Beauty Favorites: {Drugstore Favorites}

- i LOVE a good deal, and i especially love a good deal that performs just as good as my favorite luxury products.  these 6 beauty bargains are all products that I use in my professional kit and personal kit.  as a makeup artist i won't use anything on my clients that i haven't tried on myself, i like to know the feeling, texture, and what it truly looks like so i can make the perfect choices for them. 

- Ardell Wispies and Quo 803 lashes: i go through INSANE amounts of eyelashes every year. i also love to wear them myself and these two styles are my absolute favorite and probably the ones i use the most often.  they both have very thin bands which makes them light weight to wear, ardell's wispies are a celebrity makeup favorite because of their overlapping tips which make them easy to stack but mimics your natural lashes. quo's 803 lashes add definition but the softness of the hairs keeps the look natural, i use these on myself the most, and because they're short on both ends and longer in the middle, if you cut the strip in the middle you can use the pieces on either end of your upper lash line.

- L'oreal Voluminous mascara is a celebrity favorite as well, and has been my go to mascara for a long while. i use this on myself and my clients in both their regular and waterproof formulas and love the softness and shape of the brush.  the mascara formula itself isn't drying at all, even with the waterproof formula and it gives great buildable volume. a perfect dupe for lancome hypnose mascara.

- Bioderma Sensibo cleansing water is the only cleansing water i use in my professional kit.  i've tried quite a few in my early years, evian, clinique, lancome, avene, etc and i happened to be reading an article in Vogue with Pat McGrath and she talked about which products she stocks up on when she goes to Paris for fashion week.  this little gem was something i thought only a trip to Paris would get me until i happened upon it at Shoppers Drug Mart, MIND BLOWN. use it to take makeup off, refresh your skin, perfect for all skin types but if you happen to need a bit more oil control Bioderma also has one for oily skin.

- Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR this dry oil is well copied ( NARS, etc) and as I can't claim to know who came out with this type of product first what I do know is that I love it for the price and for it's multiple uses.  It's 95% natural ingredients are also a big plus along with the golden glow it adds to your skin, face and hair if you choose to use it everywhere.  I love this on my arms and legs in the summer, just mix a little into your suncreen!

- Boot's No.7 Protect and Prevent Intense serum is a fantastic product that can be used both day and night (most effective if applied at nighttime as it aids in exfoliation) and gives instant smoothness to your skin.  similar to other exfoliating serums it sloughs off dead skin cells in order to give you more glow, and a softer and more even skin tone. if ever you were thinking about trying out a serum start with this one! not only is it a great price but it's a perfect entry level serum for any one, no matter age or skin concerns.

- stay tuned for more #makeupmonday posts in the weeks to come, as Oz and I bring you our favorite picks from brands like Benefit, Maybelline, Essie, Stila and many many more!

Beauty Favorites: {Drug Store Favorites}

~ there's something to be said for being a savvy beauty junkie. it doesn't always mean having the most expensive products in your makeup kit. Rather, it means knowing what products are investment pieces and which ones you can save on.

~ being makeup artists, we go through A LOT of product. there are certain make up items that we are always replenishing and sometimes it just doesn't make sense spending so much on items that you go through so quickly and frequently. we practice this philosophy with our personal make up kits also. absolutely there are items that we will spending some of our hard-earned money on and feel no remorse or guilt whatsoever {we're looking at you Tom Ford lipsticks} but there are some things we just can't bring ourselves to spend all those dolla bills on for the following reasons:
1. we don't use them too often {like foundation ~ Oz is a tinted moisturizer kinda girl} 2. the lifetime of the product just isn't worth it {most mascaras because we go thru them so fast} 3. trendy items {certain shades of lipsticks or eyeliners are only popular for so long, no sense in spending so much money if they're only being used a few times} and lastly, 4. tried, tested and true {these products are just as good as their luxury counterparts!}

~ we've chosen 6 of our favorite drug store products that we think you'll love just as much, starting off with Oz's selects.
we would love to hear your favorites also in the comment section!!

1. Maybelline Baby Lips ~ i probably have 10 of these in all my coats and purses. they're so hydrating and impart a hint of color that can actually be used in lieu of lipstick or gloss. as an added bonus, they visibly renew the texture of your lips leaving behind super soft lips

2. Cover Girl Full Lash Bloom ~ mascara is something i thru a lot! i'm a minimalist when it comes to my every day makeup routine
3. L'Oreal Infalliable Gel Lacquer Liner 24 Hour ~ this gel liner is amazing. ah-may-zing. it glides on super smooth without tugging at your skin, the brush gives you a lot of control with flexibility {for those winged eyeliner days} and it stays. like on. for a very long time. it is also a favorite of many a celebrity make up artists
4. L'Oreal True Match Concealer ~ i don't know about you but i like my makeup application to be quick and foolproof but have me looking beauteous. this easy to use concealer that blends in seamlessly with color match perfection is a great on-the-go product to have for quick, cell-phone camera touch ups
5. Eco Tools Brushes ~ i'll be honest with you, i like fancy brushes. they bring me lots of joy when i use them on myself and my clients. i came across these brushes by accident: i went to a makeup gig not realizing that i had misplaced my brushes in a different kit {fortunately it was a friend and i got there super early and we were close to London Drugs}. while i could have easily done a full makeup with my hands and fingers {fashion makeup artist yo!} i do hold myself to a level of professional decorum. my salvation: eco tools brushes. they are really nice. really nice. and trust a makeup artist when they tell you if brushes are the bomb.com or not. these beauties are now my mainstay personal brushes
6. Revlon Colorstay Foundation ~ if and when i wear foundation {very rarely if ever} i like a foundation that works with my combination skin, gives me a decent amount of coverage, but most importantly, stays on my face. fortunately, this one does all of that and doesn't make me feel like my skin is caked on with makeup {yes, i am a makeup artist who doesn't like to wear foundation. we do exist}

Tarah's selects are coming up and she's a glam girl so be sure to check back soon!

xoxo