We Are Moving Blogs!

Photo credit

     I am so excited to announce I am moving over to WordPress by Friday the 13th. Hopefully I will have the site finished sooner, but that will give me leeway if need be. I purchased a domain name, and I've been studying hard about moving blogs and creating a WordPress blog. You can see some of those videos and such on my Twitter account @anotherusestore. I have a new Twitter for my new blog @dressdallas. 

     See you all over at my new blog! 

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

How to Reach 2000 Instagram Followers

     I am so excited to share with y'all how I reached 2,000 Instagram followers. On Christmas 2014, I decided to turn my Instagram into a fashion, beauty, food, and lifestyle feed. I was able to reach 2,000 followers in just two months. Before I get started, I just want to make sure to mention results might be different for everyone. I cannot guarantee these methods will work for everyone, but it worked for me, and I believe it could be useful to many others.

     If you are interested in tracking your progress, I recommend creating an account at Iconosquare formerly known as Statigr.am. This will allow you to see how many followers you are getting each week, who is unfollowing you, which hashtags are working, and many more awesome stats. One of my favorite stats tells you when is the best time of day to post, each day of the week. I know when to plan my photos, and to rest at less ample times. You also get images like the one above at Iconosquare, which you can email yourself, and keep track of your progress in images. I am still a little new to Iconosquare, so I am probably going to skip over a lot of other benefits of using this site, but I will follow up later with a blog post dedicated just to Iconosquare. 

     I also did not understand very much about Instagram when I first started, but now it makes a lot more sense thanks to advice from other bloggers, such as Quick Sprout, in the article "The Science of Instagram: How to Get More Followers and Likes". Here, I discovered what are the most popular hashtags and filters. This is also where I discovered Iconosquare. There is so much information in this article, I highly recommend reading it thoroughly and bookmarking it, because you will be referring to this article over time. 

     If I were to give one tip to immediately start increasing your followers, it would be to like as many photos from other accounts as possible. I will warn that Instagram does have caps on how many followers, likes, hashtags and characters allowed per hour. You can read more about that here at Jenn's Trends. I discovered this one day when I thought following a lot of people would increase my followers. After so many followings, I had to wait until the next hour to add more. I suggest liking many photos before you spend time following a ton of people. You are also only allowed to follow 7,500 accounts on Instagram. The reason for this was to keep spammers to a limit. 

     Another tip I want to share is about learning how to target hashtags when you are liking photos. I am a fan of Ipsy and Julep. I get their monthly subscription boxes, and there are thousands of others with this same interest. What I like to do is go to these two hashtags, #ipsy and #julep, for example, and like as many of the people with similar stuff as myself. Or if I go on vacation, I will look for similar tourist photos under more specific hashtags, such as #worldaquarium. I find that I get a lot of followers this way, but I cannot say for a fact that it is more effective than liking random photos under the Discover or Populars page on Instagram. But I can say I get a lot of followers. I think you find more solid followers this way, than just liking popular posts. I find that accounts with less followers are more likely to follow back and stay a follower than more popular accounts, but it is not always the case. 

     Also, make sure you post high quality photos. I recommend posting a few photos throughout the day. I do not know how many is too many yet, but I myself post between three and twelve photos a day. Every now and then I find my less quality photos are still getting likes and comments, but you will get more followers if your lighting and focus is done well. The thumbnail of your image should be clear to make out from afar. I would recommend looking into online education for beginner's photography at websites, such as MOOC and Open2Study. I sell items on Etsy, and one of the benefits of doing that is the education available to sellers. My first product photos in 2009 looked nothing like they do now. I learned from taking many pictures, and reading advice from other sellers and bloggers, as well as these online education sites. Everything I know is self-taught. 

     I just want to leave one last word about how much time I spend on Instagram. Typically I am on Instagram between two and twelve hours a day. On average, I would say I spend six hours a day on Instagram. I also have other work, so the only way I am able to post so many pictures is to take pictures ahead of time, and release them little by little. When I first started posting on Instagram, I would post all of my pictures at once, and then have nothing else to post for the rest of the day. And this is not as effective. So make sure you build an inventory on your phone or elsewhere to post throughout the day, so that you can use Iconosquare and discover your best time to post pictures.

     I hope this article was useful. If there are any questions, please leave them below. I will follow up with another post if I get a lot of questions. If not, I will still write a post about Iconosquare once I learn a little more about it. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @dressdynamicdallas. I also have a YouTube channel, where I will also be posting a video about "How to Get 2000 Instagram Follower" in the next week or so. I'd love your feedback.

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

Boho Minnetonka Glam Look

     Here I am wearing my knee high Minnetonka's (which are for sale on my IG, btw! Size 8), black leggings from Forever 21, a tan asymmetrical fringe cardigan from Body Central, and tan scoop neck blouse from SteinMart. I believe my necklace is from Delia's. I cannot remember because it is a few years old. 

    I will be posting an article tomorrow about how I reached 2,000 Instagram followers. This might be useful to some, as it was a topic I researched when I started becoming interested in growing my IG audience. I am sure there are many ways to reach 2,000 or more followers, but I want to share what I did to increase my followers.

     I hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far! If you haven't seen my updates on my YouTube channel, I plan on merging my fashion and jewelry blogs very soon. I want to change over to Wordpress and have my own domain name. My blog name will likely change, as well. I would like to bring everything to one place, instead of spreading myself too thin. It can be difficult keeping track of so many things, as I am sure many of you understand. 

    Also, if you didn't see my post about the tie giveaway, head over to Tie Cargo and use the coupon code "tiezero" to receive a free name-brand tie. 

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie  

2000 Instagram Follower Giveaway Winner!

     Congratulations to Sarah Martinez for winning my Instagram giveaway! Thank you so much to everyone who participated. It was so exciting to pick out the pieces in this giveaway, and I look forward to having many more giveaways in the future.

    If you didn't see my post about free ties for the first 20 subscribers to Tie Cargo, make sure you check that out. All you have to do is use coupon code "tiezero" at checkout, and your name-brand tie will be on its way. Normally it is $10 for one name-brand tie per month. Examples include Armani, J.Crew and Ralph Lauren. Go check out Tie Cargo!

     Thank you again to all who participated in my giveaways! Y'all are so awesome! Have a wonderful night!

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

Thank You For Helping Me Reach 2000 Instagram Followers

     Thank you so much for helping me reach 2,000 Instagram followers. I am so blessed to have so much support. I pray this feed continues to be an area of positivity and support, and may everyone learn something new from one another, including myself. Y'all inspire me every day to keep working at what I love, and hopefully I inspire others, as well. I am so happy to be able to provide encouragement for those who just want to be themselves. Best to everyone in whatever life has to offer. Don't hold yourself back because you don't think you have enough, or don't have what it takes. You would be surprised that the only person's opinion that matters at the end of the day is your own. So own it! 

     I will announce my giveaway winner tonight by 10PM. Keep an eye out! Also, there is another chance for some to still win freebies. It's already up on my Instagram, or check back today for my next blog post.

     -xoxo-

        Stephanie

February Beauty Empties Including Revlon, L'Oreal, L'Occitane, Aveda and More

     I made a YouTube video about my February beauty empties, and this is my blog post with all of the links, and a little more to add to my already long video. If you think the longer videos are still engaging, let me know. There are more products I did not talk about in this month's video, so I will carry them over into March. I have shared many of these items on my Instagram, but many need to be shared again and again. 

     Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer
     L'Oreal Color Riche Caring Coral
     Covergirl + Olay Depuffer Concealer
     L'Occitane Immortelle Previous Cream
     Coolway Repair Serum
     Aveda Foot Relief

     If you have any questions or suggestions for me, let me know. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for 2000 Instagram followers. Almost there!

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

New Favorite Sweater From Forever 21

     I ordered a couple of things on President's Day from Forever 21, because they had free shipping on orders over $21. I like to shop from home a lot, so I was happy when I saw that deal. I bought the mint cardigan in the photo, as well as another shorter mint cardigan. I also had to get socks that say check meowt and selfie. It all came to under $40, and they will all be getting a lot of wear. I am so pleased with my purchase, and the cardigans will be great pieces for transitioning into spring. 

     Let me know if you bought anything during the President's Day sales. Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway for 2000 Instagram followers. Almost there!

    -xoxo-

        Stephanie

Third Prize Reveal in Giveaway for 2000 Instagram Followers

     Hey, y'all! I hope you had a great weekend. I am excited to reveal the third item in my giveaway for 2000 Instagram followers. If you haven't entered, make sure you head over to my blog and read the rules to enter. I am so excited about all of your support. You have all helped me nearly reach 2000 followers, so hurry and enter. Don't forget you get extra entries for following me on all of my other social medias, but you have to leave a comment with your information on my blog so I know you entered. 

     I've used Klorane's eye mask patches, but I have not tried those from Shiseido. I know Shiseido has a good reputation, so I am excited to give these away, because I would love to try them myself. They are extra soothing when you keep them in the refrigerator. 

     Make sure you follow me on Instagram for daily updates. Have a wonderful Monday! Also, find me on YouTube for daily mini vlog updates, and such.

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

DIY Kids Girls No Sew Owl Purse Bag

     For this tutorial, you will need felt of various colors, whichever you desire. You will also need scissors and some sort of fabric glue. It might also be useful to have a pen or pencil for outlining your shapes. 

     I first cut out the shape of the bag in two pieces of felt, making sure to make it about two or three inches bigger, because that is where we will tie the bag together. Next cut around this half oval shape slits about one inch wide. Take the slits from each of the two pieces of half oval-shaped felt, and starting on one corner tie the pieces together all of the way around. 

     Next, cut out shapes for the owl. Two white circles and two smaller black circles for the eyes, and an orange triangle will be for the beak. I made half oval shapes of various colors for the feathers, and I made the owl shape by folding the felt in half and cutting the outline of one side of the owl, so that when you open it up you have two exact same sides. Also, don't forget to make some sort of owl foot shape. You will need a long ten or fifteen by one inch piece for the handle. When you are finished cutting the pieces out, now apply them all to the felt with fabric glue and let it dry. 

     You can make so many different animals or shapes with these bags. Have fun with it, and let me know if you tried this tutorial. I used to be an activity coordinator for children and developmentally disabled individuals, and this project was definitely a hit for both guys and girls. 

2nd Giveaway Reveal Item

     Here is the second item reveal in my giveaway. This Fashion Coloring Book is from Neiman Marcus, and it is so adorable! I am so excited to give this away. If you haven't entered yet, make sure you hurry up and head over to my 2000 Instagram Followers Giveaway post to read all of the rules. Y'all have been so supportive. I have almost reached 2000 followers, so hurry!

     Follow me on Instagram to see the rest of the giveaway items, and much more. Also, I made a video that goes with this giveaway. Head over to my Youtube channel and subscribe. Don't forget to give the videos a thumbs up! 

     Best wishes!

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

February 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag Review

     Yesterday I got my February 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag. I was so excited to receive this months delivery, because the bag is super cute, and I really wanted a rose gold makeup brush. The brush is so much prettier in person. I really don't have any complaints about the items I received. 

     The Cargo cosmetics lip gloss is a beautiful light pink. I like the formula, because it is a little stickier, and seems to stay put for a long time. The size of the sample is great, and will last me a long time. 

     The ModelCo blush is a gorgeous deep peachy pink with a beautiful highlighting shimmer. I'm definitely going to use this color a lot, especially on cold days. The sample is basically full-size, and I can't complain.

     The Eva NYC Up All Night volumizing spray is a great sample size and smells amazing. I would use the products just because it smells nice. It doesn't leave any type of sticky residue or anything on your hands when you run them through your hair after applying the product. After it dried, I definitely felt some major lift, so this might just be the next item I purchase once the sample is gone. I am crazy about voluminous hair!

     The Pencil Me in Cosmetics pencil is so cool, because it comes with a sharpener on the lid. I think that is just genius! I have never seen something like it before, and I need it because I am so bad at keeping my pencils sharp, since the sharpener wanders off from time to time. I never forget to put the lid back on my pencils, so I might also need to buy these pencils in every color. I do have one complaint, and that is since I have been an Ipsy member back in September 2014, I have received two purple eyeliners, and they really aren't my favorite colors. I do use them, so it's not a waste to me, I would just like a few other colors like brown or gray. 

     The Luxie Beauty large angled face brush is gorgeous, like I said. Nice brushes are not cheap, and this one is so pretty. The bristles are super soft, and I don't have any complaints about the bristles falling out yet. I would definitely consider purchasing the rest of the brushes that go in this set. 

     I also want to mention something about the Ipsy bags. I have only liked the size of two of my Ipsy bags as far as personal use, but I love giving the bags away as presents. Each pattern every month is so pretty, I just can't use all of the bags because they are not large enough for the makeup I carry around in my purse. My favorite bag so far is the one from September 2014, because of the bag shape, I can fit a lot more cosmetics in it. I like how it zips at the top and not on the side like this month's bag. I really liked last month's bag, as well, because the zipper was on top. Does anyone else feel the same way?!

     Let me know if you are an Ipsy member, or what you think about these items. I included my referral link above, so if you sign up, you can show you were referred by me. I'd love to see if anyone uses it. Let me know! Also, don't forget about entering my giveaway for 2000 Instagram followers. I will reveal the prizes on my Instagram account over the next couple of weeks. Find me @dressdynamicdallas. 

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

 

Vintage Handmade Sweater Look

     I received this sweater as a gift from the boyfriend's grandmother, Grammie, whose mother made it for her. It is such an amazing sweater to have lasted so long and look so perfect still. Grammie keeps all of her belongings in pristine condition. It is just astounding, and it motivates me to take better care of my things. Grammie has given me many beautiful things and such amazing clothing hacks. I'm excited to start sharing some of those secrets with y'all. Who doesn't want to make their clothing last as many years as possible, so you have more money to spend on other things? I know I do. Anyway, you cannot find the top above anywhere, as it is one of a kind, but my black skinnies are from Nordstrom's, and my kiss loafers are from H&M. I bought both items over six months ago, so I am uncertain if you can still find them.

     If you haven't seen my blog post about my giveaway for 2000 Instagram followers, go check it out! I will be revealing the prizes on Instagram over the next few weeks. Find me @dressdynamicdallas. Best to y'all!

     -xoxo-

        Stephanie

Tarte Brazilliance Skin Rejuvenating Marajuca Self Tanning Face Towellete Review

     I received these Tarte Brazilliance skin rejuvenating marajuca self tanning face towelettes in my Allure Sample Society Beauty Box several months ago. I'm not sure why I waited so long to try them, but now I am addicted. I have never tried any type of bronzing towelettes before, but I am a huge fan of self tanners. 

     These are so easy to use! All you do is wipe the towelette evenly all over your face and neck. I also rub the towelette on the back of my neck, onto my shoulders, and down my the front of my chest. I like to use them before bed, and you wake up with a bronze glow. It definitely makes you look like you got some sun, or just healthier and more vibrant. I love my natural porcelain skin, but it is also fun to be able to have a warmer glow if I want. 

     Let me know if you have tried these, or if you have any recommendations. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for 2000 Instagram followers. You can find out more on my Instagram @dressdynamicdallas. 

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

OGX Quenched Sea Mineral Mouisture Review

     A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about my hair care, and the OGX Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture is something I wanted to talk about a little more, just to emphasize how much I like it. I bought this product, because I needed something to tame those little fly-aways that happen right at the top of your forehead when you are way overdue for a haircut. My hair gets too oily if I apply products like this dry, but when I put it on damp hair, it dried so beautifully. It has a nice scent, and the bottle really makes me feel like a mermaid when I use it. You can find this product at most department stores. I bought mine at Walgreen's. It's also super affordable. I think it was under $5.  

     Let me know if you have tried this or any other OGX products. Also, let me know if you have any recommendations. I love finding great products. Don't forget to check my last blog post and enter my giveaway. There are going to be so many prizes! Find out more about the prizes on my Instagram @dressdynamicdallas.

     -xoxo-

        Stephanie

 

February 19 Free People Highland Park Chicago Spring Style Preview - Correction

     On Thursday, February 19 there is a Spring Style Preview at Free People in Highland Park here in Chicago, Illinois (correction). The first 50 people will receive a special gift. It is from 6-8PM and will have live hair tutorials. Check the Free People in your area for similar events.

     Make sure to follow my Instagram @dressdynamicdallas and check back here for updates. 

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

Kylie Jenner Inspired Lips

     I don't care if they are fake or not, I love Kylie Jenner's lips. I think the full top lip is so sexy (like Pocahontas). I do not know if I would go as far as to get lip injections, but I do love faking it for now. 

     I used Rimmel London Kate Collection color in 08, and colored just outside of the the line of my lips. I didn't have a matching lip pencil, but this would probably be a better choice first and then go over it with the lipstick. I blended in the bottom center of my lip with Rimmel London Kate Collection in 113. On my top lip,  I went over it with a dark brown gloss from Bobbi Brown. I didn't press my lips together for the photo, but it still looked gorg even after I did. You might also use concealer on any discolored areas around your lips and chin.

     I hope you enjoyed this lippie tutorial. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @dressdynamicdallas. Also find me on Twitter @anotherusestore.

     Stephanie

Lip Shaped Tube Squeezer

     I was so excited when I saw these lip-shaped toothpaste squeezers on Instagram. Not only are they adorable, but they are super handy. I think the actual name is toothpaste squeezer, but as you can see, it works well on expensive beauty products, or any other items that may come in a tube. I love stretching my products. I haven't gone as far as cutting off the end of the tube and using a q-tip to get out every last bit possible, but I am highly debating it, because I am curious to see just how many more uses I can get out of a product. You can find these toothpaste squeezers on Amazon, and I am sure you can also find them on eBay.

     Soon here I will be following up with a blog post about my empties. It's getting to be that time where a bunch of my products are about to run out, and I thought what a good time this would be to discuss each one. It also means I am going to need a few more products. I should be heading over to Sephora this weekend and following up with a beauty haul on that, as well. 

     Hope y'all had a good day! 

     Stephanie

Stripes and Olive Look

     I am wearing olive pants from Forever 21. My wedge booties are from Marshall's. The striped top is from Steinmart. I wore this outfit yesterday with different booties. It's such a simple, yet cute outfit to throw on when you're running out the door. 

     Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @dressdynamicdallas. 

Post Valentine's Day Events

     I hope y'all had a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend! What a crazy mix between Friday the 13th, Vday and President's Day. I really enjoyed my weekend. 

     This year we decided it would be fun to have a dinner and movie date in bed, since we got dressed up and went to the Spoon Bar and Kitchen last year. We watched so many funny movies, and I don't think I got out of my robe for most of the day. The bath bomb from Wholefoods was amazing! Of course, not as nice as the Lush Comforter bath bomb. I was alarmed for a minute once I got in the tub, because I didn't realize there were flowers in the bomb. So when I started seeing chunks, it sort of freaked me out. But it's actually quite pretty. 

     Make sure to keep up with me on Instagram @dressdynamicdallas. I am posting every day all day, so you don't want to miss it. Have an amazing day!

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie

Wood Sage and Sea Salt Jo Malone Perfume

     I ordered this sample off of the Jo Malone website because I am obsessed with this scent, as most people are who smell it. It was so exciting when I discovered you can request samples of certain fragrances. Jo Malone is a wonderful store where I wish I could spend thousands of dollars. I want everything!

     If you are uncertain what to get your sweetie for Valentine's Day, this is certainly a great idea. I believe you can find it at stores, such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom's, and if you are in New York, I believe you can get same day delivery in certain locations. It's not too late to get something your loved one will certainly enjoy.

     Let me know if you have tried this scent and/or other Jo Malone fragrances. Also, don't forget to follow me on Instagram @dressdynamicdallas. Have a wonderful evening!

     -xoxo-

         Stephanie