Archive | August, 2014
15 Must-Have Drugstore Glamour Items
14 Aug
Everyone loves to share their top drugstore makeup finds with their readers, followers and fans. I’m no different. Even though I have makeup items from the Dollar Store all the way up to a $50 blush (I won it–hell no I didn’t buy it!!), there is no reason why you can’t get a to-die-for look from your local drugstore. I’ve even expanded my Top 10 to a “Top 15” because I want to make sure your drugstore look is COMPLETE!
So here we go…my drugstore Top 15:
1. Say Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes– No one paints a masterpiece on a dirty canvas. The same goes for your face. Using a gentle but effective cleansing wipe that will quickly give you a clean surface to start your work of art is the perfect way to start your day. Say Yes To products have always been a favorite of mine especially since they have different formulas to target different problems. I like the cucumber ones the best. They are cooling and perfect for sensitive skin.
2. L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum Concentrate – If you have cleaned your face, you better take care of it. A good anti-aging cream is something to help combat the signs of mother nature without interfering with the look of your makeup. As far as drug store serums, I like this one the best. It it absorbs quickly and gives my skin a smooth all over feel.
3. Physicians Formula Correcting Primer 3-in-1 (Corrector + Primer + Sun Protection) – Three great features in one product. This correcting primer is perfect for me because it comes in a green tint which helps me balance my uneven skin tone. This keeps my smooth and even so I do not look washed out. It also prepares my skin for my foundation as well as gives me a minimal amount of necessary sun protection. With its built in brush, it is easy to apply and is exactly what my skin needs for its bottom layer.
4. Maybelline Fit Me! Shine Free Foundation – A genius must have created the premise for this unique product. A gentle foundation in a stick for easy application has a center strip that is an oil mattifier to prevent shining during the warmer months. Brilliant! The coverage last all day without the foundation sliding down my face or becoming blotchy after a few hours. Perfect for anyone with oily skin or breakthrough shining.
5. Rimmel Match Perfection Skin Tone Adapting Concealer – I have never really ever needed of concealer. Come on, don’t hate! I guess I am just blessed with no dark circles. But when I started working at my new J*O*B*, I found some nights just felt longer than others. And where did it show? Yup, my eyes. This really cool concealer doesn’t just hide dark circles or imperfections on the skin, but it also puts in a nice highlight to areas that look nice with a bit of oomph. Although it doesn’t come any many shades, I found one to match my pasty white skin tone perfectly.
6. Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo Eyeshadow – I have not hidden the fact that I do not have time during my day to touch up my makeup. When I put it on in the morning, I would be very happy if it looks exactly the same way when I get home at 5 o’clock at night. That’s why I really like this eyeshadow. It is a highly pigmented cream, and goes on easily and quickly with your fingertip. And it stays…ALL DAY! I like the fact that I can use a single color all over my eyelid for a simple, jazzy look or I can combine one or two with easy blending for a more intense look. If I wear this eyeshadow, I never check my look in the mirror during the day–I know it will stay strong all day!
7. Milani Shadow Eyez 12 HR Eyeshadow Pencil – Even though I love my cream eyeshadows, I also like to have other options. This long-lasting eyeshadow pencil is great because it can give the eyes a lot a depth when combined with a darker liner. It has staying power so it can be used as a highlighter, a shadow, a contour color for a deep smoky look, or even as a bold colored liner. I like the fact I can sharpen it as crisp as I want to get it to go exactly where I’d like it. Sometimes I will use a light Tattoo cream shadow shade all over my lid, swipe on a line of bold color with Milani’s Eyecolor Pencil for pop, then line top and bottom with black for an edgy rocker look. Ka-pow!
8. Milani Liquid Eye Liquid-Like Eye Liner Pencil – Long wearing eyeliners are a must in my makeup ensemble. I have all kinds, shapes, sizes, colors. They are the signature on my make up look. I like the various bold colors that Milani’s come in, and I have had the best luck with these not just staying strong in color pigments but also staying strong on my waterline. I tend to use just these pencils on the bottom of my eyelids. They seem to have the best holding power under there.
9. Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner – Although I have several liquid eyeliners that I use on my top lids, lately I tend to lean more towards a smudged look when it comes to lining my upper lids. That’s why I really like the waterproof gel eyeliner. The thickness of the line and the darkness of the smudging is totally up to me. It’s also nice to line the upper lids with a heavy smudge line then add a little color along the edge if the top lash line. It just gives it a dramatic effect. Plus this gel liner really stays–it is still on even at bedtime!
10. L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara – I have to admit, it is really difficult for me to find a drugstore mascara that I can put in the “love” category. Most of my favorite mascaras are high-end brands or purchased through department or specialty stores like Sephora. I grabbed this one on a hunch and also because it was new and the packaging was jazzy. (Yeah, I’m a sucker for advertising.) So far, I have been quite pleased. Definitely no smudging, no flaking and lashes are still holding strong at the end of the day. First drugstore mascara that I can say that about. Kudos!
11. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush – When cream blushes hit the scene again a while back, visions of my mother with little pots of lipstick colored goop flashed before my eyes. I knew the powder blush I was using faded in an hour which didn’t make me too happy. I’m glad I gave Dream Bouncy Blush a try because it was nothing like anything out at the time. It’s not a heavy cream–it’s a lightweight gel with a smooth texture and blend-able color. The formula seems to have longer wear which I like even more than powder. Oily complexions should not be scared–it’s not heavy at all. Good shades with no shine!
12. L’Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lip Gloss – I think I am going on my fifth year or more that I’d have to put this is as my favorite lipgloss. And for all the right reasons! It’s available in many, many different shades–warm, cool & neutral. It’s not sticky, but its consistency is just heavy enough to keep the color strong for hours. And if all that isn’t enough, the fact it conditions your lips while it’s on sets it apart from all the rest! I’m not sure if I’d agree with it’s 8 hour claim, but I would say out of all glosses I own, it does stay on and true to color the longest.
13. Physicians Formula Talc Free Mineral Wear Correcting Translucent Powder – This item is odd looking but it does the job. It’s a tri-color talc-free powder that adjusts with your skintone to set your makeup look giving you a nice, even matte finish. Plus it’s formula is gentle even on the most sensitive skin!
14. Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer – Some people may not say a coat of nail polish is part of your daily makeup routine, but for a well-put together look, I think it is a necessity. Nicely polished nails–in any color–just show that you care about your appearance. Does it have to be a flashy color? No. A neat white or bare pink is fine. But a fast-drying coat of polish that you can put on in minutes before flying out the door can really give you a well, put-togethered look.
15. Paul Mitchell Hold Me Tight Finishing Spray – Wait!! Before you grab your coat, purse, sunglasses and cell phone, give your hair one last look, fluff where needed, then give it an all over spray with this non-sticky, soft but strong holding hair spray. It keeps the frizzies in check, holds your style and doesn’t damage your hair with stiff gluey ingredients. Even though it is a salon brand, thank heavens you can get it in your local drugstore. My hair will be forever thankful!
So, I went a little over the usual Top 10 lists, but the fact is this: with my 15 items? Your skin, face, nails AND hair will be looking fab. I want to make sure you have not just MY favorite drug store items but my favorite items that can give you a complete look as well as take care of your skin! I’m not sure what drugstores are local to where you live so I didn’t want to quote stores or prices since they can vary. But, FYI? … All of the items I listed were found on walgreens.com and iPhone app. That can give you a lead on where you might want to start.
Hope this gave you some helpful info before your next glamour run at the store. Stay sassy ladies!!
A Trick Of The Trade…
3 Aug
Over the years, I have been asked on several occasions to try and review different cosmetics. One of the big items I get many samples of is loose mineral eyeshadow. I put any samples I get into 5 gm sifter jars and arrange them in my makeup drawer usually from light to dark. I would easily say I have over 100 samples of different colors. I’m not proud of that. I will probably have enough to last me till I get to the nursing home someday, and then will have enough to trade for chocolate pudding on weekends.
Although I have tons of different colors of loose mineral eyeshadows, I’m sad to say I use very little of them. It’s not that I don’t like them. In fact I love them! They are natural, highly pigmented, long lasting shades that take very little to achieve a desired look. But here is the problem: they are messy. If I don’t make a mess with the powder falling off the brush, I then have to fight the mess of shadow fallout on my face and cheeks. That part is annoying. I’ve always tried to follow the rule: do your eye makeup first, but even then, some mineral shadow falls out and can’t be blended naturally into the skin when it comes time to prepare your face. Then a face cleanser wipe is needed to clean the entire face–minus the eyes–and the face routine must be redone. Annoying. Hassle. Bah.
During my recent Twitter surf, I might have found the answer to my loose mineral eyeshadow problems. I’d love to give credit to the original poster but it’s been around Twitterverse so long now, I’ve lost track of how it was mapped! So, I decided to just throw up this “How To” blog post so if you are like me, you can get a solid grip on these loose high pigment shadows without your bathroom counter looking looking like a powdery rainbow explosion.
What you will need:
- Loose powder mineral eyeshadows in jars
- Q-tips
- Rubbing alcohol (70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol is the best)
- Small piece of Saran Wrap
- Pressing pans & compacts (if desired)
1. Take your loose mineral eye shadow and remove the sifter if there is one. Gently tap the container on a counter or table so all the shadow is even at the bottom. If you want to add or mix colors, do it now. Make sure after you add any new pigments, you replace the cap, shake to mix & tap to make it even again.
2. Take the cotton off one end of the q-tip so all you have is the stick. CAREFULLY add a couple of drops of alcohol to the powder. You can do this with an eye dropper or by dunking the cotton end of the q-tip in the alcohol and squeezing the tip with your fingers so the drops go in the container.
4. If you want to put it in a shadow pan, use the q-tip to scrape it in. If you want to keep it in the jar, smooth it out as much as possible. Take the small piece of Saran Wrap and lay it over the shadow. Take a quarter (for a pan) or a bottom of a small tube, like a lipstick tube (for a jar) and press down a couple of times to pack it. Let it set with the weight on it for a minute or two.
5. Remove the plastic wrap and check to see if it is packed and solid. If it’s still loose or clumpy, add another drop of alcohol and pack again. If it’s too watery, let the alcohol evaporate for 5-10 minutes then pack again to see if it hardens. (You could also add a bit more powder shadow to thicken it up a bit, leave the top off for 5-10 min. then repack again.). If it is a perfect solid shadow, then you did it!
6. Leave the open jar or pan out in the air for 15-30 min to let any remaining alcohol “burn off”. Then take the finish product and either cap it if it’s in a jar or put the pan in a compact. Done, solid, no more mess! Your “new” solid eyeshadow is ready to use! Go play makeup!,
**NOTE** – Make sure the shadow is completely dry and packed before you use it. If it is the slightest bit creamy or “wet”, that means the alcohol hasn’t evaporated completely or you used too much and putting it near your eyes can cause burning and irritation. If you feel this happening, rinse your eye out with water and wait a while longer for the alcohol to evaporate. You can also add a bit more pigment powder in a similar shade to help thicken it and quicken the process.
The one thing I love about doing this is that I can blend various colors together to get unique shades. For example, tonight I combined a very light aqua blue, a bit of very dark blue sparkle and a bit of cream frost for a smoky peacock turquoise. SOOO pretty. My next challenge will be a deep maroon purple!
If you are looking for reasonably priced pans and pallets, the best place I’ve found is Stars Makeup Haven. They have all kinds of empty containers. Since my samples tend to be in small quantities, I’m leaving them in their 5 gm jars and just “solidifying” my favorites.
Enjoy mixing and creating! This is a great way to keep your favorite loose shadows ‘tight’ without a powdery mess in your drawers, purses, cases or bags! Try it and enjoy a new way to use natural mineral eyeshadows in a controlled, solid way!
Just Sassy being… well, SASSY!
Sassy Auburn's Diary Of A Glamour Junkie... 