Top 5 Drugstore Beauty Products

I did not include any Mark or Avon products.  I only included products that are accessible in either drugstores or super centers.

1.) Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Tinted Moisturizer - This makes my skin softer and does a good job of evening out my skin tone.  This blends right into the skin and doesn't feel or look greasy like some tinted moisturizers do.  My t-zone gets oily in the summer, and this hasn't made my face feel or look oily at all.  This gives a bit of a matte finish, while still giving a nice glow to the skin.  This is nice for everyday use, and I use it when I just want to even out my skintone.  (Great for a hot, summer day) I paid $10.49 for this at Walmart, and you get 1 fl oz of this in a hygienic plastic tube with a pump.  The packaging is fantastic.  My only gripe is that my shade (medium to olive 06) is the darkest shade that is comes in.  I'm NC40/42 in the summer and NC35/37 in the winter, and I can see this working for someone up to NC43 (MAYBE NC44).  I've actually seen where NC42's have worn shade Tan to Medium 50.  If you're skintone is deeper than that, this unfortunately won't work for you.  (Neutrogena needs to expand their shade range, especially with Gabrielle Union as one of their models!)

2.) Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation (Combo/Oily)- This is an AMAZING drugstore find! This gives flawless, full coverage.  This covers just about ANYTHING.  The problem that I had when I first tried this out was that I applied too much.  I applied it like I applied my normal light coverage foundations, and I looked overly made up.  The second time I applied this, I used less (a little truly goes a long way), and this looked amazing.  It doesn't feel heavy on the skin.  The coverage is great, and it really works for oil-control.  (If you have dry skin, please look at the bottle & make sure that you are buying the version of this for combo/dry skin.)  This is often compared to MAC's Studio Fix Fluid.  I actually like this better than Studio Fix Fluid.  I feel like this covers better.  Also, SFF broke me out almost immediately, and this one did not (I have sensitive skin).  I use this for when I want fuller coverage and for special occasions.)  My only gripe is that this doesn't come with a pump.  Revlon should use the same packaging as they do with the Photoready. 

3.) Covergirl Natureluxe Glossbalm- LOVE LOVE LOVE this.  I have it in Coral.  This gives the perfect amount of color.  It's not like some glossy that barely give any color at all, but it's not super vibrant either.  Perfect everyday colorpay off.  These are great for a job where you need to have minimal makeup.  These gives your lips the perfect kiss of color, and these are super moisturizing.  My lips are on the dry side, and a lot of lipsticks dry my lips out.  I love how moisturizing this is.  It feels just like a lip balm but gives that gorgeous glossy color without the sticky mess of a lipgloss.  Covergirl often has Bogo (buy 1, get 1 50%) sales.  Wait for a Bogo sales, and grab these in 2 colors.  They are worth it.

4.) Maybelline FIT! Me Bronzer (Deep Bronze)- I was actually surprised at how well this works.  I received it in a swap on MUA as an extra.  I decided to try it out, even though I was disappointed with Maybelline's old bronzer that was in an identical container.  This works really well.  Deep bronze is the perfect shade of bronze for my NC40/42 skintone.  The little brush actually works with with contouring. This is MUCH better than Maybelline's old bronzers.  This is a great drugstore find.  Don't waste your money on Benefit's Hoola or NARS Laguna.  Check these out first.  They come in 3 shades.

5.) Sally Hanson Hard As Nails & Extreme Wear Nail Polishes- Sally's nail polishes have been my favorite for a long time, since long before I tried OPI.  I've been into OPI a lot lately.  I've been loving their My Lifesaver nail polish for Summer, BUT as much as I love it, I always go back to Sally Hanson.  Her polishes are affordable and have an excellent formula.  I've gotten Extreme Wear & Hard As Nails for as little as $1.99-$2.99 at Rite Aid.  They go on smoothly and dry quickly, no clumps or chipping, and are available in a wide variety of colors.  Sally Hanson had dupes of all of the nail polishes in MAC's Quite Cute Collection by the way.  You're bound to find a color that you like for the right price.

Amy Winehouse Inspired Look

Eyes: Still <3's Barbie Stay All Day Liner Black & Maybelline One By One Volume Express Mascara Blackest Black
Cheeks: Lorac Hollywood Baked Blush & Revlon Age Defying Spa Illuminator Pink Light
Lips: Covergirl Natureluxe Glossbalm Coral

Rite Aid Haul :)

When I first hit the beauty scene, I was all about "high-end".  The gurus who i watched on youtube were all about the high end products and that's all that I heard about...MAC, NARS, Smashbox, Dior, etc. I've tried my fair share of high-end products, as well as Avon & Mark (because I'm a rep).  I used to stray away from drugstore products, but I've recently found some great drugstore finds that I've really been enjoying. n I also love the bogo sales that are recently held.  (I'm waiting for one to come up for the Covergirl Intense Shadow Blasts so I can try those! Right now at Rite Aid, only the CG face products are on sale.)  I need a trip to CVS (20 min away).  The makeup selection is enormous & there's more brands there than at my Rite Aid, Walmart, or Target (like Milani & Iman).

Tonight, I grabbed some things are Rite Aid & used my Wellness Card for 20% (because I've reached gold status, everything in the store is 20% off with my card. sweet deal when the items are already on sale!)

I picked up Revlon's Age Defying Spa Illuminator in Pink Light (said to be a Dupe to Benefit's High Beam, which I've been wanting to try but not wanting to dish out the $$).  I couldn't find this anywhere, and I was actually shocked to see it at my local Rite Aid.  They had it in Bare Light & Gold Light as well.  There was only 1 left in Pink Light, and it had my name all over it! ;)  This was $13.99 (before the discount).  (The Revlon products were Bogo Buy 1, Get 1 50% off, but I didn't want anything else.  Good deal if you want to try the other shades.)

I also picked up Sally Hanson's Hard As Nails in Hard Lemonade, a gorgeous pale yellow.  This polish was only $1.99 (before the discount), and it applies so smoothly and dries quickly like a dream.
The last thing that I picked up was Sally Hanson's Crackle Nail Polish in Black.  I have been looking for this polish every time that I go shopping and haven't been able to find it anywhere.  This was $6.99.  They had various shades, there was a dark blue, silver, gold, and pink that I remember seeing.  I may go back & get the gold or silver.

Swatch of Revlon's Spa Illuminator Pink Light:

blended out

 (on the inside of my hand: you can see the shimmers, but as you can see above, when it's blended out completely, the shimmers are less noticeable and all you get is a gorgeous glowy sheen.)

compared to NAR'S Illuminators, the Revlon Illuminators are a thinner, lotion-y consistency.  The Revlon is very moisturizing and easy to blend, and it feels light on the skin.  The new NARS's Illuminators (Copabacana, Super Orgasm, & Laguna) are a thicker consistency and just a tad on the sticky side.  In my opinion, Revlon's is easier to blend.  My only gripe with the Revlon is the packaging. I don't care for the attached brush, and when I first applied this, way too much product came out.  I'd prefer if the brush wasn't attached, and if it was a regular sqeeze tube like the NARS packaging.

*Semi-Annual Beauty Awards 2011*

I'll be doing these twice a year. Once in the Summertime & Once in the Winter.  (As we all know, makeup preferences change by the season, and often, what works for us in the summer isn't the same thing that works for us in the summer.


I know that my skin is drier in the late fall and winter months.  I get dry flakes around my nose, and my forehead tends to flake up when I use certain liquid foundation in the winter.  In the summer, my skin is on the oily side, especially the t-zone.  I also have sensitive skin.  It's been sweltering hot here right now, and it's late July.  It's usually a lot hotter in August and early September.  In this heat, I prefer a tinted moisturizer (Tarte Smooth Operator when I want more coverage and Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer when i want lighter coverage) and a concealer to conceal blemishes and under-eye darkness (Maybellne FIT! Me Concealer).  It's way too hot for a medium-full coverage foundation.  In the winter, I do prefer a liquid foundation.  Last winter, I used NARS Sheer Glow a lot, and I did use Benefit's You Rebel Tinted Moisturizer (because my skin was dry and this TM is very moisturizing.)  Basically, I do with a little bit less base makeup in the summertime and I moisturize less.  In the wintertime, I moisturize more and use a little more base makeup.


I'll be giving do these beauty "awards", which is just a fancy way of doing seasonal favorites, where I give awards for Best Drugstore Foundation, Best Drugstore Lipgloss, Best High-End Blush, Best Nail Polish, etc.  Keep a look out.

FASHION FILES: 7/24/11 CHURCH ATTIRE

Blouse & Skirt- Express

I threw on a pair of tan wedge heeled sandals from Timberland to complete the look.

*The above pictures were taking before I fixed my hair into a high bun. Please excuse the messy bed hair*

MakeUp

Face: Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer Agent 12 (medium skin w/ Beige Undertones)

Cheeks: MAC My Highland Honey Blush (from Tartan Tale Holiday '10) (I really had to pack this on to get it to show up with my summer tan.  This worked better for me in the fall/winter when i wore it all the time.)

Lips: Sally Hanson Lip Injection Sheer Mocha

This look is suitable for church, the office, a party/dinner where the attire is more than casual but less than "formal".  

Avon C15 Haul

Naturals Blackberry & Vanilla Shakes Body Lotion & Shower Gel, Mega Impact Eyeliner Golden Fawn (new for Campaign 17) , Ultra Color Rich Lipstick Rich Ruby (new shade)

Swatches of Lipstick & Eye Liner:

                                                                  without Flash

With Flash

Me Wearing the eyeliner & lipstick:

July 2011 Favorites

July 2011 Favorites

It's about that time again.  It's the end of the month...& all of the us beauty fanatics know that that means!  It's FAVORITES time!!  

1.) Revlon Colorstay Foundation (Combo/Oily) 330 (price varies $9.99-$12.99. I paid $11.02 for this at Rite Aid)-- This is a drugstore gem, and I've been loving it.  Whenever I've had to go somewhere important, I've been wearing this.  It covers like a dream -- dark circles, awful blemishes -- this stuff is great.  My only gripe with this is that it doesn't come with a pump, and sometimes I waste a bit of product.  (I will be trying this in Combo/Dry in the cooler months when my skin gets dry.)  This is a great full coverage flawless foundation that doesn't cost an arm & a leg.  (In my opinion, it trumps the MAC Studio Fix Fluid.)

2.) MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder Medium/Deep ($23)- I'm not a powder girl at all, and I never used to set my makeup because I haven't had much luck with powders.  I didn't really care for the Avon Ideal Shade loose powder at all.  It have it in translucent, and it kind of washed me out and didn't do much for me.  I love the Studio Careblend because it doesn't look "powdery" or cake up on my dry patches.  This is perfect over a tinted moisturizer (& over the Revlon Colorstay for a COMPLETELY flawless look!).  This gives a nice smooth natural finish and covers quite well, without being too matte or unnatural looking.  It comes with a sponge, and I find that the sponge works quite well.  You get more coverage with the sponge, but a fluffy powder brush works great if you want less coverage.  A little goes along way, and I see this lasting a long time (so to me, it's worth the price.)

3.) Mark Good Glowing Mosaic Blush Chica ($8)- I've been wanting to try Mark's blushes for a while.  I've heard such great things about them.  I just wasn't sure what colors to try or how pigmented they would be.  I must say, I'm very happy I chose this color.  This is the PERFECT shade of coral.  This is a TRUE coral (Swatches).  I love how this doesn't have pink tones in it like a lot of "coral" blushes on the market.  The pigmentation is great.  I can see this working well on light and dark skinetones.  This is a warm toned blush.  It's perfect for summer, and it gives a natural flush.  This is perfect with a nude lip.  This has been my go-to blush lately.

4.) MAC My Highland Honey Blush ($18.50- DISCONTINUED/Limited Edition)-  I picked this up last November from MAC's 2010 Holiday Collection (A Tartan Tale).  This was described as a coral blush, but in my opinion, it appears to me more peach toned.  Swatches

I recently was going through my MAC blushes and pulled this out.  It doesn't show up the same way that it did in the wintertime when I didn't have such a tan.  (I'm around NC30/35 in the winter and right now I'm NC40/42.)I used this A LOT last Fall & Winter; it was my Go-To blush. I find that I have to layer it a little more than I did before, but the results are still gorgeous.  This gives such a natural peachy glow to the cheeks.  Perfect for summer.  It's a nice neutral color, so you can pair this with bolder lips & eyes or neutral.  

5.) Mark Lipclick Barehug ($10) - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this color, as well as the creamy, moisturizing formula.  My lips are on the dry side, and I hate when lipsticks dry your lips out and feather.  The Lipclicks are great because of how moisturizing they are (I have Sweetie Pie too & love it!).  The color payoff is fantastic too.  I love how the tube is magnetic, and these just snap shut so the lid won't fall off in your bag.  This shade is the PERFECT nude shade for me because it has a hint of peach to it.  I have a hard time with Nudes.  If the shade is not warm enough, it will look pasty (like concealer on the lips) and wash me out (like the Viva Glam Gaga2 has a habit of doing).  Barehug has is a warm, gorgeous peachy-toned nude, and it gives the PERFECT nude lip for me.  The lasting power of this is nice too.  I love pairing this with a peachy/coral cheek.  This shade goes great with just about anything.  I've been wearing this shade all the time lately.

6. Revlon Colorburst Lipstick Soft Nude- ($6.49-$8.99, price varies depending on where your purchase.  I paid around $6 for this at Walmart.)  I picked this up when the weather was still chilly, sometime in the beginning of the year.  I just started wearing it again.  I love this shade of nude.  Unlike Barehug, this is more pale and a bit cooler toned.  I really like it though.  This was my first nude lipstick, and I'm happy with it.  This shade goes with just about any other makeup look possible.  This gives the perfect true nude lip, and the color lasts long and holds up well throughout the day.  I've been reaching for this a lot lately.   

(Top: Barehug, Bottom: Soft Nude)

7. Mark Glossblossom ($6- will be discontinued soon.  On sale for $2.99 along with Cheekblossom in C16&17)-  First of all, I'm really upset that this is going to be discontinued.  Hopefully, Mark is making room for an even better product.  I purchased this quite a while ago, before I became an Avon rep.  (I became a rep in early March of this year.)  However, I'd only used it a few times because it got lost in one of my purses.  When I saw it again in Magalog 8 and saw that it was going to be discontinued, I was all ready to order it again.  I decided to rummage through my purses that had makeup in them and found this.  I've been wearing it almost everyday since.  I'm going to grab a few tubes of this before it becomes discontinued.  The formula is great!  I LOVE glossy lips, but the I HATE the typical stickiness of lipglosses.  This makes my lips look SUPER glossy, but it's not sticky what so ever.  My lips just look super glossy and soft- PERFECT.  I LOVE how this changes from clear to pink (similar to Smashbox O Gloss, but BETTER formula in my opinion and better price).  This turns the perfect shade of pink for my skintone.  I've been using it almost everyday and everywhere that I go.  I'm constantly grabbing for this.  Highly recommend grabbing this while you still can.  shop now

8. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer (tinted moisturizer) Medium to Olive 60- ($10.29) - I picked this up recently on a whim when I was at Walmart.  I had been wanting to try it for a while, and finally decided why not, so I picked it up. My only gripe with this is the poor color range.  (I've noticed that with all of the Neutrogena products though.  I have the Skin Clearing Concealer & the shades only go up to medium, which is what I have.  The shades of the Healthy Skin foundation aren't variety wide in range either.)  There are few to none when it comes to shades for women of color.  You would think with Gabrielle Union as one of their cover girls, they would atleast have shades to match someone of her skintone.  That aside, this is a really great tinted moisturizer, and I like it a lot.  It's been so hot lately, that I haven't wanted to fool with foundation, so I'll just through this on and a little concealer if I'm going out somewhere.  I love that it has SPF 20 (my skin is sensitive to the sun).  This is light coverage, but it does a great job of evening out skintone.  Shade 60 blends perfectly into my skintone and gives a really pretty glow to my skin.  My skin is oily in my T-zone right now (it gets drier in the winter), and this doesn't look/feel greasy or make me more oily.  This has a bit of a matte finish, while still giving that pretty glow.  I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I think I like this better than the Tarte Smooth Operator (I LOVE the coverage that the Tarte gives, but this is a nice, less expensive alternative that offers SPF20.)    

Those are all of the products that I've been using frequently this month and will continue to use.  Any questions about these products, feel free to leave a comment below :)