Attn: Too Faced Fans! You must know about this!

I don't give a lot of attention to higher end makeup brands on my blog because, well, frankly, they're too expensive to discuss on a blog about saving money on beauty products. But this deal is just too good to pass up! If you're a Too Faced fan, you are so going to thank me for this!

One of my new favorite blogs, Beauty Junkies Unite, just posted info about a 75% off sale at Toofaced.com. Check it out:

Beauty Junkies Unite - Too Faced Vintage Sale

The sale ends April 6, but with prices like $5 for glosses and eyeshadow singles, I'm confident that most items will sell out far before then. So hurry if you're interested :)

A (better?) alternative for a previous BOTD...

A little over a week ago I wrote a review about Wet n Wild Silk Finish Blush Compact in 823D All Over Shimmer. Since then, I've come to resign myself to the fact that I will never get my hands on it, so I scoured the internet for an alternative. To my surprise, I stumbled upon this:

Wet n Wild Bronzzer Compact in 742 Acapulco Glow (it's the middle compact in the pic above)

First let me say that this compact, unlike the 832D, is easily available wherever Wet n Wild products are sold. In fact, I've seen it at every drugstore I've been to in the last week.

After reading several reviews on this product, I knew I had to have it. The thing that really sold me was that a lot of reviewers believe that the powder is more finely milled in the 742 than it is in the 832D. The more finely milled it is, the smoother it will apply and the more natural it will look. Given my past experiences with highlighters that have left me feeling like I was applying craft glitter to my face, I am ALL about a finely milled product. Score!

I also read that the color, while still very light, sheer, and natural, is warmer than the 823D. Another score! Who doesn't want a warmer color for the warmer months ahead?

Needless to say I was sold, so I purchased Acapulco Glow this week and I could not be more happy with it. When I got it home, I opened it up and could immediately tell that the reviewers were correct. I have seen and used department store products that are not as finely milled as this powder. No joke!

The color itself (which looks a tad bit darker in the picture) is a super, super light golden bronze. It is so neutral that it really doesn't deposit "color" on your skin, just a natural, healthy glow. There IS some shimmer to it (obviously, it's a highlighter) but you can easily control it by using a light touch. Seriously, at first I couldn't even tell I had it on. It's that subtle. But you can build intensity until you're happy. I learned the hard way by applying it in a room with poor lighting. At first I couldn't see it so I kept adding more, and then when I walked into the sunlight I was Shimmer Girl. Whoa. That might work for a fresh-faced 20-yr-old, but certainly not for me.

I've used it two times since then, and each time I apply it using a blush brush (throw out the useless brush it comes with, please). I put a light swipe of product on my cheekbones, the ridge of my nose and across my forehead as my final step after foundation, powder, and blush. The result is exactly what I've been looking for: Glowy skin that doesn't look too shimmery or glittery. And the staying power, even during the heatwave we experienced here in San Diego earlier this week, was excellent. I could still see a subtle glow 6 hours after application. I am one happy camper. Oh, and did I mention that this product is $2.99?

Just a reminder...

Today's your last day to get those great deals on Softsoap and Dial. If you're in soap-buying mood, today's certainly your lucky day!

Two BOTDs in one day...

Here's another BOTD, ladies, and yes, I'm on a soap kick!

I was at Rite-Aid yesterday and happened to score the last two packages in a BOGO (buy one, get one free) deal:

Dial Cranberry + AntiOxidant Glycerin Soap

You get three bars for $2.99 and if you get to Rite-Aid by this Saturday, it's BOGO. I'm sorry, but even though I'm pretty well-stocked on soaps right now, 6 bars for $2.99 was just too good to pass up.

Now, for me, when I think of Dial bar soap, I think of the orange, slightly medicinal smelling soap that my ex-boyfriend in college used to use. Boy have things changed. I know I was just ringing the praises of Softsoap's new body wash below (which I love love love), but if you are a bar soap gal, you must try this one. I personally use both shower gels and bar soaps (who doesn't love variety?) and this one gets high marks from me. (Tip: If you're addicted to using a bath pouf, try wetting the pouf and rubbing a bar soap into it until you work up a lather. It works great!)

I'm not sure if I buy that it's actually helping "reinforce my skin's defense system" because of the cranberry extracts in this soap, but it does lather nicely and leaves my skin nice and clean without feeling stripped of any moisture. The bar itself is a gorgeous shade of deep red and the smell is heavenly. It's not a Christmasy, spicey cranberry scent, but more of a clean, sweet, tart and refreshing cranberry. I simply adore it and I think that it would make for a great bar to keep in the shower to wake you up, but also to keep in your soap dish at your sink.

If you can take advantage of the deal at Rite-Aid, great, but for $2.99 it's a pretty good deal even without the BOGO. Plus, even if it's marginal, who doesn't want to feel that they're doing something good for their skin?

(Urgent!) Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

OK, now before I get into this, please note that you only have until Saturday to get this deal. That said:

My BOTD for today is:

Softsoap Moisturizing Body Wash in Honeysuckle and Orange Peel

Through Saturday, you can get an 18 oz bottle at Target for 3 dollars! Yes, 3 bucks! (Retail price is $5.49). Please note that this appears to be an in-store only sale, as I could not find a listing on Target's website.

What I love about this shower gel is the fragrance. It smells like something you'd find from a high end retailer like Fresh or Laura Mercier. It's the perfect combination of warm honey and refreshing citrus and it doesn't have that annoying "drugstore shower gel" scent. This is a gorgeous blend that just screams "Springtime" and I can't stress enough how much you need to own and use this if you're a fan of honey and/or citrus scents.

This formula contains aloe, honeysuckle flower extract, and orange peel extract and it feels soft and moisturzing on the skin due to those magical little moisture beads (not as moisturizing as say, Olay Ribbons, but it definitely doesn't dry out my skin at all). I get a nice, rich lather when I use it with my bath pouf and I don't require a lot of product to get the job done. For a drugstore formula, this is a winner all around.

Sorry hurry to Target and get yourself a bottle (and check out the Degree Fine Fragrance Collection when you're there) and let me know what you think!

Bargain of the Day (BOTD) - and a little confession

Today's BOTD is not for everyone, but if your hair, your wallet, and your impatience are like mine, well I might be able to help you out.

Everyone loves a good hair brush. When you find one that works for you and doesn't seem to do any damage to your hair, well, you're set. Personally, I haven't had good luck with finding my dream brush, but through the years I've learned what types work for me and what types are utterly ineffective. At this point in your life, I'll bet you're in the same boat.

But if you're REALLY into your hair, you may have invested a pretty penny into finding just the right brush. Now, I'm not trying to insult anyone, but I just can't understand how someone could spend $250 on a hair brush (click here) unless you're guaranteed to have a stylist come to your house every morning and actually use that brush on your hair.

For me, I wait until a brush I've been curious about goes on sale, and then I give it whirl. And that's exactly what I did and I think (for now) I've found the brush of my dreams.

When I was at Walgreen's a few weeks ago I purchased Goody's Ouchless Quick Dry Vent Brush for Wet Hair (look at page 3 in the vent section of the Goody website and it's the second-to-last image - it's the one with "1 - Start" on the handle). Or you can just enjoy the horrible picture I took of this brush with my camera phone (hey, at least I used a cute background!). It was on clearance and still is as of today (I was just there and I bought a back-up). Normally it's $8 and I got it for $2.50. I really like the concept of this line by Goody. It's a 3-part system:

First is "1 - Start"
Brushes and combs to use when your hair is wet

Second is "2 - Style"
Brushes and combs to use to style your hair

Third is "3 - Finish"
Brushes and combs to use to maintain your style

Remember when I mentioned "impatience" in my opening sentence? Well I'm about confess a really awful secret to you: Sometimes, when I'm in a hurry, I don't use a comb on my wet hair to get out all of the tangles; I use a brush and I just rip it right through my hair when it's wet. There. I said it. I actually, willfully, create breakage.

Now, I don't do this all the time. Most times I'm careful, I use a lot of conditioner, and I actually take the time in the shower to use a wide-tooth comb while the conditioner is still in my hair and I slowly, gently brush out any tangles. But, you know, there are those days when you're in a hurry and you just want to get the process of getting ready OVER with, and well...that's when I use my brush on wet hair.

Which brings me to the Goody Ouchless Quick Dry Vent Brush for Wet Hair. This brush was MADE for people to use on wet hair, and to my surprise, it is awesome. The brush is solid plastic, however it's hollow on the inside and--this is key--there's a spongy rubbery center where the bristles are attached, and that's what makes this brush different. Instead of the spongy part being on the outside of the brush, the spongy part of this brush is on the inside. So when you brush your wet hair, the brush doesn't tug or get caught up because your hair is rubbing against smooth plastic. BUT, the bristles have give, so in a way that I can only call "magical" you're able to brush wet hair and brush through tangles without any pain or the need to hold your hair at the root as a buffer when you're trying to work out a tangle.

I hope I'm making sense here (I know this sounds nuts) but I'm telling you, this brush WORKS. Oh, I forgot to mention that it really does what it claims in terms of drying hair quickly. If you normally use a vent brush when you blow dry your hair, I think you'll like this one. The air flows through it evenly and even though the bristles move (due to that magical spongy core) they're still firm enough to give you good control during your blowout.

But please note: My hair is only a couple of inches past my shoulders. I can't promise that it will work on hair that's much longer than that. But if your hair is short or medium in length and prone to tangles when wet, you must give this a try. And as always, let me know what you think if you do!

Felt: Not just for crafters anymore

I don't know about you, but I've never purchased a yard of felt in my life. I know you can get it at Michael's, Joann, etc., and it's cheap. In fact, I looked up "white felt" on ebay and you can get two yards for about 5 bucks.

If I haven't put you to sleep yet, let me explain. Are you aware that serious nail polish divas use white felt to remove their nail polish instead of cotton balls or cotton pads? Apparently the benefits of using felt instead of cotton balls are plenty:

1) You don't get residual fibers all over the place
2) Felt is much sturdier so you only need a little square to remove an entire manicure
3) You need far less polish remover when you use felt
4) It's quicker to remover polish with felt than with cotton balls
5) You won't end up with pink hands when you remove dark red polish from your nails (my personal favorite)

Now, I'm no mathematician (by ANY means) but I bet someone reading this can figure out if it's economical to use felt over cotton balls. Buy a couple yards of felt for 5 bucks, cut them down to little squares, use one square per manicure. Now compare that to spending about 3 bucks on a pack of cotton pads, use 3 or 4 of them to remove a manicure...hum. But then it gets trickier when you try to calculate how much polish remover you would save by using felt. OK I'm stopping here because my head is spinning.

I think I'm going to purchase a little square of felt the next time I'm near a Michael's and try this out because it sounds simply fascinating to me. I don't know if I'll go as far at the hardcore nail divas and use 100% acetone in tandem with the felt (they swear it works 100x faster than nail polish remover and is no more abrasive) because pure acetone just scares me. I don't know why, but it does. But I will try the felt and report back. And I encourage anyone reading this who feels compelled to try it to leave a comment here with your results.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

Everyone's familiar with Kiss My Face and their wonderful products, but how many of you have tried their Moisture Shave? I've been using it for over a decade and I can tell you that after the first time I used it, I never went back to shaving creams, foams, or gels again.

The reason why I'm putting this in the BOTD is because, even though it's about $8 for an 11 oz bottle, it will last you FOREVER (you don't need a lot) and it will provide you with the closest shave possible while simultaneously preventing annoying bumps, cuts, and ingrown hairs.

Ladies, we've all been there when it comes to shaving disasters. Some products make you feel like the razor is literally dragging along your leg (ouch!) while others are so thick that it's hard to get a nice close shave. With Moisture Shave, you've got the perfect balance of "slip" and closeness. Use it just once and you will know what I'm talking about.

You can purchase Moisture Shave in a fragrance free formula as well as in the following scents:

Key Lime
Lavender & Shea
Cool Mint
Peaceful Patchouli
Peaches and Creme
Vanilla Earth

I've tried them all and I have to say I like Peaches and Creme best (with Key Lime coming in a close second).

You can find these at most CVS and Long's Drugs (don't look in the shaving cream aisle though--Moisture Shave is located next to the lotions and soaps in the natural beauty care section). Sometimes, if you're lucky, you may also find a bottle or two at Trader Joe's.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

I've got a catchy little title for today's BOTD and it goes like this:

All over shimmer, without the glitter!

I'm not going to lie: I despise highlighters. I've tried so many, from NARS The Mulitple and Stila All Over Shimmer on the high end to Milani Glimmer Stripes (I actually looooove using these for eyeshadow) and Revlon Beyond Natural Highlighter on the low end. If I don't use the precision of a surgeon upon application, I end up looking like I swiped craft glitter on my forehead and cheekbones and walked out the door.

Since the purpose of a highlighter is to make your face look luminescent and glowy, I always tell myself that I'M the one doing something wrong here--not the highlighter. These products work for people. I know this. I see other women wearing highlighters and their skin looks dewy and gorgeous. I keep telling myself that when I find that perfect product, it WILL work for me.

So ladies, I think I'm one step closer to finding my outer glow: Wet n Wild Silk Finish Blush Compact in 832D All Over Shimmer

Now, I've used Wet n Wild Silk Finish Blush in the past and I've really liked it. The quality rivals some high end brands in terms of consistency, application, staying power and color. But I never knew that they offered a color in this collection that could be used as an all over shimmer!

Immediately I read some reviews about this product and they included things like:

"No harsh sparkles, just a beautiful, sheer shimmer"
"A gorgeous sheen that lasts all day"
"Stays right where you put it"
"Universal color works for all skin tones"
"Not heavily pigmented--the way a highlighter should be"

I'm not going to lie: I'm losing my mind about this product. Could it be a dream? Could it possibly deliver in the ways so many others have failed? I must purchase it. Now.

Oh, and the price. Hello! It's from Wet n Wild. Three dollars to give me my dewy glow? Need you ask twice?

So here's the problem. This product seems to be more elusive than the unicorn. I can't find it ANYWHERE. Have you seen the Wet n Wild section of a drugstore lately? It looks worse than a Ross store on Christmas Eve. Totally ransacked and rummaged and I don't know who manages the inventory at the drugstores in my area but there are full shelves within the display that are perpetually empty. And of course the most barren shelf of all houses the powder blushes.

For 4 days straight, I have visited a different drugstore looking for this mysterious, light pinky-mauve, slightly shimmery powder blush and here's how the scenario plays out:

I approach the makeup department
I search for the Wet n Wild section
I run-walk to the section
I see, from a distance, that there ARE some blush compacts on the shelf
I walk faster
I see two compacts, both in the dark rose color in the picture (above)
I cry and leave

OK, I don't really cry, but I weep on the inside.

Next approach: Scour the internet. What do I find? A bunch of other women posting the exact same question: "Where can I find 832D online?"

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

To be continued...

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

You really can't get much cheaper than today's BOTD:

N.Y.C.'s In a New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish

Available everywhere (drugstores, box stores, some grocery stores), this new line from N.Y.C. will cost you a whopping $1.99 a bottle. The colors are gorgeous, the bottles are cute, and the formula really does dry quickly. The staying power is quite good for a drugstore brand (of course it's not OPI but that's a hard formula to beat). You can give OPI a run for its money though if you use a good base coat (try Orly Bonder) and a good top coat like Seche Vite's Dry Fast Top Coat, which is arguably the best top coat in the world.

Nail polish brushes are a thing of personal preference. It really depends on what your nail bed is like--wide, narrow, flat, concave? I personally like the brush in this line because it's on the wide side and it's squared off at the end which gives a nice, clean application. But...YMMV.

The best thing about this collection (aside from the price) is the color selection. I currently own "Chinatown", which some may say is borderline goth. I love it though, because this is the closest I could ever come to wearing black nail polish, without wearing black nail polish. It's a deep, dark blackish-purpleish-blueish charcoal with a just a teeny tiny subtle shimmer. I think it's simply gorgeous on short, well-manicured nails. It's literally my only attempt at staying fashion-forward these days, and it sure feels good to spend $1.99 instead of $23.00 on a bottle of Chanel Blue Satin.

I also own the shade "Canal Street" which is a deep, vampy crimson with a little more shimmer than "Chinatown". Again, gorgeous on a short, well-manicured nail.

I should note that this is a new collection so it might not be in the regular N.Y.C. section of your local CVS or Target. So look for a counter display if you're having trouble locating it.

Bargain of the Day (BOTD)

Today's BOTD is about a new fragrance dupe of an old standard. If you've never heard the term "fragrance dupe" it's simply a copy or intepretation of a popular fragrance by another manufacturer, sold at a lower price point. Sometimes dupes are spot-on, other times there are only a few similarities to the original (in those instances the dupe is usually only "inspired by" the original).

Love Spell is probably Victoria's Secret's most popular scent of all time. If you haven't smelled it, think again. I'm absolutely certain that at some point, somewhere, you've caught a whiff on a passing girl/teenage girl/woman. It's one of those universally appealing fragrances that just seems to evoke sweetness and light. Composed of notes of cherry blossom, muguet, tamarind, red apple, blondwood, and peach, the combination of these notes makes for a scent that is fruity, tart, floral, sweet, and clean, all at once.

There have been many "interpretations" of Love Spell over the years, but the recent offering from Parfums de Coeur, titled "Love Struck" is, in my humble opinion, a spot-on duplication. I sniffed it just yesterday at CVS and I could not detect a difference from the original (the original is indelibly marked on my brain).

Parfums de Coeur's Love Struck sells for $6.99 at CVS, which isn't a HUGE savings from the original (sold at Victoria's Secret for $9.50). But I think that what you're paying for is convenience. You no longer have to drive to the mall, battle the crowds, and contend with pushy sales people to get your Love Spell fix.

I should add that Parfums de Couer's Love Struck is part of a new line called "Sexiest Fantasies" which is obviously an "ode" to Victoria's Secret. Futher evidence of this is the only other fragrance currently in the collection, "Strawberries and Champagne." Is it a coincidence that this fragrance shares the exact same name as the Victoria's Secret fragrance? I didn't sniff it at my CVS because I'm not a huge fan of the original, but I would bet it's a pretty good dupe as well.

If you're a Victoria's Secret fan, I'd keep an eye on the "Sexiest Fantasies" line because I'm sure it will continue to grow and offer more fragrance dupes in the coming months.

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.

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?

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.

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?