Favorite Drugstore Cosmetics

Some of my favorite products in my makeup kit come straight from the drug store.  With this tough economy we are all facing, I think it is appropriate to inform you of some great products that cost the fraction of the price of some of the designer cosmetic brands out there.

I tend to use a lot of name brand cosmetics like Dior, Estee Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Shu Uemura and Cle De Peau when making up some of my celebrity clients, but I have found that some of the popular drug store brands like Revlon, Max Factor, L’Oreal, Cover Girl and Almay make some amazing cosmetics that work just as well if not better than the the designer brands do.

Foundation: When it comes to foundation I prefer the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation or the Temptu Air Brush foundation (available in September 2009). The only drug store foundation I have actually tried is the L’Oreal True Match Super Bendable Makeup. It has light to medium coverage for radiant flawless skin. True Match foundation comes in 24 different shades.  I have heard a lot of great things about the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless foundation but have not had the chance to try it yet.

Blush and Bronzer: Almay Pure Blends Blush and Bronzer are really soft and natural. They have 4 soft neutral shades that create a natural flush of color. They are also hypoallergenic, free of talk and added parabens.

Lipstick and Lip liner: Revlon Color Stay Liquid Lipstick is a great long lasting lipstick with patented color stay technology. You only need to apply the lipstick once and it will last you all day, even through constant eating and drinking. I really love the Vivid Impact Lip liners from Max Factor, they come in a great range of shades from pink to nudes and has a blending brush on the opposite end.

Lip gloss: Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lip Soother is a great soothing lipgloss, it is ultra sheer, cools/soothes the lips and also comes in several great wearable shades. Almay Pure Blends Lip gloss also has 8 great nude shades of lip gloss that are natural and very sheer with just a touch of color.

Eye Shadow: Almay has just come out with a new line of eye shadows called Pure Blends and come in 10 great wearable shades, Stone, Oatmeal and Ivory are in my kit. Max Factor makes some great eye shadows as well, they come pressed with 3 complementary shades and I have used 130 Cocoa Crazey, 140 Connoisseur & 160 Baja Bronze on Gabby many times. Revlon also has some great nudes and neutral eye shadow quads called Beyond Natural Cream to Powder eye shadows. My two favorite palettes are Spice & Buff.

Mascara: L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black & Blackest Black is a definite staple in my kit. This really adds volume to your lashes and gives you that false lash look. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara is also a great mascara under 4 bucks and comes in several different shades and formulas. I also love the NEW Lash Stiletto from Maybelline as well. This mascara really defines and lengthens those lashes and gives them a glossy look.

Eyeliner & Brows: Line Express from Maybelline is a fantastic eyeliner that has intense color and a tip on the opposite end for easy blending and comes in 6 shades. Maybelline’s Define-A-Brow Pencil is also great for getting that perfect arch and filling in sparse areas in your brow. Define-A-Brow also comes with a comb attached to brush your brows into place.

Removers: In my opinion, Almay has one of the best eye makeup removers. The oil free eye makeup remover pads are gentle on the sensitive eye area and get all your eye makeup off with just one pad while nourishing the skin.

Tools: Sonia Kashuk has a great line of brushes at Target and they are all reasonably priced. Sonia Kashuk also makes an affordable version of the popular Beauty Blender sponge that I like to use. Boots No. 7 has some really great brushes too.

Product Of The Week: The Beauty Blender

The Beauty Blender makeup sponge has been around for awhile now and I must admit to avoiding it like the plague. A friend had told me about the Beauty Blender and I decided to look it up online.  I saw that the Beauty Blender was priced at $19.95 for a single sponge and that was enough for me to say “No Thanks”.

A few years go by and just last week I am at my favorite beauty supply store in North Hollywood  called Nigel’s Beauty Emporium and I once again see this Beauty Blender sponge. The sponge is also hot pink and that is one of my favorite colors… I was in a shopping mood and  decided to purchase a few sponges and a bottle of cleanser. I must say that I am really disappointed in my self for neglecting such an amazing product just because of the price. I had never shied away from a beauty product in the past  just because of its price.  

This product really does a great job at blending my favorite Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation into the skin seamlessly. All you have to do is dampen the sponge with some water and apply your foundation in a stippling motion and then set with a translucent powder. It really is that easy! One of the best features of the Beauty Blender is that it is washable and latex free. It is also great for the environment by not using and wasting as many latex sponges.  So check out the Beauty Blender at www.beautyblender.net and order one today.