Who knew blogging was going to be more difficult when I committed to “really invest in classic, quality pieces that I will keep for years” a couple months ago. I’ve been trying to avoid aimlessly trolling the interwebs for beautiful things I don’t really need and recent clothing/accessory purchases have been limited to 1) a Chanel flap bag 2) a little black Tahari shift dress and 3) Cole Haan peep-toe flats. Exciting, I know.
Somehow avoiding clothes shopping has sparked an obsession strong interest in beauty/ skincare. Ever since I started using Le Métier de Beauté ‘Peau Vierge Anti Aging Complex’ Tinted Treatment SPF 20 I’ve been on the hunt for other products that promise luminous skin/smooth-as-silk hair/the fountain of youth/etc. While most of my purchases tend to be from retailers like Sephora, SkinStore or department stores, I’ve found a hand-full of drugstore favorites recently that I thought I’d share:
Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara: Fiber extensions mascaras have been completely hit or miss for me and I’m happy to say this one is a hit! It supposedly builds up to 4mm of measurable extensions – which I can’t confirm – but it does noticeably lengthen my lashes. What I really like about it is I can use several coats without it clumping and it still looks natural. The packaging leaves something to be desired but I suppose its what’s in the tube that matters. Its not particularly volumizing but it is my favorite fiber mascara for now and for the price its definitely worth trying.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Exfoliating Wet Cleansing Cloths: I used to not really have a preference for make-up removing wipes. I’d buy generic CVS brand or whatever was on sale – until I tried these. I don’t really know if they help at all with anti-aging but they are super gentle yet remove all traces of my makeup (including waterproof mascara and MUFE aqua eyes), they are thicker than other wipes and they smell amazing. My skin feels noticeably softer after using these and so refreshed. Yes, they are a bit pricy usually but I’ve found that soap.com almost always has a e-coupon for these and you can get 2 30-packs for about $10 which is comparable to other wipes. Honestly, even if I had to pay full price, these are a necessity and I wouldn’t settle for cheaper wipes now.
Olay Quench Plus Touch of Sun: Once tights-season ended, I was a bit terrified at baring my legs which hadn’t seen the light of day in months! Being too lazy/cheap to get a spray tan until it was really Spring, I decided to try this on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. I’m usually not a fan of regular at-home self tanners but this was my first time trying a lotion with gradual sunless tanning. Its streak-proof, smells better than other self-tanners and the color is really natural on my medium, yellow-undertone skin. Bottom line its cheap, it works and I’m still using it…
New York City Ballet Collection by OPI: I don’t really like drawing attention to my hands with bright nails so I’m a big fan of almost nude nails. I saw this review from Scrangie with swatches of this collection and couldn’t resist trying the collection for myself! The soft gray (My Pointe Exactly), lilac (Care to Danse?) and cream (Don’t Touch My Tutu!) shades are even better than expected (haven’t tried the others yet) – application is so smooth, easily layerable and I love that they’re jellies. They do take several coats to get a completely opaque look, but I like that you can play with how sheer you want them to be. Also sometimes lighter shades look weird on with my skin tone but I think these are versatile enough to look good on most people. I purchased a mini set of these but fully intend to purchase the larger size bottles soon!
Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo: I have fairly dry hair and try to only wash it every other day so in between I rely on dry shampoo to keep my roots looking fresh. I’m a fan of keratin hair treatments so I thought I’d try this on the off-chance that it happened to be better than my go-to dry shampoos (Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo or Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk). On the plus side, it smells great and works pretty well at absorbing oil from my roots. It actually feels like its working too – like a cool burst of refreshing air. It does however leave a bit of white residue sometimes so you have to be careful to really rub it in well and brush the excess out. Not a deal breaker for me though and it is hands down the best <$10 dry shampoo I’ve tried. Is it better than higher end dry shampoos? No. Would I buy it again, absolutely – especially for the price.
Have you come across any great drugstore finds lately?
