Simple Holiday Look
Last night was a night out on the town with good friends and a little help from Dave & Busters. Not to toot my own horn but I won a portable plastic wine glass and a large Pixy Stix with all my tickets. And the fun didn't end there, we did a midnight run to Geno's. What a nomtastic journey that was! The entire time Nick and I were running around tonight I was rocking this simple holiday look using only drugstore products. Yes, all of the products I used to complete this look, including the brushes, can all be found at the drugstore, Target, Walmart, or online for drugstore prices. Some of the products I have used before and some of them were brand new. Most of them impressed me and only one product was a complete dud. The breakdown of the look is going to be broken down a little differently in this post so you can get a feel for the drugstore products used!
Cleanse & Moisturize. I started by using Neutrogena Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser, $7.59, to smooth, tone, and decrease the appearance of pores by unclogging them. This was the cleanser I used religiously after finding out that I was only damaging my skin by using the same acne fighting cleanser I used since I was in my teens. My first adult cleanser, if you will. It is completely unscented and the micro-beads make for a soft exfoliation. To moisturize, I used a repeat from other looks I've posted, Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Cream, $21.99. The price may seem steep for a drugstore moisturizer, but you would be paying double for most high end moisturizers that accomplish the same thing. There are so many out there to try, however this one has held up against many others over the years (even against cheaper creams in Olay's collection).
Primers. For the face, I purchased a new poreless primer from Elf, $6. Upon the first pump there was an overwhelming familiar scent, which I came to find was tea tree. The scent actually goes away after applying foundation, so if it bothers you, stick it out until the primer has a chance to set. This primer has a smooth application and one pump was more than enough for the entire face. I probably would have been good with only a half of a pump, but I got carried away with excitement trying something new. After watching one of KathleenLight's YouTube videos, I went out and bought two of the Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo Creamy Eye shadows, $5.99, because she said that they were a quality dupe for MAC's paint pots. She said they wouldn't crease all day and they come in several colors, and she was right. Guys, seriously, this is one of the most impressive products I tried in this look. If you can't stomach the price of a paint pot, then check these out!
Foundation. Maybelline FitMe Matte & Poreless, $5.99 , is an amazing matte foundation that dries to an almost powder finish. I have never owned a foundation like this one and it is my favorite one I have used this year! If you do not have this one, please do yourself the favor of trying it out. The color selection depends on the location I've noticed and I normally mix two or three to customize. I purchased 110 for Halloween tutorials and 120 for my winter looks. I later had to purchase 130 for when I was a little tanner. So now I'm able to mix the three together to create a hell of a match and to also brighten areas where it's needed.
Concealers & Setting Powder. All of these products I have owned for a while now, so this section will be short and sweet. I mixed two of Maybelline's concealers and remembered why I was on my last drop of the Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, $7.99. That baby was fighting to stay alive to cover both under eyes and was thrown right into my empties bag for a future post. This concealer covers dark circles better than any other I have used this past year. To brighten the under eyes, I used the Maybelline FitMe Concealer, $5.49, that blends incredibly with the matching foundation. All set with NYC Translucent powder, $3.62. It's not a dupe for any translucent powder I have used before, but it works amazingly for something so cheap.
Eyes & Brows. Only one palette was used for this look and was suggested by another YouTuber, Mariah Leonard, as a dupe for the Original Naked Palette. Now I wouldn't say that I necessarily agree with that statement after one use, however the Wet n Wild Color Icon Eye Shadow Palette, $4.69, has a very creamy texture and lasted all night. There was a bit of fall out when getting the color to build, but after spritzing the new Maybelline Setting Spray, $12.99, that I purchased to replace my MAC Fix+ and it did a great job. For the most part, my makeup was sweat proof - I believe I could have found a better face primer to work along with these products. For my brows I attempted to use the NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder, $5.99, in the shade blonde and even the darkest shade was not showing up, so I used the deepest brown shade from the Wet n Wild palette and filled them in. To set them, I used Wet n Wild Megaclear Mascara, $9.52, as a dupe for the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel. I actually have been using this clear mascara as a brow gel for over a year and absolutely love it, no need to go high end on this product. For liner, I used one of my favorites in the drugstore section of Ulta, Essence Gel Eyeliner, $3.99.
Lashes & Mascara. Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex, $5.49, to thicken up the bottom lashes to match the dramatic Vegas Nay Lashes by Eyelure, $7.99. As usual, Duo Lash Adhesive, $5.39, was used to keep those dramatic lashes on all night. All products I am in love with, regardless of the price.
In an attempt to be as informative as possible about these drugstore products, I probably went a little overboard. I wanted to make sure that with these types of items you have an idea of how they worked and if they are actually worth the money since most of them will not have testers in stores. The top winners from all of these products are definitely the foundation, eye shadows, and the Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eye Shadows. In the next few days before the holiday, I have plans to post about my affordable brushes used to create this look and another fun and crazy holiday look, so keep checking back! Please let me know if you are interested in more walk throughs with the looks I post or if drugstore products should be used more often in my posts! Thank you all for reading and I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend before Christmas!
Cleanse & Moisturize. I started by using Neutrogena Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser, $7.59, to smooth, tone, and decrease the appearance of pores by unclogging them. This was the cleanser I used religiously after finding out that I was only damaging my skin by using the same acne fighting cleanser I used since I was in my teens. My first adult cleanser, if you will. It is completely unscented and the micro-beads make for a soft exfoliation. To moisturize, I used a repeat from other looks I've posted, Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Cream, $21.99. The price may seem steep for a drugstore moisturizer, but you would be paying double for most high end moisturizers that accomplish the same thing. There are so many out there to try, however this one has held up against many others over the years (even against cheaper creams in Olay's collection).
Primers. For the face, I purchased a new poreless primer from Elf, $6. Upon the first pump there was an overwhelming familiar scent, which I came to find was tea tree. The scent actually goes away after applying foundation, so if it bothers you, stick it out until the primer has a chance to set. This primer has a smooth application and one pump was more than enough for the entire face. I probably would have been good with only a half of a pump, but I got carried away with excitement trying something new. After watching one of KathleenLight's YouTube videos, I went out and bought two of the Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo Creamy Eye shadows, $5.99, because she said that they were a quality dupe for MAC's paint pots. She said they wouldn't crease all day and they come in several colors, and she was right. Guys, seriously, this is one of the most impressive products I tried in this look. If you can't stomach the price of a paint pot, then check these out!
Foundation. Maybelline FitMe Matte & Poreless, $5.99 , is an amazing matte foundation that dries to an almost powder finish. I have never owned a foundation like this one and it is my favorite one I have used this year! If you do not have this one, please do yourself the favor of trying it out. The color selection depends on the location I've noticed and I normally mix two or three to customize. I purchased 110 for Halloween tutorials and 120 for my winter looks. I later had to purchase 130 for when I was a little tanner. So now I'm able to mix the three together to create a hell of a match and to also brighten areas where it's needed.
Concealers & Setting Powder. All of these products I have owned for a while now, so this section will be short and sweet. I mixed two of Maybelline's concealers and remembered why I was on my last drop of the Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, $7.99. That baby was fighting to stay alive to cover both under eyes and was thrown right into my empties bag for a future post. This concealer covers dark circles better than any other I have used this past year. To brighten the under eyes, I used the Maybelline FitMe Concealer, $5.49, that blends incredibly with the matching foundation. All set with NYC Translucent powder, $3.62. It's not a dupe for any translucent powder I have used before, but it works amazingly for something so cheap.
Eyes & Brows. Only one palette was used for this look and was suggested by another YouTuber, Mariah Leonard, as a dupe for the Original Naked Palette. Now I wouldn't say that I necessarily agree with that statement after one use, however the Wet n Wild Color Icon Eye Shadow Palette, $4.69, has a very creamy texture and lasted all night. There was a bit of fall out when getting the color to build, but after spritzing the new Maybelline Setting Spray, $12.99, that I purchased to replace my MAC Fix+ and it did a great job. For the most part, my makeup was sweat proof - I believe I could have found a better face primer to work along with these products. For my brows I attempted to use the NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder, $5.99, in the shade blonde and even the darkest shade was not showing up, so I used the deepest brown shade from the Wet n Wild palette and filled them in. To set them, I used Wet n Wild Megaclear Mascara, $9.52, as a dupe for the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel. I actually have been using this clear mascara as a brow gel for over a year and absolutely love it, no need to go high end on this product. For liner, I used one of my favorites in the drugstore section of Ulta, Essence Gel Eyeliner, $3.99.
Lashes & Mascara. Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex, $5.49, to thicken up the bottom lashes to match the dramatic Vegas Nay Lashes by Eyelure, $7.99. As usual, Duo Lash Adhesive, $5.39, was used to keep those dramatic lashes on all night. All products I am in love with, regardless of the price.
Blush, Bronzer, & Highlight. Blush is from Milani's Powder Blush collection, $8.49, that is huge and shaped like a rose in the shade Romantic Rose (01). Beautiful color but a little on the powdery side. This is one of those products that doesn't blend well on top of foundation that has not been set with another powder. Lesson learned. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder, $2.79, in Sunny has been holding up this past year and is a wonderful shade, great formula that works well with both high end foundation and drugstore. Very universal, blendable, and buildable. Love. The struggle was real with finding a well formulated highlighter that could hold up to my favorites. I started with Wet n Wild Fergie Center Stage Collection in the shade Rose Champagne Glow, $5.62, and it was not cute. It went on very sheer, not blendable, hardly buildable, and frankly I was disappointed that it didn't hold as well as the other products I used from the same brand. Instead I pulled out Essence Beauty Beats Shimmer Powder in the shade SWAAAAG from the collection they launched with Justin Bieber way back when he was into releasing anything for a girl who wanted a little piece of the biebs, yes I had almost every OPI nail polish, too. Don't judge. Needless to say Essence is a fairly inexpensive brand and this powder is no longer on sale. I am still on the hunt for something amazing to replace it.
Lips. The drugstore is starting to fill up with liquid lipsticks and Milani has an amazing formula for their Lip Creme in the shade Adore, $8.99. The liquid lipstick has a matte finish that is a little more dry than the Kat Von D liquid lipsticks and with the same amount of pigment.
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