Before: My nasty, bitten-to-the-bone fingernails before using Sally Hansen Miracle Cure.
Recently, The Budget Beauty Babe (an alias) brought us her glowing review of Sally Hansen Miracle Cure for Severe Problem Nails. Encouraged by her positive experience with this product, I decided to see if I could get the same incredible results, especially since I was desperate to put an end to my on-and-off, incredibly nasty little habit of biting my nails. So I bought a bottle of Sally Hansen Miracle Cure in the beauty section of my local grocery store, and put it to the test. This stuff really IS amazing! It forms a rigid, protective coating on my nails which strengthens the nail and acts as a solid deterrent to nail biting. No more chips, tears, or breaking—all the things that used to happen to my nails on a daily basis, which would then cause me to pick at them (gross, I know) until they were practically non-existent.

Above, you can see what my nails looked like when I began this experiment a few weeks ago. Keep reading to see my nails now!

When you land on Mimi Boutique's homepage (www.mimiboutique.com), you're greeted with the following quote: "The only rule is don't be boring and dress cute. Life is too short to blend in." Wise words, and as long as you can get past the source (Paris Hilton), it's a great mantra for a boutique that features cute and trendy handbags, accessories, jewelry and beauty products at affordable prices. So let's get shopping, shall we? Here are just a few of the many items at Mimi Boutique that got me drooling. (Click any image for details)

Emmie Satchel in White, $46. Inspired by the Chloé Paraty leather shoulder bag, Mimi's designer-inspired version is precisely $1,849 less than the original. Summer style's in the bag.

Gold Filigree Ring with Coral Rose, $18.75. I'm loving the color coral for Spring, and this ring is the perfect way to wear it.

Peace Scarf in Green, $16. Get the same feel-good message as pricier Wish 4 Peace scarves at a fraction of the price.

Romance Trilogy Soap by Fraiche, $17.50. This luxury soap bar trio made from organic ingredients comes in Rose, Cherrylicious, Rich Dark Chocolate. All the pleasure of a decadent dessert, none of the guilt.

Gone Purple! Feather Headband, $22. Turn heads with the purple plumage on this fabulous hair accessory.

Blood Orange 100% Natural Lip Balm, $4.75 each. These all-natural vegan lip balms are handmade in small batches especially for Mimi Boutique by a local supplier on the West Coast.

Mascara is my one daily must-have makeup product, but I'm not married to any one brand in particular. So when my last tube of Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara ran out, I embraced the opportunity to try something new. At Target, I picked up new Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara in Very Black because I was drawn to the pretty chartreuse container. (Lately I've been obsessed with this color and other shades of green, from bath towels to bowls full of Granny Smith apples.) Picking a product based solely on the packaging isn't my usual modus operandi, but in this case it proved effective.

A close-up view of the Maybelline Define-A-Lash brush reveals dozens of teensy tiny bristles that define and coat each lash.

This mascara is awesome. It goes on smooth, coats my lashes evenly, and truly lengthens and separates each lash as it dries, which is exactly what I look for in a mascara. Even if a couple of lashes are stuck together as you're applying this stuff, they somehow magically separate as the mascara dries. Very cool.

Oooh! It's flexible!

The flexible rubbery brush kinda threw me off at first, but once I got used to it, it was a breeze to use. In fact, I think I may prefer this brush to more rigid ones. Maybelline Define-A-Lash doesn't smudge or flake (I would know, I wear hard contacts), and it washes off easily with warm water.

I'd definitely recommend this mascara to a friend (like you!) and I'll definitely be buying another one when this tube runs out.


Shop it: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara, Very Black, $7.95 at Drugstore.com