Happy Thursday to you! Hope you are having a great week so far, the weather here has been incredible! I was in Greenwich yesterday and it was amazing to be outside enjoying the gorgeous weather (and town). Thank you sooo much for your incredible input for the pillow quandary yesterday. I have managed to narrow it down to 6 I like (hey that's progress) so think I am going to order a number of them and "play". There are other areas I will be able to use the pillows I don't use for the loggia and they are all (except a few) so reasonable so it's a no lose situation. Many thanks for weighing in. Click here if you missed the post and need a serious dose of blue and white! Moving off topic now.......
OK today is a subject I think we can all offer our 2 cents on. Makeup and beauty products. We all have them, some of us just a wee bit and others have drawers full! I have learned over the years both through trial and error, and advice from those "in the know" that there really are some fabulous makeup and beauty products out there that come right from none other than your local drugstore. Then there is the Sephora variety (my fave), it truly is a candy store for ladies......it would be sooooo easy to stay in there for hours, trying away! So much to choose from, so much to spend your money on!
I for one, am a "tryer" and your classic impulse buyer, I see something I want and I buy it. Period. Most of the time I like what I buy but on occasion certain things let me down. I feel less guilty when buying something for 5 or 10 dollars from the drugstore, if the lipstick isn't the right color....no sweat. But I am also very loyal, I have used MAC lipstick for about 8 years and have not swayed, what I like I continue to use and stay loyal to. Do you?
So over the years I have found some products that are definitely keepers in my makeup arsenal, things I buy over and over because they are just so good. Then there are those unexpected inexpensive discoveries that are equally exciting! We all know the thrill of a deal! Thought this could make a fun post...the highs and lows of beauty products and makeup. Here are some of mine as well as the low down on why I love them...hope you will share yours!
1st row left to right....
1. Low- Milani eye pencils, come in a variety of colors, they go on smoothly, last and best part..... are about 5.00!
2.High-Nars highlight stick...have been buying this product for years, awesome over cheekbones, lips, browbone and on occasion even on your shoulders. I buy it in South Beach and Copacabana. A great multi use stick....it lasts!
3.High- Unite 7 seconds leave in conditioner. Best hair product (leave in) that I have ever used. I have thick hair that tangles easily, this makes combing through a total breeze, there is definitely a "miracle" ingredient, will buy this over and over! It's about 35.00 but last about 3 months.
4. Low- I have used a lot of heavy conditioners, and this one is my fave. From Neutrogena about 8.00, far better than Moroccan Oil at quadruple the price! Some hair expert was on Good Morning America one morning and was going on and on about this, well he's right! A little goes a long way, leaves my hair feeling nourished and silky. Have used it for years.
Second row-
5. High- Stila illuminating foundation. Again a little oes a long way, I use it only on certain areas of my face, it has a slight illuminator which makes my skin look like it's glowing. I love this product and have used it a long time and will continue to be a devoted fan. Not heavy.....
6. Low- Milani lipliners- I have bought these for years. Love this lipliner!! Its only about 6.00 and is probably the best one I have used. I buy them in 2's and 3's. Awesome! Great colors too......
7. Low-Maybelline turbo mascara. I have used expensive ones (used to use Diorshow for years) but this one is as good and for only about 8.00 a tube, its a bargain. Goes on easily and allows to layer without clumping.
8. Low- Clear Scalp shampoo. This is funny....my local CVS had a promotion that if you spent over $50.00 you got this shampoo. I had never heard of it but am never one to turn down a freebie! Well.....I used it and loved it, it lathers up like salon shampoos, smells great and with each shampoo I realized how great it was. I have not been loyally using this shampoo for about 3 months ever since I discovered it. It is excellent and I highly recommend it!
Last row-
9.Low- Essie nail polish, forget the crayon box of colors on steroids (every color under the sun), this is great quality nail polish for under 10.00. There is a reason virtually all nail salons use it!
10. Low- L'Oreal's Glam bronze. I use this and Geurlain's bronzer (which I have used for years) however I think Guerlain has switched the formula, its much softer and it is cracking well before I have used it and then I have to throw away a $45.00 bronzer! That does not make me happy. I had read in In Style about L'Oreal's and have since used it and been quite happy!
11. High- Bobbi Brown eyeshadow. Great quality stuff here, the color goes on with one swipe and it lasts. Does not flake and stays put. I have even dropped it and it didn't crack. That is saying something. Not cheap but totally worth every penny. I have had these compacts for a long time and they are still going strong!
OK so that is some of what I have used and absolutely love! It's your turn...time to tell me your favorite high and lows!! I cannot wait to hear......wishing you a fabulous day and thank you as always for stopping in!
This is such a fun idea! I love when you go off topic.
ReplyDeleteI love Sally Hansen nail polish, to me there is no polish that lasts as long as that one, and there great colors too.
I also love Oil of Olay Regenerist, very good product with consistently high marks and excellent reviews.
And am addicted to Maybellines Rocket mascara, you should try it.
Other than those its Bobbi Brown for me all the way!
I see a few things on your list I must try!
I read a lot about the chemicals around us lately and cut down drastically on make-up products. I am now only using an organic soap to wash my face, an organic face cream and a mascara.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, the things that they put in that stuff (both high and low - the luxury brands are no better than the cheap stuff) is quite terrible. Read about it and make an informed decision, but don't just buy things because it "feels good". It might, truly, make you sick.
Good morning beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI have used Maybelline mascara for years. It's just as good as the higher-priced ones, and I would rather spend my money on a good moisturizer! My "beauty" secrets are limited as far as products, for you know me Tina....MINIMALIST!!!!!!!! But an old-fashioned lip liner in plum, a bold lipstick in a shade darker than the liner, a good moisturizer and Pantene shampoo works for me still. For internal beauty, I swear by lots of FRUITS to hydrate the skin and minimal (there's that word again!) use of salt in my diet to lessen the puffy eyes!
ENJOY YOUR NEW PILLOW CHOICES! Anita
Good morning Tina! I wish I had known you would be in town....I would have met you for coffee!!! It was such a gorgeous day!
ReplyDeleteI love your "Can WeTalk" posts...I have discovered some great products, thanks to you....I will be checking a few of the "lows" out on my CVS run today.
Have a lovely day!!! xoxo
I LOVE the Nars multiple in Cocacabana. It's so awesome to highlight under brow bone and top of cheek bone and it blends easily and lasts forever!! For cheap products I like L'oreal Lash Out and I believe it's a Milani eyebrow pencil I use in taupe - very subtle. For expensive I swear by Dior BB Cream, Laura Mercier oil control primer and also Laura Mercier's BB cream is wonderful. xo
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Mac eyeshadows...any of them. And their lipsticks.
ReplyDeleteAlso, from Sephora, a product I'm addicted to: Perfekt foundation/primer. Glides on. So smooth and natural. I hope they never stop making this stuff.
LOVE also the Phyto hair products...first discovered them in Paris, but Sephora carries them.
Oh and another primer, or "BB Cream" : Boscia. Lovely product. Takes the place of foundation on days when you want to go light, but feel your imperfections are gently covered.
My all time favorite mascara, bar bone, is Mabeline Define A Lash. It's in an acid green tube. Can't miss it.
Georgio Armani makes lovely foundations.
Oh, and who can live without Yves St Laurent "Touche Eclat"? I buy them in bulk because I never want to be without it.
Benefit "High Beam" is lovely on brow bone and high on cheek bone.
Maybelline mascaras are tops for me. I use all Loreal skin products and get constant compliments on my "skin that looks like it glows" their words not mine!
ReplyDeleteI never buy expensive lipstick because i love to experiment but use Chanels foundation, eye shadow and pencils. They are high quality and worth every cent. Also always pick up fun things from my local health food store.
I will be back later to see what everyone has to say, fun to get new ideas.
I think I have the BB shadow you are showing.. her colors are great and she has a great sense for what works on mature skin. NARS has a cult following and I've used it on and off. I've never tried the Milani lipliners! I need to try them! There are SO many great products out there and it's great when you find something that works for you. Great pics Tina!! Enjoy your day! xxL
ReplyDeleteI love these posts!! The only one in your roundup that I use is the Nars stick. I am a fan of Ulta brands, and love Urban Decoy, and my new fave, Tarte. I do also like Stila a LOT but don't use that particular product. I love Milani for cheap finds, as well as NYX. Have you seen NYX? SUPER cheap but decent stuff! Fun to experiment with :)
ReplyDeleteStacy
I love this post. Thanks. I use Nars Illuminator. Funny you should find it, too, I love the Milani eyebrow pencil. It goes on without primer and it's 5.00 at Target. I will be looking for the lip liners. I use MAC lip gloss in C-Thru and am lost without it. I use expensive products from my salon on my hair and I am open to suggestions. I will be testing the Clear Shampoo.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I am a drugstore product JUNKIE. I have my fancy stuff too (LOVE those NARS sticks and you're right, they last forever!) but I can't resist a good trip down the beauty aisle at CVS. Some faves:
ReplyDeleteL'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Liquid Eyeliner in black (recommended by Martha Stewart)
L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Lipgloss in Plumped Pink (looks like Kate Middleton's favorite MAC lipgloss)
Maybelline ColorSensational lipstick in Warm Me Up and in Totally Toffee (Totally Toffee is very similar to Bobbi Brown's Brownie Pink lipstick)
Maybelline Lash Discovery mascara (I always go back to it when I stray to dept store brands)
And recently I've heard rave reviews about Rimmel's BB Cream (Oprah rated it a Best Beauty Buy this year), so I'm going to pick up some and try it. It's only $6!
My main high product is MAC eyeshadow in Kid. And I always invest in high quality make-up brushes because they make everything look fabulous!
Great topic! One lower end product is Maybelline Great Lash, I use it as well as Lancome's Definicils. A high end product has to be Dior's Skinflash, a "must have".
ReplyDeleteLove this post! I too love maybelline mascara, laura mercier tinted moisturizer, for wavy gray hair frizz control combination of moroccan oil and john frieda frizz ease (cheap and great). Revlon color stay lip color inexpensive and great!
ReplyDeleteTina, what a fun read! I will read through all the comments again to learn even more!
ReplyDeleteSome of my must haves:
LOW
Organic Coconut Butter on my face at night. $7 at Trader Joe's! Yes really! I don't breakout and the skin gets the best most natural nourishment. Several models I know also put the butter/oil in their smoothies.
MID
AVON Anew Clinical PRO Line Eraser Treatment. My daily skin must have. Skin looks fantastic after only 7 days.
HIGH
A total mascara snob. Will only use Lancome or Yves Saint Laurent.
LATEST FIND!
I am total lipgloss gal but I am nervous about all the chemicals in products I use so much. I swear I have found the best natural lipgloss - Jane Iredale. Stays on long, not tacky/thick, perfect shine, beautiful colors and not any bad chemicals. "Red Currant" gives just a tiny hint of raspberry red - glossy and sexy (if I may say so!). Love it!
My 2 cents.
Hugs to you!
Mon
Great post, I will have to try some of your suggestions. I have been on a search for a new lipstick and I am liking Bobbi Brown. I already hooked on their eye shadow and pencil.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post. Kathy
for low: i like huggies baby wipes for everything! too tired before you go to bed to use a makeup remover then follow up with a cleanser. use the wipes!
ReplyDeletefor high: votre vu makes this frozen sorbet push-up facial serum/treatment that you store in the freezer. omg it is quite the experience, and your skin will glow. it gets delivered to you on dry ice. very dramatic! votre vu's mascara is also my fav mascara. absolutely lush.
also, latisse is a product that delivers thicker, longer lashes. you only have to be patient and disciplined about adding it to your nightly routine.
love to you.
michele
I like it when people suggest things they have used and why they work - so great post.
ReplyDeleteMy choices are all reasonably priced. NeoStrata foam cleanser, moisturizer and eye serum - all reasonable priced and great skin care products.
Elizabeth Arden Prevage day moisturizer - love, love this - worth the bit more $. Estee Lauder foundation. Smashbox mineral powder - it lasts forever because you use so little of it, and it's great coverage.
I just bought Vichy BB cream - it's incredible coverage. MAC for lips, eyes, cheeks - are all my colour products. MAC for pencils - the best by far, they last and don't break. If you don't own a MAC pencil sharpener - get one, they never shred your pencils like other sharpeners.
Revlon nail enamel is my favourite - it lasts and they have great colours. Cherries In The Snow is a beautiful blue base red shade that I've bought for about 15 years.
I use Dermalogica skincare for everything, have for about 12 years. Love everything about it. Although I have been using their treatment foundation for that long too and they have just changed the formula and it's horrible, so I'm devastated! Apart from that I use Lancome Juicy Tubes lipgloss, with a Body Shop lipliner which is same colour as Mac Spice. I use everything from Bobbi Brown, to Nars and even Revlon for eyeshadows, I use both Napoleon and Maybelline mascaras, I use a Lancome concealer, but never leave home without my Shu Uemura eyelash curler. My perfume of choice is Issey Miyake and I have a few dozen OPI nail polishes.
ReplyDeleteHi what a good idea! Love maybellibe great lash have used it for years a d still love suave shampoos/! They work well with my hair. I splurge on skin are though and love Shiseido everything and Stils makeup. Also Essie polish is my favorite and last jet gens slow tanning lotion is such a bargain and makes my skin so soft . Thanks !
ReplyDeleteLove this topic!! I love loreal mascara in Black Noir. I only wear Loreal lipstick...the prices are great and my lips seem to get irritated from other brands. Also love the Olay moisturizers and serums. As for blush I am a Nars devotee...love it! I always use Aveda or Sebastian prducts on my hair. It is very thick and needs a good conditioner. Usually I use the Neutrogena Clear shampoo when I feel too many products have been building up but I can't wait to try the Clear brand! Have a great day!!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! Always so fun to learn about new products to try. I love MAC's Paint Pot in Painterly. It goes on as a base/eye shadow primer and is fantastic. I learned about it on a few make-up blogs and it is my number one recommendation to all my friends. I also love Bare Minerals Mineral Powder. It gives a smooth and soft finish to any make-up application. So pretty! I like Laura Mercier eye shadow in Guava and Morning Dew with Mac's Brun as a contrast color. For hair care I love all the Bumble and Bumble products. They smell good and work. Oribe has amazing smelling hair care products too. For perfume I found my signature scent in Cartier's Baiser Vole. It is all I wear and I am stopped by so many people asking me to please write down my scent because it smells so amazing. My doctor told me he was going to buy it for his wife because the scent was so captivating. It is a scent I love because I can't smell it on myself but everyone else seems to. I am literally followed around when I am in public and asked repeatedly what I am wearing. My sister calls it catnip:-)
ReplyDeleteSome of the lows-
ReplyDeleteRimmel london eyeshadow, great colors so cheap and they stay on!
Sally Hansen lip liner relaxer, has a little collage in it and works like a charm!
Coty face powder, there's a reason its been made for over 50 years!
Physicians forumula shimmer strips shadow/bronzer, you can use this on the cheeks or eyes, its great!
For high-
I like Clarins products from their self tanners to masks to cleansers, excellent product
I do like Stila and Bobbi Brown and buy only MAC lipsticks,they stay on and have the best colors.
Jo Malone for fragrance and great staying power
This was fun, now I am going to read over everyone else s!
Tina- having worked in the beauty industry for over 12 years I will say this, essentially most of the ingredients for makeup between high and low are the same. The fancy packaging, marketing and pretty ads are about the only difference, so I am a big buyer of drugstore brands and use to use lots of Milani when I was working.
ReplyDeleteSkincare does change a bit however, with some of the pricier ingredients being used only in the more expensive skincare. It pays to do research but with makeup basically its all the same.
Love that Neutrogena conditioner too. Its so great and rich and wonderful for my very dry hair. I am going to try Milano lip liners, I buy Chanel but lose them all the time and at 20 a pop it makes me crazy.
ReplyDeleteI like to experiment with lipstick so buy cheap brands a lot and if I fall in love with a color then will look for something comparable by Nars, my favorite "high" brand, I love their products.
Also cannot be without my Burts bees lip balm...best out there.
Here's the thing about beauty products... there are too many to choose from and too fun to pass up!!!!! Great picks!!! I do my makeup and hair every day... even if I weed the garden. It's a habit I developed as a young girl and I'm glad I did! Gotta try the Neutrogena hair mask.
ReplyDeleteBest "low" I have found is Palmer's Cocoa Butter in a tube for lips and face... in the jar for a night time body treatment. I smell like Chocolate and it works! Best "high" is my facial regime... I use Obaji. I swear by it! Gotta have good skin to put all that pretty makeup on!
Great post, Tina!
What a great post.I LOVE Clear Scalp shampoo, my hairdresser actually told me about it. I so agree it is a great product! I got SO many good ideas here. I have to say I love L'Oreal and all their skincare products. Their anti aging is amazingly good and under 30.00 for a comparable dept. store brand that is over $100. My dermatologist said they are made up of the same things so to me thats a great deal and lots of value. For makeup I am a bit of a junkie, I try it all...all the way to fake eyelashes for a big night out (I buy them at Walgreens for 6.00 and they look fantastic)! I also like Milani too, great and very affordable line.
ReplyDeleteLast Jergens makes a self tanning lotion that smells so good, doesn't' turn orange and leaves my skin feeling super soft. There are a lot of great products to be found at your local drugstore.
Cindy
Can't tell you how much I love your blog. It is such a gift when it arrives! Thank you for all that you have shared that I would never know about!
ReplyDeleteOne product I enjoy is L'Occitane, En Provence, Savon Extra-Doux, Verveine,verbena extra-gentle soap. It smells so fresh and makes the water so silky. My husband loves it in the shower and I have it in all the bathrooms.
Susie