Shop Miss A Experience and Product Review

Hey Everyone! It has been a VERY long time!!! but, I am happy to be back and I PROMISE I will try my best to keep up with this thing, since I did start it! I love my blog and it's my baby. I think I stuck to my own personal deadlines too much instead of just blogging.
If you have been following me on Instagram, you would know that I am very much alive and still buying stuff LOL!
Speaking of buying stuff, I would like to tell you all about my most recent budget purchase.
I have been hearing about shopmissa.com for a little while, so I finally decided to get a assortment of items to try out. In case you are not familiar with Shop Miss A, everything on that site is $1!! Plus, there is free shipping when you spend $30. I only spent about $13 total including shipping, which was less than $3.
Here is a list of items I bought:
-kleancolor lashes
-kleancolor brow pomade
-kleancolor brow powder
-naisture brightening mask
-2 kleancolor liquid matte lipsticks
-2 santee matte lipsticks
- beauty treats lip scrub
The process was very quick. My order was processed, shipped and arrived within a week.
Now for some reviews of the products.

These are swatches of the lip products I bought.

The top 2 are the liquid lipsticks and the bottom 2 are the regular matte lipsticks.

Brightening Mask
Now I will forever love a natural ingredients. This mask has both chemical and natural ingredients.
Arbutin is the key ingredient. This is accompanied by collagen, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, vitamin e and lactic acid.
How do you use this mask? It is a sheet mask. First you have to wash and dry you face. Then gently unfold and apply the mask to your face. After 15 minutes, you remove the mask, tap in the excess serum and let your skin dry before you apply moisturizer. One thing I liked about the mask was that it actually fit my face. It is too early to tell if the ingredients worked, but I can tell you that my skin felt soft and hydrated. I would use it again and even experiment with different masks of this brand.

Lip scrub
Of course I had to try all the skincare first! The lip scrub I like as well. It says black cherry on the label, but that only means the smell, it has absolutely no taste, which I am OK with. The walnut meal is ground super fine. I used this lip scrub on dry lips. It is very emollient and never dries, so you could be scrubbing forever! PLEASE DON'T!!! Limit it to a few seconds. I was a little weirded out seeing the tiny container, then I thought, " oh well, that's what you get for a $1." When I tried it, I scraped a tiny bit out, ( I will try my best with the measurements, about 1/16 x 1/8 section) and I felt that was too much! After I was done scrubbing, I simply wiped it away with a paper towel. I would purchase this again too!

Liquid Lipsticks
First, they smell fruity which is nice and weird at the same time. But, I'll take that over that cheap cosmetic smell any day. It feels very slick and moisturizing.  The color did not turn out as bright on my lips as it was in the tube, which was a little bit of a bummer. The texture was good though. My lips did not feel tight, dry or sticky. I would say this product is more of a stain gloss than a liquid lipstick. It was matte, I give it that much, and the color did stay on. Even though I could see remnants of the color on my coffee cups, my lips never went without color. Would I buy these again? I am considering it...but for only 1 reason, the staining factor. I would layer these "lipsticks" with an actual lipstick to minimize the need for touch ups. It would be great for clients.

Brow Pomade
I actually had high hopes being that most of the colors were sold out...but the color is just not right. I am usually in the medium brown family when I buy eyebrow products and I was lucky enough that they had it in stock. BUT, the color is just too warm for eyebrows. It looks artificial by itself. Plus the consistency is thin, so you will need a couple layers, which only amps up the fact that this tone of brown is not right. It makes me wonder if the rest of the colors are like this... To solve the issue of the color being too warm, I tried layering it with the brow powder...

Brow Powder
So this powder looks like it should be good...but I'm not sold on it. Its too powdery and upon contact with a brush there is immediate fall out. By itself, this brow powder is too grey. It almost looks like you had your eyebrows tattooed on and it has now faded. Layered on top of the pomade, the color is odd. It was a weird purplish, brown, grey. I don't know what else to call it. No, I would not buy this again.

Lashes
I am OK with these lashes. They are soft, flexible and have an invisible band, which I have a personal preference for. I would probably order more.

Lipstick
The consistency is great!, These lipsticks are soft, and glide on easy...unfortunately they do not last long. The color fades and pigmentation is inconsistent, the peachy one was not as pigmented as the pink one I tried. I seriously doubt I would purchase these again.

Best $10 I Ever Spent!

It's summer, or the end of it I should say, and us oily/combo girls need some help! I will FOREVER stand by that face masks, change lives. Lol
Truth be told they do help immensely, so adding one to your current skincare routine can only help improve your skin.
I use a variety different masks, depending on time of year, results I'm looking for,  and my current skin condition.
I use the Boots Botanics Shine Away clay mask to purify and mattify. It's great for any age, even teenagers, starting them out on the path to great skincare.
If you're oily, you use it all over the face, it dries fairly quickly, in less than 10 minutes. For combo girls, with an oily T zone, you can use it as a spot mask on the nose and forehead.
This mask can be used  at least one a week, and as needed. It also retails, just under our $10 price range.

$1 *GEM*

I know it's been a while since I bought you guys a $1 *GEM*. As a matter of fact this item was not even really $1, it was a $1.19.
But these AMAZING storage containers are worth WAY more than that!
As you may know I frequent discount and dollar stores looking for steals, and this time I TOTALLY lucked out! I have been looking for good, convenient,  cheap and kinda cute storage for a while, and I found it on my way to work in the morning. These storage bins are a godsend! I bought as much as I can use, but I am thinking of hoarding some for future use. They are cute, stackable, don't take up a lot of space, yet they are surprisingly roomy! Plus there is no assembly required. 
They come in 4 colors and 5/6 different styles. I chose the boat style for my collection of items waiting to be tested and the front loading box style holds  my collection of products I use everyday.
The 4 on my desk cost a total of $4.80
My collection storage cost a whopping $12.00!! (Tax not included)
Check your local stores and see what available,  there is ALWAYS something good!

AT HOME SPA DAY!

     Hey everyone!!!  As promised, here are some ideas on how to do an at home spa day. You can do them all in the same day or do them piece by piece during the week.
I usually pick Sunday as my spa day, but that only included my face. Now I included body care into the equation as well.

 

Step 1* I recommend for everyone, exfoliation. You have to exfoliate!! Although apricot scrub isn't the worst thing to put on your face, I wouldn't recommend it. I too, use to be an apricot scrub junkie, but I have since moved on leaving me with an overstock of the product that I bought when it was on sale. I used it to exfoliate my body!       Every part but the face. And I only use it once a week. I have excema  on my legs,  I apply lotion twice a day, morning and night, but by the time I get to work, I'm dry and by the time I go to bed I'm dry again. Exfoliating helped my lotion to actually absorb into the skin. It is moisturized and my skin not only feels better, but it looks better too. I also use the scrub on the back of my arms, where the skin is rough and bumpy. I could feel the difference after 1 use. I have also used it on my chest and you can even use the apricot scrub to your hands.
      Exfoliation is great before shaving. I like to do it the day before I shave, just to minimize the "trauma"  I put my skin through in a day.
      Exfoliation is great for dark areas, like the knees and elbows. And when you're done scrubbing just rinse it off in the shower. Be sure to follow with a lotion/cream.
I usually exfoliate my legs before I get in the shower and everything else while I'm in the shower. I also use a moisturizing bodywash.
My faves: Bodywash-Nivea touch of smoothness or St. Ives college elastin Body lotion-Nivea smooth sensation or St. Ives collagen elastin
(These lotions are the only ones that work of me, but use your favorite)
Exfoliators- St. Ives apricot scrub
Or make your own salt/ sugar scrub using sea salt, or table sugar and olive oil, or your favorite oil.

Step 2* At home facial- For this I use several steps
1. Initially I apply oil to my face and remove it with a hot wet towel.  An oil that doesn't clog the pores (coconut oil, olive oil, vitamin e, etc...)
2. Exfoliate (boots botanics microdermabrasion scrub)        
3. Mask- I use one that fits my needs that week, but on a regular basis I use the charcoal mask by origins. 4. Cleanser- again on that fits my needs and you can check my article on cleansers here.
5. Toner- I use boots botanics  shine away toner, for mattifying the skin
6.Treatments/ serums- I use a serum for dark spots and an eye serum/cream.
7. Moisturize- always moisturize using no spf ( boot botanics shine away moisturizing gel cream)
Step3- relax, drink tea, wine or whatever relaxes you and sit back in your face mask and just relax. I take this time to catch up on my shows I missed during the week.

*For spa quality hair care use a deep conditioner or treatment.*
If you really want to fancy, put your hair treatment in, and your face mask on and exfoliate while those other things are working.
We are all about multitasking here at beauty on a budget.
 

This I exactly wet hat I do on my spa day. These simple step will have you looking radiant and beautiful in no time!

Good Luck and Happy Relaxing!!!

BEAUTY NEWS!!!

     OMG I'm back again with more and more sales!
     But first- NYFW and for everyone who doesn't know "New York Fashion Week" I posted the fall trends last week. A good on trend lipstick is "Di-Vinely Chilled"  from the Fergie Wet n Wild Collection. It's a metallic brown, with a little red in it. And don't forget to check out their 4 new fall palettes too!
     This week is a pretty good week, but like I told you last time, it is back to school, which for some reason is "back to sales".

Walgreens/Duane Reade
BOGO 50%- Revlon, Cetaphil, Maybelline, St. Ives, Covergirl face/lip/nail, Neutrogena
20% off Olay
25% Wet n Wild lip/nail

CVS
BOGO 50%- L'Oreal hair color, Eucerin, NYX, Wet n Wild, Olay, Roc, Aquaphor
BOGO FREE Got2B
Buy 2 Get 1 FREE Almay, Clean & Clear

Rite Aid
BOGO 50%-Revlon, Garnier hair care, Neutrogena cosmetics, Covergirl face, Cetaphil, Ponds,
St. Ives, Simple, Noxema, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Aveeno
BOGO FREE- Got2b, Organix, Marc Anthony, Finesse
40% off Almay

Ulta
Ulta is bringing back their 21 Days of Beauty. Everyday until September 27th, Ulta will have a sale on a different item and host an different event each day.
Also there are other deals such as
30% off Hydratone, Kinerase
Buy 2 Get 1 Free Joico, Sexy Hair, Matrix, Sebaastian
It's a 10 promo packs
BOGO 50% - Aveeno, Roc, Nivea, Neutrogena, Boots No. 7, Select Brushes, NYX, Almay, Revlon, Rimmel, Red Carpet

I promise, promise, promise, promise! Come back later on in the week for my at home spa article!
Until then, happy shopping!

BEAUTY NEWS!!!

WELCOME BACK! Since I've been absent I hope you've enjoyed working your way around my blog. Today I am here to bring you not only the sales, but the fall trends.
Which one to do first...HMMMM

Let's start with the trends
Fall Trends
Metallics- metallics all over!! Lips, eyes and even glowy skin. What's especially hot is the brown metallic lip.
Lashes- lashes, lashes and more lashes. Bring 'em on!
Quirky color- neons, metallics, bold, bright colors on the eyes in the form of eyeshadow or liner.

NYFW trends
Bold brows (obviously)
Berry lips
Red jewel toned lips
Brown smoky eye
Jewel tone eyes

SALES
*side bar about sale- not all sales are great every week, some weeks it isn't even work reporting. This week because of the back to school season, there are quite a few.*

Rite Aid
BOGO 50%- Covergirl, Rite Aid skin/bath care, Olay, Sally Hansen, Revlon, Maybelline, L'Oreal eye, Neutrogena, Clean&Clear, Garnier
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks $4.99
Rimmel 30% off
Almay face $8.99

Walgreens/Duane Reade
BOGO 50%- Covergirl, Rimmel, Revlon, L'Oreal, Broadway and Kiss Nails
20% off L'Oreal skincare
Sally Hansen gel polish $7.99
Pantene 3/$5

CVS
BOGO 50%- Covergirl, Revlon, NYC, Neutrogena sun products, MUA academy, Maybelline, Jergens, Garnier, CVS products, Nuance, Cetaphil, Trim, Curel

Also don't forget about Sephora's 75% off sale.

That is all I have for today, but stay tuned during the week for more info, coming your way!!

BEAUTY NEWS!!!

HELLO EVERYONE!!! How have you been?!, I'm glad you're back for more info and feel free at anytime to ask questions of leave comments and of course follow in INSTAGRAM @ aprilmaykup.
I just wanted to bring you the sales for this week.

Rite Aid
BOGO 50%- Garnier, c.Booth, Revlon, vita K, L'Oreal lip/face, Covergirl face, Almay, St. Ives, Ponds, Noxema, Rimmel
ROC Buy 2 get 1 FREE!
Nivea lip 2/$5

Walgreens
BOGO 50%- Revlon lip/eye, Neutrogena, Cerave, Panoxyl, L'Oreal

CVS
BOGO 50%- Sally Hansen, Garnier, Maybelline face/lip/eye, Tresemme, Dove, Biore, Jergens, Physicians Formula, Covergirl eye/nail, Milani, Rimmel, NYC, St. Ives, Noxema, Simple, Ponds, CVS brand products, Organix, Axe, Neutrogena
Nivea 2/$9
Aveeno Buy 2 get 1 FREE!
BOGO FREE!!! Tony& Guy, Marc Anthony, Salon Grafix

Ulta
FREE $15 Ulta gift bag with any $19.50 purchase of Ulta products
BOGO 50% Revlon, L'Oreal, Sally Hansen, Physicians Formula, Almay, Maybelline, Covergirl eye/lip/face
15% off Cetaphil, Nivea, Neutrogena, L'Oreal

I am currently working on an article for an at home spa day. Check back later when it will be up. I would love to hear your feedback!
Until then HAPPY SHOPPING!!
Feel free to comment with any online sales I may have missed!

BEAUTY NEWS!!!

     Hello lovelies! Glad to see you're sticking around!
     What have you been up to? or maybe what have I been up too? Right now I'm here to bring you sales and other happenings for beauty and whatever.
     First,  I'd like to let you know I'm available at the
Duane Reade at 100 West 57th street
Monday- Friday from 12-7, so come in and talk beauty with me. I will be holding an even for Essie all week! and you have the ability to purchase 3 colors exclusive to Duane Reade/Walgreens. Plus, if you purchase any 3 Essie nail colors, you receive a FREE top coat!!

SALES!!
Walgreens/Duane Reade
BOGO 50%- Roc

Rite Aid
BOGO 50% -L'Oreal, Revlon face/eye, Almay concealer/eye/removers, Covergirl lip/eye, BioOil, Cerave, Curel, Panoxyl, Sebamed,
Maybelline 25% off
Cutex and Nutranail BOGO FREE
Neutrogena Cleansers Buy 2, get the 3rd FREE

CVS
BOGO 50%-Revlon, Maybelline, Roc, Olay, Nuance, Sally Hanson, Covergirl eye/lip/nail, Eucerin, Frizz ease

Ulta
15% off of Roc, Aveeno, L'Oreal, Olay skincare
BOGO 50% L'Oreal eye, Revlon, Covergirl
Pur Minerals BOGO FREE

Not the BEST week for sales, but if you need to grab the necessities it'll help.

     I am working on another eyeshadow review and also an article for women that don't really wear makeup or are just getting into makeup.
     Coming up this month, a long awaited $1 *GEM* and a nail polish article...yes, I said nail polish. I don't do nails, that's my thing LOL, but I have been getting into it lately because I have to, so stay tuned for that.
    Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @ aprilmaykup
Until later lovelies!!!!

BEAUTY NEWS!!!

WELCOME BACK!!!!
How are you? I am so happy to see you again.We are back for more sales and more info!!
First up my personal challenge with the Boots No.7 Lash Serum
So after all this time ,I can really see the results of the serum on my lashes. They look so full and fluffy. I am in love! I am also in love with my brows too. After grooming them over the weekend (because they grow fast on their own and 3 times faster with the serum), I am finally happy with the transformation. I was always  happy with the transformation regardless, it was just that my brows were too wild. Now that everything is tameable, I am beyond happy. I thing at this point I moved from the strengthening period to the growing period. So in a couple more weeks the final results will be revealed.
Just to give you an idea of how much my lashes transformed, today a woman thought I was wearing false lashes.

30 Days of Pink Challenge
I am getting so tired of pink LOL. I love pink, but this is enough. I am running out of eyeshadow styles, but every time I go to work I get complimented.
I think I'll be using my pink mascara all this week, just to try something new!
I can't wait until this challenge is over though. After this week I think I'll try more neutral pinks.

SALES!!!
Medusa's Makeup is having a $2 off per item sale. I suggest you stock up! I bought 8 last week and received a FREE eyeshadow brush! The hard part is figuring out which colors to get.

Rite Aid
BOGO 50%  L'Oreal, Covergirl, Wet n' Wild, Maybelline face, Revlon face, lip&eye, Renewal implements and hand and body lotion.
L'Oreal Skincare  $19.99

Walgreens/DR
BOGO 50% Covergirl, Revlon, Garnier skincare
Cetaphil  25% off

CVS
BOGO 50% Maybelline eye&lip, Revlon, Almay, Select Neutrogena products, Dove men+care, CVS brand cotton, removers and tools, Nuance, Covergirl, Eucerin

It's OK To...

     I have had many questions (and also made many observations) about the way people apply their makeup, now they buy their makeup and skincare products and what products people do and or don't use and why.
 In case you where wondering, this is pretty much a list of FAQ's or FOP's (frequently observed problems)

It is OK To...

1* Ask for help/Accept help- don't go into a store, stand in front of the products and expect something to jump out at you. If you have a skin concern, address it with the people that know their stuff.
     As a beauty advisor, I meet people who start telling me their skin care problems with         " this is embarrassing..." Don't be embarrassed! We've heard it all and personally, I can say, I'm not judging you because of your skin concern. I may not like you routine or lack their of, but I'm going to give you a GREAT/PERFECT product, advice and good conversation!

2* Betray your brand-You love that Neutrogena cleanser, but are not a fan of the moisturizer. Don't buy it! Just because it's the same brand, that you love isn't going to help you. You have to get something that WORKS! Brands will create product for where the money is. Buying a product that you are not crazy about, just because you recognize the brand, is costing you more in the long run, except you're paying the price with your face.

3* Miss/Skip a day-I did a whole article on this here. Pay close attention to 5 and 6

4* Change cleansers/foundation color or type/moisturizers with the seasons-Your skin changes with the seasons, why not your products? It' good to use a light moisturizer in the summer, especially if you seat a lot. Some moisturizers just may be too heavy for the summer heat or too light if you tend to dry out in the winter. Change products accordingly.
     Maybe in the summer you're oily. Get a cleanser with oil controlling or acne fighting properties.
     If you only need these products for 3/4 months, you might still have some for the next year.
     
4b* Change cleansers/treatments/foundations as needed-I change my cleanser once a month, when I have a breakout and I also add a salicylic acid spot treatment. If you need too change any part of your routine, for any reason, just know that it's OK.
     Lastly, foundation...you will need to change your foundation at LEAST twice I year.
I changed mine about 4 times last year. I changed twice between May and August. It happens, it's a part of life, so don't think you'll be using the same color foundation for the entire year.

5* Change your routine-I exfoliate more frequently in summer than I do any other time of the year. Also I need a 'refresher' in the middle of the day, whether I'm wearing makeup or not, that I don't need those things in the winter time. In the summer BB cream is NOT my friend. It literally melts off my face. These are changes you have to make with the seasons, and according to your skin type.

It Is NOT OK To...

1*Change products like you change underwear- Things don't work that fast. With hair products I recommend sticking with the product at least a week (if you are washing your hair daily)
With skin products it depends on what it is. With a moisturizer/cleanser/mask/exfoliator, you might be able to tell if you like the product almost immediately. BUT if the product has some acne clearing properties, moisturizing properties of anti aging properties, you could be looking at a 2-4 week commitment before you see or don't see any results.

2*NOT use Sunscreen- Most skin problems are cause by the sun. 1 in 5 people get some form of skin cancer. 'NUFF SAID

3*NOT wash your face-You have to wash your face! Wipes, won't cut it! Body wash /soaps,  won't do! Water, not a chance! You have to get a face wash that works for you.

BEAUTY NEWS!!!

     HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!! I hope the weather is nice wherever you are and doing whatever you're doing.
     First, I would like to invite you to meet me, if you happen to be in the NYC area! I'll be working at the Duane Reade on the corner of 57th and 6th on Thursday from 12pm-8pm, dishing out beauty advice in real time. Just stop by, and we can check out some great products together.

Let's face it, the  sales last week, weren't what they could be :/, but this week things are a lot better!
At Ulta this is the last week of their sales I listed 2 weeks ago.
NYX is having an up to 40% off sale until the 26th.

Rite Aid
BOGO 50% -Covergirl eye/lip, L'Oreal face/lip, Revlon, Almay eye makeup and removers, Garnier skincare, L'Oreal skincare and suncare.
40% off Physicians Formula
BOGO FREE -Wet n' Wild, Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropics Sunscreen, Thicker Fuller Hair and LA looks gel

Walgreens/Duane Reade
BOGO 50%- L'Oreal, Covergirl, Revlon, Maybelline, Studio 35 beauty
Cetaphil $7.99
BOGO FREE -Banana Boat Sunscreen and Shea Moisture products

CVS
Biore $6.99
BOGO 50% -Revlon, Trim tools, Lumene, Clean&Clear, L'Oreal skincare, CVS Sunscreen

I think I'm going to start a NEW challenge for June. I'm thinking "1Color for 30 Days".
RULES
-in addition to the 1 color, you are allowed to used black and white
-color can be used in variety of finishes and shades
-60% of the chosen color must be present in the look
-groups of colors are used (ex. reds/burgundys, coppers/bronzes/rusts, blues/turquoises, etc)
-liners can be used as the means for showing the chosen color

I'll post further challenge details on Sunday, which is coincidentally June 1st, the first day of challenge month. Also stay tuned for a video tutorial and review.

BEAUTY NEWS!!

     HELLLLLO AGAIN! Welcome Back! As always it's good to see you! As the semester comes to it's long awaited end, I will be able to bring you more ON TIME articles.
     I have also started a new challenge. I am using Boots No.7 Lash Serum on my lashes and brows. Over the next 8 weeks my lashes should grow longer and stronger. Since this is an all natural serum I will not experience any side effects. PLUS, the serum is safe to use on brows...I should have bought 2...and 1 for my mom...5 sounds like a good number! I should have bought 5! I still have time since all No.7 products are on sale at Duane Reade/Walgreens BOGO 50% off until May 31st!

 

On to more sales! There aren't that many for this week, but if you need sunscreen this is the week to get it.

 

CVS
BOGO 50%- Roc, Nuance, Vichy, La Roche Posay, Clean&Clear, Acnefree, Olay, Ponds, Simple, Noxema, Wet n' Wild, Neutrogena, Nivea
20% off Burts Bees

 

Rite Aid
BOGO 50% L'oreal, Almay, Olay, artificial nails and lashes, Neutrogena skincare & face/lip products, Covergirl face products, Maybelline
25% off Revlon face products

 

Walgreens/Duane Reade

BOGO 50% Maybelline face, L'Oreal skin/sun care, Ponds, St. Ives, Dove, Revlon

Also Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin and Nail pills are STILL on sale BOGO FREE for the rest of the week.

 

     The sales at Ulta from last week are good until the end of the month.

 

     I realized I didn't give you a $1 *GEM* or a Best $10, BAD APRIL! Luckily I have a couple products that fit these requirements. I will get those 2 things to you by the end of the week. I will also have a list of skincare/makeup do's that people feel a little weird about...maybe I'll even add in some don't just for good measure!

 

 

 

 

BEAUTY NEWS!!

     HELLO EVERYONE!!! It  feels go to be back! I missed out on this article last week, I got a little stressed out, but I'm more relaxed...than I was and I'm back and updating you on what's been going on.
     Last Sunday, I attended The Makeup Show. Unfortunately, for me, I have a makeup show curse, where something goes wrong with my bank account preventing me from "being all I can be" at this event. I did get some things for my kit, especially silicon mascara brushes, acrylic cases and beauty blenders. I also got this AMAZING brow gel from Ofra! I'm officially obsessed with my brows now.
     I have a rant to post. I never rant on here, but I have one and can't let it go :/ hopefully you'll still love me after you read it. :)

NOW, SALES!!!

Ofra is having a 40% off sale until May 21st, I would take advantage if I were you.

Ulta
15% off skincare
Buy 2 Get 1 FREE Neutrogena, Revlon
BOGO 50% Physicians Formula, NYX, Maybelline, L'Oreal, Jane, Palladio
Buy 2 Get 2 FREE Ulta cosmetics

Walgreens/Duane Reade
BOGO 50% L'Oreal, Covergirl, Yes, Garnier, Revlon, Boots No. 7

CVS
BOGO 50%  Revlon, Milani, Physicians Formula, Almay, Maybelline, Covergirl, Rimmel, Lumene, cotton products, Biore, Clearasil, St. Ives, Simple, Ponds

Rite Aid
BOGO 50% Revlon lip/face/eye, Ecotools, NYC, Cetaphil, Olay
BOGO FREE cotton products, tools, nail polish removers
20% off L'Oreal skincare

     I have some challenges up my sleeve, I'm just getting things together. Also, later in the year I would like to do another palette for 30 days...and a challenge all about liners...I have a few ideas. PLUS school is ending and I can not wait to have that free time to experiment with more stuff! 

     One last thing, I hope you are following me on instagram @ aprilmaykup. If not, you should...like yesterday! In the meantime come back for my rant and review later in the week and HOPEFULLY a new youtube video or 2.

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.

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!

$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

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.