My summer wardrobe this year consists mainly of dresses, which may have more to do with the scorching Texas temperatures than anything else. No matter the reason, I've stockpiled a collection of breezy dresses that can get me from work to weekend in comfortable style (in so far as that is possible when it's 107 degrees out). Check out these must-have summer dress styles, and outfit your summer - on a budget, of course.

When I was in high school I disguised the occasional, well-placed zit into a mole with a bit of eyeliner. As it turned out, what worked in photos for models (I swear I got this brainy notion from one of my teen mags) did not translate well in real life, and my friends have never let me forget about my "migrating" beauty mark. Some other bargain beauty tricks I've tried along the way have worked out better: toothpaste as a zit cream, sugar as an exfoliating scrub, olive oil for dry hair and cuticles. In a response to a question I posted in my forum recently about homemade beauty treatments, however, I learned a few new tips (glue instead of a pore strip!) - check out these ingenious uses for common cupboard items, and don't forget to add your tried-and-true tricks to the list.

Is there anything more exciting than tearing into a just-hit-the-stores beauty product for the first time? Undoubtedly, but that small detail isn't going to put a damper on the thrill I get from trying a new product. The next tube, stick, vial or bottle you open, after all, just may contain the beauty miracle you have been waiting for.

Unfortunately, for most of us, we tend to come across a lot more beauty mishaps than miracles. The casualties of our beauty trials litter bathroom cabinets and drawers, sad reminders of dashed hopes and dreams. Don't let bad products ruin your fun (or bank account). With forgiving return policies, CVS, Rite Aid and Ulta let you try products without fear of commitment.

Check out my latest beauty disappointment, L'Oreal's Voluminous Naturale Mascara, and let us know which products you've recently tried by posting a comment on the message boards.

Your house is burning and you only have time to save one collection - your shoes or your handbags - which do you choose? It's a tough call, but I'm rescuing my handbags. How about you?