Do You Have a Beauty Product Addiction?

October 3, 2008 12:59 PM | Comments (1) | Posted in daily poll, beauty_products

Image courtesy of Dermstore.com.

Morning Routines, Fake Fragrances, and Your True Color

September 28, 2008 12:59 PM | Comments (0) | Posted in daily poll, fashion advice, beauty_products

Fall is back in full force and so were your opinions in this week’s daily polls.  In case you missed the action, here’s a recap of what happened here at TBF:

~ There’s an old saying, “the early bird catches the worm”, but not everyone is happy to wake up with the sun. When we asked readers about their morning routines, most (43%) said they wake up about an hour before they have to leave, take a shower, get dressed and go, while 26% shower the night before.  11% wake up a few hours early to shower, do their hair, press, their clothes, and do their make up and a motivated 5% even add in a work-out.  The remainder, an easy-going 12% just roll out of bed and go.

~ We all know the stereotypes about blondes, brunettes, and redheads, but are they true? 50% of readers said their hair color, whether natural or not, reflects their personality, while 7% of non-blondes say that’s their true color.  A surprising 20% feel that they’re really brunettes at heart, 8% are redheads, and 12% feel like they’re really more like a rainbow of colors.

~ The satchel bag is a hot look for fall, but is the classic look worth paying a hefty price tag? 35% of readers said “no”, but they will be looking for less expensive versions in thrift shops and discounters like Target.  20% would spend up to $100, while only 6% would pay more than that.  Another 20% said they’ll pass on this trend and 13% will recycle similar bags from previous seasons.

~ You’ve all seen the ad that says “Fakes are never in fashion”, but it usually refers to knock-off bags and accessories.  Brands like Designer Imposters make designer fragrance fakes available to the masses, but most of our readers aren’t buying it.  45% would never wear a fake fragrance, while only 17% definitely would.  The remaining 32% said they might, but only if it were a dead ringer for the original.

~ If you thought botox was crazy, you’ll do a double take when you hear about skin needling, the latest trend among ladies seeking the elusive fountain of youth.  Although it’s growing in popularity, a whopping 85% of TBF readers said they would never undergo the painful procedure, while only 14% gave it the thumbs up.

Want to express your opinions on all the latest beauty, fashion, and lifestyle issues?  Look no further than the Budget Fashionista! Share your thoughts every Monday through Saturday and check in this time next week for a recap of all the weeks events.

Shea Terra Organics Gift Sets: Win This

September 22, 2008 03:59 PM | | Posted in beauty, beauty_products, win_this, organic, shea_terra_organics, bath products

To Enter, Leave a Comment Below

What: FIVE lucky TBF readers will win a Bourbon Vanilla Indigenous Shea Butter Gift Set, worth $45, from Shea Terra Organics. Each gift set includes Bourbon Vanilla Indigenous Silk & Shea Shower Elixir, Silk & Shea Butter Lotion, and Shea Butter Dead Sea Salt Scrub, and Fair Trade Divine White Chocolate Candy Bar in a handmade sinamay bag . . . all of which sounds ridiculously decadent. Fabulous!

Why You Want This: Not only will the Shea Terra Organic products make you feel great, you’ll have the added bonus of knowing your beauty is being enhanced in an eco-friendly way—the bourbon vanilla beans are organic and from Madagascar, and the shea butter is certified organic. Shea Terra’s products are 99-100% natural. An extra added bonus for ALL readers? Shea Terra is offering you an exclusive discount with a special coupon code (TBF30), which will get you 30% off any Shea Terra products, on SheaTerraOrganics.com.

Enter to Win: Leave a comment below by 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2008; five winners will be chosen at random on Sept. 29.

The Rules:

- Contest ends Sept. 28, 2008 at 11:59 pm. All entries received after this point will not be eligible for the prize.
- Five winners will be selected at random; each winner will receive one (1) Bourbon Vanilla Indigenous Shea Butter Gift Set.
- Winners must respond within four business days or new winners will be chosen.
- Prizes are not transferrable
- Entrants must be residents of United States.

Fashion Limits, Summer Favorites, and Celeb Fashion Overload: The TBF Forum

August 15, 2008 11:00 PM | Comments (0) | Posted in celebrity fashion, reader_advice, beauty_products, forum

Get the latest buzz from readers on the TBF forum:

~ Most of us suffer for fashion in one way or another, but some more than others apparently as readers share their fashion limits.

~ We’ve all had plenty of time to play with the latest beauty offerings this season, so readers are dishing on their can’t-live-without summer beauty products.

~ This discussion’s only just begun but forum readers want to hear your take: Does anyone care about celebrity fashion anymore?

Have a few more things to say? We’re all ears—visit the TBF forum.

And don’t forget—The Budget Fashionista Fan Club is on Facebook. Join us (it’s easy, we promise)!

Lip-Plumping Glosses: High vs. Low

May 8, 2008 01:01 PM | Comments (1) | Posted in look_for_less, beauty_products, lipgloss

Blame Angelina Jolie. It seems like ever since she made it big in Hollywood, a full, pillowy pucker – like the one she just happened to be genetically blessed with – has become de rigueur. For a while there the only way to score gorgeous lips like Jolie’s was to pay a visit to the cosmetic surgeon, and risk ending up with a totally unsexy case of trout-pout.

Luckily for those of us not willing to go under the needle, the cosmetic scientists at LipFusion crafted a lipgloss that promises to amp up your kisser gently and safely, through the use of collagen microspheres that encourage minor, temporary swelling of lip tissues. While it’s practically a bargain compared to the cost of actual lip injections, the $38 price point of LipFusion Color Shine does sting a little (even if the gloss itself doesn’t!)

Enter our new best friend. Rimmel London’s new Volume Booster lipgloss is a bonafide bargain at only $6.99 (at drugstore.com). Available in 9 shades – our vote is for Attract, a shimmery pink-y nude that looks great on almost everyone – it promises to deliver up to 40% fuller lips through use of collagen technology, similar to that found in LipFusion. Great shine at a great price – it’s guaranteed to give you that warm, tingly feeling all over. (And why should lips have all the fun?)

Winner of The Box Full of Beauty Products

September 4, 2006 06:18 PM | Comments (0) | Posted in beauty_products, win_this, citre_shine, bourjois, wet_n_wild, max factor

The winner of the beauty box contest is Anne, who sent in this picture of herself with an adorable kid who looks a little like he would rather be watching the Wiggles. 

Anne won:
- Goodies from Wet n Wild cosmetic’s fabulous new skin care line
- A bottle of anti- frizz serum from Citre Shine (a personal beauty favorite of mine)
- Three eye shadow compacts with great fall colors from Max Factor
- Lip gloss from Bourjois, Max Factor, Wet n Wild...
and a whole bunch other stuff that I’m sure you would like to have as well. So, I’m giving away ANOTHER box of beauty goodies to someone who sends in a picture of themselves with the book in the most creative place. 

Just send the picture (and short description of the place/location) to stuff@thebudgetfashionista.com

Buy The Book

Drugstore.com

More of Your Favorite Beauty Products

August 19, 2006 08:23 AM | Comments (9) | Posted in beauty, beauty_products, neutrogena, utterly_smooth, paul_mitchell, trader_joe's, www.arbonne.com, www.eyeslipface.com

Trader Joe’s also has this awesome moisturizer called Utterly Smooth—it’s made to be used on cow udders when they’re chapped from milking. It’s very smooth to put on and dries fast and not greasy. Very hydrating and super cheap. I think it’s $2.99 for a tub. But I go through a tub in less than a month!. From Colleen

My absolute “can’t do without” product is Neutrogena’s Advanced Solutions Facial Peel.  For only $25, I can buy a product that gives me the same gorgeous skin that I would pay hundreds for in getting spa facials and glycolic peels! From Julie

Since getting pregnant and having children I’ve become a bit of a naturalist about what I put in and on my body and my family’s. I discovered Arbonne Pure Swiss Skin Care about a year ago and will never go back! Go to www.Arbonne.com to locate a representative. Prices seem pricey, but you can get significant discounts. Enjoy! from Irene

The current perfect formula: Paul Mitchell has a new line out, Modern Elixirs.  The leave in conditioner and the texturizing balm make my hair nice and piecy *without* the hard/oily/wet look.  And they smell good too.

www.eyeslipsface.com cosmetics for only *A BUCK* just got my first order and was not disappointed from Nilda

Eucerin facial lotion, SPF 30. A MUST!!! Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comodogenic. I’ve used it for years on my mega pale, ultrasensitive skin - EVERY DAY. Result: consistently blocking UV rays since I was 20 has kept my 38-year-old skin looking 25. Seriously! From Damienne

The current perfect formula: Paul Mitchell has a new line out, Modern Elixirs.  The leave in conditioner and the texturizing balm make my hair nice and piecy *without* the hard/oily/wet look.  And they smell good too. From Kristi

There are 2 products that I seriously cannot do without: Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque and Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner. The first one has been my nightly staple since junior high and pretty much the only mask I’ve tried that actually works. It smells nice, is easy to use and since my skin is moody, I just leave it on my trouble spots overnight to wake up to soft clear skin the next morning. I even got some of the guys in my dorm in college to use it! As an arden eyeliner fan (I feel naked without it), Revlon’s Colorstay is the only one that actually stays put. I used to live in dry, sunny Southern California where the heat used to sweat my eyeliner right off. Now I live in humid New England where the moisture in the air is also not compatible with eyeliner. So far, Colorstay has lasted through both climates. Just one clean line across both eyes in the morning and I’m good to go for the rest of the day. The best part is even if I wear eyeshadow or cream, it doesn’t make the eyeliner smudge (unlike other eyeliners that claim to be waterproof). It comes off easily with baby oil too (my personal makeup remover of choice). From Suma

My favorite beauty products are:
Foundation: Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse
Concealer: since Almay discontinued their Amazing Lasting Concealer, I now use Revlon Colorstay concealer as eye shadow base.  Makes ANY shadow crease free all day, even in Philadelphia’s summer heat and humidity!
Blush/bronzer:  Physician’s Formula and Jane.
Eye shadow:  Jane has a lot of shades the same as MAC!  I also love Vincent Longo’s trios, The Body Shop, Bourjois, and Too Faced’s compacts of shadow, blush & lip color.
Eyebrow gel:  Revlon has a neat little pencil with matching gel on the other end.  The pencil remains intact but the gel is perfect!
Lipstick:  Too numerous to list!  Mine run from Wet & Wild to Chanel.
Powder, loose:  Clinique.  Pressed:  Avon mark Matte-nificent.
Blotting papers:  The generic blue ones from CVS work just as well as, if not better than, the expensive ones.
Mascara, waterproof:  L’Oreal Splash Out.  Non-waterproof:  BeneFit Bad Gal Lash or Avon’s Daring Curves.
Hair products:  In summertime, I use a mixture of Rusk Wired, Citre Shine antifrizz (just a couple of drops) and Rusk Curl Silk.  My curls do not frizz. From Anne

Reader Tips: Preserve that Manicure

June 20, 2006 10:04 AM | Comments (3) | Posted in beauty, reader_advice, beauty_products, nail polish, beauty_advice, manicure, seche_vite, sticky

TBF reader Ronica sent me tips products she uses to preserve her manicures:

Sticky (that’s what it’s called) base coat ($5.99 at your local drugstore).  A coat or two of this and my polish lasts WAY longer.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat ($9.99. Gives a glass-like shine, makes polish last much longer, and dries it with in a minute or two. This stuff is gold!)

Have a cool tip? Please feel free to send it along.

CVS Launches New Anti-Aging Line

June 19, 2006 11:10 AM | Comments (1) | Posted in beauty, beauty_products, vaseline, olay, cvs, cvs.com, ponds

I’m a Ponds and Vaseline girl, but when the drugstore CVS sent me their new Regenerating Skin Care product line, I had to try it. This skin renewal program combines a variety of creams, serums and lotions infused with natural moisturizers and Amino Peptides to provide intense hydration for firmer, younger looking skin.

According to the press release:“The unique anti-aging formula renews simply by repairing each skin cell on the outer layer. Combined with CVS Vitamin Complex SPF 15, the Regenerating Skin Care formula helps prevent wrinkles and lines, while protecting from weather and harmful UVA/UVB sunrays. The result is skin that looks dramatically younger and fresh.”

I tried the products and they seem to work well. I’m also 30, so I’m not sure how much of a difference I would be able to see in a week. However, the line is significantly cheaper than other drug store skin care solutions like Olay and more than 50% cheaper (but made from the same products) than the more expensive, department store brands, so I say go ahead and try it.

You can find the products at your local CVS.