Sunday Round-Up

So this weekend I ran out of a lot of my normal cosmetics (why is it that I run out of everything at the same time?!), so I went to my local CVS (my FAVE place to buy drugstore brands since I always save money with my CVS card.  If you have a CVS in your area, I highly suggest you start shopping there since they always have amazing sales and discounts on cosmetics) and picked up some old faves as well as some new items that I am loving so I thought I'd share.

1.  First and foremost - Revlon's Nail Polish in 'Gray Suede' - this is the most PERFECT NUDE.  I have to say that I got the polish because it had the word 'gray' in it...but this is not a gray polish...it is the most perfect, not shimmery (which I hate), beigy-nude.  I have already blogged several times about Revlon's nailpolishes, but I'll say it again - these are my fave polishes over most of the more expensive brands since they don't chip, last forever, dry quickly and apply easily.  (I swear I'm not getting paid by Revlon - even though I probably should be by now).

2.  Revlon's Lipglosses - a) Super Lustrous in Coral Reef - again, the most perfect coral lipgloss.  It's lightweight, yet stays on (not all day) but for a good while.  I'm sure this coral would look good on anyone since it goes on semi-sheer but can be layered to get a deeper look.  b) Colorburst in Rosepearl - I wear this gloss almost everyday to work.  It goes with any look and it just the prettiest nude-pink with a hint of gold.  Again, I'm sure this color could look good on anyone. The Colorburst lipglosses stay on quite a bit longer than the Super Lustrous since it goes on a little thicker.  Since wearing the Rosepearl to work, I have received so many compliments from my co-workers.  

3.  Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Cloud Wine- I have to thank Katina (aka Recipe Gurl) for this find.  I usually never use Maybelline and especially didn't think my skin would appreciate a mousse-like blush - but I am loving this sheer color wash and dewy-look this gives my cheeks!  I've been wearing Nars Orgasm for the last like six years of my life but recently my make-up artist, David Frohmberg, told me that I needed to wear more raspberry-like colors instead of corals (don't get me wrong, I still LOVE Nars Orgasm and refuse to give it up)...so this Cloud Wine is that perfectly gorgeous raspberry color I've been looking for.  And I didn't think that a mousse would last, but it really does last all day.

4.  Covergirl Last Perfection Volumizing Mascara - I've always been a Covergirl Mascara kind of girl but this new mascara from them is by far my favorite.  It gives my boyish eyelashes volume and length and doesn't flake or wear off during the day - what more could a girl ask for?  

5. Olay Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream - So I've only been using this for a couple of days and thankfully I don't have major wrinkles around my eyes...yet...but I was using Garnier's anti-wrinkle eye cream for the past couple of months or so and I have to say that I just like how this stuff feels compared to Garnier.  Garnier's cream went on very thin and on many occasions burned my eyes if I got too carried away.  The Olay cream goes on uber thick and creamy and never even comes close to stinging my skin or eyes.  It then in turn, makes my under eye concealer go on more smoothly -making me love it even more.  So I can't say if I see a huge difference in my 'wrinkles' but it is a great cream for your eyes before you put on your makeup.  And hopefully I will notice a difference in the next five?...ten?.. years.

What are your favorite Drugstore Must-Haves??

xoxo,

Amanda

Look for Less: Nail Polish

If you stay up to date with current nail polish trends, you will see that metallics are hitting the fall 2011 Runways hard.  Metallics in any color are big, but metallics in metal colors like gold, bronze and  graphite are huge.  I absolutely love this trend but refuse to spend my paycheck for these 'designer' nail polishes.  It's no secret that I have a new fond appreciation for Revlon polish - but when I saw their three new metallic polishes today, it was true love.  For just $3.99 a pop you can have the Runway look but at the Revlon price:

Silver Dollar, Gold Coin & Copper Penny

Now look - you can barely tell the difference between the Revlon shades and the Chanel Metallics below.  The only difference, Chanel polish retails for $25 a pop.  I mean, really?? 

Quartz, Peridot and Graphite

You can buy all three of the Revlon polishes and still not even come close to what one Chanel polish cost.  Thank you Revlon, I am now forever devoted.

Drugstore Find Raves and Rants

1.  Revlon's Top Speed Nail Polish in Hazy - Okay so I've mentioned before about how I'm not normally a nail polish person but I still wanted a new color for Spring.  I absolutely under no circumstances wear the usual corals, pinks or reds that usually come out in the hotter months.  I instead have been dreaming about a pastel gray.  Imagine my delight when I found it at the local CVS and imagine my even greater delight when I read that it would dry in 'top speed'.  Revlon's Top Speed Nail Polish in Hazy is truly my new fave.  It's the most perfect pale gray for Spring and Summer and literally dries in 60 seconds just like it promises.


Please Excuse my Giant Man-Hands


2.  L'oreal's Magic Perfecting Base - I actually bought this awhile ago but only used it a couple times and then frankly, forgot all about it.  Well, I busted it back out since the hot Florida sun has a habit of melting my makeup into cakey lines all over my face. I was a little skeptical since most primers I've used end up doing absolutely nothing, or are too heavy and make me break out.  But the second I smoothed this extremely soft, velvety 'mousse' onto my face, I could tell this was a winner.  It evened out my skin tone, smoothed my pores and made a great base for my foundation.  So that day I was actually out and about in the hot sun for work and received several compliments on my 'perfect complexion'.  To make matters better, you can find it at any drugstore for like $8!

3.  Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Replenshing Hair Mask - I've made it clear in a previous blog how troubled my hair is...and that continues to be the case.  I'm still loving my Nexxus Pro-Mend Shampoo and Conditioner but when I know I'm going out and wearing my hair down - I turn to my new BFF, Pantene's Beautiful Lengths Conditioning Mask.  I put this on after I shampoo in place of the Pro-Mend Conditioner and leave it on for a couple minutes.  The second it washes out of my hair, I can feel the silky-smooth difference.  It gives my lifeless hair volume, shine and softness.  Again - this gem can be found at any drugstore in your area for like $8. 

So here come my rants...


4.  L'oreal's Carbon Black Telescopic Liquid Eyeliner - I don't think I would have picked this up if my fave Makeup Blogger, Makeup by Tiffany D hadn't recommended it as one her drugstore faves. I absolutely love Tiffany and her recommendations, so again, I had very high hopes for this product.  Okay, so I know 'hate' is a strong word but I seriously hate this product.  It is not easy to apply; it doesn't last - for example, about thirty minutes after applying, I scratched my eye area and ended smudging the eyeliner half way across my face and I hate the stiff, wierdly shaped applicator - it makes me think of a hard angled calligraphy pen...all in all, it's horrendous and I wish I could find my receipt so I could get my $7.99 back.

5.  Too Faced Candlelight Eye-Insurance - Not sure if Ulta technically counts as a drugstore, but it's close enough.  So I orginally went to Ulta for the Urban Decay Potion Primer in Sin - but as my luck would have it, it was sold out.  The salesgirl directed me to the Too Faced Primer since it was the most comparable to the Urban Decay.  For $18 a pop for a tiny tube, I had high expectations. To begin with, I like the golden shimmer it puts on my lids, but I don't think my eyeshadow lasted more than one hour without creasing.  I even feel like it makes my eyeshadow/eyeliner crease MORE than withOUT primer at all.  So I've actually been using my L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base on my eyelids and been pretty happy with that but I'm still on the hunt for the perfect eye-primer.