I keep meaning to do a regular weekly column on awesome drugstore buys, but I’m still thinking of a cute name. Any ideas? Until then, here are some of my current faves that I’m pretty sure you’ll love too for all intents and purposes (or at least, many of them):

Q-tips Precision Tips ($3.50)

This might seem like the strange thing to write about, but you know those things that you never knew you needed but now can’t live without? Right here. They’re not the normal rounded Q-tips, these are their pointy Precision Tips. Anyone who does any type of eye makeup – even if you limit it to just mascara or only eye liner – you need these. A regular Q-tip can’t get into tricky areas like the tear duct and creases like this one to clean up any stray mascara or shadow like these. Even smoking out your eyes (you know how you apply eye liner, then ‘smudge out’ with a cotton swab? Yes? No? Shall I do a tutorial on this?), is ten times easier with these babies.

John Frieda Style Revival ($9)

Love this spray because it protects my hair from blow drying but also gives it body and movement. It’s a styling spray with a flexible polymer technology (means it coats your hair to protect it but won’t leave it stiff and bee-hivey like so). It’s heat-activated and weightless so you won’t feel like you have a ton of product in your hair. What’s more, it uses Inca Ichi Oil that also helps penetrate damaged strands to help mend flyaways.

Dial Skin Therapy Himalayan Pink Salt & Water Lily Replenishing Body Wash ($5)

Note, I don’t even have a picture of the product in front of me to take since I went through it so fast. Whenever one of us at the apartment uses this, it leaves us (and the bathroom) smelling heavenly. Seems like the perfect transition into spring (which by the way, seems to be taking forever in making up its mind here). This new body wash has Himalayan salt, which contains 84 minerals & elements.

Since we’re on the topic of Dial anyway, their new 7 Day Moisturizing Lotions ($7) are ridiculous (meant in the most affectionate way possible). It contains shea butter and packed with a non-greasy formula.

I got the product being a tad skeptical — how can you even tell it’s working for seven days (assuming we shower/dry out our skin at least a few times in that time period). But after a couple weeks of use, my normally dry skin is smooth as ever, even in between showers. A huge feat to conquer — where was this last winter?!

Which new drugstore finds have you come across lately?

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If you haven’t tried the craze that sort of caught on last year, BB creams are kind of the all-in-one beauty breakthrough: an anti-aging, skin perfecting, sun-blocking daily cream. The problem is not all BB creams are equal, and a lot of the ones I’ve tried have been somewhat chalky and not always flattering with its mattifying properties. This one I came across recently though has stood out to me in more than a few ways: Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Instant Perfecting B.B. Cream (only $16 at Wal-Mart).

It has a built-in primer, moisturizer and SPF improve skin over time. Like all BB creams, it has a light translucent tint to it (just one shade so I’m wondering how it fares on skin tones other than medium), but blends in really well.

It also doesn’t have a chalky, streaky application which is what made this really stand out to me compared to other similar creams. It contains soothing glycerin and antioxidant powerhouse kinetin (which is actually Kinerase’s signature claim to fame), and of course, sun blocking octinoxate and zinc oxide. If you’re shopping around, try this one and let me know what you think!

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Shy
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I’m often asked about my favorite long-lasting eyeliners, and since I have a rotating arsenal of them, I figured I can at least list my current faves. These couple have come through for me over and over again recently:

Anastasia Covet Waterproof Eye Liner in Noir (black) and Azure (dark blue), $19 each:

These are the newest from Anastasia (the brow guru’s line), not only are they super pigmented, they glide on so beautifully without smudging through the night. And no sharpeners needed. Just twist up as the tip begins to dull. They’re safe enough to use on your waterline as well if you’re going REALLY dark (just the way I like my liner). These come in 5 equally lovely opaque colors (a mossy green, grey matte, and shimmery blue/green), but I tend to believe Noir and Azure are good for any occasion.

Laura Geller Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liners, $16.50 each


If you’re look for SERIOUS, no-budge, intense colors, you MUST try the Inkwell collection from Laura Geller. I feel like gel pot liners in general are the best for non-smearing, long-lasting liners, but Laura Geller’s has also never irritated my eyes (huge plus), and are so easy to use. The colors are brilliantly highly-pigmented with shades you can actually wear: black, dark brown, burgundy, teal, etc.
When I talk serious lasting-power, I mean, after being all day out in the humid, Miami sun, in the pool, back to the apartment and my liner was still standing. That’s when I knew it was love. Plus the brush it comes with makes applying it fool-proof. The color payoff is stunning, not to mention, they glide on like butter.

What are your favorite long-lasting liners? Share!

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I’m always overly concerned with eye products that you apply in the waterline — you always want to make sure they contain safe ingredients. Naturally, I was over the moon to find Daliia’s herbal eye kohl eyeliner. It’s so pigmented, 100% natural (no parabens, no petro chemicals…you can actually read the ingredients list: almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, camphor oil, glycerine, castor seed oil, capric tri glyceride, black mustard). You have to be mindful of smearing, but the color payoff gives the most intense finish. I wrote a tutorial on how you can use her kohls as liner and shadows for beautifully bold eyes.

Click here to read the whole tutorial! The kohls sell for $28 on lulus.com.

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Shy
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Just another day playing with nail polish.

Maybelline New York just released their brand new, limited-edition Color Goes Electric line and it’s available only this month! Thought I’d give you a preview:

So all this nail art that have been popping up has been magnifying my own ineptness to come up with fun designs. Thus, I thought I’d try to distract you all instead with the new iPhone case I got my roomie from Caseable (they handcraft electronic cases straight from Brooklyn!).

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A chapter from the beauty blogger transgressions: Lately I’ve been averaging less than 5 hours of sleep on weekdays. But Benefit’s latest, Fake Up has has been aiding me in being deceptively well-rested.

The twist-up undereye concealer comes in 3 shades (light, medium, and dark..I use Medium), and applies like butter. The standout feature of this concealer though is the ring of moisturizer — a healthy dose of vitamin E and apple seed extract for immediate hydration — around a core of color.

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