My 10 Fave "Drugstore" Beauty Items

Here's a list of my 10 favorite "drugstore" beauty-related items. I say "drugstore" because a couple of items can only be purchased at Walmart or Target. So let's get to it...

#1: Softlips

Mmm, Softlips. They're priced under $3 for a two-pack and come in Vanilla, Cherry, Strawberry and Raspberry, as well as a few limited edition scents and flavors such as Coconut Cream, Peach Mango, Sugar Cookie and Winter Mint. All go on clear and are flavored and scented depending on it's name. The untinted Softlips will moisturize and protect your lips with SPF 20, while the tinted shades - Bronze, Rose, and Pearl - have a citrus scent and flavor, and have SPF 15. I like them better than Carmex.

MY PICKS: Vanilla, Coconut Cream, and Cherry

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#2: Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Color Comfort Lip Color

These lipsticks go for about $9.99 but they are worth it! They're so creamy, moist, and pigmented, and contain sweet almond oil, grapefruit extract and cocoa butter. I usually skip lipgloss when wearing these because I feel that it's not needed. These lippies are paraben-free and come in 21 colors. My only gripe is that there isn't a nude, beige color.

MY PICK: Rosy Brown - a creamy brownish-pink.

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#3: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Blush

It's so hard finding a pressed blush that's talc-free and oil-free, especially in a drugstore - I think this is the only one. These are wonderful for those with sensitive, acne-prone skin, but any skin type can use these blushes. Price: ~$11.99 in drugstores.

MY PICK: Pink Glow, a matte peachy-pink that would look nice on most people.

Click here for more swatches and a review

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#4: Revlon ColorStay Eyeliners

When they say ColorStay, it's no joke. I have hooded eyelids and used to have a problem with eyeliner smudging onto the middle of my eyelid, but since I've discovered these, it's not a problem. They come in 8 colors (I'm missing Navy) and they have a pull-out sharpener at the other end. I only wish it also came with a sponge tip smudger at the end. Price: ~$7.49 at drugstores.

MY PICK: Black Brown, not as harsh as black but still friendly for brown-lovers.

Click here to see my video with a dry rub and water rub test

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#5: Milani Single Eyeshadows

There are some good brands of drugstore eyshadow but Milani is probably the best because of it's awesome pigmentation and texture. You can find them at Walgreen's, some Targets, and at a few perfume shops in malls for around $4. Twelve colors are usually easy to find but there are some rare colors - like Almondine, Antique Gold and Taffy - that you won't be able to find in a store. Fortunately, Nonpareil Boutique has them all (24) while Cherry Culture doesn't.

The only color I have that I didn't like was Sheer Sand because if it's gritty, sandy texture. Maybe I just got a bad one.

MY PICK: Java Bean, a gorgeous warm brown that I use almost everyday.

Click here to see the 3 Milani shadows in my GoTo Palette

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#6: Studio Tools Medium Shadow Brush

This is the one brush you'll need if you're feeling a little lazy. You can pack on color onto your lid, line your lashlines, do your highlight and outer-v with this baby. If you hold the brush head vertically, you can blend and do your crease area or the area right above the crease. Hold the brush head horizontally for more precision and get shadow right into your crease. You'll find this brush at Target for only $2.49 and it's super soft. Get five of them!

Click here for my Studio Tools Brushes review

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#7: Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

Are you getting shiny in the summer heat or are you like me and suffer from oily skin? These blue, flexible, plastic-like sheets sop up the oils on your face without smudging your makeup or adding excess powder, like some blotting sheets do. These are not papery and they don't make crunching noises when you use them. I usually fold them in half and put a piece of tissue or toilet paper behind them before blotting my face so I don't get sebum on my fingers. Price: $4.49 - $5.29

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#8: Dove go fresh Beauty Body Wash

I hate when body washes lose their lather after just washing the front part of my torso. Every shower gel that I've tried from a designer perfume line or from a drugstore brand just don't stay foamy. I still have to put a decent-sized glob on my loofah when using this, but the lather lasts for my whole body and leaves my skin feeling soft. This body wash comes in four different scents: Burst, Energize (has little beads), Refresh, and Cool Moisture. Price: $5 - $7

Another good thing about this is that it does not contain the evil Sodium LauRYL Sulfate, which is an ingredient that dries out your skin and hair. It does contain Sodium LauRETH Sulfate, but that is not as harsh as the other. Just remember that Lauryl ends in "l" like evil - that's how I always distinguished between the two.

I love Dove! Their shampoos, conditioners, and body bar are also great.

MY PICK: Burst, a fruity scent of nectarine and white ginger.

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#9: Garnier Fructis Anti-Frizz Serum

I have thick, wavy hair and I always use this after straightening or curling my hair to get rid of fly aways and frizzies. If you don't like strong, citrus scents then you'll hate this but I think it smells great. This is a lighter oil than Baby Oil, which some people use in their hair. Now, there is a trick when using this. Do not pump a full pump into your hand and glob it onto your hair because then you'll look greasy. Pump half a pump's worth and rub it between your hands. Then, apply this little by little starting from the ends of your hair and fingercomb it upwards until you get your desired results. It's also best to section off your hair when applying this oil. I don't apply this near the roots of my hair because it will weigh it down. Since my hair is so static-prone, I still need a bit of hairspray afterwards. Price: $4.79 - $6

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#10: Pure Ice Nail Polish

I've only seen Pure Ice at Walmart so I don't know if you can find them anywhere else. These polishes are only $2 each and they come in a wide range of colors and finishes that will please everyone's tastes.

I once bought two bad bottles where the formula was horrible, only because someone at the store played around with them and didn't screw on the tops tightly. I hate when people do that. So if you get a bad bottle, don't let that discourage you into trying another one.

MY PICK: I love all the colors! Their creme and shimmers are great but, beware of their chrome/metallic formula.

Twinkle, a beautiful orange-coral with gold shimmer, kind of like a deeper Nars Orgasm. (That sounds nasty)

Coral Reef, a lovely pink-coral with small flecks of silver glitter.

Click here for some of my Pure Ice swatches

UPDATE: I bought another one of Pure Ice's chrome/metallic colors because the first one I tried - First Time, a mint green - applied horribly and the color would slide off my nail; I thought I just got a bad bottle since all the other colors applied so well. But after trying out another one called Outrageous, a pretty pinkish-lilac chrome, the formula was the same. It slides off your nail the more you stroke it with the brush. But I found if I applied it thickly, and brushed it on very lightly with no more than 3 or 4 strokes, then I could work with it. You also have to let it dry well before applying another coat. They have some really pretty chrome/metallic colors but stay away from them because of the formula. What a shame since their cremes and shimmers are great!

Thank you for reading and commenting!

<3

REVIEW: Strap Perfect - The Ultimate Bra Strap Solution

I know you've heard that statistic about how a large percentage of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Maybe that's why I always have problems with falling bra straps and I'm always fussing with them whenever I've been sitting down for a while, or when I'm driving. So, this post will be a review about the Strap Perfect concealer clips, which have been shown on infomercials.

THE RUNDOWN

• WHO: For anyone who wears a bra with straps.
• WHAT: Specially designed clips that are made from regular, hard plastic. A box comes with 6 clips: 2 black, 2 nude, and 2 clear.
  
• WHERE: I got mine from Walgreen's for $9.99, but they are also available at many other stores and websites. (Forget shipping and try to find it in a store.)
• WHEN: You can wear it everyday if you feel like it
  
• WHY: For concealing bra straps when wearing a racerback or criss-cross top, or to stop bra straps from falling off your shoulder. It will also provide more lift for your "girls".
• HOW: See picture below. You attach the clip to one strap first and then hook it on to the other.

Click to ENLARGE

WHAT COMES IN THE BOX: Six Strap Perfect concealer clips with instructions. Also included in my box was a bonus pack of Invisible Style tape, which is basically like double-sided Scotch Tape. I give them a 0 out of 5 rating because they stick to your skin well but doesn't adhere to fabrics, especially when you're moving around.

Size Comparison
PROS

• Prevents bra straps from slipping off your shoulder
• Good when wearing racerback style tops and other styles because it conceals your straps
  
• Gives instant cleavage, lift, and perkiness, especially when wearing something with a low neckline. I don't think it adds a full cup size, as the box claims, but it's about half a cup difference.
• The clip doesn't jam into my back when lying down or sitting in a high-backed chair, since it's flat
  
• Clip stayed in place for me all day
• The clear clip is the best color because it's the least noticeable (I wish all of them were clear)
  

CONS

• Difficult to apply/remove (it's a major pain!) and may be hard for those who are not so flexible or for those with arthritis. Option 1 (see instruction picture above) is where you attach the clip to one strap on the front side and slide it to the back. Then you try to insert the other strap into the clip, kind of like hooking up a necklace. This way seems to work better for me, even though it's still kind of hard to attach the other strap into the clip. I tried Option 2, thinking it would be easier, but I could not put my arms into the straps after that!
  
• You may need someone to help you put the clip on
• If you don't adjust your straps properly before and after applying the clip, your bra straps may dig into the top of your shoulders and feel very uncomfortable. BUT, even if you do adjust them, it still may feel a little tight and uncomfortable.
  
• Clip sits high on the back and doesn't slide down easily, especially if the "adjustable sliders" on your bra straps are in the way. If you're wearing a top with a low back, the clip and your straps will definitely show, defeating the entire purpose of the product.
  

FINAL THOUGHTS

Although the Strap Perfect concealer clips do the job of hiding your bra straps, preventing slippage off your shoulders, and adding lift and cleavage to your "girls", it may be difficult to apply and remove, and it may make your bra straps dig into the top of your shoulders.

Even still, I'm not sorry I purchased this product.

I'll give it a 4 out of 5 rating.

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UPDATE: JULY 26th

Look what I found in today's Sunday paper ads - a $1 off coupon. It says this product is also available at CVS, Rite Aid, Sally Beauty Supply, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Dollar General. For real, Dollar General?! So it's only a dollar there while everyone else gets ripped off? I don't think we have those stores in killa Cali though. =/

NOTD: Leopard...Rarr!

Here's a very fun leopard look. I was in line at the bank yesterday and I overheard a little girl tell her Mom, "I like her nails." I pretended I didn't hear her. =)

My left hand - the above picture - has a touch of silver glitter, while my other hand doesn't. I think gold glitter would have better matched the color scheme, but I don't have any.

WHAT I USED

~Milani Golden Goddess: base color
~Rimmel Underground Play Fast in Don't Touch (discontinued): spots/blotches
~SoEasy Stripe Rite in Black: to draw shaky parentheses, "c" marks, and "v" marks
~SoEasy Stripe Rite in Silver Glitter: accent

~I'm also trying out Seche Vite top coat for the first time and I've stayed away from it for so long because I was afraid of disappointment. After two days, I have two big chips on my leopard nails. =(

Leopard Spots Tip: If you don't have a nail art polish in black, nor a nail art brush to draw the lines, you can first make black splotches on top of your yellow/gold base color and then make brown splotches on top of the black, allowing some of the black edges to show.