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!