I love browsing around Sephora, peeking through the glass department store cosmetics cases, and trying on expensive designer make-up just as much as the next girl, but when push comes to shove, I’m a struggling college student who simply can’t afford to buy the high-end products (but a girl can dream, right?). I’m always hearing women praise the quality, longevity and overall appeal of high-priced cosmetics, but after splurging once or twice on a whim, I can honestly say I prefer to stick with the drugstore basics.

When it comes to concealer (one of the most essential necessities of life, am I right?), I don’t think there’s any reason to spend more than $11. I tend to go for Covergirl stuff, but I’m also a fan of the surprisingly cheap (and healthy!) Neutrogena cosmetics line. Here’s why: Read More »

Being a girl has its perks, especially when it comes to scoring free drinks at the bar. But being a girl also takes a lot of work and costs a whole lot o’ cashola. Just think about all the things we need to pay for that guys don’t: waxing, haircare, makeup, Spanx, the list goes on.

Yeah, keeping ourselves groomed and primped is not easy on the wallet, but it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg (or a month’s rent).  Here are some of my favorite beauty products that all come in under 20 buckaroos. These things are just as fabulous as the expensive stuff and, hey, anything that’ll make me feel purty without making me cringe at the price is good by me. (Side Note:  You can get a lot of this stuff on Drugstore.com, an awesome website that carries nearly every beauty item you can imagine and has great deals on ‘em too.)

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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 (like Dior’s Skinflash Primer) and which are not.

What it is: Covergirl Lashblast Volume

Why this should be in your bag: Cuz Drew Barrymore says so in the commercial.  Okay really though, while this is what initially enticed me to buy it (who doesn’t trust Drew?), homegirl was right.  This mascara is under $10 (awesome), it’s waterproof (fantastic), and the brush is packed with tiny bristles to make sure that every lash is covered (hollaaa!).  Drew called it the most successful mascara launched in recent years, and it’s easy to see why.  It covers completely with great color and volume (I tested the very black option).

How to use it: Curl your lashes with a curler, holding down for several seconds.  Start at the base and wigggle the brush back and forth until you reach the end of the lashes.  I like to use the curler again before applying a second coat.  Then, pointing the wand at your eye, swipe back and forth lightly on your bottom lashes. Read More »

Want longer lashes? (Wow, that sounded like a CoverGirl commercial.)

Well, now you can get them WITHOUT MASCARA. Yeah, you heard right.

The FDA has recently approved a new drug called Latisse, brought to you by the same pharmeceutical company that gave us Botox: Allergen Inc. They promise “longer, fuller, and darker lashes” with daily use on the upper eyelids for 16 weeks.

Who wouldn’t want that?

But beware of the caveat manufacturers don’t want you to know about. Possible side effects include a gradual darkening of the iris and a darkening of any portion of the surrounding area where the drug touches your skin. Not to mention the possiblility of looking like Chewbacca if it gets anywhere else on your body, since Latisse is merely a hair-follicle stimulant.

Oh, and if you still want to try it? It’ll make a dent of $120 for a 30-day supply. The effects aren’t permanent either, so your lashes will return back to their genetically-determined length after a few months of discontinued usage. Read More »

If it’s there is one thing I love more about spring than trading in my hot drink for it’s iced sibling, it’s trading in my winter makeup for springy hues. Namely bright pink lips, bright fresh faced blush and shimmery gold shadows that give even the palest of pale (ahem, me) that sunkissed glow.

So here are my 5 spring makeup l-o-v-e-s.

1) Every season Bobbi Brown comes out with amazing limited edition lines and this Blushed Pink collection takes the cake. The shimmery shadows are a must-have. Seem pricey? Well, Bobbi’s shadows last so long that its totally worth the splurge. Hell, sometimes (when I pass out before I can wash that stuff off!) it even lasts through brunch…the next day. (What? I also love sleep!)

2) I l.o.v.e. Loreal’s HiP line. And color is not just a trend in clothes this season; it’s also a trend for your cute little punim (that’s Yiddish for face). The good news is you can add a pop of color without looking like you are wearing your old school Wet and Wild shadows circa 1998. I love the Kohl liners, especially in gold, for that spring time look. Read More »

Poor girl can’t catch a break.

CoverGirl has a new mascara comin’!

First Kelloggs, now Subway drops Phelps. Looks like I’ll be satisfying my munchies elsewhere!

Valentine’s Day outfit ideas.

25 Things About Barack Obama.

Who knew Heidi Klum could ever have a fashion miss?

Ideas for lookin’ better on this World Nude Day.

Isla Fisher lookin’ hot on the cover of Allure.

We love low rise thongs.

Why is Taylor Swift on CSI? The girl can barely sing, let alone act.

Welcome to Alaska, Tripp Johnston! (Not the girl we thought it would be.)

10 couples that will be dunzo in 2009.

Mmmm Prince Harry.

Fashion for your body shape.

Nice pants, Mama Cyrus.

The worst things about New Years.

Is Jessica Simpson trying to bake a bun in that oven?

Check out some hot new CoverGirl products.

Another memoir faked!

Tara Reid gets her rehab on the house.

[Welcome to my Weekly Love List. A list, on all things I love. Because if I love them - well then obviously you may (and should) love them too. As the Backstreet Boys song says (and yes I am actually quoting them) “My Love is All I Have To Give.” So with that throwback, here are this week’s list-worthy things…]

1. Cover Girl Last Blash Mascara. Until this moment I have been shelling out prime dollars for department store mascara. But with one stroke of this bad boy I was hooked. Hooked and fluttering my eyelashes all night long!

2. Astrologyzone.com: Maybe I’m a sucker, but I am addicted to this site that gives you a detailed (we’re talking like 3 pages baby!) horoscope for the month. I had a chance to hear the astrologist who runs the site, Susan Miller , speak once and I was hooked. Yes I’m into things like The Secret and all that other new-age stuff, but even if you aren’t there is something just so fun about horoscopes. It’s like playing M.A.S.H. when you were a kid. (Although that was never fun if you ended up in the shack married to Steve Urkel). Read More »

Pack your bags—you’re going to China with America’s Next Top Model!

The drama began almost as soon as the girls arrived, when the six of them fought over the five beds in their penthouse. And by “fought,” I mean that Saleisha grabbed a bed for herself that was clearly huge enough for at least two people or an orgy or something. She refused to share it with Heather, which the rest of the girls, namely Bianca, found soooo funny.

Heather failed to get the joke, as did I.

The models head to movie studio where the girls are taught martial arts, and then are immediately put to the test when they have to do the poses…on wires, suspended in air. Bianca continues to annoy me when she manages to come across bitchy talking about her fear of heights and how she’d rather be shopping.

I guess I agree with her on something—I’d rather she was shopping than in the competition too! She refuses to go up and it’s Heather that wins the challenge. And her prize, ironically, is a shopping spree.

The next morning, the girls head to shoot a CoverGirl ad and commercial, which always makes me cringe with second-hand embarrassment. Saleisha is first shooting the commercial, and totally kills it. Heather fell flat, even with Mr. Jay feeding her the lines, and I died a little bit inside watching it. Chantal makes it work too, but when Lisa gets up there, she looks like she’s about to cry.

And then she does. I wish I could make fun of her, but I’ve been known to throw up from nerves before reading a speech in class, so I’m not really one to talk here. Read More »