Budget-friendly Beauty: N.Y.C. Ultra Moist LipWear Lipstick

If you're like me, you barely look twice when you walk past those non-mainstream brand cosmetics in drugstores. Unfortunately, it's true that many of them are geared towards the younger crowd (an age group that many of us have outgrown lifetimes ago), but there are a few hidden gems there that deserve our attention.

I don't know about you, but drugstore lipsticks turn me off in a major way. Many of them are waxy and hard to apply. Even though they're extremely inexpensive, it's almost a waste of money to even try them out. The Ultra Moist LipWear Lipstick by New York Color (N.Y.C.), however, is in a league of its own.


These lipsticks offer a nice, sheer (but buildable) color. Yes, they are shimmery, but not in that "OMG the prom is 2nite!!!" kind of way, with the big, grade-school-arts-and-crafts glitter - it's a nice, subtle shimmer. And, true to their name, these lipsticks are one of the more moisturizing lipsticks I have ever tried. It's like putting butter on your lips - it pretty much blows other drugstore lipsticks out of the water! Seriously, the quality of this lipstick is great; this is on par with higher-end brands! And its fruity scent/taste is an exact match to that of Shu Uemura lipsticks (which, incidentally, cost $23 each, compared to that of these N.Y.C. lipsticks, which are 99¢ each).

I own two colors from this line: Café (301) and Violet Shine (319). Unlike the swatches on their website, Café is a sort of sheer bronzey brown, while Violet Shine is a nice, sheer raspberry. Both colors are extremely wearable for all occasions.

Unfortunately, since this isn't Maybelline or Revlon, it's kind of hard to find this brand at every drugstore, let alone find every color of this lipstick. I think I went to a Walgreens, an Ulta and two different Targets before I found a tube of Café.

In any case, next time you're looking for a new lipstick and happen to be in the vicinity of a N.Y.C. display, check out the Ultra Moist LipWear lipsticks. At 99¢ each, you can afford to give these a try.

Budget-friendly Beauty: Vaseline

That's right. Vaseline. Petroleum jelly, for you non-brand-loyal folks.

And no...



...Tyra isn't its only fan.

Vaseline has many uses, but the one I'll be talking about here is as a face moisturizer. Well, that's not technically correct. Vaseline, due to its inherent properties, can't be a moisturizer.

I know many of you scoff at the idea of putting Vaseline on your face. You may think that your face is too good for Vaseline, but you may want to think again. Next time you reach for your (expensive) face moisturizer or eye cream, try reading the ingredients. You may see that Vaseline (a.k.a. "petroleum jelly", a.k.a. "petrolatum") is listed as one of the main ingredients.

Because it feels so greasy, you may think Vaseline is an instant recipe for breakouts. You couldn't be farther from the truth. Why? Because Vaseline cannot be absorbed into your skin. Its ingredients just sit on top of your skin to create a layer (albeit a layer of grease). I guess the easiest way to explain it is that Vaseline is to skin as oil is to water; it just sits on top and never mixes.

So, if Vaseline never gets absorbed, how exactly does it help your skin? Well, by sitting on top of your skin, the layer of Vaseline creates a sort of barrier. What does this barrier do? It protects your skin from the elements (minus UV protection), but it also seals things (such as moisture) in. By preventing your skin from losing too much moisture, it helps keep your face nice and hydrated. Not only that, but you know all those expensive serums and other things you put on your face? A little bit of Vaseline will help seal those goodies in, too.

Now, the important part is how much Vaseline to use. Lucky for us, a little goes a long way. Just dab a little with your fingertips, rub between your hands, and pat onto your face. There will be a slight greasiness to your skin, but nothing unbearable. Usually, I'll do this as the final step in my nighttime skin care routine (after applying my moisturizer). You can also mix in a little bit of Vaseline with your moisturizer (à la Aquaphor), but I prefer to know for certain that my moisturizer will be doing its job (who knows where it'll end up sitting once it's all mixed up).

The results? Well, there's really no need to shell out extra $$$ for a heavier winter moisturizer. $5 (or less) at your local drugstore will help your face stay moisturized even in the coldest of weather. Also, as someone with frequent breakouts, I find that the Vaseline helps my pimples heal quicker (the barrier/seal it creates aids in the healing). It also keeps my skin soft, allowing for easier "extractions" (though I know that isn't really recommended, I just can't stop myself sometimes).

So, next time you're in need of a good moisturizer, don't hit the mall. Just collect all that loose change around the house and go to your local drugstore or supermarket and buy a jar of Vaseline. You won't be sorry.

Budget-friendly Beauty: Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser

Although I love working for myself and being able to create my own schedule, I do find myself with a lot of down time every so often. A lot. And, unfortunately, this happens to be one of those times. So, to help me keep my hands from being idle, I've decided to start a new biweekly series here on my blog: Budget-friendly Beauty (yeah, no clever title here). In this series, I'll feature some of my favorite inexpensive products - a perfect complement to current times. Many of you may already be familiar with the products I'll be discussing, but for those of you who aren't, this is the place to familiarize yourself.

First up is the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin.


Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser is already a big favorite among many people (and multiple beauty award winner). Unfortunately, I find it a little too creamy and moisturizing for my oily skin (it's probably great for people with dry skin or those who live in extreme winter climates). Unlike the Gentle Skin Cleanser, the Daily Facial Cleanser is more like a face wash gel: it lathers up and rinses off clean. What I like about this particular cleanser, however, is that, while it's gentle and doesn't leave your skin tight and dry, it's still able to take off most, if not all of the grime on your face.

Now, many of you who are used to department store stuff probably shun the idea of using drugstore skin care products. And, for the most part, I would agree with you. Most of my forays into drugstore skin care has left me SORELY disappointed. And not just in a snobby sort of way. Most of that stuff has so much alcohol, fragrance, and other chemicals in it that it really does leave your skin for the worse. Cetaphil, however, is one of the few exceptions.

No, it doesn't contain all those fancy vitamins and minerals that promise to leave your skin looking fresh and radiant and a thousand years younger. ... But, guess what. All that stuff, when put in a face wash, is useless anyway. Why? Because you end up washing it all off before it has a chance to do anything for your skin. Your money is literally going down the drain. In the end, all you really need from a face wash is something that will leave your face clean and ready to go, and Cetaphil is something that will give you that at a decent price.

So, the next time you're looking to invest in a face wash, head over to your local Target, drugstore, etc., and give Cetaphil a try.

Double Take: CoverGirl Eyeshadow

Oh my God! Am I hallucinating???

After watching xteeener's tutorial for the blue smokey eye, I felt inspired, so off I went to my neighborhood Target. My main objective was to see if I could magically find a Wii Fit (yeah right), but the CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4-kit Eyeshadow in "Tropical Fusion" (the same one xteeener used in her tutorial) was at a very close #2 on my list.

I won't lie. I had some doubts when I went to make my purchase. I've never really had very good luck with eyeshadows from the mainstream drugstore brands. In my experience, they've been pretty hard to work with and gave off little color. Seriously, it was like running your finger along cement, with about as much product coming off.

When I started rebuilding my makeup collection last summer (this was after a major purge of all of my old makeup, most of which I had around since high school... :-/ ), I tried to start with some of the cheaper stuff and tried a couple products from Maybelline and Rimmel. ... After I deemed them to be duds, I decided to hit up the quality, luxury brands. Better to spend more money on quality and be happy than to save a few pennies and complain about what you bought, right? Right then and there, I swore off major brand, drugstore cosmetics for good.

Anyway, so, here I am the other day watching this video, and I notice that the girl is getting some MAJOR color off of that CoverGirl eyeshadow pan. So, I buy it, and I go to test it out... W O W !!! I can't believe it! I remember trying CoverGirl in high school, but I have absolutely no memory of the eyeshadow being this soft and smooth! I swatched the blue on my hand, and the color payoff was great! It was totally true to the pan! I even did xteeener's blue smokey eye and put it through my cosmetics endurance test (me working out with makeup on), and I'm happy to report that the color was still there, even with all the sweating. I'm sure the eyeshadow primer I used helped a little as well, but still!

Did CoverGirl change its eyeshadow formula (they do refer to it as being "new"), or did I just get lucky? ... Whatever the case may be, it has piqued my interest and has given me new faith in inexpensive, drugstore cosmetics. I will definitely be giving CoverGirl a second chance.

Cheap Make-up

I know a lot of us, including myself, can't really afford to have our entire make-up collection consist of luxury, department store brands (even though we'd really love to). I also know that a lot of us, including myself, snicker at the thought of using the really inexpensive stuff at the drugstore. No more.

Next time you're at the drugstore, don't rush past the following brands: Jane, NYX, New York Color, e.l.f., and Wet N' Wild. There's a reason why these brands exist and why many of them have been around for so long (I remember browsing through Wet N' Wild in elementary school). Some particular items from these brands have even reached cult status among make-up fanatics.

Now, not all the products in these brands are good, let alone worthy of even acknowledging. Let me give you a quick rundown of which items to check out in each brand.

• Jane - blush, eyeshadow (The colors are really pigmented, and last a good while. Try the Blushing Cheeks blush line; it's become one of my favorites.)
  
• NYX - eyeshadow, blush, lip color (Its eyeshadows are really what it's known for.)
  
• New York Color - loose powder
  
• e.l.f. - makeup tools, lip color, blush, highlighter (Every item is $1! You can't lose!!!)
  
• Wet N' Wild - blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, lip liner (Some people complain that the lip liner's a little too hard, but one particular color (#666, I think) has actually reached cult status.)
  

Believe it or not, some of the products from these brands actually rank higher among reviewers than those from the more mainstream drugstore brands, like Maybelline or Cover Girl. So, next time you're in the drugstore, be sure to check these out. They're all cheap enough that you won't feel bad if you decide to toss them (although, you should remember that make-up is refundable at most stores).

Why the Sunday Paper is Great...

... or, "Become a Coupon-clipping Fanatic."

I have clipped more coupons in the last couple of months than I have in my entire life. I clipped them, organized them by expiration date, stuck them in an envelope, which I then put in my glove compartment (so I have them with me whenever I decide to take a little detour to Target or Walgreens).

I've found that there is an art to clipping coupons. A lot of times, there will be coupons for random things, like the new Swiffer SweeperVac (really?). Watch out for these coupons, because they'll have you spending money that you would otherwise have never spent.

The one thing that I do feel like coupons are good for are beauty products. Most of the coupons I've encountered for cosmetics and the like have been indiscriminate; you just have to read the smaller print. These coupons will have a picture of a particular product it's advertising and say something like, "Save $2 on Revlon ColorStay Foundation." But usually, right underneath it, in smaller print, it'll say, "Or any Revlon color cosmetic product." They're trying to get you to buy the ColorStay Foundation, but also give you the option of not.

Also available with the Sunday papers are the weekly drugstore circulars. These are also great because each week is a new deal. Don't just haphazardly go to Rite Aid to buy a fresh tube of mascara (which should be replaced every 3 months if you want to lower your risks of getting pink eye). Pay attention to these store ads because some store somewhere will have a "buy one get one free" deal. Get your mascara, and then grab that lipstick that you wanted to get but weren't quite sure if it was worth your money.

One thing I have to note, though, is that cosmetics are usually more expensive at drugstores than they are at places like Target or Walmart. If it's more cost effective for you to buy something with a coupon at Target than it is to get something on sale at CVS, then go to Target with your coupon. Hunting for deals is one thing, but saving money is another.