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Showing posts with label dupe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dupe. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

My favorite Wet n Wild ONE dollar lipsticks!


Hey beauties! Sorry I've been a little MIA for the past week, I started a full time job recently {I'll talk more about it in my Friday post} the hours have been quite the adjustment but so far I'm loving it especially since it's in the Makeup industry! Anyway, I wanted to share with you my favorite Wet n Wild dollar lipsticks ...yes that's right dollar lipsticks! Not to mention sometimes Rite Aid & Walgreens have Wet n Wild 30-40% off, so sometimes you can get them for as little as 60 cents and THAT my lovelies is a bargain! So, let's get into it :)

Maximize for MUCH more detail! L to R: no flash & artificial light, with flash, no flash & natural light
L to R: Blushing Bali, Cherry Frost, Copper Dust, Dark Wine
*Note all of these lipsticks are a glossy, creme finish.

1. 545 A Blushing Bali This obviously the tamest color of the bunch and I think it would be appropriate for all seasons, but if you're of a natural girl you need this color! It's a great nudey peach color, it totally reminds me of Mac's Ravishing but I can't for sure say that they're dupes or anything because I don't own Ravishing. If you want a easy, no fuss shade and can't get enough of peach/natural corals definitely pick this up!

2. 514 A Cherry Frost This color is a beautiful, pretty unique red hue, in the pictures it shows up as a kind of standard retro red but it actually has great raspberry tones in it in person. It's kind of like if a red and hot pink got together and had a baby. Also *DUPE ALERT* it's an absolute dupe for the limited edition Mac lipstick "Ronnie Red" {from the Archie girls collection} see the comparison here! And honestly what's better than a Mac dupe for a dollar? Even if it's a color you may rarely use it's still very much worth the money!

3. 529 B Copper Dust The name to this gorgeous shade is pretty actually it coppery, rusty color with strong pink tones as well. It's pretty unique shade and I don't own anything like it. Because of the glossy, creme finish it's great almost iridescence and it can look slightly different in natural vs. artificial light. If you are scared of orange toned lipsticks try this... because it's mainly pink with a hint of copper it's a prefect way to ease into bolder colors!

4. 522 A Dark Wine Talk about the perfect fall/winter lipstick shade! This is the quintessential wine/plum shade it's so pretty and I think it would be flattering on a variety of skin tones. What's great about the creme formula is that if you are hesitant to wear a darker shade like this you can apply it very lightly or apply a lighter shade over top of it to get a more natural or wearable look! Plus if you don't think you'll wear it much, but still want a plum or wine shade in your collection this one is a winner since it won't break the bank!

Well there you have it my favorite Wet n Wild dollar lipsticks! Do you have any dollar lipsticks you love? leave me a comment and let me know. If you take anything away from this post remember just because it's cheap doesn't mean it doesn't perform well and Wet n Wild is a prime example of that! Until next my beauties, take care.

xo Leah
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Sunday, September 15, 2013

My Beauty Favorites Under 5 Dollars!


Hey beauties! I hope you had a great weekend and this week will be as well! If you have followed my blog for a while now you know I'm big on bargains and also drugstore makeup, I love finding inexpensive things that work just as well as high end or designer! So, I'm going to show my beauty favorites under 5 dollars & also throw in some high end dupes as well! Let's get started :)

1. e.l.f. Studio Blushes, $3


e.l.f.'s studio blushes are great for a beginner to blush or to any blush-aholic {hello, I'm Leah and I have a problem!} the packaging is similar to the coveted Nars blushes but with only a 3 dollar price tag, these are the perfect cheap alternative. These are pigmented, easy to work with and just all around great quality! My favorites are candid coral (top, center), berry merry (top, right) and pink passion (bottom, right)! If you are interested in these be sure to subscribe to eyeslipsface.com's emails because they are regularly doing coupon codes, free shipping, etc. so you can get a even better deal!

2. Wet n Wild bronzer, 3.99
Wet n Wild's Bronzer in a "Ticket to Brazil" is absolutely gorgeous, it's not too dark or too light and I believe would be perfect on a variety of skin tones! It has a subtle golden sheen that is not too over powering, it would be great to had a slight glow to the cheeks or even to contour with! Plus, this baby is HUGE, it's .46 oz {compared a Mac blush is .21 oz} And the best part? It is a dupe for Tarte's shimmery verison of their bronzer Park Ave. Princess which retails for 29 dollars! A 4 dollar dupe for a 29 dollar product? Yes please!

3. Jordana Lipliners, 1.99
Jordana Lip Liners are my holy grail lip liner of choice! First off, they are dirt cheap but they also come in a great variety of colors! They don't have to be sharpened... which a lot of the more expensive ones still do. Most importantly though, they have absolutely great color pay off and they are super long lasting, what more could you want? My favorites are: tawny {a muted mauvey pink, goes with just about anything}, rock n' rose {a light brown, works great to deepen coral lipstick} and cabernet {dark wine color, perfect for plum/berry lips}

4. Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Primer, 4.99
Wet n Wild Fergie Eyeshadow Primer This primer's called "Take On the Day" and really does just that. This stuff stays in place like nobody's business, I've wore my eye shadows for 12+ hours without a single crease or smudge! I did an in depth review of the shimmery version in this post {I also compare the original to the shimmery, etc. they BOTH work great!} I've heard others say this is comparable to the Nars eyeshadow primer, I don't own the Nars one so I'm not positive. I do know for me this works BETTER than too faced shadow insurance and that alone is awesome, considering the price different!

5. Nivea Lip Butter, 3.99
Nivea Lip Butter has quickly become my "can't live without it" lip balm! I swore by Carmax chapstick for 5+ years and I literally wouldn't use ANYTHING else. But, in the past couple months I just thought it wasn't doing much for my lips, like my lips had become immune to it or something haha So I picked up 2 Nivea lip butters when they were 2/$3 at Rite aid and they have CHANGED my lips! They are light weight and creamy, and really do seem to work magic! Plus of course they smell amazing, I love caramel cream followed closely by vanilla & macadamia. These are worth the money even if they aren't on special, plus I have a feeling they'll last forever as well! 

6. Wet n Wild Eyeshadows 4.99 and under
Wet n Wild Eyeshadows are simply the best for cheap, QUALITY eyeshadows! {I know you faithful readers of my blog are probably like "Enough already! We know you love wet n wild!" haha} I'm simply obsessed with most things Wet n Wild, but their eyeshadows truly are wonderful and I've never had a bad trio or palette for them, you can't go wrong! My favorite trios are Walking on Eggshells & Silent Treatment and my favorite 8 pan palette is most definitely Comfort Zone I will be doing a in depth dupes post on this palette soon, pretty much all colors are Mac dupes! If you haven't tried Wet n Wild just pick up one trio I promise you, you'll be back for more!

Well that you have it, my go to beauty products UNDER 5 dollars! Do you love anything I mentioned or will you now try something I showed? Let me know in a comment! Thanks so much for reading, until next time!

xo Leah
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Thursday, September 12, 2013

5 Lipsticks to help you transition into Fall!


Hey beauties! I hope your week is going well AND that you are looking forward to having a fabulous weekend! Today I am bringing you 5 lip colors that are PERFECT for transitioning into Fall, they're not too bold or too summery ...they are just right! Plus all of them are from the drugstore and 2 are only a one dollar! So let's dive in!

L to R: Wet n Wild Wine Room, Revlon Rosewine, NYC Sheer Red, e.l.f. classy, Maybelline bit of berry

{maximize for more detail} Top picture: natural light. Bottom picture: with flash

1. Wet n Wild "Wine Room" This shade is great mix of pinky, berry tones with a hint of red. The formula is a matte finish and is super opaque with just a swipe! Since it's matte it's super long lasting {especially for a drugstore formula} without being overly drying. This is a beautiful shade and I think it would be very flattering on a variety of skin tones! Price: $2

2. Revlon's "Rosewine" If you're intimidated by red lipstick this is a great color to ease your way into reds! It's a softer, more brick or tomato color! It's Revlon's super lustrous creme finish, so it will give you the perfect amount of shine without having to add a gloss! Try this for a "no fuss" way to rock a red lip! Price: $5-7

3. NYC's "Sheer Red" This lipstick is exactly like it's name... a sheer darkened red color! {for your reference the swatch above is 2 coats} I'd like to think this lipstick is kind of like a marriage between a Revlon lip butter and a lipstick: it's creamy and buttery but also has great color! This again, is a great way to wear red if you are just starting out with bold colors or just want a sheer wash of color! Price: $1

4. e.l.f.'s "Classy" I like to think of this shade as a great drugstore alternative to Mac's "Up the Amp" it's a mix of pink and purple tones, but it's still very wearable {more wearable than up the amp IMO!} I don't think I could pull off up the amp, but I do think this lipstick is very flattering for having purple tones! If you're all about baby pink lips, try this out for a hint of pink, with darker tones for fall! :) Price: $1

5. Maybelline's "Bit of Berry" If you just can't wait to rock a plum/berry toned lip, this lipstick is for you! Bit of berry is a super wearable berry shade which darkens the lips without being too much. Think of it as a darken version of your favorite pink! Again, a great tone to ease yourself into wearing berrys and plums! P.S. I just swatched this beside Mac's Craving and it's a dead on dupe! 5 dollar Mac dupe, score! Price: $5-7

There you have it, what do you think of my color choices? Do you have any lipstick recommendations that are perfect to ease into the Fall season? Please, share in a comment below! Until next time!

Leah xo
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Friday, September 6, 2013

H54F: Cosmetic Job Interview, Mac Dupe & more!


Hello beauties! I hope everyone had a good week and is looking forward to a fabulous weekend, this is my 2nd installment of high five for Friday {H54F} which, if you don't what that is, a lovely blogger by the name of Lauren Elizabeth recaps her week and encourages others to do the same! It's quite fun... plus I had some beauty related things happen to me throughout the week, so let's get started! :)

Wednesday I got a called from my dream beauty & retail job... Sephora! Wanting to know if I had time to interview on Thursday, uh... of course! I've been trying to score an interview there for months, so to say I was excited was an understatement! So I took pictures of the eye makeup I wore to the interview because I was really happy with the way it came out! I stuck to neutral eyes because I didn't want to be too over the top since it was an interview, but still wanted to show off some skill level! Haha

No edits/no filter

My shadows appeared slightly darker/more smokey in person, just an FYI. I was super happy with the way it came out and I was really impressed with the false lashes I used, they are pretty natural and looked great!

How to get the look:
[Maximize for more detail!} L to R: Wet n Wild Vanity Palette, Wet n Wild "walking on eggshells", Mac's naked pigment

1. First I used middle shade on the left side of  Wet n Wild's Vanity palette  it is a light brown matte shade and I applied this in my crease, I know a lot of people do their lid color first but I've found I can blend things out easier and get a better effect if I apply my crease color first {I can always add to it along the way if I want} it's just what works for my slightly hooded eyes!

2. Next I applied the eyelid shade of Wet n Wild's walking on eggshells trio {on sale right now at Walgreens for 2 dollars!} to my eyelid, this is a gorgeous slightly pink champagne shade a supposed dupe for Mac's Naked Lunch I believe!

3. I then went back to the Vanity Palette and applied the dark matte brown shade on the bottom left to the outer v of my crease and outer lid as well.

4. I then took Mac's Naked pigment on a slightly damp flat shader brush and applied this just to the center of my lid to add some extra sparkle and dimension, I HIGHLY recommend doing this, it really brightens and opens up the eye. A good drugstore alternative to this I think would be L'Oreal eyeshadow in Iced Latte.

5. Next I popped a little bit of the matte cream shade in the Vanity palette right below my eyebrow for a highlight, then I couldn't help but to put a tiny bit of the naked pigment there as well!



6. I then used Jordana's Metal Rocks Eyeliner in "Purple Prism" on the outer half of my bottom lash line, the color is more of a dusty plum with slight shimmer. It's so pretty and extremely long lasting {12+ hours without coming out or smudging!} It's one of my absolute favorite pencil eyeliners and it's 3 dollars!

7. Then I used my Revlon Precision Lash Glue {which is great because it has a tiny brush to brush the glue directly ON the lashes!} waited 30 seconds for the glue to get tacky and applied Modlash Andrea 21 false eyelashes with little to no problem! These lashes are great if you are looking for something more natural or you have smaller set/slight hooded eyes because they do not over power or eye or hide all the work you put into your eyeshadow!




What do you ladies think!? The lashes gave me an extra boost of confidence since I rarely wear them, but if I get the Sephora it would be the perfect opperunity to wear them regularly! Btw, I think the interview went really well, the manager I interview with was super nice and friendly, so cross your fingers for me! :)

Mac Lipstick Dupe!:

I accidentally discovered a Mac lipstick dupe yesterday, I swatched Milani's Plumrose and instantly thought of  Mac's Craving sure enough when I compared them side by side they're pretty much identical! I know the Milani shade looks a bit lighter in the picture, but trust me it's just the lighting! This is the perfect berry, plum shade for fall I'm so glad to of found a cheaper dupe!
Mac swatch on top, Milani on the bottom

 That about wraps it up ladies, I hope all of you have a super stellar weekend! Please let me know what your think of my interview makeup look in a comment! Until next time,

Leah xo          Follow me on:  Google Friend Connect     |     Instagram     |       Bloglovin'
 


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Monday, September 2, 2013

A lesson learned from finding makeup dupes on the Internet!

Hello beauties! Hope all of you had a wonderful weekend and holiday if you're in the US... I did with my family and mah main squeeze! On to the post ... if you know me you know I'm a makeup dupe freak! I make lists of them, I post them almost daily on my Instagram {follow me!} and I will also have SEVERAL prepared makeup dupes/alternative posts coming up this month, so be on the lookout! {Lots & lots of Mac dupes, ladies!} But, along with the searching for dupes, the excitement of finding a new dupe comes this: slowing finding out that lots of "supposed dupes" you find on the internet for high-end items, are not dupes at all. Does this infuriate anyone else but me? I. don't. understand. It's bound to happen, I guess and it just happened to me ...TODAY!

I was researching different products last night and pretty much stumbled across how a 3 dollar e.l.f. blush was a dupe of the 28 dollar Benefit Coralista. This instantly got my attention, because 1. I (the drugstore queen) actually have a smaller sample size of Coralista to compare the e.l.f. one too and 2. I know what a popular brush this among makeup lovers so I thought this would be GREAT dupe to report! So, I went out to Target and picked up Candid Coral blush by e.l.f. ...truth is, I have no idea why I haven't bought this blush earlier, I'm obsessed with coral makeup. I just always assumed it was the same blush that was in their Contouring Blush & Bronzer duo because they looked similar... but this is not the case!

Anyway, I got the home with the e.l.f. blush and instantly opened it and I was excited because looked very similar to Coralista in the pan!

Left: e.l.f. candid coral Right: benefit coralista

Looks good, right!? Looks really, really good. But then I swatched them...

Left: e.l.f. candid coral Right: benefit coralista
Turns out... they're pretty freakin' different. candid coral is much more coral and has a beautiful golden iridescence, almost duo-chrome & coralista is more frosty and definitely more baby doll pink. Honestly, this made me dislike Coralista even more... why is it called coralista if it's a baby doll pink? I don't get it and honestly, I think it's overrated haha. ANYWAY, it is truly crazy how these blushes look so alike in the pan and so different swatched... they really aren't comparable at all once swatched.

So the lesson learned is always do your homework before believe or reposting a dupe, unless you see swatches side by side, I'd proceed with caution in actually believing something is a dupe for something else! Unless, of course, it's a friend or blogger your really trust, etc.

I hope this was helpful to you ladies, it certainly was a learning exprience for me! BTW, if you don't have candid coral I do recommend getting it for 3 dollars {obviously, I just got it today} but it looks utterly gorgeous swatched. Until next time!

xo Leah                Subscribe via GFC | Follow via bloglovin' | Follow on Instagram!

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Friday, August 30, 2013

High five for Friday: Weekend Plans & Travel Makeup Bag!


Hello beauties! Just wanted to pop in and quickly ask you ladies what are YOUR plans for Labor day and the long weekend!? My fiance and I are heading to my annual Labor day family reunion. I know... it doesn't sound too fun, but it actually is! My extended family rents out a Summer Camp {which is now closed for the season} and there are cabins, a pond to fish/boat in, animals to ogle over and the whole nine! So over all, it's pretty cool, plus I get to see people I don't get to see too often!

I wanted to quickly show you a peek into my travel makeup bag! We're only staying one night so it's not too full, I am a crazy over packer so, this amount is amazing for me haha


I'm just going for the essentials and most of these items I've mentioned in previous posts! 

I will share my thoughts on a few things I haven't mentioned before! 

  •  Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mascara I liked this mascara for a long time, I've just sort of rediscovered it recently, not only is the packaging adorable but it performs pretty well too! It's got a comb-like brush so it great at separating your lashes, it lengths decently too. My only small complaint is that I wish it held a curl better, but that's usually always a problem for my lashes!
  • Covergirl & Olay concealer, this stuff is magic in a pot, I'm pretty sure it's being discontinued because it's been on clearance at several stores I've been to, but if you can find it I highly recommend it!
  • Rimmel lip pencil in "eastend snob" it's a great staple pale pink color, I find it goes great with pretty much any shade of pink lipstick AND coral {which has been my favorite of the summer!} 
  •  Wet n Wild Vanity Palette {pictured under the "walking on eggshells" trio} this six pan palette is absolutely great, I HIGHLY suggest you get this if you don't own it! It's limited edition so it is hard to find, but that link that I listed has it for 11 dollars & free shipping. I know that a little expensive for wet n wild, but considering every single color is a Mac dupe, it's still very much a bargain in my book!
 Please comment if you want details on anything in my travel makeup bag that I didn't mention!

 I hope all of you have a safe, fun and wonderful Labor Day weekend, until next time

xo Leah
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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Makeup look for less: Taylor Swift VMA's

If you caught the 2013 MTV VMA's on Sunday I bet you couldn't help but notice how elegant and classically beautiful Taylor Swift looked... am I right?! I love the gray smokey eye and darken red lip, so I thought I'd show all my lovely readers how to recreate this look using drugstore makeup products! This look would be perfect for a special occasion or a girls night out. So, let's get in to it!





1. Covergirl Outlast Foundation I simply cannot say enough good things about this foundation. It lasts longer than anything I've ever used, it is absolutely perfect for a long day, or even a sweaty night of dancing! You can read more about my thoughts on it in my summer essentials post , I have put this stuff to the test and it truly is impressive! Plus I thought it was super fitting I used a CoverGirl foundation, considering Taylor herself is a Cover Girl! Cost: $9-12

2. E.L.F. baked blush in "Pinktastic". If you notice Taylor has minimal product on her cheeks, it almost looks like she skipped a blush all together and just used a pink/silver highlight on the top of her cheek bones. Pinktastic is a great way to achieve just a slight shimmery, pink look and if use with a light hand could be used as just a highlight instead of a blush. The elf baked blushes are long wearing and extremely pigmented, they are a great alternative to the Mac mineralized skin finishes. Cost: $3

3. Physican's Formula Quad in "Canyon Classics" This palette is absolutely fantastic, it can work as double duty to fill in your brows {if you have brunette hair or lighter} and the gorgeous matte grey shadow is PERFECT for recreating Taylor's smokey eye! I know what you're thinking... "Leah there is a ton of glitter on her eyes, they're not matte!" Don't worry, #4 takes care of the glitter, just apply the matte shade all over the lip up into the crease and smudge it along the lower lash line. If you want a little more definition put the lightest color in this palette in the inner tear duct area and right below your brows! Cost: $7

4. Femme Couture glitter eyeliner in "Chain Reaction" This is a liquid brush on glitter eyeliner in silver. Now I know that glitter can be intimating for some people, but I think the tiny brush applicator on this wand offers a great amount of control, so the application isn't messy at all {hallelujah!} To get Taylor's look apply the eyeliner right under your lower lash line & in your inner corner. If you're glitter maven, however, by all means... go nuts! Haha {Note: I know that NYX used to make a silver glitter eyeliner too, but I couldn't find it anywhere... not sure if it's been discontinued.} Cost: $7

5. Maybelline Cat Eyes Mascara , I love this Mascara! Not only is the packaging adorable {I'm a completely sucker for leopard print!} but I think this formula is long lasting and holds a curl very well. The curved brush helps my stick straight lashes to curl better, even after curling them with an eyelash curler. Also, it isn't a HUGE brush like a lot of mascaras tend to be now-a-days, so it works very well at getting your bottom lashes without smudging/making mistakes. You can always pop on a pair of false lashes if you want a bit more drama, Taylor didn't look like she was wearing any {if she was they're semi-natural}. Just make sure you curl first and apply at least 2 coats for that dramatic look! Cost: $7-9

6. NYC lipstick in "Sheer Red" this lipstick is absolutely gorgeous, plus for a red... it's such an easy to wear red! It's tad bit darker than your classic "retro red", so I thought it would be perfect for Taylor's look. If you're a little intimidated about wearing a red lipstick just apply this lightly, I almost guarantee you'll like it! It's flattering on so many skin tones, and guess what it's only a buck!? That's right 99 cents. If you're going out for a long night try and apply a lip liner first to increase the longevity of wear. Cost: $1


There you have it an easy, cost effective way to achieve Taylor Swift's VMA makeup look FOR LESS! I really think this is a perfect look for a sexy date night or a special night out! Please let me know if you plan on trying this look out AND what was your favorite celebrity look of the night. Thanks for reading, don't forget to subscribe!

Until next time! xo Leah
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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Get that famous "Jlo glow" using drugstore makeup!


Most ladies {whether you're crazy about makeup or not} know about the Jennifer Lopez's famous "jlo glow" it is one of the most talked about looks in makeup and Jennifer's makeup artist Scott Barnes made the look famous on Jennifer. It's super iconic and it's easier to obtain than you may think! I'm going to share with you great products to achieve this look available at the drugstore {including several high end makeup dupes}!

Now I wouldn't advise you to necessarily use ALL of these products are the same time, but some in combination would give a great glow to your face, eyes and lips!


1. L'Oreal True Match Lumi This foundation is a light to medium coverage that gives your skin just that little extra glow. Don't fret though, there are no "visible shimmers" so you won't end up looking like a disco ball. It's a natural healthy finish, with that little extra "something". I'd recommend applying it with a beauty blender {or a cheaper alternative} sponge so you get an absolute flawless finish. I have heard people with very oily skin don't have a lot of luck this foundation, so just be aware of that! Another alternative would be to get something like Mac's Lustre Drops added to your favorite foundation will do the trick as well!


2. NYX Cream Blush in "tickled", the blush is absolutely gorgeous! It is hands down my favorite cream blush, see my swatches of it here. It reminds me of Nars Orgasm in cream formula, in which it's a pinky peach with great golden shimmer. It gives off an amazing sheen and almost iridescent quality. Again, it's not over the top and it's a great user friendly cream blush. Trust me, once you buy this blush you'll find yourself using it again and again.


3. Wet n Wild Bronzer in "ticket to brazil" first and foremost this baby is a dupe of the shimmery version of the Tarte Park Avenue Princess bronzer! {Picture of the comparison on my instagram here , make sure to follow me too!} It's a gorgeous shimmery golden bronzer and it'll last forever, it's 23 grams of product! It's great to add a glow or to lightly contour the hollows of your cheekbones. This is quickly becoming my holy grail product when it comes to a shimmery bronzer.


4. Hard Cany Highlighter in "tiki" this product has quickly become a cult favorite in the beauty blogger/guru community and there's not doubt as to why, it's really good stuff. It has been compared to high end highlighters like a the balm's Mary-Lou Manizer or even the coveted Dior Amber Diamonds, I can't say for sure if they compare because I don't have the high end counterparts. All I know is it's a beautiful champagne, light yellow based highlighter. It's perfect for dusting on the top of cheekbones, placed on the inner tear duct of the eye or on the brow bone. It brings just the right amount of light and life to the face.


5. Wet n Wild trio in "Walking on Eggshells" Let me start off by saying, I just can't get enough of this trio. I put off getting it for so long because I kept telling myself you have enough neutrals. I finally caved when Wet n Wild was 30% off at Rite Aid, so I paid less than 2 dollars for it. Let me say I'd pay way more money for it, these shadows are so pigmented and buttery. Also, a bonus all 3 shades are Mac dupes: the highlight shade is a dupe for Mac's "shroom", the bronzey/brown shade Mac's "tempting" and the champagne/peachy shade Mac's "all that glitters". Use these shadows together or separate to create a great bronze, shimmery eye.


6. L'Oreal Lipstick in "Peach Fuzz" This lipstick is so pretty, it's a great shimmery peach shade. It's almost frosty, but don't be afraid it's not your "grandma's frosty lipstick" It's great at adding light to the lips, while adding a peachy sheen. See swatches in this post. It's rather subtle really, and can be used to amp up a darker lipstick or topped off with gloss for a super pretty shimmery lip. It's definitely a must have for you coral lovers out there!

There you have it! A list of some outstanding drugstore beauty items that you can use to get that famous "Jlo glow", see go forth and be that bronze goddess I know all of you can be! Haha. Until next time my beauties, please comment, share and subscribe!

xo Leah
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Friday, August 9, 2013

Surprising beauty items you can SAVE on & not SPLURGE on!


Hey beauties! So, I got so excited when I had the idea for this post. I don't know about you but as an active beauty community follower {i.e. blogs, beauty gurus via youtube, review websites, etc.} I've heard over and over again things like, "there's some things you NEED to splurge on" or that you MUST buy the high end version of this or that. Along with that chatter comes the typical list of things that you have to buy the expensive version of because the cheap stuff just doesn't compare! Well, I'm here to tell you that's B.S. and don't you believe it, there are plenty of great cheap alternatives to the things ladies always claim you must splurge on!

Makeup Brushes:
I've heard youtube "beauty gurus" say over and over again, "you have to have Mac brushes" or "No other brushes compare to Sigma!" and obviously both those brush lines both seem great, but do I have the money for them? No. And have I been putting on my makeup just fine without them!? Yes! My favorite line of low cost brushes hands down is ELF. They make a wide variety of brushes for your eyes and face and at a price range of $1-3 dollars, that's right up my alley! Read more about my FAVORITE elf face brushes in this post!

These are some of my other favorite elf brushes L to R: small angled brush, lip defining brush, eyeshadow "c" brush, eyeshadow brush, and blending eye brush. I stand by these brushes not only because they're inexpensive because the quality is pretty darn good and I've had a lot elf brushes for years and they're still going strong! I also have had good luck with  forever 21 {edit: this is F 21 brush set I love! So much so, I bought a second one}.

Liquid Foundation:
I may get some backlash for this one... but I just can't bring myself to purchase a 30 or 40 something dollar high end foundation, that's just me, if you can do it more power to yah! Personally, I think people would never notice the difference if you're using something that works with your skintone and is a great drugstore product!

My choice for top 3 drugstore foundations
1. Covergirl outlast stay fabulous 3 in 1 foundation {whew, is that a mouthful or what!?} is my newest holy grail foundation it's really fantastic and super impressive stay power, read more about it in my summer essentials post! 2. Revlon colorstay was my holy grail foundation for years! Its got great staying power, the only down side to this foundation is that you have to work fast when applying because it sets quickly! But, overall colorstay provides a great, matte finish foundation. 3. Rimmel's lasting finish foundation I used this foundation for about a year straight before the covergirl one came out, if you're seriously broke, this is the foundation for you. lasting finish its only 4-5 dollars at Walmart or Target and it's comparable to colorstay honestly and leaves you with a matte finish, the staying power is just a little less I'd say, best cheap foundation I've used though.

 Brow products:
I know ladies rave and rave about Anastasia's brow powder and gel. But, even if I had the extra cash I don't think I could even make myself spend it on high end brow stuff. Don't get me wrong... I'm obsessed with brows... and making mine as close to perfect as I can. The thing is I can make that happen with drugstore products, so why spend more?

Rimmel makes great brow pencils and so does Milani. My preferred method is using my elf angled eyeliner brush and my Physician's Formula Canyon Classics Palette. It's pretty inexpensive it's an absolute must have eyeshadow palette (regardless of if you use a color to fill in your brows).

Can you tell what color I use to fill in my brows? lol.
  The bottom right shadow is a perfect, natural match for my light brown brows! Then I use my Maybelline great lash CLEAR mascara to set my brows and I must admit I wasn't very impressed with this at first, maybe it's just me but my brow hairs still moved out of place after using this. So I took a few spritzes of hairspray {what women doesn't have hairspray laying around!?} and squirting it into the mascara tube to give the gel alittle more staying power and it worked beautifully... even lasts through a sweaty workout!

Eyeshadow:

Now by now a lot of us beauty bloggers & makeup enthusiasts know that most {not all, but most} drugstore eyeshadows are just as comparable as the high end brands like urban decay, mac, etc and sometimes even better! But... I just had a sweet reader comment on one of my posts saying "I would of never thought wet n wild products were good!" ...well they're not just good, THEY'RE GREAT! And better yet, between my wet n wild eyeshadow collection & some elf palettes I almost positive I have both Urban Decay naked palette's duped and countless mac eyeshadows duped as well!

Some of my all time favorite eyeshadows, details below.
 1. L'oreal infallible eyeshadow in "Amber Rush" this is a must own shade. The perfect rose gold/coppery color which incomparable pigmentation.
2. Wet n Wild trio in "Silent treatment" great smokey eye palette, or you could go very daytime if you just used the eyelid color & browbone shade.
3. Maybelline's color tattoo in "bad to the bronze" is {obviously} a bronzey shade with a metallic finish, it's a gorgeous multidimensional shade that can be easily be "stand alone" eyeshadow.
4. Wet n Wild trio in "walking on eggshells" perfect for that everyday shimmery, neutral eye. Plus all 3 shades in this trio are Mac eyeshadow dupes!
5. Wet n Wild 8 pan palette in "Comfort Zone" this beautiful palette has an array of neutrals and even some darker sultry colors. This palette is damn near perfect and so unbelievably pigmented.


Is there any of your drugstore favorites that didn't make the list? Please share in a comment below! I could go on and on about makeup {especially affordable makeup} all day, so I'd love to hear what you beauties have to add! Just remember you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot, and if you try something new you may end up replacing your 45 dollar foundation with 10 dollar one... and that's money worth saving! :)


until next time!, xo Leah