Top Drugstore Picks, Part Two

I'm a woman of my word, so here's the second installment of my drugstore picks.

Lipstick

I'm not, I repeat, not a typical lipstick wearer. It feels dry on my lips and emphasizes any flakiness I might be sporting. So when I choose lipstick, I look for ones that are highly moisturizing and shiny - the closer to lip gloss, the better!

My pick for lipstick happens to be a three-way tie. They also happen to be the only three drugstore lipsticks I've tried in years, and I love them all. Best of all, you can get two of them for less than $2 each!

And the winners are:

1. Revlon Shiny Sheers. This little gem of a lipstick bears a striking resemblance to MAC's Slimshine lipstick - a super creamy formula that's been popular with MAC addicts like myself. But at $7.99 (or less, if you find them on sale!), they are almost half the price of their MAC counterpart. My fave shade is Sheer Afterglow for a pretty pink pucker.
2. NYC UltraMoist LipWear. For $0.99 (yes, that's right!), you might as well pick yourself up all 20 shades. These lippies go on very smoothly and give nice color payoff. My fave shade is Sheer Red, for those days when I want to amp up the drama.
3. Wet 'n' Wild's Wild Shine lipstick. These babies are only $1.99, so picking up all 10 shades won't break your bank either. The lipsticks have the same soft-but-glossy consistency as my favorite high-end lipstick by Paul & Joe. The perfect "my lips but better" color is Oh Baby, a creamy natural pink shade (the number on the tube is 324A).

Bronzer

Bronzer is a staple for the summer. There's nothing better than instantly brushing on a gorgeous faux tan! My Holy Grail of bronzers, NARS Laguna, is fabulous, but at $28, it's not something everyone can afford. Luckily, there are some amazing bronzers out there at your local Walgreens.

My pick for best drugstore bronzer is a tie between two products - one that you can find at your local Walgreens, and one that you can't. At Walgreens, be sure to pick up Jane Shimmering Bronzer Powder. My fave shade is Tahiti (and trust me, you'll look like you just returned from there!), but the others are just as lovely. And you can't beat the price - $5.99. This bronzer might be best used at night, since it does have a good amount of shimmer. If you're looking for something slightly more matte, though still with a hint of shimmer, check out ULTA's Powder Bronzer. If you're not lucky enough to have an ULTA near you, check out their website - they retail for $10, but you can get them 50% off right now!

Powder

I go through a lot of powder in the summer. I'm constantly blotting with my favorite blotting papers (Clean & Clear!), then repowdering to hide the shine. As such, I go through a lot of powder this season! Luckily, there's a wonderful product that helps me keep shine at bay, and is insanely affordable. Once again, NYC is taking home an award for its Smooth Skin Face Powder. This gem of a product comes in two varieties - pressed or loose. Depending on your lifestyle and preference, one of these will be perfect for you. If you're always touching up on the go, try getting the pressed powder. If you only touch up at home, the loose might be your style. I personally am a fan of the loose translucent powder. I use a gigantic powder brush to place a fine dusting of the powder over my foundation to set my face for the day. Works like a charm. And you'll be surprised how silky this powder is for $1.99!

Don't despair, I'll be back again for a third installment of my top drugstore picks - concealer, lip liner and nail polish. I know you'll be waiting with baited breath - I know I would be!

Top Drugstore Picks

I'm not a beauty snob. I mean, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to look great! It's all about finding products that seem expensive, but cost next to nothing. By popular demand, here's my list of some of my drugstore faves. Since I have quite a few, I'll break this into a series of posts. Round 1 - Eye Shadow, Lip Gloss and Blush.

Eye Shadow

Shadow is a staple in my makeup case, so finding quality, cheap shadows can be a challenge. The hands-down winner for best drugstore eye shadows, in my book, goes to Wet 'n' Wild. Who knew that such great quality could come so cheap? Literally, I have not been disappointed by a single eyeshadow I've tried from this brand. For the best value, however, you definitely need to pick up an Ultimate Expressions Eye Shadow Palette. For $4.99, you get 8 fantastic shadows with a quality that rivals MAC. There are a few options for colors, by my personal pick is the Paradise Cove palette - the rich browns, purples and mauves are striking on every color eye! But if neutral colors are more your style, the Sand Castle palette is another must-have. These are staple shades that every makeup maven needs in her cosmetic case. But heck, for $4.99 each, you can afford to get both - for less than the price of one MAC shadow!

Lip Gloss

Next to eye shadow, lip gloss is my true love. I carry more tubes of gloss in my purse on any given day than some people have in their entire makeup stash! One particular gloss that's consistently impressed me is Maybelline Lip Polish. You'll remember that I've sung praises about this gloss in the past, but I just have to reiterate - It. Is. Fabulous. The gel-based formula is not sticky, but instead is incredibly creamy and smooth. The color payoff is fabulous for each color I've tried. And it's only around $5 so you can't go wrong. If you can find a store that still has a display up for the limited edition City Safari collection, snag a tube of Papaya Kiss. It's a gorgeous peachy-coral color that will be perfect with your (fake) tan this summer!

Blush

I'm not trying to toot their horn too much, but my pick for best drugstore blush also comes from the Wet 'n' Wild line. I've said it before, but I'll say it again - Wet 'n' Wild Silk Finish Blush in Naive is simply amazing. The bright pink/color color will flatter a number of skin tones, and it gives you an instant glow when you brush it on. For $3, I suggest you stock up if you come across this gem. It's got quite the cult following, so it can be very hard to find. If you have a Kmart nearby, go peruse the cosmetics department, since this particular shade often pops up at Kmart stores.

That's it for now, but stay tuned for the next installment of my Top Drugstore Picks. On the docket for next time is powder, lipstick and bronzer. See you then!