There are few things a woman loves more in life than good stuff for a great price. I am a self-proclaimed pincher of pennies; a chintzy chick...I don't really like the term "frugalista" (I can only picture that guy from 'The Frugal Gourmet' scouring Macy's) but "budget beauty" will do just fine. I must be fully persuaded that I will die without said item before I will shell out even $5. For me, this applies to makeup just as much as it does to clothes, shoes, jewelry and buckets of ice cream. Like all these things, sometimes more $$$ does mean better quality. In the makeup artist industry there are some products that work so well and are so reliable and that truly affect the artists quality of work so much that they are worth half a days pay. But a great deal of the time you can find less expensive beauty products that will give you the same beautiful look...and this is one of those times!
I'm sharing 3 of my favorite sites for buying affordable, quality beauty products. So, without further ado and in no particular order...
This site boasts "artistry brands at beautiful prices" and its the truth. Some of the brands they sell include Stila, Too Faced and Pixi. On this site you'll find items that top makeup artists have in their kits but the prices are almost always marked down by 50% or more.
e.l.f. (which stands for eyes.lips.face) is a brand that you may have heard of before. If not, you will definitly want to check this one out! They have an entire range of cosmetics available with most of the products costing only $1. That's right! $1! And they're sold at most Target stores too. I've purchased several things from e.l.f. and 9 times out of 10 I was very pleased. (The applicator on their liquid eyeliners don't work) If you buy just one thing from e.l.f. it MUST be their eyelash curler! I don't know how it works so fantastically but it does. It's like a magic wand...and it's only $1.
Dulce Cosmetics
I recently discovered this website. Most of the products they sell are $10 or less. This site has great stuff for the younger crowd who maybe wants to update their makeup collection. A really good way to quickly expand your collection on a budget is to buy palettes. Palettes of eyeshadows, blushes, lip colors and concealers offer you a variety without the cost of individually purchasing each color. Dulce Cosmetics has a line of palettes and kits ranging in price from $8 - $18.
No matter what your beauty budget these websites will have something for you. I bet that if you rounded up all the change in your couch cushions you'd have enough for a shopping spree!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Trina's Beauty Blog TV!!!
That's right, I'm going to be sharing my beauty know-how with you via video in the coming days. I just received a new camcorder and now all I have to do is make some videos for you guys.
So, the big question is...what do YOU want to see???
Would you like to see a certain makeup look? Or is there a beauty dilemma that's baffling you and you'd like me to show you how to fix it? Are you curious about what's in my kit? Or maybe there's a specific type of product you want to learn about?
Comment below and let me know what videos you'd like to see!
So, the big question is...what do YOU want to see???
Would you like to see a certain makeup look? Or is there a beauty dilemma that's baffling you and you'd like me to show you how to fix it? Are you curious about what's in my kit? Or maybe there's a specific type of product you want to learn about?
Comment below and let me know what videos you'd like to see!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Product Review: HiP Cream Eyeliner
I've always loved classic black eyeliner! Depending on the way you style it, eyeliner can take you from daytime to evening looks with just a swipe. The newest thing in eyeliner is cream and gel eyeliners. They are touted as being easier to apply, longer lasting and multi-purpose. As I said, I love eyeliner, so a few months back I purchased the HiP Cream Eyeliner in Black (905) with included eyeliner brush (small black one shown below).
Packaging: HiP, I feel, has attractive packaging for their products. However, my only complaint is that the pot that the eyeliner comes in weighs quite a bit. If you decide to purchase all of the eyeliner colors it's going to add a lot of weight to your makeup kit.
Formulation: The texture could be compared to that of a piece of fudge. It's thick and creamy.
Scent: This has practically none.
Application: This cream eyeliner is more forgiving than liquid liner. It goes on smoothly and with a few strokes a clean line can be created. BUT, I did not like the eyeliner brush that was included AT ALL. The line that it creates is way too thick. I use a painters brush that I bought from a craft store. Don't quote me but I believe it cost about $4. The painters brush is much smaller (less than half the size of the included one) and is perfect for creating thin lines, delicate winged tips and is also great for lining the waterline.
Left Line: Included HiP brush
Right Line: Artists brush from craft store
Longevity: It's been my experience when using liquid eyeliner that as the day wears on it dries out and then crumbly little chunks fall down onto your under eye area. With this cream eyeliner, although it does appear a little bit drier, it doesn't crack and crumble. I did notice a small amount of transfer of the eyeliner onto my upper lid when I used it.
Multi-purpose uses: Cream and gel eyeliners can also be used as a base for eyeshadows. Apply a small amount to your lid with either your finger or a small flat brush. You will need to work somewhat quickly however because once this stuff dries (about 10 seconds) it does not want to move. You'll need a makeup remover to get it off.
Price/Quantity: The HiP Cream Eyeliner costs $12 and is available at drugstores, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. $12 may seem pricey to some but you get 4.5 grams of product and a little goes a long ways. Other colors include teal, eggplant, brown and midnight blue.
Shelf Life: This is a cream product. Cream products should be used or discarded within one year.
IF YOU ASK ME
This cream eyeliner is good stuff (as long as you don't use their brush). I enjoy putting it on. After a few tries you can definitely learn how to achieve a beautiful line. While it lasts noticeably longer than other liners I've used it's not the miracle eyeliner of all eyeliners. It will eventually move on you. Would I buy it again? Yes, it's worth the money. Especially if you love classic black eyeliner!
Formulation: The texture could be compared to that of a piece of fudge. It's thick and creamy.
Scent: This has practically none.
Application: This cream eyeliner is more forgiving than liquid liner. It goes on smoothly and with a few strokes a clean line can be created. BUT, I did not like the eyeliner brush that was included AT ALL. The line that it creates is way too thick. I use a painters brush that I bought from a craft store. Don't quote me but I believe it cost about $4. The painters brush is much smaller (less than half the size of the included one) and is perfect for creating thin lines, delicate winged tips and is also great for lining the waterline.Left Line: Included HiP brush
Right Line: Artists brush from craft store
Longevity: It's been my experience when using liquid eyeliner that as the day wears on it dries out and then crumbly little chunks fall down onto your under eye area. With this cream eyeliner, although it does appear a little bit drier, it doesn't crack and crumble. I did notice a small amount of transfer of the eyeliner onto my upper lid when I used it.
Multi-purpose uses: Cream and gel eyeliners can also be used as a base for eyeshadows. Apply a small amount to your lid with either your finger or a small flat brush. You will need to work somewhat quickly however because once this stuff dries (about 10 seconds) it does not want to move. You'll need a makeup remover to get it off.
Price/Quantity: The HiP Cream Eyeliner costs $12 and is available at drugstores, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. $12 may seem pricey to some but you get 4.5 grams of product and a little goes a long ways. Other colors include teal, eggplant, brown and midnight blue.
Shelf Life: This is a cream product. Cream products should be used or discarded within one year.
IF YOU ASK ME
This cream eyeliner is good stuff (as long as you don't use their brush). I enjoy putting it on. After a few tries you can definitely learn how to achieve a beautiful line. While it lasts noticeably longer than other liners I've used it's not the miracle eyeliner of all eyeliners. It will eventually move on you. Would I buy it again? Yes, it's worth the money. Especially if you love classic black eyeliner!
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