The Budget Beauty Babe finds an eye liner that stays put, no matter where your mood swings might take you. —BB




by The Budget Beauty Babe
I must admit that I am usually biased against store-brand anything. This applies to makeup, as well as my cereal. But, for the sake of being fair (and following my success with Ulta brand nail polish) I decided to try out Ulta’s Automatic Eye Liner. All I can say is, I feel so stupid for waiting so long to try it! This stuff is just fantastic. It's automatic (always a plus, no sharpening), long-lasting (it seems to be smudge-proof even on the lower lid, which is an amazing feat in and of itself--I even tried rubbing it and nothing showed up on my finger!) and waterproof (good for those of us who watch too much Oprah and cry all the time). I picked up classic black, a lovely shade of teal blue, and raisin, a deep purple color that is an exciting addition to any fall makeup palette. After this eye-opening experience, I'll never doubt store brands again.

Get your Ulta Automatic Eye Liner at Ulta.com, $7

The Budget Beauty Babe reviews Ulta brand nail polish, and it's a hit! —BB




by The Budget Beauty Babe
Recently, I took advantage an Ulta.com offer to anyone who would hand over their email address in exchange for a coupon that entitles you to a free Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer. I’ll try anything if its free (especially nowadays! Sheesh!). I was really very happy with my new polish. It works great, lasts forever and Ulta offers a ton of different shades, I’m pretty sure you can make a perfect match for any shade of pink or red or dark purple (great for Fall) that you may possibly need in your life. I love it, I think it’s a great polish and I have become a loyal customer. A little pricey on a regular day at full price ($5), but a fantastic deal with an Ulta coupon, or any of the many promotions they offer for their own line of products (it's on sale for $2.50 right now online.)

Shown above: Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer in Wicked, Now $2.50

Ulta.com deals: Free shipping on orders over $50; $5 off any purchase of $10 or more, enter code 96306

Part of my day job requires me to listen to the Dr. Mehmet Oz show on Oprah & Friends radio, and as a result, I learn all sorts of neat science stuff and have even been inspired to make some healthier choices in my everyday life. I now eat things like psyllium husk, agave nectar, hemp milk, and quinoa. It almost makes me want to roll my eyes at myself, but hey, it's good to be good to yourself.

So one of the latest things I learned on the show is that a survey by The Environmental Working Group found that the average woman uses 12 personal care products per day. This is an interesting fact on many levels...

The Budget Beauty Babe finds a way to fake flawless skin with a nifty, thrifty beauty product. —BB




by The Budget Beauty Babe
I am always on the lookout for a bargain coverup, mostly for under-eye darkness. During my last trip to Ulta, I found a little concealer stick made by CoverGirl on sale and decided to give it a whirl: CoverGirl Smoothers Concealer in Neutralizer. I picked a shade called neutralizer since I think it's better to neutralize then to try to hide (you usually get better results).

I have to say that although its not a magic bullet, this little stick is worth picking up if you find it on sale like I did. It does a moderate job of covering up under eye issues (the trick is to use it sparingly, too much and you just look cakey and weird) and it does a fantastic job of hiding the oft-dreaded surprise blemish.

The verdict: Worth picking up to throw in the makeup bag, good for spot treatments and touchups. Nice consistency and comes in multiple shades for all skin types.

Get it: CoverGirl Smoothers Concealer in Neutralizer at Drugstore.com, $6.25

The Budget Beauty Babe finds the perfect tool for creating sculpted eyebrows that will frame your face and lift your entire look. —BB




by The Budget Beauty Babe
For as long as I can remember, I thought that brow pencils were not necessary. That was before I tried Physician’s Formula Wonderful Brow Wand Automatic Brow Wax Stick. This thing is just magical! You just gently glide it over your brows, and it adds just a hint of color- but best of all, it gives them enough texture to hold their shape and look fantastic all day. The formula in the pencil doesn't smudge or melt and is very matte and natural-looking. I think it's a great addition to any beauty routine. I might even put it in that privileged category of items you never knew you couldn’t live without. Highly recommended.

Get your own Wonderful Brow Wand Automatic Brow Wax Stick at PhysiciansFormula.com, $5.95