My Favorite Budget Make-Up Finds. . . .

howdy everyone!

i have been SO missing in action around here,

on my OWN blog!

what can i say. . . .

i'm kinda-sorta facing an empty nest next year

and i think i'm in a bit of a panic.  

Can i rewind a few years?

i know. . . .if only!

i mean, i've been gone so long. . . .

 i have so much to write about,

yet i can't seem to focus.

so i'll do a wildly random post,

starting with 

MAKE-UP!

i was looking in my make-up bag the other day and

realized something.

i'm a cheap budget make-up user.

then i got to thinking,

who cares?

i like my make-up!

THEN i thought,

maybe someone else would like to know what i've found

(for the moment:)

ok, maybe nobody cares.

but just in case. . . . .

see?

i told you i'm a real cheapo:)

i used to use a chanel lipgloss,

but they went and discontinued my favorite.

no worries...i found one i LOVE from MARK cosmetics.

okay, here's the breakdown. . . .not in the order i put them on my face,

unfortunately.

that would mean i was organized:)

1.  ULTA Extreme Wear Mousse Foundation.

drys to a soft powder finish, great coverage.

$12.50

2.  Almay Mascara. . .I use two.

first, I use One Coat Black Waterproof. $6.99

then on the tips, I use Intense I-Color in Plum. $7.99

(I learned this trick when I sold makeup. . .Use black on your lashes and then

a color mascara on the tips to bring out your eye color.

since i have hazel eyes with green flecks, 

I use the plum to bring out some green.)

3.  Camouflage Cover by Hard Candy (Walmart)

These are the BEST concealers and come in a cream and a fine pencil.

$6.99

4.  Rimmel Bronzer in Sundance.

I am the queen of spray tan and bronzer.

Addicted.

I use this on my make-up sponge if i want sheer color,

if i have a bit of a tan and need to darken my foundation,

and i use it with my blush, mixing this with a pink blush.

$4.99

5.  Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink
$6.99
6.  Sonia Kashuk Eye Pencil in Purple Passion
Target: $5.99
7.  I use matte eyeshadows in brown shades,
but if on a special occasion i want a bit of shimmer,
my hands-down favorite is also by Milani
in a shade called "Beached".
$6.99
8.  Earthtone Eyeshadows...I like NYX for a cheap brand,
find it at Ulta.  Also L'oreal eyeshadow too.
9.  Since my girlfriend Taylor became a MARK rep,
i've tried a few things.  One of my absolute favorites is the
Luxe Lipgloss.
It has the perfect shimmer, a great brush and easily competes with
the Chanel lipgloss.
$6.99
10.  I was using a primer but then I discovered a
pore filler from NYX.
i LOVE this.
it really does minimize pores. it's really light and. . . .
you guessed it.  cheap:)
$12.99 but often on sale.
11.  Again from MARK,
my new favorite moisturizer.
It has antioxidants, including blueberry and dk chocolate.
it has a cool dispenser, great scent, light and easy to use,
and it has a 30spf.
$15.00 range
12.  shampoo. . . .
what can i say?
my husband got me started on this one. . . .
Suave shampoo.
I especially love the Coconut or Tangerine scents.
It justy does what a shampoo and conditioner is supposed to do,
at a very low price:)
$1.00-$1.79
can't beat that!

i'm not saying everything i use will be great for all.
but i can recommend it if you're searching for something new.
i change my makeup up quite a bit,
 but over the past few years, it's been fairly consistent,
which says something, right?

well, i was going to write more but
i've rambled enough.
hopefully i've showed you that you can buy most of your
make-up at the drugstore,
and feel good about it!

i hope you've all been doing well,
enjoying your spring and feeling
happy:)

shine on!
Suzanne

Fall Beauty To-Do List......

hello ladies!

if you're like me, you don't have the time, money

or even in some cases, the desire to go for 

a bunch of spa treatments every so often.

but after the hot summer, sometimes we NEED some

beauty TLC, right?

SO.......when i saw an article from Total Beauty

 about this very subject,

i thought i would put it in a nutshell and share it with you.

some of it is just good ol' common sense......

and i don't know about you 

but my common sense needs waking up once in awhile

so without further ado, let's talk.......

skin;

summer can leave little gifts on your skin,

like flakiness, peeling, blemishes, dullness.

number 1 tip.......HYDRATION!

but here's the twist.

don't just think of glasses of water.

while you should drink lots of it, 

think about getting hydration from fruits and vegetables.

lettuce is full of water.  cucumbers are good.

mangoes, apricots.....all boost vitamin A which is important

for skin cells.

even better.......green drinks:)

apple, parsley, romaine, apple, lemon, cucumber, ginger......

great for your green beauty drink!

here's another.......

To boost weight loss (and it's just yummy) - 2L water, 1 medium cucumber, 

1 lemon, 10-12 mint leaves. steep overnight in fridge and drink every day.

 Also great for general detox--including clear skin.

tip number 2........SIMPLIFY!

yep....simplify your skin routine.

the article says that all you need to do in the a.m is

use a gentle cleanse, a moisturizer and sunscreen.

that's it!

no brighteners, fillers, deep wrinkle, eye wrinkle.....

at least according to their experts.

sounds good to me.

in the p.m, simply repeat but replace the sunscreen with a retinoid.

retinoids are the most effective wrinkle eraser, 

they unclog pores, boost collagen for fine lines,

and speed cell turnover to even out skin color.

all in one!

just remember that skin can dry out in the cooler months,

if this is you, use a mild soap and gentle moisturizer.

and maybe your foundation can be changed to a more moisturizing formula.

you know what you need.....trust your instinct:)

hair;

anyone have OILY hair?

here's what the experts said to do for this problem.......

STOP WASHING YOUR HAIR SO MUCH:)

seriously, that is the tip.

and i've read it many other places too.  

apparently shampooing strips natural oils from hair

and scalp, possibly over producing oil.

also think about getting dead ends snipped off and

using a weekly deep conditioning treatment.

hair color;

celebrity stylists say Fall is the time to feel free to add

richness to your hair.

maybe some lowlights added to sunbleached blonde hair (hmmmmm:)

rich golds are an easy way to warm up blonde hair.

for brunettes, if you got a little brassy,

deepen the brown a bit, maybe add auburn highlights, 

and a "caramel glaze" over faded ends looks awesome, they say:)

hands and feet;

your new best friend is EPSOM SALTS!

twice weekly, fill a small tub with warm, soapy water

 and a half cup epsom salts;

soak for five minutes then dip a pumice stone

 in the water to smooth heels and balls of the feet.

this is great for easing aches and pains, swelling, blisters and calluses.

hands need help too, especially dry cuticles (guilty)

and guess what......

you probably have the secret treatment in your kitchen right now.

HONEY is a natural healer and is filled with antioxidants.

just warm honey in the microwave a few seconds

and rub it into hands and cuticles.

(warming it makes it easier to maneuver)

for nail polish, the experts here said go with

natural nude/cream or dark trendy colors...either or.

but choose one with a high-gloss finish.

okay...easy enough:)

makeup;

okay, their suggestion is a bit painful.

pull out old photos, check out your pics on facebook.......

see any recurring themes?

shiny skin? maybe you need powder.

small eyes?  work on your shadow technique.

dark eyes?

 maybe tone down the liner.

also, they all agree us girls need to use a primer.

i LOVE the feel and look of my maeup with a primer!

if lining lips is tricky for you,

add a bit of gloss BEFORE so the pencil goes on smoothly.

adjust makeup colors for fall.

your skin color may be different and that pinky/coral

 blush may need to go:)

maybe a richer mascara, eye color.....

how about a bronze eyeliner?

here are some good tips for eye shadow.....

treats just for YOU;

if possible, try to work some of these into your week.

YOU deserve it:)

~start the day with a brisk walk to get your blood pumping.

~take a steaming hot shower, adding lemon oil to a washcloth

and breathing in the calming scents.

(i know you laugh but this is what they do at the spa:)

~once a week use an exfoliating mask.

~give your smile a boost with white strips

~turn the cellphone and TV off once in awhile and 

drink a nice glass of water with lemon.

~then play with the kiddies, read a book or do absolutely nothing:)

~give yourself a mani/pedi.

all simple things but remember....it's all about the simple things.

~lastly.......LAUGH.

it's good for you:)

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

stuff i love on friday...

happy friday!

is it me, or does it seem like the week seems to 

fly by REALLY fast???

probably just me.

probably because it makes me realize what i DIDN'T get done during the week:)

oh well...

at least i have a friday favorites post done.

so here we go with some stuff i love on friday...
and remember to click the link at the bottom for my giveaway info!

i mentioned this week i am CRAZY about polyvore.

look at some of my favorite things, all in one nice box.

1.  NYX make up.

i know i just did a makeup post recently.

but in that post i mentioned a CHEAPO lipstick that someone said was 

pretty GREAT.

well...yesterday i found it at ULTA...

as well as foundation, mascara, eye pencils...all kinds of goodies.

while i don't have all the things pictured,

i am really HAPPY with what i do have.

and like i said, i didn't drop a bundle in the process.

NYX makeup by shabbychicks featuring NYX beauty products

2.  sticking with the polyvore theme,,,

i made a collection of some shabby/vintage STUFF i love...

shabby dreams by shabbychicks featuring gold stud earrings

hmmm...

i love dreamy spaces, antiques, vintage and paris.

OOH LA LA!

3.  now this outfit, i seriously LOVE.

totally me.

if only i had it...i'd be wearing it today.
except it wouldn't look so SKINNY once it was on me...
but i still love it:)

hello beautiful by shabbychicks featuring kitten heel sandals

okay...just a few more favorites for today...

i love healthy eating tips that seem Do-able.

like these healthy snacks...

i LOVED (notice i say "loved") this when i first saw it in

 FEBRUARY.

now that it is mid-march, i wish i had followed it.

but that's the beauty of it...tomorrow is another day:)

and last but not least,

i love little inspirational quotes.

this one is so sweet...and so true.

so whether you can carry a tune or not,

for today,

SING out loud:)

happy friday everyone.

linking up with friday favorites

 so pop over and see some more favorite things!
and whatever you do,
don't forget my awesome iPhone cover giveaway that ENDS tomorrow...

click HERE for info...
XOXOXO

Suzanne