CoverGirl Cheekers Blush Is A Top Performer

Savvy Cosmetic Shoppers should only splurge on makeup when top ingredients count. Blush usually falls into the must-splurge category, since rich pigments will stay on cheeks all day long without fading. That's why it's very exciting to find a steal for under $5 at the corner drugstore!

CoverGirl Cheekers is a winning blush that performs nearly as well as its luxe cousins for a fraction of the cost. It gets top ratings from magazine-end-of-year lists and everyday women because it comes in 17 natural looking shades to suit a multitude of skin tones. You can also build on the color to flatter your unique complexion; or to-go-from day to evening. The variety of hues blend easily, and each color has a subtle shimmer that gives the face a radiant finish. With a staying power of 5 - 8 hours, it is a smart blush to have in your makeup bag. Inexpensive and fabulous!
Do you have a favorite makeup, cheap-drugstore-buy to recommend?

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Max Factor's Pan-Stik Is MIA

A wonder cosmetic, one used for over 60 years, bites the dust ... at least in the USA. Max Factor's Pan-Stik is no longer sold here. And what a dumbfounding loss it is.

During Hollywood's Golden Age, Max Factor (1877 - 1938) was the cosmetician to the stars, developing  cosmetics for the likes of Bette Davis, Claudette Colbert, Jean Harlow and Rudolph Valentino to name a few. It was Max Factor who coined the word, "make-up." According to Wikipedia, he became famous for "customizing" his products to "compliment the individual complexions of actors and actresses" so that each one looked flawless on screen. Legends from Marlene Dietrich to Judy Garland flocked to his shop near Hollywood Boulevard. 

Working with his sons (Frank and Davis), Max Factor took his silver screen expertise into the consumer world, and in 1948 the Pan-Stik was introduced. There is nothing like it for covering under eye dark circles, hiding blemishes or evening out skin tone. The Pan-Stik glides on silky smooth, looks completely natural and lasts until you wash it off.

Best of all, it was available at the corner drugstore -- a generous 14g (.5oz) size -- for about $6. Now consumers must fork over $40 and up for comparable Chanel or Bobbi Brown cover sticks, which come close, but don't outdo the Pan-Stik. What a pity that Proctor and Gamble, the company who bought Max Factor, didn't see fit to keep such a quality (irreplaceable!) item on the market. It's enough to make grown women cry, or drive us insane!

Even so, there is a silver lining. Although not for sell in the United States, a smaller 9g size Pan-Stik is sold in Great Britain. You will pay more and get less, but you can find it here through Amazon. It's now manufactured in Ireland, not the USA. 

Out of desperation, I ordered four "smallers" in True Beige. Honestly, somebody is laughing all the way to the Riviera. (Hey, glad we could help with your finances!) I have one 14g size left also. Thankfully, my stash will last for a while. 

Meanwhile, come back to America old friend!

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Bring Back My Product, Lancome!

The Dearly Departed : (

Oh, don't you hate when your favorite products are discontinued!?! You're left with the question: Why??? 

Sometimes I'm prepared and can buy a few extras, hoping my stash will last until a company comes to its senses to bring back a perfect product that really works.

This time I didn't see it coming. Why, oh why ... did Lancome stop making Pure Focus T-Zone Powder Gel? It's crazy!

A dab of Pure Focus gel took away all the shine on my oily T- zone: the forehead, nose and chin area of the face. Plus it softened laugh lines and emerging winkles. (Yes, I'm admitting it. Emerging wrinkles. We're all heading in the same direction!) It was better than any BB or CC Cream out on the market today. It has no color, but I used it like foundation. It lasted all day, too, for a fresh face with no shine.

Now I'm down to half-a-tube of this wonder gel and am rationing it like Seinfeld's Elaine Benes rationed her Today sponges when that particular product disappeared. Each time I go out, I must ask, is this activity Pure Focus gel-worthy? 

And you can't order it on the internet either. I checked. Zero. Zip. Zilch. It's ridiculous.

Pleeeease bring back my product, Lancome. And ... next time before taking something I use off the market, ask me!

Meanwhile, I'm trying L'Oreal's Revitalift Miracle Blur to see if it will produce similar results. It's not quite as silky or oil-thristy, but does take away the shine ... sigh. Unlike what I used before, L'Oreal adds SFP 30 to their formula. Well ... at least adding sun protection is a good idea. #whodoItalktoatLancome?

Update: Another similar product to try is Garnier 5 Sec Blur.

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Sunscreen Powder

We all know how important it is to apply sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, premature aging and sunburns. But sometimes we skip it because it's greasy and inconvenient. I am guilty of not reapplying sun protection as often as I should. When I'm out, I'm busy, forget and like to travel light, sans SPF lotion.

Thank goodness, there are new products on the market to make protecting your skin easier. Sunscreen powders block harmful UV rays without adding a shine to your complexion. Ultra fine mineral powder delievers flawless airbrushed coverage. You will find them at all price points. Luxury brands (like Colorscience, Peter Thomas Roth and La Roche-Posay) are $30 and up.

You can also find excellent brands at your corner drugstore for less. Physicians Formula Mineral Wear offers the same broad-spectrum protection and has the same ingredients (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) as traditional SPF lotions. You can buy it as a loose power, or a compact (i.e. pressed power) to carry in a purse. L'Oreal also sells a loose power with SPF 19. Costs of each: About $13. Both brands give your face an airbushed finish, contain a high SPF and save you a few bucks.

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The Jouer Makeup Palette

The Weekender Collection

If you wear makeup, but desire a natural look -- like you're not wearing makeup -- then Jouer is the perfect beauty brand for you.  Launched in 2008 by Christina Zilber (herself, a busy entrepreneur and mother of two), the cosmetics are created to be simple, chic and modern.  All formulas promote a healthy glowing complexion.

The pigments are rich and stay on your face. From shimmering nudes to rich matte chocolates, the colors are ultra wearable and timeless.  Peachy pink lip glosses, radiant moisture tints and earthy eye shadows glide on to enhance a woman's natural beauty.

The packaging is clever and practical too.  Select a customized palette that is right for your personal style.  All the products in a collection are designed to interlock.  They snap together like legos, so you can configure your makeup anyway you like, making it compact and easy to carry.

The collections are the better value.  Although at $58 they are an investment, you are paying for lavish pigments that will last all day and not fade after a couple of hours of wear.  The all-in-one Weekender is all you need in a pinch. It includes eye tints, check color, highlighters, bronzer, face powder and lip gloss. [On Amazon here.]  The colors in the palette are universal.  Every skin tone can wear them.  I ♥ it!  To learn what makeup to save and splurge on, see the blog posts below.

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Chanel's L.A. To Paris Makeup Palette

Thank goodness, I'm not an emotional buyer.  Because ... I see something from Chanel I want.  But if I got everything I liked, I'd be broke.  Plus I'd live in a cluttered home.  Thinking about the most horrifying show on television, Hoarders, will keep me in line!

That said, when you really do need a product, you should invest in quality.  And when it comes to makeup where rich pigments matter, Chanel is the gold standard.  Makeup that contains good pigments will stay on you face all day, so you won't have to touch up as often.

Chanel created an all-in-one makeup palette.  It has everything a woman needs in one lightweight compact.  Called “L.A. – Paris,” the plum harmony kit consists of 2 lip glosses, 1 sheer-wine-red lip color, 2 cream concealers, cream blush, and 3 powder eyeshadows.  With individual applicators, the universal colors flatter most skin tones.

This exclusive palette is ideal for travel since it's the only makeup you'll need to pack.  Now ... be still my heart and go away temptation.  Cost: $85.

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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.

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