Hey ladies (& gents?)! Well as you can see I started blogging random thoughts-of-the-day on and off for two years now, & have finally decided to add some makeup stuff on here! I've come to love makeup (eye makeup mostly for now) & with the inspiration of some awesome makeup gurus + youtube videos I've self taught & still am teaching myself on all aspects of it. I wish I could take pictures of some of my work but my camera, for lack of a better word, and like all other technology I own, (seriously: camera, phone, laptop) sucks. So for now, I've decided to start doing some basic reviews. I collect recommendations from magazines, blogs, & various makeup gurus on the best CHEAP/DRUGSTORE AVAILABLE makeup out there; and self indulge everytime I step into a CVS..or drive past one..or am in the neighborhood of one.... =X
So here are the main items I use or have used in the past that you can easily get from a drugstore.
First off; upon my purchase of almost $70 worth of makeup at CVS the other day I remembered about the ExtraCare Beauty Club! Ladies-SIGN UP for it! It's FREE and offers 10% off your beauty purchase the day you sign up! Thereafter you receive "$5 Extra Bucks every time you spend $50 on beauty purchases" and "$3 ExtraBucks on your birthday."
.:EYES:.
Loreal HiP Shadow Duos - REG $7.99 SALE: $5.99
I have several of these and I really do love them unlike many makeup gurus. They're highly pigmented (of course not EXACTLY like MAC-but that's why its CHEAPER!) and they have a lot of fun colors and come in matte, metallic & crystal I believe. I definitely recommend, especially for beginners :)
NYX Eyeshadow Triple Shadows
I have two of these palettes and again, the colors are pretty pigmented. These have a bit looser powder than the HiP colors but again, are great to work with. Recommend for everyone!
Covergirl Perfect Point Plus Eye Pencil - Black - REG $6.49 SALE $4.87
This is one of the first eyeliners I've ever used actually. It's a perfect starting point if you've always used a basic eyeliner pencil and want to transition to liquid, because it provides for a slightly creamy texture that lets you get used to gliding on the liner. An additional benefit is the "eraser" tip on the opposite end that allows you to correct any mistakes; although, it gets dirty pretty quickly so don't fully rely on it. Good for only beginners.
ALMAY Intense i-Color Liquid Liner - Brown/Topaz - REG $7.99 SALE $5.99
I haven't used this one much, only because I'm not big on brown eyeliners & it was a gift; but also, I'm not a big fan of it. It's an eyeliner that's very frustrating because you have to go over certain parts more than once & in the end you're left with a messy and not very brown looking line. Not a fav of mine at all.
Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen - Black - REG $8.99 SALE $6.74
In the beginning I LOVED this eyeliner. It's a marker-type tip that glides on with a fairly rich black liquid liner (not like other pens that are really like markers and look transluscent). It's downfall: DRYS OUT QUICK! Recommend to people who want to transition into using a liquid eye liner just to TRY -- if you end up liking this type of liquid liner try STILA's similar one from SEPHORA (its the same but doesn't dry out quickly & has a shiny finish).
Hard Candy Walk the Line Liquid Eyeliner - Turquoise
I bought this liner because I wanted to try out the Hard Candy line & was looking for a fun colored liner at the same time. The packaging to this entire brand (found at WalMart btw) looks really cool and modern, but this liner was a NO-GO for me. It's way too watery to maintain color. You have to keep going over specific spots to get one solid line (similar to the Almay one), and even then it doesn't look bold or even. DO NOT recommend.
MAYBELLINE New York Line Stiletto - Black - REG $7.49 SALE $5.62
On my search for the perfect liquid eyeliner I decided to try the heavily advertised (enter sexy voice) STILETTO one. Very similar to my frustrations with the Hard Candy liner including the annoying tip. It's a plastic tip that's too long & unstable to have control over. DO NOT recommend.
L'OREAL Extra-Intense Liquid Pencil Eyeliner - Noir - REG $8.99 SALE $6.74
This eyeliner is a liquid PENCIL; its very creamy and very dark. It's been compared to MAC's Smolder eyeliner if you're a fan of that one. It's perfect for smudging and I wouldn't use it for tightlining or waterlining because its too liquid for that. Recommend for intermediate.
MAYBELLINE New York Great Lash BIG Mascara - Very Black - REG $5.49 SALE $4.12
EVERY-ONE AND THEIR MOM HAS THIS MASCARA. & I was one of the last people on earth who only just recently tried it! I like it. I'm not in love with it, but I like it. For volume, it gets most of the job done, very much worth its cheap price. If your looking for an everyday volumizing mascara this is the way to go.
Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion - REG $9.99 SALE $7.49
Uhhh. I had big expectations for this one, why, I don't know exactly, but I did. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment. This mascara didn't volumize at all. I literally had to go over my lashes a couple dozen times to get the job done and even then it was just O.K. In conclusion: rubber mascara heads don't get the volumizing job done - stick to the basic bristles; the more, the fuller, the better. DO NOT recommend this item for volume.
Hard Candy Ginormous Lash Volumizing Mascara - Stash (Gold)
Volume? No. Cool Color? Sort of. I think this mascara in a different color from what I got (gold) would be more efficient. The gold is a bit transluscent so if you're looking for a slight shine here and there then its a good buy for you. I was looking for more pop of color. I do however wear this on my bottom lashes for effect sometimes. Recommend? Only if you have the extra cash on hand probably.
.:LIPS:.
MAYBELLINE New York Color Sensational Lip Stain - REG $7.49 SALE $5.62
So if you don't know or have never tried a lip stain it's essentially a marker for your lips. It's meant to add a color to your lips without showing that you have something on your lips-no shine, no gloss-literally just think of taking Crayola to your lips. I tried it, I really like the idea, but at least this brand - SUCKS! In less than 2 minutes it turns out flaky, patchy & looks dried out. Embarrassing is what it is really. DON'T recommend under any circumstances!
HiP Shine Struck Liquid LipColor - Tainted
As I mentioned before I am a big fan of the HiP eyeshadow duos so I wanted to try the liquid lip color. If you're looking for color but aren't a big fan of lipsticks I would definitely recommend. Its more creamy than glossy so use only a little bit if you decide to purchase! It's a bit too messy for me; but if you want intense color with a shiny finish try it out.
Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth - #370 Coral
This is one of the items (like most of these are) that was recommended as a cheap, best buy from a few sources. I'm NOT a fan at all. It's a creamy, soft type of lipstick but provides an almost flaky, patchy color. Could be the color that I chose, but since first impressions are as important with makeup as with people, I won't be trying another color of it. FAIL.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss - #070 Glossy Rose - REG $7.99 SALE $5.99
Glossy. Not too sticky. Nice color with nice shine. Yup, that's pretty much it.
Milani 3D Glitzy Gloss - Starshine - REG $6.99 SALE $5.24
Wow this has been advertised everywhere & a lot of makeup gurus love this brand and its new 3D glizty line-so of course, I tried it. And you know something? I like it. It's a bit sticky, but the Starshine color has just a tint of pink with glitter that make your lips seem coincidently luscious.
Nivea A Kiss of Shine Glossy Lip Care - Natural - $3.99
I like the color this gives my lips. It's very subtle. It makes your lips look hydrated, moisturized with just a tint of a neutral color..& it nourishes your lips in the process!
Carmex Moisture Plus - Clear - $2.99
Let's face it people, carmex is carmex. But, if you're a fan of the original tube; i'd recommend this one instead. It doesn't have that gel like substance-so it's mess free & feels just like a smooth chapstick & makes your lips feel smooth.
Bonne Bell Lip Smacker Lip Gloss - 705 Vanilla - REG $2.29 SALE 1.72
Good for everyday, on-the-go, nice-smelling, regular moisture. It's Lip Smacker people, there aren't much expectations there.
.:OTHER:.
Essence of Beauty Dome Eye Shadow Brush - REG $5.49 SALE $4.12
I just wanted to try an eyeshadow brush from a drugstore and I don't hate it. Good for beginners.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover - $7.99
So, when I started wearing makeup I used Johnson's Baby Oil to remove my eye makeup as a cheaper alternative. However, after using this recommendation I now realize what I've been missing out on! After a while the baby oil began to get on my nerves, because it would take like five cotton balls an eye to get all of my makeup off! And even then, it made my cotton ball fray & left that oily residue on my eyes & face that I ended up having to wipe off after all that. So now, I LOVE this Neutrogena product! It's OIL-FREE, gets the job done with ONE cotton ball (or pad) per eye and leaves your skin/eyes feeling clean & clear! (which btw, clean and clear has a similar oil free makeup remover to this neutrogena one that serves as a good substitute).
REVIEWS COMING SOON:
Maybelline New York Lasting Drama Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner - #950 Blackest Black - REG $9.99 SALE $7.49
Hope this helped any and everyone who cared enough to read it! haha. Like I said I collect recommendations from all kinds of sources so I have a huge Excel spreadsheet that I add to almost on a daily basis on products I want to try! My goal is to find cheap makeup alternatives on the days we can't afford to splurge in Sephora & MAC brands ! If any of you have read about and been meaning to try some drugstore product and would like to add it to my list just let me know!
muahh,
itsmilana.
