Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

My BOTD for Saturday is one that's near and dear to my heart.

NYX Eyeshadow Trio #3

Available at Long's Drugs and other drugstores (and some dollar stores) NYX is often referred to (by me, at least) as the poor woman's MAC. They feature an extensive line of products including makeup for the eyes, cheeks, face, lips, body, and even makeup tools. But my favorite product, by far, is the Eyeshadow Trio. The colors range from wild and exotic to neutral and wearable. Also, the consistency is great for blending and the staying power is better than any other drugstore brand I've ever tried (are you listening, Cover Girl?).

Trio #3 includes three basic colors: Nude, Taupe, and Dark Brown. Sure they're basic, but they are beautiful. These are matte colors (no shimmer, no sparkle, no micro-glitter) so they're definitely office-friendly. They work well on any eye color and you can tell that NYX really put some thought into this set because you can achieve an elegant, understated look by using each one separately, or together in various combinations.

My only gripe with the NYX Trio is the ridiculous saying on the front of the palette: "Triple Shadows for Sexy Babe's Eyes Only" Ugh. Not only is the apostrophe in the wrong place (unless they're really only talking about ONE "sexy babe") it's just...lame. But if this is the only reason you're hesitant to purchase a trio, get over it (or put some black electrical tape over it).

You can pick up the NYX Trio for $8 or less, and you get a lot of product for the price. So much so that I have yet to hit the bottom of the pan in any of my palettes and I wear them regularly.

Under $3

I'd like to share with you, dear readers, my recent scores in the world of beauty bargains. Given the current state of the economy, the Recessionista has been compelled to find better and better deals wherever she can find them, and these latest treasures do not disappoint.

At my local 99 Cent Only store I scored this baby:

Revlon Limited Edition Mix & Mingle Lip Gloss Palette

This is a gorgeous gloss containing swirls of golds, peaches, and berries (the picture above does NOT do it justice) and the retail price for this item is $9. (I know this because, right after my trip to 99 Cent Only, I went to Long's Drugs where I found the exact same item on sale for, yep, $9.)

So you see, this proves, without a doubt, that 99 cent stores do not just sell old, crappy products. The often sell new, name-brand items for a fraction of the cost (99 cents, to be exact). You just have to look. And I mean really look. I found the Revlon glosses on the top of a shelf, underneath some cheap perfume in the beauty aisle. But searching for buried treasures is part of the fun, right? (Just make sure those safety seals are in tact, ladies!)

Next up is my Big Lots score of the week:

Palmer's Olive Butter Formula with Vitamin E Organic Therapy Lotion

(The link above is to drugstore.com's listing of this product, which features 23 5-star reviews. The universal appeal of this product is incredible.)

I've seen this in drugstores for anywhere between $7.50 and $5.50. My price at Big Lots? Two dollars. TWO DOLLARS for a lovely, very moisturizing lotion that glides on the skin and is packed with fantastic ingredients. And it's from Palmer's! The cocoa butter people!

So get up, get out there, and look for those deals. And tell me all about them. Please!

Bargain of the Day

My BOTD for today is for all of you who suffer from dry, icky heels. This is a true miracle product and one that I owe all to a good friend of mine who introduced me to it many years ago:

The Swedish Clover Fot Fil

You can purchase this wonder tool at Sally for under $10 and believe me when I say, it is worth every penny. Simply keep this file in your shower, and whenever you take a shower, use it as the last step in your shower routine. Rub the coarse side on your heels first, then smooth everything out with the fine side. Instantly, you will see the rough, dead skin melt away, revealing your soft, goddess-like feet underneath.

And that's it! Just use it once a day in the shower and you will be amazed at the results. I like to use mine every day, and then lately I've been using the Gold Bond (see my earlier BOTD) lotion every night.

I should also mention that I've had the same file hanging in my shower for literally YEARS, and it still works as good as new. I have no idea how they do it, but this product is literally indestructible.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

Today's BOTD is one that I can confidently say is the best product for eyebrows, ever. I'm talking about Maybelline Expert Eyes Twin Brow & Eye Pencils.

There's a reason why this product has been around since the 1920s and why it continues to be the #1 best-selling eyebrow product in the world.

Short answer: It works.

Long answer: The consistency is hard, but not too hard. Waxy, but not too waxy. The staying power is unrivaled and so much better than products 3x its price. It's easy to sharpen to a very fine point and, unlike other eyebrow pencils, it's solid enough to get into your brows and apply the color deep in between your hairs to fill in any gaps. With other pencils, the finer the point, the easier the pencil will break when your start to use it. Not the case with Maybelline. You can apply this pencil with little strokes to replicate hairs, and if you use a light hand, it looks as natural as can be. The color choices (Velvet Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Light Brown, Blonde, and Auburn) are universal and work on anyone. I used to use Auburn when I was a redhead and it was a perfect match. Now that my hair is caramel brown, the Blonde shade is perfect for me.

I come to you with this recommendation after years of trying other eyebrow products with limited to no success. Some others I have used in the past include Smashbox Brow Tech, Laura Geller Long-Lasting Color Brow Marker, NYX Brow Pencil, Anastasia Brow Powder Duo, L'Oreal Brow Stylist Duet Brow Shaping Pencils, and many, many others. I've done my homework on this and I always go back to Maybelline.

The very best part of recommendation is the price. You can pick up this two-pack of pencils (each one lasts a good long time) for $3.49 at Walgreens.

What's stopping you from perfect brows?

Warning! Sensitive material ahead!

Got my first request today, ladies, and I'm happy to oblige. Let's talk about sensitive skin and the products that make it happy.

From time to time, my skin gets super sensitive and has a bad reaction to fragrance or other chemicals. During those times, I look to two products (one for cold months, one for warm months):

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Sensitive Skin Creme and CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion.

Eucerin really delivers when your skin is EXTREMELY dry. I don't think it's a wise choice in the warmer months because it's pretty rich, but here's the best part: It's rich, but it doesn't cause breakouts or millia (those little skin-colored bumps that you get around your eyes as a result of heavy moisturizers) . Your parched skin will drink in this product and it will leave your face as smooth as a baby's bottom. That is no joke. And the price is right too (about 10 bucks at your local drugstore). The only cons I have about Eucerin are that it comes in a jar (not the best vessel if you're a germphobe) and also the fragrance smells like butter (I actually kind of enjoy it, but for some it might be strange). The fragrance dissipates quickly though, so that's not a big deal at all. Give this one a shot if your face is in dire need of hydration. OH! How could I forget the best part? This product also doubles are a FANTASTIC eye cream! Ladies, you can get so much bang for your buck here. Use it all over your face in the winter, and then just around your eyes during spring and summer! Who doesn't like that kind of bargain?

For the warmer months, I've found no better family of products for sensitive that those offered by CeraVe. You may be asking yourself, "Cerave? I've never even seen this line before." Well guess what? You probably have seen it but never noticed it. Oddly, CeraVe is always parked right next to Cetaphil on your local drugstore shelf. Since the size and packaging are similar to Cetaphil products, you have probably breezed right over them for years, never even noticing them.

CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion is a godsend in the summer months. It's light yet highly effective. It makes moisture bond to your skin, but it doesn't leave a greasy residue or sticky feeling. Plus, you can use it all over your body and face. Perfect for sunburnt skin. And the bottle is huge and comes with a pump dispenser (the Recessionista looooves her pump dispensers).

If your skin requires a little bit more hydration in the summer months, try CeraVe's cream (in the tub). It's the same formula but just thicker. CeraVe also carries a very nice cleanser (green label) which some sensitive-skin ladies use in the shower on their bodies as well as on their faces. My only gripe with the cleanser is that, if you wear mascara or medium-to-heavy amounts of makeup, it will not remove the last traces from your skin. For most women that's fine, because they use a makeup remover before their cleanser, but I'm more of a one-stop-shopper when it comes to cleansers so I need my cleanser to remove everything all at once. But if you don't usually wear a lot of makeup (or any at all) than CeraVe cleanser is ideal for you and your delicate skin. It will leave it clean, yet soft and hydrated.

I should also mention that CeraVe products are unscented, and decently priced as well (about $12 each for all three products).

If you already own or have tried any of these products, leave me a comment. I'd love your opinions.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

In an effort to keep my only blog feature going, I present to you the Recessionista's BOTD: Orly Bonder. If you're looking for a good base coat, my friends, look no further! Apply this to your nails before your favorite nail polish and BAM! Your polish will adhere to your nails like glue (until you take it off, that is). And don't worry, it removes easily with nail polish remover.

After trying every base coat under the sun, I find that Orly Bonder (found anywhere that Orly products are sold, including most drugstores) is the only product that will lengthen the life of my manicures by several days and sometimes by a full week. Plus, it's not thick or goopy. It goes on thin, it doesn't smell bad, and it really, really works.

PS: It's got the best cap of any nail product I own. It's purple, it's rubbery, and it's a dream to hold in your hand. Plus, it only costs about $6.

Excuse me, but would you care to clarify?

Let's talk Clarifying shampoos, shall we? By now, everyone probably knows that if your favorite shampoo and conditioner suddenly stop doing all the wonderful things you're accustomed to them doing, you probably just have a case of product build-up. Those lovely silicones that make your hair so soft and silky also, over time, leave a waxy build-up on your strands. A lot of conditioners contain silicones that are not water soluble, so a good washing with your favorite shampoo (especially if you use a "moisturizing" shampoo) might not remove the build-up. Enter the clarifying shampoo.

After years of trying various salon brands and drugstore brands of clarifying shampoos, I always come back to Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo. It's a dollar or two, it smells nice and clean, and it WORKS. Use it once a week if you regularly use a lot of styling products on your hair, or use it once a month if you don't. Then return to your favorite shampoo and conditioner the next time you wash your hair and they'll work their magic again.

You can also use Suave (or any other clarifying shampoo you may own) to clean your makeup brushes! Take a glass of warm water, add a dollop of shampoo, and swirl your brush in the mixture for a few minutes. Then rinse your brush under running water and air-dry the brush on the sink. Important: Don't ever air-dry your brushes by leaving them standing upright in a container! If you do this, the water will drip back down into the handle and may cause rusting. Simply set your brush on the edge of your sink (don't let the bristles touch the counter) and let them dry overnight. In the morning they'll be dry, clean, soft and ready to go!

A Recessionista rec - for the men in your life

Here's my recession recommendation for the guys: If you want to smell good, but you don't have the cash to buy a new bottle of Dolce & Gabbana (arguably the best men's fragrance on the planet) then take a trip to Target/Rite-Aid/CVS/Albertson's and check out the new Axe line of body sprays. Yeah. I said AXE.

Now hear me out. Proximity is a new, and very understated (see bottle) line of one-note fragrances for men that is a serious departure from Axe's usual in-your-face scents and packaging. These babies are not the standard sneeze-inducing aquatic melange that you're used to seeing from Axe (i.e. the fragrance of choice for teenage boys and sleazy dudes in bars). No, no, no. Proximity features three simplistic fragrances: Vetiver, Bergamot, and Amber. Easy Peasy. Just pick the one you like the most, plop down your 4 bucks and you're out the door smellin' like a winner.

If you need a crash course in popular fragrance notes, here ya go:

Vetiver: A type of grass native to India
Bergamot: A citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia
Amber: A fossil tree resin found all over the word

For what it's worth, my favorite is Amber. It's warm, inviting, and makes you want to snuggle. Shoot, I'D even wear it! Go check 'em out...I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

I'd like to introduce a new feature on my blog! (Wait. Who am I kidding? it's not a new feature, it's currently the only feature.)

My short and sweet, down and dirty, bargain of the day.

Today's bargain is Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion.

I like this product because you can buy it anywhere, it's between $5 and $7, and it works.

The consistency is more like a cream (definitely thicker than a lotion), the scent is fresh and clean without being too heavy, and it really delivers on the moisture. I love the way it glides on the skin, and on those nights when your feet are driving you crazy because they feel like sandpaper, this instantly smooths them.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not a wonder product. If your feet are like mine, they'll be rough again in two or three days, but if you continue to use this lotion, you will keep a lid on the rough stuff. Give it a shot. And if you don't like it, send it my way! I'll pay you back in um...tarts?

Tarts. The wax ones. Not the fattening ones.

Ladies, wax tarts are the Recessionista's home fragrance weakness. In case you've never heard of them (oh, the horror!) they are little wickless wax (beeswax, soy wax, or a hybrid of both) discs that fit into a tart warmer (a cute little ceramic device that warms the tart electrically with a power cord, or holds a tea light at the bottom to melt the tart). Tarts, when melted, can emit 10x (not scientifically proven, just my opinion) the amount of fragrance that your average candle can emit, in about 1/16th the time (again, not scientifically proven but my firm opinion after years of burning tarts).

The best thing about tarts is that you do not have to invest in a $40 candle to have your home smell lovely, and you can change out the tart as often as you change your clothes! Why commit to a pricey candle with a scent you may tire of after a few burns, when you can switch out a wax tart every single day for 40 days for roughly around the same price!

If you have Scent-ADD like me, and you need to smell something yummy, but different, every day, tarts are your answer. The most easily accessible tarts are found at your local Yankee Candle store, but if you open the door to tarts on online, beware because you'll never, ever close that door. I'm warning you. It's a fun, but daaaaaangerous place for tart lovers. The scent selections available on Ebay, Etsy, and etailer websites will absolutely floor you.

I will save my favorite tart sellers for a future post, if you're interested. Leave me a comment if you'd like to know more, plus I will happy to explain, step-by-step how to burn, enjoy, and remove tarts in the best way possible (my opinion after years of research).

Happy sniffing!

Ebay? Ebay!

My love affair with Ebay started a long, long time ago, ladies, and I encourage you to take the plunge. If you don't already use Ebay as a source for high end cosmetics at low prices, what's stopping you? Honestly, the Recessionista would like to know. Is it the idea that the products may not be sanitary? That they may have been tampered with or from old stock? I'm living proof that this not the case. The Recessionista has purchased many a high end product from Ebay sellers with excellent reputations for selling first-rate, quality products at affordable prices.

Now, why would you go to the Bobbi Brown counter and purchase a Kir lipstick (a gorgeous shimmery, medium plum brown shade) for $20 plus tax when you can purchase the exact same product for $10.98 with no tax and FREE shipping from a reputable seller on Ebay?

As long as you do your research, ask questions, and READ the seller's feedback profile, you can walk way with a bonafide STEAL. Go to ebay.com and do a search for one of your high-end staple products or a product you no longer buy because you can't afford the department store price. I think you'll be amazed at what you find.

And don't even get me started on the money you can save on perfumes. The Recessionista does not have time to compose an elaborate love letter on this topic, at least for today. But do stay tuned.

DIY Foaming Hand Soaps...ugh or fun?

OK, I know that a lot of people add some water to their almost-empty foaming hand soaps to extend their use. I guess that's OK, but it seems like the product would be too diluted to really make your hands feel clean. So I did some research and I think I like this method best:

Take your empty bottle of foaming hand soap and rinse it well with hot water.

Next, choose your favorite liquid dish soap (soooo many nice new scents are available these days!). Mix 1 part liquid dish soap to 7 parts bottled water (I added the "bottled" because I don't feel comfortable using tap water...weird, I know, since we're presumably washing our hand with tap water) and if you're still skeeved out by this but want to try it, add 1 drop of bleach to the mixture. Or, you can add a dash of alcohol to the mix if you want "anti-bacterial" handsoap.

Don't SHAKE your bottle, but gently turn it upside down a few times and viola! It should work like a charm. I'll let you know when I've actually done it. I'm pretty serious about trying this, ladies, because I just can't afford to continue my love affair with $5 bottles of Bath & Body Works foaming hand soap during this recession.

PS: If you own Dr. Bronner's liquid soap, I hear that you can use a simple 50-50 ratio of soap to water and it works beautifully in a foaming pump dispenser. Aaaah, yet another use for Dr. B's magic elixir!

What a sham.

OK, I know it's a bit early for me to veer off course, but I just had to mention the Snuggie. Um, hello! It's a robe worn backwards.

A balm that's not a bomb. Really!

As I said to a good friend of mine the other day: Get thee to a drugstore PRONTO and go straight to the Revlon display and check out the following product:

Revlon Beyond Natural Protective Liptint (SPF 15)

Now, I know most of you, if you're like me, despise when a lip product is in a container that does not allow for you to see the actual color. Even worse is the absence of testers, and even worse than that is if there was nobody at that display before you who just couldn't take it and tore the safety seal off the tube to see what's inside. If you're faced with the road-block of no testers or tampered product, don't fret, ladies. I can tell you right now that you must try the shade "Berry" before all others. Even if the sticker on the end of the tube looks "meh" to you, trust me.

I purchased "Berry" after reading some online reviews of this product, but of course I was still greatly skeptical. Because, let's face it, online reviewers generally don't share your coloring, their lips are more/less pigmented than yours, etc. etc. Now, what I'm about to tell you might see ridiculous, but please pay attention.

When I got to my car (is there ANOTHER location to try on new lipsticks for the first time?) I had what some may call a religious experience. It was as if angels came down, through my sunroof, and poured pure sunshine onto my lips. This, my friends, is Revlon Beyond Natural Liptint.

When I put this product to my lips, it had the ability to glide like satin on the very first swipe. And as if that weren't good enough, it simultaneously deposited gorgeous, rich, but not too rich, color evenly across my upper lip, and then did the exact same thing on my lower lip. After rubbing my lips together, I couldn't help but close my eyes and quietly utter "yes."

The shade "Berry" was just as good, if not identical, to a color you would find at the Bobbi Brown counter. Yeah, I said it, Bobbi Brown. THE color guru. It's not too brown, it's not too orange, it's not too pink, and there's NO drugstore-magenta in this baby. It's a deep, gorgeous pinky brown neutral that would go perfectly with a brown/beige/taupe eye. I was only wearing powder, mascara and blush the day I put it on and it literally lit up my whole face. And even though this product looks like a lip balm, it's not as sheer as a balm, but not quite as opaque as a lipstick. It's somewhere in between the two, which, in my book, is a land called "Perfect."

The color, combined with the texture, the moisturizing properties, and the staying power make this a 4 star product for The Recessionista. Really, this is the product that Neutrogena WISHES it had.

Oh, and I got mine for $4.99 on sale at Rite-Aid, but I can easily justify the $8 price tag for a product that rivals the much-coveted Vincent Longo Lip Stain (SPF 15) which costs $23.

Ode to the Rite-Aid lady...

Oh dear, sweet Rite-Aid lady! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time yesterday to tell me that all makeup products purchased at Rite-Aid can be exchanged, no questions asked, WITHOUT RECEIPT AND WITHOUT ORIGINAL PACKAGING.

That Sally Hansen concealer I bought a month ago--you know, the one that makes me look like someone rubbed ash under my eyes--can now be exchanged, twenty times if need be, until I find the perfect shade to hide my recession-induced dark circles.

Thanks to this stellar return policy, I won't be looking like this little guy anymore.

First things first!

After decades of being an obsessed beauty consumer and years of writing thoughtful, passionate emails to my girlfriends about my latest inexpensive beauty discoveries, I have taken the plunge and started this blog. I hope that I can continue to engage in fun, useful conversations with that same circle of friends, via my blog, and with new friends too.

Aside from excellent girl-talk with friends about makeup, I must add that I'm also here to fill the niche that's been left wide open on the internet. After years of research and looking for the perfect go-to blog for all of my makeup and beauty needs, I noticed something. Most blogs I read were either:

1) Written by a sixteen year old girl who thinks everything is a must-have if it contains glitter

2) Written by an insider who is obviously shilling for a certain cosmetic company and has completely biased opinions

3) Written by an elite makeup artist who recommends products far out of my budget and/or are impossible to find.

So you see, dear friends, I am helping to fill the void left by many beauty blogs on the internet. If you're a 30- or 40-something woman (or beyond) that simply wants to hear about quality products, tested by a real person with 3 decades of experience with high-end and low-end makeup and beauty products, look no further. I promise that each and every post I write will be passionate, thoughtful, and completely honest.

I want to feel pretty, and I want all of YOU to feel pretty. The affordable way.

With Love,
The Recessionista!