The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Get Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding Manicure Look




From her dress to her jewelry to her makeup, every detail of Kate Middleton's royal wedding look has been examined and applauded by just about the entire world. I was a little too thrilled to discover (as I'm sure many of you were as well) that, while Kate's Alexander McQueen gown and diamond encrusted tiara might be out of our reach, there is one thing we can imitate on a budget and that is her monarchical manicure!

According to Allure magazine's blog, manicurist Marina Sandoval used a mix of Bourjois So Laque! Nail Polish in Rose Lounge (currently unavailable) and Essie Nail Polish in Allure, a beige polish Essie Weingarten created for the magazine almost 15 years ago. Such a chic, classic choice. Think it'll be called Kate Middleton Pink from now on?

Shop it online:
Essie Nail Polish in Allure #423

Celebrate Earth Week with Savings from Yes To Carrots




To celebrate Earth Week, Yes To Carrots, makers of natural hair and skin products featuring key ingredients such as carrots, blueberries, cucumber and tomatoes, will be offering 25% off ALL products site wide, beginning Monday, April 18th, through Sunday, April 24th!

Simply enter the promotion code EARTH when checking out.

This good-for-you company has also teamed up with Whole Foods to do great things for local communities. Click here to learn how Yes To's non-profit arm, the Yes To Seed Fund, is helping build school and community gardens in 2011.

Never tried Yes To? Check out our review of Yes to Carrots Lip Care line here.

What I'm Wearing: Sally Hansen's Kook-A-Mango Nail Polish




If you follow me @budgetbabe on Twitter, you may have seen my desperate plea for help in picking a polish to go with my outfit last night (Rodarte for Target lace-print dress topped with a black leather jacket). The options: A deep, dark, almost-black Merlot or a brilliant, colorful coral. The resounding response? A unanimous vote for coral! (Thanks, tweepettes!)

Since a couple people asked me for the exact shade, it's called Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Kook-A-Mango, which I picked up exactly one year ago to the day at Walmart for about $7 (if I remember correctly). It's still in stores now and if you're looking for an electric coral nail polish, you're going to adore Kook-A-Mango. I love that you can get away with one coat if you're in a hurry, and it lasts for days. Sally Hansen is my bff.

Shop it online:
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish in Kook-A-Mango

Are You Target's Biggest Beauty Fan? Here's Your Chance to Prove It!

Target is on the hunt for their biggest beauty fans – and I have a feeling YOU could be one of them! Make a budget babe proud and post a short video of your best beauty tips, tricks and secrets for a chance to win a beauty bag full of goodies. Upload your video here.


Target Launches Search for the #1 Beauty Fan from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.



Watch the short video above to get the deets from Target Beauty design partners Sonia Kashuk, Jemma Kidd, Napoleon Perdis and Petra Strand. You can also keep up with Target Style tips and news on Twitter by following @TargetStyle.

Good luck!!

Beauty Review: China Glaze 'Life Preserver' and 'First Mate'




Shades of coral are everywhere in the fashion world for spring, including nail colors. One of my favorite shades of this vibrant orange hue is Life Preserver by China Glaze, part of the 12-piece Anchors Away collection for Spring/Summer 2011. Life Preserver is a "highly pigmented and luxurious poppy crème." Think of a natural coral branch, the kind most commonly sold at bead stores and art fairs, and you'll have Life Preserver. It's more of a brick-red or rust, rather than a punchy neon orange or pink.