Glam and Uncensored

We’ve got to give a shout out to all of the affordable drugstore brands which are cruelty-free! These are the companies that do not test their products or ingredients on animals. Thankfully, there are more cruelty-free drugstore brands than ever before. Below please find a list of cruelty-free drugstore makeup.

• Covergirl Lash Blast – As of 2018, Covergirl has committed to being cruelty-free. Their Instagram post states “Covergirl does not test on animals, and now Leaping Bunny certified by @crueltyfreeintl. Being Leaping Bunny certified means that Covergirl products are cruelty-, free on EVERY product sold. Lash Blast Mascara is smudge-free, sweatproof and finally clump-proof. The volumizing mascara can max out your lashes for up to 10x the volume. Covergirl Lash Blast mascara is sold at Target for $4.99,
• Mirenesse Mascara – The Mirenesse mascara is cruelty-free, PETA certified and 96% vegan. Hailing from Australia, the Mirenesse mascara is not completely vegan as some of their products use beeswax. Mirenesse Secret Weapon 24 Hour Super Long Mascara is clump-free and extremely long-lasting. It is easy to apply and builds volume. The brush’s full outer edge will help you exaggerate the natural flick of the lashes on your outer edge. Mirenesse Secret Weapon 24 Hour Super Long mascara is sold at Nordstrom Rack for $29.97.
• TARTE BIG EGO MASCARA – This mascara follows the curves of your lash line to help build volume from root to tip. The double-fiber bristle brush gives maximum pigment, to help coat every single lash. The Tarte Big Ego Mascara is brand certified by PETA and Leaping Bunny as cruelty-free. Tarte Big Ego Mascara retails for $23.00 and can be purchased at Macy’s.
• LASHTOPIA MASCARA MINERAL BASED MASCARA – Lashtopia is a mineral based mascara produced by bareMinerals. It provides almost 10 times the lash volume while lifting and separating for fanned-out fullness. It will nourish and moisturize your lashes with its 600 soft and staggered bristles enabling you to coat all of your lashes. Lashtopia is considered a vegan mineral mascara, and is never tested on animals. Lashtopia Mega-Volume Mineral base mascara is produced by bareMinerals and retails for $19.00. It may be purchased at www.bareminerals.com.
• TOO FACED DAMN GIRL MASCARA – This 24-hour mascara is an ultra intensity mascara made up of a unique blend of whipped melting waxes which give an immediate load of ultra volume without that heavy feeling. The Too Faced Damn Girl mascara’s formula is cruelty-free, just like all other Too Faced products. It may be purchased for $25.00 at Ulta Beauty.

These are a list of just some of the mascaras which are cruelty-free and affordable. Please share the cruelty-free mascaras you recommend.

Everywhere you look on the Internet today, you see websites charging $23.00 for lipsticks or $30.00 for mascara. There are times when you have three items in your cart and are being charged $50.00. It is not as if the customer makes $350,000 per year. But yet the online stores continue to charge higher rates for their products, and people continue to buy their products.

Finally, one day I decided I had enough. I logged onto my laptop and began a search for websites with name brand name makeup at cheap prices. And once I found the sites I wanted to share them. So below please find my favorite websites with makeup for cheap prices.

1. SHOP MISS A (www.shopmissa.com) – I came across this website while I was playing around on the Internet. The products on this website are $1.00. It is its own brand. Brands such as NARS, It Cosmetics and Lancome are not sold. Shop Miss A is its own brand. However, the quality to this product is there. And in addition to cosmetics, high quality makeup brushes sold.
   
2. MAKEUPMANIA (www.makeupmania.com) – This website was invented by a movie makeup artist when she was having a real hard time finding certain makeup brands outside New York and Los Angeles. So she decided to start her own website in which these products were sold to those who are not makeup artists. She put La Femme and Ben Nye on the site. Today Makeupmania caters to every realm of makeup.
   
3. BUY ME BEAUTY (www.buymebeauty.com) – This website concentrates on selling discounted makeup such as L’Oreal, Revlon and Maybelline. Buy Me Beauty also sells skincare products such as Erno Laszlo. Should you have any issues with the brands that they sell, it is very easy to communicate your problem and be issued a refund or exchange.
   
4. IMAGE BEAUTY (www.imagebeauty.com) – Around thirty years ago, Image Beauty entered the beauty business with its supplies of beauty and salon products. In addition to these products, it offers discount designer fragrances and beauty brands, and its thousands of products are incredible. What I like about this website is it offers high end products at low prices. Not to mention Image Beauty is among the few beauty websites that offers skincare and fragrances at low prices.
   
5. RUE-LA-LA (www.ruelala.com) – This website always has sales on very specific brands of beauty products. Each and every day Rue La La will pull together specific brands of beauty products for a few days at a time. The products are those you have come to love at prices nearly 75% off.
   

So the next time you are in the mood for a little shopping in the beauty department, and do not have a whole lot of funds, check out these websites. You will not be disappointed.

It cannot be too dark and it cannot be too light. You need to strike that happy medium when it comes to foundation color. To start, for each range of shades, there is something called an undertone – cool, warm and neutral. You always want to choose the right shade with the right undertone.

Also, when choosing a foundation color, you want to consider your skin type and what you want the foundation to do. By doing this you are searching for a foundation which is good for your skin and what will make your skin look its best.

Next, if your skin is prone to breakouts, choose an oil-free foundation. It is lightweight and will not cause breakouts. Maybe choose a foundation with salicylic with acid as it can reduce and/or prevent breakouts.

• All women should to stay away from foundations which are powder based or have a heavy matte feeling. Foundations such as these can settle into fine lines and will make you appear older. Always choose foundations which are lightweight in texture and with moderate coverage. Also, you want to search for a foundation which will protect your skin from further aging as well as help improve your skin’s appearance.

• Stick to choosing foundations which are hypollaergenic, non-comedogenic or fragrance free. These foundations are great for sensitive skin. Examples of these foundations include Covergirl and Lancome.

• Make sure your foundation has SPF of at least 15.

• If you have dry skin, choose a moisturizing foundation. An example of this would be liquid foundation which is able to nourish the skin.

The ultimate goal for foundation is to discover one which looks like your own skin; only better. Even if you find that one foundation which is an extreme match, there are other concerns such as texture, coverage and finish.

The above is a guide to finding the right foundation. If you have any tips and tricks to finding the right foundation, please share your thoughts.

Acne products. There are hundreds on the market. But which ones are really the best to fight acne? In the skincare market there are many treatment options at different price points. Experts will attest to the fact those options which are gentle are better than harsh products that can rid your skin of moisture. Below are a few suggestions for treating skin with acne:

1. CLEAN & CLEAR ADVANTAGE ACNE SPOT TREATMENT – This treatment is a drugstore favorite. It has won Best of Beauty Award twice in a row. The Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment will reduce the appearance of all breakouts, thanks to a small percentage of salicylic acid. This is available at your local drugstore for $7.00.
   
2. THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE – Have you ever been out, having a fabulous time, then you look in the mirror just to see your face shinier than a disco ball on a dance floor. Well, kiss that shine away with the Ordinary Niacinamide. This vitamin B3 and mineral serum product is a game changer. Just apply a few drops in the morning and evening to your skin. This product is available at Sephora for the cost of $6.00.
   
3. LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR DUO DUAL ACNE TREATMENT – This awesome skin treatment features micronized benzol peroxide and lipo-hydroxy acid which will gently slough off dead skin cells and infiltrate deep into your skin. It is available at Target for $19.99.
   
4. NEUTROGENA RAPID CLEAR STUBBORN ACNE CLEANSER – This product treats your full face and clears the acne without drying out your skin. It contains the maximum amount of Benzoyl Peroxide and is recommended by dermatologists as the #1 non-prescription acne medication. Available at Ulta for $10.99.
   
5. PAULA’S CHOICE CLEAR DAILY SKIN CLEARING TREATMENT – Harsh acne fighting ingredients tend to irritate and aggravate acne. Your best bet is to look for products which are formulated with active ingredients and skin soothing ones such as bisabolol. This product can be purchased for $19.00 at QVC.

Looking for the right product to fight acne boils down to trial and error. This list will hopefully give you a head start in the search for the best acne treatment for your skin. If you have any product suggestions, please share with me.