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Drugstore Beauty Finds

These Boots Stay Perfect and Come in 22 Colors: The Boots $6 Eyeshadow Singles

July 26th, 2010 by Karen 60 Comments

boots stay perfect shadow review

Here’s a question I wish I could answer: why are some days easier makeup days than others? Seriously, some mornings I wake up with agile fingers and a mind filled with makeup inspiration; on those days I can bang out a blended look with six different eyeshadows and barely bat an eye. Other days, however, even the simplest look using a single color will feel like a Sisyphean task.

Whether or not the universe is conspiring against me, I know one thing for sure: whenever I feel like I’m making a fist with five thumbs, these Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadows ($6 each) are going to come in handy.

I started wearing Khaki (a sheer greenish gold powder) last weekend, and now I can’t wait to see the other colors in this permanent collection of shadow singles. There are 22 to choose from, and unlike the uninspiring Boots Breeze trio I tried last week, Khaki looks and feels smooth on my lids (the powder doesn’t look like it’s sitting on top of my skin).

Gals who love natural eye looks might like its subtle shimmer (it’s not as bold as a high shine frost). The effect reminds me of the light outside in the summer at dusk.


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There are 60 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: boots

Should You Breeze Past This Boots No. 7 Mineral Eyeshadow Trio?

July 23rd, 2010 by Karen 10 Comments

Joining empty toilet paper rolls and the reality TV star known as “The Situation” on my list of pet peeves: awkward makeup packaging.

Since my recent brush with Boots beauty products left me seeing stars (I found Star Anise, aka my current favorite drugstore gloss!), I expected this Breeze to blow me away.

At first I thought the small curved brush that comes with the Boots No. 7 Mineral Perfection Shadow Palette in Breeze ($9) looked kinda cute and innovative, but that changed as soon as I tried to wield it. The thing’s a bear to use! — clunky and hard to manipulate (at least by me).

Making matters worse, the three bands of makeup in the palette are, like, so narrow that even a MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush, with its relatively small brush head, barely fits the pans.
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There are 10 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: boots

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer vs. the Treadmill

July 22nd, 2010 by Karen 61 Comments

rimmel exaggerate waterproof eye definer review

Before going nowhere fast on the treadmill the other day, I lined my lids with Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Deep Ocean.

Like the great Billy Idol once succinctly sang, it was nothing but “SWEAT, SWEAT, SWEAT!” After 40 minutes of running like I was being chased by aliens, I could have filled a bucket (eww!).

One of five shades in a new line of eyeliners, Deep Ocean has an automatic twist-up pencil tip (no need to sharpen, yay!), a striking rich blue tint and a great $6 price.

rimmel exaggerate waterproof eye definer review
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There are 61 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: rimmel

Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes: A New Budget Beauty Obsession Hiding at Your Nearby Costco Store

July 20th, 2010 by Karen 80 Comments

Kirkland daily facial cleansing towelettes review

Ladies, I’ve seen the light! They’re big, bright, and high above the beauty section at your nearby Costco store. 🙂

Do you do Costco? On a recent trip I picked up a $12 pack of their Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes, and now I’m kicking myself for not trying them sooner.


My Costco card…
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There are 80 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Product Reviews, Skin Care

What DOES Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Do Well?

July 19th, 2010 by Karen 35 Comments

Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara Review

Greetings, loved ones, from one of my favorite places in makeup-ville: the land of cheap drugstore mascara.

This time I’m here with Rimmel Sexy Curves Full Volume & Curve Waterproof Mascara ($7.50)…but we aren’t exactly best buds. As a matter of fact, if it weren’t for how well Sexy Curves lasts on wet lashes, we probably wouldn’t be friends at all.

I applied some before my workout yesterday, a sweaty 30-minute run on the treadmill, and it didn’t even budge. No smudging or flaking to speak of, and my lashes stayed deep, dark and black after every mile.

Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara Review
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There are 35 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup, Product Reviews Keywords: rimmel

These Boots Were Made for Walking…Around a Farmer’s Market

July 16th, 2010 by Karen 46 Comments

While I was off stuffing my face with free fruit samples at the farmer’s market last night, I road tested a couple of goodies from the Boots makeup line — Natural Blush Cheek Colour in Candy Pink ($9) and Botanics Lip Gloss in Star Anise ($6). ‘Cause, you know, I’m all about beauty bargains. And multi-tasking. And free food!

Have you tried any Boots makeup before? I’m new to their makeup, but I like the few Boots skin products and makeup wipes I’ve tried.

Originally from merry olde England, the Boots line sailed onto Target shelves a few years ago. Their makeup offering looks pretty thorough with lots to choose from (foundation, blush, eyeshadow — basically, the works) in colors galore.

Candy Pink blush (a sheer matte pink) and Star Anise gloss (a sheer, creamy nude rose) represent my first dalliances with Boots makeup, and based on the two of them I’m thinking chocks away! — here’s something great for gals who love natural-looking makeup.

Candy Pink Blush

Candy Pink goes on VERY sheer. As a matter of fact, the lightly flushed look in these pics took about three layers. The powder feels velvety soft, and even though it took a few layers to reach the level of color I wanted (it may take you less if you’re lighter than moi), the blush was still pretty easy to apply and blend… Might be something to consider if you’re on the market for a natural pink cheek look.

Star Anise Gloss

I love Star Anise and her medium-weight, moisturizing texture. She’s uber-smooth, too, NOT uber-sticky, and doesn’t feel or look thick or heavy at all. She also has a wonderfully subtle shine.


Candy Pink Blush
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There are 46 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup Keywords: boots

So Who’s Duping Whom? The NYX Nude on Nude Natural Look Kit vs. Urban Decay Naked

July 15th, 2010 by Karen 134 Comments

nyx nude on nude natural look kit review

Let’s strip, shall we? If you’ve been lusting after the hard-to-find Urban Decay Naked palette, NYX has some potentially great news for you and your wallet.

Swatching the NYX Nude on Nude Natural Look Kit ($11) this afternoon, one of three NYX sets released for summer, I was struck by how similar its shades are to some of the ones in UD’s $44 Naked.

Could it be?? A Naked dupe for one fourth the cost?
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There are 134 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup Keywords: nyx, urban decay

5 Ways to S t r e t c h Your Beauty Dollars

July 5th, 2010 by Karen 24 Comments

Written by !i$@ bee

To help gals get more bang for their bucks, blogger !i$@ bee shares 5 ways to s t r e t c h those beauty dollars.

5 ways to stretch your beauty dollars

Hey there, lovelies! I know many of you are curious as to how far you can make your precious, hard-earned money go when it comes to makeup. Too many times I’ve seen friends drop money on a product they could probably duplicate with something they already have in their current makeup stash. Well, fret no more, because !i$@ bee is here to drop some knowledge on ya.

1. Double and triple duty products

I never understood why someone would buy two products — say, a brow filler and a brow-colored eyeshadow — when one might do. Not only can you use eyeshadows as brow fillers and eyeliners (if you wet them first and apply with an eyeliner brush), you can also use your lipsticks as blushes and your blushes as eyeshadows. It may not work with all formulas, so check ingredients and packaging instructions first, but where it does work it can save a lot.

2. Palettes

Palettes are a great way to not only store your makeup, but also to experiment with multiple eye colors for a fraction of the cost of buying products separately. There was a MAC shadow I’d been eyeing (no pun intended), but I wasn’t sure if the color would complement my skin tone, so I headed to my nearest discount beauty store, where they offered a similar color and seven others (!!!) in palette form. Not only was I able to test-drive the color I wanted, I was also able to experiment with some new looks thanks to the additional shades. All for less than the price of a single MAC shadow I may or may not have liked. Sweet!

3. Eyeshadow base

As a relative noob to this whole makeup thing, I didn’t have a collection of eyeshadow bases to keep my shadow in place during the day. In a pinch, I’d just use concealer as a base and continue on with my shadow application. Since then, I’ve discovered the wonders of a proper base, specifically NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. These really make my shadow colors pop and wear longer, and depending on the base + shadow combo, allow me to create some new colors.

Another great thing about NYX Pencils: the price. You can find them online or sometimes in beauty stores for $5 or less. Not bad for such a versatile product!
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There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Makeup Tips/How To Keywords: guest post

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