Drugstore Beauty Finds

Use a Matte Balm on Your Lips and Cheeks for Double-Duty Beauty When You’re in a Rush

September 10th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

As a participant in the Totally Her program, I’ve received product samples and/or compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Crunched for time and crazy busy? If you’re running ragged and barely have any time at all to get ready, let matte lip balms like Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm be your makeup BFFs.

Say “Hallelujah, thank you!” to matte orange Audacious and hot pinkish coral Unapologetic, two of the batch of shades available now at Walmart for $6.48 each.

And here’s the kicker: in these pics, I’m wearing them on my lips and my cheeks.

Revlon Matte Lip Balms, $6.48 each, available at Walmart

210 Unapologetic (left) and 245 Audacious (right)

Yup, cheeks!

Talk about no-brainers. Not only are these multitasking matte balms available at Walmart (read: easy to find), you can use them to add color to your lips and/or cheeks, which also makes them versatile.

Before Revlon Matte Lip Balm in 245 Audacious (left) and after (right)

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Unsung Hair Heroes: $6 Tresemme Fresh Start Renewing Dry Shampoo

June 18th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Second-day hair don’t care!

Err…make that third-day hair don’t care.

OK, fourth-day hair. 🙂

Yes, fourth-day hair. Last week I ran three days in a row without washing my hair (no judgment) and, dude! — by the last day my roots were janky to the Nth degree.

I was only able to tolerate myself thanks to Tresemme’s new Fresh Start Renewing Dry Shampoo. I was actually kind of shocked by how well it worked.

Now I’m thinking I might’ve even been able to make it to five-day hair…

Maybe.

Since I got my hair chopped a couple weeks ago, I’ve actually had to — gasp! — style it in the mornings (because I can’t just put it up in a ponytail anymore and forget about it), so to save a little time between shampoos, I’ve been spraying Fresh Start on my roots after my morning shower.

It contains oil-absorbing mineral clay and sucks up sweat and funk like a root-sucking hair vacuum!

After using it, my scalp definitely feels less greasy, but doesn’t feel thick or packed with powder, which happens sometimes when I use other dry shampoos. My roots actually feel less dirrrrty when I use this stuff — not as clean as real shampoo, obvs, but all things considered, it’s pretty great for two- or three-day hair.

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Maybelline Is Staking a Claim on Cute Corals With Master Hi-Light Powder Blush in Coral, a Bonafide Drugstore Gem

June 6th, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Powder Blush — Wearing Maybelline’s Master Hi-Light Powder Blush in Coral ($9.99) on my cheeks

Let the record show that as of today, in my official capacity as the mayor of this little beauty burg, I formally proclaim this to be the season to go totally and completely bat-sh*t cra-zay-zay for coral.

*BEEP*

(The beep is supposed to make it official.)

Who’s with me?! 🙂

Lately, everywhere I go, I feel like a makeup prospector mining coral gems on shelves and counters, and these are the coral gold rush days.

“Eureka!” I frequently exclaim. There are just so many gorgeous corals out there these days, like this Master Hi-Light Powder Blush in Coral by Maybelline, waiting for nice cat ladies (and other friendly folks) to discover them.

Dude, I almost can’t believe this is only $10! — because it looks like a $42 Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick on my cheeks, only better. I get that same ethereal Shimmer Brick glow with it, but with a more diffused and forgiving finish.

Hi-Light contains a bit of everything — an illuminator, a bronzer and a blush — all in one pan.

I’ll usually swirl my brush around in it to mix the products together and apply that to my cheeks for a softly blended coral glow. Then I’ll run a finger across the lightest shade in the pan, and apply that down the bridge of my nose, on my upper cheekbones and on my Cupid’s bow as a highlighter.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: The $4 Ardell 120 Demi Natural Lashes

May 27th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Much like his bulging biceps (OH, HAI), Jeremey Renner’s makeup advice is a gift that keeps on giving.

J. Renn, do you know how many times your “Brows, lashes, lips. Frame the face,” (3:36 in the video!) wisdom has saved my @ss? More times than Tabs has greedily gobbled down his gravy in 30 seconds or less, I’ll tell you that much.

Whenever I’m running late — like, so late that I don’t even have time to check if I’m putting on my underwear inside-out and literally don’t realize it until halfway through the day (#truth) — I always go back to J. Renn’s philosophy on brows, lashes and lips.

It’s particularly useful when I have to look somewhat respectable, and not like I just fell out of a slow-moving recycling truck, also known as “my usual state of disarray.”

In those cases, I grab a few time-tested faves — an angled brush and MAC Brun to fill in my brows, a bright NARS Satin Lip Pencil (like Lodhi, Jardin des Plants or Yu) and a pair of Ardell 120 Demi false lashes.

Whenever I see those Ardells on sale, I try to grab a few pairs. Like earlier this month, I saw they were marked down to $2.99 from $3.99 at Ulta (they still are!). I picked up three pairs and squirreled them away in a drawer for future lateness.

With these, I really like how the lashes are bundled together.

See how they’re all in little bunches along the band?

I don’t know why, but I like the way that design works. With these and other false lashes that look that way, when they’re bundled up in little bunches, they seem to thicken my natural fringe without looking too crazy — still glam, but more on the natural side.

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$9 Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational Lip Gloss Beams Brightly on Lips

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Ooh! So shiny…

Something primitive kicks in whenever I see the mirror-like shine of Maybelline’s Color Elixir by Color Sensational lip gloss ($8.99) on my lips.

I wonder if I have leftover genes from a cave girl who was more interested in collecting shiny rocks and staring into sparkly rivers than gathering dried sticks for the community fire (BO-RING).

Perhaps.

These have been out since fall 2013, but this is my favorite time of year for this kind of shine. The non-sticky medium-weight formula lasts about two hours on my lips and shines like a lacquer.

Um…the flavor and scent? I think they’re a tad unusual, like jasmine and earl gray tea perfume, if that makes any sense. I don’t mind it. It’s just a little…strange.

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational in 015 Mandarin Rapture, 02 Signature Scarlet and 095 Blush Essence — From the left: 015 Mandarin Rapture, 02 Signature Scarlet and 095 Blush Essence

“Experience saturated lip color, sensuous balm care and polished lip shine from Maybelline New York Color Elixir by Color Sensational. The exclusive smoothing angora brush delivers a polished, even application and smoothing sensation to lips. The balm infused formula, with pure color pigments, leaves lips feeling cushiony soft.”
– ulta.com

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational in 020 Signature-Scarlet — 020 Signature-Scarlet

Maybelline Color Elixir By Color Sensational 095 Blush Essence — 095 Blush Essence

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Maybelline’s $7.49 Color Sensational The Buffs Lipsticks in Blushing Beige and Stormy Sahara Promote Acts of Pigmented Public Nudity

May 23rd, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Maybelline Color Sensation The Buffs in Stormy Sahara — Wearing Maybelline Color Sensational The Buffs in Stormy Sahara

When we met at the drugstore, they were full-on nude. None of that halfway bullsh*t.

Maybelline Color Sensation The Buffs in Blushing Bride (left) and Stormy Sahara (right) — Color Sensational The Buffs Lipstick in Blushing Beige (left) and Stormy Sahara (right)

Stormy Nude, the bolder of the two, was the first to start talking. “$7.49. For each. One layer. Full coverage. Satin finish.”

“How about wear time?” I asked.

“Three to four hours,” replied Stormy. “With a moisturizing formula.”

I considered the terms. The faint scent of vanilla and — plastic? — floated in the air.

“Is that…?” I started to ask.

“Vanilla, yes,” answered Stormy, guessing at my question. “Taste like it, too.”

I let the plasticky part go. The other terms were agreeable.

I took a step forward and put out my hand. Stormy grabbed it and we shook. Then, right there in the middle of the store, we all got totally and completely nude.

It was glorious. 🙂

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The Symptoms of This Fever Are Pink: Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Pink Fever — Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever, $8.99

I feel like Maybelline made Pink Fever for hoarders of pink products like me. If it’s pink, I want it. I want errrrrthing!

Pink Fever, one of six cream blush sticks in the Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick line released earlier this year (wow, now that name is a mouthful), is perfect for quickly adding a hint of sheer color with a soft, shiny finish to my cheeks.

I usually just run my fingers across the top of the stick to pick up some product, then dab it directly on my cheeks.

And dabbing is the key here… Any amount of rubbing disturbs the foundation I wear underneath.

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$10 Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black Will Put the Wind Beneath Your Winged Liner and Keep It There for Hours

May 14th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Maybelline Blackest Black Lasting Drama Eyestudio — That’s Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black ($9.99) on my upper lash lines

Easy to control and totally legit, Maybelline’s $9.99 Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black makes quick work of cat eye flicks (meow!), and it stands up to perspiration like Tabs stands up for gravy!

Plus, once it’s on, it doesn’t budge for nothin’.

Oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base

Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours

Safe for sensitive eyes

— maybelline.com

Pretty dark, but not as dark as my current black gel liner love, Black Valley Eye Paint by NARS, Blackest Black looks closer to a charcoal black than a black cat/midnight black to me.

I think darker would be better here…but it’s no big whoop, as Blackest Black is only $10 (versus $25 for NARS Black Valley).

The formula is designed to last a full 24 hours, which is kind of inconvenient to test… I’ve worn it about 10 times already, usually from morning till night or late afternoon, and I’ve never even seen it begin to give up the ghost. I have to physically remove it every time.

Maybelline Blackest Black Lasting Drama Eyestudio swatch — Blackest Black

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