Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Olay Definity: Definitely Worth a Try!

Dear Beauty Junkies-

I wish I hadn't waited so long to try Olay Definity's Color Recapture. It is amazing! You probably have seen it Walgreens or CVS or Target. It looks very space-age in its spherical outer packaging and the product itself is swirled in a tall tube. But it doesn't just look cool on your bathroom shelf. It looks great on your skin. The first day I put it on, three different people commented on how nice my complexion looked!

Olay Definity's swirl comes from a blend of anti-aging UV moisturizer and sheer illuminating coverage. It comes in three shades so you can choose which will blend with your skin. And of course, it has an SPF of 15, which is a MUST for any product I put on my face for daytime.

If you don't know about Olay Definity products, the first of their creams in the line came out a year or two ago. They are formulated with glucosamine to lessen the appearance of age spots. Most anti-aging products just work on wrinkles, but Olay Definity attacks both wrinkles and brown spots which makes it twice as good in my book!

With Olay Definity's Color Recapture, the sheer illuminating coverage immediately evens out skin tone giving a glowy appearance. The moisturizer part with the UV protection works on wrinkles and brown spots over time. It's a win-win combination!

I hope you'll try Olay Definity Color Recapture and then let me know what you think!

Best in Beauty,
HP Girl
Beauty Reporter

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Rusk Products at Target!

Hi Beauty Junkies-
Sorry I haven't posted in the last couple of weeks. I've been busy working on a new site called www.bettyconfidential.com. You should check it out! It has loads of fun stuff including celebrity gossip, entertaining tips and of course beauty and style!

Now onto my cheap but awesome product of the week! I just discovered that Rusk products are sold at Target. I bought their Brilliance Leave-In conditioner for under ten bucks. That's less than half the price of my former salon brand! Rusk is a great product for summer because it also has a color protectant. If you put it on your wet hair, you can get that cool slicked-back look for the beach or pool and keep your hair safe from the sun at the same time!

Rusk Brilliance Conditioner also smells nice with its grapefruit and honey fragrance. Last but not least, its a great detangler if you're lucky enough to have thick hair that's hard to comb.

So, next time you're in Target, go check out all the Rusk products and save, save, save and still get salon quality for your hair!

Best Regards,
HP Girl
Beauty Reporter

Monday, June 8, 2009

Foaming Face Wash by Bliss is Fabulous!

Dear Beauty Junkies:

Last month, I got an email from my favorite beauty mecca, Ross Cosmetics, in Highland Park, Illinois about a big promotion they were having on Bliss products.The timing couldn't have been better because I had run out of the sudsy face wash I had bought in Minnesota at a swanky spa. I didn't want to drop $35 to reorder, so I visited the beauty experts at Ross for a recommendation. Plus, there's something to be said for instant gratification. It's so hard to wait for a package to arrive in the mail!

All of the products at Ross Cosmetics are sold at 10% off so you'll always get a deal vs. the department stores. In addition to Bliss, they have several other lines to consider but I went with the Fabulous Foaming Face Wash from Bliss for a few reasons.

First of all, I wanted a sudsy cleanser that would work well with my miracle skin brush from Sephora. The pump top on the bottle makes it easy for me to dispense just the right amount. Even though I wanted a foaming cleanser, it needed to leave my skin clean and soft but not dry. Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash is made with rose hips, chamomile and passion flower to help calm the skin. As an extra bonus, the cleanser also has a gentle exfoliator so you can skip a step in your morning routine and save money too.

Of course, price is always important to this Beauty Reporter. With the 10% discount, the 6.6 oz bottle cost just under $20. Considering some of the prices on skincare at the drugstore these days, this isn't too much higher. Plus, it comes in a cute clear polka-dot bottle that shows off the pretty aqua-colored product.

Next time you visit Highland Park, be sure to stop by Ross Cosmetics to see their entire Bliss line. And tell them Beauty on the Cheap sent you!

Best Regards,
HP Girl
Beauty Reporter

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Rooting for Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up

Hi Beauty Junkies-

As you all know, for the past several months I have been on a quest to find awesome beauty products that are priced sensibly. One of the big ways I cut back on my beauty spending has been hair color. I used to spend over $100 (easily) at the salon every 6 weeks or so to keep my locks a shiny golden blonde (i.e. cover up my gray and "dirty dishwater" blonde hair.)

Now, I am back to the box. Not the wine box (that's not a bad idea either) but the Clairol box. Now, don't go freaking out on me! If I can color my own hair, you can! It's fast, easy and dirt-cheap. Most brands are about $7.99 at Target or Walgreen's or CVS.

I may write about some of my fave all-over color brands (Clairol, Garnier, L'Oreal) in future blogs but for now I want to tell you about Clairol's Nice 'n Easy Root Touch Up. Even if you still go to the salon for color, you'll LOVE this product to stretch out the weeks between visits which will also save you time and money.

Clairol's Root Touch-Up is not only cheap, its fast and easy. (Sounds like a few girls I knew in high school.) It only takes 10 minutes to touch up the roots at your part and the hairline around your face. There's enough product to cover a few other roots too if you're so inclined. Clairol provides a little blue application brush which makes it super easy and fast. I actually did this Saturday night right before I was going to jump in the shower to get ready for a wedding. The product rinsed out easily and the color turned out beautifully! There was no tell-tale line of demarcation where my darker roots had been. In fact, Clairol guarantees Root Touch-Up to match any brand including salon colors.

Even if I win the lottery, I'm not sure I'll go back to salon color. Clairol makes touch ups at home so easy and convenient. It's like having a 24 hour hair dresser at your house!

I hope you like Clairol's Root Touch Up. Let me know what you think!

Best,
HP Girl
Beauty Reporter

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Jergens Natural Glow - The Best of Both Worlds

Dear Beauty Junkies-

Over this past holiday weekend, I discovered a fabulous new product from Jergens Natural Glow line called Healthy Complexion Daily Facial Moisturizer. Its a self-tanner that gradually creates natural-looking color AND it has a UVA/UVB SPF 20!

I've tried a few nice self-tanners designed specifically for the face, but most of them make my skin too dark and none of them have included an SPF. After using it two days, I found my skin to have a natural, not fakey, glow. Because the product smooths on quickly and evenly, it only took a pea size amount to cover my face, ears and neck.

When you add in the fact that this tanner has an SPF of 20, it's a no-brainer! If you're lucky enough to find a moisturizer with SPF at all, you're doing better than most. But to find a self-tanner with SPF 20 that's been recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation is like finding twenty bucks on the street. It's the best of both worlds...tan and protection. Or like having your cake and eating it too. Only less fattening.

I promise this could be the best $7.99 you'll ever spend. If it's not, then next time I see you, I'll buy you a piece of cake. Just don't blame me for the 500 calories.

Best,
HP Girl
Beauty Reporter

Monday, May 18, 2009

An Oldie but a Goodie

Dear Fellow Beauty Junkies-

A month or so ago I was at Walgreen's checking out the rows and rows of body lotions. The skin on my arms and legs was dry and tight but my wallet was tighter. I just couldn't bear to spend $10 or more on a body lotion. It's not like face creams. I mean, most of those body parts are covered up all the time anyway. I just didn't want to be dry and itchy anymore.

I decided on Jergen's Original Scent Cherry-Almond Moisturizer. It came in a 26.5 ounce bottle and cost less than $8. Smelling this lotion was like a trip down memory lane. I instantly recalled the first time I tried this lotion back in the early 70's at my friend's house. Her older, cooler sister had a bottle in her bedroom and we snuck a squirt. I just loved the fragrance and how soft it made my hands.

Years went by and I had forgotten about this classic forsaking it for many other brands throughout the decades. I'm now about two-thirds through the bottle and am still enjoying that unique cherry-almond fragrance. In addition, my skin is soft and silky. The itchy dry patches have been eliminated too!

Jergen's Original Scent probably costs tons more than it did in 1972 but I still think it's a great value. I'd love to hear about some of your favorite old brands that have never let you down! Maybe I will report on them in an upcoming post of Beauty on the Cheap.

Til then,
HP Girl
Beauty Reporter

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

How to Get Healthy Color-Treated Hair

Dear Beauty Junkies-

Did you know that most shampoos are made with sulfates and harsh salts? Sulfates were first added to shampoos to produce lather. Unfortunately, sulfates are bad for you and for the environment. However there's good news! It's 2009 and shampoos don't need sulfates anymore to give you those luxurious suds.

Those ingenious beauty product developers at L'Oreal have come out with a new line of haircare products called EverPure. Its a sulfate-free color system that is 100% Vegan and uses natural botanicals (Just like that expensive salon brand. You know which one I'm talking about.) Neither the shampoo or conditioner use drying salts either. To be honest, I didn't know this was an issue but its important to those with color-treated hair. Think about it. When you use a salt scrub on your skin, it strips away dead cells. Do you really want your shampoo or conditioner to strip away that nice color you just got? L'Oreal promises this line will keep your hair-color shiny and true through 32 washes. And remember, if you do have color-treated hair, you shouldn't wash it every day! I promise you it's not as gross as it sounds. That's why the pony-tail was invented.

You know that I'm a sucker for a good fragrance. I mean I like something a bit more exotic than the smell of baby shampoo. Luckily, L'Oreal's EverPure System smells fabulous! It comes in a light rosemary mint scent. (Again, just like that expensive salon brand, but not as overpowering.)

Overall, the shampoo and conditioner provide a soothing (and smoothing) experience which reminds me of the spa. Except for the price. Both products come in an 8.5 FL OZ tube for $6.99 each. A great value for two superior products!