Beauty editors are particularly choosy about what products they spend money on. After all they get a lot of freebies, however they do admit – why splurge on a pricey eyeliner when there’s a $1 one that does the trick?
image from totalbeauty
Something to consider especially since we tend to spend a lot of $$$ on products. If you are going to shell out the big bucks, do it on something that benefits your skin — like an ultra moisturizing lipstick or an anti-aging cream and/or serum. But trendy, wear-once-in-a-while colors & some other face/body/hair care products? Those are your cheap thrills. Here are some to consider from Allure “best of beauty”
These 15 products belie their rock-bottom price tags (all are $10 or less) beautifully. Available at most drugstores in the U.S.
MAKEUP
NYC New York Color Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer, $3.99. The Spanx of primers: It firms, evens, and is so lightweight you won’t even notice that you’re wearing it.
Wet n Wild MegaGlo Illuminating Powder, $3.99. Swirled together, the ribbons create a rose-gold blush; used individually (wet or dry), they make lids glisten too.
WednWild Illuminating PowderNYC Bronzer
NYX Matte Bronzer, $9. Shimmer-free and available in five sun-kissed shades, the powder makes it easy for every woman to have a believable bronze. The extra-large pan means you can keep the charade going year-round.
Mark “just pinched” instant blush tint in Berry, $8.
mark just pinched
This cool raspberry sinks into skin for that proverbial glow, and doesn’t go MIA like so many cream blushes.
Rimmel eye palette
Rimmel London Glam’Eyes HD Quad Eye Shadow in Black Cab, $5.99. Blended together, the four shades strike the ideal balance of sparkle and soot for sexy smoky eyes. Use as liner too.
L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Mascara – A unique formula of panthenol and ceramide-R builds and thickens voluptuous lashes while conditioning them, so they remain supple and healthy. An exceptionally plush brush is designed to glide on just the right amount of mascara without clumping or flaking. Non-irritating, fragrance-free formula is safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers. Price: About $6 USD / $8 CDN. Overall: A great everyday mascara! Super black, holds a curl but just not as waterproof as expected.
vaseline cocoa butter lip
Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cocoa Butter. So rich and effective, a pot slightly bigger than a Tootsie Roll is all you need to keep lips, cuticles, and even elbows smooth this winter.
SKIN
Pond’s Luminous Clean Daily Exfoliating Cleanser. So many all-in-ones fail to do much of anything. This mix of kaolin, microbeads, and shea butter smooths and soothes as well as three separate products.
neutragena
Neutrogena Make Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes. These alcohol-free wipes erase the smudgy signs of a late night faster than it takes to chug a glass of water. Keep them on your bedside table.
Ambi Skincare Fade Cream. This hardworking cream plays offense (breaking up dark spots with 2 percent hydroquinone) and defense (protecting with
AMBI
sunscreen).
HAIR
aussie
Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle Condition. Reforms the most overprocessed hair yet won’t overwhelm fine and frizzy types.
NAILS
maybelline nails
Maybelline New York Color Show Nail Lacquer (shown here in Keep Up the Flame). Mint green, canary yellow, silver-flecked navy—there are certain trendy polish shades you want to play with before committing. At this price, you easily can do both.
BODY
Jergens Crema Hydrating Coconut Milk. So deliciously tropical, we half expect this vitamin-E-enriched moisturizer to be packaged in a hollowed-out coconut.
St. Ives Naturally Smooth Hand Cream, $2.99. This heavy-duty hydrator absorbs in seconds, so it leaves our hands (and iPad screens) grease-free. And it has just the faintest floral-citrus fragrance.
Aveeno Active Naturals Hydrosport Sunblock Spray SPF 30.A beach-bag essential: The clear spray clings to even soaking wet skin while the potent broad-spectrum sun protection swims laps around similarly priced sunblocks.
GLAM up & Away at airports – with the benefit Pink Bus kiosk. If you can buy cupcakes and tacos on the go, why not satisfy your hunger for makeup!? That’s exactly what the company thought.
Have you ever been to the tiny Benefit flagship store in Mill Valley, California? It’s so cute, mostly pink, very inviting & attention grabbing (as most of their product line is) at the same time – I dare you to walk by without stopping in. Then you’ll come out with at least two products in your bag that you can’t wait to try on. They’re one of the most fun cosmetic lines out there with many excellent products. Let’s narrow a few down because Winter is almost upon us and our skin tends to get dull and dry. We need a pick me up in the complexion department. Granted, these 3 products do “almost” the same thing with a slight twist so you really don’t need all three – maybe just one or two. Okay all three!
Highlighting the “HALL OF FAME” Highlighters
watt’s up!
soft focus highlighter for face – Why we love it!
The soft focus highlighter turns “watt” ya got with a delicate champagne glow that’s gorgeous. With a cream-to-powder finish…it’s a switch on “wow” for all complexions. You’ll adore the smooth applicator & luminous sheen.
Who else loves it!
2011 Real Beauty Gold Star Award, Best Makeup Products from 2011
How to apply
Glide on cheek & brow bones…then sculpt with its soft glow blender for YOUR perfect gleam. Can be applied solo or over existing makeup.
high brow
a brow lifting pencil – Why we love it!
This soft brow highlighting pencil is your instant brow lift! Perfect for all skin tones, the linen-pink highlight hue adds a lifted look to the entire eye area. It’s never been easier to raise a brow…or two!
How to apply
Apply pencil under your brow following the arch. Lightly blend.
high beam
luminescent complexion enhancer – Why we love it!
This satiny pink liquid highlighter accents cheek & brow bones for a dewy, radiant glow. Use as a spot highlighter over makeup or wear under complexion products for subtle luminescence. It’s the “supermodel in a bottle!”
Who else loves it!
2012 TotalBeauty.com Awards, readers’ choice for best highlighter
How to apply
Dot and blend over makeup on to cheek and brow bones, or anywhere you want a glance to linger.
Available at Sephora & most major department stores.
*NEW – Glam Up & Away: with vintage pink bus beauty kiosks coming to airports across the U.S.
Whoever said you can’t get your Benefit faves on the go clearly had never met a woman in 2013! Taken from their blog:
Think back to your last 4-hour flight… you arrived at your destination wearing workout pants, hair in a messy bun, and skin feeling dry & lifeless. Let’s face it, you were more Page Six tragic than celebrity jet-setting status.
How handy are these stylish and practical little makeup cases? Each booklet contains an assortment of eye shadow shades that double as eye liner plus a convertible cheek/lip color.
Are you Lovely in London, Trendsetting in Tokyo, Vibrant in Vancouver (this one must be new), Ravishing on Rodeo Drive , Pretty in Paris or *Rockin in Rio?
*What it is:
A festive and fun collectible palette featuring five diverse eye shadows with both neutral and vibrant shades to create a variety of looks for day or night. Also included are a Convertible Color lip and cheek cream and a how-to face chart.
What it does:
Inspired by the colorful culture, beautiful beaches, and endless fun, this mirrored palette features a mixture of Rio-centric eye shadow shades that can be applied wet or dry, paired with an exclusive shade of Stila’s iconic Convertible Color for lips and cheeks to complete your look. An instructional face chart created by a Stila pro artist guides you to a resplendent look in only minutes. Or mix and match to create your own unique beauty looks.
As for me, I’m just “Fabulous in Fiji” – even though I’ve never yet been to Fiji.
Now what type are YOU?
inside Fab in Fiji – great for Summer.
I love the look of each illustration on every thin little casing – which open and close like a book.
This very thin “smashbox” eye palette is no longer available but as you can see, I’ve made use of almost all the eye color shades while travelling. I can’t believe how long they’ve lasted for such a tiny case.
Who says you have to replace all your makeup every 3 months? Probably the makeup companies.
I believe that if you keep your stash tidy & clean you can make them last for at least 5 years 3 more months.
With NEW glide-on 24/7 EyePencils that come in 40 highly saturated shades. I bought one recently and just got another for 100 points at Sephora – “smoke” a nice deep grey color, not so harsh as black. A super Sephora selection.
What I love is that they stay creamy for blending and dry to a waterproof finish that won’t budge. And as they say in the packaging “the shade range is insane!” Crazy-vivid brights, shimmering metalics or wear-anywhere neutrals. Something for everyone. Choose from every texture imaginable, from micro-sparkle to matte. You can get addicted to the names alone – perversion, smog, bourbon, hustle, corrupt, desperation, freak, psychedelic sister, etc.
Another Urban Decay Staple is the 24/7 concealerpencil. Don’t you just love makeup pencils?
The creamy formula dries matte and stays put (but only on dry skin and not 100% of the time). It’s still nice. Because it’s a pencil, it’s easy to apply with precision.
My color is FBI
With so many choices available it’s nice to sample different products and not stay always with the same brand. For someone who sells beautiful mineral makeup and doesn’t even wear much makeup to begin with I sure have a hefty stockpile. That’s what women do. How about you?
NYC New York Color Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer, $3.99. The Spanx of primers: It firms, evens, and is so lightweight you won’t even notice that you’re wearing it.
panthenol and ceramide-R builds and thickens voluptuous lashes while conditioning them, so they remain supple and healthy. An exceptionally plush brush is designed to glide on just the right amount of mascara without clumping or flaking. Non-irritating, fragrance-free formula is safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers. Price: About $6 USD / $8 CDN. Overall: A great everyday mascara! Super black, holds a curl but just not as waterproof as expected.
St. Ives Naturally Smooth Hand Cream, $2.99. This heavy-duty hydrator absorbs in seconds, so it leaves our hands (and iPad screens) grease-free. And it has just the faintest floral-citrus fragrance.
A beach-bag essential: The clear spray clings to even soaking wet skin while the potent broad-spectrum sun protection swims laps around similarly priced sunblocks.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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