Beauty Products That Are Worth The Hype {Drugstore Edition!}

Hey, y'all! Hope everyone is doing well. I am kicking this post off with a little mini series. I have been wanting to do "worth the hype?" blogs for months and now I am finally getting around to it! As you can tell from the title, this post is all about drugstore beauty items that I think are worth the hype. I will be doing two follow-up posts with things I don't think are worth the hype and things I wish got a little more love. 

 L to R: Concentrated swatch of Sunny; Sheered out swatch of Sunny

NYC Bronzer in Sunny has a huge cult follow and for good reason! I tend to prefer warmer, slightly orange based bronzers over ones that are more cool tone. On my fair skin, I feel like cool tone bonzers look a little muddy on my face. Not cute, ladies! Sunny is great for fair/medium skin girls (and guys) and it works beautifully as a contour or as a light dusting to give your skin a little warmth. This is a matte bronzer and is a steal at around $3 at the drugstore.

Random swatches from the Eye on Neutral palette.

Sonia Kashuk's Eye on Neutral palette is seriously God's gift to the drugstore, well, Target! The drugstore has been lacking for years in the matte eyeshadow department (or mattes in general, really) and finally Sonia Kashuk has listened to the beauty bloggers and vloggers plea for affordable, yet incredible matte neutrals. The shades are beautifully pigmented and are buttery smooth...the first two brulee-type shades don't have as much color pay off, but I have enough skin tone shadows, so I don't mind! I use this palette all. the. time! The matte colors look incredible on their own and I even use this palette in addition to some single shimmery shadows I have, to get a little more depth and contract. This palette is $19.99 at Target and for 10 eyeshadows that go on like a dream (remember, I'm not a fan of the top two!) and blend seamlessly, I give this palette two thumbs up!

L to R: First three swatches are from the Walking on Eggshells (trio); Envy (single); Panther (single); Nutty (single) 

Gorgeous, wearable colors and check out the intensity of that matte black!

Wet-n-Wild eyeshadows are hands down the best of the best at the drugstore; they are incredible pigmented, blend beautifully, and are very affordable! I remember way back when the quality wasn't up to snuff, but in recent years Wet-n-Wild has really stepped up its game! All of their eyeshadows are dreamy: palettes, trios, singles- I love them all! There is a bit of fall out with some of these shadows, but if you just tap off your brush before applying, fallout won't be an issue! 

L to R: Brightener and Fair

Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Concealer has been a favorite of mine for a couple of years now! I love that it is thin in texture, but is opaque enough to conceal dark under eye circles. My shade is Fair in the concealer and I also enjoy the Brightner. I have been through three tubes of the Brightener. I only use the Eraser concealer under my eyes so I cannot attest to how well it covers blemishes.  My under eye area is very dry and I don't notice it sinking into my fine lines too bad. Oh, and have I mentioned how amazing the staying power is?! Incredible! You can find the Maybelline Erasers at the drugstore for around $7-10 bucks, depending on where you buy!

With Flash

Without Flash

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks have been in my makeup collection for as long as I can remember. I've always been a lipstick girl and these come in a wide range of colors, finishes, and textures. I prefer the Creme finish, personally, but I do have one that's a pearl finish that I enjoy wearing in Fall/Winter. I think these lipsticks are comfortable on the lips and the staying power is pretty decent, too. My favorites are Fire and Ice, Berry Haute, Primrose, and Coralberry!

FOTD: Rediscovered Products

I was totally inspired to use some old pink finds when I saw Emily Noel's Gloss Daily post on great summer eyeshadows. None of the shadows I've used are ones she mentioned, but it was nice to shop my stack for some great spring shades. Some of the things I've used are discontinued, but hopefully this will inspire you to shop your stash and rediscover some amazing products. 

Face

Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream (in Light/Medium), Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation (in 805 Ivory), Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer (in Light), Wet-n-Wild Blush (in 833E Mellow Wine), and Revlon Mineral Finishing Powder (in Brighten).

L to R: Revlon Mineral Finishing Powder and Wet-n-Wild Blush in Mellow Mauve.

 
Eyes

Loreal Single Eyeshadow (in 805 Morning Light), Clinique Color Surge Eye Shadow Duo (in 104 Strawberry Fudge), Revlon Colorstay Quad (in 06 In the Buff), Wet-n-Wild Mega Liner (in 868 Dark Brown), Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara, and Maybelline Brow Pencil (in Blonde)

Lips

Loreal Color Juice Sheer Juicy Lipgloss (in 500 Watermelon Crush)

 About the Look

 Because I used pinks on the eyes, lips and as a highlight, I wanted to keep the skin flawless and natural. I typically don't use Wet-n-Wild blush in Mellow Wine in the Spring/Summer because I love my bright pinks during those months, but because this was already a pretty pink look, I decided to warm up the skin using a deeper mauve color. I know the blush color isn't showing up well in the picture, but it sure packs a punch in real life. For eyes, I used Morning Light on the inner part of my lid and then sweeped the pink shade in the Strawberry Fudge duo over the rest of my lid and blended a little of the pink into the golden champagne shade I laid down first. I used the top shade in the In the Buff quad as a highlight and then used the third shade in the quad to blend the colors and add a little contour to my crease. I didn't smudge any shade under my eye because I liked the easiness of leaving it bare. I then used a dark brown eye liner to add definition, but still keep the look soft. Lastly, I added two coats of mascara.  

FOTD: Lashy and Bright, Bold Lips!

A few weeks ago I bought the Milani lipstick in Rose Hip (14). Expect a review because I have some strong opinions about the formula. Anywho, since I wasn't going anywhere today I thought I would do a little experimenting. First off, today was the first day I tried to put on false lashes. The final result is alright, but I still need a little practice. I haven’t mastered how to get them completely aligned with my eye and I’m having some trouble with the ends- no biggie, though! I love pin-up looks and although this isn't exactly a pin-up look, I was a little inspired by that era.

The products...

 Lashy eyes and bright, bold lips: Hello, glamorous!

 What I’m wearing…

Foundation: Rimmel Lasting Finish in 100 Ivory.

Concealer: Hard Candy Glamoflauge in Light 

and Maybelline The Eraser in Brightener.

Eyeshadow: Covergirl Quad in Country Woods.

Eyeliner: Revlon Colorstay in Black.

Lashes: Salon Perfect in Demi Wispies.

Mascara: Covergirl Professional in Black.

Blush: Wet-n-Wild in Pearlescent Pink.

Lips: Milani Rose Hip

I love the lipstick, but it’s definitely a “sometimes” color. The lashes are very glamorous, but I think since I’m just starting out with false lashes (and my lashes are pretty decent), I think I’ll try some that aren't so dramatic.

♥♥♥

Daily Dose of Pretty…

• I’m on my 6^th book of the semester…holy cow! Where has the time gone?! Two more books to go and thankfully the other two aren’t 700+ pages!
•  Monday was grad fest and I picked up my cap and gown for graduation commencement on May 10^th.
• Since our engagement, I’ve been looking at some amazing places to (possibly) elope. Some that I’m in love with are Santorini, Greece; Hawaii, and Ross wants to go to either Fiji or Aruba. Ah! Decisions, decisions! 

Update: Wet-n-Wild Coverall Cream Foundation broke me out!

Hello, Pretties! A few weeks ago I reviewed the Wet-n-Wild Coverall Cream Foundation and mentioned that the coverage was pretty good and for the price, it couldn't be beat! Well, sadly, I started breaking out a week ago and had a sneaky suspicion that the foundation was to blame. I was right! I quit using the products and the blemishes went away. I should also note that I was on Spring Break (reading, not partying- Lame!) so I wasn't stressed and I wasn't on my monthly!

How does this change my thoughts?
If you have acne prone skin (like I do), I'd say to pass on this foundation. Yeah, the price is great but breakouts aren't cute! If you don't have acne prone skin, you may like this foundation.

Review: Wet-n-Wild Coverall Cream Foundation

I recently picked up Wet-n-Wild's new Coverall Cream Foundation. I saw EmilyNoel83's review on Youtube and just had to check it out for myself. Click here to see her review! I did a FOTN post earlier today and I was wearing this foundation in that picture. This line is part of their permanent collection. 

Does it really cover all imperfections?

Judging by the name, you may think that this foundation covers all dark spots, pigmentation, blemishes and other imperfections. I found the coverage to be medium, but definitely buildable without being cakey. I still needed a little under eye concealer and some concealer on only blemishes at the moment. 

The claims...

• All day wear.
• Medium to full coverage.
• Lightweight, satin-matte finish.
• VisiBright complex reduces the appearance of wrinkles and rejuvenates skin.

Price: $3.99 at my CVS 

The Formula...

This is a thicker texture that provides medium coverage. It doesn't get cakey, as I've mentioned. It blends beautifully and has a natural finish. I have combination skin and after about 4 hours my t-zone got a bit oily, but it wasn't really that bad. Honestly, even though a bit of oil peeped through, I didn't touch up because it gave my skin a nice dewy look that I like. Although, I am pretty sure that in the summer months, I'll need to touch up (but that's typical for me using any foundation). 

My shade: 816 Fair/Light. This color matches me pretty well...dare I say exact?!

Wet-n-Wild Coverall Cream Foundation (no concealer)

Completed Look. 

I am not big into silver eyeshadow, but I wanted to try something new. 

Face: Wet-n-Wild Coverall Foundation (816 Fair/Light), 

Hard Candy Heavy Duty Concealer (Light), Elf Blush (Mellow Mauve).

Eyes: Wet-n-Wild single eyeshadow (Platinum on lid and Brulee on browbone), 

Covergirl Quad (Country Woods. I used the lighter satin shade to blend).
Eyeliner: Revlon Colorstay liquid liner in Blackest Black.
Mascara: Loreal Voluminous in Carbon Black.

Brows: Maybelline Expert Wear (Blonde).

Lips: Revlon Super Lustrous in Coralberry.

Overall Thoughts...

I think this is a pretty good foundation and you really can't beat the price. The staying power is pretty good and I like how natural it looks, yet it evens out the skin. I would definitely recommend this foundation! 

♥

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I am loving Beauty Broadcast Community and so excited to find people out there that share the same love and passion for all things beauty. 
• I am really enjoying my new nail polish from Salon Perfect in Blue Azure. NOTD coming up soon! (:
• We've had the friendliest little stray cat stop by our apartment the last few days! He's adorable and my boyfriend named him Oscar because he has been spotted by the dumpster- bless his heart! If he sticks around long enough, he will be getting a bath (not looking forward to that) and will be the new member of our apartment family! (:

Have you tried the Coverall foundation? If so, what did you think?

FOTN: Troy Basketball Game!

I went to the Troy basketball game with my old roommate on Thursday and this was my makeup for the night. I didn't want anything too crazy so I kept the eyes and face simple and worn a great red lip. Sadly, the boys lost by 10 points, but it was still fun to hang out with a great friend! (:

Face: Wet-n-Wild Cover All Foundation ( 816 Fair/Light), Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser (Brightener), Elf blush to contour (Mellow Mauve) and NYX blush (Summer Peach)

Eyes: Covergirl Quad (Country Woods), Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner (Blackest Black), Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash Mascara (Very Black) and Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara over the CG one.

Lips: Avon Glazewear Intense Lipgloss (G104 Crimson)

Mini Rite Aid Sale Haul! Feb. 2013

Hello, Everyone!
Yesterday I saw on Budget Beautiful's YouTube Sunday Sale Alert that there was a great sale going on at Rite Aid. Click Here to watch her Sunday sale video. As you may have guessed, I love a good deal! So, later that day I went over to Rite Aid and got a few things.  Wet-n-Wild blushes are on sale for $1.79 and the Julie G nail polishes are BOGO half off. My grand total (including tax) was $19.94! Happy Shopping, Everyone and don't forget to check out Budget Beautiful's channel! (:

The Nail Polishes...

I picked up four of Julie G's nail polishes. When I got home I tried the lilac and peachy-coral color and both are so beautiful! I am wearing Fairytale (the lilac color) on my nails and Julie's Fave on my toes. I will be doing a review on these polishes soon.  

 Blushers...
I also picked up two Wet-n-Wild blushes and both are (no surprise) crazy pigmented. There are four colors in the color icon blush line and I already had Heather Silk and Pearlescent  Pink. Honestly, I really had no desire getting these, but because they were 40% off, I figured I would give 'em a try. I am wearing Berry Shimmer today and it is so pretty! I lightly tapped my brush in and wiped the excess off on the back of my hand and then applied to my cheeks. I still needed to buff the color out a little because it was way too dark on my fair skin, but the end result was stunning!

 

♥♥♥

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• It has been raining like mad for the past few days! I am so ready so pretty weather again!
• I finally finished The Grapes of Wrath this morning! Ah, it was amazing! Hands down, the best book I've read in a while!
• Ross' mom sent us some Valentine's goodies! Hopefully Ross won't eat all of the puppy chow before I can get some. Lol

What Julie G nail polishes would you recommend?

TAG: Pretty in Pink (for Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

I've known several women who have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, as I'm sure many of you have, too. Even though Cervical Cancer hits closer to home- my mom lost her battle to Cervical Cancer October 27 2009- I remember getting up with her early on a Saturday in October to participate in Curves Breast Cancer Awareness walk. We participated in the walks for three years and I met the sweetest people and heard some inspiring stories. Since pink is the awareness color and a lot of people wear pink in October for awareness,  I thought it would be fun to create a tag and share our favorite pink beauty and fashion items.

Tag questions...
What is your favorite pink eyeshadow? I absolutely love the pink shade in the Walking on Eggshells trio by Wet-n-Wild. This is probably my favorite eyeshadow trio I have. I've repurchased at least three  or four times. EmilyNoel83 has duped the pink shadow to MAC'S Naked Lunch. Watch her video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YILFQeZZ5SI

What is your favorite pink blush? Elf's Blush  from the Studio line in Fushia Fusion. This is a gorgeous bright blue-pink that goes on matte. I know there is shimmer in the pan, but I don't find that my brush picks up the shimmer. Also, some really pink blushes can pull a little red on me and I like that this one doesn't. Elf's blushes are crazy pigmented (as you can see) so a little goes a long way. I think it's pretty obvious that I really like this blush!

What is your favorite pink lipstick? I recently purchased the NYX lipstick in Fig and I can already tell it's a favorite. The color is so opaque. I like this color because it's a natural-pink lipstick that packs a punch.  Oh, and the best part...these are only $3.99 at Ulta. *Picture below of me wearing NYX's Fig.*

What is your favorite pink lipgloss? My favorite is NYX's Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige. I have no idea why they named this lipgloss Beige when it's obviously pink, but nonetheless, it's amazing. Once again, the NYX lipglosses are so pigmented and I love the scent.

What is your favorite pink nail polish? This one was very hard, so I thought the best thing to do would be to choose the shade I wear the most because clearly that means I love it. Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear nail polish in 23- Fushia Power is a pretty classic pink. This is not a unique shade, but it's a color I wear a lot.

What is your favorite pink piece of clothing? I'm not super crazy about the high-low trend, but this sweater was the exception! This was great during the spring months when it was still a little chilly from winter. Because October is all about pink and Breast Cancer Awareness, I'll definitely wear this again...and I'm still obsessed with bright neon colors. 

People I Tag...

• EmilyNoel83 (from BeautyBroadcast)
• Crystalis007
• Michelle1218
• Hollyannnaeree
• Neha Mishra

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I had a wonderful time in Auburn this weekend visiting Ross. On Friday we ordered pizza and just stayed in and on Saturday we made homemade lasagna and he bought us a few bottles of wine. After dinner, he took me to the movies for a date to see Lawless. We thought it was a great movie! 
• I talked to one of my besties today! I was thrilled we were able to catch up...it's been months since we've talked! 
• I also talked to my sister today and I get to babysit my niece and nephew this coming up weekend. I cannot wait! My niece is talking up a storm and my nephew just started walking not long ago! :)

Fixing to leave and watch Lawless. 

Face makeup: Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation in 100 Ivory, NYX HD concealer in CW02 Fair, Maybelline Age Rewind in Brightner, Elf Blush in Mellow Mauve (contour) and NYX blush in Summer Peach.

Eye makeup: Revlon Colorstay Quad in 500 Addictive, Elf Cream Eyeliner in Black and  Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Very Black

Lips: NYX lipstick in Fig

What are your favorite pink products?

Fall Favorites: Nail Polish

Fall is almost here and I am loving this (slightly) cooler weather. I've already started busting out a few of my darker, more vampy shades. Polished nails can really enhance your outfit; it's really the cherry on top of making you look fabulous! In general, I don't use a base coat (because I'm too lazy), but a few of these I do need a base coat so my nails are not stained after I remove the polish. I tend to change my nail polish about every two to three days so, to me, longevity isn't a big deal. However, there are times when I  don't get to change my polish as often as I'd like- that's when these polishes are really put to the test. Believe it or not, more often that not, the less than $2 NYC and Sinful Colors polishes last as long, if not longer, than the other brands. 

The polishes...

NYC In A New York Minute in 270- Sidewalkers. This is a gorgeous neutral grey...I'm wearing it on my toes right now. I will warn you that the formula is a tad watery-thin for my taste, but I don't mind since the overall payoff is pretty good...I only need about two good coats. Also, this is a creme finish.  You can buy this polish at Wal-Mart, Target and Rite-Aid. I haven't seen NYC in my CVS or Walgreens.

Note: The NYC Long Wearing Enamel Polish stinks...save your money!

ULTA in Set the Nude. This was the first neutral, nude color that I bought and loved right away. I am pretty fair so it's sometimes difficult to find a great neutral polish that isn't too pink or too white. This polish is a beautiful neutral grey with a little brown and purple undertones...I only use two coats and it's a creme finish. I wore this one to a wedding in April and got many compliments on it. You can buy this polish from Ulta. Disclaimer: This is the mini-size bottle.

Spoiled in S065- Steel the Show. This is a stunning browny-taupe with some slight purple undertones.  The brush on these is very similar to the Sally Hanson Intsa-Dry, but I can actually use this product, as oppoed to the Sally Hanson one. The formula isn't too bad, but you do have to use about three coats for this one and sometimes I get a patchy/streaky nail that has to be re-done. This is a creme finish. For the price, though, you can't beat it. I passed on this shade many times until I saw it on Michelle1218's Youtube video and was instantly in love with the color. You can buy this polish at CVS.

NYC In A New York Minute 248- Manhattan. This a very pretty black based plum. I just got this color today, but I had to include it in my favorites because I know I'm going to get a ton of use out of it. I did use a base coat because with this deep shade, I was sure my nails would get stained. I did three coats, but I could have gotten away with two. This is a creme finish. You can buy this polish at Wal-Mart, Target and Rite-Aid. I haven't seen NYC in my CVS or Walgreens.

Note: The NYC Long Wearing Enamel Polish stinks...save your money!

Hard Candy in 041- Mr. Right. I love this navy polish so much; it's probably one of my most worn polishes! I have been obsessed with navy and this polish is gorgeous. I like that it's a true navy- doesn't look too black to me- although it's picking up a little dark on camera. I love this formula and I will be trying more of Hard Candy's polishes at some point. This is a creme finish.You can buy this polish at Wal-Mart.

ULTA in Love My Blackberry. This is a stunning black-based purple...in the picture it looks more indigo. It isn't a total creme finish because it has a sheen to it, but absolutely no glitter and the formula is nice, too. I prefer to wear this on my fingernails, instead of my toes. I do find that I need a base coat with this one so my nails don't get stained. You can buy this polish at Ulta. Disclaimer: This is the mini-size bottle.

Sinful Colors in 1053- Rain Storm. This is one of my absolute favs! I bought this one probably two weeks ago and was instantly in love. I think this one is from there Enchanted collection so hopefully you can still pick it up. This is a semi- dark, but more of a midtone blue with maybe a teeny bit of grey undertones. I use two coats, but honestly, you can get away with only one if you're pressed for time.

ULTA in Plum Street. This is a gorgeous vampy reddish wine color. It isn't black based so it isn't crazy dark, but it's beautiful for this time of year. The picture is making the color look like a more classic red, but it is more dark in real life. This is a creme finish and I only need about two coats. I do use a base coat with this one so my nails don't get stained. You can buy this polish at Ulta. Disclaimer: This is the mini-size bottle.

Wet-n-Wild Megalast in 208B- Through the Grapewine. I adore this color so much! This is a beautiful color that I think could be worn year round. Sometimes in the colder months I get tired of wearing the darker colors and want a nice, fun pop of color...a brighter color. The color is a purple-pink and it's a creme finish. I only need two coats of this. I really love the formula of the megalast polishes. I'm not crazy about their original line, but Wet-n-Wild really stepped it up with this line. You can find this polish at CVS, Walgreens and Rite-Aid...I'm not sure about Wal-Mart.

Milani Jewel FX in 530- Gems. Finally, a fun glitter! I am so in love with this glitter polish. I use it as an accent color on my ring finger and have used it with all these colors except Set the Nude and Sidewalkers. Although, I do plan on using it with those colors in the semi-near future. This polish has itty bitty glitter flecks and small ones, too...no big glitter. Surprisingly, this polish went on pretty opaque for a glitter polish. I only needed two coats. In case you're wondering, I'm wearing Sinful Colors Rain Storm. I know it looks different that in the above picture, but the lighting was different. Note: Glitter is a pain to remove. Use the foil method to easily remove glitter. 

Daily Dose of Pretty...

• I cannot get Taylor Swift's new song, We Are Never Getting Back Together, out of my head...so in love with that song! I am jamming out to it right now!
• I will be a bookworm all weekend. I never should have taken two literature classes in the same semester.
• Pretty excited that the first day of Autumn is tomorrow! This is my favorite time of year!

What fall nail polishes would you recommend?