dollar tree beauty finds: elf eyelid primer

When I spotted this ELF eyelid primer at a Dollar Tree, I knew I had to try it. This particular product is a dollar everywhere it's sold, so it's an extremely good deal.
I didn't really know what to expect because I'm not too familiar with primers (I normally use a cover stick to prime my lids).
I love it.
As you can see by the swatch on my hand, it's translucent. It comes with a handy wand, which I use to dab the product on. I then blend it in with my fingers. It's not too greasy or too thick.
It honestly creates the perfect canvas for eyeshadow. It makes all bright eyeshadows more vibrant. The sea foam color I'm wearing in the photos normally takes a ton of effort to get a color payoff. When I tried it with the primer, it took way less product and looked brighter.
The primer also makes the eyeshadow last all day. I'm talking about through naps, dinners out, and until 3 am.

If you wear a lot of eyeshadow this product is perfect for you. Especially because it's only a dollar; most good primers cost $20 and up.

I hope this helps and I hope your week is going well. I'm leaving for vacation on Thursday and couldn't be happier to leave the snow behind!

dollar tree beauty finds: almay one coat dial up mascara

Before mascara:


After:

(I did not alter this image in any way except to take a nasty red vein out of my eye)

I'm am a mascara junkie. I am seriously willing to try any kind I can get my hands on. So when I saw a million packets of this Almay mascara for $1 I immediately bought it.
I was a little skeptical at first with the kind of clunky packaging, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Let me first start off by talking about the dial. It's a pretty genius concept. You can turn the little dial from 1 to 3 based on how dramatic you want your mascara to look. It tightens the opening inside so more (or less) comes off on the brush.
I keep mine at 3 because I like crazy lashes.

This is honestly one of the best mascaras I've ever used. It makes my eyelashes crazy long and doesn't clump. It stays on a crazy long time (even through naps!). It's also really good for sensitive eyes - I recommended it to my mom (mascara always burns her eyes) and she loves it!

The only drawback would be that it's not waterproof. Personally, I don't like waterproof so that's not a problem for me, although it might be for some.

Overall, if you see this product for a buck, BUY IT. It's a great mascara.
(I was NOT paid by Almay to write this.)

Have a great weekend!

dollar tree beauty finds: elf eyeliner pen

I know that this ELF eyeliner is a dollar everywhere but before our area carried ELF products, the only place to find it was Dollar Tree. I tried my very first ELF cosmetic items when I bought some on a whim - ever since then I've been hooked.

Let me tell you a little secret: this eyeliner pen is not waterproof like it says. Other than that, there really isn't anything disappointing about this product. If you're looking for an easy way to get the liquid eyeliner look, this is perfect for you. It glides on easy, is very pigmented, and has incredible staying power. It almost feels like you're drawing with a Sharpie.

Whether you're a liquid pro or looking to try out cat eyes for the first time, it's a great gem for $1!

dollar tree beauty finds: maybelline great wear lip color

Being a beauty addict can be very expensive. Every girl (or boy) who is one can tell you that. The goal of this new segment on my blog is to help you save a couple bucks, but still get great products. That way you can take those dollars you saved and buy something you really need, like shoes (oh wait, that's just me).

When I was a little girl, my mom used to take me to this magical store called Dollar Tree. She would buy me little statues of ballerinas or tiny boxes to store my vending machine jewelry (she got me hooked on knick-knacks early). Even into my teens, a trip to Dollar Tree was something to look forward to. Now that I'm adult (or rather pretending to be an adult), I still love to find hidden gems there. Experimenting with products is easy, because it only costs a buck and if you hate it, it's not like you spent a fortune. I've found a lot of my regular beauty products there and I'm proud to say it. This week I'll start off with my recent beauty jackpot.

Even though I own way more lipsticks than I should, I'm pretty particular about them. I like high-end lipsticks and cheap ones. I won't settle on a cheap one if it doesn't perform like a high-end lippie. That being said, when I saw these Maybelline Great Wear lipsticks hanging in the cosmetic aisle, I had to try one out. Turns out I like it so much I went and got three more shades.

(From left to right): Garnet, Autumn, Berry, and Cocktail Orange.

Please excuse my poor application. Don't ever try to put on lipstick with shaky coffee hands!

Maybelline Great Wear in Garnet


Maybelline Great Wear in Autumn


Maybelline Great Wear in Berry


Maybelline Great Wear in Cocktail Orange

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. Maybelline is not one of my favorite drugstore brands and I never have been wowed by any of their products. To my surprise, these lipsticks weren't bad at all (maybe my low expectations paid off). They have an incredibly matte finish, which I didn't expect. I would say they are as matte as Mac's Ruby Woo (the most matte lipstick I can find). Even though they are so matte, they feel great on the lips. After awhile they do start to dry out, so carry some lip balm! They're staying power is great, which I know some women view as a necessity when it comes to their lipsticks. Berry will be a great everyday shade come Spring, and Cocktail Orange will be fun for the summer.
What I don't like is the shade variation. All the colors are very similar - Autumn and Garnet are almost identical. I probably won't get much use out of one of them. Also, if you have dry lips (like me) you will need to prep your lips with a balm. Matte lipsticks are known for showing dry patches and for drying out your lips in general and these are no exception.

Overall, a tad drying and not a wide shade selection would not stop me from repurchasing at a mere dollar. I would probably go back to choose between Autumn or Garnet.
I hope this helps you score some awesome and super-cheap lipstick at your local dollar store!