In CC Beauty Live’s new segment, Quick & Dirty, I’ll be doing short reviews of good, cheap products. So if you have anything you want me to review, let me know!

As a college student, I’m always on the lookout for bargains. And as a beauty addict, it can be difficult coughing up $30 for products. So that’s why I get really excited when I find amazing products for even more amazing prices. I often scour drugstores for a hopeful product, and every once in a while I find a great one, like Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque ($3.95, Ulta).

This product is fantastic and you can’t beat the price! You get an 8 oz tube for under $5! Check out my Quick & Dirty review for the DL.

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me for review purposes. Because I can never have too much makeup!)

What it is: Sephora Collection Colorful Mono Eyeshadow

Why this should be in your bag: This is THE BEST wet/dry shadow I’ve ever tried! A versatile product like this is a necessity, especially for travel. You can bring a few of these and do completely different eye looks, mixing and matching which ones you use as liners, all-over washes and highlights. All you need is a little water to totally transform the product.

How to use it: Just like Sephora says – “apply your color dry for a natural vibe or dampen your brush and apply wet for an all-out sophisticated stare.” Personally, I use shade 06 Must Have for my daily liner. It’s a matte black (see swatches). First, get your eyeliner brush wet and rub it in the shadow, moistening it and getting some on your brush. Using a steady hand, apply to your upper lash line. If you’re feeling sassy, finish with a cat-eye by flicking your wrist up at the edge of your eyelid! (Learn how to do the perfect cat-eye right here.) Read More »

We all know the benefits of using a facial scrub: it sloughs off dead skin cells letting your beautiful fresh face show through; and also gets really deep into your pores to get rid of oil, makeup and other gross build-up. I love all the good that a facial scrub can do, but I’m tired of rubbing my face with a sandy, painful scrub!

I have been looking high and low for a facial scrub that doesn’t feel like i just rubbed sandpaper all over my face. And I finally found it.

This is another Mario Badescu product (what can I say? Mario knows what he’s doing!) that works, smells great, and is affordable! Now we can all get the perfect skin without feeling like we’re scratching off our faces in the process.

So I’m taking a break from makeup and hair tips because I have a major idea block, and I wanted to add product reviews into our weekly meetings. I know what it’s like to see new products on store shelves and not want to waste money on something that could totally suck, so let me know what you’re looking for. I’ll tell you if it’s worth the money and, if not, what product is. So post ideas of tips, looks, and reviews that you want to see from me!

In the meantime, this week I’m reviewing one of my favorite products: Mario Badescu’s Whitening Mask. It’s totes amazing and will leave your skin looking faboosh! Yeah, I just said faboosh. It’s the only way to describe the miracle-worker that is Mario Badescu.