Loving Lately: Cheap Beauty Finds

I get an ipsy bag once a month, so that kind feeds into my expensive makeup addiction and allows me to try the expensive brands with out the expensive price tag.  I don't really wear makeup enough to justify spending $22 on a tube of mascara that I'll have to replace in a couple of months.  I mean, don't get me wrong! I would totally spend $22 on a mascara that makes my eyelashes look flawless, but explaining to your husband that you need flawless eyelashes for $22 bucks when he comes home 90% of the time to find you in that ratted up bath robe and no makeup.  His response?  I already look flawless, $22 for a tube of mascara ain't happenin'.  I can't blame him, and he's a smart man to call me flawless without it.

In addition to a steeper price tag, I also don't spend enough time "doing" my makeup to warrant a $50 palette.  My routine takes 10 minutes tops ... 15 if I really concentrate on my eyeliner, but even that is a lost cause because I can't "wing it" to save my life.  I'm also a creature of habit, if I find something I like and it works well, I instantly become a loyal customer and purchase it until they discontinue it.  So much so, that the last time I bought eye shadow, I bought 4 of the same color just so I could make sure I had more if they decided to discontinue it.  Totally makes sense right? Can't bring myself to buy a $50 palette that is probably amazing, but will spend half that on the same case of eye shadow in bulk.

Anyway, back to the cheap stuff.  These are my favorite beauty find for hair and face that have a relatively affordable price tag.

1. Maybelline Fit Me: Dewey + Smooth - This pregnancy has seriously dried out my skin.  They say girls are supposed to steal your beauty, but this little boy of ours is makin' Momma work for her beauty.  It took me until recently to finally find a foundation that didn't cake on like cement.  This is made for normal to dry skin which has been a life saver.  It goes on fairly sheer, covering what it needs to, and doesn't look cakey.  Just what this Momma needs!

2.  Cover Girl Eye Enhancers: Champagne - This is my bulk purchase.  I'm an all over shadow girl.  One color. I like it bright but natural toned.  I feel like it makes me look half way awake.  This shadow in Champagne is perfect.  It is slightly iridescent which for me gives it some depth.  Occasionally, if I'm feeling frisky or dressing up for dinner or a night out I'll add a darker color to the outside corner of my eyes to give a smokey look, but that's about as adventurous as my makeup skills get.

3. L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara - I have seriously been using this mascara for yeeeeaaars.  I love it that much.  I'm very much a "if ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of girl when it comes to mascara.  I've spent money on the latest fad only for it to make my lashes look like crap and I revert right back to this mascara.  The only comparable mascara I've found is Urban Decay's Preversion, which I love love love, but I can't commit to that price tag, and it seems to flake faster than my cheap L'Oreal that is literally a fraction of the price.

4.  Garnier Whole Blends Shampoo + Conditioner:  Hydrating Care with Coconut Water & Vanilla Extracts - So in addition to dry skin, this baby is also sucking the life out of my hair, and this is going to sound super snobby but that's not something I'm used to.  I have a TON of hair.  Like a lot of it and it's always maintained moisture really well, but this pregnancy I can get a good week out of it and not even pull out the dry shampoo once!  Crazy right?  I mean, kind of cool that my dry shampoo expense has drastically dropped, but the lackluster hair is kind of sucky.  I've been doing Coconut Oil treatments once a week and that has helped, but then I found Garnier's new Whole Blends line.  They all smell amazing, especially the honey one!  In desperate need of some hydration I chose the Coconut Water & Vanilla and it smells just like summer which really speaks to this Beach Girl's heart.  Plus, my hair has found a little bit of normalcy after using it.  Hallelujah.

5.  It's a 10: Miracle Leave-in Product - I've been using this product off an on for quite some time too, but with the dry mess of a mop I have, it's been a staple in my hair care routine lately.  I spray it in right before I blow dry.  It detangles really well, which for me is amazing because for some reason pregnancy makes me so tender headed I could cry when I brush wet hair.  In addition to detangling, it makes my hair so velvety soft.  I used to only be able to find it at salons, but now you can get it just about anywhere and the price tag is do-able.

Now, I'm no Beauty Queen, but these are my go-to items that keep me looking like a human and a lot less like a Zombie.  If you try any of these out, let me know how they work for you!