When The Price Is Right

Like a lot of woman I love browsing cosmetic counters in high fashion department stores. Chanel and Bobbi Brown are two of my absolute favorites. However, I’ve discovered that good quality makeup doesn’t always have to be expensive. My discovery started with nail polish. One day while shopping in a chain store I spotted the perfect summer shade, incandescent "Seashell,” on a huge rack with at least 50 other bright, glossy and classy colors. I had never heard of the brand – Nicka K – but it sold for only 99 cents. Certainly an amazingly low price and one that gave me pause. Was this too good to be true? Would the nail enamel chip off in a day? Did the formula contain bad ingredients like toluene, formaldehyde and dibutul phthalate (DBP)? Well no, it didn’t. The formula was free of these harmful chemicals, plus it was infused with good ingredients like vitamin E. There were no negatives in spending less than the usual $4 and up for the better known brands. My new nail polish glided on smoothly, dried in minutes, had staying power and looked beautiful. So, I’ve been buying and wearing it ever since. After my FIND, I learned that Nicka K, an American company, started in the heart of New York City. It produces other equally fabulous cosmetics – everything from eye shadows, pencils and liners to blush, crayons, and shimmers – at very affordable prices. You can check out the array of products for yourself at: nicka.com.

And recently, I've stumbled onto yet another beauty-for-less cosmetic company – e.l.f – where you can buy good quality makeup for your eyes, lips, face and nails. e.l.f focuses on both beauty and wellness, offering every woman an expansive line of products at very attractive prices. Much of it sells for just $1.00. If you log onto their website: eyeslipsface.com you can see all of their offerings, plus have fun like I did reading beauty tips and creating a beauty profile of your own.