Budget Minded Beauty

Cover Girl cheekers: not bad.

2009-09-15T20:59:00.007-05:00

Looking for a good highlighter can be a challenge, specially when you are on a budget. After looking at many beautiful pictures of MAC Mineralize Skin Finish (MSF- for short), I was on a mission to find something similar without the 40$ pricetag. I was looking at the CG cheekers since they are roughly $4. But my patience payed off. I was immediately attracted to this cheeker, snowplum. At first, it looks like almost a very light pink-peach with indoor lighting at HEB ( a supermarket based in Texas). But looking back and forth I knew there was a bit of pearlescent look to the cheeker, so following with my gut instinct I bought it.

The quality is not that great, but not bad either. When using my blush brush the texture is very and i mean VERY chalky. The powder will go everywhere. However, when I applied it right above my cheek bone, it actually gave a nice candlelight highlight. Its actually perfect to highlight those areas (forehead, chin...). I do not recommend using this color around daytime since it will highlight your pores. Of course all faces are made differenctly, and to me this cheeker is one to be reserved at night time.

If you need a pearlescent highlighter give this cover girl cheeker a go. Just remember the texture is very chalky and it's one of those things you have to endure while applying this blush/highlighter.
If you can afford something a bit more expensive, then pass it.

RIMMEL LIPGLOSS: you will get the shine.

2009-09-09T16:27:00.004-05:00

The Rimmel brand is one of those brands that you can either have a miss or hit when it comes to their products. But like any opinion, its just that : an opinion. And sometimes my friend, that opinion may ring true or false to you. Which brings me to the Rimmel "kiss off" lipgloss. Now, I was attracted to their lipgloss because of the colors they offer. Pinks, reds, peachy...sounds great, right? Well to tell you the truth, for the 3-5$ you will end up paying per lipgloss, it does what it supposed to do : make your lips shiny. They are quite concentrated for their price. My only complaint is "how" they feel on my lips. To me, it feels as if they are getting numbed. I hate that feeling. So to remedy it, I had to apply a lipbalm. I even experimented mixing it a little with my MAC clear lipglass, and it helps water down that numb feeling. If you are not a fan of their foundations, do check out their lipglosses. They do redeem themselves in that department.

PROS: great colors. price is reasonable
CONS: how it feels on my lips

NYX round lipstick : way too hyped ???

2009-08-28T22:12:00.007-05:00

If there is a brand of lipstick that has been talked about on the net and on youtube is gotta be NYX round Lipsticks. Many of their fans say that the price and color range is what attracts them to this particular lipstick. After seeing so many girls posting their swatches and using them on their youtube tutorials, I said to myself " Hmmm...I gotta try these and say if they are all what they cracked up to be". One lesson I learned on my journey of trying items recommended or "highly recommended" by many people is that *just because it works for them does not necesssarily means it will work for me*. Sadly, NYX round lipsticks fit in that category.

Me and my friend purchased 1 tube. I got the NYX RL in Celebrate while she bought Twist. At Ulta these are around 3 dollars or so ( i believe, I could be wrong). The selection is not as big as many online retailers, but atleast they had some nice colors. When I got home I got excited and wanted to try this lipstick on immediately. Well, once I started to apply this lipstick, I felt something wrong. The formula of this lipstick is too, well cheap. I mean once you apply it it feels like Mica and mineral oil together. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING MOISTURISING ABOUT THIS LIPSTICK!!!!! NOTHING !!!!!!!! After a minute of so, my lips felt so dry i had to remove my lipstick. I was not the only one either, my friend had the exact same reaction !!!!!!
It says on their website that "This is a velvet-textured lip cream that covers the lips with rich color and smoothes and moisturizes lips with each application". If by velvet they mean that once you apply it, your lips look like velvet because they (the lipstick) are drying your lips, they are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT about that !
I am not trying to put NYX down. In fact I am a huge fan of their eyeshadows, but they have truly dissapointed me with this line of lipsticks. I will not buy any of their lipsticks again. They need..in fact I URGE them to reformulate the RL. For them to add shea butter and natural oils like avocado. If you are going to be buying NYX Round lipsticks, I urge to apply a nice lipbalm before proceeding to apply your NYX RL. You have been warned !

*ABOUT THE COLORS THAT WERE SWATCHED*

CELEBRATE: its a nice burnt orange color. perfect for the fall/winter.
TWIST: like a pinkish color. don't get this color. it will fade with your lipcolor.

INGREDIENTS:
Round Lipstick Ceresin Wax, Polyethlene Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Beeswax, Lanoline Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Mineral Oils, Octyl Palmitate, BHA, Propyl Paraben, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, D&C Red No.A1 Lake, Pearl Powder, Iron Oxide.

Wet and Wild lipliners: $1.00 Well spent.

2009-08-18T09:40:00.005-05:00

http://wnwbeauty.com/cosmetics/lips/lipliner/lip-liner-pencil.php

There are many beauty products out there that I have payed a few dollars that I have ended up just throwing away, case in point : max factor cosmetics ( I won't get into which items cause then I'll get even MORE upset about literally flushing money down the toilet). There are some dollar items that are a true gem. Wet and Wild lip liners are without question is one of those few dollar items that you will ever cross that will not disappoint you. My very first lipliner from WnW was their all popular #666. It's been a staple of mine since 1996. Just as they promised, the lipliners are creamy and application is effortless ( no tugging). I have accumulated other lipliners, but after checking their website some of the swatches of the LL I have made, well I believe the colors have been discontinued. But in any case let me share you my swatches (click-able for your viewing pleasure) and a little description.

*** FYI -- I swatched the lipliners over 5 times so you can see the color, however the lipliners are quite buildable. You can achieve a natural or a strong "lipline" with the exception of : #713 and #715. ***

#664B : *this lipliner is no longer available -- they have now shade "663B"
This shade in real life look like a dark pinkish rose with a hint of shimmer. Real nice shade IMO.

#666: "Brandy Wine". In person the color is a pinkish bronze with a hint of shimmer.

#712: "Willow". A nice natural shade of soft brown with a hint of pink. Perfect lipliner for those days you want a natural "day time" look, shade is matte.

#713: *lipliner no longer available* A brick red lipliner, matte.

#714: *lipliner is no longer available, maybe they changed their name (?) They now have 714B* A gorgeous Rose Pink, one of my favorites. This lipliner can easily go with any pink lipstick you may own. Lipliner has a hint of shimmer.

#715: "Plumberry". Color is exactly as the name states, a very plummy color *hehe* Lipliner is matte.

Do give Wet and Wilp lipliners a try. You will be surprised at how well $1.00 can be spent.

Tropez Lipstick : well worth your attention.

2009-08-14T03:47:00.004-05:00

Have you gone to Walgreens and boom you see this brand and you just absolutely ignore it? I must admit, I was like some of you. I happen to browse those nifty Walgreen's cosmetic specials and just happen to ignore this brand. So what was it that made me pay more close attention? It was the day that my spouse actually bought me a Tropez Ultra Glaze lipgloss. I was won over by their quality and color vibrancy. From there on, I ventured on a few other lippies I am so eager to introduce to you. Now, I don't want to over do this and tell you what their websites already inform you. But I will keep my review simple.

This brand so far I see it in Walgreens. Not in CVS, nor at Target, forget Walmart.
Their prices are reasonable. The lipsticks are around 2$
Quality wise, you get what you pay for. I don't mean this in a negative way either. Literally for the 2$ you pay for these lipsticks their quality is damn good. They stay on a long time. They won't make your lips dry like NYX round Lipsticks (I'll be reviewing NYX pretty soon). They are creamy and moisturizing just as they promise on their website.
They offer a decent selection for the price.
Their packaging is simple, but it works. (I'm not paying for a beautiful packaging, I am paying for their quality).

So next time you DO go to Walgreens and need a lipstick, do give Tropez beauty brand a "GO". They are truly worth your attention.

Luscious Flavors lippie: It does have a little scent, but not overpowering or bothersome. Color I bought "plum passion" is absolutely beautiful and dark. Great for those cool Halloween parties or even to blend other lipsticks with. I use it primarly to blend other colors.

Lip Sheen: If you want to give your lips a little depth without the over powering concentration of a regular lipstick, DO get the lip sheen. It says in their website that its both a liptick and gloss in one. To me it felt like a regular lipstick, just a bit extra creamier. Lipsheens are perfect to use for the day time or in my case to add depth to my lips. A VERY cheap way to make your lips look as if you had those lip injections !!!

Moisturizing Lipstick : Nice and creamy and the color payoff stellar!!!! The color I purchased "palatial pink" is one hell of a pink lipstick. Get this, PRONTO !!!

http://www.tropezbeauty.com/

'til next time, budgetnistas!!!

Revlon lippies and swatches.

2009-07-21T01:34:00.005-05:00

Hola Muchachas !!!

Been out for a bit. Not feeling too well. The South Texas heat is not helping me either. But talking about make-up always brings a smile to my face and I hope it does to you too!
So on with the show.

I have been using Revlon since, well high school. I have not been disappointed with them, YET.
I have had these lippies for quite some time. I find these colors flattering with my fair complexion with yellow/peach undertones. I know there are many bloggers that have a gazillion of lippies (lucky them!) but due to my past experience with buying tons of lipsticks; I found I have wasted many $$$ buying lippies that I never use... beautiful colors that will go rancid after time. I do advice you that when you have an impulse to buy a lipstick, purchase a color YOU don't own. Or do swatches of your lippies and take the picture with your cellphone camera-- for reference !!! That's my money tip for the month. Have a good one!!! M.

*REVLON LIPPIES WILL SET YOU BACK AROUND 5-6$$$* DO KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR SPECIALS TO SAVE $$$ !!!!

L'oreal Lipsticks

2009-07-17T00:30:00.009-05:00

L'oreal products can see been in just about everywhere. Walgreens, Walmart, and even at Ulta. This is convenient for you and me ! Why? Those catchy BOGO's !!! (buy one get one free promos)
Let's face it, there is nothing like saving a few dollars here and there ! Especially NOW. But quality is just as important as saving $$$. Which is why when it comes to lipsticks, L'oreal can't be beat !
They are creamy and long lasting. Granted shelling out 5-6$ for a tube of lipstick can be pricey for some, but in L'oreal's defense : It is worth it. The trick is to keep a look at those BOGO promos at your neighborhood Walgreens, CVS and even at ULTA. The same for their HIP line.
So, guess what??? ULTA IS HAVING A BOGO!!!! AND IT ENDS JULY 25!!!
Here are some swatches of my L'oreal Color Riche lipsticks. They are more on the pink/natural side, with the exception of Wild Plum and British Red. These colors are perfect for work and play. If you fancy a natural look I do recommend Earth Rose and Diane's Tuberose. Some swatches/colors look almost the same, but it is quite different once you apply it on your lips. Here are the swatches. Enjoy !

Jane Colorsticks

2009-07-13T23:29:00.010-05:00

Jane cosmetics have proven themselves when it comes to : afford-ability and quality. Today I present "Jane Colorsticks- eyecolor and liner". Now, we might be abit intimidated with colorsticks (I was at the beginning). But these colosticks have proven to be more useful than not. When you are in a hurry and you dont have time to put eyeshadow on, these babies can truly cut down your make-up time. Sometimes, you want to give your eyeshadow color an extra boost. So, after having primed your lids, then using your desired colorstick: you will indeed see a remarkable difference (or improvement whichever way you want to see it) with your look. So, do give Jane cosmetics a "go". You might be surprised at how a drugstore brand is really able to compete with department store ones.

The Good: Depending where you live, a colorstick can set you back 5-6$ (affordable considering similar products out there are 3 times the price)
You can find Jane cosmetics at Walmart, Walgreens to name a few. You can find great deals at Walgreens for discounts on Jane products.

The Bad: Eventhough they DO have a decent selection ( they carry staple colors like green, brown, and black for example) They DO NOT have the bright colors that NYX Jumbo eye Pencil Offers (Ex. Hot Pink, Yellow, White, Orange). Eventhough you can find Jane Products at Walmart, you may find yourself out of luck that this particular product is out of stock. You may find yourself making an extra trip to Walgreens. The formula itself is a bit on the creamy side which can be good and bad. Bad if you have oily lids like me, good if you have dry lids.
The barrel itself is clear but, its a hard plastic. You need to be armed with a good cosmetic sharpener.
Here are some Jane Colorstick swatches. You can click it to see bigger picture.

Just an FYI

1. Mercury Rising: a taupe color in person.
2. Stormy: A dark green in person
3. Oh Yes: just the way its seen, "lime green"
4. True Original: a brown/bronze color.
5. Dream World: a soft white pearl color, perfect for highlighting.

Yay !

2009-07-13T02:23:00.003-05:00

glitter-graphics.com

This is my first intro. Just to let you know that coming soon I will be posting swatches and reviews on cosmetics. I am thrilled to do this and I am looking forward to hear your opinions and thoughts.

CU-soon!
M.