The Budget Babe's resident product-tester-extraordinaire Kiki Bella (an alias) reviews some seriously smart skincare solutions. —BB



by Kiki Bella
Recently I was asked to review some products by a line known as Smart Girls Who Surf. Smart Girls Who Surf makes products that relate primarily to protection from the damaging rays of the sun, in addition to some soaps and other cute accessories. I am a smart girl but I don't surf, so how could these products apply to me? Well, for starters this company gets top marks right off the bat for being into protecting our planet, its waters and its people by making products that aren't full of icky chemicals. Some are even organic (major points there). The truth of the matter is that these products are awesome for any smart girl who finds herself doing anything in the sun. The products are fantastic, and I really am hooked on them.

In order to properly test these products out myself I took the Smart Girls Who Surf Grab-N-Go Kit ($24.99) on vacation with me diamond prospecting (yes, you read correctly—I spent one week in the middle of Arkansas in a 115 degree volcanic crater digging for diamonds—its hard work, and my boyfriend almost left me a few times, but I loved every second of it!). (continued below)

Become a fan of Victoria's Secret on Facebook and you can get a coupon good for two free VS Undies Panties (up to $17 value) with any in-store purchase, valid today only, Tuesday, September 1 2009. You'll find the printable coupon under the "Secrets" tab. What a cheeky way to start the month. Enjoy!!

Aerosoles Leather "Tint Cess" Boot, Was $180 Now $99.95 at ShoeBuy.com

Now through September 14, get a free mini shoe care kit with the purchase of any Aerosoles shoes at ShoeBuy.com, the world's largest store for shoes. Aerosoles is a brand known for comfort but they also carry a lot of fashionable styles, too, like the Tint Cess boots above (which I happen to own in brown and I love them. You can walk for days in these boots and they look cool, too.) Use the link below to take advantage of this offer.

FREE gift with the purchase of any Aerosoles shoes. Expires 9/14/09.

I know that some people like to malign Forever 21 for their "fall apart" fashions, but all the bags I've ever purchased from the fast-fashion chain have garnered dozens of compliments and they've held up really, really well. As in, I've never had a single problem with any of the half-dozen or so bags, totes or clutches that I've purchased from the store over the years. For example, I still use this black convertible bag at least weekly (it was in my daily rotation for a year but a girl's gotta mix things up), and the zippers still function perfectly, there are no loose threads, and the pleather has held up really well, no scuffs and you can just wipe it clean. So with that in mind, if you don't have a lot of cash to drop on a new handbag this season, consider purchasing one from Forever 21. And here's some more food for thought: Just because something costs $30 doesn't mean it's disposable. There's nothing on the tag that says you can't enjoy your budget purchases for years to come!

At the Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 08 fashion show, Victoria Beckham was spotted wearing this Herve Leger bandage dress, which probably cost well over $1,000.


If you're still looking for an affordable take on this celebrity fave, head to Macy's where you can buy the BCX Banded Dress shown here for $51.75.