Drugstore Makeup 2: Holy Grail Products - Lips and Nails Edition

As promised in my previous post about my very favorite drugstore makeup for face and eyes, in this post I'll write about my favorite budget items for lips and nails. Even though I have tried more expensive versions of some of these items in the past, I won't bother trying more expensive versions in the future - they are that good. You won't find any true lipsticks on this list, because I am a bit of a lipstick snob, and have tried many and not liked any. However, I have found a few lip products that are pretty awesome, that I'll buy again and again. As always, all prices below are approximate, depending on where you buy them and what sales/coupons/discounts you find. I have no affiliate links and all products were purchased by me.

Sally Hansen - Invisible Lip Liner

Sally Hansen’s Invisible Lip Liner - $5
I've mentioned this product before, but it bears repeating: if you wear bold lipstick, you should really consider wearing lip liner. And it doesn't have to be expensive. I can't tell you how many women I've seen with their lipstick spidering its way into the fine lines around their mouths. It's...not a good look. Lock that lipstick in place with lip liner, lovely ladies! (I can't resist a little alliteration.) Take 30 seconds to swipe some of this foolproof invisible lip liner around your kisser before applying serious color. It's worth every second - and every penny. The more expensive brands are great too, but - why spend more for a product that isn't any different, as far as I can tell?

Baby Lips, Baby Lips, Baby Lips! This is the Electro line

I'm wearing the shade Pink Shock here

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Shock - $4
Maybelline Baby Lips is such a popular product, you might even call it a cult hit. Google it and you'll find hundreds of posts about it from beauty bloggers across the globe. There are more than a few women who own massive (and growing) collections of Baby Lips. I won't expound its virtues here except to say that it's cheap, it's not drying, it feels nice, it doesn't smell offensive, and it imparts a pretty hint of color. They release a whole new line of Baby Lips from time to time so there are lot of shades and different formulas to love. Now, most of the shades really don't even show up on me so they're not worth even the minimal price tag. But Pink Shock, from its Electro line (shown above), does give me that promised hint of color. Just enough to perk me up, but not such so bold that I need lip liner or even a mirror to apply it. You might call it my MLBB (My Lips But Better) shade. It may not be for everyone, but for me it's the everyday lippie I keep in my purse for on the go application. If this color is too shocking for you, I'd hazard a guess that they make a color more to your liking.

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain - the entire product line

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush (left) and Tropical Frenzy (right)

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain - $3

This may appear to be lipstick in my photos above, but it's really not quite. Balm stain is a pretty good description, actually - it feels like a balm on (while not actually moisturizing to me, it's not drying, either). Its shiny finish lasts for hours, and then the darker shade in particular leaves behind an nice stain. These seem to be modeled after (or a knock-off of) the mega popular Revlon Balm Stains. However, I tried several of the (admittedly gorgeous) Revlon shades, and found them to be terribly drying - my lips hurt for days after. Not everyone has this reaction to the Revlon Balm Stains, but personally I strongly prefer the Jordana, which is actually half the price of the Revlon anyway. The Jordana Twist & Shine definitely has more color than the Baby Lips; I do use a mirror to apply it.  I really, really like both of the colors I have: Cranberry Crush (a dark, bright, pinky-purple berry shade) and Tropical Frenzy (a light, bright, hot pink). With eight colors in the line-up, you could probably find a shade just right for you. I realize that Jordana is not the easiest drugstore brand to find. Locally, I can only find it at Walgreens. I don't have a Kmart nearby, but they carry the Jordana brand as well. 

Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat

Wearing Northern Lights indoors (left) and outdoors (right)

Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat - $6
This little bottle does two amazing things. First of all, it's a quick-drying top coat - paint this over layers of wet polish, and it dries within minutes. Paint and go. I have on four coats of polish in the above photos - base coat, two layers of Essie's Play Date (a creamy lilac), and one coat of Northern Lights. I waited only seconds between each (thickly applied) coat. Just a few minutes after applying, I was typing away on my computer, and maybe a quarter hour after that, I was in the kitchen preparing a meal. Readers, I didn't get a single dent or smudge in my polish. And the second amazing thing? It is sparkly, glittery, holographic rainbow gorgeousness. My photos really cannot do it justice. You will have to take my word for it; this stuff turns ho-hum flat nail polish into something really special. It IS noticeable in real life, and it WILL bring you compliments. Best of all, unlike nearly-impossible-to-remove glitter polish, this comes off just like regular nail polish. You won't be picking off bits of glitter for days after removal, like I do with every glitter nail polish I own (I'm getting rid of them all in my next makeup purge!) Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat is all I need.

Do you have any favorite or holy grail drugstore makeup products for lips and nails? Do share in the comments below!

Drugstore Makeup: Holy Grail Products - Eyes and Face Edition

I am not averse to spending a bit of money on fabulous beauty products. The bulk of my makeup collection leans towards the department store brands. However, sometimes there is a cheaper option that does the job as well as the premium products. I've compiled a list of my very favorite drugstore makeup items. With these "holy grail" products, I have no interest in purchasing the comparable but much more expensive brands. Prices listed below are approximate; it will depend where you purchase them and what sales are going on.

Top to bottom: Aqua, Blue, Purple, Black

Milani Liquid Eye Liquid Like Eyeliner Pencil - $7
My love affair with eyeliner began in middle school, and it's never wavered for even a moment. I have always felt like my blue eyes simply disappeared without eyeliner, and now that my hair is lighter, it's never been more true. When I started wearing eyeliner in my early teens, I wore my mother's cast-offs or whatever my allowance would allow at the drugstore that week. After trying virtually every drugstore brand and never really finding one I loved, I turned to upscale brands. Clinique, MAC, Stila, and especially Urban Decay make some great eyeliners. However, based on advice from several beauty blogs, I tried one particular drugstore liner - and I was hooked. Milani Liquid Eye is as good as or better than the more expensive brands. I prefer the twist-up model, as linked and pictured above, but there is also a sharpenable version (I realize "sharpenable" is not strictly a word, but you know what I mean) if that's your thing. I do own one of the sharpenable pencils, in Aqua, only because it is a gorgeous color and not available in a twist-up version. In twist-up, I have Blue (almost navy with a hint of sparkle), Purple (blackened, metallic, sparkly, and plummy), and Black (SUPER black). I swatched each of my pencils on my hand in the photo above. Either style (twist or sharpen), you can't go wrong with these soft, highly pigmented, and long lasting eyeliner pencils. You can order them online, but the only brick-and-mortar drugstore where I have found them is CVS. At least once a month, CVS runs a buy-one-get-one-half-off sale.

Monistat Soothing Care Power Gel (as a face primer) - $6
I know what you're thinking. "Ewww. I am NOT putting va-jay-jay cream on my FACE." But - it's really not. It's just a silicone gel designed to prevent chafing in areas that may rub together. There is nothing resembling medicine in it. However, the beauty blogosphere has discovered another use for it: Face primer. Apparently, the texture, results, and ingredient list bear a very close resemblance to Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, which is six times the price for a container that's 50% smaller. I have not pitted one against the other, but many bloggers have. I really have no desire to try a more expensive primer. This one makes my face a much smoother canvas, and I find I can use about half as much foundation (I don't go cheap on that) when I've primed first. My large pores look less large, my skin looks better, and my foundation stays all day.

Zon Cosmedix 24/7 Oil Control Blotting Tissues - Rose Powder - $6
Instead of retouching my oily t-zone with powder all day, I keep these blotting tissues in my purse, my car, my bathroom, etc. They don't build up like powder does, but they remove all traces of oil in seconds, leaving behind the barest kiss of powder. If you really can't stand powder of any kind, these tissues come in plenty of un-powdered versions as well. Personally, I use and recommend the Rose Powder, or if your skin has a yellow undertone, then the Amber Powder. I have only seen these for sale at Ulta (in store and online), and the name brand is not readily apparent on the packaging. It's only written in small print on the back. I've tried the slightly more expensive Sephora and Boscia brands, but these do the job just as well for less (plus Ulta always has coupons available - if you're not on their mailing list, you can google one and use it at the register or the coupon code box online).

Pink Passion e.l.f. Studio Blush swatched heavily on the left; lightly on the right

e.l.f. Studio Blush - Pink Passion - $3

I'm not a blush fanatic like many beauty addicts are. I just need a wee bit of color on my cheeks to perk me up. I've never bought expensive blush, but I have gotten the likes of Too Faced, Lancôme, Clinique, and others as part of a palette or gift-with-purchase. Having tried e.l.f.'s blush for a whopping $3, I can't see any reason why I'd pay more than that for a blush. The bright pink Pink Passion shade may not suit everyone, but surely they have a shade for everyone.

Here I am wearing every item mentioned in this post; the eyeliner shade is Aqua

I hope you'll find something on this list worth trying for yourself. What are your absolute favorite "holy grail" drugstore products for eyes and face? Do share! My next post will be be the "lips and nails edition," so stay tuned!