More Favorite Drugstore Beauty

I don’t even want to experience the more expensive end of the spectrum when it comes to beauty products. I hear people express their deep love for $30 eyeshadows and $25 lipsticks and $40 mascaras, and I believe them! I’m sure those products are fantastic, and worth all of the (many!!) pennies they cost.

But as long as I don’t know what I’m missing, as long as I carry on with my lowly drugstore makeup collection, I’ll just be happy with my inexpensive product collection and never know the difference.

(See some of my other drugstore favorites in THIS post.)

1. L’Oreal Pop Balm in Fiery Red: I love the idea of wearing a classic, timeless red lipstick, but every time I try one, I feel like it’s too bold for me. I’m baby stepping toward a red lip with this lip balm, which is called ‘fiery red’ but isn’t really all that ‘fiery,’ in my opinion. It’s a nice, classic red, but very sheer and lightweight and not-scary. One day I’ll work up to a strong red lip . . . unless Forrest shames me out of it.

2. Detangling Brush: I’ve heard so much praise for the Tangle Teezer that I bought one for my sister for Christmas (she suffers from chronically tangled hair), then bought a knockoff version for myself for $4 at Ross recently (I could have sworn it was made by Bed Head, but I can’t find it anywhere online, so maybe I’m wrong!). They really are amazing at getting tangles out of wet or dry hair without any tugging or pulling, and I lose so much less hair when I use it compared with a wide-toothed comb or brush. I’m going to guess that if you have daughters who protest having their hair brushed, this would be a great item to make mornings easier.

3. John Frieda Repairing Oil Elixir: In my last drugstore favorites post, I sang the praises of a different John Frieda oil elixir. I liked that one a lot, but when it ran out I picked up this one, and I like it even better. It’s more lightweight than the previous product, and I think it smells better and gives more shine. I use 1-2 pumps on damp hair, another 1-2 pumps after blow-drying, and occasionally another half pump after straightening or curling. This is probably way more than Mr. Frieda intended anyone to use at any one time, but I love the stuff.

4. Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner Pencil: 9 times out of 10, when a makeup product runs out, I try a different brand in an endless search for the best product. But I’ve re-purchased this same eyeliner 4 or 5 times in a row now without feeling any need to continue searching for a better one. It goes on smoothly with great, deep pigment, and stays put all day. I buy it in Black Brown.

5. Carmex Lip Balm: At any given time, day or night, I can almost guarantee you I’m wearing a big thick layer of Carmex on my lips. I’ve bought and used it faithfully for years, and unless I’m going out and opting for a little color, I rarely put anything else on. I love the tingle when I first apply it, and I think it has the perfect amount of moisture, slickness, and shine. I wear it over bare lips, or put a layer on over lipstick for a little extra shine. I always have at least 2 or 3 tubes stashed around my house and in my purse. My favorite is the original flavor that comes in the tube.

6. Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer: I’ve seen this touted as one of the most hardcore concealers you can get at the drugstore, and supposedly it’s even serious enough to cover tattoos. I don’t know about that (I don’t have any tattoos to test it on), but I really, really like it. It goes on nicely, blends well, and handles my under-eye circles and around-the-nose redness. I think it’s a bit pricey for a drugstore product (about $12), but I’ve had my tube for at least a year and it’s still 2/3rds full (a little bit of this concealer goes a long, long way). It also comes with a little concealer pencil, which I have never used.

What are some of your favorite drugstore beauty products? I keep a running list of items I want to try, so I’d love to hear your favorites!