
Best Beauty Buys: What Are Yours?
So Glamour’s big, fat September 2011 issue included readers’ votes on the best beauty products on the market. I always prefer these features because it shows you what real people use and I trust that more than what a paid beauty editor uses when she gets sent endless freebies (call me crazy).
If I have used the products that readers recommended, I have given my thoughts on them. I invite all feedback on products you have used that made the list – or, even better, favourite products of yours that didn’t make the list!
#1 Nail polish
Drugstore pick: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure
Specialty pick: OPI
I do love OPI because of their cool colour names (and yeah, their brushes too) but one reader called them “chip-resistant”. My OPI polish has definitely chipped. However, not as often as some cheaper brands, so I give it that. I love Essie too.
#2 Self-tanners
Drugstore pick: Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer
Specialty pick: Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel
Ah, self-tanners. Having grown up in the Caribbean I am trying to save my skin now that I am old enough to know what damage my childhood probably did to it. I usually just wear sunscreen and still get a bit of colour but if you want something deeper, self-tanner is your best friend. The Jergens pick is great for a natural colour and it also gives your skin a nice sheen. The Clarins one gives a natural colour but is very expensive considering how much of the stuff you need to cover your whole body, so there’s that.
#3 Shampoo
Drugstore pick: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo
Specialty pick: Matrix Biolage Hydratherapie Hydrating Shampoo
I’ve tried both of these and they’re okay, but I didn’t find them anything to write home about. Then again my hair is coloured and dry by nature, so it probably needs something more intense than these guys to really show major results.
#4 Conditioner
Drugstore pick: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner
Specialty pick: Redken All Soft Conditioner
I love this Redken conditioner. I have used this in the past and it does make hair silky. Their mask is a great deep conditioning treatment for damaged and coloured hair too.
#5 Hairstyling
Drugstore pick: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum
Specialty pick: Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum
I haven’t used either of these (I love Aveda’s Smoothing Serum), but my childhood best friend has the curliest hair I know and the John Frieda was always her go-to product and tamed her hair easily, so I’d trust it!
#6 Mascara
Drugstore pick: Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara
Specialty pick: Dior Diorshow Mascara
I’ve used both of these; my mom has always used this Maybelline mascara because I remember seeing the pink and green tube in her bag when I was tiny. It’s my on-the-run mascara but I was given the Dior mascara by my aunt one Christmas and that really wows. I am always on the lookout for a great lengthening mascara and this one does the trick!
#7 Moisturizer
Drugstore pick: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
Specialty pick: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
I haven’t tried either of these but have always wondered about Aveeno, so if any of you would recommend it let me know!
#8 Wrinkle Fighter
Drugstore: Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum
Specialty: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex
I have not tried either of these but my mom has used this Estee Lauder serum in the past and no one thinks she is her age, so maybe the Estee Lauder is to thank…
#9 Eye Cream
Drugstore pick: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum
Specialty pick: Clinique All About Eyes
Olay is clearly the runaway winner for keeping us young on a budget. I haven’t tried it yet but I guess it better go on my list!
#10 Lip Colour
Drugstore pick: CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain
Specialty pick: MAC Tinted Lipglass
I love MAC’s Lipglass because it’s NOT STICKY. Why is it so hard for manufacturers to realize that sticky lipgloss is not fun?!
#11 Foundation/Concealer
Drugstore pick: Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse Foundation
Specialty pick: Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation
Why were these given one category? I would have appreciated an entire category dedicated to concealers (I always need concealer!).
#12 Body Product
Drugstore pick: St. Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot Scrub
Specialty pick: Bath & Body Works Signature Collection Body Lotion
St. Ives for the win in my book! I love their new line and extra bonus: they are not tested on animals. Boo-yah!
#13 Fragrance
Drugstore/specialty pick: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
I like this, I have smelled it in a department store before, but I prefer the Armani scents like Armani Code or Armani Mania, and my newest obsession is Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb.
#14 New Product or Gadget
Drugstore/specialty pick: Maybelline New York The Falsies Mascara
Have yet to try this but it is tempting me. Glamour readers said it gave “bold, voluminous” results and looked like “actual false lashes”.
QUESTIONS:
1. What are your beauty must-haves?
2. Are there any from this list that you’ve tried or want to try?
September 21, 2011
Katie
Hello!
I love that Dior Mascara, its my fave!
Love Essie Nail Polish the best, but OPI is good too!
Good scent, I love Juicy Couture’s scents, Angel is a good scent, and Pink Sugar!
Love beauty products ; ) love this post!
Hope your day is good! Moving coming along good I hope too!
September 21, 2011
Author
Angel as in Thierry Muegler’s Angel? I LOVE that scent too, but I love it most as a body wash :). I have yet to find somewhere that will let me just buy the body wash without the perfume lol. Thanks for reading hon! The boxes are piling up!
September 21, 2011
Cat {brideblu}
I am totally addicted to Urban Decay … anything! esp. their eye primer and razor sharp finishing powder 🙂
♥ Cat brideblu
September 21, 2011
Author
Ooh I have tried some Urban Decay eyeshadows and loved them so thanks for the product recommendations!
September 21, 2011
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
love this post!
i always forget you grew up in the Caribbean
self tanners…they stink. the cheaper ones stink worse. lol
the clarins is amazing if you basically have $45 to get tan..once. That’s about what you need per bottle to coat yourself and then reapply in 12 hrs.
maybelline great lash rocks
the blue herbal essences..for what it is, cheap…it’s decent. Works on my daughter’s hair but pantene if going the drugstore route is better IMO
and the Redken all soft is awesome. try the Enjoy line that i linked up in my post. Soooo moisturizing and amazing. I have tried tons…that’s my fave!
September 21, 2011
Author
Thanks for all the awesome recommendations! The Redken is for sure a fave of mine and I hear you on the price of Clarins’ self-tanner! It just makes me feel so icky (and smell so icky) that I’ve given up on them now. If I use anything it’s just a tinted moisturizer. I’m not a big Herbal Essences fan either. I use that Pantene that you blogged about right now, funnily enough! My hairdresser would kill me (she says it fades colour really fast) but it helps my hair get soft after all the bleaching I put it through :S…