Drug Store Shout Out: A BB Cushion by a luxury brand ...without the luxury price

Well, I've been pretty busy (who isn't?!) and it's been a tad since I've posted - but I have some fabulosity to share that may make up for my blogging inconsistency lately: Laniege BB cushion (Target) is my fave new drug store find. I had an opportunity to try this Budget-friendly-find a couple months back, and have been searching for it in-store since! Not all Target locations carry this line, but it is available online if you can't find it at a store near you. Laniege is a brand made and distributed by Amore Pacific,  one of the more expensive skin care lines out of Nieman Marcus, one of the factors that piqued my interest right off the bat.  This super-light, sheer BB cream provides a barely-there coverage that evens the complexion just enough. Much lighter than my all time much-more-emollient fave, Intellishade, it's a great alternative to add to your BB-cream/SPF wardrobe for when you want something with a bit less creaminess. 

It also cools the skin, perfect after a workout or when you're in a warm climate, thanks to its ionized mineral water ingredients. The best part is it's SPF 50 feature (but keep in mind that you must apply it evenly and with enough coverage to realize this benefit, as with all SPF makeup products). Easy to apply, it comes with an antimicrobial puff (and also goes on beautifully with a texture brush, as I have found). It goes on evenly and dries enough to quickly follow with powder if more coverage is desired. 

This cooling, light and quick-to-apply product lasts all day, doesn't get muddy in oily areas, and gives the skin a soft airbrush-like glow. It's fantastic quality for a drug store find, and at $34 (which includes a refill and extra puff!) it's worth a try if you're looking for a new BB cream.

Enjoy, and until next time, stay fabulous my friends! 

Practice safe sun and look hot doing it: The Best Self Tanners Of The Year

I spent the entire summer trying numerous self tanners, here are my top picks for 2015:

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The BEST Professional Brands

Playboy Celebrity Glitz (yes, playboy brand)

This medium-consistency cream requires care when applying because of its ultra-dark color and potential for staining hands, but is so worth it! Wear gloves and/or apply with a slightly dampened sponge-mit for best results.

Pros:

• darkest and best tan

• not-orange

• no scent

• bronzing

Cons: 

• Will stain hands, cuticles, everything - even if you're quick to wash after. Wear gloves or a mitt!

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Norvell Dancing with the Stars Mousse

I have a new-found love for foams this year. Cleaner than sprays or airbrush, and quicker to dry than creams or lotions, I found myself defaulting to foams and mousses often. This one is my fave!

Pros:

• quick drying

• slightly bronzing

• clean finish, not dewey or heavy

• beautiful tan result!

Cons:

• must use gloves or a mitt

• doesn't smell awesome after it starts working. I like this one for overnight use only,

Tip:

• I hear the Norvell brand foam without the "dancing" endorsement is just as good and a little cheaper, but have not tried it yet. You'll save anywhere from $3-10 for trying the standard, not-endorsed formula.

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The BEST Store-Bought Brands:

Victoria secret BRONZE:

This creamy, bronze lotion leaves a pretty and subtle gleam without being sparkly. Whenever I wear it, everyone always asks me what it is and where to get it!

Pros:

• bronzing

• medium consistency

• smells good

Cons:

• too many applications in a row can start to look orange

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If you are in a hurry and want something fast from the store, I usually go with

Loreal Sublime Tinted Self Tanning Lotion

Pros:

• bronzing

• light sheen/shimmer

• budget-friendly

• this line also features a towlette, which I sometimes use when I'm in a hurry

• satisfyingly dark level of tan-result

Cons: 

•takes quite a while to dry

• the smell (it's not terrible, but you can certainly detect that good ole' self-tanner smell after the fragrance wears down)

• a misleadingly sheer consistency and great slip when applying leads me to think I've spread it on evenly each time. Don't fall for it and take your time!

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By far, the best store brand is the new Jergens Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse

Pros:

• bronzing

• Dries FAST!

• budget-friendly

Cons: 

•This is a gradual tanner, so you'll need to build it up slowly over the course of several days.

• the smell (it's not terrible, but you can certainly detect that good ole' self-tanner smell after the fragrance wears down)

• This product is QUICK to stain hands - even if you immediately wash after. I underestimated this. Be sure to wear gloves or a mitt!

This is a great tool for maintaining a professional spray tan, also!

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The BEST New Concept:

St. Tropez Gradual Tan In-Shower Lotion

This innovative new product is a lotion you apply IN the shower (once you're finished up, with the water off). Wait 3 minutes and rinse: Wah-Lah! It's formulted with sweet almond oil so it leaves your skin smelling sweetly and feeling conditioned by not greasy. Love it!

Pros:

• No need to wait for it to dry

• No icky self-tanner smell

• No streaks!

Cons: 

•This is a gradual tanner, so you'll need to build it up slowly over the course of several days.

• I am a wimp, and get cold in the shower even when it's on. Despite only needing to wait 3 minutes, I get cold and find myself skipping it some days.

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I hope you found a new product to experiment with from this review!

Until Next Time, Practice Safe sun and Stay Fabulous My Friends!

Drug store shout out: A Great Way to Reapply

  We hear it all the time: reapply, reapply, reapply.

SPF (regardless of the sun protection factor... SPF 10, 15, 30, three-zillion, whatever) begins to break down minutes after you put it on. This is especially true when swimming or sweating.

But what about the SPF you put on your face in the morning? Many of us will put make up on over that, and go on with our day, unable or unwilling to slather creamy stuff all over to reapply.

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Here's a great way to reapply without the goop: Mineral SPF 30 Brush-On Sun Defense.

My original mineral brush-on loves are Colorescience Sunforgettable and Peter Thomas Roth, but if you're not in the mood to shell out $30-$64, this is a theProductPro-approved budget-friendly version!

This great mineral spf buy ($16.99-$19.99, depending on where you buy it) is a Paraben-free, 100% vegan, and non-chemical sunscreen that looks good on many skin types.

Try keeping it in your handbag and dust on the backs of your hands, face, neck, and chest before hopping in your car to drive home from the office. Or, use it to reapply while out and about.

The Mineral Fusion website has a 15% off coupon right now if you sign up for emails, but they seem to be low on stock, depending on when you check for it. If you're the instant gratification-type, pick it up at a health food store, Amazon, or an Ulta near you!

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous my friends!

Good Buys for the Beauty on a Budget: Coal Liner is Better than Coal

As a Beauty on a Budget myself, I know the value of a good Beauty Buy. When shopping at the Target in North Scottsdale, my mom and I noticed a number of cutie-pie ELF gift sets. WAIT: Are you kinda wondering why ELF made my blog post, AGAIN? Because there are plenty of Just-Okay-Grocery-Store-Cosmetics out there, but they all cost a heck of a lot more. In fact, if I am buying a lip gloss from a display at Walgreens (without being able to see it outside of the package via a tester, or hear a firsthand description of the product from an attentive sales person) I feel like it needs to cost like, I dunno, $5 or less? Am I the only one who feels this way? I have seen OTC products and grocery store cosmetics exceed $39 (and higher!). Come on, guys. We are buying this item from a shelf-talker in a neon-lit convenience store. Make the price convenient, too! ELF cosmetics offer some pretty-okay cosmetic products at the price-point I feel they SHOULD be offered for. So that's why ELF, in case you were wondering. Sorry, I digress....

Okay, here are the two winners (In my opinion) that are especially good values in the ELF Holiday Department:

Full Disclosure: At the time I am writing this, I haven't tried the Brightening Eyeliner Pencil OR the Shimmer Eyeliner. But I HAVE tried the waterproof eyeliner pen and it's actually pretty good! $3 good? Sure! So I figured the other two items are simply a bonus and hey, they could be good!Here's another good one, $3 for 3 pairs of lashes. I haven't tried the glue, so I can't speak for it yet, but I figured this: Ardell (our usual drug-store-Go-To lashes) are getting up there in price these days! For $1 a set, I figured we can't lose here... so once again, the extra item here is kind of a bonus. And at the VERY least, these cutie little kits make great stocking stuffers. So, if you're plum out of ideas (especially if you happen to be a Beauty on a Budget) I think ELF gift sets could be a good risk! (Coal eyeliner= better than coal!) =)

Having a Love Affair with Make-up Wipes?

Do you love makeup remover wipes, but hate that they have a tendency to dry out?

Here's a quick tip:

Store your wipes upside down. The cleanser fluid will remain dispersed throughout the top wipes, which are the most exposed to air when the package is opened. I think you'll find that your wipes will last much longer!

BOOM: thats it! (I did say "quick", right??)

Enjoy, and until next time- stay fabulous my friends!

Drug-Store Shout-Out: L'Oreal Sublime Sun Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Oil

So, I'm completely paranoid about bathing suit season. Let's face it... when you're just as nervous about skin cancer and premature aging as you are how your thighs look in a bikini, it's not a recipe for a care-free day. But that's where this little product entered into the story, and made my day at the beach much easier! This innovative, sheer-oil formulation claims broad-spectrum SPF 30 or 50 (depending on which one you choose) AND makes your bikini-clad bod look less frightening with it's subtle glisten! (think: body builders... they must slather oil all over for a reason, right???) But this oil isn't super sticky or gross, like I would imagine hugging a body-builder to feel like- haha!

This product lacks offensive/overwhelming scents, and has a super fabulous price point of around $10. I plan to continue using this dewey, imperfection-blurring product on my neck and chest beyond summer season...

....and maybe even for competitions when I finally pursue my dream of bodybuilding.

(kidding!)

Drug-Store Shout Out: e.l.f Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer

I was intrigued by e.l.f. when some makeup artist acquaintances rolled down a list of their secret e.l.f. favorites, so I thought I'd start exploring by demo'ing some basics. I chose this $6 Primer in Clear to start, which was 30% off when I ordered it- wow. I must say: I was pleasantly surprised by this particular elf item. It has a very similar silky/satin-like consistency as some of my favorite primers, including GloMinerals Face Primer ($26) and Smashbox Photo-Finish ($36). This product also has a similar ingredient deck, though there are a couple of silica ingredients that some of the others lack. Interestingly, this product is gluten-free, while my favorites are not. It doesn't stay perfect for quite as long as some others, and lacks some of the anti-oxidants (like Vitamin E) that others have, but for $6- I didn't feel disappointed, necessarily.

So, if you're in the mood for a good gamble with not much at risk (besides maybe hour 12 of foundation perfection!) it might be a good one the next time you find yourself in need of primer.

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water... for all kinds of hotness!

Thought I'd share one of my faves for comforting the skin post-laser, post-chemical peel, or to refresh and cool when you are just feeling HOT! (Although we know you're always hot! :)) La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, seen here for $13. We used to carry this at the plastic surgery institute I worked for. We loved it! The company tells us that it has a pretty neutral pH, (great as a toner) and it's rich in Selenium, which is to help skin heal faster! Pick it up the next time you're in need... saw this at Walgreens.