The best [unexpected] places to buy beauty products!

A little about me: I feel like I was bred to be a bargain hunter. My grandma is an amazing one and since I was very little she taught me the best places to find awesome clearance deals and insane markdowns. BUT, as I got older I developed a love/passion/obsession with makeup [that my grandma doesn't share- though she will NOT leave the house without lipstick :)] So I took a bit of what she taught me and learned some tricks on my own when it comes to finding beauty bargains. I think a lot of people would be surprised where to hunt down beauty bargains so I thought I'd compile a small list and give you some tips & tricks on how to find good, name brand makeup ...for CHEAP!

[in no particular order, though the last store is my favorite for finds!]

Dollar Tree:
I could talk and talk about how much I love the dollar tree  -I'll spare you-  BUT if you don't frequent this place, you should. BTW, if you're unfamiliar everything is a one dollar, everything. Regarding beauty, it is hit or miss as far as name brand stuff is concerned. They usually have LA Colors and random stuff, which is okay. But once and while you'll be strolling down the beauty aisle and... BAM! you see Milani, or ELF, or Maybelline!

I just recently got these gems (which helped to inspire this whole post):

3 Milani HD advanced lip colors and 2 Milani eyeliners

I always get so giddy when I see name brand stuff and I look through alllllll of it which brings me to tip 1: look through everything, you may not initially see "the hidden gem(s)" make sure to scan the entire beauty section (no matter what store you're at) and when things are hanging up look to the back of each peg, making sure not to miss anything.

With the Milani lipsticks pictured above I almost missed the color I ended up liking the most because as I was looking through I noticed it was only really 2 different colors available (which I had already put in my basket, of course) and after filing through about 10 or 15 I moved on to the eyeliner but before I left the aisle I thought I should look through all the lipsticks just to make sure they weren't anymore shades and with a little more digging I found a beautiful berry shade, which is now my favorite!

T.J. MAXX/Marshall's:

Most ladies probably are aware by now of the almighty bargain that is TJ MAXX & Marshall's, both are one of my favorite places to shop, and if you're not checking their hair/beauty/skin care section, you must!

This is the absolute BEST place that I've found to buy high end hair care products. I've seen practically ever name brand there from Bedhead to Joico, and it's at least half off. I have also found some AWESOME makeup including the balm, OPI, and Urban Decay! It is also a great place to get quality makeup tools like [dupe] beauty blender sponges, eyelash curlers and sometimes brushes. It can be hit or miss but 9 times out of 10 I usually find at least one thing I don't need can't live without.

Rite Aid:

Confession: I try to avoid any drugstore like the plague, I do so because when I go in I practically drool over all the makeup... then scoff at there ridiculous mark-up of prices (compared to Target or Walmart). The exception to that is Rite Aid, in my experience they have some GREAT sales, more so than CVS or even Walgreens. tip 2: sign up for store's email, then you'll know about the latest shipments and sales. I include this tip under Rite aid  because they send you coupons once a week or so [it's the only place I will buy Essie nail polish because once and a while I'll get a 2 dollar off coupon in my email!]

 Not to mention they're sales are phenomenal! They don't just do the typical "buy one, get one half off" other stores do, they have real clearance and sometimes they'll have ALL of NYC cosmetics 40% off or ALL of Rimmel. That's when I rack up, I got my favorite/holy grail bronzer (Sunny by NYC, more about that bronzer here) for a $.140, at that price if you already know you love it, get 2 or 3 back ups! Last time I went they had all of they're older stock of Wet n' Wild 75% off...

I got 3 loose powder blushes (which I intend to press- so I'll use them more) for ONE DOLLAR EACH and the mascara was no more than 2 dollars. A trend I've noticed with Rite Aid is that they aren't afraid to markdown "older" cosmetics when new collections come in and they don't have room on their displays... and that is alright with me!

Big Lots:

My all time favorite! Why you may ask? Because 99% of the time there is always something worth buying and their prices are absolutely fantastic, on everything (not just makeup). I have to brag for a minute and share the best, most high end brand I've found at Big Lots...

Philosophy: 2 eyeshadow quads, highlighter, 2 cream blushes

That's right Philosophy makeup! These products we're 3 dollars each, I definitely got back ups and even sold a few for a profit, haha. It just goes to show you can find great items by shopping discount places and always having your eyes peeled.

I just went to Big Lots yesterday so I took a few pictures to show you the typical lay out and to give you a few more tips and tricks.

Jackpot of Drugstore goodies!

Just in this one picture you can see there's Revlon, Sally Hansen, Maybelline, Covergirl etc. Most of the items will be hanging by hooks, so remember like I mentioned in when talking about the Dollar Tree make sure to look through the hooks so you don't miss anything.

Tips for Big Lots:

Make sure not to miss anything, as I was looking through all the crap at the top of the picture, I spotted this tiny box at the very bottom filled with revlon eyeshadows, concealers and l'oreal nail polish . I don't know why but (in my experience) Big Lots is NOTORIOUS for doing this, so check every inch of the aisle to maximize potential of finding something great!

Display of Physicians Formula on the end of  an aisle

Also don't forget to check the end of the aisle or (as we call it in the retail world) end cap! At Big Lots this is usually where their new arrivals are displayed OR where great name brands are [this is where I found the Philosophy stuff!] Also worth noting, you can usually find great hair care, personal hygiene stuff and sometimes skin care at Big Lots!

Well, that wraps it up my beauties! I really hope you enjoyed the list and I hope you learned a thing or two about where to shop for beauty bargains and HOW to shop for them!

As always please comment, share and subscribe!

xo Leah
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Drugstore products that you should NOT be living without!

If you're a lady who is ballin' on a budget (hello, recession!) then you know the importance of a HOLY GRAIL drugstore makeup find. If you can find something at the drugstore that works as good (if not better) than that Dior highlighter you've been lusting over, you should be all over it.  I am no stranger to the drugstore makeup aisles, you name it... I've probably tried it. Therefore I'm here to tell you the products that you should NOT be living without!

These are in no particular order, and are all equally awesome!

E.L.F. Brushes: 

If you haven't heard of Eyes Lips Face (you probably don't frequent Target) OR you don't do a lot of online shopping, that's okay! I'm here to tell you that their brushes, especially in the studio line are AMAZING and are 3 dollars EACH, that's right.... THREE BUCKS.

Pro's: they work as well as something more high end, they don't shed, they hold up well from use and washing, they're aesthetically pleasing: very sleek.

I highly recommend the following:

L to R: Small stippling brush, powder brush, pointed foundation brush, stippling brush & small tapered brush

 Small stippling brush: great for cream blush or cream bronzer, makes it a flawless application
Powder brush: I use this brush EVERYDAY to apply my powder its dense, yet soft. It works amazing, the one pictured above I've had for over a year and it's still in great shape.
Pointed Foundation brush: This is great for applying concealer under the eyes, also around the eyebrows or nose. I think it would be a little too small for applying foundation (as the name states) but I may be bias because the next brush is my HOLY GRAIL foundation brush...
Stippling brush: I used this everyday to apply my liquid/cream/whipped foundation, it gives me such a flawless finish, I get compliments on my skin on a regular basis, which is because of this brush and my foundation, not my skin haha It's this simple: apply your foundation to a sponge or on back of your hand, tap product on brush and blend out on face in small, circular motions.
Small tapered brush: this brush is great for contouring with bronzer (which I will have a future post up about soon!) it gets into the hollows of your cheeks awesomely. It can also be used for applying powder under the eyes.

Edit: see my favorite e.l.f. eyeshadow brushes in this post!

NYC Sunny Bronzer:

This is the best bronzer I've ever used! Before this I was never truly happy with any other bronzers I was using. It's completely matte so it WON'T overpower your face with shimmer or glitter. I've heard its comparable to Benefit's Hoola bronzer but I haven't tried it to 100% know.

Uses: Sunny is great to contour all over your face (where ever you like to use bronzer) especially in cheekbones, down the sides of your nose, etc. Also I use it everyday to bronze my neck a bit to make sure my foundation blends with my neck and chest.

Cost: 3 to 4 dollars... I mean c'mon really? It's a no brainer. I have 2 back ups and just hit pan on my 1st one after a year or more of using it.

Wet N' Wild Eyeshadows:

Please tell me your already have heard how amazing these are!? If not, you need to run out to your nearest Walgreens/Rite Aid/Walmart and stock up! I'm so glad bloggers/youtubers are finally giving Wet n Wild the attention they deserve because almost everything they make is fantastic, especially their eyeshadow palettes and trio's.

Wet n' Wild: Comfort Zone Palette, photo credit: here.

Their eye shadows are so incredibly pigmented, creamy, velvety, [insert a million more positive adjectives]. Not to mention that they have a TON of supposed MAC dupes in their collections. The have a full shade range from great neutrals to crazy, vibrant pinks and blues.

Cost: 1.99 to 8 dollars (depending on if you get a single eyeshadow vs. a 8 pan palette)
You can't go wrong with any of their eyeshadows... seriously.

I also recommend Wet n' Wild's: lipsticks, blushes, gel eye liner, Fergie eyeshadow primer, nail polish.

Revlon Lipsticks:
If you know me then you know I'm a lipstick junkie, like seriously... my name is Leah and I have a problem. I am ashamed (and quite proud) to say I have 50+ lipsticks, I just think they're so pretty and girly, what's not to love? Anyway, Revlon has ALWAYS been a stand by for me, their shade range and selection is great. They have different finishes like frost, satin and matte and are super affordable! (Hint: I HIGHLY recommend getting them from Wal-mart, drugstores tend to charge 8 or 9 dollars per lipstick, where as at Wal-mart they are less than 5 dollars)

L to R: Pink in the afternoon, Rosewine, Pink Pout, Pink about it

My current favorites are pictured above, Pink in the Afternoon: is a great wearable pink, still adds a bit of pop without being too much or too dramatic. Rosewine: sort of a brick red/berry color, gorgeous on. This color is a staple for me in the Fall/Winter, it would look great all year round maybe for a night out. Pink Pout: Matte light cool toned pink (also suppose to be a dupe for Mac's snob) great color very "lady gaga" to me. Pink about it: Vibrant, bright pink that's alittle lighter than a hot pink. Reminds me of of Mac's viva glam Nicki but a little darker.

Rimmel's Lasting Finish Foundation:
I got this Foundation on a whim at Walgreens one day when they had all of Rimmel 40 or 50 % off. So it was around 2 dollars and it's a GREAT foundation. If you're truly on a strict budget I definitely recommend this because it is around 4-5 dollars. I can't speak for everyone I have dry to normal skin and this works great for me. It really does last a long time, just make sure you blend it semi-quickly into your skin because it tends to dry a little fast, that's the only con I've noticed.

My other favorite drugstore foundations include: Revlon colorstay and CoverGirl 3 in 1 outlast stay fabulous

last but definitely NOT least...

Wet n' Wild Blushes:

Again, Wet n' Wild has done it again ... these blushes are some of the first I ever bought 4 or 5 years ago, before that I wasn't really into blush. Now, blush and lipstick are my favorite makeup products, ever. Wet n Wild blushes are 2.99 and I would pay 3x as much because the quality and pigmentation are absolutely out. of. this. world.

All 4 pictured here. Photo Credit: here.

Like I said, I've had some of these for years and have yet to hit pan on any of them, a little goes a loooong way, make sure to tap off your brush before applying so you don't over do it. FYI: the shade Pearlescent Pink (the most left shade in the picture above) is a dupe for Nars Orgasm, the most worn blush in the world, literally.

The only bad thing about these blushes, you ask? ...is that their is only 4 shades, hopefully Wn'W will get the hint to make more soon!

Well, that wraps up my list my beauties! There are a lot more things I could talk about, maybe I'll make a part 2 soon. Thank you so much for reading! Until next time, stay thrifty and fabulous!


xo Leah
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