Weekly Review: Makeup Removers

     Welcome back! I hope you're enjoying the week. The review today is all about eye makeup removers. I do have a favorite as you may know from reading previous articles. It is the Sephora Waterproof Makeup Remover. I don't use it everyday, but only on my 'tough' eye makeup days when I'm wearing everything under the sun.
     To accurately test these removers, I used it how I would use the Sephora remover. You always want to remove your eye makeup gently. My process: wet a cotton round with the remover and hold it on your eye for 10-15 seconds. When you remove the pad, your eye makeup should be completely removed. If there is liner or mascara residue you can use the other side of the pad to wipe that away.
You should never have to scrub (especially the eye area) to get you makeup off.

Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover 3.4oz ($20) sephora, esteelauder.com-ULTRA gentle! Perfect for sensitive eyes. Affective, almost feels like water on the eyes. ophthalmologist tested







Almay Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover 4oz ($6) drugstores- A dupe for the Sephora remover, except it's more gentle. Plus, it's frequently on sale at local drugstores ophthalmologist tested






Family Dollar Makeup Remover 4oz ($3) family dollar-I used this and it removers makeup, BUT you have to use so much of it to remove 1 eye,  that it isn't really a bargain.





ULTA Makeup Remover  3.4oz ($6) ulta-I only use this for spot cleaning, because it isn't the strong. It can remove the stray mascara without destroying your eyeshadow. This stuff is gentle and it removes makeup but, you practically have to scrub it off.

BEAUTY NEWS!!

     Hello lovelies! Welcome back! I hope all goes well this week.  Spring is starting to pick up and everything looks bright and positive!     

Let's just right into sales for the week

CVS
BOGO 50% Revlon, Sally Hansen, Maybelline lip&eye, Simple, St. Ives, Almay, Nuance, Physicians Formula, Rimmel,  Milani, Covergirl lip&face, Biore, Jet gens
BOGO 75% off Lumene

Walgreens/Duane Reade
BOGO 50% Revlon, L'oreal, Rimmel, Broadway & Kiss Nails
30% off Maybelline
25% off Neutrogena
$9.99 Revlon age defying foundation
BOGO 50% Revlon Color burst lipstick

Rite Aid
BOGO 50% Covergirl, L'oreal lip&nail,  Maybelline face&eye, Revlon, Biore
Almay foundation, powder, bronzer, blush, concealer & makeup removers.
Physicians Formula bronzers, powders and blush, BOGO FREE!           
25% off Neutrogena       
$6.99 Covergirl tru blend

     Stay on the look out for my makeup remover review and also my list of everything you will need for camp this summer...I know! I've been there! And keeping your skin fabulous in the woods is no easy task!
     I am also concocting a NEW challenge! And maybe around June we'll do another no buy month/makeup fast.

Weekly Review: Concealers

     OH YES!! It's about that time for a  review and this one is all about concealers!
I tried a bunch! an let me tell you, it's no easy task. Concealers act differently when applied to different areas. In the expressive areas of the face, around the corners of the eyes and mouth, we want something that won't crease. We also want something that will last all day, stay matte and something smooth and blendable. We also want something that will cover well, since that is the first and MAIN job of a concealer.

Lets start with the GOOD
IMAN ($13) drugstores, drugstore.com, imancosmetics.com -This is a VERY thick mixture. It was so thick that I tried to use my finger…but when that didn't work I used a brush to dab it on, but I used a beauty blender to blend it in and smooth it out on my face. Cover redness excellently, I had a pimple on my nose and with a small dab it was invisible. I had it on about 8 hours and it seems to get better (by 'better' I mean relaxes on your face and looks seamless) over time. It didn't move or crease. It was also matte the entire day!

Sephora 10 hour Blemish Stick ($17) and 8 Hour Perfect Cover Concealer ($15) sephora.com-goes on smooth, feels kind of thick. Not oily, it's matte and remains matte. Doesn't move or run. Covers well and blends excellently, PLUS there are lots of shades. People have complained about the blemish stick being cakey, but the point of the stick is to NOT make concealer go on cakey. The only way I good see it being cakey is if you, use too much and/or don't blend it.




NYX Full Coverage ($6) ulta, nyxcosmetics.com-  It feels thin, but covers excellently. It doesn't look totally matte, but it's not shiny or oily. It stays on all day. I hope they plan on extending the line to have as many colors as they have for foundation.

NYX Waterproof ($5) ulta, nyxcosmetics.com-smooth application. The packaging is more condusive to spot treatments. Feels smooth but not oily. It covers well, it's long lasting and always matte. The color look natural and seamless.

LA Girl Pro Conceal ($2) some beauty supply stores and ladymoss.com- This little gem has become a MUA favorite around the internet. For concealing? not really. For highlighting and contouring, yes. It's like a thicker liquid foundation. It covers pretty well and since it's thinner than a typical cream, it lays flat and will never look cakey.  

Also good is the Eclipse palette from Coastal Scents. I can't see it working very well for personal use, but it's a great starter for aspiring makeup artists. It has a good amount of shades, a few corrector colors and even a highlighter. The concealer, blends well and covers excellently.

                                          The BAD
ELF concealer ($1) eyeslipsface.com-Oily and way to sheer! Moves around to much to conceal anything.








ELF studio concealer ($6) eyeslipsface.com- This product is still too sheer to conceal much of anything. The formula is a little thicker and way less oily.
  




The UGLY

L'Oreal True Match Crayon ($8-$10) drugstores- very thick, colors are weird. I can only use the shade that's supposed to be my color as an under eye concealer. It blends well, but it will crease or should I say crack and looks dry and chalky on the face. The crayon worked better as a highlighter on the more oily parts of my face, like my t-zone, I guess that's the trick. Personally, I did not like this, but it might work better for people that are oily all over. Also they're color chart is a bit off so going by their warn, neutral, cool chart, will just be more confusing. Find the color that fits you regardless of the label.

The CONFUSED

Hard Candy GLAMOFLAUGE ($6) walmart- I'm confused by this product, because it covers well. When it's sets, it's a matte finish, but it chalky and can look dry. Maybe, it will work well on severely oily skin types, but DO NOT use it under your eyes and find and EXACT match.

BEAUTY NEWS!!!!

Hello again!!
     I had a busy week, some ups, a couple downs, but I'm still here as always, stalking the internet to bring you a week of deals.
     I've been thinking how much I would love to do a challenge in May. But, I have all this new stuff and I just want to use it all!! You can check out my IMATS haul video on YouTube. I wanted to do another video yesterday, but I felt like the stuff under crap. Today I feel above crap, which I consider a vast improvement!

SALES!!
I have to admit that this is the part I wait for every week.

Rite Aid
BOGO 50% Maybelline, L'Oreal, Covergirl, Simple, Ponds
40% off Revlon and Physicians Formula
30% off Neutrogena

Walgreens
BOGO 50% Revlon, St. Ives, Ponds, Yes, Covergirl, Maybelline

CVS
BOGO 50% CVS brand cotton products, makeup applicators and sponges, Revlon, Neutrogena

Duane Reade
BOGO 50% Boots Botanics, Revlon face, lip & eye, Covergirl, Neutrogena, Almay face & eye, Yes, Maybelline, L'Oreal

So it's short as sweet today. I'm putting together reviews on concealers and eye makeup removers, one of which I will have ready for you this week.
Until then, have a great week, see you soon!

7 Tips and Tricks to Keeping up with your Skincare Routine

They say it takes 6 weeks to form a habit. One healthy habit we should all have is an EFFECTIVE skincare routine. I know it can be hard to keep up this habit, especially on days when we get home late and can't be bothered with the process.

1. Organization
     I know how it is, small bathroom, no space, no shelving or other storage options and barely any space on the sink for your toothbrush holder and hand soap. I got those cheaply made, adjustable corner shelves (that use to be seen on tv) and put them in my bathroom. 1 shelf by the sink holds my cleansers and mask (any product that needs to be rinsed off) That way the products are always within reach. Plus, they are right in front of my face. I can't miss them!
     Anything that doesn't need water (serums, moisturizers, treatments) goes in another place. ( I usually keep my makeup wipes and removers in this place too) I have no room on my dressers to store products, I use to use my coffee table as a meeting spot for my products. Again, they were right in from of my face as I'm staring at my computer or the tv.
If this it too messy to keep in public, keep them on a vanity or on top of a dresser. You can also put the products in a basket that can be whisked out of sight when company comes over. That way at least all the products stay together.

1b. Keep you daytime products (that don't require water) near your makeup, that way you won't forget to apply them, or spend extra time trying to locate them in the morning.

2. Multitasking Products
     Don't have time for all the steps it takes to keep you skin looking it's best, buy products that fit multiple needs. There are lots of moisturizing day creams with spf, cleansers with exfoliating beads and of course cleansers designed to treat a variety of skin issues. This way if you miss a step, or skip a step, you would have used a substitute without even thinking about it.
      I use to have a "lazy cleanser", it was Yes to Grapefruits. I enjoyed this product, because it as a cleanser, exfoliator and treated dark spots. All I did was throw on moisturizer and hit the hay.

3. Date your skin
     Light some candles, play some soft music and put on a nice foamy luscious facial cleanser :)
     What I really mean is set a day and time aside each week (or more than one day, if necessary and feasible) to truly give you skin the FULL treatment. I usually do it on Sunday, between 8-9pm, this is spa time!

4. Make Lifestyle Choices
     Pick products that fit you lifestyle. If you don't have 15 minutes to wait for a mask to dry, try a different product. There are masks on the market the require 1-3 minutes to set.
Don't have time to exfoliate? Get products the exfoliate while you sleep.
This goes along with choosing multitasking products as well.

5. If  You Must, Make Smart Cuts
     You're in a rush or just extra tired from a long day.
At night: you wash your face, but you just want to jump into bed. Great! one night without your serums won't hurt. (maybe you can even grab some night cream on the way to bed...maybe)
In the morning: your running late, with out time to give you face a proper beat (makeup slang). You are going to need a product with SPF in it. With BB cream, CC cream or tinted moisturizer, you can skip the moisturizer and just use the cream.
     In a moisturizer, foundation, powder situation (all containing spf) you could skip the foundation, using only the moisturizer and powder.

6. Work, Even on OFF Days
     The secret to mastering ANY routine is to do it consistently. On your off days, keep up your skincare regimen. Even on days when I don't plan on leaving my house, I still wake up and wash my face in the morning and at night.

7. If anything, ANYTHING at all, PLEASE remove your makeup
     You get home late, you feel hungry, sleepy and *blah* all at the same time. If anything, anything at all, remove your makeup. If you're not wearing makeup, give you face a quick rinse, or even quicker, use a cleansing wipe or cotton round with witchazel.

Me And My Products!

    It's been a whole year and I realize I haven't updated you on all the products I currently use. I have oily/combination skin. I also have dark spots, which are the bane of my existence! I have learned how to fight my dark spots and live with them as they fade into the background. I've tried several products (it was the basis of starting this blog)

There are 3 things I wanted out of the products that I chose

1. Combat the oil production
2. Fade dark spots
3. Feel clean

Here's a list of EVERYTHING I use and love:

1 - Neutrogena Cream Cleanser- $8 at drugstores
I have been using this forever, honestly I'm glad I ran out, because I'm changing to #2 on my list. Not for any special reason, the Neutrogena is a good product, I just like the other better. daily

2- Biore Combination Skin Cleanser - $8 at drugstores

it's a gel cleanser and it not to strong for daily use, that's why I liked this one and the neutrogena. It helped with my oily skin but didn't dry my face out.  daily  

3- DermaE Microdermabrasion Scrub-$20-$30 available at health food stores and ulta.com

I figured it was time to graduate to a new exfoliator. It's made of natural products, dead sea salt and has smaller, rounder, exfoliating granules. Plus it gets the job done better. 

 few times a week 

4- Murad Rapid Age and Spot Pigment lightener- $60 at ulta and Sephora

(FYI I've never paid full price for this product)

 LOVE.  It really does work quicker than other products I've used. You only need a little. I use one pump and only apply it to the actual problem area, my chin and parts of my cheeks.
Plus, I only need this 1 step and I'm good to go! No more products that need 2 steps to work! daily

5 - Lumene Night Firming Cream -$25 at drugstores

I love it because it's light , hydrating, and not greasy. I had this hijacked from me by my mom so I decided to try #6.  daily

6- Philosophy Hope In a Jar-$15 at Sephora (trail size)

It's suitable for all skin types. It's light,  absorbs quickly. I will be switching back to the lumene only because of the anti aging properties, hope in a jar is still a great moisturizer.

daily

7 - Olé Henricksen Ultimate Life Eye Roller-$28 at sephora

This works for everything,  puffiness, fine lines, firming,  dark circles, all in one tube and you know how much I LOVE multitasking products. daily

8-Cetaphil/Family Dollar Gentle cleanser - $13/$3.50 at drugstores/family dollar

Doesn't matter which one, the have the same exact ingredients. I use it in the morning to get all the pillow dirt off my face. daily

9-Ambi Fade Cream -$6 at drugstores

When I run out of this, I cry! I have been using this a few years because it lightens dark spots,  moisturizes AND contains sunscreen...spf30 to be exact. Another plus is that it's formulated for oily skin. daily

10-Lumene Vitamin C Drops-$25 at drugstores

This contains concentrated vitamin c that helps with healing and brightening of the skin. daily

11 - Origins charcoal mask-$16-$24 at sephora

I have said it before and I will say it again, I love clay masks! Plus it has charcoal in it, which has become trendy! You can thank me for that :)  weekly    

12 - Biore Ice Cleanser- $8 at drugstores

 I used about 5-10 days out of the month because I might have a break out brought on by mother nature's curse. Usually clears up a breakout in 3 days, but I sometimes use it as  a preventative measure. daily for 5-10 days at month

13 - Elf zit stick is used as a spot treatment for pimples. $1 at eyeslipsface.com or NYC store

used as needed

14 - Biore pore strips-$9-$15 at drugstores

Are used on a weekly basis. I don't have black heads, but it cleans out the pores on my nose and makes them appear less visible. weekly 

15-Witchazel-$1-$2 at drugstores

I will sometimes used as a toner after cleansing to remover makeup/dirt from some areas like around the hairline, and nose. As also use it to remove the residue after using the biore strip. used as needed

16 - Olive oil...what? -$2 and up at grocery stores

Yes, I said oil. It's from my homemade skin care regimen. I spread the oil on my face and then lay a warm towel over the area where the oil was applied. This helps to soften the skin. I do this once a week before my scrub. I avoid applying the oil to the t- zone and concentrate on my 'problem' area. Also works with vitamin e oil. weekly

BEST $10 (or less) I EVER SPENT!!

     This months BEST $10 is from Ole Henricksen. I know you're probably gasping at a $10
Ole Henricksen product! Well the original price is $16 and comes with 2 treatments making each treatment $8. This is a 3 step system with an almond microdermabrasion scrub, a lemon, glycolic and lactic acid peel and chamomile mask.
     You only need to use this treatment as often as you would get a professional spa mask or peel, which can be anywhere from every 3 to 6 weeks. I would probably use it about once a month to start off, but it's so effective that maybe I could go longer between treatments.
     This system is actually made of professional spa grade products. It use to be ONLY available in spas, where they probably charged 100's of dollars for it.
     It leaves skin feeling AHH mazing! Skin will feel soft, brighter,  moisturized and smooth after this treatment.
     PLUS where in the world would you get a professional spa treatment for $8?!
This system also comes in a 6 pack for $45, and if we were to break that cost down it would be about $7.50 cents a treatment!

Disclaimer: If you are allergic to almonds or lactose intolerant,

 you may experience some irritation.

     Overall this in one of my TOP facial treatments...I may never need a professional facial again. My skin felt so good, that I didn't want to put on makeup. I didn't even want to wash my face in the morning, in fear that I might ruin the affects of my treatment, but I did anyway...and it still felt FABULOUS!

$1 *GEM*

HELLO THERE!!!!
Before we get to our $1 *GEM*, I just shot a NEW video on YouTube and you can peep that HERE!

     NOW our $1 *GEM*. You should know, exfoliation is important to me. When in doubt EXFOLIATE! Exfoliation has helped me control my oily skin, acne and help fade my acne scars. Not to mention that FOR EVERYONE exfoliation gets rid of dirt, dead skin, and will help you skin adsorb moisturizers and have your makeup sit on your face better and not look dry, patch and just plain crappy. We all need different levels of exfoliation. This product will work for everyone, even people with sensitive skin.
     It's a facial cleansing buff by "Modesa". I got it at Family Dollar. It could be any brand, but this one was the one that was available to me.
     It's soft and effective. It's great for first time users, sensitive skin owners and teens. If you need more exfoliation then you would just need to use it twice a day. You can use it with your regular cleanser combining both exfoliating and cleansing in 1 step! Overtime, the pad will get softer, so replacing it every 3-4 weeks is recommended, if you use it everyday. ( for weekly use, replacement is recommended every 6-8 weeks)
     I tried it for a while in the mornings, with my Cetaphil (or Family Dollar Cetaphil substitute) It's great as a gentle exfoliator and leaves skin feeling smooth.

   Storage options: you might be afraid that this pad might collect germs. To combat this store it far away from your toilet,  like in the shower, with your shower sponge. You can also get one of those travel bar soap containers to put the pad in.

BEAUTY NEWS!!! Finale Challege Wrap up!

     HELLO BEAUTIFUL! I hope you had a wonderful week. I was busy, but I had time to catch up on some sleep on Saturday, it was magical!
     I went to IMATS on Friday! It was wonderful!! I hit all the booths I wanted/needed to hit and even some I didn't plan on, but they had great stuff and great prices so, who am I to argue.
     I'll do a video about my IMATS haul, just to share...it was unbelievable! I will be going back as long as they will have me!
     I am happy to announce that I am on SPRING BREAK!!! WOO HOO!! I am gong to crank out a few reviews, while I have the time off.

     Challenge wrap up
I enjoyed it, but I am SO glad it's over. I have all this new stuff to use and although I was able to test my creativity, I could not wait for the challenge to be over! I would do it again, I plan on it. I also plan on modifying it.
     What I Learned: This palette was similar to the "Lotus" palette, being that they were by the same brand, LA colors. I couldn't layer the colors, because when I did, I created a whole new color that changed the look I planned on.

Here are the looks:

From left to right:
1-muted purple in the inner corner, blue on the rest of the lid, purple liner
2-muted purple all over the lid, black smudged liner
3-blue near the lash line, bright purple to the brow, blue liner
4-bright purple on the lid, blue in crease and outer corner (by laying the colors I created a 'new purple', purple liner
5-bright purple on lid, muted purple on the outer corner
6-bright purple in the center of the lid, blue around that color ( near the lash line, inner and outer corners and crease) blue liner
7-*this picture was taken at the end of the day*  muted purple on the lid, blue in the crease, blue liner

SALES
If you haven't already gotten the Sunday paper, GET IT! there is a $4 Almay coupon inside!

Tarte is having a 20% off sale
Ulta is having a 20% off sale (with coupon) and 40% off of Almay,  Maybelline, Revlon

SALEORAMA up in here!!

CVS
BOGO 50%-Revlon, Almay face &eye, Milani, Physicians Formula, Nuance, L'Oreal, Iman, Cetaphil, Ponds, Biore
Aveeno buy 2 get 1 FREE
Rite Aid
BOGO 50%-Maybelline, Covergirl, Almay, Revlon, L'Oreal, Neutrogena, Aveeno
Nair is BOGO FREE
Clean&Clear $5.99

Walgreens
BOGO 50% -L'Oreal, Neutrogena, Rimmel, Maybelline
$3 off Indeed products

Duane Reade
BOGO 50%-Maybelline, Covergirl, Revlon, Neutrogena, Studio35, Aveeno, Almay
Biore 2/$12

$10 Makeup Challenge and Tutorial!!

BEAUTY NEWS and Challenge Wrap Up!!!

     HEY THERE EVERYONE!!! Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful week! My week was fun, filled with new information, and I'm sleepy!
      This week ended our 3rd week of the "1 palette, 7 days challenge", with one last and final week, I randomly picked another palette by LA Colors, the "Iris"palette, which I also got at Family Dollar on clearance for 80 cents (regular price $1.50). With this brand we already know what we're getting. I'll need to use primer with and I can't expect rich colors. This palette is perfect though, it's a part of my $10 full face makeup tutorial, which I will be shooting this week. I wanted to shoot it last week, but I sounded like death. Maybe I'll even shoot it today. Before we get to that, let's do a recap of last week.
     I picked this palette a couple years ago because of the colors. I was going to Vegas and needed something vegas-y. (yes I'm pretty sure that's a real word) The colors are rich enough for everyday and can be easily layer to make the color brighter and richer. The silver is the richest color, even though I always use it, it barely looks touched. The black and pink did fade, but the colors did not crease with the primer.

Here are the looks
* in some looks I would have had richer colors, but I was starting a new job and didn't want to scare anyone LOL

 

1- pink on the lid, black in the crease, silver highlight

2-silver in the inner corner, pink in the middle, black in the outer corner and crease

3-silver on the lid, pink in the crease

4- "smoky eye" black near the lash line, pink in the middle, silver highlight

5-pink on the lid, black in the outer corner

6-pink on the lid, black in the crease and inner & outer corners

7-pink under on the bottom lash line, black in the outer corner

black liner was used for every look.

 

This weeks FINAL palette:

 

 

SALES!!!

I know the part we've all been waiting for!

 

Duane Reade

BOGO 50%- Revlon, Neutrogena, Cerave, Nivea, Simple

25% off- Wet n' Wild, Rimmel

 

Rite Aid

BOGO 50%- Maybelline, Revlon, Covergirl face& lip, Ponds, Noxema, Simple, NYC

40% off- Almay, Wet n' Wild

Revlon Colorstay Mascara and Liner $4.99

 

Walgreens

BOGO 50%- Revlon, Simple, Neutrogena

 

CVS

BOGO 50%- NYX, Rimmel, Covergirl, Simple, Clearasil, Cerave, Covergirl, Simple, Revlon, Olay

Buy 2 Get 1 FREE- Physicians Formula, Wet n' Wild

 

Also Hautelook has a special on NYX products, 40% off.

 

Hopefully this week I can get you a product review and a youtube video. I have LOTS of stuff to tell you, but just not enough hours and a day to do it in.

 

 



 

 

 

 

Saving Money on Beauty Products

     Since I'm writing about beauty on a budget ( shameless plug) I'm going to tell you some of the things I do to save money on beauty products. I admit I have a little bit of an advantage because I get blogger perks, a few pro discounts and a company discount. But before that, and currently 75% of the time, I am still buying items without any 'perks' whatsoever.
Here is a list of the things I do, to bring you all the dirt on a variety of products.

1. Don't be afraid to ask for samples. Lots of places provide samples, especially Sephora. They WANT you to ask for samples! At makeup counters it's a little bit harder. You have to be a little charismatic and don't directly ask "hey can I have a sample?". Act interested, be polite, say you're interested and try the product if they offer.

2. Sign up for all company newsletters. In my Gmail account, those newsletters are actually filtered out into their own tab, which makes them easy to locate and filter though to actually find the RIGHT deals. Signing up for company news letters lets you know about deals and new products.

3. Ebay. I go on Ebay to search for lots of things to fit my makeup needs. I'm not saying buy makeup, but things like brush keepers, empty palettes, spatulas, storage, mirrors, bags, etc. will probably be cheaper on Ebay. PLUS if you buy things in bulk like, brush keepers/guards or mascara wands, they come out, cheaper in the end.
* with brush guards/keepers-I cut some in half and use them for my eyeshadow brushes. There is no need to use a full sized one on a smaller brush head.*

4. SALES! Personally, I only buy during sales...except at Sephora, where there are no sales. I also use coupons at ANY place that accepts coupons. During the holidays, I bought enough stuff to last into the new year. 50% off to me, means I can buy twice as much :)

5. Buy More! WHAT? how does this make sense? Usually sites offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount. So if you need to spend $50 to get free shipping and your order is $40, and you have to pay $10 in shipping, just spend those $10 shipping bucks on more products to get the free shipping!

6. Social Media. Follow your favorite brands, enter every contest! Even if you don't win you, didn't lose anything. I've only won 2 contests in 2 years and one was like 2nd or 3rd place. Sometimes when you enter you might receive a free sample.

7. Sign up for rewards. Ulta and Sephora both have rewards programs that cost 0 to sign up for.

8. Sample/Travel sizes. If you are not sure about a product, or just want to try it for yourself, but don't want to commit to the cost, buy the smallest size.

9. Beg, Borrow...but don't steal. I'm pretty sure friends and family members have a lot of products that you can sample for FREE! Maybe you can even trade products that you have no use for.

10. Get more for less. I love the deals when you buy a certain amount and get something free. Be smart about it though! If you need to buy $40 worth of products to get an additional $40 in free products, it's worth it, but if you get a foil packet of hand lotion for spending $120, that's no good.

11. Beauty Boxes. Some of my favorite products came from beauty boxes. Companies like Ipsy and Birchbox will send you a box of samples for $10 a month and you can cancel anytime.

12. Apps. There are apps for almost everything, including shopping! Get the Wrapp app and the Retailmenot app.
* with the Wrapp app you can get coupons for H&M to use on anything in the store (I recommend the makeup brushes) I've also gotten free Julep boxes.
* Retailmenot app gives you coupons to use in store and online.  I used one at the Body Shop, so not only did I get my brushes 50% off because of the sale, I got an additional $15 off for spending $30.

13. Check unusual places. I went in a store that pretty much sold stripper/hoochie clothes. I saw a hat in the window that I wanted (on sale of course) so I went in and noticed they had a huge display of NYX products. Of course they were overpriced, BUT they had NYX brushes,  3 for $12 for face brushes and 3 for $5 for eye brushes...I bought all they had.

14. Don't need it, It doesn't match, it's not for you, so don't buy it. Prime example, I've heard people rave over Smashbox BB cream, but they don't make a shade that matches me, so I'm not buying it. If you don't need anti-aging properties, don't buy it! If the color doesn't work for you, don't buy it.