This budget beauty find is by far one of my biggest obsessions: Revlon ColorStay Blemish Concealer. Besides the fact that it’s just $8 at drugstores, it is an extremely handy tool for getting ready. It comes in a tube with an easy-to-apply brush, which I use after my foundation to cover up breakout areas or any unnevenness.

And since it’s so inexpensive, you can stock up and keep these bad boys everywhere you go. I keep them at home, in my bag and at work because they are so tiny and perfect for midday touch ups. Added bonus: one tube will last crazy long, even when you use it every day. Read More »

The single most important part of applying makeup, to me, is a pump of volume to your lashes before stepping out the door. So, needless to say, I’ve been through countless tubes of mascara in attempts to find the best brand.

While I can say you’ll probably get big results from an expensive cosmetics store brand, one of my favorites is actually from the drugstore. L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara will not only give you perfect lashes night or day, it won’t break the bank either.

What I’ve looked for in a good mascara is a deep black, thickening and lengthening quality. Basically, I rarely go for a subtle eyelash look. This L’Oreal product is the most bang for your buck, with seemingly magical powers to volumize your lashes (without leaving them clumpy) while costing less than $8. Read More »

What It Is:
Lime Crime Carousel Gloss in Candy Apple, Cherry on Top and Kaleidoscope

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Lime Crime is a brand known for bright colors and bold looks. Their lipsticks are my go-to when I want to play up my lips and need long-lasting pigmentation. Seriously, they stain the NEXT day. Obviously, I was beyond excited when Lime Crime announced that they were putting out lip glosses! They promise “semi-opaque coverage combined with bursts of nebulesque sparkle that comes alive in indoor lighting.” Let’s see how they stood up to those claims!

How To Use It:
The applicator on Lime Crime Carousel Glosses is a teeny, tiny brush that allows for precision application. This is necessary because the glosses are packed with pigment and glitter, which could end up giving you “clown mouth” if you’re not careful. These definitely require a mirror for application or touch-ups, so don’t forget to bring one along! Read More »

What It Is:
Lise Watier Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss Pencil in Tender Pink and Melon Twist

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Every girl I know loves lip products. They are fun, often smell and taste great (don’t eat them though!) and can instantly transform your look. Seriously, look at yourself before and after applying your fave lippie; you get a glow!

Lise Watier is a niche brand from Quebec, Canada, specializing in high-quality cosmetics and skincare. Their Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss pencil is one of my favorite products from the brand and I’m excited to share it with you!

How To Use It:
Even though most lip products are fairly no-brainer (swipe and smush lips together, you’re good to go!), this one is even more so. It’s gloss housed in pencil form, which isn’t really unique anymore, but makes application a breeze. I can safely say I apply these without a mirror often, and I never end up with clown lips.

Tender Pink is gorgeous, light pink that barely lightens my pigmented lips. I love it; it looks perfect with every eye look! Melon Twist is a very light peachy-coral that I found myself constantly wearing in the summer. It tints your lips slightly more orange and looks great with a tan.

(L-R: Tender Pink, Melon Twist)

CC Rating: B-

I like the Lise Watier Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss pencils. The formula is wonderful: moisturizing and shiny, almost more like a tinted balm than a true gloss. It’s totally non-sticky, but adheres to my lips and gives me about two hours of wear. It’s a comfortable lip product and I find myself reaching for it as a “default,” because these two shades always look good.

My only complaints are the price and the design. For $18, you’re getting .10oz of lip product. That’s very, very little. I also find that I go through these quite quickly, because the formula is soft and requires several swipes for pigmentation. They’re not the best for babes on a budget. Also, I would much prefer if the pencils were twist up (like tarte Lipsurgences). If you don’t already have a larger-sized sharpener, you will need to get one for these. Lipgloss is messy and a pain to sharpen, with lots of product wasted.

Like I said, I like these. But I certainly don’t love them. If Lise Watier added a bit more product, in a twist-up tube, I think these could jump into the As instead of hovering in low Bs. They’re available at Lise Watier’s website and some specialty drugstores.

What It Is:
theBalm Muppets “Cast Your Shadow” Face Palette

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I love palettes. It’s fun when a brand picks and chooses products for you! They don’t just chuck a selection of pretty colors together to see what they look like; they carefully hand-pick each and consider how the shades will work together. Some people find palettes restrictive, but I love the creativity they allow!

theBalm is one of my favorite makeup brands on the market. They make amazing-quality products and always feature fun, kitschy packaging and names. This time, they’ve teamed up with The Muppets to offer a entire face palette: 16 shadows, two lip/cheeks tints and one lip gloss.

How To Use It:

I think the eyeshadows and single lip gloss are pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll do a quick run down of the lip/cheek tints. These are very emollient tints and they tend to give a dewy finish. I prefer using my fingers to apply these and then blending them into my cheeks or lips. Also, the brush that’s included isn’t the best quality, so I suggest using your own brushes instead!

(L-R: Tres Moi, Wocka Wocka, Meep Meep, Mahna-Mahna, Sensational, Inspirational, Celebrational, Muppetational)

(L-R: Woman Woman, Curtain Call, Great Gonzo, Kissy Kissy, Wild Child, Lab Coat, Hiii-Yaaa!, Swedish Pancakes)

(L-R: Cheek Tints: Rainbow Connection, Le Diva and Lipgloss: Electric Mayhem)

CC Rating: A

As I said earlier, I’m a huge fan of theBalm and this palette is keeping me one! The quality of the 16 eyeshadows is superb! A few shades were slightly sheerer than I would have liked, but that can be solved by layering. The lip/cheek tints and lip gloss are a nice bonus and really make this palette travel-friendly.

The mix of shades in this palette is perfect. Neutral-lovers like myself will love shades like Celebrational, Muppetational and Meep Meep, but the interesting colors like Curtain Call and Great Gonzo have also got my attention. If you’re looking to break into the world of colorful eyeshadows or occasionally like adding them to your look, you’ll love the selection.

The inclusion of a coral and magenta lip/cheek tint is fabulous and I love the natural flush they give me. The neutral gloss is surprisingly wearable and makes me curious about the other lip products theBalm offers, as I’ve yet to try most!

This palette was released as a Limited Edition item (with a run of 1000), but fear not! TheBalm has created a palette with IDENTICAL products, called “The Balm and The Beautiful”. It’s a soap opera-themed palette and is a carbon copy of The Muppets one. So, if you can’t find The Muppets “Cast Your Shadow” Palette anymore, but you like what you see, keep your eyes peeled for “The Balm and The Beautiful”!

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

What It Is:
Korres Lip Butter and Lip Butter Glazes in Quince and Pomegranate

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

If you’re living anywhere remotely Northern, the cool weather has started to settle in and that means the drying effects of winter are right around the corner. When winter strikes, my skin and lips peel and crack and I need mega-moisturization to combat the damage!

Korres is a great company that originated as a homeopathic pharmacy in Greece. They produce natural, but effective products, including a wide range of lip butters that I decided to take for a spin and compare. Read More »

What It Is:
Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude and Laid

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

If you’re a regular reader, you know by now that blush is one of my favorite makeup products. It instantly brightens your complexion and gives you a flush that boys can’t resist. Not that you’re putting on makeup to attract boys; it should be because you feel more confident! Anyways, cream blush is a fun option when you want a more natural look. It melts easily into the skin, giving you a color that appears to come from within, as opposed to powder which can only sit on top of your cheeks.

Illamasqua is a cult British beauty brand that is actually relatively new. Since their start a few years ago, they’ve become known for putting out amazing products with sassy names. I love their powder blush and couldn’t wait to dig into the cream version! Read More »

What It Is:
Topshop Duo Eyeshadow in Meteoric

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

After featuring a lips/cheeks duo last week, why not an eye duo this week? Eyeshadow duos are just as tricky as for makeup brands – the colors have to complement each other and work on a variety of skintones!

The mega UK retailer, Topshop, launched a line of makeup last year, with many products receiving rave reviews. I’ve already checked out their cream blush and decided it was time to dive into shadows. This summer’s limited edition collection is titled “Sandstorm” and is inspired by the Burning Man festival that’s held in the Nevada desert. Along with this release came two duos, once of which I’ve taken for a test drive.

How To Use It:
Meteoric features a silver and a plum shadow. As with any duo, you have options: wear one shadow, wear both or mix them together! However, this duo is also baked, meaning you can wear the shadows wet for even more intensity or as a liner. I like to brush the silver all over my eyelids and then define the outer “V” and crease with the plum! Read More »

What It Is:
Kahina Giving Beauty Toning Mist

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Luxe skincare products are always a fun way to switch up your routine. Every time I use one, I feel like I’m pampering myself! And we all know the importance of effective skincare; if you’re skin isn’t in tip-top shape, it will show, regardless of how much makeup you slather on.

Kahina Giving Beauty is a company started by Katharine Phillips L’Heureux. She was inspired by a trip to Morocco, where she discovered the benefits of Argan Oil and the hardworking women who produce it. The skincare line is small, but well thought-out and, even better, Kahina gives back 25% of the profits to the women of Morocco who produce the oils used in the products! I gave their Toning Mist a test run and felt good about myself while doing so.

How To Use It:
From the name, it’s not really clear what the purpose of this Toning Mist is. Thankfully, it comes with some suggestions for use. They suggest to “use morning and evening after cleansing and before applying either Kahina Argan Oil or Kahina Serum to aid in superior absorption. Spritz throughout the day to replenish moisture and refresh.” After a couple test runs, I settled on my routine, which included washing my skin in the evening and then applying this before my moisturizer. Read More »

What It Is:
New York Color Smooch Proof 16HR Lip Stain in Persistent Pink

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Like most girls I know, my collection of lip products is overflowing. I have more lipsticks, glosses and colors than I can EVER possibly use up. However, one department I’m lacking in is lip stains. I’m not exactly sure why, but I only have a couple and can’t say I reach for them very often. Most disappoint me with their less-than-stellar wear times and boring finishes.

But, I’m always willing to give a product a second chance. New York Color says that their Smooch Proof 16HR Lip Stain gives “a sheer to intense flush of color that sticks around longer than most guys in the City.” The packaging makes the product look like a more baby-pink shade, when in reality, I would deem this a true, natural pink. Read More »