Happy Post Memorial Day! I hope you all had a great weekend, and for those of you who played in the sun, this post is for you!
As a makeup artist I've always believed in testing all brands, from artistry and boutique lines, to department store behemoths, to drugstore staples. In the past I've brought you reviews of luxury brand foundations, high end skincare, and color from a variety of artistry lines. But today I'm letting you in on a few amazing scores, all under $15 at your local drug store! (Because looking pretty ain't cheap, but every now and again you can snag a deal)!
Let's begin with my favorite category, BB Creams. I'm still a huge fan of M Misha, Dr. Jart, Urban Decay, and a variety of others, but here's one that won't break your bank and looks flawless! L'Oreal's BB Magic, selling for around $10 at your local drugstore. (I paid $12 but online it retails for as low as $7)!
This BB Cream is a hybrid. The BB's that have always ranked highest for me are extremely dewy, thick and emollient rich in texture, and possess a pearly or bronzing tone. This BB is different in two ways: first, it goes on like a very light, water based moisturizer. No thickness whatsoever, so if you're prone to oil, consider testing this one out. Second, it has no initial color. It comes in 4 shades, (fair, light, medium, and dark) and appears almost clear white when squeezed out of the tube. Once applied to the skin, it basically mimics your exact skin tone and dries like a "second skin". (When you remove it at night you'll notice it's peach). This product is, (in a word) FANTASTIC! It performs beautifully, goes on like oil free moisturizer, and dries to an almost fully matte finish. A perfect, everyday product that you can apply with or without a setting powder.
Next, we have Burt's Bees SPF 15 Daytime lotion with all organic, zinc and titanium dioxide. Man, am I impressed! I cannot express how futile using those "spray on" sunscreens are, or how bad chemical sunscreen barriers are for your health. When looking for SPF, try for products whose active ingredients are Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide. These create a physical, rather than chemical barrier between your skin and harmful UVA/UVB. Products that list Avobenzone or Oxybenzone should be avoided in favor of organic barriers. These can be found in formulas for "sensitive skin" or "Babies". Believe it or not, using Burt's SPF 15 is actually much better in quality and in protecting your skin than say, a Banana Boat or Neutrogena SPF chemical 70. And the kicker? It's priced at around $15 and it smells like grapefruit!
Having said that, there's a Neutrogena item that has won my heart. Finally, (and my new favorite for down and dirty cheapies) Neutrogena facial pads for cleansing and makeup removal. These babies are just amazing. If you add one drop of water to them, they remove waterproof mascara and all base makeup, and they leave a really nice, slightly oily but hydrating finish which you can wash off or leave on to give your skin an extra bit of moisture.
Last but not least, here are some drug store color products that are pretty spectacular when you want to try a new trend:
For a pop of
turquoise liner designed to make you feel like a summer, flower child, try Rimmel Scandal Eyes in waterproof formula. For around $3.50 a pop, you can't go wrong testing new colors.
Want to go 60's boho on your gloss? Try NYX Xtreme Lip Creme in Dolly Girl. About 3-6$ depending on which drug store you shop at.
Want a little bronze love? I've blogged these before but they're becoming a hard core favorite! NYC's Sun'N'Bronze. Available in 4 great colors, my personal favorite is fire island. At $5 a pop, they're a summer must-have!
So head out to your local CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Duane Reade, Walmart, and see what's happening in the beauty aisles!
With Love,
Noa B
