More Favorite Drugstore Beauty Items

Last spring, I wrote this post about my favorite drugstore items. I had a few people tell me they went out and bought that cheek stick and the lip gloss and love them! Recently, my friend Micah was telling me about quite a few beauty products that she loves that are a fraction of the price of ones sold by dermatologists or in a department store. It gave me the idea to poll my friends via email to see which items from the drugstore they can't live without. First up here are some of Micah's favorites....

After trying several different beauty products over the years, I’ve decided to speak up about what products I think are worth the money, and which ones I think we can skimp on. Even in drug stores, beauty products can cost a fortune, however the older I get, the more willing I am to spend more in an effort to delay the inevitable, aging. Below, I’ve listed a few items that I’ve really been happy with, and that I feel are worth your money.   

(Please note, my skin can be oily in places and tolerates drying agents, such as benzoyl peroxide very well. If you have dry or very sensitive skin, these products may not have the same effect on your skin.)

Aveda – Tourmaline charged exfoliating cleanser, $29
Depending on your budget, this can be a little expensive, however if you apply conservatively, I’d estimate that one tube may last as long as six to eight months. Only use twice a week to prevent drying out your skin. 

Aveda – Tourmaline charged radiance fluid, $43
This product is pricey, however if you have large pores or would like to reduce the appearance of your pores, this product actually works!! 

Oil of Olay Regenerist – Micro-sculpting cream,$22.59 
I initially tried a product from SkinMedica that claimed to have similar properties. I did think that the serum worked, however it was almost three times as expensive and I don’t see any difference! (Make sure not to use this product as a moisturizer! It is intended to repair skin and not to moisturize.) 

Vaseline Total Moisture Cocoa Radiant lotion 
A dermatologist once told me that eye cream was one of the hardest creams to actually show results. Although she didn’t prefer any particular lotion for the under eye area, she was kind enough to give me a sample of another SkinMedica product for free. I didn’t love or hate the product, but did find out that it was over $90 for a regular sized bottle. Out of desperation and lack of funding, I began using the Vaseline Total Moisture under my eyes in the morning and at night. Dab a little underneath each eye and let dry. It seems to work just as well and is a fraction of the cost!

And here are even more drugstore favorites from my some of my gal pals....

Melissa recommends Maybelline Great Lash in Very Black. Never leaves the house without it. 

Ashley lives in a very dry climate in Colorado and she recommends Burt's Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm and GUD Body Lotion and Body Wash in Orange Petalooza. GUD is a body line made by Burt's Bees. 

Anne Hunter recommends Ponds Cucumber Cleanser make up remover. She says it works so well to remove make up but doesn't leave your skin too greasy! 

My mom had tons of great recommendations and I think she looks great for 60 years old so I thought I would post them all! 

She also recommends Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser (non cucumber). 

Ponds Dry Skin Cream. She uses this when her skin feels dry. I also use this on occasion. It is a good one! 

My mom uses the serum version of the Olay Regenerist. Micah recommended the cream above. Tip: Costco has a good price on this! 

Cover Girl & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation, recommended by my mom and Ellen Degeneres.

 My mom also recommends Cover Girl Last Blast Mascara. I have used this before too and think it is pretty good. 

Wet n Wild Mega Shield Lip Color SPF 15. My mom says it is really rich and creamy and super cheap at $1.99. 

Nivea Body Skin Firm Body Lotion.  

And last but not least...plain ole Vaseline. Nothing is better for dry lips or skin. I also agree on this one...I use this on my children and myself. It is the best. 

Katy recommends Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Moisturizer. She says "I have used used a million moisturizers including la mer and this is the best. Light and you can use it all year. It is $20 which is a little pricey for drug store but lasts a while."

Ada-Maria recommends Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Gloss in Super Sparkle.  She says "I have a tube of this everywhere -- my car, purse, makeup bag and even my nightstand!  I love its shine without being sticky and it leaves my lips really moisturized."

She also recommends Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner. She says "I love these products -- they have changed my hair, especially in the summer when it is prone to frizziness.  I usually alternate it every other day with a 2-in-1 because the argan oil is very moisturizing."

And my recommendation comes from your grocery store....olive oil! I have been using it as an eye make up remover and I LOVE it! Very moisturizing and it does a great job of removing makeup. Try it! 

Thank you! Thank you! to everyone who sent me a favorite! I think Walmart has great prices on beauty items however drugstore.com is offering 20% off right now through March 8. 

There are so many products on the market, it is nice to get recommendations before you purchase something. If you have something you would like to recommend, please leave a comment. 

Recent finds

I have picked up a few things over the past few weeks....some deals and some splurges.

First up, I kept reading about Rag & Bone jeans and how comfortable and wonderful they were. So I splurged with Christmas money and purchased the Skinny in Kensington. I wear jeans so frequently that I don't feel bad spending the extra dollars to get a nice pair. Don't get me wrong...I am a total cheapo and have 4 pairs of the $10 Forever21 jeans. Which are great by the way but you can definitely tell the difference once you get a nice pair.

I have worn holes in the toes of my gold sparkle Toms so decided to invest in a new ones. These showed up at my door yesterday. I think they will be good for now and into spring.

I was out returning things from Christmas and ended up finding two pairs of designer jeans at Marshalls.

Paige Denim Verdugo Ultra Skinny...The tag says compare at $140 and I paid $50. 

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Marc Jacobs Lou Skinny Black Jeans...the original tags says $187 and I got them for $39.

So happy with both purchases.

Michael gave me this perfume for Christmas. I picked it out and love it. I have been wearing Chanel Mademoiselle for years and definitely needed something new.

I posted here about some of my all time favorite drugstore make up products. I have added a few more. I started following this blog, The Drugstore Princess.  Hilary reviews and discusses all types of drugstore products. Check out her blog...she has great advice.

The Drugstore Princess recommends Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow Touge as Taupe. So I purchased and it is great....the shade has more of a grey blue tint but I really like the consistency and the color. 

The Drugstore Princess also recommends L'Oreal 24hr Infallable Eyeshadow. I selected Endless Pearl. Sometimes, I wear alone with brown liner and other times I wear with the Tough as Taupe mentioned above.

Also found this Wet N Wild shadow from The Drugstore Princess. It is great and so easy to use  with each shadow  labeled for an area of the eyelid. Also, can't beat the price at $2.99.  

I am a lipgloss girl but decided to try Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter...I have to say it is not as hydrating as  it claims to be but I do like the color, Sugar Plum. 

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a hair dryer?

My hair has a lot of natural curl but I prefer to wear it straight. Last week, my hair dryer from Target died on me.  After years of owning drugstores hair dryers that last less than a year, I decided it was time to upgrade. I had a coupon for Sally Beauty Supply for 15% off your entire purchase so that is where I headed first. I ran across these "bird" hair dryers by Conair...there was gold bird (the cheapest), then yellow bird (next in line in terms of price), then silver bird (the most expensive). Silver bird was on sale and with my coupon it would come close to the price of yellow bird so I went for it.

This may sound completely ridiculous and I am sure most of you will laugh when you read this...but this hair dryer is life changing. It is really awesome!  Most days, I left the house with frizzy hair that I couldn't get smooth with products. And now it is so smooth and soft. The dryer comes with a straightening attachment that works really well after you have most of your hair dry. Maybe the products weren't the problem, it was the hair dryer. Now we haven't gone through the humid Richmond days of summer yet but I have faith in my silver bird.

I convinced my friend, Micah, to also purchase the dryer and she had the same results. In fact, she said she would be willing to go on infomercial to promote the Silver Bird. Can't believe I have done a whole post and a full three paragraphs on this dryer but I wanted to share. I hope this helps someone out there with frizzy hair like me! And please leave a comment if you purchase this dryer...I would love to hear what you think.

Samoan Sand

I have long been a fan of OPI's Bubble Bath nail color for toes and hands. Last weekend, I redeemed my mother's day pedicure and tried OPI's Samoan Sand. I love the way it looks against tan feet. I think I may have a new color.