Special Anniversary Reader Interview Series: Get to Know Molly!

In honor of the five year anniversary of Nouveau Cheap, I'm interviewing fifteen readers in this very special series, as my way of saying thanks for your support (to read more about this interview series, including how the readers were selected, click here).

All of the readers who were interviewed for this series were given the same ten questions, and they were asked to submit a picture of themselves, their pet, their makeup stash, or anything else they felt like sharing.

The second interview in this series is with reader Molly. Take it away, Molly!

Molly, photographed by her friend at Glitter Unicorn Photography

G: How long have you been a fan of drugstore beauty products?

Molly: I have loved the idea of makeup for as long as I can remember. My Grandmother (to this day) goes full tilt fake eyelashes and all EVERY DAY, and watching her routine is where the love affair really began. I would say drugstore beauty really became something I paid extra close attention to in college. I started spending more of my own money on the things I needed, so I had to start budgeting my (extensive) beauty purchases differently.

G: What was the first beauty product that you remember purchasing?

Molly: Lipsmackers. 100%. It was the Dr.Pepper one. I felt like I was getting away with something because it has that subtle red tint. When I was really young they did a cosmic inspired collection that I also had quite a few of.

G: What are your five can't-live-without drugstore beauty products?

Molly: 
-L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black--I may stray but I always end up repurchasing.
-John Frieda Frizz-Ease Curl Perfecting Spray--All the definition, none of the crunch.
-NYX Matte Lipstick in Bloody Mary or Merlot--or nearly any shade for that matter. There is almost always one kickin' around my bag.
-Jordana Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil in Continuous Almond--Works under almost everything, or by itself.
-Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting Concealer in Radiant--For me this is the best formulation of highlighting concealer on the market, at ANY price point.

G: Tell us your best "drugstore score" story (something you got for a great deal on clearance and/or with coupons, store rewards, etc.).

Molly: I have, especially recently, become a really big fan of CVS and their coupon/extra bucks system. On two separate occasions in the last month I've gotten better than 50% off my purchase by layering my rewards and various coupons. One was last week when I picked up some of the new Milani spring stuff. I got a blush (Bella Rosa is my JAM right now) and a nail polish for around $7 which in the NYC area is about $2 less than the blush price alone. I also had a moment where I got about $25 worth of Maybelline goodies for about $6.

G: What's your go-to shade of lip color?

Molly: I gravitate towards reds a lot. Brick type shades in the winter, and more true red shades in the warmer months. Some standbys are MAC's Red Pepper which I think is a discontinued Pro shade that I nabbed at a CCO or the Maybelline Color Sensational in Red Revival.

G: What's the one movie you can always re-watch, no matter how many times you've seen it?

Molly: Speaking of red lips...The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I've been able to recite the whole thing since I was 14. Cult classic for a reason. :)

G: What's your current favorite TV show?

Molly: This is tough, I'm not much of a TV girl, but I have been watching a bit of Bob's Burgers lately, and Sherlock is pretty amazing as well.

G: What was the last book you read?

Molly: Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book. It was a recommendation from my brother. If you were ever curious about the origins of the people or the stories I highly recommend this read!

G: If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

Molly: This is a tough one. I would have to go with something in branding, or marketing. Learning about why people buy things or what aspects of a shopping experience encourage others to buy things is really fascinating for me.

G: Tell us a bit about your hobbies, what you like to do in your spare time, or anything you're very passionate about!

Molly: I have always been a very DIY oriented individual. This goes very hand in hand with being a thrifty gal as well I think. I've been making my own clothes since I was 16. Not everything (or even close to it now that I'm a 9-5er), but if there is a statement piece I really want but can't afford I know I can always source the materials and make it myself. The same goes for jewelry, and home decor. It's a pretty financially liberating feeling, knowing you don't HAVE to buy something you really want. I also really enjoy cooking, and trying new kinds of food and drink.

As part of the interview, I asked Molly to share a link to her blog, Facebook page, Twitter page or whatever else she would like to share. Molly chose her YouTube channel, BlkMagicWoman21.

Thanks so much for allowing me to interview you as part of this series, Molly! I absolutely loved getting to know you a bit better, and I hope other readers feel like they know you a bit better now as well!