Eyeliner For $8 and Under

Hello everyone! It's been a while, but I'm back with a new post. This one is a review of 4 eyeliners that I really like that can be found in drugstores and stores such as Walmart, etc. I'm very picky when it comes to pencil eyeliners, because I have oily skin that can sometimes muddle the liner up and have it looking an oily, smudgy mess. However, there are 4 eyeliners that I really like and that I find have great lasting power. They are as follows: Almay Amazing Lasting Eye Pencil, Black Radiance Eye Appeal Eyeliner, CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus, and LA Colors Eyeliner/Brow Pencil. Below I will include pictures and an in-depth review of each product, as well as the price I paid for them. Enjoy!

1. Almay Amazing Lasting Eye Pencil, $7.49 (Walmart)

Site description: "Lasts up to 16 hrs. Won't smudge. Beautifully defines eyes for up to 16 hours. Water-resistant and smudge-proof. Vitamin E nourishes and protects. Removes easily with eye makeup removers. Hypoallergenic. Good for contact lens wearers. Made in Italy."

Pros: Lasts VERY long time, great color pay off, self-sharpening
Cons: Pricey

Overall: This liner is my absolute favorite, hands down. It's easy to use, self-sharpening, long lasting (it lasted longer than 16 hours for me), and perfect to use even as a a brow pencil, which I often to. It doesn't smudge, and stands up well to my oily skin. If it were cheaper I'd give it a 10 lol, but because of the price I give this a 9 out of 10.

2. Black Radiance Eye Appeal Eyeliner, $3.00 (Family Dollar)

Site description: "Easy to blend formula glides on gently, will not tug or pull. The smooth formula creates clean precise liens for a daytime look or smudges for a more sultry look. Can also use as an eye shadow."

Pros: Affordable, easy to blend, self-sharpening
Cons: Smudges slightly

Overall: This liner is perfect for a sultry, sexy smoky eye. It glides on easily, even over eyeshadow, and has maintains a really great point due to the self-sharpening feature. However, if you're looking for an extremely neat line, this may not be the liner for you. This works best when smudged for a hot smoky, cat eye sort of look. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

3. CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner, $5.00 (Family Dollar)

Site description: "The pencil gives you control and versatility. Want a precise line? It glides on easily. Want to soften a bit? There's a soft smudger tip. Best of all? No sharpening necessary, it's got a specially designed self-sharpener inside. So you always get the point perfectly."

Pros: Awesome dark color, self-sharpening, easy to create dramatic looks with
Cons: Self-sharpening tip looks confusing

Overall: Love the eyeliner! It does.exactly what it says and is also water resistant (not waterproof, that's different). However, I do not like the self-sharpener. The plastic part attached to it does not allow the pencil to get as sharp as I prefer my eyeliner to be, so I always have to use concealer to sharpen up the edges since I do a cat eye look 9 times out of 10. However, if you don't do a cat eye look often, like me, I think you would really enjoy it. I give this liner a 7.5 out of 10.

4. LA Colors Eyeliner/Brow Pencil, $1.00 (Family Dollar)

Site description: "Extra ordinary smooth formula defines & accentuates eyes beautifully. Choose from our amazing color collection. A must-have beauty essential!"

Pros: Neat, smudge resistant, very dark color, well priced
Cons: Must be sharpened after each usage

Overall: My only complaint is that I have to sharpen the pencil every time I use it, which causes the pencil to run out pretty quickly. Other than that, I like it. It's long lasting, doesn't smudge, and the price is great! Overall, I give it an 8 out of 10.

That's all folks! Hope you have found this quick review of these products helpful. If you buy any of them and like them, please let me know! Thanks for taking your time and reading. If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Site Recommendation

A good friend of mine shared these links with me. The prices are really good and a lot of the items are name brand! Ebay always has good deals. There's one for some of everything from clothing to makeup to DVDs. The only catch is that you must have an Ebay account to be able to use them. Please enjoy them, I'll list them below ;)

http://www.ebay.com/usr/bhfo

http://stores.ebay.com/bidashoe/

http://stores.ebay.com/Phoenix-Trading-Company?_rdc=1

http://stores.ebay.com/Palm-Beach-Cosmetix?_rdc=1

http://stores.ebay.com/FRIENDSHIPCAFE?_rdc=1

http://stores.ebay.com/Paulas-Stop-and-Shop?_rdc=1

http://stores.ebay.com/Dexter-Makeup?_rdc=1

8 Tips for Thrift Shopping (Thrifting)

As someone who is on a tight budget, I have to be very cautious about my purchases and the cost of my purchases. Despite this, I love to shop! I like to see new trends and I enjoy finding things that fit my body well and make me feel good and confident. For me, the perfect solution to this is shopping at thrift stores, AKA thrifting. My personal style is a mix of vintage 40's, 50's, and a hint of 90's with a splash of modern flair, and thrift stores suit me perfectly! Over half of my wardrobe consists of thrift store clothing. The prices are amazing, and it's not hard to find quality pieces if you search. I have found quite a few name brand, quality items for ridiculously cheap prices. I have found some of everything in thrift stores, from purses to shoes, and I really enjoy going! Often, I have talked to people who don't enjoy going into thrift stores and shopping there, and I was quite surprised, since I've found so many gems. The biggest problem that they run into is being overwhelmed! Thrift stores have a LOT of items. Some of them are even cluttered with things all over the place. It can definitely be a frustrating process, especially if you're not used to thrifting. I wanted to share a few of my personal tips for thrifting, for those who might be interested. Here they are! They're in no particular order, I'm just typing them as I go. ;)

1. Go thrifting when you have PLENTY of time to browse and search the store.

• Most of the time, it is not wise to try to make a 'quick trip' to the thrift store. It takes time to search racks and familiarize yourself with where items may be, especially if you're new to thrifting. If you're in a hurry, you may want to wait to go until you're not. Also, don't go close to closing time, you will end up feeling rushed, because the workers would like to go home when it's time to close up shop.

2. Look in your closet and make sure you know your size and size range.

• It's so important to know what sizes to look for when you're in a thrift store. Many times, you may not be able to return an item if it doesn't fit properly.

3. Find out the return policy of the store.

• Before you purchase something, it's good to know if you'll be able to bring it back if you don't like it. Most thrift stores, in my experience, will not give money back, only store credit if anything.

4. Walk around the store a few times and get a feel for where everything is.

• Upon entering a store, I walk around a few times and make a mental note of where everything is, so I know where to go once I decide what I am looking for. 

5. If possible, try it on!

• Certain things like jackets, coats, blouses, and shoes, can be tried on in-store. Ask a cashier or worker if they have a dressing room as well. Not many thrift stores have dressing rooms, but there are usually chairs and mirrors where you can sit down (to try on shoes) or stand up and have a good look at the item you're considering purchasing. If you want to try on shoes, wear socks or stockings. Do not try on shoes with bare feet, you don't know where those shoes have been.

6. Carefully examine all the items you've picked up before making your final purchase.

• Be sure to look for rips, tears, stains, discoloration, worn down spots, scuffs, missing buttons, etc. before going up to the register with your items. If you feel like it is an imperfection that you can't deal with, it is not a wise purchase.

7. Find out about discount and restocking days!

• Check into student discounts, military discounts, senior discounts, and whatever else may apply to you. Also inquire about holiday specials and deals. You never know about the great deals you may be missing out on by not asking. Also, find out when the store restocks, so that if you can be there around that time, you can find and pick what you like before everyone else!

8. Don't expect to find something EVERY time, be patient.

• There's no guarantee that you'll find something you'll fall in love with every time you thrift. It's ok to leave empty handed if you don't see anything that strikes you, because there's always next time!

Hope you enjoyed these tips! Here are a few pictures of some of the great things I've found in thrift stores, I'm sure you'll find even more amazing things. ^_^

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Favorite 5 Mascaras Under $8!

Any makeup and beauty enthusiast knows that one must have makeup item is mascara! Even on days I just powder my nose and opt out of 'putting on my face' I rarely leave the house without a little bit of mascara on. There are 5 drug store mascaras that I absolutely LOVE and swear by, some old and some fairly new. Each of them are under $8, which I think is a good price...considering the $20 and up prices of mascara from MAC, Yves Saint Laurent, Bobbi Brown, and other higher end lines. I didn't realize until I gathered them that 3 of the mascaras are from the same company lol, but I assure you they are all very different products ;). I wanted to do an in depth review of them for you guys, so here you go...hope it is of some help!

1. Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush, $5.94 (Walmart)

Site description: "Now, mega volume goes mega plush, our first gel-mousse mascara , lashes never brittle or flaky."

• Pros: Glides on easily, creates volume and assists with length, doesn't smudge or run easily!
• Cons: Can be heavy on lashes, must curl lashes prior to use

Overall: I like this mascara a lot! The new formula Maybelline is using for it is great. Even after the mascara has dried my lashes do not feel hard or brittle to the touch. I wouldn't recommend using more than 3 coats of this mascara or lashes may begin to clump together. I give this a 7.5 out of 10

2. Cover Girl LashBlast Volume, $6.99 (Target)

Site description: "Get a blast of lush, volumized lashes! LashBlast's patented volume-boosting formula and patent-pending brush are designed to max out each and every lash, leaving you with the ultimate big-lash look. Now in waterproof, too!"

• Pros: Amazing brush that separates lashes well, easy to use, buildable, doesn't clump, no strange scent
• Cons: Smudges slightly, requires 3 or more coats for the full effect it claims

Overall: I want to start by saying this, if length is what you're trying to achieve this mascara is NOT for you, it will not do that on its own. You will have to use it in combination with a mascara that specializes in lengthening. With that said, I am in love with this brush! Out of my fave 5, this one has the best brush in my opinion. It separates the lashes very well and prevents them from clumping and sticking together. However, multiple coats are necessary most of the time. Every time I have used this mascara, it required 3 or more coats, depending on if I was using a lash comb along with it. I give this an 8 out of 10.

3. Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara, $4.44 (Walmart)

Site description: "America's favorite mascara, conditions as it thickens, no clumps, no globs."

• Pros: Great color pay off, separates and lengthens lashes well, thickens look of lashes without looking clumpy, no need to curl lashes prior to use
• Cons: Will run and smear from ANY liquid contact

Overall: The black of the mascara is very dark and pretty. If you have watery eyes, this is NOT the mascara for you. The mascara will end up on your cheeks and face lol. Try the waterproof version instead. I would not recommend wearing this on a rainy day either. But without any contact with water, this mascara is amazing. Does everything it claims! I give this an 8.5 out of 10.

4. L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess, $7.00 (Walmart)

Site description: "Our newest addition to the Voluminous family, L'Oréal Paris introduces Voluminous Million Lashes Excess, which combines bold volume with clean definition for an excessively dramatic lash look. Our legendary Millionizer brush is bigger than ever to separate and build each lash evenly from root to tip. The mascara features a built-in, anti-clump wiper that removes surplus mascara for a clean and impactful effect. Plus, the ultra black formula amplifies each individual lash for a dramatic lash effect."

• Pros: Amazing lengthening effects, separates lashes well, doesn't clump, doesn't leave lashes feeling brittle
• Cons: Inky smell

Overall: This is the newest one, and my favorite of the 5, hands down! I love how my lashes feel when I'm wearing this mascara. The brush is amazing. It grabs and coats each lash, even the tinier ones that are sometimes missed by other mascara wands. The only thing I dislike is the smell. I have a sensitive nose, and I noticed an ink sort of smell as soon as I opened the tube that stuck around until the mascara was fully dry. Other than that, I love it! 9 out of 10.

5. Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies, $5.94 (Walmart)

Site description: "False lash glam in a tube, instantly! 300% more visible lashes corner-to-corner, no gaps, spoon brush."

• Pros: Lengthens and volumizes VERY well, very good color pay off, no offensive smell
• Cons: Clumps, Dries out fast

Overall: I have such a love hate relationship with The Falsies lol. This mascara gives INSANE length that I absolutely love. The dark color is great as well. However, it dries out very fast and gets clumpy if any more than 2 coats are used. I recommend using a clean lash comb between each coat of the falsies to prevent the clumpy, spidery look that we all despise. I give this one a 7.5 out of 10.




* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Fave 5 Fall Nail Polishes Under $5

Hi everyone! Just wanted to pop in with a quick showing of my favorite fall nail polishes. And guess what, as the title states, they all were under $5! Nail polishes from higher end brands, such as OPI, often start and $9 and $10. It may not seem like a whole lot at first, but those $9 and $10 dollar charges eventually start to add up, especially for those of us that are polish lovers like me! The Revlon and Sally Hansen polishes came from Walmart, the NK Cosmetics polishes came from my local beauty supply store, K's, but are found in most beauty supply stores, so you should be able to find that brand as well if there are beauty supply stores in your area. Enjoy!

1. Revlon Colorstay, Indigo Night $4
2. NK Cosmetics Nail Enamel, Purple $1.99
3. NK Cosmetics Nail Enamel, Red Gem $1.99
4. NK Cosmetics Nail Enamel, Infinity $1.99
5. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, Chocolate $4.97

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Quick Site Recommendation

http://www.buymebeauty.com/buy-revlon-cosmetics.aspx?gclid=CISkj6qKmLoCFUOe4AodylsAkQ 

A good friend of mine shared this site with me the other day. There are lots of cosmetic and skincare products on this site and they have great prices.You can also buy your favorite products that have been discontinued here for a discounted price! Most of the items on the site are reasonably priced, and I think it's well worth checking out. Happy Shopping!

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Lipstick for Under $2!

You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to build or diversify your lipstick collection. Many of the higher end lipstick tubes can cost anywhere from $15 or more, and that's lot to pay for only about 0.11-0.14 oz of product per container! Local beauty supply stores, dollar stores, and drug stores are excellent places to find good deals on beauty products. Certain brands, only sold in beauty supply, dollar, and drug stores, are sometimes overlooked and called 'cheap', but quite often, they offer products that work well and are effective. A 'cheap' prices isn't always synonymous with a low quality product. Below, I have swatched 11 different lipsticks that I own that all cost me under $2! They're from four cosmetics lines that specialize in affordable, but good makeup products: Ruby Kisses, Nicka K (NK), NYC, and LA Colors. Each of the lipsticks from Ruby Kisses and NK were $1 at my local beauty supply store, K's. The NYC and LA Colors lipsticks came from Family Dollar, and were each $1.99. The colors are shown in cool light (left) and warm light (right).

Thank you for reading! If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Creating Cool Lip Colors with Eyeshadow!

With Halloween coming up, I'm sure many of us may want to experiment with some unique makeup looks, for those of us who will be dressing up for it. Unique lip colors, such a blue, green, yellow, etc. are extremely popular for costumes and costume parties, but can be very hard to find...not to mention expensive. However, chances are you already have what you need to create a cool lip color of your own! If you own eyeshadow, lip gloss, and a lip brush, you have everything you need to create some of the vibrant colors you may want to give a try! I'll be using four different colors to demonstrate how to do this, blue, green, purple, and deep pink. It will be sort of a pictorial ;)

• Dab your clear or light colored gloss (that's not very sticky so it will be easier to spread) onto the back of your clean hand.
• Use the tip of your index finger and get a generous amount of the eyeshadow color you want to use onto it. Press it onto a spot near the gloss and build up the color gradually until it's very opaque (pigmented).
• Use the tip of your index finger and mix the gloss and the eyeshadow together until well blended.
• Use the lip brush to scrape a very generous amount of the eyeshadow onto the back of your hand in a separate spot. It's important to do this because it will be unsanitary to dip the lip brush back and forth into the eyeshadow, so you need to gather as much pigment as possible to accomplish the bright color you desire.

• Apply a lip primer for longer lasting color. *optional
• With your index finger, rub the gloss and eyeshadow mix onto your lips.
• Use the eyeshadow on the back of your hand to press the color onto your lips, making sure to cover them well, and build the coverage until it has the color payoff you desire.

After that, you're done. The color is generally long lasting and will hold on pretty well, even better if you use a primer underneath. This will work well with most eyeshadows, but chalky ones may prove a bit difficult to work with. Here are the results below. My personal favorite is the purple, what's yours? Thanks for reading!

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

The Wonders of Baby Powder

Ok, so you may be asking, what on earth is the connection between baby powder and beauty? You might be surprised. This post is geared toward those of us with combination skin and mainly those who suffer with oily skin, but there's also a cool tip that everyone can use at the end! Even with all of the mattifying primers, creams, etc. that I use, I still have very oily skin. It's so frustrating sometimes, because it can turn a cute makeup look into a messy oil slick! No one wants to have to constantly powder their nose or go through tons of oil blotting sheets and (which are amazing, btw! I'll address that in another post ^_^), wasting them. Mattifying powders are a great option...but they can be expensive! Urban Decay's De-Slick Mattifying Powder is $32.00, MAC Blot Powder is $25.00, Lancome's Translucence Mattifying Powder is $29.00, and many other brands have costly products of this sort. But what works without having to dish out this kind of cash? Baby powder! That's right, baby powder that you can find in Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and any local "dollar" store. The largest bottle generally costs less that $6.00, but travel sizes are usually $1 or less! Baby powder absorbs the oil on the skin and works to keep the skin matte from anywhere from 8 hours or more, depending on how oily the skin is.

How to use the Powder:

What You'll Need: 

• 1 container of baby powder (any brand, any size)
• 1 Makeup Sponge (excuse the color of mine, used it today lol)
• 1 Dense, large powder brush

If you won't be wearing makeup, simply place the powder onto the back of your hand or onto a clean, flat surface, fold the sponge, dip in into the powder, and press onto your skin. Let it sit for a few seconds, then brush off of the skin THOROUGHLY, making sure no white marks OR streaks are left behind. If you will, do your normal makeup routine, and then follow the same steps listed above. It's very important to dust ALL of the powder off so you don't end up looking like a ghost. ;)

Bonus tip: You can also do this with lipstick! Simply, easy, and cost efficient. Check it out below!

The steps are the same as how you do it when using the baby powder to mattify your face, the only difference is you blend it by pressing your lips together and dusting the excess off of the colors of your lips. If you use this method, be sure to apply very generous amounts of your lip color before using the powder, since some of the color vibrancy can get lost when using this method to mattify your lip color. I didn't apply enough lip color before doing this lol. Hope you enjoyed the post, and thanks for reading!

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Quick Swatch!

Ok, so I found this cute little palette in K's Beauty Supply Store about a month ago. I wish I had found it when summer was still here, because there are some really vibrant, bright colors in it! It's by a company called Princessa, and it was $2.99! I was very surprised at how pigmented most of the colors are. My only complaint is the chalkiness of the yellow color, but if you wear lots of bright colors, you know that's a common problem with lighter colors, such as yellow, and pastel colors as well...even among high end products. However, with chalky products, a good primer and help from an eyeshadow stick will give the color something to adhere to. The name rubbed off, but I managed to find a picture of what it looks like with the name on it, and I swatched the colors on my finger tips. Hope you like it!

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

It's so important to clean your makeup brushes! With that being said, most of us do not do it frequently enough. If you wear makeup every day, it is recommended that your wash your makeup brushes at least once a week. Failing to do so, or washing them infrequently, may result in breakouts or even rashes on those with really sensitive skin. Makeup brushes, as well as improperly stored makeup, can hold bacteria that irritate or affect the skin. Personally, I have fallen prey to the occasional breakout caused by constantly using dirty brushes. I'm sure some of you have too, without realizing what the cause might have been! Professional brush cleaners are expensive sometimes. MAC's Brush Cleanser is $15. Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser is $15.00. Sephora Collection Daily Brush Cleaner is $6.00...but for only 2 fl oz! Many of the high end brush cleaners are around $15 and up. But not a lot of us have that kind of money to spend on a brush cleanser. What are some cheaper, but effective alternatives? Some things you've got right in your kitchen (where I normally wash my brushes anyway ^_^)! The things I use to clean my makeup brushes are baby shampoo and a concoction of dish soap and vinegar. Each of these are inexpensive, but work like a charm!

Products Used

I used two different kinds of vinegar and two different dish soaps to show that you can use pretty much whatever kind you have. It also doesn't matter whether you use apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar, both will work!

How To Mix Vinegar & Dish Soap:

1/4 a cup of vinegar and 1/2 a cup of dish soap, and fill the container a little over halfway with warm water. You can put it in any small Tupperware or cereal bowl, as long as the bowl is deep enough to hold the water without it splashing. On the left is the clean fresh solution, on the right...it's time to dump that bad boy! ;)

How To Clean:

For the solution (vinegar & dish soap mix, left), submerge the brush head into it and gently swirl it around throughout the mixture for about 2 minutes. After doing this, dot a little bit of the dish soap onto the brush, scrub gently, then run it under warn water while rubbing the bristles between your finger tips. For the baby shampoo (right), wet the brush, dot a generous amount onto it, then run gently back and forth in the palm of your hand. For smaller brushes, you can put the baby shampoo directly into your hand and run the brush through several times. For both methods, it's important to get a good lather while cleaning the brushes. I usually do this 3 times before I'm satisfied. By the third time, this lather is nice and white!

After Washing

After rinsing the rest of the soap out, be sure to squeeze excess water out, and then shape the brush. This will help ensure that the shape of your brushes doesn't change as a result of washing. Be sure to lay them down on a paper towel or towel as you wash them. The brushes on the left were washed with the dish soap & vinegar solutions, the brushes on the right were washed with baby shampoo. :)

Makeup Containers

Don't forget to wash these too! No point in putting clean brushes back into dirty containers after they're dry.

Drying

I always tilt my brushes at an downward angle when letting them dry so that whatever water that's left doesn't drip back onto the handle, which can loosen up the glue and cause the brushes to fall apart.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this, hope the pictures helped to make it more interesting :). If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Exfoliation!

Exfoliation is one of the most forgotten aspects of skin care. Because our skin regenerates and sheds on its own, and many people know this, a lot of people forget that it is important to assist the skin in the process sometimes. High end exfoliation products can get COSTLY, from the Clarisonic to tube products, and are sometimes $25 or more, depending on the brand. But there are a few reasonably priced products that I would recommend, all skin types, 2 are from Aveeno and 1 is from Clean & Clear. For dry skin types, I DO NOT recommend frequent exfoliation. With skin that is already dry, over-exfoliating will dry out the skin even further and may cause cracking, redness, and extreme dryness. For ALL skin types, it is important to use a good moisturizer afterward. With that said, each of these are easy to find, from well-known and trusted brands, and cost efficient! ;)

1. Clean & Clear Morning Burst Skin Brightening Facial Scrub

Description (on container): "Clean & Clear Morning Burst Skin Brightening Facial Scrub is a specially designed formula, intended for all skin types, that contains skin nutrients and Bursting Beads® that burst with energy, and removes dirt, oil, and impurities deep down to the pores. This scrub, with a blend of caffeine, lemon, and papaya, also invigorates your senses and contains microbeads that sweep away dull surface skin. Skin looks instantly brightened, leaving you ready to day. Oil-free, Won't clog pores"

My Opinion: The scent is absolutely amazing! It has a sweet, lemony fresh smell. The beads feel very refreshing and gently break apart the layer of dull, dead skin leaving a noticeable brightness to the skin. Very good at cleaning off makeup, dirt, and oil buildup without being harsh or drying. I would recommend this for normal, combination, and oily skin types. I rate it an 8 out of 10.

Retails between: $5.35-$6.99 (5 fl oz)

2. Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub

Description (site): "This daily facial scrub helps improve skin tone, texture, and clarity to reveal brighter, more radiant skin. Its unique formula combines moisture-rich ACTIVE NATURALS® Total Soy Complex with smooth, round microbeads to gently exfoliate while you cleanse, leaving skin soft, smooth, and even-looking. Oil free, soap free, noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic and gentle enough for everyday use, even on sensitive skin."

My Opinion: This one is my favorite, hands down! The scent is very light and the exfoliant beads are gentle and very effective! I have acne scarring from several deep pimples (cystic) that I have had and get occasionally during "monthly visits" due to hormone changes, and endure frustration from the dark marks that I get. This product has noticeably helped to reduce the darkness of the scars. I would recommend this product to those with dry skin, but NOT for daily usage. My only complaint about this product is a recent discovery. Allegedly, the microbeads contain plastic, which is not very environmentally friendly. If this is true, it will affect my rating (I will have to do further research), but if not, I give the product a 9 out of 10.

Retails between: $5.27-$7.99 (5 fl oz)

3. Aveeno Positively Ageless Resurfacing Scrub

Description (site): "Help reveal younger-looking, naturally beautiful skin with this scrub. Formulated with ACTIVE NATURALS® Natural Shiitake Complex and fortified with vitamin C, this gentle exfoliating scrub, with retexturizing microbeads, removes impurities while polishing away dead skin cells for a smoother, more even tone."

My Opinion: Although this product is from Aveeno as well, it's from the anti-aging line.You may ask, what in the world does a 20 something person need with an anti-aging product? Many dermatologists agree that the best time to start using anti-aging products is in the 20s and 30s as preventative measures ;). The consistency is similar to that of the previous Aveeno product, however, there is less of a smell (great for those with sensitive noses), and this product is fortified with vitamin C, which can help with dark spots on the skin and also brightening the skin as well. The main thing I dislike is the roughness of the exfoliating beads. I would not recommend this product for those with dry skin. After usage, there were a few times my skin appeared to be peeling or flaking, despite the product being labeled as "gentle". I give the product a 7 out of 10.

Retails at: $8.97 (5 fl oz)

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

Merle Norman Review

Ok, so how many of you have heard of Merle Norman? When I think of Merle Norman, I think “old lady makeup”. I've NEVER met any women around my age that use Merle Norman products. There are several reasons for this I think: 

1. It's not really marketed toward young women
2. There aren't many commercials or advertisements for the brand
3. It's mostly on the pricey side  (well, some products)

However, my brother’s girlfriend recently bought her own boutique in Tennessee from an older lady who is retiring, which means what? Samples! I've received countless samples from her, but 2 of these products were good enough to buy, despite being what I consider on the pricier side. The 3rd is a large sample, which I will probably end up buying once I run out anyway. My biggest gripe, however, is that you can’t buy it online. You have to find a Merle Norman boutique near you =/ lol. The 3 products I’ll be reviewing are as follows (in order): Clarifying Clay Mask, Brilliant-C Toner, and Foundation Primer plus SPF 15.

1. Clarifying Clay Mask

Site description: "For Normal to Oily skin types. 

Control oil and unclog pores by going to the matte with this skin-refining mask! Kaolin Clay draws out impurities and minimizes the appearance of pores. It glides on smoothly to provide a deep-down clean feeling while eliminating excess oil. Leaves skin brighter, refined and radiant for a healthy-looking appearance. Oil-free. Non-acnegenic. Non-comedogenic."

My opinion: Works like a charm! The scent is very pleasant and light, and it does exactly what it says. However, it absolutely must be used as directed, or it WILL dry out your skin. The directions say to leave on for 5 minutes, any longer and it will leave skin feeling a bit dry. I would not recommend this for people with dry skin at all, as it can be drying even on very oily skin types such as mine. I give it a 9/10.

Retails at: $22.00 (3.4 fl oz.)

2. Brilliant-C Toner

Site description: “For all skin types and aging concerns. 

Keep skin on the “bright” track by sweeping away any dulling residue or impurities left after cleansing. It delivers a second dose of our exclusive Bright+ Complex® to help diminish the appearance of spots and discoloration. Leaves skin looking and feeling comfortably fresh, even-toned and more youthful. Helps maximize moisture absorption too!”

My opinion: Works well. Brightens skin effectively and helps lighten dark spots caused by acne because of the high concentration of Vitamin C. The smell is extremely citrusy, so if you’re not a fan of citrus smells this is not the toner for you. Fast drying if you don’t use too much! The smell is very overpowering, but I do like the product overall. I give it a 7.5/10.

Retails at: $20.00 (6 fl oz.)

3. Foundation Primer Plus SPF 15

There is no site description available. I do believe this is a fairly new product!

My opinion: I love the consistency. It’s a gel, something I've never seen in a foundation primer before. It glides on really smoothly and doesn't clog pores up, so it won’t cause acne. It mattifies the skin really nicely and blends really well. A little goes a long way with this product. The SPF 15 also provides protection from sun exposure while helping keep any dark spots from acne scars from getting darker. The only complaint I have is that the oil starts to peek through your foundation after about 6 hours if you've got very oily skin, but if used in conjunction with oil-free and oil-controlling products it should be just fine! I give it an 8.5/10.

Retails at: $31.00 (1.25 fl oz.)

* If you have any budget beauty products that you would like for me to review (makeup, skin care, hair care, and related items), please send your request to me at lindsi.green@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you! ;)

New to this!

Hey everyone, I'm Lindsi. I'm a broke, post-college student trying to make it in a crumbling economy...and I'm not the only one! However, despite that, I still want to look and feel good about myself, doesn't everyone? This blog will be about affordable and discounted (but useful and good!) beauty items, including skin care products and makeup products as well. It will contain reviews, prices of items, many other miscellaneous, affordable things from time to time (such as hair products, accesories, etc.), but the main focus is skin care and makeup. Enjoy (once I start posting lol)! ;)