Product Review: Rimmel Show Offs Lip Lacquer and Lip Velvet

Remember last spring when chubby stick lip products were the cool thing to own and wear? I'm glad that fad has passed. I found all chubby sticks, no matter what brand, to be greasy on my lips and they would smear on my face while I was wearing them. No one wants to be looking like Courtney Love at noon on a Tuesday. As things tend to come and go, the popularity of the chubby stick and seen a dramatic decline and the popularity of the liquid lipstick is on the rise. Anastasia launched a new line of liquid lipsticks a couple of months ago, Lime Crime release their Velvetines last year (btw, do NOT buy from them. Google Lime Crime Scam and see why. Don't even get me started on how awful that company is), even Lush has jumped on the band wagon and brought out their own line of liquid lipsticks. 

In case you didn't know, Walgreens has all Rimmel Products on sale for 50% off (ends tomorrow). Rimmel is one of those brands that rarely goes on sale, so you know that I had to go stock up. I am a huge fan of their Lash Accelerator mascara, as well as their Stay Matte powders and Kate Moss lipsticks. As no surprise, Rimmel also has their own version of liquid lipsticks. The market these under their "Show Offs" line.

I have owned a couple of the Show Offs Lip Lacquers for about 6 months now and I was very impressed with their staying power and moisturizing qualities. When I went to Walgreens on Monday evening, I noticed that in addition to the Provocalips (a long wear version of the Show Offs), Rimmel had also launched a matte version of the Lip Lacquer, aptly named "Lip Velvet." Just the name makes me want to wear it. Lip Velvet. Yassss, make my kisser look and feel like velvet! I don't even know what that means but I feel like I need it in my life. 

My Walgreens sucks and is always out of stock, but I did purchase every shade of both the Lip Lacquer and Lip Velvet that had not already had the safety seal broken on it *insert gag here. I opted against purchasing the Provocalips because I am not a fan of long wear lip products. I find that they are very drying and often flake off and leave little bald patches on your lips, which could be misconstrued as HSV-1 and that could cost you a date or two.

Pros:  First of all, I love the names of these! Each shade has a fun space related name. Nova, Big Bang, and Meteoric Matte are just a few of the shades included in this line. I know that the name of shades is not a big deal to some people, but my inner science nerd could not help but giggle with delight as I was reading these. The formula of both the Lip Lacquer and Lip Velvet is on point. It is not drying on the lips and has good staying power. The lip lacquer stays shiny for the duration of the wear. Both formulas are very pigmented and one coat will completely cover your lips. I noticed that after I had eaten lunch, I had only lost a a little bit of the color. I touched up  The price is also very affordable. These retail at $5.48 each at Walgreens, but I got them on sale for only $2.74 each. I justify buying every shade of a line whenever it is on sale. Yes I know, I have a problem and I probably need an intervention. Sorry not sorry.

Cons: I would like to see a wider color range. They offer a couple of nudes, one which I did not purchase because it was literally the color of concealer, a couple really bright pinks, a bright red, and an orange. I would like to have seen a bright purple, because purple lips are my jam, a deep wine color, or even coral. I am pretty bold with my lip color choices, so I may be one of the few who thinks they could have offered a wider range of color. My only other complaint is that the matte Lip Velvets do take a little while to dry. It is not a long time, maybe 3 or 4 minutes, but I am a girl on the go and I don't want to have to worry about messing up my lips when I'm trying to get to work in the mornings. 

In order from left to right, these shades are as follows: 102 Nova (bright baby doll pink), 502 Stellar (bright pink), 201 Solstice (tawny pink-nude), 400 Big Bang (bright red), Burning Lava (matte true red), Meteoric Matte (matte berry red), and Orange-ology (matte orange). 

In closing, I think that these lip products are well worth the money, especially if you're like me and you find them on sale or use a coupon. I highly recommend these to anyone who wants to try out some inexpensive liquid lipsticks before investing in high end liquid lipsticks and risk not liking the way they wear. Let me know if you try these out and what your thoughts on them are.

Xoxo,

Bridget

Favorite Products of February 2015

It's been so long since I have written a monthly favorites post. The reason for this is I generally find it a little forced to have a ton of different products each month that you allegedly "love." With that being said, the products I have chosen to write about are not just my favorites of this month, but rather, some products I have been using over the last few months and are good quality for the price. Without further adieu, here are some bomb ass products I am sure you will love!

L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation and Powder
I have used nothing but Revlon Color Stay foundation for years. I am a complete L'Oreal junkie so I decided to throw my Color Stay to the side and try the new Infallible Pro Matte line that L'Oreal came out with a couple of months ago. This foundation and powder has changed my life!! I am so much happier with the way my skin looks (and I thought I looked pretty good before, KIDDING) since I started using this line. The foundation is a very matte liquid formula that comes in a squeeze tube. I love the squeeze tube because you don't have to worry about bacteria getting into the product and causing breakouts. Personally, I like matte foundation. This is because I like to highlight areas of my face with a little shimmer. (Side note- my favorite highlighter of the moment is Too Faced Candlelight Powder, $30 at Sephora).

I have combination to dry skin but this foundation will work for all skin types. The matte finish set with powder will absorb any oil on your face, which used to be a problem for me back when I was a teenager. As I have gotten older (I'm 25 now, aka an old hag), my skin has dried out quite a bit and some brands of matte foundation accentuates my dry patches. Don't worry, I have the remedy for this! If I am looking particularly dry, I will mix a little of the L'Oreal Magic Lumi Primer in with the foundation on the back of my hand and apply the combo to my face. This adds a little glow and hydration back to my face and helps to mask my dry patches. Did I mention the price is freaking right?! The foundation retails for $12.99 and the powder retails for $10.99. Don't pay full price! Wait until Rite Aid has their sale on L'Oreal, which is often, and stack it with some coupons you can find on L'Oreal's website and get it for next to nothing.

Nest Indigo Perfume
I originally purchased Nest's Midnight Fleur scent, which is a good one, but then I went to Sephora and came across Indigo, I packaged up my Midnight Fleur and returned it to get this scent instead. It is hard for me to describe a scent as anything other than the cliche adjectives like "amazing, love, and YAASSS!" The only thing I can compare this scent to is smelling like an expensive cup of tea. I know that does not sound like something you would want in a perfume. Trust me, you never knew how good tea could smell until you come across this perfume. I will be in the grocery store and people will walk by and ask me what I am wearing. The lasting power of this scent is pretty good. I will put it on before work and by 4:30pm I will still be able to smell it on myself. I am the type of girl that I want to do something once a day and I want it to last until the night. I expect my makeup, deodorant, and perfume to last all day. I am excited to try other scents from Nest when I use up all of my Indigo. Also, the packaging on the bottle is gorgeous. I bought the jumbo bottle at Sephora for $65, but they do have a rollerball version for $25 if you want to try it out before investing that much money in a scent you may not like.

Here is the description of the perfume since I can't really describe it accurately:

Notes: Moroccan Tea, Kashmir Wood, Cardamom, Wild Fig.
Style: Warm. Aromatic. Mysterious.

 

Covergirl Lip Lava
I think this is the first Covergirl product I have purchased since 2003. I came across these babies while I was at Walgreen's about a month ago. They were on sale for buy one get on 50% off (Regular retail price is $7.99). I'm not going to lie, I am a complete makeup hoe for red lips and purple lips. Those are pretty much the only two colors I wear. I purchased the shades Lava-Nder, which is a bright metallic purple, and Live Love Lava, which is a bright metallic red. Now, I am not a girl who normally goes for any kind of lip products that have shimmer in them. I normally go for matte liquid lipstick or a satin finish, but these two lip lavas may change my mind. Every time I wear the red, I get compliments all day. It is the perfect red without being too dramatic. My favorite thing about the red is that is does not stain your lips. I have worn a lot of red lipstick in my day, and from my experience, you have to be very meticulous with your application, otherwise you will have pink stains on your face where your lipstick has smeared. The purple shade is not going to be for everyone, but I wear what I want, so I love it! These lip lavas are very pigmented, have quite a bit of lasting power, and the price is right. I highly recommend these!

Clarisonic Acne Prone Head
Everyone already knows that I love my Clarisonic. I recently ventured away from the sensitive head and went with the Acne Prone head ($27 at Ulta). I don't have acne as much as I used to before I started using tea tree oil on my pillow cases and to spot treat my makeup brushes, but I do suffer from the occasional breakout. Thus far, I am very satisfied with  my results. I have not had a breakout since I started using it. I would not recommend this brush to anyone who has not used sensitive head first. I do feel that you need to work your way up to the rougher brush heads, but I use my Clarisonic every night, so I could pretty much take sand paper to my face and it would be like "I'm okay, boo. I love to exfoliate the first five layers of my skin off." I would describe this head of having the texture of hair that needs some conditioner (LOL). Seriously though. The sensitive brush head has pretty soft bristles, so this one will be very intense for anyone who is not used to it. The next level of brush head is the deep pore cleaning one, which I have heard nothing but horror stories about, so I'm going to skip out on that fine experience.

What products have you been enjoying? Do you know of anything I should try? Be sure and let me know. Follow me on twitter @Butterybiscuit7 and on Instagram at @Bridgetb2011. Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
--B

Whiten Your Teeth At Home-- The Product I Swear By

Hey boos,

It feels like forever since I did a product review for you all. Today's review is all about whitening your teeth at home. I'm always self conscious about my teeth being yellow. I don't smoke or anything, but I do shotgun Coke Zero like it's my job and eat lemons on the daily, which not so great for my pearly whites.

I used Twilight Teeth about a year and a half ago and I really liked it. As most things do, it got pushed to the back of one of my makeup drawers and I forgot about it. Last weekend, I was packing up my freelance kit to prepare for a day of hair and makeup and I came across it and started using it again. Let me just say that I only used my Twilight Teeth twice before I was like YAAASSSSS!!

How does Twilight Teeth work? The whitening solution is activated by UV light, which in turn whitens your teeth. The starter kit comes with whitening solution, a UV light, and a weird mouth piece that fits on the UV light so you can just pop it in your mouth and start your whitening whenever the mood strikes you. The whitening solution comes in a tube with a brush applicator. All you have to do is paint the solution onto your teeth, then put in the mouth piece and slide your UV light into it. You can also use the mouth piece and solution while you're in the tanning bed, which I think yields better results that the mini UV light. You also don't have to spit or rinse out your mouth when you use this. The solution is absorbed and leaves your teeth with a minty flavor. My biggest complaint with whitening products like Crest White Strips is the nauseating bleach foam that accumulates in your mouth while you're trying to bleach your teeth. I prefer to NOT look like I am a rabid dog with foaming at the mouth, but hey, that's just me.

The best part about Twilight Teeth is that it doesn't make my teeth sensitive at all. I have used other whitening products that have made my teeth so sore that I couldn't even breathe without pain, some have made my gums peel (which is the stuff nightmares are made of), and some that don't do anything all.

I bought my Twilight Teeth set on Amazon for $15! It's super cheap too. After you buy the kit, you just have to repurchase the whitening solution when you run out. Needless to say, I am so glad I found my whitening kit again. This girl is going to have a smile white enough to rival Ryan Seacrest on her wedding day. I high recommend this product to anyone who wants to improve their smile without spending hundreds of dollars at the dentist.

Click HERE to go to the Amazon page I purchased my kit from.

Here's a pic of me after using Twilight Teeth for a week.

Hashtag no filter.

Let me know if any of your try this product out and how you feel about it! Also, let me know if you know of any other affordable at home teeth whitening systems. I love trying new things. Talk to you soon!

Xoxo,

Bridget

New Year, New You: Easing Your Way Into a New Lifestyle

With the start of new year, most people make a few resolutions with the intent to keep them as long as possible. Resolutions I have made in the past include swearing off soda, swearing off swearing, and the ever popular weight loss resolution. If anyone out there is like me, you do great with your resolutions for a couple of months, then slowly you slip back into your old ways. The good news is with weight loss, you can hit any reasonable goal that you set within a few months and that is usually enough motivation to keep people from backsliding into a delicious vat of caramel. 

January is halfway over, but that doesn't mean that you can't change your lifestyle now. You don't have to have a new year, a new month, or a new week to start making a difference in the way that you live and the way that you treat your body. Remember, you only get one body so you better take care of it... Or get the number to a really good plastic surgeon. (I'm kidding, of course). 

Want to know the first steps you should take to start making a difference? I can help you with that. Coming from a girl who was once nearly 180lbs (don't believe me? Look at the photo above), I know a thing or two about getting healthy, slimming down, and getting back comfortable in my own skin. My biggest piece of advice would be to gradually slide into a healthy lifestyle. What exactly do I mean by that? Let me give you an example. Most of the time, people get in the mood to diet and they go overboard. They get a gym membership, they limit their food intake to a lettuce leaf and bark off of a tree at meal times, then after about a week of this routine, they find themselves ordering the Grand Slam at the nearest Denny's before they end up in the psych ward begging for a pack of donuts. 

As you can see, too much change at once can drive a person crazy. Rather than diving way in over your head, try switching out one thing in your diet for a healthier alternative. Do you drink regular soda? Try switching to diet. Once you think you're ready to let go of soda all together, switch to tea sweetened with stevia, and eventually you will be able to switch to water. A gradual change will be less noticeable and won't drive you half as crazy. 

I work an office job and I get a very short lunch break, so a lot of the time, I am forced to eat something from a fast food restaurant. Now, I have already written a very detailed post over how to eat healthy when you're dining out at a restaurant, but let me give you a couple of examples on how you can ease into healthier eating choices. Instead of ordering a combo complete with french fries, start out by substituting the fries with a side salad. When you feel you're ready to make another switch, ditch anything with a bun and go for a grilled chicken breast fillet. Once you've done that, you can ditch the dressing on your salad and go for something like salsa as a healthy topping. Before you know it, you're eating healthy, nutrient rich food and you don't even notice it. 

Losing weight and becoming a healthier version of yourself is something that does take time, but with a little effort and giving yourself A LOT of room for error, you can achieve the goals that you set for yourself. This year, instead of setting a goal like "I want to lose 30lbs," try an alternative way of thinking. Let's take those weight loss resolutions and turn them into "This year I want to master healthy eating habits." I promise you will thank yourself for taking the first step towards a healthy lifestyle once you start losing weight and feeling better about yourself! Taking the first step is the hardest, but just remember, no one is perfect and every single day is a learning experience for yourself. Don't beat yourself up when you do have a bad day. Bad days happen, just don't give up on yourself.     

I'm looking forward to hearing from you all! Please let me know how you're doing. I love hearing from my readers and the progress they have made. Talk to you soon!

Xoxo,

--Bridget

My personal resolutions this year are as follows:

-Focus more on my own health 

-Find happiness in the small things in life

-Spread more happiness to the people around me 

-Post more frequently on my blog

-Post more videos on my Youtube page 

Christmas Leftovers: Ham and Avocado Sandwich

Hey guys,
I hope you had a very merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa,  and all other holidays that come this time of year. In the last few weeks I have had quite a few new changes happen in my life. I bought a new car, my health is steadily improving, but most importantly, I bought my wedding dress! I had been waiting for a sample of the dress I wanted to wear to come in at a local bridal shop and luckily, it was as amazing in person as it was in photos. The only problem with the sample was that is was too small in the bust, so they had to order a size up and I'm now waiting for it to come in. I'm really nervous that my wedding dress won't fit when it comes in, so I've really been trying hard to stick to clean eating. It was hard to make it through the holidays and say no to mashed potatoes and all things smothered in gravy, but I weighed myself today and I didn't gain anything, so my deprivation was worth it in the end! With that being said, I discovered my new favorite sandwich using some leftover Christmas ham. Not only is it tasty, it's relatively healthy. Here is a recipe for how I have been making my Ham and Avocado sandwiches. Let me know if you try this out or if you put your own twist on it. I love getting feedback from my readers.

Ham and Avocado Sandwich
-2 slices of 35 calorie wheat bread, toasted
-Ham (or turkey if that is your thaaang)
-1/2 of an avocado, mashed
-1 slice of fat free pepper jack cheese (or colby jack if you prefer)
-Crushed red pepper (optional, but I'm obsessed with spicy food)
-Salt (optional)

Toast your bread, then spread the mashed avocado on one slice your warm bread. Sprinkle the avocado mash with the crushed red pepper and salt. Layer the meat of your choice over the avocado mash. On the other piece of bread, melt the cheese of your choice and assemble the sandwich. For a side, you could do a side salad with salsa for dressing to go with it. If you find yourself craving something crunchy to go with a sandwich, you could try a palm full of almonds as a side instead.

And there you have it, my new favorite snack. Also, I plan on starting a new series aptly named "Bride on a Budget" and show you all some photos of the dresses I tried on and information on them. Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon!

Xoxo,
--B

Christmas Giveaway Sponsored by Adorabelles!

It's the season of giving and it's time again for Beauty on a Budget to give back to it's readers! Adorabelles has so graciously sponsored this giveaway and has agreed to send one lucky reader one of the gorgeous blanket scarfs pictured above. I know what you're thinking? HOW DO I ENTER?! Here are the rules:

Facebook Entry

To enter on Facebook, all you have to do is like both my fan page for Beauty on a Budget and the fan page for Adorabelles, then share the original post with the photo above.

Instagram Entry

To enter on Instagram, you must first follow me @Bridgetb2011 and also follow the Adorabelles page @ShopAdorabelles, then post the photo above with the tag #BeautyOnABudgetScarfGiveaway. You can also tag my personal account if your account is private so I will be able to see that you shared.

Twitter Entry

To enter on Twitter, you must follow me @Butterybiscuit7 and also follow Adorabelles @ShopAdorabelles, then tweet the above photo with the tag #BeautyOnABudgetScarfGiveaway

Blog Entry

The last way to enter is to comment on this post and tell me what your favorite thing about the holiday season is. 

Did I mention that you can enter once on each social media site, meaning that you can increase your chances of winning by sharing all four ways! Want to see more looks from Adorabelles but you don't live in Kentucky? Don't let distance hinder you from wearing some of the hottest styles this season. Head on over to their online shop at http://www.shopadorabelles.com where shipping is always free! Now that's something every girl on a budget can afford. The winner will be announced on December 19, 2014! 

Thank you all for reading and good luck! 

Xoxo,

--Bridget

Christmas on a Budget: Gift Ideas for the Chronically Broke

It's Christmas time again and you know what this time of year brings. The smell of cinnamon and pine trees in the air, beautifully decorated Christmas trees, delicious foods and fun parties, while the tired crooning of Mariah Carey and her version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You" plays on repeat for the rest of the year. I think it's high time you retired, you old hag. 

This time of year is very stressful for many reasons. Most people are trying to sort out their affairs before the end of the year, so everyone is rushing around in the hustle and bustle of the world, all while trying to purchase Christmas gifts, plan time with family, and plan out their Christmas dinners. In addition to allotting funds for your roast beast and Hoo Hash, winter time also brings higher  utility bills due to the colder weather. Money is often tight around my house in the month of December, so I'm a professional when it comes to planning Christmas on a Budget. Lucky for you, I'm not going to keep my tips a secret! To help those of you who are strapped for cash or strapped for time, I have found some great gifts that are not only useful, but are also very affordable. Let's get started!

Rite Aid- Many gifts for the price of one!
My love for Rite Aid has been well documented over the last six months here on my blog. There is a reason for this. They have sales all the time, accept coupons, and usually have more of a selection than other stores in my area, like Wal-Mart.

This week, Rite Aid is running a 50% off sale on NYC beauty products. This is such a great deal because there is nothing in the NYC line that is over $4.99. If you have any pre-teen girls that are starting to dabble in make up, go grab one of everything from the line and use it as stocking stuffers. Now, that is not to say that more mature chicks would not like to get things from the NYC. They have a few hits and misses within the line, like stay away from the eye shadow but their nail polish is legit, but for what you pay, they do very well. I highly recommend their bronzer and eyeliner!

In addition to this sale, Rite Aid is also offering $10 off of any fragrance set over $30. I know what you're thinking --"Drug store fragrance sets are so tacky!" Okay, I agree that they are very tacky, and for the love of God, don't buy anyone under the age of eighty a White Diamonds gift set. What I have done in the past is to go buy a gift set, then break it up and pair it with another item or two. You can also get a few presents out of one fragrance set. For example, if you get a set and it has three different perfumes in it, ditch the box it came with, grab a bottle of perfume, some of that NYC makeup, put it all together in a cute bag with a bow and you have yourself a present that is quality, but won't break the bank.

Walgreens- Gifts for around $10
I generally think Walgreens sucks in terms of the sales that they run, but they do take coupons and every now and then you will find something on sale that makes up for the sheer amount of suckage they force upon us all.  In this week's sale paper, they have fleece lined leggings on sale at 2 pairs for $10. Fleece lined leggings are great because they are thicker... and I wear them as pants. Don't judge me, I look damn good doing it. Walgreens also has their scarves on sale with the same deal, 2/$10. To wrap up the $10 deals at Walgreens, they also have their Sherpa throws on sale for $9.99. These blankets are pretty large and measure at 50x60in, so one of these babies would be perfect for snuggling up on the couch with while watching Fireplace For Your Home on Netflix.

Bath and Body Works- Stacking up the savings!
I love BBW... That would stand for Bath and Body Works, not Big Beautiful Women, just in case you were wondering. There are some great deals at BBW, but you better hurry because the coupon code I am about to give you expires on December 11, 2014. If you're shopping online, use the code WHYNOT10 (in store code: 4761) to get $10 off of a $30 purchase. You can stack this coupon with the sales that the store is already having to maximize your savings. Let's take a look at the deals they are running right now:
-3 wick candles-- 2 candles for $22
-Hand soaps-- 5 hand soaps for $18 or 7 hand soaps for $24
-Wallflower refills-- 4 refills for $20 or 6 refills for $24
-Signature body care items- buy 3 items, get 2 free
Not only are these items already discounted, but the coupon code really takes a chunk off of the overall price. Dare I say that you may even want to keep some of these products for yourself? It's okay, I won't tell anyone that you did.

Ulta- High end gifts for less
Do you have a lady in your life that is worth a little more than the NYC makeup that you can get for 99 cents down at the local Rite Aid? I got your back, boo. Head on over to Ulta's website and pick her up the Lorac Royal Pro Eye Collection for only $28. Included in this collection is a palette with three neutral eyeshadow shades, eyeliner, and mascara. If you order this collection online from Ulta, you also get a free mini Lip Lustre Lipgloss. A combined total on this set with the lipgloss is a whopping $113. Talk about a bargain!

Until December 13, Ulta has their Chi straighteners on sale for only $99.95... but wait, there's more. On the back page of their weekly ad (available on their website) there is a 20% off coupon on Chi, knocking the final price down to only $79.95! Keep in mind that these straighteners retail for $160.

The Body Shop- Half priced body butters

The Body Shop is offering their seasonal body butters for 50% off on their website. The scents included in this sale include Vanilla Brulee, Glazed Apple, and Frosted Cranberry. These retail for $20 each, but are on sale for only $10. These body butters would make great stocking stuffers, or you could even pair one of these up with some fuzzy socks for a gift exchange or Chinese Christmas. The Body Shop also has gift cubes (pictured above) that include two mini sizes items for $9 and $10 each, or two for $15, if you would prefer to give something in a gift set form. The packaging on these sets are much nicer than those you see at Wal-Mart.

Sephora- Sampler sets for the girl (or guy) who has everything

Sephora does these great sampler sets they call "Sephora Favorites." They have several varieties of these sampler sets available, like ones specifically for skin care or specifically for lips, etc. Most of the sets include travel size versions of products, but usually one or two of the items included are full sized, which makes these gift sets worth the price. There are 21 of these sets and they range in price from $20 to $99. My personal favorite of these sets is the Fragrance Sampler for Her. For only $65, you get fourteen samples, each of a different fragrance, and a voucher is included to redeem a full sized bottle of the fragrance you liked best. They also offer a men's version of this gift set with cologne for only $60!

And there you have it, a few gift ideas for the those of us who need some advising this holiday season. Just because you're on a budget does not mean that you can't do it in style. From my family to yours, lots of hugs and love as you celebrate with your loved ones.

Xoxo,
Bridget