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I really want to share 10 of my favorite (affordable) beauty products that I use and love.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the amount of awesome products that bloggers share but that cost an arm and a leg.

I figure I can’t be the only one that feels this way.  And to be honest, I’ve found that there are so many fantastic drugstore/affordable products that I actually LOVE and use in place of other name brands.  So I’m sharing some of them with you, and hopefully they can serve as a more budget friendly option (that you actually like) as well.

1. MINI VASELINE- I use Vaseline in place of chap stick and lip balms.  I have for years!  And now they have lots of mini sizes in different scents.
2. HAIRSPRAY– When I need a strong hold hair spray, my go to is this one by Tresemme.  I think I’ve been using this one for the past 5 years now.  I like that it doesn’t leave a white flaky residue on my hair
3. SEA BREEZE ASTRINGENT– I’ve used toners before (all name brand in fact) and they always make me break out…and not the kind that Estetitians say is ‘necessary, it’s bringing the bad stuff to the surface faster’  I’m talking full on irritation the day of.  But this astringent is fabulous.  I use it at night after washing my face, and I love to see all the extra leftover makeup it gets off that my cleanser missed.
4. REAL TECHNIQUES SPONGE- I’ve talked about this one before.  But that’s how impressed I am with it.  I tried the original beauty blender and can honestly say I prefer the Real Techniques one. It’s probably just a personal preference, but I’m just saying it’s definitely worth a try if you’re not so keen on the idea of spending $24 on the original.
5. No 7 FOUNDATION– I just recently started using this, and so far so good.  I don’t normally wear full coverage foundations, and when I do I prefer my Too Faced Born This Way.  But I like to take this one while traveling, and just to help break up the usage of my Too Faced.  So far this is the ONLY drug store foundation I’ve ever liked.
6. MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL– I use this pretty much the same way I use the No 7.  I alternate between this and my Moroccan Oil one, and I’ll take this one trips.  This one is affordable, smells great, and is the only drugstore hair serum that even compares with my Moroccan Oil serum.
7. BURT’S BEES FACE CREAM- I stumbled across this when I was desperate for a new moisturizer.  I had just run out of my Arcona one and couldn’t afford to by another at the time.  So I decided to try this, because Burt’s doesn’t have parabens, and I like so many of their other products, I decided to give it a go.  I LOVE IT.  It says for ‘night’ but I use it during the day time too.  My skin is super dry and I need a strong moisturizer.  This one hydrates, but doesn’t leave my skin feeling slathered with oil.  It almost feels a little sticky at first….it wears off, but some people may not like that.  I mix it with my grape seed oil at nights, and use it alone during the day before applying my makeup.
8. ARDELL BROW POMADE– In my experience with pomades, there isn’t a huge difference between them.  So I don’t see the point in springing for the Anastasia (for example) when this one get the job done just fine.  I also love the brush it comes with.
9. ST. IVE’S BODY LOTION-I normally just use coconut oil as my moisturizer, but sometimes it’s fun to apply something scented.  Plus my husband gets dry skin too, so he needs something around the house, plus if there is lotion on hand, guess who gets foot massages 😀 😀 😀  Surprising this line of St. Ive’s lotions are some of the very few that DON’T contain parabens, and sulfates and all that junk.
10. TELESCOPIC ‘CARBON BLACK’ MASCARA– This is the ONLY mascara I have used for the past 5 years….and will probably continue to always have on hand even if I find a name brand one I like.  But for now I see no point in searching out a more expensive mascara when I’m completely satisfied with this one 🙂 I especially like that the brush is small enough for me to get my lower lashes really well.  I’m also a ‘layerer’  I put like 50 coats on, and this one layers really well.

Thanks for reading everyone!  I hope this was helpful, and you don’t have to spend $$$ in order to get product you love and that work for you.

“LIFE IS REALLY SIMPLE, BUT WE INSIST ON MAKING IT COMPLICATED”

-Confucious