Recently I went on a little makeup shopping spree with my latest paycheck. First, I headed into Sephora (which never fails to be an extremely pricey decision), in search of finding a new eye shadow. I probably have over 1,000 eyeshadow colors, varying in brand from Loreal to Chanel, but that never stops me. I headed into my own personal heaven (Sephora, of course), and headed straight to the eye-catching colors of the Too Faced display. I had used Too Faced products in the past, because my overly awesome and brave boyfriend ventured into the store during Christmas to purchase a pallate of eyeshadows and lipgoss for my holiday stocking! I was overjoyed when I realized that the lipgloss was scented and flavored vanilla (my favorite!), and the eye shadows had the most luxurious pigment, ever! So I browsed through their selection of eye shadow duos, and settled on "Totally Toasted"($17), which is half (shimmery) nude, and half (shimmery) chocolate brown. I tend to wear mostly neutral colors because they favor my complexion and (sometimes) intense platinum hair color. This eye shadow was fantastic! It was pretty subtle, but soft and flattering, and when layered together it seemed to create the perfect base for my eyelids. The best part about this eyeshadow for me though, was that when the usual dusting of the shadow fell onto my cheekbones, as often happens during application, it appears almost as a highlighter, making skin look glowy and fresh. All over, I was impressed! Needless to say, I took the shadow and headed to the counter (after purchasing a few other items, of course)! This was only the beginning of my fabulous shopping experience. I picked up four other impressive products that very afternoon. They are as follows:2)
Advanced Radiance Age-Defying Liquid Makeup by Covergirl ($15, CVS): This foundation is perfect in everyway! The color matches my skintone perfect (I use the second to lightest color-classic ivory, 110), and one little pump rations out the amount of foundation you need for one application, perfectly. It blends evenly without sticking to your skin, and provides the ideal amount of coverage, without appearing caked on. It camoflauges any wrinkles or imperfections, and cuts your concealing time in half, if you need it at all. It is also perfect for hiding undereye circles, without even adding additional concealor. The foundation also lasts all day, and can even be carried on through evening happy hour cocktails, with only a small reapplication of the matching pressed powder (which is equally fantastic), and is only $8, which is MUCH cheaper than any other powder I have ever purchased. The advertisement claims this stuff chops five years off of your age, and I think it definitely fulfills that promise! The other day I got carded to buy a lottery ticket again! Before running to Sephora to buy the most expensive Laura Mercier foundation you can find, give Cover Girl a try. You might be surprised!
3)
BO-ING Benefit Concealer ($18, Sephora) : While on the pricer side of concealers, this Benefit Industrial Strength Concealer (as it claims), is just about as perfect of a formula that you can buy. This concealor hides my every imperfection to make it look like I have perfect, glowing, and radiant skin, which we all know is not possible to achieve. This is perfect for those unsightly undereye shadows/circles due to broken blood vessels and sensitive tissue. It is also a wonder for your eyelids when you want your eyeshadow to stay put all day. Definitely one of my all-time best buys!
4)
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss ($8, CVS): I purchased this in Pink Afterglow, which was a perfect match for my complexion, not to mention I love shimmery pinks, especially for this time of year! This lipgloss has an SPF15 built into it, which is a plus, in and of itself. The formula goes on smooth, glossy, and provides flattering coverage that lasts for hours. I am the queen of reapplying my lipgloss several times throughout the day, so it makes me very happy to apply less throughout my workday. This is 10x better than any lipgloss I've ever purchased at Sephora, even my beloved NARS! Try it, you won't be disappointed.
5)
Revlon ColorStay Eye Liner ($7, CVS): I purchased this eye liner in both Navy, and Black. Navy is my new obsession for an eye pencil, because Navy naturally makes the whites of your eyes look whiter, and your eye color pop. My eyes look bluer with this eye pencil than any other I've ever worn before. It's an automatic kohl pencil, so it glides right on, giving you the perfect thin line application on your upper lids, and the color stays on for approximately 12 hours (I timed it!). Even on the lower lid, the color stays for hours. This is the best eye pencil (in my opinion) currently on the market. And for only $7, it's a steal.
Hopefully my five product recommendations will tell you that, while yes there are fabulous and fun products at Sephora, there are equally amazing finds at your local drugstore, you just have to know where to look. The only drawback about going to a drugstore to buy your makeup, is that you can't try it before you buy it. But at only $7 dollars for most items, even if you buy something, hate it, and have to re-buy it, you're still probably paying less money than you would for a product at Sephora. So experiment at CVS, and save your money for something luxurious like a night out with your friends for some sushi and sake, or a new cute pair of Aldo wedges :)
