Tag Archives: Revlon

Drugstore Beauty Spree

Drugstore-Beauty

I’m back after a fun weekend with the EcoTools Beauty Team. We spent Friday at a loft in the West Loop getting pretty. Have you guys ever watched any videos from Teni from Miss Maven? It was so amazing to not only meet her, but do makeup with her! Teni is one of the EcoTools beauty experts, along with Chicago native Carly Christman and celeb hair stylist Christine Symonds. We all had a group outing to the drugstore on Saturday which was super fun. It’s infinitely better to shop those beauty aisles with friends than it is alone so you can creep on everyone’s discoveries. And when those girls happen to be a bunch of beauty editors and bloggers, it’s basically the best trip to Walgreen’s ever. I’m letting you in on all the goods!

Teni led us through this awesome smoky bronze eye lesson using this NYX palette. Pretty neutrals! // Klaudia from Beauty Blitz confessed she loves the Kardashian Liquid Eyeliner and her liquid liner skills are major. // Teni says “save” versus splurge on bronzer and recommended Milani XL Bronzer. // This Fan Brush is dreamy on the skin with a shimmery highlighter. // I picked up this pretty pistachio polish from CoverGirl. It’s on my nails now and I love the color and how easily it applied. // Dani was wearing this hot pink lip all weekend and it looked crazy good with her dark hair and light eyes. // The konjac cleansing sponge is now available for under $6 thanks to EcoTools. I like the exfoliating version. // Christine recommended this leave in hair mask by Dove for dry hair. // We all wanted the Not Your Mother’s Texturizing Sea Salt Spray and I got the last bottle. Oops. (sorry not sorry) // EcoTools makes hair brushes now and they totally outperform what I’m currently using. Really exciting — especially the Styler & Smoother which is way to easier to use than a traditional round brush when blow drying.

Pretty Picks: $15 and under

PrettyPicks15

How was everyone’s weekend? We went to see a movie on Saturday – Nonstop. It was good but plane movies give me anxiety so I’m not sure why I did that to myself. The weekend also began at 60 degrees on Friday, yet we woke up to lake effect snow on Sunday. Relentless, ugh. I’ve decided now to take it all in stride. No more complaining about the weather, promise. It can only go up from here! Starting with a few pretty pick, all under $15.

Molton Brown body wash is everything and now a few of those irresistible scents exist in hand cream form. YES! // Ban.Do bobbies…I mean, how cute is this ‘cool’ one?  // Illume Go Be Lovely Demi Perfumes take the cake for on-the-go frag. I can’t quite part with the outer packaging of my tube. // I want to stuff all of my makeup in these floral printed bags from Sonia Kashuk’s spring collection. Especially this double-zip pouch.  // The Revlon manicure kit that looks like a Marchesa gown. // EcoTools has a new brush made for BB and CC creams. // Yes to…a new grapefruit lip balm that costs less than a tall soy misto. // These Hard Candy eye shadows remind me so much of the limited edition version Stila put out last year. I’m eyeing up this neutral blend.

7 Nail Polishes to Wear This Fall

Fall Nail Polish

 

Every season brings a new nail color palette and fall is always the best. The return of deep broody colors, rich hues, greys and pre-holiday glitz. I can’t get enough. I eased into the season with this red and my fav color of Essie’s fall collection, For the Twill of It, which is like three metallic nail colors in one. The teal shimmer that reflects from that polish is major. We’ve still got a lot of fall to enjoy so I’ve pulled together the rest of my top picks to inspire your next manicure!

After seeing Deborah Lippmann Rolling in the Deep on The Glossarie’s nails, I picked up a bottle. It’s the most incredible navy crème and I’m obsessed. In fact, before you get distracted with Deborah Lippmann holiday (who could blame you?!), check out the rest of her ‘Jewel Heist’ collection. The holographic Glitter and Be Gay is truly jewelry for your nails. I’ve been wearing it ombre style, like this.

Speaking of nail jewels, Marchesa designed a set of nail appliques for Revlon inspired by couture gowns. Each design is prettier than the next but the Gilded Mosaic pattern especially stands out. Another collection that caught my eye? Jin Soon’s collab with Tibi. I get lost in the glossy black Obsidian which has little bits of shimmer to give it the look of volcanic rock. Beyond cool.

It’s not fall without a deep purple and Chanel Taboo fits that bill. It looks burgundy in the bottle but on nails is a complex mix of plum and navy. When the sun hits your nails, it lights up. I bought this to get parking validation at Nordstrom a few months ago and am so glad I did! For a softer take on fall grey, I recommend NARS Galathee, a creamy lavender grey with cool undertones. It may be new, but I can already see this one being a classic staple.

What are you wearing on your nails this fall?

This or That: Budget Concealers

Best-Drugstore-Concealer

If I let myself loose mid-day at a CVS, sometimes I just buy without thinking. Navigating the drugstore aisles is not always easy. Sometimes I get blinders for what’s new and shiny, but perhaps not the right product for me. Every now and then I get it right. It’s only fair to share – in my opinion – the two best concealers that cost under $8 apiece!

My drugstore dream team is Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer and Revlon Photo Ready Concealer. While both billed as concealers, they’re very different in terms of use.  I’ve purchased the Maybelline a handful of times already. I use the second lightest shade, Radiant, and use it under my eyes and as a brightener on areas I want to appear lifted, like my brow bone and that area on the side of my nose close to the inner corner of my eyes. It has a peachy pink undertone and is decidedly YSL Touch Eclat-ish in application (click pen) and formula (gel-like). Best for brightening but not necessarily covering up blemishes or problem zones.

As for the Revlon Photo Ready, I use it nearly daily to cover up redness and blemish marks. This was an accidental discovery. I’d been hanging on to a tube from last year that I had from a partnership I did with Revlon and InStyle for Product Girl and rediscovered it on a weekend morning while cleaning. I decided to try it again and had a total moment! I’ve since bought a new tube in the ‘light’ shade.  It photographs extremely well, hence the Photo Ready, and becomes one with skin, which is what I want when trying to act like I don’t have a red dot on my forehead.

Depending on your concealing needs, one or both of these options are worth a second look at the drugstore. Anything you’ve discovered recently that you want to share? Please spill all the deets in the comments!

Low to Luxe: Red Lipstick

Red-Lipstick

Nothing makes me happier than seeing a woman sporting a bright lip. Bonus points if it’s during the daytime. I think the ladies of Chicago are warming up to bold lipstick, as evidenced by the flurry of coral that dominated the past year. Seriously, if I see you on the El at 8am wearing your finest fuchsia to work, I will totally give you a thumbs up. And if you’re wearing a cherry red, I might even give you a high five. Red lipstick can be intimidating; at one point it was for me. Now, I can’t get enough. Especially when there’s snow on the ground! I think my winter uniform is thick black leggings, an oversized long-sleeve grey tee, glasses and a red lipstick. I love to dress a red lip down. It does make up for the fact that I’m wearing glorified PJs in public.

What reds are my go to? I’ve been known to tinted balm or sheer gloss it, but I have a stash of red lipsticks that I always turn to. Let’s tackle the subject, low to luxe style.

I think Revlon makes the best reds in the drugstore. The classic Revlon Super Lustrous formula in particular. I’m partial to Cherry Blossom (pictured at top) and Love That Red, but there are literally more than a dozen red hues to choose from. Depending on deals, you can snag a tube of this for $5.

At $15, MAC is square in the moderate, a.k.a. don’t feel guilty buying, range. Some of my favorite reds come from MAC’s infamous flurry of limited edition collections (read: once it sells, it’s gone or on eBay for a ridic price) but MAC Russian Red is one of my most beloved reds. It’s got a blue undertone so I like to think this one makes my smile brighter. Russian Red is a worthy red to add to your mix.

The experience of wearing a NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils is one I adore. At $24, this is on the luxe end and they feel every bit of it on the lips. I love the pencil application and the matte finish. Cruella is my jam, but Dragon Girl always tempts me.

I’d love to know your red lipstick philosophy and if you have any favorites to share, low or luxe.