beauty, style, and grace

Go Cheap or Splurge? Part I: Complexion Products

2012-03-16T22:34:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite parts of exploring the cosmetic world is being able to test a variety of products in different price ranges. It's pretty surprising how often price doesn't affect product quality. I think that everyone has their own opinions on which products they prefer to spend a bit more money on, but this list will be a general suggestion for those of you unsure when it's worth the money to splurge a bit, and when you're ok saving a few bucks. There are also exceptions to these suggestions, which I'll be sure to mention. I will break this guide into several parts: complexion, eyes, lips, skincare.
Hope this is helpful!

FOUNDATION

Go cheap or splurge?: Splurge
Reason: I like to say that you should take as much precaution with your foundation as you do with your moisturizer. This is the one makeup product that goes all over your face, so you should want it to have quality ingredients. Foundations with a lower price point often have cheaper filler ingredients like mineral oil and talc that just aren't the healthiest ingredients to slather on your face daily. Another advantage to higher priced foundations is that they often have better undertones and color selection than cheaper ones.
Recommendations: My very favorite liquid foundations are Tarte ReCreate Foundation because it's free of parabens, talc, fragrance, among many unnecessary fillers, and Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation because it's long wearing and high coverage but still very natural looking.
Exceptions: If you must go cheap, try NYX HD Studio Foundation or Covergirl Natureluxe Silk Foundation. Both of these are under $15, come in natural looking tones, are less watery than other cheap foundations, and have fairly healthy ingredient lists considering their price.

FACE PRIMER

Go cheap or splurge?: Go cheap
Reason: I find that all primers, cheap and expensive, have many ingredients in common. Usually their most important ingredients are silicones that smooth the skin and help mattify through the day. Not to say that pricey primers aren't worth their pricetag; many have great added ingredients that have extra benefits for the skin. But if you're looking to go simple, there are many lower priced options.
Recommendations: Palladio Herbal Foundation Primer and Avon Magix Skin Perfector both preform well and look smooth without pilling off the skin.
Exceptions: You may want to splurge on a more expensive primer if you have found that silicones have a tendency to cause you breakouts. Two great options are Tarte ReCreate Silicone Free Primer and Lorac Aquaprime. Both of these primers are paraben and silicone free, great for breakout prone and sensitive skin.

CONCEALER

Go cheap or splurge?: Go cheap
Reason: There are tons of terrible cheap concealers that have zero coverage, but there are just as many that cover as well as or even better than super expensive options. Period.
Recommendations: Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer is high coverage and brightening. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer is also super high coverage. Basically, Maybelline is the way to go for concealers. Seriously.
Exceptions: If you want to cover and treat blemishes, you may benefit from a higher priced medicated concealer such as Murad Acne Treatment Concealer. For deeper complexions, Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer comes in an excellent range of skin tones.

BLUSH

Go cheap or splurge?: Go cheap
Reason: Not all cheap blushes are great; many seriously lack pigmentation. But there are enough great cheap options out there that make spending more somewhat unnecessary.
Recommendations: I adore the pigmentation and color range of NYX Powder Blush. Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush is another great option.
Exceptions: If your skin tone is deep, you may need some darker blush options that won't look chalky on your skin. Smashbox Blush Rush comes in several deeper shades suitable for darker skin tones. If you have very oily skin, you may appreciate Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush (can you tell I'm a fan of Tarte products? I'm not sponsored by them, I swear!), which absorbs excess oils throughout the day that can cause blush to fade quickly.

BRONZER

Go cheap or splurge?: Splurge
Reason: You have to be careful with bronzer, as it can easily be too orange, too frosty, and just generally unflattering. Bronzers that are a bit more expensive tend to have a better balance of color and shimmer. Also, you're supposed to use bronzers with a light hand as to not over-apply, so at least it should last you a long time.
Recommendations: BareMinerals Ready Bronzer in The High Dive is perfectly tan without the disco glitter. Tarte Parke Avenue Princess Bronzer is a bit more shimmery, but still perfectly natural looking.
Exceptions: If you must go cheap, try Rimmel Natural Bronzer or Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear Bronzer. Both of these options are more natural looking than the typical drugstore options.

SETTING POWDER

Go cheap or splurge?: Splurge
Reason: Cheap setting powders are often, well, powdery looking. They're usually predominantly talc based, which can make them look ashy and chalky on the skin.
Recommendations: Makeup For Ever HD Microfinish Powder is sheer and silky. Tarte Smooth Operator Finishing Powder is paraben free and makes your makeup transfer-proof, yet doesn't show up white even on the darkest skin tones.
Exceptions: If you must go cheap, be careful not to choose a powder that will make you look dusty. E.L.F Studio HD Powder is super cheap, but surprisingly smooth. Physicians Formula Mineral Airbrushing Powder is hypoallergenic and has SPF 30.

Nails Did

2012-02-29T23:38:00.000-08:00

This is a manicure I did on myself a little while ago. Sometimes self-manicures come out looking like a disaster, other times they're damn incredible. I'm pretty proud of this one:

Products used: Some random white nail polish and a Sally Hansen nail design pen for the black parts. This took FOREVER. Worth it!

E.L.F vs NARS: The Blush and Bronzer Duos

2012-02-29T23:12:00.001-08:00

So most of you blog reading makeup addicts are aware of E.L.F, a makeup line found at Target locations and sold online. Their appeal is that most of their products are sold for $1, but since their humble beginnings, they have expanded their line to include "studio" style items, most of which are priced at $3.

Amazing deal, right? Well, sometimes. I have tried a large variety of their products with mixed results. Some of the products have been INCREDIBLE, while others were, well...$1 quality.

One of the most popular products in their studio line is their blush and bronzer duo. One look at this product, and it's obvious why it's so liked...


Hmm...look familiar?

The packaging of this $3 product and the colors are a clear imitation of the insanely popular NARS Orgasm/Laguna duo, which retails for $41.

Is this carbon copy an exact dupe? Or simply nothing but good looks?
Well it just so happens that I own them both...

E.L.F palette to the left, NARS palette to the right

First of all, I purchased the E.L.F palette myself, and the NARS one was a gift. These two look almost identical placed next to each other, and the pans in E.L.F palette are actually larger.

Here's a closer look at the two-


E.L.F

NARS

Twinsies, right?
Well...not quite.
Here's some swatches-


NARS palette at left, E.L.F palette at right

Applied to the skin, there are clear differences between the two. First of all, the shimmer. The NARS duo is much more luminous and shimmery. The E.L.F duo isn't matte, but it sure looks it in comparison.

Also, the Orgasm in the NARS duo is slightly peachier that the blush color in the E.L.F duo. And the bronzer? Completely different. NARS Laguna has strong gold tones, while the bronzer in the E.L.F duo is much muddier.

My consensus? While I don't think that you should buy the E.L.F duo expecting an exact dupe of the NARS duo, it's still damn close. The pigmentation is slightly stronger in the NARS duo, as is the shimmer, but both have similar staying power. The NARS duo is truthfully more vibrant, but the E.L.F duo isn't a bad deal by any means. I'd say consider the E.L.F duo, but don't expect the two to be identical. Also, it's hard to be mad a a $3 price tag.

-Grace

Pretty Things That I Own, Part I

2012-02-29T22:26:00.000-08:00

Confession: I have a serious addiction to accessories. Don't we all.
But seriously, I fucking love me some jewelry (pardon my expletives! but get used to them), specifically weird, gaudy jewelry. I've always adored costume jewelry and collect it like a madwoman. I prefer unique, handmade pieces or ones with an artistic touch to them.
Most importantly, I like my jewelry inexpensive.

One of my favorite accessories to hoard and collect are lucite rings. I remember liking these as a child because they were cheap. chunky, and colorful.

Candy? Or awesome accessory? Only one way to find out...

They look delicious and I always envied the girls who had these. My love of them remains, but I prefer slightly more grown up designs now. Only slightly. Here's a peek of my current collection.

Totally fun, amirite? I love to wear these with an otherwise plain outfit for a quirky punch of color. These are actually handpainted. I love how they look like little paintings on my hands. For those of you in Wshington DC, I actually purchased many of my lucite rings at the National Building Musesum Shop. To non-Washingtonians, that sounds like a mere museum gift shop, but it's an awesome, unique store of it's own. If you ever find yourself in DC, YOU MUST GO.

There's also a shop online I found a while ago called The Carrot Box that sells an amazing selection of these. Love!

-Grace

Maybelline Bouncy Blush Review

2012-02-29T21:43:00.001-08:00

Bouncy blush?
Yes, I didn't know what the hell that meant at first. My best description of these new blushes by Maybelline is that they're not quite a cream, not quite a powder. They're weird, in a good way.


Shades I purchased, clockwise: Orchid Hush, Plum Wine, Coffee Cake

They look very creamy, bit are strangely pliable to the touch. I've heard many people describe these as cream to powder type of blush, but I don't think that's so. They feel like cream blush when applying, but the color shows up more softly, like a stain blush. Obviously, the darker colors go on more strongly, but it's still not as overwhelming and stark as it looks in the pan.

To me, these are best applied with a sponge. I've tried applying them with a stippling brush, but due to the strange moist yet solid texture, that doesn't seem to do the trick. They could also be applied with your fingers, but they just apply more evenly with a sponge.

These blushes don't have the greatest staying power, but they can definitely survive a normal 8 hour day with minimal wear. I purchased them at Ulta for about $7, on a buy one get one free sale, with a $2 coupon. I think I got a pretty good deal! If you're a fan on soft blush colors, give these squishy little things a try.

-Grace

Coastal Scents 88 palette, A Love Story

2012-02-29T21:20:00.002-08:00

Ah, the ubiquitous Coastal Scents palette...I figured I'd start my beauty blogging journey with this product since it was one of my first big makeup purchases. Yay nostalgia! I remember being so excited to receive this palette way back in the day when I first started to dabble in brighter makeup. My palette has received quite a bit of love through the years, and I have obviously replaced it as to avoid bacteria. Even though I've tried and loved many more expensive eyeshadows since, I must say that I still love my CS palette just as much. The colors are rich and pigmented, the variety is terrific, and it truly is every makeup afficionado's dream.


Excuse the crappy picture.

Many makeup snobs are quick to dismiss this palette, but I still have a lot of respect for this palette. It's got a terrific assortment of colors and it's just so fun to play around with. No, these aren't Makeup For Ever quality, but you can't expect that at this price. Paired with a good primer, this palette easily competes with much more expensive shadows.

Excuse my squeeing over this palette, I'm just such a big fan. Talking about it just brings back fond memories of being a budding makeup artist, attempting to create rainbows on my eyelids.

Here are some swatches of some of my favorite and most used colors in the palette. Keep in mind that I have the 88 Ultra Shimmer palette, therefore the shadows are ultra shimmery.

GORGEOUS.

Overall, I highly recommend this palette. Obviously. Yes, this is cheap but it's quality is amazing and it continues to impress me, years after using much more professional makeup brands. You might want to do some research on this one if you prefer using natural products, because natural this is not, but otherwise, I find little not to like about this palette. If you haven't give it a shot. It's $20 well spent.

- Grace

So it begins...

2012-02-29T20:31:00.002-08:00

Hi there!

My name is Grace. Welcome to my blog :) I guess I figured I'd give a little intro to this little blog of mine and why I chose to start one.

I'm a college student residing in Northern Virginia with a love of color, style, and cheap things. I also work full time as a makeup and skincare consultant at a cosmetics store, and through this job I have a ton of experience using products on myself and others. I'd love to impart some of the knowledge I've gained of these products with all of you. I've also received a lot of products free to try or with a good discount, so expect MANY swatches, product comparisons, and reviews. All with 100% honesty, I promise.

I'll also share some bits of my personal style here. I am an avid thrift store shopper and I just love sharing some of my awesome cheap finds with whoever will listen.

A little bit more about me- I was born and raised in New York (and proud of it), I love art, history, and taking pictures of cities (including the one I live quite close to and visit very frequently, Washington DC)

Also, I have purple hair.

I hope you enjoy the blog...if you do, feel free to comment and pass it along!

-Grace