne-prone skin! For those of you who have other types of skincare issues, what products do you like to use? Also, do you stick with the prestige brands, or have you found a good drugstore brand that saves you money? I'd love to hear from you!

P.S. Thanks for bearing with me over the last couple weeks while I was being a bad blogger. I always appreciate all your support, and I feel so lucky to have friends who are so caring and understanding! You're the best!

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Avon 350 Followers Giveaway Winner!

Hello Lovelies! Sorry that I still haven't caught up on my blogging! School has definitely kept me busy, plus we have guests visiting this week, so I have even less time than before. :( However, I promise that I will get back on track next week! Until then, here is some great news for one of my fabulous readers: The winner of the Avon prize package is...

Rebecca! Congratulations!

Many thanks to everyone who entered and to everyone who reads and follows Haute Lunch! Your support means so much to me, and I feel honored to be able to share my thoughts and ideas with all you fabulous people! Congrats again to Rebecca, and have a wonderful weekend!

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