Drugstore Bargain Buy: Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in "Celestial"

I am always being asked what lip color I'm wearing, and lately, my go-to has been a cheapie but goodie drugstore find by Rimmel London!  I've been OBSESSED with this liquid lipstick/lipgloss/lip lacquer for the past 5-6 months.  If you have never tried it, you are missing out.  Rimmel London's Show Off Lip Lacquer in "Celestial" is a creamy, conditioning pigmented lipgloss that is seriously comparable to my favorite Chanel Double Intensite Lipgloss in "Rose Quartz" !! The staying power is not bad - I don't need to touch up for several hours & even when the color fades, my lips are stained with a pretty pinky color so they don't look too shabby.  The color is absolutely perfect - it doesn't scream "I'm wearing a bright pink lipstick" and it's natural enough to wear with a dramatic eye look or no eye makeup at all.  *Confession - I even wear this lipcolor to the gym!

The best part is that this gloss is only $4.99 vs. my $35 Chanel lipgloss.  Let's face it - a girl can't always have her Chanel when the wallet's a bit tight!  It also lasts FOREVER.  I've been wearing this lip lacquer for the past 4 months (and reapplying roughly 2-3x a day) and it is now barely starting to show signs of emptying out.  This trusty alternative will be a staple in my purse from now on - so excuse me while I go order some more! 


Quality vs. Quantity - The Ultimate Eyeshadow Dilemma

I was SO happy to see that someone finally put their two cents in regarding the mass-produced 88-color eyeshadow palettes (and everything else in between).  This article from Kevin James Bennett calls out the differences between the 88-Eyeshadow Palettes from BH Cosmetics, Coastal Scents, etc. and other eyeshadows from L'Oreal, Make Up For Ever, Ben Nye, and the like. 


*Click the link above to read the full article!

To make a long story short - I, too, was once swayed by the promise of 88-100 pigmented eyeshadows for roughly $15.  They are easy to find, cheap to ship, and also mass produced in China.  They are the exact same palettes marketed under different brands.  Is there anything wrong with them? Not necessarily - but if you're looking for quality vs. quantity, you're much better off doing your own research and figuring out which brand offers eyeshadows at a lower price/gram.  If you read Kevin James Bennett's full article, he breaks down the cost/gram of several popular eyeshadow brands and you might be shocked to see the results!




Coastal Scents 88-Color Palette

True, it might seem excessive to be paying $10+ for one or two eyeshadows when you can buy 100 colors, but I've always believed that it's better to pay more for a product that's good quality & long-lasting, versus pay less for more variety/more colors at a cheaper price at the expense of lower performance.



Sleek Makeup Blushes

I am so in love with these new Sleek Makeup blush palettes!   I was on the hunt for some affordable, matte blushes and came across these beauties from http://www.sleekmakeup.com/. 

Sleek Blush-by-3 Palettes
The best part?  Each blush palette includes 3 blushes and costs $12.49.  I have been using them on my clients & myself for the past couple weeks and I must say, I am thoroughly impressed by them.  For those of you who are not familiar with Sleek Makeup, they are sold at SuperDrug and other drug stores (surprisingly!) in the UK.  For the rest of us who are not able to access them so easily, Sleek Makeup products are available online.  Shipping is not bad at all  -  I only paid $6.50 or $7 shipping for 5 items.  I also bought their contour kit, which is AMAZING and only $8 for a bronzer and highlighter. 

More on the blushes:  Extremely pigmented and long-wearing (I daresay, even longer-wearing than my Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes).  Several colors are exact dupes of NARS blushes (Orgasm, eat your heart out!).  To be fair, not all of them are matte - there is, I believe, one non-matte blush (but trust me, they are not glittery or gaudy in any way) in each blush palette.  Extremely wearable and long-lasting.  Don't let the colors fool you -The colors look crazy bright, but a light hand will give you the pretty flushed look that you want.