Sunday, March 31, 2013

Lipstick Lallygagging

We've all been there. You see a commercial of a beautiful model/actress/famous for something or other on your TV screen. They tell you, in their oh-so-reassuring voice, that this lipstick is the one and only. That there can only be one lipstick. And that you, too, can be as beautiful as them if you just purchase this magical product.

You assure yourself that this product would look so great on you, make your makeup look complete, and makeup all your cosmetic dreams come true. So, like so many of us, the next time you are at a drugstore you go to the store and purchase the $7.00-$10.00 lipstick you are convinced will be amazing beyone belief because as we all know finding that one great lipstick is like having a great pair of jeans---finishes your look without making you look like you tried too hard.

When you are driving home, with your new purchase in tow, you feel like:

And then you get home, open that plastic, protective sheath and it's like

And then you apply it to your lips, look in the mirror and you feel like


You realize you purchased the wrong color, the wrong texture, the wrong everything. It's a mixture of feelings when this happens really--disappointment, sadness, and then finally dejected acceptance. Then, you have to either go through the inconvenience of a return or waste your money on a whole pile of nothingness. And let's face it, it's the lattter option that usually wins out. What a bust!!!

So I wanted to compile a post of some lipsticks that not only work great for me, but that I think would be very successful on most skin tones. But, wait for it, there's MORE!!! These lipsticks....build up drama...building...building......ARE $1.00 OR LESS!!!!!

You heard me right, dear readers. You shouldn't expect anything less of Mary and I than to always try and save...you...money. If you're in the green, we're serving our means!

The first color that I want to talk about is:
BRAND: N.Y.C
SHADE: SHEER RED
PURCHASE LOCATION: WALMART
COST: 0.93
USES: DRAMATIC MAKEUP, RETRO MAKEUP, BOLD LOOKS, FORMAL PARTY MAKEUP,FALL MAKEUP
APPLICATION TIPS: SINCE COLOR TENDS TO BLEED A BIT, APPLY TO LINED LIPS WITH A LIP BRUSH, CRAFT BRUSH, OR SMALL CONCEALER BRUSH. RE-APPLY AS NEEDED.
ACTUAL LIPSTICK


SWATCHED
MODELED: LIPSTICK

SUMMARY: All-in-all this blue-tinted red lipstick goes wonderfully with fair skin. Yet, it's light enough that you can kind of build the color to your desired brightness for all skin tones. It's a really striking red and one I think would be universally flattering. I donned mine (pictured above) with Wet N' Wild Lipliner in "Berry Red" (BONUS: It's also less than $1.00) and just put a little NYC "Brighton Beach Peach" lipgloss in the center (which is totally optional p.s.) This would be the perfect red to keep in your purse around party season (i.e. Christmas, New Years, etc.)

The second color in the favorite lipsticks under $1.00 is:
BRAND: WET N WILD
SHADE: LIGHT BEIGE FROST
PLACE PURCHASED: WALGREENS
COST: 0.99
USES: EVERYDAY, PROFESSIONAL, SPRING/SUMMER, GIRLS NIGHT, DATE NIGHT
APPLICATION TIPS: COLOR BLEEDS JUST A TOUCH. APPLY TO LINED LIPS AND MAKE SURE TO APPLY GLOSS TO PREVENT DRYING.
ACTUAL LIPSTICK

SWATCHED

MODELED: LIPSTICK
SUMMARY: This light red, coral-esque color would be so pretty on almost every skintone! It's a light color that can build up to your desired intensity. This shade would be perfect for an everyday professional look, or bright summery and spring makeup looks. Put a little on for a sheer, small swipe of color. Add more if desiring a more formal look. For the look above, I lined lips with Rimmel lip pencil in "Tiramassu" (BONUS: This cost me $1.67 on sale at Walgreens--keep your eyes peeled for all their great sales.) Then I dotted a small bit of NYC brighton beach peach all over the lips.

And last but certainly not least on the lipstick countdown is:
BRAND: LA COLORS
SHADE: TWINKLE
PURCHASE LOCATION: DOLLAR TREE
COST: $1.00
USES: EVERYDAY, GIRLS NIGHT, DRAMATIC MAKEUP, MOD LOOKS, SIMPLIFIED MAKEUP, NEUTRAL WEAR
APPLICATION TIPS: Since this color is light in it's own right, apply it with heavy gloss for an everyday wear or with the attached gloss only in the center for more formal look. Do not need lip brush or liner for this lipstick.

ACTUAL LIPSTICK
SWATCHED ON HAND (TOP: LIPGLOSS BOTTOM:LIPSTICK)
That's right....it cones with a gloss! Another plus...it kind of smells like bubblegum.
 
 
MODELED: LIPSTICK AND LIGLOSS
SUMMARY: This awesome little lipstick comes with it's own corresponding lipgloss. It's a very light, neutral pink color that would certainly look good on almost every skin tone--especially paired with minimalistic makeup looks like the one sported above. Very cute color and could be used as either a lipstick or a gloss....and makes each, seperate item 0.50 EACH.
 
I really hope that you guys enjoy this post and find it helpful in your upcoming makeup adventures!!! Also, if you guys want help scouting other makeup products on the cheap please let me know as I'm always scouting for the next big save. We love requests :)
 
Until next time, legendary lipstick looks!!!
 
Eliz

 
 
 
 


















Saturday, March 30, 2013

Pinning = WINNING!

Hey lovelies!

Just wanted to share with you all that we have a Pinterest now! So if you're in the "pinning" world, go ahead and follow us to keep up to date with all the Budget Beauty Blog craziness!

Click here! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.


That is all. Keep checking back...ideas are a'cookin'!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Follow Us

Hey guys!!! Happy Friday!!! I hope that you are all gearing up for an awesome weekend!

As always, Mary and I appreciate you stopping by and visiting our fun blog! I recently realized that you have to be a follower of our page in order to post questions or comments, so I decided to post instructions as to how you guys could do that!

Take a gander at the instructions below and please don't hesistate to share your requests with us. We love fun comments and requests!

HOW TO FOLLOW US HERE:

1) Log into your personal, gmail account
2)Go to blogger.com
3)On the left-hand side click "add"
4)Copy copy and past address budgetbeautyblog.blogspot.com into URL box
5) Click okay when it says "follow"

That should do it!!!!

Again, thanks for stopping by and we look forward to hearing from you!

Fantastic Following,
Eliz

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Mary's Favorites Under $5

Ooohhh my gosh, I made a video. 

And this is ONLY for Elizabeth, because I like her so much and she thinks that people need to be aware that there are, in fact, TWO members of the Brunette Duet. I would not torture you with my duck voiced awkwardness out of some misguided sense of self-importance.


Ugh. I could write for pages about a single eyeshadow, but if you put me in front of a camera, I'm like
Cue ALL the "Umm's!" 

Also, I'm going to work on rectifying the utterly CRAPTACULAR quality of this vid. The sound is terrible (maybe a good thing?), and the quality is just POOR. But it's my first go, so it can really only get better from here. 


Thanks for watching, and if you have any questions or requests, leave us a comment!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Smell that sea air!

Hi, BBB readers! I've just returned from a (very) brief beach holiday with my Mom (which was lovely, btw). Whilst there, I noticed that almost all the little shops and boutiques touted the same item over and over again. It fell under the "beauty and cosmetics" heading, so obviously my curiosity was IGNITED. Naturally, I had to try it. 

The product?

It was Inis, a unisex cologne/perfume that is manufactured in Ireland and is said to capture "the energy of the sea" (quick lesson: inis is Irish Gaelic for "island" and is pronounced "inn-ish" not "inn-iss" as we would Americanize it). I had to spray some of it, because I'm always looking for perfumes that transport me--that's probably my biggest requirement when looking for a scent. It has to remind me of something or somewhere, and I absolutely love anything tropical (my favorite go-to scent is coconut anything, often resulting in me smelling like suntan lotion...I REGRET NOTHING!). 

Inis is absolutely unique in my opinion. The opening is spicy, but not in an overwhelming way, and it quickly dries down to more "aquatic" notes, with this constant undercurrent of spicy-citrus flavors (neroli and bergamot, not sweetened lemons or oranges) and the sea (don't ask me how they bottled it, I think it's pretty darn magical!). The result is this mystifying, unusual combination of smells that would be ideal for either sex, and leaves a lingering impression of the ocean. 

It does not smell to me like "the beach." As aforementioned, the beach to me smells like coconut, maybe some citrus, and tropical flora. This perfume smells like the sea, the actual physical ocean. They somehow managed to capture the essence of sea water, with its changeability from serene one moment to tempestuous the next. This doesn't smell like the clear waters off the coast of the Islands. It's like the moodier waters of the Atlantic. It was conceived in Ireland, after all. They were working off the Irish sea, not what we here think of as pristine still waters with white sands. 

And the smell does transport me! It's like they captured what you smell like after spending a day in the salty sea air (only minus that sticky salt feeling and bad hair). I love love LOVE this smell, and will repurchase when I'm out. 

I'm not huge into "marine" smells, but this one is fantastic (and I think if I had a boyfriend, it would smell awesome on him too!). The lasting power is pretty good on me. By a couple of hours in, it's not very strong but every once in a while I'll get a whiff of it and it's like, "WHOA, what's that amazing fragrance? Oh yeah! It's ME!" It just smells very fresh and clean, and mildly like the ocean, so naturally, that's an A+ from Miss Mary! 

You can get it on Ebay for around $10-$20. I'd suggest getting a small bottle first to try and see if you like it as well as I do--perfume is so highly individualized. The only other place I've seen it physically carried is in Irish shops and at the Scottish Highland Games they have here in Winter Springs each year, so I think getting it online would be almost necessary. But for the price and the uniqueness of the smell, I think that's definitely worth it! 


-Mary

Vintage Vices at Vintage Prices

So in case you have been living under a rock for the past year....old hollywood glam looks are very, VERY much in demand right now. Take one small glance around the "hair and makeup" section of Pinterest (I know, I know...a gut-wrenching challenge for most of you ;) and you are sure to spot a pin up curl image or fifty. To add, you will most likely note the bright red lips and heavily defined eyebrows that denote old hollywood glamour of another generation (more specifically the 1940's and early 1950's.)

Here are a few, recent photos of celebraties sporting vintage makeup and hair to illustrate my point.


 
                         I personally also love the history behind this beautiful cosmetic culture.
 
You see, in the 1940's, many American women were still reeling from the throws of WWII. Many still had husbands, family members, etc. away serving the country. Therefore, during this time period, many women were called upon to backfill the necessary, factory positions that were left vacated  by the servicemen overseas.
 
Although materials were scarce during war-time, it seems that women of this generation took comfort in perfecting the "look" of the 1940's. In a sense, and understandably so, it made women feel good to still look and feel so ultra-feminine in a difficult time.
 
So, being incredibly innovative, the women of the 1940's found a few solid features to make the focal point of their makeup. To add, they picked hairstyles which could be duplicated with just three things: water, bobby pins, and TIME (lots of it...most women slept in their pin curls).
 
Here is an article that details this in a little bit more detail.
 

 

I think it's fantastic that after all the advances made since the 1940's to society in general, women still view this "old hollywood glam" look as one of the most beautiful (and popular). People of notoriety still sport these simplified, vintage looks, to date, despite having every option of cosmetic at their very fingertips.
The only thing that makes me a little disappointed about all that is seeing so many articles out there that advertise/push "vintage" products for beaucoo bucks. I'm not saying a few staple pieces aren't sometimes fun to splurge on...but $78.00 for one red lipstick is a little much (as I literally saw advertised somewhere). Our sisters of the 1940's would be shocked at paying such prices!! :)
 
Thankfully, my amazing and beautiful sister-in-law volunteered so that I could experiment with pin up inspired, old hollywood makeup and hair. I will list for you guys some, of the many, cosmetic items I used in the corresponding looks that are chippity cheap cheap CHEAP and that still made a big impact once applied.
 
CASUAL LOOK
 
 
 
INEXPENSIVE PRODCUTS USED
 
*PRODUCT: REVLON COLORSTAY FOUNDATION SHADE:110 Ivory PRICE: $9.99
*PRODUCT: MILANI BAKED BLUSH SHADE: LUMINOSO  PRICE: $7.49
*PRODUCT: MAYBELLINE EYE QUAD SHADE: MOCHA MOTION PRICE: $4.99
*PRODUCT: WET N WILD MEGA LINER SHADE: 868 DARK BROWN PRICE: $2.99
*PRODUCT: AUSSIE MEGA SPRAY SHADE: N/A PRICE: $3.99
 
Oh yah..and if you're wondering about the cute little accessories she's sporting, I got the gloves at Goodwill for 0.53 and the hair clip at Dollar Tree.
 
VICTORY ROLL VIXEN
 









INEXPENSIVE PRODCUTS USED
 
*PRODUCT: WET N WILD BLUSH SHADE: PEARLESCENT PINK COST: $2.99
*PRODUCT:MAYBELLINE LASH STILLETO SHADE: BROWNISH BLACK COST:$3.99
*PRODUCT: LOREAL LIPSTICK SHADE: TRUE RED COST: $8.95
*PRODCUT: BELLA BOBYPINS SHADE: N/A COST: $1.00
 
As far as the accessories go on this one, I got the pearl bracelet again for $2.00 at Goodwill. Cute for anything :)
 
OLD HOLLYWOOD GLAM
 

 


 


 
 
 

 INEXPENSIVE PRODUCTS USED



 
PRODUCT: LA COLORS AUTOMATIC PENCIL SHADE: BLACKISH BROWN COST:$1.00
PRODUCT: WET N WILD H20 PROOF LINER SHADE: BLACK COST: $3.99
PRODUCT: NYC LIPSTICK SHADE: SHEER RED COST: 0.93
PRODUCT: GOT 2 B GUARDIAN ANGEL THERMAL SPRAY COST: $7.99
 
So there you have it!! I hope you can used a few of these products to get the look and follow the trend (or should I say ongoing fashion revival?!). If you guys have any questions about the products used or how I got the looks, leave me a comment below.
 
HOW TO ACHIEVE GLAMOUR WAVES
 
Hey guys! I had an awesome viewer request go learn how to achieve these waves. I hope you enjoy the video below? Any questions? Any further requests? Don't hesitate to ask!
 
 
 

 

 
 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Five Dollars or Less

Hey guys!!! I hope that you are all enjoying this beautiful Tuesday afternoon. This afternoon, I went scouring the local drugstore to see what I could find. I was kind of surprised that there werent that many deals at the one I visited, the prices were pretty high, AND there wasn't a clearance basket in sight.

It got me thinking about some recent purchases I've made, for five dollars or less, that I REALLY love. Remember, a common mistake to make when shopping for drugstore makeups is to think that quantity (pricetag) equals quality. I made this video for you guys going over quality and quantiy buys from the drugstore. Enjoy!!