Beauty

[SahmIam]

@StillRachB  At some point, you'll find that certain products and colors just work for you and you'll get tired of buying the newest and most touted product out there. I LOVE Chantecaille and Charlotte Tilbury. I find that those two brands work for me. I LOVE my Maybelline lipstick that is the perfect shade for my lips. I LOVE my mascaras, my shampoo, my skincare, etc and because I NOW know what works, I spend money twice a year on skin care and makeup. 

Why and how? Because it takes me 6 months or so to go through product; even longer for eyeshadow, lipstick and foundation. I haven't stopped buying what I love and works but I'm NOT buying stuff to try and see. 

WHen I add up the cost of drugstore, online, sale, GWP purchases, it's an OMG moment because I was trying to replace the more expensive items thinking it was the right thing to do. However, they didn't perform for me and I wasn't happy and well... in the end, I'm saving money by sticking with what WORKS.

I get my hair done every 8 weeks, I get a pedicure every other week (she keeps my ingrowns at bay better than ANY doctor ever did). Beyond that, I don't get any other beauty services. 

This may or may not have helped. I wish you luck! : )

[JeanLouiseFinch]

@StillRachB - I'm sorry if this sounds blunt, but it's really going to boil down to you doing your own trial and error.  From your past posts, I can see that you are an experimenter until you settle on what you like.  Regardless of it's high end or drugstore, you'll probably end up doing the same thing because people can make recommendations of something they like and you may not feel the same way.  I suppose you could start by googling "best drugstore ..." (insert mascara, eyeshadow, foundation, shampoo, etc.).

[StillRachB]

@SahmIam that is very helpful. Thank you. It does feel at times like I'm on a never ending quest to find "the best".

[StillRachB]

@JeanLouiseFinch you know me so well!!!

[tucsongal]

I like Maybelline's Dreamlumi touche concealer. The only drugstore lipstick I have is from Burt's Bees but it's quite nice and gets good reviews. Cerave has a fairly new product simply called healing ointment and it comes in a tube or jar, great for lips or dry skin. I like Gold Bond Ultimate healing foot cream and their COQ10 lotion, for when you go through your stash of body butter. 

If you have a make up product that you love and have no desire to change, I think it's worth it to continue purchasing because then you won't be tempted to try anything else. 

[shiloh 81]

I've had to cut way back 2 years ago on my beauty purchases when my beloved toy poodle got diabetes. I don't have children, it's also just my husband and myself. It was tuff because I like to try new things and I use mostly high end products besides my Revlon mascara.

I do alot of research on a product and then I go to eBay and by travel sizes. I used to have a tendency to buy the full-size product and only use part of it and then give it away anyway. So now I just buy travel sizes and by the time I get sick of it, it's almost gone anyway. Then in the end I didn't spend very much money. If I use up the travel size and like it that much then I buy the full size.

Good luck 😀

[soonersis]

@StillRachB, I would suggest you check out websites such as Makeup Alley, Beautypedia, and You Tube which have tons of reviews of drugstore beauty products.  Good luck in your search.

[TY]

As to coloring your hair, Nice n' Easy or Natural Instincts are good colors. No matter what brand you buy though find out what hair color you are using now in a Salon and then call the customer service hotline on the hair care box or website to find out what is a similar color in drugstore colors. Look at youtube videos so you can see how to do a D.I.Y. since you are likely only coloring root regrowth and not coloring the whole head.

I also recommend Beautypedia so you can see what other's think, if you have an iphone or ipad you can get the beautypedia app as it's free.

If you do your own pedicures then get a Micro-pedi as that can help give you smooth feet so you don't have to get them done in a salon.

[wilma]

Some of my drugstore faves: 

Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks

Olay Total Effects CC cream 

Cover Girl perfect point eyeliner pencil

ELF tone correcting powder

Neutrogena shine free powder

Neutrogena moisture shine lip glosses 

Neutrogena alcohol free toner 

Olay Sensitive cleanser or wipes

Olay Complete SPF moisturizer

Olay body wash with Shea butter

Suave or St. Ives body lotions - lots of formulas & choices

Neutrogena eye makeup remover

John Frieda Blond Shampoo (they make a version for brunette and redheads too)

John Frieda blond lightening spray

Tresemme heat protective spray (also have good variety of shampoos)

Vaseline

Baby oil

Hope you find some new products you love. 

[DCAnnie2004]

I would recommend using what you have.  Shop your own beauty products - and only replenish your skincare or hair care when it runs out.

Looking for more affordable products is just an excuse to shop.  At the end of the day, you only have two eyes, two cheeks, and one pair of lips. 

Shop for something new only twice a year:  spring/summer and fall/winter.