12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas: Day 9 {Perfume/Cologne}

Perfume/cologne is a great gift idea because everyone wears perfume/cologne. For a more affordable option, I highly recommend the fragrances at Rue 21. Rue 21's fragrances cost $9.99, so they're very affordable. Other than that, I would recommend going to Macy's and picking whatever you think the person you're giving it to would like. Ed Hardy is my favorite line- I think their men's and women's fragrances smell great. Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears all have great fragrances for women. Perfume and cologne are gifts that are great for any budget because you have so many options price wise.

My Favorite Perfumes

1. Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift: I know, I am uber cliche. Everyone says they love this perfume, and there's a reason! It smells amazing! It's perfect year round, but it's especially great for Fall/Winter! $40.89 at Target.
   

   

   "Top notes are raspberry, dewberry, green tea, freesia, and apple blossom. Middle notes are sweet vanilla along with sun-drenched honeysuckle and white hibiscus. Base notes are golden amber, musk, sandalwood, and peach. This fragrance is classified as fruity." {target.com}

2. Pink Ice by Rue21: Rue21 is a great place to get inexpensive fragrances! It's a very girly fragrance, but there is nothing wrong with that :) I will continue to repurchase this perfume because it smells great and it's inexpensive. $9.99 at Rue21.

   

   "Refreshing and bursting with the unexpected. A touch of timeless sophistication, sparkling whimsy and a cozy finish." {rue21.com}

3. etc! by Rue21: This is my favorite perfume for Spring & Summer. It smells very tropical and smells like pineapple! Once again, Rue21's perfumes are very inexpensive. $9.99 at Rue21.

   

   "The notes combine glittering fruits, soft florals, and fabulous sweet tarts." {rue21.com}

4. Fantasy by Britney Spears: This is a fun, yet sophisticated perfume. I love wearing it in the Fall and Winter. It's very classy! $39.99 at Target.

   

   "The story begins with an enticing mix of lush red lychee, golden quince, and exotic kiwi. Chase. A playful tease, laced with a yummy cupcake accord, jasmine petals and sexy white chocolate orchid. Captivate. At the end, a spell is cast with a surprising finish of creamy musk, enchanted orris root, and sensual woods." {target.com}

5. Aero NYC 1987 by Aeropostale: This was my every day perfume all Summer. It works for any occasion and it's just an all around great perfume. $19.50 at Aeropostale.

   

   "Blending delectable hints of beach flower, coconut, and strawberry with a backdrop of velvet musk and driftwood, our Aero NYC 1987 Fragrance will deliver a fresh and fruity scent that you'll love experiencing throughout the day." {aeropostale.com}

6. Ed Hardy Born Wild by Christian Audigier: I get compliments every time I wear this perfume! It's such a beautiful fragrance! Like Pink Ice, this is a very girly scent. It's perfect for Spring and Summer, but works all year as well. $23.19 at Target.

   

   "Top notes are blackberry and black currant buds. Middle notes are magnolia and peach blossom. Base notes are flowers and wood lily of the valley and sandalwood.This fragrance is classified as fruity." {target.com}

7. Ed Hardy Villain by Christian Audigier: This is a subtle, yet sweet, perfume & it's great for Fall & Winter. It's a very universal fragrance that anyone can wear! $29.39 on Amazon.

   

   "Top notes of lychee, watermelon, blood orange & tangerine. Mid notes of water lotus, magnolia petals, & freesia. Finish of crème brulee, sandalwood, & orris" {amazon.com}

No Heat Hairstyles

For the past 4 years, I have put heat on my hair nearly every single day. About 2 years ago my bangs had suffered so much breakage that they were about 2 inches long. It was awful! I realized I had to be nicer to my hair, but I was horrible at doing anything else with my hair & I wasn't confident enough to go to school with another hairstyle (pathetic, I know).

That's what got me interested in beauty; finding ways to straighten my hair without breaking it. However, my hair was still being damaged, just not as badly as it was before. This summer I decided I wanted to find other things I could do with my hair. & to be honest, I'm not very good at doing my own hair. I'm pretty good at doing someone else's hair, but I'm just not good at doing my own hair. With that, here are a few of my favorite no heat hairstyles that anyone can do!

1. Pony tail w/ lace braid: Start by lace braiding your bangs (or the front section of your hair if you don't have bangs.) A lace braid is sometimes called the "Lauren Conrad Braid". If you don't know how to lace braid, click here for a tutorial by Rachel from Rachhloves. I usually do my lace braid a bit smaller than Rachel did hers, but do whatever size you want! I take the lace braid down to my ear & then I start braiding the rest of the hair (from the lace braid) normally until I get to the ends. Then I pull the rest of my hair & the braid into a pony tail! Super quick & easy!
2. Beach waves: If you're like me & sea salt just doesn't work with your hair, this is a great way to get wavy hair! Simply start by dividing your {damp} hair into 2 sections. If you have a center part, just carry your part down to your neck & use that to divide your hair into the 2 sections. If you have a side part, divide your hair as close to the center of your head as you can, but make sure the small side of your part has a smaller section of hair than the big side of the part (don't make it too big of a difference though). Then just do simple pig tail braids. I don't french braid mine, but you can if you'd like! Let it dry (I sleep on mine) completely before taking the braids out. I like to spray mine with hairspray when I'm done.
3. Curly hair: Meredith (aka Stilababe09) did a tutorial a while back where she used the Conair Spiral Curlers to get a Taylor Swift-inspired curl. Just follow this tutorial. It's super cute & easy!
4. Curly pony tail: When my hair is about 80-90% dry, I divide my hair into 4 sections (vertically) & wrap each section around a spiral curler. I sleep on it & take it out in the morning. Then I pull my hair back into a pony tail & it makes a really pretty curly pony tail.

These are the Conair Spiral Curlers. They retail for $14.74 at Walmart.com

Tip for super soft pony tails: About 30 minutes before pulling your hair into a pony tail, apply coconut milk to your hair. I've found that letting the coconut milk sit for a while before styling really makes your hair extra smooth and healthy.

This is my favorite coconut milk. It's the Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum. It retails at $5.74 at Walmart. You can also find it at Ulta and Target!

Hope this post was helpful! Let me know if you'd like a tutorial on any of these styles :)
*This is not a sponsored post.*