Beauty on a Budget: L'Oreal Extra-Volume Collagen Mascara

i love mascara. maybe a little to much, but hey, whatever. i could have worse addictions you know. with that said, it's no surprise that i was uber-excited when L'Oreal's new Extra Volume Collagen Mascara showed up on my doorstep.



this mascara contains a hydra-collagen formula (includes collagen and hyaluronic spheres) that promises to deliver full-volume lashes. the wand is big and voluminous itself, so the expectation is high-- so does it deliver?

in a word: yes!

see the pics below? voluminous, don't you think? if these don't convince you to try it, you should know that it doesn't clump, flake or smudge as the day goes on. my lashes stay relatively soft, and it's easliy removed. plus, you can get this at your local drugstore for a fabulous price-- love that!


before



after


Extra Volume Collagen Mascara also comes in a waterproof formula, and can be found at drugstore.com

xo
pics taken by me :)

beauty on a budget: Mila Kunis’ Extract Premiere Look

monday night's premiere of "Extract" attracted many of hollywood's young celebrities, but it was Mila Kunis' fun, laid back look stole the show.

Mara Roszak, TRESemmé Celebrity Stylist, created Mila's gorgeous hairstyle-- for under $15! Mara proves that you can look red-carpet ready without spending a fortune.

follow these simple steps to achieve Mila Kunis' show-stopping hairstyle:



**apply TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse on damp hair from roots to ends. rough dry hair until it is completely dry, parting hair slightly more to one side.




**using a 1" curling iron all over the head, rotate the direction of the waves. spray each section with TRESemmé Frizz Shield Finishing Spray, and tousle waves with fingers.

**pull hair into a low ponytail toward the opposite side of the part, securing with an elastic. twist into a loose bun and secure with crisscrossed bobby pins.



**finally, leave soft pieces around the face and around the bun, keeping one side cleaner with fewer loose pieces. finish by misting TRESemmé TRES Two Ultra Fine Mist Hairspray for a long lasting look.

find all of these TRESemmé products at your local drug and mass retailers!

xo
image source

Beauty on a Budget: New Eyeliners from L'Oreal

eyeliners are a must-have for creating everything from a smoky eye to adding subtle definition to a more natural face. L'Oreal has some fabulous new eyeliners-- the brand's PR firm sent me some to try!-- and i think they are certainly worth checking out. read on...



HiP High Intensity Pigments offer some great new metallic variations-- called Color Chrome-- that give eyes an amazing bold, metallic finish. wearing them alone with my favorite mascara works fabulously for day, and pump up the volume on my favorite coordinating eyeshadow shades at night.




new Extra Intense Liquid Pencil Eyeliners have become my go-to liners for their rich color payoff and long-wearing abilities. i love lining the upper inner rim of my eye (tight lining) to give my lashes an even fuller effect. this liner in black gives a smooth application and looks great all day.




Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Eyeliner glides on smooth and compliments my more natural, eye-enhancing shadows. it blends easily, but stays in place, so i can also create a smoky eye-look with it, too! the liner you see next to it is called Le Kohl Duo-- a shadow on one end, and liner on the other. i love the shadow for highlighting the inner corner of my eyes and brow bones; flip it over and i can line, line, line-- multi-tasking products are so fabulous!

i really can't say that any one of these eyeliners is better than another-- i use them all, i think they all work fabulously. of course, i wouldn't expect anything less from L'Oreal. :)

find all of these eyeliners at your favorite drug and mass retail stores and for more info on the liners i didn't link to (they aren't yet available online), visit lorealparisusa.com.

xo
pics taken by me :)

drugstore beauty: July's 10 Items Under $10

CVS is my favorite drugstore-- the back lit displays are so inviting! from makeup to hair products, they have everything covered that you could possibly need. this includes items for your skin, the largest organ of the human body. and not only that, but it can be argued that it is the most valuable asset we have, so taking special care of it is important. regardless of if its dry, oily or in between, most skin types require targeted products to reveal its true beauty. here are some items CVS has chosen that they think you will love-- and so do i!





Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser-- from oily to dry and sensitive skin, this gentle yet balanced formula leaves any-skin type feeling fresh and clean.






Burt's Bees Peach And Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub-- clean your pores the natural way with this gentle exfoliating scrub, enriched with ginger and seaweed extracts.





CVS/pharmacy All Day Moisture Lotion SPF 15-- it's important to get UV protection year round. make it easy with this ultra light and non-greasy face moisturizer that provides UVA/UVB coverage all day.






Olay Daily Facials Express Wet Cleansing Cloths All Skin Types-- for a woman on the go, these towelettes are perfect to help keep your face clean and free of impurities.






St. Ives Mineral Therapy Advanced Body Moisturizer-- this rich moisturizer provides your skin with a burst of moisture without leaving a greasy finish.






Clearasil Ultra Pimple Blocker Pen-- unsightly pimples can pop-up anywhere, anytime. with this travel-size pen you can stop them before they are even visible.






Essence of Beauty Loofah Body Buff-- with a drop of your favorite body wash and a splash of water, the sponge immediately fills with a thick lather of fragrant suds to help exfoliate and nourish your skin all over.






Essence of Beauty Flawless Pedicure Complete Pedicure System-- this dream tool provides you with all of the essentials needed to reveal smooth, beautiful feet without making a trip to the nail-salon.






Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets-- for a quick touch-up anywhere, these small treasures help remove unwanted oil from your face without smudging makeup, zapping shine and leaving skin feeling fresh.






Aquaphor Healing Ointment-- this miracle product can be used to repair dry skin from your lips to your hands to your feet.


take care of yourself and your skin!

xo
info courtesy of Kaplow PR

beauty on a budget: ChapStick True Shimmer

ChapStick is an essential, practical item. if you're like me, you find it that it does what it's supposed to do, and there's nothing glamorous or sophisticated about it. it definitely doesn't come in a very appealing package, but it is, however, a comfortable, trustworthy product, and as i mentioned before, essential.

the brand decided to jazz things up a bit, and added to its range new goodies called True Shimmer that i think are fun and still manage to be practical.

True Shimmer was created to give all the same lip-moisturizing benefits of a balm, but with a subtle, radiant shine. as soon as my daughter saw these, she gave me a look, and i didn't hesitate to say she could try them out. these are definitely something little girls can feel glamorous wearing and we moms can feel comfortable with them wearing it-- i mean come on, it's Chapstick.



ChapStick True Shimmer is available right now in Tropical and Botanical Berry, you'll soon find it in Blended Fruit Sherbet and Peppermint Rush flavors at a drugstore near you.

xo

beauty on a budget: L'Oreal HIP Kohl Eyeliners

L'Oreal HIP Kohl Eyeliners aren't the typical liners. they're made with loose, iridescent kohl. they give eyes great definition and can be blended to create a soft effect that lasts all day without smudging, running or smearing.

i really like these. each is like using an eyeshadow as a liner, but instead of applying with a brush, you apply it with the fine, felt-tip applicator. one thing i strongly advise when using these is to tap off the excess so the pigments won't fall onto your cheek.



available in six colors-- Burgundy Kohl, Navy Kohl (pictured), Teal Kohl, Black Kohl, Brown Kohl and Gold Kohl (pictured)-- find L'Oreal HIP Kohl Eyeliners at your local drugstore and online at drugstore.com

xo
pics taken by me :)