High and Low

I thought I’d get back to some basics today and there is nothing more basic than my drugstore makeup and skin care products. When it comes to beauty, fashion, home décor and even food, I’m definitely a high – low kind of gal. I’m willing to spend top dollar if I truly believe I will get my money’s worth, but if I judge a low cost item to work just as well, then that’s what I get.

When it comes to my collection of beauty products, I’m that person who has a drawer full of skin care, hair care and makeup products that I was sure would be a miracle solution. But each turned out to be nothing more than another pretty jar full of a concoction that performs no better, and often times worse, than the go-to drugstore makeup products I’ve been using since I was thirteen. All of the affordable cosmetics and skin care products I buy can be purchased at CVS. I go there so often, they should just give me a name tag and put me to work.

My Favorite Drugstore Makeup and Skin Care Products

Maybelline Great Lash – Lots of Lashes Mascara: This classic lash enhancer in the pink and green tube is not only my go-to, but a trade secret of many celebrity makeup artists. For less than $6.00, I’ve found that I get consistently good results. I’ve tried Lancôme, MAC and at least two dozen other drugstore brands, and always come back to Great Lash with the tapered tip.

Pond’s Cold Cream – Wait a second, is this my grandmother talking? Well, I did first learn about Pond’s Cold Cream in the makeup department of my grandmother’s boudoir, but I reintroduced it to my own regime when I couldn’t find a non-oil makeup remover. As a contact lens wearer, the oil removers seeped into my eyes causing my contacts to get cloudy. This results in more irritation than the residual eye-liner and mascara that I was trying to remove. For less than $10.00 I invested in a large, 9.5 oz tub of Pond’s Cold Cream Cleanser that could last me a lifetime. I just refill a little container as needed and now I have the perfect cream based eye-makeup remover that works like a charm.

Wet N Wild Color Icon Liner Pencil– OK, now this one might raise some eyebrows, but for $.99 I can honestly say that I like this liner better than any others that I’ve tried. First of all, they sharpen easily and the pencil is long, so it lasts. It also applies well – smooth enough, but not so smooth that I can’t control the line. I can’t tell you how many expensive liners I’ve been through that glide on so effortlessly that I end up applying a shaky, jagged line that seems to smudge just as soon as it’s drawn. And with fun names like “Baby’s Got Black,” “Simma Brown Now” and “Taupe of the Mornin’” – Wet N Wild was an easy sell for me.

There you have it, my frugal finds! What cheap tricks do you have up your beauty sleeve?