I ♥ Drugstore Tag

I know this is a YouTube tag, but, seeing as I don't make videos, I've decided to do it as a blog post.  (Am I allowed to do that?)  Anyway, I saw this tag on Beauty Broadcast and Emily says it's okay, so here we go.

1. What is your favorite drugstore makeup brand?
I think I use a ton of Revlon because it's so readily available (and I do love me some Revlon), but if it didn't involve a thirty minute drive I'd see myself having a lot more NYX.  Its quality and color selection really are unbeatable.

2. What are your favorite face, cheek and lip products?
Honestly I typically use mid-high end face makeup (because it's the first thing that touches your skin and it can be hard for me to find a good color match in the drugstore), but if I absolutely have to pick a face product I'll say Revlon PhotoReady Concealer.
For cheeks, you really can't beat Milani Baked Blushes, although I also really enjoy the e.l.f. Studio Blushes at $3.
Aquaphor Lip Repair + Protect is the end-all, holy grail lip product.  It moisturizes like no other, has spf, and even looks like a gloss on the lips.

3. Least favorite product?
Undoubtedly, EOS Lip Balm (although this easily could've gone as number 8, not worth the hype).  Although these come in cute, colorful little spheres and smell pretty, the balm just kind of sits on top of lips and doesn't deliver any kind of hydration.

4. What is the best makeup bargain?
I would say the e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing powder, if the blush worked better on my skintone, but, since it barely shows up, I have to go with Wet n Wild Color Icon eyeshadow palettes.

5. What is your favorite underdog product? (Something you love that often gets overlooked?)
Revlon PhotoReady 3D Volume Mascara is insane.  I have never seen this kind of volume from a drugstore mascara.  This product deserves way more attention than it seems to receive.

6. A drugstore product that is overpriced?
Has to be nail polish.  OPI and Essie are absolutely ridiculous (Do they count as "drugstore?"), but even Revlon ColorStay costs like $8.

7. Show your best drugstore dupe(s)!!
It should come as no surprise to anyone who reads my blog that I'm going with Boots No7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion.  I didn't quite believe Liz when she first told me this is an exact dupe for Benefit High Beam, but I became a believer at first swipe.  Boots High Lights retails for $12.99 for 1 oz.of product, while High Beam costs $26 for a mere 0.45 oz.  I'm no physicist, but that makes High Lights half the price for (slightly more than) twice the product.  Side by side, High Lights is a bit less watery than High Beam, but they're pretty much identical once blended out.  (High Lights looks really reflective in my picture; I might have inadvertently swatched it a bit thicker than High Beam.)

Benefit High Beam (left) & Boots High Lights (right)

8. Drugstore product that isn't worth the hype?
Revlon PhotoReady Whipped Creme Makeup.  I'll admit the texture feels kind of nice (if a bit heavy), but it's near impossible to guess a color match in those clunky glass jars.  Revlon might be able to change my mind about this product if they'd step up their game and provide testers, but until that happens I have to dub PhotoReady Whipped as vastly overrated.

What do you think of my picks?  Do you agree/disagree with any of my answers?

I tag everyone, but, specifically:

April of April, Maybe

Bre of (Skinny) Arm Wars

Krystal of Beauty By Krystal

lovenailpolish of Addicted to OPI-yum

Rose of One Unique Queen

Sophie of Born to Buy

If you do this tag, please leave your link below so I can read your post.

XOXO, T

September Loves

I know I'm pretty late posting this, but when am I ever on time for anything?

Beauty Loves:

Revlon PhotoReady 3D Volume Mascara
This gives me tons of volume and length.

Aquaphor Lip Repair + Protect
This comes as another recommendation from Liz, who I realize is pretty much my life's Yoda.

Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist in Moonlight Path
Fragrance often goes forgotten on my blog, but it's about time I mention this one.  Proper perfumes can be a bit heavy for me during the summer, and I've been turning to Moonlight Path pretty much every day since receiving it in an Influenster Spring Beauty voxbox.

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum
My ex-roommate and close friend Ashlee forgot her bottle of this in my guest room during her visit this past May, and my hair's been loving it all summer.  In addition to its strengthening properties, it's also great in terms of managing frizz.

Rando Loves:

Red Baron Four Cheese Super Slices
I know it's disgusting, but I've been pretty much living off of these.  The best frozen pizza in the world, it's better than a whole lot of "real" pizza.

Good Time by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
This song is just freaking fun.  Don't judge if you see me rocking out to this in my car.

Awkward
This show is completely hilar.  I love that MTV has every episode online.  Put on your jammies and watch it all weekend.

RachhLoves
My favorite YouTuber this month is RachhLoves, who I can't believe I'd never heard of until recently.

Personal tidbit:
Last month, I mentioned that this semester I'd be writing for my college newspaper.  Well, this week I made the front page (below the fold, but still the front page).  I've included the PDF, in case anyone cares to read my article "Murdered by Makeup?" (continued on Page 2) which is about cruelty-free beauty and includes my interview with the lovely (and vegan) Tashina Combs of Logical Harmony:

Open publication - Free publishing

What do you think of my September loves?  What products did you love in September?

XOXO, T

Collective Drugstore Haul: Walgreens & CVS

I've gone to a couple of the Walgreens' in my area lately, in search of the elusive e.l.f. Villainous Villains collection.  I sadly haven't been able to find it anywhere, but I did stumble upon the Fergie for Wet n Wild collection, which happens to be kind of fantastic.  I picked up the nail color in Going Platinum and the Glamour-Eyes Eye Kit.

From a different Walgreens, I got Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana (which I plan on using as a highlight), WnW Lipstick in 522a Dark Wine, WnW eyeshadow trio in I'm Getting Sunburned, Revlon Moon Candy Nail Art in Milky Way & Orbit, and e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Collection.

From CVS, I picked up Moroccan Curling Perfection Defining Cream, Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum, Revlon ColorStay Lipliner in Plum, Revlon ColorStay Longwear Nail Enamel in Rich Raspberry & Bare Bones, and Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup in Sand Beige (which I hope turns out to be my right color).

What do you think of my haul?  Do you have/want any of these products?

XOXO, T

P.S. Walgreens seems to have restocked the 8 pan Wet n Wild Color Icon Palettes, so I highly suggest picking up at least one all three of these immeds.

Smokey Eye Saturday

I promise I'm not naked; my hair is hiding my straps.

I'm heading out to my friend Henry's house party, but I got ready freakishly fast so I thought I'd share my FOTN.  I didn't do anything too fancy as it's just going to be a lot of sitting around playing drinking games with the usual suspects, but since a couple of cute boys Facebook RSVP-ed I obvs want to look casually gorgeous but not like I'm wearing too much makeup.

I opted to not wear foundation (or even tinted moisturizer), as my skin is actually in pretty good shape lately but applied Revlon Colorstay Concealer only where absolutely necessary as well as Boots No7 Illuminating Lotion to the high points of my cheekbones.  For my eyes, I'm wearing Wet n Wild Color Icon eyeshadow trio in Silent Treatment and Almay Get Up & Grow Mascara in Black waterproof with e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara to set my brows. I also swept NYC Sunny Bronzer along the underside of my cheekbones and blended into my temples and around the sides of my massive forehead. I finished my look with just a touch of Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink and Burt's Bees tinted lip balm.

Wet n Wild does such a great satiny taupe.

What do you think of this look? What makeup do you typically wear to parties?

XOXO, T

P.S. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I got my conch punched on Friday the 13th, but I guess I haven't blogged since then so I made sure it's visible in the first picture.

Collective Beauty & Random Target Haul

 I typically go to Target at least 1-2 times a week.  I mean, seriously, it's out of control.  Here's the random stuff I got on my last trip to Target (clockwise from top): green Glow Necklaces (which I typically wear as headbands), a super necessary Little Miss Princess notepad, Sharpie Pens, a six pack of assorted stud earrings (which I'll probably be allergic to), a three pack of small purple baskets (for makeup storage), Krazy Straws, and a little cardboard book called Pinkie Pie Throws a Party (for my cousin's little girl, who is almost as obsessed with My Little Ponies as I was as a kid still am.)

Then we have the beauty products and toiletries I've amassed over the past few days, mostly from Target (though a couple things are from Walgreens).  I have (from left to right): Schick Hydro Silk blades (which I got for crazy cheap--printed out Target coupon + manufacturer's coupon), gud by Burt's Bees Natural Body Wash in Vanilla Flame (smells amazing), BioreTrial Pack Deep Cleansing Pore Strips,  e.l.f. Studio Small Angled Brush, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Darling, Boots No7 High Lights Illuminating Lotion (which Liz swears is a dupe for Benefit High Beam), Yes to Carrots C Me Shine Lip Gloss in Cocoa Loco, Sinful Colors Professional Nail Enamel in Neon Melon, Sonia Kashuk Nail Colour in Purparazzi, NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny, and Pixi Sheer Cheek Gel in Natural.

What do you think of my haul(s)?  Do you want/have any of these items?

XOXO, T

Trendy Tuesday #1: Summer Brights

A lot of bright colors have cool undertones, which is part of what makes them so beautiful with a bit of a tan.  If we tried wearing neon in the winter, it would completely wash most of us out.

The key to incorporating brights into your look, whether in the form of clothing, accessories or makeup, is pairing a single pop of color with an otherwise very basic, neutral look.  The most surefire way to pull off a bright lipstick, eyeshadow or blush is by wearing almost no other makeup.

It helps to wear a white base underneath brights to help the color pop, especially on darker skintones.  For example, I typically apply NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk under bright eyeshadow or liner and a white nail polish before a bright (or dark or weird) nail polish, to keep it from staining my nails.

These are a few of my favorite bright cosmetic items:

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Lollipop and Tutti Frutti

NYX Eyeshadow Trio in Shangri La

Wet n Wild eyeshadow singles in Fuchsia and Lagoon

Milani Liquif’eye Eyeliner in Aqua

Wet n Wild Lipstick in Fuchsia with Blue Pearl

e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion

Collective Drugstore Haul

In the past two days, I've spent a disgusting amount of money at Walgreens and CVS.  I think what gets me in so much trouble when drugstore shopping is that no one item is very expensive.  This leads to my dropping a million pretty, little sticks and bottles into my basket.  Next thing I know, the cashier is asking for every last penny in my purse, and I don't even understand what happened.  A few of these things I actually needed, but the vast majority of my purchases were completely frivolous nonsense.

From left to right, I got: a Soho Crease Brush, patriotic Glow Bracelets & Necklaces (8 sticks + connectors), a 3 pack of Large Mesh Bath Sponges, a Plan Ahead Journal, Essence of Beauty Facial Cleansing Sponges, a $15 iTunes gift card, 0.7 mm lead, Sinful Colors Professional nail polish in Snow Me White, RevlonRevlon Scented Nail Enamel in Strawberry Cream, Kiss Nail Dress in 2B (leopard), Milani Shadow Eyez Eyeshadow Pencil in Aquatic Style, Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in Peony, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish, and Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Coral Reef.

A close up of the fun stuff.

What do you think about my haul?

I can't be the only one who compulsively buys tons of drugstore crap.  Can you empathize with my plight?

XOXO, T