Beauty on the Cheap
When I was in elementary and middle school, my friends and I would ride our bikes to Walgreen’s after school—it was sort of entertainment for us, I guess. We were fascinated by all of the makeup, skin care products and nail polishes that lined the shelves. Wet n Wild cosmetics were the main attraction: lipsticks, eyeliners and compacts could be had for only ninety-nine cents—what a steal! I recall my favorite nail polishes were blue, purple and a clear version with silver glitter. We also enjoyed trying out all of the skin creams and masks that were available in mini sizes (more ninety-nine cent purchases). Needless to say I started out a beauty junkie at a young age and still am one.
Some of my new favorite products below all can be had for under $10 and are available at most discount retailers (Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreen’s, ShopKo, et cetera).
I’d read all about Dove Nutrium creamy shower wash. A number of magazines pegged it as the must-have for winter months. I must say I agree with them—the wash has a pleasant scent, lathers up nicely and doesn’t dry skin out.
After you get out of the shower you need to lock in that moisture. Enter EcoTools “Replenish Your Natural Resources” Body Butter to wrap your skin in moisturized coziness. I tried out the rich, creamy formula and a little goes a long way. The ultra-rich formula has mango butter to replenish moisture and the scent is heavenly—a soft vanilla/lavender fragrance that’s perfect for slathering on before bed. Most body butters can run you ten-plus dollars and this one is a mere $5.99. I have not tried their “Polished & Protected” Exfoliating Body Scrub but I hope to soon. It sloughs off dry skin from the winter temps. Bonus: both products are eco-friendly and made with natural ingredients.
I love a strong brow. It irks me when women pluck their brows down to wispy, wimpy little lines—why?! Unfortunately I don’t have great, thick brows (genetics, I guess) so I’ve been on the hunt forever for a great brow pencil. I have finally found one and, major bonus: it’s a mere ninety-nine cents. N.Y.C.’s taupe-colored pencil (pictured above) helps me fill in my brows with no telltale harsh lines—a fashion faux pas if I’ve ever seen one.
I love the concept of “luxe for less.” Heck, we did an entire magazine about it (June 2009). However, finding smooth, pigmented eye shadow from the drugstore and discount retailers was proving futile for me. Most affordable versions of eye shadow left me wondering why the color looked perfect inside the package but was disappointing once opened. For example, a lovely deep coffee-brown color I purchased ended up looking more like a latte.
On a whim I picked up a L’Oreal HIP (high intensity pigment) shadow duo (pictured above) in a shimmery light blue/navy combo. I was a bit skeptical the shadows would actually turn out very intense due to my previous experience with drugstore shadow purchases. I was pleasantly surprised the color did in fact live up to its high intensity name. The colors brushed on exactly as promised and I was able to perfect a navy smoky eye. The color (applied less intensely) is good for daytime too! I’m excited that instead of heading into Sephora every time I need a new eye shadow (which can be pricey) I might be able to find a cheaper version through L’Oreal and head to Sephora for only my absolute must-haves instead (hello, NARS bronzer and DiorShow mascara—I will not negotiate on those!). I’m looking forward to trying out the other duos available.
I’ve had the same conundrum with lip glosses as I’ve had with eye shadows: depending on the brand you purchase, the shade can turn out wildly different than what they appear to be on the packaging. My biggest complaint by far is that the colors aren’t very intense, which makes sense if it’s a gloss versus a lipstick—but you still want some semblance of color! That’s why I love Revlon’s ColorStay Mineral Lipglaze (pictured, above). The colors turn out as promised, with a nice opaque consistency, a little bit of shimmer (some shades) and the color lasts a remarkably long time. Bonus: it’s not super-sticky like other lipglosses, either. My favorite shade is Continuous Pink—it imparts a nice rosy shad
e to lips that’s perfect paired with natural makeup for day or paired with an intense smoky eye for night.
I have waxed rhapsodic about Sally Hansen nail polish before. There are few other lines available at drugstores and discount retailers that have such a wide range of shades from the perfectly respectable (pinks, beiges) to the wild (neon orange, yellow). I recently purchased Mint Sprint from the Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color line and I’m excited to try it. As fashion insiders know Essie’s Mint Candy Apple and Chanel’s Jade were the hot green colors for fall/winter—and I’m still digging it. Although Mint Sprint is a shade darker than pastel green I find that it suits me better as I like more intense colors anyway. The next color on my docket to purchase: Commander in Chic from Sally's Complete Salon Manicure collection. It’s an intriguing mix of mauve/mushroom/taupe that’s a worthy contender to Chanel’s mushroom/mauve nail color shown during their Spring 2010 collection.
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As Madison Magazine's associate and style editor, I write about the coolest store owners, products and shops in Madison every month in my magazine column, "Window Shopping." I enjoy promoting and discussing Madison's unique shopping community. Read this blog every week for information on store sales, hot products, Q&As with store owners and additional dish from my intrepid reporting on what you need to know!
