3 Beauty Buys To Make Everyone Think You Spent Extra

Seems as though everyone's got a freakin' skincare or makeup line! Gwyneth and Goop. Mrs. Dr Phil. Cindy Crawford. The Dark Haired Real Housewife Of Orange County. Now, I've been known to fill up a basket at Sephora every now and then, at times with stuff I had absolutely no business buying. $100+ an ounce pre-serum essence, anyone? (The pic of the bathroom, tub above is supposed to belong to someone who runs out and buys said serum without a second thought. They probably also have the Chanel espadrilles that I saw on someone at dinner the other night btw.) That's why this is all about 3 things you can buy for less, that yield EXPENSIVE looking results. So, you'll only look like you spent the equivalent of a week or two's worth of your budget re-stocking your bathroom cabinet with products.

Neogen Naturals Green Tea (cleanser) is part of the Korean or KBeauty trend that's still going strong. It looks surprisingly dark in the container, pumps out as a foam, and goes on as a cream consistency. (Yes to being weirded out at first.) I'd never seen or heard of it until a few months ago when I stumbled across it while browsing my local neighborhood Sephora. (The salesperson seemed mystified as well.) After finding out it was only $19 (such a great price point there) and deciding I'd definitely be returning it if my face reacted at all badly, I took the leap. And never looked back. If your skin falls under sensitive, oily or combination, give it whirl. Think you'll be jazzed with the results and how long it lasts.

So, no matter what cleanser I use, my skin still goes rogue sometimes because of hormones or after I've dug into one piece of flourless chocolate cake too many. That's around the time I'm cursing and wishing for something that would sweep away anything resembling a spot on my face. Super Pure serum from Glossier, 1 of 3 they introduced last year, does the job and sells for around $26 a bottle, outrageously low for a treatment that really does what it says it will. Used it last fall while traveling overseas and my skin could not have been clearer. Bought another bottle last week and my skin looks so crystal (no zits or ruddiness) right now that I've stopped wearing any BB cream or foundation. (For the record, I'm also blogging this from 70 degrees temps and have no desire to wear any face makeup at the moment.) The only thing I hate is not being able run out and pick up another bottle at a store nearby. It's only available online and at the recently opened Glossier flagship in NYC. 

For those who think Burt's Bees is strictly crunchy granola and gardening clogs, you are mistaken. They happen to make a kick ass red lip crayon called Rosewood that sells for approx $9 that Gwyneth herself would wear. (Maybe she does? Maybe her bff Beyonce too for that matter.) It lasts without drying out your lips and is also flattering on different skin tones - not just on pale me. Just in time for Valentine's too. 

Ciao for Now,

Patty J

Photo Credits: Photos of items courtesy of their respective sites