We've all got bad habits, but did you know that some of your bad beauty habits are effecting your skin? If you want to feel more beautiful and have healthier skin, do your best to kick these bad habits now!

1. Biting your lips. This is my biggest issue, and you may be guilty of it too! It's a nervous habit that I can't seem to break, but I can tell you what helps--lip balm. It helps keep my lips from being cracked and dry, and it's also a good idea to apply it every time I feel the urge to bite my lip! I use  Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm ($5.49 for two at Walgreens).
2. Sleeping with your makeup on. Make removing your makeup a nighttime ritual. Skipping this step in your beauty routine can clog your pores and lead to breakouts. If you've been out all night and you just want to crash when you get home, Pond's Clean Sweep, Original Clean Wet Cleansing Towelettes ($5.69 at drugstore.com) will be your best friend!
3. Comparing yourself to other women (or celebrities). Guilty as charged! I'm 25, but I still compare myself to celebrities like a nerdy girl in junior high. There are so many beautiful women in the world (including you!) that it's time for us to stop comparing ourselves to everyone else. Let's appreciate ourselves for who we are and recognize our own beauty! Believing that you're beautiful isn't vanity unless it's done in excess. It's confidence! (Besides, it costs Jennifer Anniston $140,000 a year to be as beautiful as she is!)
4. Over plucking your brows. Okay, here's one I'm actually not guilty of, but it's one of my biggest beauty pet peeves. Eyebrows are essential to making your face look stronger and more defined. Plus, a strong brow is really on trend in the beauty department right now. While you don't want bushy brows, you should also shy away from letting your brows disappear into thin air. My rule of thumb (which works on thin or thick brows) is to only pluck the hairs that seem out of place from your natural brow line. I never try to reshape my brows either, and in most cases you shouldn't even try it unless you're a professional.
5. Not cleaning your makeup brushes. I know, it seems time consuming, but you probably use your makeup brushes every day. The makeup can build up over time, and just like sleeping with your makeup on, it can lead to breakouts. I try to clean my brushes at least once a week with shampoo.

As much as I'd rather talk about all of the trends from NYFW, I have to admit I'm sick. It's a ridiculous sinus infection that I caught from my fiance, and it leaves me looking weary with dry skin and a stuffy red nose. Trust me, it's not sexy nor is it cute when I breathe with my mouth open. Nonetheless, life goes on and the world doesn't stop just because I have a cold. There is still work to do, and unfortunately, I have a busy week ahead of me!

To get me through this week, I am going to try a few beauty tips I've learned along the way that will keep my face looking refreshed even if I am not.

Chapped Lips

I can't live without Burt's Bees, even when I'm not sick, but sometimes it still isn't enough. In this case, you can try to exfoliate your lips. There are several expensive exfoliating products you can try, but why bother when you can just do it at home with a bit of sugar and olive oil? Here's how: Add a pinch of brown sugar to 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix it well and dab it on your lips. Leave this on your lips, for a minute. Now, gently rub it back and forth with a wet washcloth or your finger. Rinse properly with cold water. Apply a lip balm or a moisturizing cream afterward.

Red Nose

Normally the outer corner of my nose have a red tint to them, but this week, between the boxes of tissue and rolls of toilet paper, I'm starting to look like Rudolph. To mask this unsightly effect, apply a bit of foundation to the outer corners of your nose and any other place where there is excess redness. Next, apply concealer to those same areas and blend in. At night, make sure you rub a bit of moisturizing cream to your nose to help with dry skin.

Tired Eyes

Even if you have your puffy nose and chapped lips taken care of, weary eyes can completely give away your current unhealthy state. Keep a bottle of Visine on hand to reduce the redness inside your eyes. As for those black circles under your eyes, use a highlighter under your eyes after you've applied concealer. The highlighter should be used only at the inner corners of those black circles, not all under your eye. A little trick I like to do is to use the light wrinkle under my eyes as a guide for where to apply the highlighter.

Dull Skin

Brighten up your face by applying a highlighting blush to your face. You can use a particular highlighting blush, but a light shade of eye shadow will also do the trick. Apply the highlight blush to your cheekbones and any other high planes on your face. Remember a subtle amount can make a huge difference!

New York Fashion Week for Fall 2012 is officially over, and now it's time to sit back, relax, and reflect on all of the glory we saw from the shows. After enjoying all of the Fashion Week coverage from you favorite style and beauty sites, you still want more! How can it be over? Sure, you have London to look forward to, but  You loved the collections and you were smitten with the multitude of Fall 2012 trends, but you don't have to just dream about it. You can have the trends right now by looking in your closet! Beauty-wise, there were several refreshing approaches to makeup, and thankfully, a lot of the trends were refreshing, colorful, and easy to recreate.

Polka Dot Nails at Kate Spade Fall 2012

I am still obsessing over Kate Spade's Fall 2012 collection. With a bit of French infusion and colorful flare, this collection was my absolute favorite. It's approachable, lovable, and uber girly. I've already shown you how to get Kate Spade for less, so now it's time to give you another way to replicate her collection with black and white polka dotted manicures!

Just paint your nails black, let them dry for a while, and then dot white polish all over your nails. The dots don't have to be the same size or perfect--just have fun with it!

Peplum Silhouettes

Peplum silhouettes haven't gone away (thankfully), so you may have a few peplum pieces in your closet already.

I'm particularly smitten with this lady like silhouette, and I encourage everyone to try a bit of peplum detailing now and for next fall.

Jason Wu, Peter Som, Zac Posen, and more debuted versions of this silhouette on the runway. We saw peplum dresses, tops, and coats in prints, winter whites, and rich fall colors. Whatever your favorite, you can get the look for less with this Jane Norman Dress for $44 at Jane Norman.

Bold Lips Bare Face

Is there a time of year when red lip color isn't popular? It's a statement staple and a classic lip color. The latest take on the perfect red lip involves a bare face and matte lip color. At Marc by Marc Jacobs, Shiseido artistic director Dick Page created a classic red lip, then accentuated it with velvety skin and a faint "halo" of neutral shadow around the eyes. At Narciso Rodriguez, Page chose to keep models eyes completely bare, turning the emphasis solely on the lips. "Sometimes what you leave off is just as important as what you put on," he said, in his typical Zen master way. By leaving eyes bare, the lips were able to be the complete focus of the face, making the look even more powerful.

Image Courtesy: Lookbook.nu

Are you constantly hitting the snooze button? (That's me!)

We all need our beauty rest, and some require more than others. But just because we like to sleep in doesn't mean we should sacrifice our beauty. Fortunately, you can still look wonderful and get that extra ten minutes of sleep--without being late for work. I've mastered the "snooze button beauty routine" and now I'm ready to share my knowledge with you.

In all honesty, this is my typical morning routine. When I follow it completely I even have time to sit down for breakfast, as opposed to running out the door with two plain Eggo waffles in my hand.

The Snooze Button Beauty Routine

1. Wash your hair the night before. Make sure you blow dry your hair thoroughly, or else your hair could end up frizzy in the morning. Take a few extra minutes to give it an all over, even blow dry. I like to section my hair off and use a roll brush to give it some body. *Super Time Saving Tip: If you didn't get a chance to wash your hair the night before, you can always apply baby powder to your hair to take away the greasiness.
2. Pick out what you're going to wear ahead of time. Okay I'll admit I'm the worst at this. I cannot tell you how many times I've stood in my closet for ten minutes or more, just wondering what to wear. Sometimes, I'll have my outfit laid out and then completely change my mind. However, on my most successful mornings, I've already pre-planned the day's attire, slept on the decision and made necessary changes, and saved myself a lot of time.
3. Use hot rollers. Hot rollers save me about twenty minutes of my beauty routine. I pin my hair up in curlers and continue with my beauty routine while the curls set in. This is my favorite time saving tip. Not only does it add volume, but it makes you look like you spent more time on your hair than you actually did.
4. Apply tinted moisturizer. Use a tinted moisturizer for its two-in-one effect--a primer and foundation. This will buy you a few minutes that are definitely worth it.
5. Opt for colored lipstick. Like it or not, vibrant lips make you look more refreshed and awake. This is an easy fix if you had a late night or woke up late. People will actually think you spent more time getting ready just because you paid attention to the details with the right lip color. *Time Saver's Tip: Apply it on the way to work, like when you're letting your car warm up.

Of course, we'd all love to have a major beauty stash at our disposal, but sometimes we just don't have all of those cool tools at our disposal. When you're in need of a quick beauty fix, here are a few tips to get you through!

Extreme Curl Lashes...

There are several heated lash curlers on the market right now, but you can save yourself a few bucks by heating up your own lash curler with a blow dryer. Heat for a few seconds, then curl your lashes for a lasting effect.

Soft, Silky Tresses...

You're all out of hair serum, which, if you live in Mississippi, is a crisis situation. The humidity here will totally kill your hairstyle. When this happens, use a dime-sized amount of baby oil on your hair. Not only will it act as a frizz controlling hair serum, it will also add extra sheen.

Luxurious Legs...

Here's a Beauty and the Budget, tried and true shaving tip: When you're all out of shaving cream, substitute with conditioner. Suave conditioner has been my form of shaving cream in the past. I've found that not only do my legs turn out silkier, but they also smell wonderful!

Rosy Cheeks...

Did your favorite blush just crush into pieces all over the floor? (Ehem, not that that's ever happened!) No worries! Simply dab on your favorite pink or red lipstick on your cheeks. Rub in gently with your finger (or a makeup sponge) in a circular motion. Then cover lightly with powder, and voila!

A Lasting Smoky Eye...

When you want that perfect smokey eye, you don't have to spend lots of money on the perfect eyeliner or smudging tools. Although a smudge applicator is helpful, you can get the perfect smoky eye by simply heating up your eye pencil. You can hold the eye pencil over a candle, but since I don't typically light candles at 6 a.m. in the morning before work, I usually just hold the pencil close to my Chi. The heat will melt the liner, making the eye pencil go on extremely smooth. *Note: Do not hold pencil directly next to the Chi iron plate. Hold it close to the Chi for about three seconds.

The Perfect, Smudge-Free Mani...

When you're all out of Quick Dry, or if you just don't care to spend the money on it, skip it completely! Instead, let your nails air dry for about two to three minutes. Next, submerge nails in icy water for about three minutes.

A Wrinkle and Acne Free Face...

Can't afford expensive wrinkle creams? Retinoid creams actually help to smooth wrinkles and get rid of zits overnight!

Well-Groomed Cuticles...

If you don't regularly get a manicure or have a cuticle pusher in your beauty stash, simply use a warm washcloth to push back your cuticles. I like to let my nails soak in hot water first.

Is Kirsten Dunst a fashion icon? I'm not so sure she'd be the first person to come to mind on that list, but my style-radar went crazy when I saw this completely wonderful look. Why? Oh do let me inform you! It's poised. It's lady-like. It's bright and cheery. And it's so perfect for a holiday party--especially if you're one of those beauties who doesn't mind shining in the crowd!

You heard me say it before, but celebrity fashion isn't normally buzzworthy in my opinion. I prefer the likes of fashion bloggers and magazine editors. Nonetheless, when a celebrity truly does stand out in a fabulous ensemble, I will certainly do my best to bring you the look for less!

So, lets get down to it, shall we? Click on the images below.

More Forever 21...

After coming across CutePolish on YouTube, I am convinced that you don't have to be a professional to give yourself a cool manicure. (Although you might need a steady hand!)

In her softspoken voice, the manicure expert behind CutePolish shows you how you can paint interesting designs on your nails easily and quickly. She makes it look so simple, that I can't wait to try it out!

See her tutorials below.

Which one will you try?