Beauty/Fashion

Ever since I was in college, I’ve been getting my hair highlighted on a regular basis. I get it done typically every 3 months, because my hair is naturally a darker blonde, and the roots aren’t too obvious until then.

However, after years and years of doing crazy damage to my hair and wallet, I’ve decided to stop. How can I just stop, you ask? Very simply…

I purchased a $7 box of Natural Instincts.

Since it a semi-permanent color, I knew I wouldn’t have to deal with roots and it’s now serving as a color that is VERY close to my natural hair color. It’s also way less harsh than bleach, so my hair is currently happier because of it!

I can give you an idea of the before/after, but, like I said, it’s faded quite a bit to a more dark blonde color.

Making this little change in my life is saving me $70/3 months or a whopping $280/year! Instead of me spending that money, I’m currently placing it in a savings account! (To note, that’s considered cheap for highlights for the length that my hair was at the time before the pre-wedding . I used to get my hair done at a salon school.)

Will I ever go back to blonde? Maybe…but for now, I’m considering this to be a fun change!

The weather is a-changin’, and of course, your summer shoes are past their prime. Oprah has taken note and is offering a coupon for 50% off your ENTIRE purchase at a Payless store through the end of today!

An amazing deal…think about the gift possibilities in their accessories section! I know I’ll be there after work, hoping it’s not too much of a mess! 🙂

I know most people enjoy going to the counters, and trying all the fun products. I would find myself at the MAC counter falling in love with 3-4 products and the bill would be at least $75!  I mean, the face is important, but really, there are some GREAT items in the drugstores to be discovered, and they are really friendly on the wallet!

1

I started using moisturizer about a year ago after reading that oily skin gets oilier when it’s not moisturized. I decided to go with the basic Olay moisturizer, because it’s been around for a long time, and I’m pretty young. It’s not like I need heavy duty wrinkle cream yet. This stuff is wonderful. It’s very light, has SPF 15 in it and just sinks in your skin really quickly. I put this on right before foundation and primer, so I can attest to how fast it dries/sinks in the skin!

2

I’m sure you must think that I put the wrong picture in here. What does chafing gel have to do with make-up? Well folks, this is my primer. Don’t drop your jaws and think I’m gross, but I have proof that this is a GREAT primer. Almost a copycat of Smashbox’s $30 primer! It works really well and for $6 for a tube that’s double the size of a normal primer? Hello! Obvious choice here. 🙂

3

I am very fair skinned with neutral tones. I used to have to go to Sephora or MAC to get matched. I found myself spending about $25 on a decent foundation, only to be disappointed that it made my oily skin (oh boy, am I blessed!) even oilier! I’ve tried everything from Makeup Forever to MAC to Bare Escentuals and MORE! I was going through oil blotting sheets like it was nobody’s business! Enter Revlon Colorstay for combo/oily skin. I bought this after reading raving reviews on blogs about this. I ended up bringing my empty MAC NC15 to Walgreen’s to see if I could find a match for this. Luckily, Buff 110 was PERFECT! And, the kicker, it’s $10 a bottle!  This stuff keeps the oil at bay and really stays put. I’m never going back to MAC again!

4

I’ve heard such great things about MAC’s Mineralize Skin Finish (more commonly called MSF), but I wasn’t really eager to pay $27 for a powder. I didn’t see the hype in it, so I never bought it. However, last weekend, I was at Ulta getting more of my foundation and noticed that the Colorstay line was BOGO. So, I decided to give this a try (in Brighten) after reading great reviews on Makeup Alley from my iPhone. (yeah, classy folks…I was in Ulta surfing the net!) This powder is $14, but if you get a BOGO deal, it’s not so bad! I really wear it as a blush highlight so far, and I really like how it brings extra radiance to my face. It’s not glittery or too shimmery…it’s really subtle but makes a difference!

5

My make-up artist used this on my wedding day. I went to buy it a few days afterwards, because it wasn’t drying and concealed my little pimples and random redness around my nose very well! I really like this stuff, and it’s pretty darn cheap if you ask me!

6

When I went to buy my concealer, Walgreen’s had a BOGO deal on Maybelline face products. I was running low on my MAC  Studio Fix powder foundation, so I decided to give this a shot since I liked the concealer so much. This powder is great! It does really well to set my foundation and concealer, and again, super cheap!

I find that because I’m using these drugstore products, I’m saving HUNDREDS a year! Seriously, give some drugstore products a try, especially when it’s BOGO. The quality has gone up to where it’s some fierce competition for the counter cosmetics!

 

It’s that time of the year, folks. Yes, it’s Sephora’s Family & Friends Sale! You get 20% off of your entire purchase at Sephora.com using the code FF2009. Most stores are also accepting the sale, but since there is no official store coupon, call ahead!

I thought I should take the time to share some of my favorites from Sephora, in case you are looking to try something new!

Urban Decay’s 24/7 Eyeliner. I got this in a free sample once, and I’m so glad I did! It glides on effortlessly, is smudgable, but sets to stay in place all day and all night! It’s wonderful and comes in many fun colors! I own them in bourbon and zero. I’m very tempted to get Rockstar as well.

Urban Decay Shadow Primer Potion. This stuff makes eye make-up stay put. I no longer get shadow creases in my eyelids because of this product. It’s wonderful!

I bought Erase Paste on a whim at Sephora. My under eye concealer was very drying and just sank into the wrinkles that are forming under my eyes. This one felt moisturizing and was slighly brightening to my under-eye area. I love it!

Pumpkin Spice Shower Gel is just a fun must-have for the holiday season. This stuff makes my showers last a few minutes longer. I love the smell haha!

source

This is a fabulous fall/winter scent. It’s a little pricey, but man, I love this scent! (You can find it way cheaper at Sam’s Club..I paid $50 for a 3.4 oz. bottle!)

If these are out of your budget, stick around. I will be posting about the drugstore make-up that I have and LOVE. 🙂